bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mass spectral analysis of N‐oxides of Chemical Weapons Convention related aminoethanols under electrospray ionization conditions
Authors: Sridhar L. , Karthikraj R. , Murty M. R. V. S. , Raju N. Prasada , Vairamani M. , Prabhakar S.
Published: January 2011

N,N'‐Dialkylaminoethanols are the hydrolyzed products or precursors of chemical warfare agents such as V‐agents and nitrogen mustards, and they are prone to undergo oxidation in environmental matrices or during decontamination processes. Consequently, screening of the oxidized products of aminoethanols in aqueous samples is an important task in the verification of chemical weapons convention‐related chemicals. Here we report the successful characterization of the N‐oxides of N,N'‐dialkylaminoethanols, alkyl diethanolamines, and triethanolamine using positive ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The collision‐induced dissociation (CID) spectra of the [M + H]+ and [M + Na]+ ions show diagnostic product ions that enable the unambiguous identification of the studied N‐oxides, including those of isomeric compounds. The proposed fragmentation pathways are supported by high‐resolution mass spectrometry data and product/precursor ion spectra. The CID spectra of [M + H]+ ions included [MH − CH4O2]+ as the key product ion, in addition to a distinctive alkene loss that allowed us to recognize the alkyl group attached to the nitrogen. The [M + Na]+ ions show characteristic product ions due to the loss of groups (R) attached to nitrogen either as a radical (1R.) or as a molecule [R + H or (R − H)] after hydrogen migration. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A compactness result for Landau state in thin-film micromagnetics
Authors: Ignat Radu , Otto Felix
Published: January 2011

We deal with a nonconvex and nonlocal variational problem coming from thin-film micromagnetics. It consists in a free-energy functional depending on two small parameters

ε

and

η

and defined over vector fields

m:\Omega \subset \mathbb{R}^{2}\rightarrow S^{2}

that are tangent at the boundary

∂Ω

. We are interested in the behavior of minimizers as

\varepsilon ,\eta \rightarrow 0

. They tend to be in-plane away from a region of length scale

ε

(generically, an interior vortex ball or two boundary vortex balls) and of vanishing divergence, so that

S^{1}

-transition layers of length scale

η

(Néel walls) are enforced by the boundary condition. We first prove an upper bound for the minimal energy that corresponds to the cost of a vortex and the configuration of Néel walls associated to the viscosity solution, so-called Landau state. Our main result concerns the compactness of vector fields

\{m_{\varepsilon ,\eta }\}_{\varepsilon ,\eta \downarrow 0}

of energies close to the Landau state in the regime where a vortex is energetically more expensive than a Néel wall. Our method uses techniques developed for the Ginzburg–Landau type problems for the concentration of energy on vortex balls, together with an approximation argument of

S^{2}

-vector fields by

S^{1}

-vector fields away from the vortex balls.
Unusual case of uterine stump pyometra in a cat
Authors: Rota Ada , Pregel Paola , Cannizzo Francesca T. , Sereno Alessandra , Appino Simonetta
Published: January 2011

This report describes an unusual case of uterine stump pyometra in a cat whose main clinical sign at presentation was abdominal straining. At the time of ovariohysterectomy, the surgeon reported that the uterine body had a purulent content. Nearly a month after the surgery the cat showed abdominal straining. The enlarged uterine stump, filled with purulent fluid, had caused a compression of the rectum and secondary intestinal sub-occlusion. Surgical revision consisted of draining the purulent content of the remnant of the uterine body and ablating as much of it as possible; checking of the ovarian pedicles revealed the presence of a small fragment of whitish tissue on the right side, which was shown to contain, by means of histological observation and immunohistochemical staining, ovarian tissue. Four months after surgical revision the queen did not show any pathological signs and 1 year later she is still in good health.
High tumor levels of IL6 and IL8 abrogate preclinical efficacy of the γ‐secretase inhibitor, RO4929097
Authors: He Wei , Luistro Leopoldo , Carvajal Daisy , Smith Melissa , Nevins Tom , Yin Xuefeng , Cai James , Higgins Brian , Kolinsky Kenneth , Rizzo Christine , Packman Kathryn , Heimbrook David , Boylan John F.
Published: January 2011

Interest continues to build around the early application of patient selection markers to prospectively identify patients likely to show clinical benefit from cancer therapies. Hypothesis generation and clinical strategies often begin at the preclinical stage where responder and nonresponder tumor cell lines are first identified and characterized. In the present study, we investigate the drivers of in vivo resistance to the γ‐secretase inhibitor RO4929097. Beginning at the tissue culture level, we identified apparent IL6 and IL8 expression differences that characterized tumor cell line response to RO4929097. We validated this molecular signature at the preclinical efficacy level identifying additional xenograft models resistant to the in vivo effects of RO4929097. Our data suggest that for IL6 and IL8 overexpressing tumors, RO4929097 no longer impacts angiogenesis or the infiltration of tumor associated fibroblasts. These preclinical data provide a rationale for preselecting patients possessing low levels of IL6 and IL8 prior to RO4929097 dosing. Extending this hypothesis into the clinic, we monitored patient IL6 and IL8 serum levels prior to dosing with RO4929097 during Phase I. Interestingly, the small group of patients deriving some type of clinical benefit from RO4929097 presented with low baseline levels of IL6 and IL8. Our data support the continued investigation of this patient selection marker for RO4929097 and other types of Notch inhibitors undergoing early clinical evaluation.
Results From the 2009 Pediatric Rehabilitation Practice Survey of the AAPM&R Pediatric Rehabilitation/Developmental Disabilities Council
Authors: Houtrow Amy
Published: January 2011

Objective

To quantitatively describe the practices of pediatric physiatrists who are members of the Pediatric Rehabilitation/Developmental Disabilities Council of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R).

Design

Cross‐sectional survey using the SurveyMonkey instrument.

Setting

The Pediatric Rehabilitation/Developmental Disabilities Council.

Participants

Eighty‐six members of the Pediatric Rehabilitation/Developmental Disabilities Council ListServ of the Pediatric Rehabilitation/Developmental Disabilities Council of the AAPM&R and pediatric physiatrists known to the author.

Methods

The link to the survey was embedded in an e‐mail message that was distributed by the author to the members of the ListServ on August 14, 2009. Four reminder e‐mail messages were sent. The survey was closed on October 2, 2009. All data were extracted into STATA for analysis. Basic practice data were tabulated by raw numbers and percentages. Summary statistics were calculated for salary data, and simple t‐tests and Mann‐Whitney tests were used to determine if differences were statistically significant (α < 0.05) between subgroups.

Main Outcome Measurements

Location and style of practice, training, experience, and clinical productivity. Comparison of salary data was by experience, training, position, and gender.

Results

Women made up 71% of surveyed pediatric physiatrists. Forty percent of respondents practiced in the midwestern United States, and more than 50% practiced in academic settings. Twenty‐eight percent of female respondents reported the title of medical director compared with 40% of the male respondents. Whereas 20% of responding practitioners had been in practice for more than 20 years, only 8% were full professors. Nearly 40% of respondents reported doing research, but only 8% had received federal funding for research. The average salary was $191,400. Salary differences were noted by title, experience, and academic rank. Female respondents earned, on average, 82% of what male respondents earned.

Conclusions

This survey highlights important issues, including regional variations, a potential lack of academic competitiveness, limited engagement in externally funded research, and salary inequities.
Natural History of Scoliosis in Nonambulatory Spastic Tetraplegic Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Gu Yaoming , Shelton Jean E. , Ketchum Jessica M. , Cifu David X. , Palmer Dorothy , Sparkman Ann , Jermer‐Gu Melinda K. , Mendigorin Marianne
Published: January 2011

Objective

To analyze the development and progression of scoliosis in children and adolescents with nonambulatory spastic tetraplegic cerebral palsy.

Design

Retrospective longitudinal review.

Setting

Pediatric nursing home.

Participants

A total of 110 children and adolescents <18 years of age, with scoliosis.

Interventions

N/A.

Main Outcome Measures

Cobb angle, age, weight, height, history of hip dislocation, tracheostomy.

Results

The Cobb angle increased with age, weight, and height in a nonlinear fashion. A square root transformation of the Cobb angle was chosen to model the nonlinear relationship between the Cobb angle and predictors. Age, height, and weight were significant univariate predictors of the square root of the Cobb angle (slopes = 0.377, 0.067, and 0.06, respectively). In the multivariate mixed model, age remained a significant predictor of the Cobb angle (slope = 0.456), but height and weight did not. If the Cobb angle was >40° by age 12 years, scoliosis was more likely to progress than if the Cobb angle was ≤40°. The effect of age was stronger for those with history of tracheostomy (age slope = 0.631 vs 0.281) than those without. The relationship of age and Cobb angle did not differ significantly between hip dislocated and non–hip‐dislocated groups.

Conclusions

Age was found to be the most significant predictor of Cobb angle, and the effect of age was greater in the tracheostomy group than in the nontracheostomy group. After adjustment for age, the weight and height were not significant predictors of Cobb angle. Cobb angles of >40° by the age of 12 years were associated with greater increases in Cobb angle with age.
Reliability of Bidirectional and Variable‐Opening Equipment for the Measurement of Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength
Authors: Nunes Fabiana Roberta , Martins Carla Campos , Guirro Elaine Caldeira de Oliveira , Guirro Rinaldo Roberto Jesus
Published: January 2011

Objective

In evaluating pelvic floor muscles, it is important to use reliable and accurate methods. Therefore the objective of this study was to verify the reliability of bidirectional and variable‐opening equipment designed to measure anteroposterior and left‐right strength of pelvic floor muscles.

Design

Test‐retest to assess reliability.

Setting

Academic institution, primary level of clinical care.

Participants

Seventeen nulliparous women between 20 and 33 years of age participated in the procedure during 3 consecutive weeks.

Methods

A dynamometer was used to evaluate pelvic floor muscle strength. The reliability was tested in 3 sessions, with a 7‐day interval between, excluding premenstrual and menstrual periods. On each day of data collection, 3 maximum voluntary contractions of pelvic floor muscles were measured. The abdominal and gluteus muscles were evaluated concomitantly to the assessment in an attempt to isolate the pelvic floor muscle contractions.

Main Outcome Measures

To evaluate the test‐retest reliability with the intraclass correlation coefficient and the SEM.

Results

Intraclass correlation of pelvic floor muscle force values ranged from good to excellent. The SEM values for anteroposterior strength were 1.96 N and 1.86 N for left and right, respectively.

Conclusions

Test‐retest values demonstrated that the equipment we assessed to measure the anteroposterior and left‐right force generated reliable pelvic floor muscle strength measurements.
Landing Mechanics During Side Hopping and Crossover Hopping Maneuvers in Noninjured Women and Women With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Ortiz Alexis , Olson Sharon , Trudelle‐Jackson Elaine , Rosario Martin , Venegas Heidi L.
Published: January 2011

Objective

To compare, landing mechanics and electromyographic activity of the lower extremities during side hopping and crossover hopping maneuvers, in noninjured women and women with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

Design

A case‐control study.

Setting

A 3‐dimensional motion analysis laboratory.

Participants

Twenty‐eight young women (range, 21‐35 years) (15 control subjects and 13 subjects with ACL reconstruction).

Patients and Methods

All participants performed a side‐to‐side hopping task that consisted of hopping single‐legged 10 times consecutively from side to side across 2 lines marked 30 cm apart on 2 individual force plates. The task was designated as a side hopping when the hop was to the opposite side of the stance leg and as crossover hopping when the hop was toward the side of the stance leg.

Main Outcome Measurements

Peak hip‐/knee‐joint angles; peak knee extension/abduction joint moments; electromyographic studies of the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, rectus femoris, and hamstring muscles; and quadriceps/hamstring co‐contraction ratio were compared between the groups by means of 2 × 2 multivariate analysis of variance tests (group × maneuver).

Results

Noninjured women and women with ACL reconstruction exhibited similar hip‐ and knee‐joint angles during both types of hopping. Hip‐joint angles were greater during the crossover hopping in both groups, and knee‐joint angles did not differ between the groups or hops. Knee‐joint moments demonstrated a significant group × maneuver interaction. Greater knee extension and valgus moments were noted in the control group during crossover hopping, and greater knee abduction moments were noted in the ACL group during side hopping. Electromyographic data revealed no statistically significantly differences between the groups.

Conclusions

Women with ACL reconstruction exhibited the restoration of functional biomechanical movements such as hip‐/knee‐joint angles and lower extremity neuromuscular activation during side‐to‐side athletic tasks. However, not all biomechanical strategies are restored years after surgery, and women who have undergone a procedure such as ACL reconstruction may continue to exhibit knee‐joint abduction moments that increase the risk of additional knee injury.
Does Neurologic Examination During Inpatient Rehabilitation Help Predict Global Outcome After Nonpenetrating Traumatic Brain Injury?
Authors: Walker William C. , McDonald Scott D.
Published: January 2011

Objective

To determine whether combining basic neurologic examination measurements with posttraumatic amnesia (PTA) duration can enhance prediction accuracy in moderate‐to‐severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Design

A descriptive between‐subjects study.

Setting

Multicenter: 4 Veterans Affairs Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centers within the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center network.

Participants

A total of 210 patients (active duty, veteran, or military dependent) with moderate‐to‐severe nonpenetrating TBI who consented during acute rehabilitation for data collection and completed relevant baseline and 12‐month follow‐up evaluations.

Methods

Multivariate analysis on neurologic examination predictor variables (upper extremity paresis, lower extremity paresis, Romberg test, and Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS]) was performed with block logistic regression modeling that controlled for duration of PTA.

Main Outcome Measure

Glasgow Outcome Score at 1 year.

Results

Glasgow Outcome Score prediction accuracy by using PTA duration was modestly improved with the included neurologic examination measurements. The most influential predictor among them was EDSS, a composite measurement of neurologic impairment. When EDSS was excluded, the simple measurements of upper limb paresis and the Romberg test also provided independent prognostic value.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that simple clinical measurements of neurologic impairment (limb paresis, imbalance, other neurologic deficits) are of value in refining the prediction of long‐term global outcome from TBI. These measurements may serve as markers of focal injury not captured by PTA duration, a severity marker weighted toward diffuse injury.
Decreased stability and increased formation of soluble aggregates by immature superoxide dismutase do not account for disease severity in ALS
Authors: Vassall Kenrick A. , Stubbs Helen R. , Primmer Heather A. , Tong Ming Sze , Sullivan Sarah M. , Sobering Ryan , Srinivasan Saipraveen , Briere Lee-Ann K. , Dunn Stanley D. , Colón Wilfredo , Meiering Elizabeth M.
Published: January 2011

Protein aggregation is a hallmark of many diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), where aggregation of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) is implicated in causing neurodegeneration. Recent studies have suggested that destabilization and aggregation of the most immature form of SOD1, the disulfide-reduced, unmetallated (apo) protein is particularly important in causing ALS. We report herein in depth analyses of the effects of chemically and structurally diverse ALS-associated mutations on the stability and aggregation of reduced apo SOD1. In contrast with previous studies, we find that various reduced apo SOD1 mutants undergo highly reversible thermal denaturation with little aggregation, enabling quantitative thermodynamic stability analyses. In the absence of ALS-associated mutations, reduced apo SOD1 is marginally stable but predominantly folded. Mutations generally result in slight decreases to substantial increases in the fraction of unfolded protein. Calorimetry, ultracentrifugation, and light scattering show that all mutations enhance aggregation propensity, with the effects varying widely, from subtle increases in most cases, to pronounced formation of 40–100 nm soluble aggregates by A4V, a mutation that is associated with particularly short disease duration. Interestingly, although there is a correlation between observed aggregation and stability, there is minimal to no correlation between observed aggregation, predicted aggregation propensity, and disease characteristics. These findings suggest that reduced apo SOD1 does not play a dominant role in modulating disease. Rather, additional and/or multiple forms of SOD1 and additional biophysical and biological factors are needed to account for the toxicity of mutant SOD1 in ALS.
Structural plasticity within highly specific neuronal populations identifies a unique parcellation of motor learning in the adult brain
Authors: Wang Ling , Conner James M. , Rickert Jessica , Tuszynski Mark H.
Published: January 2011

Cortical networks undergo adaptations during learning, including increases in dendritic complexity and spines. We hypothesized that structural elaborations during learning are restricted to discrete subsets of cells preferentially activated by, and relevant to, novel experience. Accordingly, we examined corticospinal motor neurons segregated on the basis of their distinct descending projection patterns, and their contribution to specific aspects of motor control during a forelimb skilled grasping task in adult rats. Learning-mediated structural adaptations, including extensive expansions of spine density and dendritic complexity, were restricted solely to neurons associated with control of distal forelimb musculature required for skilled grasping; neurons associated with control of proximal musculature were unchanged by the experience. We further found that distal forelimb-projecting and proximal forelimb-projecting neurons are intermingled within motor cortex, and that this distribution does not change as a function of skill acquisition. These findings indicate that representations of novel experience in the adult motor cortex are associated with selective structural expansion in networks of functionally related, active neurons that are distributed across a single cortical domain. These results identify a distinct parcellation of cortical resources in support of learning.
The complex that inserts lipopolysaccharide into the bacterial outer membrane forms a two-protein plug-and-barrel
Authors: Freinkman Elizaveta , Chng Shu-Sin , Kahne Daniel
Published: January 2011

The cell surfaces of Gram-negative bacteria are composed of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This glycolipid is found exclusively in the outer leaflet of the asymmetric outer membrane (OM), where it forms a barrier to the entry of toxic hydrophobic molecules into the cell. LPS typically contains six fatty acyl chains and up to several hundred sugar residues. It is biosynthesized in the cytosol and must then be transported across two membranes and an aqueous intermembrane space to the cell surface. These processes are required for the viability of most Gram-negative organisms. The integral membrane β-barrel LptD and the lipoprotein LptE form an essential complex in the OM, which is necessary for LPS assembly. It is not known how this complex translocates large, amphipathic LPS molecules across the OM to the outer leaflet. Here, we show that LptE resides within the LptD β-barrel both in vitro and in vivo. LptD/E associate via an extensive interface; in one specific interaction, LptE contacts a predicted extracellular loop of LptD through the lumen of the β-barrel. Disrupting this interaction site compromises the biogenesis of LptD. This unprecedented two-protein plug-and-barrel architecture suggests how LptD/E can insert LPS from the periplasm directly into the outer leaflet of the OM to establish the asymmetry of the bilayer.
Multiple strategies in structured populations
Authors: Tarnita Corina E. , Wage Nicholas , Nowak Martin A.
Published: January 2011

Many specific models have been proposed to study evolutionary game dynamics in structured populations, but most analytical results so far describe the competition of only two strategies. Here we derive a general result that holds for any number of strategies, for a large class of population structures under weak selection. We show that for the purpose of strategy selection any evolutionary process can be characterized by two key parameters that are coefficients in a linear inequality containing the payoff values. These structural coefficients, σ
1
and σ
2
, depend on the particular process that is being studied, but not on the number of strategies,
n
, or the payoff matrix. For calculating these structural coefficients one has to investigate games with three strategies, but more are not needed. Therefore,
n
= 3 is the general case. Our main result has a geometric interpretation: Strategy selection is determined by the sum of two terms, the first one describing competition on the edges of the simplex and the second one in the center. Our formula includes all known weak selection criteria of evolutionary games as special cases. As a specific example we calculate games on sets and explore the synergistic interaction between direct reciprocity and spatial selection. We show that for certain parameter values both repetition and space are needed to promote evolution of cooperation.
Localization of magnetic pills
Authors: Laulicht Bryan , Gidmark Nicholas J. , Tripathi Anubhav , Mathiowitz Edith
Published: January 2011

Numerous therapeutics demonstrate optimal absorption or activity at specific sites in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Yet, safe, effective pill retention within a desired region of the GI remains an elusive goal. We report a safe, effective method for localizing magnetic pills. To ensure safety and efficacy, we monitor and regulate attractive forces between a magnetic pill and an external magnet, while visualizing internal dose motion in real time using biplanar videofluoroscopy. Real-time monitoring yields direct visual confirmation of localization completely noninvasively, providing a platform for investigating the therapeutic benefits imparted by localized oral delivery of new and existing drugs. Additionally, we report the in vitro measurements and calculations that enabled prediction of successful magnetic localization in the rat small intestines for 12 h. The designed system for predicting and achieving successful magnetic localization can readily be applied to any area of the GI tract within any species, including humans. The described system represents a significant step forward in the ability to localize magnetic pills safely and effectively anywhere within the GI tract. What our magnetic pill localization strategy adds to the state of the art, if used as an oral drug delivery system, is the ability to monitor the force exerted by the pill on the tissue and to locate the magnetic pill within the test subject all in real time. This advance ensures both safety and efficacy of magnetic localization during the potential oral administration of any magnetic pill-based delivery system.
Lipoprotein LptE is required for the assembly of LptD by the β-barrel assembly machine in the outer membrane of
Escherichia coli
Authors: Chimalakonda Gitanjali , Ruiz Natividad , Chng Shu-Sin , Garner Ronald A. , Kahne Daniel , Silhavy Thomas J.
Published: January 2011

Most Gram-negative bacteria contain lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a glucosamine-based phospholipid, in the outer leaflet of the outer membrane (OM). LPS is unique to the bacterial OM and, in most cases, essential for cell viability. Transport of LPS from its site of synthesis to the cell surface requires eight essential proteins, MsbA and LptABCDEFG. Although the key players have been identified, the mechanism of LPS transport and assembly is not clear. The stable LptD/E complex is present at the OM and functions in the final stages of LPS assembly. Here, we have identified the mutant allele
lptE6
, which causes a two–amino-acid deletion in the lipoprotein LptE that affects its interaction with LptD. Highly specific suppressor mutations were isolated not only in
lptD
but also in
bamA
, which encodes the central component of the β-barrel assembly machine. We show that
lptE6
and both suppressor mutations affect the assembly of the LptD/E complex and suggest that the lipoprotein LptE interacts with LptD while this protein is being assembled by the β-barrel assembly machine.
From Need to Necessity
Authors: Guéron Jacqueline
Published: January 2011

Abstract. We trace the evolution of the Italian verb bisogna from a lexical verb expressing need in Old Italian to a modal verb of necessity in Modern Italian (cf. Benincà & Poletto 1993, 1994, 1996). According to the standard view (Roberts 1985; Pollock 1989) loss of its theta-role content turns a lexical verb into an auxiliary. Our own view is that theta-roles are not lexical primitives but are construed at the interface on the basis of the formal features of a lexical item and the syntactic level which construal targets. We assume that the lexical content of bisogna has remained constant throughout history, and suggest that a morphosyntactic change in the grammar has resulted in the assignment of theta-roles to bisogna on a different level in the modern language than in the old language.
On the 'Evidential' Nature of the 'Epistemic' Use of the German Modals müssen and sollen
Authors: Mortelmans Tanja
Published: January 2011

Abstract. The difference with respect to the kind of evidence evoked by the so-called 'epistemic' uses of the German modals müssen and sollen is argued to affect the epistemic contribution of both verbs in a crucial way. With quotative sollen, a genuine subjective-epistemic moment (which should not automatically be associated with an expression of scepticism, i.e. a low commitment on the part of the speaker) remains marginal at best, whereas inferential müssen easily invites speaker-oriented interpretations to the extent that the speaker can be taken to be rather strongly committed to the factuality of the proposition. The latter 'epistemic' interpretation, however, can but need not occur.
The Syntax of putea and its Mixed Typology
Authors: Motapanyane Virginia , Avram Larisa
Published: January 2011

Abstract. This paper investigates the syntax of the Romanian modal putea, which exhibits two selectional options in free alternation: an infinitive complement, as in equivalent Romance constructions, and a subjunctive complement, as in equivalent Balkan constructions. The tests show that both derivations qualify as configurations with clause union, although the syntactic mechanism for achieving the clause union may differ: subjunctive complements conform to the tense triggered pattern for biclausal union, as generally accepted in current studies; whereas bare infinitive complements reveal a parallel pattern yielding monoclausal structures ("tight" verb restructuring). The uniform treatment of modal constructions as configurations with verb restructuring demonstrates that the lexical properties of the modal verb remain constant across the syntactic variation, and this reduces the typological differences between Romance and Balkan languages.
Some Issues about the Portuguese Modals dever and poder
Authors: Oliveira Fátima
Published: January 2011

Abstract. This paper is about some Portuguese modals, mainly poder 'may/can' and dever 'must/should'. After a short description of these modals, I concentrate on their relation to negation. The main objective is to establish a scale for them, based on the three-layered scalar square proposed by van der Auwera (1996). It is shown that the verb poder expresses in many cases a two-sided possibility, and that dever is not a necessity operator in any of its interpretations.
Motan in The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records
Authors: Van Herreweghe Mieke
Published: January 2011

Abstract. In this paper we have tried to establish which paths the Old English modal *motan followed from Old English central meaning of permission to Modern English central meaning of obligation, by looking at peripheral meanings of *motan. The data presented here were drawn from The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records. They tell us that *motan was never used in an epistemic sense; so, diachronically, deontic *motan came first. Moreover, it becomes quite clear that the core meaning was permission, that this could be slightly amended to include ability or wish, and that obligation was only a peripheral meaning in (late?) Old English.
Information design and cultural difference
Authors: Frascara Jorge
Published: January 2011

Information design has traditionally attempted to develop its methods by creating logical sequences and structures to organize both the content and visual presentation of information. Creating clusters, categories, sequences and hierarchies, designers have achieved highly efficient ways of presenting complex information. The modernistic belief in universal s is today reinforced by notions of globalization fostered by end of the century capitalism. Nevertheless, it is increasingly evident that cognitive styles vary from people to people, and that human cognitive performance does not follow artificial intelligence models, but operates according to complex routines that are based on factors which are affected by individual and cultural make up. This article intends to articulate some of those factors, and some of the implications that their existence poses for design practice and education.
Wayfinding in complex healthcare environments
Authors: Miller Colette , Lewis David
Published: January 2011

This paper is an illustrated summary of a year-long research project carried out by Information Design Unit, commissioned by NHS Estates, to identify typical wayfinding problems people encounter at complex sites. The research involved studying 19 healthcare and 8 non-healthcare sites, selected to represent different wayfinding problems and solutions. In addition to signs and maps, we also identified environmental factors that influence people's directional decisions along a route, and questioned site users about how they found their way to their destination. The findings from the research culminated in the commissioning of new guidelines for wayfinding systems in healthcare sites.
Sisters Under the Skin
Authors: McWhorter John
Published: January 2011

This paper shows that the Atlantic English-based Creoles share six features which are derivable neither from superstratal, substratal, nor universal influences, and therefore constitute idiosyncratic correspondences. The six features indicate that these Creoles all derive from a single ancestor of expanded structure, in contrast to the dominant polygenetic scenario under which the Atlantic English-based Creoles emerged, in essence, independently of one another in their respective locations. The findings have implications for all conceptions of creole genesis, in arguing for diffusion as a pivotal, rather than marginal factor. The features discussed are copulas da and de, pronoun unu, anterior marker bin, adverbial self and the obligative verb fu.
Les Expressions Figées des Verbes Ser et Estar Suivies de Prép X
Authors: Mogorrón Huerta Pedro
Published: January 2011

The present work is based on the methodological setting of the LADL studies.
In order to establish the body subject to analysis, we selected only the fixed phrases N0 ser/estar Prep X. In this way, we have collected 1138 expressions involving estar Prep X, and 534 with ser Prep X. In order to classify these expressions, we have grouped them according to the number and form of their complements.
As to the part pertaining to semantics, the alphabetical indices have allowed us to establish that, concerning ser and estar, all the formal schemes exists for both Spanish and french, at least under the form of fixed expressions.
As to the part concerning translation, we have attempted to mesure the isomorphisms of the structures in the two languages; this has enabled us to verify the existence of a near-total parallelism between the structures of the phrases in ser and estar Prep X, and in the structures in être Prép X.
Anaphores Associatives et Classes D'objets
Authors: Le Pesant Denis
Published: January 2011

The "associative anaphoras" (e.g. He enters the village and goes to see the mayor), contrary to the "true anaphoras" (e.g. A policeman rings at the door; and soon the policeman leaves), are neither co-references, nor lexically identical to the antecedent. Our analysis of the associative anaphora tends to turn it into a particular case of the true anaphora. We can distinguish two main categories of associative anaphoras: those which result from an ellipsis of true anaphora, and those which result from an antecedent ellipsis of true anaphora. Here is an example of the first category: I leave a restaurant; the cook (of that restaurant, 0) is remarkable. Here is an example of the second category: He takes his temperature (with a thermometre, 0); the thermometre shows 39° C.
Formes Ambiguës de la Langue Française
Authors: Courtois Blandine
Published: January 2011

In all languages, the ambiguities of simple forms pose a difficult problem in automatic text analysis. The data collected in the present work give a broad coverage of lexical ambiguities in French. They are obtained from the electronic dictionnary DELAF, which contains more than 650,000 forms.
For the purpose of analysis, ambiguities are distributed into four large groups: ambiguities between two verbal forms, ambiguities between a verbal form and a non-verbal form, ambiguities between a noun and a non-verbal form, remaining ambiguities. Moreover, each group is divided into homogeneous subsets: for instance, one subset includes all forms which are ambiguous between a verb in the indicative present and a feminin noun. This classification into groups and subsets is presented with many illustrative examples.
The inventory of all ambiguous French forms is an essential tool for the writing of algorithms needed for resolving ambiguities in text analysis.
Standardization — What's in a name?
Authors: de Vries Henk
Published: January 2011

The activity of creating a "standard" often is called "standardization". A definition of the term "standardization" is derived by comparing existing definitions of standardization with the way the term is used in practice. The definition should be of help in gaining a better understanding of standardization, in serving as a basis for a theory of standardization, and in distinguishing under which circumstances and in which areas standardization might be an appropriate instrument.
Terminologie et information multilingue
Authors: Maurice Nathalie
Published: January 2011

Terminology and documentation have always had among their objectives that of overcoming linguistic difficulties inhibiting communication of specialized information. The ever-increasing availability of primary documents in electronic form and resultant proliferation of research possibilities pose in fundamental terms the issue of language as a tool in documentary systems. Irrespective of the research method applied, linguistic and terminological difficulties frequently compromise the selectivity or exhaustivity of responses, a problem aggravated when the information pool consulted is multilingual. Apart from problems posed by non-equivalence of concepts, instances of synonymy and homography, and morphological peculiarities of the languages involved, the user's own linguistic and documentary competence will also have a bearing on research results. Documentary informatics can no longer dispense with linguistic engineering, but must integrate into their retrieval systems terminological reference bases derived from thesauri which, apart from reformulating and broadening queries, should permit their translation into other languages.
Applications of carbon nanotubes to electrochemical DNA sensors: a new strategy to make direct and selective hybridization detection from SWNTs
Authors: Zhang Qi Dong , Piro Benoît , Noël Vincent , Reisberg Steeve , Pham Minh-Chau
Published: January 2011

In this paper, we first review different strategies reported in the literature to elaborate electrochemical DNA sensors based on carbon nanotubes. Then we report a new strategy to graft both redox and DNA probes onto carbon nanotubes to make a label-free DNA sensor. Oxidized single-walled carbon nanotubes are first immobilized on a self-assembled monolayer of cysteamine. Then a redox probe, a quinone derivative 3-[(2-aminoethyl) sulfanyl-5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone], is grafted onto the free carboxylic groups of the nanotubes. After that, for DNA probe grafting, new carboxylic sites are generated via an aryl diazonium route. After hybridization with a complementary sequence, the conformational changes of DNA could influence the redox kinetics of quinone, leading to a current increase in the redox signal, detected by square wave voltammetry. The system is selective, as it can distinguish a single mismatched sequence from the complementary one.
Towards highly sensitive strain sensing based on nanostructured materials
Authors: Dao Dzung Viet , Bui Tung Thanh , Nakamura Koichi , Dau Van Thanh , Yamada Takeo , Hata Kenji , Sugiyama Susumu
Published: January 2011

This paper presents our recent theoretical and experimental study of piezo-effects in nanostructured materials for highly sensitive, high resolution mechanical sensors. The piezo-effects presented here include the piezoresistive effect in a silicon nanowire (SiNW) and single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) thin film, as well as the piezo-optic effect in a Si photonic crystal (PhC) nanocavity. Firstly, the electronic energy band structure of the silicon nanostructure is discussed and simulated by using the First-Principles Calculations method. The result showed a remarkably different energy band structure compared with that of bulk silicon. This difference in the electronic state will result in different physical, chemical, and therefore, sensing properties of silicon nanostructures. The piezoresistive effects of SiNW and SWCNT thin film were investigated experimentally. We found that, when the width of 〈 110 〉 p-type SiNW decreases from 500 to 35 nm, the piezoresistive effect increases by more than 60%. The longitudinal piezoresistive coefficient of SWCNT thin film was measured to be twice that of bulk p-type silicon. Finally, theoretical investigations of the piezo-optic effect in a PhC nanocavity based on Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) showed extremely high resolution strain sensing. These nanostructures were fabricated based on top-down nanofabrication technology. The achievements of this work are significant for highly sensitive, high resolution and miniaturized mechanical sensors.
Graphics processing unit implementations of relative expression analysis algorithms enable dramatic computational speedup
Authors: Magis Andrew T. , Earls John C. , Ko Youn-Hee , Eddy James A. , Price Nathan D.
Published: January 2011

Summary: The top-scoring pair (TSP) and top-scoring triplet (TST) algorithms are powerful methods for classification from expression data, but analysis of all combinations across thousands of human transcriptome samples is computationally intensive, and has not yet been achieved for TST. Implementation of these algorithms for the graphics processing unit results in dramatic speedup of two orders of magnitude, greatly increasing the searchable combinations and accelerating the pace of discovery.

Availability:  http://www.igb.illinois.edu/labs/price/downloads/.

Contact:  ndprice@illinois.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Efficient measurement error correction with spatially misaligned data
Authors: Szpiro Adam A. , Sheppard Lianne , Lumley Thomas
Published: January 2011

Association studies in environmental statistics often involve exposure and outcome data that are misaligned in space. A common strategy is to employ a spatial model such as universal kriging to predict exposures at locations with outcome data and then estimate a regression parameter of interest using the predicted exposures. This results in measurement error because the predicted exposures do not correspond exactly to the true values. We characterize the measurement error by decomposing it into Berkson-like and classical-like components. One correction approach is the parametric bootstrap, which is effective but computationally intensive since it requires solving a nonlinear optimization problem for the exposure model parameters in each bootstrap sample. We propose a less computationally intensive alternative termed the “parameter bootstrap” that only requires solving one nonlinear optimization problem, and we also compare bootstrap methods to other recently proposed methods. We illustrate our methodology in simulations and with publicly available data from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Satellite remote sensing for an ecosystem approach to fisheries management
Authors: Chassot Emmanuel , Bonhommeau Sylvain , Reygondeau Gabriel , Nieto Karen , Polovina Jeffrey J. , Huret Martin , Dulvy Nicholas K. , Demarcq Herve
Published: January 2011

Chassot, E., Bonhommeau, S., Reygondeau, G., Nieto, K., Polovina, J. J., Huret, M., Dulvy, N. K., and Demarcq, H. 2011. Satellite remote sensing for an ecosystem approach to fisheries management. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 651–666. Satellite remote sensing (SRS) of the marine environment has become instrumental in ecology for environmental monitoring and impact assessment, and it is a promising tool for conservation issues. In the context of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM), global, daily, systematic, high-resolution images obtained from satellites provide a good data source for incorporating habitat considerations into marine fish population dynamics. An overview of the most common SRS datasets available to fishery scientists and state-of-the-art data-processing methods is presented, focusing on recently developed techniques for detecting mesoscale features such as eddies, fronts, filaments, and river plumes of major importance in productivity enhancement and associated fish aggregation. A comprehensive review of remotely sensed data applications in fisheries over the past three decades for investigating the relationships between oceanographic conditions and marine resources is provided, emphasizing how synoptic and information-rich SRS data have become instrumental in ecological analyses at community and ecosystem scales. Finally, SRS data, in conjunction with automated in situ data-acquisition systems, can provide the scientific community with a major source of information for ecosystem modelling, a key tool for implementing an EAFM.
Sunxiuqinia elliptica gen. nov., sp. nov., a member of the phylum Bacteroidetes isolated from sediment in a sea cucumber farm
Authors: Qu Lingyun , Zhu Fengling , Hong Xuguang , Gao Wei , Chen Junhui , Sun Xiuqin
Published: January 2011

Three novel aerobic, elliptic bacteria, designated DQHS4T, DQHS8 and DQHS15, were isolated from sediment of a seashore pond for sea cucumber culture in Jimo, Qingdao, on the east coast of China. Cells were Gram-, oxidase- and catalase-negative. All three strains grew at 15–42 °C, pH 5–9 and NaCl concentrations between 0.5 and 10 %. DNA–DNA hybridization experiments revealed high (>85 %) relatedness among the three novel isolates and suggested that the strains constitute a single species. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that these bacteria had less than 90 % similarity to all described species of the phylum Bacteroidetes; the closest relative of the three isolates was Prolixibacter bellariivorans F2T, sharing only 89.6 % sequence similarity. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C17 : 0 3-OH (19.8–20.0 %), iso-C15 : 0 (16.9–17.3 %), anteiso-C17 : 1 B and/or iso-C17 : 1 I (7.4–8.7 %), C17 : 0 2-OH (8.4 %), anteiso-C15 : 0 (8.2–8.6 %) and C17 : 1ω6c (5.6–6.0 %). The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone-7 (MK-7) and the DNA G+C content was 41.8–43.5 mol%. Based on the distinct phylogenetic position and the combination of genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, these three strains were considered to represent a novel species of a new genus in the phylum Bacteroidetes, for which the name Sunxiuqinia elliptica gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Sunxiuqinia elliptica is DQHS4T ( = CGMCC 1.9156T  = NCCB 100301T  = LMG 25367T).
Cryptococcus yokohamensis sp. nov., a basidiomycetous yeast isolated from trees and a Queensland koala kept in a Japanese zoological park
Authors: Alshahni Mohamed Mahdi , Makimura Koichi , Satoh Kazuo , Nishiyama Yayoi , Kido Nobuhide , Sawada Takuo
Published: January 2011

Three strains were isolated from the nostrils of a koala and the surrounding environment in a Japanese zoological park. Sequence analysis of the nuclear rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the large subunit rDNA D1/D2 domains in addition to physiological and morphological studies indicated that the isolates represent a single novel species belonging to the basidiomycetous genusCryptococcus(Tremellales, Tremellomycetes, Agaricomycotina). Phylogenetic analysis based on D1/D2 and ITS regions revealed that the novel species belongs to the Fuciformis clade. The nameCryptococcus yokohamensissp. nov. is proposed to accommodate these isolates with strain JCM 16989T( = TIMM 10001T = CBS 11776T = DSM 23671T) as the type strain.