bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamics and rheology of elastic particles in an extensional flow
Authors: Gao Tong , Hu Howard H. , Ponte Castañeda Pedro
Published: January 2013

We investigate the dynamics and rheology of elastic particles in a viscous extensional flow under Stokes flow conditions by means of the large deformation method developed by Gao, Hu & Ponte Castañeda (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 687, 2011, pp. 209–237). The particles are assumed to be homogeneous, incompressible and neo-Hookean solids. When subjected to extensional flow, an initially ellipsoidal (elliptical) elastic particle stretches and rotates simultaneously, tending to deform into a stable ellipsoidal shape with the initial major axis aligned with the extension direction. However, the steady-state solutions may not exist when the particle stiffness is lower than a certain critical value. By using the solution of a single particle, the macroscopic rheological properties are evaluated for a dilute suspension of elastic particles under extension. Similar to some polymer blends, softer particles lead to a larger extensional viscosity for the suspension.
Minimum power consumption for drag reduction on a circular cylinder by tangential surface motion
Authors: Shukla Ratnesh K. , Arakeri Jaywant H.
Published: January 2013

We investigate the effect of a prescribed tangential velocity on the drag force on a circular cylinder in a spanwise uniform cross flow. Using a combination of theoretical and numerical techniques we make an attempt at determining the optimal tangential velocity profiles which will reduce the drag force acting on the cylindrical body while minimizing the net power consumption characterized through a non-dimensional power loss coefficient (${C}_{\mathit{PL}} $). A striking conclusion of our analysis is that the tangential velocity associated with the potential flow, which completely suppresses the drag force, is not optimal for both small and large, but finite Reynolds number. When inertial effects are negligible ($\mathit{Re}\ll 1$), theoretical analysis based on two-dimensional Oseen equations gives us the optimal tangential velocity profile which leads to energetically efficient drag reduction. Furthermore, in the limit of zero Reynolds number ($\mathit{Re}\ensuremath{\rightarrow} 0$), minimum power loss is achieved for a tangential velocity profile corresponding to a shear-free perfect slip boundary. At finite $\mathit{Re}$, results from numerical simulations indicate that perfect slip is not optimum and a further reduction in drag can be achieved for reduced power consumption. A gradual increase in the strength of a tangential velocity which involves only the first reflectionally symmetric mode leads to a monotonic reduction in drag and eventual thrust production. Simulations reveal the existence of an optimal strength for which the power consumption attains a minima. At a Reynolds number of 100, minimum value of the power loss coefficient (${C}_{\mathit{PL}} = 0. 37$) is obtained when the maximum in tangential surface velocity is about one and a half times the free stream uniform velocity corresponding to a percentage drag reduction of approximately 77 %; ${C}_{\mathit{PL}} = 0. 42$ and $0. 50$ for perfect slip and potential flow cases, respectively. Our results suggest that potential flow tangential velocity enables energetically efficient propulsion at all Reynolds numbers but optimal drag reduction only for $\mathit{Re}\ensuremath{\rightarrow} \infty $. The two-dimensional strategy of reducing drag while minimizing net power consumption is shown to be effective in three dimensions via numerical simulation of flow past an infinite circular cylinder at a Reynolds number of 300. Finally a strategy of reducing drag, suitable for practical implementation and amenable to experimental testing, through piecewise constant tangential velocities distributed along the cylinder periphery is proposed and analysed.
Associations between dietary patterns and demographics, lifestyle, anthropometry and blood pressure in Chinese community-dwelling older men and women
Authors: Chan Ruth , Chan Dicken , Woo Jean
Published: January 2013

This cross-sectional study examined dietary patterns, and the associations of these patterns with demographics, lifestyle, anthropometry and blood pressure in 3707 Chinese people aged 65 years and above taking part in a population-based cohort study investigating the risk factors for osteoporosis. Baseline dietary data were collected using a validated FFQ. Dietary patterns were identified using factor analysis. Scores were calculated for each pattern. Demographics, lifestyle factors and self-reported hypertension history were collected through a questionnaire. BMI, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-to-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured. Three dietary patterns were identified, namely ‘vegetables–fruit’, ‘snacks–drinks–milk products’ and ‘meat–fish’. Participants who were more physically active, more educated, non-smokers and non-drinkers were more likely to have higher ‘vegetables–fruit’ dietary pattern scores. Current smoking habit and alcohol use were associated with higher ‘snacks–drinks–milk products’ dietary pattern scores and ‘meat–fish’ dietary pattern scores. ‘Vegetables–fruit’ dietary pattern scores were inversely (unstandardised regression coefficient B = −0·60 mmHg, 95 % CI −1·04, −0·16) and ‘snacks–drinks–milk products’ dietary pattern scores were positively (B = 0·50 mmHg, 95 % CI 0·08, 0·92) associated with DBP in men in multiple regressions. Higher ‘meat–fish’ dietary pattern scores were associated with higher BMI (B = 0·19 kg/m2, 95 % CI 0·06, 0·33), waist-to-hip ratio (B = 0·004, 95 % CI 0·002, 0·007) and WC (B = 0·57 cm, 95 % CI 0·18, 0·97) in men, and higher BMI (B = 0·40 kg/m2, 95 % CI 0·22, 0·57), WC (B = 0·87 cm, 95 % CI 0·39, 1·36) and HC (B = 0·61 cm, 95 % CI 0·26, 0·96) in women in multiple regressions. The influence of demographic and lifestyle characteristics on dietary patterns and the health risks associated with dietary patterns provides insights for the provision of tangible dietary advice to this population.
Spirulina can increase total-body vitamin A stores of Chinese school-age children as determined by a paired isotope dilution technique
Authors: Li Lei , Zhao Xianfeng , Wang Jie , Muzhingi Tawanda , Suter Paolo M. , Tang Guangwen , Yin Shi-an
Published: January 2013

Spirulina is an alga rich in high-quality protein and carotenoids. It is unclear whether spirulina can improve the total-body vitamin A stores of school-age children in China with a high prevalence of vitamin A malnutrition. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of spirulina in improving the total-body vitamin A stores of school-age children in rural areas of China when they consumed spirulina in their daily meals. A total of 228 children (6–11 years) were recruited and randomly divided into three groups supplemented with 4 g (containing 4·18 µg β-carotene), 2 g (containing 2·54 µg β-carotene) or 0 g spirulina 5 d/week for 10 weeks, respectively. Before and after the intervention period, each child was given 0·5 mg [2H4]retinyl acetate and [2H8]retinyl acetate, respectively. To assess vitamin A stores, blood samples (3 ml) were collected on the third and the twenty-first day after each labelled retinyl acetate dose for a retinol enrichment analysis using a GC mass spectrometer. The concentrations of retinol and β-carotene in serum samples were also determined by using HPLC. After the 10-week intervention, serum β-carotene concentrations of children with 2 or 4 g spirulina supplement increased by 0·160 and 0·389 µmmol/l, respectively. Total-body vitamin A stores increased significantly, with a median increase of 0·160 mmol in children taking 2 g spirulina and of 0·279 mmol in children taking 4 g spirulina. Spirulina is a good dietary source of β-carotene, which may effectively increase the total-body vitamin A stores of Chinese school-age children.
Dehydroglyasperin C, a component of liquorice, attenuates proliferation and migration induced by platelet-derived growth factor in human arterial smooth muscle cells
Authors: Kim Hyo Jung , Cha Byung-Yoon , Park In Sil , Lim Ji Sun , Woo Je-Tae , Kim Jong-Sang
Published: January 2013

Liquorice is one of the botanicals used frequently as a traditional medicine in the West and in the East. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB is involved in the development of CVD by inducing abnormal proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells. In our preliminary study, dehydroglyasperin C (DGC), an active compound of liquorice, showed strong antioxidant activity. Since phytochemicals with antioxidant activities showed beneficial effects on chronic inflammatory diseases, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of DGC on PDGF-induced proliferation and migration of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC). Treatment of HASMC with DGC for 24 h significantly decreased PDGF-induced cell number and DNA synthesis in a dose-dependent manner without any cytotoxicity, as demonstrated by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide test and thymidine incorporation. Upon cell cycle analysis, DGC blocked the PDGF-induced progression through the G0/G1 to S phase of the cell cycle, and down-regulated the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK); 2, cyclin E, CDK4 and cyclin D1. Furthermore, DGC significantly attenuated PDGF-stimulated phosphorylation of PDGF receptor-β, phospholipase C-γ1, AKT and extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2, and DGC inhibited cell migration and the dissociation of actin filaments by PDGF. In a rat vascular balloon injury model, DGC suppressed an excessive reduction in luminal diameters and neointimal formation compared with the control group. These results demonstrate the mechanistic basis for the prevention of CVD and the potential therapeutic properties of DGC.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ENDOGENOUS SALICYLIC ACID AND ANTIOXIDANT ENZYME ACTIVITIES IN MAIZE SEEDLINGS UNDER CHILLING STRESS
Authors: WANG YANG , WEN TINGTING , HU JIN , HAN RUI , ZHU YANFANG , GUAN YAJING , ZHU SHUIJIN
Published: January 2013

Salicylic acid (SA) can induce multiple stress tolerance in plants. This study investigated the relationship between SA and antioxidant enzyme activities in maize seedlings under chilling stress. Changes of endogenous SA, antioxidant enzyme activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were assessed in two different chilling-tolerant maize inbred lines (Huang C and Mo17) under chilling stress. The results showed that both endogenous free and bound salicylic acid contents increased in roots and leaves of both lines. MDA concentrations also increased significantly in roots and leaves of both lines after chilling stress. In addition, in Huang C, chilling stress increased the activities of four antioxidant enzymes, ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and peroxidase, while in Mo17, only CAT and APX increased. Furthermore, a regression analysis was conducted between SA and MDA concentrations or antioxidant enzyme activities under chilling stress. The results indicated that MDA concentrations were positively correlated with total SA contents in roots (r = 0.9776, p = 0.0224) and bound SA in leaves (r = 0.9974, p = 0.0458), respectively. Total SA contents had positive correlations with APX activities both in roots (r = 0.9993, p = 0.002) and leaves (r = 0.9630, p = 0.037) and GR in leaves (r = 0.9298, p = 0.0221). Together, these results suggested that chilling stress improved the biosynthesis of endogenous SA, and lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities could be indicated by endogenous SA contents of maize seedlings under chilling stress. Furthermore, increased activities of antioxidant enzymes, especially in roots, may contribute to the chilling tolerance of maize seedlings.
Combining two semidwarfing genesd60andsd1for reduced height in ‘Minihikari’, a new rice germplasm in the ‘Koshihikari’ genetic background
Authors: TOMITA MOTONORI
Published: January 2013

Dwarfing in rice has dramatically improved and stabilized rice yields worldwide, often controlled by a single dwarf gene,sd1. A novel semidwarf gened60complements the gametic lethal genegal, such that the F1between ‘Hokuriku 100’ (genotyped60d60GalGal,Gal: mutant non-lethal allele) and ‘Koshihikari’ (D60D60galgal,D60: tall allele) would show 25% sterility due to deterioration of gametes bearing bothgalandd60. The F2would segregate as one semidwarf (1d60d60GalGal) : two tall and 25% sterile (2D60d60Galgal) : six tall (2D60d60GalGal: 1D60D60GalGal: 2D60D60Galgal: 1D60D60galgal), skewed from a Mendelian segregation ratio of one semidwarf : three tall for a single recessive gene. To pyramidd60andsd1, into the Japanese super-variety ‘Koshihikari’, the F1(D60d60Galgal) of ‘Koshihikari’ × ‘Hokuriku 100’ was first backcrossed with ‘Koshihikari’, and the BCF1segregated into a ratio of one tall and 25% sterile (D60d60Galgal): two tall (1D60D60Galgal: 1D60D60galgal). Tall, 25% sterile BC1F1plants (D60d60Galgal) were then selected for pollen sterility and backcrossed with ‘Koshihikari’ as the recurrent parent. It is unnecessary to grow out and select a semidwarf from the BCnF2if a pollen parent with ∼70% pollen fertility is chosen from the BCnF1to backcross with the recurrent parent. Semidwarfing genesd60andsd1were successfully pyramided into the ‘Koshihikari’ genome by crossing isogenic lines ‘Koshihikarid60’ and ‘Koshihikarisd1’, to produce ‘Minihikari’, a new parental source of bothd60andsd1. ‘Minihikari’ displayed super-short stature due to the combination ofsd1andd60, which are genetically and functionally independent.
On the measurements of genetic differentiation among populations
Authors: WANG J.
Published: January 2013

FST, a measurement of the genetic differentiation among subpopulations, is a fundamental parameter in population genetics, with many valuable applications in molecular biology, evolutionary biology, conservation and forensics. One of its close relatives,GST, has been widely used to measure differentiation from highly polymorphic markers such as microsatellites. However, because of the high mutation rate of such markers,GSTmay underestimate the genomic differentiation due to demographic causes such as migration rate and subpopulation size. A new statistic proposed recently, Jost'sD, was claimed to have better properties thanGSTand was advocated to replaceGSTas a measure of differentiation. This paper shows thatDis not a proper measure of differentiation because it fails to meet some fundamental requirements as a differentiation statistic, and is hardly estimable without bias in practice.Dis highly dependent on the gene diversity of a marker and on the unknown parameter of the number of subpopulations, is highly sensitive to how alleles and loci are defined and how data are analysed, does not increase monotonically with either divergence time or drift, and does not always have a maximal value of 1. The maximalDvalue can be zero or close to zero, depending on the number of alleles at a locus relative to the number of subpopulations. I suggest continuing the use ofGST, with caution in its interpretation when highly polymorphic markers are used, before a better estimator ofFSTthat explicitly accounts for mutations is developed.
BUILDING THE CITY OF THE FUTURE: VISIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF MODERNITY IN GHANA'S AKOSOMBO TOWNSHIP
Authors: MIESCHER STEPHAN F.
Published: January 2013

Akosombo Township, designed by the Greek urbanist Constantinos Doxiadis, is the model city at the foot of the hydroelectric Akosombo Dam, Ghana's largest development project. The article explores different visions of high modernist planning for Akosombo and juxtaposes it with the desires for and imaginations of modernity among its residents. Officials of the Volta River Authority, the agency in charge of the township, promoted specific ideas about housing, husbandry, and hygiene, while residents engaged with and resisted this kind of social engineering. These tensions came to the fore, when the squatters of Combine struggled to remain in the township. In conversation with residents, VRA officials produced a form of ‘high modernist local knowledge’.
Temporal variation in the dispersion patterns of metazoan parasites of a coastal fish species from the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Vidal-Martínez V.M. , Pal P. , Aguirre-Macedo M.L. , May-Tec A.L. , Lewis J.W.
Published: January 2013

Global climate change (GCC) is expected to affect key environmental variables such as temperature and rainfall, which in turn influence the infection dynamics of metazoan parasites in tropical aquatic hosts. Thus, our aim was to determine how temporal patterns of temperature and rainfall influence the mean abundance and aggregation of three parasite species of the fish Cichlasoma urophthalmus from Yucatán, México. We calculated mean abundance and the aggregation parameter of the negative binomial distribution k for the larval digeneans Oligogonotylus manteri and Ascocotyle (Phagicola) nana and the ectoparasite Argulus yucatanus monthly from April 2005 to December 2010. Fourier analysis of time series and cross-correlations were used to determine potential associations between mean abundance and k for the three parasite species with water temperature and rainfall. Both O. manteri and A. (Ph.) nana exhibited their highest frequency peaks in mean abundance at 6 and 12 months, respectively, while their peak in k occurred every 24 months. For A. yucatanus the frequency peaks in mean abundance and k occurred every 12 months. We suggest that the level of aggregation at 24 months of O. manteri increases the likelihood of fish mortality. Such a scenario is less likely for A. (Ph.) nana and A. yucatanus, due to their low infection levels. Our findings suggest that under the conditions of GCC it would be reasonable to expect higher levels of parasite aggregation in tropical aquatic hosts, in turn leading to a potential increase in parasite-induced host mortality.
The need to ‘belong’: social connectedness and spatial attachment in Polar Eskimo settlements
Authors: Leonard Stephen Pax
Published: January 2013

Climate and environmental change places a variety of different pressures on remote, indigenous Arctic communities. The sea ice is the platform on which the Inugguit culture of northwest Greenland is based and thus it is inevitable that its retreat will have implications for the indigenous notion of place and for the manner in which the Inugguit articulate their sense of belonging with respect to the natural environment. With the demise of story-telling, the traditional vehicle for knowledge transmission, and the squeeze on hunting by consumer society and the Greenland Self Rule imposed quota system, it is apparent that some younger people are now engaging with more western ontologies of place. The relationship between man and nature is for some beginning to be expressed in terms of detachment and not extension. Whilst the way the Inugguit relate to their immediate natural environment might be in flux, other social practices of belonging such as naming and visiting are unchanged and still characterise these communities. In northwest Greenland, the need to ‘belong’ remains the social imperative that it has always been and the mechanisms used to reinforce this remain intact.
Obese youths are not more likely to become depressed, but depressed youths are more likely to become obese
Authors: Roberts R. E. , Duong H. T.
Published: January 2013

Background

Overweight/obesity and depression are both major public health problems among adolescents. However, the question of a link between overweight/obesity and depression remains unresolved in this age group. We examined whether obesity increases risk of depression, or depression increases risk of obesity, or whether there is a reciprocal effect.

Method

A two-wave prospective cohort study of adolescents aged 11–17 years at baseline (n = 4175) followed up a year later (n = 3134) sampled from the Houston metropolitan area. Overweight was defined as 95th percentile >body mass index (BMI) ⩽85th percentile and obese as BMI >95th percentile. Three indicators of depression were examined: any DSM-IV mood disorder, major depression, and symptoms of depression.

Results

Data for the two-wave cohort indicated no evidence of reciprocal effects between weight and depression. Weight status predicted neither major depression nor depressive symptoms. However, mood disorders generally and major depression in particular increased risk of future obesity more than twofold. Depressed males had a sixfold increased risk of obesity. Females with depressive symptoms had a marginally increased risk of being overweight but not obese.

Conclusions

Our findings, combined with those of recent meta-analyses, suggest that obese youths are not more likely to become depressed but that depressed youths are more likely to become obese.
Care-giving expectations and challenges among elders and their adult children in Southern Sri Lanka
Authors: WATT MELISSA H. , PERERA BILESHA , ØSTBYE TRULS , RANABAHU SHYAMA , RAJAPAKSE HARSHINI , MASELKO JOANNA
Published: January 2013

The elderly population in Sri Lanka is growing rapidly. Elders are traditionally cared for in the homes of their adult children, but the shifting socio-economic environment in Sri Lanka challenges this arrangement. This paper describes the dynamics of elder–care-giver relationships in Southern Sri Lanka. Data included four focus group discussions and five in-depth interviews with elderly, and ten in-depth interviews with adult children of the elderly. Discussion guide topics included care-giving arrangements, and roles/responsibilities of elders and care-givers. Using a grounded theory approach, a comprehensive analytic memo was developed and discussed to explore emerging themes on the care-giver dynamic. Both elders and care-givers felt that elders should be taken care of in the home by their children. They pointed to a sense of duty and role modelling of parental care-giving that is passed down through generations. Even as elders desired support from their children, they feared losing their independence, and saw financial autonomy as important for maintaining relationship balance. Care-giving challenges included: households where both the adult child and his/her spouse worked outside the home; households where elders had a disproportionate amount of household work; economically stressed households; and lack of direct communication between elders and care-givers regarding conflicts. Results point to strong values around caring for elderly in the home, but identify challenges to this arrangement in the future.
Early life history of the ocellated icefish,Chionodraco rastrospinosus, off the Antarctic Peninsula
Authors: La Mesa Mario , Catalano Barbara , Jones Christopher D.
Published: January 2013

Age, growth and feeding habits of early life stages ofChionodraco rastrospinosusDewitt & Hureau, the most abundant channichthyid in the larval fish assemblages of the Bransfield Strait, were studied by otolith microincrement counts and stomach content analyses. Individuals measuring 39–69 mm standard length were caught in the uppermost depth strata down to 300 m from Brabant to Joinville islands along the northern Antarctic Peninsula. The sample consisted of post-larvae and juveniles aged 105–211 days, with a mean growth rate of 0.25 mm day-1. Larval size at hatching was estimated to bec.17.2 mm. Hatching was spread over a relatively long period from August–November. Sagittal otoliths were characterized by a strong check located at 23–52 microincrements of distance from the core, tentatively associated with the onset of first exogenous feeding. The relatively long period during which larvae can rely on yolk reserves and the large size at hatching enable them to utilize a wide size range of prey, as well as cope with occasional food shortages. The stomach contents consisted exclusively of euphausiids (furcilia and adults) and larvae ofPleuragramma antarcticumBoulenger. Based on growth rate, the residence time in pelagic waters of juvenileC. rastrospinosuswas estimated to be about a year and a half.
Survey Research and the Production of Evidence for Social Policy
Authors: Boehm Marine , Bowman Dina , Zinn Jens O.
Published: January 2013

Large representative surveys have become a valuable resource to inform public policy in an increasingly complex modern world. They provide authority to policy since they are considered objective, neutral and scientific. In contrast, this article conceives the production of knowledge as an interactive process. We argue that the conduct of large social surveys tends to reinforce existing world views, power relations and a narrow construction of social issues. To illustrate this, we draw on a small exploratory study which examined the experience of responding to selected survey questions of the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia study (HILDA). We suggest that while more open approaches are required to capture the complexities of everyday life, these are unlikely to be implemented given the dominance of particular forms of knowledge.
A Behavior Genetic Analysis of Trait Emotional Intelligence and Alexithymia: A Replication
Authors: Baughman Holly M. , Schermer Julie Aitken , Veselka Livia , Harris Juliette , Vernon Philip A.
Published: January 2013

This replication study examines relations between alexithymia and trait emotional intelligence (trait EI) at the phenotypic, genetic, and environmental levels. A sample of 1,444 same-sex twin pairs (850 MZ pairs and 594 DZ pairs) completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20. A subset of 494 same-sex twin pairs (287 MZ pairs and 207 DZ pairs) had earlier completed the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire. Individual differences in alexithymia were attributable to genetic, non-shared environmental, and shared environmental factors. All but one of the facets of alexithymia were negatively and significantly correlated with the factors of trait EI, and these phenotypic correlations were entirely attributable to correlated genetic and correlated non-shared environmental factors. These bivariate results provide a valuable replication of those of Baughman et al. (Twin Research and Human Genetics, Vol. 14, 2011, pp. 539–543), which was conducted with substantially smaller samples of twins.
Sirt1 Mediates Hyperbaric Oxygen Preconditioning-Induced Ischemic Tolerance in Rat Brain
Authors: Yan Wenjun , Fang Zongping , Yang Qianzi , Dong Hailong , Lu Yan , Lei Chong , Xiong Lize
Published: January 2013

Our previous studies have shown that hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning (HBO-PC) induces tolerance to cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). This study aimed to investigate whether SirT1, a class III histone deacetylase, is involved in neuroprotection elicited by HBO-PC in animal and cell culture models of ischemia. Rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion for 120 minutes after HBO-PC (once a day for 5 days). Primary cultured cortical neurons were exposed to 2 hours of HBO-PC after 2 hours of oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD). We showed that HBO-PC increased SirT1 protein and mRNA expression, promoted neurobehavioral score, reduced infarct volume, and improved morphology at 24 hours and 7 days after cerebral I/R. Neuroprotection of HBO-PC was attenuated by SirT1 inhibitor EX527 and SirT1 knockdown by short interfering RNA (siRNA), whereas it was mimicked by SirT1 activator resveratrol. Furthermore, HBO-PC enhanced SirT1 expression and cell viability and reduced lactate dehydrogenase release 24 hours after OGD/re-oxygenation. The neuroprotective effect of HBO-PC was emulated through upregulating SirT1 and, reversely, attenuated through downregulating SirT1. The modulation of SirT1 was made by adenovirus infection carrying SirT1 or SirT1 siRNA. Besides, SirT1 increased B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) expression and decrease cleaved caspase 3. These results indicate that SirT1 mediates HBO-PC-induced tolerance to cerebral I/R through inhibition of apoptosis.
Integrated Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology Model‐Based Analyses to Guide GnRH Receptor Modulator Development for Management of Endometriosis
Authors: Riggs MM , Bennetts M , van der Graaf PH , Martin SW
Published: January 2013

Endometriosis is a gynecological condition resulting from proliferation of endometrial‐like tissue outside the endometrial cavity. Estrogen suppression therapies, mediated through gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) modulation, decrease endometriotic implants and diminish associated pain albeit at the expense of bone mineral density (BMD) loss. Our goal was to provide model‐based guidance for GnRH‐modulating clinical programs intended for endometriosis management. This included developing an estrogen suppression target expected to provide symptomatic relief with minimal BMD loss and to evaluate end points and study durations supportive of efficient development decisions. An existing multiscale model of calcium and bone was adapted to include systematic estrogen pharmacologic effects to describe estrogen concentration‐related effects on BMD. A logistic regression fit to patient‐level data from three clinical GnRH agonist (nafarelin) studies described the relationship of estrogen with endometrial‐related pain. Targeting estradiol between 20 and 40 pg/ml was predicted to provide efficacious endometrial pain response while minimizing BMD effects.

CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology (2012) 1, e11; doi:10.1038/psp.2012.10; advance online publication 17 October 2012
Hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor type 2 (HAI-2) modulates hepcidin expression by inhibiting the cell surface protease matriptase-2
Authors: Maurer Eva , Gütschow Michael , Stirnberg Marit
Published: January 2013

Matriptase-2, a recently identified cell surface protease, is the key enzyme of iron homoeostasis modulating the expression of the liver peptide hormone hepcidin. HAI (hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor) types 1 and 2 (HAI-1 and HAI-2 respectively) have been shown to inhibit the close homologue, i.e. matriptase. By co-expressing matriptase-2 and the inhibitor HAI-2 we have identified HAI-2 displaying high inhibitory potential against matriptase-2 at the cell surface as well as in conditioned medium. Accordingly, complex formation between matriptase-2 and HAI-2 was demonstrated by isolation of the complex via immobilizing either HAI-2 or matriptase-2 from lysates and conditioned medium of co-expressing cells. Furthermore, HAI-2 indirectly influences the expression of the hepcidin-encoding gene HAMP. The inhibitor abrogates the matriptase-2-mediated suppression of HAMP expression, presumably by inhibiting the supposed potential of matriptase-2 to cleave membrane-bound HJV (haemojuvelin). Taken together, the results of the present study have characterized HAI-2 as an inhibitor of matriptase-2 that modulates the synthesis of hepcidin and provides new insights into the regulatory mechanism of iron homoeostasis, with clinical importance for a treatment of iron overload diseases.
Does the physiological success of CPAP titration predict clinical success?
Authors: Whittle Adam T. , Douglas Neil J.
Published: January 2013

Patients commencing continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) undergo overnight airway pressure titration in sleep centres to optimize breathing and sleep patterns. We tested the hypothesis that data from formal scoring of the sleep and breathing patterns observed at the best achievable pressure during titration can predict CPAP use and effectiveness, as our clinical experience suggested otherwise. The relationship between CPAP titration scores (apnoea/hypopnoea. frequency, arousal frequency and sleep staging) and subsequent CPAP use was examined in 150 sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome patients. One hundred patients were continuing CPAP therapy and 50 were randomly selected patients who had discontinued CPAP. Within the CPAP group, titration scores were compared with CPAP machine use, subjective daytime sleepiness and requirements for airway pressure adjustment. Respiratory irregularities and arousals during titration did not relate to outcome. Sleep‐stage analysis revealed a weak relationship between more wakefulness during titration and CPAP discontinuation (P = 0.02). There was a correlation between more prolonged Stage 4 sleep during titration and reduced sleepiness on established therapy (P = 0.002), but this explained less than 12% of the variance. The absence of rapid eye movement sleep during titration was not associated with poorer outcomes. We conclude that routine scoring of breathing and sleep patterns observed during CPAP titration is of little clinical value, as the results do not predict outcome for individual patients. Satisfactory CPAP therapy may be established even if significant numbers of apnoeasjhypopnoeas or arousals are observed at the optimal pressure during titration.
Crystallinity of inorganic films grown by atomic layer deposition: Overview and general trends
Authors: Miikkulainen Ville , Leskelä Markku , Ritala Mikko , Puurunen Riikka L.
Published: January 2013

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is gaining attention as a thin film deposition method, uniquely suitable for depositing uniform and conformal films on complex three-dimensional topographies. The deposition of a film of a given material by ALD relies on the successive, separated, and self-terminating gas–solid reactions of typically two gaseous reactants. Hundreds of ALD chemistries have been found for depositing a variety of materials during the past decades, mostly for inorganic materials but lately also for organic and inorganic–organic hybrid compounds. One factor that often dictates the properties of ALD films in actual applications is the crystallinity of the grown film: Is the material amorphous or, if it is crystalline, which phase(s) is (are) present. In this thematic review, we first describe the basics of ALD, summarize the two-reactant ALD processes to grow inorganic materials developed to-date, updating the information of an earlier review on ALD [R. L. Puurunen, J. Appl. Phys. 97, 121301 (2005)], and give an overview of the status of processing ternary compounds by ALD. We then proceed to analyze the published experimental data for information on the crystallinity and phase of inorganic materials deposited by ALD from different reactants at different temperatures. The data are collected for films in their as-deposited state and tabulated for easy reference. Case studies are presented to illustrate the effect of different process parameters on crystallinity for representative materials: aluminium oxide, zirconium oxide, zinc oxide, titanium nitride, zinc zulfide, and ruthenium. Finally, we discuss the general trends in the development of film crystallinity as function of ALD process parameters. The authors hope that this review will help newcomers to ALD to familiarize themselves with the complex world of crystalline ALD films and, at the same time, serve for the expert as a handbook-type reference source on ALD processes and film crystallinity.
Visual experience and subsequent sleep induce sequential plastic changes in putative inhibitory and excitatory cortical neurons
Authors: Aton Sara J. , Broussard Christopher , Dumoulin Michelle , Seibt Julie , Watson Adam , Coleman Tammi , Frank Marcos G.
Published: January 2013

Ocular dominance plasticity in the developing primary visual cortex is initiated by monocular deprivation (MD) and consolidated during subsequent sleep. To clarify how visual experience and sleep affect neuronal activity and plasticity, we continuously recorded extragranular visual cortex fast-spiking (FS) interneurons and putative principal (i.e., excitatory) neurons in freely behaving cats across periods of waking MD and post-MD sleep. Consistent with previous reports in mice, MD induces two related changes in FS interneurons: a response shift in favor of the closed eye and depression of firing. Spike-timing–dependent depression of open-eye–biased principal neuron inputs to FS interneurons may mediate these effects. During post-MD nonrapid eye movement sleep, principal neuron firing increases and becomes more phase-locked to slow wave and spindle oscillations. Ocular dominance (OD) shifts in favor of open-eye stimulation—evident only after post-MD sleep—are proportional to MD-induced changes in FS interneuron activity and to subsequent sleep-associated changes in principal neuron activity. OD shifts are greatest in principal neurons that fire 40–300 ms after neighboring FS interneurons during post-MD slow waves. Based on these data, we propose that MD-induced changes in FS interneurons play an instructive role in ocular dominance plasticity, causing disinhibition among open-eye–biased principal neurons, which drive plasticity throughout the visual cortex during subsequent sleep.
Decoding the anatomical network of spatial attention
Authors: Smith David V. , Clithero John A. , Rorden Christopher , Karnath Hans-Otto
Published: January 2013

The study of stroke patients with modern lesion-symptom analysis techniques has yielded valuable insights into the representation of spatial attention in the human brain. Here we introduce an approach—multivariate pattern analysis—that no longer assumes independent contributions of brain regions but rather quantifies the joint contribution of multiple brain regions in determining behavior. In a large sample of stroke patients, we found patterns of damage more predictive of spatial neglect than the best-performing single voxel. In addition, modeling multiple brain regions—those that are frequently damaged and, importantly, spared—provided more predictive information than modeling single regions. Interestingly, we also found that the superior temporal gyrus demonstrated a consistent ability to improve classifier performance when added to other regions, implying uniquely predictive information. In sharp contrast, classifier performance for both the angular gyrus and insular cortex was reliably enhanced by the addition of other brain regions, suggesting these regions lack independent predictive information for spatial neglect. Our findings highlight the utility of multivariate pattern analysis in lesion mapping, furnishing neuroscience with a modern approach for using lesion data to study human brain function.
Microfluidic experiments reveal that antifreeze proteins bound to ice crystals suffice to prevent their growth
Authors: Celik Yeliz , Drori Ran , Pertaya-Braun Natalya , Altan Aysun , Barton Tyler , Bar-Dolev Maya , Groisman Alex , Davies Peter L. , Braslavsky Ido
Published: January 2013

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are a subset of ice-binding proteins that control ice crystal growth. They have potential for the cryopreservation of cells, tissues, and organs, as well as for production and storage of food and protection of crops from frost. However, the detailed mechanism of action of AFPs is still unclear. Specifically, there is controversy regarding reversibility of binding of AFPs to crystal surfaces. The experimentally observed dependence of activity of AFPs on their concentration in solution appears to indicate that the binding is reversible. Here, by a series of experiments in temperature-controlled microfluidic devices, where the medium surrounding ice crystals can be exchanged, we show that the binding of hyperactive
Tenebrio molitor
AFP to ice crystals is practically irreversible and that surface-bound AFPs are sufficient to inhibit ice crystal growth even in solutions depleted of AFPs. These findings rule out theories of AFP activity relying on the presence of unbound protein molecules.
Fusion pore formation and expansion induced by Ca
2+
and synaptotagmin 1
Authors: Lai Ying , Diao Jiajie , Liu Yanxin , Ishitsuka Yuji , Su Zengliu , Schulten Klaus , Ha Taekjip , Shin Yeon-Kyun
Published: January 2013

Fusion pore formation and expansion, crucial steps for neurotransmitter release and vesicle recycling in soluble
N
-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE)-dependent vesicle fusion, have not been well studied in vitro due to the lack of a reliable content-mixing fusion assay. Using methods detecting the intervesicular mixing of small and large cargoes at a single-vesicle level, we found that the neuronal SNARE complexes have the capacity to drive membrane hemifusion. However, efficient fusion pore formation and expansion require synaptotagmin 1 and Ca
2+
. Real-time measurements show that pore expansion detected by content mixing of large DNA cargoes occurs much slower than initial pore formation that transmits small cargoes. Slow pore expansion perhaps provides a time window for vesicles to escape the full collapse fusion pathway via alternative mechanisms such as kiss-and-run. The results also show that complexin 1 stimulates pore expansion significantly, which could put bias between two pathways of vesicle recycling.
Growth and Population Size of Grass Carp Incrementally Stocked for Hydrilla Control
Authors: Stich Daniel S. , Dicenzo Victor , Frimpong Emmanuel A. , Jiao Yan , Murphy Brian R.
Published: January 2013

In weed control plans that use Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella for intermediate control of hydrilla Hydrilla verticillata, the knowledge of population dynamics improves efficacy of management. Our objective was to characterize growth, mortality, and associated population metrics of long-lived (up to 16 years) triploid Grass Carp that were incrementally stocked into Lake Gaston, Virginia–North Carolina, starting in 1995. Grass Carp (ages 1–16) were collected by bowfishers during 2006–2010. Growth of Grass Carp was described by the von Bertalanffy growth model as Lt = 1,297[1 − e−0.1352(t +1.52)], where Lt is TL at age t. We used three methods to estimate Grass Carp mortality, and annual abundance and biomass of Grass Carp were estimated from each mortality estimate. Estimated annual mortality ranged from 0.20 to 0.25 depending on the method used. The use of constant mortality rates versus age-specific mortality rates produced divergent models of Grass Carp biomass and represented a different approach for tracking the progress of weed control. Grass Carp biomass (but not abundance) was related to hydrilla coverage in Lake Gaston based on several scenarios that described time lags between Grass Carp stocking in year i and decreases in hydrilla coverage (in years i, i + 1, …, i + 5). Regardless of the mortality estimate used to derive Grass Carp biomass, the strongest biomass–hydrilla coverage relationship was observed for a time lag of 4 years. Fish older than age 10 constituted nearly 50% of the total Grass Carp biomass in Lake Gaston during some years, and the relationship between Grass Carp biomass and hydrilla coverage was strongest when fish up to age 16 were included in models. These results indicate that Grass Carp up to at least age 16 are important for weed control, thus highlighting the need for stocking models and bioenergetics models that include contributions of older fish when assessing long-lived Grass Carp populations.

Received January 23, 2012; accepted October 3, 2012
Retention of Large-Format, Soft Visible Implant Alphanumeric Tags in Walleye
Authors: Meerbeek Jonathan R. , Larscheid Joseph G. , Hawkins Michael J. , Scholten George D.
Published: January 2013

We evaluated the effects of fish length, fish sex, and number of days posttagging on retention of large-format, soft visible implant (VI) alphanumeric tags that were injected underneath the clear tissue on the lower mandible of Walleyes Sander vitreus. We also evaluated whether the direction of insertion or the application of surgical-grade tissue adhesive to the tag incision site would affect tag retention. Adult Walleyes were collected with gill nets from natural lakes in Iowa during spring and then were transported to a hatchery, where they were measured, sexed, and tagged. One worker injected 752 Walleyes (mean TL = 21.8 in; SE = 0.16) with two identical VI tags; each side (left and right) of the lower mandible received one tag. Incisions were dried with a cloth, and tissue adhesive was applied to one of the two tag injection sites. Walleyes were released back into the lake and were recaptured with gill nets and by anglers. Of the 129 Walleyes recaptured up to 5 years posttagging, 80 fish (62%) had retained both tags and the remaining 49 fish had retained one of the tags. Retention adjusted for fish that lost both tags (n = 8; probability = 0.09) was 58% (80 of 137). Tag retention was significantly related to fish size at the time of tagging, as smaller fish lost more tags. Consequently, males (mean TL = 20.5 in; SE = 0.39) were more likely to lose tags than females (mean TL = 24.3 in; SE = 0.26). Insertion direction, adhesive application, or the number of days posttagging at recapture did not influence VI tag retention. We recommend that in studies requiring high tag retention in Walleyes, the injection of large-format, soft VI tags into the clear tissue underneath the mandible should not be considered.

Received February 16, 2012; accepted October 3, 2012
Performance of Four Boat Electrofishers with Measured Electrode Resistances for Electrofishing Boats and Rafts
Authors: Martinez Patrick J. , Kolz A. Lawrence
Published: January 2013

A misconception in the description of boat electrofishers has resulted from specifying their operational capabilities over ranges of water conductivity without any reference to the electrode configuration with which they will be used. Water conductivity alone is not the valid or most informative electrical variable for defining the operational characteristics of a boat electrofisher and its power supply, but its persistent usage has displaced the correct terminology: electrode resistance measured in ohms. Consequently, inherent design limitations and actual operating characteristics for specific boat electrofishers and their power sources as dictated by electrode resistance have remained undefined. Recognizing this dilemma, total electrode resistance (anodes plus cathodes) was measured for two electrode configurations, metal-hulled boats and inflatable whitewater rafts. Knowing the electrode resistances for these two electrofishing crafts (conductive versus nonconductive hulls) facilitated complete systems’ analyses, provided an analytical understanding of equipment settings, and identified the power capabilities for four boat electrofishers manufactured in the USA. In accordance with the equivalent electrode resistances of these two craft types, electrical load measurements were performed for four boat electrofishers (Smith-Root VVP 15B and GPP 5.0, the ETS Electrofishing MBS 1D-72A, and the Midwest Lake Electrofishing Systems MLES Infinity) to examine their pulsed-DC operational capacities over a range of simulated water conductivities. Graphical plots for each craft type provide an approximation of the range of water conductivity over which each boat electrofisher would be expected to sustain a power level that meets or exceeds power goals for successful electrofishing. This information should improve the understanding of the role of electrode resistance in dictating power demand from boat electrofishers. It should also aid in the selection of a boat electrofisher based on its capacity to sustain standardized power levels in the electrofishing craft in which they will be used and over the range of water conductivities encountered.

Received June 14, 2012; accepted October 3, 2012