bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can we infer dredge fishing effort from macrobenthic community structure?
Authors: Gaspar M. B. , Carvalho S. , Constantino R. , Tata-Regala J. , Cúrdia J. , Monteiro C. C.
Published: August 2009

Gaspar, M. B., Carvalho, S., Constantino, R., Tata-Regala, J., Cúrdia, J., and Monteiro, C. C. 2009. Can we infer dredge fishing effort from macrobenthic community structure? – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 2121–2132. The effects of commercial fishing effort (FE) on macrobenthic community structure were analysed in geographically related fishing grounds separated into three groups: non-exploited (NE), moderately exploited (ME), and highly exploited (HE). Number of species, abundance, Margalef species richness, and Shannon–Wiener diversity were significantly higher in NE than in exploited areas. The first two were also significantly higher in HE than in ME areas. Measures of taxonomic diversity differed depending on whether annelids, molluscs, and crustaceans were combined or analysed separately. Crustaceans seemed to be the most vulnerable to bivalve dredging because significantly lower values were observed for them in the HE areas than in the ME and NE areas for this group. Although the samples were taken at the end of the closed season, macrobenthic communities still showed differences that may be related to FE, especially in trophic structure. Carnivory was particularly dominant in HE areas. The ratio of carnivory to filter-feeding was significantly correlated with FE, with higher values being observed in HE areas and lower values in NE areas.
Comparing arithmetic and semantic fact retrieval: Effects of problem size and sentence constraint on event‐related brain potentials
Authors: Jost Kerstin , Hennighausen Erwin , Rösler Frank
Published: August 2009

Event‐related potentials were recorded with 61 electrodes from 16 students who verified either the correctness of single‐digit multiplication problems or the semantic congruency of sentences. Multiplication problems varied in size and sentence fragments in constraint. Both semantic and arithmetic incongruencies evoked a typical N400 with a clear parieto‐central maximum. In addition, numerically larger problems (8×7), in comparison to smaller problems (3×2), evoked a negativity starting at about 360 ms whose maximum was located over the right temporal‐parietal scalp. These results indicate that the arithmetic incongruency and the problem‐size effect are functionally distinct. It is suggested that the arithmetic and the semantic incongruency effects are both functionally related to a context‐dependent spread of activation in specialized associative networks, whereas the arithmetic problem‐size effect is due to rechecking routines that go beyond basic fact retrieval.
Grazing triggers soil carbon loss by altering plant roots and their control on soil microbial community
Authors: Klumpp Katja , Fontaine Sébastien , Attard Eléonore , Le Roux Xavier , Gleixner Gerd , Soussana Jean‐Francois
Published: August 2009

1. Depending on grazing intensity, grasslands tend towards two contrasting systems that differ in terms of species diversity and soil carbon (C) storage. To date, effects of grazing on C cycling have mainly been studied in grasslands subject to constant grazing regimes, whereas little is known for grasslands experiencing a change in grazing intensity. Analysing the transition between C‐storing and C‐releasing grasslands under low‐ and high‐grazing regimes, respectively, will help to identify key plant–soil interactions for C cycling.

2. The transition was studied in a mesocosm experiment with grassland monoliths submitted to a change in grazing after 14 years of constant high and low grazing. Plant–soil interactions were analysed by following the dynamics of plant and microbial communities, roots and soil organic matter fractions over 2 years. After disturbance change, mesocosms were continuously exposed to13C‐labelled CO2, which allowed us to trace both the incorporation of new litter C produced by a modified plant community in soil and the fate of old unlabelled litter C.

3. Changing disturbance intensity led to a cascade of events. After shift to high disturbance, photosynthesis decreased followed by a decline in root biomass and a change in plant community structure 1.5 months later. Those changes led to a decrease of soil fungi, a proliferation of Gram(+) bacteria and accelerated decomposition of old particulate organic C (<6 months). At last, accelerated decomposition released plant available nitrogen and decreased soil C storage. Our results indicate that intensified grazing triggers proliferation of Gram(+) bacteria and subsequent faster decomposition by reducing roots adapted to low disturbance.

4. Synthesis. Plant communities exert control on microbial communities and decomposition through the activity of their living roots: slow‐growing plants adapted to low disturbance reduce Gram(+) bacteria, decomposition of low and high quality litter, nitrogen availability and, thus, ingress of fast‐growing plants. Our results indicate that grazing impacts on soil carbon storage by altering plant roots and their control on the soil microbial community and decomposition, and that these processes will foster decomposition and soil C loss in more productive and disturbed grassland systems.
Differential effects of lorazepam on sleep and activity in C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ strain mice
Authors: TANG XIANGDONG , YANG LINGHUI , FISHBACK NANCY F. , SANFORD LARRY D.
Published: August 2009

Compared to C57BL/6 mice, BALB/c mice exhibit greater ‘anxiousness’ on behavioural tests of anxiety, and can show significantly longer sleep disruptions after exposure to anxiogenic situations. Relative to C57BL/6 mice, BALB/c mice also have reduced benzodiazepine (BZ) receptor densities in the brain and fivefold less BZ receptor density in the amygdala, a region important in anxiety and in the control of arousal. Lorazepam is a BZ receptor full agonist and has been used to treat both anxiety and insomnia. Differences between C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice raise the question of whether BZ agonists would impact sleep and activity differentially in the two strains. We examined the effects of two doses of lorazepam (0.5 and 1.5 mg kg−1) or saline alone (0.2 mL) on sleep and activity in C57BL/6 (n = 8) and BALB/c (n = 7) mice. Compared to saline, both doses of lorazepam significantly increased non‐rapid eye movement (NREM) and reduced activity in both strains. In C57BL/6 mice, rapid eye movement (REM) was increased at both doses. In BALB/c mice, the 0.5 mg kg−1 dose had no significant influence on REM, whereas REM was reduced significantly after the 1.5 mg kg−1 dose. The results demonstrate significant differences between C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice in the effects of lorazepam on REM, whereas the effects on NREM and activity were similar. Strain differences in the number of BZ receptors in the amygdala, but not other brain regions, suggests possible site specificity in the effects of lorazepam on REM. These differences in BZ‐binding sites in the amygdala could be a significant factor in differences in the sleep response between C57 and BALB/c mice.
Sequestration of essential proteins causes prion associated toxicity in yeast
Authors: Vishveshwara Namitha , Bradley Michael E. , Liebman Susan W.
Published: August 2009

Prions are infectious, aggregated proteins that cause diseases in mammals but are not normally toxic in fungi. Excess Sup35p, an essential yeast protein that can exist as the [PSI+] prion, inhibits growth of [PSI+] but not [psi‐] cells. This toxicity is rescued by expressing the Sup35Cp domain of Sup35p, which is sufficient for cell viability but not prion propagation. We now show that rescue requires Sup35Cp levels to be proportional to Sup35p overexpression. Overexpression of Sup35p appeared to cause pre‐existing [PSI+] aggregates to coalesce into larger aggregates, but these were not toxic per se because they formed even when Sup35Cp rescued growth. Overexpression of Sup45p, but not other tested essential Sup35p binding partners, caused rescue. Sup45–GFPp formed puncta that colocalized with large [PSI+] Sup35‐RFPp aggregates in cells overexpressing Sup35p, and the frequency of the Sup45–GFPp puncta was reduced by rescuing levels of Sup35Cp. In contrast, [PSI+] toxicity caused by a high excess of the Sup35p prion domain (Sup35NMp) was rescued by a single copy of Sup35Cp, was not rescued by Sup45p overexpression and was not associated with the appearance of Sup45–GFPp puncta. This suggests [PSI+] toxicity caused by excess Sup35p verses Sup35NMp is, respectively, through sequestration/inactivation of Sup45p verses Sup35p.
Plant–rhizobacteria interactions alleviate abiotic stress conditions
Authors: DIMKPA CHRISTIAN , WEINAND TANJA , ASCH FOLKARD
Published: August 2009

Root‐colonizing non‐pathogenic bacteria can increase plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stress factors. Bacterial inoculates have been applied as biofertilizers and can increase the effectiveness of phytoremediation. Inoculating plants with non‐pathogenic bacteria can provide ‘bioprotection’ against biotic stresses, and some root‐colonizing bacteria increase tolerance against abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity and metal toxicity. Systematic identification of bacterial strains providing cross‐protection against multiple stressors would be highly valuable for agricultural production in changing environmental conditions. For bacterial cross‐protection to be an effective tool, a better understanding of the underlying morphological, physiological and molecular mechanisms of bacterially mediated stress tolerance, and the phenomenon of cross‐protection is critical. Beneficial bacteria‐mediated plant gene expression studies under non‐stress conditions or during pathogenic rhizobacteria–plant interactions are plentiful, but only few molecular studies on beneficial interactions under abiotic stress situations have been reported. Thus, here we attempt an overview of current knowledge on physiological impacts and modes of action of bacterial mitigation of abiotic stress symptoms in plants. Where available, molecular data will be provided to support physiological or morphological observations. We indicate further research avenues to enable better use of cross‐protection capacities of root‐colonizing non‐pathogenic bacteria in agricultural production systems affected by a changing climate.
Non‐adherence to immunosuppressive medication in renal transplant recipients within the scope of the integrative model of behavioral prediction: a cross‐sectional study
Authors: Schmid‐Mohler Gabriela , Thut Martina Pechula , Wüthrich Rudolf Peter , Denhaerynck Kris , De Geest Sabina
Published: August 2009

Schmid‐Mohler G, Pechula Thut M, Wüthrich RP, Denhaerynck K, De Geest S. Non‐adherence to immunosuppressive medication in renal transplant recipients within the scope of the integrative model of behavioral prediction: a cross‐sectional study. Clin Transplant 2009 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399‐0012.2009.01056.x © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Abstract:  Background:  Non‐adherence to immunosuppressive medication is strongly associated with poor outcomes. Identifying the factors influencing it is a first step in developing adherence interventions. This study’s objective was to investigate the prevalence of self‐reported and collaterally‐reported non‐adherence to immunosuppressives, and, based on the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction, to explore the association between non‐adherence, intention to adhere, attitudes, norms and self‐efficacy.

Methods:  This cross‐sectional study included a convenience sample of 114 renal transplant recipients in follow‐up care, one to five yr post‐transplant. Non‐adherence was measured by self‐reports and collateral reports. Factors of the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction were assessed using a self‐report questionnaire.

Results:  Self‐reports showed non‐adherence of 23.7%; collateral reports showed 3.8%; and a combination of the two showed 26.4%. Logistic regression analysis showed that the attitude “Not all immunosuppressive drugs are necessary to prevent rejection” was less frequent in patients with higher intentions to adhere, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.05 (95% CI 0.01–0.50). The barrier of “Forgetfulness/Interruption of daily routine” was associated with non‐adherence, with an OR of 3.74 (95% CI 1.55–9.03).

Conclusions:  Forgetfulness is the most powerful barrier against adherence. Intention to adhere plays a minor role in non‐adherence in renal transplant recipients.
Turkish nurses' utilization of research evidence in clinical practice and influencing factors
Authors: Özdemir L. , Akdemir N.
Published: August 2009

Background:  Implementing research evidence in clinical practice is a complicated process. Successful implementation requires an understanding of factors related to nurses' competency in different fields regarding research knowledge and skills, clinical practice, organizational and educational issues.

Aim:  To explore the factors that nurses believe are essential for research evidence to become the basis of their practice.

Design and method:  A descriptive design was used in this study. With stratified sampling, a total of 219 nurses were recruited from 55 inpatient clinics of three hospitals in Turkey. The study data were collected by questionnaire consisting of non‐numeric and open‐ended questions in order to obtain the nurses' intact expressions regarding evidence‐based nursing.

Findings:  Respondents who perceived conducting research as a part of their professional role (82) were more likely to implement research into practice than others (68) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, older and highly experienced nurses were more likely to implement evidence into practice (P < 0.05). There was a difference between research utilization and perceived support from organizations (P < 0.05). Nurses who knew the definition of evidence‐based nursing (36; 53.6% always, and 19; 28.5% sometimes) were more likely to utilize research findings in practice than others (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:  The study emphasized the importance of nursing education and organizational support in order to accomplish the implementation of evidence‐based nursing. The findings indicated that integrating all sources of evidence into practice, and appreciating the use of evidence in clinical practice are crucial in surmounting the challenge of achieving evidence‐based practice.
Greek students’ knowledge and sources of information regarding sex education
Authors: Matziou V. , Perdikaris P. , Petsios K. , Gymnopoulou E. , Galanis P. , Brokalaki H.
Published: August 2009

Background:  Human sexuality is a complex part of life and is considered a multidimensional phenomenon. Therefore there is an increased need for adequate and comprehensive sex education, especially for teenagers and young adults.

Aim:  The main aim of the study was to evaluate the level of students’ sexual knowledge, as well as to identify their sources of information regarding sexual life and reproduction.

Population and Method:  A cross‐sectional study using a designed self‐report questionnaire was performed. The study population consisted of 936 students who were attending 10 high schools and four medical schools in Attica. Data were collected after obtaining permission from the Pedagogic Institute of the Greek Ministry of Education.

Findings:  The main sources of students’ sexual information about reproduction were friends (29.1%) and parents (24.0%), whereas school was reported by 14.3% of them. The preferred sources of information, according to students’ perceptions, were sex education specialists (65.6%), followed by school (39.1%), parents (32.2%) and friends (27.7%).

Conclusions:  The importance of school, peer and parent support upon adolescents’ sexual life was revealed by the results of the study. Students’ knowledge level on sex topics is not satisfactory and therefore there is a need for sex education specialists and special courses regarding sex education in Greek schools.
Loss and material culture in South London
Authors: Miller Daniel , Parrott Fiona
Published: August 2009

This article describes the ways in which people, mainly selected from a single street in South London, utilize material culture in dealing with various experiences of separation and loss, such as death or the ending of a relationship. It starts from a dialectical approach to all relationships as consisting of a tension between idealized and actual categories. It then considers how objects are used to resolve this tension. Two aspects of this process are examined in more detail. The first shows how divestment from objects is used to control and extend the process of separation from persons. The second looks at how objects are used to create an economy of memory and relationships. The article thereby brings older anthropological insights on death and social rupture to bear on individuals within a contemporary metropolitan context.

Le présent article décrit les façons dont des sujets sélectionnés principalement dans une même rue du Sud de Londres utilisent la culture matérielle pour faire face à différentes expériences de séparation et de perte, telles qu'un décès ou une rupture amoureuse. Il commence par une approche dialectique de toutes les relations, considérées comme constituées d'une tension entre des catégories idéalisées et réelles. Il examine ensuite la façon dont les objets sont utilisés pour résoudre cette tension. Deux aspects de ce processus sont examinés de façon plus détaillée : le premier montre comment le désinvestissement des objets est utilisé pour contrôler et élargir le processus de séparation d'avec des personnes. Le deuxième examine l'usage fait des objets pour créer une économie des souvenirs et des relations. Les auteurs entendent ainsi rendre des observations anthropologiques anciennes sur la mort et la rupture sociale pertinentes dans l'étude des habitants d'une métropole contemporaine.
A proper funeral: contextualizing community among Caribbean migrants
Authors: Olwig Karen Fog
Published: August 2009

On the basis of an ethnographic narrative of the funeral of a Caribbean migrant in Britain, the argument is made that, while ‘a Caribbean community’ constituted itself through this life‐cycle ritual, it comprised a complexity of relations of varying personal significance, historical depth, and geographical dimension. By thus looking at a Caribbean ‘community’ through the lens of a constitutive ritual act, this analysis raises questions concerning the meaning of ‘ethnic community’, a concept designating a social collectivity defined by a shared place of origin that is increasingly used to identify migrants and contextualize migration studies. These questions point to the need to assess critically how ethnographic studies of immigrants are contextualized, and the categorical thinking, connections, and disconnections that this contextualization implicates.

À partir du récit ethnographique des obsèques d'un migrant des Caraïbes en Grande‐Bretagne, l'auteure avance que bien que la « communauté caraïbe » se constitue à travers ce rituel du cycle de vie , elle est aussi traversée d'un ensemble complexe de relations qui revêtent une signification personnelle, une profondeur historique et une dimension géographique variables. En examinant ainsi une « communauté» caraïbe par le biais d'un acte rituel constitutif, l'analyse soulève des questions concernant la signification de la notion de « communauté ethnique », concept qui désigne une collectivité sociale définie par un lieu d'origine commun et qui est de plus en plus utilisé pour identifier les migrants et contextualiser les études sur les migrations. Ces questions renvoient à la nécessité d'évaluer de façon critique la manière dont les études ethnographiques des immigrés sont contextualisées, et la réflexion catégorielle, les liens et les distinctions qu'implique cette contextualisation.
Do Firms Increase Productivity in Order to Become Exporters?*
Authors: López Ricardo A.
Published: August 2009

Recent studies find that exporters are more productive than non‐exporters and that entry into exporting does not increase firms’ productivity. Thus, firms self‐select into foreign markets. This paper examines productivity before entry into exporting. Using Chilean plant‐level data, we find that productivity and investment increase before plants begin to export. Moreover, productivity of entrants to exporting, but not that of non‐exporters and exporters, increases in response to increases in foreign income, before entry but not after that. The results suggest that the productivity advantage of future exporters may be the result of firms increasing their productivity in order to export.
Effect of Donor, Acceptor, and Donor–Acceptor Codoping on the Electrical Properties of Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 Thin Films for Tunable Device Applications
Authors: Zhang Yuanyuan , Wang Genshui , Chen Ying , Cao Fei , Yang Lihui , Dong Xianlin
Published: August 2009

We have investigated the effects of donor, acceptor, and donor–acceptor codoping on both the dielectric properties and the leakage current behavior of Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 thin films prepared by the metalorganic solution deposition technique. La and Co were selected as donor and acceptor dopants, respectively. The electrical properties depend strongly on the type of dopants. Compared with others, codoped BST films have a much lower loss tangent, higher figure of merit, and lower leakage current. The electronic conduction mechanisms of the three types of dopants are reported.
High Dielectric Permittivity Behavior in Cu‐Doped CaTiO3
Authors: Cheng Bo , Lin Yuan‐Hua , Yang Hao , Lan Jinle , Nan Ce‐Wen , Xiao Xi , He Jinliang
Published: August 2009

Cu‐doped CaTiO3‐based polycrystalline ceramics have been prepared by the conventional solid‐state sintering. Our results indicate that the dielectric constant can be enhanced greatly by increasing the Cu‐doped content, which show weak frequency and temperature dependence. The fitted activation energy is almost same (∼0.10 eV) as the Cu‐doped content is 0.4–0.6, which may be ascribed to the first ionization of the oxygen vacancies. The origin of the high dielectric permittivity observed in these Ca1−xCuxTiO3‐based ceramics should be attributed to the interfacial polarization mechanism, and can be well described by the percolation theory with fc≈0.27 and s≈0.74.
Microstructural Evolution and Grain Growth Kinetics in ZrB2–SiC Composites During Heat Treatment
Authors: Guo Wei‐Ming , Zhang Guo‐Jun , Wang Pei‐Ling
Published: August 2009

This work reported the microstructural evolution and grain growth kinetics of ZrB2–SiC composites containing 10, 20, and 30 vol% SiC during heat treatment at 2000°C. The coarsening of ZrB2 occurred in the three systems, whereas the obvious coarsening for SiC appeared only in the composite with 30 vol% SiC. The kinetics analysis showed the ZrB2 grain growth rate in the ZrB2–30 vol% SiC was 25 times lower than that for ZrB2–10 vol% SiC during heat treatment. Furthermore, the grain growth controlling mechanisms of ZrB2 and SiC were discussed. In addition, it was found that the heat treatment had little effect on Vickers hardness and fracture toughness of ZrB2–SiC.
Corporate Creep: An Institutional View Of Consultancies in a Non‐Profit Organisation
Authors: IRVINE HELEN
Published: August 2009

Professional consultants play a role in mobilising the “creep” of corporate practices from the for‐profit sector, through the public sector and into the non‐profit sector. As well as legitimising these practices, consultancies illustrate the power of professional groups to institute change across sectors. In spite of this, the proliferation of consultancies is under‐researched, particularly in the increasingly sophisticated non‐profit sector. In one year, one religious/ charitable organisation (RCO) commissioned no fewer than five consultancies. This study provides insights about the process by which the consultancies were commissioned, conducted and adopted as RCO grappled with the applicability of corporate practices and its ability to implement them.
Pilot Study of Ampicillin-Ceftriaxone Combination for Treatment of Orthopedic Infections Due to
Enterococcus faecalis
Authors: Euba G. , Lora-Tamayo J. , Murillo O. , Pedrero S. , Cabo J. , Verdaguer R. , Ariza J.
Published: August 2009

Serious
Enterococcus faecalis
infections usually require combination therapy to achieve a bactericidal effect. In orthopedic infections, the prognosis of enterococcal etiology is considered poor, and the use of aminoglycosides is questioned. The ampicillin-ceftriaxone combination has recently been accepted as alternative therapy for enterococcal endocarditis. After one of our patients with endocarditis and vertebral osteomyelitis was cured with ampicillin-ceftriaxone, we started a pilot study of orthopedic infections. Patients with infections due to
E. faecalis
(with two or more surgical samples or blood cultures) diagnosed during 2005 to 2008 were recruited. Polymicrobial infections with ampicillin- and ceftriaxone-resistant microorganisms were excluded. Patients received ampicillin (8 to 16 g/day)-ceftriaxone (2 to 4 g/day) and were followed up prospectively. Of 31 patients with
E. faecalis
infections, 10 received ampicillin-ceftriaxone. Including the first patient, 11 patients were treated with ampicillin-ceftriaxone: 3 with prosthetic joint infections, 3 with instrumented spine arthrodesis device infections, 2 with osteosynthesis device infections, 1 with foot osteomyelitis, and 2 with vertebral osteomyelitis and endocarditis. Six infections (55%) were polymicrobial. All cases except the vertebral osteomyelitis ones required surgery, with retention of foreign material in six cases. Ampicillin-ceftriaxone was given for 25 days (interquartile range, 15 to 34 days), followed by amoxicillin (amoxicilline) being given to seven patients (64%). One patient with endocarditis died within 2 weeks (hemorrhagic stroke) and was not evaluable. For one patient with prosthesis retention, the infection persisted; 9/10 patients (90%) were cured, but 1 patient was superinfected. Follow-up was for 21 months (interquartile range, 14 to 36 months). Ampicillin-ceftriaxone may be a reasonable synergistic combination to treat orthopedic infections due to
E. faecalis
. Our experience, though limited, shows good outcomes and tolerability and may provide a basis for further well-designed comparative studies.
Identification of a Gingipain-Sensitive Surface Ligand ofPorphyromonas gingivalisThat Induces Toll-Like Receptor 2- and 4-Independent NF-κB Activation in CHO Cells
Authors: Haruyama Koki , Yoshimura Atsutoshi , Naito Mariko , Kishimoto Mami , Shoji Mikio , Abiko Yoshimitsu , Hara Yoshitaka , Nakayama Koji
Published: August 2009

Porphyromonas gingivalisis a major periodontal pathogen that has the pathogenic proteinases Arg-specific gingipain and Lys-specific gingipain. We previously found that a cell surface component onP. gingivalisis able to induce Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2)- and TLR4-independent signaling in 7.19 cells and that this component can be degraded by gingipains. In this study, we purified this component from theP. gingivalisgingipain-null mutant KDP136 and obtained two candidate proteins. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis showed that the proteins, with molecular masses of 123 and 43 kDa, were encoded by PGN_0748 and PGN_0728 (pgm6), respectively, in theP. gingivalisATCC 33277 genome sequence. The PGN_0748-encoded protein, which we refer to asgingipain-sensitiveligand A (GslA), reacted with antiserum that could effectively inhibit the activity of KDP136 to induce NF-κB activation in 7.19 cells, but Pgm6 did not. To further determine what protein is responsible for the NF-κB activation, we constructedgslA,pgm6, andpgm6 pgm7deletion mutants from KDP136. When 7.19 cells were exposed to those mutants, thegslAdeletion mutant did not induce NF-κB activation, whereas thepgm6andpgm6 pgm7deletion mutants did. Furthermore, NF-κB activation in 7.19 cells induced by KDP136 was partially inhibited by antiserum against a recombinant protein expressed from the 5′-terminal third ofgslA. These results indicate that GslA is one of the factors that induce NF-κB activation in 7.19 cells. Interestingly, thegslAgene was present in four of sevenP. gingivalisstrains tested. This restricted distribution might be associated with the virulence potential of each strain.
Hag Mediates Adherence ofMoraxella catarrhalisto Ciliated Human Airway Cells
Authors: Balder Rachel , Krunkosky Thomas M. , Nguyen Chi Q. , Feezel Lacey , Lafontaine Eric R.
Published: August 2009

Moraxella catarrhalisis a human pathogen causing otitis media in infants and respiratory infections in adults, particularly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The surface protein Hag (also designated MID) has previously been shown to be a key adherence factor for several epithelial cell lines relevant to pathogenesis byM. catarrhalis, including NCIH292 lung cells, middle ear cells, and A549 type II pneumocytes. In this study, we demonstrate that Hag mediates adherence to air-liquid interface cultures of normal human bronchial epithelium (NHBE) exhibiting mucociliary activity. Immunofluorescent staining and laser scanning confocal microscopy experiments demonstrated that theM. catarrhaliswild-type isolates O35E, O12E, TTA37, V1171, and McGHS1 bind principally to ciliated NHBE cells and that their correspondinghagmutant strains no longer associate with cilia. Thehaggene product ofM. catarrhalisisolate O35E was expressed in the heterologous genetic background of a nonadherentHaemophilus influenzaestrain, and quantitative assays revealed that the adherence of these recombinant bacteria to NHBE cultures was increased 27-fold. These experiments conclusively demonstrate that thehaggene product is responsible for the previously unidentified tropism ofM. catarrhalisfor ciliated NHBE cells.
Uncoupling Scavenger Receptor A-Mediated Phagocytosis of Bacteria from Endotoxic Shock Resistance
Authors: Amiel Eyal , Acker Julie L. , Collins Ryan M. , Berwin Brent
Published: August 2009

Unresolved infection by gram-negative bacteria can result in the potentially lethal condition known as endotoxic shock, whereby uncontrolled inflammation can lead to multiple organ failure and death of the infected host. Previous results have demonstrated that animals deficient in class A scavenger receptor (SRA), a trafficking receptor for bacteria and bacterium-derived molecules, are more susceptible to endotoxic shock. This has been proposed to be a result of impaired SRA-dependent phagocytic clearance of bacteria resulting in stronger proinflammatory stimuli. In this report, we test the hypothesis that there is an obligate reciprocal relationship between SRA-mediated phagocytosis of bacteria and susceptibility to endotoxic shock. Here, we demonstrate that both SRA-dependent and -independent gram-negative bacterial strains elicit SRA-dependent increased cytokine production in vitro and in vivo and increased susceptibility to endotoxic shock in SRA-deficient mice. This is the first evidence showing that SRA-mediated clearance of LPS is functionally distinct from the role of SRA in bacterial phagocytosis and is a formal demonstration that the SRA-dependent cytokine responses and the resultant endotoxic shock are not coupled to SRA-mediated clearance of bacteria.
Compact and progressive plant models for streaming in networked virtual environments
Authors: Mondet Sebastien , Cheng Wei , Morin Geraldine , Grigoras Romulus , Boudon Frederic , Ooi Wei Tsang
Published: August 2009

Just as in the real world, plants are important objects in virtual worlds for creating pleasant and realistic environments, especially those involving natural scenes. As such, much effort has been made in realistic modeling of plants. As the trend moves towards networked and distributed virtual environments, however, the current models are inadequate as they are not designed for progressive transmissions. In this article, we fill in this gap by proposing a progressive representation for plants based on generalized cylinders. We model the shape and thickness of branches in a plant as Bézier curves, group the curves according to the similarity, and differentially code the curves to represent the plant in a compact and progressive manner. To facilitate the transmission of the plants, we quantify the visual contribution of each branch and use this weight in packet scheduling. We show the efficiency of our representations and the effectiveness of our packet scheduler through experiments over a wide area network.
SEVA
Authors: Liu Xiaotao , Corner Mark , Shenoy Prashant
Published: August 2009

In this article, we study how a sensor-rich world can be exploited by digital recording devices such as cameras and camcorders to improve a user's ability to search through a large repository of image and video files. We design and implement a digital recording system that records identities and locations of objects (as advertised by their sensors) along with visual images (as recorded by a camera). The process, which we refer to as
Sensor-Enhanced Video Annotation (SEVA)
, combines a series of correlation, interpolation, and extrapolation techniques. It produces a tagged stream that later can be used to efficiently search for videos or frames containing particular objects or people. We present detailed experiments with a prototype of our system using both stationary and mobile objects as well as GPS and ultrasound. Our experiments show that: (i) SEVA has zero error rates for static objects, except very close to the boundary of the viewable area; (ii) for moving objects or a moving camera, SEVA only misses objects leaving or entering the viewable area by 1--2 frames; (iii) SEVA can scale to 10 fast-moving objects using current sensor technology; and (iv) SEVA runs online using relatively inexpensive hardware.
GFS: Evolution on Fast-forward
Authors: McKusick Marshall Kirk , Quinlan Sean
Published: August 2009

During the early stages of development at Google, the initial thinking did not include plans for building a new file system. While work was still being done on one of the earliest versions of the company’s crawl and indexing system, however, it became quite clear to the core engineers that they really had no other choice, and GFS (Google File System) was born.
Mjolnir: Extending HAMMER Using a Diffusion Transformation Model and Histogram Equalization for Deformable Image Registration
Authors: Ellingsen Lotta M. , Prince Jerry L.
Published: August 2009

Image registration is a crucial step in many medical image analysis procedures such as image fusion, surgical planning, segmentation and labeling, and shape comparison in population or longitudinal studies. A new approach to volumetric intersubject deformable image registration is presented. The method, called Mjolnir, is an extension of the highly successful method HAMMER. New image features in order to better localize points of correspondence between the two images are introduced as well as a novel approach to generate a dense displacement field based upon the weighted diffusion of automatically derived feature correspondences. An extensive validation of the algorithm was performed on T1‐weighted SPGR MR brain images from the NIREP evaluation database. The results were compared with results generated by HAMMER and are shown to yield significant improvements in cortical alignment as well as reduced computation time.
Heterelogous Expression of Plant Genes
Authors: Yesilirmak Filiz , Sayers Zehra
Published: August 2009

Heterologous expression allows the production of plant proteins in an organism which is simpler than the natural source. This technology is widely used for large‐scale purification of plant proteins from microorganisms for biochemical and biophysical analyses. Additionally expression in well‐defined model organisms provides insights into the functions of proteins in complex pathways. The present review gives an overview of recombinant plant protein production methods using bacteria, yeast, insect cells, and Xenopus laevis oocytes and discusses the advantages of each system for functional studies and protein characterization.
Obesity and Breast Cancer: The Roles of Peroxisome Proliferator‐Activated Receptor‐γ and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor‐1
Authors: Carter Jennifer C. , Church Frank C.
Published: August 2009

Breast cancer is the most prominent cancer among females in the United States. There are a number of risk factors associated with development of breast cancer, including consumption of a high‐fat diet and obesity. Plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1) is a cytokine upregulated in obesity whose expression is correlated with a poor prognosis in breast cancer. As a key mediator of adipogenesis and regulator of adipokine production, peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ (PPAR‐γ) is involved in PAI‐1 expression from adipose tissue. We summarize the current knowledge linking PPAR‐γ and PAI‐1 expression to high‐fat diet and obesity in the risk of breast cancer.
Analysis of One‐Bond Se‐Se Nuclear Couplings in Diselenides and 1,2‐Diselenoles on the Basis of Molecular Orbital Theory: Torsional Angular Dependence, Electron Density Influence, and Origin in  1J(Se, Se)
Authors: Tanioku Akito , Hayashi Satoko , Nakanishi Waro
Published: August 2009

Nuclear couplings for the Se‐Se bonds,  1J(Se, Se), are analyzed on the basis of the molecular orbital (MO) theory. The values are calculated by employing the triple ζ basis sets of the Slater type at the DFT level.  1J(Se, Se) are calculated modeled by MeSeSeMe (1a), which shows the typical torsional angular dependence on ϕ(CMeSeSeCMe). The dependence explains well the observed  1Jobsd (Se, Se) of small values (≤64 Hz) for RSeSeR′ (1) (simple derivatives of 1a) and large values (330–380 Hz) observed for 4‐substituted naphto[1,8‐c, d]‐1,2‐diselenoles (2) which correspond to symperiplanar diselenides.  1J (Se, Se : 2) becomes larger as the electron density on Se increases. The paramagnetic spin‐orbit terms contribute predominantly. The contributions are evaluated separately from each MO (ψi) and each ψi → ψa transition, where ψi and ψa are occupied and unoccupied MO′s, respectively. The separate evaluation enables us to recognize and visualize the origin and the mechanism of the couplings.
Protective Effects ofSalvia miltiorrhizaeon Multiple Organs of Rats with Obstructive Jaundice
Authors: Ling Zhang , Xiping Zhang , Fengmei Qiu , Ping Yan , Qihui Cheng
Published: August 2009

Purpose. we aim to explore the protective effects ofSalvia miltiorrhizaeinjection on multiple organs of obstructive jaundice (OJ) rats through observing the impact of this injection on the pathological alterations in these organs and the contents of endotoxin,PLA2, and TNF-αin the blood.Methods. A total of 90 mice were randomly divided into sham-operated group, model-control group, andSalvia miltiorrhizae-treated group (n=30). According to the duration of postoperative administration, each group was further divided into two subgroups, namely, 21 d subgroup (consecutive administration for 21 d,n=15) and 28 d subgroup (consecutive administration for 28 d,n=15). After administration, the pathological alterations in multiple organs were observed and the contents of endotoxin,PLA2, and TNF-αin the blood were determined.Results. Compared to model control group, the number of dead rats in treated group decreased though there was no statistical difference between the two groups. The pathological alterations in the liver, kidney, and spleen in treated group showed varying degrees of mitigation. At all time points, the contents of plasma endotoxin declined significantly. On day 28, plasmaPLA2content in treated group was significantly lower than that in model-control group.Conclusion.Salvia miltiorrhizaeinjection is able to obviously reduce the contents of inflammatory mediators in the blood of OJ rats and exert some protective effects on multiple organs of these rats.
Global Asymptotic Stability for a Fourth‐Order Rational Difference Equation
Authors: Gülpinar Meseret Tuba , Bayram Mustafa
Published: August 2009

Our aim is to
investigate the global behavior of the following
fourth‐order rational difference equation:
xn+1 = (xnxn−2xn−3 + xn + xn−2 + xn−3 + a)/(xnxn−2 + xnxn−3 + xn−2xn−3 + 1 + a), n = 0, 1, 2, … where a ∈ [0, ∞) and the initial values x−3, x−2, x−1, x0 ∈ (0, ∞). To verify that the positive equilibrium point of the
equation is globally asymptotically stable, we used the rule of
the successive lengths of positive and negative semicycles of
nontrivial solutions of the aforementioned equation.
TIS11 Family Proteins and Their Roles in Posttranscriptional Gene Regulation
Authors: Baou Maria , Jewell Andrew , Murphy John J.
Published: August 2009

Posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression of mRNAs containing adenine‐uridine rich elements (AREs) in their 3′ untranslated regions is mediated by a number of different proteins that interact with these elements to either stabilise or destabilise them. The present review concerns the TPA‐inducible sequence 11 (TIS11) protein family, a small family of proteins, that appears to interact with ARE‐containing mRNAs and promote their degradation. This family of proteins has been extensively studied in the past decade. Studies have focussed on determining their biochemical functions, identifying their target mRNAs, and determining their roles in cell functions and diseases.
Global Dynamics of Discrete Competitive Models with Large Intrinsic Growth Rates
Authors: Wu Chunqing , Cui Jing-an
Published: August 2009

The global dynamics of discrete competitive model of Lotka‐Volterra type with two species
is considered. Earlier works have shown that the unique positive equilibrium is globally attractive under
the assumption that the intrinsic growth rates of the two competitive species are less than 1+ln 2, and
further the unique positive equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable under the stronger condition
that the intrinsic growth rates of the two competitive species are less than or equal to 1. We prove
that the system can also be globally asymptotically stable when the intrinsic growth rates of the two
competitive species are greater than 1 and globally attractive when the intrinsic growth rates of the two competitive species are greater than 1 + ln 2.
Various Techniques for the Surgical Treatment of Common Bile Duct Stones: A Meta Review
Authors: Shojaiefard Abolfazl , Esmaeilzadeh Majid , Ghafouri Ali , Mehrabi Arianeb
Published: August 2009

Common bile duct stones (CBDSs) may occur in up to 3%–14.7% of all patients for whom cholecystectomy is preformed. Patients presenting with CBDS have symptoms including: biliary colic, jaundice, cholangitis, pancreatitis or may be asymptomatic. It is important to distinguish between primary and secondary stones, because the treatment approach varies. Stones found before, during, and after cholecystectomy had also differing treatments. Different methods have been used for the treatment of CBDS but the suitable therapy depends on conditions such as patient' satisfaction, number and size of stones, and the surgeons experience in laparoscopy. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with or without endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy, laparoscopic CBD exploration (transcystic or transcholedochal), or laparotomy with CBD exploration (by T-tube, C-tube insertion, or primary closure) are the most commonly used methods managing CBDS. We will review the pathophysiology of CBDS, diagnosis, and different techniques of treatment with especial focus on the various surgical modalities.
The Measurement Paradox in Valiant Network Design
Authors: Roughan Matthew
Published: August 2009

Valiant network design was proposed, at least in part, to
counter the difficulties in measuring network traffic matrices.
However, in this paper we show that in a Valiant network
design, the traffic matrix is in fact easy to measure, leading
to a subtle paradox in the design strategy.
Finite Dimensional Uniform Attractors for the Nonautonomous Camassa‐Holm Equations
Authors: Wu Delin
Published: August 2009

We consider the uniform attractors for the three‐dimensional nonautonomous Camassa‐Holm equations in the periodic box Ω = [0,L]3. Assuming , we establish the existence of the uniform attractors in D(A1/2) and D(A). The fractal dimension is estimated for the kernel sections of the uniform attractors obtained.
p27
kip1
–838C>A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Is Associated With Restenosis Risk After Coronary Stenting and Modulates p27
kip1
Promoter Activity
Authors: van Tiel Claudia M. , Bonta Peter I. , Rittersma Saskia Z.H. , Beijk Marcel A.M. , Bradley Edward J. , Klous Anita M. , Koch Karel T. , Baas Frank , Jukema J. Wouter , Pons Douwe , Sampietro M. Lourdes , Pannekoek Hans , de Winter Robbert J. , de Vries Carlie J.M.
Published: August 2009

Background—

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27
kip1
is a key regulator of smooth muscle cell and leukocyte proliferation in vascular disease, including in-stent restenosis. We therefore hypothesized that common genetic variations or single nucleotide polymorphisms in p27
kip1
may serve as a useful tool in risk stratification for in-stent restenosis.

Methods and Results—

Three single nucleotide polymorphisms concerning the
p27

kip1

gene (−838C>A, rs36228499; −79C>T, rs34330; +326G>T, rs2066827) were determined in a cohort of 715 patients undergoing coronary angioplasty and stent placement. We discovered that the p27
kip1
-838C>A single nucleotide polymorphism is associated with clinical in-stent restenosis; the −838AA genotype decreases the risk of target vessel revascularization (hazard ratio, 0.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.10 to 0.77). This finding was replicated in another cohort study of 2309 patients (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% confidence interval, 0.40 to 0.93). No association was detected between this end point and the p27
kip1
-79C>T and +326G>T single nucleotide polymorphisms. We subsequently studied the functional importance of the −838C>A single nucleotide polymorphism and detected a 20-fold increased basal p27
kip1
transcriptional activity of the −838A allele containing promoter.

Conclusions—

Patients with the p27
kip1
-838AA genotype have a decreased risk of in-stent restenosis corresponding with enhanced promoter activity of the −838A allele of this cell-cycle inhibitor, which may explain decreased smooth muscle cell proliferation.
Phosphate-Activated Glutaminase-Containing Neurons in the Rat Paraventricular Nucleus Express Angiotensin Type 1 Receptors
Authors: Jiang Nan , Shi Peng , Li Hongwei , Lu Shun , Braseth Leah , Cuadra Adolfo E. , Raizada Mohan K. , Sumners Colin
Published: August 2009

The centrally mediated cardiovascular regulatory actions of angiotensin II in normal and hypertensive rats include angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R)–mediated actions at the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus. Because the PVN consists of multiple neuronal populations, it is important to understand which neuronal types in the PVN are influenced by angiotensin II. Here we have developed a viral vector (Adeno-associated vector 2 [AAV2]-PAG-eGFP [PAG; phosphate-activated glutaminase promoter]) to drive expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) primarily within glutamate neurons. At 10 to 14 days after bilateral microinjection (200 nL per side; 1.2×10
12
genome copies) of AAV2-PAG-eGFP into adult Sprague-Dawley rat PVN, animals were euthanized and brains removed and used for isolation and culture of PVN neurons. Fluorescence microscopy and immunostaining using neuron and PAG-specific antibodies revealed the presence of GFP-containing glutamatergic neurons in these PVN cultures. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings demonstrated that angiotensin II (100 nmol/L) produced a 16% decrease in delayed rectifier potassium current in ≈50% of the GFP-containing neurons, an effect that was abolished by the AT1R antagonist losartan (1 μmol/L). Consistently, 9 of 28 GFP/PAG-expressing neurons contained AT1R mRNA, as indicated by single-cell RT-PCR. Furthermore, specific GFP/PAG-positive neurons in the PVN that project to the rostral ventrolateral medulla of the brain stem express immunoreactive AT1R. In conclusion, we have demonstrated the presence of functional AT1R on PAG-positive (largely glutamate) neurons within rat PVN, certain of which project to the rostral ventrolateral medulla.