bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
English Identity and Political Culture in the Fourteenth Century
Authors: Ruddick Andrea
Published: November 2013

This broad-ranging study explores the nature of national sentiment in fourteenth-century England and sets it in its political and constitutional context for the first time. Andrea Ruddick reveals that despite the problematic relationship between nationality and subjecthood in the king of England's domains, a sense of English identity was deeply embedded in the mindset of a significant section of political society. Using previously neglected official records as well as familiar literary sources, the book reassesses the role of the English language in fourteenth-century national sentiment and questions the traditional reliance on the English vernacular as an index of national feeling. Positioning national identity as central to our understanding of late medieval society, culture, religion and politics, the book represents a significant contribution not only to the political history of late medieval England, but also to the growing debate on the nature and origins of states, nations and nationalism in Europe.
Extreme Physics
Authors: Colvin Jeff , Larsen Jon
Published: November 2013

Most matter in the Universe, from the deep interior of planets to the core of stars, is at high temperature or high pressure compared to the matter of our ordinary experience. This book offers a comprehensive introduction to the basic physical theory on matter at such extreme conditions and the mathematical modeling techniques involved in numerical simulations of its properties and behavior. Focusing on computational modeling, the book discusses topics such as the basic properties of dense plasmas; ionization physics; the physical mechanisms by which laser light is absorbed in matter; radiation transport in matter; the basics of hydrodynamics and shock-wave formation and propagation; and numerical simulation of radiation-hydrodynamics phenomenology. End-of-chapter exercises allow the reader to test their understanding of the material and introduce additional physics, making this an invaluable resource for researchers and graduate students in this broad and interdisciplinary area of physics.
The Kokoda Campaign 1942
Authors: Williams Peter
Published: November 2013

The fighting on the Kokoda Track in World War II is second only to Gallipoli in the Australian national consciousness. The Kokoda campaign of 1942 has taken on mythical status in Australian military history. According to the legend, Australian soldiers were vastly outnumbered by the Japanese, who suffered great losses in battle and as a result of the harsh conditions of the Kokoda Track. In this important book, Peter Williams seeks to dispel the Kokoda myth. Using extensive research and Japanese sources, he explains what really happened on the Kokoda Track in 1942. Unlike most other books written from an Australian perspective, The Kokoda Campaign 1942: Myth and reality focuses on the strategies, tactics and battle plans of the Japanese and shows that the Australians were in fact rarely outnumbered. For the first time, this book combines narrative with careful analysis to present an undistorted picture of the events of the campaign. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the truth of the Kokoda campaign of 1942.
Registra quorundam abbatum monasterii S. Albani, qui saeculo XVmo floruere
Authors: Whethamstede John
Published: November 2013

Between 1863 and 1876, the Rolls Series published several works from or about the abbey of St Albans, edited by Henry Thomas Riley (1816–78) under the rubric 'Chronica monasterii S. Albani'. This two-volume contribution, covering the later fifteenth century, appeared in 1872–3. Volume 2 contains material from MS. Rawlinson B. 332 (some of whose outer leaves were lost) relating to events from 1459 to 1488, beginning with records of church appointments during the final years of the abbacy of John Whethamstede, and covers the abbacies of William Albon (1465–76) and William of Wallingford (from 1476). Volume 2 also includes an introduction, a detailed summary of the content, and English side-notes to the main Latin text. The appendices include documents from the St Albans almoner's office (MS. Lansdowne 375) and letters by Whethamstede (Cotton Claud. D. i), an index to both volumes, and a glossary.
Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden, monachi Cestrensis
Authors: Higden Ranulf
Published: November 2013

Ranulf Higden (d.1364) was a monk at the abbey of St Werburgh in Chester. His most important literary work is this universal chronicle, which survives in over a hundred Latin manuscripts, testifying to its popularity. The earliest version of it dates from 1327, but Higden continued writing until his death, expanding and updating the text. It was also continued in other monastic houses, most importantly by John Malvern of Worcester. The English translation made by John Trevisa in the 1380s was also widely circulated and is included in this work, published in nine volumes for the Rolls Series between 1865 and 1886. The chronicle shows how fourteenth-century scholars understood world history and geography. Volume 1 contains the first part of Book 1, which describes the historical geography of the known world.
Historia Anglorum sive, ut vulgo dicitur, Historia Minor
Authors: Paris Matthew
Published: November 2013

Sir Frederick Madden (1801–73) was for thirty years Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Library. His edition of the Latin text of Matthew Paris' Historia Anglorum has never been superseded: as Richard Vaughan wrote in 1958, 'it is one of the finest of all those published in the Rolls Series, and it set a standard of careful accuracy and profound scholarship which has seldom been equalled since'. Matthew Paris, a monk at St Albans Abbey from 1217 to 1259, wrote and illustrated the single complete surviving manuscript of this 'English History', which covers the years 1067–1253. Volume 2, covering the period 1189–1245, contains much unique information, including transcripts of important documents like the Magna Carta, which reveals Paris' wide range of interests and unlimited curiosity, along with his very English conservatism and suspicion of royal and papal authority.
Historia Anglorum sive, ut vulgo dicitur, Historia Minor
Authors: Paris Matthew
Published: November 2013

Sir Frederick Madden (1801–73) was for thirty years Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Library. His edition of the Latin text of Matthew Paris' Historia Anglorum has never been superseded: as Richard Vaughan wrote in 1958, 'it is one of the finest of all those published in the Rolls Series, and it set a standard of careful accuracy and profound scholarship which has seldom been equalled since'. Matthew Paris, a monk at St Albans Abbey from 1217 to 1259, wrote and illustrated the single complete surviving manuscript of this 'English History', which covers the years 1067–1253. He was an accomplished artist and a racy, indefatigably curious and opinionated narrator of events. Volume 3, prefaced by a biography of the author, contains the conclusion of the work from 1246 to 1253, and an abbreviated version composed by Paris himself.
Ennius and the Architecture of the Annales
Authors: Elliott Jackie
Published: November 2013

Ennius' Annales, which is preserved only in fragments, was hugely influential on Roman literature and culture. This book explores the genesis, in the ancient sources for Ennius' epic and in modern scholarship, of the accounts of the Annales with which we operate today. A series of appendices detail each source's contribution to our record of the poem, and are used to consider how the interests and working methods of the principal sources shape the modern view of the poem and to re-examine the limits imposed and the possibilities offered by this ancient evidence. Dr Elliott challenges standard views of the poem, such as its use of time and the disposition of the gods within it. She argues that the manifest impact of the Annales on the collective Roman psyche results from its innovative promotion of a vision of Rome as the primary focus of the cosmos in all its aspects.
De Legibus et Consuetudinibus Angliae
Authors: Bracton Henry de
Published: November 2013

The thirteenth-century Latin legal treatise best known as Bracton is now thought to be the work of several hands, and Henry de Bracton (d.1268) to have been only the last of these. Work began on it in the 1230s and largely ceased in the early 1250s, but the treatise - an ambitious survey of English law - was never finished. Between 1878 and 1883, the scholar and jurist Sir Travers Twiss (1809–97) edited and published this work in six volumes for the Rolls Series. His text was mainly based on the first printed edition of 1569. Although he provided the first English translation of Bracton, Twiss's work has been criticised and since superseded. Volume 2 contains the end of Book 2 and the whole of Book 3. These cover the classification of actions, the general eyre, criminal law and the action of replevin.
Aristotle on the Nature of Community
Authors: Trott Adriel M.
Published: November 2013

This reading of Aristotle's Politics builds on the insight that the history of political philosophy is a series of configurations of nature and reason. Aristotle's conceptualization of nature is unique because it is not opposed to or subordinated to reason. Adriel M. Trott uses Aristotle's definition of nature as an internal source of movement to argue that he viewed community as something that arises from the activity that forms it rather than being a form imposed on individuals. Using these definitions, Trott develops readings of Aristotle's four arguments for the naturalness of the polis, interprets deliberation and the constitution in Politics as the form and final causes of the polis, and reconsiders Aristotle's treatment of slaves and women. Trott then argues that Aristotle is relevant for contemporary efforts to improve and encourage genuine democratic practices.
People and Spaces in Roman Military Bases
Authors: Allison Penelope M.
Published: November 2013

This study uses artefact distribution analyses to investigate the activities that took place inside early Roman imperial military bases. Focusing especially on non-combat activities, it explores the lives of families and other support personnel who are widely assumed to have inhabited civilian settlements outside the fortification walls. Spatial analyses, in GIS-type environments, are used to develop fresh perspectives on the range of people who lived within the walls of these military establishments, the various industrial, commercial, domestic and leisure activities in which they and combat personnel were involved, and the socio-spatial organisation of these activities and these establishments. The book includes examples of both legionary fortresses and auxiliary forts from the German provinces to demonstrate that more material-cultural approaches to the artefact assemblages from these sites give greater insights into how these military communities operated and demonstrate the problems of ascribing functions to buildings without investigating the full material record.
Physics of Gas-Liquid Flows
Authors: Hanratty Thomas J.
Published: November 2013

Presenting tools for understanding the behaviour of gas-liquid flows based on the ways large scale behaviour relates to small scale interactions, this text is ideal for engineers seeking to enhance the safety and efficiency of natural gas pipelines, water-cooled nuclear reactors, absorbers, distillation columns and gas lift pumps. The review of advanced concepts in fluid mechanics enables both graduate students and practising engineers to tackle the scientific literature and engage in advanced research. It focuses on gas-liquid flow in pipes as a simple system with meaningful experimental data. This unified theory develops design equations for predicting drop size, frictional pressure losses and slug frequency, which can be used to determine flow regimes, the effects of pipe diameter, liquid viscosity and gas density. It describes the effect of wavy boundaries and temporal oscillations on turbulent flows, and explains transition between phases, which is key to understanding the behaviour of gas-liquid flows.
Explaining Support for Combatants during Wartime: A Survey Experiment in Afghanistan
Authors: LYALL JASON , BLAIR GRAEME , IMAI KOSUKE
Published: November 2013

How are civilian attitudes toward combatants affected by wartime victimization? Are these effects conditional on which combatant inflicted the harm? We investigate the determinants of wartime civilian attitudes towards combatants using a survey experiment across 204 villages in five Pashtun-dominated provinces of Afghanistan—the heart of the Taliban insurgency. We use endorsement experiments to indirectly elicit truthful answers to sensitive questions about support for different combatants. We demonstrate that civilian attitudes are asymmetric in nature. Harm inflicted by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is met with reduced support for ISAF and increased support for the Taliban, but Taliban-inflicted harm does not translate into greater ISAF support. We combine a multistage sampling design with hierarchical modeling to estimate ISAF and Taliban support at the individual, village, and district levels, permitting a more fine-grained analysis of wartime attitudes than previously possible.
Public Opinion and the Democratic Peace
Authors: TOMZ MICHAEL R. , WEEKS JESSICA L. P.
Published: November 2013

One of the most striking findings in political science is the democratic peace: the absence of war between democracies. Some authors attempt to explain this phenomenon by highlighting the role of public opinion. They observe that democratic leaders are beholden to voters and argue that voters oppose war because of its human and financial costs. This logic predicts that democracies should behave peacefully in general, but history shows that democracies avoid war primarily in their relations with other democracies. In this article we investigate not whether democratic publics are averse to war in general, but whether they are especially reluctant to fight other democracies. We embedded experiments in public opinion polls in the United States and the United Kingdom and found that individuals are substantially less supportive of military strikes against democracies than against otherwise identical autocracies. Moreover, our experiments suggest that shared democracy pacifies the public primarily by changing perceptions of threat and morality, not by raising expectations of costs or failure. These findings shed light on a debate of enduring importance to scholars and policy makers.
Historic and current distribution patterns, and minimum abundance of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the north-west Atlantic
Authors: Lawson Jack W. , Stevens Tara S.
Published: November 2013

This study represents the first comprehensive examination of the distribution and abundance of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the north-west Atlantic. Based on a collation of sightings data and a multi-year photographic catalogue of killer whales, 836 sighting events have been recorded between 1758 and 2012, with most occurring in the last ten years. Killer whales were most commonly observed during June–September in Newfoundland/Labrador, Canada. Most sightings were made close to shore, although many occurred beyond coastal shelf areas and in water depths in excess of 3000 m. Relatively fewer sightings were recorded on the Scotian Shelf, in the Gulf of St Lawrence or the north-eastern USA, despite appreciable aerial and vessel-based cetacean survey effort. In the north-west Atlantic, killer whales have been sighted both alone and in groups, with group sizes ranging from 2 to 30 whales (rarely more than 15, although an aggregation of 100 was reported 43 years ago). Groups usually comprised 2–6 individuals. Based on photographic records, there are at least 67 identified killer whales in the northwest Atlantic; this is an underestimate, since a large portion of our image collection was not of sufficient quality to be considered in the analysis, and many of the whales do not have easily discernible markings. The discovery curve of newly-identified whales has not plateaued, suggesting that there are more whales to identify. These data allow us to better understand the ecology of these killer whales, and provide a baseline against which population changes and distribution patterns can be assessed.
Wagner and the ‘Makart Style’
Authors: GREY THOMAS
Published: November 2013

The visual artist most commonly linked with the name of Richard Wagner from the 1870s to the early twentieth century was the now relatively little-known Viennese painter Hans Makart (1844–84). Makart's Viennese atelier – no less than his sumptuous history paintings, ‘bacchanals’, society portraits and multi-media design-projects (notably a lavish 1879 historical pageant celebrating the Hapsburg monarchy) – defined an influential visual and stylistic idiom for the early fin-de-siècle. The style is recognisable in the salon at villa Wahnfried, in Paul Joukowsky's set designs for the first Parsifal, and arguably, in aspects of Wagner's music itself. Like most artists of the era, Makart occasionally depicted Wagnerian motifs, but his affinity with the composer was recognised as a matter of style and technique. Two breakthrough works from around 1868 in triptych form, Moderne Amoretten (Modern Cupids) and Der Pest in Florenz (The Plague in Florence), suggest thematic and conceptual parallels with Tannhäuser and Tristan und Isolde, respectively. Makart's Renaissance history paintings and the 1879 Vienna Festzug stage national history as a collective aesthetic experience in the manner of Die Meistersinger. A ubiquitous theme in comparisons of artist and composer is the role of colour (visual, harmonic and timbral), raised to a quasi-autonomous force that dominates composition and ‘idea’. Makart's resistance to conventions of visual narrative, as read by contemporary critics, recalls Wagner's resistance to conventional melodic periodicity.

This article investigates the cultural and technical sources of Makart's appeal in the later nineteenth century and traces the comparison of Makart's and Wagner's styles as a critical topos. The disappearance of Makart and his ‘style’ from modern critical consciousness, I argue, mirrors a cultural Amnesia regarding features central to Wagner's irresistible fascination for his contemporaries.
Qualitative Evaluation of Scanning Electron Microscopy Methods in a Study of the Resin Cement/Dentine Adhesive Interface
Authors: Pereira Carolina N. d. B. , Daleprane Bruno , Barbosa Paola F. , Moreira Allyson N. , de Magalhães Cláudia S.
Published: November 2013

Sample preparation and imaging techniques for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of dehydrated dental samples can hinder the structural analyses. This study qualitatively evaluated images obtained with two different protocols of SEM preparation and analysis to assess the dentine adhesive interface. The crown and root dentine of 12 bovine incisors were subjected to cementation with the resin cement RelyX U100 or RelyX ARC/SBMP (n = 6). After storage for 7 days in a moist environment at 37 ± 1°C, the dentine samples were dehydrated in an ascending alcohol series, and three specimens from each group were coated with gold or carbon and examined in a high-vacuum (JEOL JSM—6360LV, 10 kV) or low-vacuum (FEI Quanta 200F, 15–30 kV) microscope. Images were obtained at magnifications between 50 and 2,000×, but with different working distances. The use of high vacuum for carbon and gold coating and SEM visualization led to cracks in the samples. A small number of cracks can be described in the specimens subjected to the low-vacuum technique. The protocol for SEM imaging in low vacuum was considered more appropriate for preservation of the integrity of the evaluated structures.
Intergrowth of Components and Ramps in Coffin-Shaped ZSM-5 Zeolite Crystals Unraveled by Focused Ion Beam-Assisted Transmission Electron Microscopy
Authors: Lu Jiangbo , Roeffaers Maarten B.J. , Bartholomeeusen Evelyne , Sels Bert F. , Schryvers Dominique
Published: November 2013

Scanning electron microscopy, focused ion beam (FIB), and transmission electron microscopy are combined to study the intergrowth of 90° rotational components and of ramps in coffin-shaped ZSM-5 crystals. The 90° rotational boundaries with local zig-zag features between different intergrowth components are observed in the main part of crystal. Also a new kind of displacement boundary is described. At the displacement boundary there is a shift of the unit cells along the boundary without a change in orientation. Based on lamellae prepared with FIB from different positions of the ramps and crystal, the orientation relationships between ramps and the main part of the crystal are studied and the three-dimensional morphology and growth mechanism of the ramp are illustrated.
Scanning Microwave Microscopy for Nanoscale Electrical Characterization
Authors: Anderson Geoffrey
Published: November 2013

Recently, a highly sensitive imaging mode for, complex, calibrated electrical and spatial measurements was made available to atomic force microscope (AFM) users. Scanning microwave microscopy (SMM), an award-winning AFM mode of operation developed by Agilent Technologies, combines the comprehensive electrical measurement capabilities of a microwave vector network analyzer (VNA) with the nanoscale spatial resolution of an AFM.
Lorentz Contact Resonance Imaging for Atomic Force Microscopes: Probing Mechanical and Thermal Properties on the Nanoscale
Authors: Dillon Eoghan , Kjoller Kevin , Prater Craig
Published: November 2013

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been widely used in both industry and academia for imaging the surface topography of a material with nanoscale resolution. However, often little other information is obtained. Contact resonance AFM (CR-AFM) is a technique that can provide information about the viscoelastic properties of a material in contact with an AFM probe by measuring the contact stiffness between the probe and sample. In CR-AFM, an AFM cantilever is oscillated, and the amplitude and frequency of the resonance modes of the cantilever are monitored. When a probe or sample is oscillated, the tip sample interaction can be approximated as an ideal spring-dashpot system using the Voigt-Kelvin model shown in Figure 1. Contact resonance frequencies of the AFM cantilever will shift depending on the contact stiffness, k, between the tip and sample. The damping effect on the system comes from dissipative tip sample forces such as viscosity and adhesion. Damping, η, is observed in a CR-AFM system by monitoring the amplitude and Q factor of the resonant modes of the cantilever. This contact stiffness and damping information can then be used to obtain information about the viscoelastic properties of the material when fit to an applicable model.
Performing Quantitative Nanomechanical AFM Measurements on Live Cells
Authors: Pittenger Bede , Slade Andrea
Published: November 2013

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been recognized since the mid-eighties as an excellent technique to image a wide range of samples in their near-natural environment. Although the primary function of AFM is to generate three-dimensional (3D) profiles of the scanned surface, much more information can be delivered via this technique. In 1993, TappingMode was developed, which prevents tip and sample damage due to friction and shear forces and allows qualitative mechanical property mapping through phase imaging. About the same time, force spectroscopy and force volume (FV) were developed to study tip-sample forces at a point or over an area, respectively. To date, force spectroscopy and FV are the most commonly used AFM modes for measuring nanometer-scale mechanical forces in a quantitative manner. Unfortunately, force spectroscopy and FV suffer from slow acquisition speed and a lack of automated tools; these operating characteristics limit their use because of the hundreds or thousands of curves that are required for good statistics.
Huygens STED Deconvolution Increases Signal-to-Noise and Image Resolution towards 22 nm
Authors: Schoonderwoert Vincent , Dijkstra Remko , Luckinavicius Grazvydas , Kobler Oliver , van der Voort Hans
Published: November 2013

Image restoration aims to make optimal use of the data provided by the light microscope to recover the object being imaged; in other words, to “figure out what the microscope is actually trying to tell us.” To achieve this, the distortions introduced by the imaging process need to be undone insofar possible.
Legal Issues Surrounding the Referendum on Independence for Scotland
Authors: Tierney Stephen
Published: November 2013

The 2014 referendum: Towards a consensual process – The Edinburgh Agreement: framing the referendum process – Process rules and key issues – After the referendum: Scotland's status under international law – Secession under international law – Membership of international organisations, especially the European Union
The Place of Constitutional Courts in the EU
Authors: Komárek Jan
Published: November 2013

Going beyond ‘judicial dialogues’ and ‘conflict-and-power’ approaches to the analysis of national constitutional courts' role in the EU – The idea of European constitutional democracy – National constitutional courts constrain individual autonomy expanded by European integration – National constitutional courts defend the scope for political autonomy – Against national constitutional courts' displacement – Simmenthal II – After the ‘Rights Revolution’ in Europe – National constitutional courts' references to the ECJ – Ordinary courts challenging national constitutional courts through the preliminar y reference procedure – Parallel references – National constitutional courts enforcing EU law – National constitutional courts challenging EU law
The Fiscal Compact: Europe's Not Always Able to Speak German: On the
Dutch Implementing Act and the Hazardous Interpretation of the Implementation Duty in
Article 3(2) Fiscal Compact
Authors: Reestman Jan-Herman
Published: November 2013

Fiscal Compact: duty to implement balanced budget rule, automatic correction
mechanism and independent budget supervisor in national law – The Netherlands: Act on
sustainable government finances – Act does not bind the (budget) legislature –
Conformity with the implementation duty in Article 3(2) Fiscal Compact? – The first
reading of Article 3(2) – The second reading of Article 3(2) – The genesis of Article
3(2) – Recourse to (Dutch and French) monism?
Where Human Rights Meet Administrative Law: Essential Elements and Limits to Delegation: European Court of Justice, Grand Chamber C-355/10: European Parliament v. Council of the European Union
Authors: den Heijer Maarten , Tauschinsky Eljalill
Published: November 2013

Case C-355/10 deals with institutional questions and with the delicate issue of intercepting migrants at sea, and thus with fundamental rights. The European Parliament had sought the annulment of a decision of the Council, adopted under the regulatory procedure with scrutiny (PRAC), on the grounds that it exceeded the scope of the implementing power in Article 12(5) of the Schengen Borders Code. The decision laid down rules and guidelines for Frontex maritime operations.

The Court annulled the contested decision because it considered that the provisions on interception measures and search and rescue involved important political choices, and that these provisions contain elements that call for the use of legislation instead of an implementing act. However, the Court maintained the effects of the decision until it is replaced by new rules within a reasonable time. In response to the judgment, the Commission presented a fresh proposal for a regulation on 12 April 2013.
Anomalous resistance overshoot in the integer quantum Hall effect
Authors: Kendirlik E. M. , Sirt S. , Kalkan S. B. , Dietsche W. , Wegscheider W. , Ludwig S. , Siddiki A.
Published: November 2013

In this work we report on experiments performed on smooth edge-narrow Hall bars. The magneto-transport properties of intermediate mobility two-dimensional electron systems are investigated and analyzed within the screening theory of the integer quantized Hall effect. We observe a non-monotonic increase of Hall resistance at the low magnetic field ends of the quantized plateaus, known as the overshoot effect. Unexpectedly, for Hall bars that are defined by shallow chemical etching the overshoot effect becomes more pronounced at elevated temperatures. We observe the overshoot effect at odd and even integer plateaus, which favor a spin independent explanation, in contrast to discussion in the literature. In a second set of the experiments, we investigate the overshoot effect in gate defined Hall bar and explicitly show that the amplitude of the overshoot effect can be directly controlled by gate voltages. We offer a comprehensive explanation based on scattering between evanescent incompressible channels.
Mammalian sterile 20-like kinase 1/2 inhibits the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway by directly binding casein kinase 1ε
Authors: Xu Fei , Wang Yan-lin , Chang Jiao-jiao , Du Si-chen , Diao Lei , Jiang Nan , Wang Hui-jun , Ma Duan , Zhang Jin
Published: November 2013

The Hippo signalling pathway can suppress the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway through the last downstream effectors YAP (Yes-associated protein)/TAZ (tafazzin). MST (mammalian sterile 20-like kinase) 1 functions as the upstream kinase of the Hippo pathway, and CK1ε (casein kinase 1ε) plays roles in the up-stream signal transduction of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. In the present study, using tandem affinity purification and MS analysis, CK1ε was identified as a novel partner of MST1. Further analysis showed that the interaction between MST1 and CK1ε was mediated by their kinase domains and enhanced by the activation of MST1. To exclude the interference of the phosphorylated YAP/TAZ, the transduction from MST1 to YAP/TAZ was blocked using anti-WW45 shRNA. In the sh-WW45 cells, MST1 still inhibited the Wnt3A-induced phosphorylation of DVL2 (dishevelled 2) and Wnt/β-catenin signalling by disturbing the interaction of DVL2 and CK1ε. The growth-suppressive effect of MST1 in the presence of Wnt3A was effectively relieved by the downstream activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Moreover, MST2, the close homologue of MST1, also displayed the similar function in suppressing the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Therefore the results of the present study revealed that, in addition to the phosphorylated YAP/TAZ, the Hippo pathway can suppress the Wnt/β-catenin pathway directly through MST1/2.
Saving Costs using Smart Call Routing: Aligning Business and IT through Finance
Authors: Vinueza Gustavo
Published: November 2013

This case describes the effective information technology (IT) business alignment considerations that led to the successful implementation of a telecommunication platform designed to efficiently route cell phone calls in a financial institution in Chile. The company had several branches throughout the country, including its headquarters in Santiago. This initiative was part of a Technology Cost Savings strategy generated in response to the 2008 crisis. The idea behind it was to align internal business leaders with the IT team in order to optimize these costs, realizing a more efficient telecommunication platform, and to work together, as several cost-reducing initiatives were being executed at the same time. Achievements were thoroughly reviewed by the board of directors, and thus pressure to clean up the house was high. At that time, when users called a cellular phone from a landline, the call was charged using a fee much higher than a mobile company rate. The goal of the project was naturally to optimize these charges. An automatic call routing was designed, discussed and executed with the participation of the business leaders, based on each branch's demand and projected growth. The case relates the project lifecycle: the mistakes made at the beginning, the initial platform tests and bottlenecks, the rejection and frustration of the business, and a posterior crisis control and recovery phase. IT alignment and sponsorship from the directors were crucial, as there was no way back. All these factors, plus the additional IT activities competing for business attention, made this project both a challenging and learning experience.
How IT enables business model innovation at the VDAB
Authors: Viaene Stijn , Broeckx Saskia
Published: November 2013

This case study invites students to discuss strategic value creation through the use of information technology (IT). It raises issues of business model innovation, IT strategy, digital platforms, ecosystems, business-IT alignment, and leadership. The key character in the case is the Chief Information Officer, Paul Danneels, who is ready to drive the strategic transformation of the VDAB, the Flemish Employment Agency, from a service provider to a labor market conductor. Starting from a firm understanding of the VDAB's strategic choices, students should be able to discuss the positioning and role of the IT department as well as its views on value delivery.
Conservative water use under high evaporative demand associated with smaller root metaxylem and limited trans-membrane water transport in wheat
Authors: Schoppach Rémy , Wauthelet Diego , Jeanguenin Linda , Sadok Walid
Published: November 2013

Efficient breeding of drought-tolerant wheat (Triticum spp.) genotypes requires identifying mechanisms underlying exceptional performances. Evidence indicates that the drought-tolerant breeding line RAC875 is water-use conservative, limiting its transpiration rate (TR) sensitivity to increasing vapour pressure deficit (VPD), thereby saving soil water moisture for later use. However, the physiological basis of the response remains unknown. The involvement of leaf and root developmental, anatomical and hydraulic features in regulating high-VPD, whole-plant TR was investigated on RAC875 and a drought-sensitive cultivar (Kukri) in 12 independent hydroponic and pot experiments. Leaf areas and stomatal densities were found to be identical between lines and de-rooted plants didn’t exhibit differential TR responses to VPD or TR sensitivity to four aquaporin (AQP) inhibitors that included mercury chloride (HgCl2). However, intact plants exhibited a differential sensitivity to HgCl2 that was partially reversed by β-mercaptoethanol. Further, root hydraulic conductivity of RAC875 was found to be lower than Kukri’s and root cross-sections of RAC875 had significantly smaller stele and central metaxylem diameters. These findings indicate that the water-conservation of RAC875 results from a root-based hydraulic restriction that requires potentially heritable functional and anatomical features. The study revealed links between anatomical and AQP-based processes in regulating TR under increasing evaporative demand.
TAp73 knockout mice show morphological and functional nervous system defects associated with loss of p75 neurotrophin receptor
Authors: Niklison-Chirou Maria Victoria , Steinert Joern R. , Agostini Massimiliano , Knight Richard A. , Dinsdale David , Cattaneo Antonio , Mak Tak W. , Melino Gerry
Published: November 2013

Significance

p73 is a tumor suppressor protein that also plays a central role in brain development. But how p73 modulates neurite outgrowth and neurite arborization is not clear. Neurotrophins are small molecules, which send signals between cells. Neurotrophins can induce cells to either apoptosis or survival. We show that TAp73 is a transcriptional activator of the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75
NTR
). TAp73 knockout mice have reduced levels of p75
NTR
and show peripheral nerve defect, including reduced myelin thickness and thermal sensitivity. p75
NTR
is expressed most strongly in the peripheral nerve, where it is important for nerve development. Relatively limited information exists on p75
NTR
gene regulation; by linking the p53/p73 gene family to p75
NTR
transcription, we introduce possibly controversial mechanisms of regulation.
CNTF-mediated protection of photoreceptors requires initial activation of the cytokine receptor gp130 in Müller glial cells
Authors: Rhee Kun Do , Nusinowitz Steven , Chao Kevin , Yu Fei , Bok Dean , Yang Xian-Jie
Published: November 2013

Significance

The cytokine CNTF has been approved by the FDA as a neuroprotective treatment for major retinal degenerative diseases. However, the mechanism of CNTF-triggered protection and CNTF-responsive cells in the retina remains unknown. Using molecular genetic analyses in a retinal degeneration mouse model, we identify the Müller glial cell as the direct initial target of exogenous CNTF signals. We provide evidence that CNTF signals stimulate a Müller glia and photoreceptor intercellular signaling loop involved in neuronal survival. Nonetheless, despite the marked improvement in photoreceptor morphology and survival, CNTF treatment does not result in a corresponding improvement of visual function. These results provide insight into the mechanism of CNTF action in the diseased retinas relevant to its clinical applications.
The limits of racial prejudice
Authors: Lewis Kevin
Published: November 2013

Significance

Racial segregation in romantic networks is a robust and ubiquitous social phenomenon—but one we understand remarkably poorly. In this paper, I analyze a large network of interactions among users of a popular online dating site. First, I find that users from all racial backgrounds are equally likely or more likely to cross a racial boundary when reciprocating than when initiating romantic contact. Second, I find that certain subsets of users who receive—and reply to—a cross-race message initiate more new interracial exchanges in the short-term future than they would have otherwise. These findings illustrate an important mechanism whereby racial biases in assortative mating may be reduced temporarily by the actions of others.
DNA polymerase δ-interacting protein 2 is a processivity factor for DNA polymerase λ during 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine bypass
Authors: Maga Giovanni , Crespan Emmanuele , Markkanen Enni , Imhof Ralph , Furrer Antonia , Villani Giuseppe , Hübscher Ulrich , van Loon Barbara
Published: November 2013

Significance

Macromolecules (DNA, proteins, and lipids) in all cells are constantly damaged by reactive oxygen species (ROS). In particular, ROS cause 1,000–7,000 DNA damages per day. Due to its lowest redox potential, the base guanine is mostly affected, resulting in the formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine. This modified base instructs incorporation of adenosine, instead of cytidine, by replicative DNA polymerases, potentially leading to GC→TA transversion mutations. DNA polymerase λ is the most efficient enzyme in performing accurate translesion synthesis over 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine, since it preferentially incorporates the correct cytidine. In this paper we found that the protein called “DNA polymerase δ interacting protein 2” supports DNA polymerase λ in its important task and can protect cells from ROS DNA damage.
Reduced IGF signaling prevents muscle cell death in a
Caenorhabditis elegans
model of muscular dystrophy
Authors: Oh Kelly Hyunju , Kim Hongkyun
Published: November 2013

Significance

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) affects 1 in 3,500 live male births and is a fatal degenerative muscle disease with no known cure. The primary cause of DMD is muscle necrosis due to the loss of the dystrophin protein in the muscle membrane. However, the underlying cellular mechanisms that lead to cell death are not known. Using
Caenorhabditis elegans
as a model of muscular dystrophy, we show that whereas loss of dystrophin function is a primary cause of muscle degeneration, muscle cell death is greatly influenced by age-dependent, intrinsically variable cellular environments. We further show that reduction of insulin-like growth factor 1 signaling, which rejuvenates the cellular environments, helps to protect against muscle cell death caused by loss of dystrophin function.
Visualization of local DNA unwinding by Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 using single-molecule FRET
Authors: Cannon Brian , Kuhnlein Jeffrey , Yang Soo-Hyun , Cheng Anita , Schindler Detlev , Stark Jeremy M. , Russell Rick , Paull Tanya T.
Published: November 2013

Significance

The Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 (MRN) complex recognizes double-strand breaks in eukaryotic cells, initiating DNA repair and signaling cell cycle checkpoint arrest. Several enzymes are known to be stimulated at sites of breaks through the actions of MRN, including nucleases and the ATM protein kinase. Here we investigated the interactions between MRN and DNA ends using a single-molecule approach that allows us to measure the unwinding of the helix while MRN is bound. We found that MRN promotes local separation of the DNA strands at the end of the helix (15–20 base pairs) in an ATP-dependent manner. A mutation in Rad50 that blocks this ATP-dependent opening also blocks DNA end processing in human cells, confirming the importance of duplex opening for MRN function.
Nitrogen isotope effects induced by anammox bacteria
Authors: Brunner Benjamin , Contreras Sergio , Lehmann Moritz F. , Matantseva Olga , Rollog Mark , Kalvelage Tim , Klockgether Gabriele , Lavik Gaute , Jetten Mike S. M. , Kartal Boran , Kuypers Marcel M. M.
Published: November 2013

Significance

Nitrogen is essential for all organisms and limits primary production in the ocean. It is mainly lost from low-oxygen environments by the activity of microorganisms that convert fixed nitrogen to N
2
gas. The isotopic composition of nitrogen species can be used to assess nitrogen sinks in the environment, but its use in biogeochemical studies can be fully exploited only if the isotope discrimination that is associated with the respective nitrogen-converting pathways is known. This study reveals the wide range of nitrogen isotope effects of anaerobic oxidation of ammonium (anammox), a major player in marine fixed nitrogen loss, reconciling experimental data with nitrogen isotope signatures observed in the ocean.
Reducing Jagged 1 and 2 levels prevents cerebral arteriovenous malformations in matrix Gla protein deficiency
Authors: Yao Yucheng , Yao Jiayi , Radparvar Melina , Blazquez-Medela Ana M. , Guihard Pierre J. , Jumabay Medet , Boström Kristina I.
Published: November 2013

Significance

Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are common vascular abnormalities that may lead to strokes. Signaling by bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and Notch play important roles in the formation of cerebral AVMs, but the cross-talk between the pathways is poorly understood. We report that gene deletion of matrix Gla protein (MGP), a BMP inhibitor, causes cerebral AVMs in mice by activating activin receptor-like kinase 1, a BMP receptor. This activation enhances Notch activity and disrupts endothelial cell differentiation by inducing the Notch ligands Jagged 1 and 2. Reducing Jagged 1 and 2 expression prevents the disruption in differentiation and AVM formation. The findings suggest that MGP maintains the balance between BMP and Notch signaling and promotes a normal brain vasculature.
Gas injection may have triggered earthquakes in the Cogdell oil field, Texas
Authors: Gan Wei , Frohlich Cliff
Published: November 2013

Significance

Between 2006 and 2011 a series of earthquakes occurred in the Cogdell oil field near Snyder, TX. A previous series of earthquakes occurring 1975–1982 was attributed to the injection of water into wells to enhance oil production. We evaluated injection and extraction of oil, water, and gas in the Cogdell field. Water injection cannot explain the 2006–2011 earthquakes. However, since 2004 significant volumes of gas including CO
2
have been injected into Cogdell wells. If this triggered the 2006–2011 seismicity, this represents an instance where gas injection has triggered earthquakes having magnitudes 3 and larger. Understanding when gas injection triggers earthquakes will help evaluate risks associated with large-scale carbon capture and storage as a strategy for managing climate change.
Mechanistic picture for conformational transition of a membrane transporter at atomic resolution
Authors: Moradi Mahmoud , Tajkhorshid Emad
Published: November 2013

Significance

Membrane transporters rely on large-scale conformational changes for their function. Despite considerable effort, however, details of such structural transitions are largely unknown, leaving many fundamental questions regarding the transport mechanism in this important family of membrane proteins unanswered. Here, we present a nonequilibrium approach to characterize the conformational transition of MsbA, a member of the ATP-binding cassette exporter family, which is involved in transport of diverse substrates across the membrane. The design of the study is based on complex, system-specific reaction coordinates and protocols resulting in an unprecedented level of detail on the nature of conformational coupling and the mechanism of transport. The presented approach opens opportunities for investigating large-scale conformational changes of other membrane transporters.
Genetic basis of neurocognitive decline and reduced white-matter integrity in normal human brain aging
Authors: Glahn David C. , Kent Jack W. , Sprooten Emma , Diego Vincent P. , Winkler Anderson M. , Curran Joanne E. , McKay D. Reese , Knowles Emma E. , Carless Melanie A , Göring Harald H. H. , Dyer Thomas D. , Olvera Rene L. , Fox Peter T. , Almasy Laura , Charlesworth Jac , Kochunov Peter , Duggirala Ravi , Blangero John
Published: November 2013

Significance

Identification of genes associated with brain aging should improve our understanding of the biological processes that govern normal age-related decline. In randomly selected pedigrees, we documented profound aging effects from young adulthood to old age (18–83 years) on neurocognitive ability and diffusion-based white-matter measures. Despite significant phenotypic correlation between white-matter integrity and tests of processing speed, working memory, declarative memory, and intelligence, no evidence for shared genetic determination was observed. Applying a gene-by-environment interaction analysis where age is an environmental factor, we demonstrate a heritable basis for neurocognitive deterioration with age. In contrast, increasing white-matter incoherence with age appears to be nongenetic. Identifying brain-aging traits is a critical first step in delineating the biological mechanisms of successful aging.
Noninvasive detection of cancer-associated genome-wide hypomethylation and copy number aberrations by plasma DNA bisulfite sequencing
Authors: Chan K. C. Allen , Jiang Peiyong , Chan Carol W. M. , Sun Kun , Wong John , Hui Edwin P. , Chan Stephen L. , Chan Wing Cheong , Hui David S. C. , Ng Simon S. M. , Chan Henry L. Y. , Wong Cesar S. C. , Ma Brigette B. Y. , Chan Anthony T. C. , Lai Paul B. S. , Sun Hao , Chiu Rossa W. K. , Lo Y. M. Dennis
Published: November 2013

Significance

Genome-wide hypomethylation is frequently observed in cancers. In this study, we showed that genome-wide hypomethylation analysis in plasma using shotgun massively parallel bisulfite sequencing is a powerful general approach for the detection of multiple types of cancers. This approach is particularly attractive because high sensitivity and specificity can be achieved using low sequence depth, which is practical diagnostically. This approach can also be used for monitoring patients following treatment. The same sequencing data can be further used for detecting cancer-associated copy number aberrations at no additional costs. One could thus combine plasma hypomethylation and copy number analyses in a synergistic manner for further enhancing detection sensitivity or specificity.