van Nispen Ruth MA, and Bruijning Janna E, and van Rens Ger HMB

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Demographic ageing will lead to increasing pressure on visual rehabilitation services, which need to be efficiently organised in the near future. The Dutch ICF Activity Inventory (D-AI) was developed to assess the rehabilitation needs of visually impaired persons. This pilot study tests the feasibility of the D-AI using a computer-assisted telephone interview.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In addition to the regular intake, the first version of the D-AI was assessed ...

Petrenya Natalia, and Brustad Magritt, and Cooper Marie, and Dobrodeeva Liliya, and Bichkaeva Fatima, and Lutfalieva Gulnara, and Odland Jon

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low in saturated fat were found beneficially associated with blood lipids and cardio-vascular health. Lean reindeer meet and local cold water white-fish species high in omega-3 are among the main sources of nutrients in the rural area of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (NAO) in Russia and are not normally consumed by the urban population from the same region. The aims of the study were firstly, to compare serum lipid profiles...

Sela Mordechai, and Peretz Tamar, and Sharon Anat, and Abdah-Bortnyak Roxolyana, and Billan Salem, and Kuten Michal, and Meirovitz Amichay, and Schaffer Moshe, and Barak Vivian

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this pilot study was to detect a correlation between serum cytokine levels and severity of mucositis, necessitating installation of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG) in head and neck (H&N) cancer patients receiving combined chemo-radiation therapy.</p> <p>Patients and Methods</p> <p>Fifteen patients with H&N epithelial cancer were recruited to this study. All patients received radiotherapy to the H&N region, with doses ranging fr...

Yamamoto Yuji, and Ishibashi Yasuyuki, and Tsuda Eiichi, and Tsukada Harehiko, and Maeda Shugo, and Toh Satoshi

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The latest version of the navigation system for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has the supplementary ability to assess knee stability before and after ACL reconstruction. In this study, we compared navigation data between clinical grades in ACL-deficient knees and also analyzed correlation between clinical grading and navigation data.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>150 ACL deficient knees that received primary ACL reconstruction using an image-free na...

Castro L Filipe C, and Reinhardt Richard, and Kuhl Heiner, and Wilson Jonathan M, and Neves João V, and Rodrigues Pedro NS

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The <it>SLC11A1/Nramp1 </it>and <it>SLC11A2/Nramp2 </it>genes belong to the <it>SLC11/Nramp </it>family of transmembrane divalent metal transporters, with <it>SLC11A1 </it>being associated with resistance to pathogens and <it>SLC11A2 </it>involved in intestinal iron uptake and transferrin-bound iron transport. Both members of the <it>SLC11 </it>gene family have been clearly identified in tetrapods; however <it>SLC11A1 </it>has never been documented in teleost...

Lavie B, and Nevo E

Kirigia Joses M, and George Melvill O, and d'Almeida Selassi, and Osei Daniel, and Mensah Ayayi, and Kainyu Lenity H

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Government of Ghana has been implementing various health sector reforms (e.g. user fees in public health facilities, decentralization, sector-wide approaches to donor coordination) in a bid to improve efficiency in health care. However, to date, except for the pilot study reported in this paper, no attempt has been made to make an estimate of the efficiency of hospitals and/or health centres in Ghana. The objectives of this study, based on data collected ...

Azar Rima, and Richard Annie

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We examined <it>salivary </it>C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in the context of tobacco smoke exposure (TSE) in healthy youth. We hypothesized that there would be a dose-response relationship between TSE status and salivary CRP levels.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This work is a pilot study (N = 45) for a larger investigation in which we aim to validate <it>salivary </it>CRP against serum CRP, the gold standard measurement of low-grade inflammation. Participants wer...

Ciudin Andreea, and Candell-Riera Jaume, and Hernández Cristina, and Francisco Gemma, and Aguadé-Bruix Santiago, and Simó Rafael

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Given the elevated risk of cardiovascular events and the higher prevalence of silent coronary artery disease (CAD) in diabetic versus non-diabetic patients, the need to screen asymptomatic diabetic patients for CAD assumes increasing importante. The aims of the study were to assess prospectively the prevalence and risk factor predictors of true silent myocardial ischemia (myocardial perfusion defects in the absence of both angina and ST-segment depression) in...

Joselin Joseph, and Solomon Jeeva

Objective: To investigate the bioactive components of a coastal medicinal plant, Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit. (H. suaveolens) leaves using fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Methods: The chemical compositions of the ethanol extract of whole plant of H. suaveolens was investigated using PerkinElmer GC-MS, while the mass spectra of the compounds found in the extract was matched with the National Institute of Standard and Technology librar...

蔡偉銑 Wei-Hsien Tsai

近年部分教科書、大學與企業開始正視動漫畫結合視覺藝術與文字敘事、兼顧娛樂性與知識性的特性，並嘗試以動漫畫形式來說明與認識各種複雜的議題。本文以連載超過十年的知名動漫畫《航海王》為分析對象，指出其藉由荒誕誇張的情節，暗寓脈絡一致的嚴肅性議題：對權力與政府的戒懼，對人性與理想的堅持，以及對主流歷史與正義等概念的檢視。對比傳統學術性課程的學習方式，動漫畫透過娛樂效果的包裝，或許更能適性地吸引較為缺乏人文素養背景的學生，來思索這些沉重嚴肅，但卻緊扣社會脈動的議題，顯 示動漫畫所可能蘊含的意象、故事和寓言，或許在調整傳統學術式學習方式、尋求課程與教材創新的各種嘗試中，有值得我們重視之處。 In recent years, some universities and corporations have begun incorporating animations and comics into their teaching materials, which may also include visual arts and written narratives, finding that th...

Hajnal-Jafari Timea I., and Đurić Simonida S., and Stamenov Dragana R.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of green algae Chlorella vulgaris on the initial growth of wheat, maize, bean and lettuce and the microbiological activity of rhizospheric soil. The experiment was conducted in controlled conditions. The inocula were applied as foliar fertilizer by spraying. Plant material was taken 30 days after plant emergance. Chlorella vulgaris affected positively the length (28.5% increase) and fresh mass (17.9% increase) of maize root, s...

Furumura M, and Sato N, and Kusaba N, and Takagaki K, and Nakayama J

Minao Furumura,1,2 Noriko Sato,1 Nobutaka Kusaba,3 Kinya Takagaki,3 Juichiro Nakayama11Department of Dermatology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, 2Department of Dermatology, Kurume University School of Medicine and Kurume University Institute of Cutaneous Cell Biology, Fukuoka, 3Toyo Shinyaku Co Ltd, Tosu City, Saga, JapanBackground: French maritime pine bark extract (PBE) has gained popularity as a dietary supplement in the treatment of various diseases due to its polyphenol-ric...

Ghisi D, and Fanelli A, and Jouguelet-Lacoste J, and La Colla L, and Auroux AS, and Chelly JE

Daniela Ghisi,1,3 Andrea Fanelli,1,2 Julie Jouguelet-Lacoste,1 Luca La Colla,1,4 Anne-Sophie Auroux,1,5 Jacques E Chelly1 1Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 2Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy; 3Department of Anesthesia and Postoperative Intensive Care, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy; 4Department of Anesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Therapy, Universit&agrave; degli Studi di Par...

E. Cosme, and C. Genthon, and P. Martinerie, and H. Castebrunet

The Antarctic and sub-Antarctic methanesulphonic acid (MSA) to non sea salt sulphate (nssSO₄) ratio is simulated with the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique Atmospheric General Circulation Model including an atmospheric sulphur chemistry module. Spatial variations of the MSA/nssSO₄ ratio in different regions have been suggested to be mostly dependent on temperature or sulphur source contributions. Its past variations in ice cores have been interpreted as related to the D...

S.A. Neves, and A.L.P. Freitas, and B.W.S. Souza, and M.L.A. Rocha, and M.V.O. Correia, and D.A. Sampaio, and G.S.B. Viana

The antinociceptive effects of a lectin (LEC) isolated from the marine alga Amansia multifida were determined in Swiss mice. The LEC (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg) inhibited acetic acid-induced abdominal writhings in a dose-dependent manner after intraperitoneal or oral administration. A partial but significant inhibition of writhings was observed after the combination of LEC (10 mg/kg) with avidin (1 mg/kg), a potent inhibitor of the hemmaglutinant activity of the lectin. However, total writhing inhibiti...

Helena Oťahel'ová, and Richard Hrivnák, and Milan Valachovič, and Georg A. Janauer

Klátovské rameno is the lowland slow-flowing groundwater feed eutrophic tributary of the Malý Dunaj River (Danube Plain), where our study of temporal changes of aquatic macrophytes vegetation was realised in 1999 and 2005. For survey of aquatic vascular macrophytes the Kohler’s method (Janauer 2003) was used, which is compliant with European standard EN 14184. Altogether 35 aquatic macrophyte species were recorded during the survey. Nuphar lutea persisted as the most dominant species in 1996 and...

T. Cyronak, and I. R. Santos, and D. V. Erler, and B. D. Eyre

To better predict how ocean acidification will affect coral reefs, it is important to understand how biogeochemical cycles on reefs alter carbonate chemistry over various temporal and spatial scales. This study quantifies the contribution of shallow porewater exchange (as quantified from advective chamber incubations) and fresh groundwater discharge (as traced by ²²²Rn) to total alkalinity (TA) dynamics on a fringing coral reef lagoon along the southern Pacific island of Rarotonga ove...

Paulina Soto, and Hernán Gaete, and María Eliana Hidalgo

In this work, the effect of copper and zinc on green alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata was evaluated through catalase activity, lipid peroxidation by TBARS essay, growth rate, and the chlorophyll-a concentration. Catalase activity increased significantly (P < 0.05) in comparison to the control at 0.1 mg L-1 copper and 0.075 mg L-1 zinc, whereas the damage to the cell membrane expressed as nmols/10(6)cell of malondialdehyde increased significantly (P < 0.05) at 0.025 mg L-1 copper and 0.1 mg L...

T. M. Blacic, and W. S. Holbrook

We present 3-D images of ocean fine structure from a unique industry-collected 3-D multichannel seismic dataset from the Gulf of Mexico that includes expendable bathythermograph casts for both swaths. 2-D processing reveals strong laterally continuous reflections throughout the upper ~800 m as well as a few weaker but still distinct reflections as deep as ~1100 m. We interpret the reflections to be caused by reversible fine structure from internal wave strains. Two bright reflections are traced ...

Silvi Silvia, and Barghini Paolo, and Aquilanti Arianna, and Juarez-Jimenez Belen, and Fenice Massimiliano

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Marine environments are the widest fonts of biodiversity representing a resource of both unexploited or unknown microorganisms and new substances having potential applications. Among microbial products, exopolysaccharides (EPS) have many physiological functions and practical applications. Since EPS production by many bacteria is too scarce for practical use and only few species are known for their high levels of production, the search of new high EPS producer...

Nilsen Frank, and Glover Kevin, and Skugor Stanko, and Krasnov Aleksei

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The salmon louse (SL) is an ectoparasitic caligid crustacean infecting salmonid fishes in the marine environment. SL represents one of the major challenges for farming of salmonids, and veterinary intervention is necessary to combat infection. This study addressed gene expression responses of Atlantic salmon infected with SL, which may account for its high susceptibility.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The effects of SL infection on gene expression in Atlantic salmon ...

Speck Rebecca M, and Neuman Mark D, and Bond Andrew R, and Fleisher Lee A

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) is a quality improvement initiative focused on reducing surgical complications. Reporting SCIP performance measures helps determine whether hospitals receive the full payment update from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Strategies in use by hospitals to motivate departmental participation in SCIP reporting are poorly understood.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A 12-item pilot survey exploring strategies to pro...

Mosser Jean, and Smith Jim Q, and Jesson Béline, and Bouvet Régis, and Liverani Silvia, and Monnier Annabelle, and Corellou Florence, and Bouget François-Yves

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Picoeukaryotes represent an important, yet poorly characterized component of marine phytoplankton. The recent genome availability for two species of <it>Ostreococcus </it>and <it>Micromonas </it>has led to the emergence of picophytoplankton comparative genomics. Sequencing has revealed many unexpected features about genome structure and led to several hypotheses on <it>Ostreococcus </it>biology and physiology. Despite the accumulation of genomic data, little ...

Joseph D. DiBattista, and James D. Reimer, and Michael Stat, and Giovanni D. Masucci, and Piera Biondi, and Maarten De Brauwer, and Michael Bunce

Background Effective biodiversity monitoring is fundamental in tracking changes in ecosystems as it relates to commercial, recreational, and conservation interests. Current approaches to survey coral reef ecosystems center on the use of indicator species and repeat surveying at specific sites. However, such approaches are often limited by the narrow snapshot of total marine biodiversity that they describe and are thus hindered in their ability to contribute to holistic ecosystem-based monitoring...

Tommaso Giarrizzo, and Ulrich Saint-Paul

The feeding ecology of pemecou sea catfish (Sciades herzbergii) was studied bimonthly from September 2003 to July 2004 in a macrotidal mangrove creek at Curuçá estuary, Brazil. Feeding activity and relative importance of prey groups were assessed in 528 and 226 specimens (6.2 to 36.0 cm total length), respectively, using stomach contents. A total of 1 820 specimens were caught. The fish left the creek with an average of 2.2 % of their body weight in prey. Feeding activity was lower in the dry se...

Tülay Akaylı, and Zuhal Zeybek

VC. Oliveira, and EA. Gonçalves, and RG. Alves

Riparian vegetation along streams in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil contributes to the formation of a highly heterogeneous leaf litter in streambeds. To investigate the structure and composition of the aquatic invertebrate community during the process of leaf decomposition of two plant species present along the banks of the stream studied, 21 plastic mesh bags containing 2.5g (dry weight) of leaf matter from each species (Alchornea glandulosa (Vell) and Cabralea canjerana End. and Poeppig), for a...

Mehmet Aksu

FG. Araújo, and ABI. Santos, and RJ. Albieri

Damming rivers disrupts the water flow and changes the ichthyofauna organisation. We investigated an impoundment with permanent connection and homogeneous environmental conditions between the zones above and below the dam. Temperature was comparatively higher during wet season irrespective of zone, and both zones had higher dissolved oxygen, conductivity and transparency in the dry season. A total of 1687 individuals comprising 27 species were collected in the downriver zone, while the reservoir...

María Eugenia Vega-Cendejas, and Mirella Hernandez de Santillana, and Steven Norris

Fish assemblage structure was evaluated and compared among 36 karstic pools located within protected areas of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (southern Mexico) and unprotected adjacent areas beyond the Reserve. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (MDS), indicator species analysis (ISA), and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) were used to identify which environmental factors reflected local influences and to evaluate the correlation of these variables with fish assemblages structure. Thirty-on...

Tortsev A. M.

The current state of industrial fishing in fresh-water objects at the example of the Arkhangelsk region has been considered. The analysis of granting water bioresources has been carried out, the comparison of bases for implementation of industrial fishing has been made. The changes in the mechanism of industrial fishing management based on removal of excess administrative barriers have been proposed. Рассмотрено современное состояние промышленного рыболовства в пресноводных водных объектах на пр...

J. Beecham, and J. Bruggeman, and J. Aldridge, and S. Mackinson

End-to-end modelling is a rapidly developing strategy for modelling in marine systems science and management. However, problems remain in the area of data matching and sub-model compatibility. A mechanism and novel interfacing system (<i>Couplerlib</i>) is presented whereby a physical–biogeochemical model (General Ocean Turbulence Model–European Regional Seas Ecosystem Model, GOTM–ERSEM) that predicts dynamics of the lower trophic level (LTL) organisms in marine ecosystems is coupled to a dynami...

Gustavo Adolfo Castellanos-Galindo, and Alan Giraldo, and Fernando A Zapata

A nivel mundial, la ecología de peces de charcos intermareales ha sido ampliamente investigada durante los últimos 40 años, especialmente en zonas templadas. En este trabajo, se documenta la variación espacio-temporal en corta escala de un ensamblaje de peces de charcos intermareales en el Pacífico Oriental Tropical (Isla Gorgona, Colombia), y se comparan nuestros resultados, con los resultados obtenidos durante muestreos realizados en la misma localidad en 1993. Además se realiza la primera com...

Vroom, P.S., and Tsuda, R.T., and Fisher, J.R.

The marine benthic algae from Jarvis Island and Kingman Reef were identified from collections obtained from the Whippoorwill Expedition in 1924, the Itasca Expedition in 1935, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Taney in 1938, the Smithsonian Institution’s Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program in 1964 and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2006. A total of 124 species, representing 8 Cyanobacteria (blue...

Rosana Mazzoni, and Leandro Damião Soares da Costa

The relationship between ontogenetic variation of intestine length and feeding habits of five stream-dwelling fish species from the Ubatiba River were investigated. Analysed data were based on two size categories (juveniles and adults) and two food categories (animal and vegetal). Diet composition of each size category revealed that Astyanax janeiroensis and Geophagus brasiliensis changed food preference throughout ontogeny and switched from omnivorous/carnivorous to omnivorous/herbivorous and f...

Maria de los Angeles Perez Lizama, and Ricardo Massato Takemoto, and Ana Carolina Figueiredo Lacerda, and Gilberto Cezar Pavanelli

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo o estudo de copépodes parasitos de fossas nasais de peixes da planície de inundação do alto Rio Paraná. As coletas foram realizadas em diversos pontos da planície nos meses de março, junho e setembro de 2004. Foram coletados 73 exemplares de peixes da ordem Characiformes, de quatro famílias distintas, pertencentes a cinco espécies: <em>Acestrorhynchus lacustris</em>, <em>Prochilodus lineatus</em>, <em>Schizodon borellii</em>, <em>Serrasalmus maculatus</em> ...

R. Uhrhammer, and P. McGill, and D. Neuhauser, and D. Dolenc, and D. Stakes, and B. Romanowicz, and T. Ramirez

We report on the installation of a long-term buried ocean-floor broadband seismic station (MOBB) in Monterey Bay, California (USA), 40km off-shore, at a water depth of 1000 m. The station was installed in April 2002 using a ship and ROV, in a collaborative effort between the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) and the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory (BSL). The station is located on the western side of the San Gregorio Fault, a major fault in the San Andreas plate boundary fault sy...

M Soltanian, and M pirsaheb, and A Almasi, and M Moradi, and K Sharafi, and S Soltanian

Introduction: Azo groups of dyes used widely for coloring yarn. Methylene blue is one of this group's dyes therefore with benzene rings in its structure caused the toxicity and its persistence in the environment. So that the its deficiency of proper treatment can cause the irreparable damage to the environment. One of the ways to removal these dyes from natural sources are absorbed by the absorbent. So the aim of this study is Kinetic and isotherm study of methylene blue adsorption by powdered p...

ÁLVARO T. PALMA, and F. PATRICIO OJEDA

Cheilodactylus variegatus is an abundant carnivorous demersal reef fish that lives in the shallow subtidal of the north-central Chilean coast. Characteristically, these environments are dominated by kelp forests of Lessonia trabeculata. This species preys on a great variety of benthic invertebrates, and shows particularly high consumption rates on amphipod crustaceans. In our study, two widely separated populations of C. variegatus were considered (central and northern Chile). Individuals that f...

Weatherall Mark, and Pickering Ruth M, and Shanyinde Milensu

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In the last decade several authors have reviewed the features of pilot and feasibility studies and advised on the issues that should be addressed within them. We extend this literature by examining published pilot/feasibility trials that incorporate random allocation, examining their stated objectives, results presented and conclusions drawn, and comparing drug and non-drug trials.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A search of EMBASE and MEDLINE databases for 2000 to 200...

Rickard Kristen, and Roberts Christine L, and Kotsiou George, and Morris Jonathan M

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although the connection between ascending infection and preterm birth is undisputed, research focused on finding effective treatments has been disappointing. However evidence that eradication of <it>Candida </it>in pregnancy may reduce the risk of preterm birth is emerging. We conducted a pilot study to assess the feasibility of conducting a large randomized controlled trial to determine whether treatment of asymptomatic candidiasis in early pregnancy reduces...

Horan Sheila, and Kelly Valerie, and O'Keeffe Declan, and Power Camillus K, and Blake Catherine, and Cunningham Jennifer M, and Spencer Orla, and Fullen Brona M

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Reduced sleep quality is a common complaint among patients with chronic pain, with 50-80% of patients reporting sleep disturbance. Improvements in pain and quality of life measures have been achieved using a multidisciplinary cognitive behavioural therapy pain management programme (CBT-PMP) that aims to recondition attitudes to pain, and improve patients' self-management of their condition. Despite its high prevalence in patients with chronic pain, there is v...

Neely Benjamin A, and Soper Jennifer L, and Greig Denise J, and Carlin Kevin P, and Favre Elizabeth G, and Gulland Frances MD, and Almeida Jonas S, and Janech Michael G

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There are currently no reliable markers of acute domoic acid toxicosis (DAT) for California sea lions. We investigated whether patterns of serum peptides could diagnose acute DAT. Serum peptides were analyzed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry from 107 sea lions (acute DAT n = 34; non-DAT n = 73). Artificial neural networks (ANN) were trained using MALDI-TOF data. Individual peaks and neural networks were qualified using an independent test set (n = 20).</p> <p>R...

Inoue Kana, and Maeda Norikazu, and Kashine Susumu, and Fujishima Yuya, and Kozawa Junji, and Hiuge-Shimizu Aki, and Okita Kohei, and Imagawa Akihisa, and Funahashi Tohru, and Shimomura Iichiro

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To examine the effects of liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue, on visceral fat adiposity, appetite, food preference, and biomarkers of cardiovascular system in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study subjects were 20 inpatients with type 2 diabetes treated with liraglutide [age; 61.2 ± 14.0 years, duration of diabetes; 16.9 ± 6.6 years, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c); 9.1 ± 1.2%, body mass index (BMI); 28.3 ± 5...

Tang Xian-Lai, and Bi You-Li, and Qin Xing-Mei, and Kang Wen-Long, and Hu Guo-Qing, and Luo Feng-Feng, and Ma Ge-Fei, and Li Shuang-Xi, and Hao Zhen-Yu, and Jin Ke, and Shen Pei-Hong, and Zhao Gao-Chao, and Wu Lan-Lan, and Jiang Chengjian, and Wu Bo

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Fumarase catalyzes the reversible hydration of fumarate to <smcaps>L</smcaps>-malate and is a key enzyme in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and in amino acid metabolism. Fumarase is also used for the industrial production of <smcaps>L</smcaps>-malate from the substrate fumarate. Thermostable and high-activity fumarases from organisms that inhabit extreme environments may have great potential in industry, biotechnology, and basic research. The marine enviro...

Patarnello Tomaso, and Canario Adelino VM, and Reinhardt Richard, and Vitulo Nicola, and Pellizzari Caterina, and Milan Massimo, and Ferraresso Serena, and Bargelloni Luca

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The European sea bass (<it>Dicentrarchus labrax</it>) is a marine fish of great importance for fisheries and aquaculture. Functional genomics offers the possibility to discover the molecular mechanisms underlying productive traits in farmed fish, and a step towards the application of marker assisted selection methods in this species. To this end, we report here on the development of an oligo DNA microarray for <it>D. labrax</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A datab...

Niemeier Heather M, and Raynor Hollie A, and Gorin Amy A, and Wing Rena R

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Household food availability is consistently linked to dietary intake; yet behavioral weight control treatment includes only minimal instruction on how to change the home environment to support dietary goals. This pilot study examined whether it is feasible to change the household food environments of behavioral weight loss participants through the use of a commercially available grocery home delivery service.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Overweight participants (N =...

Rousvoal Sylvie, and de Franco Pierre-Olivier, and Dittami Simon M, and Le Bail Aude, and Cock Mark J, and Tonon Thierry, and Charrier Bénédicte

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Brown algae are plant multi-cellular organisms occupying most of the world coasts and are essential actors in the constitution of ecological niches at the shoreline. <it>Ectocarpus siliculosus </it>is an emerging model for brown algal research. Its genome has been sequenced, and several tools are being developed to perform analyses at different levels of cell organization, including transcriptomic expression analyses. Several topics, including physiological r...

Daria Tomczyk, and Anna Jander, and Sławomir Chrul, and Tomasz Moszura, and Paweł Dryżek, and Wojciech Krajewski, and Ewa Głowacka, and Marcin Tkaczyk

Introduction: Contrast-induced nephropathy – acute kidney injury is an acquired kidney injury that is an important factor in short- and long-term cardiovascular complications. Contrast-induced nephropathy – acute kidney injury continues to be diagnosed based on serum creatinine level. Serum creatinine, however, is a delayed indicator of contrast-induced nephropathy, as its levels typically peak between 1 and 3 days following contrast exposure. Currently, more sensitive biomarkers of kidney i...