bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Selective changes in inhibition as determinants for limited hyperexcitability in the insular cortex of epileptic rats
Authors: Bortel Aleksandra , Longo Daniela , De Guzman Philip , Dubeau François , Biagini Giuseppe , Avoli Massimo 
Published: May 2010

AbstractThe insular cortex (IC) is involved in the generalization of epileptic discharges in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), whereas seizures originating in the IC can mimic the epileptic phenotype seen in some patients with TLE. However, few studies have addressed the changes occurring in the IC in TLE animal models. Here, we analyzed the immunohistochemical and electrophysiological properties of IC networks in non‐epileptic control and pilocarpine‐treated epileptic rats. Neurons identified with a neuron‐specific nuclear protein antibody showed similar counts in the two types of tissue but parvalbumin‐ and neuropeptide Y‐positive interneurons were significantly decreased (parvalbumin, approximately −35%; neuropeptide Y, approximately −38%; P < 0.01) in the epileptic IC. Non‐adapting neurons were seen more frequently in the epileptic IC during intracellular injection of depolarizing current pulses. In addition, single‐shock electrical stimuli elicited network‐driven epileptiform responses in 87% of epileptic and 22% of non‐epileptic control neurons (P < 0.01) but spontaneous postsynaptic potentials had similar amplitude, duration and intervals of occurrence in the two groups. Finally, pharmacologically isolated, GABAA receptor‐mediated inhibitory postsynaptic potentials had more negative reversal potential (P < 0.01) and higher peak conductance (P < 0.05) in epileptic tissue. These data reveal moderate increased network excitability in the IC of pilocarpine‐treated epileptic rats. We propose that this limited degree of hyperexcitability originates from the loss of parvalbumin‐ and neuropeptide Y‐positive interneurons that is compensated by an increased drive for GABAA receptor‐mediated inhibition.
Human Capital in Remote and Rural Australia: The Role of Graduate Migration
Authors: CORCORAN JONATHAN , FAGGIAN ALESSANDRA , MCCANN PHILIP 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACTIn this paper we examine the spatial employment patterns of Australia's university graduates in nonurban locations. Using a 2006 data set recording the employment status of 65,661 university graduates 6 months after their graduation we examine how the personal and human capital characteristics of the individual university graduate affect the type of rural location into which he or she enters for employment purposes. The importance of identifying which types of graduates work where is essential for our understanding of the forces that are currently shaping the spatial distribution of human capital across Australia's regions. In order to do this we allocate postcode‐based data of graduate employment to one of five remoteness classes, as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, that allow us to distinguish between different degrees of rurality. The postcode data are used to associate the ways in which the human capital characteristics of the graduate in terms of the types of university degrees awarded and the universities attended, as well as the personal characteristics of the graduate, are related to the degrees of rurality in his or her employment outcomes.
Rural Crime and Social Capital
Authors: DELLER STEVEN C. , DELLER MELISSA A. 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACTThis study explores rural U.S. crime patterns with a focus on social capital. We use a triangulation of three core theories of crime including social disorganization, anomie/strain, and rational choice theories to develop a formal theory and an empirical framework. The role of four unique measures of social capital is explored in understanding patterns of rural crime using nonmetropolitan U.S. county data. The empirical results generally support the theoretical predictions and conclude that rural communities that pursue economic growth and development must be prepared to address the resulting upward pressures on crime. The results on social capital and crime provide numerous policy insights for rural communities.
U.S. Commuting Networks and Economic Growth: Measurement and Implications for Spatial Policy
Authors: GOETZ STEPHAN J. , HAN YICHEOL , FINDEIS JILL L. , BRASIER KATHRYN J. 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACTLabor market areas (LMAs) have long been a staple of regional and urban analysis. As commuting patterns have expanded over time, these areas have become larger and more complex, and the dichotomous designation of a county either belonging to an LMA or not may no longer be adequate. We apply recent advances in network science to conduct a more refined analysis of U.S. commuting patterns, and examine their effects on local economic growth. Results show that network degree and entropy measures explain variations in county per capita income growth patterns. Higher in‐ and out‐commuting entropies are associated with lower per capita income growth, but their interaction enhances economic growth in places simultaneously open to both in‐ and out‐commuters. Using these results, common ground may be found for creating new forms of regional governance that better reflect local realities of cross‐county border flows of workers and economic activity.
Muscle tissue oxygenation and VEGF in VO2‐matched vibration and squatting exercise
Authors: Rittweger Jörn , Moss Andrew D. , Colier Willy , Stewart Claire , Degens Hans 
Published: May 2010

SummaryExposure to vibration has traditionally been associated with compromised perfusion. This study investigated whether blood supply during whole body vibration (WBV), as an exercise modality, is in proportion to the metabolic demand by the contracting musculature. As a secondary aim, serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were assessed. Ten young healthy males performed WBV and dynamic shallow squatting (Squat) exercise at comparable levels of oxygen uptake for 3 min. Changes in oxygenated, deoxygenated and total haemoglobin (O2Hb, HHb and tHb, respectively) along with tissue oxygenation index (TOI) were measured continuously before, during and after the exercise by near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS, Portamon, Artinis Medical Systems, Zetten, The Netherlands). Vascular endothelial growth factor‐A blood levels before and after exercise were assessed by ELISA. Oxygen uptake was comparable in Squat and WBV (11·4 and 10·7 ml kg−1 min−1), respectively, P = 0·49), as were all other cardiopulmonary variables. Near‐infrared spectroscopy data were found to be non‐stationary during and shortly after WBV, but stationary in Squat. There was an increase in O2Hb and TOI, and a decrease in HHb during the first 30 s of WBV, but no significant change was observed during Squat. No group difference was found in VEGF serum levels. These results suggest that oxygen supply during WBV is sufficient, and oxygenation is even enhanced during the first approximately 30 s. Most likely, the transient response is because of local vascular regulatory mechanisms and due to muscle contraction mechanics. This might become clinically relevant under pathological conditions, e.g. in vascular disorders.
Fast Track Land Reform Programme, tenure security and investments in soil conservation: Micro‐evidence from Mazowe District in Zimbabwe
Authors: Zikhali Precious 
Published: May 2010

AbstractThe government of Zimbabwe launched the Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) in 2000 as part of its ongoing land reform and resettlement programme which aims to address a racially skewed land distribution. Its goal has been to accelerate both land acquisition and redistribution, targeting at least five million hectares of land for resettlement. This paper investigates the impact of the FTLRP on its beneficiaries' perceptions of land tenure security, and how these subsequently impacted soil conservation investments. Evidence suggests that the programme created some tenure insecurity, which adversely affected soil conservation investments among its beneficiaries. We find support for the contention that households make land‐related investments to enhance security of tenure. The results underscore the need for the government of Zimbabwe to clarify and formalize land tenure arrangements within the programme.
Cross‐sectoral and participatory approaches to combating desertification: The Iranian experience
Authors: Amiraslani Farshad , Dragovich Deirdre 
Published: May 2010

AbstractAnti‐desertification planning in Iran operates at the national level through the Five Year Development Plans, the National Plan to Combat Desertification — a long‐running scheme for which the Forest, Rangeland and Watershed Management Organisation (FRWO) is responsible — and the recently developed National Action Programme to Combat Desertification (the NAP). The Iranian NAP was formulated following the country's ratification of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and drew heavily on the experience, expertise and collaboration of personnel in FRWO. Development and implementation of the NAP has had major policy impacts in Iran in the two main areas of generating cross‐sectoral cooperation between government instruments at the national planning level and by community participation in local projects to combat desertification. Documenting the evolution of cross‐sectoral and participatory approaches to desertification in Iran shows that the NAP provided impetus towards a transformation of previous procedures, a policy impact that is continuing to generate change.
Calculated phase equilibria for a morb composition in a P–T range, 450–650 °C and 18–28 kbar: the stability of eclogite
Authors: REBAY G. , POWELL R. , DIENER J. F. A. 
Published: May 2010

AbstractLower temperature eclogite (with T =  600 °C) represents a significant part of the occurrences of eclogite in orogenic belts. ‘True’ eclogite, with, for example, garnet + omphacite >70%, is well represented in such an occurrence. Calculated phase equilibria in Na2O–CaO–K2O–FeO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2–H2O–TiO2–O (NCKFMASHTO), for just one rock composition – that of a representative mid‐ocean ridge basalt, morb– are used to see under what circumstances ‘true’ eclogite is predicted to occur. The variables considered are not only pressure (P) and temperature (T) but also water content and oxidation state. The latter two variables are known to exert a significant control on mineral assemblage but are difficult to establish retrospectively from the observed rocks themselves. It is found that whereas oxidation state does have a strong effect on mineral assemblage, the key control on developing ‘true’ eclogite is shown to be temperature and water content. If temperature is established to be <600 °C, water content has to be low (less or much less than that for H2O saturation) in order for ‘true’ eclogite to form. Moreover, unless pressure is at the high end in the range considered, lawsonite eclogite and ‘true’ eclogite will tend to be mutually exclusive, with the former requiring high water content at the lower temperature where it occurs, but the latter requiring low water content.
Supply Chain Sourcing in Remanufacturing Operations: An Empirical Investigation of Remake Versus Buy
Authors: Martin Pinar , Guide, Jr. V. Daniel R. , Craighead Christopher W. 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACTDespite recent attention to closed‐loop supply chains and remanufacturing, there is scant information about what drives the re‐make versus buy decision for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) engaging in remanufacturing. Based on the extant remanufacturing literature and transaction cost economics, we formulated hypotheses related to the drivers of in‐house versus contracted remanufacturing operations. The hypotheses were investigated via quantitative and qualitative data, thus offering a rich test of the formulated relationships. Consistent with the theory, the quantitative results showed that intellectual property, operational assets, and remanufacturing frequency are significant drivers of the re‐make versus buy decision. However, counter to the theory, the quantitative results did not support the significance of brand reputation, technological uncertainty, condition uncertainty, product complexity, and volume uncertainty. The qualitative results were used to enrich these findings by providing theoretical extensions and pragmatic insights of the remake versus buy decision in remanufacturing.
Changes in water‐holding capacity and textural properties of chicken gizzard stored at 4°C
Authors: TOMISAKA Yoshito , AHHMED Abdulatef M. , TABATA Shoji , KAWAHARA Satoshi , MUGURUMA Michio 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACTThe water‐holding capacity (WHC), and toughness (shear force) of chicken gizzard were evaluated during postmortem storage for 4.5, 7, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h at 4°C. Degradation of the cytoskeletal proteins desmin, talin and vinculin were monitored by sodium dodecyl sulfate – polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting during the same designated storage period. The WHC of the gizzards decreased significantly from 12 h to 72 h of storage, but by 96 h the WHC was restored to the level measured after storage for 12 h. The shear force value of the gizzards increased rapidly until 12 h and then decreased until 24 h, with a further slight decrease by 48 h. Degradation products of desmin, talin and vinculin appeared at 96 h, 12 h and 48 h postmortem, respectively. The intensity of immunolabeling for desmin, talin and vinculin after storage for 96 h decreased to 51%, 25% and 52% of the initial value. The appearance of desmin degradation products was accompanied by an increase in WHC. This suggests that the postmortem degradation of desmin is involved in the increase of WHC in chicken gizzard during storage at 4°C, and talin and vinculin may be involved.
Effective Isolation of Retrotransposons and Repetitive DNA Families from the Wheat Genome
Authors: Tomita Motonori , Asao Munenori , Kuraki Aya 
Published: May 2010

Abstract New classes of repetitive DNA elements were effectively identified by isolating small fragments of the elements from the wheat genome. A wheat A genome library was constructed from Triticum monococcum by degenerate cleavage with EcoO109I, the recognition sites of which consisted of 5′‐PuGGNCCPy‐3′ multi‐sequences. Three novel repetitive sequences pTm6, pTm69 and pTm58 derived from the A genome were screened and tested for high copy number using a blotting approach. pTm6 showed identity with integrase domains of the barley Ty1‐Copia‐retrotransposon BARE‐1 and pTm58 showed similarity to the barley Ty3‐gypsy‐like retrotransposon Romani. pTm69, however, constituted a tandem array with useful genomic specificities, but did not share any identity with known repetitive elements. This study also sought to isolate wheat D‐genome‐specific repetitive elements regardless of the level of methylation, by genomic subtraction. Total genomic DNA of Aegilops tauschii was cleaved into short fragments with a methylation‐insensitive 4 bp cutter, MboI, and then common DNA sequences between Ae. tauschii and Triticum turgidum were subtracted by annealing with excess T. turgidum genomic DNA. The D genome repetitive sequence pAt1 was isolated and used to identify an additional novel repetitive sequence family from wheat bacterial artificial chromosomes with a size range of 1 395–1 850 bp. The methods successfully led pathfinding of two unique repetitive families.
Overexpression of AHL20 Negatively Regulates Defenses in Arabidopsis
Authors: Lu Haibin , Zou Yan , Feng Na 
Published: May 2010

Abstract Plants are equipped to recognize invading pathogenic microbes and activate innate immune responses by sensing pathogen‐associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). PAMP‐triggered immunity (PTI) is critical for plant resistance to potential pathogens. Although the mechanism by which PTI is activated has been intensively studied, exactly how plants prevent unregulated immune responses is less well understood. Here we provide evidence that AHL20, an AT‐hook containing DNA‐binding protein, negatively regulates PTI. Overexpression of AHL20 as a stable transgene suppressed PAMP‐induced NHO1 and FRK1 expression in Arabidopsis plants. Similarly, transient expression of the closely related family members AHL19, AHL15, and AHL27 in protoplasts also blocked PAMP‐induced gene expression. The AHL20 overexpression plants displayed greater susceptibility to virulent Pseudomonas syringae bacteria. These results indicate that AHL proteins play an important role in plant immunity.
Impact of Plasma Exchange on Pharmacokinetic Disposition of Micafungin
Authors: Konishi Hiroki , Fukushima Keizo , Saotome Takao , Hamamoto Tetsu , Eguchi Yutaka , Sudo Masatomo , Sumi Masaki , Minouchi Tokuzo , Iga Ikumi , Yamaji Akira 
Published: May 2010

AbstractChange in the pharmacokinetic disposition of an antifungal agent micafungin (MCFG) by 8‐hour plasma exchange (PE) with 3200 mL replacement was examined in a stem cell transplant recipient. On pharmacokinetic analysis of the time course of the serum concentrations of MCFG, it was determined that PE shortened the elimination half‐life of MCFG from 16.5 hours to 6.3 hours. Total clearance (CLtot) was increased from 0.366 L/h to 0.932 L/h by PE. PE‐dependent clearance (CLpe) accounted for approximately two‐thirds of CLtot, and PE was found to contribute to the removal of nearly 40% of the total body store of MCFG. It was confirmed that a significant amount of MCFG was excluded into apheresed plasma waste. In addition, adsorption of MCFG onto plasma‐separating membrane was strongly suggested, because the CLpe exceeded the rate of plasma apheresis and MCFG concentrations in apheresed plasma were lower than those in circulating blood collected at the same time. The marked elimination of MCFG during PE can be explained by its low volume of distribution and high affinity for serum proteins. Judging from these findings as well as those of other reports, MCFG can be considered one of the drugs most susceptible to removal by PE. Our findings suggest that an increment in the regular dose of MCFG would be required at the next administration after PE.
Professional supervision in dietetics: A focus group study investigating New Zealand dietitians' understanding and experience of professional supervision and their perception of its value in dietetic practice
Authors: PAULIN Vicki 
Published: May 2010

AbstractAim:  To investigate the understanding and experience of senior dietitians in regard to professional supervision, and determine their perception of its value in dietetic practice settings.Methods:  Twenty senior dietitians working in a range of settings and areas of New Zealand participated in one of four focus group interviews, which were audio‐taped and later transcribed. Data were manually grouped into common themes and a descriptive summary of the responses written with non‐attributable quotes to capture the essence of discussions.Results:  Participants indicated professional supervision was occurring but some definitional issues still existed. Workplace training, positive experiences and the introduction of reflective practice into dietetic training have increased understanding and acceptance of professional supervision. Participants believed professional supervision's main purpose was to maintain safe and competent practice. They also linked professional supervision strongly to its supportive role and to the promotion of professional development. Participants believed professional supervision discussions should be in‐depth and facilitate reflection on practice. Any topic relating to the supervisee's professional role would be appropriate. Overall, the participants saw professional supervision as valuable and necessary for all dietitians.Conclusion:  Dietitians in New Zealand believe supervision has a place in the domain of best dietetic practice. Many of the concepts found in the helping profession literature are potentially workable in dietetics. Further investigation and discussion needs to occur within the profession to clarify professional supervision's meaning and relevance as a component of dietetic practice.
Advancements in nutrition and dietetics teaching and learning: Evaluation of the student portfolio
Authors: VOLDERS Evelyn , TWEEDIE Judy , ANDERSON Amanda 
Published: May 2010

AbstractAim:  To describe the use and evaluation of a clinical teaching and learning portfolio in undergraduate nutrition and dietetics education.Method:  The results of a quantitative and qualitative questionnaire evaluation of the portfolio by students and supervisors conducted during 2008 are described.Results:  A portfolio is a valuable tool for use in clinical teaching and learning as our results show it assists in goal setting for the students, clearly identifies course requirements, facilitates regular opportunities for effective feedback and provides structured self‐directed learning activities to help students improve their knowledge of dietetic processes in the workplace setting.Conclusion:  Nutrition and dietetics educators should consider the use of a portfolio as a tool for assessing critical thinking, communication and problem‐solving skills.
Using 20‐gauge percutaneous peripheral catheters to reliably collect serial 4‐mL blood samples from conscious dogs
Authors: Elliott KF , Fleeman LM , Rand JS 
Published: May 2010

Objective To determine the reliability of collecting serial 4‐mL blood samples over 13 h using a 20‐gauge, cephalic catheter in conscious dogs.Design Prospective, observational study.Animals Twelve (6 males, 6 females) healthy, neutered, lean dogs.Procedure Percutaneous placement of a 20‐gauge, 1.1 × 30 mm intravenous over‐the‐needle catheter into the cephalic vein was performed in each dog on three occasions. Catheter patency was maintained by intermittent flushing with 0.9% saline and 1 IU/mL heparinised saline solutions. Blood samples (4 mL) were obtained at 10 time‐points over 13 h, with close monitoring of the dogs and the indwelling catheters. Blood volume, resistance on aspirating blood sample (minimal or marked resistance) and the methods used to improve blood flow were recorded.Results A high proportion (93%) of blood sample collections achieved the required 4‐mL volume, and the remaining samples were greater than 1.5 mL. Of the 358 collections via the cephalic catheter, 311 (87%) were obtained with ‘minimal resistance’. The remaining collections had ‘marked resistance’ (n=47) and were associated with a loose catheter in 11% (5/47) and of unknown cause in 89% (42/47). After ‘marked resistance’ had been encountered and the catheter was flushed with saline and heparin solutions, subsequent sampling with ‘minimal resistance’ was frequently possible from the same catheter.Conclusion Use of a percutaneous, 20‐gauge intravenous cephalic catheter allowed reliable serial collection of 4‐mL blood samples over 13 h in conscious dogs.