bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Microbial Fermentation of Soybean and Cottonseed Meal Increases Antioxidant Activity and Gossypol Detoxification in Diets for Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus
Authors: Lim Se‐Jin , Lee Kyeong‐Jun
Published: August 2011

We report the beneficial effects of a microbial fermentation process of plant protein sources. To reduce anti‐nutritional factors, soybean meal (SM) and cottonseed meal (CM) were fermented with Aspergillus oryzae, a probiotic microorganism, and a 12‐wk feeding study was conducted to evaluate the supplemental effects of the fermented soybean meal (FSM) or fermented cottonseed meal (FCM) in diets for juvenile Nile tilapia. Growth performance and hematological parameters were not influenced by the fermentation process, while the highest inclusion of both FSM and FCM lowered feed utilization efficiency. The microbial fermentation significantly increased dietary total polyphenols and consequently led to higher 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities in both diets and fish tissue. Dietary and liver gossypol concentrations were significantly decreased by the fermentation process of CM. The findings suggest that microbial fermentation of SM or CM with A. oryzae can enhance antioxidant activities in diets and fish, and effectively reduce or degrade the toxicity of gossypol present in CM. A microbial fermentation could make plant protein sources more useful and functional in feeds for fish.
Genetic Variation in Wild and Cultured Populations of the Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense, in China
Authors: Ge Jiachun , Xu Zhiqiang , Huang Yahong , Lu Quanping , Pan Jianlin , Yang Jiaxin
Published: August 2011

Genetic diversities of five domestic and five wild populations of the freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense, in Jiangsu Province, China, were assessed by amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis. A total of 267 unambiguous polymorphic bands were detected from 300 individuals. The percentage of polymorphic bands varied from 33.64 to 55.14% in the 10 populations. The Nei genetic diversities of the wild populations and their domestic counterparts after several generations were 0.185 ± 0.024 and 0.164 ± 0.013, respectively, showing a decrease in genetic diversity in domestic populations. The largest genetic differentiation exists among the populations from different geographical locations, whereas there was less differentiation between the wild and domestic population in the same site. The cultured population in the north of Jiangsu Province where the large individuals of the prawns were harvested twice a year in spring and autumn for 4 yr almost had no change of genetic diversity (P > 0.05); whereas the cultured population in the south of Jiangsu where the large individuals were harvested all the year had a significantly reduced genetic diversity (P < 0.05). Therefore, we deduced that the aquaculture model in the north of Jiangsu should be better than that in the south. The results may be helpful to genetic enhancement and conservation programs of this species.
Genetic Variability in Eight Cultured and Two Wild Populations of Japanese Flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus, Based on the Mitochondrial DNA Control Region
Authors: Song Na , Zhang Xiumei , Gao Tianxiang , Yanagimoto Takashi
Published: August 2011

To examine the present population genetic diversity and variability of Japanese flounder, a 394‐bp hypervariable fragment of mtDNA control region was sequenced. A total of 215 individuals from two wild and eight cultured populations were analyzed. The 91 variable sites defined 61 haplotypes and 12 of them were shared. Six single base pair insertion/deletions were detected. The haplotype diversity (h), the nucleotide diversity (π), and mean number of pairwise differences (k) in cultured populations (h = 0.443–0.844; π = 0.010–0.030; k = 3.745–11.838) were obviously lower than those in the wild populations (h = 0.987–0.988; π = 0.032; k = 12.443–12.718). Fixation index (Fst) and analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that significant genetic differentiation mainly existed among cultured populations. The results of the exact test of population differentiation (nondifferentiation exact P values) rejected a panmictic mtDNA gene pool in all cultured populations. The results of this study indicated that genetic diversity of cultured Japanese flounder populations in China had significantly declined due to farm propagation and an increase in broodstock number should increase genetic diversity in cultured Japanese flounder base on the genetic theory.
Effect of Chitosan on Intestinal Bacteria of Allogynogenetic Crucian Carp, Carassius auratus gibelio, as Depicted by polymerase chain reaction‐denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis
Authors: Li Xuemei , Yu Yuhe , Xie Shouqi , Yan Qingyun , Chen Yuhang
Published: August 2011

A 16S rDNA‐based polymerase chain reaction‐denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR‐DGGE) method was applied to detect intestinal bacterial communities of juvenile allogynogenetic crucian carp, Carassius auratus gibelio, fed with chitosan‐containing diet. This is the first time to use the molecular method to analyze the bacterial communities in the allogynogenetic crucian carp intestine. The DGGE profile with universal bacterial primers revealed simple communities in all treatment groups. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of excised DGGE bands showed that the dominant bacteria belonged to class γ‐Proteobacteria and Fusobacteria. The relative abundance and diversity of detected bacteria suggested that 0.5 and 0.75% of chitosan in diet were optimum for juvenile allogynogenetic crucian carp. As in these concentrations, some detected pathogen bacteria either disappeared or decreased. However, the DGGE profile with Aeromonas‐specific primers showed a similar composition among all treatment groups, which suggested that Aeromonas was one of relative stable bacteria components in the intestine of juvenile allogynogenetic crucian carp.
Settlement of Mussel Perna perna Seed on Artificial Collectors Deployed on Sea Surface
Authors: Bordon Isabella Cristina Antunesda Costa , Marques Helcio Luisde Almeida , Alves José Luiz , De Medeiros Aline Maria Zigiotto
Published: August 2011

The low settlement of mussel Perna perna seeds on artificial collectors deployed on sea subsurface has been a major obstacle to the mussel farming improvement in Brazil. This study aimed to compare the seed settlement on artificial collectors deployed on the sea surface with the aid of buoys and at the subsurface (20 cm depth) in Cocanha Beach, Caraguatatuba City, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Mann–Whitney test showed significant differences (P < 0.05) between treatments for each class of length, with the best settlement occurring on the sea surface collectors for all classes (P < 0.05). It is concluded that deploying artificial collectors with buoys on the sea surface increases the number and the biomass of settled mussel seeds when compared to the non‐buoys deployed collectors on the sea subsurface.
Survival of Post‐larval Litopenaeus vannamei Following Acclimation to Low Salinity Waters at Different Temperatures
Authors: Paz Patricio E. , Roy Luke A. , Davis D. Allen , Quintero Herbert E.
Published: August 2011

Temperature and salinity are two factors known to influence the growth potential and survival of the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, acclimated to low salinity waters. In west Alabama, farmers suspect low water temperatures at stocking, in conjunction with low salinity and suboptimal ionic profiles, might be responsible for reduced survival and production at harvest. To determine the influence of temperature and salinity on post‐larval (PL) L. vannamei, a series of bioassays were conducted at the E.W. Shell Fisheries Research Station in Auburn, Alabama and Claude Peteet Mariculture Center in Gulf Shores, Alabama. PL L. vannamei of ages 11, 13, and 20 (PL11, PL13, and PL20) were acclimated down to salinities of 12, 4, 2, 1, 0.5, and 0.2 ppt at different temperatures ranging from 17.6 to 24.0 C. During the acclimation bioassays survivals were assessed at 24 and 48 h. PL survival of the three age groups examined were significantly reduced at salinities of 1, 0.5, and 0.2 ppt. These results correspond well to those reported at higher temperatures confirming that across the tested temperature range salinity endpoint was the driving factor in determining survival and that suboptimal temperatures had a minimal influence on survival.
Converging and Diverting at the Time of Death Exploratory Routes for the Study of Death Among Muslims and Jews in Britain
Authors: Dominguez Diaz Marta
Published: August 2011

Despite the existing wealth of literature on death studies, research on death rites among Muslim and Jews is still scarce. The present article is an exploration of literature on death studies that will help us to elaborate a conceptual frame which may allow the study of death in Jewish and Muslim communities to be better understood. It examines the uneasy relationship between religion and death studies by looking in particular at Islam and Judaism and it explores potential lines of research for further developing the academic field of Jewish and Muslim mortuary practices. It argues that central to our understanding of religious death cultures is an appreciation of the nuanced ways in which the universal and local dimensions of world religions like Judaism and Islam emerge. It presents some examples to illustrate how written and fieldwork sources can be used in the study of death in Judaism and Islam with the aim of considering the general as it is illuminated by the particularities of specific case‐studies.
The Visual Culture of Japanese Buddhism from the Early Modern Period to the Present
Authors: Graham Patricia
Published: August 2011

Following the introduction of Buddhism to Japan in the sixth century, the faith quickly became a defining feature of Japanese civilization, in large part because of the diverse and abundant visual culture it engendered that both reflected and shaped its religious practice. Although Japanese Buddhism remains a vital living tradition, until the last twenty years, its visual culture created after the 16th century has received little attention by scholars. Since then, Japanese and Western language studies on focused aspects of Buddhist paintings, sculpture, and architecture, with most addressing the early modern period (ca. 1600–1868), have proliferated but until the publication of Patricia Graham’s Faith and Power in Japanese Buddhist Art, 1600–2005 (2007), no survey of materials spanning this long time period had been attempted. This brief essay does not summarize Graham’s broad analysis of the thread of change over time and the plurality of later Buddhist practice in Japan manifest in its abundant visual culture. Instead, drawing on the examples presented in Graham’s study, it introduces significant and representative sites of worship from the 17th century to the present to highlight the ways the faith became transformed in tandem with changes in Japanese society, manifested in the convergence of patronage, image production, and religious devotion at these sites. Discussion is presented chronologically in four parts beginning with an overview of studies on Japanese Buddhism’s recent visual culture. This is followed by three sections on the sites and related imagery: Buddhist sites of worship in the early modern period, Buddhist sites of worship in the modern period before World War II, and Buddhist sites of worship in the modern period after World War II.
Recent Work on Reinhold Niebuhr
Authors: Carnahan Kevin M.
Published: August 2011

Since September 11th, there has been a renaissance of interest in Reinhold Niebuhr and Christian Realism. Niebuhr’s name has been invoked to support several, often conflicting projects in theology and politics. He has been called ‘Obama’s Theologian’ and has been invoked to support Bush administration interventions around the world. This article surveys recent treatments of Niebuhr in order to provide a context in which one can locate and begin to assess the various readings of Niebuhr available today. The article explores Niebuhr’s place in contemporary theology, debates about Niebuhr, American empire, and American foreign policy, the use of Niebuhr’s work in thinking about globalization and global society, and the development of ‘hopeful realism’ in Niebuhr studies.
On the Typology of Palatalization
Authors: Bateman Nicoleta
Published: August 2011

This article presents a typological overview of palatalization, addressing issues such as the definition of palatalization, palatalization types, the sounds that undergo palatalization (targets), and the sounds that trigger palatalization (triggers). In exploring these issues we review five typological studies of palatalization that present a series of implicational relationships among palatalization targets and triggers. For example, if labials palatalize, so do coronals and dorsals, and if low front vowels trigger palatalization, so do high front vowels. The generalizations in these studies further make predictions about possible palatalization grammars we should expect to find, or to not find, in the world’s languages.
Ohmic and Inductive Heating
Authors: SASTRY SUDHIR K. , BARACH JEFFREY T.
Published: August 2011

Scope of Deliverables: This section covers information, where available, on kinetics and relevant safety considerations for processing commercially sterile or extended shelf‐life products produced by ohmic and inductive heating. It does not include combinations of other alternate process technologies with ohmic and inductive heating, since the number of potential combinations is infinite but no information is available.
Pulsed Electric Fields
Authors: Barbosa‐Canovas Gustavo V. , Pierson Merle D. , Zhang Q. Howard , Schaffner Donald W.
Published: August 2011

Srope of Deliverables: This section discusses current knowledge in the application of pulsed electric fields as a method of non‐thermal food preservation. It includes mechanisms of inactivation, studies on microbial inactivation, critical process factors, and future research needs. Detailed descriptions of pilot and laboratory‐scale equipment and their use in food preservation are also covered.
High Voltage Arc Discharge
Authors: Barbosa‐Canovas Gustavo V. , Zhang Q. Howard , Pierson Merle D. , Schaffner Donald W.
Published: August 2011

Scope of Deliverables: This section covers early applications of electricity to pasteurize fluids. The use of arc discharge for liquid foods is unsuitable largely because electrolysis and the formation of highly reactive chemicals occur during the discharge. More recent designs show some promise for this technology, although this should be confirmed by independent researchers.
Pulsed Light Technology
Authors: Barbosa‐Canovas Gustavo V. , Schaffner Donald W. , Pierson Merle D. , Zhang Q. Howard
Published: August 2011

Scope of Deliverables: Processes designed for the bacterial inactivation of foods and packages with pulsed light are described here. Possible mechanisms of bacterial inactivation are also discussed as well as critical factors that influence the efficiency of the process. Also, the need for future research is addressed. Much of the information comes from industry sources; therefore, independently conducted research is needed to validate the effectiveness of pulsed light processes for food preservation.
Oscillating Magnetic Fields
Authors: Barbosa‐Canovas Gustavo V. , Schaffner Donald W. , Pierson Merle D. , Zhang Q. Howard
Published: August 2011

Scope of Deliverables: This section reports the effects of magnetic fields on microbial populations. Mechanisms of inactivation and critical process factors are described. Results of microbial testing experiments are controversial. Consistent results concerning the efficacy of this method are needed before its potential use as a food preservation method is assessed.
Restorative Biological Processes and Health
Authors: Robles Theodore F. , Carroll Judith E.
Published: August 2011

Research on psychological influences on physiology primarily focuses on biological responses during stressful challenges, and how those responses can become dysregulated with prolonged or repeated exposure to stressful circumstances. At the same time, humans spend considerable time recovering from those challenges, and a host of biological processes involved in restoration and repair take place during normal, non‐stressed activities. We review restorative biological processes and evidence for links between psychosocial factors and several restorative processes including sleep, wound healing, antioxidant production, DNA repair, and telomerase function. Across these biological processes, a growing body of evidence suggests that experiencing negative emotional states, including acute and chronic stress, depressive symptoms, and individual differences in negative affectivity and hostility, can influence these restorative processes. This review calls attention to restorative processes as fruitful mechanisms and outcomes for future biobehavioral research.
Health Implications of Conflict in Close Relationships
Authors: Wright Brittany L. , Loving Timothy J.
Published: August 2011

We summarize the large body of research conducted over the previous 30 years on the link between interpersonal conflict and physiological outcomes, with a focus on implications for health. Specifically, we review evidence that conflict in close, romantic relationships affects internal bodily processes, including cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune function, as well as objective health indicators. We focus on studies that have utilized standardized, laboratory‐based conflict discussions, as we believe this methodology provides the clearest picture of how conflict affects health. It is our hope that this general overview serves as a useful introduction to the state of the field.
Self‐Fulfilling Prophecies: Mechanisms, Power, and Links to Social Problems
Authors: Madon Stephanie , Willard Jennifer , Guyll Max , Scherr Kyle C.
Published: August 2011

A core theme of social psychology is that perceivers can shape targets’ future behaviors through self‐fulfilling prophecies. Self‐fulfilling prophecies occur when perceivers’ false beliefs about targets initiate a sequence of events that ultimately cause targets to exhibit expectancy‐consistent behaviors, thereby causing perceivers’ initially false beliefs to become true. This article reviews theory and research relevant to self‐fulfilling prophecies with particular foci on the underlying mechanisms that produce self‐fulfilling prophecies, the power of self‐fulfilling prophecies to alter behavior, and the extent to which self‐fulfilling prophecies contribute to social problems.
Anti‐American Resistance in Latin America: An Issue of Sovereignty, Militarization, and Neoliberalism
Authors: Vélez‐Vélez Roberto
Published: August 2011

In recent years, Latin America has experienced a shift toward the left, bringing attention to the significance of US‐Latin America relations and the history of resistance that these dynamics have engendered. While the voices and faces of these resistance movements may be perceived as new, their roots date back to the turn of the 20th century. The emergence of an anti‐American narrative from diverse sectors in Latin America as part of a response to US policies – political, military, and economic – provides an opportunity for reflection on this history. By examining US policy towards Latin America, and the emerging forms of resistance from local sectors in response to policies on sovereignty, militarism, and neoliberalism, we can better situate the ‘anti‐American’ resistance movements of today.
James Arbuckle's Glotta (1721) and the Poetry of Allusion
Authors: HOLMES RICHARD
Published: August 2011

James Arbuckle's Glotta (1721) is a topographical poem about the River Clyde, which also examines Scottish culture in post‐Union ‘Britain’. It is a conscious exercise in a tradition of allusive poetry, the allusions ranging from Pope's Windsor‐Forest and Denham's Cooper's Hill to a Scottish poetic tradition that includes the sixteenth‐century humanist George Buchanan and Arbuckle's contemporary (and friend) Allan Ramsay. Pope's Tory celebration of Stuart culture is married to the ‘ultra‐Whig’ Buchanan to celebrate the new Hanoverian ‘Britain’ as the source of Scottish ‘enlightenment’. This article explores these issues through a detailed analysis of Arbuckle's allusions and their historical context.
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY IN CRITICALLY ILL A(H1N1)‐INFECTED PATIENTS: A STUDY OF THE PROGNOSES
Authors: Chaari Anis , Dammak Hssan , Chtara Kamilia , Bahloul Mabrouk , Bouaziz Mounir
Published: August 2011

Purpose: to identify factors correlated with poor outcome and factors correlated with acute kidney injury (AKI) onset in critically A(H1N1) infected patients.

Methods: All patients admitted for respiratory distress due to a confirmed infection by A(H1N1) virus were included retrospectively.

Results: Thirty‐four patients were included. Mean age was 37.3 ± 20.8 years. Independent factors correlated to mortality in multivariate analysis were shock [OR = 32.52, CI95% (1.29–816.3); p = 0.034], AKI [OR = 31.12, CI95% (1.3–746.5); p = 0.034] and hyperglycaemia over than 5.7 mmol/l on admission [OR = 74, CI95% (1.01–5495); p = 0.049]. Only age over 30 years was identified as an independent factor correlated with the onset of AKI [OR = 18, CI95% (1.04‐312.41); p = 0.047] in multivariate analysis.

Conclusion: AKI, as well as hypotension, is an independent factor correlated with mortality. Its onset is usually linked to multi‐organ failure. Advanced age is an important risk factor for renal dysfunction in this group of patients.
SELF‐EFFICACY AND LONG‐TERM MEDICATION USE IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
Authors: Wierdsma Judith , van Zuilen Arjan , van der Bijl Jaap
Published: August 2011

Background: Long‐term medication use in patients with chronic kidney disease is necessary to prevent further kidney damage. Medication adherence is positively influenced by high self‐efficacy ratings.

Aim: To determine if by discussing self‐efficacy scores, leads to higher self‐efficacy scores, regarding long‐term medication use by patients with chronic kidney disease.

Method: A total of 54 patients, randomised to a control or intervention group, rated their self‐efficacy using the Long‐Term Medication Behaviour Self‐Efficacy Scale (LTMBSES). Their scores were only discussed in the intervention group. Self‐efficacy enhancing interventions were used to influence self‐efficacy scores.

Results: The intervention group had significant higher self‐efficacy scores at posttest (p = 0.013). Transplantation had no effect on the mean self‐efficacy. Patients ≤ 55 years had significant higher self‐efficacy scores than patients > 55 years (p = 0.015).

Conclusions: Discussing self‐efficacy scores can lead to increased self‐efficacy scores in patients with chronic kidney disease.
IS HIGH BODY MASS INDEX INDEPENDENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH DIMINISHED GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE? AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY
Authors: Hobbs Helen , Farmer Christopher , Irving Jean , Klebe Bernhard , Stevens Paul
Published: August 2011

Aim: To examine whether there is an independent association between body mass index (BMI) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in a large primary care population.

Methods: Anonymous data were sequentially extracted from primary care records between 2006 and 2009 in a primary care population of approximately 220 000 people in Kent, South East UK. Using GFR, BMI, age, gender and comorbidities we examined the association between BMI and GFR. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed using SPSS® (SPSS Inc., Chicago).

Results: Sixty‐one thousand six‐hundred thirty seven people fulfilled the inclusion criteria. There was no correlation between BMI and GFR on univariate analysis. When stratified by BMI, ANOVA demonstrated a statistically significant difference in GFR across BMI strata (p < 0.001). However the absolute differences in BMI between groups were very small. There was a small association between BMI and GFR on multivariate analysis, much of which was lost on adjustment for confounding variables.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that elevated BMI is not a biologically significant predictor of diminished GFR and therefore may be an insufficiently accurate measure of risk for the metabolic syndrome and CKD.
The ISRCTN Register: achievements and challenges 8 years on
Authors: Faure Helene , Hrynaszkiewicz Iain
Published: August 2011

The ISRCTN register has been operational for the past 8 years and is approaching 10,000 trial records. It complies with international guidelines and pools its data in the International Trial Search Portal initiated by the World Health Organisation. Through its ongoing collaboration with the Department of Health in England, the register has been able to participate in a national initiative aiming to bring clinical trials to the attention of a wider public with the objective of maximising participation. As part of BioMed Central, the register provides the first step in the concept of threaded publications, enabling the tracking of clinical research studies from inception and the linking of all resulting publications including the raw data where this is available.
Growing Everyday: The Pan African Clinical Trials Registry
Authors: Abrams Amber , Siegfried Nandi
Published: August 2011

The Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.pactr.org), established as the AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Registry (ATM) has developed into the registry of choice for African trials. The register was formally launched as a World Health Organization primary register in September 2009. Data analysis shows that registry applications have increased steadily since then, as has representation throughout the region. New developments to the registry include the implementation of a real‐time Global Information Systems map on the portal and development of Standard Operating Procedures while focused efforts on dissemination continue. http://www.pactr.org is now well‐placed to provide a valuable resource for researchers, clinicians, policy‐makers and consumers on the continent.
The Cuban Public Registry of Clinical Trials: primary registry of World Health Organization.
Authors: Jiménez Gladys , Pascual María Amparo , Fors Martha , Cobas José , Torres Ania , Cachimaille Yamilé , Rodríguez Julián , López Isabel
Published: August 2011

Despite the importance of randomized trials for well‐informed decisions in health care, a large proportion of the results of these trials are not published, especially when they are negative. Publication bias has a negative impact in the treatment of patients, due to the distorted impression it leads to for new therapies. Clinical Trial Registries help to overcome this by providing transparency in the process of conducting research. The World Health Organization takes the position that the registration of interventional trials is a scientific, ethical and moral responsibility. Taking account of this global movement, the National Coordinating Centre of Clinical Trials and the Cuban Health Network, designed and implemented the Cuban Public Registry of Clinical Trials. The Registry was established in June 2007 and is intended for public service in Cuban territory, although it is open to registrants and patients outside Cuba. The Registry staff developed a strategy to become a Primary Registry of the World Health Organization, and this was achieved in February 2011.
The Political and Security Dimension of Japan–China Relations: Strategic Mistrust and Fragile Stability*
Authors: Atanassova‐Cornelis Elena
Published: August 2011

Japan–China relations in the 2000s have seen both significant tensions, notably during the term of Koizumi Junichiro, and marked improvement in the post‐Koizumi period. This article analyzes the way external and domestic factors in both countries have influenced the political and security dimension of the bilateral relationship. It also assesses the extent of the underlying tensions and the prospects of long‐term stability in Sino–Japanese relations.

The article argues that structural changes and a shifting balance of power in East Asia have led to strategic divergences and security dilemma dynamics in the bilateral relations. Additionally, the rise of conservatism in Japan under Koizumi and China's use of the “history card” exacerbated mutual distrust and contributed to souring ties in the first half of the 2000s. While the bilateral relations have stabilized in the post‐Koizumi era, with the political leaders of both countries emphasizing mutual engagement and alleviation of the security dilemma, this “cooling‐off period” is unlikely to lead to long‐term stability in ties between Tokyo and Beijing. Lacking strategic trust on both sides, as well as the significance of the US factor for the bilateral security interactions, suggest that the present stability in Japan–China relations remains fragile.
Nepheline Crystallization in Nuclear Waste Glasses: Progress Toward Acceptance of High‐Alumina Formulations
Authors: McCloy John S. , Schweiger Michael J. , Rodriguez Carmen P. , Vienna John D.
Published: August 2011

Historical data have been critically compiled and analyzed for investigating the quantity of nepheline (NaAlSiO4) precipitated as a function of composition in simulated nuclear waste glasses. To understand compositional effects two primary methods were used: (1) investigating the Al2O3–SiO2–Na2O ternary while filtering for different B2O3 levels and (2) creating a quadrant system consisting of compositions reduced to two representations: (i) the nepheline discriminator (ND) which depends only on the SiO2 content by weight normalized to the total weight of the Al2O3–SiO2–Na2O submixture and (ii) the optical basicity (OB) which contains contributions from all constituents in the glass. Nepheline precipitation is expected to be suppressed at high SiO2 levels (ND > 0.62) or at low basicities (OB < 0.55–0.57). Changes in sodium aluminosilicate glass OB values due to additions of CaO and B2O3 correlate with the observed effects on nepheline formation. It is proposed that additional composition space is available for formulating high waste loading, high‐Al2O3 nuclear waste glasses when consideration is given to location on the Al2O3–SiO2–Na2O submixture as well as OB.
Implant dentistry in undergraduate dental curricula in South‐East Asia: forum workshop at the University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, 19–20 November 2010
Authors: Lang Niklaus P. , Bridges Susan M. , Lulic Martina
Published: August 2011

Abstract This paper reports on the discussions arising from a 2‐day forum on implant dentistry education in South‐East Asia. The 10 institutions present represented undergraduate and postgraduate dental curricula from seven countries, including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore. While not aiming to reach consensus as in other such conferences, the outcome was positive in establishing realistic goals in university education in implant dentistry for curriculum leaders and developers.
Effect of chronic supplementation with methylsulfonylmethane on oxidative stress following acute exercise in untrained healthy men
Authors: Nakhostin-Roohi Babak , Barmaki Sarah , Khoshkhahesh Faegheh , Bohlooli Shahab
Published: August 2011

Objective

This study was conducted to assess the effects of chronic daily methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) supplementation on known markers of oxidative stress following acute bouts of exercise in untrained healthy young men.

Methods

Eighteen untrained men volunteered for this study. Participants were randomized in a double-blind placebo-controlled fashion into two groups: MSM (n = 9) and placebo (n = 9). The participants took supplementation or placebo daily for 10 days before running. Participants ran 14 km. The MSM supplementation was prepared in water at 50 mg/kg body weight. The placebo group received water. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PC) and plasma oxidized glutathione (GSSG) were measured as markers of oxidative stress. The plasma-reduced glutathione (GSH) level and the GSH/GSSG ratio were determined as markers of plasma antioxidant capacity.

Key Findings

Acute exercise led to elevated levels of serum MDA, PC and plasma GSSG. MSM supplementation maintained PC, MDA and GSSG at lower levels after exercise than the placebo. The plasma level of GSH and the ratio of GSH/GSSG were significantly higher in the MSM supplemented group.

Conclusions

These results suggest that chronic daily oral supplementation of MSM has alleviating effects on known markers of oxidative stress following acute bouts of exercise in healthy young men.
Postsynaptic diacylglycerol lipase α mediates retrograde endocannabinoid suppression of inhibition in mouse prefrontal cortex
Authors: Yoshino Hiroki , Miyamae Takeaki , Hansen Gwenn , Zambrowicz Brian , Flynn Michael , Pedicord Donna , Blat Yuval , Westphal Ryan S. , Zaczek Robert , Lewis David A. , Gonzalez‐Burgos Guillermo
Published: August 2011

Non‐Technical Summary  In multiple brain regions, endogenous cannabinoids suppress inhibitory synaptic transmission; however, the biochemical/molecular pathways for endocannabinoid synthesis are poorly understood. Endocannabinoid signalling may be crucial for microcircuit function in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a cortical region involved in complex behaviours. However, endocannabinoid signalling remains largely unexplored in the PFC. Using enzymatic inhibitors, we show that modulation of inhibitory synaptic transmission in PFC neurons is mediated by the endocannabinoid 2‐arachidonoylglycerol synthesized postsynaptically. Interestingly, diacylglycerol lipase (DAGL), the 2‐arachidonoylglycerol synthesis enzyme, has two isoforms: DAGLα and DAGLβ. Studying PFC neurons from DAGLα−/−, DAGLβ−/− and wild‐type mice, we show that only DAGLα is involved in the suppression of inhibitory transmission in the PFC.
Muscle sparing in muscle RING finger 1 null mice: response to synthetic glucocorticoids
Authors: Baehr Leslie M. , Furlow J. David , Bodine Sue C.
Published: August 2011

Non‐Technical Summary  Skeletal muscle has the capacity to modify its size in response to external cues such as mechanical load, neural activity, hormones, stress and nutritional status. Pathological muscle loss or ‘atrophy’ occurs as the result of a number of disparate conditions including ageing, immobilization, diabetes, cancer, sepsis and as a serious side effect of corticosteroid hormone treatment. Synthetic glucocorticoids are often used to treat inflammation; however, high doses and chronic use of these hormones can lead to the loss of skeletal muscle mass and weakness. We show that in mice with a deletion of the MuRF1 protein, but not the MAFbx protein, the loss of muscle mass is attenuated relative to normal mice following 14 days of glucocorticoid treatment. Knowledge of how the MuRF1 protein functions in skeletal muscle to regulate skeletal muscle mass could lead to the development of therapeutics to prevent muscle atrophy under various conditions including glucocorticoid treatment.
Thinking in cycles: MWC is a good model for acetylcholine receptor‐channels
Authors: Auerbach Anthony
Published: August 2011

Abstract  Neuromuscular acetylcholine receptors have long been a model system for understanding the mechanisms of operation of ligand‐gated ion channels and fast chemical synapses. These five subunit membrane proteins have two allosteric (transmitter) binding sites and a distant ion channel domain. Occupation of the binding sites by agonist molecules transiently increases the probability that the channel is ion‐permeable. Recent experiments show that the Monod, Wyman and Changeux formalism for allosteric proteins, originally developed for haemoglobin, is an excellent model for acetylcholine receptors. By using mutations and single‐channel electrophysiology, the gating equilibrium constants for receptors with zero, one or two bound agonist molecules, and the agonist association and dissociation rate constants from both the closed‐ and open‐channel conformations, have been estimated experimentally. The change in affinity for each transmitter molecule between closed and open conformations provides ∼–5.1 kcal mol−1 towards the global gating isomerization of the protein.
1995 ASME Gas Turbine Award Paper: Development and Application of a Multistage Navier–Stokes Solver: Part I—Multistage Modeling Using Bodyforces and Deterministic Stresses
Authors: Rhie C. M. , Gleixner A. J. , Spear D. A. , Fischberg C. J. , Zacharias R. M.
Published: August 2011

A multistage compressor performance analysis method based on the three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations is presented in this paper. This method is an average passage approach where deterministic stresses are used to ensure continuous physical properties across interface planes. The average unsteady effects due to neighboring blades and/or vanes are approximated using deterministic stresses along with the application of bodyforces. Bodyforces are used to account for the “potential” interaction between closely coupled (staged) rows. Deterministic stresses account for the “average” wake blockage and mixing effects both axially and radially. The attempt here is to implement an approximate technique for incorporating periodic unsteady flow physics that provides for a robust multistage design procedure incorporating reasonable computational efficiency. The present paper gives the theoretical development of the stress/bodyforce models incorporated in the code, and demonstrates the usefulness of these models in practical compressor applications. Compressor performance prediction capability is then established through a rigorous code/model validation effort using the power of networked workstations. The numerical results are compared with experimental data in terms of one-dimensional performance parameters such as total pressure ratio and circumferentially averaged radial profiles deemed critical to compressor design. This methodology allows the designer to design from hub to tip with a high level of confidence in the procedure.
Stator Performance and Unsteady Loading in Transonic Compressor Stages
Authors: Durali M. , Kerrebrock J. L.
Published: August 2011

The structure and behavior of wakes from a transonic compressor rotor and their effect on the loading and performance of the downstream stator have been investigated experimentally. The rotor was 23.25 inches in diameter with a measured tip Mach number of 1.23 and a pressure ratio of 1.66. Time and space-resolved measurements have been completed of the rotor and stator outflow, as well of the pressure distribution on the surface of the stator blades. It was found that the wakes from this rotor have large flow angle and flow Mach number variations from the mean flow, significant pressure fluctuations, and a large degree of variation from hub to tip. There was a significant total pressure defect and practically no static pressure variation associated with the stator wakes. Wakes from the rotor exist nearly undiminished in the exit flow of the stator and decay in the annular duct behind the stator. The pressure at all points along the chord over each of the stator blades’ surfaces fluctuated nearly in phase in response to the rotor wakes, that is the unsteady chordwise pressure distribution is determined mainly by the change in angle of incidence to the blade and not by the local velocity fluctuations within the passage. The unsteady forces on the stator blades, induced by the rotor wakes, were as high as 25 percent of the steady forces, and lagged the incidence of the wakes on the leading edge by approximately 180 deg at most radii.
Effects of Inlet Distortion on the Flow Field in a Transonic Compressor Rotor
Authors: Hah C. , Rabe D. C. , Sullivan T. J. , Wadia A. R.
Published: August 2011

The effects of circumferential distortions in inlet total pressure on the flow field in a low-aspect-ratio, high-speed, high-pressure-ratio, transonic compressor rotor are investigated in this paper. The flow field was studied experimentally and numerically with and without inlet total pressure distortion. Total pressure distortion was created by screens mounted upstream from the rotor inlet. Circumferential distortions of eight periods per revolution were investigated at two different rotor speeds. The unsteady blade surface pressures were measured with miniature pressure transducers mounted in the blade. The flow fields with and without inlet total pressure distortion were analyzed numerically by solving steady and unsteady forms of the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations. Steady three-dimensional viscous flow calculations were performed for the flow without inlet distortion while unsteady three-dimensional viscous flow calculations were used for the flow with inlet distortion. For the time-accurate calculation, circumferential and radial variations of the inlet total pressure were used as a time-dependent inflow boundary condition. A second-order implicit scheme was used for the time integration. The experimental measurements and the numerical analysis are highly complementary for this study because of the extreme complexity of the flow field. The current investigation shows that inlet flow distortions travel through the rotor blade passage and are convected into the following stator. At a high rotor speed where the flow is transonic, the passage shock was found to oscillate by as much as 20 percent of the blade chord, and very strong interactions between the unsteady passage shock and the blade boundary layer were observed. This interaction increases the effective blockage of the passage, resulting in an increased aerodynamic loss and a reduced stall margin. The strong interaction between the passage shock and the blade boundary layer increases the peak aerodynamic loss by about one percent.
Three-Dimensional Inverse Method for Turbomachinery Blading Design
Authors: Demeulenaere A. , Van den Braembussche R.
Published: August 2011

An iterative procedure for three-dimensional blade design is presented, in which the three-dimensional blade shape is modified using a physical algorithm, based on the transpiration model. The transpiration flux is computed by means of a modified Euler solver, in which the target pressure distribution is imposed along the blade surfaces. Only a small number of modifications is needed to obtain the final geometry. The method is based on a high-resolution three-dimensional Euler solver. An upwind biased evaluation of the advective fluxes allows for a very low numerical entropy generation, and sharp shock capturing. Non-reflecting boundary conditions are applied along the inlet/outlet boundaries. The capabilities of the method are illustrated by redesigning a transonic compressor rotor blade, to achieve, for the same mass flow and outlet flow angle, a shock-free deceleration along the suction side. The second example concerns the design of a low aspect ratio turbine blade, with a positive compound lean to reduce the intensity of the passage vortices. The final blade is designed for an optimized pressure distribution, taking into account the forces resulting from the blade lean angle.
Unsteady Flow in Oscillating Turbine Cascades: Part 2—Computational Study
Authors: He L.
Published: August 2011

Unsteady flow around a linear oscillating turbine cascade has been experimentally and computationally studied, aimed at understanding the bubble type of flow separation and examining the predictive ability of a computational method. It was also intended to check the validity of the linear assumption under an unsteady viscous flow condition. Part 2 of the paper presents a computational study of the experimental turbine cascade that was discussed in Part 1. Numerical calculations were carried out for this case using an unsteady Navier–Stokes solver. The Baldwin–Lomax mixing length model was adopted for turbulence closure. The boundary layers on blade surfaces were either assumed to be fully turbulent or transitional with the unsteady transition subject to a quasi-steady laminar separation bubble model. The comparison between the computations and the experiment was generally quite satisfactory, except in the regions with the flow separation. It was shown that the behavior of the short bubble on the suction surface could be reasonably accounted for by using the quasi-steady bubble transition model. The calculation also showed that there was a more apparent mesh dependence of the results in the regions of flow separation. Two different kinds of numerical test were carried out to check the linearity of the unsteady flow and therefore the validity of the influence coefficient method. First, calculations using the same configurations as in the experiment were performed with different oscillating amplitudes. Second, calculations were performed with a tuned cascade model and the results were compared with those using the influence coefficient method. The present work showed that the nonlinear effect was quite small, even though for the most severe case in which the separated flow region covered about 60 percent of blade pressure surface with a large movement of the reattachment point. It seemed to suggest that the linear assumption about the unsteady flow behavior should be adequately acceptable for situations with bubble-type flow separation similar to the present case.
The Effect of Periodic Ribs on the Local Aerodynamic and Heat Transfer Performance of a Straight Cooling Channel
Authors: Rau G. , C¸akan M. , Moeller D. , Arts T.
Published: August 2011

The local aerodynamic and heat transfer performance were measured in a rib-roughened square duct as a function of the rib pitch to height ratio. The blockage ratio of these square obstacles was 10 or 20 percent depending on whether they were placed on one single (1s) or on two opposite walls (2s). The Reynolds number, based on the channel mean velocity and hydraulic diameter, was fixed at 30,000. The aerodynamic description of the flow field was based on local pressure distributions along the ribbed and adjacent smooth walls as well as on two-dimensional LDV explorations in the channel symmetry plane and in two planes parallel to the ribbed wall(s). Local heat transfer distributions were obtained on the floor, between the ribs, and on the adjacent smooth side wall. Averaged parameters, such as friction factor and averaged heat transfer enhancement factor, were calculated from the local results and compared to correlations given in literature. This contribution showed that simple correlations derived from the law of the wall similarity and from the Reynolds analogy could not be applied for the present rib height-to-channel hydraulic diameter ratio (e/Dh = 0.1). The strong secondary flows resulted in a three-dimensional flow field with high gradients in the local heat transfer distributions on the smooth side walls.