bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling of properties of amino acids with random, semirandom, and molecular connectivity descriptors
Authors: Pogliani Lionello
Published: July 2011

Sets of random indices, sets of molecular connectivity indices (MCIs), and mixed sets of random and MCIs have been used to model nine properties of amino acids. The number of amino acids throughout the concerned properties is not constant, it ranges from 21 for the isoelectric point to eight for the unfrozen water content. The quality of the descriptors has been submitted to the leave‐one‐out (loo) and to the training/evaluation statistical tests. Molecular connectivity descriptors made of MCIs only show exceptionally good model characteristics for the volume side‐chain throughout both tests, while the model of the solubility holds only at the loo level. Random descriptors made of random indices, and semirandom descriptors, made of random and MCIs show good descriptive characteristics of all other properties at the loo level, while they fail at the training/evaluation level. Molecular connectivity descriptors achieve a good model at the training/evaluation level for the hydration potential and for the specific rotation. Practically, at the loo level all properties, excluding the unfrozen water content, can satisfactorily be modeled, while at the training/evaluation level, only side‐chain volume, hydration potential, and specific rotation can be modeled in a satisfactory way. To notice is the importance, at both statistical levels, of the hydrogen content of the amino acids, which is encoded with a perturbation parameter at the level of the valence delta number of the valence MCIs. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011
State and output feedback control of time‐delay switched linear systems
Authors: Galbusera Luca , Bolzern Paolo , Deaecto Grace S. , Geromel José C.
Published: July 2011

In this paper, we propose contributions on the stabilization and control of switched linear systems subject to time‐delays through the assignment of the switching law. As a first step, based on previous results related to switched linear systems with no time‐delays and exploiting the concept of piecewise quadratic Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals, we solve the problem of finding suitable state‐dependent switching laws ensuring the prescribed control objectives. Secondly, we extend such results and present a strategy to construct an output feedback switching law, based on the available measurements made on the system. In both cases, the design of the control strategy is done by computing a feasible solution to a set of matrix inequalities associated to the modes of the switched linear system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Flocking of multi‐agent dynamical systems with intermittent nonlinear velocity measurements
Authors: Wen Guanghui , Duan Zhisheng , Li Zhongkui , Chen Guanrong
Published: July 2011

In this paper, the problem of flocking control in networks of multiple dynamical agents with intermittent nonlinear velocity measurements is studied. A new flocking algorithm is proposed to guarantee the states of the velocity variables of all the dynamical agents to converge to consensus while ensuring collision avoidance of the whole group, where each agent is assumed to obtain some nonlinear measurements of the relative velocity between itself and its neighbors only on a sequence of non‐overlapping time intervals. The results are then extended to the scenario of flocking with a nonlinearly dynamical virtual leader, where only a small fraction of agents are informed and each informed agent can obtain intermittent nonlinear measurements of the relative velocity between itself and the virtual leader. Theoretical analysis shows that the achieved flocking in systems with or without a virtual leader is robust against the time spans of the agent speed‐sensors. Finally, some numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the new design. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
BENCHMARKING RIVER HABITAT IMPROVEMENT
Authors: Boavida I. , Santos J. M. , Cortes R. , Pinheiro A. , Ferreira M. T.
Published: July 2011

River ecosystems have witnessed a long history of human pressure, particularly the disruption of freshwater fish populations. The awareness of this situation has led to many habitat improvement projects, with a variable degree of success. In natural situations, fish populations co‐inhabit throughout the hydrological cycle with different degrees of adequacy, and the sequence of favourable and unfavourable conditions dictates abiotic constraints and biotic interactions that shape the final biological assemblages. We postulate that a part of unsuccessful restoration results is related to insufficient closeness to the natural habitat conditions of the river type that is to be restored, including the naturally adverse periods. We used the river2d model to predict habitat availability as weighted usable area (WUA) at a degraded site that is to be restored, for two native Mediterranean species and their life stages—the Southwestern nase Iberochondrostoma almacai and the Arade chub Squalius aradensis. We then analysed the yearly evolution of the natural WUA at a nearby reference site. Overall, the reference site exhibited the longest periods during which the WUA was continuously lower than the chosen WUA thresholds for each of the four bioperiods. Considerable divergences from natural habitat availability values can be seen for the spawning, rearing and growth bioperiods. Restoration outcomes can result in appreciable deviations—favourable or unfavourable to fish populations—from the WUA occurring under natural conditions over the course of the year. Restoration should therefore take account of local hydraulic and habitat patterns that govern population dynamics and result in the final fish assemblage. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Estimation and testing based on data subject to measurement errors: from parametric to non‐parametric likelihood methods
Authors: Vexler Albert , Tsai Wan‐Min , Malinovsky Yaakov
Published: July 2011

Measurement error (ME) problems can cause bias or inconsistency of statistical inferences. When investigators are unable to obtain correct measurements of biological assays, special techniques to quantify MEs need to be applied. Sampling based on repeated measurements is a common strategy to allow for ME. This method has been well addressed in the literature under parametric assumptions. The approach with repeated measures data may not be applicable when the replications are complicated because of cost and/or time concerns. Pooling designs have been proposed as cost‐efficient sampling procedures that can assist to provide correct statistical operations based on data subject to ME. We demonstrate that a mixture of both pooled and unpooled data (a hybrid pooled–unpooled design) can support very efficient estimation and testing in the presence of ME. Nonparametric techniques have not been well investigated to analyze repeated measures data or pooled data subject to ME. We propose and examine both the parametric and empirical likelihood methodologies for data subject to ME. We conclude that the likelihood methods based on the hybrid samples are very efficient and powerful. The results of an extensive Monte Carlo study support our conclusions. Real data examples demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed methods in practice. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dynamics of the evolution of the strategy concept 1962–2008: a co‐word analysis
Authors: Ronda‐Pupo Guillermo Armando , Guerras‐Martin Luis Ángel
Published: July 2011

The aim of this paper is to extend recent reflection on the evolution of strategic management by analyzing the field's object of study: strategy. We show how the concept of strategy has formed the backbone of the development of strategic management as an academic field and how consensus regarding it has evolved in the academic community during the stages of its historical development. We also address changes in the structure of the definition as it evolved through the growth of internal consistency, the centrality degree of the key terms that have shaped it, and how this evolution fostered the emergence of new research topics during the development of the discipline. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The role for ‘community’ in carbon governance
Authors: Walker Gordon
Published: July 2011

The notion of community‐based activity has increasingly been enrolled within carbon governance discourses and programs of recognized and supported activity. Community is a term used in various ways, to distinguish an actor, a scale of activity, a spatial setting, a form of network, and a type of process through which carbon reduction objectives can be implemented. In this review the various expectations linked to community‐based initiatives are identified and discussed in relation to the range of meanings of community in carbon governance. Working through and with communities is typically expected to better embed individual behavior change, as well as generate social innovations and facilitate the consensual deployment of sustainable energy technologies. Research into the experience of implementing community renewable energy projects is discussed to explore the challenges involved in realizing such outcomes. WIREs Clim Change 2011 2 777–782 DOI: 10.1002/wcc.137

This article is categorized under:

Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Behavior Change and Responses

Policy and Governance > Governing Climate Change in Communities, Cities, and Regions
Pronounced and extensive microtubule defects in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae DIS3 mutant
Authors: Smith Sarah B. , Kiss Daniel L. , Turk Edward , Tartakoff Alan M. , Andrulis Erik D.
Published: July 2011

Subunits of the RNA processing exosome assemble into structurally distinct protein complexes that function in disparate cellular compartments and RNA metabolic pathways. Here, in a genetic, cell biological and transcriptomic analysis, we examined the role of Dis3, an essential polypeptide with endo‐ and 3′ → 5′ exo‐ribonuclease activity, in cell cycle progression. We present several lines of evidence that perturbation of DIS3 affects microtubule (MT) localization and structure in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cells with a DIS3 mutant: (a) accumulate anaphase and pre‐anaphase mitotic spindles; (b) exhibit spindles that are misorientated and displaced from the bud neck; (c) harbour elongated spindle‐associated astral MTs; (d) have an increased G1 astral MT length and number; and (e) are hypersensitive to MT poisons. Mutations in the core exosome genes RRP4 and MTR3 and the exosome cofactor gene MTR4, but not other exosome subunit gene mutants, also elicit MT phenotypes. RNA deep sequencing analysis (RNA‐seq) shows broad changes in the levels of cell cycle‐ and MT‐related transcripts in mutant strains. Collectively, the data presented in this study suggest an evolutionarily conserved role for Dis3 in linking RNA metabolism, MTs and cell cycle progression. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Use of stepwise versus straightforward clamping of biliary drainage tubes after living‐donor liver transplantation: a prospective, randomized trial
Authors: Eguchi Susumu , Takatsuki Mitsuhisa , Soyama Akihiko , Hidaka Masaaki , Muraoka Izumi , Kanematsu Takashi
Published: July 2011

Background/purpose

There has been no report describing the optimal clamping method for biliary drainage tubes in living‐donor liver transplantation (LDLT), although biliary splinting and drainage plays an important role in this procedure.

Methods

When performing LDLT, we generally use a 2‐mm drainage tube for the splint at the biliary anastomosis, and externalize it through the lower common bile duct. In the present study, when the serum levels of total bilirubin were lower than 5 mg/dl, and negativity for biliary complications and good passage of contrast media to the duodenum were confirmed, the drainage tubes were clamped. To determine the optimal clamping method, patients were randomly divided into two groups; those whose drainage tubes were subjected to stepwise clamping for 3, 6, 12, and 24 h per day (n = 20), and those whose drainage tubes were subjected to straightforward clamping (n = 20).

Results

The results of liver function tests and rates of clamping failure were not different between the two groups after the different clamping methods were used.

Conclusions

Straightforward clamping could be a simple and reasonable method to close a biliary drainage tube after LDLT.
Conflict Transformation, Stigma, and HIV‐Preventive Structural Change
Authors: Miller Robin Lin , Reed Sarah J. , Francisco Vincent T. , Ellen Jonathan M.
Published: July 2011

Over the prior decade, structural change efforts have become an important component of community‐based HIV prevention initiatives. However, these efforts may not succeed when structural change initiatives encounter political resistance or invoke conflicting values, which may be likely when changes are intended to benefit a stigmatized population. The current study sought to examine the impact of target population stigma on the ability of 13 community coalitions to achieve structural change objectives. Results indicated that coalitions working on behalf of highly stigmatized populations had to abandon objectives more often than did coalitions working for less stigmatized populations because of external opposition to coalition objectives and resultant internal conflict over goals. Those coalitions that were most successful in meeting external challenges used opposition and conflict as transformative occasions by targeting conflicts directly and attempting to neutralize oppositional groups or turn them into strategic allies; less successful coalitions working on behalf of stigmatized groups struggled to determine an appropriate response to opposition. The role of conflict transformation as a success strategy for working on behalf of stigmatized groups is discussed.
Synthesis and Biocidal Activity of Some Naphthalene‐Based Cationic Surfactants
Authors: Aiad Ismail A. , Badawi Abdelfatah M. , El‐Sukkary Mohammed M. , El‐Sawy Abdallah A. , Adawy Ahmed I.
Published: July 2011

In this study, different cationic surfactants were prepared by reacting dodecyl bromide with tertiary amines to produce a series of quaternary ammonium salts that were converted subsequently to stannous and cobalt cationic complexes via complexing them with stannous (II) or cobalt (II) ions. Surface properties such as surface‐ and interfacial‐tension, and the emulsifying power of these surfactants were investigated. The surface parameters including critical micelle concentration, maximum surface excess, minimum surface area, tension lowering efficiency and effectiveness were studied. The free energy of micellization and adsorption were calculated. Antimicrobial activity was determined via the inhibition zone diameter of the prepared compounds, which was measured against six strains of a representative group of microorganisms. The antimicrobial activity of some of the prepared surfactants against sulfate reducing bacteria was determined by the dilution method. FTIR spectra, elemental analysis and a H1 NMR spectrum were examined to confirm compound structure and purity. The results obtained indicate that these compounds have good surface properties and good biocidal effect on broad spectrum of micro organisms.
Depression among women with obstetric fistula in Kenya
Authors: Weston Khisa , Mutiso Stephen , Mwangi Judy W. , Qureshi Zahida , Beard Jessica , Venkat Pavithra
Published: July 2011

Objective

To establish the prevalence of depression and describe associated factors among fistula patients attending an obstetric fistula surgical camp in Kenya.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was conducted focusing on obstetric fistula patients attending a national fistula camp held in August 2008 at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain sociodemographic data and medical histories for all consenting patients before surgery. Depression measures were obtained using the Patient Health Questionnaire‐9.

Results

Of the 70 women interviewed, 2 (2.9%) and 12 (17.1%) reported a history of psychiatric illness and suicidal ideations, respectively. Depression was present in 51 (72.9%) patients, with 18 (25.7%) meeting criteria for severe depression. Depression was significantly associated with women older than 20 years of age (P = 0.01), unemployment (P = 0.03), lack of social support following fistula (P = 0.04), and living with fistula for over 3 months (P = 0.01).

Conclusion

Women with obstetric fistula are predisposed to high levels of depression. A holistic management approach, including mental health care and family support, is recommended.
The effect of “breathable” panty liners on the female lower genital tract
Authors: Giraldo Paulo C. , Amaral Rose L.G. , Juliato Cássia , Eleutério José , Brolazo Eliane , Gonçalves Ana K.S.
Published: July 2011

Objective

To evaluate whether the use of “breathable” panty liners (BPLs) alters the normal vaginal flora, increases the incidence of bacterial vaginosis and/or vaginal candidiasis, or causes vulvar irritation.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial assessed the vaginal ecosystem of women without complaints of vaginal discharge. The study group (n = 53) wore BPLs for 10–12 hours each day for 75 consecutive days, whereas the control group (n = 54) wore only their usual underwear. At each of 6 visits during 3 menstrual cycles, participants underwent gynecologic examination with colposcopic evaluation and pH measurement, in addition to assessment of vaginal microbial flora, intensity of inflammatory processes, and presence of vaginal candidiasis/bacterial vaginosis in Gram‐stained smears.

Results

After 75 consecutive days of BPL use, 40/44 (90.9%) and 42/44 (95.5%) women reported no complaints of vaginal discharge or vulvar itching/burning, respectively. There was no significant difference between the study group and the control group with regard to positive vaginal fungus cultures (5/44 [11.4%] vs 8/50 [16.0%]; P = 0.7848) or bacterial vaginosis (3/44 [6.8%] vs 2/50 [4.0%]; P = 0.7974) at the end of the study period.

Conclusion

After 75 days of BPL use, there was no significant increase in vulvovaginal candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis, vulvovaginal irritation, or vulvovaginal inflammation.
Characterization of DOK1, a candidate tumor suppressor gene, in epithelial ovarian cancer
Authors: Mercier Pierre-Luc , Bachvarova Magdalena , Plante Marie , Gregoire Jean , Renaud Marie-Claude , Ghani Karim , Têtu Bernard , Bairati Isabelle , Bachvarov Dimcho
Published: July 2011

In attempt to discover novel aberrantly hypermethylated genes with putative tumor suppressor function in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), we applied expression profiling following pharmacologic inhibition of DNA methylation in EOC cell lines. Among the genes identified, one of particular interest wаs DOK1, or downstream of tyrosine kinase 1, previously recognized as a candidate tumor suppressor gene (TSG) for leukemia and other human malignancies. Using bisulfite sequencing, we determined that a 5′‐non‐coding DNA region (located at nt −1158 to −850, upstream of the DOK1 translation start codon) was extensively hypermethylated in primary serous EOC tumors compared with normal ovarian specimens; however, this hypermethylation was not associated with DOK1 suppression. On the contrary, DOK1 was found to be strongly overexpressed in serous EOC tumors as compared to normal tissue and importantly, DOK1 overexpression significantly correlated with improved progression‐free survival (PFS) values of serous EOC patients. Ectopic modulation of DOK1 expression in EOC cells and consecutive functional analyses pointed toward association of DOK1 expression with increased EOC cell migration and proliferation, and better sensitivity to cisplatin treatment. Gene expression profiling and consecutive network and pathway analyses were also confirmative for DOK1 association with EOC cell migration and proliferation. These analyses were also indicative for DOK1 protective role in EOC tumorigenesis, linked to DOK1‐mediated induction of some tumor suppressor factors and its suppression of pro‐metastasis genes. Taken together, our findings are suggestive for a possible tumor suppressor role of DOK1 in EOC; however its implication in enhanced EOC cell migration and proliferation restrain us to conclude that DOK1 represents a true TSG in EOC. Further studies are needed to more completely elucidate the functional implications of DOK1 and other members of the DOK gene family in ovarian tumorigenesis.
Evolution of Invertebrate Deuterostomes and Hox/ParaHox Genes
Authors: Ikuta Tetsuro
Published: July 2011

Transcription factors encoded by Antennapedia-class homeobox genes play crucial roles in controlling development of animals, and are often found clustered in animal genomes. The Hox and ParaHox gene clusters have been regarded as evolutionary sisters and evolved from a putative common ancestral gene complex, the ProtoHox cluster, prior to the divergence of the Cnidaria and Bilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals). The Deuterostomia is a monophyletic group of animals that belongs to the Bilateria, and a sister group to the Protostomia. The deuterostomes include the vertebrates (to which we belong), invertebrate chordates, hemichordates, echinoderms and possibly xenoturbellids, as well as acoelomorphs. The studies of Hox and ParaHox genes provide insights into the origin and subsequent evolution of the bilaterian animals. Recently, it becomes apparent that among the Hox and ParaHox genes, there are significant variations in organization on the chromosome, expression pattern, and function. In this review, focusing on invertebrate deuterostomes, I first summarize recent findings about Hox and ParaHox genes. Next, citing unsolved issues, I try to provide clues that might allow us to reconstruct the common ancestor of deuterostomes, as well as understand the roles of Hox and ParaHox genes in the development and evolution of deuterostomes.
Genetic Flux Between H1 and H2 Haplotypes of the 17q21.31 Inversion in European Population
Authors: Deng Libin , Tang Xiaoli , Hao Xiangwen , Chen Wei , Lin Jiari , Yu Yangyu , Zhang Dake , Zeng Changqing
Published: July 2011

The chromosome 17q21.31 inversion is a 900-kb common structural polymorphism found primarily in European population. Although the genetic flux within inversion region was assumed to be considerable suppressed, it is still unclear about the details of genetic exchange between the H1 (non-inverted sequence) and H2 (inverted sequence) haplotypes of this inversion. Here we describe a refined map of genetic exchanges between pairs of gene arrangements within the 17q21.31 region. Using HapMap phase II data of 1,546 single nucleotide polymorphisms, we successfully deduced 96 H1 and 24 H2 haplotypes in European samples by neighbor-joining tree reconstruction. Furthermore, we identified 15 and 26 candidate tracts with reciprocal and non-reciprocal genetic exchanges, respectively. In all 15 regions harboring reciprocal exchange, haplotypes reconstructed by clone sequencing did not support these exchange events, suggesting that such signals of exchange between two sister chromosomes in certain heterozygous individual were caused by phasing error regions. On the other hand, the finished clone sequencing across 4 of 26 tracts with non-reciprocal genetic flux confirmed that this kind of genetic exchange was caused by gene conversion. In summary, as crossover between pairs of gene arrangements had been considerably suppressed, gene conversion might be the most important mechanism for genetic exchange at 17q21.31.
ON ONE-DIMENSIONAL LEIBNIZ CENTRAL EXTENSIONS OF A FILIFORM LIE ALGEBRA
Authors: RAKHIMOV ISAMIDDIN S. , HASSAN MUNTHER A.
Published: July 2011

The paper deals with the classification of Leibniz central extensions of a filiform Lie algebra. We choose a basis with respect to which the multiplication table has a simple form. In low-dimensional cases isomorphism classes of the central extensions are given. In the case of parametric families of orbits, invariant functions (orbit functions) are provided.
ON HYBRID SEQUENCES BUILT FROM NIEDERREITER–HALTON SEQUENCES AND KRONECKER SEQUENCES
Authors: HOFER ROSWITHA , KRITZER PETER
Published: July 2011

We discuss the distribution properties of hybrid sequences whose components stem from Niederreiter–Halton sequences on the one hand, and Kronecker sequences on the other. In this paper, we give necessary and sufficient conditions on the uniform distribution of such sequences, and derive a result regarding their discrepancy. We conclude with a short summary and a discussion of topics for future research.
MATTHEW TINDAL'SRIGHTS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH(1706) AND THE CHURCH–STATE RELATIONSHIP
Authors: LEVITIN DMITRI
Published: July 2011

Matthew Tindal's Rights of the Christian church (1706), which elicited more than thirty contemporary replies, was a major interjection in the ongoing debates about the relationship between church and state in late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century England. Historians have usually seen Tindal's work as an exemplar of the ‘republican civil religion’ that had its roots in Hobbes and Harrington, and putatively formed the essence of radical whig thought in the wake of the Glorious Revolution. But this is to misunderstand theRights. To comprehend what Tindal perceived himself as doing we need to move away from the history of putatively ‘political’ issues to the histories of ecclesiastical jurisprudence, patristic scholarship, and biblical exegesis. The contemporary significance of Tindal's work was twofold: methodologically, it challenged Anglican patristic scholarship as a means of reaching consensus on modern ecclesiological issues; positively, it offered a powerful argument for ecclesiastical supremacy lying in crown-in-parliament, drawing on a legal tradition stretching back to Christopher St Germain (1460–1540) and on Tindal's own legal background. Tindal's text provides a case study for the tentative proposition that ‘republicanism’, whether as a programme or a ‘language’, had far less impact on English anticlericalism and contemporary debates over the church–state relationship than the current historiography suggests.
TRANSOCEANIC COMMEMORATION AND CONNECTIONS BETWEEN BENGALI BRAHMOS AND BRITISH AND AMERICAN UNITARIANS
Authors: MIDGLEY CLARE
Published: July 2011

This article traces the history of the commemoration in Britain, India, and America of leading Bengali religious and social reformer, Rammohun Roy, from his death in Britain in 1833 through to the publication of the first substantial account of his life and work in 1900. It reveals the vital part that commemorative processes played in creating a sense of imagined community among liberal religious groups who were in the vanguard of social reform movements in India, Britain, and the United States. The groups under consideration are the Brahmo Samaj, an organization founded by Roy to reform Hinduism, and Unitarians, Protestant dissenters who rejected the orthodox Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity and the evangelical approach to missionary work. Bridging the study of transatlantic and imperial networks, the article explores a culture of commemoration that emphasized affinity rather than difference between groups whose members were unequally positioned in colonial discourse as on opposite sides of the colonizer–colonized, Hindu–Christian, and East–West divides. It exposes the commemoration of Roy as a complex and contested process, creating both ‘localized’ and ‘globalized’ collective memories. These reveal the possibilities for, and limitations on, cross-cultural interchange in an age of global Christian mission and British imperial power.
WRITING ABOUT VIOLENCE IN THE TUDOR KINGDOMS
Authors: RAPPLE R.
Published: July 2011

Despite differing historiographical traditions, the histories of Tudor England and Ireland often face similar problems, not least how best to narrate and analyse episodes of state and non-state violence in a satisfying way. Latterly, sophisticated models for dealing with this have emerged in treatments of English popular politics. These works succeed in eschewing both inherited ideas of English exceptionalism and the ‘enclosure’ of social history. They also offer a compelling and holistic view of social and political interactions in the past from a number of vantage points. Many recent treatments of sixteenth-century Irish history, by contrast, have centred on atrocity and even genocide. This narrower focus does not preclude important scholarship, but its thematic and methodological limitations hamper that scholarship's broader non-polemical value. The appreciation of Tudor Ireland's status as a political society and the close scrutiny of that political society and its actors is a necessity. It offers just as promising an embarkation point for sophisticated and interesting studies as the study of Tudor English popular politics.
Micarea capitata, a new bryophilous lichen from Sweden
Authors: SVENSSON Måns , THOR Göran
Published: July 2011

The diminutive species Micarea capitata is described from north-western Sweden. It has been found at two localities in boreal forests where it grew on the bryophyte Hylocomium splendens. Micarea capitata is distinguished by small (0·10–0·35 mm diam.) black apothecia, (0–)1-septate ascospores and a mottled, darkly pigmented hypothecium.
Tetramelas thiopolizuscomb. nov. with a key to all known species ofTetramelas
Authors: GIRALT Mireia , CLERC Philippe
Published: July 2011

The study of the type and additional material ofBuellia andicola, B. hypophanaandB. reagenshas shown that these taxa are conspecific withB. thiopoliza. Buellia thiopolizais a muscicolous species growing at middle to high altitudes in the mountains of both hemispheres. It is easily recognized by its K+ purple-red yellow pigment mainly concentrated in the hypothecium, and by the presence of xanthones in the thallus and the apothecial tissues. The new combinationTetramelas thiopolizusis proposed. A key to all knownTetramelasspecies is included. The also muscicolousBuellia hypoleucais reduced to synonymy withPhaeorrhiza sareptanavar.sphaerocarpa.
Two new species in the lichen family Graphidaceae from India
Authors: SHARMA Bharati O. , KHADILKAR Pradnya
Published: July 2011

Graphis parvicarpa and Pallidogramme bengalense are described as new to science from India. Graphis parvicarpa is characterized by a striate excipulum, inspersed hymenium, muriform ascospores, and norstictic acid in the thallus. Pallidogramme bengalense is characterized by a striate exciple, muriform, hyaline to pale brown ascospores, inspersed hymenium and no lichen substances in the thallus.
The Caloplaca crenulatella species complex; its intricate taxonomy and description of a new species
Authors: VONDRÁK Jan , ŘÍHA Pavel , REDCHENKO Olexii , VONDRÁKOVÁ Olga , HROUZEK Pavel , KHODOSOVTSEV Alexander
Published: July 2011

The Caloplaca crenulatella species complex is monophyletic, based on analysis of ITS nrDNA sequences. It is characterized mainly by its ascospores and a simplified thallus. Caloplaca aquensis, C. borysthenica, C. interfulgens, C. lactea, C. marmorata and C. tominii represent well-defined monophyletic lineages within it. Caloplaca diffusa, described here as a new species, is a well-supported lineage with a distinctive phenotype. Caloplaca crenulatella s. lat. and C. ferrarii s. lat. are heterogeneous taxa appearing in four and two places respectively within our tree. Caloplaca ochracea also belongs to the group, although it has different ascospore characters. Caloplaca gyalolechiaeformis and C. pseudocitrina are later synonyms of C. tominii. Arctic and North American sorediate specimens morphologically very close to C. tominii represent a separate lineage recently recognized as C. erichansenii. The North American Caloplaca nashii has a C. crenulatella-like phenotype but does not belong to the C. crenulatella complex. The identities of Caloplaca lacteoides and Caloplaca epigaea are not clear, but the latter may be a terricolous ecotype of one of the entities within C. crenulatella s. lat. A key to the European species of the group is provided.
Molecular support for the recognition of theMycoblastus fucatusgroup as the new genusViolella(Tephromelataceae,Lecanorales)
Authors: SPRIBILLE Toby , GOFFINET Bernard , KLUG Barbara , MUGGIA Lucia , OBERMAYER Walter , MAYRHOFER Helmut
Published: July 2011

The crustose lichen genusMycoblastusin the Northern Hemisphere includes eight recognized species sharing large, simple ascospores produced 1–2 per ascus in strongly pigmented biatorine apothecia. The monophyly ofMycoblastusand the relationship of its various species toTephromelataceaehave never been studied in detail. Data from ITS rDNA and the genes coding for translation elongation factor 1-α and DNA replication licensing factor mini-chromosome maintenance complex 7 support the distinctness ofMycoblastuss. str. from the core of theTephromelataceae, but recoverM. fucatusand an undescribed Asian species as strongly supported within the latter group. We propose accommodating these two species in a new genus,Violella, which is characterized by its brownish inner ascospore walls, Fucatus-violet hymenial pigment granules and secondary chemistry, and discuss the position ofViolellarelative toCalvitimelaandTephromela. We describe the new speciesViolella wangiiT. Sprib. & Goffinet to accommodate a new species with roccellic acid from Bhutan, China, India and the Russian Far East. We also excludeMycoblastus indicusAwasthi & Agarwal from the genusMycoblastusand propose for it the new combinationMalmidea indica(Awasthi & Agarwal) Hafellner & T. Sprib.
Familial influence and childhood trauma in female alcoholism
Authors: Magnusson Å. , Lundholm C. , Göransson M. , Copeland W. , Heilig M. , Pedersen N. L.
Published: July 2011

Background

To assess the role of genetic and environmental factors in female alcoholism using a large population-based twin sample, taking into account possible differences between early and late onset disease subtype.

Method

Twins aged 20–47 years from the Swedish Twin Registry (n=24 119) answered questions to establish lifetime alcohol use disorders. Subjects with alcoholism were classified for subtype. Structural equation modeling was used to quantify the proportion of phenotypic variance due to genetic and environmental factors and test whether heritability in women differed from that in men. The association between childhood trauma and alcoholism was then examined in females, controlling for background familial factors.

Results

Lifetime prevalence of alcohol dependence was 4.9% in women and 8.6% in men. Overall, heritability for alcohol dependence was 55%, and did not differ significantly between men and women, although women had a significantly greater heritability for late onset (type I). Childhood physical trauma and sexual abuse had a stronger association with early onset compared to late onset alcoholism [odds ratio (OR) 2.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.53–3.88 and OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.38–3.79 respectively]. Co-twin analysis indicated that familial factors largely accounted for the influence of physical trauma whereas the association with childhood sexual abuse reflected both familial and specific effects.

Conclusions

Heritability of alcoholism in women is similar to that in men. Early onset alcoholism is strongly association with childhood trauma, which seems to be both a marker of familial background factors and a specific individual risk factor per se.
The first privatisation policy in Latin America: selling state-owned enterprises in 1948-1950 Puerto Rico
Authors: Bel Germà
Published: July 2011

In the 1940s, when the governor of Puerto Rico was still appointed by the U.S. president, a large state-owned enterprise (SOE) sector was established. Later, in 1948-1950, the island's first elected government privatised these SOEs. This paper documents both the creation of the SOE sector and its privatisation, and analyses the role played by ideology, political interests and economic concerns in the decision to privatise. Whereas ideological factors might have played a significant role in the building of the SOE sector, the privatisation process was driven by economic factors. In the cement sector, the competing private firm was more efficient and the SOEs in other sectors with no private competitors in the island showed permanent losses.
Serological evidence of Toscana virus infection in Portuguese patients
Authors: AMARO F. , LUZ T. , PARREIRA P. , MARCHI A. , CIUFOLINI M. G. , ALVES M. J.
Published: July 2011

Toscana virus (TOSV) is an emergingPhlebovirusof growing interest as a human pathogen in the Mediterranean Basin. In Portugal, however, little is known about the prevalence of TOSV infection. The aim of this work was to perform a seroprevalence study in patients with requests for laboratory diagnosis of vector-borne viruses. A total of 538 patients with and without neurological signs from 2004 to 2008 were studied by in-house indirect immunofluorescence assay and commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. A prevalence of 4·2% for IgG antibodies was found in the group of patients with neurological signs. Five (3%) of these had recent infections. In the group with no neurological signs, the IgG prevalence was 1·3%. Two samples, belonging to two patients, were also confirmed with plaque reduction neutralization tests with the TOSV ISS. Phl.3 Italian strain. This work showed that TOSV is present and causing disease from north to south in Portugal. The probable circulation of different phlebovirus serotypes in Portugal emphasizes the need for further studies.
The occurrence of rabies in pre-Columbian Central America: an historical search
Authors: VOS A. , NUNAN C. , BOLLES D. , MÜLLER T. , FOOKS A. R. , TORDO N. , BAER G. M.
Published: July 2011

Rabies is considered one of the oldest infectious diseases known to humans. However, the first written reports on rabies cases in the Americas did not appear until the first decade of the 18th century from Mexico. In an attempt to clarify if the disease was already present in pre-Columbian times, we searched for evidence in the Maya and Aztec cultures. Other sources of information were early manuscripts written by the conquistadors and early explorers. We did not identify any unequivocal direct evidence that the disease rabies was known in pre-Columbian Central America but sufficient circumstantial evidence is available suggesting that (bat) rabies was already present in these early times.
“From Polis to Madina” Revisited – Urban Change in Byzantine and early Islamic Palestine
Authors: AVNI GIDEON
Published: July 2011

The transformation of cities in the Byzantine and early Islamic Near East was discussed by a number of scholars in the last century. Many of them adopted a traditional approach, claiming that the Islamic conquest caused the total collapse of large classical cities, turning them into small medieval towns. The urban landscape was changed dramatically, with the large colonnaded streets of the classical Polis transformed into the narrow allies of the Islamic Madina.
Exaggerated fear in the early Islamic Renunciant Tradition
Authors: MELCHERT CHRISTOPHER
Published: July 2011

The Sunni tradition of the ninth and tenth centuries often reports Muslims from the seventh and eighth centuries so fearful of God and the Last Judgement that they wished they had never been born, wept uncontrollably, and otherwise carried on as we seldom hear of from later centuries. My first object is therefore to make out what these fearers were up to. To look forward, I would characterise the piety on display as being intenselyascetical. It is about insecurity and divine transcendence, not trust and nearness to God. The fearers seem to have cultivated anxiousness to maintain their devotion and prevent complacency. My second object is to make out why such exaggerated fear evidently faded away in the later eighth century. I tend to think that fear had to be moderated with the development of Sunni theology in the ninth century, which made it necessary to stress the prospect of salvation for all Muslims, and of a Sunni piety that eschewed extreme practices unsuitable for everyone to undertake.
How French isfrenkçin?
Authors: WRIGHT OWEN
Published: July 2011

It is by no means unknown, in Middle-Eastern art-music traditions, to find claims that a given rhythmic cycle was invented on a particular occasion by a particular musician, the most obvious and reliable instance being provided by ‘Abd al-Qādir al-Marāġī (d. 1435), who tells us that he was commissioned to create a new cycle to commemorate a victory. Withfrenkçin, then, a cycle where the very name clearly suggests some form of western derivation or inflection, it was perhaps only to be expected that we should encounter a similar narrative that pinpointed its origin, associating its creation with the impulse provided by a particular cultural encounter with the West. It has to be said, though, that no such account appears as a standard feature of the contemporary theoretical discourse surrounding Turkish art music: works that deal with the rhythmic cycles tend to be expository catalogues unconcerned with origins and derivations, and it is only in one major modern reference work that we come across the notion of western inspiration, together with a tentative suggestion as to the period during whichfrenkçinemerged. The detailed narrative of origin certainly first appears in a text by an eminent Turkish scholar, but it is one written in French—the comprehensive survey article by Rauf Yekta Bey published in 1922—and possibly in consequence it has so far been relayed primarily in western languages. The discussion by Kösemihal, the one significant Turkish scholar to have accepted this account, appears to have had little impact, and it remains to be seen whether the relatively recent translation of Rauf Yekta Bey's article into Turkish will stimulate renewed interest in this version in Turkey itself.
From Sixpenny Entry to Five Shilling Subscription: Charting Cathedral Outreach and Friends’ Associations in the 1920s and 1930s
Authors: Muskett Judith A.
Published: July 2011

All Anglican cathedrals in England have formal associations of Friends (like other institutions in the heritage sector). The majority arose in the 1920s/30s, a period that coincided with the gradual development of a focused outreach strategy by cathedrals, and the abandonment of sixpenny entrance fees. By analysing Letters to the Editor and news reports in The Times, this article explores the origins of cathedral Friends’ associations. The sources illustrate the benefits of Friendship for both sides of the dyad: for the cathedrals, primarily the five shilling subscriptions and the creation of an informed supporter base; and for the members, mainly esoteric benefits. It is also demonstrated that, in the north, Friends’ gifts directly replaced cathedral/diocesan resources being deployed for social welfare. A particular value in focusing on the history of the cathedral Friends’ movement is that it highlights the history of the cathedrals themselves in this difficult inter-war period.
Coupling vegetation organization patterns to soil resource heterogeneity in a central Kenyan dryland using geophysical imagery
Authors: Franz Trenton E. , King Elizabeth G. , Caylor Kelly K. , Robinson David A.
Published: July 2011

In dryland ecosystems, understanding the effects of heterogeneity in soil moisture and geophysical properties on vegetation structure and dynamics poses a suite of challenging research questions. Heterogeneity in soil depth can affect resource availability and the subsequent organization of woody vegetation, while spatiotemporal variation in soil moisture can reveal important ecohydrological feedbacks that govern the outcome of anthropogenic activities on the organization of dryland vegetation. In this research we investigate two cases of soil resource heterogeneity that affect the organization of dryland vegetation patterns by expanding previous electromagnetic induction (EMI) imaging techniques. In the first case we examine the influence of soil depth as a control on soil resource availability on hillslopes in tree‐grass systems in central Kenya. Our results indicate that woody vegetation clumping occurs where soil depth changes, and the deeper rootedAcacia tortilisoccurs on deep soils while the drought tolerantAcacia etbaicaoccurs on shallow soils. In the second case we examine daily patch–interpatch scale moisture dynamics following two different‐sized rain events in a degraded landscape. With the aid of a numerical subsurface flow model, EMI, and soil moisture data, we have identified a possible positive feedback mechanism (“soil moisture halo effect”) that we believe may have contributed to the proliferation and two‐phase pattern formation of a native succulentSansevieria volkensiiin degraded ecosystems of Kenya. By determining how different plants respond to, and modify, the soil environment, we can better understand resource capture and dynamics, which in the longterm will help to develop management strategies.
The dilemma of the honest researcher
Authors: Steneck Nicholas H
Published: July 2011

Most agree that without honest and trustworthy practitioners, research has no value. Yet high standards present a dilemma for honest researchers, because successful practices often clash with ethically impeccable behaviour.
The fourth front against cancer
Authors: Hunter Philip
Published: July 2011

Engineered viruses that target and destroy tumour cells could become a fourth therapy option against cancer. The first clinical trials have demonstrated their ability to attack both solid tumours and metastases.
The E3 ligase c‐Cbl regulates dendritic cell activation
Authors: Chiou Shin‐Heng , Shahi Payam , Wagner Ryan T , Hu Hongbo , Lapteva Natalia , Seethammagari Mamatha , Sun Shao‐Cong , Levitt Jonathan M , Spencer David M
Published: July 2011

The activation of innate and adaptive immunity is always balanced by inhibitory signalling mechanisms to maintain tissue integrity. We have identified the E3 ligase c‐Cbl––known for its roles in regulating lymphocyte signalling––as a modulator of dendritic cell activation. In c‐Cbl‐deficient dendritic cells, Toll‐like receptor‐induced expression of proinflammatory factors, such as interleukin‐12, is increased, correlating with a greater potency of dendritic‐cell‐based vaccines against established tumours. This proinflammatory phenotype is accompanied by an increase in nuclear factor (NF)‐κB activity. In addition, c‐Cbl deficiency reduces both p50 and p105 levels, which have been shown to modulate the stimulatory function of NF‐κB. Our data indicate that c‐Cbl has a crucial, RING‐domain‐dependent role in regulating dendritic cell maturation, probably by facilitating the regulatory function of p105 and/or p50.
Freedom and responsibility
Authors: Breithaupt Holger
Published: July 2011

Scientists enjoy considerable public trust and the freedom to spend research money with few strings attached. With this comes the responsibility to abide by the rules for proper conduct of research.
Funding in the firing line
Authors: Wolinsky Howard
Published: July 2011

With large charities such as the Wellcome Trust or the Gates Foundation committed to funding research, is there a risk that politicians could cut public funding for science?
Stem‐cell tourism and scientific responsibility
Authors: Master Zubin , Resnik David B
Published: July 2011

Stem‐cell tourism exploits the hope of patients desperate for therapies and cures. Scientists have both a special responsibility and a unique role to play in addressing this problem.