bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
La prosodie du français: une approche pas très syntaxique
Authors: MARTIN PHILIPPE
Published: January 2011

Cet article présente une approche hyptohético-déductive pour analyser les événements prosodiques à l'œuvre dans le français parlé lu et spontané (dialogue, map task, texte journalistique), approche qui prend en compte les aspects dynamiques liés aux processus d'encodage et de décodage de la structure prosodique. Il présente ainsi un ensemble de contraintes propres à la structure prosodique, le clash accentuel, la règle d'eurythmie et la contrainte des sept syllabes. La mise au jour de ces contraintes permet de mieux comprendre ce qui régit le caractère en apparence aléatoire de la formation des groupes accentuels en français, mais aussi leur organisation hiérarchique en une structure indépendante mais néanmoins associée aux autres structures, syntaxques, sémantiques, etc. de l'énoncé.
Transcrire la prosodie: un préalable à l’échange et à l'analyse de données
Authors: DELAIS-ROUSSARIE ELISABETH , YOO HI-YON
Published: January 2011

Cet article propose une analyse de différents systèmes de transcription manuelle des phénomènes prosodiques. L'objectif en est double:

(i)

évaluer les avantages et inconvénients des systèmes décrits en prenant comme « système référent » l'API (alphabet phonétique international). En effet, ce système, bien que surtout conçu pour transcrire les faits segmentaux (ou suprasegmentaux de nature lexicale) a l'avantage d’être largement accepté et utilisé, contrairement aux systèmes développés pour la prosodie;

(ii)

définir quelles caractéristiques doit avoir tout système de transcription pour devenir non seulement un bon outil pour proposer une représentation symbolique des faits prosodiques linguistiquement pertinents, mais également pour faciliter le travail d'analyse et de modélisation des phénomènes prosodiques.
Introduction: Regards croisés sur la prosodie du français – des données à la modélisation
Authors: AVANZI MATHIEU , DELAIS-ROUSSARIE ELISABETH
Published: January 2011

Ce volume thématique regroupe un ensemble de contributions portant sur la description et la modélisation de la prosodie en français. Ces articles ont été choisis afin de proposer un panorama assez large des travaux menés actuellement dans ce domaine.
Decline in arterial partial pressure of oxygen after exercise: a surrogate marker of pulmonary vascular obstructive disease in patients with atrial septal defect and severe pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Laksmivenkateshiah Srinivas , Singhi Anil K. , Vaidyanathan Balu , Francis Edwin , Karimassery Sundaram R. , Kumar Raman K.
Published: January 2011

Objectives

To examine the utility of decline in arterial partial pressure of oxygen after exercise as a marker of pulmonary vascular obstructive disease in patients with atrial septal defect and pulmonary hypertension.

Methods

Treadmill exercise was performed in 18 patients with atrial septal defect and pulmonary hypertension. Arterial blood gas samples were obtained before and after peak exercise. A decline in the arterial pressure of oxygen of more than 10 millimetres of mercury after exercise was considered significant based on preliminary tests conducted on the controls. Cardiac catheterisation was performed in all patients and haemodynamic data sets were obtained on room air, oxygen, and a mixture of oxygen and nitric oxide (30–40 parts per million).

Results

There were 10 patients who had more than a 10 millimetres of mercury drop in arterial partial pressure of oxygen after exercise and who had a basal pulmonary vascular resistance index of more than 7 Wood units per square metre. Out of eight patients who had less than a 10 millimetres of mercury drop in arterial partial pressure of oxygen after exercise, seven had a basal pulmonary vascular resistance index of less than 7 Wood units per square metre, p equals 0.0001. A decline in arterial partial pressure of oxygen of more than 10 millimetres of mercury predicted a basal pulmonary vascular resistance index of more than 7 Wood units per square metre with a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 90%.

Conclusions

A decline in arterial partial pressure of oxygen following exercise appears to predict a high pulmonary vascular resistance index in patients with atrial septal defect and pulmonary hypertension. This test is a useful non-invasive marker of pulmonary vascular obstructive disease in this subset.
KANT'S CONCEPT OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
Authors: Capps Patrick , Rivers Julian
Published: January 2011

Modern theorists often use Immanuel Kant's work to defend the normative primacy of human rights and the necessity of institutionally autonomous forms of global governance. However, properly understood, his law of nations describes a loose and noncoercive confederation of republican states. In this way, Kant steers a course between earlier natural lawyers such as Grotius, who defended just-war theory, and visions of a global unitary or federal state. This substantively mundane claim should not obscure a more profound contribution to the science of international law. Kant demonstrates that his concept of law forms part of a logical framework by which to ascertain the necessary institutional characteristics of the international legal order. Specifically, his view is that the international legal order can only take a noncoercive confederated form as its subjects become republican states and that in these circumstances law can exist without a global state. Put another way, Kant argues that if we get state-building right, the law of nations follows.
Exploration of Serial Structure Procedural Learning in Children with Language Impairment
Authors: Gabriel Audrey , Maillart Christelle , Guillaume Melody , Stefaniak Nicolas , Meulemans Thierry
Published: January 2011

Recent studies on specific language impairment (SLI) have suggested that language deficits are directly associated with poor procedural learning abilities. Findings from our previous work are contrary to this hypothesis; we found that children with SLI were able to learn eight-element-long sequences as fast and as accurately as children with normal language (NL) on a serial reaction time (SRT) task. A probabilistic rather than a deterministic SRT paradigm was used in the current study to explore procedural learning in children with SLI to mimic real conditions of language learning. Fifteen children with or without SLI were compared on an SRT task including a probabilistic eight-element-long sequence. Results show that children with SLI were able to learn this sequence as fast and as accurately as children with NL, and that similar sequence-specific learning was observed in both groups. These results are novel and suggest that children with SLI do not display global procedural system deficits. (JINS, 2011,17, 336–343)
A NOTE ON AN EXTENSION OF A CLASS OF SOLUTIONS TO DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING PROBLEMS ARISING IN ECONOMIC GROWTH
Authors: Antony Jürgen , Maußner Alfred
Published: January 2011

This note extends the findings of Benhabib and Rusticchini [Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control 18, 807–813 (1994)], who provide a class of dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) models whose solution is characterized by a constant savings rate. We show that this class of models may be interpreted as a standard–representative agent DSGE model with costly adjustment of capital.
On the implementation of the probabilistic logic programming language ProbLog
Authors: KIMMIG ANGELIKA , DEMOEN BART , DE RAEDT LUC , COSTA VÍTOR SANTOS , ROCHA RICARDO
Published: January 2011

The past few years have seen a surge of interest in the field of probabilistic logic learning and statistical relational learning. In this endeavor, many probabilistic logics have been developed. ProbLog is a recent probabilistic extension of Prolog motivated by the mining of large biological networks. In ProbLog, facts can be labeled with probabilities. These facts are treated as mutually independent random variables that indicate whether these facts belong to a randomly sampled program. Different kinds of queries can be posed to ProbLog programs. We introduce algorithms that allow the efficient execution of these queries, discuss their implementation on top of the YAP-Prolog system, and evaluate their performance in the context of large networks of biological entities.
Sovereign Wealth Funds and the Existing Structure of the Regulation of Investments
Authors: SORNARAJAH M.
Published: January 2011

The strategic investments made by SWFs in vital economic sectors of the developed states have caused national security concerns. The existing law on foreign investment, which was designed by the developed states to permit liberal flows of foreign investment and emphasize protection against government interference, sits uneasily with recent moves to control SWF investments. The developed states may have to dismantle to a significant extent the international law they had created to protect foreign investment and retreat into principles of sovereignty earlier advocated by the developing states. This will result in dramatic changes to customary law as well as treaty norms and significantly undermine the present structure of investment protection: a complete reversal of the neoliberal vision may occur. This phenomenon provides an opportunity for the examination of how events that lead to the quick making of legal rules in line with a legal theory favoured in a particular political context are, equally quickly, replaced by another set of rules to suit rapid changes in the power balances.
Vernetzte Betreuung von Patientinnen und Patienten mit Herzinsuffizienz
Authors: Bläuer Cornelia , Pfister Otmar , Bächtold Christa , Junker Therese , Spirig Rebecca
Published: January 2011

Patienten mit Herzinsuffizienz (HI) sind in ihrer Lebensqualität stark eingeschränkt, haben eine schlechte Prognose und müssen häufig hospitalisiert werden. Die Forschung hat gezeigt, dass die Gesundheitsresultate dieser Patientengruppe durch ein gutes Selbstmanagement verbessert werden können. Eine Möglichkeit zur Verbesserung des Selbstmanagements sind ambulante Diseasemangementprogramme, welche die Lebensqualität verbessern und Kosten reduzieren helfen. Solchen Programmen liegt meist das von der WHO entwickelte Chronic Care Model zu Grunde, welches auf die Betreuung chronisch Kranker mit einem hohen Selbstmanagementbedarf ausgerichtet ist. Um ein gutes Selbstmanagement entwickeln zu können braucht es bedürfnissorientierte Patientenschulung und -beratung, denn die Betroffenen benötigen nicht nur Wissen zur Krankheit sondern müssen handlungsfähig werden. In der Schweiz fehlt es an etablierten Modellen und Programmen zur Betreuung von chronisch Kranken, insbesondere HI-Betroffenen. Aus diesem Grund hat eine schweizerische Expertengruppe für HI eine Modell zur „vernetzten Betreuung“ erstellt. In Anlehnung daran bietet die Schweizerische Herzstiftung seit 2009 ein Schulungsprogramm zur Unterstützung von Ärzten, Betroffenen und deren Angehörige an. Eine erste Evaluation hat unterschiedliche Resultate von Seiten der Ärzte gezeigt. Von den Betroffenen waren die Rückmeldungen äußerst positiv. Sie beurteilten die Schulungen als bedürfnissorientiert und unterstützend. (Geschlechtsbestimmende Begriffe stehen immer stellvertretend für beide Geschlechter)
Epidemiologische Daten zu Persönlichkeitsdimensionen der Psychopathy bei Jungen und Mädchen
Authors: Sevecke Kathrin , Lehmkuhl Gerd , Krischer Maya K.
Published: January 2011

Fragestellung: Ziel der Arbeit war die Ermittlung von epidemiologischen Daten zu Psychopathy-Dimensionen bei Jugendlichen. Methodik: In einer forensischen Stichprobe (169 Jungen, 172 Mädchen), einer Klinik- (30 Jungen, 63 Mädchen) und einer Schulstichprobe (119 Jungen, 116 Mädchen) wurde die Psychopathy Checkliste für Jugendliche (PCL:YV) erhoben und anhand von drei unterschiedlichen konzeptionellen Überlegungen ausgewertet. Insgesamt nahmen 669 Jugendliche im Alter von 14–19 Jahren an der Untersuchung teil. Ergebnisse: Abhängig von dem zugrunde gelegten Schwellenwert fanden sich für die inhaftierten Jungen Prävalenzen von 63 % bis 27 %, für die inhaftierten Mädchen von 24 % bis 7 %. In der Klinik- und Schulstichprobe zeigten sich höhere Ausprägungen der Verhaltens- und niedrige Ausprägungen der Kernpersönlichkeitsdimensionen. In allen Stichproben ließen sich signifikant mehr Psychopathy-Eigenschaften bei den Jungen im Vergleich zu den Mädchen finden. Schlussfolgerungen: Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass bei Verwendung unterschiedlicher Modelle zur Auswertung der PCL:YV sehr verschiedene Prävalenzraten berechnet werden. Dabei treibt das Ausmaß der jugendtypischen und dissozialen Verhaltensmerkmale, die durch den Lifestyle und den Antisozialen Faktor abgebildet werden, den Psychopathy-Gesamtwert fälschlich in die Höhe, ohne dass hohe Ausprägungen der Kerndimensionen vorliegen. Zukünftig sollte auf die beiden Kernpersönlichkeitsdimensionen der Psychopathy fokussiert werden.
Multisystemische Therapie (MST) für Jugendliche mit schweren Störungen des Sozialverhaltens
Authors: Rhiner Bruno , Graf Thomas , Dammann Gerhard , Fürstenau Ute
Published: January 2011

Fragestellung: Die Arbeit widmet sich der Frage, inwiefern sich MST auf die deutschsprachige Schweiz übertragen lässt und ob sich die guten internationalen Ergebnisse hier replizieren lassen. Methodik: Es wurde eine Stichprobe von n = 70 Jugendlichen mit einer durchschnittlichen Behandlungsdauer von 155 Tagen behandelt, davon blieben 60 (85.1 %) bis zum Behandlungsende in der Studie. Hiervon liegen für 38 Patienten (63.3 %) die Ergebnisse der Elternversion des SDQ sowie für 52 Patienten (86.7 %) Therapeutenratings (GAF und CGI) vor. Ergebnisse: Der SDQ-Gesamtproblemwert (Elternversion) verringerte sich von 20 (Behandlungsbeginn) auf 14.6 (Behandlungsende). Im GAF verbesserte sich der Gesamtscore von 55.4 auf 70.3 und CGI von 3.6 auf 2.7 Punkte. Diese Resultate zeigen statistisch hochsignifikante Verbesserungen. In der 6-Monats-Katamnese zeigten sich Erfolgsquoten von 91 % (Verbleib in Herkunftsfamilie), 94 % (Verbleib in Ausbildung) und 91 % (Vermeidung von Delikten) und in der 18 Monats-Katamnese entsprechende Erfolgsquoten von 80 %, 86 % und 86 %. Schlussfolgerungen: MST ist ein komplexes Behandlungsprogramm das sich durchaus auf den schweizerischen Kulturraum übertragen lässt. Die guten internationalen Ergebnisse konnten in unserer Stichprobe repliziert werden.
Die Bedeutung von Ängstlichkeit für die Phänotypisierung dissozialer Störungen des Kindes- und Jugendalters
Authors: Vloet Timo D. , Herpertz-Dahlmann Beate
Published: January 2011

In den letzten Jahren wurden vermehrt neurobiologische Marker dissozialen Verhaltens bei Kindern mit hohem Risiko für einen ungünstigen Verlauf (so genannter early-starter Subtyp der Conduct disorder, CD nach DSM-IV) identifiziert. Trotz einer Fokussierung auf diese Subpopulation innerhalb eines sehr heterogenen Störungsbildes liegen bisher widersprüchliche Befunde vor. Es deutet sich an, dass die zunehmenden methodischen Möglichkeiten der Untersuchung biologischer Marker eine detaillierte Phänotypisierung der untersuchten Stichproben notwendig macht. Die vorliegende Übersichtsarbeit betont die Berücksichtigung komorbider Ängstlichkeit als ein potenziell wichtiges Differenzierungsmerkmal, welches zu einer konsistenteren Befundlage vor allem im Bereich neuroendokriner Studien beitragen könnte. Möglicherweise bestehen darüber hinaus auch Assoziationen zu neurostrukturellen und neurofunktionellen Veränderungen des Gehirns. Es wird weiter der Einfluss des Merkmals Ängstlichkeit auf aggressives Verhalten sowie auf die Prognose der Betroffenen aufgezeigt. Eine detaillierte psychometrische und neurobiologische Charakterisierung könnte dazu beitragen, die an dissozialen Entwicklungen beteiligten neurobiologischen Mechanismen besser zu verstehen und die Effektivität derzeitiger therapeutische Optionen zu steigern.
Evidence and implications of the background phosphorus concentration of submerged aquatic vegetation wetlands in Stormwater Treatment Areas for Everglades restoration
Authors: Juston John M. , DeBusk Thomas A.
Published: January 2011

The limits of phosphorus (P) removal from the 18,120 ha Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs) for Everglades restoration depend largely on the performance of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) wetlands, as SAV treatment cells now provide final stage treatment for 85% of the STA project. A long‐term internal P profile in STA‐2 cell 3 (STA2C3), one of the longest‐running and best performing SAV cells, demonstrated no further net removal in the back quarter of the cell once total P (TP) levels approached 15 μg L−1. Inflow‐outflow performance data from STA2C3 were analyzed at monthly and annual scales and were pooled with data from an additional eight STA SAV treatment cells. The pooled data allowed inference of background TP concentrations in SAV treatment cells using existing Bayesian methods. Results showed a central tendency of 16 μg L−1 (13–17, 90% bounds), insensitivity to P loads less than ∼1.7 g m−2 yr−1, and interannual variability outside these bounds. Internal data from the STA2C3 profile provided validation. Background P concentrations of 7 and 6 μg L−1 were identified for dissolved organic and particulate P fractions in the data pool, respectively, again similar to values in the STA2C3 gradient. Existing simulation modeling approaches for STA evaluations were identified as ineffective at or near background TP concentrations. Instead, we use an empirical and probabilistic approach based on full‐scale data from STAs that produces annual risk of exceedance statistics and is easy to update. The current analysis suggests tangible risks for exceeding proposed annual discharge criteria from the STAs in the range of 16–20 μg L−1.
An analytical study on stagnation points in nested flow systems in basins with depth‐decaying hydraulic conductivity
Authors: Jiang Xiao‐Wei , Wang Xu‐Sheng , Wan Li , Ge Shemin
Published: January 2011

The existence of stagnation points in nested flow systems is relevant to a range of geologic processes. There has been no analytical study on the characteristics and locations of stagnation points in nested flow systems. We derived analytical solutions for hydraulic head and stream function in basins with isotropic and depth‐decaying hydraulic conductivity. The solutions of hydraulic head and stream function are used to identify the positions of stagnation points and discuss the dynamics of groundwater around the stagnation points. Three types of stagnation points are identified by analytical and graphical means. For stagnation points on the basin bottom below the valley, only two regional flow systems converge from opposite directions. For stagnation points on the basin bottom below the regional high, only two regional flow systems part toward opposite directions. In contrast, for stagnation points under counterdirectional local flow systems, flow systems converging from and parting toward opposite directions coexist, and these stagnation points move deeper as the water table configuration becomes more rugged and the decay exponent of hydraulic conductivity increases. Moreover, the dividing streamlines around stagnation points under counterdirectional local flow systems are used to divide the local, intermediate, and regional flow systems accurately, from which the penetration depths of local and intermediate flow systems are precisely determined. A clear understanding of the location of stagnation points is critical for characterizing the pattern of hierarchically nested flow systems and has potential implication in studying solute and mineral concentration distributions in drainage basins.
Species sorting and neutral processes are both important during the initial assembly of bacterial communities
Authors: Langenheder Silke , Székely Anna J
Published: January 2011

Many studies have shown that species sorting, that is, the selection by local environmental conditions is important for the composition and assembly of bacterial communities. On the other hand, there are other studies that could show that bacterial communities are neutrally assembled. In this study, we implemented a microcosm experiment with the aim to determine, at the same time, the importance of species sorting and neutral processes for bacterial community assembly during the colonisation of new, that is, sterile, habitats, by atmospheric bacteria. For this we used outdoor microcosms, which contained sterile medium from three different rock pools representing different environmental conditions, which were seeded by rainwater bacteria. We found some evidence for neutral assembly processes, as almost every 4th taxon growing in the microcosms was also detectable in the rainwater sample irrespective of the medium. Most of these taxa belonged to widespread families with opportunistic growth strategies, such as the Pseudomonadaceae and Comamonadaceae, indicating that neutrally assembled taxa may primarily be generalists. On the other hand, we also found evidence for species sorting, as one out of three media selected a differently composed bacterial community. Species sorting effects were relatively weak and established themselves via differences in relative abundance of generalists among the different media, as well as media-specific occurrences of a few specific taxa. In summary, our results suggest that neutral and species sorting processes interact during the assembly of bacterial communities and that their importance may differ depending on how many generalists and specialists are present in a community.
Ecological Momentary Assessment of Obesogenic Eating Behavior: Combining Person‐Specific and Environmental Predictors
Authors: Thomas J. Graham , Doshi Sapna , Crosby Ross D. , Lowe Michael R.
Published: January 2011

Obesity has been promoted by a food environment that encourages excessive caloric intake. An understanding of how the food environment contributes to obesogenic eating behavior in different types of individuals may facilitate healthy weight control efforts. In this study, Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) via palmtop computers was used to collect real‐time information about participants' environment and eating patterns to predict overeating (i.e., greater than usual intake during routine meals/snacks, and eating outside of a participant's normal routine) that could lead to weight gain. Thirty‐nine women (BMI = 21.6 ± 1.8; age = 20.1 ± 2.0 years; 61% white) of normal weight (BMI 18.5–25) completed the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire and the Power of Food Scale (PFS), and carried a palmtop computer for 7–10 days, which prompted them to answer questions about eating events, including a count of the types of good tasting high‐calorie foods that were available. None of the self‐report measures predicted overeating, but BMI interacted with the number of palatable foods available to predict overeating (P= 0.035). Compared to leaner individuals who reported a relatively low frequency of overeating regardless of the availability of palatable food, the probability of overeating among heavier individuals was very low in the absence of palatable food, but quickly increased in proportion to the number of palatable foods available. Our findings suggest that the eating behavior of those with higher relative weights is susceptible to the presence of palatable foods in the environment. Individuals practicing weight control may benefit from limiting their exposure to good tasting high‐calorie food in their immediate environment.
Relationship Between Trajectories of Trunk Fat Mass Development in Adolescence and Cardiometabolic Risk in Young Adulthood
Authors: Sherar Lauren B. , Eisenmann Joe C. , Chilibeck Philip D. , Muhajarine Nazeem , Martin Susanna , Bailey Donald A. , Baxter‐Jones Adam D.G.
Published: January 2011

To examine developmental trajectories of trunk fat mass (FM) growth of individuals categorized as either low or high for cardiometabolic risk at 26 years, a total of 55 males and 76 females from the Saskatchewan Pediatric Bone Mineral Accrual Study (1991–2007) were assessed from adolescence (11.5 ± 1.8 years) to young adulthood (26.2 ± 2.2 years) (median of 11 visits per individual) and had a measure of cardiometabolic risk in young adulthood. Participants were categorized as low or high for blood pressure and cardiometabolic risk as adults using a sex‐specific median split of continuous standardized risk scores. Individual trunk FM trajectories of participants in each risk group were analyzed using multilevel random effects models. Males and females in the high blood pressure group had significantly steeper (accelerated) trajectories of trunk FM development (0.61 ± 0.14 and 0.52 ± 0.10 log g, respectively) than those in the low blood pressure group for females in the high cardiometabolic risk group trajectory of trunk FM was significantly steeper (0.52 ± 0.10 log g) than those females in the low cardiometabolic risk group. Dietary fat was positively related (0.01 ± 0.003 g/1,000 kcal) and physical activity negatively related (−0.16 ± 0.05 physical activity score) to trunk FM development in males. Young adults with high cardiometabolic risk, compared to low, have greater trunk FM as early as 8 years of age, which supports the need for early intervention.
ADIPOQ, ADIPOR1, and ADIPOR2 Polymorphisms in Relation to Serum Adiponectin Levels and BMI in Black and White Women
Authors: Cohen Sarah S. , Gammon Marilie D. , North Kari E. , Millikan Robert C. , Lange Ethan M. , Williams Scott M. , Zheng Wei , Cai Qiuyin , Long Jirong , Smith Jeffrey R. , Signorello Lisa B. , Blot William J. , Matthews Charles E.
Published: January 2011

Adiponectin is an adipose‐secreted protein with influence on several physiologic pathways including those related to insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and atherogenesis. Adiponectin levels are highly heritable and several single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in adiponectin‐related genes (ADIPOQ, ADIPOR1, ADIPOR2) have been examined in relation to circulating adiponectin levels and obesity phenotypes, but despite differences in adiponectin levels and obesity prevalence by race, few studies have included black participants. Using cross‐sectional interview data and blood samples collected from 990 black and 977 white women enrolled in the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS) from 2002 to 2006, we examined 25 SNPs in ADIPOQ, 19 in ADIPOR1, and 27 in ADIPOR2 in relation to serum adiponectin levels and BMI using race‐stratified linear regression models adjusted for age and percentage African ancestry. SNP rs17366568 in ADIPOQ was significantly associated with serum adiponectin levels in white women only (adjusted mean adiponectin levels = 15.9 for G/G genotype, 13.7 for A/G, and 9.3 for A/A, P = 0.00036). No other SNPs were associated with adiponectin or BMI among blacks or whites. Because adiponectin levels as well as obesity are highly heritable and vary by race but associations with polymorphisms in the ADIPOQ, ADIPOR1, and ADIPOR2 genes have been few in this and other studies, future work including large populations from diverse racial groups is needed to detect additional genetic variants that influence adiponectin and BMI.
High‐Resolution Genome‐Wide Linkage Mapping Identifies Susceptibility Loci for BMI in the Chinese Population
Authors: Zhang Dong Feng , Pang Zengchang , Li Shuxia , Thomassen Mads , Wang Shaojie , Jiang Wengjie , Hjelmborg Jacob V. B. , Kruse Torben A. , Kyvik Kirsten O. , Christensen Kaare , Tan Qihua
Published: January 2011

The genetic loci affecting the commonly used BMI have been intensively investigated using linkage approaches in multiple populations. This study aims at performing the first genome‐wide linkage scan on BMI in the Chinese population in mainland China with hypothesis that heterogeneity in genetic linkage could exist in different ethnic populations. BMI was measured from 126 dizygotic twins in Qingdao municipality who were genotyped using high‐resolution Affymetrix Genome‐Wide Human SNP arrays containing about 1 million single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Nonparametric linkage analysis was performed with Merlin software package for linkage analysis using variance components approach for quantitative trait loci mapping. We identified a strong linkage peak at the end of chromosome 7 (7q36 at 186 cM) with a lod score of 4.06 which overlaps with that reported by a large multicenter study in western countries. Multiple loci showing suggestive linkage were found on chromosome 1 (lod score 2.38 at 242 cM), chromosome 8 (2.48 at 95 cM), and chromosome 14 (2.2 at 89.4 cM). The strong linkage identified in the Chinese subjects that is consistent with that found in populations of European origin could suggest the existence of evolutionarily preserved genetic mechanisms for BMI whereas the multiple suggestive loci could represent genetic effect from gene—environment interaction as a result of population‐specific environmental adaptation.
DNA Methylation Variability at Growth‐Related Imprints Does not Contribute to Overweight in Monozygotic Twins Discordant for BMI
Authors: Souren Nicole Y.P. , Tierling Sascha , Fryns Jean‐Pierre , Derom Catherine , Walter Jörn , Zeegers Maurice P.
Published: January 2011

Defective genomic imprinting is often associated with syndromes that include abnormal growth as a clinical phenotype. However, whether differential methylation at imprinted loci also contributes to nonsyndromic abnormal body weight regulation is yet unknown. In this study, we investigated a potential contribution of aberrant DNA methylation at nine differentially methylated regions (DMRs) to the development of nonsyndromic overweight. Sixteen monozygotic (MZ) twins discordant for BMI (BMI difference ranging from 2.9–9.5 kg/m2) were recruited from the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey. DNA extracted from saliva samples was bisulfite‐treated followed by PCR amplification of target regions in DMRs most representative for abnormal growth syndromes: KvDMR1, H19 CTCF4, H19 CTCF6, IGF2 DMR0, IGF2 DMR2, GRB10, MEST, SNRPN, GNAS XL‐α‐s and GNAS Exon1A. At the DMRs analyzed, methylation‐dependent primer extension experiments revealed only small intrapair differences in methylation indexes (MI) between the heavy and lean co‐twins. In addition, no significant correlations between intrapair BMI differences and intrapair differences in MI were observed. In conclusion, DNA methylation variability at the nine DMRs analyzed does not seem to contribute to the discordancy in BMI observed in these MZ twins.
New micellar morphologies from amphiphilic block copolymers: disks, toroids and bicontinuous micelles
Authors: Holder Simon J. , Sommerdijk Nico A. J. M.
Published: January 2011

This review discusses recent advances of the self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers into novel micellar architectures in dilute solutions. The formation of multi-compartment, disk-like, toroidal and bicontinuous micelles and the macromolecular architectures that give rise to these morphologies are reviewed and discussed.
Galectin-8 tandem-repeat structure is essential for T-cell proliferation but not for co-stimulation
Authors: Cattaneo Valentina , Tribulatti María V. , Campetella Oscar
Published: January 2011

Gal (galectin)-8 is a tandem-repeat Gal containing N-CRDs (Nterminal carbohydrate-recognition domains) and C-CRDs (C-terminal carbohydrate-recognition domains) with differential glycan-binding specificity fused by a linker peptide. Gal-8 has two distinct effects on CD4 T-cells: at high concentrations it induces antigen-independent proliferation, whereas at low concentrations it co-stimulates antigen-specific responses. Associated Gal-8 structural requirements were dissected in the present study. Recombinant homodimers N–N (two N-terminal CRD chimaera) and C–C (two C-terminal CRD chimaera), but not single C-CRDs or N-CRDs, induced proliferation; however, single domains induced co-stimulation. These results indicate that the tandem-repeat structure was essential only for the proliferative effect, suggesting the involvement of lattice formation, whereas co-stimulation could be mediated by agonistic interactions. In both cases, C–C chimaeras displayed higher activity than Gal-8, indicating that the C-CRD was mainly involved, as was further supported by the strong inhibition of proliferation and co-stimulation in the presence of blood group B antigen, specifically recognized by this domain. Classic Gal inhibitors (lactose and thiodigalactoside) prevented proliferation but not co-stimulatory activity, which was inhibited by 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-arabinose. Interestingly, Gal-8 induced proliferation of naïve human CD4 T-cells, varying from non- to high-responder individuals, whereas it promoted cell death of phytohaemagglutinin or CD3/CD28 pre-activated cells. The findings of the present study delineate the differential molecular requirements for Gal-8 activities on T-cells, and suggest a dual activity relying on activation state.
Cardiomyocyte differentiation of pluripotent stem cells and their use as cardiac disease models
Authors: Dambrot Cheryl , Passier Robert , Atsma Douwe , Mummery Christine L.
Published: January 2011

More than 10 years after their first isolation, human embryonic stem cells are finally ‘coming of age’ in research and biotechnology applications as protocols for their differentiation and undifferentiated expansion in culture become robust and scalable, and validated commercial reagents become available. Production of human cardiomyocytes is now feasible on a daily basis for many laboratories with tissue culture expertise. An additional recent surge of interest resulting from the first production of human iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells) from somatic cells of patients now makes these technologies of even greater importance since it is likely that (genetic) cardiac disease phenotypes can be captured in the cardiac derivatives of these cells. Although cell therapy based on replacing cardiomyocytes lost or dysfunctional owing to cardiac disease are probably as far away as ever, biotechnology and pharmaceutical applications in safety pharmacology and drug discovery will probably impact this clinical area in the very near future. In the present paper, we review the cutting edge of this exciting area of translational research.
ICT Intensity of Use and the Geography of Firms
Authors: Galliano Danielle , Roux Pascale , Soulié Nicolas
Published: January 2011

This paper investigates the relationship between the geography of firms and the intensity of use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Our approach to the geography of firms is multifaceted, in relation to the various characteristics of their location area(s), to their organisational fragmentation, and to their spatial organisation at a national scale. Making use of a single cross-section dataset drawn from the ‘ICT and e-commerce’ survey for the French industry, we examine firms' decisions to use the Internet more or less intensively. We find that firms' internal fragmentation lead to important variations in the intensity of Internet use. Moreover, we find that firms benefit from urbanisation economies through the location of their headquarters and also through that of their units in the case of multiunit firms. Finally, we observe a strong positive effect of competitive pressure at both national and international levels as well as geographical and sectoral epidemic effects on the intrafirm diffusion of the Internet.
Life Events and the Gap between Intention to Move and Actual Mobility
Authors: de Groot Carola , Mulder Clara H , Das Marjolijn , Manting Dorien
Published: January 2011

Life events are frequently mentioned as a reason why people do not behave according to their mobility intentions. However, there is little empirical evidence concerning the role of life events in the discrepancy between stated mobility intentions and actual mobility behaviour. The authors clarify the role of life events in this discrepancy using a longitudinal dataset from the Netherlands, in which the Housing Demand Survey 2002 is enriched with register data from the Social Statistical Database. Union dissolution, union formation, and childbirth trigger moves among people who had initial intended to stay in the current home. These events also act as an extra stimulus to move for those who already intended to move for reasons other than household or job change. In contrast, the event of losing a job prevents people from realising their intention to move. The results also suggest that the majority of the moves after union dissolution are made by people who did not have an initial intention to move.
Steering through the Neighbourhood: Towards an Advanced Liberal Risk Society?
Authors: Letell Martin , Sundqvist Göran , Elam Mark
Published: January 2011

How to govern risk through freedom? The aim of this paper is to contribute to the theoretical discussion on, and the empirical understanding of, liberal authority and its governmental rationality of risk. The analytical question is that of how to govern risk through freedom and the empirical focus is a programme of mobility management in the Swedish city of Gothenburg—New Road Habits—grouping local initiatives concerning traffic control, air quality, climate change, and public health. These initiatives have coincided with a growing problematisation of ‘habitual car use’ in the city. New Road Habits seeks to advance an individualised politics of risky conduct and the paper addresses some of the means deployed by the city to construct the bicycle as a prudent mobility choice and, in their interpretation, a vehicle of advanced liberalism.
Designer Buildings: Estimating the Economic Value of ‘Signature’ Architecture
Authors: Fuerst Franz , McAllister Patrick , Murray Claudia B
Published: January 2011

This study investigates whether commercial offices designed by ‘signature architects’ in the United States achieve rental premiums compared with commercial offices designed by nonsignature architects. Focusing on buildings designed by winners of the Pritzker Prize and the Gold Medal awarded by the American Institute of Architects, we create a sample of commercial office buildings designed by signature architects, drawing on CoStar's comprehensive national database. We use a combination of hedonic regression model and a logit model to estimate the various price determinants. The results of the hedonic analysis suggest that, compared with buildings in the same submarket, office buildings designed by signature architects have rents that are 5%–7% higher, and sell for prices 17% higher. The results from the second-stage logit estimation suggest a rental premium of approximately 5% for signature architects in large architectural practices, while the sales-price premium identified in the first stage hedonic regression was not confirmed.
The Role of Swiss Civic Corporations in Land-Use Planning
Authors: Gerber Jean-David , Nahrath Stéphane , Csikos Patrick , Knoepfel Peter
Published: January 2011

Public authorities in charge of managing public real-estate assets at the local level face conflicting interests. In Switzerland, short-term solutions often prevail. This paper looks at another group of actors which are characterized by their long-term real-estate management strategies: civic corporations. In Switzerland old civic corporations, which share many characteristics with common pool resource (CPR) institutions, are large landowners, some of them very powerful, which seem to have been successful in the management of their assets over centuries. The objective of this paper is to address the role played today by large urban civic corporations in the implementation process of land-use planning policies, as well as to understand the conditions of their perpetuation within the complex policy framework characterizing Swiss and European welfare states. This research examines the real-estate strategy of the civic corporations of Bern and Chur—ie their choice to buy, sell, or lease parcels of land depending on their location—in order to highlight their complex relationship with local authorities in charge of land-use planning. We show that CPR institutions such as civic corporations must not be dismissed too quickly as relicts of the past: quite the reverse, their strategies gain a renewed significance in a time when public bodies are looking for new ways to improve the sustainability of their spatial footprint and incorporate long-term thinking in their management objectives. More concretely, we show that their significance within land-use planning processes depends on their capacity to complement local authorities through the mobilization of their real-estate assets in order to support the implementation of land-use and urban planning policies.
Impact of Income Inequality on Health: Does Environment Quality Matter?
Authors: Drabo Alassane
Published: January 2011

This paper examines the link between health indicators, environmental variables, and income inequalities. Theoretically, all the mechanisms described in the literature underline a negative impact of income inequality on health status. However, empirical studies have found different results and there is far from a consensus. In this paper how environment degradation could be considered a channel through which income distribution affects population health is investigated. A simple theoretical model, based on Magnani's, is developed in which relative income affects health status through the level of pollution-abatement expenditures. Econometric analysis suggests that income inequalities negatively affect environmental quality, and that environment degradation worsens population's health. This negative effect of income inequalities on the environment is mitigated by good institutions. It is also suggested that income inequalities negatively affect health status. Another interesting result is that, when environmental variables are taken into account, the level and the statistical significance of the coefficient of the income-inequality variable vanish. This supports the notion that environment quality is an important channel through which income inequalities affect population health. These results hold for air-pollution indicators (CO2 and SO2) and a water-pollution indicator (BOD). The finding is also robust for rich and developing countries. Countries with high income inequalities may implement distributive policies in order to avoid their negative impact on health.
Resumption of postpartum ovarian cyclicity after different suckling manipulation treatments in primiparous beef cows
Authors: de Castro T. , Ibarra D. , Rodriguez M. , Valdez L. , Benquet N. , Rubianes E.
Published: January 2011

The aims of this experiment were to study suckling manipulation strategies, such as early weaning, suckling inhibition with nose plates or temporary weaning for 5 days, on resumption of ovarian cyclicity in anoestrous beef cows. Seventy-four primiparous Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cows with a mean body condition score of 3.8 ± 0.1 (mean ± s.e.m, 1–8 scale) grazing together on rangeland were used. At 71 days postpartum (Day 0) animals were assigned to one of four groups as follows: (1) suckling group (S, n = 14): cows were suckled throughout all the experiment; (2) nose plates group (NP, n = 20): nose plates were placed to calves for 14 days; (3) temporary weaning group (TW5d, n = 20): calves were isolated from their dams for 5 days; (4) early weaning group (EW, n = 20): calves were definitely weaned. After treatments, weekly serum progesterone concentrations were measured for 9 weeks. EW and NP cows had shorter intervals between treatments and resumption of ovarian cyclicity (19.6 ± 1.7 and 24.5 ± 3.3 days versus 40.6 ± 3.5 and 37.5 ± 4.0 days for EW, NP, TW5d and S, respectively, P < 0.01). A higher proportion of the EW group showed luteal progesterone concentrations the first week after treatments (20 versus 5, 0 and 0% for EW, NP, TW5d and S, respectively, P < 0.05), then proportions of EW and NP cows resuming postpartum cyclicity were similar throughout the remainder of the study. Temporary weaning for 5 days showed no effects on ovarian cyclicity resumption. When body condition score is not very limiting, restricting suckling over 14 days with nose plates is a useful strategy to induce postpartum cyclicity in range cow herds with effects similar to early weaning.
L-to-D-peptide isomerase in male echidna venom
Authors: Koh Jennifer M. S. , Haynes Leesa , Belov Katherine , Kuchel Philip W.
Published: January 2011

The monotremes (the echidnas and the platypus) display both mammalian and reptilian features. Male monotremes have a bilateral crural gland that is connected via a duct to a spur on each hind limb. Male echidnas appear not to use their spurs as weapons in aggressive acts, but the crural system may have a role in reproductive behaviour because it appears only to be active during the breeding season. The secretions produced by the echidna’s crural gland have not hitherto been biochemically or pharmacologically characterised. We used reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) to separate the components of echidna venom and compared the chromatograms with those from platypus venom. The echidna venom appears to contain fewer proteins and peptides than platypus venom; however, it appears to have defensin-like peptides that behave similarly on RP-HPLC to those in platypus venom. Like platypus venom, echidna venom has peptidyl aminoacyl l/d-peptide isomerase activity. An RP-HPLC-based assay showed that the second amino acid residue, of a probe synthetic hexapeptide, was converted into the d-form, when incubated with echidna venom.
Predator odour does not influence trappability of southern brown bandicoots (Isoodon obesulus) and common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula)
Authors: Mella Valentina S. A. , Cooper Christine E. , Davies Stephen J. J. F.
Published: January 2011

Predators cause changes in the behaviour of many prey species. This study investigated whether trappability of wild southern brown bandicoots (Isoodon obesulus) and common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) was influenced by odour cues suggesting the presence of potential predators. Trapping success was compared between traps with predator scents and controls in two different experiments. The first measured trapping success of single clean traps, traps with unfamiliar herbivore (horse) odour and traps scented with predator (fox, cat, quoll and dingo) odours, while the second offered three choices (fox, dingo and clean traps) simultaneously. Frequency of capture of bandicoots and possums was not influenced by odour, mass or sex in either experiment. The lack of avoidance response observed in this study suggests that neither southern brown bandicoots nor common brushtail possums alter foraging behaviour in response to olfactory cues that suggest the presence of exotic or Australian predators. This is consistent with previous studies, which indicate that native Australian marsupials do not avoid predator odours.