bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On multiscale non‐equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Li Shaofan , Sheng Ni
Published: March 2010

In this work, we set forth a multiscale non‐equilibrium molecular dynamics (MS‐NEMD) model. The main objectives of MS‐NEMD model are: (1) establishing a rigorous NEMD that provides direct three‐dimensional simulations of thermal–mechanical motions at atomistic scale, and (2) providing a general computational paradigm for non‐equilibrium multiscale simulations. The proposed MS‐NEMD combines a coarse‐grained continuum thermodynamics model with a fine scale NEMD simulation. A novel concept ofMultiscale Canonical Ensembleis put forth, in which we argue that the coarse‐grained field may provide a heat bath within the coarse scale relaxation time interval, while the fine scale motion may reach to a local equilibrium state during that time interval. In this work, we propose to use a Nosé–Hoover thermostat network that is distributed among the local Voronoi cell‐ensembles, and it will then regulate the difference between the coarse scale thermodynamic temperature and kinetic temperature of the fine scale ensemble. The proposed MS‐NEMD algorithm has the following features: (1) the fine scale distribution function is canonical in the sense that it obeys a drifted local Boltzmann distribution and (2) it can spontaneously and automatically return to the equilibrium state. Several numerical examples have been carried out, in which we have simulated the activation of shock waves or dislocations due to thermal fluctuations. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of simvastatin on the proteome of detergent‐resistant membrane domains: Decreases of specific proteins previously related to cytoskeleton regulation, calcium homeostasis and cell fate
Authors: Ponce Jovita , Brea David , Carrascal Montserrat , Guirao Verónica , DeGregorio‐Rocasolano Nuria , Sobrino Tomás , Castillo José , Dávalos Antonio , Gasull Teresa
Published: March 2010

Cell death induced by over‐activation of glutamate receptors occurs in different neuropathologies. Cholesterol depletors protect from neurotoxic over‐activation of glutamate receptors, and we have recently reported that this neuroprotection is associated with a reduction of the N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate subtype of glutamate receptors in detergent‐resistant membrane domains (DRM). In the present study we used comparative proteomics to further identify which proteins, besides the N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor, change its percentage of association to DRM after treatment of neurons with simvastatin. We detected 338 spots in neuronal DRM subjected to 2‐DE; eleven of these spots changed its intensity after treatment with simvastatin. All 11 differential spots showed reduced intensity in simvastatin‐treated samples and were identified as adipocyte plasma membrane associated protein, enolase, calretinin, coronin 1a, f‐actin capping protein α1, f‐actin capping protein α2, heat shock cognate protein 71, malate dehydrogenase, n‐myc downregulated gene 1, prohibitin 2, Rab GDP dissociation inhibitor, translationally controlled tumor protein and voltage dependent anion selective channel protein 1. The proteins tested colocalized with the lipid raft marker caveolin‐1. Interestingly, the proteins we have identified in the present study had been previously reported to play a role in cell fate and, thus, they might represent novel targets for neuroprotection.
Improved accuracy of cell surface shaving proteomics in Staphylococcus aureus using a false‐positive control
Authors: Solis Nestor , Larsen Martin R. , Cordwell Stuart J.
Published: March 2010

Proteolytic treatment of intact bacterial cells is an ideal means for identifying surface‐exposed peptide epitopes and has potential for the discovery of novel vaccine targets. Cell stability during such treatment, however, may become compromised and result in the release of intracellular proteins that complicate the final analysis. Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen, causing community and hospital‐acquired infections, and is a serious healthcare concern due to the increasing prevalence of multiple antibiotic resistances amongst clinical isolates. We employed a cell surface “shaving” technique with either trypsin or proteinase‐K combined with LC‐MS/MS. Trypsin‐derived data were controlled using a “false‐positive” strategy where cells were incubated without protease, removed by centrifugation and the resulting supernatants digested. Peptides identified in this fraction most likely result from cell lysis and were removed from the trypsin‐shaved data set. We identified 42 predicted S. aureus COL surface proteins from 260 surface‐exposed peptides. Trypsin and proteinase‐K digests were highly complementary with ten proteins identified by both, 16 specific to proteinase‐K treatment, 13 specific to trypsin and three identified in the control. The use of a subtracted false‐positive strategy improved enrichment of surface‐exposed peptides in the trypsin data set to approximately 80% (124/155 peptides). Predominant surface proteins were those associated with methicillin resistance–surface protein SACOL0050 (pls) and penicillin‐binding protein 2′ (mecA), as well as bifunctional autolysin and the extracellular matrix‐binding protein Ebh. The cell shaving strategy is a rapid method for identifying surface‐exposed peptide epitopes that may be useful in the design of novel vaccines against S. aureus.
QIKS – Quantitative identification of kinase substrates
Authors: Morandell Sandra , Grosstessner‐Hain Karin , Roitinger Elisabeth , Hudecz Otto , Lindhorst Thomas , Teis David , Wrulich Oliver A. , Mazanek Michael , Taus Thomas , Ueberall Florian , Mechtler Karl , Huber Lukas. A.
Published: March 2010

Signaling networks regulate cellular responses to external stimuli through post‐translational modifications such as protein phosphorylation. Phosphoproteomics facilitate the large‐scale identification of kinase substrates. Yet, the characterization of critical connections within these networks and the identification of respective kinases remain the major analytical challenge. To address this problem, we present a novel approach for the identification of direct kinase substrates using chemical genetics in combination with quantitative phosphoproteomics. Quantitative identification of kinase substrates (QIKS) is a novel‐screening platform developed for the proteome‐wide substrate‐analysis of specific kinases. Here, we aimed to identify substrates of mitogen‐activated protein kinase/Erk kinase (Mek1), an essential kinase in the mitogen‐activated protein kinase cascade. An ATP analog‐sensitive mutant of Mek1 (Mek1‐as) was incubated with a cell extract from Mek1 deficient cells. Phosphorylated proteins were analyzed by LC‐MS/MS of IMAC‐enriched phosphopeptides, labeled differentially for relative quantification. The identification of extracellular regulated kinase 1/2 as the sole cytoplasmic substrates of MEK1 validates the applicability of this approach and suggests that QIKS could be used to identify substrates of a wide variety of kinases.
The risk of suicide in cancer patients: a review of the literature
Authors: Robson Anna , Scrutton Frances , Wilkinson Liz , MacLeod Fiona
Published: March 2010

Objectives: This review investigates the risk of suicide in people diagnosed with cancer.

Method: A literature search of PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL yielded 677 articles of which the abstracts were reviewed for their relevance. Seventy‐one articles were identified as relevant and a further 3 were identified in a search of cited and citing articles; following application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 39 articles were included in the review.

Results: The reported incidence of completed suicide in cancer patients ranged from standardised mortality ratio of 1 to 11. The reported percentages of suicidal ideation in non‐psychiatric populations of cancer patients ranged from 0.8 to 71.4%, compared to a reported prevalence of suicidal ideation in the general population, of between 1.1 and 19.8%. Risk factors identified for completed suicide and suicidal ideation in cancer patients include mental health, socio‐demographic and illness factors. Some of these risk factors extend to the general population; however, some are specific to cancer such as cancer site, physical functioning and prognosis.

Conclusions: Despite the prevalence of suicidal ideation in a cancer population being comparable to the general population, the prevalence of completed suicide is elevated. Although suicidal ideation does not necessarily result in completed suicide, it is important that adequate training be provided for cancer professionals on the risk factors for suicide in cancer patients. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cancer patients' experience of positive and negative changes due to the illness: relationships with psychological well‐being, coping, and goal reengagement
Authors: Schroevers Maya J. , Kraaij Vivian , Garnefski Nadia
Published: March 2010

Objective: Most studies in cancer patients on psychological changes focused on positive changes (so‐called ‘posttraumatic growth’), with surprisingly little attention on the possibility that patients may experience both positive and negative changes. This study investigated the relationship between positive and negative changes, and their association with positive and negative affect. We also examined the correlates of positive and negative changes, specifically the role of coping and goal reengagement.

Methods: This cross‐sectional study was conducted in 108 patients. We used Pearson correlations and Regression analyses to examine the research questions.

Results: Positive and negative changes were relatively unrelated to each other. More positive changes were related to more positive affect, whereas more negative changes were related to more negative affect and less positive affect. Approach coping by more positive reappraisal and goal reengagement was significantly associated with more positive changes. More use of avoidant coping by self‐distraction was related to more negative changes.

Conclusions: Patients experienced both positive and negative changes as a result of cancer. These changes were significantly related to patients' well‐being, as well as to their coping and goal reengagement strategies. This knowledge may be incorporated in psychological interventions. Cancer patients can be assisted to learn to acknowledge both positive and negative changes in their life and to approach rather than avoid difficult situations. Patients may also be supported to engage in alternative meaningful goals in life. This is likely to help them find positive meaning. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Attentional Function Index—a self‐report cognitive measure
Authors: Cimprich Bernadine , Visovatti Moira , Ronis David L.
Published: March 2010

Objective: Cognitive assessment in individuals with cancer requires both measured performance on neuropsychological tests and self‐report of effectiveness in functioning. Few instruments are available to assess the perceived impact of cognitive alterations on daily functioning in individuals treated for cancer. In this study, we investigated the psychometric properties of a theoretically based instrument, and the Attentional Function Index (AFI), designed to measure perceived effectiveness in common activities requiring attention and working memory, particularly the ability to formulate plans, carry out tasks, and function effectively in daily life.

Methods: Women (N=172), ages 27–86 years, completed the questionnaire before primary treatment for early stage breast cancer. Construct validity was established using exploratory principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation.

Results: A 13‐item instrument emerged with 3 subscales, namely effective action, attentional lapses, and interpersonal effectiveness, which explained 74.69% of total variance. The internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's α) were 0.92 for the total instrument, and ranged from 0.80 to 0.92 for the 3 subscales. Further examination of validity indicated that the scores on the AFI (1) showed expected correlations with established measures of ability to concentrate, cognitive failures, states of confusion, and mental fatigue, and (2) could distinguish differences in perceived cognitive functioning between younger and older age groups. AFI scores were not significantly associated with years of education or presence of comorbid conditions.

Conclusion: The brief AFI has demonstrated usefulness for assessment of perceived cognitive functioning in populations with life‐threatening and chronic illness, such as breast cancer. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The High‐Pressure Characterization of Energetic Materials: 1‐Methyl‐5‐Nitramino‐1H‐Tetrazole
Authors: Ciezak Jennifer A.
Published: March 2010

Pressure–volume relations and optical Raman and Infrared spectra of polycrystalline 1MNT have been obtained under quasi‐hydrostatic conditions up to 16 and 40 GPa, respectively, by using diamond anvil cell, synchrotron‐based angle‐resolved X‐ray diffraction, and microspectroscopy. The X‐ray measurements show that the pressure–volume relations remain smooth up to 16 GPa at room temperature, while vibrational measurements show no evidence of a phase transition to near 40 GPa. Anomalous increases of several vibrational intensities and bandwidths suggest that subtle molecular distortions and structural modifications occur in the crystal as pressure increases. Decompression experiments indicate the structural modifications are reversible.
Analysis of field failure data when modeled Weibull slope increases with time
Authors: Rand Daniel R. , McLinn James A.
Published: March 2010

Weibull time‐to‐fail distributions cannot be correctly estimated from field data when manufacturing populations from different vintages have different failure modes. To investigate the pitfalls of ongoing Weibull parameter estimation, two cases, based upon real events, were analyzed. First, a time‐to‐fail distribution was generated assuming the same Weibull shape parameter representing an increasing failure rate for each monthly batch or vintage of production. The shape parameter was estimated from simulated field data at regular periods as the population accumulated service time. Estimates of the shape parameter were not constant, but gradually decreased (as had occurred in a real system) with added service time. In the second case, field reliability performance was modeled to match the actual historical data for one product from a disk drive manufacturer. The actual data was proprietary and was not directly available for analysis. A production schedule was modeled with a mix of two failure characteristics. The population reaching the field in the first 12 months had a low, constant failure rate. For the second and third years of production, higher volumes were introduced that had the higher, increasing failure rates of the first case. Assessment of the mixed population at each month of calendar time resulted in an increasing Weibull shape parameter estimate at each assessment. When the two populations were separated and estimated properly, a better fit with more accurate estimates of Weibull shape parameters resulted. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantitative analysis of low‐abundance peptides in HeLa cell cytoplasm by targeted liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and stable isotope dilution: emphasising the distinction between peptide detection and peptide identification
Authors: Le Bihan Thierry , Grima Ramon , Martin Sarah , Forster Thorsten , Le Bihan Yann
Published: March 2010

We present the application of a targeted liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) approach developed on a linear ion trap for the evaluation of the abundance of cytoplasmic proteins from a HeLa cell extract. Using a standard data‐dependent approach, we identified some specific peptides from this extract which were also commercially available in their AQUA form (use for absolute quantitation). For some of the peptides, we observed a non‐linear response between the intensity and the added quantity which was then fitted using a quadratic fit. All AQUA peptides spiked into a mix of 3 µg of the HeLa cell digest extract were detected down to 16 fmol. We placed an emphasis on peptide detection which, in this study, is performed using a combination of properties such as three specific Q3‐like ion signatures (for a given Q1‐like selection) and co‐elution with the AQUA peptide counterparts. Detecting a peptide without necessarily identifying it using a search engine imposes less constraint in terms of tandem mass (MS/MS) spectra purity. An example is shown where a peptide is detected using those criteria but could not be identified by Mascot due to its lower abundance. To complement this observation, we used a cross‐correlation analysis approach in order to separate two populations of MS/MS fragments based on differences in their elution patterns. Such an approach opens the door to new strategies to analyse lower intensity peptide fragments. An in silico analysis of the human trypsinosome allows the evaluation of how unique are the sets of features that we are using for peptide detection. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Automated verification and refinement for physical-layer protocols
Authors: Brown Geoffrey M. , Pike Lee
Published: March 2010

This paper demonstrates how to use a
satisfiability modulo theories
(SMT) solver together with a bounded model checker to verify properties of real-time physical layer protocols. The method is first used to verify the Biphase Mark protocol, a protocol that has been verified numerous times previously, allowing for a comparison of results. The techniques are extended to the 8N1 protocol used in universal asynchronous receiver transmitters. We then demonstrate the use of temporal refinement to link a finite state specification of 8N1 with its real-time implementation. This refinement relationship relieves a significant disadvantage of SMT approaches—their inability to scale to large problems. Finally, capturing the impact of metastability on timing requirements is a key issue in modeling physical-layer protocols. Rather than model metastability directly, a contribution of our models is treating its effect as a constraint on non-determinism.
A Modified Nuss Procedure for Late Adolescent and Adult Pectus Excavatum
Authors: Yoon Yoo Sang , Kim Hong Kwan , Choi Yong Soo , Kim Kwhanmien , Shim Young Mog , Kim Jhingook
Published: March 2010

Background

Although the Nuss procedure has been widely adopted as a standard procedure in children with pectus excavatum, reports focusing on its use in adults are rare. We retrospectively reviewed postoperative results to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Nuss procedure in late adolescents and adults with pectus excavatum.

Methods

Between 2004 and 2007, a total of 44 patients (M:F = 38:6) with a median age of 20 underwent the Nuss procedure. The pectus bar was inserted under thoracoscopic guidance and the depressed sternum was lifted by means of a crane device before rotating the bar. The bar was secured with steel wires laterally at three points. A compound bar and sometimes double bar insertion was performed.

Results

The median length of hospital stay was three days. Complications occurred in nine patients, including pneumothorax in five, bar rotation in two, wound infection in two, and pericardial effusion in one. Reoperation was performed in three patients to correct bar rotation (n = 2) and incomplete repair (n = 1). Three of the 26 patients with a single bar required reoperation, whereas none of the 18 with a double bar had a second operation. There was no recurrence of the chest deformity over median follow‐up of 12 months, except in one patient from whom the bar was removed prematurely.

Conclusions

Using the thoracoscope, the compound bar technique, the 3‐point wire fixation, the crane technique, and sometimes double bar insertion showed that the Nuss procedure could be performed safety and effectively in late adolescent and adult patients with pectus excavatum.
A Parametric Design Study of an Electrochemical Sensor
Authors: Garcia Daniel Ernest , Chen Ting-Hsuan , Wei Fang , Ho Chih-Ming
Published: March 2010

The development of highly sensitive biosensors for the detection of biomolecules, such as the biomarker interleukin-8 for the early detection of oral cancer, requires optimization of sensor design. To augment the performance of an electrochemical sensor, this study used a microscale, aptamer-based electrochemical sensor for detecting botulinum neurotoxin aptamer hybridization. We first used top—down lithographic processing to define the pattern of the electrodes and then used bottom—up manufacturing to modify the surface molecular properties for reducing nonspecific binding. We systemically examined the effects of the design parameters of an aptamer-based electrochemical sensor. Specifically, five key design parameters were examined: the area of the working electrode (WE), the area of the counter electrode (CE), the separation distance between the WE and CE, the overlap length between the WE and CE, and the aptamer concentration. Through an analysis of the signal and noise generated across variations of the different parameters, the significance of each parameter in sensor performance was determined. In particular, we found that the area of the WE was the only key parameter that influenced the performance of the sensor. The output signal level increased with the area of the WE and the signal-to-noise ratio was about constant in the tested range (i.e., from 0.02 to 4 mm2).
Assessment of the Accutrend GCT and PTS CardioChek meters to measure blood triglyceride concentrations in cats
Authors: Kluger Elissa K. , Dhand Navneet K. , Baral Randolph M. , Snow David H. , Malik Richard , Govendir Merran
Published: March 2010

Point-of-care (POC) meters that determine whole blood triglyceride (TG) concentrations are used in human medicine to monitor both fasting and post-prandial TG concentrations. The aim of this study was to evaluate their performance for determining feline TG concentrations. A total of 116 venous blood samples were collected from 55 cats. TG concentrations were measured in whole blood using two meters: the Accutrend glucose cholesterol triglyceride (GCT) (GCT: Roche Diagnostics) and PTS CardioChek (PTS – Polymer Technology Systems), and results compared to those determined by a National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited veterinary laboratory. The GCT was not suitable for use in cats with normal TG concentrations (<0.9 mmol/l), as it overestimated almost 80% of the values; however, this device performed better with TG concentrations between 0.9 and 2.0 mmol/l. The PTS meter performed well in cats with normal TG concentrations, correctly classifying 90% of values as ‘normal’, and fairly well with TG concentrations <2.0 mmol/l. The PTS meter could be used to determine whether cats have normal fasting TG concentrations or predict mild elevations in serum TG, whereas the GCT meter can only be used to predict cats with elevated TG concentrations. Although both meters have limitations in determining some TG concentrations, the PTS in particular, could be used as a screening tool to distinguish normal cats to those with hypertriglyceridaemia.
Epidermal growth factor receptor mutation and diverse tumors: Case report and concise literature review
Authors: Chintala Lakshmi , Kurzrock Razelle
Published: March 2010

We document an EGFR mutation in a patient with papillary renal cell cancer with a history of multiple therapies, including interferon‐alfa, interleukin‐2, 5‐fluorouracil, and interferon‐alfa together with 13‐cis‐retinoic acid, to which floxuridine was later added, and thalidomide maintenance therapy for six years. We provide a succinct review of the PubMed‐derived literature on EGFR mutations in diverse tumors, which indicates that a subset of patients with various tumor types may harbor EGFR mutations. A 32‐year old woman with sporadic, metastatic papillary renal cancer was found to harbor an EGFR kinase domain mutation in addition to the MET kinase mutation typically found in this disease. Since lung cancer patients with EGFR mutations often respond well to EGFR inhibitor therapy and EGFR mutations occur in a variety of tumors, it should be worthwhile to assess EGFR status prospectively in other tumors and study the results of treatment with EGFR inhibitors in these patients.
An optimization process in Value‐at‐Risk estimation
Authors: Huang Alex YiHou
Published: March 2010

A new method is proposed to estimate Value‐at‐Risk (VaR) by Monte Carlo simulation with optimal back‐testing results. The Monte Carlo simulation is adjusted through an iterative process to accommodate recent shocks, thereby taking into account the latest market conditions. Empirical validation covering the current financial crisis shows that VaR estimation via the optimization process is relatively reliable and consistent, and generally outperforms the VaR generated by a simple Monte Carlo simulation. This is particularly true in cases when the out‐of‐sample evaluation sample spans a lengthy period, as the traditional method tends to underestimate the number of extreme shocks.
Maternal protein restriction with or without folic acid supplementation during pregnancy alters the hepatic transcriptome in adult male rats
Authors: Lillycrop Karen A. , Rodford Joanne , Garratt Emma S. , Slater-Jefferies Joanne L. , Godfrey Keith M. , Gluckman Peter D. , Hanson Mark A. , Burdge Graham C.
Published: March 2010

Feeding pregnant rats a protein-restricted (PR) diet induces altered expression of candidate genes in the liver of the adult offspring, which can be prevented by supplementation of the PR diet with folic acid (PRF). We investigated the effect of maternal nutrition during pregnancy on the liver transcriptome in their adult male offspring. Pregnant rats were fed control, PR or PRF diets. Male offspring were killed on day 84. The liver transcriptome was analysed by microarray (six livers per maternal dietary group) followed bypost hocanalysis of relative mRNA levels and gene ontology. These results were confirmed for selected genes by real-time RT-PCR. There were 311 genes that differed significantly ( ≥ 1·5-fold change;P < 0·05) between PR offspring (222 increased) and control offspring, while 191 genes differed significantly between PRF offspring (forty-five increased) compared with offspring of control dams. There were sixteen genes that were significantly altered in both PR and PRF offspring compared with controls. Ion transport, developmental process, and response to reactive oxygen species (RROS) and steroid hormone response (SHR) ontologies were altered in PR offspring. Folic acid supplementation prevented changes within RROS and SHR response pathways, but not in ion transport or developmental process. There was no effect of maternal PR on mRNA expression of imprinted genes. Insulin 1 and Pleckstrin homology-like domain family A member 2 were increased significantly in PRF compared with PR offspring. The present findings show that the pattern of induced changes in the adult liver transcriptome were dependent on maternal protein and folic acid intakes during pregnancy.
Sex differences in the effects of maternal vitamin supplements on mortality and morbidity among children born to HIV-infected women in Tanzania
Authors: Kawai Kosuke , Msamanga Gernard , Manji Karim , Villamor Eduardo , Bosch Ronald J. , Hertzmark Ellen , Fawzi Wafaie W.
Published: March 2010

We examined whether there are sex differences in the effect of vitamin supplements on birth outcomes, mortality and morbidity by 2 years of age among children born to HIV-infected women in Tanzania. A randomised placebo-controlled trial was conducted among 959 mother–infant pairs. HIV-infected pregnant women were randomly assigned to receive a daily oral dose of one of four regimens: multivitamins (vitamins B-complex, C and E), vitamin A plus β-carotene, multivitamins including vitamin A plus β-carotene or placebo. Supplements were administered during pregnancy and continued after delivery. The beneficial effect of multivitamins on decreasing the risk of low birth weight was stronger among girls (relative risks (RR) = 0·39, 95 % CI 0·22, 0·67) than among boys (RR = 0·81, 95 % CI 0·44, 1·49;Pfor interaction = 0·08). Maternal multivitamin supplements resulted in 32 % reduction in mortality among girls (RR = 0·68, 95 % CI 0·47, 0·97), whereas no effect was found among boys (RR = 1·20, 95 % CI 0·80, 1·78;Pfor interaction = 0·04). Multivitamins had beneficial effects on the overall risks of diarrhoea that did not differ by sex. Vitamin A plus β-carotene alone increased the risk of HIV transmission, but had no effects on mortality, and we found no sex differences in these effects. Sex differential effects of multivitamins on mortality may be due to sex-related differences in the immunological or genetic factors. More research is warranted to examine the effect of vitamins by sex and better understand biological mechanisms mediating such effects.
Novel findings on the metabolic effects of the low glycaemic carbohydrate isomaltulose (Palatinose™)
Authors: Holub Ines , Gostner Andrea , Theis Stephan , Nosek Leszek , Kudlich Theodor , Melcher Ralph , Scheppach W.
Published: March 2010

The slow digestible disaccharide isomaltulose (iso; Palatinose™) is available as novel functional carbohydrate ingredient for manufacturing of low glycaemic foods and beverages. Although basically characterised, various information on physiological effects of iso are still lacking. Thus, the objective of the present study was to expand scientific knowledge of physiological characteristics of iso by a set of three human intervention trials. Using an ileostomy model, iso was found to be essentially absorbed, irrespective of the nature of food (beverage and solid food). Apparent digestibility of 50 g iso from two different meals was 95·5 and 98·8 %; apparent absorption was 93·6 and 96·1 %, respectively. In healthy volunteers, a single dose intake of iso resulted in lower postprandial blood glucose and insulin responses than did sucrose (suc), while showing prolonged blood glucose delivery over 3 h test. In a 4-week trial with hyperlipidaemic individuals, regular consumption of 50 g/d iso within a Western-type diet was well tolerated and did not affect blood lipids. Fasting blood glucose and insulin resistance were lower after the 4-week iso intervention compared with baseline. This would be consistent with possible beneficial metabolic effects as a consequence of the lower and prolonged glycaemic response and lower insulinaemic burden. However, there was no significant difference at 4 weeks after iso compared with suc. In conclusion, the study shows that iso is completely available from the small intestine, irrespective of food matrix, leading to a prolonged delivery of blood glucose. Regular iso consumption is well tolerated also in subjects with increased risk for vascular diseases.
RELIGION, HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL RISK-TAKING AMONG MEN IN GHANA
Authors: GYIMAH STEPHEN OBENG , TENKORANG ERIC Y. , TAKYI BAFFOUR K. , ADJEI JONES , FOSU GABRIEL
Published: March 2010

Although a growing body of research has linked religious involvement with HIV/AIDS protective behaviour in Africa, the focus has mainly been on women. Given the patriarchal nature of African culture, this paper argues for the inclusion of men, a critical group whose sexual behaviours have increasingly been linked to the spread and sustenance of the virus in the region. Drawing on different theoretical discourses and using data from the 2003 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, this paper examines how religious affiliation influences men's risky sexual behaviours. While the results from the bivariate analysis suggested that Muslims and Traditionalists were significantly less likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour compared with Christians, those differences disappeared once socioeconomic variables were controlled, rendering support for the selectivity thesis. This finding could benefit programmatic and policy formulation regarding AIDS prevention in Ghana.
Introduced mammals, vegetation changes and seabird conservation on the Scott Islands, British Columbia, Canada
Authors: HIPFNER J. MARK , LEMON MOIRA J. F. , RODWAY MICHAEL S.
Published: March 2010

The Scott Islands, British Columbia, Canada, support the largest aggregation of breeding seabirds in the eastern Pacific Ocean south of Alaska. However, large seabird populations were eradicated by American MinkNeovison visonand RaccoonsProcyon lotorintroduced to Lanz and Cox islands in the 1930s, while the ecological consequences of the introduction of European RabbitsOryctolagus cuniculusto Triangle Island in the 1920s are unknown. We have seen dramatic changes in the vegetation on Triangle Island in recent decades, chiefly a decrease in Tufted HairgrassDeschampsia cespitosacover and a concomitant increase in SalmonberryRubus spectabiliscover. We carried out vegetation surveys at Triangle Island (1989 and 2004) and its nearest neighbour, rabbit-free Sartine Island (1987 and 2006), to test the hypothesis that rabbits have caused these changes. We found, however, that similar changes have occurred at Sartine Island as at Triangle Island over the same time period. Because these two islands support the bulk of the world's breeding population of Cassin's AukletPtychoramphus aleuticus, a small seabird that selects grass-covered habitat but avoids tall Salmonberry for nesting, the vegetation changes raise serious concerns for a species that has experienced dramatic population declines in recent years. Restoration of seabird nesting habitat by removing American Mink and Raccoons from Lanz and Cox islands will be vital for long-term seabird conservation in the Scott Islands.
SHARP INTEGRAL INEQUALITIES BASED ON GENERAL TWO-POINT FORMULAE VIA AN EXTENSION OF MONTGOMERY’S IDENTITY
Authors: AGLIĆ ALJINOVIĆ A. , PEČARIĆ J. , RIBIČIĆ PENAVA M.
Published: March 2010

We consider families of general two-point quadrature formulae, using the extension of Montgomery’s identity via Taylor’s formula. The formulae obtained are used to present a number of inequalities for functions whose derivatives are fromLpspaces and Bullen-type inequalities.
SERIES SOLUTION OF LARGE DEFORMATION OF A BEAM WITH ARBITRARY VARIABLE CROSS SECTION UNDER AN AXIAL LOAD
Authors: LIAO SHIJUN
Published: March 2010

A general analytic approach is proposed for nonlinear eigenvalue problems governed by nonlinear differential equations with variable coefficients. This approach is based on the homotopy analysis method for strongly nonlinear problems. As an example, a beam with arbitrary variable cross section acted on by a compressive axial load is used to show its validity and effectiveness. This approach provides us with great freedom to transfer the original nonlinear buckling equation with variable coefficients into an infinite number of linear differential equations with constant coefficients that are much easier to solve. More importantly, it provides us with a convenient way to guarantee the convergence of solution series. As an example, the beam displacement and the critical buckling load can be obtained for arbitrary variable cross sections. The influence of nonuniformity of moment of inertia is investigated in detail and the optimal distributions of moment of inertia are studied. It is found that the critical buckling load of a beam with the optimal distribution of moment of inertia can be approximately 21–22% larger than that of a uniform beam with the same average moment of inertia. Mathematically, this approach is rather general and thus can be used to solve many other linear/nonlinear differential equations with variable coefficients.
A SIMPLE ALGORITHM FOR DEDUCTION
Authors: WHITEN BILL
Published: March 2010

It is shown that a simple deduction engine can be developed for a propositional logic that follows the normal rules of classical logic in symbolic form, but the description of what is known about a proposition uses two numeric state variables that conveniently describe unknown and inconsistent, as well as true and false. Partly true and partly false can be included in deductions. The multi-valued logic is easily understood as the state variables relate directly to true and false. The deduction engine provides a convenient standard method for handling multiple or complicated logical relations. It is particularly convenient when the deduction can start with different propositions being given initial values of true or false. It extends Horn clause based deduction for propositional logic to arbitrary clauses. The logic system used has potential applications in many areas. A comparison with propositional logic makes the paper self-contained.
MIXED DELAY-DEPENDENT STABILITY OF HIGH-ORDER NEURAL NETWORKS BASED ON A WEAK COUPLING LMI SET
Authors: LI MINGHAO , ZHOU WUNENG , NI ZIWEI , WANG MINGJUN
Published: March 2010

This paper deals with the problem of discrete and distributed time-delay exponential stability for deterministic and uncertain stochastic high-order neural networks. The concept of a parameter weak coupling linear matrix inequality set (PWCLMIS) is developed. New results are derived in terms of PWCLMIS. Large mixed time delays can be obtained by using this approach. Furthermore, these results are more general than some previous existence results. Two numerical examples are given to show the merit of the approach.
The clinical context of copy number variation in the human genome
Authors: Lee Charles , Scherer Stephen W.
Published: March 2010

During the past five years, copy number variation (CNV) has emerged as a highly prevalent form of genomic variation, bridging the interval between long-recognised microscopic chromosomal alterations and single-nucleotide changes. These genomic segmental differences among humans reflect the dynamic nature of genomes, and account for both normal variations among us and variations that predispose to conditions of medical consequence. Here, we place CNVs into their historical and medical contexts, focusing on how these variations can be recognised, documented, characterised and interpreted in clinical diagnostics. We also discuss how they can cause disease or influence adaptation to an environment. Various clinical exemplars are drawn out to illustrate salient characteristics and residual enigmas of CNVs, particularly the complexity of the data and information associated with CNVs relative to that of single-nucleotide variation. The potential is immense for CNVs to explain and predict disorders and traits that have long resisted understanding. However, creative solutions are needed to manage the sudden and overwhelming burden of expectation for laboratories and clinicians to assay and interpret these complex genomic variations as awareness permeates medical practice. Challenges remain for understanding the relationship between genomic changes and the phenotypes that might be predicted and prevented by such knowledge.
Hybridization for increased yield and nutritional content of snake melon (Cucumis melo L. var. flexuosus)
Authors: Pandey Sudhakar , Dhillon N. P. S. , Sureja A. K. , Singh Dilbag , Malik Ajaz A.
Published: March 2010

This is the first report on increasing yield and nutritional content of snake melon (Cucumis melo L. var. flexuosus) by exploiting intraspecific genetic variation of genetically diverse melons. Inbred snake melon ‘Punjab Long melon 1’ (PLM1) was hybridized with five genetically diverse inbred melons: KP 7 (var. momordica), AM 72 (var. acidulus), ‘Arya 1’ (var. chate), 04-02 (var. tibish) and ‘Punjab Wanga’ (unknown botanical variety). The parents and hybrids were evaluated at three locations for nine traits. Hybrids PLM1 × 04-02 and PLM1 × ‘Punjab Wanga’ exhibited significant (P0.05) heterosis for the number of marketable fruits per plant, and ascorbic acid and carotenoid contents of marketable fruits.
The State and Violence
Authors: Snyder Jack
Published: March 2010

Violence and Social Orders: A Conceptual Framework for Interpreting Recorded Human History (Cambridge 2009) offers a theory of the evolution of the modern state and an even more ambitious framework “for interpreting recorded human history.” The book raises fundamental questions about the political structuring of violence, the functions of the rule of law, and the establishment and maintenance of political order. In doing so, it speaks to a range of political scientists from a variety of methodological and subfield perspectives. We have thus invited four prominent political science scholars of violence and politics to comment on the book: Jack Snyder, Caroline Hartzell, Jean Bethke Elshtain, and Larry Diamond.
Peripheral Visions: Publics, Power and Performance in Yemen, by Lisa Wedeen
Authors: Connolly William E.
Published: March 2010

This is a superb book. Lisa Wedeen brings a complex theory of interpretation to the study of nation building in Yemen. She explores the power of performances that penetrate cultural life as they work upon bodily dispositions and valences. Peripheral Visions has several high points, including a critique of secular theories that separate national imaginaries from Islamic practices of piety; a wonderful exploration of “qat chews”—a custom through which democratic dispositions and a national imaginary are promoted through semipublic discourses; an account of how the weakness of the state can enlarge the imagination of the nation; and an engagement with the effects of global neoliberalism on discursive practices in Yemen. Each level and mode is interwoven with the others. So we gain a complex understanding of politics that is irreducible to the kind of study organized around fixed categories of analysis and “variables” that do not interpenetrate.
Capitalism and Christianity, American Style, by William E. Connolly
Authors: Wedeen Lisa
Published: March 2010

In this passionate, insightful book, William E. Connolly tracks the work of the “evangelical-capitalist resonance machine,” both source and exemplification of a destructive ethos characteristic of contemporary American political life. Born out of the elective affinity between a segment of evangelical Christianity, based on vengeful visions of the Second Coming, and the “cowboy sector of American capitalism,” defined by its “exclusionary drives and claims to special entitlement” (p. 7), this evangelical-capitalist ethos works to shore up and deepen existing inequalities. Through church sermons and Fox News Reports, in practices of consumption and investment, the evangelical-capitalist resonance machine reverberates, working to stymie political debate and deflect political responsibility for the problems this same destructive ethos creates.
Response to William E. Connolly's review of Peripheral Visions: Publics, Power and Performance in Yemen
Authors: Wedeen Lisa
Published: March 2010

William E. Connolly's review of Peripheral Visions is what any author should want, a thoughtful, appreciative account of the book's merits and an invitation to push aspects of the argument further than the book currently does. One point of clarification: I did not mean to suggest that Foucault's work should be read only in terms of its emphasis on coherence and control, or that my own is intended as a blanket critique of his. My understanding of political power and resistance is beholden to Foucault's insofar as he shows how power depends on multiple points of resistance. He thus describes how existing mechanisms of social control get reproduced and yet are also vulnerable to creativity, innovation, and surprise. My point was to challenge Foucault-inspired scholars of colonialism, in particular, who tend to exaggerate the capacities of colonial administrations and to neglect not only outright challenges to colonial rule, but also the ways in which colonial rule could, at times, be irrelevant to inhabitants' political experience. The goal was to distinguish between the stated claims of colonial rulers and colonialism's actual effects. At stake is not simply a reading of Foucault, of course, but a sense of what matters politically—whether scholars emphasize the reproductive power of institutions and ideas or whether they focus on how reproduction places those very ideas and institutions at risk. I want to chart a middle course here, neither exaggerating coherence nor romanticizing resistance.
“Walls” between “Those People”? Contrasting Perspectives on World Politics
Authors: Katzenstein Peter J.
Published: March 2010

This lecture inquires into two existential positions that concern Robert Frost in an excerpt from his poem “Mending Wall.”
Self-Segregation or Deliberation? Blog Readership, Participation, and Polarization in American Politics
Authors: Lawrence Eric , Sides John , Farrell Henry
Published: March 2010

Political scientists and political theorists debate the relationship between participation and deliberation among citizens with different political viewpoints. Blogs provide an important testing ground for their claims. We examine deliberation, polarization, and political participation among blog readers. We find that blog readers gravitate toward blogs that accord with their political beliefs. Few read blogs on both the left and right of the ideological spectrum. Furthermore, those who read left-wing blogs and those who read right-wing blogs are ideologically far apart. Blog readers are more polarized than either non-blog-readers or consumers of various television news programs, and roughly as polarized as US senators. Blog readers also participate more in politics than non-blog readers. Readers of blogs of different ideological dispositions do not participate less than those who read only blogs of one ideological disposition. Instead, readers of both left- and right-wing blogs and readers of exclusively leftwing blogs participate at similar levels, and both participate more than readers of exclusively right-wing blogs. This may reflect social movement-building efforts by left-wing bloggers.