bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An outbreak ofSalmonellaInfantis gastroenteritis in a residential aged care facility associated with thickened fluids
Authors: NAJJAR Z. , FURLONG C. , STEPHENS N. , SHADBOLT C. , MAYWOOD P. , CONATY S. , HOGG G.
Published: February 2012

Twenty-two confirmed cases ofSalmonellaInfantis were identified in 70 residents of high-level care areas of a residential aged care facility in Sydney in April 2010 during an outbreak of gastroenteritis. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to identify a possible cause. Consuming a soft diet, puréed diet, or thickened fluid were each independently associated with illness. A logistic regression showed consumption of thickened fluid to be the only significant exposure associated with illness (adjusted odds ratio 11·8, 95% confidence interval 1·9–75·9). It was postulated that the thickened fluid had been contaminated by chicken mince, a sample of which also culturedS. Infantis. This finding reinforces the need to educate food-handlers on the risk of potential cross-contamination; it also highlights the need to consider all dietary components, such as thickened fluids, as potential vehicles for transmission in an outbreak.
A distributional approach to 2D Volterra dislocations at the continuum scale
Authors: VAN GOETHEM NICOLAS , DUPRET FRANÇOIS
Published: February 2012

We develop a theory to represent dislocations and disclinations in single crystals at the continuum (or mesoscopic) scale by directly modelling the defect densities as concentrated effects governed by the distribution theory. The displacement and rotation multi-valuedness is resolved by introducing the intrinsic and single-valued Frank and Burgers tensors from the distributional gradients of the strain field. Our approach provides a new understanding of the theory of line defects as developed by Kröner [10] and other authors [6, 9]. The fundamental identity relating the incompatibility tensor to the Frank and Burgers vectors (and which is a cornerstone of the theory of dislocations in single crystals) is proved in the 2D case under appropriate assumptions on the strain and strain curl growth in the vicinity of the assumed isolated defect lines. In general, our theory provides a rigorous framework for the treatment of crystal line defects at the mesoscopic scale and a basis to strengthen the theory of homogenisation from mesoscopic to macroscopic scale.
TAXONOMY OF HOYA LYI, HOYA YUENNANENSIS AND HOYA MEKONGENSIS (APOCYNACEAE – ASCLEPIADOIDEAE)
Authors: Rodda M.
Published: February 2012

Hoya lyi H.Lév. and H. yuennanensis Hand.-Mazz. (Apocynaceae – Asclepiadoideae), described at the beginning of the 20th century from specimens collected in South West China, have often been confused with each other and with H. carnosa R.Br. Currently Hoya yuennanensis is considered a synonym of H. lyi but after the selection of lectotypes and the comparison of extensive herbarium materials from the region two species are once again recognised. Emended descriptions and illustrations are provided. The recently described Hoya mekongensis M.G.Gilbert & P.T.Li is synonymised with H. yuennanensis.
Organic label as an identifier of environmentally related quality: A consumer choice experiment on beef in Italy
Authors: Zanoli R. , Scarpa R. , Napolitano F. , Piasentier E. , Naspetti S. , Bruschi V.
Published: February 2012

This paper uses a hypothetical choice experiment to investigate Italian consumer preferences and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for organic, conventional and genetically modified (GM)-fed beef, utilizing intrinsic, search cues (price, color and visible fat) and extrinsic, credence cues. Data are gathered from three different locations in northern, central and southern Italy using a sequential Bayesian approach. Results showed that consumers attach higher value to organic meat. WTP for GM-fed beef, which is not yet sold in Italy, is well below current conventional beef prices. Organic beef is attractive to consumers because it is associated with higher animal welfare standards and environment-related issues (food miles and biodiversity preservation). No differences are found in marginal WTP estimates by gender, age, education, being a parent or having a higher level of knowledge about organic production. Ethical/environmental issues (credence cues) appear to be more relevant in explaining variation in WTP for organic beef than ordinary product characteristics (search cues).
Global variations in H2O/Ce: 1. Slab surface temperatures beneath volcanic arcs
Authors: Cooper Lauren B. , Ruscitto Daniel M. , Plank Terry , Wallace Paul J. , Syracuse Ellen M. , Manning Craig E.
Published: February 2012

We have calculated slab fluid temperatures for 51 volcanoes in 10 subduction zones using the newly developed H2O/Ce thermometer. The slab fluid compositions were calculated from arc eruptives, using melt inclusion‐based H2O contents, and were corrected for background mantle contributions. The temperatures, adjusted to h, the vertical depth to the slab beneath the volcanic arc, range from ∼730 to 900°C and agree well (within 30°C on average for each arc) with sub‐arc slab surface temperatures predicted by recent thermal models. The coherence between slab model and surface observation implies predominantly vertical transport of fluids within the mantle wedge. Slab surface temperatures are well reconciled with the thermal parameter (the product of slab age and vertical descent rate) andh. Arcs with shallow h (∼80 to 100 km) yield a larger range in slab surface temperature (up to ∼200°C between volcanoes) and more variable magma compositions than arcs with greater h (∼120 to 180 km). This diversity is consistent with coupling of the subducting slab and mantle wedge, and subsequent rapid slab heating, at ∼80 km. Slab surface temperatures at or warmer than the H2O‐saturated solidus suggest that melting at the slab surface is common beneath volcanic arcs. Our results imply that hydrous melts or solute‐rich supercritical fluids, and not H2O‐rich aqueous fluids, are thus the agents of mass transport to the mantle wedge.
Ruminococcus bromii is a keystone species for the degradation of resistant starch in the human colon
Authors: Ze Xiaolei , Duncan Sylvia H , Louis Petra , Flint Harry J
Published: February 2012

The release of energy from particulate substrates such as dietary fiber and resistant starch (RS) in the human colon may depend on the presence of specialist primary degraders (or ‘keystone species’) within the microbial community. We have explored the roles of four dominant amylolytic bacteria found in the human colon in the degradation and utilization of resistant starches. Eubacterium rectale and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron showed limited ability to utilize RS2- and RS3-resistant starches by comparison with Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Ruminococcus bromii. In co-culture, however, R. bromii proved unique in stimulating RS2 and RS3 utilization by the other three bacterial species, even in a medium that does not permit growth of R. bromii itself. Having previously demonstrated low RS3 fermentation in vivo in two individuals with undetectable populations of R. bromii-related bacteria, we show here that supplementation of mixed fecal bacteria from one of these volunteers with R. bromii, but not with the other three species, greatly enhanced the extent of RS3 fermentation in vitro. This argues strongly that R. bromii has a pivotal role in fermentation of RS3 in the human large intestine, and that variation in the occurrence of this species and its close relatives may be a primary cause of variable energy recovery from this important component of the diet. This work also indicates that R. bromii possesses an exceptional ability to colonize and degrade starch particles when compared with previously studied amylolytic bacteria from the human colon.
The mouse Mageb18 gene encodes a ubiquitously expressed type I MAGE protein and regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis in melanoma B16-F0 cells
Authors: Lin Yuquan , Wen Ti , Meng Xianyi , Wu Zhenzhou , Zhao Liqing , Wang Puyue , Hong Zhangyong , Yin Zhinan
Published: February 2012

Although many cancer vaccines have been developed against type I MAGE (melanoma antigen) genes owing to their shared tumour-specific expression properties, studies about their expression and functions are relatively limited. In the present study, we first identify a non-testis-specific type I MAGE gene, Mageb18 (melanoma antigen family B 18). Mouse Mageb18 is also expressed in digestion- and immune-related tissues as well as testis, and its expression in testis is age-dependent. Mageb18 is expressed in many mouse-derived cell lines, and DNA demethylation and histone acetylation mediate the reactivation of Mageb18 in Mageb18-negtive H22 and C6 cells. We also show that mouse Mageb18 encodes a 46 kDa protein which is predominantly localized in the cytoplasm. In testis, the endogenous MAGEB18 protein is mainly expressed in proliferative spermatogonia and primary and secondary spermatocytes, but less so in spermatids. Finally, we demonstrate that knockdown of MAGEB18 inhibits the growth of B16-F0 cells and induces apoptosis, which correlates with increased levels of TP53 (tumour protein 53), p21, Bax and caspase 3. The results of the present study thus uncover an important phenomenon that the expression of certain type I MAGE genes, at least for Mageb18, is non-testis-specific. Although they can regulate various malignant phenotypes of cancer cells, it is necessary to study further their expression pattern in normal tissues before using them to develop more effective and safer cancer vaccines.
An inactivating caspase 11 passenger mutation originating from the 129 murine strain in mice targeted for c-IAP1
Authors: Kenneth Niall S. , Younger J. Michael , Hughes Elizabeth D. , Marcotte Danielle , Barker Philip A. , Saunders Thomas L. , Duckett Colin S.
Published: February 2012

A recent study revealed that ES (embryonic stem) cell lines derived from the 129 murine strain carry an inactivating mutation within the caspase 11 gene (Casp4) locus [Kayagaki, Warming, Lamkanfi, Vande Walle, Louie, Dong, Newton, Qu, Liu, Heldens, Zhang, Lee, Roose-Girma and Dixit (2011) Nature 479, 117–121]. Thus, if 129 ES cells are used to target genes closely linked to caspase 11, the resulting mice might also carry the caspase 11 deficiency as a passenger mutation. In the present study, we examined the genetic loci of mice targeted for the closely linked c-IAP (cellular inhibitor of apoptosis) genes, which were generated in 129 ES cells, and found that, despite extensive backcrossing into a C57BL/6 background, c-IAP1−/− animals are also deficient in caspase 11. Consequently, data obtained from these mice should be re-evaluated in this new context.
Effect of expansion media containing fibroblast growth factor‐2 and dexamethasone on the chondrogenic potential of human adipose‐derived stromal cells
Authors: Liu Yongxing , Wagner Diane R.
Published: February 2012

hASCs [human ASCs (adipose derived stromal cells)] proliferate more rapidly in the presence of basic FGF‐2 (fibroblast growth factor‐2) and Dex (dexamethasone). We have examined the effects of expanding hASCs in media containing these two factors on their chondrogenic differentiation potential. Results show that the addition of FGF‐2 and Dex to the expansion medium does not remarkably alter the chondrogenic potential of the cells induced by BMP‐6 (bone morphogenetic protein‐6), based on chondrogenic gene expression, sGAG (sulfated glycosaminoglycan) accumulation and immunohistochemical observation. This is in direct contrast to previously reported promotion of the osteogenic and adipogenic potential of hASCs by these two factors. Therefore, an expansion medium containing FGF‐2, with or without Dex, is appropriate for the fast expansion of hASCs without compromising chondrogenic potential.
Myosin Heavy Chain Composition of the Human Genioglossus Muscle
Authors: Daugherty Megan , Luo Qingwei , Sokoloff Alan J.
Published: February 2012

Background

The human tongue muscle genioglossus (GG) is active in speech, swallowing, respiration, and oral transport, behaviors encompassing a wide range of tongue shapes and movement speeds. Studies demonstrate substantial diversity in patterns of human GG motor unit activation, but whether this is accompanied by complex expression of muscle contractile proteins is not known.

Purpose

The authors tested for conventional myosin heavy chain (MHC) MHCI, MHCIIA, MHCIIX, developmental MHCembryonic and MHCneonatal and unconventional MHCαcardiac, MHCextraocular, and MHCslow tonic in antero-superior (GG-A) and posterior (GG-P) adult human GG.

Method

SDS-PAGE, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry were used to describe MHC composition of GG-A and GG-P and the prevalence of muscle fiber MHC phenotypes in GG-A.

Results

By SDS-PAGE, only conventional MHC are present with ranking from most to least prevalent MHCIIA > MHCI > MHCIIX in GG-A and MHCI > MHCIIA > MHCIIX in GG-P. By immunohistochemistry, many muscle fibers contain MHCI, MHCIIA, and MHCIIX, but few contain developmental or unconventional MHC. GG-A is composed of 5 phenotypes (MHCIIA > MHCI-IIX > MHCI > MHCI-IIA > MHCIIX). Phenotypes MHCI, MHCIIA, and MHCI-IIX account for 96% of muscle fibers.

Conclusions

Despite activation of GG during kinematically diverse behaviors and complex patterns of GG motor unit activity, the human GG is composed of conventional MHC isoforms and 3 primary MHC phenotypes.
Influence of low anisotropy inclusions on magnetization reversal in bit-patterned arrays
Authors: Kaganovskiy Leon , Khizroev Sakhrat , Litvinov Dmitri
Published: February 2012

Switching field variations due to low anisotropy inclusions in disk-shaped magnetic nanostructures with vertical magnetic anisotropy for applications in perpendicular recording bit-patterned medium are analyzed micromagnetically. The influence of various material parameters and geometry on switching field is analyzed. It is found that the size of the low anisotropy inclusion strongly affects the switching field. However, the dependence significantly weakens when inclusions’ size becomes comparable to the exchange lengths, also known as domain wall thickness. The location of the inclusion within a bit has only a weak influence on the switching field. Scaling of the bit and the inclusion dimensions result in a system with very similar switching properties. The observed deviations from scalability are attributed to the presence of a non-scalable parameter of micromagnetic models, namely, the domain wall thickness, also known as exchange length. The switching field strongly depends on the bit diameter when the inclusion represents a significant fraction of the bit size-wise. The number of the inclusions in a bit has a relatively weak influence on the switching field, as one inclusion always dominates the magnetization reversal process.
Multi-mode bipolar resistance switching in CuxO films
Authors: Ebrahim Rabi , Wu Naijuan , Ignatiev Alex
Published: February 2012

Electric pulse induced resistance change has been studied in the CuxO binary oxide systems for application to resistive random access memory. Binary transition metal oxides have typically shown unipolar switching, however, this has led to resistance states that have been somewhat erratic. We address here bipolar resistance switching (regular and reversed polarity) in thin film CuxO samples. I-V measurements at different temperatures showed strong evidence for a metallic bulk filament formation under application of an initial forming electric pulse. After forming, Set and Reset states can be controlled by changing positive and negative pulse amplitudes, but show two distinct resistance change regions: (i) resistance states from 20 Ω to 40 Ω with reversed polarity; and (ii) resistance states from 150 Ω to 8,000 Ω with regular polarity. A highly stable reversed polarity bipolar switching regime under application of low amplitude pulses and pulse width of 200 nsec is achieved, and a model for the switching mechanisms based on Cu+ ion motion in the interface region between the metallic filament and the top electrode is developed.
Formation of silver nanoparticles inside a soda-lime glass matrix in the presence of a high intensity Ar+ laser beam
Authors: Niry M. D. , Mostafavi-Amjad J. , Khalesifard H. R. , Ahangary A. , Azizian-Kalandaragh Y.
Published: February 2012

Formation and motion of the silver nanoparticles inside an ion-exchanged soda-lime glass in the presence of a focused high intensity continuous wave Ar+ laser beam (intensity: 9.2 × 104 W/cm2) have been studied in here. One-dimensional diffusion equation has been used to model the diffusion of the silver ions into the glass matrix, and a two-dimensional reverse diffusion model has been introduced to explain the motion of the silver clusters and their migration toward the glass surface in the presence of the laser beam. The results of the mentioned models were in agreement with our measurements on thickness of the ion-exchange layer by means of optical microscopy and recorded morphology of the glass surface around the laser beam axis by using a Mirau interferometer. SEM micrographs were used to extract the size distribution of the migrated silver particles over the glass surface.
Modeling and analysis of intraband absorption in quantum-dot-in-well mid-infrared photodetectors
Authors: Hong B. H. , Rybchenko S. I. , Itskevich I. E. , Haywood S. K. , Tan C. H. , Vines P. , Hugues M.
Published: February 2012

Intraband absorption in quantum-dot-in-a-well (DWELL) mid-infrared photodetectors is investigated using photocurrent spectroscopy and computationally cost-effective modeling linked to experimental data. The DWELL systems are challenging for modeling the electronic structure, which involves both discrete levels and the continuum energy spectrum. We show that the latter can be successfully approximated by a quasi-continuum in a large three-dimensional (3D) “quantum box” in which the electronic structure is calculated in the effective mass approximation using the finite element method. Experimental and simulated spectra show good agreement with each other, which justifies using the modeling for analysis of the experimental data. In particular, the origin of the peaks and the dot parameters, such as composition are deduced. Effects of dot composition and shape on the intraband absorption spectra are also predicted. Our model proves to be a useful tool in designing and analyzing advanced DWELL structures for any realistic 3D quantum dot geometry.
Strain-induced reversible and irreversible magnetization switching in Fe/BaTiO3 heterostructures
Authors: Venkataiah G. , Shirahata Y. , Suzuki I. , Itoh M. , Taniyama T.
Published: February 2012

Magnetization switching of an Fe film in Fe/BaTiO3 heterostructures is demonstrated due to the interface lattice distortion caused by the structural phase transition of BaTiO3. The temperature dependence of in-plane magnetization of the Fe film in both zero and a small negative applied magnetic field clearly reveals that the reversible and irreversible magnetization switching processes occur in the Fe/BaTiO3 heterostructures. The variation in the magnetization orientation is corroborated by the fact that the symmetry of the magnetic anisotropy changes as the BaTiO3 undergoes the structural phase transition from the tetragonal to orthorhombic phases.
Interference effects on indium tin oxide enhanced Raman scattering
Authors: Yang Yimin , Qiu Teng , Kong Fan , Fan Jiyang , Ou Huiling , Xu Qingyu , Chu Paul K.
Published: February 2012

Optical interference is known to alter the intensity of Raman scattering signals. Its effect on enhanced Raman scattering from embedded indium tin oxide (ITO) nano-island arrays prepared by pulsed laser deposition of ITO films with different thicknesses on Si templates with nano-scale roughness are studied. Optical self-interference of the incident, scattered, and emitted light is observed to modulate the intensity and shape of the Raman signals as well as fluorescence background. The fluctuations in the Raman signals and fluorescence background can be explained by a theoretical model considering multiple reflections at the surface and interface. This interference effect must be taken into account in the investigation of enhanced Raman scattering from ITO.
Dependence of magnetic field sensitivity of a magnetoelectric laminate sensor pair on separation distance: Effect of mutual inductance
Authors: Li Menghui , Wang Yaojin , Gao Junqi , Gray David , Li Jiefang , Viehland D.
Published: February 2012

The effect of mutual inductance on the performance of a pair of Metglas/Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 laminate magnetoelectric (ME) sensors has been studied. The effective value of the ME coefficient (αME) for the laminates was reduced when the distance between was < 40 mm. Separating the two laminates by distances of > 40 mm, the effect of mutual inductance was small. The laminates exhibited the maximum values of αME. The ME sensor unit with two laminates connected in parallel had higher magnetic field sensitivities.
Magnetic characteristics of Fe3O4/α–Fe2O3 hybrid cubes
Authors: Ma Ji , Chen Kezheng , Zhang Xiaodan
Published: February 2012

The high spin polarized Fe3O4 was incorporated with α-Fe2O3 to form micro-cubes with high Curie temperature. It was observed that the magnetic characteristics of such hybrid structure are quite different from those of pure Fe3O4 or α-Fe2O3 phase, such as the absence of hematite Morin transition and the strong temperature dependence of magnetite saturated magnetization. The absence of Morin transition in Fe3O4/α-Fe2O3 hybrid cubes not only excludes the possibility of simply mixture of Fe3O4 and α-Fe2O3 components during the synthetic process, but also confirms that the introduction of high spin polarized Fe3O4 provides another way for the extinction of hematite Morin temperature apart from formerly reported factors, such as the particle size, shape, crystallinity, and surface properties. Moreover, the observed strong temperature dependence of magnetite saturation behavior has not been reported experimentally so far. Both intriguing phenomena could be ascribed to the magnetic interactions between Fe3O4 and α-Fe2O3 components, which are of great importance not only for the understanding of mutually magnetic influence between high spin polarized materials and semiconducting matrix, but also for the potential applications in fabricating spin devices.
High-frequency devices with weakly relativistic hollow thin-wall electron beams
Authors: Bratman V. L. , Fedotov A. E. , Makhalov P. B.
Published: February 2012

Slow-wave devices with hollow electron beams and azimuthally symmetric corrugated operating waveguides can be very effective not only for relativistic but also weakly relativistic particle energies. In the weakly relativistic case, the use of hollow beams permits a significant increase in the diameter of the beam channel and, simultaneously, a drastic decrease in the required current density and heat load at the interaction structure wall in comparison with the conventional devices, which basically exploit thin pencil-like beams. Advantages of the hollow beams in the achievement of continuous wave (CW) and long-pulse generation can manifest themselves in a wide range from gigahertz to terahertz frequencies. As an example of the concept, a W-band oscillator (orotron) with kilowatt output power in CW regime is discussed in detail. Modification of the microwave system makes it possible to implement high-power frequency-tunable BWOs, klystron or TWT amplifiers, and many types of hybrid devices.
Homology-independent discovery of replicating pathogenic circular RNAs by deep sequencing and a new computational algorithm
Authors: Wu Qingfa , Wang Ying , Cao Mengji , Pantaleo Vitantonio , Burgyan Joszef , Li Wan-Xiang , Ding Shou-Wei
Published: February 2012

A common challenge in pathogen discovery by deep sequencing approaches is to recognize viral or subviral pathogens in samples of diseased tissue that share no significant homology with a known pathogen. Here we report a homology-independent approach for discovering viroids, a distinct class of free circular RNA subviral pathogens that encode no protein and are known to infect plants only. Our approach involves analyzing the sequences of the total small RNAs of the infected plants obtained by deep sequencing with a unique computational algorithm, progressive filtering of overlapping small RNAs (PFOR). Viroid infection triggers production of viroid-derived overlapping siRNAs that cover the entire genome with high densities. PFOR retains viroid-specific siRNAs for genome assembly by progressively eliminating nonoverlapping small RNAs and those that overlap but cannot be assembled into a direct repeat RNA, which is synthesized from circular or multimeric repeated-sequence templates during viroid replication. We show that viroids from the two known families are readily identified and their full-length sequences assembled by PFOR from small RNAs sequenced from infected plants. PFOR analysis of a grapevine library further identified a viroid-like circular RNA 375 nt long that shared no significant sequence homology with known molecules and encoded active hammerhead ribozymes in RNAs of both plus and minus polarities, which presumably self-cleave to release monomer from multimeric replicative intermediates. A potential application of the homology-independent approach for viroid discovery in plant and animal species where RNA replication triggers the biogenesis of siRNAs is discussed.
Secreted human glycyl-tRNA synthetase implicated in defense against ERK-activated tumorigenesis
Authors: Park Min Chul , Kang Taehee , Jin Da , Han Jung Min , Kim Sang Bum , Park Yun Jung , Cho Kiwon , Park Young Woo , Guo Min , He Weiwei , Yang Xiang-Lei , Schimmel Paul , Kim Sunghoon
Published: February 2012

Although adaptive systems of immunity against tumor initiation and destruction are well investigated, less understood is the role, if any, of endogenous factors that have conventional functions. Here we show that glycyl-tRNA synthetase (GRS), an essential component of the translation apparatus, circulates in serum and can be secreted from macrophages in response to Fas ligand that is released from tumor cells. Through cadherin (CDH)6 (K-cadherin), GRS bound to different ERK-activated tumor cells, and released phosphatase 2A (PP2A) from CDH6. The activated PP2A then suppressed ERK signaling through dephosphorylation of ERK and induced apoptosis. These activities were inhibited by blocking GRS with a soluble fragment of CDH6. With in vivo administration of GRS, growth of tumors with a high level of CDH6 and ERK activation were strongly suppressed. Our results implicate a conventional cytoplasmic enzyme in translation as an intrinsic component of the defense against ERK-activated tumor formation.
Collectivism and coping: Current theories, evidence, and measurements of collective coping
Authors: Kuo Ben C. H.
Published: February 2012

A burgeoning body of cultural coping research has begun to identify the prevalence and the functional importance of collective coping behaviors among culturally diverse populations in North America and internationally. These emerging findings are highly significant as they evidence culture's impacts on the stress‐coping process via collectivistic values and orientation. They provide a critical counterpoint to the prevailing Western, individualistic stress and coping paradigm. However, current research and understanding about collective coping appear to be piecemeal and not well integrated. To address this issue, this review attempts to comprehensively survey, summarize, and evaluate existing research related to collective coping and its implications for coping research with culturally diverse populations from multiple domains. Specifically, this paper reviews relevant research and knowledge on collective coping in terms of: (a) operational definitions; (b) theories; (c) empirical evidence based on studies of specific cultural groups and broad cultural values/dimensions; (d) measurements; and (e) implications for future cultural coping research. Overall, collective coping behaviors are conceived as a product of the communal/relational norms and values of a cultural group across studies. They also encompass a wide array of stress responses ranging from value‐driven to interpersonally based to culturally conditioned emotional/cognitive to religion‐ and spirituality‐grounded coping strategies. In addition, this review highlights: (a) the relevance and the potential of cultural coping theories to guide future collective coping research; (b) growing evidence for the prominence of collective coping behaviors particularly among Asian nationals, Asian Americans/Canadians and African Americans/Canadians; (c) preference for collective coping behaviors as a function of collectivism and interdependent cultural value and orientation; and (d) six cultural coping scales. This study brings to light the present theoretical and methodological contributions as well as limitations of this body of literature and the implications it holds for future coping research.
Flexible and inflexible task sets: Asymmetric interference when switching between emotional expression, sex, and age classification of perceived faces
Authors: Schuch Stefanie , Werheid Katja , Koch Iring
Published: February 2012

The present study investigated whether the processing characteristics of categorizing emotional facial expressions are different from those of categorizing facial age and sex information. Given that emotions change rapidly, it was hypothesized that processing facial expressions involves a more flexible task set that causes less between-task interference than the task sets involved in processing age or sex of a face. Participants switched between three tasks: categorizing a face as looking happy or angry (emotion task), young or old (age task), and male or female (sex task). Interference between tasks was measured by global interference and response interference. Both measures revealed patterns of asymmetric interference. Global between-task interference was reduced when a task was mixed with the emotion task. Response interference, as measured by congruency effects, was larger for the emotion task than for the nonemotional tasks. The results support the idea that processing emotional facial expression constitutes a more flexible task set that causes less interference (i.e., task-set “inertia”) than processing the age or sex of a face
Polarization currents in tokamak scrape-off layer at disruptions and edge-localized modes
Authors: Nedospasov A.V.
Published: February 2012

Radial profiles of density and temperature of plasmas in tokamak scrape-off layer (SOL) widen along the minor radius at plasma current disruptions and edge-localized modes. It can be a result of polarization (inertial) ion drift, induced by an increase in plasma temperature with time. This paper considers the effect of polarization currents on heat and particle transfer in SOL plasmas, in particular in inertial unipolar arcs observed at transient modes of operation.
Two phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases control lysosomal delivery of the Gaucher disease enzyme, β-glucocerebrosidase
Authors: Jović Marko , Kean Michelle J. , Szentpetery Zsofia , Polevoy Gordon , Gingras Anne-Claude , Brill Julie A. , Balla Tamas
Published: February 2012

Gaucher disease is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by a defect in the degradation of glucosylceramide catalyzed by the lysosomal enzyme β-glucocerebrosidase (GBA). GBA reaches lysosomes via association with its receptor, lysosomal integral membrane protein type 2 (LIMP-2). We found that distinct phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases (PI4Ks) play important roles at multiple steps in the trafficking pathway of the LIMP-2/GBA complex. Acute depletion of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate in the Golgi caused accumulation of LIMP-2 in this compartment, and PI4KIIIβ was found to be responsible for controlling the exit of LIMP-2 from the Golgi. In contrast, depletion of PI4KIIα blocked trafficking at a post-Golgi compartment, leading to accumulation of LIMP-2 in enlarged endosomal vesicles. PI4KIIα depletion also caused secretion of missorted GBA into the medium, which was attenuated by limiting LIMP-2/GBA exit from the Golgi by PI4KIIIβ inhibitors. These studies identified PI4KIIIβ and PI4KIIα as important regulators of lysosomal delivery of GBA, revealing a new element of control to sphingolipid homeostasis by phosphoinositides.
Dynamic reorganization of Eg5 in the mammalian spindle throughout mitosis requires dynein and TPX2
Authors: Gable Alyssa , Qiu Minhua , Titus Janel , Balchand Sai , Ferenz Nick P. , Ma Nan , Collins Elizabeth S. , Fagerstrom Carey , Ross Jennifer L. , Yang Ge , Wadsworth Patricia
Published: February 2012

Kinesin-5 is an essential mitotic motor. However, how its spatial–temporal distribution is regulated in mitosis remains poorly understood. We expressed localization and affinity purification–tagged Eg5 from a mouse bacterial artificial chromosome (this construct was called mEg5) and found its distribution to be tightly regulated throughout mitosis. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching analysis showed rapid Eg5 turnover throughout mitosis, which cannot be accounted for by microtubule turnover. Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and high-resolution, single-particle tracking revealed that mEg5 punctae on both astral and midzone microtubules rapidly bind and unbind. mEg5 punctae on midzone microtubules moved transiently both toward and away from spindle poles. In contrast, mEg5 punctae on astral microtubules moved transiently toward microtubule minus ends during early mitosis but switched to plus end–directed motion during anaphase. These observations explain the poleward accumulation of Eg5 in early mitosis and its redistribution in anaphase. Inhibition of dynein blocked mEg5 movement on astral microtubules, whereas depletion of the Eg5-binding protein TPX2 resulted in plus end–directed mEg5 movement. However, motion of Eg5 on midzone microtubules was not altered. Our results reveal differential and precise spatial and temporal regulation of Eg5 in the spindle mediated by dynein and TPX2.
Sharp Breaks or Smooth Shifts? an Investigation of the Evolution of Primary Commodity Prices
Authors: Enders Walter , Holt Matthew T.
Published: February 2012

This paper explores the behavior of real commodity prices over a 50–year period. Attention is given to how the shifting means for various commodity prices have changed with a special emphasis on behavior since the mid 2000s. To identify structural changes in commodity prices, we estimate shifting–mean autoregressions by using: the Bai and Perron (1998) procedure for determining structural breaks; low frequency Fourier functions; and a procedure that specifies shifts to be smooth logistic functions of time. We find that the pattern in the timing of shifts is suggestive of the causal factors underlying the recent boom.
Robber Barons Redux: Antimonopoly Reconsidered
Authors: John Richard R.
Published: February 2012

The antimonopoly critique of big business that flourished in the United States during the 1880s is a neglected chapter in the history of American reform. In this essay, a revised version of Richard R. John's 2011 Business History Conference presidential address, John shows how this critique found expression in a gallery of influential cartoons that ran in the New York City–based satirical magazinesPuckandJudge. Among the topics that the cartoonists featured was the manipulation of the nation's financial markets by financier Jay Gould.
Tau Phosphorylation and Sevoflurane Anesthesia
Authors: Le Freche Hélène , Brouillette Jonathan , Fernandez-Gomez Francisco-José , Patin Pauline , Caillierez Raphaëlle , Zommer Nadège , Sergeant Nicolas , Buée-Scherrer Valérie , Lebuffe Gilles , Blum David , Buée Luc
Published: February 2012

Background

There is a growing interest in the involvement of anesthetic agents in the etiology of postoperative cognitive dysfunction. Recent animal studies suggest that acute anesthesia induces transient hyperphosphorylation of tau, an effect essentially ascribed to hypothermia. The main aim of the present study was to investigate effects, in normothermic conditions, of acute or repeated exposure to sevoflurane, a halogenated anesthetic agent, on hippocampal tau phosphorylation and spatial memory in adult mice.

Methods

5 to 6-month-old C57Bl6/J mice were submitted to acute (1 h) or repeated (five exposures of 1h every month) anesthesia using 1.5 or 2.5% sevoflurane, in normothermic conditions. In the acute protocol, animals were sacrificed 1 and 24 h after exposure. In the chronic protocol, spatial memory was evaluated using the Morris water maze following the fourth exposure, and tau phosphorylation evaluated 1 month following the last exposure using bi- and mono-dimensional electrophoresis.

Results

Acute sevoflurane anesthesia in normothermic conditions led to a significant dose-dependent and reversible hippocampal tau phosphorylation, 1 h following the end of exposure (P < 0.001). Conversely, repeated anesthesia led to persistent tau hyperphosphorylation and significant memory impairments, as seen in the retention phase of the Morris water maze in sevoflurane-anesthesized animals. These pathologic features may be related to the activation of both Akt and Erk pathways.

Conclusions

The present study demonstrates, in mice, that sevoflurane exposure is associated with increased tau phosphorylation through specific kinases activation and spatial memory deficits. These data support a correlation between exposures to this anesthetic agent and cognitive decline.
Impact of Extracranial Contamination on Regional Cerebral Oxygen Saturation
Authors: Davie Sophie N. , Grocott Hilary P.
Published: February 2012

Background

Cerebral oximetry is a noninvasive technology using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to estimate regional cerebral oxygen saturation. Although NIRS cerebral oximetry is being increasingly used in many clinical settings, interdevice technologic differences suggest potential variation in the ability to accurately acquire brain oxygenation signals. The primary objective of this study was to determine if NIRS-derived regional cerebral oxygen saturation measurements accurately account for oxygen saturation contamination from extracranial tissue.

Methods

Twelve healthy volunteers had each of three NIRS devices (FORE-SIGHT [CAS Medical Systems Inc; Brandford, CT], INVOS 5100C-PB [Covidien; Boulder, CO], and EQUANOX Classic 7600 [Nonin Medical Inc; Plymouth, MN]) randomly applied to the forehead. After this, a circumferential pneumatic head cuff was positioned such that when inflated, hypoxia-ischemia would be produced in the extracranial scalp tissue beneath the NIRS cerebral oximeters. Comparisons among the three devices were made of the NIRS measurements before and following hypoxia-ischemia produced in the scalp tissue with inflation of the head cuff.

Results

The induction of extracranial hypoxia-ischemia resulted in a significant reduction in regional cerebral oxygen saturation measurements in all three NIRS devices studied. At 5 min postinflation of the pneumatic head cuff, the INVOS demonstrated a 16.6 ± 9.6% (mean ± SD) decrease from its baseline (P = 0.0001), the FORE-SIGHT an 11.8 ± 5.3% decrease from its baseline (P < 0.0001), and the EQUANOX a 6.8 ± 6.0% reduction from baseline (P = 0.0025).

Conclusions

Extracranial contamination appears to significantly affect NIRS measurements of cerebral oxygen saturation. Although the clinical implications of these apparent inaccuracies require further study, they suggest that the oxygen saturation measurements provided by cerebral oximetry do not solely reflect that of the brain alone.
Inferring pandemic growth rates from sequence data
Authors: de Silva Eric , Ferguson Neil M. , Fraser Christophe
Published: February 2012

Using sequence data to infer population dynamics is playing an increasing role in the analysis of outbreaks. The most common methods in use, based on coalescent inference, have been widely used but not extensively tested against simulated epidemics. Here, we use simulated data to test the ability of both parametric and non-parametric methods for inference of effective population size (coded in the popular BEAST package) to reconstruct epidemic dynamics. We consider a range of simulations centred on scenarios considered plausible for pandemic influenza, but our conclusions are generic for any exponentially growing epidemic. We highlight systematic biases in non-parametric effective population size estimation. The most prominent such bias leads to the false inference of slowing of epidemic spread in the recent past even when the real epidemic is growing exponentially. We suggest some sampling strategies that could reduce (but not eliminate) some of the biases. Parametric methods can correct for these biases if the infected population size is large. We also explore how some poor sampling strategies (e.g. that over-represent epidemiologically linked clusters of cases) could dramatically exacerbate bias in an uncontrolled manner. Finally, we present a simple diagnostic indicator, based on coalescent density and which can easily be applied to reconstructed phylogenies, that identifies time-periods for which effective population size estimates are less likely to be biased. We illustrate this with an application to the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
Mutation analysis of the cross-reactive epitopes of Japanese encephalitis virus envelope glycoprotein
Authors: Chiou Shyan-Song , Fan Yi-Chin , Crill Wayne D. , Chang Ruey-Yi , Chang Gwong-Jen J.
Published: February 2012

Group and serocomplex cross-reactive epitopes have been identified in the envelope (E) protein of several flaviviruses and have proven critical in vaccine and diagnostic antigen development. Here, we performed site-directed mutagenesis across the E gene of a recombinant expression plasmid that encodes the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) premembrane (prM) and E proteins and produces JEV virus-like particles (VLPs). Mutations were introduced at I135 and E138 in domain I; W101, G104, G106 and L107 in domain II; and T305, E306, K312, A315, S329, S331, G332 and D389 in domain III. None of the mutant JEV VLPs demonstrated reduced activity to the five JEV type-specific mAbs tested. Substitutions at W101, especially W101G, reduced reactivity dramatically with all of the flavivirus group cross-reactive mAbs. The group and JEV serocomplex cross-reactive mAbs examined recognized five and six different overlapping epitopes, respectively. Among five group cross-reactive epitopes, amino acids located in domains I, II and III were involved in one, five and three epitopes, respectively. Recognition by six JEV serocomplex cross-reactive mAbs was reduced by amino acid substitutions in domains II and III. These results suggest that amino acid residues located in the fusion loop of E domain II are the most critical for recognition by group cross-reactive mAbs, followed by residues of domains III and I. The amino acid residues of both domains II and III of the E protein were shown to be important in the binding of JEV serocomplex cross-reactive mAbs.
Targeted INO80 enhances subnuclear chromatin movement and ectopic homologous recombination
Authors: Neumann Frank R. , Dion Vincent , Gehlen Lutz R. , Tsai-Pflugfelder Monika , Schmid Roger , Taddei Angela , Gasser Susan M.
Published: February 2012

Chromatin in the interphase nucleus moves in a constrained random walk. Despite extensive study, the molecular causes of such movement and its impact on DNA-based reactions are unclear. Using high-precision live fluorescence microscopy in budding yeast, we quantified the movement of tagged chromosomal loci to which transcriptional activators or nucleosome remodeling complexes were targeted. We found that local binding of the transcriptional activator VP16, but not of the Gal4 acidic domain, enhances chromatin mobility. The increase in movement did not correlate strictly with RNA polymerase II (PolII) elongation, but could be phenocopied by targeting the INO80 remodeler to the locus. Enhanced chromatin mobility required Ino80's ATPase activity. Consistently, the INO80-dependent remodeling of nucleosomes upon transcriptional activation of the endogenous PHO5 promoter enhanced chromatin movement locally. Finally, increased mobility at a double-strand break was also shown to depend in part on the INO80 complex. This correlated with increased rates of spontaneous gene conversion. We propose that local chromatin remodeling and nucleosome eviction increase large-scale chromatin movements by enhancing the flexibility of the chromatin fiber.
PR-Set7 and H4K20me1: at the crossroads of genome integrity, cell cycle, chromosome condensation, and transcription
Authors: Beck David B. , Oda Hisanobu , Shen Steven S. , Reinberg Danny
Published: February 2012

Histone post-translational modifications impact many aspects of chromatin and nuclear function. Histone H4 Lys 20 methylation (H4K20me) has been implicated in regulating diverse processes ranging from the DNA damage response, mitotic condensation, and DNA replication to gene regulation. PR-Set7/Set8/KMT5a is the sole enzyme that catalyzes monomethylation of H4K20 (H4K20me1). It is required for maintenance of all levels of H4K20me, and, importantly, loss of PR-Set7 is catastrophic for the earliest stages of mouse embryonic development. These findings have placed PR-Set7, H4K20me, and proteins that recognize this modification as central nodes of many important pathways. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms required for regulation of PR-Set7 and H4K20me1 levels and attempt to unravel the many functions attributed to these proteins.
MT1-MMP regulates the PI3Kδ·Mi-2/NuRD-dependent control of macrophage immune function
Authors: Shimizu-Hirota Ryoko , Xiong Wanfen , Baxter B. Timothy , Kunkel Steven L. , Maillard Ivan , Chen Xiao-Wei , Sabeh Farideh , Liu Rui , Li Xiao-Yan , Weiss Stephen J.
Published: February 2012

Macrophages play critical roles in events ranging from host defense to obesity and cancer, where they infiltrate affected tissues and orchestrate immune responses in tandem with the remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Despite the dual roles played by macrophages in inflammation, the functions of macrophage-derived proteinases are typically relegated to tissue-invasive or -degradative events. Here we report that the membrane-tethered matrix metalloenzyme MT1-MMP not only serves as an ECM-directed proteinase, but unexpectedly controls inflammatory gene responses wherein MT1-MMP−/−macrophages mount exaggerated chemokine and cytokine responses to immune stimuli both in vitro and in vivo. MT1-MMP modulates inflammatory responses in a protease-independent fashion in tandem with its trafficking to the nuclear compartment, where it triggers the expression and activation of a phosphoinositide 3-kinase δ (PI3Kδ)/Akt/GSK3β signaling cascade. In turn, MT1-MMP-dependent PI3Kδ activation regulates the immunoregulatory Mi-2/NuRD nucleosome remodeling complex that is responsible for controlling macrophage immune response. These findings identify a novel role for nuclear MT1-MMP as a previously unsuspected transactivator of signaling networks central to macrophage immune responses.