bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of airway measurements during influenza-induced tachypnea in infant and adult cotton rats
Authors: Trias Elman L , Hassantoufighi Arash , Prince Gregory A , Eichelberger Maryna C
Published: June 2009

Background

Increased respiratory rate (tachypnea) is frequently observed as a clinical sign of influenza pneumonia in pediatric patients admitted to the hospital. We previously demonstrated that influenza infection of adult cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) also results in tachypnea and wanted to establish whether this clinical sign was observed in infected infant cotton rats. We hypothesized that age-dependent differences in lung mechanics result in differences in ventilatory characteristics following influenza infection.

Methods

Lung tidal volume, dynamic elastance, resistance, and pleural pressure were measured in a resistance and compliance system on mechanically-ventilated anesthestized young (14–28 day old) and adult (6–12 week old) cotton rats. Animals at the same age were infected with influenza virus, and breathing rates and other respiratory measurements were recorded using a whole body flow plethysmograph.

Results

Adult cotton rats had significantly greater tidal volume (TV), and lower resistance and elastance than young animals. To evaluate the impact of this increased lung capacity and stiffening on respiratory disease, young and adult animals were infected intra-nasally with influenza A/Wuhan/359/95. Both age groups had increased respiratory rate and enhanced pause (Penh) during infection, suggesting lower airway obstruction. However, in spite of significant tachypnea, the infant (unlike the adult) cotton rats maintained the same tidal volume, resulting in an increased minute volume. In addition, the parameters that contribute toPenhwere different: while relaxation time between breaths and time of expiration was decreased in both age groups, a disproportionate increase in peak inspiratory and expiratory flow contributed to the increase inPenhin infant animals.

Conclusion

While respiratory rate is increased in both adult and infant influenza-infected cotton rats, the volume of air exchanged per minute (minute volume) is increased in the infant animals only. This is likely to be a consequence of greater lung elastance in the very young animals. This model replicates many respiratory features of humans and consequently may be a useful tool to investigate new strategies to treat respiratory disease in influenza-infected infants.
Comparison and prediction of pullout strength of conical and cylindrical pedicle screws within synthetic bone
Authors: Tsai Wen-Chi , Chen Po-Quang , Lu Tung-Wu , Wu Shing-Sheng , Shih Kao-Shang , Lin Shang-Chih
Published: June 2009

Background

This study was designed to derive the theoretical formulae to predict the pullout strength of pedicle screws with an inconstant outer and/or inner diameter distribution (conical screws). For the transpedicular fixation, one of the failure modes is the screw loosening from the vertebral bone. Hence, various kinds of pedicle screws have been evaluated to measure the pullout strength using synthetic and cadaveric bone as specimens. In the literature, the Chapman's formula has been widely proposed to predict the pullout strength of screws with constant outer and inner diameters (cylindrical screws).

Methods

This study formulated the pullout strength of the conical and cylindrical screws as the functions of material, screw, and surgery factors. The predicted pullout strength of each screw was compared to the experimentally measured data. Synthetic bones were used to standardize the material properties of the specimen and provide observation of the loosening mechanism of the bone/screw construct.

Results

The predicted data from the new formulae were better correlated with the mean pullout strength of both the cylindrical and conical screws within an average error of 5.0% and R
2 = 0.93. On the other hand, the average error and R
2 value of the literature formula were as high as -32.3% and -0.26, respectively.

Conclusion

The pullout strength of the pedicle screws was the functions of bone strength, screw design, and pilot hole. The close correlation between the measured and predicted pullout strength validated the value of the new formulae, so as avoid repeating experimental tests.
Dermoscopy as a technique for the early identification of foot melanoma
Authors: Bristow Ivan R , Bowling Jonathan
Published: June 2009

Malignant melanoma is the most common primary malignant tumour arising on the foot. Where improvements in the prognosis have been observed for patients with melanoma elsewhere on the skin, pedal lesions are still frequently delayed in presentation through neglect or misdiagnosis. Detection of foot melanoma relies on the health care practitioner's skills and observations in recognising early changes. Recent publications have documented the use a dermoscopy as a tool to improve recognition of such suspicious lesions. This paper reviews current literature with a special emphasis of its potential applications on plantar and nail unit melanoma. Data from these studies suggest that the technique is a useful and significant adjunct to clinical examination, which ultimately may lead to earlier recognition of this aggressive tumour.
A geometric analysis of hallux valgus: correlation with clinical assessment of severity
Authors: Piqué‐Vidal Carlos , Vila Joan
Published: June 2009

Background

Application of plane geometry to the study of bunion deformity may represent an interesting and novel approach in the research field of hallux valgus. For the purpose of contributing to development of a different perspective in the assessment of hallux valgus, this study was conducted with three objectives: a) to determine the position on the intersection point of the perpendicular bisectors of the longitudinal axes of the first metatarsal and proximal phalanx (IP), b) to correlate the location of this point with hallux valgus deformity according to angular measurements and according to visual assessment of the severity carried out by three independent observers, and c) to assess whether this IP correlated with the radius of the first metatarsophalangeal arc circumference.

Methods

Measurements evaluated were intermetatarsal angle (IMA), hallux valgus angle (HVA), and proximal phalangeal articular angle (PPAA). The Autocad® program computed the location of the IP inside or outside of the foot. Three independent observers rated the severity of hallux valgus in photographs using a 100‐mm visual analogue scale (VAS).

Results

Measurements of all angles except PPAA showed significantly lower values when the IP was located out of the foot more distantly and vice versa, significantly higher values for severe deformities in which the IP was found inside the foot (p < 0.001). The IP correlated significantly with VAS scores and with the length of the radius of the circle that included the first metatarsophalangeal arc circumference (p < 0.001)

Conclusion

The IP is a useful indicator of hallux valgus deformity because correlated significantly with IMA and HVA measurements, VAS scores obtained by visual inspection of the degree of deformity, and location of the center of the first metatarsophalangeal arc circumference.
The p.A2215D Thyroglobulin Gene Mutation Leads to Deficient Synthesis and Secretion of the Mutated Protein and Congenital Hypothyroidism with Wide Phenotype Variation
Authors: Pardo Viviane , Vono-Toniolo Jussara , Rubio Ileana G. S. , Knobel Meyer , Possato Roberta F. , Targovnik Hector M. , Kopp Peter , Medeiros-Neto Geraldo
Published: June 2009

Context: Thyroglobulin (TG) is a large glycoprotein and functions as a matrix for thyroid hormone synthesis. TG gene mutations give rise to goitrous congenital hypothyroidism (CH) with considerable phenotype variation.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to report the genetic screening of 15 patients with CH due to TG gene mutations and to perform functional analysis of the p.A2215D mutation.

Design: Clinical evaluation and DNA sequencing of the TG gene were performed in all patients. TG expression was analyzed in the goitrous tissue of one patient. Human cells were transfected with expression vectors containing mutated and wild-type human TG cDNA.

Results: All patients had an absent rise of serum TG after stimulation with recombinant human TSH. Sequence analysis revealed three previously described mutations (p.A2215D, p.R277X, and g.IVS30+1G>T), and two novel mutations (p.Q2142X and g.IVS46-1G>A). Two known (g.IVS30+1G/p.A2215D and p.A2215D/p.R277X) and one novel (p.R277X/g.IVS46-1G>A) compound heterozygous constellations were also identified. Functional analysis indicated deficiency in TG synthesis, reduction of TG secretion, and retention of the mutant TG within the cell, leading to an endoplasmic reticulum storage disease, whereas small amounts of mutant TG were still secreted within the cell system.

Conclusion: All studied patients were either homozygous or heterozygous for TG gene mutations. Two novel mutations have been detected, and we show that TG mutation p.A2215D promotes the retention of TG within the endoplasmic reticulum and reduces TG synthesis and secretion, causing mild hypothyroidism. In the presence of sufficient iodine supply, some patients with TG mutations are able to compensate the impaired hormonogenesis and generate thyroid hormone.
Predictors of Pregnancy in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Rausch Mary E. , Legro Richard S. , Barnhart Huiman X. , Schlaff William D. , Carr Bruce R. , Diamond Michael P. , Carson Sandra A. , Steinkampf Michael P. , McGovern Peter G. , Cataldo Nicholas A. , Gosman Gabriella G. , Nestler John E. , Giudice Linda C. , Leppert Phyllis C. , Myers Evan R. , Coutifaris Christos ,   for the Reproductive Medicine Network
Published: June 2009

Context: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of anovulatory infertility. The selection of first-line therapies for ovulation induction is empiric.

Objective: The aim of the study was to develop a clinically useful predictive model of live birth with varying ovulation induction methods.

Design, Setting, and Participants: We built four prognostic models from a large multicenter randomized controlled infertility trial of 626 women with PCOS performed at academic health centers in the United States to predict success of ovulation, conception, pregnancy, and live birth, evaluating the influence of patients’ baseline characteristics.

Interventions: Ovulation was induced with clomiphene, metformin, or the combination of both for up to six cycles or conception.

Main Outcome Measure: The primary outcome of the trial was the rate of live births.

Results: Baseline free androgen index, baseline proinsulin level, interaction of treatment arm with body mass index, and duration of attempting conception were significant predictors in all four models. History of a prior loss predicted ovulation and conception, but not pregnancy or live birth. A modified Ferriman Gallwey hirsutism score of less than 8 was predictive of conception, pregnancy, and live birth (although it did not predict ovulation success). Age was a divergent predictor based on outcome; age greater than 34 predicted ovulation, whereas age less than 35 was a predictive factor for a successful pregnancy and live birth. Smoking history had no predictive value.

Conclusions: A live birth prediction chart developed from basic clinical parameters (body mass index, age, hirsutism score, and duration of attempting conception) may help physicians counsel and select infertility treatments for women with PCOS.

The probability of a live birth after ovulation induction in PCOS women can be estimated based on their age, body mass index, hirsutism, and duration of attempted conception.
Yip1A regulates the COPI-independent retrograde transport from the Golgi complex to the ER
Authors: Kano Fumi , Yamauchi Shinobu , Yoshida Yumi , Watanabe-Takahashi Miho , Nishikawa Kiyotaka , Nakamura Nobuhiro , Murata Masayuki
Published: June 2009

Yip1A, a mammalian homologue of yeast Yip1p, is a multi-spanning membrane protein that is considered to be involved in transport between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi. However, the precise role of Yip1A in mammalian cells remains unclear. We show here that endogenous Yip1A is localized to the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC). Knockdown of Yip1A by RNAi did not induce morphological changes in the Golgi, ER, or ERGIC. By analyzing a number of intracellular transport pathways, we found that Yip1A knockdown delayed the transport of Shiga toxin from the Golgi to the ER, but did not affect the anterograde transport of VSVGts045. We also found that a recombinant protein that corresponded to the N-terminal domain of Yip1A inhibited the COPI-independent retrograde transport of GFP-tagged galactosyltransferase, GT-GFP, but not the COPI-dependent retrograde transport of p58/ERGIC53. Furthermore, we found that Yip1A knockdown resulted in the dissociation of Rab6 from the membranes. These results suggested that Yip1A has a role in COPI-independent retrograde transport from the Golgi to the ER and regulates the membrane recruitment of Rab6.
Distinct roles for isoforms of the catalytic subunit of class-IA PI3K in the regulation of behaviour of murine embryonic stem cells
Authors: Kingham Emmajayne , Welham Melanie
Published: June 2009

Self-renewal of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) is essential for maintenance of pluripotency, which is defined as the ability to differentiate into any specialised cell type comprising the adult organism. Understanding the mechanisms that regulate ESC self-renewal and proliferation is required before ESCs can fulfil their potential in regenerative therapies, and murine ESCs (mESCs) have been widely used as a model. Members of the class-IA phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) family of lipid kinases regulate a variety of physiological responses, including cell migration, proliferation and survival. PI3Ks have been reported to regulate both proliferation and self-renewal of mESCs. Here we investigate the contribution of specific class-IA PI3K isoforms to the regulation of mESC fate using small-molecule inhibitors with selectivity for particular class-IA PI3K catalytic isoforms, and siRNA-mediated knockdown. Pharmacological inhibition or knockdown of p110β promoted mESC differentiation, accompanied by a decrease in expression of Nanog. By comparison, pharmacological inhibition or siRNA-mediated knockdown of p110α had no effect on mESC self-renewal per se, but instead appeared to reduce proliferation, which was accompanied by inhibition of leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and insulin-induced PI3K signalling. Our results suggest that PI3Ks contribute to the regulation of both mESC pluripotency and proliferation by differential coupling to selected p110 catalytic isoforms.
Dynamic adhesions and MARCKS in melanoma cells
Authors: Estrada-Bernal Adriana , Gatlin Jesse C. , Sunpaweravong Somkiat , Pfenninger Karl H.
Published: June 2009

Cell motility necessitates the rapid formation and disassembly of cell adhesions. We have studied adhesions in a highly motile melanoma cell line using various biochemical approaches and microscopic techniques to image close adhesions. We report that WM-1617 melanoma cells contain at least two types of close adhesion: classic focal adhesions and more extensive, irregularly shaped adhesions that tend to occur along lamellipodial edges. In contrast to focal adhesions, these latter adhesions are highly dynamic and can be disassembled rapidly via protein kinase C (PKC) activation (e.g. by eicosanoid) and MARCKS phosphorylation. MARCKS overexpression, however, greatly increases the area of close adhesions and renders them largely refractory to PKC stimulation. This indicates that nonphosphorylated MARCKS is an adhesion stabilizer. Unlike focal adhesions, the dynamic adhesions contain α3 integrin and MARCKS, but they do not contain the focal adhesion marker vinculin. Overall, these results begin to define the molecular and functional properties of dynamic close adhesions involved in cell motility.
Group IIC intron mobility into attC sites involves a bulged DNA stem–loop motif
Authors: Léon Grégory , Roy Paul H.
Published: June 2009

Bacterial group IIC introns are a subclass of group II intron ribozymes that are typically located downstream from transcriptional terminators. Class IIC-attC introns constitute a monophyletic subset of subgroup IIC, which preferentially insert into site-specific recombination sequences for integron integrases (attC). attCs are a diverse family of nucleotide sequences composed of conserved inverted repeats that flank a variable, but palindromic, central region. In this study, we used both PCR and colony patch hybridization methods to determine the basis for recognition of the attCaadA1 stem–loop motif by the Serratia marcescens intron (S.ma.I2) in vivo. The quantitative results showed that mobility into the wild-type site occurs at a frequency of 18%, and is strongly biased by the orientation of the homing site relative to the direction of DNA replication. S.ma.I2 mobility results into mutant attCaadA1 sites are consistent with recognition of stem–loop motifs in unwound DNA. The homing frequency results showed that, while the entire attC sequence is not necessary for recognition of the insertion site, short deletions of the attC stem–loop motif inhibited the intron mobility. Moreover, our data show that S.ma.I2 requires a bulged base in the folded attC stem for high homing frequency. We demonstrate that the IBS1/IBS3 motifs and two bulge bases conserved among attCs determine S.ma.I2 homing specificity for the attC bottom strand. These results suggest that class IIC-attC introns tolerate attC variation by recognition of a bulged hairpin DNA motif rather than a specific sequence.
Advertising war: the Project for America Voter Fund and the occupation of Iraq
Authors: Laderman Scott
Published: June 2009

This article examines the confluence of national security and racial discourses in a 2006 advertising campaign sponsored by the Project for America Voter Fund that sought to stimulate support for the US occupation of Iraq. Situating the campaign in American foreign relations history, the article addresses the Fund's criticism of US media coverage of the Iraq war, the media and popular response to the advertisements and the broader argument of war supporters that their views as well as the good news coming out of Iraq were being suppressed. The article also explores the ways in which a perceived moral calculus concerning the value of US and Iraqi lives was marshalled to revive the crumbling morale of Americans weary of continued warfare. In doing so, it historicizes this discursive strategy, connecting it to the racial politics of past American wars and the rhetorical appeal of the domino theory, while concomitantly examining the development of its more unique features.
The Pathology of Media Intervention in Iraq 20032008: The US attempt to restructure Iraqi media law and content
Authors: Najjar Orayb Aref
Published: June 2009

Monroe Price has observed that Iraq represents a pathology of media intervention, and, as with any pathology, its study helps in dealing with more healthy organisms (Price 2007). This study analyzes US attempts to remake the Iraqi mediascape, its law and content between 2003 and 2008.
It concludes that post-invasion media development was so poorly structured and implemented that it was doomed from the start. This is true despite and because of the millions of dollars spent by and on private US contractors, and despite the involvement of several countries, international
human rights agencies, and private publications from across the US political spectrum. The main culprits remain the lack of oversight regarding the millions the United States has spent attempting to privatize Iraqi media development, and the failure of the Bush administration to include independent-minded
Iraqi and Arab professionals in its post-invasion media reconstruction project, or to learn from the long struggles of Arab journalists with their respective governments.
Manufacturing consent in Iraq: interference in the post-Saddam media sector
Authors: Isakhan Benjamin
Published: June 2009

The toppling of Saddam Hussein in 2003 saw Iraq's media sector shift from a handful of state-run media outlets that served as propaganda machines, to a vast array of Iraqi-owned newspapers, radio stations and television channels which are being fervently produced and avidly consumed nationally. Not unexpectedly, several problems have accompanied this divergent, ad-hoc and highly volatile mediascape. Although recognizing important factors, including dangers faced by Iraqi journalists, and the dearth of appropriate press laws, this article focuses instead on attempts by certain key foreign and domestic political bodies to manufacture consent in Iraq via their interference in the post-Saddam media sector. These foreign influences are Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United States, each of which funds, controls and manipulates different Iraqi media outlets. Not surprisingly, the United States has been the most active in this respect, utilizing both overt and clandestine propaganda techniques as well as forced closures to control the Iraqi media sector. Unfortunately, measures such as these are not limited to foreign governments: both the Iraqi government and the Kurdish Regional Government have used similar means to control and silence Iraq's nascent public sphere. The article concludes by noting the irony of limited press freedom in Iraq during this crucial phase of its transition from despotism to democracy.
Laus deorum e strutture inniche nei Panegirici latini di etá imperiale
Authors: La Bua Giuseppe
Published: June 2009

Latin prose Panegyrics are a fourth-century product of Gallic rhetorical schools; they celebrate the emperor's virtues by widely employing structures and topoi commonly associated with epideictic theory and practice. This paper explores the presence of hymnic features within the corpus of the Latin Panegyrics. The following passages are investigated: 1) the celebration of Diocletian and Maximian as Iovius and Herculius in Panegyrics 10(2).1–6 and 11(3).3; 2) the praise of the Tiber and the hymn to the supreme God in the Panegyric dedicated to Constantine 12(9).18; 26; 3) the hymn to Greece in the Panegyric to Julian 3(11).8. The analysis shows how the panegyrists re-worked the laudatory material by adapting the style and topoi of hymns to gods to praise of the emperor.
What Can One Man Do? Nguyễn Đức Thẳng and the Limits of Reform in South Vietnam
Authors: McAllister James
Published: June 2009

This article examines the rise and fall of Nguyễn Đức Thằng. The leader of the Revolutionary Development program after 1965, General Nguyễn Đức Thằng was viewed by top officials in the Johnson administration as the most promising reformist leader in the entire history of South Vietnam. Despite extensive American support for his goals, Nguyễn Đức Thằng's reformist objectives were thwarted by President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu and corrupt ARVN military elites.
Expression of Distinct Self-Incompatibility Specificities inArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Boggs Nathan A , Dwyer Kathleen G , Shah Paurush , McCulloch Amanda A , Bechsgaard Jesper , Schierup Mikkel H , Nasrallah Mikhail E , Nasrallah June B
Published: June 2009

The interplay of balancing selection within a species and rapid gene evolution between species can confound our ability to determine the functional equivalence of interspecific and intergeneric pairs of alleles underlying reproduction. In crucifer plants, mating specificity in the barrier to self-fertilization called self-incompatibility (SI) is controlled by allele-specific interactions between two highly polymorphic and co-evolving proteins, the S-locus receptor kinase (SRK) and its S-locus cysteine rich (SCR) ligand. These proteins have diversified both within and between species such that it is often difficult to determine from sequence information alone if they encode the same or different SI specificity. The self-fertile Arabidopsis thaliana was derived from an obligate outbreeding ancestor by loss of self-incompatibility, often in conjunction with inactivation of SRK or SCR. Nevertheless, some accessions of A. thaliana can express self-incompatibility upon transformation with an SRK–SCR gene pair isolated from its self-incompatible close relative A. lyrata. Here we show that several additional and highly diverged SRK/SCR genes from A. lyrata and another crucifer plant, Capsella grandiflora, confer self-incompatibility in A. thaliana, either as intact genes isolated from genomic libraries or after manipulation to generate chimeric fusions. We describe how the use of this newly developed chimeric protein strategy has allowed us to test the functional equivalence of SRK/SCR gene pairs from different taxa and to assay the functionality of endogenous A. thaliana SRK and SCR sequences.
Identification of a New Rice Blast Resistance Gene, Pid3, by Genomewide Comparison of Paired Nucleotide-Binding Site–Leucine-Rich Repeat Genes and Their Pseudogene Alleles Between the Two Sequenced Rice Genomes
Authors: Shang Junjun , Tao Yong , Chen Xuewei , Zou Yan , Lei Cailin , Wang Jing , Li Xiaobing , Zhao Xianfeng , Zhang Meijun , Lu Zhike , Xu Jichen , Cheng Zhukuan , Wan Jianmin , Zhu Lihuang
Published: June 2009

Rice blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae, is one of the most devastating diseases. The two major subspecies of Asian cultivated rice (Oryza sativa L.), indica and japonica, have shown obvious differences in rice blast resistance, but the genomic basis that underlies the difference is not clear. We performed a genomewide comparison of the major class of resistant gene family, the nucleotide-binding site–leucine-rich repeat (NBS–LRR) gene family, between 93-11 (indica) and Nipponbare (japonica) with a focus on their pseudogene members. We found great differences in either constitution or distribution of pseudogenes between the two genomes. According to this comparison, we designed the PCR-based molecular markers specific to the Nipponbare NBS–LRR pseudogene alleles and used them as cosegregation markers for blast susceptibility in a segregation population from a cross between a rice blast-resistant indica variety and a susceptible japonica variety. Through this approach, we identified a new blast resistance gene, Pid3, in the indica variety, Digu. The allelic Pid3 loci in most of the tested japonica varieties were identified as pseudogenes due to a nonsense mutation at the nucleotide position 2208 starting from the translation initiation site. However, this mutation was not found in any of the tested indica varieties, African cultivated rice varieties, or AA genome-containing wild rice species. These results suggest that the pseudogenization of Pid3 in japonica occurred after the divergence of indica and japonica.
Changes in the water content of maize varieties after physiological maturity
Authors: Hadi G. , Kása S. , Rácz F.
Published: June 2009

Changes in the water content of 22 maize varieties were investigated during the period between physiological maturity and harvesting. It was found that neither the grain moisture, the cob moisture, the moisture content of the internode below the ear nor the thousand-kernel mass changed to a statistically significant extent. No significant water uptake or drying in excess of random variation, sufficient to influence the choice of harvesting date, could be detected during the test period.Nevertheless, considerable differences were recorded between the varieties for the moisture contents in the cob and in the internode below the ear. These could be of economic importance in choosing varieties and harvesting dates. The differences between the varieties can be attributed to the diverse genetic backgrounds, suggesting that breeding could lead to the development of maize varieties with low grain moisture at harvest.
Effect of rhizobial inoculation on growth, yield, nodulation and biochemical characters of vegetable pea ( Pisum sativum )
Authors: Karahne V. , Singh V.
Published: June 2009

A field experiment was conducted with 8 genotypes of vegetable pea and 3 levels of rhizobial inoculation for two consecutive years. Inoculation with
Rhizobium leguminosarum
@ 20 g kg
−1
seed made the plants taller and enhanced biomass production through branching, but delayed maturity. It resulted in more pods, enlarging them to contain more seeds, leading to higher test weight and enhanced harvest index. It increased nodulation, the benefit of which was reflected in most of the yield traits. It also enriched the seeds with nitrogen and protein, as well as activating nitrogenase enzyme in the root nodules to fix more atmospheric nitrogen.
Effect of liquid and cyst formulations of Azospirillum with inorganic nitrogen on the growth and yield of rice
Authors: Thamizh Vendan R. , Thangaraju M.
Published: June 2009

The nitrogen-fixing rhizobacterium
Azospirillum
lives in close association with plant roots, where it exerts beneficial effects on the plant growth and yield of many crops of agronomic importance. As carrier-based inoculants have a short shelf life and poor quality, new liquid and cyst formulations of inoculants have been developed and standardized for
Azospirillum
. In the present investigation, experiments were conducted to study the effect of liquid and cyst formulations of
Azospirillum
, combined with inorganic nitrogen, on the growth and yield of rice. Inoculation with the cyst formulation of
Azospirillum
enhanced the plant height, biomass and N uptake of the plants, the available nitrogen content of the soil and the yield of rice to the greatest extent when compared to carrier-based
Azospirillum
, followed by the liquid formulation. The results of the present study clearly indicated that the cyst and liquid formulations of
Azospirillum
could be used as bioinoculants more effectively than the carrier-based one.
Effect of chemical composition of sugar sorghum and the cultivation technology on its utilisation for silage production
Authors: Kozłowski S. , Zielewicz W. , Potkański A. , Cieślak A. , Szumacher-Strabel M.
Published: June 2009

The objective of this research project was to determine the chemical composition of sugar sorghum (Sorghum saccharatum) and the suitability of sorghum forage for ensiling, and to recommend an optimal cultivation technology in order to obtain raw material for the production of high quality silage. The object used for comparison was a medium late cultivar ofZea mays, Magister (FAO 270), characterised as the “stay green” type, which is desirable if good quality forage and silage is to be obtained under the conditions prevailing in Poland. The experiment was set up in the years 2004–2005 on a soil suitable for the cultivation of these crops. The experimental material consisted of four cultivation combinations chosen on the basis of our current knowledge on the subject. The results show sugar sorghum to be an interesting fodder plant, characterised by favourable biological and chemical properties. Sorghum cultivation provides nutritionally valuable forage and important silage material. Irrespective of the experimental combination employed, the sorghum plants gave good quality silage, as confirmed by their chemical composition and digestibility. Sugar sorghum should be treated as a fodder grass complementary to maize. The different stem morphological structures of sorghum and maize may cause differences in the quality assessment of the silage obtained from the two crops. The various cultivation treatments failed to diversify the chemical composition of the sorghum forage and silage. Therefore, the mode of cultivation is of secondary importance and the decisive factor is the yield of the aboveground parts.
Mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors rapamycin and RAD001 (everolimus) induce anti-proliferative effects in GH-secreting pituitary tumor cells in vitro
Authors: Gorshtein Alexander , Rubinfeld Hadara , Kendler Efrat , Theodoropoulou Marily , Cerovac Vesna , Stalla Günter K , Cohen Zvi R , Hadani Moshe , Shimon Ilan
Published: June 2009

The effect of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors on pituitary tumors is unknown. Akt overexpression was demonstrated in pituitary adenomas, which may render them sensitive to the anti-proliferative effects of these drugs. The objective of the study was to evaluate the anti-proliferative efficacy of the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, and its orally bioavailable analog RAD001 on the GH-secreting pituitary tumor GH3 and MtT/S cells and in human GH-secreting pituitary adenomas (GH-omas) in primary cell cultures. Treatment with rapamycin or RAD001 significantly decreased the number of viable cells and cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This was reflected by decreased phosphorylation levels of the downstream mTOR target p70S6K. Rapamycin treatment of GH3 cells induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. In other tumor cell types, this was attributed to a decrease in cyclin D1 levels. However, rapamycin did not affect cyclin D1 protein levels in GH3 cells. By contrast, it decreased cyclin D3 and p21/CIP, which stabilizes cyclin D/cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (cdk4) complexes. Rapamycin inhibited FCS-induced retinoblastoma phosphorylation and subsequent E2F-transcriptional activity. In response to decreased E2F activity, the expression of the E2F-regulated genes cyclin E and cdk2 was reduced. Our results showed that mTOR inhibitors potently inhibit pituitary cell proliferation, suggesting that mTOR inhibition may be a promising anti-proliferative therapy for pituitary adenomas. This therapeutic manipulation may have beneficial effects particularly for patients harboring invasive pituitary tumors resistant to current treatments.
Conflicts in Marine Resource Utilisation on the Agulhas Bank, South Africa: The Interaction Between the Fishing Industry and the Offshore Oil and Gas Industries
Authors: Sims P.F. , Jackson L.F. , Japp D.W. , Dehrmann A.
Published: June 2009

The exploration for oil and gas off South Africa's coast began in the latesixties, with significant findings being made on a section of the continentalshelf known as the Agulhas Bank. These reserves have been developed gradually, with the gas fields coming on stream in 1992, and the first crude oil being produced in early 1997. The existing oil and gas production facilities, the presence of some 180 wellheads and the planned expansion of oil and gasexploitation on the Agulhas Bank has generated considerable concern amongst the fishing community. These concerns refer to loss of access to traditional fishing areas, damage to trawl gear and the rehabilitation of fishing grounds. The implications of a possible court interdict by the fishing industry in 1996, to stop oil-related expansion on the fishing grounds, resulted in an examination by both industries, of the main issues. In the process, the concerns of the oil industry were also emphasised namely, the avoidance of possible "showstoppers", contractual agreements related to drilling rigs, the need for continuity in offshore activities and the protection of equipment on the sea-bed. In an attempt to resolve the conflict a Liaison Committee was established to evaluate the key issues. As a result of consultation, practical ways in which the two industries could share operational space were identified. This paper examines the processes and interactions between the two industries and the progress that has been made in resolving issues, since 1995.

Introduction

The Agulhas Bank (Fig.1), is a triangular extension of the continental shelf off southernmost Africa. The area considered for discussion extends from Cape Agulhas (20 E) to Port Alfred (27 E), and seawards to the 1000 m isobath (an area of approximately 29000 square nautical miles).
The Evaluation Process for Implementing a Through 3-1/2" CTD Program in the Kuparuk Field
Authors: Hembling Drew , Dickey Doug , Cassee Udo
Published: June 2009

Coiled tubing drilling (CTD) is a common practice on the North Slope of Alaska. Re-entry sidetrack drilling using coiled tubing has helped operators ARCO Alaska, Inc. and BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. reduce sidetrack cost and increase operating margins in their continued development of the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field. This paper will describe the planning and selection process followed by a multi-disciplined team (MDT) assembled to design and implement a three well CTD pilot program in the adjacent Kuparuk River Unit (KRU). In addition, details on the well screening and candidate ranking processes will be discussed.

The selection process for KRU CTD candidates emphasized geologic, drilling, reservoir, risk and economic criteria. Using 3-D seismic, extensive mapping, core, and log data, a geologic model was developed to rank geological risks for candidate screening. Four main concerns were identified: I) shale, 2) faulting, 3) reservoir quality and 4) mineralization and poor oil quality. Minimizing shale exposure while drilling and completing the wells was viewed as a high priority as past experience with shales caused shale sloughing and wellbore instability.

Drilling and reservoir criteria included: 1) existing well design, 2) reservoir optimization, 3) mechanical risk mitigation and 4) logistical and production facility constraints. Other considerations included: 1) economics, 2) risk vs. reward for new technology implementation, and 3) comparison with alternative technologies available to recover equivalent reserves, e.g. through-tubing rotary drilling or conventional sidetracks.

The technical and economic results of the pilot program will be used to evaluate future CTD in the Kuparuk Field. With detailed initial planning and the use of a MDT approach, the best wells were selected for the CTD pilot program in the Kuparuk Field.
The Effects of Economic and Political Development on GDP Growth Volatility
Authors: Edwards Jeffrey A. , Thames Frank C.
Published: June 2009

The existing literature argues that both higher levels of political and economic development can dampen real GDP growth volatility. The problem, however, is that both forms of development are thought to be highly correlated. Using a dataset of 94 countries, we address this problem and find that not only does economic and political development have non-linear relationships with volatility, but that the effect of the former is more substantively significant than that of political development after a certain level of development is attained.
Financial Fragility and Crisis Union in the Asia-Pacific Region
Authors: Strobel Frank
Published: June 2009

We examine whether core ASEAN+3 countries might be interested in joining a financial "crisis union," allowing for the role of uncertainty by constructing a stylized real options model of the decision problem involved. We calibrate that model by proxying financial fragility with commonly used bank asset ratios and observe that, according to our criteria, a wider financial crisis union might be more attainable the more encompassing that grouping is; however, our results also reinforce the common perception of pervasive, possibly prohibitive, heterogeneity in these countries' banking and financial systems.
Poland, the European Union, and the Euro: Poland's Long Journey to Full European Integration
Authors: Hunter Richard J. , Ryan Leo V.
Published: June 2009

This article will discuss the political and economic background behind Poland's decision to join the Euro-Zone, perhaps as early as 2012. The article describes important political events and summarizes key economic data presented at the end of 2008, as well as providing important “pro and con" arguments surrounding this controversial move. In addition, the article provides a context to Poland's “march to Europe," as it has moved to full membership in the European Union, including its single currency.
Health Insurance Demand and the Generosity of Benefits: Fixed Effects Estimates of the Price Elasticity
Authors: Jacobs Paul D.
Published: June 2009

This paper explores a central question in health economics: How sensitive is worker demand for health insurance? After controlling for variables omitted in other analyses, such as the generosity of plan coverage and aspects of worker demand that are constant within firms over time, I estimate a price elasticity (between -0.014 and -0.017) which is smaller than previous estimates. The analysis also finds that employees are more likely to take-up policies with greater insurance protection from hospital expenses, but not for increased coverage for prescription drug or provider office visit expenses. Taken together, increases in worker-paid premiums explain about 60 percent of the fall in take-up of employer policies over time, whereas increases in insurance cost-sharing explain about 10 percent of that change. Changes in employer contributions for health insurance had a limited effect on take-up compared with the amounts employees paid out-of-pocket for premiums. An implication of these findings is that policies which attempt to subsidize employee-paid portions of the premium would be an expensive and potentially ineffective strategy for achieving greater coverage, particularly if the quality of that coverage is not perceived as worthwhile.
Evaluation of Redundant Measurements on the Air Quality Monitoring Network of Lisbon and Tagus Valley
Authors: Pires José C. M. , Martins Fernando G. , Alvim-Ferraz Maria C. M. , Pereira Maria C.
Published: June 2009

The aim of this study was to evaluate redundant measurements in the air quality monitoring network (AQMN) of Lisbon and Tagus Valley (LTV). With this purpose, the minimum number of monitoring sites that should operate was achieved using principal component analysis (PCA). The air pollution data was collected in twenty monitoring sites during the period from January to December 2006. The air pollutants analysed were CO, NO2, PM10 and O3.In this study, a different criterion for selection of the number of principal components (PCs) was applied. The PCs were selected representing at least 95% of the original data variance. Using this criterion, the PCs have more information about the air pollution data, increasing the confidence in the PCA results.The PCA results showed that, from twenty studied monitoring sites, only ten for CO, eleven for NO2, five for O3 and nine for PM10 were needed to characterize the region. The air pollutant analysers corresponding to the redundant measurements can be installed in non-monitored regions, allowing the enlargement of the air quality monitoring network.
Minimum Fluidization Velocity of Food Materials: Effect of Moisture and Shape
Authors: Senadeera Wiji
Published: June 2009

Changes in fluidization behaviour of three geometrical shaped food particulates, with changes in moisture content during drying, were investigated using a fluidized bed dryer. The three food particulates were cylindrical (beans), parallelepiped (potato) and spherical (green peas). Fluidization behavior was characterised for cylindrical shape particles with three length diameter-ratios of 1:1, 2:1 and 3:1, parallelepiped particles with three aspect ratios of 1:1, 2:1 and 3:1 and spherical particles. All drying experiments were conducted at 50oC and 15% RH using a heat pump dehumidifier system. Fluidization experiments were undertaken for the bed heights of 100, 80, 60 and 40mm and at 10 moisture content levels.Data was analysed using SAS, and an empirical relationship of the form Umf = A + B e-Cm was developed for the change of minimum fluidization velocity with moisture content during drying for cylindrical particulates for the L:D ratio of 1:1, and spherical behaviour was best fitted to the linear model of Umf = A + Bm. Due to irregularities in shape, the minimum fluidisation velocity of parallelepiped particulates (potato) could not be fitted to any empirical model. The experimentally determined minimum fluidisation velocities were compared with predicted minimum fluidisation velocities using a generalised equation.
On-line Monitoring of Penicillin G Acylase (PGA) Production Using a Fuzzy Logic Algorithm
Authors: Nucci Edson Romano , Souza Vanessa Ribeiro , Silva Rosineide Gomes , Reis Giann Braune , Giordano Raquel Lima Camargo , Giordano Roberto Campos , Cruz Antonio José Gonçalves
Published: June 2009

The ability to control bioprocesses at their optimal states is of considerable interest to modern fermentation industries. The aim is to reduce production costs and increase yield while at the same time maintaining the quality of the metabolic products. The objetive of this paper is to apply fuzzy logic to the Penicillin G acylase (PGA) production process. PGA hydrolyzes penicillin G to yield 6-aminopenicilanic acid (6-APA) and phenyl acetic acid. 6-APA is an important raw material, used to produce semi-synthetic ?-lactam antibiotics. Ten experiments were carried out in a bench-scale bioreactor with diferent experimental conditions. Several variables were tested to identify the best fuzzy inputs. The results show that batch time, carbon dioxide concentration and its derivate were the best choice. The algorithm employs these on-line measurements to infer the optimal interval to stop the cultivation. The fuzzy algorithm could accurately infer the time for bioreactor harvesting and the output linguistic variable stop cultivation was defined between 0 and 100% certainty. The best experimental result was obtained when the dissolved oxygen concentration was maintained close to 0.5% of saturation.
Simulation of Membrane Separations Using a Modified Maxwell-Stefan Model
Authors: Brito Paulo , Gando-Ferreira Licínio M. , Portugal António
Published: June 2009

In this work, a modified Maxwell-Stefan model, which considers both the concentration polarization and the transport through the membrane, is tested for the simulation of Dextran T70 aqueous solutions filtration. Numerical simulations by solving the model equations with an adaptive resolution algorithm, based on the Adaptive Method of Lines, determined the concentration profiles in the polarization layer and inside the membrane pore. It is shown that the formation of significant solute accumulation at the membrane/polarization interface leads to high levels of apparent rejection. A tubular cross-flow ultrafiltration module, containing a tubular polysulfone membrane with a molecular weight cut-off of 50 kDa, was used to perform the experiments. The model is able to successfully simulate data in the high rejection/low flux region using an equilibrium constant Keq of 0.25, but does not reproduce the observed rejection drop/pressure build-up which occurs for increased fluxes, which may be due to limitations of the model itself.