bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaching dental undergraduates behaviour change skills
Authors: McGoldrick P. M. , Pine C. M. , Mossey P. A.
Published: January 2011

This paper describes an active learning‐based education tool which enables dental students to learn preventive techniques relevant to patient dental health behaviour. 2 studies were conducted involving 33, 2nd year (study 1) and 9, 3rd year (study 2) undergraduate dental students. In study 1, snacking behaviour and its antecedents were analysed from detailed 3‐day diet diaries completed by the students. Study 2 entailed the students changing one aspect of their sugar/diet behaviour using self‐management techniques. It is concluded that dental students can successfully (a) identify antecedents to sugar snacking behaviours on several levels, i.e., cognitive, emotional and situational, (b) set goals and use behaviour change techniques to modify these behaviours, and (c) appreciate that this experience is relevant to similar preventive techniques that they will use in clinical practice. Training in the application of these skills to their own maladaptive behaviours provides a strong educational tool based on psycho‐educational theories.
Evaluation of a teaching aid for dental students
Authors: Hawley G. M. , Hamilton F. A. , Murray F. , Baggett F. J.
Published: January 2011

A new teaching aid to assist undergraduate dental students to learn charting methods was developed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the aid. Baseline charting tests were completed by 58 inexperienced clinical students at the start of a weekly half‐day attachment at 3 community dental service (CDS) teaching clinics. These students were randomly assigned, in their tutor groups, to act as either test or control groups. The test group was actively taught charting with the new aid over their first 5‐week attachment and control students were taught in the traditional way. Final charting tests were completed at the end of the attachments by all students and their results compared with baseline test results. The test group improved their mean scores from 20 out of a possible 50 marks at baseline to 36 at final test, a mean increase of 15 marks and an improvement of 71%. The control group scored a mean of 18 marks at baseline and improved this to 25, an increase of 7 marks, an improvement of 39%. It is concluded that the new teaching aid is more effective in assisting the students to learn charting than the traditional method.
Dental student assessment of learning programmes
Authors: Lamb David J. , Godfrey Joyce
Published: January 2011

Objectives: To compare relevance, accessibility, rôle in the teaching‐learning process, and user preference, of identical case‐study‐based teaching programmes in CAL and booklet format.

Design: Questionnaire assessment.

Subjects and setting: Dental students at Sheffield Dental School.

Method: 54 5th‐year dental students were self‐grouped as computer novice (n=26) or proficient (n=23) and sub‐groups of 12 randomly selected from each. Half of each sub‐group tested the CAL programme first and half the booklet‐based programme, with cross‐over, after 6 weeks. Assessment of packages was carried out immediately after use, and 2 weeks after completion, a further assessment was made on the basis of preference and value as a teaching medium.

Results: All subjects thought both packages relevant to clinical practice and written at an appropriate level, and the majority found the text, illustrations and tasks clear. Both groups competed the CAL package more quickly. Students asked to use such packages in the future, viewing them as support for, rather than replacement of, present teaching. The majority of computer‐proficient students preferred CAL, considering it the superior teaching medium.

Conclusions: Both CAL and booklet case‐study materials were considered useful in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other teaching methods. Most considered the CAL superior and preferred it. Nevertheless, while past computer experience determined preference for the format, it did not influence ability to access the medium. Future use of such materials is probably best in relation to preparation for tutorials and clinics. A key rôle is its availability as a revision aid.
Restoration of dead wood in Basque stream channels: effects on brown trout population
Authors: Antón Alvaro , Elosegi Arturo , García‐Arberas Loreto , Díez Joserra , Rallo Ana
Published: January 2011

Abstract – Streams in the Aiako Harria Natural Park (Basque Country, Spain) have excellent water quality, but are physically impoverished after centuries of snagging. In an attempt to restore channel complexity and ecosystem functioning, especially in‐channel retention of sediments and organic matter, large woody debris (LWD) was introduced into four mountain streams (channel width 3–13 m) following a before/after, control/impact (BACI) design. Logs were introduced by means of hand‐held machinery and located uncabled, mimicking the natural amount and disposition of LWD in streams. Floods disrupted most of the structures at the large stream, but caused little damage to those in the small ones. Only minnow and brown trout inhabit in the area. Before wood addition, trout densities were fairly high in the small streams, low in the large one, where recruitment seemed very poor. In the small tributaries, trout populations showed a strong imbalance towards young fish, adults being only found in the spawning season. Wood addition produced some interesting trends in trout, although statistical significance was low as a result of large environmental variability. Fish densities showed small changes, but biomass increased, especially in the spawning season. Also, there was a trend towards more aged 2+or larger, thus suggesting wood addition improved adult habitat. Although restoring LWD is extremely unusual in Spain, the changes in physical habitat and the trends in fish populations detected in the present project suggest it is worth making more experiments, at least in safe settings where there is no risk of flooding or damaging properties.
Instrument‐order effects: using the Oral Health Impact Profile 49 and the Short Form 12
Authors: Kieffer Jacobien Marije , Verrips Gijsbert Hendrik Willem , Hoogstraten Johan
Published: January 2011

Kieffer JM, Verrips GHW, Hoogstraten J. Instrument‐order effects: using the Oral Health Impact Profile 49 and the Short Form 12.
 
Eur J Oral Sci 2011; 119: 69–72. © 2011 Eur J Oral Sci

Whereas it is well known that the ordering of items can influence research outcomes considerably, very little literature addresses instrument‐order effects. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of changing the administrative order of the Short‐Form‐12 (SF‐12) and the Oral Health Impact Profile‐49 (OHIP‐49). It was hypothesized that if the SF‐12 was administered first, the results would show poorer scores on the SF‐12 subscales, as responses would not be restrained to only the oral impacts described by the OHIP‐49. Using the Mann–Whitney U‐test no significant instrument‐order effects were found, except for the Psychological discomfort scale of the OHIP‐49, where subjects scored higher when receiving the OHIP‐49 first. However, the effect size was negligible (−0.08). These results suggest that no instrument‐order effects occurred. Nonetheless, more research dealing with different instruments is needed. This study was performed within a dental setting and we recommend that instrument‐order effects should be studied outside this domain.
The Pro‐Inflammatory Role of Adiponectin at the Maternal–Fetal Interface
Authors: McDonald Emily A. , Wolfe Michael W.
Published: January 2011

Citation  McDonald EA, Wolfe MW. The pro‐inflammatory role of adiponectin at the maternal–fetal interface. Am J Reprod Immunol 2011; 66: 128–136

Problem  A successful pregnancy is contingent on maternal tolerance of the immunologically foreign fetus. Prevalent diseases such as preeclampsia arise in part due to an inappropriate immune response by the placenta. A number of molecules have been proposed to temper cellular response to pro‐inflammatory mediators, including CD24 and Siglec10.

Methods  Cytotrophoblast cells from healthy term placentas were treated with adiponectin in vitro and analyzed with qPCR and ELISA‐based assays. Immunohistochemistry was performed on term villous sections and cultured trophoblasts.

Results  Treatment with adiponectin increased expression of IL‐1β and IL‐8. Term villi express CD24 in cytotrophoblasts and the syncytiotrophoblast, and Siglec10 by the syncytiotrophoblast. Treatment of trophoblast cells with adiponectin increased Siglec10 expression.

Conclusion  These data describe a role for adiponectin in enhancing pro‐inflammatory signals in in vitro syncytialized trophoblasts. Additionally, this represents the first time the CD24/Siglec10 pathway has been implicated in a trophoblast response to a pro‐inflammatory mediator.
FACTORS AFFECTING THE OUTCOME OF DIVORCE AND PATERNITY MEDIATIONS
Authors: Ballard Robin H. , Holtzworth‐Munroe Amy , Applegate Amy G. , D'Onofrio Brian
Published: January 2011

Divorce mediation, an alternative to litigation when resolving disputes raised by the dissolution of a marriage or the separation of unmarried parents, has gained popularity over the past few decades. Yet, research is needed to better understand what processes make family mediation successful and for whom family mediation is successful. To study predictors of reaching agreement in family mediation, we gathered data from divorce and paternity cases at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law Viola J. Taliaferro Family and Children Mediation Clinic. Numerous factors, including history of intimate partner violence, father's reported concerns about participating in mediation, higher levels of father's income, number of mediation sessions, and attorney representation, were associated with lower rates of agreement. Associations between significant predictors are presented, as well as the combined impact of attorney representation and a history of relationship violence, which together significantly predicted lower agreement rates. The implications of these findings for understanding family mediation processes are considered.
HOW JUDGES DECIDE WHETHER SOCIAL PARENTS HAVE PARENTAL RIGHTS: A FIVE‐FACTOR TYPOLOGY
Authors: Miller Monica K.
Published: January 2011

Courts have issued conflicting rulings regarding the rights (e.g., custody, visitation) and responsibilities (e.g., child support) of non‐biological gay parents. This analysis establishes a typology of five factors that most commonly influence judges' decisions. These factors include: interpretation of parenting statutes, legislative intent, parental intent, legal documents establishing parenthood, and the child's best interests. Despite these common themes, there is still much discrepancy among court rulings. Based on this analysis, there are steps parents can take to protect their legal rights and living arrangements. Finally, policy suggestions are offered for courts and lawmakers. These legal actors can take steps (e.g., clarifying statutes) that would provide certainty for families in case of parental separation or the biological parent's death.
ULTRASONIC EXTRACTION OF HEMPSEED OIL
Authors: LIN JIN‐YING , ZENG QING‐XIAO , AN QI , ZENG QING‐ZHU , JIAN LI‐XIA , ZHU ZHI‐WEI
Published: January 2011

In the present study, the use of ultrasonic conditions for the extraction of oil from hempseeds was investigated. The results show that ultrasonic extraction (UE) requires a shorter operating time and results in less solvent consumption than solvent extraction (SE). The optimal conditions for UE are as follows: power output: 200 W; exposure time: 25 min; acting on–off ratio: 20:20 (s/s); and solvent‐to‐solid ratio: 7:1 (v/w). The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis indicated that the composition of the hempseed oil that is extracted is not significantly (P ≤ 0.05), if at all, affected by UE. Additionally, the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picryhydrazyl scavenging activity during the UE is 13.5% higher than that obtained under SE in this test. Hempseed oil that is extracted by UE has a higher ultraviolet‐absorbing capacity than the oil obtained by SE. These tests indicate that UE may be a new, acceptable and even potentially superior commercial oil extraction process for preserving the naturally occurring content of bioactive components that are found within the oil.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

In this investigation, we found that hempseed oil extracted using ultrasonic‐assisted techniques has unique ultraviolet‐absorbing properties and better 2,2‐diphenyl‐l‐picryhydrazyl radical‐scavenging activity when compared with oil obtained by solvent extraction. It can be concluded that ultrasonic‐assisted extraction is a potential method for producing better hempseed oil for food and cosmetic applications.
Anion secretion by a model epithelium: more lessons from Calu‐3
Authors: Shan J. , Huang J. , Liao J. , Robert R. , Hanrahan J. W.
Published: January 2011

Anion transport drives fluid into the airways and is essential for humidifying inspired air and supplying surface liquid for mucociliary transport. Despite the importance of airway secretion in diseases such as cystic fibrosis, the cellular mechanisms remain poorly understood, in part due to the small size and complicated structure of the submucosal glands that produce most of the fluid. The Calu‐3 human lung adenocarcinoma cell line has become a popular model for studying airway secretion because it can be cultured as a flat sheet, expresses the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator and several acinar cell markers, forms polarized monolayers with tight junctions, has robust cAMP‐stimulated anion transport, and responds to secretagogues that regulate the glands in vivo. However, some properties of Calu‐3 cells are less consistent with those of native tissue. In particular, Calu‐3 monolayers do not secrete chloride when stimulated by forskolin under short‐circuit conditions. Bicarbonate ions are thought to carry the short‐circuit current (Isc) and the drive secretion of alkaline fluid, in contrast to the neutral pH secretions that are produced by submucosal glands. Calu‐3 cells also have abnormal chromosomes and characteristics of both serous and mucus cells. In this article, we discuss Calu‐3 as a model in light of our ongoing studies, which suggest that Calu‐3 monolayers resemble submucosal glands more closely than was previously thought. For example, we find that net HCO3− flux fully accounts for Isc as previously suggested but Cl− is the main anion transported under physiological conditions. A novel, HCO3−‐dependent mechanism of Cl− transport is emerging which may explain secretion by Calu‐3 and perhaps other epithelial cells.
Assessment of the short‐term systemic effect of and acute phase response to mulesing and other options for controlling breech flystrike in Merino lambs
Authors: Lepherd ML , Canfield PJ , Hunt GB , Thomson PC , Bosward KL
Published: January 2011

Background  Mulesing is an important method of preventing flystrike of Merino sheep in Australia, but because there are important short‐term welfare issues associated with mulesing, alternative methods of removing the skin folds for breech flystrike prevention are being investigated.

Objective  To examine the short‐term systemic effects of mulesing and two proposed alternatives, compared with two control methods, for controlling breech flystrike.

Method  The five treatment groups comprised 10 lambs each: (1) mulesing, (2) intradermal‐cetrimide treatment, (3) clip application, (4) tail docking only and (5) no treatment. Changes in body weight, haematological and biochemical profiles, and concentrations of fibrinogen, haptoglobin and serum amyloid A were measured repeatedly for 29 days post treatment.

Results  The mulesing and intradermal‐cetrimide groups were the only treatment groups to lose weight during the first week, with greater weight loss in the mulesing group. The mulesing group had the most marked increases in all three acute‐phase protein concentrations, closely followed by the intradermal‐cetrimide group, with a mild increase observed for the clip group and even less for the tail‐docked group. The mulesing group was the only group to develop mild anaemia, transient hyperglycaemia and a persistent decreased albumin : globulin ratio. The neutrophil : lymphocyte ratio was above the upper reference limit for both the mulesing and intradermal‐cetrimide groups.

Conclusion  Mulesing had the greatest systemic effect in terms of the magnitude and duration of increased acute‐phase protein concentrations and haematological, biochemical and body weight changes. The clips had a significantly reduced systemic effect compared with mulesing, with the intradermal‐cetrimide treatment in between the two. Tail docking had a minimal systemic effect.
Coupling of Climate Change and Biotic UV Exposure Through Changing Snow‐Ice Covers in Terrestrial Habitats¶
Authors: Cockell Charles S. , Córdoba‐Jabonero Carmen
Published: January 2011

During the spring, when ozone depletion at the polar regions is at its maximum and consequently the environmental UV exposure is potentially high, many terrestrial communities are covered in snow and heterogeneous snow‐encrusted ice that form near the edges of snowpack. Using field measurements and a theoretical radiative transfer model, we calculated the thicknesses of these covers that are necessary to reduce DNA‐weighted dose to levels equal to or lower than those received later in the season in the absence of covers when there is no ozone depletion. This depth is approximately 4 cm for a 60% depletion of the ozone column, suggesting that even thin snow‐ice covers are enough to completely cancel the biological effects of ozone depletion. Loss of snow‐ice covers during early summer can be rapid. The maximum rate of retreat of snow cover measured during November at Mars Oasis, Antarctica (71.9°S, 68.2°W), was 44.1 cm/day, with a mean retreat of 15.4 cm/day. Climate warming might increase UV‐radiation damage by melting UV‐protecting terrestrial snow‐ice covers earlier in the season, when ozone depletion is more severe. Conversely, climate cooling could increase UV‐protection afforded to terrestrial communities by increasing the extent of snow and ice covers. Even if anthropogenic ozone depletion is eventually reversed, these data suggest the importance of climate forcing in determining UV exposures of terrestrial microbial communities in snow‐ and ice‐covered environments.
Fluorescence Lifetimes and Spectral Properties of Protochlorophyllide in Organic Solvents in Relation to the Respective Parameters In Vivo¶
Authors: Myśliwa‐Kurdziel Beata , Kruk Jerzy , Strzalka Kazimierz
Published: January 2011

In this work, absorption and fluorescence spectra of protochlorophyllide (Pchlide), as well as its fluorescence lifetime, were investigated in organic solvents having different physical properties. The obtained Pchlide spectral features are discussed in relation to the parameters describing solvent properties (refractive index and dielectric constant) and taking into account the specific solvent‐Pchlide interaction. The correlation of Pchlide Qy and Soret absorption bands with solvent polarizability function ((n2 ‐ 1)/(n2 + 2)) has been found; however, the dispersion of the observed points was rather high. A small Stokes shift of a magnitude between 50 and 300 cm1 was found, which indicates low sensitivity of Pchlide to nonspecific solvation. The fluorescence decay of Pchlide was single exponential in all the investigated solvents, with the lifetime value ranging from 5.2 ns for dioxane to 3.5 ns for methanol. Dependence of the obtained fluorescence lifetimes on the solvent orientation polarizability, a parameter being the function of both refractive index and dielectric constant, was discussed. In water‐methanol mixtures, a further decrease of the fluorescence lifetime was observed, giving values of 2.9 ns for 25% methanol. Double‐exponential decay of Pchlide fluorescence was found for Pchlide in a solution of 15% methanol with the lifetimes of 4.5 ± 0.5 ns and 1.2 ± 0.3 ns and in pure water with the lifetimes of 2.5 ± 0.5 ns and 0.4 ± 0.1 ns. The obtained results are discussed in relation to spectroscopic properties of Pchlide in vivo.
Inhibitory Effect of Heat Shock Protein 70 on Apoptosis Induced by Photodynamic Therapy In Vitro¶
Authors: Nonaka Mihoko , Ikeda Hisazumi , Inokuchi Tsugio
Published: January 2011

We examined the apoptotic effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in leukemia cells (HL60) and lymphoma cells (Raji). Moreover, we also investigated the relationship of apoptosis induced by PDT to heat shock protein (HSP) expression. To induce 80% of cell death by PDT, HL60 cells required 6 μg/mL and Raji cells required 9 μg/mL of Photofrin®. PDT induced apoptosis in 77.2% of HL60 and in 0.4% of Raji at lethal dose (LD80) conditions. The cell line in which apoptosis is predisposed may be more susceptible to PDT compared with the cell line in which necrosis is predisposed. Furthermore, HSP‐70 was expressed constitutively in Raji cells but not in HL60 cells. Heat treatment of HL60 cells induced expression of HSP‐70 and resulted in significant reduction of PDT‐mediated apoptosis. From the results of this experiment, it is suggestive that HSP‐70 contributes to inhibition of apoptosis mediated by PDT.
Oxygen Triggering Reversible Modulation of Vibrio fischeri Strain Y1 Bioluminescence In Vivo¶
Authors: Karatani Hajime , Yoshizawa Susumu , Hirayama Satoshi
Published: January 2011

Yellow‐emitting Vibrio fischeri Y1 modulates its bioluminescence (BL) depending on the dissolved O2 concentration. On supplying O2 to the cells under anaerobiosis, the cells begin to emit striking yellow BL peaking around 535 nm. The enhanced yellow emission reverts reversibly to the original level after O2 is consumed. Moreover, the reversible rise and fall of the yellow emission occurs repeatedly in accord with the repeating cycles of aeration on and off. This indicates that an increase in the cellular amount of yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) is not an immediate cause of the yellow emission enhancement. One suggested explanation is that the activity of YFP originating from its highly fluorescent property is altered by redox interaction with the respiratory components, including the soluble cytochrome c. Under the O2‐limited conditions, the cellular YFP molecules, in part, seem to lose the fluorescent property possibly because of being reduced via redox interaction with some respiratory components in reduced form. On stimulating aerobic respiration with O2 supply, the reduced YFP seems to retrieve its fluorescent property via oxidation possibly with both O2, diffused across the cell membrane, and ferricytochrome c, generated during the respiratory turnover. The suggested redox interactions seem primarily to cause the reversible BL modulation.
Estimating the variance of male fecundity from genotypes of progeny arrays: evaluation of the Bayesian forward approach
Authors: Klein Etienne K. , Carpentier Florence H. , Oddou‐Muratorio Sylvie
Published: January 2011

1. Characterizing fine scale mating patterns in plant populations makes it possible to investigate genetic drift, gene flow and selection gradients at a contemporary time scale. Molecular markers are valuable tools for this type of analysis, and numerous statistical methods have been developed to make the best of the information they can provide. In particular, we recently proposed a Bayesian approach based on a paternity analysis wherein we estimate jointly the variance in male fecundity and the pollen dispersal kernel.

2. Here, we use simulated data sets to investigate the accuracy of the Bayesian approach compared to (i) classical maximum likelihood approaches (e.g. Neighbourhood model) that ignore variance in male fecundity or explain it through a few covariates and (ii) indirect methods (KinDist and TwoGener) that integrate the variance in fecundity in an ‘effective population density’.

3. The Bayesian estimates correctly considered the over‐dispersion resulting from the variance in fecundity, resulting in wider but more accurate confidence intervals, in particular in high‐density populations. The maximum likelihood methods resulted in confidence intervals with low coverage probabilities and in widespread false‐positive tests when testing the effect of covariates on male fecundity.

4. Estimated individual fecundities and estimated empirical variance in fecundity were robust to the distribution assumed for the individual random fecundities (log‐normal or Gamma). In contrast, the theoretical variance estimate critically depended on the assumed distribution.

5. The indirect methods provided much more variable estimators, as expected because they use less information about pollen sources and consider the molecular information only through genetic structure indices.

6. Disentangling the fecundity from the spatial effects in paternity analyses is necessary when studying selection in natura and or when addressing the effects of spatial distribution on effective gene flow. The Bayesian approach studied here successfully accounts for the variance in fecundity when a large fraction of it is not explained by the studied covariates. The Mixed Effect Mating Model computer program introduced here is devoted to its implementation.
Does it matter which platelet‐rich plasma we use?
Authors: McLellan J. , Plevin S.
Published: January 2011

Several commercial devices are available to the equine practitioner for preparation of platelet‐rich plasma (PRP). PRP is a ‘catch all’ term for a multitude of platelet concentrates (PC) with different biological components and properties. Case reports often fail to cite the exact type of PC used. A critical analysis of the available evidence on the clinical significance of differences between platelet concentrates is presented in an attempt to determine if one commercially available product is superior to the others.
Assessment of the Code “PTCREEP” for IPHWR Pressure Tube Ballooning Study
Authors: Majumdar P. , Chatterjee B. , Nandan G. , Mukhopadhyay D. , Lele H. G.
Published: January 2011

In Indian pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR), loss of coolant accident with simultaneous failure of emergency core cooling system can lead to significant temperature rise in the pressure tube (PT) with the system internal pressure varying from 9 MPa to 0.1 MPa during the event. This high temperature can cause metallurgical and geometrical changes in the PT. PT would deform plastically due to internal pressure and fuel weight. A computer code “PTCREEP” based on physical models was developed to simulate the ballooning deformation expected during the channel heatup condition under internal pressure. This paper presents the assessment of the code PTCREEP against the set of experiments conducted with PT material used in Indian PHWRs.
Physics in the News: The Deepwater Horizon Disaster
Authors: Bartlett Albert A.
Published: January 2011

On April 20, 2010, there were explosions and fire on the drilling “ship” the Deepwater Horizon, which was drilling for petroleum in the Gulf of Mexico about 70 kilometers south of the Louisiana coast. The spectacular fires ultimately caused the Deepwater Horizon to sink on April 22. There were 126 people on the ship before the fire. After the sinking, 11 people were missing and presumed dead. After the ship sank, several hundred cubic meters of petroleum began to emerge each day from the broken underwater piping on the sea floor. The petroleum rose to the surface, where the winds caused it to drift toward the shores of the Gulf. The oil slick is a great threat to the coastal ecosystems. “President Obama…called the scene unfolding in the Gulf a ‘massive and potentially unprecedented environmental disaster.’”1 Not only is this an environmental disaster, it is a big setback for deepwater drilling for petroleum and for our nation's efforts to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
Physics in a Glitter Ball
Authors: Trikosko Walter
Published: January 2011

Maui Toys' Water Bouncer (Fig. 1) is a water-filled ball containing glitter. Buy one and put it on your desk and students can't keep their hands off of it. Pitch the ball in the air giving it a quick spin. When you catch it you will see a sparkling vortex. Twist the ball around different ways and the angular momentum of the fluid keeps the axis of the glitter vortex fixed in one direction.
Determining Planetary Temperatures with the Stefan-Boltzmann Law
Authors: LoPresto Michael C. , Hagoort Nichole
Published: January 2011

What follows is a description of several activities involving the Stefan-Boltzmann radiation law that can provide laboratory experience beyond what is normally found in traditional introductory thermodynamics experiments on thermal expansion, specific heat, and heats of transformation. The activities also provide more extensive coverage of and hands-on experience with the radiation law than is normally found in a traditional thermodynamics curriculum.
A Methylaspartate Cycle in Haloarchaea
Authors: Khomyakova Maria , Bükmez Özlem , Thomas Lorenz K. , Erb Tobias J. , Berg Ivan A.
Published: January 2011

Salt-loving microbes have patched together an alternative carbon assimilation cycle.
Mitochondrial Capture by a Transmissible Cancer
Authors: Rebbeck Clare A. , Leroi Armand M. , Burt Austin
Published: January 2011

A clonal cancer in feral dogs has likely acquired mitochondria from its host by horizontal transfer.
Low-Loss Plasmonic Metamaterials
Authors: Boltasseva Alexandra , Atwater Harry A.
Published: January 2011

New materials are being developed that meet the requirements for nanoscale photonics.
A Magnetically Focused Molecular Beam of Ortho-Water
Authors: Kravchuk T. , Reznikov M. , Tichonov P. , Avidor N. , Meir Y. , Bekkerman A. , Alexandrowicz G.
Published: January 2011

Magnetic fields can separate two isomers of water that differ in the relative spin states of their two hydrogen atoms.
Toward Reprogramming Gonads to Brains
Authors: Strome Susan
Published: January 2011

Expressing a transcription factor and blocking a chromatin-regulating factor can transform worm germ cells into neurons.
A Gallery of Our Mental Machinery
Portraits of the Mind
Visualizing the Brain from Antiquity to the 21st Century

by Carl Schoonover

Abrams, New York, 2010. 240 pp. $35, C$42, £22.50. ISBN 9780810990333.
Authors: Ostroff Linnaea
Published: January 2011

Schoonover's collection of neuroanatomical images and the accompanying explanatory essays resemble an art book as much as a science text.
Deep Potholes Block the Road to Discovery for U.S. Science
Authors: Cho Adrian
Published: January 2011

The Department of Energy decided last week to shut down the atom smasher at the last dedicated U.S. particle physics lab this fall, opening the way to pursue a variety of new projects. But U.S. particle physicists still face a bumpy ride along an uncertain road.
Comparison of Nine Phenotypic Methods for Detection of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase Production by Enterobacteriaceae
Authors: Garrec Hélène , Drieux-Rouzet Laurence , Golmard Jean-Louis , Jarlier Vincent , Robert Jérôme
Published: January 2011

The detection of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing (ESBL) bacteria is of importance for infection control and epidemiological surveillance. We aimed to compare phenotypic methods available in the routine laboratory and to evaluate two-step strategies using these methods for the detection of ESBL-positive
Enterobacteriaceae
. Two methods used for routine susceptibility testing (Vitek2 and disk diffusion methods) and seven methods designed for the detection of ESBL production (ESBL Etests, combination disks, double-disk synergy [DDS] methods on Mueller-Hinton [MH] agar and cloxacillin-containing MH agar, and the Cica-Beta test) were tested against 107 strains of
Enterobacteriaceae
not susceptible to extended-spectrum cephalosporins. All strains were screened for the presence of acquired ESBL-encoding genes by PCR, and the PCR result was considered the gold standard for evaluation of the other test methods. Among the 107 strains, 52 (49%) were ESBL positive. With Vitek2, sensitivities were the highest when using extended cards (73% to 79%), but 25% to 31% of the strains yielded indeterminate results. For the disk diffusion method, sensitivities were the highest (96%) when testing at least cefotaxime, cefepime, and a third compound (ceftazidime, cefpodoxime, or aztreonam). For the specific methods, specificities ranged from 62% (ceftazidime ESBL Etest) to 100% (DDS using a disk spacing of 20 mm). When a method designed for ESBL detection was used on strains considered ESBL negative or with an indeterminate result by a first routine susceptibility method, sensitivities reached 100% for a majority of combinations. In conclusion, two-step strategies using phenotypic methods available in most clinical laboratories may reach a sensitivity of 100% for ESBL detection among a large panel of species, including AmpC producers, providing a sensible choice of tests.
rapidSTRIPE H1N1 Test for Detection of the Pandemic Swine Origin Influenza A (H1N1) Virus
Authors: Patel Pranav , Graser Elmara , Robst Stephan , Hillert Roger , Meye Axel , Hillebrand Timo , Niedrig Matthias
Published: January 2011

The rapidSTRIPE H1N1 test, based on a nucleic acid lateral-flow assay, has been developed for diagnosis of a swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus. This test is simple and cost-effective and allows specific detection of the S-OIV A (H1N1) virus from swab sampling to final detection on a lateral-flow stripe within 2 to 3 h.
Effect of B-Cell Depletion on Coreceptor Switching in R5 Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection of Rhesus Macaques
Authors: Tasca Silvana , Zhuang Ke , Gettie Agegnehu , Knight Heather , Blanchard James , Westmoreland Susan , Cheng-Mayer Cecilia
Published: January 2011

We recently described a coreceptor switch in rapid progressor (RP) R5 simian-human immunodeficiency virus SF162P3N (SHIV
SF162P3N
)-infected rhesus macaques that had high virus replication and undetectable or weak and transient antiviral antibody response (S. H. Ho et al., J. Virol.
81:
8621-8633, 2007; S. H. Ho, N. Trunova, A. Gettie, J. Blanchard, and C. Cheng-Mayer, J. Virol.
82:
5653-5656, 2008; and W. Ren et al., J. Virol.
84:
340-351, 2010). The lack of antibody selective pressure, together with the observation that the emerging X4 variants were neutralization sensitive, suggested that the absence or weakening of the virus-specific humoral immune response could be an environmental factor fostering coreceptor switching
in vivo
. To test this possibility, we treated four macaques with 50 mg/kg of body weight of the anti-CD20 antibody rituximab every 2 to 3 weeks starting from the week prior to intravenous infection with SHIV
SF162P3N
for a total of six infusions. Rituximab treatment successfully depleted peripheral and lymphoid CD20
+
cells for up to 25 weeks according to flow cytometry and immunohistochemical staining, with partial to full recovery in two of the four treated monkeys thereafter. Three of the four treated macaques failed to mount a detectable anti-SHIV antibody response, while the response was delayed in the remaining animal. The three seronegative macaques progressed to disease, but in none of them could the presence of X4 variants be demonstrated by V3 sequence and tropism analyses. Furthermore, viruses did not evolve early in these diseased macaques to be more soluble CD4 sensitive. These results demonstrate that the absence or diminution of humoral immune responses by itself is insufficient to drive the R5-to-X4 switch and the neutralization susceptibility of the evolving viruses.
Coevolution of the Hepatitis C Virus Polyprotein Sites in Patients on Combined Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin Therapy
Authors: Lara James , Xia Guoliang , Purdy Mike , Khudyakov Yury
Published: January 2011

Genotype-specific sensitivity of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) to interferon-ribavirin (IFN-RBV) combination therapy and reduced HCV response to IFN-RBV as infection progresses from acute to chronic infection suggest that HCV genetic factors and intrahost HCV evolution play important roles in therapy outcomes. HCV polyprotein sequences (n= 40) from 10 patients with unsustainable response (UR) (breakthrough and relapse) and 10 patients with no response (NR) following therapy were identified through the Virahep-C study. Bayesian networks (BNs) were constructed to relate interrelationships among HCV polymorphic sites to UR/NR outcomes. All models showed an extensive interdependence of HCV sites and strong connections (P≤ 0.003) to therapy response. Although all HCV proteins contributed to the networks, the topological properties of sites differed among proteins. E2 and NS5A together contributed ∼40% of all sites and ∼62% of all links to the polyprotein BN. The NS5A BN and E2 BN predicted UR/NR outcomes with 85% and 97.5% accuracy, respectively, in 10-fold cross-validation experiments. The NS5A model constructed using physicochemical properties of only five sites was shown to predict the UR/NR outcomes with 83.3% accuracy for 6 UR and 12 NR cases of the HALT-C study. Thus, HCV adaptation to IFN-RBV is a complex trait encoded in the interrelationships among many sites along the entire HCV polyprotein. E2 and NS5A generate broad epistatic connectivity across the HCV polyprotein and essentially shape intrahost HCV evolution toward the IFN-RBV resistance. Both proteins can be used to accurately predict the outcomes of IFN-RBV therapy.
Rotavirus VP2 Core Shell Regions Critical for Viral Polymerase Activation
Authors: McDonald Sarah M. , Patton John T.
Published: January 2011

The innermost VP2 core shell of the triple-layered, icosahedral rotavirus particle surrounds the viral genome and RNA processing enzymes, including the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (VP1). In addition to anchoring VP1 within the core, VP2 is also an essential cofactor that triggers the polymerase to initiate double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) synthesis using packaged plus-strand RNA templates. The VP2 requirement effectively couples packaging with genome replication and ensures that VP1 makes dsRNA only within an assembling previrion particle. However, the mechanism by which the rotavirus core shell protein activates the viral polymerase remains very poorly understood. In the current study, we sought to elucidate VP2 regions critical for VP1-mediated
in vitro
dsRNA synthesis. By comparing the functions of proteins from several different rotaviruses, we found that polymerase activation by the core shell protein is specific. Through truncation and chimera mutagenesis, we demonstrate that the VP2 amino terminus, which forms a decameric, internal hub underneath each 5-fold axis, plays an important but nonspecific role in VP1 activation. Our results indicate that the VP2 residues correlating with polymerase activation specificity are located on the inner face of the core shell, distinct from the amino terminus. Based on these findings, we predict that several regions of VP2 engage the polymerase during the concerted processes of rotavirus core assembly and genome replication.
Cellular SNF2H Chromatin-Remodeling Factor Promotes Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Immediate-Early Gene Expression and Replication
Authors: Bryant Kevin F. , Colgrove Robert C. , Knipe David M.
Published: January 2011

Like other DNA viruses that replicate in the nucleus, herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) regulates the association of histones with its genome to promote viral replication and gene expression. We previously demonstrated that SNF2H, a member of the ISWI family of chromatin-remodeling factors, is concentrated in HSV-1 replication compartments in the nuclei of infected cells, suggesting that this cellular enzyme plays a role in viral replication. We show here that small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of SNF2H in HEp-2 cells resulted in an approximately 20-fold decrease in HSV-1 replication, arguing that SNF2H promotes efficient HSV-1 replication. Decreases in HSV-1 replication were observed with multiple SNF2H-specific siRNAs, and the extent of the replication decrease correlated with the amount of SNF2H knockdown, indicating that the phenotype resulted from decreased SNF2H levels rather than off-target effects of the siRNAs. We also observed a decrease in the accumulation of immediate-early (IE) gene products in HSV-1-infected cells in which SNF2H was knocked down. Histone H3 occupancy on viral promoters was increased in HSV-1-infected cells that were transfected with SNF2H-specific siRNAs, suggesting that SNF2H promotes removal of histones from viral promoters during infection. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) studies showed that SNF2H associated with the HSV-1 genome during infection, which suggests that SNF2H may directly remodel viral chromatin. We hypothesize that SNF2H is recruited to viral promoters during HSV-1 infection, where it can remodel the chromatin state of the viral genome, facilitate the transcription of immediate-early genes, and enhance viral replication.

IMPORTANCE
It is becoming increasingly appreciated that regulation of the state of chromatin is a major determinant in control of gene expression. It has also become clear that the state of chromatin of the herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) genome is dynamically regulated during both productive and latent stages of infection. In addition, multiple viral gene products have been reported to play roles in regulating the viral chromatin state. However, the cellular chromatin-remodeling factors involved in altering nucleosome occupancy at viral genes remain largely unknown. The results in this report represent the first evidence that cellular chromatin-remodeling proteins, and SNF2H in particular, can play important roles in regulating the chromatin state of the HSV-1 genome during infection. This work also further establishes HSV-1 infection as a useful model to study chromatin control of gene expression and suggests that disrupting the regulation of viral chromatin states can possibly be exploited as a novel antiviral therapeutic target.
Establishing practical guidelines for exercise in insulin treated diabetics
Authors: Redgrave Ann , Gallen Ian , Hudson Zoe
Published: January 2011

Practical guidelines for exercise in insulin treated diabetics – a prospective cohort series of insulin treated diabetics using a simple questionnaire and continuous glucose monitoring to assess the influence of specific guidelines on blood sugar levels before, during and after exercise.

Background

Scientific literature suggests that if a diabetic on insulin can achieve euglycaemia during exercise the metabolic response to exercise is normalised. Problems occur both during and post exercise due to swings in blood sugar that are aggravated by the diabetic’s response to these swings.

Objectives

The principle objective was to establish practical exercise guidelines for insulin treated diabetics that could be used as a safe reference by diabetics themselves and sports physicians/general practitioners. The guidelines were set to minimise the swings into hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia commonly seen in diabetics during exercise. A secondary objective was to assess whether use of the guidelines could approximate the blood sugar of the diabetic during exercise to that of the non-diabetic during exercise.

Design

Using a cohort of insulin treated diabetics the efficacy of practical exercise guidelines were assessed before, during and after exercise using a simple questionnaire and continuous interstitial glucose monitoring.

Subjects

Nine insulin treated diabetics were recruited from a diabetic sports clinic in the Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which took referrals from anywhere in England. Two non-diabetic, elite athletes were recruited for comparison.

Results

On questioning 86% of subjects reported a reduction in exercise associated hypoglycaemia and 28% reported an improvement in exercise performance when using the guidelines. There was a narrowing of the glucose oscillations in 85% of the subjects studied however the difference in the recording of interstitial glucose outside the range of 4–10 mmol/l before and after using the exercise guidelines was statistically not significant p>0.05 (p=0.058).

Conclusions

The outcomes of this study suggest that these guidelines are effective clinically in reducing blood sugar oscillations during exercise in insulin treated diabetics; however the outcomes were not statistically significant probably as a result of the small sample size. Further study with a larger sample size is merited to validate these guidelines further.
Physiology of cold water immersion: a comparison of cold water acclimatised and non-cold water acclimatised participants during static and dynamic immersions
Authors: Hingley Elizabeth , Morrissey Dylan , Tipton Michael , House Jim , Lunt Heather
Published: January 2011

Introduction

Drowning is the third leading cause of accidental death worldwide. Many deaths from immersion in cold water are wrongly attributed to hypothermia. Humans can survive numerous hours in cold water, as seen in open water swimmers who complete endurance swims for many hours at low water temperatures. Previous studies performed on cold-water swimmers have shown distinct physiological differences in those regularly exposed to cold water compared to controls. The aim of this study was to identify whether regular cold water swimmers exhibit physiological adaptation to cold water immersion in static and dynamic conditions.

Method

A prospective case-control study, where participants were immersed in cold water (12°C); once during a static immersion and once during a swimming (dynamic) immersion. Six cold water acclimatised (CWAI) participants were matched to six non-cold water acclimatised participants for body fat percentage and gender for both the static and dynamic immersions and mean changed between the two groups compared.

Results

CWAI participants show a decreased metabolic rate leading to fall in core temperature during static immersion. In dynamic immersion, deep body temperature is maintained with little increase in metabolic heat production.

Discussion

CWAI participants show a hypothermic-type adaptation during static immersion in cold water. In contrast, an insulative-type adaptation is seen during dynamic immersion in the CWAI participants. The onset of shivering is delayed by adaptation to cold water. Insulative adaptation benefits the cold water swimmer as there is little or no increase in metabolic heat production. The swimmer can maintain their core temperature without wasting vital energy.

Conclusion

CWAI participants exhibit different types of adaptation depending on the type of immersion experienced.