bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heterotrimeric G Protein Subunit Gγ13 Is Critical to Olfaction
Authors: Li Feng , Ponissery-Saidu Samsudeen , Yee Karen K. , Wang Hong , Chen Meng-Ling , Iguchi Naoko , Zhang Genhua , Jiang Ping , Reisert Johannes , Huang Liquan
Published: May 2013

The activation of G-protein-coupled olfactory receptors on the olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) triggers a signaling cascade, which is mediated by a heterotrimeric G-protein consisting of α, β, and γ subunits. Although its α subunit, Gαolf, has been identified and well characterized, the identities of its β and γ subunits and their function in olfactory signal transduction, however, have not been well established yet. We, and others, have found the expression of Gγ13 in the olfactory epithelium, particularly in the cilia of the OSNs. In this study, we generated a conditional gene knock-out mouse line to specifically nullify Gγ13 expression in the olfactory marker protein-expressing OSNs. Immunohistochemical and Western blot results showed that Gγ13 subunit was indeed eliminated in the mutant mice's olfactory epithelium. Intriguingly, Gαolf, β1 subunits, Ric-8B and CEP290 proteins, were also absent in the epithelium whereas the presence of the effector enzyme adenylyl cyclase III remained largely unaltered. Electro-olfactogram studies showed that the mutant animals had greatly reduced responses to a battery of odorants including three presumable pheromones. Behavioral tests indicated that the mutant mice had a remarkably reduced ability to perform an odor-guided search task although their motivation and agility seemed normal. Our results indicate that Gαolf exclusively forms a functional heterotrimeric G-protein with Gβ1 and Gγ13 in OSNs, mediating olfactory signal transduction. The identification of the olfactory G-protein's βγ moiety has provided a novel approach to understanding the feedback regulation of olfactory signal transduction pathways as well as the control of subcellular structures of OSNs.
Neural Representations of Contextual Guidance in Visual Search of Real-World Scenes
Authors: Preston Tim J. , Guo Fei , Das Koel , Giesbrecht Barry , Eckstein Miguel P.
Published: May 2013

Exploiting scene context and object–object co-occurrence is critical in guiding eye movements and facilitating visual search, yet the mediating neural mechanisms are unknown. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging while observers searched for target objects in scenes and used multivariate pattern analyses (MVPA) to show that the lateral occipital complex (LOC) can predict the coarse spatial location of observers' expectations about the likely location of 213 different targets absent from the scenes. In addition, we found weaker but significant representations of context location in an area related to the orienting of attention (intraparietal sulcus, IPS) as well as a region related to scene processing (retrosplenial cortex, RSC). Importantly, the degree of agreement among 100 independent raters about the likely location to contain a target object in a scene correlated with LOC's ability to predict the contextual location while weaker but significant effects were found in IPS, RSC, the human motion area, and early visual areas (V1, V3v). When contextual information was made irrelevant to observers' behavioral task, the MVPA analysis of LOC and the other areas' activity ceased to predict the location of context. Thus, our findings suggest that the likely locations of targets in scenes are represented in various visual areas with LOC playing a key role in contextual guidance during visual search of objects in real scenes.
Connexin47 Protein Phosphorylation and Stability in Oligodendrocytes Depend on Expression of Connexin43 Protein in Astrocytes
Authors: May Dennis , Tress Oliver , Seifert Gerald , Willecke Klaus
Published: May 2013

Panglial networks are essential for normal physiology in the CNS, and the function of distinct connexins participating in these networks is not well understood. We generated Connexin32 (Cx32)-deficient mice with additional deletion of astrocytic Cx43 to explore the role of both connexins in panglial networks. Cx43/Cx32 double knock-out (dKO) mice revealed strong microglial activation in corpus callosum and cingulum along with severe astrogliosis and scar formation. In addition, most of the fine myelinated fibers projecting from the corpus callosum into the cortex were lost. Myelin loss was caused by a strong decrease of oligodendrocytes in the cingulum of Cx43/Cx32dKO mice. Immunoblot analyses using newly generated specific Cx47 antibodies revealed that oligodendrocytic Cx47 is phosphorylatedin vivodepending on astrocytic Cx43 expression. In Cx43-deficient mice, Cx47 protein levels were strongly decreased, whereas Cx47 mRNA levels were not altered. Using Cx43G138R/Cx30KO mice, we show that Cx47 expression depends on the presence of astrocytic Cx43 protein and that its gap junctional channel function is not necessary for Cx47 stabilization. In consequence, Cx43/Cx32dKO mice additionally lack Cx47 expression and therefore cannot form oligodendrocytic gap junctions, which explains the phenotypic similarities to Cx32/Cx47dKO mice. Our findings provide strong evidence that phosphorylation and stability of oligodendrocytic Cx47 proteins is dependent on astrocytic Cx43 expression. These results further unravel the complexity of panglial networks and show that results of previous studies using astrocytic Cx43-deficient mice have to be reconsidered.
SMAD7 antagonizes key TGFβ superfamily signaling in mouse granulosa cells in vitro
Authors: Gao Yang , Wen Haixia , Wang Chao , Li Qinglei
Published: May 2013

Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) superfamily signaling is essential for female reproduction. Dysregulation of the TGFβ signaling pathway can cause reproductive diseases. SMA and MAD (mothers against decapentaplegic) (SMAD) proteins are downstream signaling transducers of the TGFβ superfamily. SMAD7 is an inhibitory SMAD that regulates TGFβ signalingin vitro. However, the function of SMAD7 in the ovary remains poorly defined. To determine the signaling preference and potential role of SMAD7 in the ovary, we herein examined the expression, regulation, and function of SMAD7 in mouse granulosa cells. We showed that SMAD7 was expressed in granulosa cells and subject to regulation by intraovarian growth factors from the TGFβ superfamily. TGFB1 (TGFβ1), bone morphogenetic protein 4, and oocyte-derived growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) were capable of inducingSmad7expression, suggesting a modulatory role of SMAD7 in a negative feedback loop. Using a small interfering RNA approach, we further demonstrated that SMAD7 was a negative regulator of TGFB1. Moreover, we revealed a link between SMAD7 and GDF9-mediated oocyte paracrine signaling, an essential component of oocyte–granulosa cell communication and folliculogenesis. Collectively, our results suggest that SMAD7 may function during follicular development via preferentially antagonizing and/or fine-tuning essential TGFβ superfamily signaling, which is involved in the regulation of oocyte–somatic cell interaction and granulosa cell function.
Apatite alignment and orientation at the Ångstrom and nanometer length scales shed light on the adaptation of dentine to whole tooth mechanical function
Authors: Zaslansky P. , Maerten A. , Fratzl P.
Published: May 2013

Human teeth are capped by a highly mineralized enamel layer that rests on a bone-like material termed dentine. Dentine is composed mainly of collagen and carbonated apatite known to form the biological composite of all types of bone by combining into mineralized collagen fibrils. The apatite mineral is found both within and also encasing the fibrils, but in dentine, particularly in the crown, mineral is also found in regions where there is no collagen, forming peritubular dentine cuffs that surround narrow channels that perforate and render dentine porous. The authors hypothesize that regional variations in the mineral spatial configuration may reflect local adaptation to functional needs of whole teeth. The 3D orientation of the micron-sized tubules and the associated clusters of peritubular mineral vary on the length scale of millimeters. The orientation and degree of coalignment of the nanometer-sized mineral platelets in dentine exhibit marked changes at the same length scale, matching predicted load-trajectories in loaded teeth. However, wide-angle X-ray diffraction mapping shows that there is almost no preferred orientation of the 002 reflection (and hence the c-axis of apatite). The authors thus propose that the orientation of the peritubular and intertubular mineral compensate for localized preferred orientations, to create an overall average, randomly oriented mineral configuration.
A Norwegian roadmaster's 1838 tour of Britain and beyond
Authors: Seland Hans
Published: May 2013

In Norway around 1840 a new generation of politicians and professionals looked abroad for technology to help modernise the productive sectors and associated transport infrastructure. In 1838, at a time when British mentors inspired a common international technological culture, roadmaster G. D. B. Johnson went on a government mission to Britain and around the North Sea to study modern roads and bridges, harbours and the new railroads. Johnson's schedule of 100 days was ambitious and his notes were not always accurate or based on sight. This paper outlines how Johnson sought out and copied two British suspension bridges to design Norway's first of its kind. Both Johnson and his competitor Bergh made successful careers at the forefront of contemporary technologies. Johnson advised against Norwegian railroads, but worked in vain to introduce stone tramways. His report cum engineering textbook illustrates the historical value of little known foreign reports of the British Industrial Revolution.
Periodontal systemic associations: review of the evidence
Authors: Linden Gerard J. , Lyons Amy , Scannapieco Frank A.
Published: May 2013

Aim: To critically appraise recent research into associations between periodontal disease and systemic diseases and conditions specifically respiratory disease, chronic kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cognitive impairment, obesity, metabolic syndrome and cancer.

Methods: A MEDLINE literature search of papers published between 2002 and April 2012 was conducted. Studies that included periodontitis as an exposure were identified. Cross‐sectional epidemiological investigations on large samples, prospective studies and systematic reviews formed the basis of the narrative review. A threshold set for the identification of periodontitis was used to identify those studies that contributed to the conclusions of the review.

Results: Many of the investigations were cross‐sectional secondary analyses of existing data sets in particular the NHANES studies. There were a small number of systematic reviews and prospective studies. There was substantial variability in the definitions of exposure to periodontitis. A small number of studies met the threshold set for periodontitis and supported associations; however, in some of the chronic diseases there were no such studies. There was strong evidence from randomized controlled trials that interventions, which improve oral hygiene have positive effects on the prevention of nosocomial pneumonias.

Conclusions: There was substantial heterogeneity in the definitions used to identify periodontitis and very few studies met a stringent threshold for periodontitis. Published evidence supports modest associations between periodontitis and some, although not all, of the diseases and conditions reviewed. There is a need to reach a consensus on what constitutes periodontitis for future studies of putative associations with systemic diseases.
Periodontitis and adverse pregnancy outcomes: consensus report of the Joint EFP/AAP Workshop on Periodontitis and Systemic Diseases
Authors: Sanz Mariano , Kornman Kenneth ,   on behalf of working group 3 of the joint EFP/AAP workshop
Published: May 2013

Background: Pregnancy sometimes has adverse outcomes including low birthweight (<2500 g), pre‐term birth (<37 weeks), growth restriction, pre‐eclampsia, miscarriage and/or stillbirth. Maternal periodontitis directly and/or indirectly have potential to influence the health of the foetal–maternal unit.

Aims: To assess the epidemiological evidence for the impact of periodontal disease on adverse pregnancy outcomes and to identify potential underpinning mechanisms.

Epidemiology: Low birthweight, pre‐term birth and pre‐eclampsia have been associated with maternal periodontitis exposure. However, the strength of the observed associations is modest and seems to vary according to the population studied, the means of periodontal assessment and the periodontal disease classification employed.

Biological mechanisms: Two major pathways have been identified, One direct, in which oral microorganisms and/or their components reach the foetal–placental unit and one indirect, in which Inflammatory mediators circulate and impact the foetal–placental unit.

Interventions: Although periodontal therapy has been shown to be safe and leads to improved periodontal conditions in pregnant women, case‐related periodontal therapy, with or without systemic antibiotics does not reduce overall rates of pre‐term birth and low birthweight.

Guidelines: Given the current evidence, various treatment strategies could be evaluated that consider specific target populations, as well as timing and intensity of treatment.
Evidence that periodontal treatment improves diabetes outcomes: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Engebretson Steven , Kocher Thomas
Published: May 2013

Abstract Context: The effect of periodontal therapy on diabetes outcomes has not been established. Objective: This update examines the effect of periodontal treatment on diabetes outcomes.

Data sources: Literature since October 2009 using MEDLINE.

Study eligibility criteria: Published RCTs including periodontal therapy for diabetic subjects, a metabolic outcome, an untreated control group, and follow‐up of 3 months. Data extraction: Pre‐defined data fields, including study quality indicators were used.

Data synthesis: A search revealed 56 publications of which 9 met inclusion criteria. Mean change of HbA1c from baseline was compared across treatment groups. Pooled analysis was based on random effects models.

Results: A meta‐analysis indicated a mean treatment effect of _0.36% HbA1c (CI _0.54, _0.19) compared to no treatment after periodontal therapy (p < 0.0001). Heterogeneity tests revealed only minimal evidence of publication bias (I2 = 9%).

Limitations: Small sample size and high risk of bias remain problematic for studies of this type. Periodontal therapy varied considerably.

Conclusion: The modest reduction in HbA1c observed as a result of periodontal therapy in subjects with type 2 diabetes is consistent with previous systematic reviews. Despite this finding, there is limited confidence in the conclusion due to a lack of multi‐centre trials of sufficient sample size are lacking.
‘It's Not Their Job to Share Content’: A Case Study of the Role of Senior Students in Adapting Teaching Materials as Open Educational Resources at the University of Cape Town
Authors: Hodgkinson-Williams Cheryl , Paskevicius Michael
Published: May 2013

Inspired by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's landmark decision to make its teaching and learning materials freely available to the public as OpenCourseWare (OCW), many other higher education institutions have followed suit sharing resources now more generally referred to as Open Educational Resources (OER). The University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa joined the OER movement with the launch of the UCT OpenContent directory in February 2010. While much of the research has focused on the potential value of OER to institutions and to the community at large, less attention has been paid to the complex processes that need to be undertaken to adapt existing materials as OER and specifically the opportunity to engage senior students in this practice. In this article the authors explore the processes that three senior physics students employed in assisting their lecturers to adapt existing materials as OER, the challenges they encountered and the contribution these students made. The findings reveal that the senior physics students report having sufficient time, knowledge of the field and skill in using a range of technological tools that made the OER adaptation process of their lecturers' materials easier. Based on the participating physics lecturers' acceptance of the students' adaptations of their materials, it would seem that the strategy of using senior students to support busy lecturers to adapt existing teaching materials as OER is worth considering.
‘Open Learning 2.0’? Aligning Student, Teacher and Content for Openness in Education
Authors: Friesen Norm , Murray Judith
Published: May 2013

The mission of Thompson Rivers University Open Learning (TRU-OL) can be understood in terms of three entities: the student, the faculty member and the curriculum content. Their conjuncture – when a TRU-OL student works with TRU-OL courseware and is supported by a TRU-OL faculty member – is where learning, assessment and, ultimately, credentialing take place. These three elements may form three points in a triangle, with assessment and credentialing in the centre. TRU-OL is currently exploring the results of defining these three elements differently. Instead of designating TRU-OL students, teachers and contents specifically, these elements may serve as placeholders for any students, any instructional personnel or supports, and any open content. These can, in theory, all be shared, opened and disaggregated among various institutions, with assessment and credentialing remaining as the principal service offered locally. The purpose of this article is to explain this model in the context of the open educational movement, to describe its various permutations and implications, and to consider some questions and objections that may arise in relation to it. The result is an updated version of similar triangular models that would interconnect student, teacher and content in pedagogical interrelationship.
Loss of Krüppel-Like Factor 3 (KLF3/BKLF) Leads to Upregulation of the Insulin-Sensitizing Factor Adipolin (FAM132A/CTRP12/C1qdc2)
Authors: Bell-Anderson Kim S. , Funnell Alister P. , Williams Helen , Mat Jusoh Hanapi , Scully Tiffany , Lim Wooi F. , Burdach Jon G. , Mak Ka Sin , Knights Alexander J. , Hoy Andrew J. , Nicholas Hannah R. , Sainsbury Amanda , Turner Nigel , Pearson Richard C. , Crossley Merlin
Published: May 2013

Krüppel-like factor 3 (KLF3) is a transcriptional regulator that we have shown to be involved in the regulation of adipogenesis in vitro. Here, we report that KLF3-null mice are lean and protected from diet-induced obesity and glucose intolerance. On a chow diet, plasma levels of leptin are decreased, and adiponectin is increased. Despite significant reductions in body weight and adiposity, wild-type and knockout animals show equivalent energy intake, expenditure, and excretion. To investigate the molecular events underlying these observations, we used microarray analysis to compare gene expression in Klf3+/+ and Klf3−/− tissues. We found that mRNA expression of Fam132a, which encodes a newly identified insulin-sensitizing adipokine, adipolin, is significantly upregulated in the absence of KLF3. We confirmed that KLF3 binds the Fam132a promoter in vitro and in vivo and that this leads to repression of promoter activity. Further, plasma adipolin levels were significantly increased in Klf3−/− mice compared with wild-type littermates. Boosting levels of adipolin via targeting of KLF3 offers a novel potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of insulin resistance.
Organic amendments of soil as useful tools of plant parasitic nematodes control
Authors: Renčo M.
Published: May 2013

Use of organic soil amendments is a traditional agricultural practice for improving physical and chemical soil properties, soil structure, temperature and humidity conditions as well as nutrients content which are needful for plants growth. Application of organic materials to soil can cause a change in soil microflora and microfauna including soil nematodes. Nematodes, are the most ample and varied group of soil fauna. They are ever-present habitants of all soil types with high population densities. The changes in soil nematodofauna can results in an increase in the number of beneficial nematodes such as bacterial or fungal feeders and decrease and/or suppression in the occurrence of economically important plant parasitic nematodes. A variety of organic amendments, such as animal and green manure, undecomposed (raw) or decomposed materials (compost) are used for this purpose. Generally, plant parasitic nematodes have been controlled mainly by chemical soil fumigants and nematicides, agricultural practices or resistant cultivars. However, organic amendments can provide an environmentally friendly alternative to the use of chemical nematicides, which are often expensive, of limited availability in many developing countries and above all environmentally hazardous.
But Not That: Caryl Churchill’s Political Shape Shifting at the Turn of the Millennium
Authors: Aston Elaine
Published: May 2013

ABSTRACT:

The article focuses on Caryl Churchill’s This Is a Chair (1997) and Far Away (2000) to analyse Churchill’s political shape shifting at the turn of the millennium, when ideological resistance to capitalism had all but disappeared. Positioning This Is a Chair as a critical-political turning point in Churchill’s repertoire, I argue that René Magritte’s visual thinking about the arbitrary relation of words and things is seminal to Churchill’s struggle to create a political-theatre canvas. In relation to Far Away, I demonstrate how Churchill’s critique of global capitalism involves a dissolve – the appearing, yet disappearing, traces of the Brechtian dramaturgy of her earlier playwriting, and a renewal of the epic through a composition that is both experiential and elliptical. Ultimately, the article argues that the need to impress on audiences the urgency of dis-identifying with capitalism informs Churchill’s political perspective through a dialectic shift from Herbert Blau’s “imminence of a ‘not-yet’” to the negative of “but not that.”
Educational Media, Textbooks, and Postcolonial Relocations of Memory Politics in Europe
Authors: Fuchs Eckhardt , Otto Marcus
Published: May 2013

Cultures of remembrance or memory cultures have constituted an interdisciplinary field of research since the 1990s. While this field has
achieved a high level of internal differentiation, it generally views its remit as one that encompasses “all imaginable forms of conscious remembrance of historical events, personalities, and processes.” In contrast to this comprehensive and therefore rather vague definition of “culture of remembrance” or “memory culture”, we use the term “politics of memory” here and in what follows in a more specific sense, in order to emphasize “the moment at which the past is made functional use of in the service of present-day purposes, to the end of shaping an identity founded in history.” Viewing the issue in terms of discourse analysis, we may progress directly from this definition to identify and investigate politics of memory as a discourse of strategic resignifications of the past as formulated in history and implemented in light of contemporary identity politics. While the nation-state remains a central point of reference for the politics of memory, the field is by no means limited to official forms of the engagement of states with their past. In other words, it does not relate exclusively to the official character of a state’s policy on history. Instead, it also encompasses the strategic politics of memory and identity pursued by other stakeholders in a society, a politics that frequently, but not always, engages explicitly with state-generated and state-sanctioned memory politics. Thus, the politics of memory is currently unfolding as a discourse of ongoing, highly charged debate surrounding collective self-descriptions in modern, “culturally” multilayered, and heterogeneous societies, where self-descriptions draw on historical developments and events that are subject to conflict.
The End of Empire Colonial Heritage and the Politics of Memory in Britain
Authors: Grindel Susanne
Published: May 2013

Taking as its starting point the current debate over the significance of history in the National Curriculum for England, this article examines the place of the country's colonial past in its national culture of memory. In the context of debates about educational policy and the politics of memory concerning Britain's colonial heritage, the author focuses on the transmission and interpretation of this heritage via school history textbooks, which play a key role in the politics of memory. This medium offers insight into transformations of the country's colonial experience that have taken place since the end of the British Empire. School textbooks do not create and establish these transformations in isolation from other arenas of discourse about the culture of memory by reinventing the nation. Instead, they reflect, as part of the national culture of memory, the uncertainties and insecurities emerging from the end of empire and the decolonization of the British nation's historical narrative.
On Construction of Mean Graphs
Authors: Jeyanthi P. , Ramya D.
Published: May 2013

A graph with p vertices and q edges is called a mean graph if there is an injective function f  that maps V(G) to  such that for each edge uv, is labeled with     if    is even and  if  is odd. Then the resulting edge labels are distinct. In this paper, we prove some general theorems on mean graphs and show that the graphs , Jewel graph , Jelly fish graph and  are mean graphs.Keywords:  Mean labeling; Mean graph.© 2013 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jsr.v5i2.11545             J. Sci. Res. 5 (2), 265-273 (2013)
Indexing the Diffraction Patterns and Investigating the Crystal Structure of Pb-doped Strontium Ferrites
Authors: Ullah Z. , Atiq S. , Naseem S.
Published: May 2013

Strontium hexaferrites were prepared in powder form by sol-gel auto-ignition technique and Pb was doped in different concentrations to attain the various compositions Sr1-xPbxFe12O19 (x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20). Sintering treatment of the samples was made at 800 oC for the development of stable hexagonal phase. X-ray diffraction analysis of the samples was carried out for the confirmation and determination of crystal structure of the material. Data obtained from X-ray diffraction analysis helped in determining various parameters of the samples like lattice parameters, volume of the unit cell, crystallite size, bulk density of the samples, X-ray density and porosity of the samples.Keywords:Ferrites; Sol-gel method; X-Ray diffraction; Crystal structure.© 2013 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jsr.v5i2.11578           J. Sci. Res. 5 (2), 235-244 (2013)
Photocatalytic Degradation of Different Dyes Using TiO2 with High Surface Area: A Kinetic Study
Authors: Bin Mukhlish M. Z. , Najnin F. , Rahman M M. , Uddin M. J.
Published: May 2013

Nanocrystalline TiO2 was synthesized by using one step sol-gel method and characterized by SEM, XRD and EDS. UV-Vis spectroscopic technique has been used for studying the photocatalytic degradation kinetics of methylene blue (MB) and congo red (CR). A comparative study with commercial TiO2 (P25) was also done to find out the effectiveness of this synthesized TiO2. The synthesized TiO2 exhibited a high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of MB and CR but the commercial TiO2 was more efficient.Keywords:  Nanocrystalline TiO2; Methylene Blue; Congo Red; Photocatalytic degradation kinetics.© 2013 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jsr.v5i2.11641 J. Sci. Res. 5 (2), xxx-xxx (2013)
Effects of Probiotics on Growth and Survival of Shrimp (Penaeus monodon) in Coastal Pond at Khulna, Bangladesh
Authors: Hossain M. I. , Hossain M. I. , Kamal M. M. , Mannan M. A. , Bhuyain M. A. B.
Published: May 2013

The study was carried out for 138 days to know the growth and survival rate of P. monodon by applying probiotics in Gazi Fish Culture Ltd. Dacope, Khulna, Bangladesh. Six experimental ponds (4000 m2 in size i.e. one acre) were selected of which three were probiotic ponds and three were controlled. After pond preparation, PL15 (average weight of each 4.75±0.09 g) was stocked at the rate of 13 per m2 following polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. CP NASA shrimp feed was used during the study period.  Transparency, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature, total Ammonia Nitrogen (TAN) were recorded by standard measurements. The average final body weight of the harvested shrimp is 37.67±1.15 g in probiotics ponds and 27.33±0.58 g in controlled ponds and the difference was significant (P < 0.01) between these two productions. The average survival rate was 90.67±1.15 % in probiotic pond and 71.00±3.0 % in controlled pond. The average daily gain (ADG) in weight was 0.27±0.01 g and 0.19±0.01 g in probiotic and controlled ponds, respectively. The result showed that probiotic plays an important role in maintaining water quality parameters, soil quality and health management as well as increases the growth and survival of shrimp.Key words: Probiotics; P. monodon; Water quality parameter; Growth rate; Survival rate.© 2013 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jsr.v5i2.11815         J. Sci. Res. 5 (2), 363-370 (2013)
Comparative Effects of Animal and Vegetable Fats on Lipid Profile and Patho-physiological Changes in Mice
Authors: Akter S. , Miah A. , Islam K. , Khan A. H.
Published: May 2013

Dietary intake of high amounts of animal fats can cause hypercholesterolemia whereas plant fat like soybean oil reduces serum cholesterol and lipoproteins in mice. The effects of animal fat (butter) and plant fat (soybean oil) fortified diet on lipid profile (serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides), body weight, blood glucose and on tissue texture were investigated in mice. 30 Swiss albino mice were divided equally into three groups. Mice were fed a normal diet (untreated control), a high-fat diet (5% butter) (butter group) and an unsaturated fat diet (5% soybean oil) (soybean oil group) for 90 days. Mice of butter group showed significantly increased level of total cholesterol, LDL-C and triglycerides and decreased level of HDL-C in the serum but not found in mice of soybean fed diet group. Body weight and blood glucose were also markedly elevated in mice fed only butter enriched diet. Histological analysis of liver at the end of 90 days showed increased fat deposition in the mice fed with butter diet than those of control diet and plant fat diet group. Mice fed with butter showed an elevation of lipid levels and developed fatty changes in liver.Keywords: Butter; Soybean oil; Lipid profile; Fatty change; Mice.© 2013 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jsr.v5i2.11909        J. Sci. Res. 5 (2), 353-361 (2013)
Thrombolytic Activity and Antimicrobial Properties of Ficus hispida
Authors: Shahriar M. , Islam S. , Parvin S. , Hoque S.
Published: May 2013

In this present study, the various plant parts of Ficus hispida were subjected to thrombolytic and antimicrobial activities. The thrombolytic activities were assessed by using human blood samples and the results were compared with standard streptokinase (SK). In this study, the methanol soluble fraction (MSF) exhibited highest thrombolytic activity (50.12±1.91). However, significant thrombolytic activity was demonstrated by the crude ethanol extract (CEE) and n-hexane soluble fraction (HSF) of F. hispida (21.74±0.69) and (42.22±1.42) respectively. On the other hand, the n- hexane soluble fraction (HSF) and methanol soluble fraction (MSF) of ethanol extract revealed moderate antibacterial activity against some microorganisms used in the screening.Keywords: Ficus hispida; Thrombolytic activity; Antimicrobial activity.© 2013 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jsr.v5i2.11988         J. Sci. Res. 5 (2), 393-397 (2013)
Inhibitory Effects of Nigella sativa Seed Extract on Adrenaline-Induced Dyslipidemia and Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Rats
Authors: Ali Y. , Islam M. S. , Alam A. H. M. K. , Rahman M. A. A. , Mamun Al , Hossain M. K. , Hossain A. K. M. M. , Parvin M. S. , Rashid M.
Published: May 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of Nigella sativa seed extract (abbreviated as NSSE) on adrenaline-induced dyslipidemia and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in rats. Intraperitoneal injection of adrenaline for two weeks induced dyslipidemia whereas injection of adrenaline for four weeks induced both dyslipidemia and LVH significantly, compared with normal rats. Injection of NSSE with different doses (0.5, 1 and 1.5 mg/kg body weight, BW) on adrenaline-induced dyslipidemic rats (AIDRs) for two weeks significantly reduced TC, TG and LDL-C and increased HDL-C compared with AIDRs and the most effective dose was 1.5 mg/kg BW. Treatment with NSSE (1.5 mg/kg BW) on AIDRs for eight weeks, significant anti-dyslipidemic effect was observed. Moreover, NSSE significantly increased free radical scavenging activity and attenuated the LVH and cardiomyocyte size compared with AIDRs. The results suggested that the anti-dyslipidemic, antioxidative and inhibitory effects of NSSE on LVH were closely resembled to that of atorvastatin, a most effective lipid lowering agent. Therefore, NSSE might be used as a therapeutic alternative or as a combination with drug in the treatment of dyslipidemia and LVH.Keywords: Adrenaline; Dyslipidemia; LVH; NSSE; Atorvastatin.© 2013 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jsr.v5i2.12203        J. Sci. Res. 5 (2), 325-334 (2013).
Development and Validation of a RP-HPLC Method for the Quantification of Omeprazole in Pharmaceutical Dosage Form
Authors: Kayesh R. , Sultan M. Z. , Rahman A. , Uddin M. G. , Aktar F. , Rashid M. A.
Published: May 2013

A rapid and highly sensitive reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for quantitative estimation of omeprazole in pharmaceutical preparations. The method has been validated according to FDA and USP guidelines with respect to accuracy, precision, specificity and linearity. The method was developed by using a gradient condition of mobile phase comprising 90% aqueous acetonitrile to 100% acetonitrile for 10 minutes at a flow rate of 0.7 mL/min over C-18 (ODS, 250 x 4.6 mm) column at ambient temperature. More than 97% recovery demonstrated the accuracy of the protocol. Intra-day and inter-day precision studies of the new method were less than the maximum allowable limit (RSD% £ 2.0 according to FDA). The method showed linear response with correlation coefficient (r2) value of 0.998.  Therefore, it was found to be accurate, reproducible, sensitive and less time consuming and can be successfully applied for the assay of omeprazole formulations.Keywords: HPLC; Method development; Gradient condition; Validation; Omeprazole.© 2013 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jsr.v5i2.12779        J. Sci. Res. 5 (2), 335-342  (2013)
In Vitro Antioxidant and Thrombolytic Activities of Bridelia Species Growing in Bangladesh
Authors: Anjum A. , Sikder M. A. , Haque M. R. , Hasan C. M. , Rashid M. A.
Published: May 2013

The organic soluble extractives of three Bridelia species, B. verrucosa, B. stipularis and B. tomentosa growing in Bangladesh were subjected to screening for free radical scavenging activity, total antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content. All of the methanol extracts of the these plants and their kupchan fractions showed moderate to strong free radical scavenging activity, the total antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content, of which the methanol extract of the leaf of B. verrucosa revealed highest activity having IC50 value of 6.35 ?g/ml. All the extractives of three plants were also studied for their thrombolytic potential. Among the three plants the carbon tetrachloride soluble fraction and methanol extract of leaf and aqueous soluble fraction of bark of B. tomentosa, methanol extract of bark of B. stipularis and carbon tetrachloride soluble fraction of leaf of B. verrucosa exhibited highest thrombolytic activity with clot lysis value of 41.46%, 34.85%, 37.04%, 36.45% and 33.72%, respectively. Standard streptokinase was used as positive control which exhibited 61.50% lysis of clot while the negative control water revealed 2.56% lysis of clot.Keywords: Antioxidant; Free radical scavenging; Total antioxidant capacity; Phenolic content; Thrombolytic activity; Bridelia.© 2013 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jsr.v5i2.13568        J. Sci. Res. 5 (2), 343-351 (2013)
Surviving Christianity
Authors: Crockett Clayton
Published: May 2013

In his essay ‘The Deconstruction of Christianity’, Jean-Luc Nancy identifies Christianity with the heart of the West, thus following René Girard's claim that Christianity is the religion that exposes the workings of scapegoating and mimetic violence that drive most religions and cultures. However, in On Touching, Derrida distances himself from Nancy's project, and I argue that this is precisely because he is aware that a straightforward embrace of the deconstruction of Christianity is a ruse, as it will end up in a Christian victory that ultimately overcomes deconstruction. The problem, however, is that a simple opposition to Christianity is also insufficient because it gets caught in a similar trap where Christianity ultimately wins (religion will always triumph, as Lacan says). The workings of this ‘trap’ will be explored through a reading of Derrida's essay ‘What is a Relevant Translation?’ and particularly his discussion of Shylock's situation in Merchant of Venice, where Derrida recognizes the ruse of Christianity in its ability to trump Shylock's literal translation of the law, but still he ‘insist[s] on the Christian dimension’. Why? To answer this question this paper turns to another: how do we survive Christianity?
The Word Became Machine: Derrida's Technology of Incarnation
Authors: Shakespeare Steven
Published: May 2013

For Derrida, the technological, automatic and mechanical could never simply be defined as external or opposed to the voluntary, conscious and spiritual. The articulation and repeatability of the trace means that there is something machinic that is inseparable from the possibilities of meaning, choice and faith. This paper will draw on various texts – including ‘Faith and Knowledge’, Without Alibi and On Touching – to explore the mutual unravelling of machine and flesh in the Christian doctrine of the incarnation. It will argue that the incarnation should not be interpreted as the self-emptying of God, but as the productive resistance of the immanent world to being appropriated by a discourse of transcendence. Taking account of Derrida's engagement with Nancy, it will explore a deconstruction of Christianity that is not ‘mere Christian hyperbole’, but the ruin of salvation itself.
Change in Focus of Attention Among Whale-watch Passengers Occurs As a Function of Temporal Phase of the Tour
Authors: Hrycik Janelle M. , Forestell Paul H.
Published: May 2013

this article examines how the focus of attention of whale-watch passengers changes as a tour pro- gresses, based on the premise that effective interpretation programs should be sensitive to changes in passenger mindset during the course of a tour. Spontaneous questions asked by 823
passengers dur- ing 24 whale-watch tours off the New England coast during the summer of 2007 were recorded. the 24 tours carried 7,256 passengers during the 2-month study period. Content analysis of the 823 ques- tions indicated that focus of attention varied in a predictable fashion during
the tour. this suggests that whale-watch interpretation programs intending to influence passenger awareness of marine mammals, their ocean habitat, and the importance of marine conservation should be sensitive to the changes in focus of attention that occur throughout a tour.
Recent Advances in Whale-Watching Research: 2011–2012
Authors: Scarpaci Carol , Parsons E.C.M.
Published: May 2013

Whale-watching research encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and fields of study, including monitoring the biological impacts of whale-watching activities on cetaceans and assessments of the effectiveness of whale-watching management and regulations, to the sociological and economic aspects of whale watching on communities hosting such activities. This article is the latest in a series of annual digests, which describes the variety and findings of whale-watching studies published over the past year, since June 2011.
Associations between Neighborhood Amenity Density and Health Indicators among Rural and Urban Youth
Authors: Pitts Stephanie B. Jilcott , Carr Lucas J. , Brinkley Jason , Byrd James Langford , Crawford Thomas , Moore Justin B.
Published: May 2013

Purpose.

To examine associations between the built/social environment (neighborhood amenity density, crime) and health indicators (body mass index [BMI] percentile, cardiovascular fitness, and time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity [MVPA]) among rural and urban youth.

Design.

Cross-sectional.

Setting.

Eastern North Carolina.

Subjects.

Youth (n = 296) were recruited from three middle schools.

Measures.

Neighborhood density was estimated using Walk Score. Crime was assessed using Regional Analysis and Information Sharing online. BMI percentiles were calculated from measured height and weight. Cardiovascular fitness was estimated using heart rate measured at the conclusion of a 3-minute step test. Time spent in MVPA was measured objectively via accelerometer.

Analysis.

Bivariate and multivariate statistics were used to examine associations between Walk Score, crime, BMI percentile, cardiovascular fitness (as measured via heart rate), and MVPA.

Results.

Walk Score was positively correlated with crime. There were positive, statistically significant associations between Walk Score and (1) BMI percentile (p = .0223) and (2) heart rate (p = .0044), and (3) inverse associations between Walk Score and MVPA (p = .0042), indicating that high neighborhood density was associated with greater BMI percentiles, lower fitness, and less MVPA among urban youth.

Conclusion.

These counterintuitive findings may be due to the negative effect of crime on health indicators, which may outweigh potential positive health impacts of high neighborhood amenity density.
Making Your Mobile Device an Art Expert: Using QR Codes to Tell the Story Behind artiFACTS in Your Library
Authors: Howard Jessica L. , Sautter Carolyn
Published: May 2013

Have you ever wondered about the stories behind the public art in your library? Every object had the potential to tell a story—the paintings, the sculpture, the furniture, and the building itself. At Musselman Library, Gettysburg College we use QR codes as the technical means to satisfy the natural curiosity of our patrons. Historical information already available in our Special Collections and College Archives was repurposed for the mobile-friendly environment. The artiFACTS project proved to be simple, scalable, and a great opportunity for collaboration.  We discuss how we implemented artiFACTS, including creating QR codes, marketing to campus constituencies and visitors, gathering feedback from students and faculty members, and evaluating the project’s success.
Traits and Training: Attributes and Skills of Pennsylvania Academic Library Managers
Authors: Hall Russell A.
Published: May 2013

What makes a good library manager? Is a good library manager born or bred?  To find out, Pennsylvania academic library managers were surveyed to determine their education and training backgrounds. The survey also illuminates the skills and personal traits these managers find most important in managing an academic library. Interpersonal skills and integrity were found to be the most important traits for an academic library manager to possess. Human resources and personnel issues were found to be the most difficult issues faced by academic library managers. In addition to presenting a snapshot of what today’s academic library leadership qualifications look like, the study will also provide future managers with an idea of what sort of training they should be seeking.
Marywood Librarians Teach in Africa
Authors: Watson Julia
Published: May 2013

Librarians Leslie Christianson and Julie Watson from Marywood University have been working to educate Catholic nuns in Africa. Funded by a grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Higher Education for Sisters in Africa (HESA) project is a partnership between Marywood University and Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi, Kenya.
Editors' Welcome
Authors: Reinsfelder Tom , Barnett John
Published: May 2013

Welcome! We are excited to present the first issue of Pennsylvania Libraries: Research & Practice. Also known as PaLRaP, this new publication is for anyone who works in or cares about libraries in Pennsylvania.
A Remedy in Sight: International Clinical Research Regulation in the Wake of Guatemala and Nigeria
Authors: Postal Steven W. , Diaz Robyn Whipple
Published: May 2013

None
Striving for Greenhouse Gas Mitigation and Energy Independence in Pennsylvania
Authors: Johnson Jon
Published: May 2013

None
West Virginia's Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Act: The "Mountain State's" Latest Attempt to Quit its Addiction to Coal
Authors: Paalborg Alexander R.
Published: May 2013

This note's purpose is to objectively analyze West Virginia's recently enacted Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Act ("AREPA") to determine whether it is the most ambitious alternative and renewable energy legislation that West Virginia can enact given its current political climate. Although coal may currently provide substantial economic benefits to West Virginia, future reliance on coal resources will be detrimental to the state's overall welfare due to dwindling coal reserves and coal's hazardous effects on the environment and public health. Because of coal's negative public health and environmental effects, coalmining states face tremendous federal, state, and local pressures to implement cleaner energy production methods. In 2009, West Virginia enacted AREPA to quell some of these mounting concerns. The legislation, however, has an unusually permissive definition of "alternative" energy sources and technologies and has no minimum requirement for renewable energy. In order to truly diversify from coal, the West Virginia Legislature should amend its "renewable energy resources" standard to require that at least twenty percent of its energy portfolio come from actual renewable energy sources by 2025. The legislature must also amend AREPA to exclude many of the most heavily polluting "alternative" energy sources instead of ensuring their continued existence and harm to the state. Because of West Virginia's dwindling coal reserves, the state's wealth of renewable energy resources, and a growing anti-coal movement, the Mountain State should diversify fromcoal-based energy resources and establish an appropriate alternative energy portfolio standard that is more heavily geared towards truly promoting renewable energy.