bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring B/Ca as a pH proxy in bivalves: relationships between Mytilus californianus B/Ca and environmental data from the northeast Pacific
Authors: McCoy S. J. , Robinson L. F. , Pfister C. A. , Wootton J. T. , Shimizu N.
Published: September 2011

Abstract. A distinct gap in our ability to understand changes in coastal biology that may be associated with recent ocean acidification is the paucity of directly measured ocean environmental parameters at coastal sites in recent decades. Thus, many researchers have turned to sclerochronological reconstructions of water chemistry to document the historical seawater environment. In this study, we explore the relationships between B/Ca and pH to test the feasibility of B/Ca measured on the ion probe as a pH proxy in the California mussel, Mytilus californianus. Heterogeneity in a range of ion microprobe standards is assessed, leading to reproducible B/Ca ratios at the 5% level. The B/Ca data exhibit large excursions during winter months, which are particularly pronounced during the severe winters of 2004–2005 and 2005–2006. Furthermore, B/Ca ratios are offset in different parts of the skeleton that calcified at the same time. We compare the M. californianus B/Ca record to directly measured environmental data during mussel growth from the period of 1999–2009 to examine whether seawater chemistry or temperature plays a role in controlling shell B/Ca. A suite of growth rate models based on measured temperature are compared to the B/Ca data to optimise the potential fit of B/Ca to pH. Despite sampling conditions that were well-suited to testing a pH control on B/Ca, including a close proximity to an environmental record, a distinct change in pH at the sampling locale, and a growth model designed to optimise the correlations between seawater pH and shell B/Ca, we do not see a strong correlations between pH and shell B/Ca (maximum coefficient of determination, r2, of 0.207). Instead, our data indicate a strong biological control on B/Ca as observed in some other carbonate-forming organisms.
Historicism Versus Communication: The Basic Debate of the 1980 Biennale
Authors: Szacka Léa‐Catherine
Published: September 2011

The first Venice Architecture Biennale in 1980 provided a vital springboard for Post‐Modernism, providing it with an international stage. The Strada Novissima, with its facades by eminent architects of the time, is now a seminal image of 20th‐century architecture. As Léa‐Catherine Szacka explains, the prominence given to the past in the show's theme was a point of contention among the exhibition's organisers. This has had an enduring impact on architectural culture to this day. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Re‐Radicalising Post‐Modernism
Authors:   FAT
Published: September 2011

Sean Griffiths, Charles Holland and Sam Jacob of FAT look back in retrospect at their top‐ten Post‐Modern moments. In a selection, which spans Denise Scott Brown looking vibrant in Las Vegas to James Stirling's exquisite drawing of the Derby Civic Centre and OMA's ingenious strip for the Parc de la Villette, they remind us of the dynamic radicalism of some of the period's greatest protagonists. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hyaline droplet accumulation in kidney of rats treated with hexachloro‐1:3‐butadiene: influence of age, dose and time‐course
Authors: Cristofori Patrizia , Defazio Rossella , Chiusolo Arianna , Mongillo Michele , Bartolucci Giovanni Battista , Chiara Federica , Trevisan Andrea
Published: September 2011

The present research investigates the occurrence of hyaline droplet (HD) accumulation related to age, dose and time after treatment in male Wistar rats given a single i.p. injection of hexachloro‐1:3‐butadiene (HCBD). In the study on age, rats from 1 to 12 months of age were treated with 100 mg kg−1 body weight (b.w.) HCBD dose. Rats treated at 2 months of age showed a greater accumulation of HD than the other age groups; HD accumulation was not observed in 1‐month‐old rats. In the dose–response study, the treatment with 25, 50 and 100 mg kg−1 b.w. at 2 months of age caused HD accumulation in the proximal convoluted tubule at all doses, with the 100 mg kg−1 b.w. group slightly more affected. Finally, in the time‐course study, rats treated with a 100 mg kg−1 b.w. dose at 2 months of age and sacrificed at 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h post‐dosing showed a time‐related HD accumulation in terms of incidence and severity, after 6 h, with a peak at 24 and 48 h and decreasing at 72 and 96 h. The present results show that HD accumulation is an early finding, and is unrelated to dose level and particularly evident in rats of 2 month of age. These findings in male rats treated with HCBD emphasize the importance of considering the age of rats at the start of a study. The more sensitive model was used in the detection of nephrotoxic effects of chemicals. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal stochastic multi‐states first‐order Markov chain parameters for synthesizing daily rainfall data using multi‐objective differential evolution in Thailand
Authors: Taewichit Chakkrapong , Soni Peeyush , Salokhe Vilas M. , Jayasuriya Hemantha P. W.
Published: September 2011

Stochastic Multi‐states First‐order Markov Chain (SMFOMC) models have been used to describe occurrence of daily rainfall. This paper describes optimization of SMFOMC parameters through the generation of synthetic daily rainfall sequences. Three SMFOMC parameters were the number of states (NS), the preserved proportion in the last state (PPL) and the state divider (SD). The multi‐objective differential evolution (MODE) was used to find the Pareto‐optimal line (POL) of two conflicting objectives; (1) minimization of total monthly absolute total relative error (TMATRE), and, (2) minimization of NS. Three probability distributions functions (PDFs) for generating daily rainfall amounts in the last Markov Chain state were compared. They were: (1) the shifted exponential distribution (SE), (2) the exponential distribution (E), and, (3) the two‐parameter gamma distribution (G‐2). The optimal SMFOMC parameters were applied to generate the daily rainfall sequences of 44 rainfall stations located in five regions of Thailand. Reliability of the optimal SMFOMC parameters for each PDF was measured by TMATRE and coefficient of determination (R2). Performance of PDFs was analysed by a ranking method. Results showed that the three PDFs were mostly found to be fitted well with the synthetic daily rainfall sequences. However, highest error was found in case of monthly average minimum daily rainfall values. Out of the three PDFs, the SE demonstrated the lowest performance, while G‐2 performed the best. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society
A comparative study on the preparation and physical properties of environmental friendly PMMA‐silica nano/sub‐micron‐scale hybrid latexes controlled by chelating agent
Authors: Weng Chang‐Jian , Hsu Sheng‐Chieh , Chang Chi‐Hao , Huang Tsao‐Cheng , Yeh Wei‐Ting , Yeh Jui‐Ming , Chou Yi‐Chen
Published: September 2011

In this article, a comparative study of the preparation and physical properties of as‐prepared PMMA‐silica nano‐hybrid (PSN) and sub‐micro‐hybrid (PSM) latexes is successfully presented. Vinyl‐modified silica spheres were prepared using the Stöber process with/without a chelating agent to control particle size. The as‐prepared vinyl‐modified silica spheres with different particle sizes were subsequently characterized by SEM, 13C‐solid‐state NMR, and 29Si‐solid‐state NMR spectroscopy. A certain feeding amount of silica spheres was reacted with MMA monomers by emulsion polymerization to yield a series of PSN and corresponding PSM. Both as‐prepared nano/sub‐micronscale hybrid materials were further characterized by FTIR, SEM‐EDX mapping, and TEM studies. The comparative study on the physical properties of both as‐prepared nano/sub‐micron‐scale hybrid materials was done systematically based on a series of instrumentation evaluations performed using a dynamic mechanical analyzer, electrochemical corrosion measurements, salt spray test, and gas permeability analysis. Results indicated that PSN has more effectively enhanced mechanical properties, corrosion protection properties, as well as gas barrier compared to PSM. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Mechanical, thermophysical, and diffusion properties of TiO2‐filled chlorobutyl rubber composites
Authors: Saritha A. , Joseph K. , Boudenne A. , Thomas S.
Published: September 2011

The mechanical and thermophysical properties of TiO2‐filled chlorobutyl rubber composites were investigated. These materials exhibited enhanced mechanical properties such as increased modulus, tensile strength, and hardness. The morphology of filler dispersion in the matrix was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Moreover, the effect of TiO2 content on the molecular transport of solvents was examined by means of degree of swelling, volume fraction of rubber, penetration rate of solvent, mean diffusion coefficient, etc. A periodic method was used to estimate the thermophysical behavior of samples. It was shown that the thermal conductivity and diffusivity of composites increase with increasing of TiO2 filler content. Finally, the utilization of the material as effective chemical protective clothing against volatile organic chemicals was analyzed. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Sap flow measurements of Ceriops tagal and Rhizophora mucronata mangrove trees by deuterium tracing and lysimetry
Authors: Lambs Luc , Saenger Anaïs
Published: September 2011

Mangrove forest trees grow in severe conditions such as diurnal submersion and high salinity surface and subsurface waters. This study focuses on two species on Mayotte Island, i.e. Ceriops tagal and Rhizophora mucronata, living in the middle range of the coastal mangrove. The seedlings of these trees were planted in a tropical greenhouse with an original pump system built to reproduce the natural tidal effect. The water used by these saplings, in two contrasted salinity conditions, was measured by lysimetry. For adult species, the trees' water consumption was measured on the field side after being injected with heavy water (D2O). Our work shows that this isotopic technique also works in saline conditions, and a water consumption of around 1 ± 0.2 L per day and per centimeter of diameter was found. These values are discussed as follows: the techniques used, the distinctive features of the mangrove trees, and other factors affecting the water absorption. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimization of fault detection performance for a class of nonlinear systems
Authors: Efimov Denis , Zolghadri Ali
Published: September 2011

The problem of observer design for fault detection in a class of nonlinear systems subject to parametric and signal uncertainties is studied. The design procedure includes formalized optimization of observer‐free parameters in terms of trade‐offs for fault detection performance and robustness to external disturbances and model uncertainties. The technique makes use of some monotonicity conditions imposed on the estimation error dynamics. Efficiency of the proposed approach is demonstrated through the oscillatory failure case in aircraft control surface servo‐loops. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Low-field microplasma breakdown in a-As2Se3 thin films
Authors: Voronkov E. N. , Eganova E. M.
Published: September 2011

It is shown that increasing external field stimulates appearance of the conductive microplasma channels in a-As2Se3 thin films. Cooling a sample under high field causes the disabling of microplasmas and decreases the sample conductance by several orders of magnitude in a rather narrow temperature range. The diameter of a microplasma channel was estimated to be one nanometer. We conclude that some negative centers near the metal—a-As2Se3 interface are causing a local barrier height lowering, stimulating the injection of carriers and formation of a microplasma.
B cell-derived IL-10 suppresses inflammatory disease in Lyn-deficient mice
Authors: Scapini Patrizia , Lamagna Chrystelle , Hu Yongmei , Lee Karim , Tang Qizhi , DeFranco Anthony L. , Lowell Clifford A.
Published: September 2011

Lyn kinase deficient mice represent a well established genetic model of autoimmune/autoinflammatory disease that resembles systemic lupus erythematosus. We report that IL-10 plays a crucial immunosuppressive role in this model, modulating the inflammatory component of the disease caused by myeloid and T-cell activation. Double-mutant
lyn
−/−
IL-10
−/−
mice manifested severe splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy, dramatically increased proinflammatory cytokine production, and severe tissue inflammation. Single-mutant
lyn
−/−
mice showed expansion of IL-10–producing B cells. Interestingly, WT B cells adoptively transferred into
lyn
−/−
mice showed increased differentiation into IL-10–producing B cells that assumed a similar phenotype to endogenous
lyn
−/−
IL-10–producing B cells, suggesting that the inflammatory environment present in
lyn
−/−
mice induces IL-10–producing B-cell differentiation. B cells, but not T or myeloid cells, were the critical source of IL-10 able to reduce inflammation and autoimmunity in double mutant
lyn
−/−
IL-10
−/−
mice. IL-10 secretion by B cells was also crucial to sustain transcription factor Forkhead Box P3 (Foxp3) expression in regulatory T cells during disease development. These data reveal a dominant immunosuppressive function of B-cell–derived IL-10 in the Lyn-deficient model of autoimmunity, extending our current understanding of the role of IL-10 and IL-10–producing B cells in systemic lupus erythematosus.
VEGF-A and Tenascin-C produced by S100A4
+
stromal cells are important for metastatic colonization
Authors: O'Connell Joyce T. , Sugimoto Hikaru , Cooke Vesselina G. , MacDonald Brian A. , Mehta Ankit I. , LeBleu Valerie S. , Dewar Rajan , Rocha Rafael M. , Brentani Ricardo R. , Resnick Murray B. , Neilson Eric G. , Zeisberg Michael , Kalluri Raghu
Published: September 2011

Increased numbers of S100A4
+
cells are associated with poor prognosis in patients who have cancer. Although the metastatic capabilities of S100A4
+
cancer cells have been examined, the functional role of S100A4
+
stromal cells in metastasis is largely unknown. To study the contribution of S100A4
+
stromal cells in metastasis, we used transgenic mice that express viral thymidine kinase under control of the
S100A4
promoter to specifically ablate S100A4
+
stromal cells. Depletion of S100A4
+
stromal cells significantly reduced metastatic colonization without affecting primary tumor growth. Multiple bone marrow transplantation studies demonstrated that these effects of S100A4
+
stromal cells are attributable to local non–bone marrow-derived S100A4
+
cells, which are likely fibroblasts in this setting. Reduction in metastasis due to the loss of S100A4
+
fibroblasts correlated with a concomitant decrease in the expression of several ECM molecules and growth factors, particularly Tenascin-C and VEGF-A. The functional importance of stromal Tenascin-C and S100A4
+
fibroblast-derived VEGF-A in metastasis was established by examining
Tenascin-C
null mice and transgenic mice expressing Cre recombinase under control of the
S100A4
promoter crossed with mice carrying
VEGF-A
alleles flanked by loxP sites, which exhibited a significant decrease in metastatic colonization without effects on primary tumor growth. In particular, S100A4
+
fibroblast-derived VEGF-A plays an important role in the establishment of an angiogenic microenvironment at the metastatic site to facilitate colonization, whereas stromal Tenascin-C may provide protection from apoptosis. Our study demonstrates a crucial role for local S100A4
+
fibroblasts in providing the permissive “soil” for metastatic colonization, a challenging step in the metastatic cascade.
Rapid Monitoring of Mercury in Air from an Organic Chemical Factory in China Using a Portable Mercury Analyzer
Authors: Yasutake Akira , Cheng Jin Ping , Kiyono Masako , Uraguchi Shimpei , Liu Xiaojie , Miura Kyoko , Yasuda Yoshiaki , Mashyanov Nikolay
Published: September 2011

A chemical factory, using a production technology of acetaldehyde with mercury catalysis, was located southeast of Qingzhen City in Guizhou Province, China. Previous research showed heavy mercury pollution through an extensive downstream area. A current investigation of the mercury distribution in ambient air, soils, and plants suggests that mobile mercury species in soils created elevated mercury concentrations in ambient air and vegetation. Mercury concentrations of up to 600 ng/m3in air over the contaminated area provided evidence of the mercury transformation to volatile Hg(0). Mercury analysis of soil and plant samples demonstrated that the mercury concentrations in soil with vaporized and plant-absorbable forms were higher in the southern area, which was closer to the factory. Our results suggest that air monitoring using a portable mercury analyzer can be a convenient and useful method for the rapid detection and mapping of mercury pollution in advanced field surveys.
Primary refractory acute myeloid leukaemia – in search of better definitions and therapies
Authors: Ravandi Farhad
Published: September 2011

The definition of primary refractory acute myeloid leukaemia is the failure to achieve a response after one or two cycles of induction. Given that there are many different strategies involving different doses of cytarabine and anthracyclines, which may or may not be equivalent, and as this is an area of unmet need with the potential for the development of new agents and strategies, uniform criteria for response have been described that need to be adhered to. The outcome of patients with chemoresistant disease is poor with only a proportion of patients salvaged by allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Progress in supportive care strategies and donor identification has enabled more of these patients to undergo unrelated donor transplantation. Novel strategies and new agents directed at the biology of the disease and the mechanisms of resistance are needed.
Time–course of cerebrospinal fluid histamine in the wake‐consolidated squirrel monkey
Authors: ZEITZER JAMIE M. , KODAMA TOHRU , BUCKMASTER CHRISTINE L. , HONDA YOSHIKO , LYONS DAVID M. , NISHINO SEIJI , MIGNOT EMMANUEL
Published: September 2011

Central nervous system (CNS) histamine is low in individuals with narcolepsy, a disease characterized by severe fragmentation of both sleep and wake. We have developed a primate model, the squirrel monkey, with which we can examine the role of the CNS in the wake‐consolidation process, as these primates are day‐active, have consolidated wake and sleep and have cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that is readily accessible. Using this model and three distinct protocols, we report herein on the role of CNS histamine in the wake consolidation process. CSF histamine has a robust daily rhythm, with a mean of 24.9 ± 3.29 pg mL−1, amplitude of 31.7 ± 6.46 pg mL−1 and a peak at 17:49 ± 70.3 min (lights on 07:00–19:00 hours). These levels are not significantly affected by increases (up to 161 ± 40.4% of baseline) or decreases (up to 17.2 ± 2.50% of baseline) in locomotion. In direct contrast to the effects of sleep deprivation in non‐wake‐consolidating mammals, in whom CSF histamine increases, pharmacologically induced sleep (γ‐hydroxybutyrate) and wake (modafinil) have no direct effects on CSF histamine concentrations. These data indicate that the time–course of histamine in CSF in the wake‐consolidated squirrel monkey is robust against variation in activity and sleep and wake‐promoting pharmacological compounds, and may indicate that histamine physiology plays a role in wake‐consolidation such as is present in the squirrel monkey and humans.
Varroa management in small bites
Authors: Fagan L. L. , Nelson W. R. , Meenken E. D. , Howlett B. G. , Walker M. K. , Donovan B. J.
Published: September 2011

Chelifers (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpionida), also known as pseudoscorpions, have been reported to be beneficial honeybee hive generalist pest predators for over 100 years and are occasionally noted by beekeepers in their hives. We collected chelifers within or closely associated with beehives in New Zealand. Under video observation conditions, they predated upon varroa mites while studiously ignoring bee larvae. Varroa mites reproduce at exponential rates during the spring season, and current chemical miticides rely on single treatments aiming for at least 90% control. An alternate strategy, removal of mites at a rate matching their reproductive capacity, although mathematically obvious, fails unless a suitable biological control agent is available. Our observations build on over 100 years of sporadic work to provide further evidence that chelifers show clear potential to be a suitable predator for varroa management in beehives. Approximately 25 chelifers can be expected to manage varroa populations in a single hive.
(Z)2‐(5‐(4‐methoxybenzylidene)‐2, 4‐dioxothiazolidin‐3‐yl) acetic acid protects rats from CCl4‐induced liver injury
Authors: Wang Zhen‐ling , Deng Chong‐yang , Zheng Hao , Xie Cai‐feng , Wang Xian‐huo , Luo You‐fu , Chen Zhi‐zhi , Cheng Ping , Chen Li‐juan
Published: September 2011

Background and Aim:  (Z)2‐(5‐(4‐methoxybenzylidene)‐2, 4‐dioxothiazolidin‐3‐yl) acetic acid (MDA) is an aldose reductase (AR) inhibitor. Recent studies suggest that AR contributes to the pathogenesis of inflammation by affecting the nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB)‐dependent expression of cytokines and chemokines and therefore could be a novel therapeutic target for inflammatory pathology. The current study evaluated the in vivo role of MDA in protecting the liver against injury and fibrogenesis caused by CCl4 in rats, and the underlying mechanisms.

Methods:  A single injection of CCl4 induced acute hepatitis, and repeated injections were used to induce hepatic fibrosis in rats. Therapeutic efficacy was assessed by comparison of the severity of hepatic injury and fibrosis in MDA‐treated rats versus untreated controls.

Results:  MDA significantly protected the liver from injury by reducing the activity of serum alanine aminotransferase, and improving the histological architecture of the liver. MDA modulated NF‐κB‐dependent activation of inflammatory cytokines by reducing hepatic mRNA levels of tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐1β, inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase and transforming growth factor‐β. In addition, MDA attenuated oxidative stress by increasing the content of hepatic glutathione. These favorable changes were associated with suppressed hepatic NF‐κB activation by MDA. MDA treatment improved liver fibrosis in rats that received repeated CCl4 injections. In vitro, MDA attenuated phosphorylation of IκB and activation of NF‐κB, and thus prevented biosynthesis of NO in lipopolysaccharide‐activated RAW264.7 cells.

Conclusions:  The present study suggests that AR is a novel therapeutic anti‐inflammatory target for the treatment of hepatitis and liver fibrosis.
Cognitive Complaints, Depressive Symptoms, and Cognitive Impairment: Are They Related?
Authors: Hohman Timothy J. , Beason‐Held Lori L. , Resnick Susan M.
Published: September 2011

Objectives

To examine whether concurrent depressive symptoms and self‐ and informant‐reported cognitive impairments are related to cognitive complaints.

Design

Longitudinal aging study of the relationship between depressive symptoms, reported cognitive impairments, and cognitive complaints. Mixed‐effects regression models were used to determine whether scores on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES‐D) and Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR) predicted cognitive complaints. The Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) assessed cognitive complaints.

Setting

A community‐dwelling sample inBaltimore,Maryland.

Participants

One hundred five cognitively normal older individuals with a mean baseline age of 75 followed for an average of 4 years.

Measurements

TheCES‐Dmeasured depressive symptoms. TheCDRSum of Boxes (CDR‐SB) measured self‐ and informant‐reported impairment, and theCFQmeasured cognitive complaints.

Results

Greater depressive symptoms and reported impairments are associated with higherCFQscores. In addition, there was a significant interaction between depressive symptoms and reported impairment. Specifically, individuals without reported cognitive impairment had the strongest association between depressive symptoms and cognitive complaints. Finally, reported impairments interact with baseline age, suggesting that the relationship between reported impairments and cognitive complaints is strongest in individuals younger than 80.

Conclusion

These findings confirm a relationship between reported cognitive impairment and cognitive complaints in older individuals and highlight the extent to which age and depressive symptoms account for variation in complaints. These factors should be considered when interpreting cognitive complaints in a clinical setting.
Policy‐Specific Information and Informal Agenda Power
Authors: Hirsch Alexander V. , Shotts Kenneth W.
Published: September 2011

In Gilligan and Krehbiel's models of procedural choice in legislatures, a committee exerts costly effort to acquire private information about an unknown state of the world. Subsequent work on expertise, delegation, and lobbying has largely followed this approach. In contrast, we develop a model of information as policy valence. We use our model to analyze a procedural choice game, focusing on the effect of transferability, i.e., the extent to which information acquired to implement one policy option can be used to implement a different policy option. We find that when information is transferable, as in Gilligan and Krehbiel's models, closed rules can induce committee specialization. However, when information is policy‐specific, open rules are actually superior for inducing specialization. The reason for this surprising result is that a committee lacking formal agenda power has a greater incentive to exercise informal agenda power by exerting costly effort to generate high‐valence legislation.
Toward Magnetic Resonance‐Guided Electroanatomical Voltage Mapping for Catheter Ablation of Scar‐Related Ventricular Tachycardia: A Comparison of Registration Methods
Authors: TAO QIAN , MILLES JULIEN , VAN HULS VAN TAXIS CARINE , LAMB HILDO J. , REIBER JOHAN H.C. , ZEPPENFELD KATJA , VAN DER GEEST ROB J.
Published: September 2011

Toward MR‐Guided Electroanatomical Voltage Mapping for Catheter Ablation. Introduction: Integration of preprocedural delayed enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DE‐MRI) with electroanatomical voltage mapping (EAVM) may provide additional high‐resolution substrate information for catheter ablation of scar‐related ventricular tachycardias (VT). Accurate and fast image integration of DE‐MRI with EAVM is desirable for MR‐guided ablation.

Methods and Results:
Twenty‐six VT patients with large transmural scar underwent catheter ablation and preprocedural DE‐MRI. With different registration models and EAVM input, 3 image integration methods were evaluated and compared to the commercial registration module CartoMerge. The performance was evaluated both in terms of distance measure that describes surface matching, and correlation measure that describes actual scar correspondence. Compared to CartoMerge, the method that uses the translation‐and‐rotation model and high‐density EAVM input resulted in a registration error of 4.32±0.69 mm as compared to 4.84 ± 1.07 (P <0.05); the method that uses the translation model and high‐density EAVM input resulted in a registration error of 4.60 ± 0.65 mm (P = NS); and the method that uses the translation model and a single anatomical landmark input resulted in a registration error of 6.58 ± 1.63 mm (P < 0.05). No significant difference in scar correlation was observed between all 3 methods and CartoMerge (P = NS).

Conclusions:
During VT ablation procedures, accurate integration of EAVM and DE‐MRI can be achieved using a translation registration model and a single anatomical landmark. This model allows for image integration in minimal mapping time and is likely to reduce fluoroscopy time and increase procedure efficacy. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 23, pp. 74‐80, January 2012)
Seasonal changes of the mineral contents in the rumen of wild Yeso sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis)
Authors: HAYASHIDA Maki , SOUMA Kousaku , HANAGATA Osamu , OKAMOTO Masayo , MASUKO Takayoshi
Published: September 2011

The rumen contents were collected from 36 wild Yeso sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) captured by deer culling or by hunting in the spring, summer, autumn and winter in Hokkaido, Japan. Botanical classification was conducted, and the contents of mineral (calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn)) were measured. The animals were captured around pastures or fallow field areas in the Kushiro area. The rumen contents consisted of grasses and Sasa sp. leaves regardless of the season. Leaves and bark were ingested in the spring, autumn and winter. The macro‐mineral contents in the rumen showed seasonal changes. In the summer, the Ca, K and P contents were high, and the Na content was low. There were no seasonal changes in the Fe content. The P, Na and Fe contents were higher than the animals' requirements. In a future survey, it is needed to determine the mineral contents of the food ingested by wild Yeso sika deer.
SNPpath: Characterizing cattle SNPs by enriched pathway terms
Authors: WANG Qishan , WANG Minghui , YANG Yumei , PAN Yuchun
Published: September 2011

High‐density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarrays have made large‐scale genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) and genomic selection (GS) feasible. Valuable insight into the genetic basis underlying complex polygenic traits will likely be gained by considering functionally related sets of genes simultaneously. SNPpath, a suite of computer‐generated imagery‐based web servers has been developed to automatically annotate and characterize cattle SNPs by enriched KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway terms. The SNPpath allows users to navigate and analysis large SNP sets and is the only web server currently providing pathway annotations of cattle SNPs in National Center for Biotechnology Information's dbSNP database and three commercial platforms. Hence, we describe SNPpath and provide details of the query options, as well as biological examples of use. The SNPpath may be favorable for the analysis of combining SNP association analysis with pathway‐driven gene set enrichment analysis and is freely available at http://klab.sjtu.edu.cn/SNPpath.
Motion Simulation Experiments for Driver Behavior and Road Vehicle Dynamics
Authors: Lewis Kemper , Hulme Kevin , Kasprzak Edward , Moore-Russo Deborah , Fabiano Gregory
Published: September 2011

This paper discusses the design and development of a motion-based driving simulation and its integration into driving simulation research. The integration of the simulation environment into a road vehicle dynamics curriculum is also presented. The simulation environment provides an immersive experience to conduct a wide range of research on driving behavior, vehicle design and intelligent traffic systems. From an education perspective, the environment is designed to promote hands-on student participation in real-world engineering experiences that enhance conventional learning mechanisms for road vehicle dynamics and engineering systems analysis. The paper assesses the impact of the environment on student learning objectives in an upper level vehicle dynamics course and presents results from research involving teenage drivers. The paper presents an integrated framework for the use of real-time simulation and large-scale visualization to both study driving behaviors and to discover the impact that design decisions have on vehicle design using a realistic simulated driving interface.
Performance Identification and Compensation of Simulator Motion Cueing Delays
Authors: Fang Zhou , Reymond Gilles , Kemeny Andras
Published: September 2011

The lag existing between the command and the resulting cockpit motion in a motion-based simulator, commonly referred to as “transport delay”, is actually the sum of a fixed delay and a frequency-dependent phase delay. A measurement procedure for the identification of the overall transfer function of a motion system is first presented, then it is used to design a proportional integral derivative (PID) compensator to reduce the apparent simulator lag in usual driving maneuvers. This procedure is carried out on RENAULT’s ULTIMATE high-performance driving simulator. For the reference driving task considered (slalom driving), this PID corrector is shown to bring a 100–200 ms reduction of the phase delay, which is quite perceivable and preferred by test drivers.
Efficacy of a New Fluoroquinolone, JNJ-Q2, in Murine Models of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae Skin, Respiratory, and Systemic Infections
Authors: Fernandez Jeffrey , Hilliard Jamese J. , Morrow Brian J. , Melton John L. , Flamm Robert K. , Barron Alfred M. , Lynch A. Simon
Published: September 2011

The
in vivo
efficacy of JNJ-Q2, a new broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone (FQ), was evaluated in a murine septicemia model with methicillin-susceptible
Staphylococcus aureus
(MSSA) and methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA) and in a
Streptococcus pneumoniae
lower respiratory tract infection model. JNJ-Q2 and comparators were also evaluated in an acute murine skin infection model using a community-acquired MRSA strain and in an established skin infection (ESI) model using a hospital-acquired strain, for which the selection of resistant mutants was also determined. JNJ-Q2 demonstrated activity in the MSSA septicemia model that was comparable to that moxifloxacin (JNJ-Q2 50% effective dose [ED
50
], 0.2 mg/kg of body weight administered subcutaneously [s.c.] and 2 mg/kg administered orally [p.o.]) and activity in the MRSA septicemia model that was superior to that of vancomycin (JNJ-Q2 ED
50
, 1.6 mg/kg administered s.c.). In an
S. pneumoniae
lower respiratory tract infection model, JNJ-Q2 displayed activity (ED
50
, 1.9 mg/kg administered s.c. and 7.4 mg/kg administered p.o.) that was comparable to that of gemifloxacin and superior to that of moxifloxacin. In both MRSA skin infection models, treatment with JNJ-Q2 resulted in dose-dependent reductions in bacterial titers in the skin, with the response to JNJ-Q2 at each dose exceeding the responses of the comparators ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, linezolid, and vancomycin. Additionally, in the ESI model, JNJ-Q2 showed a low or nondetectable propensity for ciprofloxacin resistance selection, in contrast to the selection of ciprofloxacin-resistant mutants observed for both ciprofloxacin and moxifloxacin. JNJ-Q2 demonstrated activity that was comparable or superior to the activity of fluoroquinolone or antistaphylococcal comparators in several local and systemic skin infection models performed with both
S. aureus
and
S. pneumoniae
and is currently being evaluated in phase II human clinical trials.
Genome Sequences of Two Stress-Tolerant Campylobacter jejuni Poultry Strains, 305 and DFVF1099
Authors: Takamiya Monica , Ozen Asli , Rasmussen Morten , Alter Thomas , Gilbert Tom , Ussery Dave W. , Knøchel Susanne
Published: September 2011

Campylobacter jejuni
is a food-borne pathogen with a high prevalence in poultry meat, which in fresh unfrozen condition is the major source of campylobacteriosis.
C. jejuni
strains DFVF1099 and 305 are considered tolerant to several environmental stresses (T. Birk et al., J. Food Prot. 73:258–265, 2010; S. L. On et al., Int. J. Med. Microbiol. 296:353–363, 2006). Here, we report the genome sequences of
C. jejuni
305 and DFVF1099, a turkey and a chicken isolate, respectively.
A genetic map of an Australian wildGossypiumC genome and assignment of homoeologies with tetraploid cultivated cotton
Authors: Becerra Lopez-Lavalle L.A. , Matheson B. , Brubaker C.L.
Published: September 2011

Genetic diversity for traits such as fibre quality or disease resistance to microorganisms is limited in the elite cotton germplasm; consequently, cotton breeders are looking for novel alleles in the secondary or even in the tertiary gene pools. The wild Australian Gossypium species (tertiary gene pool) represent an alternative source of novel alleles. However, to use these species efficiently, enabling tools are required. Chromosome-specific molecular markers are particularly useful tools to track the transmission of this exotic genetic material into the cultivated cotton during introgression. In this study, we report the construction of a genetic linkage map of the Australian wild C-genome species Gossypium sturtianum. The map, based on an F2population of 114 individuals, contains 291 AFLP loci. The map spans 1697 cM with an average distance of 5.8 cM between markers. To associate C-genome chromosomes with the A and D subgenomes of cultivated cotton, 29 SSR and RFLP–STS markers were assigned to chromosomes using cultivated cotton mapped marker information. Polymorphisms were revealed by 51 AFLP primer combinations and 38 RFLP–STS and 115 SSR cotton mapped markers. The utility of transferring RFLP–STS and SSR cotton mapped markers to other Gossypium species shows the usefulness of a comparative approach as a source of markers and for aligning the genetic map of G. sturtianum with the cultivated species in the future. This also indicates that the overall structure of the G. sturtianum linkage groups is similar to that of the A and D subgenomes of cotton at the gross structural level. Applications of the map for the Australia wild C-genome species and cotton breeding are discussed.
QUANTUM GRAVITY IN PLEBANSKI FORMULATION
Authors: LAPERASHVILI L. V.
Published: September 2011

We present a theory of four-dimensional quantum gravity with massive gravitons which may be essentially renormalizable. In Plebanski formulation of general relativity in which the tetrads, the connection and the curvature are all independent variables (and the usual relations among these quantities are valid only on-shell), we consider the nonperturbative theory of gravity with a nonzero background connection. We predict a tiny value of the graviton mass: mg≈1.5×10-42 GeV and extremely small dimensionless coupling constant of the perturbative gravitational interaction: g~10-60. We put forward the idea by Isimori56 on renormalizability of quantum gravity having multi-gravitons with masses m0, m1, …, mN-1.
Performing in Quantum Space: A Creative Approach to N-Dimensional Computing
Authors: Kuchera-Morin JoAnn
Published: September 2011

This paper discusses a new approach to scientific and artistic computing that allows one to use the creative process of music performance to interact with n-dimensional data sets. Using a unique multi-user instrument, the AlloSphere, a three-story metal sphere in an echo-free chamber that immerses approximately twenty-five researchers in 4-Pi stereo radians of interactive visual and audio data, new scientific discoveries and emergent art transform science and art into a new field.
Information Aesthetics with Visual Genealogy Project
Authors: Park Jin Wan
Published: September 2011

A human life is not generated spontaneously; our existence is a random combination of hazy vestiges of our ancestors. The idea behind this artwork is to embody half a millennium of data about people's lives into a single computer-generated image.
Menaquinone-4 enhances testosterone production in rats and testis-derived tumor cells
Authors: Ito Asagi , Shirakawa Hitoshi , Takumi Naofumi , Minegishi Yoshihiko , Ohashi Ai , Howlader Zakir H , Ohsaki Yusuke , Sato Toshiro , Goto Tomoko , Komai Michio
Published: September 2011

Background

Vitamin K is essential for the posttranslational modification of various Gla proteins. Although it is widespread in several organs, including the testis, the function of vitamin K in these organs is not well characterized. In this study, we investigated the function of vitamin K in the testis and analyzed its role in steroidogenesis.

Methods

Eight-week-old male Wistar rats were fed a diet supplemented with menaquinone-4 (MK-4, 75 mg/kg diet), one of the predominant K2 vitamins present in the testis, for 5 weeks. In vivo testosterone levels of the rats' plasma and testes were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and in vitro testosterone levels of testis-derived tumor cells (I-10 cells) maintained in Ham's F-10 medium with 10% fetal bovine serum were measured following treatment with MK-4 (0 to 100 μM) at several time points. Testosterone and cellular protein levels were analyzed with respect to their effects on steroidogenesis.

Results

Testosterone levels in the plasma and testes of MK-4-fed rats were significantly increased compared to those of control rats, with no obvious differences in plasma luteinizing hormone levels. Secreted testosterone levels from I-10 cells were elevated by MK-4, but not by vitamin K1, in a dose-dependent manner independent of cAMP treatment. Western blot analysis revealed that expression of CYP11A, the rate-limiting enzyme in steroidogenesis, and phosphorylation levels of protein kinase A (PKA) and the cAMP response element-binding protein were all stimulated by the presence of MK-4. Enhancement of testosterone production was inhibited by H89, a specific inhibitor of PKA, but not by warfarin, an inhibitor of γ-glutamylcarboxylation.

Conclusions

MK-4 stimulates testosterone production in rats and testis-derived tumor cells via activation of PKA. MK-4 may be involved in steroidogenesis in the testis, and its supplementation could reverse the downregulation of testosterone production in elders.
Hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder
Authors: Ellouze Sameh , Slim Charfi , Ahmad Guirat , Naourez Gouiaa , Ali Amouri , Héla Mnif , Mariem Kossentini , Mohamed Ben Amar , Tahia Boudawara
Published: September 2011

Hepatoid adenocarcinoma is a rare variant of extrahepatic adenocarcinoma which behaves like hepatocellular carcinoma in morphology and functionality.

We present a rare case of hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder which invades deeply the liver bed, in a 59-year-old woman. Histologically, most of the mass in the gallbladder was composed of cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm arranged in a trabecular pattern, which resembled hepatocellular carcinoma. The main differential diagnosis was hepatocellular carcinoma with invasion into the gallbladder. The gallbladder origin of the hepatoid adenocarcinoma was verified by the presence of foci of conventional adenocarcinoma, the recognition of high-grade dysplasia in the adjacent epithelium and the absence of cirrhosis.
Completion of Adjuvant Chemotherapy and Use of Health Services for Older Women With Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Fairfield Kathleen M. , Murray Kimberly , Lucas F. Lee , Wierman Heidi R. , Earle Craig C. , Trimble Edward L. , Small Laurie , Warren Joan L.
Published: September 2011

Purpose

This analysis identifies factors associated with completion of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with ovarian cancer and subsequent use of health services.

Patients and Methods

We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) –Medicare database to identify 4,617 women age 65 years or older with ovarian cancer diagnosed from 2001 to 2005. By using multivariable analyses with completion of chemotherapy as the outcome of interest, we describe factors associated with completion of treatment, including age, race, marital status, comorbidities, and sociodemographic factors. Use of health services was captured from Medicare claims.

Results

Among 4,617 patients with untreated ovarian cancer, 1,329 (28.8%) received no chemotherapy, 1,139 (24.7%) received a partial course of chemotherapy, and 2,149 (46.5%) completed chemotherapy. Women age 75 years or older were at greater risk of incomplete chemotherapy versus women age 65 to 74 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.64; 95% CI, 1.33 to 2.04). Having two or more comorbidities was also significantly associated with incomplete chemotherapy (OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.34 to 2.50). Among women who received either a partial or complete course of chemotherapy, we did not find an increase in use of health services (hospitalizations, emergency department visits, or physician visits) for the oldest women (age 80 years or older) compared with younger women.

Conclusion

There is considerable room for improvement in helping older patients with ovarian cancer initiate and complete chemotherapy. The oldest women who completed chemotherapy in this study did not use health services more than younger women did. Treatment teams for older patients with ovarian cancer should include expertise in geriatric assessment, should carefully identify medical and psychosocial barriers to completing treatment, and should support patients throughout treatment.
Who Needs Poetry? Baudelaire, Benjamin, and the Modernity of “Le Cygne”
Authors: Newmark Kevin
Published: September 2011

This essay considers Baudelaire's “Le Cygne” in terms of the crucial place the poem should occupy in any theoretical reflection on literary and historical “modernity.” Despite the proliferation in recent years of references to Walter Benjamin in the reception of Baudelaire's poetry, there are still very few examples of the kind of interpretation that Benjamin's allegorical model of understanding would require in a sustained reading of a text like “Le Cygne.” The essay explores why Benjamin's thinking about allegory seems to be resisted by literary critics in their reading of Baudelaire's poetry. It suggests that Benjamin's conception of allegory cannot adequately be addressed without first registering the impact that the allegorical dimension of poetic language exerts upon fundamental philosophical concepts such as subjectivity, experience, and historicity itself. If Benjamin insists on associating allegory with modernity in Baudelaire's poetry, this is because history can be said to become modern only at the moment that the thinking subject's own experience sustains an irreversible alteration that might best be characterized as “allegorical,” for want of a better term. The resistance of literary critics to Benjamin's notion of allegory thus turns out to be a deeper philosophical resistance to the possibility that, after Benjamin's writings on Baudelaire, subjectivity, history, and poetry could never be understood in the same ways.

The essay begins by noting how Benjamin's thinking about history is conditioned by his response to the poverty of experience in modernity. For Benjamin, recourse to the poetic language of allegory becomes a historical necessity; without it the experience of poverty is in danger of remaining inaccessible for knowledge. However, the kind of knowability that this poetry can grant may itself resist coherent theoretical formulation. The essay turns to “Le Cygne” in the wake of Benjamin's own consideration of that poem in an attempt to determine more specifically the allegorical principle that alone could enable the poverty of modern experience to become legible, both poetically and historically, in the text.