bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ab InitioMolecular Dynamics Study of Fe-Containing Smectites
Authors: Liu Xiandong , Meijer Evert Jan , Lu Xiancai , Wang Rucheng
Published: March 2010

In order to identify the influences imposed by Fe substitution, density functional theory-based Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations were employed to study both oxidized and reduced Febearing smectites. The following basic properties were investigated: local structures in the clay layer, hydroxyl orientations, and the vibration dynamics of H and Si. Structural analyses indicated that the average Fe-O bond lengths are ~2.08 Å and 2.02 Å in the reduced and oxidized models, respectively, and the Fe substitutions did not affect the coordination structures of the Al-O and Si-O polyhedra. For hydroxyl orientations, Fe(III) substitution had no obvious influence but Fe(II) forces the coordinated hydroxyls to present a wide-angle distribution. Furthermore, the present work has shown that both substitutions can red-shift the hydroxyl in-plane bending mode. The analyses also revealed that Fe(III) substitution has no effect on the Si-O stretching, while Fe reduction causes a blue-shift of the out-of-plane stretching mode. The results provide quantitative constraints and clues for future research.
Performance of Natural Zeolite and Sepiolite in the Removal of Free Cyanide and Copper-Complexed Cyanide ([Cu(CN)3]2−)
Authors: Tarlan-Yel Esra , Önen Vildan
Published: March 2010

The chemical and biological methods employed to date in the removal of free cyanide (CN−) and metal-cyanide complexes from aqueous fluids have proved expensive and problematic. A simpler and more economical approach was attempted in the present study using zeolite and sepiolite. The effectiveness of zeolite from Manisa-Gördes (Turkey) and of sepiolite Eskişehir-Sivrihisar (Turkey) at removing free and Cu-complexed cyanide, [Cu(CN)3]2− was investigated. For removal of CN−, the system performance was examined in terms of concentration, particle size, and retention time. Material with smaller particle sizes (<0.106 mm) performed better, particularly in the case of sepiolite. The maximum CN− removal capacities of zeolite and sepiolite were calculated as 571 and 695 meq/100 g for free CN adsorption, and 455 and 435 meq/100 g for Cu-complexed CN adsorption, respectively. The time to reach equilibrium was calculated as 1050 min. Acid activation, a simple cation adsorption removal method, did not improve the process, instead leading to reduced CN adsorption. Hydroxylated surfaces of metal oxides at the edges of zeolite develop charges and exchange with anions in water. Mg2+ ions located at the edges of the octahedral sheet can create complexes with CN− anions. Moreover, hydrogen bonding with anions (CN− in this case) and H+ of zeolitic water bonded to coordinated water molecules can also create complexes. These two complexes are considered to be effective mechanisms for sepiolite. The effects of both acid activation and CN adsorption were clearly observed in the Fourier-transform infrared spectra. Removal of CN was characterized by the Langmuir isotherm, indicating monolayer coverage with chemical bonding to the surface, which deteriorated during acid activation. The study indicated that zeolite and sepiolite can be used efficiently and easily for removal of free and Cu-complexed CN.
A methodological reappraisal of total and high molecular weight adiponectin determination in human peripheral circulation: comparison of four immunometric assays
Authors: Caselli Chiara , Melaiu Ombretta , Maltinti Maristella , Del Ry Silvia , Cabiati Manuela , Prescimone Tommaso , Neglia Danilo , Giannessi Daniela
Published: March 2010

Background: Adiponectin, present in different multimeric forms in circulation, is increasingly used in clinical settings as a cardiometabolic marker. The development of several commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) has allowed for the widespread measurement of adiponectin in research as well as in clinical practice. The comparative performance of these assays is thus an issue of major relevance.

Methods: The analytical performance of four different ELISAs (LINCO, B-Bridge, SPIbio and ALPCO) was evaluated. Samples from 102 cardiac patients and 40 healthy subjects were tested using LINCO and ALPCO. The latter is able to measure the concentrations of multimers. For the multimer assay, an error propagation study was performed. A subset of subjects was tested by all four ELISAs for comparison purposes.

Results: Bland-Altman plots revealed differences between the results of the four ELISAs, mainly for ALPCO. However, a strong correlation between the different ELISAs (ALPCO, r=0.83; B-Bridge, r=0.98; SPIbio, r=0.91 vs. LINCO) was observed. Total adiponectin measured by LINCO showed a better association with cardiac disease [receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves] than total and high molecular weight adiponectin measured by ALPCO.

Conclusions: The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the methodological features of the several ELISAs, and help in the evaluation and comparison of the relative results.

Clin Chem Lab Med 2010;48:561–8.
New quantitative electrochemiluminescence method (ECLIA) for interleukin-6 (IL-6) measurement
Authors: Prieto Belén , Miguel Diego , Costa Marta , Coto Daniel , Álvarez Francisco V.
Published: March 2010

Background: A new interleukin-6 (IL-6) electrochemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA, Roche Diagnostics) was evaluated and compared to a previous semiquantitative immunoassay (Milenia Biotec). Reference ranges for cord blood plasma were also calculated.

Methods: The new IL-6 ECLIA test was performed using a Cobas E601 analyzer (Roche Diagnostics). The comparison method (Milenia Biotec) was a semiquantitative lateral flow immunoassay, coupled to a digital image capture system (PicoScan). Healthy at term newborns were recruited to establish reference ranges for IL-6 in cord blood plasma.

Results: Total imprecision ranged from 3.7% to 8.0% depending on the IL-6 concentrations. The calculated limit of detection for IL-6 measured by ECLIA was 2.63 pg/mL, almost twice as high as that claimed by the manufacturer (1.5 pg/mL). The linearity of the method was verified to 5000 pg/mL. The IL-6 reference limit, obtained from 148 cord blood samples, was 30 pg/mL (90% confidence interval: 19–48 pg/mL).

Conclusions: The new quantitative ECLIA method showed good reproducibility, linearity and functional sensitivity. Additional clinically based studies are needed to elucidate the usefulness of the IL-6 reference limit, calculated here for the first time by ECLIA in cord blood plasma, to aid in the diagnosis of vertical transmission of sepsis.

Clin Chem Lab Med 2010;48:835–8.
Microsatellite polymorphisms in intron 2 of the toll-like receptor 2 gene and their association with susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis in Han Chinese
Authors: Xue Yun , Jin Lei , Li A-Zhong , Wang Hua-Jun , Li Meng , Zhang Yu-Xiang , Wang Yu , Li Ji-Cheng
Published: March 2010

Background: Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is essential for the immune response to tuberculosis (TB). The goal of the present study was to investigate whether the guanine-thymine (GT) repeat microsatellite polymorphism in intron 2 of the TLR2 gene might be correlated with susceptibility to TB in Han Chinese.

Methods: The number of (GT)n repeats was determined by gene scanning from 244 patients with TB and 233 control subjects. The expression of TLR2 on CD14+ peripheral blood mononuclear cells was determined using flow cytometry.

Results: No association in allelic polymorphism between control subjects and patients with TB was found. However, the S/M genotype of the microsatellite polymorphism was more frequent in TB patients than in healthy controls (p=0.01). The S/L genotype was more popular in controls than in patients with TB (p=0.007). TLR2 expression was higher in subjects with the S/L genotype than in those with the S/M genotype (p<0.05).

Conclusions: Our data suggest that the S/M genotype of the microsatellite (GT)n polymorphisms in intron 2 of the TLR2 gene may increase susceptibility to TB in Chinese, and the S/L genotype may act as a negative risk factor.

Clin Chem Lab Med 2010;48:785–9.
A Note on Fibonacci-Type Polynomials
Authors: Amdeberhan Tewodros
Published: March 2010

We opt to study the convergence of maximal real roots of certain Fibonacci-type polynomials given by
Combinatorics of Integer Partitions in Arithmetic Progression
Authors: Munagi Augustine
Published: March 2010

The partitions of a positive integer
Analogues of Jacobi's Two-Square Theorem: An Informal Account
Authors: Melham Ray S.
Published: March 2010

Jacobi's two-square theorem states that the number of representations of a positive integer
Pattern Occurrence in the Dyadic Expansion of Square Root of Two and an Analysis of Pseudorandom Number Generators
Authors: Nuida Koji
Published: March 2010

Recently, designs of pseudorandom number generators (PRNGs) using integer-valued variants of logistic maps and their applications to certain cryptographic schemes have been studied, due mostly to their ease of implementation and performance. However, it has been noted that this ease is reduced for some choices of the PRNGs accuracy parameters. In this article, we show that the distribution of such undesirable accuracy parameters is closely related to the occurrence of some patterns in the dyadic expansion of the square root of 2. We prove that for an arbitrary infinite binary word, the asymptotic occurrence rate of these patterns is bounded in terms of the asymptotic occurrence rate of zeroes. As a consequence, a classical conjecture on asymptotic evenness of occurrence of zeroes and ones in the dyadic expansion of the square root of 2 implies that the asymptotic rate of the undesirable accuracy parameters for the PRNGs is at least 1/6.
A Multivariate Arithmetic Function of Combinatorial and Topological Significance
Authors: Liskovets Valery A.
Published: March 2010

We investigate properties of a multivariate function
Imaginary Citizenships
Authors: Luzzati Claudio
Published: March 2010

Superest jam, ut causas etiam inquiramus, quare factum sit, ut Hebraei toties a lege defecerint, cur toties subacti fuerint, et cur tandem imperium omnino vastari potuerit. At forsan hic aliquis dicet, id evenisse ex gentis contumacia. Verum hoc puerile est; nam cur haec nation reliquis contumacior fuit? An natura? Haec sane nations non creat, sed individual, quae quidem in nationes non distinguuntur nisi ex diversitate linguae, legume et morum receptorum, et ex his duobus, legibus scilicet et moribus, tantum oriri potest, quod unaquaeque nation singular habeat ingenium, singularem conditionem et denique singularia prejudicial. Si igitur concedendum esset, quod Hebraei supra reliquos contumacies fuerint id vitio legume vel receptorum morum imputari deberet.
Freedom as Satisfaction? A Critique of Frankfurt's Hierarchical Theory of Freedom
Authors: Rostbøll Christian F.
Published: March 2010

This article is a critical assessment of Harry Frankfurt's hierarchical theory of freedom. It spells out and distinguishes several different and irreconcilable conceptions of freedom present in Frankfurt's work. I argue that Frankfurt is ambiguous in his early formulation as to what conception of freedom of the will the hierarchical theory builds on, an avoidability or a satisfaction conception. This ambiguity causes problems in his later attempts to respond to the objections of wantonness of second-order desires and of infinite regress. With his more recent idea of freedom as being satisfied with harmony in one's entire volitional system, Frankfurt may solve the infinite regress objection but he does so at the cost of ending up with a description of freedom, which comes very close to being identical to his own description of the wanton. Frankfurt's account leaves open the question of whether the satisfactory harmony is caused by the inability to do otherwise, or is independent of it. To answer this question, Frankfurt's hierarchical theory needs to be complemented with a number of “autonomy variables” (Double). Satisfaction may be a necessary condition of freedom, but it is not sufficient. We also need to know how the person came to be satisfied. If being satisfied is merely something that happens to one, it fails to be an adequate description of a free person – and it also contradicts some of Frankfurt's own earlier insights.
Effect of the HVOF Deposition Process in the Chemical Composition of Tungsten Carbide Layers with Cobalt or Nickel Binders
Authors: Casteletti Luiz Carlos , Arnoni Eduardo Augusto Brefere , Fernandes Frederico Augusto Pires , Neto Amadeu Lombardi , Totten George Edward
Published: March 2010

The production of hardened surfaces on components to increase the wear resistance is a persistent technological challenge in the surfaces engineering. High velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray process is used to produce coatings of high wear and/or corrosion resistance. Tungsten carbide with metallic binder is often used for this purpose. In this work, coatings of tungsten carbide with cobalt or nickel binder were produced by HVOF, process and characterized by optical and electron microscopy (SEM) tests, hardness and density tests, and X-ray diffraction analysis to verify the effect of the thermal spray deposition process in the powder used for the coating production. The HVOF process produced dense coatings with low porosity and oxidation levels and high average hardness, about 1100HV. The sprayed layer of WC-12 %Co contains intermetallics of the CoxWyCz type generated during the deposition process. No intermetallic formation was evidenced between the Ni and the WC on WC-10 %Ni layer. The HVOF deposition process did not significantly deteriorate the powders used.
Analysis of Financial Distress Prediction Models
Authors: Lee Li-Tze , Fan Chiang Ku , Hung Hsiang-Wen , Ling Yu-Chun
Published: March 2010

The purpose of this study is to evaluate financial and non-financial variables using the bankruptcy prediction model. Considering Taiwan companies listed between 2001 and 2005, the estimation sample comprises 140 firms (70 failing and 70 non-failing), and the validation sample comprises 52 firms (26 failing and 26 non-failing). In contrast to previous studies, this paper provides a corporate governance index as non-financial variables to predict financial distress along with financial index. Logistic regression is applied to examine these samples for 3 year data prior to business failure. In the estimation sample, the indexes combining both financial and corporate governance indexes gave the most accurate predictions. In the validation sample, the financial variables yielded the most accurate predictions.
Complex relationship between free thyroxine and TSH in the regulation of thyroid function
Authors: Hoermann Rudolf , Eckl Walter , Hoermann Christian , Larisch Rolf
Published: March 2010

Objective

The present study re-evaluates the inverse log TSH–free thyroxine (fT4) relationship, which has generally been assumed to characterize the thyroid pituitary hypothalamic feedback regulation in thyroid function.

Design and Methods

The correlation between fT4and TSH was analyzed in two data sets from differing time periods involving 3223 and 6605 patients referred for thyroid testing, representing the whole range of thyroid functions from hypothyroidism to hyperthyroidism.

Results

We found that the data do not support a linear log TSH–fT4relationship; instead, the correlation's gradient varies with thyroid function. As a consequence, an alternate model, based on the error function, was introduced. When directly comparing the models by means of curve fitting, usingF-test and Akaike criteria, the alternate model results in a significantly better fit. The model was verified in the independent second set of data. Subgroup analysis of untreated patients added further proof to the non-linear model.

Conclusions

We propose a refined non-linear model to describe the relationship between TSH and fT4. It implies that TSH response to a deviating fT4value may not be log-linear, but may be disproportionally related to the extent of the deviation from an optimum set point. A better understanding of the complex nature of the TSH–fT4relationship may further the development of more precise clinical models and aid in better defining subclinical states of thyroid dysfunction. Also, it may encourage other biological interrelations to be reconsidered in the wake of advanced measurement techniques and more powerful computerized statistical procedures.
Secretagogue type, sex-steroid milieu, and abdominal visceral adiposity individually determine secretagogue-stimulated cortisol secretion
Authors: Iranmanesh Ali , Bowers Cyril Y , Veldhuis Johannes D
Published: March 2010

Design

While androgens and estrogens control glucocorticoid secretion in animal models, how the sex-steroid milieu determines cortisol secretion in humans is less clear. To address this issue, cortisol was measured in archival sera obtained at 10-min intervals for 5 h in 42 healthy men administered double placebo, placebo and testosterone, testosterone and dutasteride (to block 5α-reductases type I and type II), or testosterone and anastrozole (to block aromatase) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, prospectively randomized design.

Methods

Subjects received i.v. injection of saline, GHRH, GH-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2), somatostatin (SS), and GHRP-2/GHRH/l-arginine (triple stimulus) each on separate mornings fasting. Outcomes comprised cortisol concentrations, pulsatile cortisol secretion, and relationships with age or abdominal visceral fat (AVF).

Results

By ANCOVA, baseline (saline-infused) cortisol concentrations (nmol/l) did not differ among the sex-steroid milieus (overall mean 364±14). In contrast, stimulated peak cortisol concentrations were strongly determined by secretagogue type (P<0.001) as follows: triple stimulus (868±27)>GHRP-2 (616±42)>saline=SS=GHRH (grand mean 420±21). After GHRP-2 injection, pulsatile cortisol secretion increased with age (R2=0.16,P=0.012). After the triple stimulus, pulsatile cortisol secretion correlated i) inversely with serum 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) concentrations (R2=0.53,P=0.026) and ii) directly with computerized tomography-estimated AVF (R2=0.11,P=0.038).

Conclusion

Age, DHT concentrations, AVF, and secretagogue type influence pulsatile cortisol secretion at least in men. Further studies should be performed to assess ACTH secretion and native ghrelin action in defined sex-steroid milieus.
Haydn’s sensibility
Authors: Webster James
Published: March 2010

Recent interpretations of both Haydn’s personality (as a man) and his musical style (or ‘persona’) have focused on the two opposed categories
earnestness
and
wit
. The present essay adds a third category on both sides of the equation:
sensibility
(German
Empfindsamkeit
), and argues that it is equally important. The various meanings of sensibility are laid out and their applicability to Haydn discussed, including his rich and varied relationships with lovers and intimate friends. The problematics of the possible correlations between an artist’s personality and his style are discussed; it is argued that, contrary to recent theories of their separation into different domains, these are in fact closely related. Sensibility was a central aspect of mid- and late 18th-century aesthetics, both in ideas about ideal human behavior, and in prose fiction, opera and drama, etc. — as well as instrumental music (Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach). In Haydn’s case, not surprisingly, it has so far been located in genres destined primarily for private use: keyboard music and lieder; this is illustrated by an analysis and interpretation of “Das Leben ist ein Traum” (Hob. XXVIa:21; published 1784). In such works we may imagine Haydn as ‘speaking to’ the dedicatee of the work, as well as the sympathetic listener. However, sensibility is also an important aspect of style in the string quartet and symphony, where it has almost never been considered relevant. Examples are discussed in the slow movements from the quartet op. 76 no. 5 and the symphonies nos. 75, 88, 92, 98, 99, and 102. It is argued that the old notion of ‘Classical style’ (fortunately now on the decline), with its rigid demarcation of ‘high’ instrumental genres from both vocal music (Haydn’s operas) and earlier instrumental
Empfindsamkeit
(Emanuel Bach), was the primary reason that scholars and listeners have until now remained unmoved by Haydn’s sensibility.
Haydn as ‘minimalist’: Rethinking exoticism in the trios of the 1760s and 1770s
Authors: Ferraguto Mark
Published: March 2010

A number of Haydn’s minuet movements from the 1760s and 1770s contain sparsely scored trio sections in which a single musical idea is repeated continuously, even obsessively. In these trios — of which the most distinctive are in Symphonies Nos. 21, 28, 29, 30, 43, 46, and 58 — Haydn developed and cultivated an aesthetic of the minimal. While they conjure a range of moods, these trios share several features that mark them as a distinct type. These include circular harmonic motion, schematic melodies, and the use of certain characteristic intervals. Although modern critics consistently ascribe ‘Balkan’, ‘Gypsy’, ‘Slavonic’, or ‘Eastern European’ qualities to these trios, the evidence for these claims is scanty. The exotic quality of the trios is best viewed in light of Haydn’s minimization of particular compositional parameters, such as dynamics, scoring, and motivic and textural variance. At the same time, it is precisely the minimal quality of these trios that allows Haydn to explore in dramatic fashion the mechanics of contrast in the
da capo
form. While Haydn’s minimal style appears most consistently in trios of the 1760s and 1770s, it also informs his later trio writing.
„Ein curios melancholisches Stückchen“: Die düstere Seite von Haydns fis-Moll Sinfonie Hob. I:45 und einige Gedanken zur pantomime in der Instrumentalmusik
Authors: Wald Melanie
Published: March 2010

Haydn’s symphony no. 45, especially the final
Farewell
-Andante, has been looked at puzzlingly twofold: More recent understandings emphasize the wit and humour of the finale, while reports of the late 18th and early 19th century tend to notice a gloomier, even melancholic tint. This perception here is taken as a starting point for an interpretation of that symphony in terms of the 18th-century notion of melancholy as noble suffering of princes, intellectuals, and artists. Since musical works of melancholy are normally for piano or a soloist to allow for an identification of the player and the melancholic, a symphony leads us to ask anew for the melancholy persona of that orchestral piece. Answers are tried that highlight the respective roles of the orchestra, Haydn, and his most eminent listener, Prince Esterházy, within that game of deciphering melancholy. In addition, the different anecdotes concerning the
Farewell
-finale are analysed as tokens of an aesthetic irritation that try to tame the bewildering musical language of that symphony by linking it with extra-musical narratives. Finally, the often mentioned pantomimic aspect of the finale is taken into account and is interpreted as an important aspect of Haydn’s effort to produce meaning in the instrumental genres.
Haydns Sinfonien: Besetzungsprobleme und Aufführungstraditionen
Authors: Friesenhagen Andreas
Published: March 2010

To this day, Joseph Haydn’s symphonies are often performed and recorded in a way that does not meet the composer’s intentions. This concerns certain variants of instrumentation, e.g. the rendering of violoncello obbligato with a single instrument, the use of trumpets and timpani or of horns in high C, respectively. Using the violoncello part of the slow movement of symphony Hob. I:102 as example, it is argued that Haydn in spite of the “solo” mark at the beginning of the movement did not intend the part to be played by one instrument alone. The same applies to most of the passages for violoncello “solo” in his late symphonies. Additionally, it can be established from the sources that before 1768 Haydn did not write for horns in high C and that the parts for trumpets and timpani in some of the early symphonies do not originate with the composer. That these alternatives of instrumentation, though not authentic, have found widespread acceptance in today’s performances is demonstrated by selected recordings from the 1950s to date. A short survey of the history of Haydn’s symphonies on record serves as an introduction to this essay.
Assessment of Formalin and Hydrogen Peroxide Use during Egg Incubation of North American Burbot
Authors: Polinski Mark P , Jensen Nathan R , Cain Kenneth D , Johnson Keith A , Ireland Susan C
Published: March 2010

Control of aquatic fungi in the family Saprolegniacea during egg incubation was investigated as part of a program aimed at developing aquaculture methods for Kootenai River burbot Lota lota maculosa, a species relatively unknown to North American aquaculture. The concentration effectiveness of two antifungal control methods, formalin and hydrogen peroxide, was compared over two consecutive breeding seasons in a newly developed micro-incubation system. The results indicated that daily 15-min treatments of 1,667 mg of formalin/L and 500 mg of hydrogen peroxide/L inhibited fungal growth on eggs and increased egg survival by up to 200% during the incubation period relative to the untreated controls. Lower concentrations of 1,000 mg/L formalin and 250 mg/L hydrogen peroxide also yielded increased survival but were not sufficient to completely inhibit fungal growth on eggs. Concentrations up to 5,000 mg/L formalin and 500 mg/L hydrogen peroxide did not appear to negatively influence egg survival during any stage of development. Gross larval deformities observed 7 d after the first observed hatch were not significantly different between any antifungal treatment group and the untreated controls. Thus, to maximize egg survival and adequately control fungus during egg incubation for this species, a minimum of 1,667 mg/L formalin or 500 mg/L hydrogen peroxide is recommended.
Evaluation of a Dietary Dairy–Yeast Prebiotic in Juvenile Golden Shiners in Ponds
Authors: Lochmann Rebecca , Sink Todd D , Phillips Harold , Chen Ruguang
Published: March 2010

We evaluated the performance in ponds of juvenile golden shiners Notemigonus crysoleucas fed a control diet or a diet with 2% dairy–yeast prebiotic. Fish weighing 0.1 ± 0.001 g (mean ± SD) were initially stocked into five 0.04-ha earthen ponds per diet at 21.9 kg/ha and fed extruded 35%-protein pellets to satiation twice daily. Subsamples of fish were weighed at 2-week intervals for 6 weeks; the fish were harvested at 7 weeks to avoid reproduction. For golden shiners fed the control and prebiotic diets, the mean individual weight gain (2.93 and 2.89 g, respectively), net yield (214.0 and 198.8 kg/ha), feed conversion ratio (1.34 and 1.47), and survival (61.5% and 64.2%) did not differ. Condition index (Fulton's K) was higher in fish fed the control (1.15) rather than the prebiotic diet (1.08). After harvest, 100 fish per pond were acclimated to tanks before being subjected to a bacterial challenge with Flavobacterium columnare. Each pond replicate received one of three experimental treatments: confinement stress for 30 min before F. columnare exposure (stressed), no stress before F. columnare exposure (unstressed), or no stress or exposure to F. columnare (control). Whole-body cortisol increased in stressed fish regardless of diet. After release, fish were exposed to a virulent strain (PB02) of F. columnare for 18 h. Survival over 14 d ranged from 98.3% to 100% among fish in the control and unstressed treatments fed either the control or prebiotic diets. The stressed golden shiners fed the prebiotic diet had mortality rates similar to those of the unstressed fish fed the control or prebiotic diet, but the stressed fish fed the control diet had lower mean survival (73.3 ± 4.4%) than those fed the prebiotic diet. Preliminary economic analysis indicates that the higher cost of feed containing a 2% prebiotic may be justified based on the increased survival of golden shiners in tanks exposed to stressors and pathogens.
Growth and Feed Efficiency of Channel × Blue Catfish Hybrids Stocked at Various Densities and Fed Once or Twice Daily in Ponds
Authors: Li Menghe H , Robinson Edwin H , Minchew Charles D , Tucker Craig S , Bosworth Brian G , Heikes David , Yant Roger
Published: March 2010

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of stocking density and feeding frequency on the growth, net yield, and feed conversion of hybrid catfish (female channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus × male blue catfish I. furcatus). In experiment 1, hybrid catfish fingerlings with a mean initial weight of 65 g were stocked into ten 0.4-ha earthen ponds at a density of 12,355 fish/ha. In experiment 2, hybrid catfish fingerlings with the same mean initial weight as in experiment 1 were stocked into twenty 0.4-ha earthen ponds at densities of 18,532 and 24,710 fish/ha, respectively. Fish were fed once or twice daily to apparent satiation. In experiment 1, all fish were harvested in early September. In experiment 2, market-size fish (target size, ≥0.794 kg/fish) were selectively harvested in late September by means of an in-pond mechanical fish grader with the bar spacing set to 5.4 cm. All remaining fish were harvested in mid-June the next year. In both experiments, fish fed twice daily were given more feed, but there were no significant differences in weight gain per fish and net yield between fish fed once daily and those fed twice daily. Fish fed twice daily had a significantly higher feed conversion ratio. In experiment 2, a stocking density of 18,532 fish/ha resulted in higher weight gain and lower net yield than a stocking density of 24,710 fish/ha. Based on the results from this study, it appears to be efficient to stock hybrids at a density of 12,355 fish/ha, feed them once daily over a growing season, and “clean” harvest them at the end of the season. However, a multiple-batch system may also be used to grow hybrids at densities of 18,532–24,710 fish/ha by means of a catfish grading system to remove market-size fish.
Effects of Socioeconomic Status on Colon Cancer Treatment Accessibility and Survival in Toronto, Ontario, and San Francisco, California, 1996–2006
Authors: Gorey Kevin M. , Luginaah Isaac N. , Bartfay Emma , Fung Karen Y. , Holowaty Eric J. , Wright Frances C. , Hamm Caroline , Kanjeekal Sindu M.
Published: March 2010

Objectives. We examined the differential effects of socioeconomic status on colon cancer care and survival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and San Francisco, California.

Methods. We analyzed registry data for colon cancer patients from Ontario (n = 930) and California (n = 1014), diagnosed between 1996 and 2000 and followed until 2006, on stage, surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, and survival. We obtained socioeconomic data for individuals’ residences from population censuses.

Results. Income was directly associated with lymph node evaluation, chemotherapy, and survival in San Francisco but not in Toronto. High-income persons had better survival rates in San Francisco than in Toronto. After adjustment for stage, survival was better for low-income residents of Toronto than for those of San Francisco. Middle- to low-income patients were more likely to receive indicated chemotherapy in Toronto than in San Francisco.

Conclusions. Socioeconomic factors appear to mediate colon cancer care in urban areas of the United States but not in Canada. Improvements are needed in screening, diagnostic investigations, and treatment access among low-income Americans.
Tuberculosis Among Persons Born in the Philippines and Living in the United States, 2000–2007
Authors: Manangan Lilia Ponce , Salibay Catheryn Jumao-as , MacLaren Wallace Ryan , Kammerer Steve , Pratt Robert , McAllister Laura , Robison Valerie
Published: March 2010

Objectives. We examined demographic, clinical, and treatment outcome characteristics of Filipinos with tuberculosis (TB) in the United States.

Methods. We calculated TB case rates from US Census Bureau population estimates and National Tuberculosis Surveillance System data for US-born non-Hispanic Whites and for US residents born in the Philippines, India, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Korea––countries that are major contributors to the TB burden in the United States. We compared Filipinos with the other groups through univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results. Of 45 504 TB patients, 15.5% were Filipinos; 43.0% were other Asian/Pacific Islander groups; and 41.6% were Whites. Per 100 000 persons in 2007, the TB rate was 73.5 among Cambodians, 54.0 among Vietnamese, 52.1 among Filipinos, and 0.9 among Whites. Filipinos were more likely than other groups to be employed as health care workers and to have used private health care providers but less likely to be HIV positive and to be offered HIV testing.

Conclusions. The relatively high TB rate among Filipinos indicates that TB control strategies should target this population. Providers should be encouraged to offer HIV testing to all TB patients.
Decreases in Smoking Prevalence in Asian Communities Served by the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Project
Authors: Liao Youlian , Tsoh Janice Y. , Chen Roxana , Foo Mary Anne , Garvin Cheza C. , Grigg-Saito Dorcas , Liang Sidney , McPhee Stephen , Nguyen Tung T. , Tran Jacqueline H. , Giles Wayne H.
Published: March 2010

Objectives. We examined trends in smoking prevalence from 2002 through 2006 in 4 Asian communities served by the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) intervention.

Methods. Annual survey data from 2002 through 2006 were gathered in 4 REACH Asian communities. Trends in the age-standardized prevalence of current smoking for men in 2 Vietnamese communities, 1 Cambodian community, and 1 Asian American/Pacific Islander (API) community were examined and compared with nationwide US and state-specific data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Results. Prevalence of current smoking decreased dramatically among men in REACH communities. The reduction rate was significantly greater than that observed in the general US or API male population, and it was greater than reduction rates observed in the states in which REACH communities were located. There was little change in the quit ratio of men at the state and national levels, but there was a significant increase in quit ratios in the REACH communities, indicating increases in the proportions of smokers who had quit smoking.

Conclusions. Smoking prevalence decreased in Asian communities served by the REACH project, and these decreases were larger than nationwide decreases in smoking prevalence observed for the same period. However, disparities in smoking prevalence remain a concern among Cambodian men and non–English-speaking Vietnamese men; these subgroups continue to smoke at a higher rate than do men nationwide.
Health Impact Assessment as an Accountability Mechanism for the International Monetary Fund: The Case of Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: O'Keefe Eileen , Scott-Samuel Alex
Published: March 2010

Health impact assessment (HIA) is both an effective tool for promoting healthy public policies and one that has the potential to help hold accountable for their actions those who create unhealthy public policies. This article identifies some of the issues that arise in considering the application of HIA to the operation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), especially in the context of sub-Saharan Africa. The authors do this in the belief that the IMF's lending conditionalities and macroeconomic policies constitute an important social determinant of health. The recent report of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health has created helpful and timely policy space for the development of a health equity– and human rights–oriented accountability framework for the IMF.
The Impact of the International Monetary Fund's Macroeconomic Policies on the Aids Pandemic
Authors: Baker Brook K.
Published: March 2010

Expansion of funding for HIV/AIDS, especially treatment, is under attack over concerns about cost effectiveness and financial constraints. The International Monetary Fund is deeply implicated in the history of the AIDS pandemic, the underlying weakness of health systems, and the ideology of constrained resources that underlies most attacks on AIDS funding. The IMF imposed structural violence on developing countries in the 1980s and 1990s through neoliberal and macroeconomic reforms that intensified individual and communal vulnerability to infection and dismantled already weak health systems. This same macroeconomic fundamentalism has recently been repackaged and renamed. IMF fundamentalist policies continue to prioritize low inflation, constricted government spending, robust foreign currency reserves, and prompt repayment of debt at the expense of investments in health and more expansionary, pro-growth and job-creation policies. Several recent surveys have concluded that the IMF reluctantly relaxed overly restrictive policy prescriptions in response to the global economic crisis, but this relaxation was temporary at best and only extended to countries previously acceding to IMF orthodoxy. AIDS activists are campaigning for billions of dollars to fulfill the promise of universal access. If IMF pressures persist, developing countries will continue to undermine the additionality of donor health financing by substituting donor for domestic financing, refusing to invest in recurrent costs for medicines and health workers, and neglecting needed investments in health infrastructure and health system strengthening.
The Dangers of Deficit Reduction
Authors: Stiglitz Joseph E.
Published: March 2010

The rush to reduce deficits could cause serious trouble, according to Joseph Stiglitz of Columbia University.
Impacts of some meteorological parameters on the SO2 concentrations in the city of Obrenovac, Serbia
Authors: Nenadovic Snezana , Matovic Ljiljana , Milanovic Misko , Janicevic Sava , Grbovic-Novakovic Jasmina , Ljesevic Milutin
Published: March 2010

In this paper, the impacts of some meteorological parameters on the SO2 concentrations in the City of Obrenovac are presented. The City of Obrenovac is located in the north-west part of Serbia on the banks of the River Sava. The observed source emission, the power plants TENT A and TENT B are situated on the bank of the Sava River in the vicinity of Obrenovac. During the period from January to November 2006, the concentrations of sulfur dioxide in the air at 4 monitoring sites in Obrenovac were measured. It was noticed that the maximal measured daily concentrations of sulfur dioxide ranged from 1 ?g/m3 (16th November, 2006) to 98 ?g/m3 (29th January 2006) and lie under the maximal allowed concentration value according to the Serbian Law on Environmental Protection. The measured sulfur dioxide concentrations mostly showed characteristics usual for a daily acidification sulfur dioxide cycle, excluding the specificities influenced by the measuring site itself. Sulfur dioxide transport was recorded at increased wind speeds, primarily from the southeast direction. Based on the impact of meteorological parameters on the sulfur dioxide concentration, a validation of the monitoring sites was also performed from the aspect of their representivity.
Preconcentration of Co, Ni, Cd and Zn on naphthalene 2,4,6- trimorpholino-1,3,5-triazin adsorbent and flame atomic absorption determination
Authors: Madrakian Tayyebeh , Zolfigol Ali , Aboulghazi Fathemeh
Published: March 2010

A preconcentration method was developed for the determination of trace amounts of Co, Ni, Cd and Zn by atomic absorption spectrometry. The method is based on the retention of the metal cations by naphthalene- 2,4,6-trimorpholino-1,3,5-triazin adsorbent in a column. The adsorbed metals were then eluted from the column with hydrochloric acid and the Co, Ni, Cd and Zn were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The optimal extraction and elution conditions were studied. The effects of diverse ions on the preconcentration were also investigated. A preconcentration factor of 250 for Co(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II), and 400 for Cd(II) can easily be achieved. Calibration graphs were obtained and the detection limits of the method for Co(II), Ni(II), Cd(II) and Zn(II) were 0.51, 0.49, 0.17 and 0.10 ng mL-1, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSD) of 0.37-2.31 % for Co, 0.37-3.73 % for Ni, 2.20-2.40% for Cd and 1.50-2.56% for Zn were obtained. The method was also used for the simultaneous preconcentration of these elements and the method was successfully applied to their preconcentration and determination. The method was applied to the determination of Co, Ni, Cd and Zn in several real samples.
Deletion of the α-Arrestin Protein Txnip in Mice Promotes Adiposity and Adipogenesis While Preserving Insulin Sensitivity
Authors: Chutkow William A. , Birkenfeld Andreas L. , Brown Jonathan D. , Lee Hui-Young , Frederick David W. , Yoshioka Jun , Patwari Parth , Kursawe Romy , Cushman Samuel W. , Plutzky Jorge , Shulman Gerald I. , Samuel Varman T. , Lee Richard T.
Published: March 2010

OBJECTIVE

Thioredoxin interacting protein (Txnip), a regulator of cellular oxidative stress, is induced by hyperglycemia and inhibits glucose uptake into fat and muscle, suggesting a role for Txnip in type 2 diabetes pathogenesis. Here, we tested the hypothesis that Txnip-null (knockout) mice are protected from insulin resistance induced by a high-fat diet.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Txnip gene-deleted (knockout) mice and age-matched wild-type littermate control mice were maintained on a standard chow diet or subjected to 4 weeks of high-fat feeding. Mice were assessed for body composition, fat development, energy balance, and insulin responsiveness. Adipogenesis was measured from ex vivo fat preparations, and in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes after forced manipulation of Txnip expression.

RESULTS

Txnip knockout mice gained significantly more adipose mass than controls due to a primary increase in both calorie consumption and adipogenesis. Despite increased fat mass, Txnip knockout mice were markedly more insulin sensitive than controls, and augmented glucose transport was identified in both adipose and skeletal muscle. RNA interference gene-silenced preadipocytes and Txnip−/− MEFs were markedly adipogenic, whereas Txnip overexpression impaired adipocyte differentiation. As increased adipogenesis and insulin sensitivity suggested aspects of augmented peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) response, we investigated Txnip's regulation of PPARγ function; manipulation of Txnip expression directly regulated PPARγ expression and activity.

CONCLUSIONS

Txnip deletion promotes adiposity in the face of high-fat caloric excess; however, loss of this α-arrestin protein simultaneously enhances insulin responsiveness in fat and skeletal muscle, revealing Txnip as a novel mediator of insulin resistance and a regulator of adipogenesis.
Activation of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Inhibits Oxidized LDL-Triggered Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress In Vivo
Authors: Dong Yunzhou , Zhang Miao , Wang Shuangxi , Liang Bin , Zhao Zhengxing , Liu Chao , Wu Mingyuan , Choi Hyoung Chul , Lyons Timothy J. , Zou Ming-Hui
Published: March 2010

OBJECTIVE

The oxidation of LDLs is considered a key step in the development of atherosclerosis. How LDL oxidation contributes to atherosclerosis remains poorly defined. Here we report that oxidized and glycated LDL (HOG-LDL) causes aberrant endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and that the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) suppressed HOG-LDL–triggered ER stress in vivo.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

ER stress markers, sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) activity and oxidation, and AMPK activity were monitored in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) exposed to HOG-LDL or in isolated aortae from mice fed an atherogenic diet.

RESULTS

Exposure of BAECs to clinically relevant concentrations of HOG-LDL induced prolonged ER stress and reduced SERCA activity but increased SERCA oxidation. Chronic administration of Tempol (a potent antioxidant) attenuated both SERCA oxidation and aberrant ER stress in mice fed a high-fat diet in vivo. Likewise, AMPK activation by pharmacological (5′-aminoimidazole-4-carboxymide-1-β-d-ribofuranoside, metformin, and statin) or genetic means (adenoviral overexpression of constitutively active AMPK mutants) significantly mitigated ER stress and SERCA oxidation and improved the endothelium-dependent relaxation in isolated mouse aortae. Finally, Tempol administration markedly attenuated impaired endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, SERCA oxidation, ER stress, and atherosclerosis in ApoE−/− and ApoE−/−/AMPKα2−/− fed a high-fat diet.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that HOG-LDL, via enhanced SERCA oxidation, causes aberrant ER stress, endothelial dysfunction, and atherosclerosis in vivo, all of which are inhibited by AMPK activation.
Measurement of coronary flow response to cold pressor stress in asymptomatic women with cardiovascular risk factors using spiral velocity-encoded cine MRI at 3 tesla
Authors: Maroules Christopher D. , Chang Alice Y. , Kontak Andrew , Dimitrov Ivan , Kotys Melanie , Peshock Ronald M.
Published: March 2010

Background: Coronary sinus (CS) flow in response to a provocative stress has been used as a surrogate measure of coronary flow reserve, and velocity-encoded cine (VEC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an established technique for measuring CS flow. In this study, the cold pressor test (CPT) was used to measure CS flow response because it elicits an endothelium-dependent coronary vasodilation that may afford greater sensitivity for detecting early changes in coronary endothelial function.

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility and reproducibility of CS flow reactivity (CSFR) to CPT using spiral VEC MRI at 3 Tesla in a sample of asymptomatic women with cardiovascular risk factors.

Material and Methods: Fourteen asymptomatic women (age 38 years ± 10) with cardiovascular risk factors were studied using 3D spiral VEC MRI of the CS at 3 T. The CPT was utilized as a provocative stress to measure changes in CS flow. CSFR to CPT was calculated from the ratio of CS flow during peak stress to baseline CS flow.

Results: CPT induced a significant hemodynamic response as measured by a 45% increase in rate-pressure product ( P<0.01). A significant increase in CS volume flow was also observed (baseline, 116 ± 26 ml/min; peak stress, 152 ± 34 ml/min, P=0.01). CSFR to CPT was 1.31 ± 0.20. Test-retest variability of CS volume flow was 5% at baseline and 6% during peak stress.

Conclusion: Spiral CS VEC MRI at 3 T is a feasible and reproducible technique for measuring CS flow in asymptomatic women at risk for cardiovascular disease. Significant changes in CSFR to CPT are detectable, without demanding pharmacologic stress.