bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transcription of the chickenGrin1gene is regulated by the activity of SP3 and NRSF in undifferentiated cells and neurons
Authors: Moreno-González Gabriel , López-Colomé Ana María , Rodríguez Gabriela , Zarain-Herzberg Angel
Published: June 2008

The NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors are important in the regulation of neuronal development, synaptic plasticity, learning and memory, and are involved in several brain pathologies. The NR1 subunit is essential for the assembly of functional receptors, as it forms the calcium-permeable ion channel and contains the obligatory co-agonist binding site. Previous studies have shown that NR1 gene (Grin1) expression is up-regulated during neuronal differentiation and its expression is widespread in the central nervous system. We have previously cloned the chicken Grin1 gene and 1.9 kb of the 5′-regulatory region. In the present study, we analysed the molecular mechanisms that regulate chicken Grin1 gene transcription in undifferentiated cells and neurons. By functional analysis of chicken Grin1–luciferase gene 5′-regulatory region constructs, we demonstrate that the basal promoter is delimited within 210 bp upstream from the main transcription initiation site. DNA–protein binding and functional assays revealed that the 5′-UTR (untranslated region) has one consensus NRSE (neuron-restrictive silencing element) that binds NRSF (neuron-restrictive silencing factor), and one SP (stimulating protein transcription factor) element that binds SP3, both repressing Grin1 gene transcription in undifferentiated P19 cells (embryonic terato-carcinoma cells) and PC12 cells (phaeochromocytoma cells). The promoter region lacks a consensus TATA box, but contains one GSG/SP (GSG-like box near a SP-consensus site) that binds SP3 and up-regulates gene transcription in embryonic chicken cortical neurons. Taken together, these results demonstrate a dual role of SP3 in regulating the expression of the Grin1 gene, by repressing transcription in the 5′-UTR in undifferentiated cells as well as acting as a transcription factor, increasing Grin1 gene transcription in neurons.
Modeling of viscoelastic turbulent flow in channel and pipe
Authors: Yang Shu-Qing , Dou Guo-Ren
Published: June 2008

This paper investigates turbulent flows with or without polymer additives in open channels and pipes. Equations of mean velocity, root mean square of velocity fluctuations, and energy spectrum are derived, in which the shear stress deficit model is used and the non-Newtonian properties are represented by the viscoelasticity α*. The obtained results show that, with α* increment, (1) the streamwise velocity fluctuations is increased, (2) the wall-normal velocity fluctuation is attenuated, (3) the Reynolds stress is reduced, and (4) there is a redistribution of energy from high frequencies to the low frequencies for the streamwise component, but dimensionless distribution over all frequencies almost remains the same as that in Newtonian fluid flows. Good agreement between the derived equations and experimental data in small drag-reduction regime is achieved, which indicates that the present model is workable for Newtonian/non-Newtonian fluid turbulent flows.
On vortical flows shedding from a bluff body with a wavy trailing edge
Authors: Cai Jinsheng , Chng Tat Loon , Tsai Her Mann
Published: June 2008

Studies have shown that shaping the trailing edge of a quasistreamlined bluff body in the form of a sinusoidal wave can result in substantial base pressure recovery. In this paper, direct numerical simulations at a Reynolds number based on base height of 2500 are used to understand the flow characteristics associated with the observed drag reduction. In particular, the effects of the wavelength of the sinusoidal disturbance on the drag coefficient, vortex shedding mechanism, and frequency selection are examined. Numerical flow visualizations compare favorably to previous experimental observations and the results confirm that there is a range of wavelengths where significant drag reduction is possible. A sinusoidal trailing edge with fixed amplitude and a wavelength which is five times the base height produces the largest reduction of more than 30% in the mean drag coefficient compared to a straight trailing edge. The drag reduction is associated with known observations such as a lengthening of the mean recirculation region, a marked drop in the velocity fluctuation at the dominant frequency of the wake and a relative increase in streamwise vorticity. Although the presence of vortex dislocations is linked with a reduction in drag, the occurrences of these structures do not yield the optimum configuration. Rather, the maximum reduction in drag appears to coincide with the transition of the vortex shedding process from a spanwise-irregular to a spanwise-regular mode characterized by spatially well-organized structures along the span.
Magnetic instabilities in collisionless astrophysical rotating plasma with anisotropic pressure
Authors: Mikhailovskii A. B. , Lominadze J. G. , Smolyakov A. I. , Churikov A. P. , Pustovitov V. D. , Erokhin N. N.
Published: June 2008

A technique is developed for analytical study of instabilities in collisionless astrophysical rotating plasma with anisotropic pressure that may lead to magnetic turbulence. Description is based on a pair of equations for perturbations of the radial magnetic field and the sum of magnetic field and perpendicular plasma pressures. From these equations, a canonical second-order differential equation for the perturbed radial magnetic field is derived and, subsequently, the dispersion relation for local perturbations. The paper predicts two varieties of hybrid instabilities due to the effects of differential plasma rotation and pressure anisotropy: The rotational-firehose and rotational-mirror ones. When the gravitation force is weak compared with the perpendicular pressure gradient, a new family of instabilities (the pressure-gradient-driven) is revealed.
Magnetoelectric effects due to elastic coupling in ferroelectric/ferromagnetic multilayers
Authors: Wang Biao , Woo C. H.
Published: June 2008

The critical behavior of a multilayered system of alternating ferroelectric and ferromagnetic thin films on a substrate of finite thickness is studied. A thermodynamic approach via the Ginzburg–Landau formulation is followed. Our interest is in the magnetoelectric effects exhibited in the critical behavior of the multilayer system, caused by the interlayer elastic interaction. The system is characterized by two bifurcation points. The system exhibits the strongest magnetoelectric effect near the second bifurcation.
Designing patterned substrates to regulate the movement of capsules in microchannels
Authors: Usta O. Berk , Nayhouse Michael , Alexeev Alexander , Balazs Anna C.
Published: June 2008

Using computational modeling, we simulate the fluid-driven motion of microcapsules on patterned surfaces to establish guidelines for creating simple microfluidic devices for bioassays and multistage chemical reactions. The microcapsules, which consist of an elastic shell and an encapsulated fluid, model biological cells or polymeric particles. We focus on patterned substrates that encompass chemically adhesive and mechanically compliant domains. By probing the interactions between the microcapsules and these patterned surfaces, we determine the factors that control the movement of the capsules along the substrates. Using this information, we optimize the arrangement of the adhesive and compliant surface domains to create robust systems that effectively discriminate between various soft particles moving through the microchannels and “autonomously” direct certain species to specific locations. These findings could facilitate the fabrication of low-cost, portable microfluidic devices for sorting cells or performing fundamental chemical studies.
Origin of negative differential resistance and memory characteristics in organic devices based on tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum
Authors: Lin Jian , Ma Dongge
Published: June 2008

Negative differential resistance (NDR) and memory phenomenon have been realized in current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of indium tin oxide/tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum/aluminum devices. The I-V curves have been divided into three operational regions that are associated with different working regimes of the devices: (i) bistable region, (ii) NDR region, and (iii) monotonic region. The bistable region disappeared after a couple of voltage sweeps from zero to a positive voltage. The bistable nature can be reinstated by applying a suitable negative voltage. The I-V characteristics have been explained in terms of space charge limited conduction. It has been found that injection of holes in these devices play an important role in NDR and resistive switching processes. Formation of nanofilamentary pathways and space charge field inhibition of injection elucidate the observed phenomenon well.
Microwave synthesis of single-crystalline perovskite BiFeO3 nanocubes for photoelectrode and photocatalytic applications
Authors: Joshi Upendra A. , Jang Jum Suk , Borse Pramod H. , Lee Jae Sung
Published: June 2008

A simple microwave synthesis procedure has been developed for the single-crystalline perovskite nanocubes composed of bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3). Typical nanocubes had sizes ranging from 50to200nm. The single-crystalline nature of nanocubes was confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction pattern. X-ray diffraction pattern showed the rhombohedral phase with R3c space group. The material showed photoinduced water oxidation activity in both photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic modes. It could become a useful material for photoelectrode and photocatalytic applications.
Chaos-induced intrinsic localized modes in coupled microcantilever arrays
Authors: Chen Qingfei , Huang Liang , Lai Ying-Cheng
Published: June 2008

We find that intrinsic localized modes (ILMs) in microelectromechanical cantilever arrays can be induced by the spatiotemporal chaos dynamics. For typical settings, spatiotemporal chaos is ubiquitous and can act as a natural platform for ILMs to arise. Our study suggests an experimental approach to preventing ILMs, i.e., to choose the modulation frequency so as to place the system in a regime where there is a low energy stable state.
Ferromagnetism and superparamagnetism of ZnCoO:H nanocrystals
Authors: Wang Z. H. , Geng D. Y. , Guo S. , Hu W. J. , Zhang Z. D.
Published: June 2008

ZnCoO:H nanocrystals are weak ferromagnetic at room temperature with a small coercivity and a small remanence, whereas ZnCoO nanocrystals are paramagnetic. The thermal irreversibility of zero-field cooling and field cooling magnetizations of ZnCoO:H nanocrystals corresponds to the existence of superparamagnetism due to the nanosize effect. X-ray photoelectron spectra show the incorporation of Co2+ ions inside the ZnO lattice without changing the wurtzite structure. Our data suggest that hydrogen can induce ferromagnetism in ZnCoO and that ferromagnetic ZnCoO:H crystals with small particle size can show the superparamagnetism.
The Displacement of RSO2 Groups from Tetrahedral Carbon
Authors: Duffy Stephen , Langler Richard F.
Published: June 2008

The first known examples of direct displacement of RSO2 groups from C(sp3) are described. The successful displacements are rationalized in terms of related experimental results and Coulombic stabilization in transition states, anticipated from modern MO computations on ground state structures.
Microwave Induced Synthesis of O,O-Dialkyl Dialkylpyrophosphonates under Solvent Free Conditions: Markers of Nerve Agents
Authors: Kumar Rajesh , Pardasani Deepak , Mazumder Avik , Dubey Devendra K. , Gupta Arvind K.
Published: June 2008

This article describes a one pot, solvent free, microwave assisted synthesis of O,O-dialkyl dialkylpyrophosphonates (DADAPP) from O-alkyl alkylphosphonic chlorides 2a–j with 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) in the presence of water under microwave irradiation. The reaction takes place by the phosphonium salts, which are converted into the DADAPPs 4a–j. These DADAPPs are important markers of chemical warfare agents sarin, soman, and VX and their analogues. The method has several advantages over the conventional methods such as operational simplicity, high yield, and reduced reaction time.
Aminimides as Potential CNS-Acting Agents. III. Design, Synthesis, and Receptor Binding of Aminimide Analogues of Dopamine, Serotonin, Morphine, and Nicotine
Authors: Capuano Ben , Crosby Ian T. , Lloyd Edward J. , Neve Juliette E. , Taylor David A.
Published: June 2008

A series of aminimide derivatives of centrally acting agents, namely dopamine, serotonin, morphine and nicotine, were designed on the basis of the physicochemical properties of the aminimide functional group and synthesized to investigate their central nervous system (CNS) receptor affinity. The target compounds were readily prepared from an appropriate tertiary amine by N-acylation of a hydrazinium salt intermediate using acetic anhydride or acetyl chloride. The aminimides were tested for in vitro affinity at the dopaminergic D4, serotonergic 5-HT2A, opiate (μ, κ, and non-selective) and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and were found to possess mixed affinities for the aforementioned receptor systems.
Evaluation of the sustainability of deep groundwater as an arsenic-safe resource in the Bengal Basin
Authors: Michael Holly A. , Voss Clifford I.
Published: June 2008

Tens of millions of people in the Bengal Basin region of Bangladesh and India drink groundwater containing unsafe concentrations of arsenic. This high-arsenic groundwater is produced from shallow (<100 m) depths by domestic and irrigation wells in the Bengal Basin aquifer system. The government of Bangladesh has begun to install wells to depths of >150 m where groundwater arsenic concentrations are nearly uniformly low, and many more wells are needed, however, the sustainability of deep, arsenic-safe groundwater has not been previously assessed. Deeper pumping could induce downward migration of dissolved arsenic, permanently destroying the deep resource. Here, it is shown, through quantitative, large-scale hydrogeologic analysis and simulation of the entire basin, that the deeper part of the aquifer system may provide a sustainable source of arsenic-safe water if its utilization is limited to domestic supply. Simulations provide two explanations for this result: deep domestic pumping only slightly perturbs the deep groundwater flow system, and substantial shallow pumping for irrigation forms a hydraulic barrier that protects deeper resources from shallow arsenic sources. Additional analysis indicates that this simple management approach could provide arsenic-safe drinking water to >90% of the arsenic-impacted region over a 1,000-year timescale. This insight may assist water-resources managers in alleviating one of the world's largest groundwater contamination problems.
Efficient and accurate bypass of
N
2
-(1-carboxyethyl)-2′-deoxyguanosine by DinB DNA polymerase
in vitro
and
in vivo
Authors: Yuan Bifeng , Cao Huachuan , Jiang Yong , Hong Haizheng , Wang Yinsheng
Published: June 2008

DinB, a Y-family DNA polymerase, is conserved among all domains of life; however, its endogenous substrates have not been identified. DinB is known to synthesize accurately across a number of
N
2
-dG lesions. Methylglyoxal (MG) is a common byproduct of the ubiquitous glycolysis pathway and induces the formation of
N
2
-(1-carboxyethyl)-2′-deoxyguanosine (
N
2
-CEdG) as the major stable DNA adduct. Here, we found that
N
2
-CEdG could be detected at a frequency of one lesion per 10
7
nucleosides in WM-266-4 human melanoma cells, and treatment of these cells with MG or glucose led to a dose-responsive increase in
N
2
-CEdG formation. We further constructed single-stranded M13 shuttle vectors harboring individual diastereomers of
N
2
-CEdG at a specific site and assessed the cytotoxic and mutagenic properties of the lesion in wild-type and bypass polymerase-deficient
Escherichia coli
cells. Our results revealed that
N
2
-CEdG is weakly mutagenic, and DinB (i.e., polymerase IV) is the major DNA polymerase responsible for bypassing the lesion
in vivo
. Moreover, steady-state kinetic measurements showed that nucleotide insertion, catalyzed by
E. coli
pol IV or its human counterpart (i.e., polymerase κ), opposite the
N
2
-CEdG is both accurate and efficient. Taken together, our data support that
N
2
-CEdG, a minor-groove DNA adduct arising from MG, is an important endogenous substrate for DinB DNA polymerase.
Akt phosphorylation and nuclear phosphoinositide association mediate mRNA export and cell proliferation activities by ALY
Authors: Okada Masashi , Jang Sang-Wuk , Ye Keqiang
Published: June 2008

Nuclear PI3K and its downstream effectors play essential roles in a variety of cellular activities including cell proliferation, survival, differentiation, and pre-mRNA splicing. Aly is a nuclear speckle protein implicated in mRNA export. Here we show that Aly is a physiological target of nuclear PI3K signaling, which regulates its subnuclear residency, cell proliferation, and mRNA export activities through nuclear Akt phosphorylation and phosphoinositide association. Nuclear Akt phosphorylates Aly on threonine-219, which is required for its interaction with Akt. Aly binds phosphoinositides, and this action is regulated by Akt-mediated phosphorylation. Phosphoinositide binding but not Akt phosphorylation dictates Aly's nuclear speckle residency. Depletion of Aly results in cell growth suppression and mRNA export reduction. Inhibition of Aly phosphorylation substantially decreases cell proliferation and mRNA export. Furthermore, disruption of phosphoinositide association with Aly also significantly reduces these activities. Thus, nuclear PI3K signaling mediates both cell proliferation and mRNA export functions of Aly.
Regulation of the transcriptional activity of poised RNA polymerase II by the elongation factor ELL
Authors: Smith Edwin R. , Winter Benjamin , Eissenberg Joel C. , Shilatifard Ali
Published: June 2008

Many developmentally regulated genes contain a poised RNA polymerase II (Pol II) at their promoters under conditions where full-length transcripts are undetectable. It has been proposed that the transcriptional activity of such promoters is regulated at the elongation stage of Pol II transcription. In
Drosophila
, the heat-shock loci expressing the
Hsp70
genes have been used as a model for the regulation of the transcriptional activity of poised Pol II.
Drosophila
ELL (dELL) is a Pol II elongation factor capable of stimulating the rate of transcription both
in vivo
and
in vitro
. Although ELL and the elongation factor Elongin A have indistinguishable effects on RNA polymerase
in vitro
, the loss-of-function studies indicate that these proteins are not redundant
in vivo
. In this article, we use RNAi to investigate the physiological properties of dELL and a dELL-associated factor (dEaf) in a living organism. Both ELL and Eaf are essential for fly development. dELL is recruited to heat shock loci upon induction, and its presence with Pol II at such loci is required for proper heat-shock gene expression. Consistent with a role in elongation, dELL knockdown reduces the levels of phosphorylated Pol II at heat-shock loci. This study implicates dELL in the expression of loci regulated by Pol II elongation.
Individual differences in coping with criticism of one's physical appearance among Taiwanese students
Authors: Lu Luo , Kao Shu‐Fang , Chang Ting‐Ting , Lee Ya‐Wen
Published: June 2008

When someone is criticized for some failure or deficiency, he or she is faced with a dilemma about whether or how to respond. To date, most research on responses to criticism has adopted a communication approach and has focused on general social complaints. The present study instead adopted the perspective of stress and coping and aimed to delineate possible responses to criticism pertaining to one's physical appearance. We investigated the efficacy of three coping styles, namely acceptance, avoidance, and retaliation in explaining emotional reactions towards such criticism, and we additionally controlled for personality characteristics, in particular assertion and harmony beliefs. A sample of Taiwanese university students (N = 300) was surveyed for their coping styles and psychological outcomes, and personality traits were examined as possible predictors of response options. We found that (1) acceptance, retaliation, and avoidance were three broad coping styles in this problematic social situation; (2) the individual trait of assertion was negatively related to the use of avoidance, while harmony beliefs were positively related to acceptance and avoidance, but negatively related to retaliation; and (3) the use of acceptance and avoidance were positively related to positive emotions, whereas retaliation was positively related to negative emotions. Males tended to use more acceptance. Implications of these findings were discussed in relation to existing studies of communication, stress and coping. Possible influences of the Chinese collectivist culture on people's responses to criticism were also delineated, such as valuing interpersonal harmony and face‐work in social situations.
The Baha'is and the Constitutional Revolution: The Case of Sari, Mazandaran, 1906–1913
Authors: Momen Moojan
Published: June 2008

Accounts of the Constitutional Revolution in Iran have tended to ignore the role of the Baha'is in that event. This paper looks at the case of Sari, capital of Mazandaran province, where the Baha'is of the city played a major part in initiating the move towards Constitutionalism and in educating people about the reforms envisaged and about the modern world. They also led the way in carrying out some of these reforms. In particular, the Baha'is established the first modern schools in the town. In this process, they were opposed by the Muslim ‘ulama in the town, who equated Constitutionalism and the Baha'i Faith, and persecuted the Baha'is of the town relentlessly for both reasons, leading eventually to the killing of five of the leading Baha'is of Sari in 1913. A brief account is also given of the attitude of the Baha'i leader ‘Abdu'l-Baha (1844–1921) towards the Constitutional Movement and the role of the Baha'is in it. This paper follows the events of the seven years 1906–13 in Sari and describes seven swings of the pendulum of power in the town alternating between the Baha'is and Constitutionalists on the one hand and the ‘ulama and the royalist forces supporting Muhammad ‘Ali Shah on the other. It points out that the neglect of the Baha'i aspect of these events by historians has led to a failure to account adequately for some of the events of these years.
Garden of Falsehood
Authors: Bandurski David
Published: June 2008

China’s propaganda machine seeks to control public opinion at all costs — and the media is its tool, writes David Bandurski
Seeds of Resistance
Authors: Qinglian He , Weldon Jim
Published: June 2008

Protests will dominate the agenda beyond the Olympics, warns He Qinglian
Memory Loss
Authors: Jie Hu , Bandurski David
Published: June 2008

Telling the story of China’s past confronts society’s greatest taboos, writes Hu Jie
Spirit of the News
Authors: Liangtian Huang , Flagg Roddy
Published: June 2008

Editor Huang Liangtian’s investigations cost him his job — the price for refusing to be ‘a journalist with Chinese characteristics’
Flipping the Switch
Authors: Mao Isaac , Weldon Jim
Published: June 2008

It’s not freedom of expression but freedom of thinking that China needs most and the Internet is the force for change, writes Isaac Mao
Party Rules
Authors: Zhiqiang Pu , Flagg Roddy
Published: June 2008

A long-running libel case against the authors of a best-selling exposé is testing the limits of free expression in China, writes lawyer Pu Zhiqiang
Murder in Mexico
Authors: Glanville Brian
Published: June 2008

Brian Glanville was expecting to cover the Olympics: he found himself reporting a massacre
Meeting No 1154
Authors: Khan Mahvish
Published: June 2008

On her first visit to Guantanamo as a legal interpreter, Mahvish Khan’s encounter with a detainee left her feeling duped by her own government
Written on the Body
Authors: Kirby Simon
Published: June 2008

China’s ground-breaking generation of new wave artists has pushed the boundaries, but some subjects still remain off limits, writes Simon Kirby
Darkness Visible
Authors: Lianke Yan , Flagg Roddy
Published: June 2008

State censorship is not the greatest threat to a writer’s progress, says leading Chinese novelist Yan Lianke. The tyranny starts from within
Truth To Power
Authors: Kirby Simon
Published: June 2008

Ai Weiwei, star of the avant-garde, tells Simon Kirby about challenging the status quo
China's Dark Secret
Authors: Seytoff Alim
Published: June 2008

The Uighurs’ call for self-rule has been met with brutality ever since China forcefully annexed East Turkestan in 1949, says Alim Seytoff
Secondary Casualty Information: Casualty Uncertainty, Female Casualties, and Wartime Support
Authors: Gartner Scott Sigmund
Published: June 2008

I develop a theory of wartime public opinion that identifies different types of casualty information and the varied roles they play. These roles include Primary Casualty Information (e.g., monthly casualties), which directly influences opinion; Contextual Casualty Information (e.g., enemy casualties), which mitigates the effect of primary casualties; and two new concepts, Casualty Uncertainty , the inability of individuals to infer casualty patterns, and Secondary Casualty Information , which represents alternative cost information. I theorize that when casualty uncertainty is low, and casualty patterns are clear, individuals rely on primary casualty information for evaluating a conflict. As uncertainty increases, however, and the picture painted by primary casualty data becomes increasingly opaque, individuals employ secondary casualty information to evaluate costs. I use the reporting of female casualties to represent an example of secondary casualty information. If casualty uncertainty is low, I anticipate that the existence of female casualties should have little influence on public attitudes. If casualty uncertainty is high, however, the reporting of female casualties will exert a negative effect on public support of the conflict. An experimental study finds strong support for these arguments. I examine how the results contribute to our understanding of wartime public support, women in combat, and the Iraq War.
Sustaining the Fight: A Cross-Sectional Time-Series Analysis of Public Support for Ongoing Military Interventions
Authors: Sullivan Patricia L.
Published: June 2008

What determines a democratic public's willingness to tolerate the human and material costs of sustaining ongoing military operations to victory? Athough much literature has addressed the factors that affect public attitudes toward the use of military force, few studies adopt either a theoretical perspective or a research method explicitly designed to answer this question. In particular, existing research tends to focus on the costs of war fighting, while ignoring both the tangible and intangible costs of withdrawing from a foreign military engagement. I argue that many of the factors that the public uses to estimate the cost of prosecuting a war—troop strength requirements, whether or not troops are engaged in ground combat and, most importantly, casualties—are also measures of the extent of a state's commitment to achieving its war aims. If the public treats the cost of the state's military commitment simply as an expense , support for sustaining an operation should decrease as the cost of commitment increases. If, however, citizens have a tendency to see military commitments as investments that put the country's reputation on the line or can only be redeemed if the state is victorious in the war, an increase in commitment could actually strengthen the public's determination to sustain the fight. Employing a cross-sectional time-series design with data from 12 U.S. and British military interventions, I explore whether the costs of continuing to prosecute a war or the costs of withdrawing have a greater effect on public willingness to sustain ongoing military operations. The results suggest that public concern about the costs of withdrawing from a conflict can be a more important determinant of willingness to persevere than sensitivity to the costs of war fighting. As a result, there is a considerable disconnect between what the public claims it would support in hypothetical scenarios and the types of military operations the public actually shows a willingness to sustain once they are underway.
Success Breeds Success? War Outcomes, Domestic Opposition, and Elections
Authors: Arena Philip
Published: June 2008

War outcomes are unlikely to effect elections if the major parties did not disagree over the war. Leaders who enter into wars are more likely to be punished for defeat or rewarded for victory if the opposition did not support the government during the war. Employing original data on legislative opposition during interstate wars, this paper examines all elections since WWII in the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, and India. The results confirm that leaders are far more likely to be punished (rewarded) for bad (good) outcomes if the opposition did not support the war. Further, there is no direct effect of either war outcomes or the position of the opposition. It is only when considered in conjunction with the opposition's behavior that the important link between war outcomes and elections is revealed.
KATP‐mediated Vasodilation is Impaired in Obese Zucker Rats
Authors: HODNETT BENJAMIN L. , XIANG LUSHA , DEARMAN JENNIFER A. , CARTER CORY B. , HESTER ROBERT L.
Published: June 2008

Objective: Skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise is impaired in obesity. We tested the hypothesis that the attenuated vasodilation in skeletal muscle arterioles of obese Zucker rats (OZR) is due to altered KATP channel‐mediated vasodilation.

Materials and Methods: KATP channel function was determined in isolated skeletal muscle arterioles in response to the KATP opener cromakalim (0.1–10 μ M) during normal myogenic tone and α ‐adrenergic‐mediated tone (0.1 μ M phenylephrine). The spinotrapezius muscle was prepared and the vasodilatory responses to muscle stimulation or iloprost (0.028–2.8 μ M) were observed before and after the application of the KATP inhibitor, glibenclamide (10 μ M). Channel subunit expression was determined by using western blot analyses.

Results: Cromakalim concentration‐response curves were shifted in OZR as compared to lean controls. OZR exhibited impaired functional and iloprost‐induced vasodilation as compared to the lean controls. Glibenclamide inhibited the functional and iloprost‐induced dilation in the lean rats with no effects in the obese animals. Channel subunit expression was similar in femoral arteries.

Conclusion:The impaired functional vasodilation in the OZR is associated with altered KATP channel sensitivity.
Connexin Isoform Expression in Smooth Muscle Cells and Endothelial Cells of Hamster Cheek Pouch Arterioles and Retractor Feed Arteries
Authors: HAKIM CHADY H. , JACKSON WILLIAM F. , SEGAL STEVEN S.
Published: June 2008

Objective: Gap junction channels formed by connexin (Cx) protein subunits enable cell‐to‐cell conduction of vasoactive signals. Given the lack of quantitative measurements of Cx expression in microvascular endothelial cells (EC) and smooth muscle cells (SMC), the objective was to determine whether Cx expression differed between EC and SMC of resistance microvessels for which conduction is well‐characterized.

Methods: Cheek pouch arterioles (CPA) and retractor feed arteries (RFA) were hand‐dissected and dissociated to obtain SMC or endothelial tubes. In complementary experiments, small intestine was dissociated to obtain SMC. Following reverse transcription, quantitative Real‐Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT‐PCR) was performed by using specific primers and fluorescent probes for Cx37, Cx40, and Cx43. Smooth muscle α‐actin (SMAA) and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule‐1 (PECAM‐1) served as respective reference genes.

Results: Transcript copy numbers were similar for each Cx isoform in EC from CPA and RFA (∼0.5 Cx/PECAM‐1). For SMC, Cx43 transcript in CPA and RFA (<0.1 Cx/SMAA) was less (p < 0.05) than that in small intestine (∼0.4 Cx/SMAA). Transcripts for Cx37 and Cx40 were also detected in SMC. Punctate immunolabeling for each Cx isoform was pronounced at EC borders and that for Cx43 was pronounced in SMC of small intestine. In contrast, Cx immunolabeling was not detected in SMC of CPA or RFA.

Conclusions: Connexin expression occurs primarily within the endothelium of arterioles and feed arteries, supporting a highly effective pathway for conducting vasoactive signals along resistance networks. The apparent paucity of Cx expression within SMC underscores discrete homocellular coupling and focal localization of myoendothelial gap junctions.
Evaluation of the Developmental Toxicity of Methyl Dihydrojasmonate (MDJ) in Rats
Authors: Politano Valerie T. , Lewis Elise M. , Hoberman Alan M. , Christian Mildred S. , Diener Robert M. , Api Anne Marie
Published: June 2008

Methyl dihydrojasmonate (MDJ) is a widely used fragrance ingredient. MDJ was evaluated for developmental toxicity in presumed pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats (25/group) at oral dosages of 0, 40, 80 or 120 mg/kg/day in corn oil administered on gestational days 7–20. Dams were observed for viability, clinical signs, body weights, and feed consumption. Caesarean-sectioning and necropsy occurred on gestational day 21. Fetuses were weighed and examined for gender, gross external changes, and soft tissue or skeletal alterations. No maternal or fetal deaths occurred. MDJ-related maternal clinical signs included an increased incidence of sparse hair coat and ungroomed appearance at 120 mg/kg/day. Two dams in this group also had tan areas in the liver and a pale spleen. The 120 mg/kg/day dosage also caused reduced mean maternal body weight gains and body weights during the dosage period and reduced absolute and relative maternal feed consumption for the entire dosage period. No Caesarean-sectioning or litter parameters were affected by dosages of MDJ as high as 120 mg/kg/day, although at the highest dosage a tendency toward slightly reduced, but not statistically significant, fetal mean body weight was observed. No fetal gross external, soft tissue or skeletal changes were attributable to dosages of MDJ as high as 120 mg/kg/day. Based on these data, maternal No-Observable-Adverse-Effect-Level (NOAEL) of 80 and developmental NOAEL of equal to or greater than 120 mg/kg/day were established for MDJ. It is concluded that MDJ is not a developmental toxicant in rats under the conditions of this study.
Understanding Health Behavior: An Integrated Model for Social Marketers
Authors: Cismaru Magdalena , Lavack Anne M. , Hadjistavropoulos Heather , Dorsch Kim D.
Published: June 2008

Many effective social marketing campaigns seek to change health-related behavior by utilizing various health-protective behavioral theories. In this article, we review and integrate three such theories: protection motivation theory (PMT), the extended parallel process model (EPPM), and the transtheoretical model (TTM). We highlight how EPPM and TTM can be used to refine PMT by adding insight into the decision-making process involved when consumers consider whether or not to follow a particular recommended health behavior. Specifically, the development of an integrated PMT model can provide insight into the characteristics of people more or less likely to change, what happens when persuasion fails, and what can be done to increase persuasion. Developing an integrated PMT model opens new avenues of research that have the potential to increase our understanding of behavior and assist in creating more persuasive social marketing campaigns.
Prenatal Development of Interlimb Motor Learning in the Rat Fetus
Authors: Robinson Scott R. , Kleven Gale A. , Brumley Michele R.
Published: June 2008

The role of sensory feedback in the early ontogeny of motor coordination remains a topic of speculation and debate. On E20 of gestation (the 20th day after conception, 2 days before birth), rat fetuses can alter interlimb coordination after a period of training with an interlimb yoke, which constrains limb movement and promotes synchronized, conjugate movement of the yoked limbs. The aim of this study was to determine how the ability to express this form of motor learning may change during prenatal development. Fetal rats were prepared forin vivostudy at 4 ages (E18–21) and tested in a 65‐min training‐and‐testing session examining hind limb motor learning. A significant increase in conjugate hind limb activity was expressed by El9, but not El 8 fetuses, with further increases in conjugate hind limb activity on E20 and E21. These findings suggest substantial development of the ability of fetal rats to modify patterns of interlimb coordination in response to kinesthetic feedback during motor training before birth.
What's in View for Toddlers? Using a Head Camera to Study Visual Experience
Authors: Yoshida Hanako , Smith Linda B.
Published: June 2008

This article reports 2 experiments using a new method to study 18‐to 24‐month‐olds' visual experiences as they interact with objects. Experiment 1 presents evidence on the coupling of head and eye movements and thus the validity of the head camera view of the infant's visual field in the geometry of the task context. Experiment 2 demonstrates the use of this method in the naturalistic context of toy play with a parent. The results point to the embodied nature of toddlers' attentional strategies and to importance of hands and hand actions in their visual experience of objects. The head camera thus appears to be a promising method that, despite some limitations, will yield new insights about the ecology and content of young children's experiences.
A Fault-Tolerant Model of Wireless Sensor-Actuator Network
Authors: Ozaki Keiji , Watanabe Kenichi , Enokido Tomoya , Takizawa Makoto
Published: June 2008

In a wireless sensor and actuator network (WSAN), a group of sensor nodes, actuators, and actuation devices is geographically distributed and linked by wireless networks. Sensor nodes gather information for an event occurring in the physical world and send the sensed values to actuator nodes. Actuator nodes perform appropriate actions on actuation devices on receipt of sensed values from sensor nodes. Sensor nodes are a low cost, low-powered device with limited energy, computation, and wireless communication capabilities. Sensor nodes may suffer from arbitrary faults. Furthermore, wireless communications are unreliable due to collision and noise of a wireless channel and shortage of power of sensor nodes. Reliable efficient communication among sensor nodes, actuator nodes, and actuation devices is required in the presence of node and network faults. In order to realize the reliability and efficiency, we newly propose a multi-actuator/multi-sensor (MAMS) model where each sensor node sends sensed values to multiple actuator nodes and each actuator node receives sensed values from multiple sensor nodes for each event occurring in an event area. Even if some number of sensor nodes and actuator nodes are faulty and messages sent by sensor nodes and actuator nodes are lost, a required action can be performed on actuation devices. Actuator nodes are required to receive some messages from some number of sensor nodes to make a decision on what actions to be performed on actuation devices. Here, multiple actuator nodes may perform actions on receipt of sensed values. Multiple redundant executions of an action on each device have to be prevented and conflicting actions on each actuation device from multiple actuators have to be serialized. In this paper, we discuss a method to reliably and non-redundantly perform actions. On the other hand, there is one primary actuator node and multiple backup actuator nodes in the passive model. Only the primary actuator node performs actions. In this paper, we present a semi-passive coordination (SPC) model where not only primary but also backup actuator nodes receive messages from sensor nodes. Only one actuator node performs an action on an actuation device and a backup actuator node takes over the primary one if the primary gets faulty. In addition, multiple actuator nodes issue actions to each actuation device. We discuss how to resolve redundant execution of an action on an actuation device and serialize conflicting actions from multiple actuator nodes.
Stability Problems of Transport of Event Data in Realistic Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: De Marco Giuseppe , Barolli Leonard
Published: June 2008

In general, wireless sensor networks have a certain degree of spatial redundancy, which means that a high number of nodes can sense the same event at the same time. This redundancy permits to simplify both MAC protocol and the transport of sensed data. In particular, in this paper, we review a widely accepted transport technique which makes use of the event-reliability concept. A system implementing this technique is essentially a control system, where the controlled variables are the reporting rates of sensor nodes and the control variable is a function of the perceived event reliability at the sink node. As control system, we are interested in stable operating points. If we respect the capacity limit of the network, such stable points exist. However, if we take into account also the irregularities of radio links, well documented in recent measurements on real sensors testbeds, possible unstable states may arise. Here, we study this problem by means of simulation of a wireless sensor network under the assumption of two simplified versions of the radio model. We found that indeed the routing protocols should be carefully engineered in order to support event reliability based techniques.
Virtual Grid Spatial Reusing Algorithm for MAC Address Assignment in Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Tian Ye , Sheng Min , Li Jiandong
Published: June 2008

Compared with the small overhead of data payload in sensor networks, the overhead of MAC address is significant from the point of view of energy-saving. A distributed algorithm (Virtual Grid Spatial Reusing-VGSR) for MAC address assignment is presented in this paper, which is a low energy cost algorithm and reduces the size of the fixed MAC address largely based on the mapping of the geographical position. Moreover, VGSR algorithm scales well with the network size and achieves the optimum performance by adjusting the communication range of sensor nodes. In typical scenarios, the MAC address size is 5 bits and the corresponding average size is only 3.86 bits, which outperforms other existing approaches.
An Adaptive Body-Bias Generator for Low Voltage CMOS VLSI Circuits
Authors: Srivastava Ashok , Zhang Chuang
Published: June 2008

A CMOS body-bias generating circuit has been designed for generating adaptive body-biases for MOSFETs in CMOS circuits for low voltage operation. The circuit compares the frequency of an internal ring oscillator with an external reference clock. When the reference clock is “high,” forward body-bias is generated. When the reference clock is “low,” a reverse body-bias is generated. The forward body bias is limited to no more than 0.4 V to avoid CMOS latchup. The reverse body bias is limited to 0.4 V and is very effective in suppressing the subthreshold current. The frequency adaptive body-bias generator circuit has been implemented in standard 1.5 μm n-well CMOS technology and simulated using SPICE. Excellent agreement is obtained between the simulated output characteristics and the corresponding experimentally measured behavior. It is also demonstrated that up to 90% leakage current in CMOS circuits can be reduced by applying the adaptive bias generator to lower threshold voltage CMOS circuits. The design is simple and can be embedded in low power CMOS designs such as the physical nodes of wireless sensor networks.
Short Article: Analysing the relationship between target-to-target and distractor-to-target repetitions: Evidence for a common mechanism
Authors: Frings Christian
Published: June 2008

In the present study an assumption of retrieval theories of negative priming was tested. In particular, retrieval theories assume that the same underlying process causes benefits in target-to-target repetition trials and cost effects in distractor-to-target repetition trials in selection tasks in which targets are accompanied by distractor stimuli. More specifically, retrieval theories predict a negative correlation: The higher the benefit in target-to-target repetition trials is, the higher the cost effect in distractor-to-target repetition trials should be. In fact, in a study with considerable power ( N = 110) and a design that allowed a confound-free detection of correlations, I observed a significant negative correlation between benefit and cost effects. This result is interpreted as evidence for a common retrieval mechanism.
Location- and Object-Based Inhibition of Return are Affected by Different Kinds of Working Memory
Authors: Chou Wei-Lun , Yeh Su-Ling
Published: June 2008

Castel, Pratt, and Craik (2003) have shown that inhibition of return (IOR, the delayed response to a recently cued item) is disrupted by a secondary task that involves spatial working memory (WM), and they suggest that IOR is mediated by spatial WM. However, they did not specify what kind of IOR was involved. We used a dual-task paradigm to examine whether the two kinds of IOR (location- and object-based IOR) are affected by two kinds of secondary task that involve spatial and nonspatial WM, respectively. The results show that location-based IOR was disrupted by a spatial secondary task while the object-based IOR was disrupted by a nonspatial secondary task. The present study further elaborates the conclusion of Castel et al. (2003) by differentiating the effect of the two kinds of WM (spatial vs. nonspatial) on the two kinds of IOR (location based vs. object based).
The Lophius budegassa component of monkfish catches in Scottish waters
Authors: Laurenson Chevonne H. , Dobby Helen , McLay H. Anne
Published: June 2008

Laurenson, C. H., Dobby, H., and McLay, H. A. 2008. The Lophius budegassa component of monkfish catches in Scottish waters. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 1346–1349. To date, research efforts on Lophius species in waters around Scotland (ICES Divisions IVa, VIa, and VIb) have focused almost exclusively on Lophius piscatorius. Here, the characteristics and distribution of the Lophius budegassa component of the catch are described using data collected by observers during commercial fishing trips and scientific surveys on chartered commercial fishing vessels between 1998 and 2006. At Rockall Bank (VIb), L. budegassa were rare, just 0.1% of the catch of Lophius spp., whereas west of Scotland (VIa) and around the Shetland Islands (IVa), they made up 18 and 2% of catches, respectively, with greatest prevalence towards the shelf edge. Fish length ranged from 16 to 89 cm with a modal length at 40 cm. Greater proportions of large individuals were recorded around the Shetland Islands than in other parts of the study area. Overall, the sex ratio was 1:1, and lengths at 50% maturity were estimated to be 70.4 cm for females and 49.4 cm for males.