bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dissolution of Lime in Synthetic ‘FeO’‐SiO2 and CaO‐‘FeO’‐SiO2 Slags
Authors: Deng T. , Gran J. , Sichen D.
Published: May 2010

Dissolution of different CaO samples into molten synthetic ‘FeO’‐SiO2 and ‘FeO’‐SiO2‐CaO slags was carried out in a closed tube furnace at 1873 K. The slag was kept stagnant. It was found that the dissolution rate was very fast when CaO rod was dipped into ‘FeO’‐SiO2 slag. In the case of ‘FeO’‐SiO2‐CaO slag, the dissolution of CaO rod in the stagnant slag was retarded after the initial period (2 minutes). Only less than 16 percent CaO reacted with the slag, irrespective of the type of lime. Three phase‐regions were identified in the reacted part of the lime rod by SEM‐EDS analysis. The formation of these regions was explained thermodynamically. A dense layer of 2CaO · SiO2 was found to be responsible for the total stop of the dissolution. It could be concluded that constant removal of the 2CaO · SiO2 layer would be of essence to obtain a high dissolution rate of lime. In this connection, it was found necessary to study the dissolution of lime in moving slag to reach a reliable conclusion regarding the relevance of the reactivity obtained by water ATSM test to the real reactivity of lime in high temperature slag.
Computational Analysis of Precipitation during Continuous Casting of Microalloyed Steel
Authors: Pudar M. , Zamberger S. , Spiradek‐Hahn K. , Radis R. , Kozeschnik E.
Published: May 2010

In this paper, the kinetics of TiN, V(C,N)) and AlN precipitation in microalloyed steel during continuous casting is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The precipitate phase fraction, mean radius, number density and composition are simulated with the thermo‐kinetic software MatCalc and compared with experimental results obtained from transmission electron microscopy analysis. A new methodology for modelling precipitation in cast steel is proposed, which consists of two parts: First, a Scheil – Gulliver simulation, which is carried out to obtain information on the amount of microsegregation during solidification. Then, based on this information, two precipitation kinetics simulations are performed: One with the chemical composition representative for the solute‐poor core of the secondary dendrite arms, the other with the composition of the residual liquid at a fraction of 5%, corresponding to the segregated solute‐rich interdendritic regions. The results of the computer simulations using the new methodology are in good agreement with experimental observation.
Nitric Oxide Stimulates the Proliferation of Neural Stem Cells Bypassing the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor
Authors: Carreira Bruno Pereira , Morte Maria Inês , Inácio Ângela , Costa Gabriel , Rosmaninho-Salgado Joana , Agasse Fabienne , Carmo Anália , Couceiro Patrícia , Brundin Patrik , Ambrósio António Francisco , Carvalho Caetana Monteiro , Araújo Inês Maria
Published: May 2010

Nitric oxide (NO) was described to inhibit the proliferation of neural stem cells. Some evidence suggests that NO, under certain conditions, can also promote cell proliferation, although the mechanisms responsible for a potential proliferative effect of NO in neural stem cells have remained unaddressed. In this work, we investigated and characterized the proliferative effect of NO in cell cultures obtained from the mouse subventricular zone. We found that the NO donor NOC-18 (10 μM) increased cell proliferation, whereas higher concentrations (100 μM) inhibited cell proliferation. Increased cell proliferation was detected rapidly following exposure to NO and was prevented by blocking the mitogen-activated kinase (MAPK) pathway, independently of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor. Downstream of the EGF receptor, NO activated p21Ras and the MAPK pathway, resulting in a decrease in the nuclear presence of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1, p27KIP1, allowing for cell cycle progression. Furthermore, in a mouse model that shows increased proliferation of neural stem cells in the hippocampus following seizure injury, we observed that the absence of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS−/− mice) prevented the increase in cell proliferation observed following seizures in wild-type mice, showing that NO from iNOS origin is important for increased cell proliferation following a brain insult. Overall, we show that NO is able to stimulate the proliferation of neural stem cells bypassing the EGF receptor and promoting cell division. Moreover, under pathophysiological conditions in vivo, NO from iNOS origin also promotes proliferation in the hippocampus.
Medial Ganglionic Eminence-Derived Neural Stem Cell Grafts Ease Spontaneous Seizures and Restore GDNF Expression in a Rat Model of Chronic Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Authors: Waldau Ben , Hattiangady Bharathi , Kuruba Ramkumar , Shetty Ashok K.
Published: May 2010

Nearly 30% of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) are resistant to treatment with antiepileptic drugs. Neural stem cell (NSC) grafting into the hippocampus could offer an alternative therapy to hippocampal resection in these patients. As TLE is associated with reduced numbers of inhibitory gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA)-ergic interneurons and astrocytes expressing the anticonvulsant glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in the hippocampus, we tested the hypothesis that grafting of NSCs that are capable of adding new GABA-ergic interneurons and GDNF-expressing astrocytes into the epileptic hippocampus restrains spontaneous recurrent motor seizures (SRMS) in chronic TLE. We grafted NSCs expanded in vitro from embryonic medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) into hippocampi of adult rats exhibiting chronic TLE with cognitive impairments. NSC grafting reduced frequencies of SRMS by 43% and stage V seizures by 90%. The duration of individual SRMS and the total time spent in seizures were reduced by 51 and 74%, respectively. Grafting did not improve the cognitive function however. Graft-derived cells (equivalent to ∼28% of injected cells) were observed in various layers of the epileptic hippocampus where they differentiated into NeuN+ neurons (13%), S-100β+ astrocytes (57%), and NG2+ oligodendrocyte-progenitors (3%). Furthermore, among graft-derived cells, 10% expressed GABA and 50% expressed GDNF. Additionally, NSC grafting restored GDNF in a vast majority of the hippocampal astrocytes but had no effect on neurogenesis. Thus, MGE-NSC therapy is efficacious for diminishing SRMS in chronic TLE. Addition of new GABA-ergic neurons and GDNF+ cells, and restoration of GDNF in the hippocampal astrocytes may underlie the therapeutic effect of MGE-NSC grafts.
Cyanobacterial LPS potentiates cadmium toxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos
Authors: Notch Emily G. , Miniutti Danielle M. , Berry John P. , Mayer Gregory D.
Published: May 2010

Cyanobacteria are prevalent in the freshwater environment, reaching critical mass in harmful algal blooms. These organisms produce a variety of toxins including endotoxins such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which have been previously shown to decrease glutathione‐S‐transferase (GST) activity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. GST plays a vital role in detoxification response during oxidative stress and provides a first line of defense after toxic heavy metal insult, before increased metallothionein expression. Although some attention has focused on cyanobacterial LPS, little research has focused on effects of concurrent exposures with other toxicants. Because cyanobacterial LPS can alter detoxification enzymes including GST, we hypothesized that cyanobacterial LPS could potentiate metal toxicity. This study investigated the effects of LPS from two cyanobacterial species, Lyngbya spp. and Microcystis aeruginosa, on cadmium toxicity in zebrafish embryos. Forty‐eight‐hour CdCl2 LC50 values showed that coexposure of cadmium and Lyngbya LPS or Microcystis LPS resulted in significantly increased cadmium toxicity in comparison with cadmium alone. However, increased cadmium toxicity was not due to decreased GST activity as initially hypothesized. In concurrent Microcystis LPS‐cadmium exposures, GST activity was significantly increased in comparison with control embryos at all time points and cadmium concentrations sampled. Concurrent Lyngbya LPS‐cadmium exposures also resulted in increased GST activity at most exposure concentrations. These results indicate that regardless of mechanism, cyanobacterial LPS can potentiate the toxic effects of heavy metals. This represents a significant risk for aquatic organisms exposed to combinations of LPS and metals in the environment. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2010.
Bentazon triggers the promotion of oxidative damage in the Portuguese ricefield cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica: Response of the antioxidant system
Authors: Galhano Victor , Peixoto Francisco , Gomes‐Laranjo José
Published: May 2010

Rice fields are frequently exposed to environmental contamination by herbicides and cyanobacteria, as primary producers of these aquatic ecosystems, are adversely affected. Anabaena cylindrica is a cyanobacterium with a significantly widespread occurrence in Portuguese rice fields. This strain was studied throughout 72 h in laboratory conditions for its stress responses to sublethal concentrations (0.75–2 mM) of bentazon, a selective postemergence herbicide recommended for integrated weed management in rice, with special reference to oxidative stress, role of proline and intracellular antioxidant enzymes in herbicide‐induced free radicals detoxification. Activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione S‐transferase (GST) increased in a time‐ and herbicide dose‐response manner and were higher than those in the control samples after 72 h. A time‐ and concentration‐dependent increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and the enhanced cell membrane leakage following bentazon exposure are indicative of lipid peroxidation, free radicals formation, and oxidative damage, while increased amounts of SOD, CAT, APX, GST, and proline indicated their involvement in free radical scavenging mechanisms. The appreciable decline in the reduced glutathione (GSH) pool after 72 h at higher bentazon concentrations could be explained by the reduction of the NADPH‐dependent glutathione reductase (GR) activity. The obtained results suggested that the alterations of antioxidant systems in A. cylindrica might be useful biomarkers of bentazon exposure. As the toxic mechanism of bentazon is a complex phenomenon, this study also adds relevant findings to explain the oxidative stress pathways of bentazon promoting oxidative stress in cyanobacteria. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2010.
Spatial and temporal patterns of soil respiration over the Japanese Archipelago: a model intercomparison study
Authors: Ito Akihiko , Ichii Kazuhito , Kato Tomomichi
Published: May 2010

We used terrestrial ecosystem models to estimate spatial and temporal variability in and uncertainty of estimated soil carbon dioxide (CO2) efflux, or soil respiration, over the Japanese Archipelago. We compared five carbon‐cycle models to assess inter‐model variability: Biome‐BGC, CASA, LPJ, SEIB, and VISIT. These models differ in approaches to soil carbon dynamics, root respiration estimation, and relationships between decomposition and environmental factors. We simulated the carbon budget of natural ecosystems over the archipelago for 2001–2006 at 1‐day time steps and 2‐min (latitude and longitude) spatial resolution. The models were calibrated using measured flux data to accurately represent net ecosystem CO2 exchange. Each model successfully reproduced seasonal changes and latitudinal gradients in soil respiration. The five‐model average of estimated total soil respiration of Japanese ecosystems was 295 Tg C year−1, with individual model estimates ranging from 210 to 396 Tg C year−1 (1 Tg = 1012 g). The differences between modeled estimates were more evident in summer and in warmer years, implying that they were mainly attributable to differences in modeling the temperature dependence of soil respiration. There was a large discrepancy between models in the estimated contribution of roots to total soil respiration, ranging from 3.9 to 48.4%. Although model calibration reduced the uncertainty of flux estimates, substantial uncertainties still remained in estimates of underground processes from these terrestrial carbon‐cycle models.
G3T1 Bladder Cancer: Is Early Re-Resection Necessary?
Authors: Parkin J. , O'Keefe K. , Bhatt R.I. , Doherty A.P. , Deshmukh N.S. , Chaudhri S. , Wallace D.M.
Published: May 2010

Objective:

To review the results of a series of patients with G3 T1 bladder cancer, with specific reference to upstaging at subsequent cystoscopy.

Patients and methods:

One hundred and two patients were identified over a 5-year period, with complete data for 100 regarding original TURBT, early re-resection or 1st check cystoscopy, and subsequent management and outcome.

Results:

Eight patients had primary radical treatment, 32 an early re-resection, 54 BCG and six a routine check cystoscopy. Twenty-one patients had residual Ta/T1 tumour on the first follow up cystoscopy. Only three patients were found to have been originally under-staged. At a mean follow up of 28 months, seven patients had progressed to muscle invasive disease, although 23 had had superficial recurrences. Twenty patients had radical treatment (eight as primary treatment, 12 for BCG ‘failure’).

Conclusions:

An early re-resection may not be necessary for all patients with G3 T1 bladder cancer. Under-staging of these tumours is unusual in our practise, and selection for second-look cystoscopy could be based on review of operative and histological findings at a multidisciplinary clinico-pathology meeting, with a suggestion that T1 sub-classification may have a role in determining the optimum management of this group of patients.
The archaeal exosome localizes to the membrane
Authors: Roppelt Verena , Hobel Cédric F.V. , Albers Sonja V. , Lassek Christian , Schwarz Heinz , Klug Gabriele , Evguenieva-Hackenberg Elena
Published: May 2010

MINT‐7891278: Rrp41 (uniprotkb:Q9UXC2) and DnaG (uniprotkb:P95980) colocalize (MI:0403) by fluorescence microscopy (MI:0416)
The evolutionarily conserved subunits Rrp4 and Csl4 confer different substrate specificities to the archaeal exosome
Authors: Roppelt Verena , Klug Gabriele , Evguenieva-Hackenberg Elena
Published: May 2010

We studied the substrate specificity of the exosome of Sulfolobus solfataricus using the catalytically active Rrp41–Rrp42‐hexamer and complexes containing the RNA‐binding subunits Rrp4 or Csl4. The conservation of both Rrp4 and Csl4 in archaeal and eukaryotic exosomes suggests specific functions for each of them. We found that they confer different specificities to the exosome: RNA with an A‐poor 3′‐end is degraded with higher efficiency by the Csl4‐exosome, while the Rrp4‐exosome strongly prefers poly(A)‐RNA. High C‐content and polyuridylation negatively influence RNA processing by all complexes, and, in contrast to the hexamer, the Rrp4‐exosome prefers longer substrates.
Glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase interacts with phosphorylated Akt resulting from increased blood glucose in rat cardiac muscle
Authors: Baba Takeshi , Kobayashi Hiroyuki , Kawasaki Hiroaki , Mineki Reiko , Naito Hisashi , Ohmori Daijiro
Published: May 2010

MINT‐7891324, MINT‐7891304, MINT‐7891314: GAPDH (uniprotkb:P04797) physically interacts (MI:0915) with Akt (uniprotkb:P47196) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)
Sperm associated antigen 8 (SPAG8), a novel regulator of activator of CREM in testis during spermatogenesis
Authors: Wu Hongyu , Chen Yingchun , Miao Shiying , Zhang Changyong , Zong Shudong , Koide Samuel S. , Wang Linfang
Published: May 2010

MINT‐7892820, MINT‐7892840, MINT‐7892987, MINT‐7892854: ACT (uniprotkb:Q9WTX7) physically interacts (MI:0915) with SPAG8 (uniprotkb:B9EKF1) by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0007)
Acetylation of H2AX on lysine 36 plays a key role in the DNA double‐strand break repair pathway
Authors: Jiang Xiaofeng , Xu Ye , Price Brendan D.
Published: May 2010

Phosphorylation of H2AX functions to recruit DNA repair complexes to sites of DNA damage. Here, we report that H2AX is constitutively acetylated on lysine 36 (H2AXK36Ac) by the CBP/p300 acetyltransferases. H2AXK36Ac is required for cells to survive exposure to ionizing radiation; however, H2AXK36Ac levels are not increased by DNA damage. Further, acetylation of H2AX did not affect phosphorylation of H2AX or the formation of DNA damage foci. Finally, cells with a double mutation in both the H2AX acetylation and phosphorylation sites were more radiosensitive than cells containing individual mutations. H2AXK36Ac is therefore a novel, constitutive histone modification located within the histone core region which regulates radiation sensitivity independently of H2AX phosphorylation.
Efficacy of a new inactivated Chlamydophila felis vaccine in experimentally-infected cats
Authors: Masubuchi Katsuo , Wakatsuki Akira , Iwamoto Kayo , Takahashi Takuo , Kokubu Teruaki , Shimizu Mitsugu
Published: May 2010

A new inactivated and adjuvanted Chlamydophila felis vaccine was developed and its efficacy in cats was compared with that of commercially available inactivated and live vaccines. Two commercial vaccines conferred insufficient immunity on inoculated cats, as evaluated by antibody production and a challenge experiment, whereas cats administered the newly generated vaccine produced high-titre antibodies and acquired sufficient immunity. The cats immunised with the new vaccine revealed no or only mild clinical signs, and no chlamydiae were recovered from their tissue samples after exposure to a virulent C felis. However, they shed chlamydiae in their nasal and conjunctival secretions after challenge, as did those immunised with the commercial vaccines and the non-vaccinated controls. The newly developed vaccine caused no adverse reaction in the inoculated cats. These findings suggest that the new vaccine prepared here may be promising for practical use in controlling C felis infection in cats.
Chastized by Scorpions: Christianity and Culture in Colonial South Carolina, 1669–1740
Authors: Lippy Charles H.
Published: May 2010

Early in 1740, actor-turned-revivalist George Whitefield journeyed to Savannah after a preaching tour that had taken him to Philadelphia and New York before heading south to Charleston, where he arrived in January that year. At the time, Charleston was experiencing communal angst. A few months before, in September 1739, an uprising occurred in this colony where African slaves were a majority—perhaps even two-thirds of the population. Around two dozen whites lost their lives, and several plantations were burned. Popular belief held that a Catholic priest inspired the revolt since apparently many involved in the uprising were Catholic Kongo people who hoped to escape to St. Augustine where Spanish Catholic authorities had promised them freedom. The assault came on a Sunday early in September. Later that month new colonial legislation that required white men to be armed at all times—even while attending Sunday worship—would become law. Whites assumed that the timing was intended to assure that the revolt occurred before that provision took effect, since most did not ordinarily carry firearms to church on Sunday.
“Representing” Mission from Below: Historians as Interpreters and Agents of Christianization
Authors: Sterk Andrea
Published: May 2010

Discussion of mission in east Roman or Byzantine history has typically focused on imperial ambitions, royal conversions, and a “top-down” approach to Christianization. The Christian emperor, the earthly image of the heavenly king, had been called by God to propagate the faith and civilize the barbarians. Toward this end he sent out emissaries to foreign potentates, and the conversion of the ruler was soon followed by the Christianization of his people. Such narratives largely ignore missionaries “from below,” deemed “accidental” evangelists, and focus instead on imperially sponsored or “professional missionaries.” Several recent studies have added nuance to the traditional picture by devoting increased attention to mission from below or presenting Christianization as a process comprising multiple stages that spanned several centuries. Building on my own previous article on this theme, the present essay will reexamine narratives of unofficial mission on the eastern frontiers, in particular accounts of captive women credited with converting whole kingdoms to the Christian faith. In each case a female ascetic has either been taken prisoner or has lived for some time as a captive in a foreign land just beyond east Roman borders. The woman's steadfast adherence to her pious way of life, performance of apostolic signs, and verbal testimony to faith in Christ move the ruler and his people to accept the Christian God.
The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary: A Thought-Experiment in Medieval Philosophical Theology
Authors: Adams Marilyn McCord
Published: May 2010

On 8 December 1854, Pius IX issued Ineffabilis Deus, in which he dogmatized the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The bull reads,

For the honor of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, for the glory and ornament of the Virgin Godbearer, for the exaltation of the catholic faith and the growth of the Christian religion, by the authority of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own, we declare, pronounce, and define the doctrine which holds that the Most Blessed Virgin Mary at the first instant of her conception was by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in consideration of the merits of Christ Jesus, the Savior of the human race, preserved immune from every stain of original guilt; that this was revealed by God and therefore is firmly and constantly to be believed by all of the faithful.1
Apophatic Strategies in Allogenes (NHC XI, 3)
Authors: Burns Dylan
Published: May 2010

Despite decades of research, it remains surprisingly difficult to identify the origins of the works preserved in the hoard of Coptic manuscripts discovered at Nag Hammadi in 1945. Even as unearthed “Gnostic” gospels continue to make headlines, many academics repent intoning these old, fiery heretics, and some have even called for an all-out dispensation of the term “Gnosticism.”2 Yet a felicitous piece of external evidence seems to offer a more stable foundation for identifying the date and sectarian provenance of several of the most difficult works discovered at Nag Hammadi, the so-called “Platonizing” treatises of the “Sethian school” of Gnosticism.3 Porphyry, the top pupil of the Neoplatonic philosopher Plotinus (third century C.E.), remarks that,

there were in his [Plotinus's] time Christians of many kinds, and especially certain heretics who based their teachings on the ancient philosophy. They were followers of Adelphius and Aculinus, who possessed a lot of writings by Alexander the Libyan, Philocomus, Demostratus and Lydus, and also brandished apocalyptic works of Zoroaster, Zostrianus, Nicotheus, Allogenes, Messus and others of that kind.4
Was There a “Reformation Doctrine of Justification”?
Authors: Fink David C.
Published: May 2010

In this essay I take up cudgels against a central construct in the confessional historiography of the Protestant Reformation: The notion that there existed a clear, well-defined doctrine of justification shared by all the major reformers from the earliest stages of the conflagration and that this “Reformation doctrine of justification” served as the “material principle” in the formation of the emerging Protestant self-identity.1 In contrast with this traditional view, I argue that the first-generation reformers, galvanized by Luther's protest against the indulgence trade, adopted a common “rhetoric of dissent” aimed at critiquing the regnant Catholic orthopraxy of salvation in the interest of a common set of primarily existential-religious concerns. During the course of the next several decades following the initia Lutheri, however, an “orthodox” doctrine of justification quickly emerged'several of them, in fact. The Roman Catholic church and the emerging Protestant confessions, Lutheran and Reformed, quickly found it necessary to formulate their teachings in increasingly precise terms, so as both to integrate their central soteriological affirmations within a wider body of contested doctrines and practices and to demarcate clearly the boundaries of confessional identity in opposition to competing confessions. As with earlier periods of intense theological controversy within the Christian tradition, this conflict represented not a sudden breakthrough, but rather “a search for orthodoxy, a search conducted by the method of trial and error.”2 Unlike earlier debates, however, what emerged in the aftermath of the Reformation was not a single, dominant orthodoxy which carried the field, but rather multiple, competing orthodoxies, each one with its own Gospel.
In the Presence of the Universe: Peirce, Royce, and Theology as Theosemiotic
Authors: Raposa Michael L.
Published: May 2010

I continue to be preoccupied with the task of delineating the features of a distinctive tradition in American religious thought that I refer to as theosemiotic.1 It can be traced back through Ralph Waldo Emerson to Jonathan Edwards as an early exemplar. It achieves full flower in the philosophy of Charles S. Peirce and then bears fruit in the work of the later Josiah Royce and in some of H. Richard Niebuhr's writings. This essay focuses on Peirce and on the later Royce. Peirce's theosemiotic is most clearly discernible in his 1908 article “A Neglected Argument for the Reality of God,” especially when one reads that article in the context of Peirce's developed theory of signs. I do not intend to engage here in any sort of detailed exegesis of the Neglected Argument.2 Instead, I wish to focus on the continuity between Peirce and Royce visible in the latter's book on The Problem of Christianity,3 with most of my attention being directed to the discussion in the second part of that work.
Review of Gertrude Himmelfarb's The Jewish Odyssey of George Eliot–Judaism and the Human Future: A Victorian Vision
Authors: Smith Suzanne
Published: May 2010

In reflecting upon the fact that religious language survives long after the practices and the devotion that gave rise to it have departed, Alasdair MacIntyre once observed that what “we” are left with is “a religious language which survives even though we do not know what to say in it.”1 Some writers and thinkers who acknowledge that religious language is, for them, effectively either foreign or dead, continue to employ it because of its beauty, or because they wish to speak to people for whom such language is still living for political, moral, or literary reasons. But why a writer for whom religious language holds no personal meaning would go to near absurd lengths to construct a narrative saturated with biblical typology (and even numerology) is difficult to imagine. The question of how such a writer would seem to know almost exactly what to say in the religious language of a tradition that she never practiced is even more difficult to understand. How could someone who couldn't say that she was among those for whom religious language was a source of binding claims to truth (as opposed to a culturally important animated corpse) speak as if things were otherwise?
Unveiling a wildlife haven: status and distribution of four Trans-Himalayan ungulates in Sikkim, India
Authors: Chanchani Pranav , Rawat Gopal S. , Goyal Surendra P.
Published: May 2010

We conducted surveys in the Trans-Himalayan Tso Lhamo plateau in Sikkim, India, to ascertain the status and distribution of some of India’s last surviving populations of wild ungulates (numbers in brackets are estimates for Sikkim): Tibetan argali Ovis ammon hodgsoni (c. 177 individuals), Tibetan gazelle Procapra picticaudata (c. 77), and kiang Equus kiang polyodon (c. 18). Topography appears to have an important influence on ungulate distribution, and populations of these species are aggregated in a small region along the northern boundary of the plateau. Persistence of the wild ungulates in this area can be attributed to the non-hunting tradition of local residents and to the seasonal absence of livestock (yak Bos grunniens and domestic sheep Ovis aries) and grazing. Nonetheless, wild ungulates remain vulnerable because of their small populations and anthropogenic pressure on their habitats. We recommend that conservation be prioritized in important wildlife habitats through partnerships with local communities.
The discovery of zinc fingers and their development for practical applications in gene regulation and genome manipulation
Authors: Klug Aaron
Published: May 2010

A long-standing goal of molecular biologists has been to construct DNA-binding proteins for the control of gene expression. The classical Cys2His2(C2H2) zinc finger design is ideally suited for such purposes. Discriminating between closely related DNA sequences bothin vitroandin vivo, this naturally occurring design was adopted for engineering zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) to target genes specifically.

Zinc fingers were discovered in 1985, arising from the interpretation of our biochemical studies on the interaction of the Xenopus protein transcription factor IIIA (TFIIIA) with 5S RNA. Subsequent structural studies revealed its three-dimensional structure and its interaction with DNA. Each finger constitutes a self-contained domain stabilized by a zinc (Zn) ion ligated to a pair of cysteines and a pair of histidines and also by an inner structural hydrophobic core. This discovery showed not only a new protein fold but also a novel principle of DNA recognition. Whereas other DNA-binding proteins generally make use of the 2-fold symmetry of the double helix, functioning as homo- or heterodimers, zinc fingers can be linked linearly in tandem to recognize nucleic acid sequences of varying lengths. This modular design offers a large number of combinatorial possibilities for the specific recognition of DNA (or RNA). It is therefore not surprising that the zinc finger is found widespread in nature, including 3% of the genes of the human genome.

The zinc finger design can be used to construct DNA-binding proteins for specific intervention in gene expression. By fusing selected zinc finger peptides to repression or activation domains, genes can be selectively switched off or on by targeting the peptide to the desired gene target. It was also suggested that by combining an appropriate zinc finger peptide with other effector or functional domains, e.g. from nucleases or integrases to form chimaeric proteins, genomes could be modified or manipulated.

The first example of the power of the method was published in 1994 when a three-finger protein was constructed to block the expression of a human oncogene transformed into a mouse cell line. The same paper also described how a reporter gene was activated by targeting an inserted 9-base pair (bp) sequence, which acts as the promoter. Thus, by fusing zinc finger peptides to repression or activation domains, genes can be selectively switched off or on. It was also suggested that, by combining zinc fingers with other effector or functional domains, e.g. from nucleases or integrases, to form chimaeric proteins, genomes could be manipulated or modified.

Several applications of such engineered ZFPs are described here, including some of therapeutic importance, and also their adaptation for breeding improved crop plants.
Fluorescent nucleic acid base analogues
Authors: Wilhelmsson L. Marcus
Published: May 2010

The use of fluorescent nucleic acid base analogues is becoming increasingly important in the fields of biology, biochemistry and biophysical chemistry as well as in the field of DNA nanotechnology. The advantage of being able to incorporate a fluorescent probe molecule close to the site of examination in the nucleic acid-containing system of interest with merely a minimal perturbation to the natural structure makes fluorescent base analogues highly attractive. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in developing novel candidates in this group of fluorophores for utilization in various investigations. This review describes the different classes of fluorophores that can be used for studying nucleic acid-containing systems, with an emphasis on choosing the right kind of probe for the system under investigation. It describes the characteristics of the large group of base analogues that has an emission that is sensitive to the surrounding microenvironment and gives examples of investigations in which this group of molecules has been used so far. Furthermore, the characterization and use of fluorescent base analogues that are virtually insensitive to changes in their microenvironment are described in detail. This group of base analogues can be used in several fluorescence investigations of nucleic acids, especially in fluorescence anisotropy and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements. Finally, the development and characterization of the first nucleic base analogue FRET pair, tCO–tCnitro, and its possible future uses are discussed.
An Uneasy Case against Property Rights in Body Parts
Authors: Munzer Stephen R.
Published: May 2010

This essay deals with property rights in body parts that can be exchanged in a market. The inquiry arises in the following context. With some exceptions, the laws of many countries permit only the donation, not the sale, of body parts. Yet for some years there has existed a shortage of body parts for transplantation and other medical uses. It might then appear that if more sales were legally permitted, the supply of body parts would increase, because people would have more incentive to sell than they currently have to donate. To allow sales is to recognize property rights in body parts. To allow sales, however, makes body parts into “commodities”—that is, things that can be bought and sold in a market. And some view it as morally objectionable to treat body parts as commodities.
Five hepatitis B outbreaks in care homes in the UK associated with deficiencies in infection control practice in blood glucose monitoring
Authors: DUFFELL E. F. , MILNE L. M. , SENG C. , YOUNG Y. , XAVIER S. , KING S. , SHUKLA H. , IJAZ S. , RAMSAY M.
Published: May 2010

Healthcare-associated hepatitis B virus (HBV) outbreaks have been reported in the USA and from several countries in Europe. Patient-to-patient transmission of HBV in these settings has been linked to several different types of exposure but one of the most common exposures implicated is the use of ‘finger-stick’ lancet devices for blood glucose testing. This article is an account of the investigations into a series of HBV outbreaks linked to the use of lancing devices in community healthcare settings in the UK. Between February 2004 and December 2006, nine individuals with acute HBV infection were reported to five local units of the Health Protection Agency. Investigations identified a further 12 individuals with HBV infection in residents in these settings. The epidemiological and environmental evidence suggests that HBV transmission occurred mostly from a significant breakdown in infection control measures in blood glucose testing. The occurrence of these outbreaks has highlighted the confusion that exists and the need for clear recommendations regarding the use of such devices in the UK.
In search of hidden Q-fever outbreaks: linking syndromic hospital clusters to infected goat farms
Authors: VAN DEN WIJNGAARD C. C. , DIJKSTRA F. , VAN PELT W. , VAN ASTEN L. , KRETZSCHMAR M. , SCHIMMER B. , NAGELKERKE N. J. D. , VELLEMA P. , DONKER G. A. , KOOPMANS M. P. G.
Published: May 2010

Large Q-fever outbreaks were reported in The Netherlands from May 2007 to 2009, with dairy-goat farms as the putative source. Since Q-fever outbreaks at such farms were first reported in 2005, we explored whether there was evidence of human outbreaks before May 2007. Space–time scan statistics were used to look for clusters of lower-respiratory infections (LRIs), hepatitis, and/or endocarditis in hospitalizations, 2005–2007. We assessed whether these were plausibly caused by Q fever, using patients' age, discharge diagnoses, indications for other causes, and overlap with reported Q fever in goats/humans. For seven detected LRI clusters and one hepatitis cluster, we considered Q fever a plausible cause. One of these clusters reflected the recognized May 2007 outbreak. Real-time syndromic surveillance would have detected four of the other clusters in 2007, one in 2006 and two in 2005, which might have resulted in detection of Q-fever outbreaks up to 2 years earlier.
Characterization ofEscherichia coliO157:H7 in New Zealand using multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis
Authors: DYET K. H. , ROBERTSON I. , TURBITT E. , CARTER P. E.
Published: May 2010

Recently, multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) has been proposed as an alternative to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for characterization ofEscherichia coliO157:H7. In this study we characterized 118E. coliO157:H7 isolates from cases of gastrointestinal disease in New Zealand usingXbaI PFGE profiles and a MLVA scheme that assessed variability in eight polymorphic loci. The 118 isolates characterized included all 80E. coliO157:H7 referred to New Zealand's Enteric Reference Laboratory in 2006 and 29 phage-type 2 isolates from 2005. When applied to these isolates the discriminatory power of PFGE and MLVA was not significantly different. However, MLVA data may be more epidemiologically relevant as isolates from family clusters of disease had identical MLVA profiles, even when theXbaI PFGE profiles differed slightly. Furthermore, most isolates with indistinguishableXbaI PFGE profiles that did not appear to be epidemiologically related had distinct MLVA profiles.
Changing species distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern ofShigellaover a 29-year period (1980–2008)
Authors: KHATUN F. , FARUQUE A. S. G. , KOECK J. L. , OLLIARO P. , MILLET P. , PARIS N. , MALEK M. A. , SALAM M. A. , LUBY S.
Published: May 2010

We studied changes in species distribution and antimicrobial resistance patterns ofShigelladuring 1980–2008, using the Diarrhoeal Diseases Surveillance system of Dhaka Hospital of ICDDR,B. In hospitalized patientsShigellaprevalence decreased steadily from 8–12% in the 1980s to 3% in 2008. EndemicS. flexneriwas the most commonly isolated species (54%). EpidemicS. dysenteriaetype 1 had two peaks in 1984 and 1993, but was not found after 2000, except for one case in 2004. The therapeutic options are now limited: in 2008 a total of 33% ofS. flexneriwere resistant to ciprofloxacin and 57% to mecillinam. In the <5 years age group, severely underweight, wasted and stunted children were more at risk of shigellosis compared to well-nourished children (P<0·001). Although hospitalization forShigelladiarrhoea is decreasing, the high levels of antimicrobial resistance and increased susceptibility of malnourished children continue to pose an ongoing risk.
Detection of a virus related to betacoronaviruses in Italian greater horseshoe bats
Authors: BALBONI A. , PALLADINI A. , BOGLIANI G. , BATTILANI M.
Published: May 2010

The association between coronaviruses and bats is a worldwide phenomenon and bats belonging to genus Rhinolophus are the reservoir host for several coronaviruses, including a large number of viruses closely related genetically to severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV). We carried out a survey in colonies of Italian bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) for the presence of coronaviruses. Two of 52 R. ferrumequinum captured from different Italian areas tested positive by reverse transcription–PCR for a fragment of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene of viruses related to Coronavirus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed close correlations between one of the positive samples and SARS-related CoV belonging to the genus Betacoronavirus.
Community attitudes toward individuals with traumatic brain injury
Authors: McLELLAN T. , BISHOP A. , McKINLAY A.
Published: May 2010

Explicit and implicit attitudes toward people who have sustained traumatic brain injury (TBI) were investigated to determine if negative attitudes exist and if the terminology used (brain vs. head injury) exacerbated predicted negativity. Participants (n = 103) rated Tony (brain/head injury) and Peter (limb-injury) on 10 characteristics using a 7-point scale. Familiarity with brain injury was also measured. Implicit Association Tests (IAT) assessed potential negative bias. Tony (M = 36.84) was judged more negatively than Peter (M = 31.69). The term “brain” versus “head” injury resulted in more negative evaluations (Ms = 38.72 vs. 34.78). Participants familiar with TBI were more positive toward Tony than those unfamiliar (Ms = 34.98 vs. 39.80). Only those unfamiliar with TBI demonstrated implicit negative bias. Negative attitudes toward TBI are expressed explicitly with individuals openly endorsing less desirable characteristics. When people have more knowledge about or experience with brain injury, they are less likely to endorse negative stereotypes. (JINS, 2010, 16, 705–710.)
Navigating Two Worlds: The Role of Religious Communities in Preserving the Identity of Hungarians in Vojvodina (Serbia)
Authors: Ilić Angela V.
Published: May 2010

This article explores the current and probable future challenges faced by the Hungarian-speaking religious communities in northern Serbia as they try to navigate two worlds: the past and the present; cultural identification with Hungary and with Serbia. The mostly Roman Catholic and in smaller number Protestant Hungarians living in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina differ in both language and religious affiliation from the majority Serbian (by and large Orthodox Christian) population. The use of the Hungarian language and the strengthening of a sense of Hungarian identity is an important aspect of the activities their churches perform. By analyzing the socio-political and demographic situation of the Hungarians in Vojvodina, I will explore whether there is a middle road between complete assimilation and hermetical isolation in the religious-cultural-linguistic sense, which is of critical importance regarding the survival of these religious communities.
Soviet Religious Policy in the Baltics under Khrushchev, 1957–1964: Domestic Repression and International Engagement
Authors: Goeckel Robert F.
Published: May 2010

The Khrushchev era brought a policy of religious repression in response to a resurgence of religious adherence after WWII. But a close evaluation of archival sources reveals distinctive features to its implementation in the Baltics, compared with other parts of the USSR and with the Orthodox Church. The study richly describes the erosion of church institutional interests, such as maintenance of registered churches and clergy, legal and financial autonomy, publications and theological education. But having adapted to their national context, republic-level state officials often pursued the campaign disproportionately against non-national churches, such as Catholics and so-called sects, thereby provoking bureaucratic tensions with party hardliners, both in Moscow and at the republic level. Motivated by its heightened anti-Vatican stance, Moscow's foreign policy opening—to the World Council of Churches, Lutheran World Federation, and the German churches—brought the Lutheran churches limited leverage against reluctant local and republic officials.
Women in detention
Authors: Ashdown Julie , James Mel
Published: May 2010

Prison systems are rarely gender sensitive, and are even less so in conflict situations. When women are detained, it is crucial that international standards, applied with sensitivity to women's particular needs, are brought to bear. This article gives an overview of the relevant international law, as well as the gender-specific considerations that need to be taken into account when implementing it.
Methods for predicting the spreading of steam below the water table during subsurface remediation
Authors: Ochs S. O. , Class H. , Färber A. , Helmig R.
Published: May 2010

Steam injection has been efficiently applied in many cases for the remediation of contamination in the unsaturated zone; however, some effort still has to be made to establish this technology in remediation practices for contamination in the saturated zone. The main difficulty here is the lack of reliable methods capable of predicting steam propagation around the injection well in poorly layered aquifers in an early screening stage. In this paper, methods are presented for predicting steam propagation in saturated media. First, a subset of experiments conducted in a two‐dimensional flume is utilized to demonstrate the characteristics of steam propagation in water‐saturated porous media. An improved numerical model concept that for the first time accounts for the variable degrees of freedom in the researched system is successfully tested and compared with an experimental data set. The model is consequently used to derive a set of type curves for the characteristic steam propagation in saturated porous media. These type curves can be used to estimate the steam propagation and the efficiency of a measure. Finally, the applicability and the potential of the developed methods are demonstrated for a pilot‐scale remediation.
Subdiurnal variations in the Earth's rotation from continuous Very Long Baseline Interferometry campaigns
Authors: Artz T. , Böckmann S. , Nothnagel A. , Steigenberger P.
Published: May 2010

Subdiurnal periodic effects in the Earth's rotation as seen by Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) are investigated on the basis of continuous VLBI observing campaigns (CONT) observed by the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS). In 2008, the latest campaign (CONT08) was observed adding another valuable data set of 15 consecutive days to the series of CONT sessions. Among other things, CONT08 as well as CONT02 and CONT05 had been scheduled with the aim of observing short‐period variations of the Earth orientation parameters. In this publication, we describe an analysis, which is based on hourly estimates of polar motion and UT1‐TAI and a subsequent spectral analysis. The generation of the time series is performed with a modified analysis approach. We add the normal equations of each individual 24 hour session to one big equation system for the whole campaign where observations of adjacent sessions contribute to parameters at session borders simultaneously. Over the years, the experience in operating and analyzing the CONT sessions has improved and the procedures have been adapted for improvement of the results. However, at the same time, the observing network has suffered considerable changes. Thus, a comparative overview over the three CONT campaigns is given in this paper. The intermittent detection of periodicities as reported by Haas and Wünsch (2006) applies in this analysis for CONT02 as well. For CONT05 and CONT08 minute signals at periods of around 6 hours are contained in the amplitude spectra. The origin of these signals is still questionable.