bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Scene Dimensionality on Colour Constancy with Real Three-Dimensional Scenes and Objects
Authors: de Almeida Vasco M N , Fiadeiro Paulo T , Nascimento Sérgio M C
Published: May 2010

The effect of scene dimensionality on colour constancy was tested with real scenes and objects. Observers viewed a three-dimensional (3-D) scene, or its two-dimensional (2-D) planar projection, through a large beam-splitter that projected the virtual image of a real test object (a cube or its 2-D projection) so that it appeared part of the scene. Test object and scene could be illuminated independently with high chromatic precision. In each trial, the illuminance of the scene changed abruptly from 25 000 K to 6700 K and the illuminant of the test object changed either consistently or inconsistently with it by a variable quantifiable amount. Observers had to decide whether the test object underwent a change in its materials. The extent of constancy obtained in the experiment was not influenced by scene dimensionality and varied significantly with the colour of the test object. These results suggest that color constancy in the conditions tested here may be determined by local spectral quantities.
Improving the coordination of care for low back pain patients by creating better links between acute and community services
Authors: Staiger Petra K. , Serlachius Anna , Macfarlane Susie , Anderson Sharron , Chan Thomas , Young Greg
Published: May 2010

This paper reports on the development of a care-pathway to improve service linkages between the acute setting and community health services in the treatment of low back pain. The pathway was informed by two processes: (1) a literature review based on best-practice guidelines in the assessment, treatment and continuity of care for low back pain patients; and (2) consultation with staff and key stakeholders. Stakeholders from both the acute and community sectors comprised the Working Group, who identified central areas of concern to be addressed in the care-pathway, with the goal of preventing chronicity of low back pain and reducing emergency department presentations. The main outcomes achieved include: the development of a new care-coordinator role, which would support a greater focus on integration between acute and community sectors for low back pain patients; identifying the need to screen at-risk patients; implementation of the SCTT (Service Coordination Tool Templates) tool as a system of referral across the acute and community settings; and agreement on the need to develop an evidence-based self-management program to be offered to low back pain patients. The benefits and challenges of implementing this care pathway are discussed.
The development of a streamlined, coordinated and sustainable evaluation methodology for a diverse chronic disease management program
Authors: Berlowitz David J. , Graco Marnie
Published: May 2010

Background. The Northern Alliance Hospital Admission Risk Program–Chronic Disease Management comprises 13 services delivering care to those with chronic disease and older people with complex care needs, who are frequent hospital users.
Aims. To develop and implement a system-wide approach to the evaluation of this existing program.
Methods. The Northern Clinical Research Centre audited all existing, routinely collected administrative data within the program and then met with each service to develop service specific outcome measures. The evaluators then developed and implemented a system-wide evaluation approach to measure performance in terms of: client profile; access and entry; service efficiency; client outcomes; and hospital demand.
Results. Data are collected electronically and more than 80% are derived from existing, administrative datasets, minimising staff and client burden. Additional data include client outcomes and a health related quality of life measure. The preliminary twelve month data suggest that clients have the equivalent of ‘fair’ or ‘poor’ self-reported health status (n = 862) and the average health utility scores are significantly (P < 0.05) worse than population control data. These analyses reveal, for the first time, that the Northern Alliance Hospital Admission Risk Program–Chronic Disease Management program is targeting appropriate clients.
Discussion. This methodology will enable many prospective assessments to be performed including; client outcome evaluation, service model comparisons, and cost-utility analyses.
Conclusion. This evaluation approach demonstrates the feasibility of a highly coordinated ‘whole of system’ evaluation. Such an approach may ultimately contribute to the development of evidence-based policy.
What is known about the topic? Program evaluation literature recommends establishing the objectives of a program, and the corresponding evaluation methodology early in the planning phase so that a thorough evaluation can commence with the implementation of the program.
What does this paper add? This paper provides an alternative evaluation methodology developed around the available administrative data, thereby maximising efficiency with data collection and analysis with minimal burden on clinicians. This pragmatic approach may be appropriate for large, ongoing programs with an existing administrative dataset and where funding for evaluation is limited.
What are the implications for practitioners? This paper has implications for both administrators and clinicians. The methodology is designed to facilitate evidence-based policy and planning at a regional and state level, and to assist with quality improvement at the local service level through ongoing performance monitoring and benchmarking.
Ward rounds: the next focus for quality improvement?
Authors: Bradfield Owen M.
Published: May 2010

The Garling Report, published in November 2008, was a public inquiry into the provision and governance of Acute Care Services in New South Wales Public Hospitals. Garling’s 139 recommendations, aimed at modernising clinical care and equipment, include better supervision of junior staff, multidisciplinary teamwork, structured clinical handover and improved culture within health services. Garling also made specific recommendations about ward rounds, arguing that they should be daily, supervised and multidisciplinary. Given the importance of ward rounds in planning and evaluating treatment, implementation of these recommendations will require further evidence, engagement of senior clinicians and cultural change. This article discusses some of the barriers to Garling’s recommendations.
Lmx1a regulates fates and location of cells originating from the cerebellar rhombic lip and telencephalic cortical hem
Authors: Chizhikov Victor V. , Lindgren Anne G. , Mishima Yuriko , Roberts Richard W. , Aldinger Kimberly A. , Miesegaes George R. , Currle D. Spencer , Monuki Edwin S. , Millen Kathleen J.
Published: May 2010

The cerebellar rhombic lip and telencephalic cortical hem are dorsally located germinal zones which contribute substantially to neuronal diversity in the CNS, but the mechanisms that drive neurogenesis within these zones are ill defined. Using genetic fate mapping in wild-type and

Lmx1a
−/−

mice, we demonstrate that Lmx1a is a critical regulator of cell-fate decisions within both these germinal zones. In the developing cerebellum, Lmx1a is expressed in the roof plate, where it is required to segregate the roof plate lineage from neuronal rhombic lip derivatives. In addition, Lmx1a is expressed in a subset of rhombic lip progenitors which produce granule cells that are predominantly restricted to the cerebellar posterior vermis. In the absence of
Lmx1a
, these cells precociously exit the rhombic lip and overmigrate into the anterior vermis. This overmigration is associated with premature regression of the rhombic lip and posterior vermis hypoplasia in

Lmx1a
−/−

mice. These data reveal molecular organization of the cerebellar rhombic lip and introduce
Lmx1a
as an important regulator of rhombic lip cell-fate decisions, which are critical for maintenance of the entire rhombic lip and normal cerebellar morphogenesis. In the developing telencephalon Lmx1a is expressed in the cortical hem, and in its absence cortical hem progenitors contribute excessively to the adjacent hippocampus instead of producing Cajal-Retzius neurons. Thus, Lmx1a activity is critical for proper production of cells originating from both the cerebellar rhombic lip and the telencephalic cortical hem.
Body temperatures of modern and extinct vertebrates from
13
C-
18
O bond abundances in bioapatite
Authors: Eagle Robert A. , Schauble Edwin A. , Tripati Aradhna K. , Tütken Thomas , Hulbert Richard C. , Eiler John M.
Published: May 2010

The stable isotope compositions of biologically precipitated apatite in bone, teeth, and scales are widely used to obtain information on the diet, behavior, and physiology of extinct organisms and to reconstruct past climate. Here we report the application of a new type of geochemical measurement to bioapatite, a “clumped-isotope” paleothermometer, based on the thermodynamically driven preference for
13
C and
18
O to bond with each other within carbonate ions in the bioapatite crystal lattice. This effect is dependent on temperature but, unlike conventional stable isotope paleothermometers, is independent from the isotopic composition of water from which the mineral formed. We show that the abundance of
13
C-
18
O bonds in the carbonate component of tooth bioapatite from modern specimens decreases with increasing body temperature of the animal, following a relationship between isotope “clumping” and temperature that is statistically indistinguishable from inorganic calcite. This result is in agreement with a theoretical model of isotopic ordering in carbonate ion groups in apatite and calcite. This thermometer constrains body temperatures of bioapatite-producing organisms with an accuracy of 1–2 °C. Analyses of fossilized tooth enamel of both Pleistocene and Miocene age yielded temperatures within error of those derived from similar modern taxa. Clumped-isotope analysis of bioapatite represents a new approach in the study of the thermophysiology of extinct species, allowing the first direct measurement of their body temperatures. It will also open new avenues in the study of paleoclimate, as the measurement of clumped isotopes in phosphorites and fossils has the potential to reconstruct environmental temperatures.
Sigma factor phosphorylation in the photosynthetic control of photosystem stoichiometry
Authors: Shimizu Masanori , Kato Hideki , Ogawa Takeshi , Kurachi Aya , Nakagawa Yoshiko , Kobayashi Hirokazu
Published: May 2010

An imbalance in photosynthetic electron transfer is thought to be redressed by photosynthetic control of the rate of expression of genes encoding apoproteins of photosystem (PS)-I and PS-II in response to the redox state of plastoquinone (PQ), which is a connecting electron carrier. PS stoichiometry is then adjusted to enhance photosynthetic efficiency. In prokaryotes, sigma factors are well known for their participation in the control of RNA polymerase activity in transcription, whereas there have been no reports concerning their association with redox regulation. We have found that the phosphorylation of SIG1, the major sigma factor (SIG), is regulated by redox signals and selectively inhibits the transcription of the
psaA
gene, which encodes a PS-I protein. We produced transgenic
Arabidopsis
plants with or without the putative phosphorylation sites for SIG1 and demonstrated through in vivo labeling that Thr-170 was involved in the phosphorylation. We analyzed the in vivo and in vitro transcriptional responses of the transgenic
Arabidopsis
plants to the redox status in regard to involvement of the phosphorylation site. We revealed an enhanced phosphorylation of SIG1 under oxidative conditions of PQ in a form associated with the molecular mass of the holoenzyme. Phosphorylation of SIG1 proved crucial through a change in the promoter specificity for sustaining balanced expression of components in PS-I and PS-II and was responsible for harmonious electron flow to maintain photosynthetic efficiency.
Retinoid X receptor α controls innate inflammatory responses through the up-regulation of chemokine expression
Authors: Núñez Vanessa , Alameda Daniel , Rico Daniel , Mota Rubén , Gonzalo Pilar , Cedenilla Marta , Fischer Thierry , Boscá Lisardo , Glass Christopher K. , Arroyo Alicia G. , Ricote Mercedes
Published: May 2010

The retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) plays a central role in the regulation of many intracellular receptor signaling pathways and can mediate ligand-dependent transcription by forming homodimers or heterodimers with other nuclear receptors. Although several members of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily have emerged as important regulators of macrophage gene expression, the existence in vivo of an RXR signaling pathway in macrophages has not been established. Here, we provide evidence that RXRα regulates the transcription of the chemokinesCcl6andCcl9in macrophages independently of heterodimeric partners. Mice lacking RXRα in myeloid cells exhibit reduced levels of CCL6 and CCL9, impaired recruitment of leukocytes to sites of inflammation, and lower susceptibility to sepsis. These studies demonstrate that macrophage RXRα plays key roles in the regulation of innate immunity and represents a potential target for immunotherapy of sepsis.
Femtosecond quantum control of molecular bond formation
Authors: Nuernberger Patrick , Wolpert Daniel , Weiss Horst , Gerber Gustav
Published: May 2010

Ultrafast lasers are versatile tools used in many scientific areas, from welding to eye surgery. They are also used to coherently manipulate light–matter interactions such as chemical reactions, but so far control experiments have concentrated on cleavage or rearrangement of existing molecular bonds. Here we demonstrate the synthesis of several molecular species starting from small reactant molecules in laser-induced catalytic surface reactions, and even the increase of the relative reaction efficiency by feedback-optimized laser pulses. We show that the control mechanism is nontrivial and sensitive to the relative proportion of the reactants. The control experiments open up a pathway towards photocatalysis and are relevant for research in physics, chemistry, and biology where light-induced bond formation is important.
Protected areas reduced poverty in Costa Rica and Thailand
Authors: Andam Kwaw S. , Ferraro Paul J. , Sims Katharine R. E. , Healy Andrew , Holland Margaret B.
Published: May 2010

As global efforts to protect ecosystems expand, the socioeconomic impact of protected areas on neighboring human communities continues to be a source of intense debate. The debate persists because previous studies do not directly measure socioeconomic outcomes and do not use appropriate comparison groups to account for potential confounders. We illustrate an approach using comprehensive national datasets and quasi-experimental matching methods. We estimate impacts of protected area systems on poverty in Costa Rica and Thailand and find that although communities near protected areas are indeed substantially poorer than national averages, an analysis based on comparison with appropriate controls does not support the hypothesis that these differences can be attributed to protected areas. In contrast, the results indicate that the net impact of ecosystem protection was to alleviate poverty.
B-lymphoid cells with attributes of dendritic cells regulate T cells via indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase
Authors: Johnson Burles A. , Kahler David J. , Baban Babak , Chandler Phillip R. , Kang Baolin , Shimoda Michiko , Koni Pandelakis A. , Pihkala Jeanene , Vilagos Bojan , Busslinger Meinrad , Munn David H. , Mellor Andrew L.
Published: May 2010

A discrete population of splenocytes with attributes of dendritic cells (DCs) and coexpressing the B-cell marker CD19 is uniquely competent to express the T-cell regulatory enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in mice treated with TLR9 ligands (CpGs). Here we show that IDO-competent cells express the B-lineage commitment factor Pax5 and surface immunoglobulins. CD19 ablation abrogated IDO-dependent T-cell suppression by DCs, even though cells with phenotypic attributes matching IDO-competent cells developed normally and expressed IDO in response to interferon γ. Consequently, DCs and regulatory T cells (Tregs) did not acquire T-cell regulatory functions after TLR9 ligation, providing an alternative perspective on the known T-cell regulatory defects of CD19-deficient mice. DCs from B-cell–deficient mice expressed IDO and mediated T-cell suppression after TLR9 ligation, indicating that B-cell attributes were not essential for B-lymphoid IDO-competent cells to regulate T cells. Thus, IDO-competent cells constitute a distinctive B-lymphoid cell type with quintessential T-cell regulatory attributes and phenotypic features of both B cells and DCs.
Control of dissected leaf morphology by a Cys(2)His(2) zinc finger transcription factor in the model legume
Medicago truncatula
Authors: Chen Jianghua , Yu Jianbin , Ge Liangfa , Wang Hongliang , Berbel Ana , Liu Yu , Chen Yuhui , Li Guangming , Tadege Million , Wen Jiangqi , Cosson Viviane , Mysore Kirankumar S. , Ratet Pascal , Madueño Francisco , Bai Guihua , Chen Rujin
Published: May 2010

Plant leaves are diverse in their morphology, reflecting to a large degree the plant diversity in the natural environment. How different leaf morphology is determined is not yet understood. The leguminous plant
Medicago truncatula
exhibits dissected leaves with three leaflets at the tip. We show that development of the trifoliate leaves is determined by the Cys(2)His(2) zinc finger transcription factor PALM1. Loss-of-function mutants of
PALM1
develop dissected leaves with five leaflets clustered at the tip. We demonstrate that PALM1 binds a specific promoter sequence and down-regulates the expression of the
M. truncatula LEAFY
/
UNIFOLIATA
orthologue
SINGLE LEAFLET1
(
SGL1
), encoding an indeterminacy factor necessary for leaflet initiation. Our data indicate that
SGL1
is required for leaflet proliferation in the
palm1
mutant. Interestingly, ectopic expression of
PALM1
effectively suppresses the lobed leaf phenotype from overexpression of a class 1 KNOTTED1-like homeobox protein in
Arabidopsis
plants. Taken together, our results show that PALM1 acts as a determinacy factor, regulates the spatial-temporal expression of
SGL1
during leaf morphogenesis and together with the LEAFY/UNIFOLIATA orthologue plays an important role in orchestrating the compound leaf morphology in
M. truncatula
.
The apical transmembrane protein Crumbs functions as a tumor suppressor that regulates Hippo signaling by binding to Expanded
Authors: Ling Chen , Zheng Yonggang , Yin Feng , Yu Jianzhong , Huang Juan , Hong Yang , Wu Shian , Pan Duojia
Published: May 2010

The Hippo signaling pathway regulates organ size and tissue homeostasis from
Drosophila
to mammals. At the core of the Hippo pathway is a kinase cascade extending from the Hippo (Hpo) tumor suppressor to the Yorkie (Yki) oncoprotein. The Hippo kinase cascade, in turn, is regulated by apical membrane-associated proteins such as the FERM domain proteins Merlin and Expanded (Ex), and the WW- and C2-domain protein Kibra. How these apical proteins are themselves regulated remains poorly understood. Here, we identify the transmembrane protein Crumbs (Crb), a determinant of epithelial apical-basal polarity in
Drosophila
embryos, as an upstream component of the Hippo pathway in imaginal disk growth control. Loss of Crb leads to tissue overgrowth and target gene expression characteristic of defective Hippo signaling. Crb directly binds to Ex through its juxtamembrane FERM-binding motif (FBM). Loss of Crb or mutation of its FBM leads to mislocalization of Ex to basolateral domain of imaginal disk epithelial cells. These results shed light on the mechanism of Ex regulation and provide a molecular link between apical-basal polarity and tissue growth. Furthermore, our studies implicate Crb as a putative cell surface receptor for Hippo signaling by uncovering a transmembrane protein that directly binds to an apical component of the Hippo pathway.
Arabidopsis PIS1
encodes the ABCG37 transporter of auxinic compounds including the auxin precursor indole-3-butyric acid
Authors: Růžička Kamil , Strader Lucia C. , Bailly Aurélien , Yang Haibing , Blakeslee Joshua , Łangowski Łukasz , Nejedlá Eliška , Fujita Hironori , Itoh Hironori , Syōno Kunihiko , Hejátko Jan , Gray William M. , Martinoia Enrico , Geisler Markus , Bartel Bonnie , Murphy Angus S. , Friml Jiří
Published: May 2010

Differential distribution of the plant hormone auxin within tissues mediates a variety of developmental processes. Cellular auxin levels are determined by metabolic processes including synthesis, degradation, and (de)conjugation, as well as by auxin transport across the plasma membrane. Whereas transport of free auxins such as naturally occurring indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is well characterized, little is known about the transport of auxin precursors and metabolites. Here, we identify a mutation in the
ABCG37
gene of
Arabidopsis
that causes the
polar auxin transport inhibitor sensitive1
(
pis1
) phenotype manifested by hypersensitivity to auxinic compounds.
ABCG37
encodes the pleiotropic drug resistance transporter that transports a range of synthetic auxinic compounds as well as the endogenous auxin precursor indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), but not free IAA. ABCG37 and its homolog ABCG36 act redundantly at outermost root plasma membranes and, unlike established IAA transporters from the PIN and ABCB families, transport IBA out of the cells. Our findings explore possible novel modes of regulating auxin homeostasis and plant development by means of directional transport of the auxin precursor IBA and presumably also other auxin metabolites.
Visualizing the formation of the Kondo lattice and the hidden order in URu
2
Si
2
Authors: Aynajian Pegor , da Silva Neto Eduardo H. , Parker Colin V. , Huang Yingkai , Pasupathy Abhay , Mydosh John , Yazdani Ali
Published: May 2010

Heavy electronic states originating from the
f
atomic orbitals underlie a rich variety of quantum phases of matter. We use atomic scale imaging and spectroscopy with the scanning tunneling microscope to examine the novel electronic states that emerge from the uranium
f
states in URu
2
Si
2
. We find that, as the temperature is lowered, partial screening of the
f
electrons’ spins gives rise to a spatially modulated Kondo–Fano resonance that is maximal between the surface U atoms. At
T
 = 17.5 K, URu
2
Si
2
is known to undergo a second-order phase transition from the Kondo lattice state into a phase with a hidden order parameter. From tunneling spectroscopy, we identify a spatially modulated, bias-asymmetric energy gap with a mean-field temperature dependence that develops in the hidden order state. Spectroscopic imaging further reveals a spatial correlation between the hidden order gap and the Kondo resonance, suggesting that the two phenomena involve the same electronic states.
Pom33, a novel transmembrane nucleoporin required for proper nuclear pore complex distribution
Authors: Chadrin Anne , Hess Barbara , San Roman Mabel , Gatti Xavier , Lombard Bérangère , Loew Damarys , Barral Yves , Palancade Benoit , Doye Valérie
Published: May 2010

The biogenesis of nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) represents a paradigm for the assembly of high-complexity macromolecular structures. So far, only three integral pore membrane proteins are known to function redundantly in NPC anchoring within the nuclear envelope. Here, we describe the identification and functional characterization of Pom33, a novel transmembrane protein dynamically associated with budding yeast NPCs. Pom33 becomes critical for yeast viability in the absence of a functional Nup84 complex or Ndc1 interaction network, which are two core NPC subcomplexes, and associates with the reticulon Rtn1. Moreover, POM33 loss of function impairs NPC distribution, a readout for a subset of genes required for pore biogenesis, including members of the Nup84 complex and RTN1. Consistently, we show that Pom33 is required for normal NPC density in the daughter nucleus and for proper NPC biogenesis and/or stability in the absence of Nup170. We hypothesize that, by modifying or stabilizing the nuclear envelope–NPC interface, Pom33 may contribute to proper distribution and/or efficient assembly of nuclear pores.
Microbiota innate stimulation is a prerequisite for T cell spontaneous proliferation and induction of experimental colitis
Authors: Feng Ting , Wang Lanfang , Schoeb Trenton R. , Elson Charles O. , Cong Yingzi
Published: May 2010

Little is known about how the microbiota regulates T cell proliferation and whether spontaneous T cell proliferation is involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. In this study, we show that stimulation of innate pathways by microbiota-derived ligands and antigen-specific T cell stimulation are both required for intestinal inflammation. Microbiota-derived ligands promoted spontaneous T cell proliferation by activating dendritic cells (DCs) to produce IL-6 via Myd88, as shown by the spontaneous proliferation of T cells adoptively transferred into specific pathogen–free (SPF) RAG−/− mice, but not in germfree RAG−/− mice. Reconstitution of germfree RAG−/− mice with cecal bacterial lysate–pulsed DCs, but not with IL-6−/− or Myd88−/− DCs, restored spontaneous T cell proliferation. CBir1 TCR transgenic (CBir1 Tg) T cells, which are specific for an immunodominant microbiota antigen, induced colitis in SPF RAG−/− mice. Blocking the spontaneous proliferation of CBir1 Tg T cells by co-transferring bulk OT II CD4+ T cells abrogated colitis development. Although transferred OT II T cells underwent spontaneous proliferation in RAG−/− mice, the recipients failed to develop colitis because of the lack of cognate antigen in the intestinal lumen. Collectively, our data demonstrate that induction of colitis requires both spontaneous proliferation of T cells driven by microbiota-derived innate signals and antigen-specific T cell proliferation.
Optical and electrostatic potential investigations of electrical breakdown phenomena in a low-pressure gas discharge lamp
Authors: Gendre M F , Haverlag M , Kroesen G M W
Published: May 2010

The ignition phase is a critical stage in the operation of gas discharge lamps where the neutral gas enclosed between the electrodes undergoes a transformation from the dielectric state to a conducting phase, eventually enabling the production of light. The phenomena occurring during this phase transition are not fully understood and the related experimental studies are often limited to local optical measurements in environments prone to influencing these transient phenomena. In this work unipolar ignition phenomena at sub-kilovolt levels are investigated in a 3 Torr argon discharge tube. The lamp is placed in a highly controlled environment so as to prevent any bias on the measurements. A fast intensified CCD camera and a specially designed novel electrostatic probe are used simultaneously so as to provide a broad array of measured and computed parameters which are displayed in space–time diagrams for cross comparisons. Experiments show that three distinct phases exist during successful ignitions: upon the application of voltage a first ionization wave starts from the active electrode and propagates in the neutral gas towards the opposite electrode. A local front of high axialEfield strength is associated with this process and causes a local ionization to occur, leading to the electrostatic charging of the lamp. Next, a second wave propagates from the ground electrode back towards the active electrode with a higher velocity, and in this process leads to a partial discharging of the lamp. This return stroke draws a homogeneous plasma column which eventually bridges both electrodes at the end of the wave propagation. At this point both electrode sheaths are formed and the common features of a glow discharge are observed. The third phase is an increase in the light intensity of the plasma column until the lamp reaches a steady-state operation. Failed ignitions present only the first phase where the first wave starts its propagation but extinguishes in the lamp, leading to a charge memory effect. It is found that the full propagation of this first wave is a requirement for successful lamp ignition. Differences in the properties of the waves were observed depending on the voltage polarity, and it was estimated that a photoelectric effect at the wall is the most likely source of electrons for the ionization wave of positive polarity. Finally, a simple model of the first ionization wave is developed and used to analyse the fundamental differences between processes occurring at negative and at positive polarity. From this study three conditions are developed for the successful unipolar ignition of lamps and the relations between them are derived.
ADP-Ribosylation Factor 6 Regulates Mammalian Myoblast Fusion through Phospholipase D1 and Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Bisphosphate Signaling Pathways
Authors: Bach Anne-Sophie , Enjalbert Sandrine , Comunale Franck , Bodin Stéphane , Vitale Nicolas , Charrasse Sophie , Gauthier-Rouvière Cécile
Published: May 2010

Myoblast fusion is an essential step during myoblast differentiation that remains poorly understood. M-cadherin–dependent pathways that signal through Rac1 GTPase activation via the Rho-guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) Trio are important for myoblast fusion. The ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF)6 GTPase has been shown to bind to Trio and to regulate Rac1 activity. Moreover, Loner/GEP100/BRAG2, a GEF of ARF6, has been involved in mammalian and Drosophila myoblast fusion, but the specific role of ARF6 has been not fully analyzed. Here, we show that ARF6 activity is increased at the time of myoblast fusion and is required for its implementation in mouse C2C12 myoblasts. Specifically, at the onset of myoblast fusion, ARF6 is associated with the multiproteic complex that contains M-cadherin, Trio, and Rac1 and accumulates at sites of myoblast fusion. ARF6 silencing inhibits the association of Trio and Rac1 with M-cadherin. Moreover, we demonstrate that ARF6 regulates myoblast fusion through phospholipase D (PLD) activation and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bis-phosphate production. Together, these data indicate that ARF6 is a critical regulator of C2C12 myoblast fusion and participates in the regulation of PLD activities that trigger both phospholipids production and actin cytoskeleton reorganization at fusion sites.
Trade Costs and Deviations from the Law of One Price
Authors: Chami Batista J. , da Silveira Filho G. B.
Published: May 2010

The link between relative prices across countries and trade costs requires a theoretical foundation that is absent in the literature to date. Empirical tests on the law of one price are based on an arbitrage equation, which is of very limited relevance in understanding this link. The application of a new set of arbitrage equations to the tin trade market yields results that are consistent with our theoretical expectations. We find evidence in favor of the law of one price between the United States and Japan. However, evidence of price discrimination is also found for the Los Angeles market.
Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Following Crush Injury to Rat Peroneal Nerve by Aqueous Extract of Medicinal Mushroom Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr) Pers. (Aphyllophoromycetideae)
Authors: Wong Kah-Hui , Naidu Murali , David Pamela , Abdulla Mahmood Ameen , Abdullah Noorlidah , Kuppusamy Umah Rani , Sabaratnam Vikineswary
Published: May 2010

Nerve crush injury is a well‐established axonotmetic model in experimental regeneration studies to investigate the impact of various pharmacological treatments. Hericium erinaceus is a temperate mushroom but is now being cultivated in tropical Malaysia. In this study, we investigated the activity of aqueous extract of H. erinaceus fresh fruiting bodies in promoting functional recovery following an axonotmetic peroneal nerve injury in adult female Sprague‐Dawley rats by daily oral administration. The aim was to investigate the possible use of this mushroom in the treatment of injured nerve. Functional recovery was assessed in behavioral experiment by walking track analysis. Peroneal functional index (PFI) was determined before surgery and after surgery as rats showed signs of recovery. Histological examinations were performed on peroneal nerve by immunofluorescence staining and neuromuscular junction by combined silver‐cholinesterase stain. Analysis of PFI indicated that return of hind limb function occurred earlier in rats of aqueous extract or mecobalamin (positive control) group compared to negative control group. Regeneration of axons and reinnervation of motor endplates in extensor digitorum longus muscle in rats of aqueous extract or mecobalamin group developed better than in negative control group. These data suggest that daily oral administration of aqueous extract of H. erinaceus fresh fruiting bodies could promote the regeneration of injured rat peroneal nerve in the early stage of recovery.
Ageing octopods from stylets: development of a technique for permanent preparations
Authors: Barratt Iain M. , Allcock A. Louise
Published: May 2010

Barratt, I. M., and Allcock, A. L. 2010. Ageing octopods from stylets: development of a technique for permanent preparations. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1452–1457. Previous attempts at ageing octopods from stylets have relied on preparations that deteriorate with time. Some techniques require an immediate photographic record, others allow real-time enumeration but do not provide a permanent archive. A technique is described that produces permanent and archivable preparations of octopod stylets. Stylets were dehydrated in ethanol and infiltrated with a low-viscosity resin. Subsequent polymerization of the resin allowed the embedded stylet to be ground and polished to reveal the stylet microstructure. This comprised increments that are probably suitable for age estimation. The technique was developed using stylets of Octopus vulgaris and Eledone cirrhosa. Increments were composed of light and dark bands and were clearly defined at ×400 and at ×625 magnifications. The number of increments ranged from 189 to 399. The stylets of a deep-sea species (Bathypolypus sponsalis) and an Antarctic species (Megaleledone setebos) were also examined. Each appeared to have growth increments, despite the perception that the environments they inhabited may not provide daily cues. Using the technique developed, the pre-hatch nucleus was seldom well defined, as reported for O. pallidus, stylets of which were prepared using a non-permanent method. Reasons for this are discussed. The microstructure clarity revealed is probably associated with the ultra-low viscosity of the resin used.
Aeschylus
Authors: Torrance Isabelle
Published: May 2010

Aeschylus (also spelled Aischylos or Aiskhylos) was born c. 525/4 bce to an aristocratic family in Eleusis, a town in western Attica, part of the territory controlled by Athens. He was one of the earliest tragic poets. He first entered a tragic competition c. 499 (dramatic competitions were introduced in the 530s bce ) and won first prize for the first time in 484. In the 470s he visited Sicily, where he was the guest of Hieron of Syracuse. He also died in Sicily (at Gela) in 456/5, during a visit after the production of his Oresteia in Athens in 458. During his lifetime and after his death he was celebrated as one of the finest, if not the finest Athenian tragic poet. He won thirteen victories at tragic competitions (see Theater and Staging) and was credited with having written between seventy and ninety plays. Only seven complete plays survive, all tragedies. Of these, three form a connected trilogy in which the three plays tell a single overarching plot: the Oresteia (Agamemnon, Libation Bearers, Eumenides). Two more were parts of connected trilogies of which the other two plays are lost (Seven against Thebes and Suppliants). One formed part of a trilogy without any close connection to the other plays (Persians), and the authenticity of one is disputed (Prometheus Bound). In addition to his poetic achievement, ancient sources tell us that his epitaph recorded his resistance against the Persians at the battle of Marathon, when, in 490 bce, the Athenians and their allies drove back an attacking Persian horde of vastly superior numbers. It is also possible that Aeschylus fought in the naval battle at Salamis in 480 bce, another Greek victory over the Persians and the subject of his Persians.
Arena Spectacles
Authors: Coleman Kathleen M.
Published: May 2010

The staging of various types of violent spectacle characterizes Roman urban culture from the mid-Republic until Late Antiquity. Gradually, temporary structures erected in the Forum were replaced by permanent venues, custom-built (predominantly in the West) or adapted from preexisting theaters or stadia (in the Eastern Empire). The term “arena spectacles” covers all types of spectacle put on in these locations, including gladiatorial combat, beast displays, aquatic spectacles, and spectacular forms of public execution. Some of these spectacles were also staged elsewhere—for instance, staged hunts (venationes) in the circus, and naval battles (naumachiae) on custom-built lakes—but this bibliography is limited to the four categories of display mentioned above; other types of spectacle associated with some of the venues (e.g., chariot-racing in the circus) are not treated here. Participation in arena spectacles was a very low-status activity, although staging them earned their sponsors considerable prestige. Spectacles were a major investment, either financial or ideological, for many different constituents in Roman society. The sources are numerous but fragmentary. Dispassionate assessment is hampered by modern revulsion at the provision of public entertainment that was potentially fatal for the protagonists, whether human or animal. Many factors helped to shape arena spectacles, including the hierarchical nature and military ethose of ancient society, a short life expectancy, the provision of amenities by private benefaction, the spread of Roman power to encompass distant lands and exotic products, the gradual aggrandizement of a single man as world leader, and the development of an instinct for martyrdom in the emerging religion of Christianity. The precise function of arena spectacles is hotly debated in modern scholarship. New interpretations and new discoveries, primarily archaeological, are constantly undermining long-held assumptions. Scholars are struggling to understand an alien, challenging, and intriguing phenomenon.
Callimachus of Cyrene
Authors: Clayman Dee L.
Published: May 2010

Callimachus of Cyrene was a central figure in the literary and scholarly community that flourished in Alexandria in the third century bce. His poetry was greatly admired by the best Roman poets, who embraced his stylistic principles, and by ancient grammarians, metricians, and lexicographers, who mined his work for examples of rare forms and usage. Of his prodigious body of work, only six Hymns and sixty-three epigrams have survived intact, though parts of his Aitia, Iambi, and Hecale have been recovered from papyrus fragments and quotations in later authors. The rest, including his scholarship and library catalogue, are known by title, a few fragments, or indirect references in the work of later authors.
Greek History: Archaic to Classical Age
Authors: Roberts Jennifer
Published: May 2010

The accomplishments of the ancient Greeks were remarkable. Without rich natural resources and hobbled by their endemic inability to stop fighting with one another, the Greek city-states nonetheless spread their civilization from Spain in the west to Pakistan in the east. It was in Greece that democracy first took root, and it was the Greeks who gave to the West many canonical forms of sculpture and architecture. Though the Greeks were eventually conquered politically by the Romans, their culture, as the Roman poet Horace pointed out, came out victorious: “Captive Greece took Rome, her captor, captive.” Greek culture continued to flourish for centuries after the Roman conquest and influenced the civilizations of Byzantium and the Muslim world. Today the Greek presence can be read in much of the vocabulary of Western languages and seen in the public buildings of Europe and the Americas. Periodization has traditionally divided the history of ancient Greece into the Bronze Age (c. 3000–1100 bce), the Iron Age (c. 1100–750 bce), the Archaic Age (c. 750–479 bce), the Classical Age (479–323 bce), and the Hellenistic Age (323–30 bce). Where archaeology is concerned, material remains, including inscriptions, continue to be discovered and to provide new fruit for analysis. In terms of literary texts, however, very little new evidence has come to light in recent centuries. New interpretations, therefore, are frequently the product of bringing new skills to bear on old evidence. Often these tools of analysis are adapted from fields such as anthropology, sociology, political science, and gender studies. On the whole, changing views of the Archaic Age are grounded in applying these tools to material remains, as very little that was written in this time period survives. A tremendous amount of writing, however, has survived from the Classical Age, and in total the database of Greek literary texts written down from the late 8th century bce through the 2nd century CE contains 20 million words.
Greek History: Hellenistic
Authors: Chaniotis Angelos
Published: May 2010

The Hellenistic period, from the conquests of Alexander the Great (334 bce) to the conquest of the Ptolemaic kingdom by Rome (30 bce), marks the greatest expansion of Greek culture but also the beginning of a transformation of Greek political institutions, society, religion, and culture. Politically, this period saw the creation, conflicts, and decline of new kingdoms (Ptolemaic, Seleucid, Attalid, minor kingdoms in Asia Minor and the East), the domination of mainland Greece and the Aegean by the Antigonids of Macedonia and the federal states of the Aetolians and the Achaeans, and the expansion of Rome. Although the role of the poleis (Greek plural of “polis”) in “international” politics declined, the polis remained the predominant form of political organization, and many new poleis were founded. Major phenomena in social history are the preponderance of elites and benefactors, a stronger presence of women in public life, increased social complexity, and mobility. The incorporation of Egypt and of large areas in the East (up to the western border of India) into a political, economic, and social network resulted in an intensive exchange of ideas and mutual influence between the Greek and non-Greek cultures and in the development of new centers of culture. Because of the continual discovery of new texts (inscriptions and papyri), our understanding of this period changes faster and more substantially than that of earlier periods. For this reason, this bibliography lays emphasis on recent studies, in which one can find further bibliography and references to new source materials. English is not the lingua franca and not even the most important language for the study of Hellenistic history, and no profound study of the Hellenistic world should be attempted without reading knowledge of French, German, and Italian.
Virgil
Authors: Fantham Elaine , Fairey Emily
Published: May 2010

Many regard Virgil (Publius Vergilius Maro, 70–19 bce; also spelled Vergil in English) as the greatest of the Roman poets. His epic poem, the Aeneid, has been of continuing importance to Western literature. On its own merits, it is a masterpiece of epic poetry and the Latin language. Products of the chaos of the Roman civil war years, Virgil’s works show a longing for a more peaceful ordering of society. His major works, the Eclogues, Georgics, and Aeneid, emphasize different aspects of this desire. Virgil’s importance to world literature is difficult to underestimate. Later poets and writers, including Dante and Milton, have venerated and imitated him.
Emotion
Authors: Brady Michael
Published: May 2010

Emotions occupy a central place in our lives and are increasingly the object of philosophical attention. It is not easy, however, to keep a grip on the literature on this subject, in part because the emotions are the focus of study in a number of disciplines. As a result, it is rather difficult to present an overview of the literature on emotion in general. In order to keep things manageable, then, this article focuses on the issues that are central to the main philosophical debates. Reference is made to other approaches—from psychology, evolutionary theory, and social science—insofar as these have informed, and have been informed by, philosophical thinking.
Epistemology
Authors: Fantl Jeremy , McGrath Matthew , Sosa Ernest
Published: May 2010

Much epistemological work in the Western tradition focuses on the nature of knowledge—its sources, significance, and scope. But justified belief, epistemic virtue and responsibility, understanding, and evidence are epistemologically important, and not just because of the role they play in knowledge. The readings in this section represent the most recent influential work, as of the first decade of the 21st century, on the range of issues covered by General Epistemology.
Immanuel Kant: Theoretical Philosophy
Authors: Watkins Eric
Published: May 2010

The historical and systematic importance of Kant’s philosophy can hardly be exaggerated. The revolutionary contribution it made to earlier modern philosophy, the influence it had on the subsequent course of philosophical thought, and the significance it has for an understanding of our current situation are unparalleled. Given its importance, it is not surprising that scholarship on Kant’s philosophy has also been extremely rich, with attention being paid both to specific sections of Kant’s famous Critique of Pure Reason and to the systematic topics that are treated therein. While Kant’s practical philosophy and aesthetics are revolutionary in their own right, the focus in the present context is on Kant’s theoretical philosophy, which is expressed primarily, though not exclusively, in the Critique of Pure Reason.
Plato
Authors: Chappell Sophie-Grace
Published: May 2010

In the words of Alfred North Whitehead’s famous overstatement of the case: “The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato” (Process and Reality, 1929, chapter 3). This is indeed an overstatement; to say the least, some of the footnotes have become rather long by now, and some of them are more like footnotes to Plato’s opponents (to Protagoras, Thrasymachus, and Democritus, for example). All the same, more than twenty-three centuries after his death at about eighty years old in c. 347 bce, the aristocratic Athenian statesman Plato’s philosophical writings are still key determinants of our conception of philosophy. As Richard Kraut puts it in his Stanford Encyclopedia entry on Plato, “The subject of philosophy… can be called his invention.” We pay tribute to that fact every time we ask whether knowledge is justified true belief, or wonder in what sense justice in the individual could be the same thing as justice in society, or try to define “virtue” (or any other key philosophical term), or explore the positions in metaphysics and the philosophy of mathematics that are, not inappropriately, called Platonism.