Elevated dietary sodium intake exacerbates myocardial hypertrophy associated with cardiac-specific overproduction of angiotensin II

Introduction/hypothesis
Cardiac hypertrophy is an independent risk factor predictive of cardiovascular disease and is significantly associated with morbidity and mortality. The mechanism by which angiotensin II (Ang II) and dietary sodium exert additive effects on the development of cardiac hypertrophy is unclear. The goal of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that, where there is a genetic predisposition to Ang II-dependent hypertrophy, there is also an increased susceptibility to sodium-induced hypertrophy mediated by AT₁-receptor expression.

Methods
Diets of low sodium (LS, 0.3% w:w) and high sodium (HS, 4.0% w:w) content were fed to adult (age 25 weeks) control wild-type mice (WT) and to weeks) control wild-type mice (WT) and to transgenic mice exhibiting cardiac specific overexpression of angiotensinogen (TG). At the conclusion of a 40-day dietary treatment period, cardiac tissue weights were compared and the relative expression levels of Ang II receptor subtypes (AT_1A and AT₂) were evaluated using RT-PCR.

Results
WT and TG mice fed HS and LS diets maintained comparable weight gains during the treatment period. The normalised heart weights of TG mice were elevated compared to WT, and the extent of the increase was greater for mice maintained on the HS diet treatments (WT 12% vs. TG 41% increase in cardiac weight index). While a similar pattern of growth was observed for ventricular tissues, the atrial weight parameters demonstrated an additional significant effect of dietary sodium intake on tissue weight, independent of animal genetic type. No differences in the relative (GAPDH normalised) expression levels of AT_1A- and AT₂-receptor mRNA were observed between diet or animal genetic groups.

Conclusion
This study demonstrates that, where there is a pre-existing genetic condition of Ang II-dependent cardiac hypertrophy, the pro-growth effect of elevated dietary sodium intake is selectively augmented. In TG and WT mice, this effect was evident with a relatively short dietary treatment intervention (40 days). Evaluation of the levels of Ang II receptor mRNA further demonstrated that this differential growth response was not associated with an altered relative expression of either AT_1A- or AT₂-receptor subtypes. The cellular mechanistic bases for this specific Ang II-dietary sodium interaction remain to be elucidated.

Investigation into and control of microwave induced thermal run-away

Analyses the mechanisms that cause thermal run-away in some materials. A control strategy was devised to provide effective temperature control independent of material characteristics. The set of control criteria derived from mathematical models allowed the control limits of a microwave processing system to calculated.

Role of primary / secondary control in positive psychological adjustment

Challenges previous theory regarding the relationship between control and positive psychological health by finding a much greater role for control over peoples' internal emotions in positive psychological adjustment than was previously theorised. Presents a new tool for the measurement of control that realises the adaptive value of control over both the person's external environment and their internal psychological processes.

Characterisation of monotreme caseins reveals lineage-specific expansion of an ancestral casein locus in mammals

Using a milk-cell cDNA sequencing approach we characterised milk-protein sequences from two monotreme species, platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) and echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) and found a full set of caseins and casein variants. The genomic organisation of the platypus casein locus is compared with other mammalian genomes, including the marsupial opossum and several eutherians. Physical linkage of casein genes has been seen in the casein loci of all mammalian genomes examined and we confirm that this is also observed in platypus. However, we show that a recent duplication of β-casein occurred in the monotreme lineage, as opposed to more ancient duplications of α-casein in the eutherian lineage, while marsupials possess only single copies of α- and β-caseins. Despite this variability, the close proximity of the main α- and β-casein genes in an inverted tail-tail orientation and the relative orientation of the more distant kappa-casein genes are similar in all mammalian genome sequences so far available. Overall, the conservation of the genomic organisation of the caseins indicates the early, pre-monotreme development of the fundamental role of caseins during lactation. In contrast, the lineage-specific gene duplications that have occurred within the casein locus of monotremes and eutherians but not marsupials, which may have lost part of the ancestral casein locus, emphasises the independent selection on milk provision strategies to the young, most likely linked to different developmental strategies. The monotremes therefore provide insight into the ancestral drivers for lactation and how these have adapted in different lineages.

Urban–rural comparison of weight status among women and children living in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods

Objective: To compare the weight status of women and children living in socioeconomically disadvantaged rural and urban neighbourhoods in Victoria.

Design, setting and participants: Cross-sectional study of data collected between August 2007 and July 2008 as part of the Resilience for Eating and Activity Despite Inequality (READI) study. Women aged 18–45 years living in 40 rural and 40 urban socioeconomically disadvantaged Victorian areas were surveyed by postal questionnaire. Data from a subset of their children aged 5–12 years were also analysed. Weight and height were self-reported for women and measured for children.

Main outcome measures: Women’s weight status based on body mass index (BMI): underweight; healthy; overweight; or obese Class I, II or III; children’s weight status based on International Obesity Taskforce BMI cut-off points.

Results: Of 11 940 women randomly selected, 4934 (41%) replied to a postal invitation to participate. After exclusions for various reasons, data were available on 3879 women and 636 of their children. Twenty-four per cent of urban and 26% of rural women were classified as overweight; a further 19% of urban and 23% of rural women were classified as obese. Twenty per cent of both urban and rural children were classified as overweight; a further 10% of urban and rural children were classified as obese. In crude analyses, rural women had higher odds of Class I and II obesity (odds ratio [OR], 1.34 and 1.72, respectively) compared with urban women. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors (age, number of children, country of birth, education level, employment status and marital status), there was no difference between urban and rural women in odds of overweight or obesity Class I, II or III. No significant urban–rural difference in odds of overweight/obesity was evident among children.

Conclusions: The higher prevalence of obesity in rural women compared with urban women was largely explained by individual-level sociodemographic factors, such as age, number of children, country of birth, education level, employment status and marital status. This suggests that higher obesity levels among women in rural areas may be attributable to the sociodemographic composition of these areas.

Management control systems use, organisational capabilities and performance in universities: application of the resource-based view

Invoking the resource-based view (RBV), this study investigates relationships between management control systems (MCSs) use, including information use from performance measurement systems (PMSs), and organisational capabilities in the context of academic units of Australian universities. Increased competition and attention to distinctive capabilities amongst universities, particularly at their strategic operating unit level of Schools 1, provides the setting for application of this theoretic perspective. The objective of this study is to model various relationships between diagnostic and interactive use of MCSs, attention given to centrally-imposed and discretionary types of PMS information, the strength of capabilities of the academic unit and, in turn, performance of the academic units. This objective is investigated using a field survey in which a mail survey instrument is administered to a census of all Heads of Schools in all 39 universities in Australia. Valid responses were received from 166 Heads. Principal components factor analysis finds that Heads conceived capabilities of their unit in functional dimensions, not in generic dimensions as found in prior literature; Heads also considered performance measures in terms of their importance (critical or discretionary) rather than type (financial versus non-financial). Partial least-squares analysis is then used for path modelling, and several significant results are obtained. Highlights are that diagnostic MCS use and centrally-imposed performance measures, i.e., key performance indicators, but not interactive MCS use or discretionary performance measures, significantly relate to some or all of the strength of capabilities in the fields of teaching, research and networking, and in turn indirectly relate to performance of the academic units. The findings have practical implications for styles of control systems use; focus on selected key performance measures; and development of organisational capabilities for achievement of superior performance by academic schools in universities.

More than mere numbers: the impact of lethal control on the social stability of a top-order predator

Population control of socially complex species may have profound ecological implications that remain largely invisible if only their abundance is considered. Here we discuss the effects of control on a socially complex top-order predator, the dingo (Canis lupus dingo). Since European occupation of Australia, dingoes have been controlled over much of the continent. Our aim was to investigate the effects of control on their abundance and social stability. We hypothesized that dingo abundance and social stability are not linearly related, and proposed a theoretical model in which dingo populations may fluctuate between three main states: (A) below carrying capacity and socially fractured, (B) above carrying capacity and socially fractured, or (C) at carrying capacity and socially stable. We predicted that lethal control would drive dingoes into the unstable states A or B, and that relaxation of control would allow recovery towards C. We tested our predictions by surveying relative abundance (track density) and indicators of social stability (scent-marking and howling) at seven sites in the arid zone subject to differing degrees of control. We also monitored changes in dingo abundance and social stability following relaxation and intensification of control. Sites where dingoes had been controlled within the previous two years were characterized by low scent-marking activity, but abundance was similar at sites with and without control. Signs of social stability steadily increased the longer an area was allowed to recover from control, but change in abundance did not follow a consistent path. Comparison of abundance and stability among all sites and years demonstrated that control severely fractures social groups, but that the effect of control on abundance was neither consistent nor predictable. Management decisions involving large social predators must therefore consider social stability to ensure their conservation and ecological functioning.

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition lowers body weight and improves glucose tolerance in C57BL/6J mice maintained on a high fat diet

The renin–angiotensin system (RAS) is functional within adipose tissue and angiotensin II, the active component of RAS, has been implicated in adipose tissue hypertrophy and insulin resistance. In this study, captopril, an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor that prevents angiotensin II formation, was used to study the development of diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in obesity prone C57BL/6J mice. The mice were fed a high fat diet (w/w 21% fat) and allowed access to either water or water with captopril added (0.2 mg/ml). Body weight was recorded weekly and water and food intake daily. Glucose tolerance was determined after 11–12 weeks. On completion of the study (after 16 weeks of treatment), the mice were killed and kidney, liver, epididymal fat and extensor digitorum longus muscle (EDL) were weighed. Blood samples were collected and plasma analysed for metabolites and hormones. Captopril treatment decreased body weight in the first 2 weeks of treatment. Food intake of captopril-treated mice was similar to control mice prior to weight loss and was decreased after weight loss. Glucose tolerance was improved in captopril-treated mice. Captopril-treated mice had less epididymal fat than control mice. Relative to body weight, captopril-treated mice had increased EDL weight. Relative to control mice, mice administered captopril had a higher plasma concentration of adiponectin and lower concentrations of leptin and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). The results indicate that captopril both induced weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity. Thus, captopril may eventually be used for the treatment of obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

Stage of perinatal development regulates skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and myogenic regulatory factor genes with little impact of growth restriction or cross-fostering

Foetal growth restriction impairs skeletal muscle development and adult muscle mitochondrial biogenesis. We hypothesized that key genes involved in muscle development and mitochondrial biogenesis would be altered following uteroplacental insufficiency in rat pups, and improving postnatal nutrition by cross-fostering would ameliorate these deficits. Bilateral uterine vessel ligation (Restricted) or sham (Control) surgery was performed on day 18 of gestation. Males and females were investigated at day 20 of gestation (E20), 1 (PN1), 7 (PN7) and 35 (PN35) days postnatally. A separate cohort of Control and Restricted pups were cross-fostered onto a different Control or Restricted mother and examined at PN7. In both sexes, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), cytochrome c oxidase subunits 3 and 4 (COX III and IV) and myogenic regulatory factor 4 expression increased from late gestation to postnatal life, whereas mitochondrial transcription factor A, myogenic differentiation 1 (MyoD), myogenin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) decreased. Foetal growth restriction increased MyoD mRNA in females at PN7, whereas in males IGF-I mRNA was higher at E20 and PN1. Cross-fostering Restricted pups onto a Control mother significantly increased COX III mRNA in males and COX IV mRNA in both sexes above controls with little effect on other genes. Developmental age appears to be a major factor regulating skeletal muscle mitochondrial and developmental genes, with growth restriction and cross-fostering having only subtle effects. It therefore appears that reductions in adult mitochondrial biogenesis markers likely develop after weaning.

Identification of concurrent control chart patterns with singular spectrum analysis and learning vector quantization

Identification of unnatural control chart patterns (CCPs) from manufacturing process measurements is a critical task in quality control as these patterns indicate that the manufacturing process is out-of-control. Recently, there have been numerous efforts in developing pattern recognition and classification methods based on artificial neural network to automatically recognize unnatural patterns. Most of them assume that a single type of unnatural pattern exists in process data. Due to this restrictive assumption, severe performance degradations are observed in these methods when unnatural concurrent CCPs present in process data. To address this problem, this paper proposes a novel approach based on singular spectrum analysis (SSA) and learning vector quantization network to identify concurrent CCPs. The main advantage of the proposed method is that it can be applied to the identification of concurrent CCPs in univariate manufacturing processes. Moreover, there are no permutation and scaling ambiguities in the CCPs recovered by the SSA. These desirable features make the proposed algorithm an attractive alternative for the identification of concurrent CCPs. Computer simulations and a real application for aluminium smelting processes confirm the superior performance of proposed algorithm for sets of typical concurrent CCPs.

Effects of predator control on behaviour of an apex predator and indirect consequences for mesopredator suppression

1. Apex predators can benefit ecosystems through top–down control of mesopredators and herbivores. However, apex predators are often subject to lethal control aimed at minimizing attacks on livestock. Lethal control can affect both the abundance and behaviour of apex predators. These changes could in turn influence the abundance and behaviour of mesopredators.

2. We used remote camera surveys at nine pairs of large Australian rangeland properties, comparing properties that controlled dingoes Canis lupus dingo with properties that did not, to test the effects of predator control on dingo activity and to evaluate the responses of a mesopredator, the feral cat Felis catus.

3. Indices of dingo abundance were generally reduced on properties that practiced dingo control, in comparison with paired properties that did not, although the effect size of control was variable. Dingoes in uncontrolled populations were crepuscular, similar to major prey. In populations subject to control, dingoes became less active around dusk, and activity was concentrated in the period shortly before dawn.

4. Shifts in feral cat abundance indices between properties with and without dingo control were inversely related to corresponding shifts in indices of dingo abundance. There was also a negative relationship between predator visitation rates at individual camera stations, suggesting cats avoided areas where dingoes were locally common. Reduced activity by dingoes at dusk was associated with higher activity of cats at dusk.

5. Our results suggest that effective dingo control not only leads to higher abundance of feral cats, but allows them to optimize hunting behaviour when dingoes are less active. This double effect could amplify the impacts of dingo control on prey species selected by cats. In areas managed for conservation, stable dingo populations may thus contribute to management objectives by restricting feral cat access to prey populations.

6. Synthesis and applications. Predator control not only reduces indices of apex predator abundance but can also modify their behaviour. Hence, indicators other than abundance, such as behavioural patterns, should be considered when estimating a predator's capacity to effectively interact with lower trophic guilds. Changes to apex predator behaviour may relax limitations on the behaviour of mesopredators, providing enhanced access to resources and prey.

The influence of perceived control on subjective wellbeing in later life

It has been proposed that a sense of control (primary control) is critical to maintaining positive and stable subjective wellbeing (SWB). As people age and control capacity presumably declines (due to physical and cognitive deterioration and increased sociocultural challenges), it is argued that the influence of secondary perceived control (or acceptance) increases to help maintain normative levels of SWB. While previous studies have typically investigated the relationship between perceived control and global estimates of satisfaction (i.e., overall life satisfaction), the present study evaluated the link between perceived control and seven key domains of satisfaction in order to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the control-satisfaction relationship. A community-based sample of 1,317 individuals (age range: 17–92 years) was utilised to examine potential age-related differences in perceived control (primary and secondary) and satisfaction. Findings revealed that primary and secondary perceived control both increased across age, with secondary perceived control increasing at a higher rate. Primary perceived control had predictive primacy for satisfaction over secondary perceived control (consistent with theory). A moderated mediation effect was also found, suggesting that, in later life, secondary perceived control influences primary perceived control and, in turn, influences satisfaction with various domains. Therefore, while primary control is important to wellbeing, it should be acknowledged that secondary perceived control may have unique significance to the wellbeing of older adults.

Mediated and direct effects of general control beliefs on obsessive compulsive symptoms

Although control-related cognitions have often been implicated in discussions of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), empirical investigations of the relationship between control constructs and OCD symptoms have been relatively limited. This article investigated the hypothesis that OCD symptoms may be linked with a higher desire for control (DC), but a lower sense of control (SC) over the self and environment, leading to motivation for compulsive symptoms. It also investigated whether this effect was direct, or mediated through other OCD-related cognitions. This hypothesis was investigated in a nonclinical population, using path analyses controlling for depression. It was found that higher levels of DC and lower levels of SC were associated with higher levels of OCD-related beliefs, and with symptoms via higher OCD-related beliefs. SC was also directly linked with higher OCD symptoms. Control beliefs regarding both the internal (emotions) and external (threat) environment were related to OCD symptoms. Implications for therapy and research are discussed.

Intelligent control and look-ahead energy management of hybrid electric vehicles

A review of the state of knowledge in the field of control and energy management in HEVs is carried out. The key innovation of the project is the development of a model of a PHEV using the real road data with an intelligent look-ahead online controller. Another novelty of this work is the method of route planning. It combines the information of vehicle sensors such as accelerometer and speedometer with the data of a GPS to create a road grade map for use within the look-ahead energy management strategy in the vehicle. For the PHEV, an adaptive cruise controller is modelled and an optimisation method is applied to obtain the best speed profile during a trajectory. Finally, the nonlinear model of the vehicle is applied with the sliding mode controller. The effect of using this controller is compared with the universal cruise controller. The stability of the system is studied and proved.

The relationship between the incidence of medullated fibres in mohair and live weight over the lifetime of Angora goats

The presence of even a small amount of medullated fibre, in otherwise high quality mohair, may have a pronounced adverse effect on its value and end-use potential. However, there is considerable confusion about the effects, if any, of environmental variables and management upon the incidence of medullated fibres in mohair. This study examined how the incidence of medullated fibres (Med, % by number) is related to the fleece-free live weight (FFLwt) of Angora goats of different genetic origins over their lifetime, and how the relationship varies with other lifetime factors. Measurements were made over 11 shearing periods of 6 months, on a population of Angora goats representing the current range and diversity of genetic origins in Australia, including South African, Texan and interbred admixtures of these and Australian sources. Records of breed, sire, dam, date of birth, dam age, birth weight, birth parity, weaning weight, live weight, fleece growth and fleece quality were taken for castrated males (wethers) (n = 94 animals). A restricted maximum likelihood (REML) model was developed for log10(Med + 1), which allowed the observations of the same animal at different ages to be correlated in an unstructured manner. Med varied between 0.1% and 4.3%. The median average FFLwt during a shearing interval increased from 15 kg at 1 year old to 59 kg at 6 years old. Generally, within each shearing interval, Med increased with increasing average FFLwt. However, the size and shape of the relationship differed greatly between shearing ages. For example, at 3.5 years of age Med increased from about 1.1% at an average FFLwt of 26 kg to 2.6% at 50 kg, whilst at 5.0 years of age Med only changed from 1.4% at 32 kg to 1.6% at 56 kg. Goats with mixed genetic parentage showed an increase in Med at some shearings, particularly at younger ages. Variation in animal nutrition, as measured by live weight change during shearing periods, did not affect Med. The results supplement our earlier findings that mohair mean fibre diameter and clean mohair fleece weight, but not staple length, are greater in larger Angora goats. Live weight needs to be taken into account in genetic evaluation of the incidence of medullated fibres. We conclude that any advantage in handling fewer but larger Angora goats rather than more but smaller goats will come at the detriment of producing lower quality mohair, both in terms of increased Med and mean fibre diameter.