bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Yttrium Oxide‐Assisted CRN Synthesis of Silicon Oxynitride Powders with Controlled Morphology
Authors: Zhou Yao , Liu Qian , Zhou Hu , Zhuang Jiandong
Published: October 2013

Si2N2O powders were synthesized at low temperatures by a Y2O3‐assisted‐carbothermal reduction nitridation (CRN) with mesoporous silica/carbon composite as raw material. Experimental results showed that with the addition of Y2O3, the CRN reaction temperature decreased from 1380°C to 1250°C. The mechanism for Y2O3 reducing the CRN temperature was discussed in detail. It was found that the occurrence of Si2N2O at low temperatures was due to the formation of an eutectic intermediate phase as Y2SiO5, which was the reaction product of Y2O3 and mesoporous SiO2. In addition, spherical and rod‐like Si2N2O powders were found to be readily obtained by selecting the mesoporous silica/carbon composite precursors with mesoporous silica spheres and rod‐like SBA‐15, respectively.
Sensory and motor physiological functions are impaired in gastric inhibitory polypeptide receptor‐deficient mice
Authors: Okawa Tetsuji , Kamiya Hideki , Himeno Tatsuhito , Seino Yusuke , Tsunekawa Shin , Hayashi Yoshitaka , Harada Norio , Yamada Yuichiro , Inagaki Nobuya , Seino Yutaka , Oiso Yutaka , Nakamura Jiro
Published: October 2013

Aims/Introduction

Gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) is an incretin secreted from the gastrointestinal tract after an ingestion of nutrients, and stimulates an insulin secretion from the pancreatic islets. Additionally, GIP has important roles in extrapancreatic tissues: fat accumulation in adipose tissue, neuroprotective effects in the central nervous system and an inhibition of bone resorption. In the current study, we investigated the effects of GIP signaling on the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

Materials and Methods

First, the presence of the GIP receptor (GIPR) in mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) was evaluated utilizing immunohistochemical analysis, western blotting and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. DRG neurons of male wild‐type mice (WT) were cultured with or without GIP, and their neurite lengths were quantified. Functions of the PNS were evaluated in GIPR‐deficient mice (gipr−/−) and WT by using current perception thresholds (CPTs), Thermal Plantar Test (TPT), and motor (MNCV) and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV, respectively). Sciatic nerve blood flow (SNBF) and plantar skin blood flow (PSBF) were also evaluated.

Results

We confirmed the expression of GIPR in DRG neurons. The neurite outgrowths of DRG neurons were promoted by the GIP administrations. The gipr−/− showed impaired perception functions in the examination of CPTs and TPT. Both MNCV and SNCV were delayed in gipr−/− compared with these in WT. There was no difference in SNBF and PSBF between WT and gipr−/−.

Conclusions

Our findings show that the GIP signal could exert direct physiological roles in the PNS, which might be directly exerted on the PNS.
UV‐induced alterations of the skin evaluated over time by reflectance confocal microscopy
Authors: Koller S. , Inzinger M. , Rothmund M. , Ahlgrimm‐Siess V. , Massone C. , Arzberger E. , Wolf P. , Hofmann‐Wellenhof R.
Published: October 2013

Background

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) induces various alterations of the skin and plays a decisive part regarding the development of melanoma and non‐melanoma skin cancer. For a closer examination of these phenomena in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is one of the most eligible options as it represents a diagnostic tool that allows a non‐invasive examination of the skin, showing microanatomical structures and individual cells.

Objectives

The aim of this study was using RCM to observe alterations of the skin induced by UVR and to describe the development of these changes. In addition, the findings were compared with histological examinations of the same area.

Methods

A small area in the gluteal region of 10 healthy subjects was exposed to a threefold individual minimal erythema dose of solar‐simulated UVR. The following development of the sunburn reaction was evaluated with RCM 1, 24, 72 h and 1 week after UVR exposure. Furthermore, RCM images of unexposed skin were obtained, serving as a reference. To contrast histological examination with RCM, punch biopsies were performed at each point in time. The obtained data were interpreted regarding histological and RCM‐based criteria on sunburn reaction.

Results

All important UVR‐induced alterations of the skin could be shown in RCM beginning with an inflammatory reaction (inflammatory cells, vasodilatation, oedema), containing the formation of microvesicles, followed by the appearance of apoptotic keratinocytes (sunburn cells), activated melanocytes and at last, loss of the epidermal structure. There was an excellent correlation between RCM and histological features.

Conclusions

Reflectance confocal microscopy is a highly valuable tool for non‐invasive monitoring of UVR‐induced changes of the skin over time. Furthermore, RCM provides a more detailed visualization of inflammatory cell formation and epidermal blood flow than histological examination can.
Development and characterization of 14 microsatellite loci in the Neotropical fish Geophagus brasiliensis (Perciformes, Cichlidae)
Authors: Ferreira D. G. , Galindo B. A. , Alves A. N. , Almeida F. S. , Ruas C. F. , Sofia S. H.
Published: October 2013

Fourteen polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized for the Neotropical cichlid Geophagus brasiliensis and tested on 30 individuals belonging to a single population. Among the 14 loci described, four showed potential presence of null alleles, inferred from the excess of homozygous genotypes, and three of these loci showed significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. Fifty‐nine different alleles were detected (ranging from two to eight alleles per locus), with estimates of observed and expected heterozygosity ranging from 0·167 to 0·700 and from 0·269 to 0·825. Cross‐amplification of primers was successful in five other cichlid species.
Laser‐capture dissection and immunohistochemistry reveals chloride and mucous‐cell specific gene expression in gills of seawater acclimated Atlantic salmon Salmo salar
Authors: Nowak B. , Cadoret K. , Feist S.W. , Bean T.P.
Published: October 2013

Laser‐capture microdissection and immunohistochemistry were used to show that gene and protein expression varied in different cell types in the gills of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, with chloride cells found to express high levels of sodium potassium ATPase and mucous cells expressing elevated levels of anterior gradient protein. It is therefore important that studies of gene expression in gill tissue take account of the proportion of the various cell types present.
Cold Pressed Nigella sativa Oil Inhibits the Growth of Foodborne Pathogens and Improves the Quality of Domiati Cheese
Authors: Mahgoub Samir A. , Ramadan Mohamed Fawzy , El‐Zahar Kahled M.
Published: October 2013

The impact of adding cold‐pressed black cumin seed oil (BCSO) at levels of 0.1 and 0.2% w/w to Domiati cheese supplemented with probiotic cultures on the growth inhibition of foodborne pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enteritidis) inoculated in cheese during storage at 4C for 42 days was investigated. BCSO showed antimicrobial effect on the survival of St. aureus, E. coli, L. monocytogenes and Sa. enteritidis inoculated into probiotic Domiati cheese samples. BCSO at concentration of 0.2% w/w had the most effective antimicrobial activity on pathogens when compared to the control. L. monocytogenes and Sa. enteritidis were more resistant against BCSO up to 28 days, whereas E. coli and St. aureus were more resistant up to 14 days of storage. Storage life of BCSO‐supplemented chesses was extended under refrigerated conditions with low microbial loads. BCSO‐supplemented Domiati chesses had also improved physicochemical and sensory properties.

Practical Application

Consumers are in quest of natural preservatives for healthier lifestyles and natural ways of preventing ailments. Spices are being sought for their medicinal value as antioxidants and as antimicrobials. White soft cheese is one of the most appreciated soft cheeses worldwide. In the current work, BCSO was applied as antibacterial and antioxidant agent during manufacture and storage of Domiati cheese prepared with starter cultures containing contaminating bacteria as well as artificially inoculated bacterial pathogens. It can be stated that BCSO have general antibacterial against pathogenic bacteria. BCSO also enhance the physicochemical and sensory attributes of cheese. This endowed potentiality can participate in keeping a good hygienic quality of soft cheese during storage under cold conditions. The results from the present study could be used to develop novel soft cheese rich in bioactive molecules with a desirable shelf life.
Patient participation, decision‐makers and information flow in surgical treatment
Authors: Heggland Liv‐Helen , Hausken Kjell
Published: October 2013

Aims and objectives

To clarify patient participation by specifying three kinds of information flows between healthcare professionals and patients in four models such as the paternalistic, shared, informed and nonpaternalistic models.

Background

The relationship between healthcare professionals and patients has evolved from a traditional paternalistic model where ‘doctors know best' and patients are passive recipients, to a partnership where patients act as active participants.

Design

A qualitative study.

Methods

Qualitative data from interviews with four doctors, seven nurses and seven patients illustrate these relationships.

Results

A 3 × 3 matrix is developed where healthcare professionals can make decisions unilaterally, patients can make decisions unilaterally, or these can make decisions jointly. Information can flow from healthcare professionals to patient, from patient to healthcare professionals or both ways.

Conclusions

This conceptualisation provides a rich understanding of decision‐making and information flow in surgical hospitals.

Relevance to clinical practice

The paper illustrates how practice can be assessed empirically to determine how it fits into the structure. Strategies can be implemented to move practice from one part of the structure to another part.
Prognostic Indicators in Cats with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Payne J.R. , Borgeat K. , Connolly D.J. , Boswood A. , Dennis S. , Wagner T. , Menaut P. , Maerz I. , Evans D. , Simons V.E. , Brodbelt D.C. , Luis Fuentes V.
Published: October 2013

Background

Left atrial (LA) enlargement, congestive heart failure (CHF), and aortic thromboembolism (ATE) are associated with decreased survival in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), but the prognostic value of echocardiographic variables has not been well characterized.

Hypothesis/Objectives

We hypothesized thatLAechocardiographic variables and assessment of left ventricular (LV) diastolic and systolic function would have prognostic value in cats withHCM.

Animals

Two hundred eighty‐two cats diagnosed withHCM.

Methods

Clinical and echocardiographic records of affected cats seen at the Royal Veterinary College from 2004 to 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. Only cats with echocardiographic confirmation ofLVdiastolic wall thickness ≥6 mm were included. Outcomes were obtained from clinical records or referring veterinarians and owners.

Results

Deaths occurred in 164 cats, of which 107 were believed to have been cardiac deaths. Univariable predictors of an increased risk of cardiac death included older age, absence of a murmur, presence of a gallop sound or arrhythmia, presentation with eitherCHForATE, extremeLVhypertrophy (≥9.0 mm),LVfractional shortening (FS%) ≤30%, regional wall hypokinesis, increased left atrial size, decreased left atrial function, spontaneous echo‐contrast/thrombus or both, absence of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and a restrictive diastolic filling pattern. Cox's proportional hazard analysis identifiedLAdysfunction, lowLVsystolic function, and extremeLVhypertrophy as independent predictors of decreased cardiac survival time.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Echocardiographic measurement ofLAfunction, extremeLVhypertrophy, andLVsystolic function provides important prognostic information in cats withHCM.
Isolation and characterization of broad spectrum bacteriophages lytic to Vibrio harveyi from shrimp farms of Kerala, India
Authors: Surekhamol I.S. , Deepa G.D. , Somnath Pai S. , Sreelakshmi B. , Varghese S. , Bright Singh I.S.
Published: October 2013

Of 33 phages isolated from various shrimp farms in Kerala, India, six were segregated to have broad spectrum lytic efficiency towards 87 isolates of Vibrio harveyi with cross-infecting potential to a few other important aquaculture pathogens. They were further tested on beneficial aquaculture micro-organisms such as probiotics and nitrifying bacterial consortia and proved to be noninfective. Morphological characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and molecular characterization by RAPD and SDS-PAGE proved them distinct and positioned under Caudovirales belonging to Myoviridae and Siphoviridae.

Significance and Impact of the Study

In sustainable aquaculture, application of antibiotics is prohibited to manage vibriosis, including the one caused by Vibrio harveyi. In lieu of antibiotics, an eco-friendly alternative method, phage therapy, is recommended here. To facilitate the same, a set of six broad spectrum V. harveyi phages, as cocktail, has been constituted and characterized based on morphological traits and by employing molecular tools. These phages were also found to infect other aquaculture pathogens belonging to Vibrio and Aeromonas. Subsequent to in vivo trials, they can find application in shrimp hatcheries as prophylactics and therapeutics.
Building Cooperation between theBRICSand Leading Industrialized States
Authors: Luckhurst Jonathan
Published: October 2013

This article examines relations between theBRICSand leading industrialized states. It starts by analyzing the former's mutual relations, focusing on how the ideational construct presented byJimO'Neill in his “BRIChypothesis” became formalized as a leader‐level diplomatic group at a summit inYekaterinburg,Russia, in 2009. I evaluate how theBRICShave influenced international issues and whether “cooperation” or “conflict” characterizes their relations with key industrialized states, concluding that there has been greater multilateral cooperation since 2008, especially through international forums such as theG20. TheBRICSpartnership is one ofunequals, significant for international economic relations primarily due toChina. This has had important consequences as theChinese government has prioritized economic cooperation with leading industrialized states. Influential countries can continue to benefit by enhancing multilateral ties in what are often nonzero–sum situations.
The Takeover of ABN AMRO and Its Effects on Latin American Banking
Authors: Santillán‐Salgado Roberto J.
Published: October 2013

Throughout the 1990s and well into the first half of the new century, there was intense activity in Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) in the commercial banking industry of Western Europe. The frequency of M&As diminished when the 2007–2009 financial crisis hit the markets. One of the last of these activities that took place before the full explosion of the 2007–2009 financial crisis was the cross‐border takeover that a consortium made up of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS–England), Fortis (Belgium–Netherlands), and Santander (Spain) carried out of one of the largest banks in the world, ABN AMRO (Netherlands). A few months later, the write‐offs of significant amounts of subprime mortgage securities had affected the balance sheet of RBS and Fortis, with severe strategic consequences. The financial crisis forced RBS and Fortis to withdraw from Latin America but also represented a golden opportunity for Santander to further strengthen its already solid position in the region. This article offers a detailed discussion of these events and concludes with a reflection on the need to further investigate the economic consequences of the participation of foreign banks in emerging countries.
Arterial ammonia levels in cirrhosis are determined by systemic and hepatic hemodynamics, and by organ function: a quantitative modelling study
Authors: Noiret Lorette , Baigent Stephen , Jalan Rajiv
Published: October 2013

Background & Aims

Hyperammonaemia is a common complication of chronic liver failure. Two main factors are thought to underlie this complication: a loss of hepatic detoxification function and the development of portosystemic shunting. However, few studies have tried to quantify the importance of portosystemic shunting. Here, we used a theoretical approach to test the hypothesis that the development of portosystemic shunting is sufficient to cause hyperammonaemia in cirrhosis.

Methods

Two mathematical models are developed. The first one describes the main vascular resistances of the circulation and is used to provide scenarios for the distributions of organ blood flow in cirrhosis, which are necessary to run the second model. The second model predicts arterial ammonia levels resulting from ammonia metabolism in gut, liver, kidney, muscle and brain, and the distribution of organ blood flow.

Results

The fraction of gastrointestinal blood flow shunted through collaterals was estimated to be 41% in mild cirrhosis, 69% in moderate and 85% in severe cases. In the second model, the redistribution of organ blood flow associated with severe cirrhosis was sufficient to cause hyperammonaemia, even when the hepatic detoxification function and the ammonia production were set to normal.

Conclusions

The model indicates that the development of portosystemic shunting in cirrhosis is sufficient to cause hyperammonaemia. Interventions that reduce the fraction of shunting may be future targets of therapy to control severity of hyperammonaemia.
Identification of host and viral factors involved in a dissimilar resolution of a hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Cubero Maria , Gregori Josep , Esteban Juan I. , García‐Cehic Damir , Bes Marta , Perales Celia , Domingo Esteban , Rodríguez‐Frías Francisco , Sauleda Silvia , Casillas Rosario , Sanchez Alex , Ortega Israel , Esteban Rafael , Guardia Jaume , Quer Josep
Published: October 2013

Background & Aims

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission from a chronic patient to a susceptible individual is a good opportunity to study viral and host factors that may influence the natural course of hepatitis C infection towards either spontaneous recovery or chronicity. To compare a documented case of a bottleneck event in the sexual transmission of HCV from a chronically infected patient to a recipient host that cleared infection.

Methods

Host genetic components such as Class I and II HLA and IL28B polymorphism (rs12979860 SNPs) were identified by direct sequencing and LightMix analysis, respectively. Deep nucleotide sequence analysis of quasispecies complexity was performed using massive pyrosequencing platform (454 GS‐FLX), and the CD4 specific immune response was characterized by ELISPOT.

Results and Conclusions

Sequencing analysis and CD4 response highlighted several NS3‐helicase domains in which an interplay between amino acid variability and CD4 immune response might have contributed either to chronicity in the donor patient or to viral clearance in the receptor (newly infected) patient.
Antinomies and the Automobile: A New Approach to Criminal Justice Histories
Authors: Seo Sarah A.
Published: October 2013

In the twentieth century, the antinomy of freedom and coercion served as the dominant paradigm for understanding issues of crime and punishment. Roscoe Pound in Criminal Justice in America (1930) and Herbert Packer in The Limits of the Criminal Sanction (1968) described a tension between the values of individual liberty and general security to explain the problems with the justice system and the public's disagreements over their solution. Historians of twentieth-century criminal law have also adopted this framework to explain causation and change. This essay argues that an antinomic perspective of criminal justice history, while useful, has obscured important historical questions. A focus on social changes, such as the transformations that the automobile brought about in the commission of crimes and police practices, instead of on contrasting values, offers a different account of how proceduralism became inextricably tied to notions of American freedom in the twentieth century. This approach also historicizes the “paradigm of antinomies” and shows how people in the past, like Pound and Packer, mobilized dualistic thinking, which shaped a criminal legal culture based on an antagonism—both real and perceived—between citizens and law enforcement.
Salt licks do not increase local densities of the deer ked,Lipoptena cervi, an abundant ectoparasite of cervids
Authors: PAAKKONEN T. , NIEMINEN P. , ROININEN H. , MUSTONEN A.‐M.
Published: October 2013

The deer ked,Lipoptena cervi(Diptera: Hippoboscidae), is a common ectoparasite of the moose,Alces alces(Artiodactyla: Cervidae). Salt licks are widely used to manipulate moose movements to prevent damage to saplings and traffic accidents. They may cause moose to gather in small areas, which could create aggregates of deer ked pupae as the parasite is a short‐distance flyer and its dispersion depends on its hosts. We investigated whether the population density of flying deer keds could be influenced by manipulating salt licks and how environmental variables affect parasite density. Densities were estimated in 40 experimental sites with four treatments (no salt licks, introduced salt licks, removed salt licks, permanent salt licks) in September during 2007–2010. Forest edges, mixed forests on mineral soil and coniferous forests on peat soil were the habitats with high numbers of parasites. The manipulation of salt licks seemed to be ineffective in reducing the density of deer keds as the only factor to show statistical significance with parasite numbers in the mixed‐model analysis was year of determination. Annual deer ked densities correlated with the abundance of moose in the region. Moreover, high spring and summer temperatures seemed to increase the numbers of flying imagos.
Comparison of salivary collection and processing methods for quantitative HHV‐8 detection
Authors: Speicher DJ , Johnson NW
Published: October 2013

Objectives

Saliva is a proved diagnostic fluid for the qualitative detection of infectious agents, but the accuracy of viral load determinations is unknown. Stabilising fluids impede nucleic acid degradation, compared with collection onto ice and then freezing, and we have shown that the DNA Genotek P‐021 prototype kit (P‐021) can produce high‐quality DNA after 14 months of storage at room temperature. Here we evaluate the quantitative capability of 10 collection/processing methods.

Methods

Unstimulated whole mouth fluid was spiked with a mixture of HHV‐8 cloned constructs, 10‐fold serial dilutions were produced, and samples were extracted and then examined with quantitative PCR (qPCR). Calibration curves were compared by linear regression and qPCR dynamics.

Results

All methods extracted with commercial spin columns produced linear calibration curves with large dynamic range and gave accurate viral loads. Ethanol precipitation of the P‐021 does not produce a linear standard curve, and virus is lost in the cell pellet. DNA extractions from the P‐021 using commercial spin columns produced linear standard curves with wide dynamic range and excellent limit of detection.

Conclusion

When extracted with spin columns, the P‐021 enables accurate viral loads down to 23 copies μl−1 DNA. The quantitative and long‐term storage capability of this system makes it ideal for study of salivary DNA viruses in resource‐poor settings.
Managing a child with possible allergy to vaccine
Authors: Caubet Jean‐Christoph , Rudzeviciene Odilija , Gomes Eva , Terreehorst Ingrid , Brockow Knut , Eigenmann Philippe A.
Published: October 2013

Similarly to other medications, vaccines may be responsible for allergic reactions. Although IgE‐mediated allergies to vaccine are extremely rare, they are clearly overdiagnosed. Indeed, accurate diagnosis of vaccine allergy is important not only to prevent serious or even life‐threatening reactions, but also to avoid unnecessary vaccine restriction. Systematic approaches have been proposed and, if implemented, will likely reduce the number of children being inappropriately labeled as allergic to vaccine. In diagnosis of vaccine allergy, the patient's history is central although not sufficient. In case of suspicion of an allergy, the child should be referred to an allergist in order to perform a complete allergy workup, based primarily on skin tests and/or specific IgE. Highlighting the most recent literature, this article will address the management of children with a possible allergy to vaccine.
Enhancement of root hydraulic conductivity by methyl jasmonate and the role of calcium and abscisic acid in this process
Authors: SÁNCHEZ‐ROMERA BEATRIZ , RUIZ‐LOZANO JUAN MANUEL , LI GUOWEI , LUU DOAN‐TRUNG , MARTÍNEZ‐BALLESTA MARIA DEL CARMEN , CARVAJAL MICAELA , ZAMARREÑO ANGEL MARÍA , GARCÍA‐MINA JOSE MARÍA , MAUREL CHRISTOPHE , AROCA RICARDO
Published: October 2013

The role of jasmonic acid in the induction of stomatal closure is well known. However, its role in regulating root hydraulic conductivity (L) has not yet been explored. The objectives of the present research were to evaluate how JA regulates L and how calcium and abscisic acid (ABA) could be involved in such regulation. We found that exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA) increased L of Phaseolus vulgaris, Solanum lycopersicum and Arabidopsis thaliana roots. Tomato plants defective in JA biosynthesis had lower values of L than wild‐type plants, and that L was restored by addition of MeJA. The increase of L by MeJA was accompanied by an increase of the phosphorylation state of the aquaporin PIP2. We observed that MeJA addition increased the concentration of cytosolic calcium and that calcium channel blockers inhibited the rise of L caused by MeJA. Treatment with fluoridone, an inhibitor of ABA biosynthesis, partially inhibited the increase of L caused by MeJA, and tomato plants defective in ABA biosynthesis increased their L after application of MeJA. It is concluded that JA enhances L and that this enhancement is linked to calcium and ABA dependent and independent signalling pathways.
Analgesic Effect of Light‐Emitting Diode (LED) Therapy at Wavelengths of 635 and 945 nm on Bothrops moojeni Venom‐Induced Hyperalgesia
Authors: Nadur‐Andrade Nikele , Zamuner Stella R. , Toniolo Elaine F. , de Lima Carlos J. , Cogo José C. , Dale Camila S.
Published: October 2013

Envenoming induced by Bothrops snakes is characterized by drastic local tissue damage involving hemorrhage, myonecrosis and proeminent inflammatory and hyperalgesic response. The most effective treatment is antivenom therapy, which is ineffective in neutralizing the local response. Herein, it was evaluated the effectiveness of light‐emitting diode (LED) at wavelengths of 635 and 945 nm in reducing inflammatory hyperalgesia induced by Bothrops moojeni venom (BmV) in mice, produced by an subplantar injection of BmV (1 μg). Mechanical hyperalgesia and allodynia were assessed by von Frey filaments at 1, 3, 6 and 24 h after venom injection. The site of BmV injection (1.2 cm2) was irradiated by LEDs at 30 min and 3 h after venom inoculation. Both 635 nm (110 mW, fluence of 3.76 J/cm2 and 41 s of irradiation time) and 945 nm (120 mW, fluence of 3.8 J/cm2 and 38 s of irradiation time) LED inhibited mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia of mice alone or in combination with antivenom treatment, even when the symptoms were already present. The effect of phototherapy in reducing local pain induced by BmV should be considered as a novel therapeutic tool for the treatment of local symptoms induced after bothropic snake bites.
Au–Ag–Te Mineralization of the Low‐Sulfidation Epithermal Aginskoe Deposit, Central Kamchatka, Russia
Authors: Andreeva Elena D. , Matsueda Hiroharu , Okrugin Victor M. , Takahashi Ryohei , Ono Shuji
Published: October 2013

Mineralogic studies of major ore minerals and fluid inclusion analysis in gangue quartz were carried out for the for the two largest veins, the Aginskoe and Surprise, in the Late Miocene Aginskoe Au–Ag–Te deposit in central Kamchatka, Russia. The veins consist of quartz–adularia–calcite gangue, which are hosted by Late Miocene andesitic and basaltic rocks of the Alnei Formation. The major ore minerals in these veins are native gold, altaite, petzite, hessite, calaverite, sphalerite, and chalcopyrite. Minor and trace minerals are pyrite, galena, and acanthine. Primary gold occurs as free grains, inclusions in sulfides, and constituent in tellurides. Secondary gold is present in form of native mustard gold that usually occur in Fe‐hydroxides and accumulates on the decomposed primary Au‐bearing tellurides such as calaverite, krennerite, and sylvanite. K–Ar dating on vein adularia yielded age of mineralization 7.1–6.9 Ma. Mineralization of the deposit is divided into barren massive quartz (stage I), Au–Ag–Te mineralization occurring in quartz‐adularia‐clays banded ore (Stage II), intensive brecciation (Stage III), post‐ore coarse amethyst (Stage IV), carbonate (Stage V), and supergene stages (Stage VI). In the supergene stage various secondary minerals, including rare bilibinskite, bogdanovite, bessmertnovite metallic alloys, secondary gold, and various oxides, formed under intensely oxidized conditions. Despite heavy oxidation of the ores in the deposit, Te and S fugacities are estimated as Stage II tellurides precipitated at the log f Te2 values −9 and at log fS2 −13 based on the chemical compositions of hypogene tellurides and sphalerite. Homogenization temperature of fluid inclusions in quartz broadly ranges from 200 to 300°C. Ore texture, fluid inclusions, gangue, and vein mineral assemblages indicate that the Aginskoe deposit is a low‐sulfidation (quartz–adularia–sericite) vein system.
Dispersion Pattern of PGE and Ag in Chromiferous Ultramafic Suite of Rocks in Sukinda Valley, India
Authors: Sharma Priyadarshini , Mohapatra Birendra Kumar , Singh Prem Prakash
Published: October 2013

Potential chromite ore deposits of India are situated in Sukinda, Odisha, which may also be considered as a potential resource for platinum group elements (PGEs). This paper reports on PGE geochemistry in twenty six samples covering chromite ores, chromitites and associated ultramafic rocks of the Sukinda ultramafic complex. Platinum group element contents range from 213 to 487 ppb in the chromite ore body, from 63 to 538 ppb in rocks that have chromite dendrites or dissemination and from 38 to 389 ppb in associated olivine–peridotite, serpentinite, pyroxenite and brecciated rocks. The PGEs are divided into two sub‐groups: IPGE (Ir, Os, and Ru) and PPGE (Pd, Pt, and Rh) based on their chemical behaviour. The IPGE and PPGE in these three litho‐members show a contrasting relationship e.g. average IPGE content decreases from chromite to chromitite and associated rocks while PPGE increases in the same order. Appreciable Ag in chromitite (270–842 ppb) is recorded. Positive correlation between IPGE with Cr2O3 and with Al2O3 is observed while these are negatively correlated with MgO. Covariant relationships between Au and Mg in rocks devoid of chromite and between Ag and Fe in chromitite sample are observed. Chromite in all seams and some chromitite samples exhibit an IPGE‐enriched chondrite normalized pattern while PPGE are highly fractionated and show a steep negative slope, thereby indicating that PGE in the parental melt fractionates and IPGE‐compatible elements prefer to settle with chromite. The rocks devoid of chromite and rocks containing accessory chromite exhibit a nearly flat pattern in chondrite‐normalized PGE plots and this suggests a limited fractionation of PGE in these rocks. Variation in the distribution pattern of PGE and Ag in three typical litho‐members of the Sukinda Valley may be related to multiple intrusion of ultramafic magma, containing variable volume percentage of chromite.
Unique Origin of Skarn at the Ohori Base Metal Deposit, Yamagata Prefecture, NE Japan: C, O and S Isotopic Study
Authors: Yokoro Yu , Hanamuro Takahiro , Nakashima Kazuo
Published: October 2013

The Ohori ore deposit is one of the Cu–Pb–Zn deposits in the Green Tuff region, NE Japan, and consists of skarn‐type (Kaninomata) and vein‐type (Nakanomata) orebodies. The former has a unique origin because its original calcareous rocks were made by hydrothermal precipitation during Miocene submarine volcanism. Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios of skarn calcite and sulfur isotope ratios of sulfides were measured in and around the deposit. Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios of the skarn calcite are δ13C = −15.51 to −5.1‰, δ18O = +3.6 to +22.5‰. δ13C values are slightly lower than those of the Cretaceous skarn deposits in Japan. These isotope ratios of the Kaninomata skarn show that the original calcareous rocks resemble the present submarine hydrothermal carbonates at the CLAM Site, Okinawa Trough, than Cenozoic limestones, even though some isotopic shifts had occurred during later skarnization. δ34S ratios of the sulfide minerals from the Kaninomata and Nakanomata orebodies are mostly in a narrow range of +4.0 to +7.0‰ and they resemble each other, suggesting the same sulfur origin for the both deposits. The magnetite‐series Tertiary Kaninomatasawa granite is distributed just beneath the skarn layer and has δ34S ratios of +7.5 to 8.1‰. The heavy sulfur isotope ratio of the skarn sulfides may have been affected by the Kaninomatasawa granite.
Equine deep stromal abscesses (51 cases – 2004–2009) – Part 2: the histopathology and immunohistochemical aspect with attention to the histopathologic diagnosis, vascular response, and infectious agents
Authors: de Linde Henriksen Michala , Andersen Pia Haubro , Mietelka Kristy , Farina Lisa , Thomsen Preben D. , Plummer Caryn E , Mangan Brendan G , Heegaard Steffen , Coleman James K , Toft Nils , Brooks Dennis E.
Published: October 2013

Purpose

To investigate histopathologic and immunohistochemical aspects of equine deep stromal abscesses (DSA) with a focus on the histopathologic diagnosis, presumptive etiology, and the immunohistochemical expression of three angiogenesis‐related factors: vascular endothelial growth factor‐A(VEGF‐A), pigment epithelium‐derived factor (PEDF), and interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist (IL‐1ra).

Sample population

Paraffin‐embedded biopsy samples from 51DSA. The biopsies were collected from full‐thickness penetrating keratoplasty or split‐thickness lamellar keratoplasty surgeries at theUniversity ofFlorida VeterinaryMedicalCenter in the period from 2004 to 2009.

Procedure

The histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings were tested for association between each other. Prevalence calculation and test for association with qualitative data analysis was used for data evaluation.

Results

Fungal hyphae were found histologically in 47.1% (n = 24) of theDSAcases. Histopathologically, most fungalDSAshowed suppurative keratitis (n = 34; 66.7%) and little to no stromal vascularization infiltrating the abscess (negative association,P = 0.005). All three angiogenesis‐related factors were expressed to some degree inDSAtissue. A negative association betweenVEGF‐A andPEDFwhen compared to the presence of fungal hyphae (P < 0.001,P = 0.023) indicated that cases positive for these two factors will most probably not have fungal hyphae present.

Conclusion

Abnormally decreasedVEGF‐A expression is suggested as the reason for the slow vascularization and delayed resolution of fungalDSA, whereasPEDFandIL‐ra did not seem to have any influence on the vascularization process. Clinical and histopathologic characteristics ofDSAmake it possible to suggest an etiology for an equineDSAwith an unknown etiology.
Equine deep stromal abscesses (51 cases – 2004–2009) –Part 1: the clinical aspects with attention to the duration of the corneal disease, treatment history, clinical appearance, and microbiology results
Authors: de Linde Henriksen Michala , Andersen Pia H. , Thomsen Preben D. , Plummer Caryn E. , Mangan Brendan , Heegaard Steffen , Toft Nils , Brooks Dennis E.
Published: October 2013

Objective

To study the equine deep stromal abscesses (DSA) with focus on the duration of the corneal disease, medical treatment, season of presentation, clinical appearance, and the degree of corneal vascularization.

Material and Methods

EquineDSAdiagnosed, biopsied, and surgically treated at theUniversity ofFloridaVeterinaryMedicalCenter (UFVMC) from 2004 to 2009 were identified. The medical record, clinical photographic images, and microbiology results for each case were evaluated. Frequency and prevalence calculation as well as qualitative data analysis was performed for clinical and microbiological data.

Results

Fifty‐one equineDSAwere included in the study. Spring (March,April,May; 33.4%) and winter (December,January,February; 31.4%) were the most common seasons forDSApresentation. The 51 cases were divided into four categories of focal opacity from their clinical appearance: focal yellow (45.2%), focal white (23.5%), diffuse yellow/white (23.5%), and focal pink (7.8%). 5.9% of theDSA(n = 3) were culture positive for fungal growth, whereas 17.6% were positive for bacterial growth (n = 9). No association between short‐/long‐term systemically administeredNSAIDtreatment and the corneal vascular response to the corneal lesion could be appreciated.

Conclusion

EquineDSAmost often present in the spring and winter in the subtropical environment of the state ofFlorida (USA). The clinical appearance may have a connection with the etiology and pathogenesis of the equineDSA. No connection between short‐ or long‐term systemically administeredNSAIDand the degree of corneal vascularization of theDSAwas noted.
X‐RAY ATTENUATION OF THE LIVER AND KIDNEY IN CATS CONSIDERED AT VARYING RISK OF HEPATIC LIPIDOSIS
Authors: Lam Richard , Niessen Stijn J. , Lamb Christopher R.
Published: October 2013

X‐ray attenuation of the liver has been measured using computed tomography (CT) and reported to decrease in cats with experimentally induced hepatic lipidosis. To assess the clinical utility of this technique, medical records and noncontrast CT scans of a series of cats were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 112 cats met inclusion criteria and were stratified into three hepatic lipidosis risk groups. Group 1 cats were considered low‐risk based on no history of inappetence or weight loss, and normal serum chemistry values; Group 2 cats were considered intermediate risk based on weight loss, serum hepatic enzymes above normal limits, or reasonably controlled diabetes mellitus; and Group 3 cats were considered high risk based on poorly controlled diabetes mellitus due to hypersomatotropism. Mean CT attenuation values (Hounsfield units, HU) were measured using regions of interest placed within the liver and cranial pole of the right kidney. Hepatic and renal attenuation were weakly positively correlated with each other (r= 0.2,P= 0.03) and weakly negatively correlated with body weight (r= −0.21,P= 0.05, andr= −0.34,P= 0.001, respectively). Mean (SD) hepatic and renal cortical attenuation values were 70.7 (8.7) HU and 49.6 (9.2) HU for Group 1 cats, 71.4 (7.9) HU and 48.6 (9.1) HU for Group 2, and 68.9 (7.6) HU and 47.6 (7.2) HU for Group 3. There were no significant differences in hepatic or renal attenuation among groups. Findings indicated that CT measures of X‐ray attenuation in the liver and kidney may not be accurate predictors of naturally occurring hepatic lipidosis in cats.
Security Management System for Cross Country Pipelines of Cairn India Ltd
Authors: Mohanty Rajesh , Roy Harsh , Sharma Sanjay
Published: October 2013

Pipeline Intrusion Detection System (PIDS) installed by Cairn India Ltd. (CIL), using existing fiber optic cable and acoustic signature recognition, is one of the most efficient ways to mitigate external sabotage/threats to a long distance pipeline. The system is designed to sense the vibrations, earth movement, and other surface movements associated with such activities. It detects excavation/intrusion activities as the equipment approaches the sensing cable and pipe itself. It is also capable of accurately locating the source of ground vibrations. The system also supports leak detection and pig tracking along the pipeline. By providing an early warning and precise location of an incident, Pipeline Intrusion detection system can help responders prevent costly damages/business/safety impact. Using already existing fiber optic cables along the pipeline, PIDS is the latest proven technology which provides critical information for effective response in event of any undesirable activities along pipeline.
Effect of titanium contamination on oxygen atom recombination probability on plasma conditioned surfaces
Authors: Srivastava Ashutosh K. , Khare Rohit , Donnelly Vincent M.
Published: October 2013

As the tolerances in gate dimensions in integrated circuit manufacturing become ever more stringent, plasma process conditions must be very tightly controlled. The reactor chamber wall contamination is one of the major causes of process drifts and is therefore of prime importance. Here, the authors report a study of the role of Ti contamination on an oxidized silicon surface in affecting the heterogeneous recombination coefficient of O in an O2 inductively coupled plasma reactor. Recombination coefficients were measured, using the spinning wall method, with in-situ Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) for surface analysis during plasma operation. The O-atom recombination coefficient on a Ti-free surface was found to be 0.034. After using an evaporation source to deposit a small amount of Ti on the spinning wall (17% of the atomic composition obtained from AES), the O recombination coefficient decreased to 0.022. A possible mechanism is proposed in which Ti reacts with ≡Si-O• sites that are active in recombining O, forming ≡Ti-O• sites that are less efficient for O recombination.
Rapid Adaptation to Climate Facilitates Range Expansion of an Invasive Plant
Authors: Colautti Robert I. , Barrett Spencer C. H.
Published: October 2013

Invade and Adapt

The mechanisms by which plant and animal species spread into new habitats have become an increasing focus of ecological research, particularly in the context of climate change and species invasions.
Colautti and Barrett
(p.
364
) examined the ecological consequence of local adaptation evolving rapidly along a 1000-kilometer climatic gradient in purple loosestrife
(Lythrum salicaria)
, one of the most notorious invasive plant species in North America. These invasive populations have evolved to become locally adapted within 50 to 100 years with important ecological consequences—increasing reproductive output by more than an order of magnitude.
The Invasive Chytrid Fungus of Amphibians Paralyzes Lymphocyte Responses
Authors: Fites J. Scott , Ramsey Jeremy P. , Holden Whitney M. , Collier Sarah P. , Sutherland Danica M. , Reinert Laura K. , Gayek A. Sophia , Dermody Terence S. , Aune Thomas M. , Oswald-Richter Kyra , Rollins-Smith Louise A.
Published: October 2013

Breaking Frog Defenses

The first line of immune defense against most fungal infections consists of innate immune effector cells, including macrophages and neutrophils. However,

Fites
et al.

(p.
366
) have found that the fungus currently decimating the world's amphibia,
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis
, is readily engulfed by these cells, but that this does not effectively control the infection. The fungus releases cell-wall components that induce lymphocyte apoptosis and inhibit the proliferation of other nonlymphoid cell types, disarming lymphocyte-mediated responses to infection.
The Godfather, Part II
Life at the Speed of Light
From the Double Helix to the Dawn of Digital Life

by J. Craig Venter

Viking, New York, 2013. 236 pp. $26.95, C$28.50. ISBN 9780670025404. Little, Brown, London. £20. ISBN 9781408705247. Paper, £14. ISBN 9781408705254.
Authors: Roosth Sophia
Published: October 2013

Venter offers a personal perspective on the past, present, and prospects of synthetic biology.
Probiotics: Finding the Right Regulatory Balance
Authors: Hoffmann D. E. , Fraser C. M. , Palumbo F. B. , Ravel J. , Rothenberg K. , Rowthorn V. , Schwartz J.
Published: October 2013

Some products marketed as drugs should be excused from Phase I trials, but safety and efficacy claims for dietary supplements should be more tightly regulated.
The Cyber-Espionage X-Files
Black Code
Inside the Battle for Cyberspace

by Ronald J. Deibert

Signal (McClelland and Stewart), Toronto, 2013. 320 pp. $29.99, C$32.99. ISBN 9780771025334.
Authors: DeNardis Laura
Published: October 2013

Deibert provides a coherent exposé of what is at stake in how the Internet is designed, governed, and infiltrated.
Molecule and Market Studies Capture Nobel Laurels
Authors: Service Robert F. , Bhattacharjee Yudhijit
Published: October 2013

Three researchers shared the 2013 Nobel Prize in chemistry for advances in computer modeling of complex molecules, and three academic economists shared the economics prize for studies of why stock prices are so hard to predict.
Botanists Spread the Gospel That Breadfruit Can Be Manna
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: October 2013

An institute in Hawaii is ramping up efforts to disseminate breadfruit to countries with shaky food security.
Roving Into Martian Waters
Authors: Kerr Richard A.
Published: October 2013

Will the Curiosity rover discover an early Mars that was warm and wet and life-friendly or cold and icy and inhospitable?
Dr. Cool
Authors: Kintisch Eli
Published: October 2013

David Keith has helped usher geoengineering into the mainstream. Actually testing a way to cool the planet is his next big challenge.
The Personal Side of Sequencing: Exploring the Role of Cancer Gene Panels and NGS in Clinical Research
Authors: Costa José Luis , Feilotter Harriet , Balladares Sandra
Published: October 2013

Genetic testing methods for cancer research play an important role detecting gene variance in disease. As researchers learn more about the mechanisms of cancer, the development of accurate and affordable technologies for effective and quick detection becomes paramount. Advances in next generation sequencing (NGS) have allowed accurate variant detection that can uncover the specific genetic mutations that may drive cancer. The application of NGS to breast cancer research has enabled the development of cost-effective, multigene sequencing panels that have advanced our understanding of the disease and may in the future translate into better diagnosis and outcomes for patients. The audience will learn about the current state of breast cancer research, how data generated by NGS gene panels target variants of interest and have been developed and used in routine laboratory research, and the broader issues of breast cancer education, awareness, and community services.