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First Analysis (first + analysis)
Selected AbstractsINTRA-REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT GROWTH IN LUXEMBOURG (1994,2005)GEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES B: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2010Olivier Walther ABSTRACT. The specialization of city-centres towards more advanced service activities has mostly been studied in the largest city-regions, the case of smaller urban centres being less well documented. In that context, the objective of this article is to analyse the role of sectoral and regional factors in employment growth in Luxembourg between 1994 and 2005. Using statistical data from the Luxembourg General Inspection of Social Security, this contribution distinguishes 12 categories of manufacturing industries and services according to an OECD-Eurostat knowledge-based classification. Five intra-regional areas are distinguished based on morphological and functional criteria in the Luxembourg Metropolitan Area. Using several indexes, this article first analyses the sectoral specialization and geographical concentration of employment. A model of intra-regional employment growth, initially developed by Marimon and Zilibotti and applied at the European level, is then shown to account for 40 per cent of employment growth. An estimation of the contributions of sectoral and geographical factors highlights the primacy of the latter over the former. Finally, the construction of virtual economies confirms the City's overall lower performance as compared to its close periphery. Results underscore a process of functional integration in the Luxembourg metropolitan area: as the core of the city undergoes a specialization process, the urban area benefits from a relocation of activities less sensitive to distance and transaction costs, while the periphery becomes increasingly diversified, notably in the South where traditional industrial activities are being replaced by service activities. These results suggest that the evolution pattern of employment growth in Luxembourg is very similar to that of some larger metropolitan centres, owing to its exceptional financial service activities. [source] Habitat differentiation vs. isolation-by-distance: the genetic population structure of Elymus athericus in European salt marshesMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2003A.-C. Bockelmann Abstract We investigated genetic differentiation among populations of the clonal grass Elymus athericus, a common salt-marsh species occurring along the Wadden Sea coast of Europe. While E. athericus traditionally occurs in the high salt marsh, it recently also invaded lower parts of the marsh. In one of the first analyses of the genetic population structure in salt-marsh species, we were interested in population differentiation through isolation-by-distance, and among strongly divergent habitats (low and high marsh) in this wind- and water-dispersed species. High and low marsh habitats were sampled at six sites throughout the Wadden Sea. Based on reciprocal transplantation experiments conducted earlier revealing lower survival of foreign genotypes we predicted reduced gene flow among habitats. Accordingly, an analysis with polymorphic cross-species microsatellite primers revealed significant genetic differentiation between high and low marsh habitats already on a very small scale (< 100 m), while isolation-by-distance was present only on larger scales (60,443 km). In an analysis of molecular variance we found that 14% of the genetic variance could be explained by the differentiation between habitats, as compared to only 8.9% to geographical (isolation-by-distance) effects among six sites 2.5,443 km distant from each other. This suggests that markedly different selection regimes between these habitats, in particular intraspecific competition and herbivory, result in habitat adaptation and restricted gene flow over distances as small as 80 m. Hence, the genetic population structure of plant species can only be understood when considering geographical and selection-mediated restrictions to gene flow simultaneously. [source] A versatile software tool for the numerical simulation of fluid flow and heat transfer in simple geometriesCOMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION, Issue 1 2010A. M. G. Lopes Abstract The present work describes a software tool aimed at the simulation of fluid flow and heat transfer for two-dimensional problems in a structured Cartesian grid. The software deals with laminar and turbulent situations in steady-state or transient regime. An overview is given on the theoretical principles and on the utilization of the program. Results for some test cases are presented and compared with benchmarking solutions. Although EasyCFD is mainly oriented for educational purposes, it may be a valuable tool for a first analysis of practical situations. EasyCFD is available at www.easycfd.net. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 18: 14,27, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com); DOI 10.1002/cae.20230 [source] Changes in serum leptin concentrations in overweight Japanese men after exerciseDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 5 2004N. Miyatake Aim:, To investigate the link between serum leptin concentrations and exercise. Design:, Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of an exercise intervention. Subjects:, 110 Japanese overweight men aged 32,59 years were recruited. At baseline, the average body mass index (BMI) was 28.5 ± 2.5 kg/m2. From this group, we used data of 36 overweight men (BMI, 28.9 ± 2.3) for a 1-year exercise programme. Measurements:, Leptin was measured at baseline and after 1 year. Fat distribution was evaluated by visceral fat (V) and subcutaneous fat (S) areas measured with computed tomography (CT) scanning at umbilical levels. Anthropometric parameters, aerobic exercise level, muscle strength and flexibility were also investigated at baseline and after 1 year. Results:, In the first analysis, using cross-sectional data, leptin was significantly correlated with total body fat (r = 0.760, p < 0.01), V (r = 0.383, p < 0.01) and S (r = 0.617, p < 0.01) areas. In the second analysis, using longitudinal data, leptin was significantly reduced after 1 year (pre 6.7 ± 4.0 ng/ml vs. post 5.1 ± 3.1 ng/ml, p < 0.01). Results showed that steps per day were increased, and aerobic exercise level, weight-bearing index (WBI) and insulin resistance were significantly improved. Although, there was a positive correlation between , leptin(positive changes in leptin after 1 year) and anthropometric measurements such as , body weight, , BMI and , body fat, leptin/body weight, leptin/BMI and leptin/body fat ratios were significantly reduced during exercise intervention. Conclusion:, The present study indicated exercise significantly lowers serum leptin concentrations, and thus it may improve the leptin resistance observed in overweight Japanese men. [source] Fabry disease: overall effects of agalsidase alfa treatmentEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, Issue 12 2004M. Beck Abstract Background, Fabry disease is a rare X-linked disorder caused by deficient activity of the lysosomal enzyme ,-galactosidase A. Progressive accumulation of the substrate globotriaosylceramide in cells throughout the body leads to major organ failure and premature death. The Fabry Outcome Survey (FOS) is a European outcomes database which was established to collect data on the natural history of this little-known disease and to monitor the long-term efficacy and safety of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with agalsidase alfa. This paper presents the first analysis of the FOS database on the effects of ERT on renal function, heart size, pain and quality of life. Design, The effects of 1 and 2 years of ERT with agalsidase alfa on renal function (assessed by estimated glomerular filtration rate), heart size (assessed by echocardiography), pain (assessed by the Brief Pain Inventory) and quality of life (assessed by the European Quality of Life Questionnaire EQ-5D) were analyzed in a cohort of 545 patients, 314 of whom were receiving treatment (188 for at least 12 months and 92 for at least 24 months; mean duration of treatment, 17 months; maximum duration, 56 months). Results, Treatment with agalsidase alfa stabilized renal function in patients with a mild or moderate deterioration in renal function at baseline, reduced left ventricular size in patients who had an enlarged heart at baseline, and improved pain scores and quality of life. These improvements were similar in hemizygous men and heterozygous women with Fabry disease. Conclusions, Enzyme replacement therapy with agalsidase alfa leads to significant clinical benefits in patients with Fabry disease, and treatment is likely to alter the natural history of this disorder. [source] Granzyme A expression reveals distinct cytolytic CTL subsets following influenza A virus infectionEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Jessica M. Moffat Abstract CTL mediate anti-viral immunity via targeted exocytosis of cytolytic granules containing perforin and members of the granzyme (grz) serine protease family. Here, we provide the first analysis of grzA protein expression by murine anti-viral CTL. During the progression of influenza A virus infection, CTL expressed two divergent cytolytic phenotypes: grzA,B+ and grzA+B+. CTL lacked grzA expression during the initial rounds of antigen-driven division. High levels of grzA were expressed by influenza-specific CTL early post infection (day 6), particularly in tissues associated with the infected respiratory tract (bronchoalveolar lavage, lung). Following resolution of influenza infection, a small population of memory CTL expressed grzA. Interestingly, individual influenza A virus-derived epitope-specific CTL expressed different levels of grzA. The grzA expression hierarchy was determined to be KbPB1703=DbF262=KbNS2114>DbNP366=DbPA224 and inversely correlated with CTL magnitude. Therefore following influenza infection, a CTL cytolytic hierarchy was established relating to the different profiles of antigen expression and relative immunodominance. Analysis of CTL grzA expression during influenza virus immunity has enabled a more detailed insight into the cytolytic mechanisms of virus elimination. [source] Spatial and temporal 850 hPa air temperature and sea-surface temperature covariances in the Mediterranean region and their connection to atmospheric circulationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2002C. J. Lolis Abstract The spatial and temporal covariability between the lower troposphere and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are studied in the Mediterranean basin for the period 1958,98. Monthly air temperature anomalies for the 850 hPa pressure level (T-850hPa) at 2.5° × 2.5° grid points and SST anomalies in 5° × 5° grid boxes are utilized. As a first step, factor analysis is applied on both sets of data in order to reduce their dimensionality. Then, canonical correlation analysis is applied and this leads to one statistically significant pair of canonical variates for winter and to two pairs for summer. In winter, a teleconnection (see-saw) between western Europe and the eastern Mediterranean at the 850 hPa level is revealed, and a corresponding weaker one between the areas of central-west and eastern Mediterranean for SST. The correlation between T-850hPa and SST appears higher over the eastern Mediterranean. In summer, the first pair of canonical variates reveals a covariability between T-850hPa and SST in the western Mediterranean, and the second one shows a covariability in the eastern Mediterranean, without the existence of any strong spatial teleconnection. The analysis is repeated, using time lags of 1 month, or longer, in order to detect any possible non-synchronous relation. Statistically significant results are found only when T-850hPa leads SST with a time lag of 1 month. In particular, the results are statistically significant for winter only, and the findings are similar to those of the first analysis. Therefore, the existence of a 1 month time scale SST persistence is detected for winter months. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society. [source] Skin cancer trends in northern JordanINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Abdel K. Omari MD Background, The Jordan Cancer Registry was established in 1996, since which time all cases of cancer have been reported and registered. We have used this registry to perform the first analysis of skin cancer in northern Jordan and to compare our findings with those of published reports from other regions. Methods, All histopathologically proven cases of skin cancer, reported during the years 1997 through 2001, were reviewed. Information regarding tumor type, age, gender, and anatomical location was collected. Results, A total of 272 cases of malignant skin tumors were diagnosed between the years 1997 and 2001. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) was the commonest type, representing 52.9% of all skin cancers. Females were more frequently affected than males, with age-adjusted incidence rates of 23.3 and 19.7 per 100,000 of population, respectively. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) comprised 26.4% of the total, its age-adjusted incidence rate per 100,000 of population being 14.2 for males and 6.18 for females. the incidence rate increased in males and decreased in females during the study period. The incidence of both BCC and SCC increased with age. The head and neck region was the commonest site affected by both types of cancer. Malignant melanoma (MM) comprised 11.39% of all skin cancer cases, with a female to male ratio of 1.2 : 1. The median age at onset for female patients was 49 years while that for males was 70 years, and the commonest site affected was the lower limbs, followed by the trunk. Conclusions, In Jordan, sun-related skin cancers have relatively low incidences and a rather stable pattern, compared with other areas with similar climate and skin phenotypes. [source] Hand development and sequence of ossification in the forelimb of the European shrew Crocidura russula (Soricidae) and comparisons across therian mammalsJOURNAL OF ANATOMY, Issue 2 2004Jan Prochel Abstract Hand development in the European shrew Crocidura russula is described, based on the examination of a cleared and double-stained ontogenetic series and histological sections of a c. 20-day-old embryo and a neonate. In the embryo all carpal elements are still mesenchymal condensations, and there are three more elements than in the adult stage: the ,lunatum', which fuses with the scaphoid around birth; a centrale, which either fuses with another carpal element or just disappears later in ontogeny; and the anlage of an element that later fuses with the radius. Carpal arrangement in the neonate and the adult is the same. In order to compare the relative timing of the onset of ossification in forelimb bones in C. russula with that of other therians, we built up two matrices of events based on two sets of data and used the event-pair method. In the first analysis, ossification of forelimb elements in general was examined, including that of the humerus, radius, ulna, the first carpal and metacarpal to ossify, and the phalanges of the third digit. The second analysis included each carpal, humerus, radius, ulna, the first metacarpal and the first phalanx to ossify. Some characters (= event,pairs) provide synapomorphies for some clades examined. There have been some shifts in the timing of ossification apparently not caused by ecological and/or environmental influences. In two species (Oryctolagus and Myotis), there is a tendency to start the ossification of the carpals relatively earlier than in all other species examined, the sauropsid outgroups included. [source] EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT MACERATION TIMES AND PECTOLYTIC ENZYME ADDITION ON THE ANTHOCYANIN COMPOSITION OF VITIS VINIFERA CV. KALECIK KARASI WINESJOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION, Issue 3 2009HASIM KELEBEK ABSTRACT Kalecik karasi is an important red grape cultivar for winemaking in Turkey. The effect of three different maceration times (3, 6 and 12 days) and addition of pectolytic enzyme (2 and 4 g/hL) on the anthocyanin and chemical composition of Kalecik karasi wines were studied. High performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry coupled with diode array detection was used for analysis. Fourteen anthocyanin compounds were detected in wines. Major anthocyanins in all wines are malvidin-3-glucoside and its acylated esters. The results showed that increasing maceration time, especially with addition of enzymes, gives significant increases in anthocyanin contents. Moreover, the wines treated with enzymes had higher values in total phenolics, tannins, and color intensity than the control wines. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Anthocyanins are the most important polyphenols in red grapes and red wines with potential health benefits. Therefore, the first analysis of the anthocyanins contents of wine obtained from important turkish cv. Kalecik karasi using liquid-chromatography-mass spectrometry and the influence of different maceration times and addition of pectolytic enzyme on these important phenolic compounds are of interest for scientific literature, the wine industry as well as for the wine consumer. [source] Missing persons in the study of groupsJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 1 2005Thomas A. Timmerman This research examined relationships between team-level variables with various patterns of individual non-response. In the first analysis, professional basketball teams (n,=,389) were used to study the relationship between team cooperation and team performance. In the second analysis, the same teams were used to study the relationship between team experience and team performance. In the third analysis, professional baseball teams (n,=,1984) were used to study the relationship between team experience and team performance. Individuals were deleted from the complete data sets to simulate three different types of non-response that might be encountered in organizational group or team research. In all three analyses, team-level relationships were attenuated as individual members were deleted randomly. Team-level relationships were also generally reduced as individuals were deleted as a function of their level of participation with the team. The overall amount of variance explained, however, showed a pronounced curvilinear effect. Namely, in all three analyses, the variance explained in team performance peaked when 30,40,per,cent of the low-participation members were deleted. Finally, in the first analysis, relationships were also attenuated as the least cooperative members were deleted from the data set. The results demonstrate the need for researchers to understand the diverse effects of various types of non-response in team and group research. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Smoking delays chondrogenesis in a mouse model of closed tibial fracture healingJOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 12 2006Hossam B. El-Zawawy Abstract Smoking delays the healing process and increases morbidity associated with many common musculoskeletal disorders, including long bone fracture. In the current study, a murine model of tibial fracture healing was used to test the hypothesis that smoking delays chondrogenesis after fracture. Mice were divided into two groups, a nonsmoking control group and a group exposed to cigarette smoke for 1 month prior to surgical tibial fracture. Mice were euthanized at 7, 14, and 28 days after surgery. The outcomes measured were immunohistochemical staining for type II collagen protein expression as a marker of cartilage matrix and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining to measure proliferation at the site of injury. Toluidine blue staining and histomorphometry were used to quantify areas of cartilaginous and noncartilaginous fracture callus. Radiographs were analyzed for evidence of remodeling after injury. At day 7 after injury, mice exposed to cigarette smoke had a smaller fracture callus with less cartilage matrix compared to controls. Proliferation was present at high levels in both groups at this time point, but proliferating cells had a more immature morphology in the smoking group. At day 14, chondrogenesis was more active in smokers compared to controls, while a higher percentage of bone was present in the control animals. At day 28, X-ray analysis revealed a larger fracture callus remaining in the smoking animals. Together, these findings show that the chondrogenic phase of tibial fracture healing is delayed by smoking. This study represents, to our knowledge, the first analysis of molecular and cellular mechanisms of healing in a smoking mouse fracture model. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res [source] Assessment of the performances of first- and second-order time-domain ABC's for the truncation of finite element gridsMICROWAVE AND OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 1 2003Salvatore Caorsi Abstract In this paper we investigate the performances of first- and second-order time-domain absorbing boundary conditions (ABCs) when introduced in a finite-element algorithm to solve electromagnetic scattering problems. Attention is focused on the analysis of the ABC's absorbing characteristics when different geometries are considered for the truncation of the computational domain. Numerical results will be given by considering, as a first analysis, two-dimensional scattering problems. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 38: 11,16, 2003 [source] Investigating lipoprotein biogenesis and function in the model Gram-positive bacterium Streptomyces coelicolorMOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Benjamin J. Thompson Summary Lipoproteins are a distinct class of bacterial membrane proteins that are translocated across the cytoplasmic membrane primarily by the Sec general secretory pathway and then lipidated on a conserved cysteine by the enzyme lipoprotein diacylglycerol transferase (Lgt). The signal peptide is cleaved by lipoprotein signal peptidase (Lsp) to leave the lipid-modified cysteine at the N-terminus of the mature lipoprotein. In all Gram-positive bacteria tested to date this pathway is non-essential and the lipid attaches the protein to the outer leaflet of the cytoplasmic membrane. Here we identify lipoproteins in the model Gram-positive bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor using bioinformatics coupled with proteomic and downstream analysis. We report that Streptomyces species translocate large numbers of lipoproteins out via the Tat (twin arginine translocase) pathway and we present evidence that lipoprotein biogenesis might be an essential pathway in S. coelicolor. This is the first analysis of lipoproteins and lipoprotein biogenesis in Streptomyces and provides the first evidence that lipoprotein biogenesis could be essential in a Gram-positive bacterium. This report also provides the first experimental evidence that Tat plays a major role in the translocation of lipoproteins in a specific bacterium. [source] A Four-Year Perspective of Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Tests: An Online Testing Tool for Medical StudentsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 2009Emily L. Senecal MD Abstract Nationwide survey findings that most U.S. emergency medicine clerkship directors were interested in participating in a methodologically rigorous student testing program prompted the development of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Medical Student Online Testing Service (SAEM Tests). This article describes the development of SAEM Tests and details usage and progress since the on-line release in June 2005. Specifically, we review the construction of SAEM Tests and present validity and difficulty statistics obtained at the first analysis of test performance 6 months after its release and again 12 months later after revisions aimed at enhancing test performance. We then review the current status of SAEM Tests and summarize future goals and directions. [source] The 2001 Giessen Cohort Study on patients with prostatitis syndrome , an evaluation of inflammatory status and search for microorganisms 10 years after a first analysisANDROLOGIA, Issue 5 2003H. Schneider Summary. During the last years tremendous changes have occurred in the epidemiologic knowledge and the diagnostic process of the prostatitis syndrome. A new worldwide-accepted classification system has become the gold standard in contemporary literature. The aim of this study was to compare the inflammatory and infectious status of men with prostatitis syndrome with results from our study cohort from 1992. A total of 168 symptomatic men (mean age 43.2 years; range 18,79) attending the Giessen prostatitis outpatient department were included. All men underwent a standard four-glass-test including leucocyte analysis in all specimens. A routine search for Ureaplasma urealyticum and Chlamydia trachomatis was performed. Ejaculate analysis following World Health Organization (WHO) criteria has been performed including the evaluation of increased number of peroxidase-positive leucocytes (PPL). Men were classified according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) prostatitis classification. The distribution of patients according to NIH criteria is as follows: NIH II (4.2%), NIH IIIA (31.5%), NIH IIIB (50.0%) and urethroprostatitis (14.3%). Chlamydial infection was present in one man (0.6%). Only two men with increased leucocytes in prostatic secretions demonstrated , 106 million mF1 PPL in semen. As compared with our cohort study 10 years ago, the proportion of the different subtypes of the prostatitis syndrome have remained stable. The aetiological spectrum of chronic bacterial prostatitis has not changed whereas, in contrast, the prevalence of C. trachomatis now is found to be strikingly reduced. Using the WHO cutpoints for leucocytospermia the inclusion of seminal leucocytes to the diagnostic process has not influenced the distribution between inflammatory (type NIH IIIA) and noninflammatory (type NIH IIIB) chronic pelvic pain syndrome. [source] An extracellular matrix glues together the aerial-grown hyphae of Aspergillus fumigatusCELLULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2007Anne Beauvais Summary Pulmonary infections due to Aspergillus fumigatus result from the development of a colony of tightly associated hyphae in contact with the air, either in the alveoli (invasive aspergillosis) or in an existing cavity (aspergilloma). The fungal ball observed in vivo resembles an aerial colony obtained in agar medium in vitro more than a mycelial mass obtained in liquid shaken conditions that have been classically used to date to study A. fumigatus physiology. For this reason, we embarked on an analysis of the characteristics of A. fumigatus colonies grown in aerial static conditions. (i) Under static aerial conditions, mycelial growth is greater than in shaken, submerged conditions. (ii) The colony surface of A. fumigatus revealed the presence of an extracellular hydrophobic matrix that acts as a cohesive linkage bonding hyphae into a contiguous sheath. (iii) The extracellular matrix is composed of galactomannan, ,1,3 glucans, monosaccharides and polyols, melanin and proteins including major antigens and hydrophobins. (iv) A. fumigatus colonies were more resistant to polyenes than shake, submerged mycelium. This is the first analysis of the three dimensional structure of a mycelial colony. Knowledge of this multicellular organization will impact our future understanding of the pathobiology of aerial mold pathogens. [source] | ||||||||||||||||