bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hepatitis C virus–induced oxidative stress suppresses hepcidin expression through increased histone deacetylase activity
Authors: Miura Kouichi , Taura Kojiro , Kodama Yuzo , Schnabl Bernd , Brenner David A.
Published: June 2008

Chronic hepatitis C is characterized by iron accumulation in the liver, and excessive iron is hepatotoxic. However, the mechanism by which hepatitis C virus (HCV) regulates iron metabolism is poorly understood. Hepcidin plays a pivotal role as a negative regulator of iron absorption. The aim of the current study was to elucidate the mechanisms that govern hepcidin expression by HCV. Huh 7 cells, Huh7.5 cells, full-length HCV replicon cells established from Huh7.5 cells, and adenoviruses expressing HCV-core or HCV nonstructural proteins 3 through 5 (NS3-5) were used. Hepcidin expression was significantly lower in HCV replicon cells and in HCV core–expressing Huh7 cells. The expression was inversely correlated with the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Anti-oxidants restored hepcidin expression in HCV replicon cells and Huh7 cells expressing HCV core. In HCV replicon cells, histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity was elevated at baseline and after exposure to hydrogen peroxide. Anti-oxidants reduced HDAC activity in a dose-dependent manner. HDAC inhibition increased hepcidin expression without affecting ROS production in HCV replicon cells. HCV-induced ROS stabilized the expression of two negative hepcidin regulators, HIF1α and HIF2α, and its expression was decreased by a HDAC inhibitor or an anti-oxidant. HCV-induced ROS also caused hypoacetylation of histones and inhibited binding of two positive regulators, C/EBPα and STAT3, to the hepcidin promoter, whereas anti-oxidant treatment of cells recovered C/EBPα and STAT3 binding to the hepcidin promoter. In addition, an HDAC inhibitor restored their binding to the hepcidin promoter via acetylation of histones.

Conclusion:

HCV-induced oxidative stress suppresses hepcidin expression through increased HDAC activity. (Hepatology 2008.)
Does lowering the screening age for cervical cancer in The Netherlands make sense?
Authors: van der Aa Maaike A. , de Kok Inge M.C.M. , Siesling Sabine , van Ballegooijen Marjolein , Coebergh Jan Willem W.
Published: June 2008

Recommendations for the age to initiate cervical cancer screening should be directed towards maximum detection of early cervical cancer. However, the screening programme should do more good than harm. The aim of this analysis was to determine whether the target age for cervical cancer screening should be lowered in view of apparent increases in new cases of invasive cancer below age 30 and in age group 30–44 years in The Netherlands. Therefore, all cervical cancer cases diagnosed between January 1, 1989 and December 31, 2003 were selected from the nationwide population‐based Netherlands Cancer Registry. For age group 25–39 years, incidence data were also available for 2004 and 2005. To describe trends, the estimated annual percentage of change and joinpoint analysis were used. Between ages 25 and 28 years, the absolute number of new cases of cervical cancer annually has varied between 0 and 9 per age. Significantly decreasing trends in incidence were observed for age groups 35–39 and 45–49 (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.01, respectively). The annual number of deaths fluctuated with a decreasing trend for age groups 30–34 and 35–39 years (p = 0.01 and p = 0.03, respectively). Because the incidence and mortality rates for cervical cancer among women younger than 30 are low and not increasing, lowering the age for cervical cancer screening is not useful at this time. Although the number of years of life gained is high for every case of cervical cancer prevented, the disadvantages of lowering the screening age would be very large and even become disproportionate compared to the potential advantages. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Expression and function of fatty acid amide hydrolase in prostate cancer
Authors: Endsley Michael P. , Thill Rebecca , Choudhry Iffat , Williams Carol L. , Kajdacsy‐Balla Andre , Campbell William B. , Nithipatikom Kasem
Published: June 2008

The hydrolysis of endocannabinoids has profound effects on the function of the endocannabinoid signaling system in the regulation of prostate carcinoma cells. Prostate carcinoma cells exhibit a wide range of hydrolysis activity for 2‐arachidonoylglycerol (2‐AG), the major endocannabinoid. However, enzyme(s) responsible for 2‐AG hydrolysis and their functions in prostate cancer have not been characterized. In this study, we demonstrated that fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) was differentially expressed in normal and prostate carcinoma cells. In PC‐3 cells, overexpression of FAAH resulted in increased FAAH protein, 2‐AG hydrolysis, cell invasion and cell migration. Conversely, small‐interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown of FAAH in LNCaP cells decreased FAAH protein, 2‐AG hydrolysis and cell invasion. Furthermore, CAY10401, a FAAH inhibitor, decreased cell invasion and it enhanced the reduction of invasion in FAAH siRNA‐transfected LNCaP cells. Immunohistochemistry staining of commercial tissue microarrays (TMAs) demonstrated FAAH staining in 109 of 157 cores of prostate adenocarcinomas but weak staining in 1 of 8 cores of normal prostate tissues. These results suggest that FAAH regulates 2‐AG hydrolysis and invasion of prostate carcinoma cells and is potentially involved in prostate tumorigenesis. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Joint effects of inflammation and androgen metabolism on prostate cancer severity
Authors: Rebbeck Timothy R. , Rennert Hanna , Walker Amy H. , Panossian Saarene , Tran Teo , Walker Kyle , Spangler Elaine , Patacsil‐Coomes Margerie , Sachdeva Rajeev , Wein Alan J. , Malkowicz S. Bruce , Zeigler‐Johnson Charnita
Published: June 2008

Multiple pathways of prostate carcinogenesis have been proposed, including those involving androgen metabolism and inflammation. These pathways are not independent, and may act together in prostate cancer etiology: androgens promote both inflammatory processes and serve as mitogens in prostate tumor growth. To explore the possible joint effects of these pathways in prostate cancer severity, we studied 1,090 Caucasian prostate cancer cases to evaluate whether tumor severity is influenced by a history of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) interacting with genotypes involved in inflammation or androgen metabolism including MSR1, RNASEL, AR, CYP3A4, CYP3A43, CYP3A5 and SRD5A2. We observed a statistically significant interaction between a number of genotypes and BPH. After considering the potential for false positive associations, the only remaining significant associations involved CYP3A43 P340A genotypes and history of BPH on both Gleason grade (interaction p‐value = 0.026) and tumor stage (interaction p‐value = 0.017). These results suggest that androgen metabolism may act in concert with inflammatory phenotypes such as BPH in determining prostate cancer severity. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Knowledge network development in water resources and irrigation management: the case of CKNet‐INA in Indonesia
Authors: Keuls Carel
Published: June 2008

The national water reform in Indonesia requires capable individuals and institutions for water management at national, regional and local level, and an external environment that enables institutions and individuals to perform according to stakeholders' expectations. Universities, research and study centres, and other knowledge centres (capacity builders) can play a strategic role as national human resources development instruments in providing education, training, assistance and guidance to support the needed competences.

In 2005, 10 universities in Indonesia from Java, Sulawesi and Sumatra founded CKNet‐INA, a knowledge network with the objective to collaborate as a sustainable academic and professional community in the area of infrastructure, water and environment. On the basis of a demand‐oriented approach, selected capacity is strengthened in the universities, and effective capacity‐building services are developed and delivered in support of decentralized water resources management.

From the experiences and lessons learned it is argued that knowledge network development is a feasible approach to enhance sustainable capacity building if:

water sector knowledge needs are explicitly addressed with the sector;

a network development strategy includes the delivery of cost recovering services;

the management and governance of the network concentrate on building up trust while maintaining quality criteria. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lessons learned with an integrated approach for capacity development in agricultural land drainage
Authors: Ritzema Henk , Wolters Wouter , Van Scheltinga Catharien Terwisscha
Published: June 2008

Capacity development plays an essential role in improving irrigation and drainage practices in existing agricultural areas. Capacity development is a knowledge‐creating process, in which the more concrete or explicit aspects such as training and institutional strengthening are linked to local or tacit knowledge and aspects of ownership. In this process, three elements, i.e. research, education and advisory services, have to be applied in an integrated manner. Research is required to link local knowledge with lessons learned elsewhere and serves to make knowledge explicit. Education is required to disseminate this explicit knowledge and, at the same time, to make the tacit knowledge of the students explicit. Advisory services are needed to assist with the application of the newly acquired knowledge, thus to complete the transformation from explicit to tacit knowledge. This approach is successful when those involved have the opportunity to go through the knowledge‐creating process several times. This will lead to mutual trust between the cooperating partners and it is much enhanced when there is long‐term partnership. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Developing capacity for agricultural water management: current practice and future directions
Authors: Franks Tom , Garcés‐Restrepo Carlos , Putuhena Ferry
Published: June 2008

This paper defines concepts of capacity and capacity development for agricultural water management, and particularly the contributions made by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) in this area in the recent past. Working from a theoretical framework of overlapping domains of capacity development – the enabling environment, the organisational and the individual domains, with knowledge management as a cross‐cutting theme – the paper reviews previous work in the field and then summarises the range of case studies presented in this special edition which illuminate key aspects of these different domains.

The paper notes the need to accommodate a rapidly changing context for agricultural water management to take account of the increasing demand for water resources in all sectors, and the consequent requirement for support of new approaches to capacity development. These new approaches emphasise the growing importance of authentic knowledge, internally generated learning and self‐development, whether at the level of the organisation or the individual. The paper also recognises the need for continuing and long‐term support of capacity development, particularly in processes of organisational and institutional change, where there is no single set of guidelines or practices which will fit every situation. Specific directions for future work are suggested, including increased attention to monitoring and evaluation of capacity development, and closer links to emerging work on water governance. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Is your IT structure obsolete?
Authors: Iijima Timothy
Published: June 2008

Today's big companies rely on their IT systems and networks in a huge way—and that concentrates a substantial portion of a company's risk in the IT organization. Virtually no activity within a company can now happen without major help from IT. So IT organization structure can no longer function as an afterthought—because a poorly performing IT organization creates unacceptable risk for the company.

The author takes a close look at today's critical functions and roles for IT, the organization structures used, and why older IT organization models are no longer adequate. Is your firm's IT organization obsolete in today's world? © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The need for plain English disclosures
Authors: Raiborn Cecily , Payne Dinah , Pier Chuck
Published: June 2008

We all learned to read and write plain English. And while a nonaccountant may never totally understand accounting, it's time financial disclosures are written in clear, plain English—not jargon. The authors call for an end to “Wall Street Weaselwords.” © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Accurate solution of multi‐region continuum biomolecule electrostatic problems using the linearized Poisson–Boltzmann equation with curved boundary elements
Authors: Altman Michael D. , Bardhan Jaydeep P. , White Jacob K. , Tidor Bruce
Published: June 2008

We present a boundary‐element method (BEM) implementation for accurately solving problems in biomolecular electrostatics using the linearized Poisson–Boltzmann equation. Motivating this implementation is the desire to create a solver capable of precisely describing the geometries and topologies prevalent in continuum models of biological molecules. This implementation is enabled by the synthesis of four technologies developed or implemented specifically for this work. First, molecular and accessible surfaces used to describe dielectric and ion‐exclusion boundaries were discretized with curved boundary elements that faithfully reproduce molecular geometries. Second, we avoided explicitly forming the dense BEM matrices and instead solved the linear systems with a preconditioned iterative method (GMRES), using a matrix compression algorithm (FFTSVD) to accelerate matrix–vector multiplication. Third, robust numerical integration methods were employed to accurately evaluate singular and near‐singular integrals over the curved boundary elements. Fourth, we present a general boundary‐integral approach capable of modeling an arbitrary number of embedded homogeneous dielectric regions with differing dielectric constants, possible salt treatment, and point charges. A comparison of the presented BEM implementation and standard finite‐difference techniques demonstrates that for certain classes of electrostatic calculations, such as determining absolute electrostatic solvation and rigid‐binding free energies, the improved convergence properties of the BEM approach can have a significant impact on computed energetics. We also demonstrate that the improved accuracy offered by the curved‐element BEM is important when more sophisticated techniques, such as nonrigid‐binding models, are used to compute the relative electrostatic effects of molecular modifications. In addition, we show that electrostatic calculations requiring multiple solves using the same molecular geometry, such as charge optimization or component analysis, can be computed to high accuracy using the presented BEM approach, in compute times comparable to traditional finite‐difference methods. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2009
Nature of Stoner condition for metallic ferromagnetism
Authors: Seo Dong‐Kyun , Kim Sang‐Hwan
Published: June 2008

For proper applications of the Stoner condition, we describe the assumptions in its underlying theory and their implications that need to be considered in practice. The nature of Stoner exchange parameters is examined based on spin‐polarization perturbational orbital theory and a connection has been made in understanding the parameters with both local spin density and Hartree‐Fock approximations via a self‐interaction‐corrected local spin density (SIC‐LSD) exchange‐correlation functional. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2008
Development of an in vitro cell culture assay system for measuring the activation of a neighbouring gene by the retroviral vector
Authors: Hong Youngtae , Yu Seung Shin , Yoon Nam‐Kyung , Kang Sung June , Lee Jun‐Tae , Kim Sujeong , Kim Jong‐Mook , Lee Karim , Jang Ji‐Won , Kim Sunyoung
Published: June 2008

Background

The use of retroviral vectors has shown an actual clinical benefit in a few inherited diseases. However, the occurrence of cases of leukemia after the X‐SCID gene therapy trial raised concerns about the safety of insertional mutagenesis inherent to the biology of the retrovirus. Although the retrovirus has long been known to integrate into the host chromosome, and thus have the potential to activate the nearby gene, there has been no convenient method of studying or assaying such a cis‐activation phenomenon.

Methods

In the present study, we report an in vitro assay system in which the effect of retroviral integration on the expression of the neighbouring gene can be studied. In this system, a retroviral vector and the neighbouring reporter gene were constructed in a single plasmid as if it had integrated into the chromosome.

Results

Using this assay, we found that the full‐length long terminal repeat (LTR) could indeed activate the neighbouring gene expression from a distance and the magnitude of its activation was highly increased when this LTR was placed in the vicinity of the transcription start site of the gene, whereas the truncated LTR exerted little influence.

Conclusions

This assay system might provide a useful tool for selecting the appropriate vector structure, as well as for studying the molecular mechanism underlying the cis‐activation by the viral LTR. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Triple Dumbbell Polymer Nanolayer Frequency Response
Authors: Grisafi Steven
Published: June 2008

A triple dumbbell sandwich model is developed to predict the frequency response of an interface created within nanolayer polymer films. One dumbbell different from two others is layered between the other two. The interactions among the macromolecules are modeled using Hooke's law for the intramolecular, intermolecular, and an applied external force. The external force is meant to describe incident electromagnetic radiation. The transient response of the system in the frequency domain is presented along with the steady‐state response. The frequency response for the central dumbbell differs from its two partners suggesting that birefringence of incident radiation is possible. The phase angle of the oscillations for the two different polymer species shows that the frequency of incident light would be shifted differently by the two when it traverses the polymer film.

magnified image
Model reduction of interconnected linear systems
Authors: Sandberg H. , Murray R. M.
Published: June 2008

The problem of model reduction of linear systems with certain interconnection structure is considered in this paper. To preserve the interconnection structure between subsystems in the reduction, special care needs to be taken. This problem is important and timely because of the recent focus on complex networked systems in control engineering. Two different model reduction methods are introduced and compared in this paper. Both methods are extensions to the well‐known balanced truncation method. Compared with earlier work in the area these methods use a more general linear fractional transformation framework, and utilize linear matrix inequalities. Furthermore, new approximation error bounds that reduce to classical bounds in special cases are derived. The so‐called structured Hankel singular values are used in the methods, and indicate how important states in the subsystems are with respect to a chosen input–output map for the entire interconnected system. It is shown how these structured Hankel singular values can be used to select an approximation order. Finally, the two methods are applied to a model of a mechanical device. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A novel sodium carboxymethylcellulose/poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)/Clay semi‐IPN nanocomposite hydrogel with improved response rate and mechanical properties
Authors: Ma Jinghong , Zhang Li , Fan Bing , Xu Yajing , Liang Borun
Published: June 2008

A novel semi‐IPN nanocomposite hydrogel (CMC/PNIPA/Clay hydrogel) based on linear sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) crosslinked by inorganic clay was prepared. The structure and morphology of these hydrogels were investigated and their swelling and deswelling kinetics were studied in detail. TEM images showed that the clay was substantially exfoliated to form nano‐dimension platelets dispersed homogeneously in the hydrogels and acted as a multifunctional crosslinker. The CMC/PNIPA/Clay hydrogels swell faster than the corresponding PNIPA/Clay hydrogels at pH 7.4, whereas they swell slower than the PNIPA/Clay hydrogels at pH 1.2. The CMC/PNIPA/Clay nanocomposite hydrogels showed much higher deswelling rates, which was ascribed to more passway formed in these hydrogels for water to diffuse in and out. The deswelling process of the hydrogels could be approximately described by the first‐order kinetic equation and the deswelling rate decreased with increasing clay content. The mechanical properties of the CMC/PNIPA/Clay nanocomposite hydrogels were analyzed based on the theory of rubber elasticity. It was found that with increasing clay content, the effective crosslink chain density, ve, increased whereas the molecular weight of the chains between crosslinks Mc decreased. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 1546–1555, 2008
The crystal structure of the protein YhaK from Escherichia coli reveals a new subclass of redox sensitive enterobacterial bicupins
Authors: Gurmu Daniel , Lu Jun , Johnson Kenneth A. , Nordlund Pär , Holmgren Arne , Erlandsen Heidi
Published: June 2008

YhaK is a protein of unknown function found in low abundance in the cytosol of Escherichia coli. DNA array studies have revealed that YhaK is strongly up‐regulated by nitroso‐glutathione (GSNO) and also displays a 12‐fold increase in expression during biofilm growth of E. coli 83972 and VR50 in human urine. We have determined the YhaK crystal structure and demonstrated that in vitro YhaK is a good marker for monitoring oxidative stresses in E. coli. The YhaK protein structure shows a bicupin fold where the two cupin domains are crosslinked with one intramolecular disulfide bond (Cys10 to Cys204). We found that the third cysteine in YhaK, Cys122, is oxidized to a sulfenic acid. Two chloride ions are found in the structure, one close to the reactive Cys122, and the other on a hydrophobic surface close to a symmetry‐related molecule. There are major structural differences at the N‐terminus of YhaK compared with similar structures that also display the bicupin fold (YhhW and hPirin). YhaK showed no quercetinase and peroxidase activity. However, reduced YhaK was very sensitive to reactive oxygen species (ROS). The complete, functional E. coli glutaredoxin or thioredoxin systems protected YhaK from oxidation. E. coli thioredoxin reductase and NADPH produced ROS and caused oxidation and oligomerization of reduced YhaK. Taken together, we propose that YhaK is the first of a new sub‐class of bicupins that lack the canonical cupin metal‐binding residues of pirins and may be involved in chloride binding and/or sensing of oxidative stress in enterobacteria. Proteins 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Multicolour photochromic behaviour of silver nanoparticles in titanium dioxide matrix
Authors: Preclíková J. , Trojánek F. , Němec P. , Malý P.
Published: June 2008

We implemented photocatalytic technique of preparation of composite material consisting of silver nanoparticles embedded in nanoporous titanium dioxide matrix which has an unique property of multicolour photochromic behaviour. We report on the effect of preparation parameters on optical and photochromic properties of the material. In particular we investigate the role of the concentration of TiO2 nanoparticles in the ethanol solution used to produce the films for Ag deposition. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Studies of molecular docking between fibroblast growth factor and heparin using generalized simulated annealing
Authors: da Rocha Pita Samuel Silva , Fernandes Tácio Vinício Amorim , Caffarena Ernesto Raul , Pascutti Pedro Geraldo
Published: June 2008

Since the middle 70s, the main molecular docking problem consists in limitations to treat adequately the degrees of freedom of protein (or a receptor) due to the energy landscape roughness and the high computational cost. Until recently, only few algorithms considering flexible simultaneously both ligand and receptor at low computational cost were developed. As a recent proposed Statistical Mechanics, generalized simulated annealing (GSA) has been employed at diverse works concerning global optimization problems. In this work, we used this method exploring the molecular docking problem taking into account the FGF‐2 and heparin complex. Since the requirements of an efficient docking algorithm are accuracy and velocity, we tested the influence of GSA parameters qA (new configuration acceptance index), qV (energy surface visiting index), and qT (temperature decreasing control) on the performance of GSADOCK program. Our simulations showed that as temperature parameter qT increases, qA parameter follows this behavior in the interval ranging from 1.1 to 2.3. We found that the GSA parameters have the best performance for the qA values ranging from 1.1 to 1.3, qV values from 1.3 to 1.5, and qT values from 1.1 to 1.7. Most of good qV values were equal or next the good qT values. Finally, the implemented algorithm is trustworthy and can be employed as a tool of molecular modeling methods. The final version of the program will be free of charge and will be accessible at our home‐page or could be requested to the authors for e‐mail. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008
Intra‐operative image update: first experiences with new software in computer‐assisted sinus surgery
Authors: Wurm Jochen , Bohr Christopher , Iro Heinrich , Bumm Klaus
Published: June 2008

Background

So far, conventional navigation systems do not provide the opportunity for any modification of acquired image datasets. In particular, the surgical progress in the operating field cannot be visualized unless new imaging scans are performed.

Methods

In a feasibility study, new software creating intra‐operative image updates by virtual means was tested in conjunction with conventional navigation. With this new software, surgically removed tissue volumes can be traced and viewed directly within the diagnostic image data.

Results and Conclusions

The new software represents an interesting and helpful amendment to conventional computer‐assisted surgery in selected cases. During surgical procedures around bony structures, the surgeon gets an accurate virtual image update of the surgical progress in the operating field and the amount of tissue removed. However, in cases where mobile structures are present or soft tissue shifts are expected, this feature seems to be suitable only to a limited extent. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antimicrobial effect and membrane‐active mechanism of Urechistachykinins, neuropeptides derived from Urechis unicinctus
Authors: Sung Woo Sang , Park So Hyun , Lee Dong Gun
Published: June 2008

We investigated the antimicrobial effects of Urechistachykinins I and II (UI and UII) and their modes of action. UI and UII showed antimicrobial activities without a hemolytic effect. To investigate the mechanism(s) of UI and UII, cellular localization was examined. Confocal microscopy results showed that peptides were located in the cell envelope. To elucidate the physical changes of membrane induced by UI and UII in Candida albicans, flow cytometry analyses were performed by using bis‐(1,3‐dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethine oxonol, and changes in membrane dynamics were assessed using 1,6‐diphenyl‐1,3,5‐hexatriene. The results suggest that UI and UII may exert their antimicrobial effect by disrupting the cell membranes.
Threshold to N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced seizures in mice undergoing chronic nutritional magnesium deprivation is lowered in a way partly responsive to acute magnesium and antioxidant administrations
Authors: Maurois Pierre , Pages Nicole , Bac Pierre , German-Fattal Michèle , Agnani Geneviève , Delplanque Bernadette , Durlach Jean , Poupaert Jacques , Vamecq Joseph
Published: June 2008

Magnesium deficiency may be induced by a diet impoverished in magnesium. This nutritional deficit promotes chronic inflammatory and oxidative stresses, hyperexcitability and, in mice, susceptibility to audiogenic seizures. Potentiation by low-magnesium concentrations of the opening of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor/calcium channel in in vitro and ex vivo studies, and responsiveness to magnesium of in vivo brain injury states are now well established. By contrast, little or no specific attention has been, however, paid to the in vivo NMDA receptor function/excitability in magnesium deficiency. The present work reports for the first time that, in mice undergoing chronic nutritional deprivation in magnesium (35 v. 930 parts per million for 27 d in OF1 mice), NMDA-induced seizure threshold is significantly decreased (38 % of normal values). The attenuation in the drop of NMDA seizure threshold (percentage of reversal) was 58 and 20 % upon acute intraperitoneal administrations of magnesium chloride hexahydrate (28 mg magnesium/kg) and the antioxidant ebselen (20 mg/kg), respectively. In nutritionally magnesium-deprived animals, audiogenic seizures are completely prevented by these compound doses. Taken as a whole, our data emphasise that chronic magnesium deprivation in mice is a nutritional in vivo model for a lowered NMDA receptor activation threshold. This nutritional model responds remarkably to acute magnesium supply and moderately to acute antioxidant administration.
Variability and genetic basis for migratory behaviour in a spring population of the aphid,Aphis gossypiiGlover in the Yangtze River Valley of China
Authors: Liu X.D. , Zhai B.P. , Zhang X.X. , Gu H.N.
Published: June 2008

The population dynamics, development of gonads, takeoff and flight behaviour ofAphis gossypiiGlover were investigated in order to test whether there was variation of migratory ability in the spring population. Field surveys showed that not all the aphids overwintering on hibiscus migrated to the secondary host plants, and the host-alternating and host-specific life-cycle forms coexisted in Nanjing, China. Substantial variation in flight capacity of winged individuals, development of gonads and takeoff behaviour were found within the spring population. The frequency distribution of flight duration and the number of ovarioles per individual alatae exhibited two peaks, representing the migratory and sedentary genotypes, respectively. Significant response to directional selection on takeoff behaviour demonstrated the additive genetic component of this variation. Selection for ‘takeoff’ individuals caused a significant increase in takeoff angle from 39.8° in the first selection to 68.7° in the fifth; and, hence, screened out the migratory genotype (M), while selection for the sedentary individuals increased the rate of non-takeoffs significantly, and screened out the sedentary genotype (S). The reciprocal cross, M♀×S♂, produced hybrid offspring performing significantly steeper takeoff angles compared with those from the cross S♀×M♂, suggesting the presence of a maternal effect. On the other hand, takeoff rate was ranked as M♀×S♂=S♀×M♂>M>S, involving no sex-linkage and maternal effect. The coexistence of host-alternating and host-specific life-cycle forms ofA. gossypiion the primary host has, as deduced from the present studies, a genetic basis.
Just for the hell of it: A comparison of two taboo-term constructions
Authors: HOEKSEMA JACK , JO NAPOLI DONNA
Published: June 2008

The two English constructions exemplified inLet's get the hell out of here(type G) andThey beat the hell out of him(type B) differ both syntactically and semantically, but in both the taboo expression has the force of an intensifier. History (through a corpus investigation) reveals that the B-construction started as a literal exorcism (beat the devil out of someone), wherethe hellsubstituted forthe devil, and semantic bleaching ultimately made the literal sense give way to simple emphasis, with any taboo term jumping in. The G-construction may have developed simultaneously, always as an intensifier – or, perhaps, later, on analogy with B. Our analysis suggests that the use of taboo terms as intensifiers spread fromwh-constructions to these constructions and, finally, to degree intensifier constructions. These two uses of taboo terms as intensifiers are best characterized in terms of constructions and thus offer evidence against theories lacking any notion of constructions as basic building blocks. Further, they give us information about language change: a pragmatically unified but semantically disparate class of expressions (namely, taboo terms) can extend its distribution in parallel.

Private Carr: God fuck old Bennett.He's a whitearsed bugger. I don't give a shit for him.(James Joyce,Ulysses)
Ambient fauna impairs parasite transmission in a marine parasite-host system
Authors: THIELTGES D. W. , BORDALO M. D. , CABALLERO HERNÁNDEZ A. , PRINZ K. , JENSEN K. T.
Published: June 2008

To understand possible factors controlling transmission of trematode larvae between first and second intermediate hosts we examined the impact of ambient fauna on parasite transmission in a marine intertidal parasite-host association. Cockle hosts (Cerastoderma edule) kept together with selected co-occurring macrozoobenthic species in mesocosms acquired a lower parasite load compared to cockles kept alone, when targeted by cercariae of the trematodeHimasthla elongata. The reduction of parasite load in the cockles differed between the 7 macrozoobenthic species tested and was between 35 and 91%. Three different types of reduction could be distinguished: (1) predators (Carcinus maenas, Crangon crangon) actively preying upon cercariae, (2) non-host filter feeders (Crepidula fornicata,Mya arenaria, Crassostrea gigas) filtering cercariae but not becoming infected and (3) alternative hosts (Mytilus edulis, Macoma balthica) becoming infected by the cercariae and thus distracting cercariae from the target hosts. In addition, interference competition may occur in the form of disturbance of cockles by ambient organisms resulting in lower filtration rates and subsequently lower parasite loads. Our results suggest that the species composition and relative abundance of the ambient fauna of parasite-host systems play an important role in controlling trematode transmission rates in benthic marine systems.
The Barthian heritage of Hans W. Frei
Authors: Knight John Allan
Published: June 2008

Hans Frei and the ‘Yale School’ of narrative theology are often understood to be Barthian in orientation, but only rarely have the origins and contours of Frei's engagement with Barth been treated in the secondary literature. Frei's dissertation itself remains unpublished, with the exception of an oddly edited abridgement that appeared ten years after Frei's untimely death. This lacuna is unfortunate, because Frei's dissertation on Barth, and especially his treatment of Barth's method, are of signal importance in that they set the agenda and orientation for much, if not all, of Frei's later work. Consequently, in this article I analyse Frei's dissertation on Barth, focusing primarily on his treatment of Barth's protest against ‘relationalism’. On Frei's reading, three moves constitute Barth's break with relationalism: the primacy of ontology over epistemology, the subordination of method to positive affirmations about God, and the conformance of interpretative method both to Barth's methodological commitments and to his affirmations about God. In his dissertation, Frei argues that Barth believed that, without these moves, theology would be vulnerable to Feuerbach's critique. Frei's construal of Barth's break with relationalism sets the agenda for Frei's own later work, in which he appropriates these Barthian moves by insisting on the primacy of biblical narratives in theological method. Similar to Barth, Frei takes twentieth-century hermeneutic theology to be vulnerable to deconstructionist critique. His insistence on the primacy of a literal reading of the biblical narratives is his attempt to rectify this vulnerability.
Scripture and modernity. Editorial preface
Authors: Sperl Stefan
Published: June 2008

Religious scripture in all cultures where it exists is habitually seen as the repository of Truth. It often explicitly claims this distinction for itself and offers explanations, instructions and promises which those who are “of the truth” – namely its followers – are encouraged to accept and make their own. A closer look at the exegetical traditions spawned by religious scripture in any of the great cultures shows, however, that the truth scripture purports to bring is far from easy to circumscribe. In fact, the ultimate elusiveness of the full and true meaning of scripture often becomes an article of faith in itself. With respect to the Quran, for instance, the elucidation of the first sura alone would, according to a saying attributed to the Caliph ‘Alī, require seventy camel loads of commentary.
Lost in translation? The Treatise on the Mahāyāna Awakening of Faith (Dasheng qixin lun) and its modern readings
Authors: Tarocco Francesca
Published: June 2008

The Treatise on the Mahāyāna Awakening of Faith, an indigenous Chinese composition written in the guise of an Indian Buddhist treatise, is one of the most influential texts in the history of East Asian Buddhism. Its outline of the doctrines of buddha nature (foxing), buddha bodies (foshen), and one mind (yixin), among others, served from the medieval period onwards as one of the main foundations of East Asian Buddhist thought and practice. The Treatise is putatively attributed to the Indian writer Aśvaghoṣa, and its current Chinese version was traditionally conceived of as a translation from an original Sanskrit text. In the course of the twentieth century, however, many important scholars of Buddhism have called into question the textual history of the Treatise. Even if the specific circumstances of its creation are still largely unknown, the view that the Treatise is an original Chinese composition (not necessarily written by a native Chinese) is now prevalent among scholars. Meanwhile, and for more than one hundred years, the text has also become a source of knowledge of Buddhism in the West thanks to a number of English translations. After examining the early textual history of the two existing versions of the text, this article will offer some examples of its modern appropriation by a novel group of readers and interpreters, an appropriation that took place during the first decades of the twentieth century amidst efforts to re-envision Chinese and East Asian Buddhist history and the place of Buddhism in modern society.
Gender issues and Confucian scriptures: Is Confucianism incompatible with gender equality in South Korea?
Authors: Koh Eunkang
Published: June 2008

Korean Confucianism has been described as “the enemy of feminism”: feminists often argue that Confucianism is the source of the patriarchal society. Feminist scholars have produced significant works about Confucianism's role in preserving the idea of women's subordination to men; they argue that the idea of men's superiority to women is embedded in Confucian philosophy. In this article I will examine whether Confucian philosophy is responsible for women's subordination to men in such Confucian texts as Naehun, The Book of Change, The Book of Poetry, and The Analects. Naehun was written by the mother of King Sǒngjong in 1475, for the purpose of the Confucian education of Korean women; I will look also at other, related, Confucian texts used for Korean women's education. Confucian classics such as The Book of Change, The Book of Poetry and Confucian Analects will be included in the analysis to investigate whether Confucianism legitimizes women's subordination tomen. In the analysis of these Confucian classics, I will focus on the ongoing debate between scholars of Confucianism and feminism in Korea today.
External magnetic field effect on plume images and X-ray emission from a nanosecond laser produced plasma
Authors: Rafique M.S. , Khaleeq-Ur-Rahman M. , Riaz I. , Jalil R. , Farid N.
Published: June 2008

The plume images of the laser produced silver plasma in the absence and presence of 0.45 T transverse magnetic field has been investigated under vacuum ~10−4 torr and in air. An Nd:YAG laser (1.064 µm, 1.1 MW, 9 ns) with intensity ~1012 Wcm−2 was used to generate plasma. A CCD image capture system was used for plasma imaging to explore the plume. A magnetic probe was employed to measure the variation in internal magnetic field of plasma with as well as without 0.45 T external transverse magnetic field. The X-ray emission from plasma in both the cases (with and without B field) was also monitored using two PIN photodiodes filtered with 24 µm Cu and 24 µm Al. The plume images in both the cases were then correlated with the time resolved soft X-ray emission. It was found that the self generated magnetic field of the plasma increases in the presence of magnetic field. Plume images reveal that the confinement of the plume takes place in the presence of magnetic field both in the cases of air and vacuum. Jet and spikes like structures were also observed due to plasma instabilities. Lobe formation in the plume at latter stages of plasma evolution was more prominent in air than under vacuum. X-ray emission signals exhibited an enhancement in the emission under transverse magnetic field. An increased rate of recombination due to high density as a result of plasma confinement across the applied magnetic field was found to be the main reason behind emission enhancement.
Extending the capabilities of ablation harmonics to shorter wavelengths and higher intensity
Authors: Ozaki T. , Bom L. Elouga , Ganeev R.A.
Published: June 2008

We study the generation of high-order harmonics from plasma plume, by using the 20 TW, 10 Hz laser of the Advanced Laser Light Source (ALLS). We perform detailed studies on enhancement of single high-order harmonics generated in laser plasma using the fundamental and second harmonic of the ALLS beam line. Quasi-monochromatic harmonics are observed for Mn, Cr, Sb, Sn, and In plasmas. We identify most of the ionic/neutral transitions responsible for the enhancement, which all have strong oscillator strengths. Intensity enhancements of the 13th, 17th, 21st, 29th, and 33rd harmonics from these targets are demonstrated using the 800 nm pump laser and varying its chirp. We also observed harmonic enhancement from some targets for 400 nm pump laser. Using Mn plume, we demonstrated the highest harmonic photon energy (52.9 eV) at which enhancement has been observed (17th order, λ = 23.5 nm).
Environmental Cleanup and Health Gains from Beijing's Green Olympics
Authors: Mead Robert W. , Brajer Victor
Published: June 2008

In announcing its bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing chose a “Green Olympics” theme to indicate that hosting the Olympic Games would serve as a catalyst for environmental improvements and sustainable development. With the Olympics now just a short time away, it is appropriate to examine the city's cleanup progress to date. This article does so, and also quantifies some of the health benefits of these cleanup activities, placing an economic value on the gains. Results for air pollution cleanup indicate an economic gain of nearly 50 billion yuan over a ten-year period, with a potential annual gain of 3.5 billion yuan for reaching air quality standards. Water pollution results suggest a potential annual gain of another 2.6 billion yuan.
Frontline Soldiers of the CCP: The Selection of China's Township Leaders
Authors: Thøgersen Stig
Published: June 2008

China's township leaders have a bad reputation and the CCP is trying to find new ways to select them. This article first presents data on the education and careers of township leaders in one county in Yunnan, and then looks at two partly contradictory trends in cadre selection: exams and consultations.
Enhancing CBT for the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders and Concurrent Anxiety
Authors: Sze Karen M. , Wood Jeffrey J.
Published: June 2008

Because anxiety and other concurrent psychological problems are common among children with high-functioning autism and Asperger syndrome, research initiatives have been devoted to the development of efficacious treatments to address the multifaceted needs of youth with this presentation. Emerging research indicates that when carefully adapted to accommodate for the unique needs of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) may be a viable treatment modality. Because inherent features of ASD may compromise the efficacy of traditional CBT, our preliminary work suggests that it may be important to gear intervention efforts towards directly addressing core autism symptoms to promote optimal treatment response. This article describes an evidence-based CBT treatment manual modified and expanded to address core ASD features above and beyond anxiety symptomatology. A case example of a 10-year-old boy with Asperger syndrome is presented with supporting data to illustrate the treatment modifications and their rationale. The positive treatment response attained in this case suggests that an enhanced variant of a standard CBT programme may be an efficacious treatment approach for children with ASD and concurrent anxiety.
CONSTANT-ELASTICITY-OF-SUBSTITUTION PRODUCTION FUNCTION
Authors: Nakamura Hideki , Nakamura Masakatsu
Published: June 2008

We consider endogenous changes of inputs from labor to capital in the production of intermediate goods, i.e., a form of mechanization. We derive complementary relationships between capital accumulation and mechanization by assuming a Cobb–Douglas production function for the production of final goods from intermediate goods. A constant-elasticity-of-substitution production function in which the elasticity of substitution exceeds unity can be endogenously derived as the envelope of Cobb–Douglas production functions when the efficiency of inputs is assumed in a specific form. The difficulty of mechanization represents the elasticity of substitution.
Differenzen im Intelligenzprofil bei Kindern mit Migrationshintergrund: Befunde zum HAWIK-IV
Authors: Daseking Monika , Lipsius Maike , Petermann Franz , Waldmann Hans-Christian
Published: June 2008

Um die Einsatzmöglichkeiten des HAWIK-IV bei verschiedenen Fragestellungen zu prüfen, wurden die Ergebnisse von 321 Kindern mit Migrationshintergrund mit den Daten einer nach Alter, Geschlecht, Schultyp und/oder Bildungsabschluss der Eltern gematchten Kontrollgruppe deutschsprachiger Kinder verglichen. Dabei ergaben sich die größten Differenzen in den sprachlichen Untertests. Dies gilt insbesondere für Kinder, die eine Hauptschule besuchen, während sich in Realschule oder Gymnasium nur geringfügige Unterschiede zeigen. Die Leistungsdifferenzen nehmen mit dem Alter zu: vergleicht man zwei Altersgruppen (6 – 8-jährige und 14 – 16-jährige Kinder) miteinander, lassen sich in der Gruppe der Jugendlichen mehr signifikante Unterschiede finden. Der Indexwert für das Sprachverständnis und der Gesamt-IQ fallen im Mittel um drei IQ-Punkte niedriger aus, der Index WLD reduziert sich um sechs IQ-Punkte. Die erhobenen Befunde sprechen für eine intensive und frühzeitige Sprachförderung. Der HAWIK-IV kann somit auch als Indikator für den Grad der Anpassung an die Anforderungen der Gesellschaft (vgl. PISA) gesehen werden. Bei klinisch-diagnostischen Fragestellungen sollte die Prüfung der kognitiven Leistungsfähigkeit um ein sprachfreies Verfahren erweitert werden.