bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COMMENTARY: NEOLIBERALISM: CONTEXT FOR A NEW WORKERS' STRUGGLE
Authors: Rachleff Peter J.
Published: November 2006

In this essay labor historian Peter Rachleff takes a broad look at the political economy of U.S. capitalism since World War II, breaking this era into two periods: 1) the demand‐driven Keynesianism that emerged through the New Deal, the WWII economy, and the immediate postwar years; and 2) the anti‐working class neoliberalism that emerged piecemeal in the mid to late 1970s and has come to dominate the global economy. Rachleff's interest is in the impact of these political‐economic formations on working‐class struggle, in the U.S. and, increasingly, throughout the world. His argument is that, while neoliberalism has made the lives of most working people significantly worse, it has also established a common position and even experience that makes transnational solidarity more attainable in practice, thus opening out—potentially—into a new era of workers' struggles.

Peter Rachleff is a Professor of History at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Over the past 25 years he has organized solidarity for a variety of workers' struggles in the upper Midwest, from the Hormel meatpackers in the mid‐1980s to the Northwest Airlines mechanics and flight attendants in the last year. In the past six years, he has made several visits to South Africa, and he credits activists there with helping him to understand the structures and dynamics of neoliberalism. Rachleff is the newly elected President of the Working Class Studies Association and is a board member of the Labor and Working Class History Association. His most recent book is an edited collection of IWW writings on the food industry, Starving Amidst Too Much (Charles H. Kerr Press, 2005).
Toward an Excremental Posthumanism: Primatology, Women, and Waste
Authors: Lathers Marie
Published: November 2006

This essay assesses the use of excrement as a cultural trope in a posthumanist era. Drawing on insights from feminist, postcolonial, and animal theory, it proposes that Fossey (1983) and the film Gorillas in the Mist (1988) are popularized versions of a recurring narrative that posits feces as a sign of the both material and symbolic fluid boundaries between human and nonhuman animals, colonizers and natives, men and women, and science and nature. Specifically, Gorillas in the Mist transposes Fossey's study of gorilla "dung" in the jungle, the essay demonstrates, as a repetition of the enunciation "shit." In both written and spoken form, excrement mediates between, and ultimately merges, the identities of Fossey and the mountain gorillas. In the conclusion, the essay raises some problems in theorizing the relationship between postcolonial and posthumanist theory.
Effects of structural habitat on the escape behavior of the lizard, Anolis gingivinus
Authors: Larimer Samantha C. , Powell Robert , Parmerlee John S.
Published: November 2006

Knowledge of escape behavior contributes to an understanding of a species' natural history and provides insights into the physical capabilities of that animal in a natural setting. Using an "approach stick" to standardize the "threat" to which an animal responded, we examined reactions of the Anguillian anole, Anolis gingivinus. As in other anoles, A. gingivinus allowed relatively close approaches, followed by the behaviors of squirreling, running, jumping, or combinations thereof. The most important factors determining which action was taken were the diameter of the lizard's perch and the direction the lizard was facing. Amount of sun exposure also had an effect on behavior, whereas sex of individuals did not. Some visual aspect of the putative predator also had an effect, determining in part the distance at which the animal fled.
Struggling for Livelihood: Social Conflict through the Teahouse in Republican Chengdu
Authors: Wang Di
Published: November 2006

This article reveals that teahouses were the scene of a variety of conflicts, from verbal disputes and petty thefts to violence and murder. The author argues that the teahouse, although mainly a place for leisure, business and public life, also became an arena for struggle for livelihood. The teahouse was a microcosm of Chengdu, and anything undertaken there reflected the larger society. Conflicts in the teahouse to a large extent reflected current social issues. Fights broke out when people found it difficult to solve their problems, to make a living and to survive, or when they were anxious or unhappy in the face of injustice, the deteriorating economy, hunger, insecurity and war. On the other hand, conflicts also arose from the abuse of power and privilege and the tyrannical response to social turmoil by thugs, soldiers and outlaws. We can see such unfortunate periods during the first half of the twentieth century. The author also tries to point out that the teahouse functioned as a stage where all kinds of people performed roles that were both good and evil, but all became part of teahouse culture and teahouse life.
Taking Secularism (not too) Seriously: the Italian 'Crucifix Case'
Authors: Mancini Susanna
Published: November 2006

In Italy, unlike in most European countries, the debate over religious symbols in the public schools is not centred on the right of individuals belonging to minority groups to wear religious symbols and clothes, but rather on the legitimacy of the display of the crucifix and its religious and cultural significance. This article focuses on the compatibility of the display of the cross in state schools with the principle of secularism, which in the Italian context does not imply, as it does in France, strict indifference towards religion, but rather impartiality with respect to different faiths. The starting point of this discussion is a critical analysis of the controversial Italian 'crucifix case-law'. However, the issue is analysed in broader terms and in a comparative perspective. It is argued that freedom of religion or belief, alone, is not sufficient to provide an inclusive environment for all, and especially for those who do not t in the dominant culture. Therefore the question of the display of religious symbols should not be reduced to the balancing of individual and collective rights, but it should also emphasize the key role of secularism in guaranteeing cultural pluralism (and a pluralistic legislation) and in preventing the possibility of a preferential treatment of a given religion.
The Hurricane Rainband and Intensity Change Experiment: Observations and Modeling of Hurricanes Katrina, Ophelia, and Rita
Authors: Houze Robert A. , Chen Shuyi S. , Lee Wen-Chau , Rogers Robert F. , Moore James A. , Stossmeister Gregory J. , Bell Michael M. , Cetrone Jasmine , Zhao Wei , Brodzik S. Rita
Published: November 2006

The Hurricane Rainband and Intensity Change Experiment (RAINEX) used three P3 aircraft aided by high-resolution numerical modeling and satellite communications to investigate the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina, Ophelia, and Rita. The aim was to increase the understanding of tropical cyclone intensity change by interactions between a tropical cyclone's inner core and rainbands. All three aircraft had dual-Doppler radars, with the Electra Doppler Radar (ELDORA) on board the Naval Research Laboratory's P3 aircraft, providing particularly detailed Doppler radar data. Numerical model forecasts helped plan the aircraft missions, and innovative communications and data transfer in real time allowed the flights to be coordinated from a ground-based operations center. The P3 aircraft released approximately 600 dropsondes in locations targeted for optimal coordination with the Doppler radar data, as guided by the operations center. The storms were observed in all stages of development, from tropical depression to category 5 hurricane. The data from RAINEX are readily available through an online Field Catalog and RAINEX Data Archive. The RAINEX dataset is illustrated in this article by a preliminary analysis of Hurricane Rita, which was documented by multiaircraft flights on five days 1) while a tropical storm, 2) while rapidly intensifying to a category 5 hurricane, 3) during an eye-wall replacement, 4) when the hurricane became asymmetric upon encountering environmental shear, and 5) just prior to landfall.
Properties, Entrainment, and Physiological Functions of Mammalian Peripheral Oscillators
Authors: Stratmann Markus , Schibler Ueli
Published: November 2006

In mammals, the circadian timing system is composed of multiple oscillators that are organized in a hierarchical manner. The central pacemaker, located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, is believed to orchestrate countless subsidiary clocks in the periphery. These peripheral oscillators are cell-autonomous, self-sustained, resilient to cell division, and virtually insensitive to large fluctuations in general transcription rates. However, they are probably not coupled within an organ, and daily zeitgeber signals emanating from the SCN appear to be required to ensure phase coherence within and between tissues. Peripheral clocks are implicated in a variety of biochemical pathways, and recent results tightly link circadian rhythms to several aspects of metabolism. Thus, the expression of many key enzymes conducting rate-limiting steps in various metabolic pathways is regulated in a circadian fashion by core clock components or clock-controlled transcription factors. Genetic loss-of-function studies have now established a role for mammalian circadian clock components in energy homeostasis and xenobiotic detoxification, and the latter manifests itself in the daytime-dependent modulation of drug efficacy and toxicity.
Mechanisms of Clock Output in the Drosophila Circadian Pacemaker System
Authors: Taghert Paul H. , Shafer Orie T.
Published: November 2006

Molecular oscillations that underlie the circadian clock are coupled to different output signals by which daily rhythms in downstream events are evoked and/or synchronized. Here the authors review the literature that describes circadian output mechanisms in Drosophila. They begin at the most proximal level, within oscillator cells themselves, by surveying studies of rhythmic gene expression within Drosophila heads. Next the authors describe the several neuron groups that compose the circadian pacemaker network underlying rhythmic locomotor activity, and they detail current models of how that network is organized and coordinated. The authors outline the body of evidence that describes a role for the neuropeptide pigment dispersing factor (PDF) as a circadian transmitter in the fly brain. Finally, in the context of PDF, they consider studies that address mechanisms of signaling from the circadian pacemaker network to downstream neurons and nonneuronal cells that directly control rhythmic outputs.
The Comet Assay as a Method of Assessment of Neurotoxicity
Authors: FRENZILLI GIADA , SCARCELLI VITTORIA , FORNAI FRANCESCO , PAPARELLI ANTONIO , NIGRO MARCO
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  Comet assay is a quick and versatile method for assessing DNA damage in individual cells. It allows the detection of single and double DNA strand breaks, as well as the presence of alkali labile sites. DNA breaks may represent the direct effect of some damaging agent, or they may be intermediates in cellular repair. DNA strand breaks may also come from the action of free radicals generated by oxidative stress processes. The present article summarizes some data from our and other groups underlining the suitability of the Comet assay in assessing neurotoxicity and its potential in evaluating drugs of abuse‐related genotoxicity.
A Novel Selective Progesterone Receptor Modulator Asoprisnil Activates Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL)-Mediated Signaling Pathway in Cultured Human Uterine Leiomyoma Cells in the Absence of Comparable Effects on Myometrial Cells
Authors: Sasaki Hiroko , Ohara Noriyuki , Xu Qin , Wang Jiayin , DeManno Deborah A. , Chwalisz Kristof , Yoshida Shigeki , Maruo Takeshi
Published: November 2006

Context: We previously demonstrated that asoprisnil, a selective progesterone receptor modulator, induces apoptosis of cultured uterine leiomyoma cells. This study was conducted to evaluate whether asoprisnil activates TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated apoptotic pathway in cultured uterine leiomyoma and matching myometrial cells.

Objective and Methods: After subculture in phenol red-free DMEM supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum for 120 h, cultured cells were stepped down to serum-free conditions for 24 h in the absence or presence of graded concentrations of asoprisnil. The levels of TRAIL signaling molecules and cellular inhibitors of apoptosis protein were assessed by Western blot analysis.

Results: TRAIL contents in untreated cultured leiomyoma cells were significantly (P < 0.01) lower compared with those in untreated cultured myometrial cells. There was no difference in death receptor (DR)4 and DR5 contents between the two types of cells. Asoprisnil treatment significantly (P < 0.05) increased TRAIL, DR4, and DR5 contents in cultured leiomyoma cells in a dose-dependent manner with a cleavage of caspase-8, -7, and -3, and decreased X-linked chromosome-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein contents. In cultured myometrial cells, however, asoprisnil treatment did not affect either TRAIL signaling molecule or cellular inhibitors of apoptosis protein contents. The concomitant treatment with 100 ng/ml P4 significantly (P < 0.05) reversed asoprisnil-induced increase in DR4 and cleaved poly(adenosine 5′-diphosphate-ribose) polymerase contents in cultured leiomyoma cells.

Conclusions: These results suggest that asoprisnil induces apoptosis of cultured leiomyoma cells by activating TRAIL-mediated apoptotic pathway and down-regulating X-linked chromosome-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein levels in the absence of comparable effects on myometrial cells.
Wide-bore Electrophoresis System with Single Channel Inner-cooling and UV Detection
Authors: Guo Yugao , Liu Danning , Wang Huaifeng , Yuan Ruijuan , Bao James Jianmin
Published: November 2006

A novel, high performance wide-bore electrophoresis (WBE) system with inner cooling has been developed. By introducing the mode of shell and tube heat exchanger into this system to remove Joule heat generated during electrophoresis, it is feasible to extend the conventional capillary electrophoresis tube into wide bore (>1.0 mm ID) diameter. The wider tube allows loading larger volume of sample with improved detection limit. Several separations of model compounds were achieved with relatively satisfactory performance on this device preliminarily. Further work is undergoing.
Persistent Hypercalcemia After Parathyroidectomy in an Adolescent and Effect of Treatment With Cinacalcet HCl
Authors: Henrich Lorin M , Rogol Alan D , D’Amour Pierre , Levine Michael A , Hanks John B , Bruns David E
Published: November 2006

Background: Hyperparathyroidism is uncommon in adolescence and is more likely to persist after parathyroidectomy than in adults. Cinacalcet HCl is a new calcimimetic that has been used successfully for the treatment of primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism in adults, but its use in adolescents has not been reported.

Case: A 16 year-old male presented with hypercalcemia that had persisted for 1.5 years after parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations were nonsupressed despite a mean (SD) serum calcium concentration of 2.82 (0.06) mmol/L. Treatment with cinacalcet HCl was initiated and a pharmacodynamic profile was obtained for serum calcium, phosphorus, and PTH. Cinacalcet HCl normalized serum calcium. The changes in PTH were assay dependent.

Issues: We use this case conference to review the evaluation of hypercalcemia in adolescents, examine the changes in relevant laboratory results during treatment with cinacalcet HCl, and discuss differences among assays for PTH.

Conclusions: Interpretation of PTH results in patients treated with cinacalcet HCl requires consideration of the pharmacodynamic effects of the drug and the nature of the PTH assay.
Observation of out-coupling of a nematicon
Authors: Beeckman J. , Neyts K. , Hutsebaut X. , Haelterman M.
Published: November 2006

In this work we present the observation of spatial optical solitons in liquid crystal cells by recording the diffraction pattern of the out-coupled beam on a distant screen. Simultaneously, the light propagation is observed via scattering measurements. The most important observation is displacement of the beam on the screen due to the transverse undulation inside the cell. This undulation is caused by the anisotropic walk-off of the beam. The displacement is in good agreement with the values of the undulation earlier reported.
Design and simulation of single-electrode liquid crystal phased arrays
Authors: Bellini B. , Geday M. , Bennis N. , Spadło A. , Quintana X. , Otón J. , Dąbrowski R.
Published: November 2006

Liquid crystal (LC) phased arrays and gratings have been employed in optical switching and routing [1]. These diffractive optic elements are of great interest because they can be scaled up to a large number of elements and their optical properties can be electrically addressed with a low driving voltage. LC phase gratings have been achieved either by periodic addressing of pixels or by using periodically-modified structures. The latter approach leads to less reconfigurable devices but the addressing is simpler.

In this paper we focus on optical phased arrays where the phase is varied either continuously or discretely and where the periodicity is induced by electrode configuration. We first describe a possible structure based on a conductive silicon wafer. We argue that this structure can induce either continuously or discretely varying arrays while applying single voltage to the array. In the second part we simulate the behaviour of such arrays. We base the simulation on a LC synthesized at the Military University of Technology, this high-birefringence nematic LC shows in a 4-μm thick cell a linear phase shift range of more than 360° between 1.2 V and 1.8 V. We calculate the distribution of the LC molecule director and assess the performance of the array with respect to the applied voltage. Finally, the relevance of such technology for switchable phased arrays is discussed.
Nonlinear optical properties of composites based on conductive metal-alkanoate liquid crystals
Authors: Bugaychuk S. , Klimusheva G. , Garbovskiy Y. , Mirnaya T. , Ischenko A.
Published: November 2006

The dynamic holography in new composite materials based on a novel class of metal-alkanoate ionic liquid crystals (ILCs) is studied experimentally and theoretically. The composites are formed as a dielectric dye film covered by lyotropic metal-alkanoate ILC and ionic smectic glasses with doped dye molecules. The dynamic gratings are created by nanosecond pulses of double frequency Nd:YAP laser, the recording demonstrates fast erasure time of residual thermal gratings. The nonlinear optical properties are determined by the resonance nonlinearity in photosensitive centres of ILC. Note, that permanent relief gratings will be formed on a dielectric dye film only as well as in composite cells either with nematic LC or with polymers under action of pulsed laser radiation. Lyotropic ILC layer applied over the dye film provides the dynamic regime of grating recording in composite cells. We found a secondary thermal grating is much smaller, the conductive ILC matrix provides effective heat dissipation and erasure of this thermal grating. A theory of Raman-Nath self-diffraction holography on thin films followed from the wave equation and the nonlinear mechanism of absorption saturation is developed to explain experimental results.
Surfactant effect on production of monodispersed microspheres by microchannel emulsification method
Authors: Tong Jihong , Nakajima Mitsutoshi , Nabetani Hiroshi , Kikuchi Yuji
Published: November 2006

Super‐monodispersed oil‐in‐water (O/W) microspheres (MS) were produced using a microchannel (MC) emulsification technique. To investigate the effect of the surfactant on the behavior of the O/W‐MS formation, the MS size and its distribution, various surfactants were used for the MC emulsification process. An MC plate with 8.9 μm equivalent diameter was employed. It was found that the super‐monodispersed O/W‐MS production depends on the type of surfactant used. When nonionic and anionic surfactants were used, supermonodispersed O/W‐MS were produced, and the average droplet diameter was about 30 μm with a standard deviation less than 1 μm. For cationic surfactants, the super‐monodispersed O/W‐MS production was not successful, especially for the case where hydrophobic surfactant was dissolved in the oil phase. The results indicated that it is very important to maintain the hydrophilicity of the MC surface during the MC emulsification process. It is considered that the hydrophilic group of the anionic and nonionic surfactant was repulsed from the negatively charged MC surface so that the hydrophilicity of the MC surface was maintained. Otherwise, adsorption of the positively charged group of the cationic surfactant occurred on the MC surface which improved wetting of the MC surface and deteriorated the MC emulsification process. The analysis was supported by contact angle measurement.
Wettability and surface free energy of bovine serum albumin films
Authors: Białopiotrowicz Tomasz , Jańczuk Bronisław
Published: November 2006

Measurements of the contact angle for water, glycerol, formamide, ethylene glycol, and diiodomethane on polymethyl methacrylate covered by adsorptive bovine serum albumin (BSA) films were made. Adsorption was performed from solutions in the concentration range 0–100 g/L. From the obtained contact angles the Lifshitz‐van der Waals components and the values of the electron‐acceptor and electrondonor parameters of the acid‐based components of the films were calculated for six triplets of liquids. The biggest changes in the BSA film structure occurred under a monolayer coverage (i.e., at BSA concentrations of <2.5 g/L). On the basis of the contact angles of glycerol, ethylene glycol, and formamide it was concluded that the density of BSA polar groups was almost constant. The surface density of the hydrophobic part of the BSA film also seemed constant regardless of the concentration of the solution from which the BSA adsorptive film was created. This conclusion could be drawn from the almost constant contact angle of diiodomethane.
Synthesis and characterization of maltose fatty acid monoesters as biosurfactants
Authors: Allen Douglas K. , Tao Bernard Y.
Published: November 2006

Maltose long‐chain fatty acid esters (MFAE), esterified at the 6 and 6′ position, were synthesized with stearic, palmitic, myristic, and oleic groups. Synthesis yields were 15–20% based on initial maltose present, and structural confirmation was obtained using plasma desorption mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These surfactants have surface tensions in the range of 34–36 dyn/cm at their critical micelle concentrations (CMC) of approximately 10−5–10−6 mol/L. The increased chain lengths have a marked effect, reducing CMC values for MFAE by approximately three orders of magnitude over similar carbohydrate‐based dodecyl chain sources. Within chain lengths between 14 and 18 carbons, the rate of change in CMC is significant and decreases with increasing chain length for MFAE. The melting points of MFAE are approximately 40°C, and the heat capacities range from 1.6 to 1.9 J/g·K. These numbers are comparable to those of sucrose esters, indicating their applicability in similar uses. However, because MFAE, unlike sucrose, possess an anomeric carbohydrate carbon position, these surfactants maintain their reducing nature and are susceptible to further derivatization. They are also synthesized from renewable, economical carbohydrates and lipids and may provide an excellent alternative to pertrochemical‐derived products.
Phase behavior and structural properties for the triton X‐100/n‐CnH2n+1COOH/H2O system
Authors: Shen Ming , Guo Rong
Published: November 2006

In the Triton X‐100/n‐CnH2n+1COOH/H2O system,n‐CnH2n+1COOH can be used as a cosurfactant. As its chain length increases, the regions of the microemulsions showing oil‐in‐water (O/W), water‐in‐oil (W/O), and bicontinuous structures decrease and at the same time, the region of the lamellar liquid crystal increases. In the O/W region, the distribution coefficientKofn‐CnH2n+1COOH between Triton X‐100 micellar phase and water phase increases with the chain length of saturated unbranched monocarboxylic acid. The relationship between the standard solubilization Gibbs free energy of saturated unbranched monocarboxylic acid and the number of methylene groups in the saturated unbranched monocarboxylic acid is given by the equation: ΔGm0=−2.364−2.818n(CH2) kJ·mol−1in the Triton X‐100 micellar system. In the lamellar liquid crystal region, small‐angle X‐ray diffraction shows that the thickness of the bilayerd0is independent of the weight ratio ofn‐CnH2n+1COOH to Triton X‐100, but the volume of the solvent penetrating from the solvent layer to the amphiphilic bilayer increases with the weight ratio ofn‐CnH2n+1COOH to Triton X‐100. Furthermore, thed0value increases with the chain length of saturated unbranched monocarboxylic acid, which will contribute to the formation and stabilization of the lamellar liquid crystal.
Linker‐modified microemulsions for a variety of oils and surfactants
Authors: Acosta Edgar , Mai Phuong Do , Harwell Jeffrey H. , Sabatini David A.
Published: November 2006

Previously, we reported on the use of hydrophilic and lipophilic linker molecules to enhance the solubilization capacity of chlorinated hydrocarbons using sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate (SDHS). In this work we extend the use of linker molecules to a wider range of oils and surfactants. The data show that the linker effect works for all the systems studied and that linker‐based systems are even more economical than surfactant‐only systems for more hydrophobic oils. Using a more hydrophobic surfactant, such as sodium bis(2‐ethyl)dihexyl sulfosuccinate (Aerosol‐OT), requires a formulation enriched with a hydrophilic linker, whereas the formulation for the more hydrophilic SDHS requires the use of a more lipophilic linker. By considering the properties and appearance of the formulation before contacting with the oil, and by evaluation the coalescence dynamics, we found that hydrophilic linker‐rich formulations were preferred. These formulations were tested as fabric pretreatments for removing motor oil and hexadecane from cotton, and as flushing solutions for glass bead columns contaminated with these oils. The cleaning performance of these linker‐based systems was superior to common surfactant and pretreatment formulations in the detergency tests, achieving more than 80% removal of motor oil and hexadecane trapped in the packed‐column flushing tests.
Mixtures of anionic and cationic surfactants with single and twin head groups: Adsorption and precipitation studies
Authors: Fuangswasdi A. , Charoensaeng A. , Sabatini D. A. , Scamehorn J. F. , Acosta E. J. , Osathaphan K. , Khaodhiar S.
Published: November 2006

This research reports on the adsorption and precipitation of mixtures of anionic and cationic surfactants having single and twin head groups. The surfactant mixtures investigated were: (i) a single‐head anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), in a mixture with the twin‐head cationic surfactant pentamethyl‐octadecyl‐1,3‐propane diammonium dichloride (PODD)—adsorption was studied on negatively charged silica; and (ii) a twin‐head anionic surfactant, sodium hexadecyl‐diphenyloxide disulfonate (SHDPDS), and the single‐head cationic surfactant dodecylpyridinium chloride (DPCI)—adsorption was studied on positively charged alumina. Whereas the mixed surfactant system of SHDPDS/DPCI showed adsorption on alumina that was comparable to the of SHDPDS alone, the mixed surfactant system of SDS/PODD showed increased adsorption on silica as compared with PODD alone. The adsorption of the SDS/PODD mixture increased as the anionic and cationic system approached an equimolar ratio. Precipitation diagrams for mixtures of single‐ and twin‐head surfactant systems showed smaller precipitation areas than for single‐head‐only surfactant mixtures. Thus, the combination of single‐ and double‐head surfactants helps reduce the precipitation region and can increase the adsorption levels, although the magnitude of the effect is a function of the specific surfactants used.
Use of high‐active alpha olefin sulfonates in laundry powders
Authors: Raney Kirk H. , Shpakoff Paul G. , Passwater Deborah K.
Published: November 2006

Alpha olefin sulfonates (AOS) have been used successfully for many years in laundry and personal‐care products throughout Asia. Among their documented positive attributes are good cleaning and high foaming in both soft and hard water, rapid biodegradability, and good skin mildness. AOS has commonly been marketed as approximately 40%‐active aqueous solutions. However, with the increased importance of compact powder detergents produced by processes other than spray drying, high‐active forms of AOS including 70%‐active pastes and 90+%‐active powders are now being utilized for that product sector. In this regard, the rheological properties of non‐Newtonian AOS and AOS/additive pastes at relevant process temperatures were measured and found potentially suitable for agglomeration processes. Also, the relationship of AOS powder particle size to surfactant solubility at various wash conditions was examined to allow determination of the optimal size for both detergency and processing of laundry powders. Both paste rheology and powder morphology are critical factors for the successful use of high‐active AOS in compact powder detergents.
Aging of oily soils on textiles. Chemical changes upon oxidation and interaction with textile fibers
Authors: Chi Yong‐Seung , Kay Obendorf S.
Published: November 2006

Aging of unsaturated oily soils on textile materials produces yellow compounds that are difficult to remove by washing. To investigate changes that occur in oily soils when aged, the aging of squalene and artificial sebum were studied. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance, infrated spectroscopy, gas chromatography, and gel permeation chromatography studies showed that oily soils were oxidized upon aging, forming low molecular weight products that also polymerized to higher molecular weight compounds with prolonged aging. The oxidation products contained hydroxyl, carbonyl, or ester groups. Oxidation compounds with yellow chromophores appeared to be mostly those of the 1000–2500 molecular weight fraction; though in earlier, stages of aging, lower molecular weight fractions also contained chromophores. By using glucose as a model compound of cellulose, it was found that yellow oxidation products of aged squalene were covalently bound to the substrate. Because the aging of oily soils is a free‐radical oxidation process, oxidation products having chromophores are thought to attach to the cotton substrate through radical coupling. Oily soils also showed possibilities of chemical bonding with nylon but not with polyester.
Formation kinetics and stability of surfactant vesicles
Authors: Zhang Zhiqiang , Ganzuo Li , Patel Ramesh , Friberg Stig E. , Aikens Patricia A.
Published: November 2006

A three‐component phase diagram of a system containing water, dimethyl isosorbide and Laureth 4 (Brij® 30), a commercial surfactant, was determined, and the kinetics of vesicle formation from dilution with water of the hydrotrope solution was studied using a stop‐flow process in conjunction with light‐scattering determinations. The phase diagram consisted of a large microemulsion phase and a lamellar liquid crystalline region. Results from the stop‐flow/light‐scattering determinations were tentatively interpreted using the Aniansson‐Kahlweit‐Zana theory of micellar relaxation for a system close to equilibrium. The interpretation indicated the vesicles to be formed by monomolecular buildup for surfactant concentrations less than 5%, while for vesicles formed at greater concentrations an agglomeration of vesicle fractions appeared more reasonable.
Purification, molecular cloning, and expression of the gene encoding fatty acid 13‐hydroperoxide lyase from guava fruit (Psidium guajava)
Authors: Tijet Nathalie , Wäspi Urs , Gaskin Duncan J. H. , Hunziker Peter , Muller Bernard L. , Vulfson Evgeny N. , Slusarenko Alan , Brash Alan R. , Whitehead Ian M.
Published: November 2006

Guava fruit was identified as a particularly rich source of 13‐hydroperoxide lyase activity. The enzyme proved stable to chromatographic procedures and was purified to homogeneity. Based on gel filtration and gel electrophoresis, the native enzyme appears to be a homotetramer with subunits of 55 kD. Starting with primers based on the peptide sequence, the enzyme was cloned by polymerase chain reaction with 3′ and 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The sequence shows approximately 60–70% identity to known 13‐hydroperoxide lyases and is classified in cytochrome P450 74B subfamily as CYP74B5. The cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli (BL21 cells), with optimal enzyme activity obtained in the absence of isopropyl‐β‐d‐thiogalactopyranoside and σ‐aminolevulinic acid. The expressed enzyme metabolized 13(S)‐hydroperoxylinolenic acid over 10‐fold faster than 13(S)‐hydroperoxylinoleic acid and the 9‐hydroperoxides of linoleic and linolenic acids. 13(S)‐Hydroperoxylinolenic acid was converted to 12‐oxododec‐9(Z)‐enoic acid and 3(Z)‐hexenal, as identified by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. The turnover number with this substrate, with enzyme concentration estimated from the Soret absorbance, was≈2000/s, comparable to values reported for the related allene oxide synthases. Distinctive features of the guava 13‐hydroperoxide lyase and related cytochrome P450 are discussed.
Do glycerolipids display lateral heterogeneity in the thylakoid membrane?
Authors: Duchêne Sylvie , Siegenthaler Paul‐André
Published: November 2006

The lateral heterogeneity of lipids in the thylakoid membrane has been questioned for over 20 yrs. It is generally believed that glycerolipids are asymmetrically distributed within the plane of the membrane. In the present investigation, we isolated several thylakoid membrane domains by using sonication followed by separation in an aqueous dextran‐polyethylene glycol two‐phase system. This technique, which avoids detergent treatments, allowed us to obtain stroma and grana lamellae vesicles as well as grana central core and grana margin vesicles from thylakoids. The relative distribution of the four lipid classes, i.e., monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol, sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol, and phosphatidylglycerol, was found to be statistically identical in all four thylakoid fractions and in whole thylakoids. Similarly, the relative amount of fatty acids in each individual lipid and the eight main phosphatidylglycerol molecular species was identical in all thylakoid membrane fractions tested as well as in the intact thylakoid membrane. Based on presently available procedures for obtaining thylakoid subfractions that are unable to discriminate microdomains within the membrane, it is concluded that glycerolipids are evenly distributed within the plane of the thylakoid membrane. These data are discussed in terms of “bulk” and “specific” lipids.
Effect of low‐to‐moderate amounts of dietary fish oil on neutrophil lipid composition and function
Authors: Healy D. A. , Wallace F. A. , Miles E. A. , Calder P. C. , Newsholme P.
Published: November 2006

Although essential to host defense, neutrophils are also involved in numerous inflammatory disorders including rheumatoid arthritis. Dietary supplementation with relatively large amounts of fish oil [containing >2.6 g eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus 1.4 g docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per day] can attenuate neutrophil functions such as chemotaxis and superoxide radical production. In this study, the effects of more moderate supplementation with fish oil on neutrophil lipid composition and function were investigated. The rationale for using lower supplementary doses of fish oil was to avoid adverse gastrointestinal problems, which have been observed at high supplementary concentrations of fish oil. Healthy male volunteers aged <40 yr were randomly assigned to consume one of six dietary supplements daily for 12 wk (n=8 per treatment group). The dietary supplements included four different concentrations of fish oil (the most concentrated fish oil provided 0.58 g EPA plus 1.67 g DHA per day), linseed oil, and a placebo oil. The percentages of EPA and DHA increased (both P<0.05) in neutrophil phospholipids in a dose‐dependent manner after 4 wk of supplementation with the three most concentrated fish oil supplements. No further increases in EPA or DHA levels were observed after 4 wk. The percentage of arachidonic acid in neutrophil phospholipids decreased (P<0.05) after 12 wk supplementation with the linseed oil supplement or the two most concentrated fish oil supplements. There were no significant changes in N‐formyl‐met‐leu‐phe‐induced chemotaxis and superoxide radical production following the dietary supplementations. In conclusion, low‐to‐moderate amounts of dietary fish oil can be used to manipulate neutrophil fatty acid composition. However, this may not be accompanied by modulation of neutrophil functions such as chemotaxis and superoxide radical production.
Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation in humans: Effects on circulating leptin concentrations and appetite
Authors: Medina Edward A. , Horn William F. , Keim Nancy L. , Havel Peter J. , Benito Paloma , Kelley Darshan S. , Nelson Gary J. , Erickson Kent L.
Published: November 2006

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been demonstrated to reduce body fat in animals. However, the mechanism by which this reduction occurs is unknown. Leptin may mediate the effect of CLA to decrease body fat. We assessed the effects of 64 d of CLA supplementation (3 g/d) on circulating leptin, insulin, glucose, and lactate concentrations in healthy women. Appetite was assessed as a physiological correlate of changes in circulating leptin levels. Analysis of plasma leptin concentrations adjusted for adiposity by using fat mass as a covariate showed that CLA supplementation significantly decreased circulating leptin concentrations in the absence of any changes of fat mass. Mean leptin levels decreased over the first 7 wk and then returned to baseline levels over the last 2 wk of the study in the CLA‐treated group. Appetite parameters measured at around the time when the greatest decreases in leptin levels were observed showed no significant differences between supplementation and baseline determinations in the CLA‐supplemented group or between the CLA and placebo‐supplemented groups. There was a nonsignificant trend for mean insulin levels to increase toward the end of the supplementation period in CLA‐treated subjects. CLA did not affect plasma glucose and lactate over the treatment period. Thus, 64 d of CLA supplementation in women produced a transient decrease in leptin levels but did not alter appetite. CLA did not affect these parameters in a manner that promoted decreases of adiposity.
Perinatal characteristics may influence the outcome of visual acuity
Authors: Makrides Maria , Neumann Mark A. , Gibson Robert A.
Published: November 2006

Visual‐evoked potential (VEP) acuity has been used to assess the effects of dietary fats on the integrity of the visual pathway of infants. We investigated prognostic determinants of VEP acuity at 16 wk of age. The results of two randomized dietary intervention trials designed to assess the effect of dietary fatty acids on the visual development of term infants were combined. At entry to both trials (∼day 5 of life), a blood sample to assess polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) status was collected along with sociodemographic and perinatal characteristics. At 16±0.9 wk of age, infants underwent VEP testing to measure acuity. There was no effect of dietary treatment on these outcomes within or between trials. Multiple linear regression models were constructed to investigate the effect of perinatal and nutritional variables at study entry on VEP acuity of 185 infants. Higher birth weight was associated with an ability to resolve smaller checkerboard patterns [r2=0.05; 95% confidence interval (Cl), −0.10, −0.04 log units]. Male gender (r2=0.03; 95% Cl, 0.01, 0.07 log units), day 5 plasma 22∶5n−6 (r2=0.04; 95% Cl, 0.02, 0.20 log units), day 5 red cell membrane 20∶3n−9 (r2=0.03; 95% Cl, 0.03, 0.13 log units), and the number of smokers in the household (r2=0.02; 95% Cl, 0.00, 0.04 log units) were all associated with poorer VEP acuity scores. It is possible that a combination of perinatal factors could accumulate to either mask or enhance effects of diet on VEP acuity, given the relatively modest effects of long‐chain PUFA on visual outcome.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids and cerebral function: Focus on monoaminergic neurotransmission
Authors: Chalon Sylvie , Vancassel Sylvie , Zimmer Luc , Guilloteau Denis , Durand Georges
Published: November 2006

More and more reports in recent years have shown that the intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) constitutes an environmental factor able to act on the central nervous system (CNS) function. We recently demonstrated that the effects of PUFA on behavior can be mediated through effects on the monoaminergic neurotransmission processes. Supporting this proposal, we showed that chronic dietary deficiency in α‐linolenic acid in rats induces abnormalities in several parameters of the mesocortical and mesolimbic dopaminergic systems. In both systems, the pool of dopamine stored in presynaptic vesicles is strongly decreased. This may be due to a decrease in the number of vesicles. In addition, several other factors of dopaminergic neurotransmission are modified according to the system affected. The mesocortical system seems to be hypofunctional overall [e.g., decreased basal release of dopamine (DA) and reduced levels of dopamine D2 (DAD2) receptors]. In contrast, the mesolimbic system seems to be hyperfunctional overall (e.g., increased basal release of DA and increased levels of DAD2 receptors). These neurochemical changes are in agreement with modifications of behavior already described with this deficiency. The precise mechanisms explaining the effects of PUFA on neurotransmission remain to be clarified. For example, modifications of physical properties of the neuronal membrane, effects on proteins (receptors, transporters) enclosed in the membrane, and effects on gene expression and/or transcription might occur. Whatever the mechanism, it is therefore assumed that interactions exist among PUFA, neurotransmission, and behavior. This might be related to clinical findings. Indeed, deficits in the peripheral amounts of PUFA have been described in subjects suffering from neurological and psychiatric disorders. Involvement of the monoaminergic neurotransmission function has been demonstrated or hypothesized in several of these diseases. It can therefore be proposed that functional links exist among PUFA status, neurotransmission processes, and behavioural disorders in humans. Animal models are tools of choice for the understanding of such links. Improved prevention and complementary treatment of neurological and psychiatric diseases can be expected from these studies.
Metabolism and functions of highly unsaturated fatty acids: An update
Authors: Nakamura Manabu T. , Cho Hyekyung P. , Xu Jing , Tang Zhongren , Clarke Steven D.
Published: November 2006

This review briefly examines the recent progress in knowledge about the synthesis and degradation of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) and their functions. Following the cloning of mammalian Δ6‐desaturase (D6D), the D6D mRNA was found in many tissues, including adult brain, maternal organs, and fetal tissue, suggesting an active synthesis of HUFA in these tissues. The cloning also confirmed the long‐postulated hypothesis that the same pathway is followed in n−6 and n−3 HUFA synthesis. Dietary n−6 and n−3 HUFA both induce fatty acid oxidation enzymes in peroxisomes when compared to their respective precursor polyunsaturated fatty acids. This suggests that peroxisomes may be the primary site of HUFA degradation when HUFA are supplied in excess from the diet. Peroxisome proliferators strongly induce the enzymes for the HUFA synthesis. The mechanism of this induction is currently unknown. Recent studies revealed new HUFA functions that are not mediated by eicosanoids. These functions include endocytosis/exocytosis, ionchannel modulation, DNA polymerase inhibition, and regulation of gene expression. These new discoveries will enable us to reexamine the underlying mechanisms for the classical symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency as well as vitamin E deficiency. Progress has also been made in understanding the mechanism by which dietary HUFA reduce body fat deposition. One mechanism is induction of genes for fatty acid oxidation, which is mediated by peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐α. Another likely mechanism is that HUFA suppress genes for fatty acid synthesis by reducing both mRNA and protein maturation of sterol regulatory element binding protein‐1.
Issues concerning the monitoring of statin therapy in hypercholesterolemic subjects with high plasma lipoprotein (a) levels
Authors: Scanu Angelo M. , Hinman Janet
Published: November 2006

Most studies on the topic have shown that statin therapy decreases plasma LDL levels but not those of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]. This specificity of action, although previously noted, has not been systematically investigated. In the current study we approached this problem by monitoring LDL‐ and Lp(a) cholesterol in 80 hypercholesterolemic subjects with high Lp(a) levels, at entry and 8 mon after initiation of statin therapy. We found that commonly used direct and indirect LDL cholesterol assays gave an LDL cholesterol value that comprised both true LDL‐ and Lp(a) cholesterol. We estimated these two analytes from the values of Lp(a) protein determined by FLISA and from knowledge of the Lp(a) chemical composition, complemented by data from immunochemical and ultracentrifugal analyses. Statin therapy, while not affecting plasma Lp(a) protein levels (21.7±10.4, before, and 22.0±10.1 mg/dL, after), caused a decrease in the estimated or true LDL cholesterol (P<0.0001) to values in some cases as low as 10 mg/dL. This drop in true LDL was validated by the decrease in the LDL band in the ultracentrifugation profiles, and its magnitude was proportional to the degree of total cholesterol lowering and to the pretreatment true LDL/Lp(a) cholesterol weight ratio. We conclude that true LDL but not Lp(a) cholesterol is affected by statin therapy and that this specific response cannot be monitored by current LDL cholesterol assays and must, rather, rely on estimates of these two analytes.