Helping or Hurting?: Understanding Women’s Perceptions of Male Allies

In the past decade, organizational scholars have begun to explore the role of allies in mitigating workplace discrimination toward women and members of minority groups. However, this nascent literature has, to this point, failed to consider the perspective of targets of ally behavior. That is, we do not yet know how targets of discrimination experience others’ intervention or advocacy. To begin to understand these issues, we examine target perceptions of allyship through a qualitative critical incident approach, asking women to describe experiences in which a man has effectively and ineffectively acted as an ally to them in the workplace. Our findings from surveying 100 women provide new insights regarding who engages in ally behaviors, what behaviors these allies enact, when and where the behaviors take place, and why participants believed their male ally engaged in this behavior

Kullback-Leibler and Renormalized Entropy: Applications to EEGs of Epilepsy Patients

Recently, renormalized entropy was proposed as a novel measure of relative entropy (P. Saparin et al., Chaos, Solitons & Fractals 4, 1907 (1994)) and applied to several physiological time sequences, including EEGs of patients with epilepsy. We show here that this measure is just a modified Kullback-Leibler (K-L) relative entropy, and it gives similar numerical results to the standard K-L entropy. The latter better distinguishes frequency contents of e.g. seizure and background EEGs than renormalized entropy. We thus propose that renormalized entropy might not be as useful as claimed by its proponents. In passing we also make some critical remarks about the implementation of these methods.Comment: 15 pages, 4 Postscript figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. E, 199

Retention of structure, antigenicity, and biological function of pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) released from polyanhydride nanoparticles

Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) is a choline-binding protein which is a virulence factor found on the surface of all Streptococcus pneumoniae strains. Vaccination with PspA has been shown to be protective against a lethal challenge with S. pneumoniae, making it a promising immunogen for use in vaccines. Herein, the design of a PspA-based subunit vaccine using polyanhydride nanoparticles as a delivery platform is described. Nanoparticles based on sebacic acid (SA), 1,6-bis-(p-carboxyphenoxy)hexane (CPH) and 1,8-bis-(p-carboxyphenoxy)-3,6- dioxaoctane (CPTEG), specifically 50:50 CPTEG:CPH and 20:80 CPH:SA, were used to encapsulate and release PspA. The protein released from the nanoparticle formulations retained its primary and secondary structure as well as its antigenicity. The released PspA was also biologically functional based on its ability to bind to apolactoferrin and prevent its bactericidal activity towards Escherichia coli. When the PspA nanoparticle formulations were administered subcutaneously to mice, the animals elicited a high titer and high avidity anti-PspA antibody response. Together, these studies provide a framework for the rational design of a vaccine against S. pneumoniae based on polyanhydride nanoparticles

The effects of environmental hypoxia on substrate utilisation during exercise : A meta-analysis

Background: A better understanding of hypoxia-induced changes in substrate utilisation can facilitate the development of nutritional strategies for mountaineers, military personnel and athletes during exposure to altitude. However, reported metabolic responses are currently divergent. As such, this systematic review and meta-analysis aims to determine the changes in substrate utilisation during exercise in hypoxia compared with normoxia and identify study characteristics responsible for the heterogeneity in findings. Methods: A total of six databases (PubMed, the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, PsychINFO, and CINAHL via EBSCOhost) were searched for published original studies, conference proceedings, abstracts, dissertations and theses. Studies were included if they evaluated respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and/or carbohydrate or fat oxidation during steady state exercise matched for relative intensities in normoxia and hypoxia (normobaric or hypobaric). A random-effects meta-analysis was performed on outcome variables. Meta-regression analysis was performed to investigate potential sources of heterogeneity. Results: In total, 18 studies were included in the meta-analysis. There was no significant change in RER during exercise matched for relative exercise intensities in hypoxia, compared with normoxia (mean difference: 0.01, 95% CI: -0.02 to 0.05; n = 31, p = 0.45). Meta-regression analysis suggests that consumption of a pre-exercise meal (p < 0.01) and a higher exercise intensity (p = 0.04) when exposed to hypoxia may increase carbohydrate oxidation compared with normoxia. Conclusions: Exposure to hypoxia did not induce a consistent change in the relative contribution of carbohydrate or fat to the total energy yield during exercise matched for relative intensities, compared with normoxia. The direction of these responses appears to be mediated by the consumption of a pre-exercise meal and exercise intensity. Key words: Altitude, exercise, substrate, carbohydrate, fat, oxidation, systematic revie

Substrate oxidation and the influence of breakfast in normobaric hypoxia and normoxia

Purpose: Reported substrate oxidation responses in hypoxia are divergent, and may be due to differences in methodological design, such as pre-exercise nutritional status and exercise intensity. This study investigated the effect of breakfast consumption versus omission on substrate oxidation at varying exercise intensities in normobaric hypoxia compared with normoxia. Methods: Twelve participants rested and exercised once after breakfast consumption and once after omission in normobaric hypoxia (4300 m: FiO2 ~11.7%) and normoxia. Exercise consisted of walking for 20-minutes at 40%, 50% and 60% of altitude-specific V̇O2max at 10-15% gradient with a 10 kg backpack. Indirect calorimetry was used to calculate carbohydrate and fat oxidation. Results: The relative contribution of carbohydrate oxidation to energy expenditure was significantly reduced in hypoxia compared with normoxia during exercise after breakfast omission at 40% (22.4 ± 17.5% vs. 38.5±15.5%, p = 0.03) and 60% V̇O2max (35.4±12.4 vs. 50.1±17.6%, p = 0.03), with a trend observed at 50% V̇O2max (23.6±17.9% vs. 38.1± 17.0%, p = 0.07). The relative contribution of carbohydrate oxidation to energy expenditure was not significantly different in hypoxia compared with normoxia during exercise after breakfast consumption at 40% (42.4±15.7% vs. 48.5±13.3%, p = 0.99), 50% (43.1±11.7% vs. 47.1±14.0%, p = 0.99) and 60% V̇O2max (54.6±17.8% vs. 55.1±15.0%, p = 0.99). Conclusions: Relative carbohydrate oxidation was significantly reduced in hypoxia compared with normoxia during exercise after breakfast omission but not during exercise after breakfast consumption. This response remained consistent with increasing exercise intensities. These findings may explain some of the disparity in the literatur

Quantum Markov Channels for Qubits

We examine stochastic maps in the context of quantum optics. Making use of the master equation, the damping basis, and the Bloch picture we calculate a non-unital, completely positive, trace-preserving map with unequal damping eigenvalues. This results in what we call the squeezed vacuum channel. A geometrical picture of the effect of stochastic noise on the set of pure state qubit density operators is provided. Finally, we study the capacity of the squeezed vacuum channel to transmit quantum information and to distribute EPR states.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figure

Betaine Treatment Attenuates Chronic Ethanol-Induced Hepatic Steatosis and Alterations to the Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Proteome

Introduction. Mitochondrial damage and disruption in oxidative phosphorylation contributes to the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver injury. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that the hepatoprotective actions of betaine against alcoholic liver injury occur at the level of the mitochondrial proteome. Methods. Male Wister rats were pair-fed control or ethanol-containing liquid diets supplemented with or without betaine (10 mg/mL) for 4-5 wks. Liver was examined for triglyceride accumulation, levels of methionine cycle metabolites, and alterations in mitochondrial proteins. Results. Chronic ethanol ingestion resulted in triglyceride accumulation which was attenuated in the ethanol plus betaine group. Blue native gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) revealed significant decreases in the content of the intact oxidative phosphorylation complexes in mitochondria from ethanol-fed animals. The alcohol-dependent loss in many of the low molecular weight oxidative phosphorylation proteins was prevented by betaine supplementation. This protection by betaine was associated with normalization of SAM : S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) ratios and the attenuation of the ethanol-induced increase in inducible nitric oxide synthase and nitric oxide generation in the liver. Discussion/Conclusion. In summary, betaine attenuates alcoholic steatosis and alterations to the oxidative phosphorylation system. Therefore, preservation of mitochondrial function may be another key molecular mechanism responsible for betaine hepatoprotection

2D-Qsar for 450 types of amino acid induction peptides with a novel substructure pair descriptor having wider scope

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) analysis of peptides is helpful for designing various types of drugs such as kinase inhibitor or antigen. Capturing various properties of peptides is essential for analyzing two-dimensional QSAR. A descriptor of peptides is an important element for capturing properties. The atom pair holographic (APH) code is designed for the description of peptides and it represents peptides as the combination of thirty-six types of key atoms and their intermediate binding between two key atoms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The substructure pair descriptor (SPAD) represents peptides as the combination of forty-nine types of key substructures and the sequence of amino acid residues between two substructures. The size of the key substructures is larger and the length of the sequence is longer than traditional descriptors. Similarity searches on C5a inhibitor data set and kinase inhibitor data set showed that order of inhibitors become three times higher by representing peptides with SPAD, respectively. Comparing scope of each descriptor shows that SPAD captures different properties from APH.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>QSAR/QSPR for peptides is helpful for designing various types of drugs such as kinase inhibitor and antigen. SPAD is a novel and powerful descriptor for various types of peptides. Accuracy of QSAR/QSPR becomes higher by describing peptides with SPAD.</p

A single day of mixed-macronutrient overfeeding does not elicit compensatory appetite or energy intake responses but exaggerates postprandial lipemia during the next day in healthy young men

Discrete episodes of overconsumption may induce a positive energy balance and impair metabolic control. However, the effects of an ecologically relevant, single day of balanced macronutrient overfeeding are unknown. Twelve healthy men (of age 22 (sd 2) years, BMI 26·1 (sd 4·2) kg/m2) completed two 28 h, single-blind experimental trials. In a counterbalanced repeated measures design, participants either consumed their calculated daily energy requirements (energy balance trial (EB): 10 755 (sd 593) kJ) or were overfed by 50 % (overfeed trial (OF): 16 132 (sd 889) kJ) under laboratory supervision. Participants returned to the laboratory the next day, after an overnight fast, to complete a mixed-meal tolerance test (MTT). Appetite was not different between trials during day 1 (P>0·211) or during the MTT in the fasted or postprandial state (P>0·507). Accordingly, plasma acylated ghrelin, total glucagon-like peptide-1 and total peptide YY concentrations did not differ between trials during the MTT (all P>0·335). Ad libitum energy intake, assessed upon completion of the MTT, did not differ between trials (EB 6081 (sd 2260) kJ; OF 6182 (sd 1960) kJ; P=0·781). Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were not different between trials (P>0·715). Fasted NEFA concentrations were lower in OF compared with EB (P=0·005), and TAG concentrations increased to a greater extent on OF than on EB during the MTT (P=0·009). The absence of compensatory changes in appetite-related variables after 1 d of mixed macronutrient overfeeding highlights the limited physiological response to defend against excess energy intake. This supports the concept that repeated discrete episodes of overconsumption may promote weight gain, while elevations in postprandial lipaemia may increase CVD risk