bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monitoring metabolic side effects of atypical antipsychotics in people with an intellectual disability
Authors: Teeluckdharry Sadira , Sharma Sujit , O’Rourke Elizabeth , Tharian Priyanka , Gondalekar Anjali , Nainar Feroz , Roy Meera
Published: June 2013

This audit was undertaken prospectively to examine the compliance of a group of psychiatrists against guidelines they developed for monitoring the onset of metabolic syndrome, a potential side effect of antipsychotic medication, especially second generation or atypical ones. Phase 1 of the audit was to set standards by a questionnaire survey of participating psychiatrists against Consensus Guidelines on monitoring (American Diabetic Association, 2004), which they favoured. The results led to modifying these guidelines to develop minimum acceptable standards against which their practice was audited in Phase 2. Although in Phase 1, 77% of the psychiatrists felt that they did some baseline recording, Phase 2 finding did not corroborate this – only 53.8% of the notes recorded the assessment of risk factors in personal history; 37.5% risk factors in family history; 31.7% baseline weight and 26.4% baseline blood sugar/lipid levels. In Phase 1, 85% of the psychiatrists thought that they carried out some of the recommended monitoring; our audit found the records of weight monitoring in 69.7% of the notes and blood sugar and lipids monitoring in 44.2%. People with intellectual disability have a shorter life expectancy and increased risk of early death when compared with the general population. Obesity is already a health issue for people with intellectual disability. We discuss the challenges faced by psychiatrists in implementing their own minimum acceptable standards and suggest measures to reduce the metabolic risk associated with antipsychotic medication through increasing awareness – use of information leaflets in accessible format, health promotion and use of side effect checklists and improving access – by working collaboratively with general practitioners utilising the forum of annual health checks.
A randomized, controlled study of an educational intervention to improve recall of auxiliary medication labeling and adherence to antibiotics
Authors: Pham Jade A , Pierce William , Muhlbaier Lawrence
Published: June 2013

Purpose:

To evaluate whether medication counseling with emphasis on auxiliary labels improves recall of auxiliary label information and adherence to medication schedules.

Methods:

A prospective, randomized study of an educational intervention in community pharmacies near Baltimore, Maryland. Fifty literate, English-speaking adults receiving one of the 18 commonly dispensed antibiotics were randomized to receive a counseling session or no counseling. Five to seven days after medication pickup, a structured phone interview was conducted to capture data on recall of auxiliary labels and adherence.

Results:

A total of 39 subjects completed the phone interview (78%). The rate of correct recall was high: 77% correct recall for all three labels. Among those with incorrect recall, 7 out of 9 subjects received no counseling (p = 0.11). The auxiliary labels incorrectly recalled were all related to dietary restrictions.

Conclusion:

The findings from this study suggest that medication counseling emphasizing auxiliary label information may lead to improved recall and adherence to antibiotics. Additional studies are required to confirm the preliminary findings and determine whether they correspond to improved adherence. Information most commonly misunderstood were related to dietary restrictions. Additional research focusing on counseling related to dietary restrictions is recommended.
Charter Schools and Student Compositions of Traditional Public Schools
Authors: Ertas Nevbahar
Published: June 2013

One of the most contentious urban education policy issues in the United States today is the expansion of charter schools and its repercussions. Does the expansion of charter schools affect the racial and socioeconomic composition of traditional public schools in the United States? This study provides empirical evidence on this question by relying on a panel design that uses school-level data from two states that have experimented with charter schools for more than 15 years: Ohio and Texas. Using county-level, spatial, and enrollment-based measures of charter exposure, the changes from pre- to post-charter-legislation stages in the student compositions of public schools that do and do not face competition from charters are examined. The results suggest that charter school presence contributes to aggregate-level changes in the share of non-Hispanic White and free-lunch-eligible students in traditional public schools in both states in different ways.
Land Use and Rural Livelihoods in South Africa: Emerging Evidence from the Eastern Cape
Authors: Chitonge Horman
Published: June 2013

This article examines whether rural households, both land reform beneficiary and aspirant, with access to land, use the land they have or not. Micro-data on crop and livestock production from land reform beneficiary and aspirant households in the Eastern Cape (South Africa) are analyzed to establish if households that have access to land actually use the land they have. Analysis of crop and livestock production data suggests that although land may not be used to full capacity in many of the households, the majority of them are using the land they have to produce different crops and livestock products for home consumption and sale. This is contrary to media reports that there is no production taking place on the overwhelming majority of land reform projects and in communal areas of former homelands. It is also apparent from the data presented below that the land reform beneficiary households on an average produce more crops and livestock than the non-beneficiary households.
Manching Reconsidered: New Perspectives on Settlement Dynamics and Urbanization in Iron Age Central Europe
Authors: Wendling Holger
Published: June 2013

Traditionally, research on late Iron Age societies of Central Europe has to some degree focused on large fortified settlements oroppida, presumably ranking at the top of the Celtic settlement hierarchy. Theoppidumof Manching in Upper Bavaria has in the past been seen as a paradigmatic example of pre-Roman transalpine urbanization, in both chronological and functional terms. However, both its dating and its topographical position in a shallow flood plain of the Danube justify a distinction from contemporaneous or successive fortified ‘towns'. Recent studies have identified another particular type of settlement – large unfortified centres of crafts and trade – as a major feature of prehistoric urbanization. Again, Manching and its pre-fortified stages of urban development reveal a characteristic scheme of eastern Celtic settlement evolution that eventually breaks with a standard development when a massive rampart is constructed. Based on recent research at Manching and its hinterland, and taking into account the dynamic character of urbanization, a flexible model of urban evolution is developed here. This model allows for a comparative and quantifiable notion of variable degrees of local and supra-regional urban status.
Mineralogical investigations of the first package of the alternative buffer material test – I. Alteration of bentonites
Authors: Kaufhold S. , Dohrmann R. , Sandén T. , Sellin P. , Svensson D.
Published: June 2013

Bentonite, which is envisaged as a promising engineered barrier material for the safe disposal of highly radioactive waste, was and is investigated in different large scale tests. The main focus was and is on the stability (or durability) of the bentonite. However, most countries concentrated on one or a few different bentonites only, regardless of the fact that bentonite performance in different applications is highly variable. Therefore, SKB (Svensk Kärnbränslehantering) set up the first large scale test which aimed at a direct comparison of different bentonites. This test was termed the ‘alternative buffer material test’ and considers eleven different clays which were either compacted (blocks) or put into cages to keep the material together. One so-called package consisted of thirty different blocks placed on top of each other. These blocks surrounded a heated iron tube 10 cm in diameter. Altogether three packages were installed in the underground test laboratory Äspö, Sweden. The first package was terminated 28 months after installation and the bentonite had been exposed for the maximum temperature (130°C) for about one year.

Almost all geochemical and mineralogical alterations of the different bentonites (apart from exchangeable cations) were restricted to the contact between iron and bentonite. The increase of the Fe2O3 content was attributed to corrosion of the tube. However, the typical 7 or 14 Å smectite alteration product was not found. At the contact of one sample, siderite was precipitated. Some samples showed anhydrite and organic carbon accumulation and some showed dissolution of clinoptilolite and cristobalite. IR spectroscopy, XRD, and XRF data indicated the formation of trioctahedral minerals/domains in the case of some bentonites. Even more data has to be collected before unambiguous conclusions concerning both alteration mechanisms and bentonite differences can be drawn.
Bentonite pore distribution based on SAXS, chloride exclusion and NMR studies
Authors: Muurinen A. , Carlsson T. , Root A.
Published: June 2013

Water-saturated bentonite is planned to be used in many countries as an important barrier component in high-level nuclear waste (HLW) repositories. Knowledge about the microstructure of the bentonite and the distribution of water between interlayer (IL) and non-interlayer (non-IL) pores is important for modelling of long-term processes. In this work the microstructure of water-saturated samples prepared from MX-80 bentonite was studied with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and small-angle X-ray scattering spectroscopy (SAXS) coupled with chloride exclusion modelling. The sample dry densities ranged between 0.7 and 1.6 g/cm3. The NMR technique was used to get information about the relative amounts of different water types. Water in smaller volume domains has a shorter relaxation time than that in larger domains due to the average closer proximity of the water to the paramagnetic Fe at the layer surfaces. The results were obtained using1H NMRT1ρrelaxation time measurements with the short inter-pulse CPMG method. The interpretation of the NMR results was made by fitting a sum of discrete exponentials to the observed decay curves. The SAXS measurement on bentonite samples was used to get information about the size distribution of the IL distance of montmorillonite. The chloride porosity measurements and Donnan exclusion calculations were used together with the SAXS results to evaluate the bentonite microstructure. In the model, the montmorillonite layers were organized in stacks having IL water between the layers and non-IL water between the stacks. In the modelling, the number of layers in the stacks was used as fitting parameters which determined the IL and non-IL surface areas. The fitting parameters were adjusted so that the modelled chloride concentration was equal to the measured one. The NMR studies and SAXS studies coupled with the Cl porosity measurements provided very similar pictures of how the porewater is divided in two phases in bentonite.
Microstructural investigation of calcium montmorillonite
Authors: Matusewicz M. , Pirkkalainen K. , Liljeström V. , Suuronen J. -P. , Root A. , Muurinen A. , Serimaa R. , Olin M.
Published: June 2013

Bentonite clay is planned to form a part of deep-geological repositories of spent nuclear fuel in several countries. The extremely long operation time of the repository requires an indepth understanding of the structure and properties of used materials. In this work the microstructure of a simplified system of Ca-montmorillonite is investigated using a set of complementary methods: X-ray diffraction, small angle X-ray scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance, transmission electron microscopy and ion exclusion. The paper presents experimental results obtained from compacted, water saturated samples in the dry density range 0.6–1.5 g/cm3. It can be observed that different methods yield similar quantification of water present in the interlamellar space. Combined results support the multiple porosity concept of the bentonite structure.
3D organization of telomeres in porcine neutrophils and analysis of LPS-activation effect
Authors: Mompart Florence , Robelin David , Delcros Chantal , Yerle-Bouissou Martine
Published: June 2013

Background

While the essential role of 3D nuclear architecture on nuclear functions has been demonstrated for various cell types, information available for neutrophils, essential components of the immune system, remains limited. In this study, we analysed the spatial arrangements of telomeres which play a central role in cell fate. Our studies were carried out in swine, which is an excellent model organism for both biomedical research and agronomic applications. We isolated bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-containing subtelomeric p and q sequences specific to each porcine chromosome. This allowed us to study the behaviour of p and q telomeres of homologous chromosomes for seven pairs chosen for their difference in length and morphology. This was performed using 3D-FISH on structurally preserved neutrophils, and confocal microscopy. Resting and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated states were investigated to ascertain whether a response to a pathogen aggression modifies this organization.

Results

The positions of the p and q telomeres relative to the nuclear outer border were determined in the two states. All p telomeres changed their position significantly during the activation process, although the effect was less pronounced for the q telomeres. The patterns of telomeric associations between homologs and their frequencies were analysed for 7 pairs of chromosomes. This analysis revealed that the distribution of pp, qq and pq associations differs significantly among the 7 chromosomes. This distribution does not fit with the theoretical distribution for each chromosome, suggesting that preferential associations occur between subtelomeres.

Conclusions

The percentage of nuclei harbouring at least one telomeric association between homologs varies significantly among the chromosomes, the smallest metacentric chromosome SSC12, which is also the richest in gene-density, harbouring the highest value. The distribution of types of telomeric associations is highly dependent on the chromosomes and is not affected by the activation process. The frequencies of telomeric associations are also highly dependent on the type of association and the type of chromosome. Overall, the LPS-activation process induces only minor changes in these patterns of associations. When telomeric associations occur, the associations of p and q arms from the same chromosome are the most frequent, suggesting that “chromosome bending” occurs in neutrophils as previously observed in gametes.
Genistein promotes cell death of ethanol-stressed HeLa cells through the continuation of apoptosis or secondary necrosis
Authors: Xie Xin , Wang Shan Shan , Wong Timothy Chung Sing , Fung Ming Chiu
Published: June 2013

Background

Apoptosis is a major target and treatment effect of multiple chemotherapeutical agents in cancer. A soybean isoflavone, genistein, is a well-studied chemopreventive agent and has been reported to potentiate the anticancer effect of some chemotherapeutics. However, its mechanistic basis of chemo-enhancement effect remains to be fully elucidated.

Methods

Apoptotic features of low concentration stressed cancer cells were studied by microscopic method, western blot, immunostaining and annexin V/PI assay. Genistein’s effects on unstressed cells and recovering cells were investigated using MTT cell viability assay and LDH cytotoxicity assay. Quantitative real-time PCR was employed to analyze the possible gene targets involved in the recovery and genistein’s effect.

Results

Low-concentration ethanol stressed cancer cells showed apoptotic features and could recover after stress removal. In stressed cells, genistein at sub-toxic dosage promoted the cell death. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed the up-regulation of anti-apoptotic genes MDM2 and XIAP during the recovery process in HeLa cells, and genistein treatment suppressed their expression. The application of genistein, MDM2 inhibitor and XIAP inhibitor to the recovering HeLa cells caused persistent caspase activity and enhanced cell death. Flow cytometry study indicated that genistein treatment could lead to persistent phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization and necrotic events in the recovering HeLa cells. Caspase activity inhibition shifted the major effect of genistein to necrosis.

Conclusions

These results suggested two possible mechanisms through which genistein promoted cell death in stressed cancer cells. Genistein could maintain the existing apoptotic signal to enhance apoptotic cell death. It could also disrupt the recovering process in caspase-independent manner, which lead to necrotic events. These effects may be related to the enhanced antitumor effect of chemotherapeutic drugs when they were combined with genistein.
Frontiers of torenia research: innovative ornamental traits and study of ecological interaction networks through genetic engineering
Authors: Nishihara Masahiro , Shimoda Takeshi , Nakatsuka Takashi , Arimura Gen-ichiro
Published: June 2013

Advances in research in the past few years on the ornamental plant torenia (Torenia spps.) have made it notable as a model plant on the frontier of genetic engineering aimed at studying ornamental characteristics and pest control in horticultural ecosystems. The remarkable advantage of torenia over other ornamental plant species is the availability of an easy and high-efficiency transformation system for it. Unfortunately, most of the current torenia research is still not very widespread, because this species has not become prominent as an alternative to other successful model plants such as Arabidopsis, snapdragon and petunia. However, nowadays, a more global view using not only a few selected models but also several additional species are required for creating innovative ornamental traits and studying horticultural ecosystems. We therefore introduce and discuss recent research on torenia, the family Scrophulariaceae, for secondary metabolite bioengineering, in which global insights into horticulture, agriculture and ecology have been advanced. Floral traits, in torenia particularly floral color, have been extensively studied by manipulating the flavonoid biosynthetic pathways in flower organs. Plant aroma, including volatile terpenoids, has also been genetically modulated in order to understand the complicated nature of multi-trophic interactions that affect the behavior of predators and pollinators in the ecosystem. Torenia would accordingly be of great use for investigating both the variation in ornamental plants and the infochemical-mediated interactions with arthropods.
Metabolite analysis distinguishes between mice with epidermolysis bullosa acquisita and healthy mice
Authors: Schönig Sarah , Recke Andreas , Hirose Misa , Ludwig Ralf J , Seeger Karsten
Published: June 2013

Background

Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is a rare skin blistering disease with a prevalence of 0.2/ million people. EBA is characterized by autoantibodies against type VII collagen. Type VII collagen builds anchoring fibrils that are essential for the dermal-epidermal junction. The pathogenic relevance of antibodies against type VII collagen subdomains has been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. Despite the multitude of clinical and immunological data, no information on metabolic changes exists.

Methods

We used an animal model of EBA to obtain insights into metabolomic changes during EBA. Sera from mice with immunization-induced EBA and control mice were obtained and metabolites were isolated by filtration. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra were recorded and analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares discrimination analysis (PLS-DA) and random forest.

Results

The metabolic pattern of immunized mice and control mice could be clearly distinguished with PCA and PLS-DA. Metabolites that contribute to the discrimination could be identified via random forest. The observed changes in the metabolic pattern of EBA sera, i.e. increased levels of amino acid, point toward an increased energy demand in EBA.

Conclusions

Knowledge about metabolic changes due to EBA could help in future to assess the disease status during treatment. Confirming the metabolic changes in patients needs probably large cohorts.
Nrf2 impacts cellular bioenergetics by controlling substrate availability for mitochondrial respiration
Authors: Holmström Kira M. , Baird Liam , Zhang Ying , Hargreaves Iain , Chalasani Annapurna , Land John M. , Stanyer Lee , Yamamoto Masayuki , Dinkova-Kostova Albena T. , Abramov Andrey Y.
Published: June 2013

Transcription factor Nrf2 and its repressor Keap1 regulate a network of cytoprotective genes involving more than 1% of the genome, their best known targets being drug-metabolizing and antioxidant genes. Here we demonstrate a novel role for this pathway in directly regulating mitochondrial bioenergetics in murine neurons and embryonic fibroblasts. Loss of Nrf2 leads to mitochondrial depolarisation, decreased ATP levels and impaired respiration, whereas genetic activation of Nrf2 increases the mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels, the rate of respiration and the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation. We further show that Nrf2-deficient cells have increased production of ATP in glycolysis, which is then used by the F1Fo-ATPase for maintenance of the mitochondrial membrane potential. While the levels and in vitro activities of the respiratory complexes are unaffected by Nrf2 deletion, their activities in isolated mitochondria and intact live cells are substantially impaired. In addition, the rate of regeneration of NADH after inhibition of respiration is much slower in Nrf2-knockout cells than in their wild-type counterparts. Taken together, these results show that Nrf2 directly regulates cellular energy metabolism through modulating the availability of substrates for mitochondrial respiration. Our findings highlight the importance of efficient energy metabolism in Nrf2-mediated cytoprotection.
The septum transversum mesenchyme induces gall bladder development
Authors: Saito Yohei , Kojima Takuya , Takahashi Naoki
Published: June 2013

The liver, gall bladder, and ventral pancreas are formed from the posterior region of the ventral foregut. After hepatic induction, Sox17+/Pdx1+ pancreatobiliary common progenitor cells differentiate into Sox17+/Pdx1− gall bladder progenitors and Sox17−/Pdx1+ ventral pancreatic progenitors, but the cell-extrinsic signals that regulate this differentiation process are unknown. This study shows that the septum transversum mesenchyme (STM) grows in the posterior direction after E8.5, becoming adjacent to the presumptive gall bladder region, to induce gall bladder development. In this induction process, STM-derived BMP4 induces differentiation from common progenitor cells adjacent to the STM into gall bladder progenitor cells, by maintaining Sox17 expression and suppressing Pdx1 expression. Furthermore, the STM suppresses ectopic activation of the liver program in the posterior region of the ventral foregut following hepatic induction through an Fgf10/Fgfr2b/Sox9 signaling pathway. Thus, the STM plays pivotal roles in gall bladder development by both inductive and suppressive effects.
Optimal Betting Under Parameter Uncertainty: Improving the Kelly Criterion
Authors: Baker Rose D. , McHale Ian G.
Published: June 2013

The Kelly betting criterion ignores uncertainty in the probability of winning the bet and uses an estimated probability. In general, such replacement of population parameters by sample estimates gives poorer out-of-sample than in-sample performance. We show that to improve out-of-sample performance the size of the bet should be shrunk in the presence of this parameter uncertainty, and compare some estimates of the shrinkage factor. From a simulation study and from an analysis of some tennis betting data we show that the shrunken Kelly approaches developed here offer an improvement over the “raw” Kelly criterion. One approximate estimate of the shrinkage factor gives a “back of envelope” correction to the Kelly criterion that could easily be used by bettors. We also study bet shrinkage and swelling for general risk-averse utility functions and discuss the general implications of such results for decision theory.
Monte Carlo Calculations Applied to NRU Reactor and Radiation Physics Analyses
Authors: Nguyen T.S. , Wilkin G.B.
Published: June 2013

The statistical MCNP (Monte Carlo N-Particle) code has been satisfactorily used for reactor and radiation physics calculations to support NRU operation and analysis. MCNP enables 3D modeling of the reactor and its components in great detail, the transport calculation of photons (in addition to neutrons), and the capability to model all locations in space, which are beyond the capabilities of the deterministic neutronics methods used for NRU. While the simple single-cell model is efficient for local analysis in any site of NRU, the complex full-reactor model is required for calculations of the core physics and beyond-the-core radiation. By supplementing, adjusting or benchmarking the results from the existing NRU codes, the MCNP calculations provide greater confidence that NRU remains within the licence envelope.
Development Of NRU Reflector Wall Inspection System
Authors: Lumsden R.H. , Luloff B. V. , Zahn N. , Simpson N.
Published: June 2013

In 2009 May, the National Research Universal (NRU) calandria leaked. During the next year, the calandria was inspected with six new Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) techniques to determine the extent of the corrosion, repaired, and finally the repair was inspected with four additional new NDE techniques before the reactor was returned to service.

The calandria is surrounded by a light-water reflector vessel fabricated from the same material as the calandria vessel. Concerns that the same corrosion mechanism had damaged the reflector vessel led to the development of a system to inspect the full circumference of the reflector wall for corrosion damage. The inspection region could only be accessed through 64 mm diameter ports, was 10 m below the port, and had to be inspected from the corroded surface. The ultrasonic technique was designed to produce a closely spaced wall thickness (WT) grid over an area of approximately 5 m2on the corroded surface using a very small probe holder.

This paper describes the Reflector Wall Inspection (RWI) development project and the system that resulted.
Value Addition Initiative For CANDU® Reactor Operation Performance
Authors: Chugh V. , Parmar R. , Schut J. , Sherin J. , Xie H. , Zobin D.
Published: June 2013

Recently, AMEC NSS initiated projects for CANDU® station performance engineering with potentially high returns for the utilities. This paper discusses three initiatives. Firstly, optimization of instrument calibration interval from 1 to 3 years will reduce time commitments on the maintenance resources on top of financial savings ~$3,500 per instrument. Secondly, reactor thermal power uncertainty assessment shows the level of operation which is believed to have an over-conservative margin that can be used to increase power by up to 0.75%. Finally, as an alternative means for controlling Reactor Inlet Header Temperature (RIHT), physical modifications to the High Pressure (HP) feedwater heaters can be useful for partially recovering RIHT resulting in increased production by 10-12 MWe.
Fuelling the debate: Predictive relationships among personality characteristics, motives and effects of melodramatic animated news viewing
Authors: Lo Wai Han , Cheng Benjamin Ka Lun
Published: June 2013

Melodramatic animated news is a new news reporting format used by some media organizations that has drawn a huge online viewership. This study adopted uses and gratifications theory and surveyed 312 college students to investigate their viewing of animated news. Seven motives were identified, through factor analysis, for viewing such animated news videos. The results of hierarchical regression analysis suggest predictive relationships among personality characteristics, the seven motives, the effects of perceived news credibility and newsworthiness, and the intention to share such animated news videos with others. Implications, ethical issues and directions for future research are discussed.
A model failure: Why news can no longer pay its way
Authors: Greenwood Sue
Published: June 2013

Throughout its history as a professionalized practice, the adoption of new technologies has affected news journalism as a consequence of changes in its delivery; its consumption; or its management. This article focuses on how new technologies, in particular the web, have affected the business of news. It considers whether the digitalization of news has undermined the business model to make the production of news journalism unaffordable for the handful of large companies that now dominate the UK and US newspaper industries. The article argues that the practice of journalism has become marginalized within the news industry because its business model is based on selling the attention news attracts, rather than on seeing the journalism producing the news as an asset. Finally, the article posits that there is no longer a successful, scalable business model for news journalism in the United Kingdom and United States and a new model will not emerge from adding digital delivery to existing models but from a re-imagining of journalism outside of the news industry.
Warning of potential disasters from outer space: A case study of coverage of asteroid threats
Authors: Shafer Richard , Aregood Richard , Higgs Kim
Published: June 2013

This study addresses issues related to mass media coverage of the threat of asteroid collisions with the earth and speculation on potential mass and catastrophic damage, injury and death. It explores the role of the mass media in reporting the danger of major asteroid impacts, when such impacts are less frequent, but potentially more damaging than disasters related to volcanoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes or earthquakes. The study includes interviews with aerospace scientists contributing to determinations about what narrative structures and techniques are most effective in explaining through the mass media important scientific research on asteroid and other space object threats, without resorting to shallowness and sensationalism.
Capturing stories of change: Evaluating media practices of Papua New Guinean journalists during and after media attachment in Australia
Authors: Mikami Akina , Khosla Vipul , Popal Isabel , Freeman Sam
Published: June 2013

In recent years, there has been an increased recognition of the value of developing the professional capacity of journalists in developing countries and emerging democracies, and of evaluating these developments more effectively. In addition to the quantitative assessment of the media training programs along pre-defined indicators, this article argues for a participatory evaluation approach to assessing donor-funded media capacity building program to capture stories of change from the perspectives of the participants. Drawing on a case study of an evaluation of a media attachment program, ‘MDI Social Journalism Award’, it highlights the most significant change stories from the perspectives of two journalists from Papua New Guinea. The article outlines the outcomes and impacts of the program for the participating journalists, along with the facilitators and barriers that can influence the success of such media capacity building programs.
Area minimizing surfaces in mean convex 3-manifolds
Authors: Bourni Theodora , Coskunuzer Baris
Published: June 2013

In this paper, we give several results on area minimizing surfaces in strictly mean convex 3-manifolds. First, we study the genus of absolutely area minimizing surfaces in a compact, orientable, strictly mean convex 3-manifold M bounded by a simple closed curve in ∂M. Our main result is that for any g ≥ 0, the space of simple closed curves in ∂M where all the absolutely area minimizing surfaces they bound in M has genus ≥ g is open and dense in the space 𝒜 of nullhomologous simple closed curves in ∂M. For showing this we prove a bridge principle for absolutely area minimizing surfaces. Moreover, we show that for any g ≥ 0, there exists a curve γ
g
in 𝒜 such that the minimum genus of the absolutely area minimizing surfaces γ
g
bounds is exactly g.

As an application of these results, we further prove that the simple closed curves in ∂M bounding more than one minimal surface in M is an open and dense subset of 𝒜. We also show that there are disjoint simple closed curves in ∂M bounding minimal surfaces in M which are not disjoint. This allows us to answer a question of Meeks, by showing that for any strictly mean convex 3-manifold M, there exists a simple closed curve Γ in ∂M which bounds a stable minimal surface which is not embedded. We also gave some applications of these results to the simple closed curves in ℝ3.
Seeking the origin of female germline stem cells in the mammalian ovary
Authors: De Felici Massimo , Barrios Florencia
Published: June 2013

The function of female germline stem cells (FGSCs, also called oogonial stem cells) in the adult mammalian ovary is currently debated in the scientific community. As the evidence to support or discard the possible crucial role of this new class of germ cells in mammals has been extensively discussed, in this review, we wonder which could be their origin. We will assume that FGSCs are present in the post-natal ovaries and speculate as to what origin and characteristics such cells could have. We believe that the definition of these features might shed light on future experimental approaches that could clarify the ongoing debate.
Biochemical evidence for energy-independent flippase activity in bovine epididymal sperm membranes: an insight into membrane biogenesis
Authors: Rajasekharan Archita , Francis Vincent Gerard , Gummadi Sathyanarayana N
Published: June 2013

During the maturation process spermatozoa undergo a series of changes in their lateral and horizontal lipid profiles. However, lipid metabolism in spermatozoa is not clearly understood for two reasons: i) the mature spermatozoa are devoid of endoplasmic reticulum, which is the major site of phospholipid (PL) synthesis in somatic cells, and ii) studies have been superficial due to the difficulty in culturing spermatozoa. We hypothesize that spermatozoa contain biogenic membrane flippases since immense changes in lipids occur during spermatogenic differentiation. To test this, we isolated spermatozoa from bovine epididymides and reconstituted the detergent extract of sperm membranes into proteoliposomes.In vitroassays showed that proteoliposomes reconstituted with sperm membrane proteins exhibit ATP-independent flip–flop movement of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylglycerol. Half-life time of PC flipping was found to be ∼3.2±1 min for whole sperm membrane, which otherwise would have taken ∼11–12 h in the absence of protein. Further biochemical studies confirm the flip–flop movement to be protein-mediated, based on its sensitivity to protease and protein-modifying reagents. To further determine the cellular localization of flippases, we isolated mitochondria of spermatozoa and checked for ATP-independent flippase activity. Interestingly, mitochondrial membranes showed flip–flop movement but were specific for PC with half-life time of ∼5±2 min. Our results also suggest that spermatozoa have different populations of flippases and that their localization within the cellular compartments depends on the type of PL synthesis.
Differences in the metabolomic signatures of porcine follicular fluid collected from environments associated with good and poor oocyte quality
Authors: Bertoldo Michael J , Nadal-Desbarats Lydie , Gérard Nadine , Dubois Alexis , Holyoake Patricia K , Grupen Christopher G
Published: June 2013

The microenvironment of the developing follicle is critical to the acquisition of oocyte developmental competence, which is influenced by several factors including follicle size and season. The aim of this study was to characterise the metabolomic signatures of porcine follicular fluid (FF) collected from good and poor follicular environments, using high-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy. Sow ovaries were collected at slaughter, 4 days after weaning, in summer and winter. The contents of small (3–4 mm) and large (5–8 mm) diameter follicles were aspirated and pooled separately for each ovary pair. Groups classified as summer-small (n=8), summer-large (n=15), winter-small (n=9) and winter-large (n=15) were analysed by1H-NMR spectroscopy. The concentrations of 11 metabolites differed due to follicle size alone (P<0.05), including glucose, lactate, hypoxanthine and five amino acids. The concentrations of all these metabolites, except for glucose, were lower in large FF compared with small FF. Significant interaction effects of follicle size and season were found for the concentrations of glutamate, glycine,N-acetyl groups and uridine. Succinate was the only metabolite that differed in concentration due to season alone (P<0.05). The FF levels of progesterone, androstenedione and oestradiol were correlated with the concentrations of most of the metabolites examined. The results indicate that there is a distinct shift in follicular glucose metabolism as follicles increase in diameter and suggest that follicular cells may be more vulnerable to oxidative stress during the summer months. Our findings demonstrate the power of1H-NMR spectroscopy to expand our understanding of the dynamic and complex microenvironment of the developing follicle.
Designing Nanostructured Hybrid Inorganic-biological Materials via the Self-assembly
Authors: Koufos Evan , Dutt Meenakshi
Published: June 2013

Our objective is to design nanostructured hybrid inorganic-biological materials using the selfassembly of functionalized nanotubes and lipid molecules. In this presentation, we summarize the multiple control parameters which direct the equilibrium morphology of a specific class of nanostructured biomaterials. Individual lipid molecules are composed of a hydrophilic head group and two hydrophobic tails. A bare nanotube encompasses an ABA architecture, with a hydrophobic shaft (B) and two hydrophilic ends (A). We introduce hydrophilic hairs at one end of the tube to enable selective transport through the channel. The dimensions of the nanotube are set to minimize its hydrophobic mismatch with the lipid bilayer. We use a Molecular Dynamicsbased mesoscopic simulation technique called Dissipative Particle Dynamics which simultaneously resolves the structure and dynamics of the nanoscopic building blocks and the hybrid aggregate. The amphiphilic lipids and functionalized nanotubes self-assemble into a stable hybrid vesicle or a bicelle in the presence of a hydrophilic solvent. We demonstrate that the morphology of the hybrid structures is directed by factors such as the temperature, the molecular rigidity of the lipid molecules, and the concentration of the nanotubes. We present material characterization of the equilibrium morphology of the various hybrid nanostructures. A combination of the material characterization and the morphologies of the hybrid aggregates can be used to predict the structure and properties of other hybrid materials.
Marine Adhesive Containing Nanocomposite Hydrogel with Enhanced Materials and Bioadhesive Properties
Authors: Liu Yuan , Zhan Hao , Skelton Sarah , Lee Bruce P.
Published: June 2013

4-arm poly(ethylene glycol) end-capped with mimics of adhesive moiety found in mussel adhesive protein, dopamine, was combined with a biocompatible nano-silicate, Laponite, in creating a nanocomposite hydrogel with improved materials and adhesive properties. Dopamine’s ability to form both irreversible covalent (cohesive and interfacial) and reversible physical (with Laponite) crosslinks was exploited in creating an injectable tissue adhesive. Incorporation of Laponite did not interfere with the curing of the adhesive. In some instances, increasing Laponite content reduced gelation time as dopamine-Laponite bond reduced the required number of covalent bonds needed for network formation. Incorporation of Laponite also increased compressive materials properties (e.g., max strength, energy to failure, etc.) of the nanocomposite without compromising its compliance as strain at failure was also increased. From lap shear adhesion test using wetted pericardium as the substrate, incorporating Laponite increased work of adhesion by 5 fold over that of control. Strong, physical bonds formed between dopamine and Laponite increased bulk materials properties, which contributed to the enhanced adhesive properties.
Selective Etching of SnO2:F Films with a Pulse Programmable Industrial Fiber Laser
Authors: Rekow M. , Panarello T. , Sampath W. S.
Published: June 2013

In our work on laser scribing CdTe solar cells we have found what appears to be an unpublished laser material interaction that allows precise laser etching of SnO2 films to an arbitrary thickness with high uniformity. This precise and efficient laser etching mechanism allows arbitrary reduction of the film thickness in a controlled manner on the scale of tens of nm. In addition to the fine depth selection, we find that there develops a pulse duration dependent microstructure on the surface. This micro microstructure results in a strong diffraction effect in the visible portion of the spectrum. In this work we propose a physical mechanism behind this novel depth selective laser interaction as well as the resultant micro-structure. Finally we demonstrate and propose some possible applications for this process.
Repetibilidade de características agronômicas e número de cortes necessários para seleção de Urochloa ruziziensis
Authors: Souza Sobrinho Fausto , Borges Vanderley , Lédo Francisco José da Silva , Kopp Maurício Marini
Published: June 2013

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estimar a repetibilidade de características agronômicas e determinar a quantidade adequada de cortes para seleção de Urochloa ruziziensis. Foram avaliadas 118 progênies de meio-irmãos de U. ruziziensis, além das cultivares Basilisk (U. decumbens), Marandu (U. brizantha), Comum (U. ruziziensis) e um acesso de Urochloa sp. como testemunhas. Utilizou-se o delineamento em blocos ao acaso, com duas repetições, parcelas de uma linha com 3,0 m e espaçamento de 1,0x0,5 m. Foram realizados sete cortes, em intervalos médios de 60 e 90 dias, nas épocas chuvosas e secas, respectivamente. Avaliaram-se: altura de planta, massa de matéria seca (MS), massa de matéria verde (MV) e percentagem de matéria seca (PMS). A repetibilidade foi estimada pelos seguintes métodos: análise de variância; componentes principais, pela matriz de covariâncias e pela matriz de correlações; e análise estrutural pela matriz de correlações. As estimativas de repetibilidade variaram de 0,31-0,38 para altura de plantas, 0,31-0,43 para MV, 0,16-0,50 para PMS, e 0,23-0,43 para MS; com coeficientes de determinação entre 57-87%. O número de cortes necessários para estimar o valor real das características variou entre 7-8 para MV e altura de plantas, e 10-14 para MS e PMS, com coeficientes de determinação igual ou superior a 80%.
Ten-year trends in prevalence of asthma in adults in southern Brazil: comparison of two population-based studies
Authors: Fiori Nadia Spada , Gonçalves Helen , Dumith Samuel C. , Cesar Maria Aurora Dropa Chrestani , Menezes Ana M. B. , Macedo Silvia Elaine Cardozo
Published: June 2013

There are discrepancies in the literature regarding time trends in the occurrence of asthma in adults. This study compared asthma prevalence in two cross-sectional studies with a ten-year interval in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The first, in 2000, included 1,968 individuals, and the second, in 2010, 2,466 adults (20-69 years). Prevalence of wheezing and shortness of breath in the prior 12 months remained the same after ten years (6% and 6.1%, respectively). In both studies, asthma was more frequent among females and people with low family income. Physician-diagnosed asthma increased by 35.6%, and lifetime incidence of asthma, by 32.2%. There was no percentage change in current asthma symptoms or current asthma. Local socioeconomic improvement between the two studies was consistent with the increase in medical diagnosis, but did not reflect better management of asthma symptoms, underlining the need for investment regarding other determinants of the disease.
Investigation on the mechanical properties of gypsum soil
Authors: Estabragh Ali R. , Kargar Samaneh , Javadi Akbar A.
Published: June 2013

Gypsum soils are considered to be a class of problematic soils which cause severe damage to highways and many other engineering infrastructures. They have an acceptable strength and stiffness in their natural state, but often have low strength and large settlement when soaked. This article presents the results from an experimental investigation into the mechanical behaviour of two artificial clay-gypsum soils. Experimental tests including Atterberg limits, compaction, settlement, unconfined compressive strength and California bearing ratio were carried out on samples of clay–gypsum soil with different percentages of gypsum. The results indicated that the maximum dry unit weight decreased and optimum water content increased by increasing the gypsum content. Furthermore, settlement, strength and California bearing ratio values were considerably decreased by increasing the gypsum content before and after soaking.
Seasonal plasticity in the temperature sensitivity of microbial activity in three temperate forest soils
Authors: Drake J. E. , Giasson M.-A. , Spiller K. J. , Finzi A. C.
Published: June 2013

The temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition has been a source of much debate, given the potential feedbacks with climate warming. Here, we evaluated possible seasonal variation in the temperature sensitivity of microbially mediated soil fluxes related to decomposition (net N mineralization, net nitrification, proteolysis, the maximum velocity (Vmax) of proteolysis, microbial respiration, and theVmaxof four soil exo‐enzymes) across forests dominated by eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), white ash (Fraxinus americana), and red oak (Quercus rubra) in central Massachusetts, USA. We asked two simple questions: (1) do temperature sensitivities vary across forest types or different steps of the decomposition process, and (2) do temperature sensitivities display plasticity on a seasonal time frame? We observed substantial variation in temperature sensitivities (Q10andR10values) across the different fluxes and forest types. The ash soils exhibited the strongest temperature sensitivities and the mineral‐N fluxes exhibited higher temperature sensitivities relative to the proteolytic fluxes or microbial respiration. TheVmaxof soil exo‐enzymes varied considerably in an interactive manner across forests and time, and the response of some enzymes was consistent with the thermal plasticity. The enzymatic kinetic propertiesVmaxandKm(half‐saturation constant) were strongly correlated with slopes that differed across enzymes, reflecting an enzyme‐specific tradeoff between maximum catalytic rate and substrate‐binding efficiency. Generally,Q10values were largely constant, butR10values varied in a manner consistent with distinct seasonal plasticity. There was a consistent seasonal shift inR10values coincident with snowmelt, suggesting that the time following snowmelt is a particularly interesting and dynamic period of microbial activity in these temperate forests.