bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of inflammation by level of Interleukin 4 in exhaled breath condensate in patients affected by bronchial asthma treated according to GINA guidelines
Authors: Valerio Giuseppe , Bracciale Pierluigi , Valerio Fabio
Published: September 2011

GINA guidelines suggest that optimal asthma control can be gained by regular monitoring of symptoms, rescue medication use, airways obstruction and variability upon time of airways flows. Our aim was to check if therapy according to GINA rules is able to lower airways inflammation, measured by the level of IL4 in expired breath condensate (EBC). One hundred patients affected by bronchial asthma in different levels were recruited as they come to the ambulatory ward. They were cured according to GINA guidelines for one year, using inhaled fluthicasone as inhaled steroid. Symptoms were monitored by asthma control test score (ACT), airways obstruction by FEV1, bronchial reactivity by PD20, airways inflammation by IL4 in EBC. ACT showed complete control in the first three GINA levels, improving incompletely in the GINA level 4 (from 20±2 to 21±12; from 17±2 to 22±2; from 14±4 to 18±3; from 10±3 to 14±3 units respectively in the first to fourth levels of asthma). FEV1 improved, but both baseline and after therapy levels were worst in severe persistent asthma (from 96±5 to 96±4; from 92±6 to 93±3; from 74±6 to 83±8; from 45±10 to 60±5% of normal standards respectively from the 1st to 4th level). PD20 and IL4 were fairly normalized by therapy in the s and third levels, improved in the last one (PD20 from 437±329 to 460±269, from 364±308 to >1600, from 436±252 to 890±220; from 45±25 to 60±40 mcg respectively, IL4 in EBC from 60±6 to 40±12, from 65±10 to 41±9, from 72±8 to 45±6, from 78±20 to 52±5 respectively). IL4 and PD20 were significantly related. Experimental data allowed the assessment of the correlation of inflammation with bronchial reactivity and the relevance of addressing therapy upon IL4. Severe persistent asthma behave as a different entity with worst baseline inflammation, partially refractory asthma and persistent inflammation, needing specific immunologic weapons. Bronchial inflammation was fairly reduced but not normalized after one year of therapy.
Importação de técnicas de recursos humanos: problema ou solução?
Authors: Santos Alexandre , Pereira Rafael Diogo , Calbino Daniel , Pimentel Thiago Duarte
Published: September 2011

Partindo da premissa que a literatura brasileira de uma forma geral, mas principalmente na área de Recursos Humanos, é baseada em autores estrangeiros, o objetivo deste ensaio teórico é incitar uma reflexão sobre a eficiência da utilização de técnicas importadas de gestão de pessoas no Brasil. As indagações giram em torno da diferença entre contextos socioculturais e as implicações da adoção da base estrangeira (estereótipo de seu berço) no contexto brasileiro, onde o jeitinho brasileiro é considerado único e exclusivo. Esse ambiente acontece com o “patrimonialismo” como palco. Recorre-se também a possibilidade da tropicalização destes modelos pela vertente do isomorfismo. Contudo, conclui-se que as diferenças contextuais e socioculturais levam as técnicas de importação de gestão a serem pouco efetivas no Brasil.
Poder e liderança: as contribuições de Maquiavel, Gramsci, Hayek e Foucault
Authors: Amorim Maria Cristina Sanches , Perez Regina Helena Martins
Published: September 2011

Liderança é um campo amplo no universo do comportamento organizacional. Os conceitos são problemáticos, no sentido da delimitação do objeto de estudo, ainda controversa. A maior parte da literatura origina-se na psicologia social, enquanto que a teoria política é pouco explorada na construção dos conceitos. Contribuições dos autores oriundos da psicologia social, quando “traduzidas” para o grande público disseminaram o surgimento de estereótipos e fórmulas, marcados pelo viés do chamado politicamente correto e pela despolitização do tema. Objetivo: mostrar que a ciência política pode ampliar o debate, propondo o estudo das relações entre poder e liderança nas organizações. Metodologia: revisão bibliográfica multidisciplinar, compatível com o ensaio teórico. Conclusões: a ciência política permite definir liderança como exercício de poder nas organizações, contornando o problema conceitual do tema; poder não tem conotação negativa ou positiva, tais juízos respeitam as formas e objetivos do poder; exercer o poder é uma contingência da liderança.
Characteristics of water-vapour inversions observed over the Arctic by Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and radiosondes
Authors: Devasthale A. , Sedlar J. , Tjernström M.
Published: September 2011

Abstract. An accurate characterization of the vertical structure of the Arctic atmosphere is useful in climate change and attribution studies as well as for the climate modelling community to improve projections of future climate over this highly sensitive region. Here, we investigate one of the dominant features of the vertical structure of the Arctic atmosphere, i.e. water-vapour inversions, using eight years of Atmospheric Infrared Sounder data (2002–2010) and radiosounding profiles released from the two Arctic locations (North Slope of Alaska at Barrow and during SHEBA). We quantify the characteristics of clear-sky water vapour inversions in terms of their frequency of occurrence, strength and height covering the entire Arctic for the first time. We found that the frequency of occurrence of water-vapour inversions is highest during winter and lowest during summer. The inversion strength is, however, higher during summer. The observed peaks in the median inversion-layer heights are higher during the winter half of the year, at around 850 hPa over most of the Arctic Ocean, Siberia and the Canadian Archipelago, while being around 925 hPa during most of the summer half of the year over the Arctic Ocean. The radiosounding profiles agree with the frequency, location and strength of water-vapour inversions in the Pacific sector of the Arctic. In addition, the radiosoundings indicate that multiple inversions are the norm with relatively few cases without inversions. The amount of precipitable water within the water-vapour inversion structures is estimated and we find a distinct, two-mode contribution to the total column precipitable water. These results suggest that water-vapour inversions are a significant source to the column thermodynamics, especially during the colder winter and spring seasons. We argue that these inversions are a robust metric to test the reproducibility of thermodynamics within climate models. An accurate statistical representation of water-vapour inversions in models would mean that the large-scale coupling of moisture transport, precipitation, temperature and water-vapour vertical structure and radiation are essentially captured well in such models.
Global mechanistic model of SOA formation: effects of different chemical mechanisms
Authors: Lin G. , Penner J. E. , Sillman S. , Taraborrelli D. , Lelieveld J.
Published: September 2011

Abstract. Recent experimental findings indicate that Secondary Organic Aerosol (SOA) represents an important and, under many circumstances, the major fraction of the organic aerosol burden. Here, we use a global 3-d model (IMPACT) to test the results of different mechanisms for the production of SOA. The basic mechanism includes SOA formation from organic nitrates and peroxides produced from an explicit chemical formulation, using partition coefficients based on thermodynamic principles. We also include the formation of non-evaporative SOA from the reaction of glyoxal and methylglyoxal on aqueous aerosols and cloud droplets as well as from the reaction of epoxides on aqueous aerosols. A model simulation including these SOA formation mechanisms gives an annual global SOA production of 113.5 Tg. The global production of SOA is substantially decreased to 85.0 Tg yr−1 if the HOx regeneration mechanism proposed by Peeters et al. (2009) is used. Model predictions with and without this HOx regeneration scheme are compared with multiple surface observation datasets, namely: the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) for the United States, the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) as well as Aerosol Mass Spectrometry (AMS) data measured in both Northern Hemisphere and tropical forest regions. All model simulations realistically predict the organic carbon mass observed in the Northern Hemisphere, although they tend to overestimate the concentrations in tropical forest regions. This overestimate may result from an unrealistically high uptake rate of glyoxal and methylglyoxal on aqueous aerosols and in cloud drops. The modeled OC in the free troposphere is in agreement with measurements in the ITCT-2K4 aircraft campaign over the North America and in pollution layers in Asia during the INTEX-B campaign, although the model underestimates OC in the free troposphere during the ACE-Asia campaign off the coast of Japan.
The impact of channel effect on Asian dust transport dynamics: a case in southeastern Asia
Authors: Lin C.-Y. , Sheng Y.-F. , Chen W.-N. , Wang Z. , Kuo C.-H. , Chen W.-C. , Yang T.
Published: September 2011

Abstract. A super heavy dust event was identified with unprecedented PM10 in terms of speed and concentration in the southeastern Asia. The average concentration was observed exceeding the value of 1000 μg m−3 for the duration lasting more than 10 h, with the highest value reached 1724 μg m−3 in northern Taiwan on 21 March 2010. We found that this case exhibited an uneven and intriguing spatial distribution of PM10 concentration and transport speed between eastern and western Taiwan. Higher values were observed in the western and northern areas. The differences in concentration can be reached to 5 times in less than 100 km in the west-east bound distance while the variations can be up to 10 times within 400 km in north-south direction. A high resolution, 10 km, numerical study by Weather Research Forecast (WRF) and WRF-chem models revealed that this intriguing spatial distribution of the Asian dust transport was resulting from a strong coupling effect of the geographic channel effect and blocking of the easterly from the Pacific Ocean. We are confident that this coupling effect can be revealed only by applying a high resolution numerical study in other similar regions.
Responses of N2O and CH4 fluxes to fertilizer nitrogen addition rates in an irrigated wheat-maize cropping system in northern China
Authors: Liu C. , Wang K. , Zheng X.
Published: September 2011

Abstract. Model and field studies generally posit that when the application rates of nitrogen fertilizer exceed crop needs, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions will increase nonlinearly, though linear responses are also extensively reported by field studies. We conducted year-round measurements of crop yield, N2O and methane (CH4) fluxes for treatments of six nitrogen levels (0, 135, 270, 430, 650 and 850 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in the form of urea) in a typical irrigated wheat-maize rotation field in northern China. Linear models characterized the responses of cumulative N2O emissions to fertilizer rates well; therefore, the calculated N2O emission factors of 0.17 ± 0.03%, 0.73 ± 0.07% and 0.49 ± 0.06% for the wheat season, maize season and annual scale, respectively, were appropriate for the different fertilizer rates. The cumulative CH4 uptake by the soil tended to be enhanced at higher fertilizer rates (≥350 kg N ha−1) in the maize season whereas no effect was observed for the wheat season. The crop yields stopped increasing at fertilizer rates greater than 650 kg N ha−1 yr−1. When the annual fertilizer rates increased from 270 to 430, from 270 to 650 and from 270 to 850 kg N ha−1 yr−1, the crop yields increased only 4–15% (0.6–2.2 t ha−1 yr−1), but cumulative N2O emissions increased 36–115 % (0.9–3.0 kg N ha−1 yr−1). We recommend 270 kg N ha−1 yr−1 as the locally optimum fertilizer rate. Considering the N inputs by fertilization (270 kg N ha−1 yr−1), irrigation (4.3 ± 0.2 kg N ha−1 yr−1) and deposition (wet deposition: 30.5 ± 1.5 kg N ha−1 yr−1), the slightly positive soil N balance could maintain the current crop yield (>14 t ha−1 yr−1) and reduce the present high N2O emissions (>3.51 kg N ha−1 yr−1) of the local farmers' practice (fertilizer rate: >430 kg N ha−1 yr−1).
Climatic changes between 20th century and pre-industrial times over South America in regional model simulations
Authors: Wagner S. , Fast I. , Kaspar F.
Published: September 2011

Abstract. Two simulations with a regional climate model are analyzed for climatic changes between the late 20th century and a pre-industrial period over central and southern South America. The model simulations have been forced with large-scale boundary data from the global simulation performed with a coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model. The regional simulations have been carried out on a 0.44° × 0.44° grid (approx. 50 km × 50 km horizontal resolution). The differences in the external forcings are related to a changed greenhouse gas content of the atmosphere, being higher in the present-day simulation. For validation purposes the climate model is analyzed using a five year long simulation between 1993 and 1997 forced with re-analysis data. The climate model reproduces the main climatic features reasonably well, especially when comparing model output co-located with observational station data. However, the comparison between observed and simulated climate is hampered by the sparse meteorological station network in South America. The present-day simulation is compared with the pre-industrial simulation for atmospheric fields of near-surface temperatures, precipitation, sea level pressure and zonal wind. Higher temperatures in the present-day simulation are evident over entire South America, mostly pronounced over the southern region of the Andes Mountains and the Parana basin. During southern winter the higher temperatures prevail over the entire continent, with largest differences over the central Andes Mountains and the Amazonian basin. Precipitation differences show a more heterogeneous pattern, especially over tropical regions. This might be explained by changes in convective processes acting on small scales. During southern summer wetter conditions are evident over the Amazonian and Parana basin in the present-day simulation. Precipitation increases are evident over Patagonia together with decreases to the north along the western slope of the Andes Mountains. During southern winter also a dipole pattern along the Andes Mountains with wetter conditions over the southern parts and drier conditions over the central parts is evident. An interesting feature relates to precipitation changes with changing sign within a few 10th of kilometers along the southern parts of the Andes mountain chain. This pattern can be explained by changes in large-scale circulation related to latitudinal changes of the extratropical southern hemispheric westerlies.
Manutenção do lar prejudicada: diagnóstico de enfermagem em familiares de pacientes hospitalizados com doenças crônicas
Authors: Montefusco Selma Alves Rodrigues , Bachion Maria Marcia
Published: September 2011

Este estudo objetivou identificar o diagnóstico de enfermagem “manutenção do lar prejudicada” em familiares, na situação de acompanhantes de pacientes hospitalizados com doenças crônicas não transmissíveis.  Foi realizada pesquisa descritiva, de janeiro a junho de 2006, em hospital de grande porte da Região Centro-Oeste, envolvendo 12 famílias. A manutenção do lar prejudicada, identificada em 08 famílias, teve como fatores relacionados mais frequentes: doença de membro da família (100%); organização do lar insuficiente (75%); finanças insuficientes(62,5%). Características definidoras de maior ocorrência foram: membros da família expressam dificuldade para manter a sua casa de forma confortável (62,5%); membros da família pedem ajuda para a manutenção da casa (62,5%) e membro da família sobrecarregado (filha), 62,5%. Este diagnóstico afeta as famílias, evidenciando a necessidade dos enfermeiros utilizarem conhecimentos e tecnologias de avaliação e intervenção em famílias, juntamente com linguagens padronizadas para expressar seus diagnósticos, intervenções e resultados alcançados. Descritores: Família; Enfermagem de família; Diagnóstico de enfermagem.
Crosslinked Sodium Hyaluronate Implant in Deep Sclerectomy for the Surgical Treatment of Glaucoma
Authors: Roy Sylvain , Do Thi Huyen , Feusier Michael , Mermoud André
Published: September 2011

Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of a new crosslinked sodium hyaluronate drainage implant in nonpenetrating glaucoma surgery.

Methods

From July 2008 until January 2010, 55 eyes from 55 patients with glaucoma were operated upon. After a standard deep sclerectomy was performed, a crosslinked sodium hyaluronate (HEALAflow®) was injected under the superficial scleral flap and underneath the conjunctiva. The main outcomes measured were mean intraocular pressure (IOP), mean number of antiglaucoma medications, presence of postoperative complications, and clinical aspect of the filtering bleb.

Results

For the 55 eyes, the mean follow-up was 12.0±5.1 months, the mean preoperative IOP was 21.6±7.2 mmHg, and the mean number of antiglaucoma medications before surgery was 2.4±1.2. At final follow-up visits, the mean IOP went down to 11.5±3.0 mmHg; the mean number of antiglaucoma medications was reduced to 0.5±0.9. The filtering bleb was visible on 49 eyes (89%). There were 5 hypotonies (IOP < 6 mmHg) and 3 iris incarcerations. Complete success rate (IOP ≤18 mmHg without antiglaucoma medication) was 70% and the overall success rate (IOP ≤18 mmHg with and without antiglaucoma medication) was 91%.

Conclusions

The slow resorbable highly crosslinked sodium hyaluronate drainage implant fills up the intrascleral and subconjunctival space, preventing postoperative scarring and fibrosis of the filtering site and helping to maintain a functional filtration after nonpenetrating glaucoma surgery. The IOP was significantly lowered with few numbers of postoperative complications and less medication.
Osteochondral Mosaicplasty of the Femoral Head
Authors: Girard Julien , Roumazeille Thibaut , Sakr Mazen , Migaud Henri
Published: September 2011

Young adults with osteochondral lesions of the femoral head are at risk of rapid progression to symptomatic arthritis of the hip joint. Between January 2008 and July 2009, 10 patients were treated for femoral cartilage damage by a osteochondral mosaicplasty of the femoral head through a trochanteric flap with dislocation of the hip. The consecutive series had the following exclusion criteria: acetabular chondropathy age above 25 years, and femoral head osteonecrosis. Patients were followed up after surgery using the Oxford-12 score, Harris hip score and the Merle d'Aubigné score, and activity assessed by the UCLA and Devane scores. Radiological evaluation by computed tomographic (CT) arthrography was undertaken in all patients at 6 months and plain radiographs.

Mean follow-up was 29.2 months (20–39 months). The Postel Merle d'Aubigné score improved from the pre-operative period to the latest follow-up, from 10.5 points (8–13) to 15.5 points (12–17). Global range of motion increased from 175.4° (140–215) to 210.7° (175–240). All radiological investigations at latest follow-up showed that the autograft plugs were well-incorporated at the site of osteochondroplasty in the femoral head with intact cartilage over them and smooth interfaces between articulating bony surfaces. Osteochondral autograft transplantation may be a new alternative option for osteochondral lesions of the femoral head, but this has to be confirmed with longer follow-up and in a larger number of patients. The results of similar surgery in the knee have been mixed, and in the hip the technique is demanding, requiring familiarity with surgical hip dislocation.
Habitat and Landscape Suitability as Indicators of Bird Abundance in Created and Restored Wetlands
Authors: Mora Jordan W. , Mager III John N. , Spieles Douglas J.
Published: September 2011

We used aerial photography, field measurements, and bird surveys to evaluate 7 Ohio mitigation wetlands for their capacity to support avian guilds at both local and landscape scales. At the local scale, we assessed each wetland with habitat suitability indices (HSI) for eight wetland-dependent bird species as indicators for four guilds: wading, diving, dabbling, and emergent dependent. We characterized landscapes within 2.5 km of each wetland by measuring the buffer width, road density, connectedness, and anthropogenic land development. The changes in landscape variables over time were determined by comparison of aerial photos taken near the time of wetland construction and near the time of this study. Bird abundance data were poorly correlated with HSI scores but were well described with logistic models of buffer width, wetland area, and road density. Our results suggest that landscape variables are better predictors of bird abundance than HSI scores for these guilds in these wetlands.
What bacteria are living in my food?: An open‐ended practical series involving identification of unknown foodborne bacteria using molecular techniques
Authors: Prasad Prascilla , Turner Mark S.
Published: September 2011

This open‐ended practical series titled “Molecular Identification of Unknown Food Bacteria” which extended over a 6‐week period was designed with the aims of giving students an opportunity to gain an understanding of naturally occurring food bacteria and skills in contemporary molecular methods using real food samples. The students first isolated two unknown bacterial strains from two food sources from which they extracted DNA and performed PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene. Gel electrophoresis was used to analyze both genomic DNA preparations and PCR products. Following purification of PCR products, DNA sequencing was carried out and sequence trace quality was analyzed. The students successfully identified the two unknown bacteria using the BLAST search engine and a wide variety of different organisms were found. Assessment of their understanding of the procedure and ability to explain their findings using supporting primary research literature was via an individually prepared written report. Feedback from students over 2 years (n = 52) in a questionnaire revealed that the practical series was an engaging learning experience and lead to perceived improvements in knowledge of molecular techniques and bioinformatics and also about commonly occurring bacteria in foods. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education Vol. 39, No. 5, pp. 384–390, 2011
Chromatin structure and expression of the AMPA receptor subunit Glur2 in human glioma cells: Major regulatory role of REST and Sp1
Authors: Ekici Myriam , Keim Anja , Rössler Oliver G. , Hohl Mathias , Thiel Gerald
Published: September 2011

It has been suggested that reduced glutamate receptor expression protects glioma cells from glutamate toxicity. GluR2 is the critical subunit of the GluR2 subtype of AMPA glutamate receptors as this subunit determines the Ca2+ permeability of the receptor. The gene encoding the GluR2 subtype of AMPA receptors has been described as a target gene for the transcription repressor REST. However, we recently showed that the GluR2 gene is not regulated by REST in several neuronal and neuroendocrine cell lines, due to a repressive chromatin environment. Here, we show that the GluR2 gene has an open chromatin configuration in human glioma cells. Overexpression of REST reduced GluR2 mRNA levels while shRNA‐mediated depletion of REST or expression of a REST mutant, that contained a transcriptional activation domain, enhanced GluR2 expression. Incubation with trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, induced acetylation of histone 4 of the GluR2 locus in glioma cells, leading to an upregulation of GluR2 expression. Together, these data suggest that REST is responsible for the reduced expression of GluR2 in glioma cells. The transcription factor Sp1 additionally binds under physiological conditions to the GluR2 gene in human glioma cells and expression of a dominant‐negative mutant of Sp1 reduced expression of GluR2. Thus, the regulation via Sp1 represents a further control point for GluR2 expression in glioma cells. Together, we show that the GluR2 gene is embedded into an open chromatin configuration in glioma cells and expression of GluR2 is controlled by REST and Sp1. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 528–543, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Simultaneous stabilization for uncertain descriptor systems with input saturation
Authors: Chen Yuepeng , Xu Tianhe , Zeng Chunnian , Zhou Zude , Zhang Qingling
Published: September 2011

In this paper, the simultaneous stabilization problem for r uncertain descriptor systems is investigated. First, r uncertain closed‐loop descriptor systems with an input saturation controller are introduced and a sufficient condition for these systems to be simultaneously stabilized is derived by a common generalized Lyapunov function. Meanwhile, an input saturation controller for these uncertain descriptor systems is designed via using linear matrix inequalities. Second, a simultaneous stability region for the r uncertain stabilized descriptor systems is investigated and described via system parameters. Furthermore, for the r different uncertain descriptor systems, the r different generalized Lyapunov functions are used to discuss the simultaneous stabilization problem with the advantage of relatively small conservativeness compared with the common generalized Lyapunov function. Of course, the advantages of the proposed method still include the numerical reliability of algorithm. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed design method.Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Caudate lobectomy (segmentectomy 1) (with video)
Authors: Midorikawa Yutaka , Takayama Tadatoshi
Published: September 2011

Background

The caudate lobe of the liver is located behind both major lobes and is surrounded by the inferior vena cava, three main hepatic veins, and the hepatic hilum. Despite a hard‐to‐approach anatomic location, isolated complete removal of the caudate lobe is recommended to improve curability in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This is because most patients with HCC cannot undergo caudate lobectomy (segmentectomy 1) with resection of adjacent liver regions due to their poor liver function.

Methods

We performed an anatomic isolated caudate lobectomy using a high dorsal resection technique in patients with HCC involving the paracaval portion of the liver. In this procedure, the caudate lobe is dissected, the boundary of the caudate lobe is identified using counterstaining and tattooing techniques, and the liver is transected along landmarks. The caudate lobe can be removed completely, without loss of the parenchyma of the major lobes, thereby preserving liver function.

Conclusions

Given that most patients with HCC concurrently have chronic liver disease, those with HCC in the caudate lobe are good candidates for high dorsal resection of the liver, which is safe, potentially curative procedure.
Branched‐chain amino acid‐enriched nutrients improve nutritional and metabolic abnormalities in the early post‐transplant period after living donor liver transplantation
Authors: Yoshida Ryuichi , Yagi Takahito , Sadamori Hiroshi , Matsuda Hiroaki , Shinoura Susumu , Umeda Yuzo , Sato Daisuke , Utsumi Masashi , Nagasaka Takeshi , Okazaki Nami , Date Ai , Noguchi Ayako , Tanaka Akemi , Hasegawa Yuko , Sakamoto Yachiyo , Fujiwara Toshiyoshi
Published: September 2011

Background/purpose

Malnutrition and metabolic disorder of patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) can affect post‐transplant prognosis. The aim of this study was to establish whether perioperative usage of branched‐chain amino‐acid (BCAA)‐enriched nutrients improve metabolic abnormalities of patients undergoing LDLT.

Methods

We designed a randomized pilot study (UMIN registration number; 000004323). Twenty‐five consecutive adult elective LDLT recipients were enroled and divided into two groups: the BCAA group (BCAA‐enriched nutrients, n = 12) and the control group (standard diet, n = 13). Metabolic and nutritional parameters, including BCAA‐to‐tyrosine ratio (BTR), retinol binding protein (RBP), and prealbumin were regularly measured from 1 week before to 4 weeks after LDLT. Non‐protein respiratory quotient (npRQ) was measured before and 4 weeks after LDLT.

Results

BTR and RBP improved considerably in the BCAA group compared with the controls. npRQ significantly increased from 1 week before LDLT to 4 weeks after LDLT in the BCAA group (0.77 ± 0.05 to 0.84 ± 0.06, P = 0.002), but not in the control group (0.78 ± 0.04 to 0.81 ± 0.05).

Conclusions

Supplementation with BCAA‐enriched nutrients might improve persistent nutritional and metabolic disorders associated with end‐stage liver disease in the early post‐transplant period, and consequently shorten the post‐transplant catabolic phase after LDLT. A larger multicenter trial is needed to confirm these findings.
Placement of applications in computing clouds using Voronoi diagrams
Authors: Shouraboura Caroline , Bleher Pavel
Published: September 2011

The vision of millions of users launching tens of millions of applications running on millions of globally scattered servers presents a new challenge for Cloud Providers: how to assign so many virtual applications to physical servers, while meeting latency needs, improving network utilization, and satisfying availability constraints. Today’s application placement puts too much burden on the cloud user, lacks scalability and inhibits the global reach of Public Clouds.

The size, breadth, and dynamic nature of Public Clouds present a special challenge to the task of placement. Cloud Providers able to provide rapid decisions and frequent optimizations for placement will have significant competitive advantage. Not only will they provide the best customer experience, their costs will be lower as they make more efficient use of their network resources. However, given the calculations required, data structures and the algorithms used to process location-based decisions must be as globally scalable as the Public Clouds themselves.

In our study, we define a novel data structure, the Virtual Cloud Model, for modeling global cloud resources. We adapt a well-known geometric device, Voronoi Diagrams, and combine it with near-real-time network latency information. We then solve the application placement problem and suggest an API for Cloud Providers to support both “low-latency” and “high-availability” applications. The algorithms are scalable, parallelizable and distributable.
The peripheral olfactory system of vertebrates: molecular, structural and functional basics of the sense of smell
Authors: Manzini I. , Korsching S.
Published: September 2011

The sense of smell provides people and animals with an abundance of information about their environment, helping them to navigate, detect potential threats, control food intake, choose sexual partners and significantly influence intraspecies social behav­ior. The perception of odors begins with the binding of odor molecules to specialized olfactory receptor proteins, which nearly all be­long to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors. Altogether, five different olfactory receptor gene families have been described to date, among them the largest gene family in the genome with over 1000 genes in rodents. The signal transduction cascade coupled to the receptors has already been well characterized for this family. Three different classes of receptor neurons-ciliated, microvillous and crypt receptor neurons-can be distinguished by their anatomical and molecular characteristics. Generally, an individual receptor neuron expresses only a single olfactory receptor gene, and olfactory receptor neurons that express the same receptor converge into a common target structure, a glomerulus, which generates a receptotop­ic map in the first olfactory brain region, the olfactory bulb. This review article provides a general overview of the peripheral detection of odorants on the one hand, while on the other it focuses on recent advances in the field, including new findings on the peripher­al modulation of olfactory signals.
Moral Conflicts and Moral Awareness
Authors: Bessemans Chris
Published: September 2011

By making use of Aurel Kolnai's ethical writings I want to offer a more adequate understanding of moral conflicts and moral dilemmas. Insisting on Kolnai's phenomenological method, in particular, focussing on the agent's moral awareness (or conscience) and his deliberation, results in an understanding of moral conflicts as moments of moral choice rather than anomalies of moral theory. In this way, I argue that one can account for Bernard Williams's phenomenological description of moral conflicts without having to accept his anti-realist conclusions. Moreover, this approach indicates the adequacy of ordinary moral reasoning for decision-making and action guidance. Lastly and importantly, the essay illustrates the relevance of Kolnai's writings to contemporary moral philosophy.
The Future of Environmental Ethics
Authors: Rolston Holmes
Published: September 2011

Environmental ethics has a future as long as there are moral agents on Earth with values at stake in their environment. Somewhat ironically, just when humans, with their increasing industry and development, seemed further and further from nature, having more power to manage it, just when humans were more and more rebuilding their environments with their super technologies, the natural world emerged as a focus of ethical concern. Environmental alarms started with prophets such as Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson, John Muir, and David Brower, and have, over recent decades, become daily news.
The Temporal and Spatial Scales of Global Climate Change and the Limits of Individualistic and Rationalistic Ethics
Authors: Callicott J. Baird
Published: September 2011

Here I argue that the hyper-individualistic and rationalistic ethical paradigms – originating in the late eighteenth century and dominating moral philosophy, in various permutations, ever since – cannot capture the moral concerns evoked by the prospect of global climate change. Those paradigms are undone by the temporal and spatial scales of climate change. To press my argument, I deploy two famous philosophical tropes – John Rawls's notion of the original position and Derek Parfit's paradox – and another that promises to become famous: Dale Jamieson's six little ditties about Jack and Jill. I then go on to argue that the spatial and especially the temporal scales of global climate change demand a shift in moral philosophy from a hyper-individualistic ontology to a thoroughly holistic ontology. It also demands a shift from a reason-based to a sentiment-based moral psychology. Holism in environmental ethics is usually coupled with non-anthropocentrism in theories constructed to provide moral considerability for transorganismic entities – such as species, biotic communities, and ecosystems. The spatial and temporal scales of climate, however, render non-anthropocentric environmental ethics otiose, as I more fully explain. Thus the environmental ethic here proposed to meet the moral challenge of global climate change is holistic but anthropocentric. I start with Jamieson's six little ditties about Jack and Jill.
SINGULARITIES OF HOROSPHERICAL HYPERSURFACES OF CURVES IN HYPERBOLIC 4-SPACE
Authors: PEI DONGHE
Published: September 2011

We consider the contact between curves and hyperhorospheres in hyperbolic 4-space as an application of the theory of singularities of functions. We define the osculating hyperhorosphere and the horospherical hypersurface of the curve whose singular points correspond to the locus of polar vectors of osculating hyperhorospheres of the curve. One of the main results is a generic classification of singularities of horospherical hypersurfaces of curves.
Singlet-triplet excitation energies of substituted benzenes: A G4 theoretical study
Authors: Rayne Sierra , Forest Kaya
Published: September 2011

Singlet-triplet adiabatic (AE~S-T~) and well-to-well (WWE~S-T~) excitation energies of variously substituted phenyl cations were calculated at the G4 level of theory. The G4 E~S-T~ estimates range from 19 to 40 kJ/mol higher than prior density functional theory based predictions for these cations, and suggest that E~S-T~ and ground state multiplicity structure-property trends for phenyl cations previously proposed in the literature may be incorrect. Among the substituents considered, meta-substituted phenyl cations with electron donating groups have singlet ground states, and are not isoenergetic with the corresponding triplet states as previously claimed. Depending on the functional group, ortho- or para- substituted phenyl cations may also be ground state singlets despite the presence of an electron donating moiety.
Effect of Weight Loss in Adults on Estimation of Risk Due to Adiposity in a Cohort Study
Authors: Kyulo Namgyal L. , Knutsen Synnove F. , Fraser Gary E. , Singh Pramil N.
Published: September 2011

The effect of overweight and obesity on the risk of fatal disease tends to attenuate with age. To evaluate whether this effect is partly attributable to disease‐related weight loss, we examined the prebaseline history of weight loss and diseases associated with weight loss among adults enrolled in a cohort study. We conducted an analysis of 7,855 adult cohort members of the Adventist Health Study (AHS) I who had provided anthropometric data on surveys at baseline and 17 years prior to baseline. Among adults in the recommended range of BMI (19–25 kg/m2) at baseline we found that: (i) the prevalence of prebaseline weight loss of 5 kg/m2from an overweight or obese state was 20.4% and increased with age (12.6% for <65 years; 27.7% for 65–84 years; 36.7% for >85 years) and (ii) prebaseline weight loss of 5 kg/m2from an overweight or obese state was associated with diabetes (odds ratio (OR) = 2.91 95% confidence interval (CI) = (2.16, 3.93)), coronary heart disease (OR = 1.84 95% CI = (1.42, 2.40)), and high blood pressure (OR = 1.51 95% CI = (1.26, s1.82)). During 12 years of follow‐up, we found evidence that hazard ratios for adiposity can be confounded by disease‐related weight loss. Our findings raise the possibility that prebaseline weight loss can confound the estimation of risk due to adiposity at baseline in a cohort study.
Waterborne Pathogens
Authors: Stewart Jill R. , Fleming Lora E. , Fleisher Jay M. , Abdelzaher Amir M. , Maille Lyons M.
Published: September 2011

A variety of microorganisms occur in the marine environment which are capable of infecting humans. This chapter, focused on waterborne pathogens, summarizes the types of pathogens that are a threat to human health, as well as the fecal indicator bacteria that are commonly used as surrogates for pathogens in regulatory and research applications. Limitations and alternatives to traditional fecal indicator bacteria are explored, highlighting challenges and policy implications for protecting public health. Methodological advances and challenges are also reviewed, with an emphasis on research designed to fill gaps and provide scientific support for management of marine resources, particularly bathing beaches. Accordingly, recent and previous epidemiology studies linking microbial measures of water quality to health outcomes are discussed in detail. As an alternative to the measurement of individual water samples, modeling of pathogens in marine waters is introduced. Overall, this chapter provides an overview of the pathogens, microbial measures and policy implications important for protecting humans from exposure to pathogens in marine waters.
Reactions of metallodrugs with proteins: selective binding of phosphane-based platinum(ii) dichlorides to horse heart cytochrome c probed by ESI MS coupled to enzymatic cleavage
Authors: Mügge Carolin , Micheucci Elena , Boscaro Francesca , Gabbiani Chiara , Messori Luigi , Weigand Wolfgang
Published: September 2011

The reaction of twocis-diphosphane platinum(ii) dichlorides with horse heart cytochrome c (cyt c) leads to remarkable selectivity in terms of adduct formation.
Vitamin E isoforms directly bind PKCα and differentially regulate activation of PKCα
Authors: McCary Christine A. , Yoon Youngdae , Panagabko Candace , Cho Wonhwa , Atkinson Jeffrey , Cook-Mills Joan M.
Published: September 2011

Vitamin E isoforms have opposing regulatory effects on leucocyte recruitment during inflammation. Furthermore, in vitro, vitamin E isoforms have opposing effects on leucocyte migration across endothelial cells by regulating VCAM (vascular cell-adhesion molecule)-1 activation of endothelial cell PKCα (protein kinase Cα). However, it is not known whether tocopherols directly regulate cofactor-dependent or oxidative activation of PKCα. We report in the present paper that cofactor-dependent activation of recombinant PKCα was increased by γ-tocopherol and was inhibited by α-tocopherol. Oxidative activation of PKCα was inhibited by α-tocopherol at a 10-fold lower concentration than γ-tocopherol. In binding studies, NBD (7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole)-tagged α-tocopherol directly bound to full-length PKCα or the PKCα-C1a domain, but not PKCζ. NBD-tagged α-tocopherol binding to PKCα or the PKCα-C1a domain was blocked by diacylglycerol, α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol and retinol, but not by cholesterol or PS (phosphatidylserine). Tocopherols enhanced PKCα-C2 domain binding to PS-containing lipid vesicles. In contrast, the PKCα-C2 domain did not bind to lipid vesicles containing tocopherol without PS. The PKCα-C1b domain did not bind to vesicles containing tocopherol and PS. In summary, α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol bind the diacylglycerol-binding site on PKCα-C1a and can enhance PKCα-C2 binding to PS-containing vesicles. Thus the tocopherols can function as agonists or antagonists for differential regulation of PKCα.
Mutation in the Fe–S scaffold protein Isu bypasses frataxin deletion
Authors: Yoon Heeyong , Golla Ramesh , Lesuisse Emmanuel , Pain Jayashree , Donald Jason E. , Lyver Elise R. , Pain Debkumar , Dancis Andrew
Published: September 2011

Frataxin is a conserved mitochondrial protein deficient in patients with Friedreich's ataxia. Frataxin has been implicated in control of iron homoeostasis and Fe–S cluster assembly. In yeast or human mitochondria, frataxin interacts with components of the Fe–S cluster synthesis machinery, including the cysteine desulfurase Nfs1, accessory protein Isd11 and scaffold protein Isu. In the present paper, we report that a single amino acid substitution (methionine to isoleucine) at position 107 in the mature form of Isu1 restored many deficient functions in Δyfh1 or frataxin-depleted yeast cells. Iron homoeostasis was improved such that soluble/usable mitochondrial iron was increased and accumulation of insoluble/non-usable iron within mitochondria was largely prevented. Cytochromes were returned to normal and haem synthesis was restored. In mitochondria carrying the mutant Isu1 and no frataxin, Fe–S cluster enzyme activities were improved. The efficiency of new Fe–S cluster synthesis in isolated mitochondria was markedly increased compared with frataxin-negative cells, although the response to added iron was minimal. The M107I substitution in the highly conserved Isu scaffold protein is typically found in bacterial orthologues, suggesting that a unique feature of the bacterial Fe–S cluster machinery may be involved. The mechanism by which the mutant Isu bypasses the absence of frataxin remains to be determined, but could be related to direct effects on Fe–S cluster assembly and/or indirect effects on mitochondrial iron availability.
Inshallah Gurbah Ast: “God Willing, It's A Cat”
Authors: Dihkhuda Ali Akbar
Published: September 2011

When Dihkhuda published his poem Inshallah gurbah ast (“God willing, it's a cat”) in 1933, he created quite a stir in Iranian literary circles. The great scholar Muhammad Qazvini, for example, was inspired to call the poem “without a doubt one of the masterpieces of modern literature.” Even a poem of lesser quality, however, would have been the cause of some wonderment, for Dihkhuda's pen had been silent for nearly fifteen years. After transforming Persian prose during the Constitutional Revolution of 1905 with his column Charand parand (Chit-Chat), Dihkhuda gave up writing satirical social commentary in the tumult and disillusionment of the First World War. While sitting out the war in the mountains southwest of Isfahan, Dihkhuda occupied himself with the only book he had available—a Larousse French Dictionary.
Kasravi's Views on Writers and Journalists: A study in the Sociology of Modernization
Authors: Fathi Asghar
Published: September 2011

The colonization of the Muslim lands and the increasing political and commercial influence of the Christian West during the last 200 years shocked Muslim leaders. In response to the agonizing problems that increasing incursion by the West brought to the Muslim lands, there arose three groups of intellectuals. The traditionalists believed that the situation was transitory and that traditional Islam would eventually triumph. The ultramodernists sought salvation through uncritical and wholesale imitation of the West.

Among the prominent advocates of this last approach one can count Afghani, Abduh, Gokalp, Iqbal, and probably Kasravi, the Iranian social reformist. Kasravi seems to stand out among them in two important respects. First, unlike his predecessors, he formulated his ideas in a systematic way, tracing “problems” to their roots and advocating explicit “remedies.” Second, Kasravi never shifted strategy to suit the occasion as did his predecessors who, by so doing, confused their followers.
National History or Keyanid History?: The Nature of Sasanid Zoroastrian Historiography
Authors: Daryaee Touraj
Published: September 2011

The Omission of the Achaemenids from Indigenous Accounts of Iranian history has puzzled many and led to the assumption that the Sasanids were unaware of the Achaemenids and did not have any historical memory of them; that, if anything, the Sasanids were heirs to the Parthians. The argument put forth is that, with some exceptions, sources from the Islamic period do not really show that the Sasanids knew about the Achaemenids. Indeed, it is correct that the Islamic sources have only a vague recollection of the Achaemenids. But does the vagueness in Islamic historiography in the ninth and the tenth centuries prove that the Sasanids (A.D. 224-651) were unaware of the Achaemenids (550- 331 B.C.) during their rule? The question of why the Achaemenids, in spite of their outstanding political and military achievements, were omitted from the national tradition during the reign of the Sasanids--who originated from the same region--has remained unanswered.
Managing a Federation of Multiethnic Republics
Authors: Huttenbach Henry
Published: September 2011

If the years 1988–1990 showed Gorbachev the difficul ties of governing a federation of republics whose titular majorities relentlessly strove for greater autonomy, even independence, then the last twelve months demonstrated to him the complexities of managing a federation of multiethnic republics (Appendix 3) whose minorities were no less determined to gain their share of self-rule and to pursue their particular interests. The signs of a potentially destabilizing problem were visible already prior to last April: the June 1989 incident in the Fergana valley in which Meskhetians were attacked by Uzbeks, and the long-smoldering Nagorno-Karabakh affair pitting an Armenian minority against the Azerbaijani majority. These are but two examples of bitter and violent interethnic strife percolating just beneath the surface of multiethnic societies throughout the Soviet Union.