bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Benefits arising from lay involvement in community-based public health initiatives: The experience from community nutrition
Authors: Kennedy Lynne
Published: May 2010

Aims: To explore the experiences of lay food and health workers (LFHW) and professionals involved in delivering local food and health initiatives, to improve understanding of the perceived benefits associated with their involvement and wider opportunities for promoting health.

Study design: An interpretive qualitative inquiry.

Setting: Community-based NHS LFHW programmes in 16 locations serving less-affluent neighbourhoods across England, UK.

Subjects: Twenty nine (29) food and health professionals, 53 LFHW employed by and associated with the management or day-to-day implementation of 16 LFHW initiatives in the study.

Findings: Salient benefits identified at service, individual lay worker and community levels were: increased service coverage and ability to reach the ‘hard to reach’; personal development; and enhanced social support.

Conclusions: This study highlights previously unreported benefits related to the direct experiences of lay people used in community nutrition in the UK, which go beyond those associated with professional-led initiatives, suggesting the need to adopt a broader view of lay involvement in the UK public health workforce.
Influence of chemical composition and processing conditions on interstitial content of cold rolled ferritic steels
Authors: Capdevila C , de Cock T , Caballero F G , García de Andrés C
Published: May 2010

Determining the content of solute elements in cold rolled ferritic steels constitutes an important aspect in metallurgy, since the interstitial elements have a harmful effect on the anisotropy properties (i.e. texture) of the final product, usually steel sheets for automotive applications. Both the carbon and nitrogen contents in solid solution depend on the chemical composition and thermomechanical parameters, such as the coiling temperature (CT) and the cold reduction degree. In the present paper, thermoelectric power measurements technique has been applied to study the relationship between the process variables such as CT and cold rolling reduction, and the amount of interstitial elements in solid solution. It was shown that at high CTs the value of the thermoelectric power only depends on the carbon content in solid solution, meanwhile at low CTs, a second contribution should be considered due to the presence of nitrogen in solid solution.
Validation of the high-dose heparin confirmatory step for the diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
Authors: Whitlatch Nicole L. , Kong David F. , Metjian Ara D. , Arepally Gowthami M. , Ortel Thomas L.
Published: May 2010

The diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) requires detection of antibodies to the heparin/platelet factor 4 (PF4) complexes via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Addition of excess heparin to the sample decreases the optical density by 50% or more and confirms the presence of these antibodies. One hundred fifteen patients with anti-heparin/PF4 antibodies detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were classified as clinically HIT-positive or HIT-negative, followed by confirmation with excess heparin. A multivariate logistic regression model was fitted to estimate relationships between patient characteristics, laboratory findings, and clinical HIT status. This model was validated on an independent sample of 97 patients with anti-heparin/PF4 antibodies. No relationship between age, race, or sex and clinical HIT status was found. Maximal optical density and confirmatory positive status independently predicted HIT in multivariate analysis. Predictive accuracy on the training set (c-index 0.78, Brier score 0.17) was maintained when the algorithm was applied to the independent validation population (c-index 0.80, Brier score 0.20). This study quantifies the clinical utility of the confirmatory test to diagnose HIT. On the basis of data from the heparin/PF4 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and confirmatory assays, a predictive computer algorithm could distinguish patients likely to have HIT from those who do not.
Revealing and avoiding bias in semantic similarity scores for protein pairs
Authors: Wang Jing , Zhou Xianxiao , Zhu Jing , Zhou Chenggui , Guo Zheng
Published: May 2010

Background

Semantic similarity scores for protein pairs are widely applied in functional genomic researches for finding functional clusters of proteins, predicting protein functions and protein-protein interactions, and for identifying putative disease genes. However, because some proteins, such as those related to diseases, tend to be studied more intensively, annotations are likely to be biased, which may affect applications based on semantic similarity measures. Thus, it is necessary to evaluate the effects of the bias on semantic similarity scores between proteins and then find a method to avoid them.

Results

First, we evaluated 14 commonly used semantic similarity scores for protein pairs and demonstrated that they significantly correlated with the numbers of annotation terms for the proteins (also known as the protein annotation length). These results suggested that current applications of the semantic similarity scores between proteins might be unreliable. Then, to reduce this annotation bias effect, we proposed normalizing the semantic similarity scores between proteins using the power transformation of the scores. We provide evidence that this improves performance in some applications.

Conclusions

Current semantic similarity measures for protein pairs are highly dependent on protein annotation lengths, which are subject to biological research bias. This affects applications that are based on these semantic similarity scores, especially in clustering studies that rely on score magnitudes. The normalized scores proposed in this paper can reduce the effects of this bias to some extent.
Duplicability of self-interacting human genes
Authors: Pérez-Bercoff Åsa , Makino Takashi , McLysaght Aoife
Published: May 2010

Background

There is increasing interest in the evolution of protein-protein interactions because this should ultimately be informative of the patterns of evolution of new protein functions within the cell. One model proposes that the evolution of new protein-protein interactions and protein complexes proceeds through the duplication of self-interacting genes. This model is supported by data from yeast. We examined the relationship between gene duplication and self-interaction in the human genome.

Results

We investigated the patterns of self-interaction and duplication among 34808 interactions encoded by 8881 human genes, and show that self-interacting proteins are encoded by genes with higher duplicability than genes whose proteins lack this type of interaction. We show that this result is robust against the system used to define duplicate genes. Finally we compared the presence of self-interactions amongst proteins whose genes have duplicated either through whole-genome duplication (WGD) or small-scale duplication (SSD), and show that the former tend to have more interactions in general. After controlling for age differences between the two sets of duplicates this result can be explained by the time since the gene duplication.

Conclusions

Genes encoding self-interacting proteins tend to have higher duplicability than proteins lacking self-interactions. Moreover these duplicate genes have more often arisen through whole-genome rather than small-scale duplication. Finally, self-interacting WGD genes tend to have more interaction partners in general in the PIN, which can be explained by their overall greater age. This work adds to our growing knowledge of the importance of contextual factors in gene duplicability.
Generation of a BAC-based physical map of the melon genome
Authors: González Víctor M , Garcia-Mas Jordi , Arús Pere , Puigdomènech Pere
Published: May 2010

Background

Cucumis melo (melon) belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, whose economic importance among horticulture crops is second only to Solanaceae. Melon has high intra-specific genetic variation, morphologic diversity and a small genome size (450 Mb), which make this species suitable for a great variety of molecular and genetic studies that can lead to the development of tools for breeding varieties of the species. A number of genetic and genomic resources have already been developed, such as several genetic maps and BAC genomic libraries. These tools are essential for the construction of a physical map, a valuable resource for map-based cloning, comparative genomics and assembly of whole genome sequencing data. However, no physical map of any Cucurbitaceae has yet been developed. A project has recently been started to sequence the complete melon genome following a whole-genome shotgun strategy, which makes use of massive sequencing data. A BAC-based melon physical map will be a useful tool to help assemble and refine the draft genome data that is being produced.

Results

A melon physical map was constructed using a 5.7 × BAC library and a genetic map previously developed in our laboratories. High-information-content fingerprinting (HICF) was carried out on 23,040 BAC clones, digesting with five restriction enzymes and SNaPshot labeling, followed by contig assembly with FPC software. The physical map has 1,355 contigs and 441 singletons, with an estimated physical length of 407 Mb (0.9 × coverage of the genome) and the longest contig being 3.2 Mb. The anchoring of 845 BAC clones to 178 genetic markers (100 RFLPs, 76 SNPs and 2 SSRs) also allowed the genetic positioning of 183 physical map contigs/singletons, representing 55 Mb (12%) of the melon genome, to individual chromosomal loci. The melon FPC database is available for download at http://melonomics.upv.es/static/files/public/physical_map/.

Conclusions

Here we report the construction of the first physical map of a Cucurbitaceae species described so far. The physical map was integrated with the genetic map so that a number of physical contigs, representing 12% of the melon genome, could be anchored to known genetic positions. The data presented is already helping to improve the quality of the melon genomic sequence available as a result of a project currently being carried out in Spain, adopting a whole genome shotgun approach based on 454 sequencing data.
Bioinformatic identification and characterization of human endothelial cell-restricted genes
Authors: Bhasin Manoj , Yuan Lei , Keskin Derin B , Otu Hasan H , Libermann Towia A , Oettgen Peter
Published: May 2010

Background

In this study, we used a systematic bioinformatics analysis approach to elucidate genes that exhibit an endothelial cell (EC) restricted expression pattern, and began to define their regulation, tissue distribution, and potential biological role.

Results

Using a high throughput microarray platform, a primary set of 1,191 transcripts that are enriched in different primary ECs compared to non-ECs was identified (LCB >3, FDR <2%). Further refinement of this initial subset of transcripts, using published data, yielded 152 transcripts (representing 109 genes) with different degrees of EC-specificity. Several interesting patterns emerged among these genes: some were expressed in all ECs and several were restricted to microvascular ECs. Pathway analysis and gene ontology demonstrated that several of the identified genes are known to be involved in vasculature development, angiogenesis, and endothelial function (P < 0.01). These genes are enriched in cardiovascular diseases, hemorrhage and ischemia gene sets (P < 0.001). Most of the identified genes are ubiquitously expressed in many different tissues. Analysis of the proximal promoter revealed the enrichment of conserved binding sites for 26 different transcription factors and analysis of the untranslated regions suggests that a subset of the EC-restricted genes are targets of 15 microRNAs. While many of the identified genes are known for their regulatory role in ECs, we have also identified several novel EC-restricted genes, the function of which have yet to be fully defined.

Conclusion

The study provides an initial catalogue of EC-restricted genes most of which are ubiquitously expressed in different endothelial cells.
Infrequent detection of Pneumocystis jirovecii by PCR in oral wash specimens from TB patients with or without HIV and healthy contacts in Tanzania
Authors: Jensen Lotte , Jensen Andreas V , Praygod George , Kidola Jeremiah , Faurholt-Jepsen Daniel , Changalucha John , Range Nyagosya , Friis Henrik , Helweg-Larsen Jannik , Jensen Jorgen S , Andersen Aase B
Published: May 2010

Background

In tuberculosis (TB) endemic parts of the world, patients with pulmonary symptoms are managed as "smear-negative TB patients" if they do not improve on a two-week presumptive, broad-spectrum course of antibiotic treatment even if they are TB microscopy smear negative. These patients are frequently HIV positive and have a higher mortality than smear-positive TB patients. Lack of access to diagnose Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia might be a contributing reason. We therefore assessed the prevalence of P. jirovecii by PCR in oral wash specimens among TB patients and healthy individuals in an HIV- and TB-endemic area of sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

A prospective study of 384 patients initiating treatment for sputum smear-positive and smear-negative TB and 100 healthy household contacts and neighbourhood controls.

DNA from oral wash specimens was examined by PCR for P. jirovecii. All patients delivered sputum for TB microscopy and culture. Healthy contacts and community controls were clinically assessed and all study subjects were HIV tested and had CD4 cell counts determined. Clinical status and mortality was assessed after a follow-up period of 5 months.

Results

384 patients and 100 controls were included, 53% and 8% HIV positive respectively. A total number of 65 patients and controls (13.6%) were at definitive risk for PCP based on CD4 counts <200 cells per mm3 and no specific PCP prophylaxis. Only a single patient (0.3% of the patients) was PCR positive for P. jirovecii. None of the healthy household contacts or neighbourhood controls had PCR-detectable P. jirovecii DNA in their oral wash specimens regardless of HIV-status.

Conclusions

The prevalence of P. jirovecii as detected by PCR on oral wash specimens was very low among TB patients with or without HIV and healthy individuals in Tanzania. Colonisation by P. jirovecii was not detected among healthy controls. The present findings may encourage diagnostic use of this non-invasive method.
Arecoline induces HA22T/VGH hepatoma cells to undergo anoikis - involvement of STAT3 and RhoA activation
Authors: Cheng Hsiao-Ling , Su Shu-Jem , Huang Li-Wen , Hsieh Bau-Shan , Hu Yu-Chen , Hung Thu-Ching , Chang Kee-Lung
Published: May 2010

Background

Our previous study showed that, in basal cell carcinoma cells, arecoline reduces levels of the tumor cell survival factor interleukin-6 (IL-6), increases levels of tumor suppressor factor p53, and elicits cell cycle arrest, followed by apoptosis. In preliminarily studies, we observed that arecoline induces detachment of the human-derived hepatoma cell line HA22T/VGH from the extracellular matrix. In the present study, we explored the fate of the detached HA22T/VGH cells and investigated the underlying mechanism.

Methods

HA22T/VGH cells or primary cultured rat hepatocytes were treated with arecoline, then changes in morphology, viability, apoptosis, and the expression of surface β1-integrin, apoptosis-related proteins, and IL-6 were examined. Furthermore, activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway and the RhoA/Rock signaling pathway, including p190RhoGAP and Src homology-2 domain-containing phosphatase SHP2, was examined.

Results

A low concentration of arecoline (≤ 100 μg/ml) caused cytoskeletal changes in HA22T/VGH cells, but not hepatocytes, and this was accompanied by decreased β1-integrin expression and followed by apoptosis, indicating that HA22T/VGH cells undergo anoikis after arecoline treatment. IL-6 expression and phosphorylation of STAT3, which provides protection against anoikis, were inhibited and levels of downstream signaling proteins, including Bcl-XL and Bcl-2, were decreased, while Bax expression, mitochondrial cytochrome c release, and caspase-3 activity were increased. In addition, phosphorylation/activation of p190RhoGAP, a RhoA inhibitor, and of its upstream regulator, SHP2, was inhibited by arecoline treatment, while Rho/Rock activation was increased. Addition of the RhoA inhibitor attenuated the effects of arecoline.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that arecoline induces anoikis of HA22T/VGH cells involving inhibition of STAT3 and increased RhoA/Rock activation and that the STAT3 and RhoA/Rock signaling pathways are connected.
Mid-term outcomes for Endoscopic versus Open Vein Harvest: a case control study
Authors: Kirmani Bilal H , Barnard James B , Mourad Faisal , Blakeman Nadene , Chetcuti Karen , Zacharias Joseph
Published: May 2010

Background

Saphenous vein remains the most common conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting with increasing uptake of minimally invasive harvesting techniques. While Endoscopic Vein Harvest (EVH) has been demonstrated to improve early morbidity compared to Open Vein Harvest (OVH), recent literature suggests that this may be at the expense of graft patency at one year and survival at three years.

Methods

We undertook a retrospective single-centre, single-surgeon, case-control study of EVH (n = 89) and OVH (n = 182). The primary endpoint was death with secondary endpoints including acute coronary syndrome, revascularisation or other major adverse cardiac events. Freedom from angina, wound complications and self-rated health status were also assessed. Where repeat angiography had been performed, this was reviewed.

Results

Both groups were well matched demographically and for peri-operative characteristics. All cause mortality was 2/89 (2%) and 11/182 (6%) in the EVH and OVH groups respectively. This was shown by Cox Log-Rank analysis to be non-significant (p = 0.65), even if adjusting for inpatient mortality (p = 0.74). There was no difference in the rates of freedom from angina (p = 1.00), re-admission (p = 0.78) or need for further anti-anginals (p = 1.00). There was a significant reduction in the incidence of leg wound infections and complications in the endoscopic group (EVH: 7%; OVH: 28%; p = 0.0008) and the skew of high patient self-rated health scores in the EVH group (61% compared to 52% in the open group) approached statistical significance (p = 0.06).

Conclusions

While aware of the limitations of this small retrospective study, we are heartened by the preliminary results and consider our data to be justification for continuing to provide patients the opportunity to have minimally invasive conduit harvest in our centre. More robust evidence is still required to elucidate the implications of endoscopic techniques on conduit patency and patient outcome, but until the results of a large, prospective and randomised trial are available, we believe we can confidently offer our patients the option and benefits of EVH.
On the induced distribution of the shape of the projection of a randomly rotated configuration
Authors: Le H. , Barden D.
Published: May 2010

Using the geometry of the Kendall shape space, in this paper we study the shape, as well as the size-and-shape, of the projection of a configuration after it has been rotated and, when the given configuration lies in a Euclidean space of an arbitrary dimension, we obtain expressions for the induced distributions of such shapes when the rotation is uniformly distributed.
Mean reversion for HJMM forward rate models
Authors: Rusinek Anna
Published: May 2010

We examine the long-time behavior of forward rates in the framework of Heath-Jarrow-Morton-Musiela models with infinite-dimensional Lévy noise. We give an explicit condition under which the rates have a mean reversion property. In a special case we show that this condition is fulfilled for any Lévy process with variance smaller than a given constant, depending only on the state space and the volatility.
Conditionally identically distributed species sampling sequences
Authors: Bassetti Federico , Crimaldi Irene , Leisen Fabrizio
Published: May 2010

In this paper the theory of species sampling sequences is linked to the theory of conditionally identically distributed sequences in order to enlarge the set of species sampling sequences which are mathematically tractable. The conditional identity in distribution (see Berti, Pratelli and Rigo (2004)) is a new type of dependence for random variables, which generalizes the well-known notion of exchangeability. In this paper a class of random sequences, called generalized species sampling sequences, is defined and a condition to have conditional identity in distribution is given. Moreover, two types of generalized species sampling sequence that are conditionally identically distributed are introduced and studied: the generalized Poisson-Dirichlet sequence and the generalized Ottawa sequence. Some examples are discussed.
Asymptotic analysis for personalized Web search
Authors: Volkovich Yana , Litvak Nelly
Published: May 2010

PageRank with personalization is used in Web search as an importance measure for Web documents. The goal of this paper is to characterize the tail behavior of the PageRank distribution in the Web and other complex networks characterized by power laws. To this end, we model the PageRank as a solution of a stochastic equationwhere theRis are distributed asR. This equation is inspired by the original definition of the PageRank. In particular,Nmodels the number of incoming links to a page, andBstays for the user preference. Assuming thatNorBare heavy tailed, we employ the theory of regular variation to obtain the asymptotic behavior ofRunder quite general assumptions on the involved random variables. Our theoretical predictions show good agreement with experimental data.
Slow waves during sleep in crayfish. Origin and spread
Authors: Mendoza-Angeles Karina , Hernández-Falcón Jesús , Ramón Fidel
Published: May 2010

Previous results show that when unrestrained crayfish sleep, the electrical activity of the brain changes from multiple spikes (frequencies above 300 Hz) on a flat baseline to continuous slow waves at a frequency of 15–20 Hz. To study the temporal organization of such activity, we developed a tethered crayfish preparation that allows us to place electrodes on visually identified regions of the brain. Recording the electrical activity of different brain areas shows that when the animal is active (awake), slow waves are present only in the central complex. However, simultaneously with the animal becoming limp (sleeping), slow waves spread first to deuto- and then to protocerebrum, suggesting that the central complex of the crayfish brain acts as the sleep generator.
Hydrodynamic fin function of brief squid,Lolliguncula brevis
Authors: Stewart William J. , Bartol Ian K. , Krueger Paul S.
Published: May 2010

Although the pulsed jet is often considered the foundation of a squid's locomotive system, the lateral fins also probably play an important role in swimming, potentially providing thrust, lift and dynamic stability as needed. Fin morphology and movement vary greatly among squid species, but the locomotive role of the fins is not well understood. To begin to elucidate the locomotive role of the fins in squids, fin hydrodynamics were studied in the brief squid Lolliguncula brevis, a species that exhibits a wide range of fin movements depending on swimming speed. Individual squid were trained to swim in both the arms-first and tail-first orientations against currents in a water tunnel seeded with light-reflective particles. Particle-laden water around the fins was illuminated with lasers and videotaped so that flow dynamics around the fins could be analyzed using digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV). Time-averaged forces generated by the fin were quantified from vorticity fields of the fin wake. During the low swimming speeds considered in this study [<2.5 dorsal mantle lengths (DML) per second], L. brevis exhibited four unique fin wake patterns, each with distinctive vortical structures: (1) fin mode I, in which one vortex is shed with each downstroke, generally occurring at low speeds; (2) fin mode II, an undulatory mode in which a continuous linked chain of vortices is produced; (3) fin mode III, in which one vortex is shed with each downstroke and upstroke, and; (4) fin mode IV, in which a discontinuous chain of linked double vortex structures is produced. All modes were detected during tail-first swimming but only fin modes II and III were observed during arms-first swimming. The fins produced horizontal and vertical forces of varying degrees depending on stroke phase, swimming speed, and swimming orientation. During tail-first swimming, the fins functioned primarily as stabilizers at low speeds before shifting to propulsors as speed increased, all while generating net lift. During arms-first swimming, the fins primarily provided lift with thrust production playing a reduced role. These results demonstrate the lateral fins are an integral component of the complex locomotive system of L. brevis, producing lift and thrust forces through different locomotive modes.
Effect of two types of stress (heat shock/high temperature and malnutrition/serum deprivation) on porcine ovarian cell functions and their response to hormones
Authors: Sirotkin Alexander V.
Published: May 2010

The aim of the present study was to understand the interrelationships between stress, hormones and basic ovarian functions in the ovary. For this purpose, we compared the expression of markers of proliferation (PCNA, cyclin B1), of apoptosis (Bax, caspase-3) and secretory activity (release of progesterone, P4, and insulin-like growth factor, IGF-I) in whole ovarian follicles and granulosa cells cultured in conditions of normal temperature (37.5°C) and feeding (with serum), high temperature (41.5°C, with serum) and malnutrition (37.5°C, without serum), with and without hormones [IGF-I, leptin and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)]. The expression of proliferation and apoptosis markers was evaluated by SDS PAGE–western blotting whereas radioimmunoassay (RIA) measured the release of hormones. High temperature dramatically induced a reduction in both proliferation and apoptosis markers in both ovarian follicles and granulosa cells and induced a significant increase in P4 and IGF-I release by ovarian granulosa cells but not in P4 secretion by ovarian follicles. Serum deprivation increased accumulation of cyclin B1 but not other markers of proliferation (PCNA) and apoptosis (Bax, caspase-3) or P4 release in ovarian follicles. On the contrary, it inhibited the expression of apoptotic marker (Bax), release of both P4 and IGF-I but it did not affect proliferation marker (PCNA) in granulosa cells. Adding IGF-I, leptin and FSH affected proliferation, apoptosis and secretory activity of ovarian cell functions but also prevented an inhibitory effect of high temperature on the expression of Bax and PCNA and an inhibitory action of serum deprivation on PCNA in ovarian follicles. Furthermore, treatment with these hormones prevented an inhibitory action of thermal stress on Bax, PCNA, P4 and IGF-I in ovarian granulosa cells. The present observations (1) confirm the involvement of hormones (IGF-I, leptin and FSH) in the control of proliferation, apoptosis and secretory activity of ovarian cells, (2) demonstrate for the first time that heat stress/increased temperature can induce a reduction in ovarian cell proliferation and apoptosis and an oversecretion of ovarian hormones, (3) show that malnutrition/serum deprivation can reduce both apoptosis and secretory activity of ovarian cells, (4) demonstrate the differences in the response of granulosa and other ovarian follicular cells to stresses, and (5) are the first demonstration that hormones (IGF-I, leptin and FSH) could be used for preventing the effect of stresses on ovarian cell functions.
Income breeding and temperature-induced plasticity in reproductive traits in lizards
Authors: Luo Lai-Gao , Ding Guo-Hua , Ji Xiang
Published: May 2010

We used the northern grass lizard Takydromus septentrionalis as a model animal to examine the energy allocation strategy and whether body temperature can affect maternal reproductive traits in lizards. We maintained adult females collected from the field soon after winter dormancy under three thermal conditions (24.0±1.0°C, 28.0±1.0°C and 32.0±1.0°C) throughout the subsequent reproductive season, and then recorded their energy intake, digestive efficiency, body size and mass changes, and reproductive parameters. Manipulation of body temperature in reproducing females affected energy intake and several maternal reproductive characteristics. Females allocated energy to reproduction following the fulfillment of energetic requirements for metabolism and growth. The reduced energy availability for reproduction constrained females at low or high body temperatures to produce fewer and smaller eggs per season but had no role in influencing the number of eggs produced in single reproductive bouts. Females used currently acquired energy to fuel reproduction, and this strategy did not shift seasonally from the first to subsequent clutches. Our study supports the idea that the use of currently acquired energy for reproduction may be more widespread in ectotherms than thought before, and shows for the first time that egg size is thermally plastic in T. septentrionalis, where eggs produced in single reproductive bouts are believed to be well optimized for size.
Fuzzy Controller Design Subject to Actuator Saturation for Dynamic Ship Positioning Systems with Multiplicative Noises
Authors: Chang W-J , Liang H-J , Ku C-C
Published: May 2010

This paper deals with the fuzzy controller design problem for the dynamic ship positioning systems with multiplicative noises. The Takagi—Sugeno (T—S) fuzzy model is employed to represent the non-linear dynamic ship positioning systems. Subject to actuator saturation, some sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee the stability of the closed-loop systems. The stability conditions developed in this paper can be coordinated to the linear matrix inequality (LMI) constraints. By solving these LMI stability conditions, a parallel distributed compensation (PDC)-based fuzzy controller is obtained to stabilize the T—S fuzzy models with multiplicative noises. In order to illustrate the availability and practicability of proposed fuzzy controller design approach, a numerical simulation is provided to express the controlled responses of dynamic ship positioning systems with multiplicative noises.
Automated fault tree construction for a sample chemical plant
Authors: Majdara A , Wakabayashi T
Published: May 2010

A new methodology for automated fault tree construction, based on a component-based approach for system modelling, and a trace-back algorithm for fault tree synthesis has been developed. This approach has been implemented as a computer program and tested on several simple examples and sample systems. In this paper a case study on a chemical plant is presented. The system modelling procedure and other details are discussed and the results are presented. The results generated by the program are then compared with a manually constructed fault tree. The complete match between the two fault trees verifies the validity of the program outputs.
Hard Magnets after Freezing of Spin Dynamics of Soft Magnets in Cobalt(II)–Radical Chain Compounds
Authors: Okamura Yoshitomo , Ishii Norio , Nogami Takashi , Ishida Takayuki
Published: May 2010

Several metal–radical alternating chains ([Co(hfac)2(CnPNN)]) were prepared, and their crystal structures and magnetic properties were systematically studied, where CnPNN stands for a phenylnitronyl nitroxide ligand having a linear Cn alkoxy group at the ortho or para position. X-ray crystal structure analysis was successfully performed for [Co(hfac)2(p-C5PNN)] (p-5). The chain structure is similar to those of the known p-butoxy and o-ethoxy derivatives. Compound p-5 showed a very large coercive field of 51 kOe (4.1 MA m−1) and a saturation magnetization of 9.7 × 103 erg Oe−1 mol−1 at 6 K. o-Propoxy and o-pentoxy derivatives also exhibited large coercive fields of 50–54 kOe at 5–6 K. The activation energies of magnetization reorientation for the present compounds were estimated to be as large as 290–360 K from Arrhenius analysis using ac susceptibility data. In a temperature range of ca. 10–40 K, all of the present compounds behaved as very soft magnets, as indicated by no hysteresis in the ferromagnetic M–H curves. We propose a mechanism for the drastic soft–hard switch. The hard character grows immediately after freezing of the spin dynamics owing to the strong magnetic anisotropy.
Synthesis and Antileukemic Activity of 1-((S)-2-Amino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[d]thiazol-6-yl)-3-(substituted phenyl)urea Derivatives
Authors: Prasanna Doddakunche S , Kavitha Chandagirikoppal V , Vinaya Kambappa , Ranganatha Somasagara R , Raghava Byregowda , Kumar Yelekere C Sunil , Raghavan Sathees C , Rangappa Kanchugarakoppal S
Published: May 2010

Heterocyclic urea derivatives play an important role as anticancer agents because of their good inhibitory activity against receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), raf kinases, protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs), and NADH oxidase, which play critical roles in many aspects of tumorigenesis. Benzothiazole moiety constitutes an important scaffold of drugs, possessing several pharmacological functions, mainly the anticancer activity. Based on these interesting properties of benzothiazoles and urea moiety to obtain new biologically active agents, we synthesized a series of novel 1-((S)-2-amino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[d]thiazol-6-yl)-3-(substituted phenyl)urea derivatives and evaluated for their efficacy as antileukemic agents against two human leukemic cell lines (K562 and Reh). These compounds showed good and moderate cytotoxic effect to cancer cell lines tested. Compounds with electron-withdrawing chloro and fluoro substituents on phenyl ring showed good activity and compounds with electron-donating methoxy group showed moderate activity. Compound with electron-withdrawing dichloro substitution on phenyl ring of aryl urea showed good activity. Further, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay, flow cytometric analysis of annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) double staining and DNA fragmentation studies showed that compound with dichloro substitution on phenyl ring of aryl urea can induce apoptosis.
Development of Unique Chemical Phenomena within Nanometer-Sized, Self-Assembled Coordination Hosts
Authors: Yoshizawa Michito , Fujita Makoto
Published: May 2010

This account recounts the application of self-assembled coordination hosts as molecular tools and the development of unusual chemical reactions and interactions generated within their cavities. Starting from the simple molecular recognition of guest molecules, coordination hosts have been used to accelerate reaction rates, endow regio- and stereoselectivity, and create unique reactions in their nanometer-sized cavities. Coordination hosts were also used to develop a new, practical method for constructing discrete stacks of aromatic molecules with unique electronic and magnetic properties.
Phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-protein kinase B and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 mediate reoxygenation-induced cardioprotection during hypoxia
Authors: Milano Giuseppina , von Segesser Ludwig K , Morel Sandrine , Joncic Ana , Bianciardi Paola , Vassalli Giuseppe , Samaja Michele
Published: May 2010

In vivo exposure to chronic hypoxia (CH) depresses myocardial performance and tolerance to ischemia, but daily reoxyenation during CH (CHR) confers cardioprotection. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we tested the role of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-protein kinase B (Akt) and p42/p44 extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2), which are known to be associated with protection against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Male Sprague–Dawley rats were maintained for two weeks under CH (10% O2) or CHR (as CH but with one-hour daily exposure to room air). Then, hearts were either frozen for biochemical analyses or Langendorff-perfused to determine performance (intraventricular balloon) and tolerance to 30-min global ischemia and 45-min reperfusion, assessed as recovery of performance after I/R and infarct size (tetrazolium staining). Additional hearts were perfused in the presence of 15 μmol/L LY-294002 (inhibitor of Akt), 10 μmol/L UO-126 (inhibitor of ERK1/2) or 10 μmol/L PD-98059 (less-specific inhibitor of ERK1/2) given 15 min before ischemia and throughout the first 20 min of reperfusion. Whereas total Akt and ERK1/2 were unaffected by CH and CHR in vivo, in CHR hearts the phosphorylation of both proteins was higher than in CH hearts. This was accompanied by better performance after I/R (heart rate × developed pressure), lower end-diastolic pressure and reduced infarct size. Whereas the treatment with LY-294002 decreased the phosphorylation of Akt only, the treatment with UO-126 decreased ERK1/2, and that with PD-98059 decreased both Akt and ERK1/2. In all cases, the cardioprotective effect led by CHR was lost. In conclusion, in vivo daily reoxygenation during CH enhances Akt and ERK1/2 signaling. This response was accompanied by a complex phenotype consisting in improved resistance to stress, better myocardial performance and lower infarct size after I/R. Selective inhibition of Akt and ERK1/2 phosphorylation abolishes the beneficial effects of the reoxygenation. Therefore, Akt and ERK1/2 have an important role to mediate cardioprotection by reoxygenation during CH in vivo.
Elevation of tumor necrosis factor-α induces the overproduction of postprandial intestinal apolipoprotein B48-containing very low-density lipoprotein particles: evidence for related gene expression of inflammatory, insulin and lipoprotein signaling in enterocytes
Authors: Qin Bolin , Dawson Harry , Anderson Richard A
Published: May 2010

The aim of this study was to determine whether systemic elevation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- α induces intestinal-derived apolipoprotein B (apoB)48-containing very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) production in hamsters after fat loading and whether TNF- α disturbs the related mRNA expression in inflammatory, insulin and lipoprotein signaling pathways in primary enterocytes. In vivo TNF- α and Triton-WR1339 infusion, Western blotting and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction were combined to explore the mechanisms underlying intestinal overproduction of apoB48-containing chylomicrons and VLDL1 particles by TNF- α. TNF- α infusion increased intestinal production of chylomicron and VLDL1-apoB48 in postprandial (fat load) states. Following TNF- α-treatment in enterocytes, there was enhanced gene expression of Il1 α and β, Il6 and Tnf and decreased mRNA levels of components of the insulin signaling pathway including the insulin receptor (Ir), Ir substrate-1 and 2, PI3 k, and Akt, but increased phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (Pten) protein and mRNA expression. TNF- α also induced Cd36 and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor (Ppar) γ expression, as well as microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (Mtp) protein and mRNA, but suppressed the sterol regulatory element binding protein (Srebp)1c protein and mRNA level. Systemic elevation of TNF- α stimulates the postprandial overproduction of apoB48-containing chylomicrons and VLDL1 particles by disturbing intestinal gene expression of the inflammatory, insulin and lipoprotein pathways. These findings provide mechanistic links among the inflammatory factor, TNF- α, intestinal inflammatory/insulin insensitivity and the overproduction of intestinal apoB48-containing lipoproteins.
Thyroid hormone concentrations in systemic circulation and ovarian follicular fluid of cows
Authors: Ashkar Fazl A , Bartlewski Pawel M , Singh Jaswant , Malhi Pritpal S , Yates Kathleen M , Singh Tarvinder , King W Allan
Published: May 2010

The aim of this study was to determine and compare the concentrations of total (T) and free (F) fractions of thyroid hormones (T3-triiodithyronine and T4-thyroxin) in peripheral circulation and follicular fluid of cows in relation to ovarian follicular status in vivo (Experiment 1), and in the follicles from the slaughterhouse ovaries (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, estrus was synchronized in 15 cows using two Estrumate® (cloprostenol sodium) injections (250 mg cloprostenol intramuscular), the time of ovulation (Day 0) was confirmed by ultrasonography, and ovarian antral follicles were ablated on Day 5. The ensuing superovulatory treatment consisted of eight Folltropin®-V injections (50 mg intramuscular) administered twice daily from Day 6 to Day 9, followed by two injections of Estrumate® (Day 10 am and pm) and a single dose of Lutropin Alfa® (Day 11; 750 IU intramuscular). On Day 5, both TT3 and FT3 concentrations were greater ( P < 0.05) in serum than follicular fluid from dominant (DFs) or subordinate antral follicles (SFs), and TT4 concentrations were greater ( P < 0.05) in DFs compared with SFs. Serum concentrations of FT4 were greater ( P < 0.05) on Day 12 than on Day 5, and TT4 concentrations in follicular fluid collected on Day 12 were higher than those in DFs and SFs on Day 5. In Experiment 2, there were no differences ( P > 0.05) in thyroid hormone concentrations between the largest and all remaining antral follicles visible on the surface of the ovary ( n = 20 ovaries). We concluded that: (i) physiological status of bovine antral follicles (i.e. dominant versus subordinate) may impinge on the accumulation of TT4 in follicular fluid; and (ii) hormonal ovarian superstimulation increases circulating levels of FT4 and follicular fluid content of TT4.
β-Apocarotenoids do not significantly activate retinoic acid receptors α or β
Authors: Marsh Rebekah S , Yan Yan , Reed Vanessa M , Hruszkewycz Damian , Curley Robert W , Harrison Earl H
Published: May 2010

β-Carotene oxygenase 2 cleaves β-carotene asymmetrically at non-central double bonds of the polyene chain, yielding apocarotenal molecules. The hypothesis tested was that apocarotenoids are able to stimulate transcription by activating retinoic acid receptors (RARs). The effects of long- and short-chain apocarotenals and apocarotenoic acids on the activation of RAR α and RAR β transfected into monkey kidney fibroblast cells (CV-1) were investigated. We synthesized or purified β-apo-8′-carotenoic acid (apo-8′-CA), β-apo-14′-carotenoic acid (apo-14′-CA), β-cyclocitral (BCL), β-cyclogernanic acid (BCA), β-ionone (BI), β-ionylideneacetaldehyde (BIA) β-ionylideneacetic acid (BIAA) and a C13 ketone, β-apo-13-carotenone (C13). None of the apocarotenoids tested showed significant transactivation activity for the RARs when compared with all- trans retinoic acid (RA). The results suggest that biological effects of these apocarotenoids are through mechanisms other than activation of RAR α and β.
Home enteral nutrition in children: a one-year experience with 184 patients in Distrito Federal, Brazil
Authors: Zaban Ana Lúcia Ribeiro Salomon , Novaes Maria Rita Carvalho Garbi
Published: May 2010

There is little published evidence concerning home enteral nutrition therapy in children. The present work attempts to analyze the profile of pediatric patients undergoing this therapy in the Federal District, Brazil. This is a retrospective study of data of all patients younger than 18 y old enrolled in the Home Enteral Nutrition Therapy Program of the Brazilian Public Health Department, Federal District, from January to December 2005. The study covered 184 children and adolescents. The patients’ median age at the beginning of treatment was 2.00 y ( Q1–Q3: 1.00–7.00). Pathologies leading to home enteral nutrition therapy were digestive disorders (54.9%), neuromuscular disorders (21.2%), epidermolysis bullosa congenital (7.1%), congenital malformation (5.0%), cardiac disorders (4.3%), malignancies (0.5%) and miscellaneous causes (7.0%). The prevalence of the therapy was 81.23. The oral route was used in 70.7% of cases. Enteral feeding comprised mainly industrial pediatric formulas (44.9%) and hydrolyzed-protein formulas (20%). This study supports the fact that home enteral nutrition is necessary in special pediatric conditions, favoring a precocious hospital discharge and then lowering the risk of infectious processes, and stimulating the reinsertion of children in their homes, their safe environment. The need for further studies still remain, especially ones in national basis, so as to reinforce the importance of a national regulation which would benefit all Brazilian pediatric patients in need of such therapy.
Dietary amelioration of locomotor, neurotransmitter and mitochondrial aging
Authors: Aksenov Vadim , Long Jiangang , Lokuge Sonali , Foster Jane A , Liu Jiankang , Rollo C David
Published: May 2010

Aging degrades motivation, cognition, sensory modalities and physical capacities, essentially dimming zestful living. Bradykinesis (declining physical movement) is a highly reliable biomarker of aging and mortality risk. Mice fed a complex dietary supplement (DSP) designed to ameliorate five mechanisms associated with aging showed no loss of total daily locomotion compared with >50% decrement in old untreated mice. This was associated with boosted striatal neuropeptide Y, reversal of age-related declines in mitochondrial complex III activity in brain and amelioration of oxidative stress (brain protein carbonyls). Supplemented mice expressed ∼50% fewer mitochondrial protein carbonyls per unit of complex III activity. Reduction of free radical production by mitochondria may explain the exceptional longevity of birds and dietary restricted animals and no DSP is known to impact this mechanism. Functional benefits greatly exceeded the modest longevity increases documented for supplemented normal mice. Regardless, for aging humans maintaining zestful health and performance into later years may provide greater social and economic benefits than simply prolonging lifespan. Although identifying the role of specific ingredients and interactions remains outstanding, results provide proof of principle that complex dietary cocktails can powerfully ameliorate biomarkers of aging and modulate mechanisms considered ultimate goals for aging interventions.
Zymosan priming protects rats against pulmonary oxygen toxicity: characterization of the model
Authors: Berg John T
Published: May 2010

This laboratory previously reported that zymosan priming protects rats against pulmonary oxygen toxicity. That study used a standard priming protocol (3 daily intravenous injections [15 mg zymosan/rat] with 2 days' rest) before hyperoxia. This study confirms that report and more fully characterizes the zymosan priming model. Three studies were conducted to establish the (1) effects of dosage, (2) role of duration of rest period between injections and hyperoxia and (3) importance of injection number, on protection by zymosan priming. Rats were exposed to >95% oxygen for 52 h or room air and acute lung injury was quantitated using standard methods. Lung injury decreased ( P < 0.05 versus saline controls) in all groups of zymosan-primed rats (3 daily intravenous injections [1–15 mg zymosan/rat] with 2 days' rest before hyperoxia). Although the differences between zymosan-primed groups were not statistically significant, protection (as indicated by decreasing mean values of measured parameters of lung injury) increased with dosage. A one-day rest after injections was sufficient to partially protect zymosan-primed rats from hyperoxia (some measured parameters in the zymosan-primed group differed significantly from comparable values in the Saline group), but full protection (all measured parameters within a group differed significantly from Saline values) was not produced until rats received two days' rest before hyperoxia. Finally, one or two zymosan treatments produced partial protection against oxygen toxicity but three injections were needed to produce full protection. In conclusion, this study found that the standard priming protocol (3 zymosan injections with 2 days' rest before hyperoxia) was the most effective in protecting rats against hyperoxia.