bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
No evidence supports vitamin E indiscriminate supplementation
Authors: Dotan Yedidia , Lichtenberg Dov , Pinchuk Ilya
Published: October 2009

For many years, the prevailing concept was that LDL oxidation plays the central role in atherogenesis. As a consequence, supplementation of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E, became very popular. Unfortunately, major randomized clinical trials yielded disappointing results and recent meta‐analyses concluded that indiscriminate, high dose vitamin E supplementation results in increased mortality. This conclusion raised (quite reasonable) criticism, much of which referred to the characteristics of meta‐analysis. In our recent study, we used a Markov‐model approach, which is free of most of the limitations of meta‐analyses. Our major finding was that the average quality‐adjusted life years (QALY) of vitamin E‐ supplemented individuals was 0.30 QALY (95%CI 0.21 to 0.39) less than that of untreated people. In our view, this supports the view that indiscriminate supplementation of high dose vitamin E can not be recommended to the general public.

In the present communication we address several recent studies that demonstrated negative effects of vitamin E and raise possible mechanisms that may be responsible for the harmful effects of vitamin E supplementation. We also review recent studies conducted with specific groups of patients that gained from vitamin E supplementation, indicating that although, on the average, indiscriminate supplementation of high dose vitamin E is not beneficial, specific populations may gain from vitamin E. The challenge is to establish selection criteria that will predict who is likely to benefit from vitamin E supplementation. Such criteria may be based either on the assumption that antioxidants are likely to be beneficial for people under oxidative stress or on knowledge regarding the benefit of sick people with certain diseases. In short, we adopt the view that vitamin E is a “double‐edge sword” that should not be consumed until criteria are defined to predict who is likely to benefit from high dose supplementation of vitamin E. © 2009 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
The effects of gender, family status, and race on sentencing decisions
Authors: Freiburger Tina L.
Published: October 2009

This study sought to determine the effects of family role, gender, and race on judges' sentencing decisions. To assess these effects, factorial surveys were sent to 360 Court of Common Plea judges who presided over criminal court cases in the state. Survey administration resulted in a 51% response rate. The findings indicate that defendants who were depicted as performing caretaker roles had a significantly decreased likelihood of incarceration. Further analysis found that the reduction in likelihood of incarceration for being a caretaker was larger for males than for females. Examination of the interaction of familial role with race found that familial role equally reduced the likelihood of incarceration for black and white females. Familial responsibility, however, resulted in a significantly greater decrease in likelihood of incarceration for black men than for white men. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bereitstellung von Energie und Rohstoffen für eine den biogenen Stoffkreisläufen nachempfundene, nachhaltige Stoffwirtschaft – Eine neue Herausforderung für die Bioverfahrenstechnik?
Authors: Trösch W. , Hirth T. , Rupp S.
Published: October 2009

Eine komplexe, globale Herausforderung ist die Destabilisierung globaler Stoffgleichgewichte (Kreisläufe), die sich insbesondere im Anstieg des atmosphärischen Kohlenstoffdioxidgehalts ablesen lässt. So ist die Erhaltung des CO2/O2‐Gleichgewichtes, das im Wesentlichen durch die Übervölkerung des Planeten und die heutige Form der freien globalisierten Marktwirtschaft gestört wird, künftig eine zentrale Aufgabe der Bioverfahrenstechnik. Möglichkeiten und Wege, nachwachsende Rohstoffe energieeffizient einzusetzen, werden hier beschrieben.
Electrocatalytic Reduction of Oxygen at Anthraquinonedisulfonate/Polypyrrole Composite Film Modified Electrodes and Its Application to the Electrochemical Oxidation of Azo Dye
Authors: Zhang Guoquan , Zhao Sha , Yang Fenglin , Liu Lifen
Published: October 2009

We report here the electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen on thin anthraquindisulfonate (AQDS)/poplypyrrole (PPy) composite film modified electrodes and its application to the electrooxidation of azo dye‐amaranth. The polymer‐coated cathode exhibited good electrocatalytic activity towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and allowed the formation of strong oxidant hydroxyl radical (.OH) in the medium via Electro‐Fenton's reaction between cathodically generated H2O2 and added or regenerated Fe2+. The electrochemical behaviors of ORR in various pH solutions were described using cyclic voltammetry (CV), rotating disk electrode (RDE) and chronoamperometric (CA) techniques. The effect of solution pH on amaranth mineralization by the Fe2+/H2O2 and Fe3+/H2O2 electrooxidation systems was studied. In addition, the long‐term electrocatalytic activity and stability of the AQDS/PPy composite film during multiple experimental runs were also examined electrochemically.
Electrochemistry and Voltammetric Determination of Adenosine with N‐Hexylpyridinium Hexafluorophosphate Modified Electrode
Authors: Sun Wei , Duan Yuanyuan , Li Yinzhuo , Zhan Tianrong , Jiao Kui
Published: October 2009

An ionic liquid N‐hexylpyridinium hexafluorophosphate (HPPF6) modified carbon paste electrode was fabricated for the sensitive voltammetric determination of adenosine in this paper. Carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) was prepared by mixing graphite powder and HPPF6 together and the CILE was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical methods. The electrochemical behaviors of adenosine on the CILE were studied carefully. Compared with the traditional carbon paste electrode (CPE), a small negative shift of the oxidation peak potential appeared with greatly increase of the oxidation peak current, which indicated the presence of ionic liquid in the carbon paste not only as the binder but also as the modifier and promoter. Under the optimal conditions the oxidation peak current increased with the adenosine concentration in the range from 1.0×10−6 mol/L to 1.4×10−4 mol/L with the detection limit of 9.1×10−7 mol/L (S/N=3) by differential pulse voltammetry. The proposed method was applied to the human urine samples detection with satisfactory results.
The Fabrication and Characterization of a Nickel Nanoparticle Modified Boron Doped Diamond Electrode for Electrocatalysis of Primary Alcohol Oxidation
Authors: Stradiotto Nelson R. , Toghill Kathryn E. , Xiao Lei , Moshar Amir , Compton Richard G.
Published: October 2009

We report the fabrication of a Ni nanoparticle modified BDD electrode and its application in the electrocatalysis of primary alcohol electrooxidation. Modification was achieved via electrodeposition from Ni(NO3)2 dissolved in sodium acetate solution (pH 5). Characterization of the Ni‐modified BDD (Ni‐BDD) was performed using ex situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) and high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX). Large nanoparticles of nickel were observed on the BDD surface ranging 5 to 690 nm in height and 0.18 μm−3 in volume, and an average number density of ca. 13×106 nanoparticles cm−2 was determined. The large range of sizes suggests progressive rather than instantaneous nucleation and growth. Electrocatalysis of ethanol and glycerol, was conducted in an alkaline medium using an unmodified BDD, Ni‐BDD and a bulk Ni macro electrode. The Ni‐BDD electrode gave the better electrocatalytic performance, with glycerol showing the greatest sensitivity. Linear calibration plots were obtained for the ethanol and glycerol additions over concentration ranges of 2.8–28.0 mM and 23–230 μM respectively. This gave an ethanol limit of detection of 1.7 mM and sensitivity of 0.31 mA/M, and the glycerol a limit of detection of 10.3 μM with a sensitivity of 35 mA/M.
Double Modification of Electrode Surface for the Selective Detection of Epinephrine and Its Application to Flow Injection Amperometric Analysis
Authors: Xu Guang‐Ri , Qi Xin‐hua , Yang Fengxia , Lee Jae‐Joon , Xu Ming‐Lu , Zhang Yu‐Ping , Kim Sunghyun
Published: October 2009

A glassy carbon electrode having two polymer layers has been applied to selectively detect epinephrine. The inner layer formed by electropolymerization of macrocyclic nickel complex functioned as an electrocatalyst for epinephrine oxidation and the outer layer composed of hydrolyzed polyurethane γ‐benzyl L‐glutamate as a screening layer. Differential pulse voltammetry showed almost 100% recovery of epinephrine even in 100‐fold excess of interferents. When applied to a dual glassy carbon electrode as an amperometric detector in flow injection analysis, a linear response over 0.1 μM and 10 μM was obtained. Recovery tested for 5‐fold diluted human urine samples was 97.5%.
Gully processes and gully dynamics
Authors: Kirkby M. J. , Bracken L. J.
Published: October 2009

This synthetic review of gully morphology and genesis focuses on incised semi‐permanent gully systems rather than on shallow ephemeral gullies. It examines the conditions for gully formation; a sharp step to initiate a headcut, a sufficiently low effective bedload fraction to evacuate eroded material, and the potential to maintain steep sidewalls, usually dominated by mass movement processes. Gully formation is also favoured by an indurated surface layer which maintains steep sideslopes, often with armouring material from the capping layer, and a sharp headcut which does not diffuse away. Two different approaches towards the areal modelling of gully system development agree in treating the ratio of advective (channel) to diffusive (sideslope) processes as a key determinant of the morphology of a gully system as it evolves. Implications for gully prevention and remediation are briefly discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mechanisms of ephemeral gully erosion caused by constant flow through a continuous soil‐pipe
Authors: Wilson G. V.
Published: October 2009

Ephemeral gully erosion is considered to be driven by convergent surface flow while the role of subsurface flow is often overlooked. This study sought to characterize and quantify the soil erosion mechanisms associated with ephemeral gully erosion by pipe flow. A soil pipe (1 cm o.d.) was formed in a 10 cm soil bed immediately above a 5 cm water restricting layer. Flow into the soil pipe was established at steady‐state rates of 190 and 284 l h−1. Experiments were performed for pipe flow alone and with rainfall. Despite a constant flow rate into soil pipes, pipe flow was highly unstable due to internal mass wasting clogging soil pipes until pressure increases forced the debris plug out of the pipe. Short (10–20 Seconds) periods of negligible flow were followed by surges in flow with high sediment concentrations that included a high proportion of aggregates. Increases in soil water pressures associated with these debris flows were observed but were likely not representative of the pressures inside the soil pipes due to hydraulic non‐equilibrium between the soil pipe and soil matrix. Hydraulic non‐equilibrium resulted in hydraulic gradients in the opposite direction of flow through the soil pipe during early stages of pipe flow. Pipe flow rates and sediment concentrations during debris flow periods were likely more extreme than observed due to integration over the three minute sample collection interval. The Slot Erosion Test (SET) was extended to conditions of constant flow rate through an internal soil pipe that was observed at the front face of a soil bed. The modified SET provided estimates of shear stress between 2·2 to 5·3 kg m−1 s−2, however, the technique did not prove effective for estimation of the soil erodibility coefficient. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of Holocene climate and sea‐level changes on coastal gully evolution: insights from numerical modelling
Authors: Leyland Julian , Darby Stephen E
Published: October 2009

Gullies are sensitive to a range of environmental disturbances so they can provide insight into the environmental history of surrounding landscapes. Coastal gullies are of particular interest as they are influenced by terrestrial and marine processes. For example, the coastal gullies found on the Isle of Wight, UK, are highly dynamic, with episodes of sea cliff erosion causing rejuvenation of the channel network. Consequently a key factor in their long‐term evolution is the relative balance between rates of cliff retreat (driven primarily by Holocene sea‐level rise) and headwards incision caused by knickpoint migration (driven primarily by Holocene climate via its impact on runoff). In this paper we explore the Holocene erosional history of these gullies using a numerical landscape evolution model modified to include a cliff recession function. Knickpoint recession rates are simulated using a detachment‐limited erosion law wherein erosion rate is a power function of drainage area and stream gradient with model parameters defined using empirically‐derived data. Hindcast simulations, from 12 000 cal. years BP to present, are undertaken for a range of scenarios of Holocene climate change and sea‐level rise. Plausible erosional histories are extracted from scenarios in which simulated and observed gully forms match. The results suggest that rate of sea‐level rise is the key control on gully formation and that it is only in the late Holocene period, and specifically in the last 2000 years, that sea‐level rise has slowed sufficiently for knickpoint recession rates to exceed cliff recession rates and create sustainable gully networks. The simulations also indicate that the contemporary gully systems are close to a critical threshold, suggesting that future gully evolution is likely to be sensitive to small changes in rates of effective precipitation and/or sea‐level rise. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Catchment scale analysis of the effect of topography, tillage direction and unpaved roads on ephemeral gully incision
Authors: Svoray Tal , Markovitch Hila
Published: October 2009

High‐resolution airphotographs and digital elevation models (DEMs) were used to study areas prone to gully incision in a small agricultural catchment in northern Israel. Data are analyzed to understand better the integrated effect of environmental and human factors on gully incision. The effect of flow accumulation, slope, unpaved roads density and tillage direction on gully width and length is found discontinuous and topography – in the form of the topographic threshold – was found to be the most dominant factor on gully incision in the catchment scale. The topographic threshold coefficients observed in Yehezkel catchment were lower than those found in previous studies, due to the effect of large rainfall events during the early winter season, when the soil in fields is still unprotected by crops. In addition, a survey of previous studies shows that, in cultivated areas, there is relationship between the topographic threshold coefficients a (multiplier) and b (exponent). The influence of unpaved roads and tillage direction on gully incision was also found significant and consistent during the two seasons observed, while the non‐parametric test showed that it added to the prediction in ∼15% of the gullies. Incision points density plot show that of the two parameters, the unpaved roads were found to have greater influence on gully‐head location than tillage direction. Studying the phenomenon on the catchment scale allows better understanding of the effect of spatial variation on gully‐head location. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modelling the occurrence of gullies in rangelands of southwest Spain
Authors: Gómez Gutiérrez Álvaro , Schnabel Susanne , Felicísimo Ángel M.
Published: October 2009

Gully erosion has been recognized as an important soil degradation process in rangelands of southwest Spain. In this paper, a relatively new data mining technique called Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) was applied to construct a model capable of predicting the location of gullies. A large database was used to support the model composed of a target variable (presence or absence of gullies) and 36 independent variables related to topography, lithology, soils, rainfall, land use and vegetation cover. The performance of the model was evaluated using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve for five external datasets. The model had high predictive power, with values for the area under the ROC curve of the external validation datasets varying from 0·75 to 0·98 (1·0 being perfect prediction). The most important variables explaining the spatial distribution of gullies were lithology and soil type. Finally the model was compiled and implemented into a geographical information system to obtain maps of susceptible areas for gully erosion. These maps show that approximately 7% of the study area presents favourable conditions for the development of gullies. The results demonstrate that MARS constitutes a valuable model in geomorphic research and could also be a useful tool for assessing the impacts of changing climate and land use on gully erosion. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Silibinin can induce differentiation as well as enhance vitamin D3‐induced differentiation of human AML cells ex vivo and regulates the levels of differentiation‐related transcription factors
Authors: Zhang Jing , Harrison Jonathan S , Uskokovic Milan , Danilenko Michael , Studzinski George P
Published: October 2009

Induction of terminal differentiation is a conceptually attractive approach for the therapy of neoplastic diseases. Although vitamin D derivatives (deltanoids) can induce differentiation of AML cells in vitro, so far deltanoids have not been successfully brought to the clinic, due to the likelihood of life‐threatening hypercalcemia. Here, we incubated freshly obtained blood cells from patients with AML with a plant antioxidant (PAOx), silibinin (SIL), alone or together with a deltanoid. Twenty patients with AML (all subtypes except M3) were available for this study, and in 14 (70%), SIL (60 µM) either induced differentiation ex vivo, or enhanced differentiation induced by deltanoids, or both. Interestingly, SIL acting alone induced differentiation only in cases in which chromosome aberrations could not be detected. In eleven samples sufficient material was available for a limited analysis of the underlying events. Quantitative RT‐PCR showed that differentiation markers were upregulated at the mRNA level by both SIL and deltanoids, suggesting that intracellular signaling pathways upstream of transcription factors (TFs) were activated by these agents. Western analysis for proteins which function as TFs in deltanoid‐induced monocytic differentiation, such as members of Jun and C/EBP families, surprisingly demonstrated that SIL upregulated all these TFs in the cases tested. This suggests that although the presence of SIL may not always be sufficient to induce differentiation, it can serve as a differentiation enabling factor for blasts obtained from a large proportion of patients with AML. Thus, SIL/deltanoid combinations warrant further consideration as preventive/therapeutic regimens in human leukaemia. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Outcomes for lymphoid malignancies in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) as compared to the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program
Authors: Abel Gregory A , Bertrand Kimberly A , Earle Craig C , Laden Francine
Published: October 2009

Vital statistics for the lymphoid malignancies obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program have seldom been directly compared to data from alternative national databases. While SEER is recognized as the standard, some lymphoid malignancies—especially the chronic ones—may be underreported. We compared the incidence, all‐cause and cause‐specific mortality for Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), multiple myeloma (MM) and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in SEER to that in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), a national cohort study of 121 700 female registered nurses, matching for age and race. In over 2.5 million person‐years, the incidence of HL was the same as in SEER (SIR = 1.01 [0.75, 1.26]), while the incidence of NHL, CLL and MM were slightly higher. All‐cause mortality was lower for the lymphoid malignancies except for MM, which was the same; there were no differences in cause‐specific mortality, except for MM (HR = 1.26 [1.07, 1.48]). Our analysis suggests that, at least among white women, SEER is a reliable data source with respect to lymphoid malignancies. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Combination of alpha‐1 antitrypsin and doxycycline suppresses collagen‐induced arthritis
Authors: Grimstein Christian , Choi Young‐Kook , Satoh Minoru , Lu Yuanqing , Wang Xueying , Campbell‐Thompson Martha , Song Sihong
Published: October 2009

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex disease characterized by autoimmune inflammation and joint destruction. Despite recent advances in RA treatment, current therapies require further improvement to overcome adverse events and ineffectiveness in some cases. By targeting different pathways/molecules using drug combinations, a better treatment can be obtained, whereas adverse events are reduced. In order to develop a new treatment option, the present study employs a gene therapy‐based combination therapy using doxycycline and human alpha‐1 antitrypsin (hAAT).

Methods

DBA/1 mice were immunized with type II collagen to induce arthritis. Four weeks before immunization, they received a doxycycline containing diet and a single injection of adeno‐associated virus vector expressing hAAT under the control of a tetracycline‐dependent promoter. Control groups received doxycycline alone or saline. Macroscopic arthritis development as well as histopathological changes in the joint were evaluated. In addition, the effects of hAAT and doxycycline on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐ or tumor necrosis factor‐α‐induced interleukin (IL)‐6 production from mouse fibroblast cells were also determined.

Results

Combination therapy significantly reduced arthritis development and progression compared to the control group in respect to macroscopic as well as histopathological changes. Doxycycline and hAAT in combination also inhibited IL‐6 expression from LPS‐stimulated NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblast cells, indicating a contributing mechanism of arthritis inhibition.

Conclusions

The results obtained in the present study indicate that a combination therapy using AAT and doxycycline holds promising potential as a new therapy for RA. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A comparative study of the magnitude, frequency and distribution of intense rainfall in the United Kingdom
Authors: Rodda John C. , Little Max A. , Rodda Harvey J. E. , McSharry Patrick E.
Published: October 2009

During the 1960s, a study was made of the magnitude, frequency and distribution of intense rainfall over the United Kingdom, employing data from more than 120 daily read rain gauges covering the period 1911 to 1960. Using the same methodology, that study was recently updated utilizing data for the period 1961 to 2006 for the same gauges, or from those nearby. This paper describes the techniques applied to ensure consistency of data and statistical modelling. It presents a comparison of patterns of extreme rainfalls for the two periods and discusses the changes that have taken place. Most noticeably, increases up to 20% have occurred in the north‐west of the country and in parts of East Anglia. There have also been changes in other areas, including decreases of the same magnitude over central England. The implications of these changes are considered. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Role of the Gulf of Guinea in the inter‐annual variability of the West African monsoon: what do we learn from CMIP3 coupled simulations?
Authors: Joly Mathieu , Voldoire Aurore
Published: October 2009

The surface ocean explains a significant part of the inter‐annual variability of the West African monsoon (WAM). The present paper explores the role of Gulf of Guinea sea surface temperatures (SST): how is the ocean–atmosphere observed relationship reproduced by state‐of‐the‐art coupled models? The ‘Atlantic Niño’ is the main mode of inter‐annual variability in the Gulf of Guinea. SST anomalies are maximum in June–July, and are associated with a convective anomaly in the marine Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which spreads over the Guinean coast. In most of the studied CMIP3 simulations, the inter‐annual variability of SST is very weak in the Gulf of Guinea, especially along the Guinean Coast. As a consequence, the influence on the monsoon rainfall over the African continent is hardly reproduced. Interestingly, many models exhibit a dipolar response of the marine ITCZ to the Atlantic Niño. In the observations and reanalyses, the absence of any evident shift in the position of the monsoon rainbelt is associated with a collapse of the correlations between Gulf of Guinea SST and Sahel rainfall at the end of the twentieth century. It is suggested that this may be due to the counteracting effects of the Pacific and Atlantic basins over the last decades. In CMIP3 simulations, the Atlantic Niño is often correlated with the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). However, only one simulation catches the observed evolution of the Pacific–Atlantic relationship at the end of the century. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Constructing a non‐linear relationship between the incoming solar radiation and bright sunshine duration
Authors: Lee Khil‐Ha
Published: October 2009

This paper reports the application of a non‐linear relationship between the incoming shortwave solar radiation and bright sunshine duration. The newly suggested equation is a modified form of the existing Angstrom equation. Measurements of solar radiation and sunshine radiation from 1997 to 2006 at 21 meteorological stations were used to calibrate and validate the suggested equation. The model parameters required to specify the nature of the relationship between solar radiation and sunshine duration were determined by automatically minimizing the difference between the modelled and measured solar radiation. At the 21 meteorological stations, the absolute error (AE) is in the range of −0.126–0.158 MJm−2 day−1 for the original Angstrom equation, while it is in the range of −0.089–0.154 MJm−2 day−1 for the modified equation. The root mean square error (RMSE) is also improved by 7–8% for the modified method. The results show that the newly suggested equation generally provides better performance than the existing Angstrom equation. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Zinc and copper availability in herbage and soil of a Pinus radiata silvopastoral system in Northwest Spain after sewage‐sludge and lime application
Authors: Rosa Mosquera‐Losada M. , Lourdes López‐Díaz M. , Rigueiro‐Rodríguez Antonio
Published: October 2009

Silvopastoral systems are ancient farming systems in the world, consisting of the combination of a woody component (trees or shrubs) and crops and/or animals within the same land‐management unit. In various European Union (EU) countries, the possibility of using sewage sludge as a fertilizer is under consideration as a viable method of disposal, considering the increase in sewage‐sludge production in recent years and the restrictions imposed by European policy on the usual methods of disposal. The concern is the concentration of heavy metals, which can reach humans through the food chain. In Spain, R.D. 1310/1990, as well as European Directive 86/278, limit the total in‐soil heavy‐metal concentration, but not the solubility changes, which directly affect plant absorption and leaching of heavy metals throughout the soil profile. The objective of this experiment was to compare, in a silvopastoral system over a period of 3 years, the effect of applying three doses of sewage sludge combined with and without liming, on total and available soil Zn and Cu and their concentration in plants. Liming did not affectct Zn and Cu availability; however, sewage sludge increased Zn and Cu availability, though total in‐soil Zn was increased only in November 2000. In‐plant Zn concentration was increased by sewage sludge in the last 2 years of the study. In all cases, the quality of forage obtained and measured with regard to the concentrations of Zn and Cu was adequate for animal consumption. With respect to sewage‐sludge application as a fertilizer, the management of heavy‐metal availability must be included in the policy, because environmental risk could then be adequately evaluated.
A critical assessment of the suitability of phosphite as a source of phosphorus
Authors: Ratjen Arne M. , Gerendás Jóska
Published: October 2009

Marketing of phosphite‐containing preparations for foliar application, together with recent reports of positive yield responses, has revived the question as to whether phosphite (HPO$ _3^- $) is a suitable P source for plants. Two experiments using zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L. convar. giromontina) have been conducted to evaluate the P‐nutritional effect of phosphite either provided via the substrate or as a foliar spray. Plants grown in a P‐deficient substrate were severely damaged when phosphite was applied as foliar fertiliser and more drastically when provided via the substrate. Growth of P‐deficient plants receiving phosphite as a foliar spray was impaired in a dose‐dependent manner after foliar P application (concentrations 0.0, 0.9, 2.7, and 4.5 g P L–1), while foliar provision of phosphate improved plant growth and yield. In the youngest leaves of phosphite‐treated plants, which had developed after foliar spray, phosphite accumulated to considerable extent, reaching a similar concentration as phosphate at tissue level. These results confirm that P‐deficient plants are very sensitive to phosphite, which represents a nutritionally ineffective form of P. It should thus not be considered as a form of P suitable for fertiliser manufacture.
Influence of nighttime electrical conductivity of substrate solution on fruit cracking and blossom‐end rot of greenhouse tomato in the tropics
Authors: Max Johannes F. J. , Horst Walter J.
Published: October 2009

The influence of the electrical conductivity (EC) of the substrate solution during the night, i.e., moderately high EC (“HEC”, 3.0 dS m–1, full solution) and low EC (“LEC”, 0.5 dS m–1, CaCl2 or Ca(NO3)2 and H3BO3), on the incidences of blossom‐end rot (BER) and fruit cracking (FC) in greenhouse tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) was investigated and compared with a control without additional nighttime fertigation (NTF). In three consecutive experiments conducted in Central Thailand between November 2005 and March 2007, additional NTF cycles were applied for 1 h after the regular daytime fertigation (EC 1.5/1.8 dS m–1, prior to/after the first harvest). In the first experiment (dry season 2005/06), two cultivars with either low (FMTT 260) or high (King Kong 2) susceptibility to BER and FC were used. The total amount of fruits affected by FC or BER was 4‐ and 10‐fold, respectively, higher in King Kong 2, but the relative response to NTF was similar in both cultivars. Therefore, in the following experiments only FMTT 260 was planted. In all experiments, NTF exerted significant effects on the uptake and allocation of water and mineral elements to the fruits and the proportions of fruits affected by BER and FC. The overall proportion of nonmarketable fruits was not significantly reduced, neither through LEC nor HEC because a decrease in BER by LEC and in FC by HEC was counteracted by enhanced FC in LEC and BER in HEC. It is concluded that under the tropical climate conditions of Central Thailand leading to high losses of marketable fruit yield through BER and FC, an integrated approach is required combining an optimized management of the fertigation system and particularly the selection of genotypes highly tolerant of BER and FC.
Friction evaluation of elastomers in lubricated contact
Authors: Simmons Gregory F. , Mofidi Mohammadreza , Prakash Braham
Published: October 2009

Friction testing of elastomers in lubricated contact is discussed with a focus on developing experimental arrangements that can produce worthwhile results. Practical issues unique to elastomers are covered as well as their solutions, including contact mechanics, material response to loading, contact edges, oil absorption, cleaning and specimen geometry. A critique of reciprocating laboratory testing machines, including high‐frequency short stroke and low‐frequency long stroke friction and wear machines, is conducted for their usefulness, as is critical analysis of a wide variety of specimen configurations with the aim of helping the laboratory experimenter to overcome many of the pitfalls associated with testing of elastomers in lubricated conditions. Results from experiments using various testing arrangements are analysed, and it is found that the synthetic ester and mineral oil used produced similar results. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Investigation of acrylamide formation on bakery products using a crust‐like model
Authors: Açar Özge Ç. , Gökmen Vural
Published: October 2009

Baking is a complex process where a temperature gradient occurs within the product as a result of simultaneous heat and mass transfers. This behaviour makes the physical parameters (baking temperature and product dimensions) as effective as the chemical parameters on the rate of acrylamide formation in bakery foods. In this study, the change of temperature in different locations of the sample was shown as influenced by the product thickness. The temperature values were close to each other in the sample having thickness of 1 mm (crust model). The product temperature rapidly increased to the oven temperature. A temperature gradient was recorded in the sample having a thickness of 10 mm. As a result, the product temperature did not exceed 100°C within a baking time of 30 min. The product thickness significantly influenced the rate of acrylamide formation during baking. Acrylamide concentration rapidly increased to 411±49 ng/g within 8 min in the crust model sample. However, no acrylamide was detected in the thicker sample within 15 min under the same conditions, because the moisture content was still above 10%. The crust model was considered useful to test the effectiveness of different mitigation strategies in bakery foods.
Peanut varieties with reduced Ara h 1 content indicating no reduced allergenicity
Authors: Krause Susanne , Latendorf Ties , Schmidt Hendrik , Darcan‐Nicolaisen Yasemin , Reese Gerald , Petersen Arnd , Janssen Ottmar , Becker Wolf‐Meinhard
Published: October 2009

Peanut allergy is a major cause of food‐induced severe anaphylactic reactions. To date, no medical care is available to prevent and treat peanut allergy and therefore hypoallergenic peanut varieties are of considerable health political and economic interest. Major allergens that induce IgE‐responses in peanut‐sensitive patients are Ara h 1, Ara h 2 and Ara h 3/4. In order to identify hypoallergenic peanuts, commercially locally available peanut varieties were screened for their allergen content. Ara h 1‐deficient peanuts from Southeast Asia were identified by SDS‐PAGE, immunoblotting, inhibition assays and ELISA. 2‐D PAGE analyses demonstrated the different compositions of the tested extracts and revealed a number of variations of the allergen patterns of peanuts from different varieties. Mediator release experiments of these peanut extracts demonstrated similar allergenicities as compared with standard peanut extract. These results indicate that the allergenicity of peanuts with reduced Ara h 1 content might be compensated by the other allergens, and thus do not necessarily cause a reduction of allergenicity.
Repeated oral administration modulates the pharmacokinetic behavior of the chemopreventive agent phenethyl isothiocyanate in rats
Authors: Konsue Nattaya , Kirkpatrick Jo , Kuhnert Nikolai , King Laurie J. , Ioannides Costas
Published: October 2009

The principal objective of this study was to evaluate whether repeated oral administration influences the pharmacokinetic behavior of the chemopreventive agent phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) in rat. Animals were treated orally with 0.5, 1.0 and 5.0 mg/kg of the isothiocyanate for 4 days, and plasma levels at various times post‐administration were determined by LC/MS after the first and last day. To determine absolute bioavailability, a group of animals was treated with a single (0.5 mg/kg) intravenous dose of PEITC. Following single oral dose administration, PEITC was rapidly absorbed, peak plasma concentrations being attained within the hour, and achieved an absolute bioavailability of 77%, but displayed dose‐dependent pharmacokinetics, with bioavailability decreasing and clearance increasing moderately with dose;Cmaxvalues did not rise proportionately to the dose and volume of distribution increased. At the higher doses of 1.0 and 5.0 mg/kg, repeated administration led to higher PEITC plasmaCmaxconcentrations and decreased plasma clearance of the isothiocyanate leading to enhanced bioavailability.
Vitamin E tocotrienols improve insulin sensitivity through activating peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptors
Authors: Fang Fang , Kang Zhanfang , Wong Chiwai
Published: October 2009

Vitamin E is comprised of two classes of compounds: tocopherols and tocotrienols. Tocotrienol‐enriched palm oil has been shown to help reduce blood glucose levels in patients and preclinical animal models. However, the mechanistic basis for tocotrienol action is not well established. Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptors α, γ, and δ (PPARα, PPARγ, and PPARδ) are ligand‐regulated transcription factors that play essential roles in energy metabolism. Importantly, synthetic PPARα and PPARγ ligands are currently used for treating hyperlipidemia and diabetes. In this study, we present data that tocotrienols within palm oil functioned as PPAR modulators. Specifically, both α‐ and γ‐tocotrienol activated PPARα, while δ‐tocotrienol activated PPARα, PPARγ, and PPARδ in reporter‐based assays. Tocotrienols enhanced the interaction between the purified ligand‐binding domain of PPARα with the receptor‐interacting motif of coactivator PPARγ coactivator‐1α. In addition, the tocotrienol‐rich fraction of palm oil improved whole body glucose utilization and insulin sensitivity of diabetic Db/Db mice by selectively regulating PPAR target genes. These lines of evidence collectively suggested that PPARs represent a set of molecular targets of tocotrienols.
Dietary apple polyphenols have preventive effects against lengthening contraction‐induced muscle injuries
Authors: Nakazato Koichi , Ochi Eisuke , Waga Toshiaki
Published: October 2009

We examined whether polyphenols from dietary apple have protective effects against exercise‐induced muscle strain injury. Sixteen male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into the apple polyphenol (APP; N=8) and control (CON; N=8) groups. The APP and the CON groups were fed diets with and without 5% APP, respectively. After a 3‐wk feeding period, the gastrocnemii of the animals were subject to lengthening contractions with electrical stimulation and forced ankle dorsiflexion. Isometric torques were measured before and after the lengthening contractions and on days 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 after the contractions. On day 7, the animals were sacrificed and the gastrocnemii harvested. Thiobarbituric‐acid‐reactive substances, protein carbonyl, and mRNA of antioxidative proteins in the muscles were quantified. The APP group had significantly lower torque deficits than the CON group on days 3, 5, and 7 after the eccentric contractions. The thiobarbituric‐acid‐reactive substances and protein carbonyl levels in the case of the APP group were significantly lower than those in the case of the CON group. The APP group had significantly higher glutathione‐S‐transferase α1 mRNA levels than the CON group. Therefore, we conclude that dietary APPs have protective effects against lengthening contraction‐induced muscle injury.
Synthesis of a molecularly imprinted polymer for the solid‐phase extraction of betulin and betulinic acid from plane bark
Authors: Claude Berengere , Viron‐Lamy Cecile , Haupt Karsten , Morin Philippe
Published: October 2009

Introduction – Plant extracts are usually complex mixtures of various polarity compounds and their study often includes a purification step, such as solid‐phase extraction (SPE), to isolate interest compounds prior analytical investigations. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are a new promising type of SPE material which offer tailor‐made selectivity for the extraction of trace active components in complex matrices. Numerous specific cavities that are sterically and chemically complementary of the target molecules, are formed in imprinted polymers. A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesised in order to trap a specific class of triterpene, including betulin and betulinic acid from a methanolic extract of plane bark.

Methodology – Imprinted polymers were synthesised by thermal polymerisation of betulin as template, methacrylic acid (MAA) or acrylamide (AA) as functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as crosslinking agent and chloroform as porogen. Afterwards, MAA‐ and AA‐MIPs were compared with their non‐imprinted polymers (NIPs) in order to assess the selectivity vs betulin and its derivatives. Recovered triterpenes were analysed by HPLC during MIP‐SPE protocol.

Results – After SPE optimisation, the MAA‐imprinted polymer exhibited highest selectivity and recovery (better than 70%) for betulin and best affinity for its structural analogues. Thus, a selective washing step (chloroform, acetonitrile) removed unwanted matrix compounds (fatty acids) from the SPE cartridge. The elution solvent was methanol. Finally, the MAA‐MIP was applied to fractionate a plane bark methanolic extract containing betulin and betulinic acid.

Conclusion – This study demonstrated the possibility of direct extraction of betulin and its structural analogues from plant extracts by MIP technology. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Metabolic profiling of maize mutants deficient for two glutamine synthetase isoenzymes using 1H‐NMR‐based metabolomics
Authors: Broyart Caroline , Fontaine Jean‐Xavier , Molinié Roland , Cailleu Dominique , Tercé‐Laforgue Thérèse , Dubois Frédéric , Hirel Bertrand , Mesnard François
Published: October 2009

Introduction – Maize mutants deficient for the expression of two genes encoding cytosolic glutamine syntehtase (GS) isoenzymes GS1.3 and GS1.4 displayed reduced kernel number and kernel size, respectively, the effect of the mutation being cumulative in the double mutant. However, at maturity, shoot biomass production was not modified in all the mutants, indicating that the reaction catalysed by the enzyme is specifically involved in the control of grain yield.

Objective – To examine the physiological impact of the GS mutations on the leaf metabolic profile during the kernel filling period, during which nitrogen is remobilised from the shoots to be further exported to the kernels.

Methodology – An 1H‐NMR spectroscopy metabolomic was applied to the investigation of metabolic change of the gln1.3, gln1.4 and gln1.3/1.4 double mutant.

Results – In the three GS mutants, an increase in the amount of several N‐containing metabolites such as asparagine, alanine, threonine and phophatidylcholine was observed whatever the level of nitrogen fertilisation. In addition, we found an accumulation of phenylalanine and tyrosine, two metabolites involved the primary steps of the phenylpropanoid pathway.

Conclusion – Changes in the metabolic profile of the GS mutants suggest that, when cytosolic GS activity is strongly reduced, either alternative metabolic pathways participate in the reassimilation of ammonium released during leaf protein remobilisation or that premature leaf senescence is induced when kernel set and kernel filling are affected. The accumulation of phenylalanine and tyrosine in the mutant plants indicates that lignin biosynthesis is altered, thus possibly affecting ear development. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Metabolomic analysis of host plant resistance to thrips in wild and cultivated tomatoes
Authors: Mirnezhad Mohammad , Romero‐González Roman R. , Leiss Kirsten A. , Choi Young Hae , Verpoorte Robert , Klinkhamer Peter G. L.
Published: October 2009

Introduction – Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) are among the most serious crop pests worldwide. Control of thrips mainly depends on pesticides, excessive use of which leads to human health risks and environmental contamination. As an alternative, we study host plant resistance to thrips.

Objective – To apply nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) metabolomics to study host plant resistance to thrips in wild and cultivated tomatoes.

Methodology – Ten wild species and 10 cultivated tomato lines were compared. Five replicates of each species and lines were used for a thrips bioassay while another five replicates were used for the metabolomic analysis. The three most resistant and susceptible wild species, and cultivated lines, as identified by the thrips bioassay, were used for the metabolomics, performed by 1H NMR spectroscopy followed by principal component analysis.

Results – Wild and cultivated tomatoes differed significantly in thrips resistance. Only wild tomatoes were thrips‐resistant, among which Lycopersicon pennellii and L. hirsutum exhibited the lowest thrips damage. Their 1H NMR‐based metabolomic profiles were significantly different from those of thrips‐susceptible tomatoes. Thrips‐resistant tomatoes contained acylsugars, which are known for their negative effect on herbivores.

Conclusion – The identification of acylsugars as a resistance factor for thrips in tomato proves that NMR‐based metabolomics an important tool to study plant defences, providing fundamental information for the development and realisation of herbivore resistance breeding programmes in agricultural crops. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dangers of diagnostic labels in patients with mental health issues
Authors: Robinson A
Published: October 2009

Progress is pleased to bring readers key articles from the charity Primary Care Mental Health and Education (Primhe), which covers issues relating particularly to mental health in the primary care setting. On our website, www.progressnp.com, this month Dr Robinson, a GP with a special interest in mental health,describes how an encounter with a patient led her to re‐evaluate her approach to patients with mental health issues. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Interface Ltd
Should neurologists wait and see or see and treat RRMS?
Authors: Bates David , Isaacs John
Published: October 2009

Early and aggressive treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is now regarded as best practice to limit irreversible joint damage. However, in the case of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), current guidelines recommend that disease modifying therapy should only be initiated in patients with evidence of actively progressing disease. Here, the authors present the key findings of the Programme Identifying and Observing Novel Therapy Adoption in Chronic Diseases (PIONEER) study to examine the reasons for these different management approaches. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Interface Ltd