bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving cellulose/polypropylene nanocomposites properties with chemical modified bagasse nanofibers and maleated polypropylene
Authors: Hassan Mohammad L , Mathew Aji P , Hassan Enas A , Fadel Shiamaa M , Oksman Kristiina
Published: October 2013

The properties of cellulose/polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites with n-octadecyl-modified bagasse nanofibers (MBNF) were compared to those with maleated polypropylene (MAPP) coupling agent. The nanocomposites were prepared by twin-screw extrusion with bagasse nanofiber (BNF) content varying from 2.5 to 10 wt%. The compression molded nanocomposites sheets were characterized regarding their tensile strength properties, dynamic mechanical thermal properties, crystallinity, water absorption, transparency and loss of strength due to composting in soil. As a compatibilizer to improve the tensile strength properties and transparency of PP/cellulose nanofibers nanocomposites, MAPP was more effective than n-octadecyl-modified cellulose nanofibers. The crystallinity of the nanocomposites was lower than that of neat PP except for those prepared using high loading of MBNF. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) of the prepared materials showed that adding the different nanofibers (treated or untreated) resulted in better mechanical thermal properties above glass transition temperature (Tg) of PP. Water absorption capability in all nanocomposites was weakened while that in PP/MBNF was the lowest. No significant differences were found between the nanocomposites with different kinds of nanofibers regarding the loss of their tensile strength after compositing in soil up to six months.
The effect of ZnO nanoparticles on the mechanical, tribological and antibacterial properties of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene
Authors: Chang Boon Peng , Akil Hazizan Md , Nasir Ramdziah Bt Md , Bandara I. M. C. C. D. , Rajapakse Sanath
Published: October 2013

In this study, the response of different filler loadings (5–20 wt%) of zinc oxide nanoparticles reinforced ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene on the mechanical, tribological and antibacterial performances were attempted. The compression, tensile and micro-hardness properties of the nano-zinc oxide/ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene composites were studied. The tribological properties were investigated using DUCOM pin-on-disc tester with variable applied loads (5–35 N) and sliding speeds (0.209 m/s and 0.419 m/s) against 1200 grit size silicon carbide abrasive paper under dry sliding conditions. The worn surfaces and transfer films of the composites were observed using the scanning electron microscopy. Experimental results show that reinforcing ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene with zinc oxide nanoparticles would improve certain mechanical and tribological properties. Wear performance was enhanced with maximum wear resistance found at 10 wt% nano-zinc oxide/ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene composite. The average coefficient of friction of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene shows a decrease after reinforcement with zinc oxide nanoparticles. Upon zinc oxide nanoparticles reinforcement, the worn surface shows reduced severity of wear. The nano-zinc oxide/ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene composite imparts antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
Bayesian design for dichotomous repeated measurements with autocorrelation
Authors: Abebe Haftom T , Tan Frans ES , van Breukelen Gerard JP , Berger Martijn PF
Published: October 2013

In medicine and health sciences, binary outcomes are often measured repeatedly to study their change over time. A problem for such studies is that designs with an optimal efficiency for some parameter values may not be efficient for other values. To handle this problem, we propose Bayesian designs which formally account for the uncertainty in the parameter values for a mixed logistic model which allows quadratic changes over time. Bayesian D-optimal allocations of time points are computed for different priors, costs, covariance structures and values of the autocorrelation. Our results show that the optimal number of time points increases with the subject-to-measurement cost ratio, and that neither the optimal number of time points nor the optimal allocations of time points appear to depend strongly on the prior, the covariance structure or on the size of the autocorrelation. It also appears that for subject-to-measurement cost ratios up to five, four equidistant time points, and for larger cost ratios, five or six equidistant time points are highly efficient. Our results are compared with the actual design of a respiratory infection study in Indonesia and it is shown that, selection of a Bayesian optimal design will increase efficiency, especially for small cost ratios.
A “tale of two countries”: Narratives of hearts, patients and doctors in the Spanish press
Authors: Danet Alina , Medina-Doménech Rosa M.
Published: October 2013

In this article we explore how the Spanish written press – ABC, La Vanguardia, and Blanco y Negro – and the official newsreel No-Do, created and disseminated a narrative about heart transplantations at the end of the 1960s. We consider how Franco’s regime used Christiaan Barnard’s heart transplants to legitimize the Spanish dictatorship and as a means of signifying scientific progress, modernization and national pride. The Spanish press created the plot of the first transplantations like that of a television series, presenting daily installments on the patients’ progress, dramatizing the stories and ensuring the public’s emotional attachment. The three main characters in the story: donors, patients and surgeons, formed a symbolic, indivisible narrative triangle endowed with singular meaning. This Spanish narrative of organ transplant technology was deployed through what we have called “a tale of two countries”, that, emulating the South African’s success, constructed in Martínez-Bordiú, Franco’s son-in-law, a home-grown, masculine scientific personality capable of performing heart surgery and endorsing Franco’s investment in scientific modernization.
Comparative analysis of damage functions for soft tissues: Properties at damage initialization
Authors: Balzani D , Schmidt T
Published: October 2013

In this paper several damage equations are analysed with respect to their properties at damage initialization. This is particularly important for soft biological tissues since two different loading regimes have to be clearly distinguished: the physiological domain where no damage evolution should be considered and the supra-physiological domain where damage evolves. At the transition between these two domains the behaviour of different damage models may influence the convergence of the Newton iteration when solving, for example, nonlinear finite element problems. It is shown that the model proposed by Balzani et al. ( Comput Meth Appl Mech Eng 2012; 213–216: 139–151) a priori ensures smooth tangent moduli. In addition to that, a new damage function is proposed able to describe a slow damage evolution at damage initialization also providing smooth tangent moduli. Using this new damage function the approach given by Balzani et al. ( Acta Biomater 2006; 2(6): 609–618) can also be modified such that smooth tangent moduli are guaranteed. Numerical analyses of a circumferentially overstretched artery are performed and show that no convergence problems are observed at the transition from the undamaged to the damaged domain, even when a model is used that has non-smooth tangent moduli.
Relationships: The key to successful transition from primary to secondary school?
Authors: Coffey Anne
Published: October 2013

Although change can be considered an inevitable part of life, the process itself can be both challenging and confronting. This is no less the case than for early adolescents as they negotiate the transition from primary to secondary school. Whilst this transition can be considered a regular part of the formal school experience, it can represent a significant challenge to all who are involved including students, parents and teachers. As schools plan to support these stakeholders through the process an understanding of the issues faced by each group is important. Whilst transition may be fraught a focus on the relational aspects of the process can help to ameliorate many of the challenges presented during this change. This article examines the importance for schools of a focus on relationships to ensure that the concerns of all stakeholders are acknowledged and accounted for in the planning of school transition programs.
Towards a theory of cultural transmission in minorities
Authors: Mchitarjan Irina , Reisenzein Rainer
Published: October 2013

We outline a theory of cultural transmission in socio-cultural minorities in a foreign cultural environment. The explanatory focus of the theory is on the educational activities of minorities and on the educational policies of the majority towards them. The theory comprises two components referring to, respectively, the proximate psychological mechanisms and the distal cultural–evolutionary processes that underlie minority– majority interactions. The first theory component is an action–theoretical model of the interaction between majorities and minorities in the educational domain. A central assumption of this model is that socio-cultural groups have a culture-transmission motive, i.e. a desire to maintain and transmit their culture. The second component of the theory consists of a set of assumptions about the evolution of socio-cultural groups that provides an enhanced understanding of the basic goals and strategies of minorities and majorities in cultural-transmission situations. It is argued that the theory allows an explanation of several findings that pose difficulties to existing theories, in particular, the frequently observed stability of cultural traits in ethnic minorities.
Linking Family Dynamics and the Mental Health of Colombian Dementia Caregivers
Authors: Sutter Megan , Perrin Paul B. , Chang Yu-Ping , Hoyos Guillermo Ramirez , Buraye Jaqueline Arabia , Arango-Lasprilla Juan Carlos
Published: October 2013

This cross-sectional, quantitative, self-report study examined the relationship between family dynamics (cohesion, flexibility, pathology/ functioning, communication, family satisfaction, and empathy) and mental health (depression, burden, stress, and satisfaction with life [SWL]) in 90 dementia caregivers from Colombia. Hierarchical multiple regressions controlling for caregiver demographics found that family dynamics were significantly associated with caregiver depression, stress, and SWL and marginally associated with burden. Within these regressions, empathy was uniquely associated with stress; flexibility with depression and marginally with SWL; and family communication marginally with burden and stress. Nearly all family dynamic variables were bivariately associated with caregiver mental health variables, such that caregivers had stronger mental health when their family dynamics were healthy. Family-systems interventions in global regions with high levels of familism like that in the current study may improve family empathy, flexibility, and communication, thereby producing better caregiver mental health and better informal care for people with dementia.
Pharmacological Treatments for Frontotemporal Dementias
Authors: Nardell Maria , Tampi Rajesh R.
Published: October 2013

The objective of this review is to summarize the current data on the pharmacological treatments for frontotemporal dementias from randomized controlled trials. A systematic search of 4 major databases, PubMed, Medline, PsychINFO and Cochrane, found a total of 9 randomized controlled, double-blinded clinical trials. Of these, 2 trials used the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), paroxetine; 1 trial used trazodone; 2 trials used stimulants (methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine); 1 trial used the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, galantamine; 2 trials used the N-methyl-d-aspartate antagonist, memantine; and 1 trial used the neuropeptide oxytocin. The analysis of the available data indicates that SSRIs, trazodone, and the amphetamines may be effective in reducing some behavioral symptoms, but none of these medications had an impact on cognition. Available data indicate that these medications were well tolerated in all the trials.
Parenting During Early Adolescence and Adolescent-Onset Major Depression
Authors: Schwartz Orli S. , Byrne Michelle L. , Simmons Julian G. , Whittle Sarah , Dudgeon Paul , Yap Marie B. H. , Sheeber Lisa B. , Allen Nicholas B.
Published: October 2013

In this study, we investigated the prospective relationship between maternal behaviors observed during mother-adolescent interactions and the onset of major depressive disorder (MDD) between early and late adolescence (ages 12–18). Maternal expressions of emotion and maternal responses to their child’s expressions of emotion were both examined. Results demonstrated that higher rates of maternal aggressive behavior and lower rates of maternal positive behavior prospectively predicted MDD onset across adolescence. In addition, negative (i.e., aggressive and dysphoric) maternal responses to adolescents’ aggressive and positive behaviors predicted MDD onset. Maternal dysphoric behavior and the way mothers respond to adolescents’ dysphoria were not related to MDD onset. These results extend previous findings on the relationship between parenting behaviors and depression onset in early to midadolescence and suggest that maternal emotion socialization behaviors in early adolescence prospectively predict MDD onset across the entire course of adolescence.
Pharmacologic increase in HIF1α enhances hematopoietic stem and progenitor homing and engraftment
Authors: Speth Jennifer M. , Hoggatt Jonathan , Singh Pratibha , Pelus Louis M.
Published: October 2013

Key Points

dmPGE2 stabilizes the transcription factor HIF1α in stem and progenitor cells. Pharmacologic stabilization of HIF1α increases CXCR4 and enhances stem and progenitor homing and engraftment.
90K, an interferon-stimulated gene product, reduces the infectivity of HIV-1
Authors: Lodermeyer Veronika , Suhr Kristina , Schrott Nicola , Kolbe Christian , Stürzel Christina M , Krnavek Daniela , Münch Jan , Dietz Christian , Waldmann Tanja , Kirchhoff Frank , Goffinet Christine
Published: October 2013

Background

In response to viral infections, interferons induce the transcription of several hundred genes in mammalian cells. Specific antiviral functions, however, have only been attributed to a few of them. 90K/LGALS3BP has been reported to be an interferon-stimulated gene that is upregulated in individuals with cancer or HIV-1 infection.

Results

Here, we show that 90K expression dose-dependently decreased the particle infectivity of HIV-1 progeny. The lower infectivity of released particles correlated with reduced virion incorporation of mature envelope glycoproteins gp120 and gp41. Further, proteolytic processing of the gp160 precursor and surface expression of gp120 in the producer cell were impaired in the presence of 90K expression. In contrast, expression of Gag, Nef and Vpu, and virus release were not grossly affected by 90K expression. 90K-imposed restriction occurred in the absence of direct interaction of 90K with HIV-1 Env or entrapment of Env in the ER. The cell-associated, but not the secreted species of 90K, mediated the antiviral effect. A truncated version of human 90K, solely consisting of the two intermediate domains, displayed a similar antiviral activity as the full-length wildtype 90K, indicating that the N-terminal SRCR-like domain and the C-terminal domain are dispensable for 90K’s antiviral activity. The murine homolog of 90K, CypCAP (Cyclophilin C-associated protein), neither modulated particle infectivity of HIV-1 nor lowered the virion incorporation of mature gp120, suggesting a species-specific mode of action. 90K was expressed at basal levels in TZM-bl cells and in primary macrophages, and at low levels in CD4+ T-cells and PBMCs. 90K’s susceptibility to IFN-mediated stimulation of expression was cell type-specific. siRNA-mediated knockdown of 90K in TZM-bl cells and primary macrophages enhanced the incorporation of Env glycoproteins into progeny virions, boosted the particle infectivity of released HIV-1, and accelerated HIV-1 spread. Conversely, treatment of HIV-1 infected macrophages with IFN-α induced 90K expression and lowered the particle infectivity of HIV-1.

Conclusions

Thus, 90K constitutes a novel antiviral factor that reduces the particle infectivity of HIV-1, involving interference with the maturation and incorporation of HIV-1 Env molecules into virions.
Conservation and utilization of African Oryza genetic resources
Authors: Wambugu Peterson W , Furtado Agnelo , Waters Daniel LE , Nyamongo Desterio O , Henry Robert J
Published: October 2013

Africa contains a huge diversity of both cultivated and wild rice species. The region has eight species representing six of the ten known genome types. Genetic resources of these species are conserved in various global germplasm repositories but they remain under collected and hence underrepresented in germplasm collections. Moreover, they are under characterized and therefore grossly underutilized. The lack of in situ conservation programs further exposes them to possible genetic erosion or extinction. In order to obtain maximum benefits from these resources, it is imperative that they are collected, efficiently conserved and optimally utilized. High throughput molecular approaches such as genome sequencing could be employed to more precisely study their genetic diversity and value and thereby enhance their use in rice improvement. Oryza sativa was the first crop plant to have its reference genome sequence released marking a major milestone that opened numerous opportunities for functional characterization of the entire rice genome. Studies have however demonstrated that one reference genome sequence is not enough to fully explore the genetic variation in the Oryza genus, hence the need to have reference sequences for other species in the genus. An overview of the state of conservation and utilization of African Oryza is hereby presented. Progress in the release of reference genome sequences for these species is also highlighted.
Love, Blackness, Imagination: Howard Thurman’s Vision of Communitas
Authors: Walker Corey D. B.
Published: October 2013

This essay engages the theme of religion and the futures of blackness by critically examining the interrelationship between two normative standards in the discourse of religion and blackness: love and community. The essay proceeds by thinking love and community as risks and not as guarantees. This elliptical procedure in analyzing this discourse recognizes the in/ability to think these except by way of thinking blackness as the other of thought, that is, as an/other thinking that is not reducible to the calculus of thought proper. Specifically, I delineate how and in what ways blackness serves as the condition of possibility for frustrating and constituting a thinking of love in and through the imagination. I then press such a thinking in exploring the formulation of an ideal of community that interrupts hegemonic circuits of knowledge/power. Indeed, it is by recourse to love and community in and through the imagination where we are able to recover a thinking that challenges the dominant configurations of power and open up new lines of investigation into the open futures for the discourse of religion and blackness.
“A Future Unwritten”: Blackness between the Religious Invocations of Heidi Durrow and Zadie Smith
Authors: Bantum Brian
Published: October 2013

Race and religion were two aspects of the Western colonial project. Novelists Heidi Durrow and Zadie Smith reflect two related but distinct articulations of how to understand this relationship from within the black diaspora and in particular the legacies of “mixed-race” children of the diaspora. This essay argues that each literary exploration of race and place demonstrates the inherent complications of two strategies of negotiating racial and religious identity in contemporary society. While Durrow seeks to extricate her character from both race and religion, seeing religion as simply a cultural marker, Smith wraps her main character inextricably to the historicity of race and religion. Through these interlocutors, this essay examines how black religion might imagine its future in relationship to the particularities of its diaspora(s) and confessions of faith.
Debt: Occupy, Postcontemporary Art, and the Aesthetics of Debt Resistance
Authors: McKee Yates
Published: October 2013

Among the most prominent offshoots of Occupy Wall Street is Strike Debt, an organization that aims to build a nationwide movement of debtors determined to act against the creditor class of Wall Street. Artists and cultural producers of all sorts have been crucially involved in the genesis and development of Strike Debt, a major challenge for which has been how to aesthetically mediate and ideologically frame the systemic debt servitude imposed on the majority of the population in such a way as to call forth the debtor as a collective political subject. Breaking the frames of the art world and academia alike, the aesthetico-political work of Strike Debt has included the popularization of the red square as an emblem of debt resistance, the invention of the debt burn as an anticapitalist ritual, and the launching of the Rolling Jubilee, a direct action campaign initiated by artists and writers to abolish millions of dollars’ worth of consumer debt as a way of sparking a broader political mobilization against Wall Street and indeed the capitalist system itself.
Generation of the podocyte and tubular components of an amniote kidney: timing of specification and a role for Wnt signaling
Authors: Grinstein Mor , Yelin Ronit , Herzlinger Doris , Schultheiss Thomas M.
Published: October 2013

Kidneys remove unwanted substances from the body and regulate the internal body environment. These functions are carried out by specialized cells (podocytes) that act as a filtration barrier between the internal milieu and the outside world, and by a series of tubules and ducts that process the filtrate and convey it to the outside. In the kidneys of amniote vertebrates, the filtration (podocyte) and tubular functions are tightly integrated into functional units called nephrons. The specification of the podocyte and tubular components of amniote nephrons is currently not well understood. The present study investigates podocyte and tubule differentiation in the avian mesonephric kidney, and presents several findings that refine our understanding of the initial events of nephron formation. First, well before the first morphological or molecular signs of nephron formation, mesonephric mesenchyme can be separated on the basis of morphology and the expression of the transcription factor Pod1 into dorsal and ventral components, which can independently differentiate in culture along tubule and podocyte pathways, respectively. Second, canonical Wnt signals, which are found in the nephric duct adjacent to the dorsal mesonephric mesenchyme and later in portions of the differentiating nephron, strongly inhibit podocyte but not tubule differentiation, suggesting that Wnt signaling plays an important role in the segmentation of the mesonephric mesenchyme into tubular and glomerular segments. The results are discussed in terms of their broader implications for models of nephron segmentation.
Conserved molecular signatures of neurogenesis in the hippocampal subgranular zone of rodents and primates
Authors: Miller Jeremy A. , Nathanson Jason , Franjic Daniel , Shim Sungbo , Dalley Rachel A. , Shapouri Sheila , Smith Kimberly A. , Sunkin Susan M. , Bernard Amy , Bennett Jeffrey L. , Lee Chang-Kyu , Hawrylycz Michael J. , Jones Allan R. , Amaral David G. , Sestan Nenad , Gage Fred H. , Lein Ed S.
Published: October 2013

The neurogenic potential of the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the hippocampal dentate gyrus is likely to be regulated by molecular cues arising from its complex heterogeneous cellular environment. Through transcriptome analysis using laser microdissection coupled with DNA microarrays, in combination with analysis of genome-wide in situ hybridization data, we identified 363 genes selectively enriched in adult mouse SGZ. These genes reflect expression in the different constituent cell types, including progenitor and dividing cells, immature granule cells, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and GABAergic interneurons. Similar transcriptional profiling in the rhesus monkey dentate gyrus across postnatal development identified a highly overlapping set of SGZ-enriched genes, which can be divided based on temporal profiles to reflect maturation of glia versus granule neurons. Furthermore, we identified a neurogenesis-related gene network with decreasing postnatal expression that is highly correlated with the declining number of proliferating cells in dentate gyrus over postnatal development. Many of the genes in this network showed similar postnatal downregulation in mouse, suggesting a conservation of molecular mechanisms underlying developmental and adult neurogenesis in rodents and primates. Conditional deletion of Sox4 and Sox11, encoding two neurogenesis-related transcription factors central in this network, produces a mouse with no hippocampus, confirming the crucial role for these genes in regulating hippocampal neurogenesis.
Visualizing developmentally programmed endoreplication in mammals using ubiquitin oscillators
Authors: Sakaue-Sawano Asako , Hoshida Tetsushi , Yo Masahiro , Takahashi Reiko , Ohtawa Kenji , Arai Takashi , Takahashi Eiki , Noda Shinichi , Miyoshi Hiroyuki , Miyawaki Atsushi
Published: October 2013

The majority of mammalian somatic cells maintain a diploid genome. However, some mammalian cell types undergo multiple rounds of genome replication (endoreplication) as part of normal development and differentiation. For example, trophoblast giant cells (TGCs) in the placenta become polyploid through endoreduplication (bypassed mitosis), and megakaryocytes (MKCs) in the bone marrow become polyploid through endomitosis (abortive mitosis). During the normal mitotic cell cycle, geminin and Cdt1 are involved in ‘licensing’ of replication origins, which ensures that replication occurs only once in a cell cycle. Their protein accumulation is directly regulated by two E3 ubiquitin ligase activities, APCCdh1 and SCFSkp2, which oscillate reciprocally during the cell cycle. Although proteolysis-mediated, oscillatory accumulation of proteins has been documented in endoreplicating Drosophila cells, it is not known whether the ubiquitin oscillators that control normal cell cycle transitions also function during mammalian endoreplication. In this study, we used transgenic mice expressing Fucci fluorescent cell-cycle probes that report the activity of APCCdh1 and SCFSkp2. By performing long-term, high temporal-resolution Fucci imaging, we were able to visualize reciprocal activation of APCCdh1 and SCFSkp2 in differentiating TGCs and MKCs grown in our custom-designed culture wells. We found that TGCs and MKCs both skip cytokinesis, but in different ways, and that the reciprocal activation of the ubiquitin oscillators in MKCs varies with the polyploidy level. We also obtained three-dimensional reconstructions of highly polyploid TGCs in whole, fixed mouse placentas. Thus, the Fucci technique is able to reveal the spatiotemporal regulation of the endoreplicative cell cycle during differentiation.
Accelerated homologous recombination and subsequent genome modification in Drosophila
Authors: Baena-Lopez Luis Alberto , Alexandre Cyrille , Mitchell Alice , Pasakarnis Laurynas , Vincent Jean-Paul
Published: October 2013

Gene targeting by ‘ends-out’ homologous recombination enables the deletion of genomic sequences and concurrent introduction of exogenous DNA with base-pair precision without sequence constraint. In Drosophila, this powerful technique has remained laborious and hence seldom implemented. We describe a targeting vector and protocols that achieve this at high frequency and with very few false positives in Drosophila, either with a two-generation crossing scheme or by direct injection in embryos. The frequency of injection-mediated gene targeting can be further increased with CRISPR-induced double-strand breaks within the region to be deleted, thus making homologous recombination almost as easy as conventional transgenesis. Our targeting vector replaces genomic sequences with a multifunctional fragment comprising an easy-to-select genetic marker, a fluorescent reporter, as well as an attP site, which acts as a landing platform for reintegration vectors. These vectors allow the insertion of a variety of transcription reporters or cDNAs to express tagged or mutant isoforms at endogenous levels. In addition, they pave the way for difficult experiments such as tissue-specific allele switching and functional analysis in post-mitotic or polyploid cells. Therefore, our method retains the advantages of homologous recombination while capitalising on the mutagenic power of CRISPR.
Real-Time near Infrared Spectral Monitoring of Mammary Gland for Inflammation Diagnosis in Dairy Cows
Authors: Morita Hiroyuki , Kuroki Shinichiro , Ikuta Kentaro , Tsenkova Roumiana
Published: October 2013

The diagnosis of cow mastitis was performed using shortwave near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy of cow udder tissue collected at morning milking over a two-year period in order to investigate the influence of various factors such as season, udder position, cow identity etc. The NIR spectra were acquired using a portable NIR spectrometer and quarter foremilk was collected and analysed for milk components as reference data. The somatic cell count (SCC) was mainly used for mastitis diagnosis. The analysis of in vivo shortwave NIR spectral data of udder tissue was carried out using the soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA) classification method. First, the influence of the difference in udder location on the spectral data were investigated. The SIMCA calibration revealed that spectra for different udder locations, such as front vs rear and right vs left udder quarter, enabled different prediction accuracy. SIMCA classification for mastitis diagnosis based on the SCC value was performed for the whole udder and for the front and rear quarter spectra, separately. In order to find the accurate threshold for mastitis using only spectral data, a single threshold value of SCC for recognition of mastitis was increased in steps of 10,000 cells mL−1 from 100,000 to 200,000 cells mL−1 and then SIMCA was applied for spectral data analysis. As a result, the best SIMCA prediction for the whole udder, 60.9% of sensitivity and 68.6% of specificity, was obtained for the SCC threshold of 110,000 cells mL−1. In contrast, the prediction result for front and rear quarter spectra showed different classification results. For the front udder quarter, a best prediction accuracy of 75.0% of sensitivity and 84.6% of specificity was obtained when using 160,000 cells mL−1 of SCC as the threshold, while the rear quarter spectra showed 100.0% of sensitivity and 84.7% of specificity with the same threshold for SCC as for front udder (160,000 cells mL−1). The highest classification accuracy of mammary gland inflammation diagnosis was obtained when front and rear udders were analysed separately.
The Use of in- and on-line near Infrared Spectroscopy for Milk Powder Measurement
Authors: Holroyd Stephen E. , Prescott Brian , McLean Andy
Published: October 2013

A number of different in- and on-line near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy systems have been trialled and used for the measurement of milk powder composition. These systems are reviewed, alongside some of the challenges and results from the different installations. Fourier-transform NIR systems can reliably measure the moisture, fat and protein composition of milk powder in-line.
Development of a near Infrared Method for the Quantification of the Main Classes of Fatty Acids Obtained from Raw Milk by Solvent-Free Extraction
Authors: Cabassi Giovanni , Povolo Milena , Pelizzola Valeria , Monti Lucia , Genorini Emiliano , Contarini Giovanna
Published: October 2013

The determination of the fatty acid (FA) profile of milk fat, which is the most complex dietary fat, is more and more for both the definition of nutritional labelling and the study of the genetic variability in bovine milk fat quality. For these reasons, the development of infrared techniques for the rapid evaluation of FA profiles is gaining much wider interest. In this research, a method for the rapid determination of saturated, unsaturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and trans FAs, expressed on 100g of total milk FAs, is reported. The FA profile was estimated from the transmission spectrum (optical pathlength of 6 mm) obtained from the fat extracted by hot centrifugation, without solvents. Authentic triglyceride standards were used in order to perform the spectral band assignments. The whole data set included 135 raw milk samples collected from cows fed either a total mixed ration or grazed on mountain pastures. Ninety five samples were selected for model development (calibration set); the prediction models were then validated by an independent validation set composed by 40 samples. The prediction model for the saturated FA content showed a correlation coefficient of determination ( r2) = 0.96, standard error of prediction ( SEP) = 0.97 (g 100 g−1 of total FAs), ratio of errors ( RER) = 22.8 and ratio of performance to deviation ( RPD) = 4.6. Monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and trans FAs provided r2 = 0.95, 0.90 and 0.97, RER = 20.4, 12.5 and 32.1 and RPD = 4.2, 2.8 and 5.2, respectively. The ability to predict the concentration of some saturated single FAs, also grouped according to their chain length, was also investigated. Satisfactory screening performances were found for C14, C16 and C18 FAs, as well as for the amount of the groups including medium (12–17 carbon atoms) and long (18–22 carbon atoms) FAs.
Spectral Characterisation of Dairy Products Using Photon Time-of-Flight Spectroscopy
Authors: Nielsen Otto Højager Attermann , Subash Arman Ahamed , Nielsen Frederik Donbæk , Dahl Anders Bjorholm , Skytte Jacob Lercke , Andersson-Engels Stefan , Khoptyar Dmitry
Published: October 2013

In this paper, we present, for the first time, the absorption and reduced scattering spectra of commercially available milk and yoghurt products, obtained using photon-time-of-flight spectroscopy. The ability of this technique to separate the contributions from absorption and scattering in the sample provides important information on the chemical composition and micro-structural properties, which are not available with the traditional techniques used in dairy production. The instrument operates in the spectral range from 500 nm to 1030 nm. The reduced scattering coefficient varies from 5 cm−1 for milk with 0.1% fat in the near infrared range, to 60 cm−1 for yoghurt with 3.0% fat in the green wavelength regime. The absorption is within the range of 0.05–0.5cm−1, with only small variation in the absolute value between products. Our results show that the reduced scattering clearly distinguishes milk and yoghurt with the same fat content and can offer a reliable way of monitoring structural formation during milk fermentation.
The Use of near Infrared Spectroscopy for Determination of Adulteration and Contamination in Milk and Milk Powder: Updating Knowledge
Authors: Cattaneo Tiziana M.P. , Holroyd Stephen E.
Published: October 2013

This review aims to update information on the use of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in identifying and quantifying the presence of adulterants and contaminants in milk and milk powder. Milk and milk products are recognised excellent sources of nutrition globally and are of great economic importance. In recent years, there have been a number of documented incidences of both deliberate adulteration and accidental contamination of foodstuffs. There is a clear need to detect these by a fast, accurate and non-destructive methodology. This has stimulated researchers to explore the possibility of applying NIR technology for their detection. NIR spectroscopy is a logical technique for use as it offers a rapid, low-cost and convenient analysis of key constituents. Fast responses are particularly important to industry, where an answer is needed within minutes. Most important, apart from its powerful prediction capability, the non-destructive nature of this technique is very useful for fast analysis in on-line and at-line inspections and authentication of food. NIR has the potential for detecting milk and milk powder adulteration by both economically motivated adulterants such as melamine as well as contaminants that may have been introduced unintentionally such as microorganisms. In comparison with mid-infrared and Raman, NIR spectroscopy allows the detection of contaminants and their quantification faster and with the same, or better, performances. Furthermore, NIR instrumentation is, in general, less sensitive to environmental conditions and is highly flexible. In particular, for the detection of a very low level of contamination, further investigations are warranted to identify the basis of the calibrations and test their performance when put into routine use. Consumers must have confidence in the analyses which ensure safe and genuine dairy products.
The central role of protein S12 in organizing the structure of the decoding site of the ribosome
Authors: Demirci Hasan , Wang Leyi , Murphy Frank V. , Murphy Eileen L. , Carr Jennifer F. , Blanchard Scott C. , Jogl Gerwald , Dahlberg Albert E. , Gregory Steven T.
Published: October 2013

The ribosome decodes mRNA by monitoring the geometry of codon–anticodon base-pairing using a set of universally conserved 16S rRNA nucleotides within the conformationally dynamic decoding site. By applying single-molecule FRET and X-ray crystallography, we have determined that conditional-lethal, streptomycin-dependence mutations in ribosomal protein S12 interfere with tRNA selection by allowing conformational distortions of the decoding site that impair GTPase activation of EF-Tu during the tRNA selection process. Distortions in the decoding site are reversed by streptomycin or by a second-site suppressor mutation in 16S rRNA. These observations encourage a refinement of the current model for decoding, wherein ribosomal protein S12 and the decoding site collaborate to optimize codon recognition and substrate discrimination during the early stages of the tRNA selection process.
New records of Decapod Crustaceans (Decapoda: Pontoniinae and Inachidae) associated with sea anemones in Turkish waters
Authors: DURIS Z. , ATES A. S. , OZALP H. B. , KATAGAN T.
Published: October 2013

Three anemone-associated decapod crustaceans, two shrimp species, Periclimenes amethysteus and P. aegylios (Caridea: Palaemonidae: Pontoniinae), and the crab Inachus phalangium (Brachyura: Inachidae), all collected from the Dardanelles, are reported for the first time from Turkish coasts. Another inachid crab, Macropodia czernjawskii is also reported for the first time to occur in association with the sea anemone, Anemonia viridis. Periclimenes scriptus was the fifth decapod species recorded associated with sea anemones within the present study, and while this species has already been reported from Turkish waters, this is the first time it is recorded from the Dardanelles (the Turkish Straits System).
ENDOCRINE SIDE EFFECTS OF ANTI-CANCER DRUGS: Effects of anti-cancer targeted therapies on lipid and glucose metabolism
Authors: Vergès Bruno , Walter Thomas , Cariou Bertrand
Published: October 2013

During the past years, targeted therapies for cancer have been developed using drugs that have significant metabolic consequences. Among them, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors and, to a much lesser extent, the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are involved. mTOR plays a key role in the regulation of cell growth as well as lipid and glucose metabolism. Treatment with mTOR inhibitors is associated with a significant increase in plasma triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. mTOR inhibitors seem to increase plasma triglycerides by reducing the activity of the lipoprotein lipase which is in charge of the catabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. The increase in LDL cholesterol observed with mTOR inhibitors seems to be due to a decrease in LDL catabolism secondary to a reduction of LDL receptor expression. In addition, treatment with mTOR inhibitors is associated with a high incidence of hyperglycemia, ranging from 13 to 50% in the clinical trials. The mechanisms responsible for hyperglycemia with new onset diabetes are not clear, but are likely due to the combination of impaired insulin secretion and insulin resistance. TKIs do not induce hyperlipidemia but alter glucose homeostasis. Treatment with TKIs may be associated either with hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. The molecular mechanism by which TKIs control glucose homeostasis remains unknown. Owing to the metabolic consequences of these agents used as targeted anti-cancer therapies, a specific and personalized follow-up of blood glucose and lipids is recommended when using mTOR inhibitors and of blood glucose when using TKIs.
Bronchoscopy With N-Acetylcysteine Lavage in Severe Respiratory Failure From Pertussis Infection
Authors: Mata Angela F. , Sarnaik Ajit A.
Published: October 2013

Pertussis is an illness that causes significant morbidity and mortality, especially in infants younger than 3 months old. In the most severe cases, it can cause pneumonia, respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, and death. There are reports of using rescue extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a rescue therapy. However, the mortality of ECMO with pertussis is higher than with other causes of pediatric respiratory failure. We report here the case of a 2-month-old boy with severe respiratory failure and pulmonary hypertension who satisfied ECMO criteria but was successfully treated with repeated bronchoscopy with instillation of N-acetylcysteine. Our patient’s respiratory failure was refractory to multiple therapies that have shown benefit in pediatric hypoxemic respiratory failure, including open lung strategies, prone positioning, intratracheal surfactant, and inhaled nitric oxide. Although pulmonary hypertension is a key factor in most cases of fatal pertussis, the adverse effects of hyperinflation and air leaks were more important in this patient’s clinical course. Because bronchiolar obstruction from inflammatory, mucous, and airway epithelial debris can be seen in severe pertussis, a regimen of repeated therapeutic bronchoscopy was initiated, and thick, inspissated secretions were retrieved. The patient’s airway obstruction gradually resolved, and he eventually recovered with minimal sequelae.
Steroids in neuroinfection
Authors: Abraham Ronaldo
Published: October 2013

The consequences of inflammatory response are primarily responsible for morbimortality in bacterial meningitis. Early use of steroids in these cases can reduce mortality and hearing loss and improve functional outcome without causing significant side effects. The formal recommendation towards pneumoccocal meningitis is being extended to other forms of Bacterial Meningitis. The same thought can be applied to tuberculous meningitis. In neurocysticercosis and neuroschistosomiasis steroids are more useful than parasiticides in most cases. Despite the evidence favoring the use of steroids in herpes simplex encephalitis, it is not sufficient to definitely support such indication. Among the opportunistic infections that affect AIDS patients, neurotoxoplasmosis and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopaty are those most often considered for the use of steroids; steroids are safe to use, but no definite benefit could be demonstrated in both conditions.
Computed tomographic evaluation to determine efficacy of euthanasia of yearling feedlot cattle by use of various firearm-ammunition combinations
Authors: Thomson Daniel U. , Wileman Benjamin W. , Rezac Darrel J. , Miesner Matt D. , Johnson-Neitman Jennifer L. , Biller David S.
Published: October 2013

Objective—To evaluate with CT the efficacy of various combinations of firearms and ammunitions to penetrate and disrupt the brain tissue of cadaveric heads of feedlot steers.

Sample—42 fresh cadaveric heads of 12- to 18-month-old Bos taurus steers.

Procedures—For each of 7 combinations of firearms and ammunitions (.22-caliber rifle firing a long rifle 30-grain plated lead solid- or hollow-point round, .223-caliber carbine firing a 50-grain ballistic-tip round, 9-mm pistol firing a 124-grain total metal jacket round, .45-caliber automatic Colt pistol [ACP] firing a 230-grain full metal jacket round, and 12-gauge shotgun firing a 2.75-inch 1.25-ounce No. 4 birdshot shell or a 1-ounce rifled slug), 6 cadaveric heads were shot at an identical distance (3 m), angle, and anatomic location. Heads were scanned with third-generation CT, and images were evaluated to determine extent of penetration, projectile fragmentation, cranial fracture, and likelihood of instantaneous death (≥ 30% destruction of brain tissue or a brainstem lesion).

Results—41 of 42 skulls were penetrated by the projectile. Instantaneous death was considered a likely consequence for 83% (25/30) of heads shot with a rifle-fired .22-caliber solid-point round, pistol-fired .45-caliber ACP round, carbine-fired .223-caliber round, and shotgun-fired birdshot and slug. Of the 18 heads shot with pistol-fired 9-mm and .45-caliber ACP rounds and rifle-fired .22-caliber hollow-point rounds, only 6 had brainstem lesions.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggested that gunshots delivered by all firearm-ammunition combinations except rifle-fired .22-caliber hollow-point rounds and pistol-fired 9-mm rounds were viable options for euthanasia of feedlot cattle.
Invariant connections and invariant holomorphic bundles on homogeneous manifolds
Authors: Biswas Indranil , Teleman Andrei
Published: October 2013

Let X be a differentiable manifold endowed with a transitive action α: A×X→X of a Lie group A. Let K be a Lie group. Under suitable technical assumptions, we give explicit classification theorems, in terms of explicit finite dimensional quotients, of three classes of objects:

equivalence classes of α-invariant K-connections on X α-invariant gauge classes of K-connections on X, andα-invariant isomorphism classes of pairs (Q,P) consisting of a holomorphic Kℂ-bundle Q → X and a K-reduction P of Q (when X has an α-invariant complex structure).
Pathological and Evolutionary Implications of Retroviruses as Mobile Genetic Elements
Authors: Hayes Madeline , Whitesell Mackenzie , Brown Mark
Published: October 2013

Retroviruses, a form of mobile genetic elements, have important roles in disease and primate evolution. Exogenous retroviruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), have significant pathological implications that have created a massive public health challenge in recent years. Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), which are the primary focus of this review, can also be pathogenic, as well as being beneficial to a host in some cases. Furthermore, retroviruses may have played a key role in primate evolution that resulted in the incorporation of these elements into the human genome. Retroviruses are mobile genetic elements that have important roles in disease and primate evolution. We will further discuss the pathogenic potential of retroviruses, including their role in cancer biology, and will briefly summarize their evolutionary implications.