bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The importance of socio-economic and political losses and gains in welfare state reform
Authors: Vis Barbara
Published: November 2009

When do governments pursue unpopular reform, such as cutting benefits? And when do they engage in not-unpopular reform, such as activation? Current approaches in welfare state research cannot systematically explain the cross-government variation in the two types of reform. Based on insights from prospect theory, a psychological theory of choice under risk, this article complements existing theories by arguing that losses and gains matter crucially for welfare state reform. A fs/QCA analysis of labour market reforms pursued by 23 Danish, German, Dutch and British Cabinets between 1979 and 2005 corroborates this hypothesis. Specifically, it shows that an improving political position (a gain) is the necessary condition for not-unpopular reform while for unpopular reform it is a deteriorating socio-economic situation (a loss). This finding helps account for the puzzling cross-government variation in different types of welfare state reform.
Our Health, Our Say: Towards a Feminist Perspective of Lesbian Health Psychology
Authors: Fish Julie
Published: November 2009

Although women’s health has been a central concern of feminist psychology, lesbian health has been largely overlooked. Adopting a feminist approach, this article considers the distinctiveness of lesbian health psychology by examining the contexts for lesbian health. Notions of disease and risk have underpinned the endeavour of constituting lesbians’ health as a research discipline. Dominant traditions have established lesbian health psychology along key dimensions of difference from heterosexual women: differences in risk and preventive health behaviours, in healthy behaviours, in experiences of healthcare, in mental health and in experiences of discrimination. In this article, I propose an agenda for a critically informed perspective of lesbian health psychology and for explanations that do not reinscribe pathology.
Chronic Illness in Non-heterosexual Contexts: An Online Survey of Experiences
Authors: Jowett Adam , Peel Elizabeth
Published: November 2009

In this article we contribute to the expansion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) health psychology beyond the confines of sexual health by examining the experiences of lesbian, gay and bisexual people living with non-HIV related chronic illness. Using a (predominantly) qualitative online survey, the perspectives of 190 LGB people with 52 different chronic illnesses from eight countries were collected. The five most commonly reported physical conditions were arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, asthma and chronic fatigue syndrome. Our analysis focuses on four themes within participants’ written comments: (1) ableism within LGBT communities; (2) isolation from LGBT communities and other LGB people living with chronic illness; (3) heteronormativity within sources of information and support and; (4) homophobia from healthcare professionals. We conclude by suggesting that LGBTQ psychology could usefully draw on critical health psychology principles and frameworks to explore non-heterosexual’s lived experiences of chronic illness, and also that there remains a need for specifically targeted support groups and services for LGB people with chronic illnesses.
Discharged for Homosexuality from the Canadian Military: Health Implications for Lesbians
Authors: Poulin Carmen , Gouliquer Lynne , Moore Jennifer
Published: November 2009

This study examines the short- and long-term psychological, physical and social health implications associated with pre-1992 investigations and eventual discharge of Canadian military servicewomen for reasons of homosexuality. Theoretically, it sheds light on the impact of the intersection between sexism and heterosexism. The feminist psycho-social ethnography of the commonplace methodology was utilized. The study draws on in-depth semi-structured interviews with 13 former military personnel who self-identified as lesbian. While in the military, study participants were persecuted and forced to adopt various cognitive and behavioural coping strategies to avoid being found out and discharged by the military’s Special Investigative Unit. Women reported that the relentless military surveillance, ongoing risk evaluation, and identity hiding contributed to psychological, physical and social health effects, including high stress, physical exhaustion, depression, substance abuse and social isolation. The criminal code’s definition of torture and the literature regarding the effects of stalking on victims provide context for the results. The discussion presents policy recommendations aimed at repairing the psychological damage that discharged lesbian service members suffered.
The Health and Well-being Implications of Emotion Work Undertaken by Gay Sperm Donors
Authors: Riggs Damien W.
Published: November 2009

As reproductive health clinics both within Australia and internationally continue to face a shortfall in the number of available sperm donors, so there exists a growing demand for men willing to donate to clinics. At the same time, and where an increasing number of countries move toward legislating for the release of identifying information about donors to children conceived of their sperm, fewer men report a willingness to act as donors. This article suggests that this is at least in part caused by the considerable ‘emotion work’ involved in sperm donation. Drawing on 21 interviews conducted with gay Australian sperm donors, the article provides a thematic analysis of instances of such emotion work and explores the implications of this for the health and well-being of gay men who donate sperm both to clinics and in private arrangements.
Ethics of medical research in developing countries: the role of international codes of conduct
Authors: Hutton J L
Published: November 2009

Many statisticians work with informal codes of ethics, and are probably unaware of the existence or content of rules which have been drawn up to govern statistical practice. Medical statisticians will be aware of codes of conduct for medical research, and most codes of professional ethics have some dependence on evidence. Statisticians, therefore, have a valuable contribution to make to debates on ethics which concern scientific soundness, data and perceptions of risk.

A lively debate on the revision of the widely respected Declaration of Helsinki, to reflect issues arising from research in developing countries, particularly HIV research, centres on questions of study design, data analysis and assessment of risk.

Collectively owned multiprofessional work requires each of the various professions to take responsibility for the conduct of the research, and the impact that it might have. Statisticians share important responsibilities in maintaining ethical medical research in all countries.
Diagnostic test analyses in search of their gold standard: latent class analyses with random effects
Authors: Goetghebeur Els , Liinev Jan , Boelaert Marleen , Van der Stuyft Patrick
Published: November 2009

We review methods for analysing the performance of several diagnostic tests when patients must be classified as having a disease or not, when no gold standard is available. For latent class analysis (LCA) to provide consistent estimates of sensitivity, specificity and prevalence, traditionally `independent errors conditional on disease status' have been assumed. Recent approaches derive estimators under more flexible assumptions. However, all likelihood-based approaches suffer from the sparseness of tables generated by this type of data; an issue which is often ignored. In light of this, we examine the potential and limitations of LCAs of diagnostic tests. We are guided by a data set of visceral leishmaniasis tests. In the example, LCA estimates suggest that the traditional reference test, parasitology, has poor sensitivity and underestimates prevalence. From a technical standpoint, including more test results in one analysis yields increasing degrees of sparseness in the table which are seen to lead to discordant values of asymptotically equivalent test statistics and eventually lack of convergence of the LCA algorithm. We suggest some strategies to cope with this.
Modelling recurrent malaria in Thailand
Authors: Tiensuwan Montip
Published: November 2009

Malaria is a common infectious disease in many tropical countries. Thailand is located geographically in the tropical zone and the transmission of malaria is found widely, for instance, in the Tak province. The objective of this study is to find risk factors for the number of experiences with malaria of malaria patients, i.e. repeated recurrences of the disease within an infected individual in the Tak province in the rainy season by using Poisson regression models. Among the models fitted, the best are chosen based on the analysis of deviance. The results of this study show that the risk factors are race, spraying insecticides in houses in an infectious area, number of days staying overnight without protection against mosquitoes of malaria patients, and whether or not any members of the family of the malaria patient have had malaria.
Disease surveillance and data collection issues in epidemic modelling
Authors: Solomon P J , Isham V S
Published: November 2009

This paper is founded on a tutorial session given to the School on Modern Statistical Methods in Medical Research which was held at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste in September 1999. We review the aims, scope and purposes of infectious disease surveillance including determining transmission information to underpin model structure and parameterization in epidemic modelling. The practical problems inherent in collecting surveillance data are illustrated by a study of HIV/AIDS in Cambodia. We also review the basic elements of mathematical models developed to represent the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases, and discuss reasons for the gap between mathematical epidemic models and available data.
An Improved Model for Magnetorheological Fluid-Based Actuators and Sensors
Authors: Ahmadkhanlou Farzad , Mahboob Monon , Bechtel Stephen , Washington Gregory
Published: November 2009

The resistance to flow of magnetorheological (MR) fluids is greatly increased by the application of a magnetic field. At present, most devices exploiting this MR fluid behavior are pistons executing straight-line motion. The MR fluids in these devices are subjected to shear flow, and are modeled by either the Bingham plastic or Herschel-Buckley models, both 1D, phenomenological continuum-level forms relating strain rate, magnetic field magnitude, and stress magnitude, and fit to continuum-level empirical measurements. We employ a multiscale model of the MR fluid introduced in an earlier paper, which integrates nanoscale behavior over a mesoscale volume to deduce continuum properties. This approach replaces many of the phenomenological features of the Bingham plastic and Herschel-Buckley models with first principles, and isolates those few phenomenological features that remain into a single scalar term. The model is compared to the Bingham plastic and Herschel-Buckley models, assessing each model’s ability to capture the experimentally measured mechanical response of a particular MR fluid-based damper to specified magnetic fields. The result of this comparison is that, our model possesses the flexibility to best match the measured behavior of the MR fluid device observed in our experiments, with fewer required experimental measurements.
Finite Element Analysis of Broken Fiber Effects on Hollow Active Fiber Composites
Authors: Martinez M. , Kernaghan R. , Artemev A.
Published: November 2009

The finite element method was used to study the performance of hollow active fiber composites (HAFC) and the effect of the fiber damage on this performance. The finite element model was developed for the simulation of the PZT-5H hollow fiber-epoxy matrix composite with single and dual electrode ‘bus’ systems. The simulations were performed for the actuation and sensing functions of the composites with healthy and broken fibers. The results of the healthy HAFC models were compared to the experimental data and numerical results found in the literature. The effect of broken fibers in the composite structure on both the actuation and sensing performance was studied. The results demonstrate that a gap in the fiber leads to actuation performance loss. The loss in the performance is directly related to the location of the fiber and its proximity to the electric potential source. The results also demonstrate that this loss could be minimized by applying a dual electrode system at both ends of the composite. In the sensing application utilizing HAFC, it was shown that these types of composites have several advantages over solid active fiber composites.
Rethinking Bridging: Risk and Trust in Multiracial Community Organizing
Authors: Rusch Lara
Published: November 2009

Existing research on social capital advocates for an increase in bridging as an antidote to the “dark side” of bonding. But theory also suggests that the development of new social capital is unlikely in contexts of generalized distrust. This article addresses that quandary through the study of a congregation-based community organizing project in Detroit. Narratives drawn from interviews suggest that bridging also has downsides; potential risks from bridging are a concern for participants in multiracial organizing. I argue that the creation of bridging social capital is possible in part because organizers, clergy, and lay leaders act as conduits, intentionally building interpersonal trust among unlikely participants.
Using satellite-based methods to predict daylight illuminance for subtropical Hong Kong
Authors: He JZ , Ng E.
Published: November 2009

Satellite-based methods are proposed to estimate global illuminance from geostationary satellite data under local climate conditions. The data used in this model are global irradiance and global illuminance collected from the International Daylight Monitoring Programme research class station in The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the visible channel data of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 9 from May 2003 to May 2005. The proposed methods consist of an indirect method, which derives global irradiance from satellite images first and then converts global irradiance to global illuminance by a luminous efficacy model, and a direct method, which derives global illuminance directly from satellite images. The root mean squared errors of hourly global illuminance are 35% and 32% for the indirect and the direct methods, respectively.
The Drying Potential and Risk for Mold Growth in Compact Wood Frame Roofs with Built-in Moisture
Authors: Geving Stig , Holme Jonas
Published: November 2009

Built-in moisture in the insulation layer of a compact roof will generally dry out very slowly, compared to the drying rate in a ventilated roof construction. Intended or unintended leakages of outdoor air through the insulation layer may, however, speed up the drying rate. In this investigation, the drying potential of various configurations of compact wood frame roofs with a high level of built-in moisture has been investigated, through test house measurements and hygrothermal simulations. Compact wood frame roof elements has been wetted, and mold spores has been added to the elements. The hygrothermal conditions of the elements has been monitored through a period of 2 years, and the microbial conditions has also been registered. The possible drying effect of outdoor air leaking through the insulation layer from one side of the roof to the other has been investigated.
Sonographic Detection of Holoprosencephaly With Cyclopia and Proboscis
Authors: Diawara Fousseyni M. , Diallo Mahamadou , Camara Magan , Traore Mamadou
Published: November 2009

The incidence of holoprosencephaly is about 1 in 10,000 to 20,000 births. There are three major forms: alobar, semilobar, and lobar. The alobar form with cyclopia is very rare. The author describes a transabdominal sonographic diagnosis of an alobar form of holoprosencephaly at 20 weeks’ gestational age. The fetus presented with cyclopia, proboscis, absence of ears and nose, polydactyly, hydrocephalus, macrocephaly, and polyhydramnios. After counseling, termination of pregnancy was performed. Two years later, a subsequent pregnancy was normal.
The Anglophone Toponyms Associated with John Smith's Description and Map of New England
Authors: Edney Matthew H
Published: November 2009

AbstractThis article clarifies a well-known but hitherto unexamined phenomenon: the Anglophone toponyms imposed on Captain John Smith's map, New England ([1617]). It explains names that are otherwise obscure to modern historians and geographers, it considers the pattern of the new toponyms, and it allocates responsibility for the names not only to the future Charles I but also to Smith himself. It also lists the indigenous place and polity names recorded by Smith in his Description of New England (1616). It concludes with a cautionary tale concerning historiographic presumptions about the map's efficacy in shaping the adoption of toponyms by subsequent English colonists.
Naming, Re-Naming and Self-Naming Among Hmong-Americans
Authors: Burt Susan Meredith
Published: November 2009

AbstractHmong-Americans in Wisconsin use the semantic resources of the Hmong language and social semantic connotations of the naming system to create meaning in personal names. Name changes can be made for functional reasons: a name change can be done to protect the individual against ghosts, spirits or illness. Name changes can also mark life status changes: women gain a new name when they marry, while men are re-named by their parents-in-law, usually after the birth of the first child.
The Historical Development of the Library of St Mary's College, Blairs, Aberdeen, 1829–1986
Authors: Cairns Audrey M , Reid Peter H
Published: November 2009

Catholic libraries are an under-researched area in library history. That of St Mary's College, Blairs, the Scottish national junior seminary from 1829 to 1986, is noted for its historical importance and holdings, but how the library operated within the seminary is less known. The library had an important place in seminary life from the beginning, with dedicated accommodation within the college, ongoing purchases, and the central place of reading in the daily routine. However, staffing was inconsistent and few administrative records survive for the library, giving the impression that it was managed informally. The distinction was made between the historical college library and the students' working library. The former grew to be a significant collection, reflecting the education and resilience of Scottish Catholics at home and abroad following the Reformation, but it had little use for junior seminarians. The student library had a direct role in supporting the boys' education, showing wider-ranging, more modern subjects as the twentieth century progressed.
The Beginning and Development of the Raffles Library in Singapore, 1823–1941: A Nineteenth-Century and Early Twentieth-Century British Colonial Enclave
Authors: Han Lim Peng
Published: November 2009

This article explores the development of the Raffles Library in Singapore, and the role of its founder, Stamford Raffles, from the early nineteenth through to the mid-twentieth century. Throughout the period 1904 to 1938 about 80 per cent of the library's subscribers were Europeans, mostly of British descent, since the book collection consisted of English books. The article will show how the Raffles Library became a colonial enclave, a reading club, or research library for the elite European community and had an impact on the lives of the British colonies in Singapore.
Adipose tissue is an extramedullary reservoir for functional hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells
Authors: Han Jinah , Koh Young Jun , Moon Hye Rin , Ryoo Hyun Gee , Cho Chung-Hyun , Kim Injune , Koh Gou Young
Published: November 2009

The stromal vascular fraction (SVF) in adipose tissue contains a pool of various stem and progenitor cells, but the existence of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in the SVF has not been seriously considered. We detected the presence of HSPCs in the SVF by phenotypically probing with Lin−Sca-1+c-kit+ (LSK) and functionally confirming the presence using colony-forming cell assay and assessing the long-term multilineage reconstitution ability after SVF transplantation. The LSK population in the SVF was 0.004% plus or minus 0.001%, and 5 × 105 freshly isolated SVF cells gave rise to 13 plus or minus 4 multilineage colonies. In addition, 0.15% plus or minus 0.03% of SVF cells was home to bone marrow (BM), especially near vascular and endosteal regions, 24 hours after blood transplantation. SVF transplantation was capable of generating a long-term (> 16 weeks), but variable extent (2.1%-32.1%) multilineage reconstitution in primary recipients, which was subsequently transferred to the secondary recipients by BM transplantation. All HSPCs within the SVF originated from the BM. Furthermore, the granulocyte–colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) mobilization of HSPCs from BM markedly elevated the number of phenotypic and functional HSPCs in the SVF, which induced a high efficiency long-term reconstitution in multilineage hematopoiesis in vivo. Our results provide compelling evidence that adipose tissue is a novel extramedullary tissue possessing phenotypic and functional HSPCs.
The mitochondrial genomes of the ciliates Euplotes minuta and Euplotes crassus
Authors: de Graaf Rob M , van Alen Theo A , Dutilh Bas E , Kuiper Jan WP , van Zoggel Hanneke JAA , Huynh Minh Bao , Görtz Hans-Dieter , Huynen Martijn A , Hackstein Johannes HP
Published: November 2009

Background

There are thousands of very diverse ciliate species from which only a handful mitochondrial genomes have been studied so far. These genomes are rather similar because the ciliates analysed (Tetrahymena spp. and Paramecium aurelia) are closely related. Here we study the mitochondrial genomes of the hypotrichous ciliates Euplotes minuta and Euplotes crassus. These ciliates are only distantly related to Tetrahymena spp. and Paramecium aurelia, but more closely related to Nyctotherus ovalis, which possesses a hydrogenosomal (mitochondrial) genome.

Results

The linear mitochondrial genomes of the hypotrichous ciliates Euplotes minuta and Euplotes crassus were sequenced and compared with the mitochondrial genomes of several Tetrahymena species, Paramecium aurelia and the partially sequenced mitochondrial genome of the anaerobic ciliate Nyctotherus ovalis. This study reports new features such as long 5'gene extensions of several mitochondrial genes, extremely long cox1 and cox2 open reading frames and a large repeat in the middle of the linear mitochondrial genome. The repeat separates the open reading frames into two blocks, each having a single direction of transcription, from the repeat towards the ends of the chromosome. Although the Euplotes mitochondrial gene content is almost identical to that of Paramecium and Tetrahymena, the order of the genes is completely different. In contrast, the 33273 bp (excluding the repeat region) piece of the mitochondrial genome that has been sequenced in both Euplotes species exhibits no difference in gene order. Unexpectedly, many of the mitochondrial genes of E. minuta encoding ribosomal proteins possess N-terminal extensions that are similar to mitochondrial targeting signals.

Conclusion

The mitochondrial genomes of the hypotrichous ciliates Euplotes minuta and Euplotes crassus are rather different from the previously studied genomes. Many genes are extended in size compared to mitochondrial genes from other sources.
A Smac-mimetic sensitizes prostate cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis via modulating both IAPs and NF-kappaB
Authors: Dai Yao , Liu Meilan , Tang Wenhua , Li Yongming , Lian Jiqin , Lawrence Theodore S , Xu Liang
Published: November 2009

Background

Although tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising agent for human cancer therapy, prostate cancer still remains resistant to TRAIL. Both X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) and nuclear factor-kappaB function as key negative regulators of TRAIL signaling. In this study, we evaluated the effect of SH122, a small molecule mimetic of the second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (Smac), on TRAIL-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells.

Methods

The potential of Smac-mimetics to bind XIAP or cIAP-1 was examined by pull-down assay. Cytotoxicity of TRAIL and/or Smac-mimetics was determined by a standard cell growth assay. Silencing of XIAP or cIAP-1 was achieved by transient transfection of short hairpin RNA. Apoptosis was detected by Annexin V-PI staining followed by flow cytometry and by Western Blot analysis of caspases, PARP and Bid. NF-kappaB activation was determined by subcellular fractionation, real time RT-PCR and reporter assay.

Results

SH122, but not its inactive analog, binds to XIAP and cIAP-1. SH122 significantly sensitized prostate cancer cells to TRAIL-mediated cell death. Moreover, SH122 enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis via both the death receptor and the mitochondrial pathway. Knockdown of both XIAP and cIAP-1 sensitized cellular response to TRAIL. XIAP-knockdown attenuated sensitivity of SH122 to TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity, confirming that XIAP is an important target for IAP-inhibitor-mediated TRAIL sensitization. SH122 also suppressed TRAIL-induced NF-kappaB activation by preventing cytosolic IkappaB-alpha degradation and RelA nuclear translocation, as well as by suppressing NF-kappaB target gene expression.

Conclusion

These results demonstrate that SH122 sensitizes human prostate cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis by mimicking Smac and blocking both IAPs and NF-kappaB. Modulating IAPs may represent a promising approach to overcoming TRAIL-resistance in human prostate cancer with constitutively active NF-kappaB signaling.
Lack of association between mutations of gene-encoding mitochondrial D310 (displacement loop) mononucleotide repeat and oxidative stress in chronic dialysis patients in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Jin-Bor , Lin Tsu-Kung , Liao Shang-Chih , Lee Wen-Chin , Lee Lung-Chih , Liou Chia-Wei , Wang Pei-Wen , Tiao Mao-Meng
Published: November 2009

Background

Mitochondria (mt) are highly susceptible to reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we investigated the association between a region within the displacement loop (D-loop) in mtDNA that is highly susceptible to ROS and oxidative stress markers in chronic dialysis patients. We enrolled 184 chronic dialysis patients and 213 age-matched healthy subjects for comparison. Blood levels of oxidative stress markers, such as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and free thiol, and the mtDNA copy number were determined. A mononucleotide repeat sequence (CCCC...CCCTCCCCCC) between nucleotides 303 and 316-318 (D310) was identified in mtDNA.

Results

Depending on alterations in the D310 mononucleotide repeat, subjects were categorized into 4 subgroups: 7-C, 8-C, 9 or 10-C, and T-to-C transition. Oxidative stress was higher in chronic dialysis patients, evidenced by higher levels of TBARS and mtDNA copy number, and a lower level of free thiol. The distribution of 7-C, 8-C, and 9-10C in dialysis and control subjects was as follows: 7-C (38% vs. 31.5%), 8-C (35.3% vs. 43.2%), and 9-10C (24.5% vs. 22.1%). Although there were significant differences in levels of TBARS, free thiol, and the mtDNA copy number in the D310 repeat subgroups (except T-to-C transition) between dialysis patients and control subjects, post hoc analyses within the same study cohort revealed no significant differences.

Conclusion

Although oxidative stress was elevated in chronic dialysis patients and resulted in a compensatory increase in the mtDNA copy number, homopolymeric C repeats in the mtDNA region (D310), susceptible to ROS, were not associated with oxidative stress markers in these patients.
Enrichment and proteomic analysis of plasma membrane from rat dorsal root ganglions
Authors: Xiong Xia , Huang Sha , Zhang Hai , Li Jianjun , Shen Jianying , Xiong Jixian , Lin Yong , Jiang Liping , Wang Xianchun , Liang Sonping
Published: November 2009

Background

Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons are primary sensory neurons that conduct neuronal impulses related to pain, touch and temperature senses. Plasma membrane (PM) of DRG cells plays important roles in their functions. PM proteins are main performers of the functions. However, mainly due to the very low amount of DRG that leads to the difficulties in PM sample collection, few proteomic analyses on the PM have been reported and it is a subject that demands further investigation.

Results

By using aqueous polymer two-phase partition in combination with high salt and high pH washing, PMs were efficiently enriched, demonstrated by western blot analysis. A total of 954 non-redundant proteins were identified from the plasma membrane-enriched preparation with CapLC-MS/MS analysis subsequent to protein separation by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) or shotgun digestion. 205 (21.5%) of the identified proteins were unambiguously assigned as PM proteins, including a large number of signal proteins, receptors, ion channel and transporters.

Conclusion

The aqueous polymer two-phase partition is a simple, rapid and relatively inexpensive method. It is well suitable for the purification of PMs from small amount of tissues. Therefore, it is reasonable for the DRG PM to be enriched by using aqueous two-phase partition as a preferred method. Proteomic analysis showed that DRG PM was rich in proteins involved in the fundamental biological processes including material exchange, energy transformation and information transmission, etc. These data would help to our further understanding of the fundamental DRG functions.
Large-scale insertional mutagenesis of a coleopteran stored grain pest, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, identifies embryonic lethal mutations and enhancer traps
Authors: Trauner Jochen , Schinko Johannes , Lorenzen Marcé D , Shippy Teresa D , Wimmer Ernst A , Beeman Richard W , Klingler Martin , Bucher Gregor , Brown Susan J
Published: November 2009

Background

Given its sequenced genome and efficient systemic RNA interference response, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum is a model organism well suited for reverse genetics. Even so, there is a pressing need for forward genetic analysis to escape the bias inherent in candidate gene approaches.

Results

To produce easy-to-maintain insertional mutations and to obtain fluorescent marker lines to aid phenotypic analysis, we undertook a large-scale transposon mutagenesis screen. In this screen, we produced more than 6,500 new piggyBac insertions. Of these, 421 proved to be recessive lethal, 75 were semi-lethal, and eight indicated recessive sterility, while 505 showed new enhancer-trap patterns. Insertion junctions were determined for 403 lines and often appeared to be located within transcription units. Insertion sites appeared to be randomly distributed throughout the genome, with the exception of a preference for reinsertion near the donor site.

Conclusion

A large collection of enhancer-trap and embryonic lethal beetle lines has been made available to the research community and will foster investigations into diverse fields of insect biology, pest control, and evolution. Because the genetic elements used in this screen are species-nonspecific, and because the crossing scheme does not depend on balancer chromosomes, the methods presented herein should be broadly applicable for many insect species.
Catalogues of mammalian long noncoding RNAs: modest conservation and incompleteness
Authors: Marques Ana C , Ponting Chris P
Published: November 2009

Background

Despite increasing interest in the noncoding fraction of transcriptomes, the number, species-conservation and functions, if any, of many non-protein-coding transcripts remain to be discovered. Two extensive long intergenic noncoding RNA (ncRNA) transcript catalogues are now available for mouse: over 3,000 macroRNAs identified by cDNA sequencing, and 1,600 long intergenic noncoding RNA (lincRNA) intervals that are predicted from chromatin-state maps. Previously we showed that macroRNAs tend to be more highly conserved than putatively neutral sequence, although only 5% of bases are predicted as constrained. By contrast, over a thousand lincRNAs were reported as being highly conserved. This apparent difference may account for the surprisingly small fraction (11%) of transcripts that are represented in both catalogues. Here we sought to resolve the reported discrepancy between the evolutionary rates for these two sets.

Results

Our analyses reveal lincRNA and macroRNA exon sequences to be subject to the same relatively low degree of sequence constraint. Nonetheless, our observations are consistent with the functionality of a fraction of ncRNA in these sets, with up to a quarter of ncRNA exons having evolved significantly slower than neighboring neutral sequence. The more tissue-specific macroRNAs are enriched in predicted RNA secondary structures and thus may often act in trans, whereas the more highly and broadly expressed lincRNAs appear more likely to act in the cis-regulation of adjacent transcription factor genes.

Conclusions

Taken together, our results indicate that each of the two ncRNA catalogues unevenly and lightly samples the true, much larger, ncRNA repertoire of the mouse.
Opposite effects of simvastatin on the bactericidal and inflammatory response of macrophages to opsonized S. aureus
Authors: Benati Daniela , Ferro Micol , Savino Maria Teresa , Ulivieri Cristina , Schiavo Ebe , Nuccitelli Annalisa , Pasini Franco Laghi , Baldari Cosima T
Published: November 2009

By impairing prenylation of Ras-related GTPases, simvastatin blocks phagocytosis and oxidative burst while enhancing production of proinflammatory mediators in human macrophages challenged with IgG-coated bacteria.

Besides lowering circulating cholesterol, statins act as immunomodulators. Although the effects of statins on lymphocyte activation and differentiation have been clearly defined, there is no consensus as to effects of these drugs on phagocytes. We have addressed the outcome of simvastatin treatment on the activation and effector function of human macrophages in the pathophysiologically relevant context of challenge with an opportunistic pathogen. We provide evidence that: simvastatin blocks the biological effects rapidly triggered by IgG-opsonized bacteria (phagocytosis and oxidative burst) while enhancing the delayed effects elicited by FcγR stimulation (production of proinflammatory mediators); these opposite effects of simvastatin result from enhancement of the JNK pathway and concomitant impairment of other signaling modules activated by FcγR engagement; and these activities are dependent on the capacity of simvastatin to block protein prenylation. The results provide novel mechanistic insight into the activities of statins on phagocytes and are of relevance to the assessment of potential side-effects in patients undergoing long-term hypocholesterolemic therapy.
Laterally constrained inversion of ground roll from seismic reflection records
Authors: Socco Laura Valentina , Boiero Daniele , Foti Sebastiano , Wisén Roger
Published: November 2009

Seismic reflection data contain surface waves that can be processed and interpreted to supply shear-wave velocity models along seismic reflection lines. The coverage of seismic reflection data allows the use of automated multifold processing to extract high-quality dispersion curves and experimental uncertainties in a moving spatial window. The dispersion curves are then inverted using a deterministic, laterally constrained inversion to obtain a pseudo-2D model of the shear-wave velocity. A Monte Carlo global search inversion algorithm optimizes the parameterization. When the strategy is used with synthetic and field data, consistent final models with smooth lateral variations are successfully retrieved. This method constitutes an improvement over the individual inversion of single dispersion curves.
Predictions of bird swing from GPS coordinates
Authors: Davis Aaron , Macnae James , Hodges Greg
Published: November 2009

Bird attitudes, with roll, pitch, and yaw angles, are required for modeling the measured electromagnetic response of the earth. Global Positioning System (GPS) antennas can be used in airborne electromagnetic (AEM) systems to monitor airborne platform attitude and bird maneuver. We have found evidence from photographic sequences that four GPS antennas, three on the bird and one on the aircraft, generally are adequate for angular and altitude geometry control. The mounting system for the bird frame introduces vibration noise. We have developed a model that predicts bird maneuver from the use of GPS antennas already present during routine airborne surveys. The bird motion, whether inline or crossline, is modeled from the difference between the aircraft location and the mean location of the bird. This also accurately predicts the roll of the bird when an inline yoke mounting is used. The minimum number of GPS antennas required to monitor the motion of a cylindrical electromagnetic (EM) bird typical of frequency-domain systems is two, one on the aircraft and one on the bird. We have defined optimum locations of GPS antennas to enable geometric monitoring of towed-bird systems. The findings suggest that the bird be mounted with two aerodynamically efficient GPS antennas, one on the nose and one on the tail. This enables the measurement of the pitch and yaw of the bird, with roll deduced using the third GPS on the helicopter.
Accounting for relaxation processes during the pulse in surface NMR data
Authors: Walbrecker Jan O. , Hertrich Marian , Green Alan G.
Published: November 2009

Under favorable conditions, the surface nuclear-magnetic-resonance (NMR) technique can provide direct quantitative estimates of subsurface water variations and indirect information on pore size and hydraulic conductivity. The technique is based on various exponential relaxation processes that become measurable after the intrinsic spin magnetic moments of groundwater protons have been rotated out of equilibrium by a pulse of alternating electromagnetic (EM) field generated at the surface. An implicit assumption in previous surface NMR studies is that relaxation processes need to be considered only after the EM pulse has been extinguished. Although this approximation is valid for short EM pulses, neglecting relaxation during the pulse (RDP) can result in significant errors for the generally long pulses used in surface NMR investigations. Because the influence of RDP cannot be isolated and quantified using field-scale approaches, this study is based on sample-scale NMR experiments and numerical simulations (Bloch equations) that mimic field practices and conditions. The results demonstrate that standard surface NMR methods that ignore the effects of RDP may yield significantly erroneous estimates of water volume (RDP-related errors of 25% are possible) and the key relaxation parameter (RDP-related errors of 50% are possible) that supplies information on pore size and hydraulic conductivity. Fortunately, the study also demonstrates that relatively simple interpretational approaches can reduce the RDP-related errors to less than 2%.
Defensive Behavioral Strategies and Enhanced State Anxiety during Chronic Subordinate Colony Housing Are Accompanied by Reduced Hypothalamic Vasopressin, But Not Oxytocin, Expression
Authors: Reber Stefan O. , Neumann Inga D.
Published: November 2009

Chronic subordinate colony (CSC) housing has recently been shown to be a clinically relevant model of chronic psychosocial stress for male mice and to cause an increase in the animals' anxiety‐related behavior on the plus‐maze. Here, we investigated (1) the detailed subordinate/dominant behavior during CSC housing, (2) the anxiety‐related behavior of CSC and control mice in two independent tests, and (3) whether CSC exposure also influences the hypothalamic expression of oxytocin (OXT) and/or arginine vasopressin (AVP), specifically within the paraventricular nucleus. Both neuropeptides are known to be involved in the regulation of anxiety and stress responses. Behavioral observation revealed that all male CSC mice that were co‐housed with a slightly larger male mouse obtained a subordinate status within their colonies over 19 consecutive days. Furthermore, CSC exposure resulted in diminished body weight gain and increased anxiety‐related behavior as quantified both on the elevated plus‐maze and in the light–dark box. Hypothalamic mRNA levels of OXT remained unchanged, whereas AVP mRNA was found to be decreased on day 20 of CSC exposure. In conclusion, exposure to CSC enhances anxiety, an effect that seems to be independent of the hypothalamic expression of the neuropeptides OXT and AVP.
Serotonergic Systems, Anxiety, and Affective Disorder
Authors: Lowry Christopher A. , Hale Matthew W. , Evans Andrew K. , Heerkens Jasper , Staub Daniel R. , Gasser Paul J. , Shekhar Anantha
Published: November 2009

Depressed suicide patients have elevated expression of neuronal tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) mRNA and protein in midbrain serotonergic neurons, as well as increases in brain serotonin turnover. The mechanisms underlying these changes are uncertain, but increased TPH2 expression and serotonin turnover could result from genetic influences, adverse early life experiences, or acute stressful life events, all of which can alter serotonergic neurotransmission and have been implicated in determining vulnerability to major depression. Emerging evidence suggests that there are several different stress‐related subsets of serotonergic neurons, each with a unique role in the integrated stress response. Here we review our current understanding of how genetic and environmental factors may influence TPH2 mRNA expression and serotonergic neurotransmission, focusing in particular on the dorsomedial part of the dorsal raphe nucleus. This subdivision of the dorsal raphe nucleus is selectively innervated by key forebrain structures implicated in regulation of anxiety states, it gives rise to projections to a distributed neural system mediating anxiety states, and serotonergic neurons within this subdivision are selectively activated by a number of stress‐ and anxiety‐related stimuli. A better understanding of the anatomical and functional properties of specific stress‐ or anxiety‐related serotonergic systems should aid our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the etiology of anxiety and affective disorders.
Peripherally Administered Angiotensin II AT1 Receptor Antagonists Are Anti‐stress Compounds in Vivo
Authors: Pavel Jaroslav , Benicky Julius , Murakami Yuki , Sanchez‐Lemus Enrique , Saavedra Juan M.
Published: November 2009

Angiotensin II AT1 receptor blockers (ARBs) are commonly used in the clinical treatment of hypertension. Subcutaneous or oral administration of the ARB candesartan inhibits brain as well as peripheral AT1 receptors, indicating transport across the blood–brain barrier. Pretreatment with candesartan profoundly modifies the response to stress. The ARB prevents the peripheral and central sympathetic activation characteristic of isolation stress and abolishes the activation of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis during isolation. In addition, candesartan prevents the isolation‐induced decrease in cortical corticotropin‐releasing factor 1 and benzodiazepine receptors induced by isolation. When administered before cold‐restraint stress, candesartan totally prevents the production of gastric ulcerations. This preventive effect of candesartan is the consequence of profound anti‐inflammatory effects, reduction of sympathetic stimulation, and preservation of blood flow to the gastric mucosa. The ARB does not reduce the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis stimulation during cold restraint. Preservation of the effects of endogenous glucocorticoids is essential for protection of the gastric mucosa during cold restraint. Administration of the ARB to nonstressed rats decreases anxiety in the elevated plus‐maze. Our results demonstrate that Angiotensin II, through AT1 receptor stimulation, is a major stress hormone, and that ARBs, in addition to their antihypertensive effects, may be considered for the treatment of stress‐related disorders.
Catecholamine‐Synthesizing Cells in the Embryonic Mouse Heart
Authors: Ebert Steven N. , Rong Qi , Boe Steve , Pfeifer Karl
Published: November 2009

The heart is a primary source of epinephrine and norepinephrine during embryonic development, yet little is known about the cardiac cells that produce these catecholamine hormones. To identify when and where catecholamine‐synthesizing cells are found in the embryonic heart, we developed a novel mouse genetic model by “knocking‐in” theCre‐recombinasegene to the locus encoding for the epinephrine biosynthetic enzyme, phenylethanolamine n‐methyltransferase. When crossed with ROSA26 reporter mice, the β‐galactosidasegene is activated in adrenergic cells. A major advantage of this approach is that it allows detection of adrenergic cells and their progeny, regardless of whether the progeny cells retain an adrenergic phenotype or not. Our data show that adrenergic cells appear as early as embryonic day 8.5 and continue to accumulate in substantial numbers through birth in the mouse heart, where they appear to share common ancestry with myocardial lineages. Large numbers of atrial and especially ventricular myocytes appear to be derived from embryonic adrenergic cells in the heart. In addition, many of the pacemaking cells in the sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodes also appear to be derived from an adrenergic lineage. Thus, our results suggest that catecholamine‐synthesizing cells serve as cardiomyocyte progenitors in the embryonic heart.
Stress‐induced Changes in Tyrosine Hydroxylase Gene Expression in Rat Hypothalamic Paraventricular, Periventricular, and Dorsomedial Nuclei
Authors: Kiss Alexander , Mravec Boris , Palkovits Miklos , Kvetňanský Richard
Published: November 2009

Particular hypothalamic nuclei—the paraventricular (PVN), periventricular (PeV), and dorsomedial (DMN)—are important centers regulating neuroendocrine and autonomic systems during stress. The present study investigated gene expression of catecholamines (CA)‐synthesizing enzymes and protein levels, especially of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), in response to acute (120 min) and repeated (7 × 120 min) immobilization (IMO) stress. Immunohistochemical staining revealed many TH‐positive perikarya in the PeV, less in the DMN, and a few in the PVN. Analysis of microdissected tissue samples obtained from frozen brain sections by quantitative competitive PCR method revealed TH mRNA in the PVN, periventricular subdivision of the PVN (PePVN), and DMN. TH mRNA and TH protein levels were increased in all the nuclei investigated, in both acute and repeated stress conditions. Interruption of ascending CA pathways from the brain stem areas abolished TH gene expression in the PVN and DMN in response to stress. The present data suggest that cell groups expressing TH gene are present in all three hypothalamic nuclei studied and are highly activated by stress. The regulation of the majority of these TH‐positive cells during stress is under modulatory control by brain stem or spinal cord areas.