bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modelling the effects of pH, storage temperature and redox potential (Eh) on the survival of bifidobacteria in fermented milk
Authors: Jayamanne Vijith S. , Adams Martin R.
Published: April 2009

The effects of storage temperature, pH and Eh on the survival of Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis were modelled in a 3 × 4 × 3 factorial design using three storage temperatures (4, 8, 12 °C), four pH (4.0, 4.25, 4.5, 4.75) and three Eh (0, 200, 400 mV) values. Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis showed significantly better survival than B. longum (P < 0.0001) in fermented milk under normal environmental conditions. Bifidobacterium longum was more susceptible to acidity and survival was log‐linear at low pH values whereas at higher pH pronounced shouldering and tailing effects were apparent. Both individual environmental conditions (T, pH, Eh) and interactions between Eh and pH affected survival and death was always more rapid in B. longum. Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis generally showed a simple log‐linear reduction over time. Temperature, pH and Eh could be manipulated to enhance survival but Eh reduction appears to be the best way to enhance survival without adversely affecting other properties.
Traditional and novel fermented foods and beverages from tropical root and tuber crops: review
Authors: Ray Ramesh C. , Sivakumar Paramasivan S.
Published: April 2009

Tropical root and tuber crops [cassava, sweet potato, yams, colocasia (taro), etc] are important staples for food security for about a fifth of the world population. Bulk of cassava in Africa and Latin America are processed into fermented foods and food additives such as organic (acetic, citric and lactic) acids, mono‐sodium glutamate, etc. The fermented foods from cassava are gari, fufu, lafun, chickwanghe, agbelima, attieke and kivunde in Africa, tape in Asia and ‘cheese’bread, and ‘coated peanut’ in Latin America. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts are the major group of micro‐organisms associated with cassava fermentation. Similarly, sweet potatoes can be fermented into soy sauce, vinegar, lacto‐juices, lacto‐pickles and sochu (an alcoholic drink produced in Japan), and yams into fermented flour. Most of these fermented food products are functional foods rich in phytochemicals, dietary fibres, anti‐oxidant compounds (β‐carotene, anthocyanin, etc) and probiotic components (lactic acid bacteria and yeasts).
Effect of sulphiting and drying methods on physico‐chemical and sensorial quality of dried apricots during ambient storage
Authors: Mir Mohammad A. , Hussain Peerzada R. , Fouzia Shafi , Rather Abdul H.
Published: April 2009

Fresh mature and ripe apricots after preparations were pre‐treated with potassium meta‐bisulphite (KMS) at concentrations of 2–8% for 30, 45 and 60 min followed by drying in solar tunnel dryer and in open air. After completion of drying, the samples were packed in polyethylene pouches and evaluated for various quality parameters at 0, 6 and 12 months of ambient storage. KMS pre‐treatment at concentration of 6% for 60 min prior to drying helped significantly in improving and maintaining the quality of dried apricots for up to 12 months of ambient storage. Solar tunnel drying resulted in hygienic product and reduced the drying time to 3–4 days compared with 14–16 days in open air drying. Residual free sulphur dioxide of apricots pre‐treated at KMS concentration of 6% for 60 min was within the prescribed limits of the Fruit Product Order (1955) specifications for dried products.
Polyphenolic profile and antioxidant activity of five apple cultivars grown under organic and conventional agricultural practices
Authors: Valavanidis Athanasios , Vlachogianni Thomie , Psomas Antonios , Zovoili Alexandra , Siatis Vasilios
Published: April 2009

The polyphenols and total antioxidant activities of five apple cultivars, grown by organic and conventional agricultural methods in neighbouring farms, were determined and compared. Total polyphenols in the whole fruit and in the peel were determined by the Folin‐Ciocalteu method, and the total antioxidant activity was determined by three established methods, diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), azinobis (3‐ethylbenzthiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP). Polyphenolic content for the whole fruit was in the range of 80–196 and for the peel 165–400 (mg Gallic Acid Equivalent (GAE)/100 g fresh weight) for both types of agricultural practices. Antioxidant activities of fruit extracts were also relatively similar and well correlated to their polyphenolic content. High‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the most important polyphenolics (chlorogenic acid, catechin, epicatechin, procyanidin B1 and B2, cyaniding 3‐galactoside, phloridzin, quercetin 3‐galactoside and quercetin 3‐arabinoside) also showed that concentrations do not differentiate significantly between the organic and conventional apples. Statistical significance of differences in antioxidant activities among the same cultivars was relatively small (flesh + peel or peel only) for both types of apples. These results indicate that organic apples do not present higher antioxidant or nutritional value compared with conventionally grown ones, as far as polyphenolic content and total antioxidant activities are concerned.
Preparation and characterisation of the pearl oyster (Pinctada martensii) meat protein hydrolysates with a high Fischer ratio
Authors: Zheng Huina , Zhang Chaohua , Cao Wenghong , Liu Shucheng , Ji Hongwu
Published: April 2009

The primary aim of this study was to obtain high Fischer ratio oligopeptides from the pearl oyster Pinctada martensii meat via proteolysis. Pinctada martensii meat protein was hydrolysed using seven proteases, with pancreatin showing the most protein recovered (90.30%) and the highest degree of hydrolysis (30.22%). In addition, pancreatin treatment liberated aromatic amino acids (AAA) and preserved branched‐chain amino acids (BCAA) in the peptide chain more efficiently than other proteases. In our enzymatic hydrolysis system, the AAA are adsorbed by activated carbon much easier in the form of proteins and peptides compared with the free state. The fraction purified from the pancreatin hydrolysate after adsorption onto activated carbon gave a yield of 38.42% based on nitrogen content. It was composed primarily of low molecular weight peptides and had a Fischer ratio of 24.58, with phenylalanine (Phe) and tyrosine (Tyr) content below 1.2%. This oligopeptide mixture can be used for the assistance treatment of patients with hepatic encephalopathy, phenylketonuria and tyrosinemia according to different dietetic requirement.
Effect of low‐trans margarine on physicochemical and sensory properties of puff pastry1
Authors: Simovic Dragana Soronja , Pajin Biljana , Seres Zita , Filipovic Nada
Published: April 2009

The influence of the low‐trans (<1% of total fatty acids) puff pastry margarine and the rest period between laminating on dough physical characteristics and puff pastry quality was investigated. Experiment was planed according to factorial plan 32 with independent variables: quantity of puff pastry margarine (35–55% based on flour, variation interval 10) and rest period (15–45 min, variation interval 15). The experiment involved two margarine samples (MLT1 and MLT2) of similar fat phase composition, but whose physical properties were, statistically speaking, significantly different. The results show that the pastry containing 35% of margarine MLT1 and allowing the rest period of 30 and 45 min has a lift of above 4.0, it is of minimal firmness and has a high specific volume (3.5 cm3 g−1). Having used puff pastry margarine MLT2, the highest quality of dough and pastry was achieved in the sample containing 55% of margarine and with the maximum rest period of 45 min. The sample mentioned showed an excellent lift of 5.3 and had a specific volume of 4.0 cm3 g−1, but it as well exhibited the maximal firmness of pastry. The application of puff pastry margarine MLT1 can result in a satisfactory quality of pastry, but it can also cause a reduction in the fat content by 7.5% and in the content of trans fatty acids by two times, while the energy value is reduced by 12% when compared with the pastry containing puff pastry margarine MLT2.
Reflexivity, critical qualitative research and emancipation: a Foucauldian perspective
Authors: McCabe Janet L. , Holmes Dave
Published: April 2009

Title.  Reflexivity, critical qualitative research and emancipation: a Foucauldian perspective.

Aim.  In this paper, we consider reflexivity, not only as a concept of qualitative validity, but also as a tool used during the research process to achieve the goals of emancipation that are intrinsic to qualitative research conducted within a critical paradigm.

Background.  Research conducted from a critical perspective poses two challenges to researchers: validity of the research must be ensured and the emancipatory aims of the research need to be realized and communicated. The traditional view of reflexivity as a means of ensuring validity in qualitative research limits its potential to inform the research process.

Data sources.  The Medline and CINAHL data bases were searched (1998–2008 inclusive) using keywords such as reflexivity, validity, subjectivity, bias, emancipation, empowerment and disability. In addition, the work of Michel Foucault was examined.

Discussion.  Using the work of the late French philosopher Michel Foucault, we explore how Foucault’s ‘technologies of the self’ can be employed during critical qualitative research to achieve emancipatory changes. Using research conducted with marginalized populations as an example (specifically, individuals with disabilities), we demonstrate the potential for using reflexivity, in a Foucauldian sense, during the research process.

Conclusion.  Shifting the traditional view of reflexivity allows researchers to focus on the subtle changes that comprise emancipation (in a Foucauldian sense). As a result, researchers are better able to see, understand and analyse this process in both the participants and themselves.
Engaging with nature to promote health: new directions for nursing research
Authors: Hansen‐Ketchum Patricia , Marck Patricia , Reutter Linda
Published: April 2009

Title. Engaging with nature to promote health: new directions for nursing research.

Aim. The aim of this paper is to offer a conceptual framework for nature‐based health promotion in nursing and provide related recommendations for future nursing research.

Background. Empirical data suggest that interaction with nature has direct health benefits. When people attend to outdoor habitats, gardens and other forms of nature, they are more likely to engage in physical activity and other behaviours that improve health. Engaging with nature can even cultivate ecological sensibilities that motivate us to protect the health of our planet.

Data sources. Multidisciplinary theoretical and research publications from 1985 to 2008 were examined in the development of the framework.

Discussion. As the health of our planet continues to deteriorate, there is a pressing need for theoretically informed, ethical, sustainable ways of engaging with nature to promote human and environmental health. We adapt principles and socio‐ecological thinking from the fields of nursing, health promotion and ecological restoration to delineate the essential elements of the proposed framework.

Implications for nursing. Although evidence‐based knowledge about nature‐based health promotion is not readily used in nursing and health care, its development and application are critical to designing effective strategies to strengthen both human and environmental health.

Conclusion. Nurses can use nature‐based health promotion concepts to work with citizens, health practitioners and policymakers to explore and optimize reciprocal, health promoting relationships among humans and the natural environment. To the extent that nurses integrate nature‐based health promotion into their research efforts, we can expect to contribute meaningfully to both environmental and human health in communities across the globe.
Promoting self‐management improves the health status of patients having peritoneal dialysis
Authors: Su Chun‐Yan , Lu Xin‐Hong , Chen Wei , Wang Tao
Published: April 2009

Title.  Promoting self‐management improves the health status of patients having peritoneal dialysis.

Aim.  This paper is a report of a study conducted to explore the effects of promoting self‐management on the well‐being of patients having peritoneal dialysis.

Background.  Peritoneal dialysis is a home‐based treatment for end‐stage renal disease. Promoting self‐management has been shown to improve the health status of people with diabetes mellitus and other chronic diseases. However, little is known about the effects of self‐management support for patients having peritoneal dialysis.

Method.  Thirty patients who had received peritoneal dialysis for at least 6 months and were clinically stable were enrolled in the study in 2006. A multidisciplinary team was built to support the patients’ self‐management. Various forms of education such as group discussion and individual consultation were used to improve patients’ self‐efficacy and all were followed up for 6 months. We compared the volume status, adequacy of dialysis, nutritional status, quality of life, rehabilitation status, self‐management capacity and self‐efficacy levels at baseline, 3 and 6 months after enrolment.

Results.  During follow‐up, patients’ urine volume and residual renal function decreased, while the adequacy of dialysis (Kt/v and Ccr) did not change. Volume status, quality of life and rehabilitation status all improved, whereas nutritional status did not deteriorate. Both self‐management capacity and self‐efficacy level increased statistically significantly.

Conclusion.  A team approach needs to be taken to achieve successful self‐management in patients having peritoneal dialysis, as with other chronic disease treatments. Nurses should use multiple strategies based on self‐efficacy theory to improve patients’ self‐efficacy levels and self‐management capacities.
Quality of life among older grandparent caregivers: a pilot study
Authors: Lo Meihan , Liu Yi‐Hsiu
Published: April 2009

Title.  Quality of life among older grandparent caregivers: a pilot study.

Aim.  This article is a report of a study conducted to compare quality of life and levels of depressive symptoms among older grandparent caregivers and non‐caregivers in Taiwan.

Background.  Little is known about grandparenthood in modern Chinese society. In particular, no research has been conducted to explore the consequences among Chinese grandparent caregivers of caring for grandchildren.

Methods.  A cross‐sectional comparative pilot study was conducted in 2007 in a city in Taiwan. A convenience sample of 45 grandparent caregivers and 48 grandparent non‐caregivers was interviewed using a questionnaire including Taiwanese versions of the Short Form‐36 Health Survey and Geriatric Depression Scale.

Results.  No statistically significant differences in measures of quality of life or depression were found between the caregiver and non‐caregiver groups. Physical health was poorer than mental health in both caregiver and non‐caregiver groups. Among caregivers, 55·6% reported psychological distress, even though 86·7% had support from family members.

Conclusion.  Nurses in community settings should be aware of the physical burdens on older grandparent caregivers and offer advice to protect their health. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to generate more complete results on the consequences of caregiving by grandparents. The buffering role of family support on caregiving stress should also be further studied using validated measurement tools.
Community matrons: primary care professionals’ views and experiences
Authors: Chapman Linda , Smith Anne , Williams Veronika , Oliver David
Published: April 2009

Title.  Community matrons: primary care professionals’ views and experiences.

Aim.  This article is a report of a study exploring how the role of the community matron is progressing and any barriers or facilitators to performing the role.

Background.  Long‐term conditions are distressing for patients and costly for healthcare services. Government policy in western countries has increasingly focussed on more integrated and pro‐active management of patients with multiple long‐term conditions to maintain the ability of the aging population to function independently. The role of community matrons has been introduced in England in an attempt to address these issues.

Method.  A purposive sample of 31 health and social care professionals participated in five focus group discussions. Reported experiences of the community matron role by community matrons, district nurses, social workers and general practitioners were analysed according to the principles of grounded theory. Data were collected in 2007.

Findings.  The community matron role was seen as effective in meeting the medical and social needs of patients. This was achieved through patient education, developing patients’ self‐management of their health conditions and monitoring their social needs. Potential barriers to success of the role were associated with lack of role definition prior to its introduction.

Conclusion.  It is unclear whether the role is financially viable in its current form. Further research is required to examine differing models for implementing the role and judging its effectiveness in bridging the primary‐secondary care interface.
Fine‐scale foraging behaviour of a medium‐ranging marine predator
Authors: Hamer K. C. , Humphreys E. M. , Magalhães M. C. , Garthe S. , Hennicke J. , Peters G. , Grémillet D. , Skov H. , Wanless S.
Published: April 2009

Movement patterns of predators should allow them to detect and respond to prey patches at different spatial scales, particularly through the adoption of area‐restricted search (ARS) behaviour. Here we use fine‐scale movement and activity data combined with first‐passage time (FPT) analysis to examine the foraging strategy of northern gannets Morus bassanus in the western North Sea, and to test the following hypotheses: (i) birds adopt a hierarchical foraging strategy characterized by nested ARS behaviour; (ii) the locations and characteristics of ARS zones are strongly influenced by physical oceanography; (iii) the initiation of ARS behaviour is triggered by the detection and pursuit of prey; (iv) ARS behaviour is strongly linked to increased foraging effort, particularly within nested ARS areas.

Birds on 13 of 15 foraging trips adopted ARS behaviour at a scale of 9·1 ± 1·9 km, and birds on 10 of these 13 trips adopted a second, nested ARS scale of 1·5 ± 0·8 km, supporting hypothesis 1 above. ARS zones were located 117 ± 55 km from the colony and over half were within 5 km of a tidal mixing front ~50 km offshore, supporting hypothesis 2 above.

The initiation of ARS behaviour was usually followed after only a short time interval (typically ~5 min) by the commencement of diving. Gannets do not dive until after they have located prey, and so this pattern strongly suggests that ARS behaviour was triggered by prey detection, supporting hypothesis 3 above. However, ~33% of dives in mixed coastal water and 16% of dives in stratified water were not associated with any detectable ARS behaviour. Hence, while ARS behaviour resulted from the detection and pursuit of prey, encounters with prey species did not inevitably induce ARS behaviour.

Following the initiation of ARS behaviour, dive rates were almost four times higher within ARS zones than elsewhere and almost three times higher in zones with nested ARS behaviour than in those without, supporting hypothesis 4 above and suggesting that the foraging success of birds was linked to their ability to match the hierarchical distribution of prey.
Applying ecology for cave management in China and neighbouring countries
Authors: Whitten Tony
Published: April 2009

Caves are arguably the hottest of the biodiversity hotspots as measured by endemism and threat, yet they receive very little attention or appropriate management. Some recent investigations in China have found that up to 90% of the animals collected in caves are new to science, yet environmental assessments for development projects in karst areas rarely if ever give attention to the cave fauna.

The lack of light, and the cave‐specific conditions of humidity, air flow and source of energy have resulted in extreme adaptations among the animals living within them.

There is no government agency or non‐governmental organization (NGO) on conservation concerned with caves in China or many other countries, and although there are caving expeditions, they concentrate on exploration rather than the cave fauna.

Disturbance by limestone quarrying, visitors, tourism infrastructure, and changes in water flow through, or from above, the cave can have devastating effects on the highly adapted and range‐restricted fauna.

Some examples of World Bank‐financed development projects which have led to cave conservation are given.

Synthesis and applications. The cave biodiversity of China and neighbouring countries is worthy of conservation and there is a huge number of nationally endemic species, most of which are unknown. Destruction or damage to caves can cause entire communities of cave species to become extinct. To address this problem, the disparate, taxon‐limited specialists interested in cave fauna need to reach out to the cave exploration community, the major conservation NGOs, and the state and local conservation agencies. Those charged with the task of conserving biodiversity should give thought to how the current national protected area systems and processes manage – and fail – to address the needs of the cave fauna, and look for the means to effect the necessary changes in management, based on the peculiar ecology of caves.
Galliformes – barometers of the state of applied ecology and wildlife conservation in China
Authors: McGowan Philip J. K. , Zhang Yan‐Yun , Zhang Zheng‐Wang
Published: April 2009

Human population pressure is placing huge demands on China's environment. In recent years, the Chinese government has established a suite of programmes designed to meet these challenges and one such programme is the Wildlife Conservation and Nature Reserves Development Programme launched in 2001. This is intended to safeguard the future of some of the country's highest profile and most threatened species.

The avian Order Galliformes (pheasants and their relatives) are one such high‐profile group and 38 of the 63 species that occur in China are listed as nationally protected. This is the most studied group of birds in the country and some of this research has contributed directly to informing conservation management and policy at all administrative levels.

There are examples of communication and collaboration between researchers in China and those from other countries since the late 1970s. However, there is now a pressing need for increased and more structured collaboration to take advantage of current opportunities to strengthen applied ecology in China and thus provide greater scientific input to environmental policy and decision‐making.

Synthesis and applications. China is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world and faces substantial environmental challenges because of human population pressure. Applied ecological research is increasingly informing policy and decision‐making at all administrative levels. Strengthening China's applied ecology base therefore offers unprecedented opportunities. International collaborative research programmes have substantial potential to develop high quality research and train talented young Chinese researchers, both of which will substantially enhance the quality of science informing China's biodiversity conservation policy.
Price of prosperity: economic development and biological conservation in China ()
Authors: He Fangliang
Published: April 2009

In the past three decades China has experienced fundamental changes to its economy, which have transformed it from one of the poorest countries in the world to the third largest economic body. This gain in wealth has, however, been achieved at severe cost to the environment.

I review the current state of environmental protection and examine the effectiveness of the existing nature reserves for biological conservation in China.

Synthesis and applications. Proactive approaches to environmental management – including significant investment in science and technology, science‐informed land‐use policy making and international collaboration – are necessary for China to significantly slow down or reverse its current environmental problems.
Tourism in protected areas can threaten wild populations: from individual response to population viability of the chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
Authors: Kerbiriou Christian , Le Viol Isabelle , Robert Alexandre , Porcher Emmanuelle , Gourmelon Françoise , Julliard Romain
Published: April 2009

Many protected areas are now faced with increasing pressure from visitors and tourism development. There is thus an urgent need for conservation biologists to evaluate the full impact of human disturbance not only on individual responses, but also on the viability of protected populations, so that relevant management measures can be proposed.

We studied the impact of tourism on the rare and endangered chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax on a protected French island to assess the relationship between visitor pressure, bird individual behaviour and fitness, and population viability. During 8 years, we monitored foraging behaviour and estimated monthly juvenile survival using mark–recapture data. Population viability was examined under different tourism scenarios, using a stochastic individual‐based model that incorporated the impact of visitor numbers on juvenile survival.

In summer, the foraging probability of choughs was negatively correlated with the number of visitors. As a result, the time allocated to foraging during peak tourist season, adjusted to day length and prey availability, was 50% lower than expected.

Juvenile survival rates were lowest in August, the peak tourist season, and varied significantly across years. August survival rate and therefore annual survival were negatively correlated with the number of visitors on the island in August and, except for a minor negative effect of rainfall, were not influenced by other environmental variables.

Stochastic simulations predicted a low probability of extinction of the protected population if the number of visitors remains constant in the future. However, short‐term viability would be dramatically reduced if the current rate of increase in visitor numbers is maintained.

Synthesis and applications. We show that a relatively minor human‐induced disturbance (e.g. scaring individuals away) has dramatic effects on population viability in a protected area, even when breeding individuals are not directly affected. This suggests that the full impact of tourism in protected areas may be overlooked, and has direct consequences for the assessment of sustainable levels of human disturbance and the design of quantitative management options compatible with tourist activities in protected areas. We specifically emphasize the need for more integrative approaches combining research at individual and population levels.
Guidelines for restoring connectivity around water mills: a population genetic approach to the management of riverine fish
Authors: Raeymaekers Joost A. M. , Raeymaekers Dries , Koizumi Itsuro , Geldof Sarah , Volckaert Filip A. M.
Published: April 2009

While freshwater systems provide important goods and services for society, they are threatened by human activity. Fragmentation is one of the most serious ecological concerns in the riverine environment.

Historical and cultural values may conflict with nature restoration. Here we use the Zwalm sub‐basin (Scheldt basin, Belgium) as a case study for reconciling the restoration of the native fish fauna with the preservation of historical water mills (320–1000 years old).

We assessed the genetic structure of a barrier‐sensitive species, the three‐spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus, to estimate the impact of fragmentation on a local to catchment scale. We show how population genetic approaches may be used to generate guidelines for restoration and management, and advance the science of river restoration.

Dispersal was lower in above‐ than in below‐mill populations, and water mills provoked an average loss of almost 4% of the genetic variation. This loss accumulated to 40% over the entire system (~23 km, 13 barriers). The impact of individual mills strongly increased with upstream distance and water mill height. One mill provoked significant genetic differentiation, despite the presence of a fish passage.

This detailed picture of the genetic connectivity in stickleback is indicative for the basin's depauperate fauna. Many species share the same migratory pathways and barriers to dispersal. The physical properties of the water mills are likely to have similar effects on species with a similar genetic structure to stickleback.

Synthesis and applications. Population genetic studies may be particularly useful during the planning of river restoration and associated ecological studies. In the case of the Zwalm sub‐basin, we propose a number of management actions, such as building new fish passages and translocating individuals to above‐mill populations. These will counter the negative impact of the water mills on the genetic variation in aquatic fauna, whilst retaining their cultural–economical value and limiting the restoration costs. Simulations suggest that reassessment of stickleback genetic structure after a decade should reveal whether or not restoration actions have been effective.
Grazers on the plains: challenges and prospects for large herbivores in Central Asia
Authors: Mallon David P. , Zhigang Jiang
Published: April 2009

Twelve species of large herbivores dwell on the steppes of Central Asia and the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau. Three of these species once occurred in vast herds in the three major rangeland ecosystems of the region. Populations of all species are now diminished, some reduced to a point close to extinction, mainly due to overharvesting and habitat loss.

The rate and effectiveness of hunting increased steadily throughout the second half of the twentieth century. Major social and economic changes that occurred across the region during the last 20 years have further accelerated the declining trend.

Synthesis and applications. Conservation of these species over the long‐term presents a challenge, especially across the spatial scale required for the migratory and nomadic species. Immediate efforts are urgently needed while substantial numbers remain and extensive tracts of habitat are still intact.
Sensory retraining following orthognathic surgery: effect on threshold measures of sensory function
Authors: ESSICK G. K. , PHILLIPS C. , KIM S. H. , ZUNIGA J.
Published: April 2009

Summary  The purpose of this analysis was to examine the effect of sensory retraining on sensory function after bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO). A total of 186 subjects were enrolled in a multi‐centre double‐blind two parallel group stratified block randomized clinical trial. Subjects were randomized to group immediately after surgery. Threshold measures for contact detection, two‐point discrimination and two‐point perception were obtained on the chin before and 1, 3 and 6 months and 1 and 2 years after surgery. The ratio of each threshold measure (post‐surgery value/pre‐surgery value) was calculated to characterize subjects’ impairment. A general linear mixed model was fit for the impairment to examine the effect of the sensory retraining before and after adjusting for demographic, surgical and psychological factors. On average, two‐point perception was less impaired in subjects who were retrained than in those who were not retrained (P = 0·04). Significant recovery continued up to 6 months after surgery for contact detection and two‐point perception and up to 24 months for two‐point discrimination. Older subjects experienced more impairment in two‐point discrimination than younger subjects (P = 0·009). Subjects who received maxillary surgery in addition to mandibular surgery experienced more impairment on the chin in both two‐point discrimination (P = 0·0003) and perception (P = 0·0013) than subjects who received mandibular surgery only. Psychological factors did not explain additional variability in subjects’ impairment post‐surgery. These finding indicate that a simple non‐invasive exercise programme initiated shortly after orthognathic surgery can alter the way patients experience or respond to tactile stimulation long after the exercise regimen has stopped.
Regulatory polymorphisms in the IL‐10 gene promoter and HBV‐related acute liver failure in the Chinese population
Authors: Yan Z. , Tan W. , Zhao W. , Dan Y. , Wang X. , Mao Q. , Wang Y. , Deng G.
Published: April 2009

Summary.  Recent reports indicated that high levels of interleukin 10 (IL‐10) contribute to the monocytes paralysis and poor clinical outcome in acute liver failure (ALF). Polymorphisms in the promoter region of IL‐10 affect IL‐10 production and confer susceptibility to inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the possible association of the three polymorphisms (A‐1082G, T‐819C, A‐592C) in the IL‐10 gene promoter with the susceptibility to hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related ALF in a Chinese population. The IL‐10 gene promoter polymorphisms were genotyped in 414 unrelated healthy blood donors, 367 asymptomatic HBV carriers and 345 HBV‐related ALF patients. Functional analyses were conducted to verify the biological significances of the associated genetic variations. The allele frequencies of IL‐10−592C and −819C were significantly higher in HBV‐related ALF patients than in blood donors and asymptomatic HBV carriers. Logistic regression analysis and stratification analysis with adjustment for age and sex indicated that the polymorphisms of A‐592C and T‐819C were associated with susceptibility to HBV‐related ALF (P = 6.9 × 10−7), and the ‐1082A‐819C‐592C haplotype in the IL‐10 gene promoter were associated with an increased susceptibility to ALF in HBV carriers (dominant model, P = 0.0002, odds ratio = 1.60, 95% CI 1.25–2.07). Functional analyses showed that the A‐592C polymorphism is a nuclear proteins binding site, and the disease susceptible −592C allele had a higher transcription activity compared with −592A allele. This study emphasizes the importance of IL‐10 in the pathophysiology of HBV‐related ALF on the population level.
YgdE is the 2′‐O‐ribose methyltransferase RlmM specific for nucleotide C2498 in bacterial 23S rRNA
Authors: Purta Elzbieta , O'Connor Michelle , Bujnicki Janusz M. , Douthwaite Stephen
Published: April 2009

The rRNAs of Escherichia coli contain four 2′‐O‐methylated nucleotides. Similar to other bacterial species and in contrast with Archaea and Eukaryota, the E. coli rRNA modifications are catalysed by specific methyltransferases that find their nucleotide targets without being guided by small complementary RNAs. We show here that the ygdE gene encodes the methyltransferase that catalyses 2′‐O‐methylation at nucleotide C2498 in the peptidyl transferase loop of E. coli 23S rRNA. Analyses of rRNAs using MALDI mass spectrometry showed that inactivation of the ygdE gene leads to loss of methylation at nucleotide C2498. The loss of ygdE function causes a slight reduction in bacterial fitness. Methylation at C2498 was restored by complementing the knock‐out strain with a recombinant copy of ygdE. The recombinant YgdE methyltransferase modifies C2498 in naked 23S rRNA, but not in assembled 50S subunits or ribosomes. Nucleotide C2498 is situated within a highly conserved and heavily modified rRNA sequence, and YgdE's activity is influenced by other modification enzymes that target this region. Phylogenetically, YgdE is placed in the cluster of orthologous groups COG2933 together with S‐adenosylmethionine‐dependent, Rossmann‐fold methyltransferases such as the archaeal and eukaryotic RNA‐guided fibrillarins. The ygdE gene has been redesignated rlmM for rRNA large subunit methyltransferase M.
Perturbation of phosphatidylethanolamine synthesis affects mitochondrial morphology and cell‐cycle progression in procyclic‐form Trypanosoma brucei
Authors: Signorell Aita , Gluenz Eva , Rettig Jochen , Schneider André , Shaw Michael K. , Gull Keith , Bütikofer Peter
Published: April 2009

Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) are the two major constituents of eukaryotic cell membranes. In the protist Trypanosoma brucei, PE and PC are synthesized exclusively via the Kennedy pathway. To determine which organelles or processes are most sensitive to a disruption of normal phospholipid levels, the cellular consequences of a decrease in the levels of PE or PC, respectively, were studied following RNAi knock‐down of four enzymes of the Kennedy pathway. RNAi against ethanolamine‐phosphate cytidylyltransferase (ET) disrupted mitochondrial morphology and ultrastructure. Electron microscopy revealed alterations of inner mitochondrial membrane morphology, defined by a loss of disk‐like cristae. Despite the structural changes in the mitochondrion, the cells maintained oxidative phosphorylation. Our results indicate that the inner membrane morphology of T. brucei procyclic forms is highly sensitive to a decrease of PE levels, as a change in the ultrastructure of the mitochondrion is the earliest phenotype observed after RNAi knock‐down of ET. Interference with phospholipid synthesis also impaired normal cell‐cycle progression. ET RNAi led to an accumulation of multinucleate cells. In contrast, RNAi against choline‐/ethanolamine phosphotransferase, which affected PC as well as PE levels, caused a cell division phenotype characterized by non‐division of the nucleus and production of zoids.
The transcriptional response to cadmium, organic hydroperoxide, singlet oxygen and UV‐A mediated by the σE–ChrR system in Caulobacter crescentus
Authors: Lourenço Rogério F. , Gomes Suely L.
Published: April 2009

Caulobacter crescentusσE belongs to the ECF (extracytoplasmic function) subfamily of RNA polymerase sigma factors, whose members regulate gene expression in response to distinct environmental stresses. During physiological growth conditions, data indicate that σE is maintained in reduced levels due to the action of ChrR, a negative regulator of rpoE gene expression and function. However, once bacterial cells are exposed to cadmium, organic hydroperoxide, singlet oxygen or UV‐A irradiation, transcription of rpoE is induced in a σE‐dependent manner. Site‐directed mutagenesis indicated that residue C188 in ChrR is critical for the cadmium response while residues H140 and H142 are required for the bacterial response to organic hydroperoxide, singlet oxygen and UV‐A. Global transcriptional analysis showed that σE regulates genes involved in protecting cells against oxidative damages. A combination of transcriptional start site identification and promoter prediction revealed that some of these genes contain a putative σE‐dependent motif in their upstream regions. Furthermore, deletion of rpoE and two σE‐dependent genes (cfaS and hsp20) impairs Caulobacter survival when singlet oxygen is constantly generated in the cells.
Diversity of sesquiterpene synthases in the basidiomycete Coprinus cinereus
Authors: Agger Sean , Lopez‐Gallego Fernando , Schmidt‐Dannert Claudia
Published: April 2009

Fungi are a rich source of bioactive secondary metabolites, and mushroom‐forming fungi (Agaricomycetes) are especially known for the synthesis of numerous bioactive and often cytotoxic sesquiterpenoid secondary metabolites. Compared with the large number of sesquiterpene synthases identified in plants, less than a handful of unique sesquiterpene synthases have been described from fungi. Here we describe the functional characterization of six sesquiterpene synthases (Cop1 to Cop6) and two terpene‐oxidizing cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (Cox1 and Cox2) from Coprinus cinereus. The genes were cloned and, except for cop5, functionally expressed in Escherichia coli and/or Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cop1 and Cop2 each synthesize germacrene A as the major product. Cop3 was identified as an α‐muurolene synthase, an enzyme that has not been described previously, while Cop4 synthesizes δ‐cadinene as its major product. Cop6 was originally annotated as a trichodiene synthase homologue but instead was found to catalyse the highly specific synthesis of α‐cuprenene. Coexpression of cop6 and the two monooxygenase genes next to it yields oxygenated α‐cuprenene derivatives, including cuparophenol, suggesting that these genes encode the enzymes for the biosynthesis of antimicrobial quinone sesquiterpenoids (known as lagopodins) that were previously isolated from C. cinereus and other Coprinus species.
The impact of gender and income on survival and retention in a South African antiretroviral therapy programme
Authors: Cornell Morna , Myer Landon , Kaplan Richard , Bekker Linda‐Gail , Wood Robin
Published: April 2009

Objectives  Despite the rapid expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART) services in Africa, there are few data on whether outcomes differ for women and men and what factors may drive such variation. We investigated the association of gender and income with survival and retention in a South African ART programme.

Methods  A total of 2196 treatment‐naïve adults were followed for 1 year on ART. Proportional hazards regression was used to explore associations between baseline characteristics and survival and loss‐to‐follow‐up (LTFU).

Results  Patients were predominantly female (67%). Men presented at an older age and with more advanced HIV disease, and during early ART the crude death rate was higher among men than women (22.8 vs 12.5/100 person‐years; P = 0.002). However in multivariate analysis, gender was not significantly associated with survival after adjusting for baseline clinical and immunovirological status (HR = 1.46, 95% CI = 0.96–2.22; P = 0.076). In late ART (4–12 months), there was no gender difference in mortality rates (3.5 vs 3.8/100 person‐years; P = 0.817). In multivariate analysis, survival was strongly associated with age (HR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.02–1.09; P < 0.001), CD4 count >150 vs <50 cells/μl (HR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.14–0.87; P = 0.023) and any monthly income vs none (HR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.25–0.88; P = 0.018). Having some monthly income was protective against LTFU at 1 year on ART (adjusted HR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.39–0.82; P = 0.002).

Conclusion  Men’s high early mortality on ART appears due largely to their presentation with more advanced HIV disease. Efforts are needed to enrol men into care earlier in HIV disease and to reduce socio‐economic inequalities in ART programme outcomes.
Potential use of abrasive air‐propelled agricultural residues for weed control
Authors: FORCELLA F
Published: April 2009

A potential new post‐emergence physical weed control tactic is described. It entails plant abrasion and death upon assault from abrasive grits propelled by compressed air. Grit derived from granulated walnut shells was delivered by a sand blaster at 517 kPa at distances of 300–600 mm from seedlings of Chenopodium album in glasshouse pots. Control was influenced by size of plants at time of treatment. Seedlings at the cotyledon to 2‐leaf stages of growth were mostly destroyed by a single split‐second blast of grit of <1 s duration, but were unaltered by compressed air alone. Plants at the 4‐ to 6‐leaf growth stages required up to 10 blasts of grit to be killed. These results indicate that small weed seedlings of susceptible species might be physically controlled by abrasion from air‐propelled grit derived from suitable agricultural residues.
PRECLINICAL STUDY: Effect of concurrent saccharin intake on ethanol consumption by high‐alcohol‐drinking (UChB) rats
Authors: Tampier Lutske , Quintanilla Maria Elena
Published: April 2009

This study examined the effect of concurrent presentation of a highly palatable saccharin solution on ethanol consumption during the acquisition or maintenance of ethanol drinking by high‐alcohol‐drinking (UChB) rats. Rats were exposed to ethanol (10% v/v) and water under a home cage, two‐bottle, free‐choice regimen with unlimited access for 24 hours/day. After 7 days (acquisition) of ethanol exposure, a third bottle containing saccharin (0.2% w/v) was concomitantly offered for an additional seven consecutive days, and the same process was repeated after 3 months (maintenance) of ethanol exposure. We found that concurrent saccharin intake significantly reduced ethanol intake by UChB rats after 7 days of ethanol exposure indicating that preference for sweet taste tends to override the preference for ethanol. However, the concurrent saccharin presentation to rats after 3 months of stable ethanol consumption did not reduce ethanol intake, whereas their saccharin consumption reached polydipsic‐like values. These results support the notion that in UChB rats, a time‐dependent sensitization to the rewarding effects of ethanol is developed that may account for the increases in ethanol volition seen following chronic ethanol intake.
RESEARCH FOCUS ON COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOUR IN ANIMALS: Pre‐exposure to environmental cues predictive of food availability elicits hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activation and increases operant responding for food in female rats
Authors: Cifani Carlo , Zanoncelli Alessandro , Tessari Michela , Righetti Claudio , Di Francesco Carla , Ciccocioppo Roberto , Massi Maurizio , Melotto Sergio
Published: April 2009

The present study was undertaken to develop an animal model exploiting food cue‐induced increased motivation to obtain food under operant self‐administration conditions. To demonstrate the predictive validity of the model, rimonabant, fluoxetine, sibutramine and topiramate, administered 1 hour before the experiment, were tested. For 5 days, female Wistar rats were trained to self‐administer standard 45 mg food pellets in one daily session (30 minutes) under FR1 (fixed ratio 1) schedule of reinforcement. Rats were then trained to an FR3 schedule and finally divided into two groups. The first group (control) was subjected to a standard 30 minutes FR3 food self‐administration session. The second group was exposed to five presentations of levers and light for 10 seconds each (every 3 minutes in 15 minutes total). At the completion of this pre‐session phase, a normal 30‐minute session (as in the control group) started. Results showed that pre‐exposure to environmental stimuli associated to food deliveries increased response for food when the session started. Corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone plasma levels, measured after the 15‐minute pre‐exposure, were also significantly increased. No changes were observed for the other measured hormones (growth hormone, prolactin, thyroid‐stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, insulin, amylin, gastric inhibitor polypeptide, ghrelin, leptin, peptide YY and pancreatic polypeptide). Rimonabant, sibutramine and fluoxetine significantly reduced food intake in both animals pre‐exposed and in those not pre‐exposed to food‐associated cues. Topiramate selectively reduced feeding only in pre‐exposed rats. The present study describes the development of a new animal model to investigate cue‐induced increased motivation to obtain food. This model shows face and predictive validity, thus, supporting its usefulness in the investigation of new potential treatments of binge‐related eating disorders. In addition, the present findings confirm that topiramate may represent an important pharmacotherapeutic approach to binge‐related eating.