bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Requirements for ER‐Arrest and Sequential Exit to the Golgi of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus Glycoproteins
Authors: Ribeiro Daniela , Goldbach Rob , Kormelink Richard
Published: February 2009

The envelope glycoproteins Gn and Gc are major determinants in the assembly of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) particles at the Golgi complex. In this article, the ER‐arrest of singly expressed Gc and the transport of both glycoproteins to the Golgi upon co‐expression have been analyzed. While preliminary results suggest that the arrest of Gc at the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) did not appear to result from improper folding, transient expression of chimeric Gc, in which the transmembrane domain (TMD) and/or cytoplasmic tail (CT) were swapped for those from Gn, showed that the TMD of Gn was sufficient to allow ER‐exit and transport to the Golgi. Expression of both glycoproteins in the presence of overexpressed Sar1p‐specific guanosine nucleotide exchange factor Sec 12p, resulted in ER‐retention demonstrating that the viral glycoproteins are transported to the Golgi in a COPII (coat protein II)‐dependent manner. Inhibition of ER‐Golgi transport by brefeldin A (BFA) had a similar effect on the localization of Gn. However, inhibition of ER (endoplasmic reticulum) to Golgi transport of co‐expressed Gc and Gn by overexpression of Sec 12p or by BFA revealed distinct localization patterns, i.e. diffuse ER localization versus concentration at specific spots.
Contact dermatitis due to use of Octenisept® in wound care
Authors: Calow Trevis , Oberle Kristina , Bruckner‐Tuderman Leena , Jakob Thilo , Schumann Hauke
Published: February 2009

Background: Octenisept®, containing 0.1% octenidine/2% phenoxyethanol, is a widely used antiseptic in modern wound management. It is considered to have a very low allergenic potential. Thus far, neither allergic nor irritant contact dermatitis to the product has been described.

Patients and methods: Chronic wounds in 251 patients were treated with Octenisept®; 11 developed signs of contact dermatitis. The symptoms improved after discontinuation of the antiseptic. Eight of these patients were patch tested to the antiseptic and its components.

Results: The eight patients all showed a positive reaction to the product. In at least three cases a reaction to the components cocamidopropyl betaine and phenoxyethanol was found, but not to octenidine dihydrochloride.

Conclusions: In this cohort, more than three percent of the treated patients developed a contact dermatitis to the antiseptic. However, the differentiation between allergic and irritant contact dermatitis towards the ingredients of the antiseptic remains problematic.
Unifocal Langerhans cell histiocytosis of the oral mucosa
Authors: Fistarol Susanna , Itin Peter , Häusermann Peter , Oberholzer Martin , Raineri Ines , Lambrecht Thomas , Hitz Lindenmüller Irène
Published: February 2009

A 24‐year‐old man was admitted for a painful gingival ulcer. Histology and immunohistochemistry of a lesional biopsy revealed the diagnosis of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH). To rule out multifocal disease, a complete staging was performed. There was no evidence of bony lesions or any other organ involvement. The diagnosis of LCH restricted to the oral mucosa was established. The complete oral lesion was ablated by CO2 laser and subsequently treated topically with triamcinolone acetonide. The patient is still in remission after one year of follow‐up.

LCH confined to the oral mucosa is rare. It presents usually as an inflammatory or ulcerative lesion, easily leading to misinterpretation and delayed diagnosis. Patients with limited unifocal mucocutaneous disease, as in the present case, usually have an excellent prognosis. However, the oral lesion may represent an early sign of LCH, predating and progressing to an aggressive life‐threatening multiorgan disease.
A Typology of Organizational Membership: Understanding Different Membership Relationships Through the Lens of Social Exchange
Authors: Stamper Christina L. , Masterson Suzanne S. , Knapp Joshua
Published: February 2009

Using a social exchange perspective and responding to prior calls to separate resources exchanged from the relationship between parties, we develop a relationship typology based on rights and responsibilities arguments. We begin with the idea that various levels and types of rights and responsibilities are the exchange currency utilized by the employer and employee, respectively. Further, the degree to which an organization grants rights to an individual and the degree to which the individual voluntarily accepts responsibilities results in four distinct organizational membership profiles (i.e., peripheral, associate, detached, and full). We believe this membership typology is an important theoretical mechanism that may be used to link the exchange between the employee and employer (as represented by psychological contracts) to psychological attachment (as represented by perceived membership) between these two parties. Specifically, members in each profile will tend to have certain kinds of psychological attachments to the organization, causing them to (i) perceive membership in certain ways and (ii) behave in a manner consistent with that perception. The article concludes by discussing the implications of the propositions for both researchers and practitioners, as well as making suggestions for future research efforts.
Derangement of chick embryo retinal differentiation caused by radiofrequency electromagnetic fields
Authors: Zareen Nusrat , Khan Muhammad Yunus , Minhas Liaqat Ali
Published: February 2009

The possible adverse effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) emitted from mobile phones present a major public concern. Biological electrical activities of the human body are vulnerable to interference from oscillatory aspects of EMF, which affect fundamental cellular activities, in particular, the highly active development process of embryos. Some studies highlight the possible health hazards of EMF, while others contest the hypothesis of biological impact of EMF. The present study was designed to observe the histomorphological effects of EMF emitted by a mobile phone on the retinae of developing chicken embryos. Fertilized chicken eggs were exposed to a ringing mobile set on silent tone placed in the incubator at different ages of development. After exposure for the scheduled duration the retinae of the embryos were dissected out and processed for histological examination. The control and experimental embryos were statistically compared for retinal thickness and epithelial pigmentation grades. Contrasting effects of EMF on the retinal histomorphology were noticed, depending on the duration of exposure. The embryos exposed for 10 post‐incubation days exhibited decreased retinal growth and mild pigmentation of the epithelium. Growth retardation reallocated to growth enhancement on increasing EMF exposure for 15 post‐incubation days, with a shift of pigmentation grade from mild to intense. We conclude that EMF emitted by a mobile phone cause derangement of chicken embryo retinal differentiation.
Effects of estrone on both embryonic and extra‐embryonic regions in mouse embryos during pre‐organogenesis in vitro
Authors: Kajiwara Yuji , Imahori Miki
Published: February 2009

Endocrine disruptors are known to have the potential to interfere with reproductive systems. It has been reported that early embryogenesis was affected by estrone in chicks. In the present experiment, the effects of estrone on early embryos during pre‐organogenesis were investigated to evaluate the effects and toxicities of endocrine disruptors. Mouse embryos at day 6.5 of gestation were recovered and cultured for 48 h in a medium at a concentration of 10 or 100 ng/mL estrone. After cultivation, the embryos were measured for the diameter of the total conceptus, including both embryo and yolk sac, and head–tail length. The diameters of conceptus in both treated and control groups were not significantly different, but the growth of the conceptus was slightly inhibited in the 10 ng estrone group. The lengths of embryos were significantly decreased in the 10 and 100 ng/mL estrone‐treated groups. Thus, estrone affected embryo growth at pre‐organogenesis, suggesting that the endocrine disruptor could also have some effects and toxicities on mouse embryogenesis.
Development of the meniscus of the knee joint in human fetuses
Authors: Fukazawa Ikuo , Hatta Toshihisa , Uchio Yuji , Otani Hiroki
Published: February 2009

Discoid meniscus of the knee joint occurs at a higher incidence in the lateral than in the medial menisci. Although its developmental origin has been suggested, it remains unclear. To verify the developmental etiology, we examined the meniscus of the knee joint in 41 human fetuses (from 14 to 30 weeks of gestation) and 14 adults (from 56 to 91 years of age) comparatively. The articular surfaces of the tibia and meniscus of the left knees in 40 fetuses and 14 adults were photographed and each area was measured by Scion Image (Scion; http://www.scioncorp.com). Morphometric analyses revealed that the proportion of the area of meniscus to that of the plateau was continuously higher in the lateral side than in the medial side. The right knee joints of seven fetuses were histologically observed, and the layered structure of fibers developed earlier in the lateral meniscus than in the medial in fetuses. The observed differential development of lateral and medial sides of the meniscus may be involved in the etiology of discoid meniscus.
Ribonuclease H: molecular diversities, substrate binding domains, and catalytic mechanism of the prokaryotic enzymes
Authors: Tadokoro Takashi , Kanaya Shigenori
Published: February 2009

The prokaryotic genomes, for which complete nucleotide sequences are available, always contain at least one RNase H gene, indicating that RNase H is ubiquitous in all prokaryotic cells. Coupled with its unique substrate specificity, the enzyme has been expected to play crucial roles in the biochemical processes associated with DNA replication, gene expression and DNA repair. The physiological role of prokaryotic RNases H, especially of type 1 RNases H, has been extensively studied using Escherichia coli strains that are defective in RNase HI activity or overproduce RNase HI. However, it is not fully understood yet. By contrast, significant progress has been made in this decade in identifying novel RNases H with respect to their biochemical properties and structures, and elucidating catalytic mechanism and substrate recognition mechanism of RNase H. We review the results of these studies.
Emergency department patient preferences for waiting for a bed
Authors: Bartlett Simone , Fatovich Daniel M
Published: February 2009

Objective:  Many EDs have difficulty transferring admitted patients to inpatient beds in a timely manner because of access block. We assessed ED patient preferences for waiting location.

Method:  Admitted ED patients at Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia were surveyed over a 4 week period. Patients were questioned about their preferences for waiting location (ED cubicle, ED corridor, ward corridor, no preference). Patients were also asked what they felt was the maximum acceptable time for waiting for a ward bed. We also assessed if patient expectations were met with regards to their waiting times.

Results:  A total of 400 patients were surveyed. Of all, 121 patients (30.2%) had no preference for waiting location and 215 patients (53.8%) preferred ED cubicles. If the waiting location option was between EDs and ward corridors, 185 patients (46.2%) had no preference. Of the 215 patients who had a preference, 72.1% preferred to wait in a ward corridor (95% CI 65.5–77.8%) and 27.9% preferred the ED corridor (95% CI 22.1–34.5%). Fifty‐seven per cent of patients expected to get to their ward bed within 6 h. Seventy‐two point one per cent (95% CI 66.3%–77.2%) of patients did not have their expectations met for bed waiting times.

Conclusions:  Patients would prefer to wait in ward corridors for their ward bed if there was no ED cubicle available. Waiting in the ED corridor is their least preferred option. Patients usually expect to get to their ward bed within 3 h. However, with high levels of access block, patient expectations for waiting times for a bed are usually not met. These findings could be used to drive system changes that are more patient‐focussed.
Prospective evaluation of selected clinical criteria for cranial computed tomography in non‐trauma adult patients
Authors: Tan Irene , Young Noel , Sindhusake Doungkamol Poppy , Boddy Rachel , Bui Quoc , Nagra Ravinder , Reddy Jyothi
Published: February 2009

Objective:  To evaluate the usefulness of previously published criteria by Rothrock et al. and Harris et al. for urgent, cranial CT in non‐trauma presentations.

Methods:  A prospective, observational study of consecutive adult patients with non‐trauma presentations to Westmead Emergency Department, undergoing urgent cranial CT over a period of 2 years and 10 months. Clinical data were assessed to determine the presence of the proposed Rothrock and Harris criteria. Clinically significant findings defined by CT were intracerebral haemorrhage, acute infarction, intracranial infection, acute hydrocephalus, cerebral oedema and malignancy.

Results:  A total of 1911 patients were studied. Among them, 21.7% (414/1911) of patients had clinically significant findings on CT. Application of the Harris criteria demonstrated a sensitivity of 93.5% (387/414, 95% CI 90.7–95.7) and a false negative rate of 6.5% (27/414, 95% CI 4.3–9.3) with a potential reduction in number of scans by 27.8%. With application of the Rothrock criteria, the possible scan reduction rate was 15% with a sensitivity of 98.8% (409/414, 95% CI 97.2–99.6) and a false negative rate of 1.2% (5/414, 95% CI 0.4–2.8).

Conclusion:  The Harris criteria were not validated by our study. The Rothrock criteria are also not confidently validated, but can be a useful guide for emergency physicians to help prioritize high‐risk patients who might have clinically significant cranial CT findings. We have not replicated their very high sensitivity and very low false negative rates.
Review article: Efficacy and safety of methoxyflurane analgesia in the emergency department and prehospital setting
Authors: Grindlay Joanne , Babl Franz E
Published: February 2009

This article reviews the evidence for the analgesic efficacy of methoxyflurane in both prehospital and ED settings, as well as the adverse event profile associated with methoxyflurane use. Although there are no published controlled trials of methoxyflurane in sub‐anaesthetic doses, available data indicate that it is an efficacious analgesic. There is inadequate evidence regarding its use as an agent for procedural pain. Despite the potential for renal impairment evident when it was used in anaesthetic doses, no significant adverse effects have been reported in the literature, neither in patients nor occupationally, when the dose used is limited to that currently recommended.
Patterns of presentation to the Australian and New Zealand Paediatric Emergency Research Network
Authors: Acworth Jason , Babl Franz , Borland Meredith , Ngo Peter , Krieser David , Schutz Jacquie , Pitt Rob , Cotterell Elizabeth , Jamison Sarah , Neutze Jocelyn , Lee Mark
Published: February 2009

Objective:  To describe epidemiological data concerning paediatric ED visits to an Australian and New Zealand research network.

Methods:  We conducted a cross‐sectional study of paediatric ED visits to all Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) sites in 2004. Epidemiological data, including demographics, admission rates and diagnostic grouping, were examined and analysed using descriptive and comparative statistical methods. We compared the data, if possible, with published data from a US paediatric emergency research network (Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network).

Results:  A total of 351 440 ED presentations were analysed from 11 PREDICT sites. Mean patient age was 4.6 years and 55% were boys. Presentations were identified as 3% Aboriginal at Australian sites and 44% Maori/Pacific in New Zealand locations. According to Australasian Triage Scale (ATS), 5% were ATS 1 or 2 (to be seen immediately or within 10 min), 27% ATS 3 (to be seen within 30 min) and 67% ATS 4 or 5. Although ED visits peaked in late winter and early spring, admission rates remained unchanged throughout the year with an overall admission rate of 24%. Most frequent diagnoses were acute gastroenteritis, acute viral illness and upper respiratory tract infection. Asthma was the next most common. Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network and PREDICT data showed differences in terms of ethnicity descriptions/distribution and admission rates.

Conclusions:  This is the first description of the epidemiology of patient presentations to major paediatric ED in Australia and New Zealand. It details baseline data important to future collaborative studies and for planning health services for children.
Retrospective bias in expert evidence: Effects on patient and doctor safety
Authors: Annunziata Angelo
Published: February 2009

Retrospective bias in expert evidence can have many ramifications for the practitioners involved and less directly for patients. The individual doctor's self‐worth can be diminished and timely improvement in the delivery of patient can be delayed or prevented completely. This article explores why retrospective bias occurs and what can be done to minimise its impact.
Abatacept, a Novel CD80/86–CD28 T Cell Co‐stimulation Modulator, in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Korhonen Riku , Moilanen Eeva
Published: February 2009

Abstract:  Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease with major articular manifestations. While its aetiology still remains to be resolved, our understanding on the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis has become clearer during two decades enlightening the role of adaptative immunity in the development of the symptoms and signs as well as in the progression of the pathological articular changes taking place in inadequately controlled disease. T lymphocytes are considered to be an important cell type in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis through production of proinflammatory cytokines, promotion of formation of ectopic lymphoid structures and neovascularization in synovial tissue, promotion autoantibody production by B cells, and activation of synoviocytes and osteoclasts. Abatacept, a CTLA4‐Ig fusion protein, represents a new therapeutic approach in rheumatoid arthritis. Abatacept attenuates T cell activation as it regulates the activation of T cells by inhibiting the CD80/86:CD28 co‐stimulatory pathway that is required for the proper T cell activation. This MiniReview gives an overview on the mechanism of action of abatacept and summarizes the published clinical data on abatacept in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder: A Case Report in a Woman with Lifelong PGAD Where Serendipitous Administration of Varenicline Tartrate Resulted in Symptomatic Improvement
Authors: Korda Joanna B. , Pfaus James G. , Goldstein Irwin
Published: February 2009

Introduction

Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) in women is associated with feelings of persistent, spontaneous, intrusive, unrelenting, and unwanted physical arousal in the absence of conscious thoughts of sexual desire or sexual interest.

Aim

To report the case of a 49-year-old woman with lifelong PGAD who was recently prescribed varenicline for smoking cessation and who subsequently experienced amelioration of PGAD symptoms.

Methods

Patient self-report and literature review. Written consent was obtained from the patient.

Results

Abatement of lifelong PGAD symptoms occurred within approximately two weeks each time varenicline treatment was initiated. PGAD symptoms returned in approximately 2 weeks each time treatment was suspended.

Conclusions

Varenicline is a partial agonist of the α2β4 subtype of nicotinic cholinergic receptor. Its unique pharmacological action stimulates a small amount of brain dopamine release while antagonizing the ability of nicotine to stimulate much larger dopamine release. Genital sexual arousal is controlled in part by the action of hypothalamic and limbic dopamine systems. Based on the mechanism of action of varenicline and the observation of its effectiveness in this case, we hypothesize that: (i) central hyperactive dopamine release is an important component in the pathophysiology of PGAD in this patient; and (ii) use of varenicline resulted in lowering of this hyperstimulated central dopamine release. Objective testing of varenicline’s safety and efficacy in the treatment of other women with PGAD is suggested.
In Defense of Asbestos Tort Litigation: Rethinking Legal Process Analysis in a World of Uncertainty, Second Bests, and Shared Policy‐Making Responsibility
Authors: Barnes Jeb
Published: February 2009

A central question in American policy making is when should courts address complex policy issues, as opposed to defer to other forums? Legal process analysis offers a standard answer. It holds that judges should act when adjudication offers advantages over other modes of social ordering such as contracts, legislation, or agency rule making. From this vantage, the decision to use common law adjudication to address a sprawling public health crisis was a terrible mistake, as asbestos litigation has come to represent the very worst of mass tort litigation. This article questions this view, arguing that legal process analysis distorts the institutional choices underlying the American policy‐making process. Indeed, once one considers informational and political constraints, as well as how the branches of government can fruitfully share policy‐making functions, the asbestos litigation seems a reasonable and, in some ways, exemplary, use of judicial power.
Testing Alternative Legal Paradigms: An Experiment in Designing Tax Legislation
Authors: Cooper Graeme S. , Wenzel Michael
Published: February 2009

This article reports on empirical research undertaken to test the claim made in a law reform project that citizens could be made more certain of their legal obligations by changing the legal paradigm used to express their rights and obligations. Our research tested a number of hypotheses involving different formulations of the claim being made. We find that the alternative paradigm being presented was inferior to current practice and offer some reasons that would explain our results and the significance of this work for other areas of legal research.
Citizenship and the Corporation
Authors: Lee Ian B.
Published: February 2009

This article investigates the contribution made by the concept of citizenship to contemporary understandings of the widely held business corporation. Because the conventional economic understanding of corporations and corporate law cannot fully explain the nature of the business corporation and the purposes of corporate law, the framework within which teachers and students of corporate law approach the corporation must be enlarged. By looking at the corporation exclusively through the lens of economics we are unable to account for all features of the corporation and corporate law, and we risk mistaking the purpose of these features, or wrongly supposing that they serve no purpose. The article proposes that through resort to a distinct set of conceptual tools—the concept of citizenship, borrowed from political theory—we can attain a fuller comprehension of the meaning of the corporation.
Progress in American Policing? Reviewing the National Reviews
Authors: Scott Michael S.
Published: February 2009

This essay uses three publications—the 1967 President's Crime Commission report on police, The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society; the National Research Council's review of research on policing, Fairness and Effectiveness in Policing: The Evidence; and David Weisburd and Anthony A. Braga's edited collection, Police Innovation: Contrasting Perspectives—as reference points for reflecting on the extent to which the American police institution has moved toward a progressive and professional ideal over the past forty years. I argue that unless the scope and complexity of the policing function is more fully taken into account, and unless the causes of crime and disorder and the police role in controlling and preventing them are reconsidered, the ideals of police reform will remain elusive.
From Public Interest to Private Rights: Free Speech, Liberal Individualism, and the Making of Modern Tort Law
Authors: Weinrib Laura M.
Published: February 2009

Drawing on John Witt's 2007 book, Patriots and Cosmopolitans: Hidden Histories of American Law, this essay explores the role of the interwar civil liberties movement in rehabilitating the discourse of rights and privatizing the American welfare state. In the years after World War I, most proponents of free speech were hostile to Lochner‐era legalism and preferred to pursue civil liberties through legislative and regulatory measures as a means of advancing the public interest. By the onset of World War II, however, they had instead adopted a court‐centered strategy that emphasized individual autonomy. The popular and political resonance of their new state‐skeptical vocabulary suggests that post‐New Deal liberalism in America was a hybrid of classical and Progressive approaches.
High treason – violating the sovereign's wife
Authors: McBain Graham S
Published: February 2009

Recently, the Law Commission has indicated that it will be considering the abolition of the crime of high treason. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the interesting legal history of one of the offences which go to make up high treason – violating the sovereign's wife or his eldest unmarried daughter or the wife of his eldest son and heir – and to argue for its abolition.
The credit crunch – the right time for credit unions to strike?
Authors: Ryder Nicholas
Published: February 2009

The origins of the cooperative movement can be traced to the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers in 1844, from which similar institutions emerged in Central Europe, the North American continent and the rest of the world. Modern credit unions evolved from these small cooperative societies and have developed into mainstream providers of financial services in many jurisdictions. However, credit unions in the UK have not made a similar impact. There are several factors that have limited their growth – an inadequate legislative framework, an ineffective credit union regulatory system, inappropriate development models, an over-reliance on state subsidies and a disunited movement. The aim of this paper is to re-examine these factors in light of the level of political support provided by the government since 1997.
‘Were it not against our laws’: oppression and resistance in Shakespeare'sComedy of Errors
Authors: Heinze Eric
Published: February 2009

The Comedy of Errors, always loved on the stage, has long been deemed less substantial than Shakespeare's ‘mature’ works. Its references to private and public law have certainly been noted: a trial, a breached contract, a stand-off between monarchical and parliamentary powers. Yet the play's legal elements are more than historical curios within an otherwise light-hearted venture. The play is pervasively structured by an array of socio-legal dualisms: master–servant, husband–wife, native–alien, parent–child, monarch–parliament, buyer–seller. All confront fraught transitions from pre-modern to early modern forms. Those fundamentally legal relationships fuel character and action, even where no conventionally legal norm or procedure is at issue. ‘Errors’ in the play serve constantly to highlight unstable and shifting relationships of dominance and submission. Law undergoes its own transition from feudal–aristocratic to commercial forms. Through a theatrical framing device, it thereby re-emerges to remind us that those dualisms, even in their new incarnations, will remain squarely within law's ambit.
Complicity, legal scholarship and the law of unintended consequences
Authors: Taylor Richard
Published: February 2009

This paper examines, in the context of complicity as an example, how and why scholars theorise about the basis of the rules governing criminal responsibility and about the practice of the courts in imposing such responsibility and asks what sort of ‘impact’ of legal scholarship should be regarded as desirable or achievable or successful or should or can be sought. The methods and reasons of such scholars may include the habit and desire of providing explanations of the outcomes reached by the courts in particular difficult situations and may also involve developing justifications or critiques of them based on, or influenced by, theories of moral philosophy. This may also include a desire to influence future outcomes ‘in practice’ in related factual scenarios in a predictable and ‘just’ fashion consistently with the preferred theory. The paper examines whether the language in which (a contender for) a satisfactory explanation of a theory of derivative responsibility, expressed in terms inspired by George Fletcher, of complicity in wrongful even if excused conduct, can be (or has been) satisfactorily transposed into one expressed in language thought to be more amenable to the courts (such as ‘procuring an actus reus’). Case-law in this area is examined to see whether this sort of transposition does more harm than good and to what extent compromising or adapting an expression of principle in this manner may lead to unintended consequences. An alternative conclusion is also examined, which is that however carefully one formulates rules or statements of principle, unintended consequences will always or often follow and that this may not necessarily be a bad thing. Indeed, the ultimate conclusion may be that whilst having a beneficial influence on the substantive law may be a desirable impact which legal scholarship should aspire to or may be justified by, to adapt the words of John Gardner in a somewhat different context, having that impact should not be confused with trying to have that impact, since often it is the trying which is the problem (Offences and Defences (Oxford University Press, 2007) p 279).
Foraging behavior of adult female Steller sea lions during the breeding season in Southeast Alaska
Authors: Rehberg M. J. , Andrews R. D. , Swain U. G. , Calkins D. G.
Published: February 2009

Abstract

During the 1990s, the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatusSchreber) Western Alaska stock (WS) suffered steep population decline while the Eastern Alaska stock (ES) steadily increased. One bottom‐up forcing hypothesis explaining this decline predicted lactating adult female foraging behavior would be different between stocks. To investigate this effect, we monitored 11 ES females at two breeding rookeries using satellite dive recorders (SDR) during the early breeding seasons of 1992–1993, examined their behavior with respect to prey, physiological limitations, and habitat, and made limited comparisons to observations of WS female behavior reported in the literature. ES females were not operating at the extremes of ability, with most diving within the limits of aerobic metabolism, less than one‐quarter of possible foraging time during trips spent submerged and most foraging trips requiring less than one‐half the lipid store fasting ability of dependent pups. Thus, females may have some capacity to alter behavior to accommodate future changes in foraging conditions, but the extent of this plasticity is unknown. Because recent work suggests WS recovery is impeded by low natality, future studies should test differences between reproductive and non‐reproductive mature females in order to properly assess the contribution of foraging ecology to SSL population dynamics.
MRI in Degenerative Arthritides
Authors: Zhao Jian , Link Thomas M.
Published: February 2009

Owing to the potential to image not only bone but also cartilage, bone marrow, and the surrounding internal soft tissue structures, MRI is particularly useful for the assessment of degenerative arthritides. Cartilage‐sensitive MRI techniques have been shown to have a significant correlation with arthroscopic grading scores. MRI is also helpful in differentiating osteoarthritis from avascular necrosis, labral pathology, and pigmented villonodular synovitis. This chapter describes advanced imaging techniques, including driven equilibrium Fourier transform (DEFT) and steady‐state free precision (SSFP) imaging, direct MRI arthrography, and 3D‐T1rho‐relaxation mapping.
Ultrasound and Structural Changes in Inflammatory Arthritis
Authors: Backhaus Marina
Published: February 2009

Accurate assessment of disease activity and joint damage in rheumatological diseases is important for monitoring treatment efficacy and predicting the disease outcome, and such assessment requires sensitive imaging tools. Conventional radiography is insensitive to soft tissue lesions and to early erosive bone lesions. Musculoskeletal ultrasonography has become an important diagnostic technique in rheumatological diseases, as it can detect both early inflammatory soft tissue lesions (e.g., synovitis, tenosynovitis, and bursitis) and early erosive bone lesions in arthritic joint diseases. Studies show good correlation in this regard between ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. Owing to good soft tissue contrast, ultrasound enables differentiation between exudative and proliferative synovial changes and may also direct further diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and color and power Doppler ultrasonography help to differentiate active from inactive joint processes. Specifically, the use of contrast agents increases the sensitivity for the detection of a thickened, hypervascular, and inflamed joint capsule and enables better quantification of inflammatory disease by estimating ultrasound signal intensity changes. At present, contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography is of particular interest for clinical studies in monitoring the new anti‐inflammatory drugs used to treat rheumatological diseases.
Arthrocentesis and Synovial Fluid Analysis in Clinical Practice
Authors: Punzi Leonardo , Oliviero Francesca
Published: February 2009

Joint aspiration, or arthrocentesis, is one of the most useful and commonly performed procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of joint diseases. The synovial fluid aspirated may be examined to evaluate the degree of inflammation and, mainly, to detect the presence of some relevant pathogenic agents, such as crystals or microorganisms. In these cases, synovial fluid analysis still represents the best diagnostic procedure. Arthrocentesis is thus particularly required for the diagnosis and management of the acute “hot red joint,” which may be considered a true medical emergency because of the morbidity and mortality related to septic arthritis. The most recent recommendations on arthrocentesis confirm the need for the procedure in the presence of synovial effusion of unknown origin, especially if septic or crystal arthritis is suspected. Owing to the importance of this analysis, it is clearly recommended that ultrasonography should be used to facilitate arthrocentesis in difficult cases. Furthermore, ultrasonography may be useful in revealing the presence of synovial fluid before the joint aspiration and, subsequently, distinguishing some aspects characteristic of crystal‐induced arthropathies.
Ultrasound in the Inflammatory Myopathies
Authors: Weber Marc‐André
Published: February 2009

Dermato‐ or polymyositis must be diagnosed or ruled out early because early immunosuppressive therapy prevents irreversible muscle degeneration. Acute poly‐ and dermatomyositis are accompanied by normal or increased size, low echogenicity, and elevated perfusion of affected muscles, whereas in chronic poly‐ and dermatomyositis, the size and perfusion of affected muscles are reduced and echogenicity is increased. Although magnetic resonance imaging is more sensitive in detecting edema‐like muscular changes and thereby acute myositis, contrast‐enhanced ultrasound with its capability of measuring perfusion has become a useful diagnostic tool in diagnosing acute inflammation in poly‐ and dermatomyositis.
Quantifying Disease Activity and Damage by Imaging in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis
Authors: Kubassova Olga , Boesen Mikael , Peloschek Philipp , Langs Georg , Cimmino Marco A. , Bliddal Henning , Torp‐Pedersen Søren
Published: February 2009

Traditional imaging, represented by radiographs, provides a very concise description of anatomical pathology of bony structures. Both degenerative and inflammatory joint diseases are characterized by progressive joint destruction, and valid, reproducible measures of disease impact are available. Much effort has been expended to develop scoring systems for joint destruction in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and the most common internationally accepted semiobjective scores are presented. The anatomical pathology mirrors the past activity of the disease, and advanced imaging gives an impression of the actual disease processes, which subsequently lead to the damage. Such information is required to facilitate the development of efficient therapy against arthritis. Newer technology, exemplified by MRI and ultrasound Doppler, supplements images of structural change with functional data of ongoing disease activity. This chapter focuses on the possibilities for quantification of images in MRI and ultrasound, in which postcontrast enhancement and Doppler information, respectively, are of special interest for the evaluation of the inflammatory changes of arthritis. To save time and eliminate human bias, automation is mandatory. In ultrasound, semiautomatic evaluations are coming that allow for a real‐time, reproducible estimate of disease activity. With MRI fully automated algorithms have been developed for processing of data of bony structures, cartilage, and soft tissue, and are currently being implemented into everyday clinical practice.
Effect of Various Encapsulating Materials on the Stability of Probiotic Bacteria
Authors: Ding W.K. , Shah N.P.
Published: February 2009

ABSTRACT:  Ten probiotic bacteria, including Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium longum, L. salivarius, L. plantarum, L. acidophilus, L. paracasei, B. lactis type Bl‐04, B. lactis type Bi‐07, HOWARU L. rhamnosus, and HOWARU B. bifidum, were encapsulated in various coating materials, namely alginate, guar gum, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, and carrageenan gum. The various encapsulated probiotic bacteria were studied for their acid and bile tolerance. Free probiotic organisms were used as a control. The acid tolerance of probiotic organisms was tested at pH 2 over a 2‐h incubation period. Bile tolerance was tested with taurocholic acid over an 8‐h incubation period. The permeability of the capsules was also examined using a water‐soluble dye, 6‐carboxyflourescin (6‐CF). The permeability was monitored by measuring the amount of 6‐CF released from the capsules during a 2‐w storage period. Results indicated that probiotic bacteria encapsulated in alginate, xanthan gum, and carrageenan gum survived better (P < 0.05) than free probiotic bacteria, under acidic conditions. When free probiotic bacteria were exposed to taurocholic acid, viability was reduced by 6.36 log CFU/mL, whereas only 3.63, 3.27, and 4.12 log CFU/mL was lost in probiotic organisms encapsulated in alginate, xanthan gum, and carrageenan gum, respectively. All encapsulating materials tested released small amounts of 6‐CF; however, alginate and xanthan gum retained 22.1% and 18.6% more fluorescent dye than guar gum. In general, microcapsules made of alginate, xanthan gum, and carrageenan gum greatly improved the survival of probiotic bacteria when exposed to acidic conditions and bile salts.
Properties of Poly(lactide)‐Coated Paperboard for the Use of 1‐Way Paper Cup
Authors: Rhim J.‐W. , Kim J.‐H.
Published: February 2009

ABSTRACT:  Poly(lactide)‐coated paperboards were prepared by a solution coating method, and the effect of coating to improve properties of paperboard used for the manufacturing of 1‐way paper cups was tested. Surface of PLA‐coated paperboards was smooth and shiny like PE‐coated paperboard, and the coating weight and thickness increased linearly with increasing PLA concentration of coating solution. Tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (E) of the paperboard also increased after PLA coating. Water vapor barrier or water‐resistant properties tested, such as water vapor permeability (WVP), water absorptiveness (WA), and contact angle (CA) of water drop, indicated that water resistance of the paperboard was improved through surface coating with PLA. The increase in water resistance of PLA‐coated paperboards was mainly due to the hydrophobicity of PLA and the improvement of water barrier properties increased depending on the PLA concentration. In addition, PLA‐coated paperboard showed strong heat sealing property when coated with more than 1 w/v% of PLA. Wet strength of PLA‐coated (3, w/v%) paperboard was comparable to or greater than that of PE‐coated paperboard. All the test results indicated that the PLA‐coated paperboard can be exploited for the manufacturing of 1‐way paper cups as an alternative to the PE‐coated paperboard.
Rheological Characteristics and Morphology of Dialdehyde Starch/Meat Composites during Heating
Authors: Chiang P.Y. , Li J.Y. , Chen M.L.
Published: February 2009

ABSTRACT:  Dialdehyde starch (DAS) was added to pork ham batter. The effects of DAS on the meat protein gel during heating were investigated using thermal and rheological analyses. In this study, the degree of DAS oxidation was controlled by the reaction time. The DSC thermogram showed that increasing the degree of oxidation resulted in DAS having a higher gelatinization temperature and lower heat absorption. In dialdehyde starch/meat (DAS/M) composites, meat protein reduced the availability of water to starch and raised the gelatinization temperature and heat absorbed by the composites. The G′max of the composites was greater than the linear combination of their components. The rheological properties of DAS were a major factor affecting the properties of its composites. Scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy with the aid of histologic technique revealed the network and distribution of DAS and DAS/M composites. The protein matrix formed the backbone of the network and gelatinized starch was trapped in the protein structure.
Assessing in situ rates of anaerobic hydrocarbon bioremediation
Authors: Gieg Lisa M. , Alumbaugh Robert E. , Field Jennifer , Jones Jesse , Istok Jonathon D. , Suflita Joseph M.
Published: February 2009

Identifying metabolites associated with anaerobic hydrocarbon biodegradation is a reliable way to garner evidence for the intrinsic bioremediation of problem contaminants. While such metabolites have been detected at numerous sites, the in situ rates of anaerobic hydrocarbon decay remain largely unknown. Yet, realistic rate information is critical for predicting how long individual contaminants will persist and remain environmental threats. Here, single‐well push–pull tests were conducted at two fuel‐contaminated aquifers to determine the in situ biotransformation rates of a suite of hydrocarbons added as deuterated surrogates, including toluene‐d8, o‐xylene‐d10, m‐xylene‐d10, ethylbenzene‐d5 (or ‐d10), 1, 2, 4‐trimethylbenzene‐d12, 1, 3, 5‐trimethylbenzene‐d12, methylcyclohexane‐d14 and n‐hexane‐d14. The formation of deuterated fumarate addition and downstream metabolites was quantified and found to be somewhat variable among wells in each aquifer, but generally within an order of magnitude. Deuterated metabolites formed in one aquifer at rates that ranged from 3 to 50 µg l−1 day−1, while the comparable rates at another aquifer were slower and ranged from 0.03 to 15 µg l−1 day−1. An important observation was that the deuterated hydrocarbon surrogates were metabolized in situ within hours or days at both sites, in contrast to many laboratory findings suggesting that long lag periods of weeks to months before the onset of anaerobic biodegradation are typical. It seems clear that highly reduced conditions are not detrimental to the intrinsic bioremediation of fuel‐contaminated aquifers.
The construction of a whole‐cell biosensor for phosphonoacetate, based on the LysR‐like transcriptional regulator PhnR from Pseudomonas fluorescens 23F
Authors: Kulakova Anna N. , Kulakov Leonid A. , McGrath John W. , Quinn John P.
Published: February 2009

The phnA gene that encodes the carbon‐phosphorus bond cleavage enzyme phosphonoacetate hydrolase is widely distributed in the environment, suggesting that its phosphonate substrate may play a significant role in biogeochemical phosphorus cycling. Surprisingly, however, no biogenic origin for phosphonoacetate has yet been established. To facilitate the search for its natural source we have constructed a whole‐cell phosphonoacetate biosensor. The gene encoding the LysR‐type transcriptional activator PhnR, which controls expression of the phosphonoacetate degradative operon in Pseudomonas fluorescens 23F, was inserted in the broad‐host‐range promoter probe vector pPROBE‐NT, together with the promoter region of the structural genes. Cells of Escherichia coli DH5α that contained the resultant construct, pPANT3, exhibited phosphonoacetate‐dependent green fluorescent protein fluorescence in response to threshold concentrations of as little as 0.5 µM phosphonoacetate, some 100 times lower than the detection limit of currently available non‐biological analytical methods; the pPANT3 biosensor construct in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 was less sensitive, although with shorter response times. From a range of other phosphonates and phosphonoacetate analogues tested, only phosphonoacetaldehyde and arsonoacetate induced green fluorescent protein fluorescence in the E. coli DH5α (pPANT3) biosensor, although at much‐reduced sensitivities (50 µM phosphonoacetaldehyde and 500 µM arsonoacetate).
Field metabolomics and laboratory assessments of anaerobic intrinsic bioremediation of hydrocarbons at a petroleum‐contaminated site
Authors: Parisi Victoria A. , Brubaker Gaylen R. , Zenker Matthew J. , Prince Roger C. , Gieg Lisa M. , Da Silva Marcio L.B. , Alvarez Pedro J. J. , Suflita Joseph M.
Published: February 2009

Field metabolomics and laboratory assays were used to assess the in situ anaerobic attenuation of hydrocarbons in a contaminated aquifer underlying a former refinery. Benzene, ethylbenzene, 2‐methylnaphthalene, 1,2,4‐ and 1,3,5‐trimethylbenzene were targeted as contaminants of greatest regulatory concern (COC) whose intrinsic remediation has been previously reported. Metabolite profiles associated with anaerobic hydrocarbon decay revealed the microbial utilization of alkylbenzenes, including the trimethylbenzene COC, PAHs and several n‐alkanes in the contaminated portions of the aquifer. Anaerobic biodegradation experiments designed to mimic in situ conditions showed no loss of exogenously amended COC; however, a substantive rate of endogenous electron acceptor reduction was measured (55 ± 8 µM SO4 day−1). An assessment of hydrocarbon loss in laboratory experiments relative to a conserved internal marker revealed that non‐COC hydrocarbons were being metabolized. Purge and trap analysis of laboratory assays showed a substantial loss of toluene, m‐ and o‐xylene, as well as several alkanes (C6–C12). Multiple lines of evidence suggest that benzene is persistent under the prevailing site anaerobic conditions. We could find no in situ benzene intermediates (phenol or benzoate), the parent molecule proved recalcitrant in laboratory assays and low copy numbers of Desulfobacterium were found, a genus previously implicated in anaerobic benzene biodegradation. This study also showed that there was a reasonable correlation between field and laboratory findings, although with notable exception. Thus, while the intrinsic anaerobic bioremediation was clearly evident at the site, non‐COC hydrocarbons were preferentially metabolized, even though there was ample literature precedence for the biodegradation of the target molecules.