bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of a dietary record using reported portion size versus standard portion size for assessing nutrient intake
Authors: Welten Desiree C , Carpenter Ruth A , McPherson R Sue , Brodney Suzanne , Douglass Deirdre , Kampert James B , Blair Steven N
Published: June 2008

Objective

Because the percentage of missing portion sizes was large in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study (ACLS), careful consideration of the accuracy of standard portion sizes was necessary. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the consequences of using standard portion sizes instead of reported portion sizes on subjects' nutrient intake.

Methods

In 2307 men and 411 women, nutrient intake calculated from a 3-day dietary record using reported portion sizes was compared with nutrient intake calculated from the same record in which standard portion sizes were substituted for reported portion sizes.

Results

The standard portion sizes provided significantly lower estimates (> 20%) of energy and nutrient intakes than the reported portion sizes. Spearman correlation coefficients obtained by the two methods were high, ranging from 0.67 to 0.93. Furthermore, the agreement between both methods was fairly good. Thus, in the ACLS the use of standard portion sizes rather than reported portion sizes did not appear to be suitable to assess the absolute intake at the group level, but appeared to lead to a good ranking of individuals according to nutrient intake. These results were confirmed by the Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals (CSFII), in which the assessment of the portion size was optimal. When the standard portion sizes were adjusted using the correction factor, the ability of the standard portion sizes to assess the absolute nutrient intake at the group level was considerably improved.

Conclusions

This study suggests that the adjusted standard portion sizes may be able to replace missing portion sizes in the ACLS database.
Predicting under- and overnutrition among women of reproductive age: a population-based study in central Java, Indonesia
Authors: Winkvist Anna , Nurdiati Detty Siti , Stenlund Hans , Hakimi Mohammad
Published: June 2008

Objectives

To evaluate changes over 1 year in weight and body mass index (BMI) among a population-based sample of non-pregnant women in Indonesia and to identify risk factors for developing under- and overnutrition.

Design

Cross-sectional studies in 1996 and 1997 in the same population.

Setting

Purworejo District, central Java, Indonesia.

Subjects

Non-pregnant women (n = 4132) aged 15–49 years of age who participated in both 1996 and 1997. Based on BMI, women were classified as having chronic energy deficiency (CED), and as being either of normal weight or obese.

Results

The mean height of the women was below the fifth percentile of international standards. In 1996, 16.2% had CED, 72.2% were normal and 11.6% were obese. In 1997, the corresponding figures were 14.4%, 71.2% and 14.3%, respectively, revealing a significant mean increase in weight and BMI. Among women classified as normal in 1996, 3.0% developed CED in 1997. Significant risk factors for developing CED were experiences of child deaths and non-use of contraceptives. Among women classified as normal in 1996, 5.3% developed obesity in 1997. Here, significant risk factors included most indicators of wealth as well as occupation.

Conclusions

The results should be important for future efforts to prevent CED and obesity in the general population; conditions which are both associated with health risks.
Types of drinks consumed by infants at 4 and 8 months of age: a descriptive study
Authors: Emmett Pauline , North Kate , Noble Sian ,   ALSPAC Study Team
Published: June 2008

Objective

To document the type and volume of drinks given to infants and investigate whether giving supplementary drinks leads to reduced milk consumption.

Design

Carers were asked to record all drinks consumed by the infants in a 24-hour period at two ages, detailing the types and volume taken.

Setting

The Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ALSPAC).

Subjects

A randomly chosen population sample of over 1000 infants at 4 and 8 months of age.

Results

The different types of milk feed were used to group infants, compare volumes consumed and look at the use of non-milk drinks. The average volume of drinks consumed over 24 hours at 4 months was 861 ml and at 8 months was 662 ml. At 4 months 69.7% consumed infant formula and 43.0% breast milk. The mean volume of milk consumed by those having only formula was 802 ml and for those having only breast milk was estimated at 850 ml. The volumes of milks consumed were slightly lower in the groups who also had supplementary drinks. A quarter of infants were given fruit drinks and 14.6% herbal drinks. Supplementary drinks and solids were more likely to be given to formula-fed than breast-fed infants. At 8 months, formula milk was consumed by 71.4% and breast milk use had decreased (22.9%) but fruit drink use had increased (squash/cordial: 55.8%, fruit juice: 14.9%), with 13.9% of infants having no infant milk at all. More infants were fed formula milk and less were fed cows' milk compared with a nationally representative British study conducted 5 years earlier.

Conclusions

Many infants were given supplementary drinks by 4 months; there is some evidence that this led to a small reduction in milk intake. A minority were not being given infant milks at all by 8 months, contrary to British infant feeding recommendations.
Breast-feeding in sub-Saharan Africa: outlook for 2000
Authors: Walker Alexander RP , Adam Fatima I
Published: June 2008

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stressed that 1.5 million infants die annually, unnecessarily, from deprival or from insufficiency of breast milk. Hence, the need for its maximal use, very particularly in impoverished populations, such as those in sub-Saharan Africa. In many developed populations, a generation ago the practice was very low, but now it has risen considerably. In contrast, in Africa and in most developing populations, despite the far greater need for breast-feeding, the practice is tending to decrease, especially among urban mothers. While the most common reasons given concern insufficiency of breast milk and employment of mothers, the latter, especially urban mothers, are under strong and increasing pressure to use proprietary replacement foods. These are often made up unsatisfactorily and are contaminated. Also influential are the often less than enthusiastic, and confusing, attitudes of staff at clinics and hospitals, albeit, due in part to their very heavy workloads. Additionally, there is societyp's relatively indifferent attitude to breast-feeding. Currently, a hugely adverse factor is the danger of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transference from seropositive mothers to their infants – in some African countries almost half of antenatal mothers are infected. Chances of early control of the infection are remote. However, apart from this danger, and from the pressure from replacement food companies, the outlook for breast-feeding practice in many African countries is unlikely to improve significantly until greater encouragement is given from State, local and other health authorities.
Diet quality of young children who received nutrition education promoting lower dietary fat†
Authors: Dixon Lori Beth , Tershakovec Andrew M , McKenzie Jeannie , Shannon Barbara
Published: June 2008

Objective

To evaluate the impact of nutrition education promoting lower dietary fat on the overall diet quality in children using a multidimensional index that measures nutrient and food intakes in relation to US dietary recommendations.

Design

Prospective cohort study with two intervention and two control groups. Children with elevated low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were randomized to one of two intervention groups or an at-risk control group. The intervention children received either the parent–child autotutorial (PCAT) programme, a 10-week home-based self-instruction nutrition education programme, or nutrition counselling from a registered dietitian. Children with non-elevated plasma cholesterol formed the not-at-risk control group. Dietary and blood data were collected at baseline and at 3 months.

Setting

Paediatric practices in suburbs north of Philadelphia, PA.

Subjects

Two hundred and twenty-seven 4–10-year-old children with elevated LDL cholesterol between the 80th and 98th percentiles, and 76 age- and gender-matched children with non-elevated plasma cholesterol, were studied.

Results

Children who received PCAT or counselling significantly improved their overall diet quality (−0.6 and −0.4 change in diet quality index (DQI) scores) compared with at-risk control children. Children who received either form of nutrition education were more likely to meet the recommendations for three components of the DQI (total fat, saturated fat, sodium) (OR <1.7), but did not improve their intakes of three components of the DQI (vegetables and fruits, complex carbohydrates, calcium) at 3 months.

Conclusions

Nutrition education promoting lower dietary fat improved children's overall diet quality. However, several dietary behaviours important for long-term health remained unchanged.
Differences in fat-related dietary patterns between black, Hispanic and white women: results from the Women's Health Trial Feasibility Study in Minority Populations
Authors: Kristal Alan R , Shattuck Ann L , Patterson Ruth E
Published: June 2008

Objective

This report examines how sources of fat and patterns of fat-related dietary habits differed between black, Hispanic and white women participating in a randomized trial of a low-fat diet intervention.

Design

The intervention consisted of group sessions, which met weekly for 6 weeks, biweekly for 6 weeks and monthly for 9 months, and included didactic nutrition education and activities to provide motivation for sustained dietary change. Outcomes included total fat and fat from nine food groups from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and a summary scale and five subscales that measure fat-related dietary habits.

Setting/subjects

Data are from 1702 post-menopausal women, recruited from clinical centres in Atlanta, Birmingham and Miami, with dietary assessments at baseline and 6 months post-randomization.

Results

Total fat intake was similar across race/ethnic groups at baseline, yet there were many differences in sources of fat and fat-related dietary habits. For example, blacks consumed less fat from dairy foods and more fat from meats than whites. Effects of the intervention on total fat intake or the summary fat-related dietary habits scale did not differ across race/ethnicity groups. There were, however, many differences in how the intervention affected sources of fat and fat-related dietary habits. For example, the intervention effect for added fats (e.g. butter and salad dressings) was −8.9 g for blacks and −12.0 g for whites (P< 0.05). The intervention effect for adopting low-fat meat purchasing and preparation methods was larger for blacks than whites, and the intervention effect for replacing high-fat foods with fruits and vegetables was larger for Hispanics than whites.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that, if properly designed, a single nutrition intervention programme can work well even in groups with culturally diverse dietary patterns.
Physical activity and nutrition in older adults
Authors: Dontas AS , Moschandreas J , Kafatos A
Published: June 2008

Physical activity and nutrient intake are important determinants of health throughout life. Many of the alterations in physiological structure and function that occur with age may result from disuse and disability as well as from diets deficient in energy, protein or other specific nutrients. Although a healthy diet can provide significant health benefits, diet alone, is not sufficient to provide optimal health, nor protect us from the hazards of sedentary habits. Nor is physical activity alone. The ideal combines sufficient exercise and a healthy diet.
Specifying the antecedents of breast-feeding duration in Peru through a structural equation model
Authors: Pérez-Escamilla Rafael , Cobas José A , Balcazar Hector , Benin Mary Holland
Published: June 2008

Objective:

To examine the effects of socioeconomic status and biocultural variables (planned pregnancy, prenatal care, timing of initiation of breast-feeding and caesarean section delivery) on breast-feeding duration in Peru using structural equation models.

Design and setting:

Structural equation models were analysed with LISREL using data from the 1991–92 Peruvian Demographic and Health Survey.

Subjects:

Models were tested among 6020 women whose last child was born within 5 years of the survey and among 2711 women whose last child was born 2–5 years preceding the survey.

Results:

Unplanned pregnancy and socioeconomic status had a negative influence on breast-feeding duration. Prenatal care was positively associated with the timing of breast-feeding initiation in both samples and with breast-feeding duration in the whole sample. The timing of breast-feeding initiation was inversely associated with breast-feeding duration only in the sample of older children.

Conclusions:

These results imply that an unplanned pregnancy, a delayed breast-feeding initiation, and higher socioeconomic status are risk factors for an earlier discontinuation of breast-feeding through complex mechanisms involving direct and indirect effects.
Introduction: The Governance of Activation
Authors: van Berkel Rik , Borghi Vando
Published: June 2008

This article introduces the central topic of the thematic section of this issue: the governance of activation. It applies the concept of governance to new service provision models and considers why this is a relevant issue for social policy scholars. Then, it provides a brief discussion of several aspects of the new service provision models that are being introduced all over Europe, where income protection schemes and activation policies are concerned. Finally, it introduces the other articles in the thematic section.
Quasi-Markets in Employment Policy: Do They Deliver on Promises?
Authors: Bredgaard Thomas , Larsen Flemming
Published: June 2008

This article focuses on the contracting-out of Public Employments Services. Quasi-markets promise to deliver more efficient, effective and de-bureaucratised employment services. By comparing experiences from Holland, Australia and Denmark we investigate whether quasi-markets deliver on promises. Quasi-market models have difficulties in living up to the preconditions for a well-functioning market and political expectations. Efficiency gains and cost-savings are still largely unknown. Instead it is clear that quasi-markets create a new type of employment policy, and new conditions for governing the labour market and employment policy. Clouded in the ‘technical’ language of improved efficiency and effectiveness, such changes are often neglected and depoliticised.
Inter-agency Co-operation in Activation: Comparing Experiences in Three Vanguard ‘Active’ Welfare States
Authors: Lindsay Colin , McQuaid Ronald W.
Published: June 2008

New forms of inter-agency co-operation have gained increasing prominence in the development and delivery of activation strategies. This article compares different models of inter-agency co-operation, drawing on case study research in Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK. The different models have reported variations in performance when delivering on the key benefits often attributed to effective inter-agency co-operation. The article raises concerns that the process of contracting-out in activation has at times conflicted with attempts to improve co-operation between agencies, while the increasing dominance of purchaser–provider relations can undermine progress towards ‘shared ownership’ of activation policies and effective partnership-working.
A QuikSCAT climatology of ocean surface winds in the Nordic seas: Identification of features and comparison with the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis
Authors: Kolstad E. W.
Published: June 2008

High‐resolution satellite‐derived QuikSCAT ocean surface wind data are used to provide an 8‐year climatology of average as well as below‐ and above‐average winds in the Nordic seas. A number of localized wind speed maxima are identified, with average wintertime wind speeds exceeding 14 m s−1 in the Denmark Strait. Five distinct wind speed nadirs are also discovered, of which the two most pronounced are located in the Greenland Sea. In the second part of the paper, two data sets derived from the National Centers for Environmental Protection/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) reanalysis are found to concur well with QuikSCAT in terms of both low‐frequency (monthly means) and high‐frequency (daily means) variability. Correlation coefficients between QuikSCAT and reanalysis daily and monthly mean wind speed are around 0.9, but notable and systematic differences are also identified. Root mean square differences between QuikSCAT and reanalysis of daily mean wind speed averaged over four separate regions range from 1.11 to 1.81 m s−1, and from 0.75 to 1.00 m s−1 for monthly means. Furthermore, a correspondence between the ocean surface wind speed and five teleconnection indices, of which the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the Scandinavian pattern are the most important, is found.
Laboratory study of the frictional rheology of sheared till
Authors: Rathbun Andrew P. , Marone Chris , Alley Richard B. , Anandakrishnan Sridhar
Published: June 2008

Deformation of till produces power law creep for low strain at stresses high enough to cause permanent deformation but below the shear strength. Experiments were conducted on till (a mixed size granular material) from Matanuska Glacier, Alaska, and the Scioto (Ohio) Lobe of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (Caesar till). We deformed till in double direct shear under fixed shear velocity or shear stress (creep). Normal stress ranged from 50 kPa to 5 MPa at shearing rates ranging from 1 to 300 μm/s for 1 cm thick samples. Creep was induced via small step perturbations in stress. Fabric development within till layers was investigated by varying shear strain prior to creep tests. In velocity‐controlled experiments, till deforms as a nearly Coulomb plastic material with slight velocity strengthening, corresponding to a stress exponent, n > 60. Creep experiments conducted well below the shear strength indicate lower n values, increasing as shear stress increases. With increasing initial strain and inferred fabric development, the creep strain rate decreases while n increases. Experiments at a normal stress of 1 MPa and no initial strain show n = 6.8, increasing to n = 17.5 at higher shear strains; however, strain rate was still decreasing and thus these values represent maximum estimates. Our data show that in the absence of dilatant hardening till exhibits rate sensitivity at strain of order 1 or less. At low strains, n likely depends on consolidation state, permeability, and dilation. Deformation is nearly rate insensitive (Coulomb plastic) at shear stress near the shear strength or at high strain.
Magnetic fluctuations and turbulence in the Venus magnetosheath and wake
Authors: Vörös Z. , Zhang T. L. , Leubner M. P. , Volwerk M. , Delva M. , Baumjohann W. , Kudela K.
Published: June 2008

Recent research has shown that distinct physical regions in the Venusian induced magnetosphere are recognizable from the variations of strength and of wave/fluctuation activity of the magnetic field. In this paper the statistical properties of magnetic fluctuations are investigated in the Venusian magnetosheath, terminator, and wake regions. The latter two regions were not visited by previous missions. We found 1/f fluctuations in the magnetosheath, large‐scale structures near the terminator and more developed turbulence further downstream in the wake. Location independent short‐tailed non‐Gaussian statistics was observed.
Prdm1‐ and Sox6‐mediated transcriptional repression specifies muscle fibre type in the zebrafish embryo
Authors: von Hofsten Jonas , Elworthy Stone , Gilchrist Michael J , Smith James C , Wardle Fiona C , Ingham Philip W
Published: June 2008

The zebrafish u‐boot (ubo) gene encodes the transcription factor Prdm1, which is essential for the specification of the primary slow‐twitch muscle fibres that derive from adaxial cells. Here, we show that Prdm1 functions by acting as a transcriptional repressor and that slow‐twitch‐specific muscle gene expression is activated by Prdm1‐mediated repression of the transcriptional repressor Sox6. Genes encoding fast‐specific isoforms of sarcomeric proteins are ectopically expressed in the adaxial cells of ubotp39 mutant embryos. By using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we show that these are direct targets of Prdm1. Thus, Prdm1 promotes slow‐twitch fibre differentiation by acting as a global repressor of fast‐fibre‐specific genes, as well as by abrogating the repression of slow‐fibre‐specific genes.
Upregulated Expression of Toll-Like Receptor 4 in Monocytes Correlates with Severity of Acute Cerebral Infarction
Authors: Yang Qing-wu , Li Jing-cheng , Lu Feng-lin , Ai-qing Wen , Xiang Jing , Zhang Li-li , Huang Zhi-yu , Wang Jing-zhou
Published: June 2008

In the present study, we observed the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and its downstream signal pathway in peripheral blood monocytes (PBMs) from patients with acute cerebral infarct (ACI). The expression of TLR4 and MyD88 by PBMs was determined by flow cytometry and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity was detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Ischemia/reperfusion injury-induced cerebral edema, infarction area, and neurologic impairment scores were determined in MyD88 gene knockout mice. The results indicated a significant increase in circulating TLR4+ monocytes in ACI patients as compared with the control group and the transient ischemia attack (TIA) group. This change paralleled an elevation in TLR4mRNA transcription and serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-6 in the ACI and TIA groups. Correlation analysis showed TLR4 expression to significantly correlate with cytokine levels and stroke severity. MyD88mRNA differed insignificantly among the three groups. Compared with wild-type mice, 6 h of cerebral ischemia followed by 24 h of reperfusion did not significantly change cerebral edema, cerebral infarction area, and neurologic impairment scores in MyD88 gene knockout mice. Compared with the control group, serum heat shock protein (HSP) 60 increased significantly in the ACI and TIA groups, leading to NF-κB activation in TLR4/CD14-transfected HEK293 cells. It is suggested that upregulated TLR4 expression on PMBs may act as one of the peripheral mechanisms of inflammatory injury after ACI. Moreover, circulating HSP60 may be a ligand for TLR4, which is involved in the peripheral mechanism of inflammatory injury after ACI, possibly through an MyD88-independent signal pathway.
Thermal instability of an expanding dusty plasma with equilibrium cooling
Authors: Bora Madhurjya P. , Buzar Baruah Manasi
Published: June 2008

An analysis of radiation induced instabilities in an expanding plasma with considerable presence of dust particles and equilibrium cooling is presented. It is shown that the equilibrium expansion and cooling destabilize the radiation condensation modes and the presence of dust particles enhances this effect. The results obtained are examined in the context of ionized, dusty-plasma environment such as that of a planetary nebula. It is shown that due to nonstatic equilibrium and finite equilibrium cooling, small-scale localized structures formed as a result of thermal instability, become transient, which agrees with the observational results. The dust-charge fluctuation is found to heavily suppress these instabilities.
Resonant reduction in microwave reflectivity from an overdense plasma with the employment of a parallel metal grating
Authors: Liu C. S. , Tripathi V. K. , Annou R.
Published: June 2008

A microwave normally incident on an overdense plasma is totally reflected. However, the presence of a thin metal grating parallel to the plasma surface greatly reduces the reflectivity when the grating wave number equals the wave number of the surface plasma wave on the plasma-free space interface at microwave frequency. The microwave induces an oscillatory current in the free electrons of the grating at the frequency of the microwave, ω, and wave number of the grating, q. This current resonantly excites a surface plasma wave (SPW) on the plasma surface. The diversion of microwave power into SPW severely reduces the microwave reflectivity.
Interaction of imaginary-charge-carrying dyon with particles
Authors: Tho Nguyen Vien
Published: June 2008

By analytic continuation from a SU(2) gauge field solution, Wu and Yang [Phys. Rev. 13, 3233 (1976)] obtained a static and sourceless solution of gauge theory for the group SL(2,C) [also for SO(3,1)]. This field configuration resembles a dyon that carries an imaginary charge. We present here a scheme that allows us to derive consistently the equations describing the interaction between the Lorentz gauge field and particles in the classical limit. They look like Wong’s equations in which gauge field components and color charges are complex. The complex charges and complex gauge field components can be understood as auxiliary concepts, while the equations of motion of particles in the outer space as well as kinematical and dynamical characteristics of the motion are real. The obtained equations are applied to investigate the case of particles in the mentioned dyon field configuration. The expressions of total energy and angular momentum, as integrals of motion of particles, are derived. The equations of motion allow planar motions, for which an analytic description of orbits is carried out.
Effect of chlorine residue on electrical performance of atomic layer deposited hafnium silicate
Authors: Sun Qing-Qing , Zhang Chi , Dong Lin , Shi Yu , Ding Shi-Jin , Zhang David Wei
Published: June 2008

Hafnium tetrachloride is one of the most commonly used precursors for atomic layer deposition of hafnium based gate dielectrics. According to the previously reported experimental result, chlorine residue is almost unavoidably incorporated and piled up near the interface. We performed first-principles calculations to study the effect of chlorine residue in HfSiO4, which explained the experimental observations. The chlorine at interstitial site serves as a source of negative fixed charge, while the chlorine at oxygen substitutional site changes its charge state depending on the position of electron chemical potential within the HfSiO4 band gap, which possibly enlarges the hysteresis of the gate dielectrics. Moreover, chlorine incorporation also reduces the band gap of HfSiO4 by inducing lattice strain.
Phase change memory cell using tungsten trioxide bottom heating layer
Authors: Rao Feng , Song Zhitang , Gong Yuefeng , Wu Liangcai , Liu Bo , Feng Songlin , Chen Bomy
Published: June 2008

Phase change memory (PCM) cell with tungsten trioxide (WO3) bottom heating layer is investigated. The crystalline WO3 heating layer promotes the temperature rise in Ge2Sb2Te5 layer that causes the reduction in reset voltage compared to a conventional PCM cell. The theoretical thermal simulation and calculation for reset process are applied to understand the thermal effect of WO3 heating layer. The improvement in thermal efficiency of PCM cell originates from the low electrical resistivity and low thermal conductivity of crystalline WO3 material.
Sidewall corrugation lithography: Bulk fabrication of ordered nanowires, nanoribbons, and nanorings
Authors: Kostovski Gorgi , Mitchell Arnan , Holland Anthony , Austin Michael
Published: June 2008

A general technique for three-dimensional nanofabrication is demonstrated by employing photolithographic standing wave corrugations as nanoscale templates. The line-of-sight deposition of a variety of materials demonstrates vertical stacks of nanowires and nanoribbons that take the forms of straight lengths, circular rings, and multilayer structures. Contact photolithography is used to fabricate the micron-scale corrugated templates from which nanofeatures with widths ranging from 65to∼20nm are derived.
Predisposition to late-onset obesity in GIRK4 knockout mice
Authors: Perry Cydne A. , Pravetoni Marco , Teske Jennifer A. , Aguado Carolina , Erickson Darin J. , Medrano Juan F. , Luján Rafael , Kotz Catherine M. , Wickman Kevin
Published: June 2008

G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK/Kir3) channels mediate the inhibitory effects of many neurotransmitters on excitable cells. Four
Girk
genes have been identified (
Girk1–4
). Whereas GIRK4 is associated with the cardiac GIRK channel,
Girk4
expression has been detected in a few neuron populations. Here, we used a transgenic mouse expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under the control of the
Girk4
gene promoter to clarify the expression pattern of
Girk4
in the brain. Although small subsets of EGFP-positive neurons were evident in some areas, prominent labeling was seen in the hypothalamus. EGFP expression was most pronounced in the ventromedial, paraventricular, and arcuate nuclei, neuron populations implicated in energy homeostasis. Consistent with a contribution of GIRK4-containing channels to energy balance,
Girk4
knockout (−/−) mice were predisposed to late-onset obesity. By 9 months,
Girk4
−/−
mice were ≈25% heavier than wild-type controls, a difference attributed to greater body fat. Before the development of overweight,
Girk4
−/−
mice exhibited a tendency toward greater food intake and an increased propensity to work for food in an operant task.
Girk4
−/−
mice also exhibited reduced net energy expenditure, despite displaying elevated resting heart rates and core body temperatures. These data implicate GIRK4-containing channels in signaling crucial to energy homeostasis and body weight.
SNP analysis to results (SNPator): a web-based environment oriented to statistical genomics analyses upon SNP data
Authors: Morcillo-Suarez Carlos , Alegre Josep , Sangros Ricardo , Gazave Elodie , de Cid Rafael , Milne Roger , Amigo Jorge , Ferrer-Admetlla Anna , Moreno-Estrada Andrés , Gardner Michelle , Casals Ferran , Pérez-Lezaun Anna , Comas David , Bosch Elena , Calafell Francesc , Bertranpetit Jaume , Navarro Arcadi
Published: June 2008

Summary: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most widely used marker in studies to assess associations between genetic variants and complex traits or diseases. They are also becoming increasingly important in the study of the evolution and history of humans and other species. The analysis and processing of SNPs obtained thanks to high-throughput technologies imply the time consuming and costly use of different, complex and usually format-incompatible software. SNPator is a user-friendly web-based SNP data analysis suite that integrates, among many other algorithms, the most common steps of a SNP association study. It frees the user from the need to have large computer facilities and an in depth knowledge of genetic software installation and management. Genotype data is directly read from the output files of the usual genotyping platforms. Phenotypic data on the samples can also be easily uploaded. Many different quality control and analysis procedures can be performed either by using built-in SNPator algorithms or by calling standard genetic software.

Availability: Access is granted from the SNPator webpage http://www.snpator.org.

Contact:  arcadi.navarro@upf.edu; bioinformatica.cegen@upf.edu

Supplementary information: Additional information, including tutorials and example datasets, is available from SNPator's webpage.
Phase transition in space: how far does a symmetry bend before it breaks?
Authors: Zurek Wojciech H , Dorner Uwe
Published: June 2008

We extend the theory of symmetry-breaking dynamics in non-equilibrium second-order phase transitions known as the Kibble–Zurek mechanism (KZM) to transitions where the change of phase occurs not in time but in space. This can be due to a time-independent spatial variation of a field that imposes a phase with one symmetry to the left of where it attains critical value, while allowing spontaneous symmetry breaking to the right of that critical borderline. Topological defects need not form in such a situation. We show, however, that the size, in space, of the ‘scar’ over which the order parameter adjusts as it ‘bends’ interpolating between the phases with different symmetries follows from a KZM-like approach. As we illustrate on the example of a transverse quantum Ising model, in quantum phase transitions this spatial scale—the size of the scar—is directly reflected in the energy spectrum of the system: in particular, it determines the size of the energy gap.
Emergent physics: Fermi-point scenario
Authors: Volovik Grigory
Published: June 2008

The Fermi-point scenario of emergent gravity has the following consequences: gravity emerges together with fermionic and bosonic matter; emergent fermionic matter consists of massless Weyl fermions; emergent bosonic matter consists of gauge fields; Lorentz symmetry persists well above the Planck energy; space–time is naturally four dimensional; the Universe is naturally flat; the cosmological constant is naturally small or zero; the underlying physics is based on discrete symmetries; ‘quantum gravity’ cannot be obtained by quantization of Einstein equations; and there is no contradiction between quantum mechanics and gravity, etc.
Seasonal effects on foraging behaviour of two sympatric species of couas in the western dry forest of Madagascar
Authors: Chouteau Philippe , Fenosoa Raymond
Published: June 2008

Coquerel’s Coua (Coua coquereli) and Red‐capped Coua (Coua ruficeps) occur in the western dry forest of Ankarafantsika in northwest Madagascar. This kind of forest is characterized by an alternating of a dry and a rainy season. Although they belong to the same genus, the two species differ in appearance, with Red‐capped Coua being slender than Coquerel’s Coua. We analyse their respective foraging strategies, according to the seasonal variation. The foraging behaviour of both species was different and was also influenced by the seasonal variations. They tended to use the same main substrates but differed in the proportion of foraging techniques according to the season. Seasonal variations probably have an important effect on the prey availability (estimated by the rate of prey capture), the nature of prey and also alternative foraging substrates used, forcing the two species to use different techniques and probably to capture different prey. These different foraging strategies could maintain the coexistence between these two species.
The stromal cell‐derived factor‐1α dependent migration of human cord blood CD34+ haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells switches from protein kinase C (PKC)‐α dependence to PKC‐α independence upon prolonged culture in the presence of Flt3‐ligand and interleukin‐6
Authors: Kasenda Benjamin , Kassmer Susannah H. , Niggemann Bernd , Schiermeier Sven , Hatzmann Wolfgang , Zänker Kurt S. , Dittmar Thomas
Published: June 2008

Addition of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)‐6 to the culture medium of human cord blood haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) has been shown to lead to an altered stromal cell‐derived factor‐1α‐dependent migratory phenotype. This study investigated whether this effect was attributed to a differential engagement of protein kinase C (PKC) isotypes. The migratory activity of both Flt3‐ligand and Flt3‐ligand/IL‐6 cultured cord blood HSPCs was PKC‐α dependent on day 1, but PKC‐α independent after 5 d of cultivation. PKC‐α expression was not down‐regulated in cells cultured for 5 d indicating a switch of signalling molecules directing cell migration.
Confirmed prevalence of food allergy and non‐allergic food hypersensitivity in a Mediterranean population
Authors: Gelincik A. , Büyüköztürk S. , Gül H. , Işιk E. , İşsever H. , Özşeker F. , Çolakoğlu B. , Dal M. , Ayvaz Ö. , Güngör G. , Akkor A.
Published: June 2008

Background
Until the present, no comprehensive studies evaluating the prevalence of food allergy and non‐allergic food hypersensitivity (FA/NAFH) in adults have been done in Turkey or its surrounding countries.

Objective
This large population‐based study was planned to identify the confirmed prevalence of adverse reactions to food in adults in Istanbul.

Methods
A total of 17 064 telephone numbers were randomly selected from both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul, and the 11 816 subjects who agreed to participate in the study were addressed with a questionnaire of eight items. Those who disclosed food‐related complaints in this survey were called again and a similar questionnaire was repeated. The respondents who were suspected of having food allergy or food hypersensitivity were invited for a personal clinical investigation that included double‐blind, placebo‐controlled food challenge tests.

Results
The lifetime prevalence of self‐reported FA/NAFH was found to be 9.5% [1118/11 816; 95% confidence interval (CI): 8.94–10.00%]. After the clinical investigations, the point prevalence of FA/NAFH, which also included the ‘possible FA/NAFH group’, was found to be as low as 0.3% (30/11 816; 95% CI: 0.17–0.36%), and the FA/NAFH rates assessed by double‐blind, placebo‐controlled food challenge tests were 0.1% (12/11 816; 95% CI: 0.05–0.18%) and 0.1% (11/11 816; 95% CI: 0.05–0.17%), respectively. The most significant factor influencing FA/NAFH was familial atopy (adjusted OR 4.3; 95% CI: 3.67–4.99), and the most related atopic disease was itching dermatitis/urticaria (adjusted OR: 3.9; 95% CI: 3.31–4.54).

Conclusion
We may conclude that FA/NAFH in the Turkish population seems to be low when compared with Northern and Western European countries. This may be due to genetic, cultural or dietary factors, and further studies evaluating the reasons for this low prevalence of FA/NAFH in our population are needed.
Transcript levels of DNA methyltransferases DNMT1, DNMT3A and DNMT3B in CD4+T cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Balada Eva , Ordi‐Ros Josep , Serrano‐Acedo Silvia , Martinez‐Lostao Luis , Rosa‐Leyva Maria , Vilardell‐Tarrés Miquel
Published: June 2008

Global DNA hypomethylation in CD4+T cells has been detected in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and it seems to be linked to its pathogenesis. We investigated the relationship between overall DNA methylation and the expression of three DNA (cytosine‐5) methyltransferases involved in the DNA methylation process. The DNA deoxymethylcytosine (dmC) content of purified CD4+T cells from 29 SLE patients and 30 healthy controls was measured by means of an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The transcript levels of DNA cytosine‐5‐methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), DNA cytosine‐5‐methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) and DNA cytosine‐5‐methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B) were quantified by real‐time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Association studies were also carried out with several laboratory parameters, as well as with the patients’ clinical manifestations. SLE patients had a significantly lower CD4+T‐cell DNA dmC content than controls (0·802 ± 0·134 versus 0·901 ± 0·133) (P = 0·007). No differences in transcript levels were observed for DNMT1, DNMT3A and DNMT3B between patients and controls. The simultaneous association of low complement counts with lymphopenia, high titres of anti‐double‐stranded DNA (anti‐dsDNA), or an SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) of > 5, resulted in the increase of at least one of the three DNA methyltransferases. It is possible that patients were reacting indirectly to an underlying DNA hypomethylation status by increasing the mRNA levels of DNA methyltransferases when the disease was being definitely active.
Effect of gaseous ozone on microbial inactivation and sensory of flaked red peppers
Authors: Akbas Meltem Y. , Ozdemir Murat
Published: June 2008

Flaked red peppers inoculated with Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus and B. cereus spores were exposed to gaseous ozone at 20 °C and 70% relative humidity (RH). Ozone concentrations of 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 ppm up to 360 min were used to reduce E. coli and B. cereus, whereas 1.0, 5.0, 7.0 and 9.0 ppm ozone concentrations for 360 min were used to treat B. cereus spores. When flaked red peppers were treated with 1.0 ppm ozone concentration for 360 min, B. cereus and E. coli counts were decreased by 1.5 and 2.0 log numbers, respectively. Bacillus cereus spores were reduced by 1.5 log numbers at ozone concentrations of 7.0 ppm or above for 360 min. There were slight changes in flavour, appearance and overall palatability of flaked red peppers treated with ozone between 5.0 and 9.0 ppm. Ozone concentration (1.0 ppm) for 360 min can be used to decrease E. coli and B. cereus, whereas ozone concentrations ≥5.0 ppm can be used to reduce B. cereus spores.
Seasonal Changes in Circadian Peripheral Plasma Concentrations of Melatonin, Serotonin, Dopamine and Cortisol in Aged Horses with Cushing’s Disease under Natural Photoperiod
Authors: Haritou S. J. A. , Zylstra R. , Ralli C. , Turner S. , Tortonese D. J.
Published: June 2008

Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is a common and serious condition that gives rise to Cushing’s disease. In the older horse, it results in hyperadrenocorticism and disrupted energy metabolism, the severity of which varies with the time of year. To gain insight into the mechanism of its pathogenesis, 24‐h profiles for peripheral plasma melatonin, serotonin, dopamine and cortisol concentrations were determined at the winter and summer solstices, and the autumn and spring equinoxes in six horses diagnosed with Cushing’s disease and six matched controls. The nocturnal rises in plasma melatonin concentrations, although different across seasons, were broadly of the same duration and similar amplitude in both groups of animals (P > 0.05). The plasma concentrations of cortisol did not show seasonal variation and were different in diseased horses only in the summer when they were higher across the entire 24‐h period (P < 0.05). Serotonin concentrations were not significantly affected by time of year but tended to be lower in Cushingoid horses (P = 0.07). By contrast, dopamine output showed seasonal variation and was significantly lower in the Cushing’s group in the summer and autumn (P < 0.05). The finding that the profiles of circulating melatonin are similar in Cushingoid and control horses reveals that the inability to read time of year by animals suffering from Cushing’s syndrome is an unlikely reason for the disease. In addition, the results provide evidence that alterations in the dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems may participate in the pathogenesis of PPID.
Sleuthing the difference a nucleotide can make
Authors: TOWNSEND JEFFREY P
Published: June 2008

Identifying the genetic basis of natural variation in genome‐wide gene expression is a daunting task, yet central to characterizing the potential evolutionary impact of gene expression polymorphism. In this issue, Brown et al. reveal the genetic variation that underlies a significant portion of the gene expression polymorphism that segregates in a natural isolate of the wine and bread yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. That polymorphism is shown to be associated with a single nucleotide insertion. Interestingly, the major expression polymorphism is not caused by an insertion in a cis‐regulatory region or in a transcription factor, but in a homonucleotide repeat within the coding sequence of SSY1, which encodes an amino acid sensor. The expression polymorphism, perhaps unsurprisingly, is also environment‐dependent and leads to differential fitness across environments. The result calls for a deeper consideration within molecular ecological genomics of the gene‐by‐environment interactions that lead to differential gene expression. The finding also calls for further data, clarifying the kinds of genetic variation that constitute gene expression polymorphism between individuals in natural populations.
Selection for decreased sensitivity to phosphite in Phytophthora cinnamomi with prolonged use of fungicide
Authors: Dobrowolski M. P. , Shearer B. L. , Colquhoun I. J. , O’Brien P. A. , Hardy G. E. StJ.
Published: June 2008

To test the hypothesis that resistance in Phytophthora cinnamomi to control by the fungicide phosphite (phosphonate) would arise in sites with prolonged use of phosphite, 30 P. cinnamomi isolates were collected from a range of sites with different phosphite‐use histories, including phosphite‐treated and untreated avocado orchards, and phosphite‐treated and untreated native vegetation sites. The colonizing ability of these isolates was tested by different inoculation methods against a range of host tissues, treated and untreated with phosphite, including mycelial stem inoculation on clonally propagated Leucadendron sp., mycelial root inoculation of lupin seedlings and zoospore inoculation of Eucalyptus sieberi cotyledons. Isolates from avocado orchards with a long history of phosphite use were, on average, more extensive colonizers of the phosphite‐treated Leucadendron sp., lupin seedling roots and Eucalyptus sieberi cotyledons. These isolates did not colonize untreated plant tissue (Leucadendron sp.) more extensively than isolates from sites with no history of phosphite use and no isolates were resistant to control by phosphite. Analysis of all isolates with microsatellite markers revealed the majority were from a single clonal lineage. Selection for decreased sensitivity to phosphite in planta has taken place within asexual clonal lineages of P. cinnamomi in sites with prolonged use of phosphite.
Active c‐jun N‐terminal kinase induces caspase cleavage of tau and additional phosphorylation by GSK‐3β is required for tau aggregation
Authors: Sahara Naruhiko , Murayama Miyuki , Lee Boyoung , Park Jung‐Mi , Lagalwar Sarita , Binder Lester I. , Takashima Akihiko
Published: June 2008

Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), comprising human intracellular microtubule‐associated protein tau, are one of the hallmarks of tauopathies, including Alzheimer’s disease. Recently, a report that caspase‐cleaved tau is present in NFTs has led to the hypothesis that the mechanisms underlying NFT formation may involve the apoptosis cascade. Here, we show that adenoviral infection of tau into COS‐7 cells induces activation of c‐jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK), followed by excessive phosphorylation of tau and its cleavage by caspase. However, JNK activation alone was insufficient to induce sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)‐insoluble tau aggregation and additional phosphorylation by GSK‐3β was required. In SH‐SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, overexpression of active JNK and GSK‐3β increased caspase‐3 activation and cytotoxicity more than overexpression of tau alone. Taken together, these results indicate that, although JNK activation may be a primary inducing factor, further phosphorylation of tau is required for neuronal death and NFT formation in neurodegenerative diseases, including those characterized by tauopathy.