bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cooperative subunit interactions mediate fast C‐type inactivation of hERG1 K+ channels
Authors: Wu Wei , Gardner Alison , Sanguinetti Michael C.
Published: July 2014

Key points

C‐type inactivation of voltage‐gated K+ channels is caused by a conformational change in the selectivity filter that prevents ion conductance.

The role of subunit interaction during C‐type inactivation of hERG1 K+ channels was characterized by using concatenated tetrameric channels containing a defined composition and stoichiometry of wild‐type subunits and subunits with a mutation known to attenuate or accentuate inactivation gating.

Analysis of the kinetics and voltage dependence of steady‐state inactivation for the concatenated channels indicated a variable extent of subunit interaction, dependent on the location of the mutation used to probe the gating process.

Mutations located in the selectivity filter or pore helix disrupted inactivation in a dominant‐negative manner, suggesting that the final step of C‐type inactivation of hERG1 K+ channels is mediated by a concerted, highly cooperative interaction between all four subunits.

At depolarized membrane potentials, the conductance of some voltage‐gated K+ channels is reduced by C‐type inactivation. This gating process is voltage independent in Kv1 and involves a conformational change in the selectivity filter that is mediated by cooperative subunit interactions. C‐type inactivation in hERG1 K+ channels is voltage‐dependent, much faster in onset and greatly attenuates currents at positive potentials. Here we investigate the potential role of subunit interactions in C‐type inactivation of hERG1 channels. Point mutations in hERG1 known to eliminate (G628C/S631C), inhibit (S620T or S631A) or enhance (T618A or M645C) C‐type inactivation were introduced into subunits that were combined with wild‐type subunits to form concatenated tetrameric channels with defined subunit composition and stoichiometry. Channels were heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes and the two‐microelectrode voltage clamp was used to measure the kinetics and steady‐state properties of inactivation of whole cell currents. The effect of S631A or T618A mutations on inactivation was a graded function of the number of mutant subunits within a concatenated tetramer as predicted by a sequential model of cooperative subunit interactions, whereas M645C subunits increased the rate of inactivation of concatemers, as predicted for subunits that act independently of one another. For mutations located within the inactivation gate proper (S620T or G628C/S631C), the presence of a single subunit in a concatenated hERG1 tetramer disrupted gating to the same extent as that observed for mutant homotetramers. Together, our findings indicate that the final step of C‐type inactivation of hERG1 channels involves a concerted, all‐or‐none cooperative interaction between all four subunits, and that probing the mechanisms of channel gating with concatenated heterotypic channels should be interpreted with care, as conclusions regarding the nature of subunit interactions may depend on the specific mutation used to probe the gating process.
Cocoon of the silkwormAntheraea pernyias an example of a thermally insulating biological interface
Authors: Jin Xing , Zhang Jin , Gao Weimin , Li Jingliang , Wang Xungai
Published: July 2014

Biological materials are hierarchically organized complex composites, which embrace multiple practical functionalities. As an example, the wild silkworm cocoon provides multiple protective functions against environmental and physical hazards, promoting the survival chance of moth pupae that resides inside. In the present investigation, the microstructure and thermal property of the Chinese tussah silkworm (Antheraea pernyi) cocoon in both warm and cold environments under windy conditions have been studied by experimental and numerical methods. A new computational fluid dynamics model has been developed according to the original fibrous structure of the Antheraea pernyi cocoon to simulate the unique heat transfer process through the cocoon wall. The structure of the Antheraea pernyi cocoon wall can promote the disorderness of the interior air, which increases the wind resistance by stopping most of the air flowing into the cocoon. The Antheraea pernyi cocoon is wind-proof due to the mineral crystals deposited on the outer layer surface and its hierarchical structure with low porosity and high tortuosity. The research findings have important implications to enhancing the thermal function of biomimetic protective textiles and clothing.
Complete Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus aureus XN108, an ST239-MRSA-SCC
mec
III Strain with Intermediate Vancomycin Resistance Isolated in Mainland China
Authors: Zhang Xia , Xu Xiaomeng , Yuan Wenchang , Hu Qiwen , Shang Weilong , Hu Xiaomei , Tong Yigang , Rao Xiancai
Published: July 2014

ST239-MRSA-SCC
mec
III (ST239, sequence type 239; MRSA, methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
; SCC
mec
III, staphylococcal cassette chromosome
mec
type III) is the most predominant clone of hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
in mainland China. We report here the complete genome sequence of XN108, the first vancomycin-intermediate
S. aureus
strain isolated from a steam-burned patient with a wound infection.
Complete Genome Sequence of Coxsackievirus B1 Isolated during Case Outbreaks in 2007 in the United States
Authors: Quinn Kevin K. , Wollersheim Susan K. , Krogstad Paul
Published: July 2014

In 2007, clusters of severe coxsackievirus B1 (CVB1) infection occurred across the United States, and CVB1 became the most commonly reported enterovirus. The complete genome sequence of CVB1 isolated from an infant (CVB1-Chi07) was examined and found to be divergent from the Conn5 reference strain, with 80% and 96% similarities at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively.
Complete Sequencing and Chromosome-Scale Genome Assembly of the Industrial Progenitor Strain P2niaD18 from the Penicillin Producer
Penicillium chrysogenum
Authors: Specht Thomas , Dahlmann Tim A. , Zadra Ivo , Kürnsteiner Hubert , Kück Ulrich
Published: July 2014

Penicillium chrysogenum
is the major industrial producer of the β-lactam antibiotic penicillin. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of the industrial progenitor strain
P. chrysogenum
P2niaD18 in a chromosome-scale genome assembly. P2niaD18 is distinguished from the recently sequenced
P. chrysogenum
Wisconsin 54-1255 strain by major chromosomal rearrangements leading to a modified chromosomal architecture.
Complete Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus xylosus HKUOPL8, a Potential Opportunistic Pathogen of Mammals
Authors: Ma Angel Po Yee , Jiang Jingwei , Tun Hein Min , Mauroo Nathalie France , Yuen Chan San , Leung Frederick Chi-Ching
Published: July 2014

We report here the first complete genome sequence of
Staphylococcus xylosus
strain HKUOPL8, isolated from giant panda feces. The whole genome sequence of this strain will provide an important framework for investigating the genes responsible for potential opportunistic infections with this species, as well as its survival in various environments.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Model Rhizosphere Strain Azospirillum brasilense Az39, Successfully Applied in Agriculture
Authors: Rivera Diego , Revale Santiago , Molina Romina , Gualpa José , Puente Mariana , Maroniche Guillermo , Paris Gastón , Baker David , Clavijo Bernardo , McLay Kirsten , Spaepen Stijn , Perticari Alejandro , Vazquez Martín , Wisniewski-Dyé Florence , Watkins Chris , Martínez-Abarca Francisco , Vanderleyden Jos , Cassán Fabricio
Published: July 2014

We present the complete genome sequence of
Azospirillum brasilense
Az39, isolated from wheat roots in the central region of Argentina and used as inoculant in extensive and intensive agriculture during the last four decades. The genome consists of 7.39 Mb, distributed in six replicons: one chromosome, three chromids, and two plasmids.
Genome Sequence of a Newly Isolated Nicotine-Degrading Bacterium,
Ochrobactrum
sp. SJY1
Authors: Yu Hao , Li Yangyang , Tang Hongzhi , Xu Ping
Published: July 2014

Ochrobactrum
sp. SJY1 uses nicotine as the sources of carbon, nitrogen, and energy. The genome of SJY1 was sequenced in order to provide insights into its mechanism of nicotine degradation. Physiological characteristics and genome analysis indicate that strain SJY1 might have a different nicotine degradation pathway from the pyridine or pyrrolidine pathway.
Papillary cystadenoma of anterior one-third of the tongue
Authors: Ananthaneni Anu Radha , Namala Srilekha , G Vijay Srinivas , HK Puneeth
Published: July 2014

Papillary cystadenoma is an unusual benign cystic neoplasm with cystic spaces of diverse sizes and intraluminal papillary projections histologically, which is commonly seen in the lips, cheek and palate. We report a case of papillary cystadenoma in a 40-year-old man on the anterior one-third of the tongue with classical histological features. The paper highlights the rarity of the site of occurrence with emphasis on differential diagnosis and the need for considering papillary cystadenoma when benign cystic lesions are encountered in the anterior one-third of the tongue.
Assessing the association of oxytocin augmentation with obstetric anal sphincter injury in nulliparous women: a population-based, case–control study
Authors: Rygh Astrid B , Skjeldestad Finn Egil , Körner Hartwig , Eggebø Torbjørn M
Published: July 2014

Objective

To assess the association of oxytocin augmentation with obstetric anal sphincter injury among nulliparous women.

Design

Population-based, case–control study.

Setting

Primary and secondary teaching hospital serving a Norwegian region.

Population

15 476 nulliparous women with spontaneous start of labour, single cephalic presentation and gestation ≥37 weeks delivering vaginally between 1999 and 2012.

Methods

Based on the presence or absence of oxytocin augmentation, episiotomy, operative vaginal delivery and birth weight (<4000 vs ≥4000 g), we modelled in logistic regression the best fit for prediction of anal sphincter injury. Within the modified model of main exposures, we tested for possible confounding, and interactions between maternal age, ethnicity, occiput posterior position and epidural analgaesia.

Main outcome measure

Obstetric anal sphincter injury.

Results

Oxytocin augmentation was associated with a higher OR of obstetric anal sphincter injuries in women giving spontaneous birth to infants weighing <4000 g (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.5 to 2.2). Episiotomy was not associated with sphincter injuries in spontaneous births, but with a lower OR in operative vaginal deliveries. Spontaneous delivery of infants weighing ≥4000 g was associated with a threefold higher OR, and epidural analgaesia was associated with a 30% lower OR in comparison to no epidural analgaesia.

Conclusions

Oxytocin augmentation was associated with a higher OR of obstetric anal sphincter injuries during spontaneous deliveries of normal-size infants. We observed a considerable effect modification between the most important factors predicting anal sphincter injuries in the active second stage of labour.
Extended-release nifedipine and the risk of intestinal obstruction: a population-based study
Authors: Juurlink David N , Hellings Chelsea , Gomes Tara , Huang Anjie , Paterson J Michael , Urbach David R , Mamdani Muhammad M ,   for the Canadian Drug Safety and Effectiveness Research Network (CDSERN)
Published: July 2014

Objectives

To examine the risk of bowel obstruction in older adults during treatment with extended-release nifedipine compared with patients treated with amlodipine.

Design

Retrospective cohort study using multiple linked healthcare databases.

Setting

Ontario, Canada from 1 April 1997 to 31 December 2010.

Participants

We identified patients aged 66 years and older who started treatment with Adalat XL, an extended-release nifedipine product employing a tablet delivery system associated with mechanical bowel obstruction. For comparison, we studied patients receiving amlodipine, a long-acting calcium channel blocker that does not utilise the same delivery system and has not been implicated as a cause of bowel obstruction. Propensity score matching was used to ensure similarity of patients receiving the two drugs.

Primary outcome measure

HR for the association between extended-release nifedipine relative to amlodipine and hospitalisation for bowel obstruction during therapy.

Results

Over the 13-year study period, we identified 103 657 patients treated with extended-release nifedipine and 204 733 patients treated with amlodipine. In these two groups, 591 (0.6%) and 1185 (0.6%) of patients were hospitalised for bowel obstruction, respectively. We found no difference in the risk of bowel obstruction among patients treated with extended-release nifedipine compared with amlodipine (HR 1.09, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.24).

Conclusions

Bowel obstruction during treatment with extended-release nidefipine is rare, and the risk is not appreciably greater than that during treatment with amlodipine.
The local order and structural evolution of amorphous PdAg alloy during isothermal annealing under high pressure: A molecular dynamics study
Authors: Celik Fatih Ahmet , Kazanc Sefa
Published: July 2014

In this study, the local order and the structural evolution of the PdAg binary alloy system during the crystallization process from the amorphous phase under different pressures was investigated using the molecular dynamics simulation method. The structural development and phase transformation of the model alloy system for pressures of 0, 1, and 5 GPa are analysed based on variations of the radial distribution function, the bond orientational order parameters, and Honeycutt–Andersen bond-type index method. The simulation results showed that higher pressures favoured amorphous-type atomic clusters and had an important effect on the bond orientational order parameters of the model system of the transformation from amorphous state to stable crystal phase during the isothermal annealing.
ONE SUFFICIENT AND NECESSARY CONDITION ON BALANCED BOOLEAN FUNCTIONS WITH σf = 22n + 2n+3(n ≥ 3)
Authors: ZHOU YU , WANG LIN , WANG WEIQIONG , DONG XINFENG , DU XIAONI
Published: July 2014

The Global Avalanche Characteristics (including the sum-of-squares indicator and the absolute indicator) measure the overall avalanche characteristics of a cryptographic Boolean function. Son et al. (1998) gave the lower bound on the sum-of-squares indicator for a balanced Boolean function. In this paper, we give a sufficient and necessary condition on a balanced Boolean function reaching the lower bound on the sum-of-squares indicator. We also analyze whether these balanced Boolean functions exist, and if they reach the lower bounds on the sum-of-squares indicator or not. Our result implies that there does not exist a balanced Boolean function with n-variable for odd n(n ≥ 5). We conclude that there does not exist a m(m ≥ 1)-resilient function reaching the lower bound on the sum-of-squares indicator with n-variable for n ≥ 7.
ON FINDING SPARSE THREE-EDGE-CONNECTED AND THREE-VERTEX-CONNECTED SPANNING SUBGRAPHS
Authors: ELMASRY AMR , TSIN YUNG H.
Published: July 2014

We present algorithms that construct a sparse spanning subgraph of a three-edge-connected graph that preserves three-edge connectivity or of a three-vertex-connected graph that preserves three-vertex connectivity. Our algorithms are conceptually simple and run in O(|E|) time. These simple algorithms can be used to improve the efficiency of the best-known algorithms for three-edge and three-vertex connectivity and their related problems, by preprocessing the input graph so as to trim it down to a sparse graph. Afterwards, the original algorithms run in O(|V|) instead of O(|E|) time. Our algorithms generate an adjacency-lists structure to represent the sparse spanning subgraph, so that when a depth-first search is performed over the subgraph based on this adjacency-lists structure it actually traverses the paths in an ear-decomposition of the subgraph. This is useful because many of the existing algorithms for three-edge- or three-vertex connectivity and their related problems are based on an ear-decomposition of the given graph. Using such an adjacency-lists structure to represent the input graph would greatly improve the run-time efficiency of these algorithms.
Magnetic-field effects on p-wave phase transition in Gauss–Bonnet gravity
Authors: Wu Ya-Bo , Lu Jun-Wang , Jin Yong-Yi , Lu Jian-Bo , Zhang Xue , Wu Si-Yu , Wang Cui
Published: July 2014

In the probe limit, we study the holographic p-wave phase transition in the Gauss–Bonnet gravity via numerical and analytical methods. Concretely, we study the influences of the external magnetic field on the Maxwell complex vector model in the five-dimensional Gauss–Bonnet–AdS black hole and soliton backgrounds, respectively. For the two backgrounds, the results show that the magnetic field enhances the superconductor phase transition in the case of the lowest Landau level, while the increasing Gauss–Bonnet parameter always hinders the vector condensate. Moreover, the Maxwell complex vector model is a generalization of the SU(2) Yang–Mills model all the time. In addition, the analytical results backup the numerical results. Furthermore, this model might provide a holographic realization for the QCD vacuum instability.
SECURE QoS-BASED ROUTING USING HIERARCHICAL KEY RANKING MODEL IN MANET
Authors: MOHANRAJ E. , DURAISWAMY K. , PRASANTH K.
Published: July 2014

Quality of service (QoS) and security have been considered as two competent units to govern and administer end-to-end traffic across network. A mobile ad hoc network (MANET) is a type of wireless communication, every node can act as a router or base station. Secure QoS-based routing is an important problem in MANET. A hierarchical key ranking (HKR) model is presented here for secure group communications in MANETs. To enhance the security, one-to-one random mapping is performed using hash-based message authentication code (HashMAC). Due to the dynamic nature and topological changes in MANET, group safeguarding is efficiently accomplished. For secure group communication and efficient QoS routing in MANET, a sector key (SK) is shared among group members to encrypt group messages which is obtained using secured message authenticated code (SMAC). The primary design is to include the group members in sector to vigorously contribute to the security of the multicast group, as a result dropping the communication and calculating load on the source. Experimental evaluation is done to estimate the performance of the proposed secure QoS routing and communication using hierarchical key ranking [SRHKR] in MANET in terms of delivery rate, security level, delay.
The challenge of the EMC effect: Existing data and future directions
Authors: Malace Simona , Gaskell David , Higinbotham Douglas W. , Cloët Ian C.
Published: July 2014

Since the discovery that the ratio of inclusive charged lepton (per-nucleon) cross-sections from a nucleus A to the deuteron is not unity — even in deep inelastic scattering kinematics — a great deal of experimental and theoretical effort has gone into understanding the phenomenon. The EMC effect, as it is now known, shows that even in the most extreme kinematic conditions the effects of the nucleon being bound in a nucleus cannot be ignored. In this paper, we collect the most precise data available for various nuclear to deuteron ratios, as well as provide a commentary on the current status of the theoretical understanding of this thirty year old effect.
EFFECTS OF CARBON NANOTUBES ON RAT LIVER AND BRAIN
Authors: WANG FU-DE , CAO LING-LING , JIN CHAN , LIANG HAO , MA CHUN-WANG
Published: July 2014

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely applied in various fields due to excellent physical and chemical properties. As production and applications of nanotubes expand, public concern about their potential risks to human health has also risen. In the present study, the effects of CNTs on rat liver and brain by single intratracheal instillation were detected. CNTs [either single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) or multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)] could be seen in the lung and liver indicating the transfer of CNTs by blood stream. CNTs could induce oxidative stress in liver with elevated Malondialdehyde (MDA) level and degressive GSH level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and CAT activity. To brain, maybe due to the blood brain barrier and the increased SOD and CAT activity, serious oxidative stress of brain did not occur.
Chapter 10 The rock coast of South and Central America
Authors: Blanco-Chao R. , Pedoja K. , Witt C. , Martinod J. , Husson L. , Regard V. , Audin L. , Nexer M. , Delcaillau B. , Saillard M. , Melnick D. , Dumont J. F. , Santana E. , Navarrete E. , Martillo C. , Pappalardo M. , Ayala L. , Araya J. F. , Feal-Pérez A. , Correa D. , Arozarena-Llopis I.
Published: July 2014

The great variety of climatic conditions, tidal ranges and wave regimes of South and Central America act on a complex geology and tectonic framework. Many of the rock and cliffed coasts of South America are strongly controlled by the occurrence of extensive Cenozoic and Pleistocene sediments that crop out at the coast. Geology and the different uplift rates are a major factor in the whole coastal geomorphology of South and Central America, and consequently are a very important control of the processes and landforms of rock coasts. This chapter covers several aspects of the rock coast of South and Central America, with special attention to the combination of tectonic movements and Quaternary Pleistocene–Holocene sea-level changes.
Chapter 12 The rock coast of Japan
Authors: Sunamura T. , Tsujimoto H. , Aoki H.
Published: July 2014

The Japanese islands, situated in a tectonically unstable region with a highly variable geology, are exposed to high wave energy and microtidal environments in most locations. Rocky coasts are common, most having a steep cliff with coastal recession being primarily driven by wave erosion. A fundamental relationship between recession and wave force is obtained through reanalysis of previous laboratory data. On the basis of this relation a model is constructed for the development of type B platforms, that is, horizontal or subhorizontal platforms that have a steep scarp at the seaward edge. The process of wave attenuation on this type of platform and weathering-induced strength reduction of rocks are incorporated into the model. The model is applied to the southwestern coast of the Kii Peninsula and a platform at Ebisu-jima of the Izu Peninsula. Long-term development rates of platforms in the former area are examined: the model indicates that the rate of erosion when platforms were initiated at 6000 years BP is two orders of magnitude greater than present. At the Ebisu-jima platform, wave-induced erosion processes are explored on a daily basis: the model provides a description of temporal variations in platform growth, although the result is not fully satisfactory.
Chapter 13 The rock coast of New Zealand
Authors: Dickson Mark E. , Stephenson Wayne J.
Published: July 2014

Arthur Bloom once wrote, in a statement of posthumous appreciation of Sir Charles Cotton, that no New Zealand geomorphologist could ever really be away from the coast (
Bloom 1974
). It is true to that sentiment that, despite being few in number, geomorphologists working in New Zealand have made a significant and enduring contribution to our understanding of rocky coasts. In large part that contribution can be traced to the countries’ spectacular geographical setting and associated variety of rock coast landforms. In this chapter we summarize the geographical setting in which New Zealand's rocky landscape is situated and describe the various lithological and process controls on landscape evolution. The remainder of the chapter provides a perspective on the contribution made by geomorphologists studying New Zealand's rocky coast. That review is centred on three methodological epochs: (a) explanatory description; (b) emerging emphasis on measurement; and (c) process-based studies.
Chapter 7 The rock coast of the Mediterranean and Black seas
Authors: Furlani S. , Pappalardo M. , Gómez-Pujol L. , Chelli A.
Published: July 2014

Rock coasts and shore platforms are conspicuous landforms along the Mediterranean and Black Sea (MBS) coasts. These coasts have been fashioned by changes in sea level because of vertical movements of the land and variations in eustatic and isostatic sea-level. For this reason, the Quaternary evolution of MBS coasts has been extensively studied, even starting from geomorphological markers, while very few researches have addressed the processes related to their origin and evolution. Despite most of the Mediterranean coast being rocky, studies about rocky shore processes are almost completely lacking, except for limited areas. Data on sea cliff retreats have mainly been collected to study the susceptibility of cliff failures or to prevent landslides, in particular along shores used for tourism. Data on erosion rates and processes on shore platforms are generally scarce and restricted to limestone bedrocks. In this paper, we summarize the results of studies of rates and processes of rocky coasts of the countries overlooking the Mediterranean and Black Seas and review the current knowledge concerning rock coasts in the MBS area.
Chapter 9 The rock coast of the USA
Authors: Hapke Cheryl J. , Adams Peter N. , Allan Jonathan , Ashton Andrew , Griggs Gary B. , Hampton Monty A. , Kelly Joseph , Young Adam P.
Published: July 2014

The coastline of the USA is vast and comprises a variety of landform types including barrier islands, mainland beaches, soft bluffed coastlines and hard rocky coasts. The majority of the bluffed and rocky coasts are found in the northeastern part of the country (New England) and along the Pacific coast. Rocky and bluffed landform types are commonly interspersed along the coastline and occur as a result of relative lowering of sea level from tectonic or isostatic forcing, which can occur on timescales ranging from instantaneous to millenia. Recent research on sea cliffs in the contiguous USA has focused on a broad range of topics from documenting erosion rates to identifying processes and controls on morphology to prediction modelling. This chapter provides a detailed synthesis of recent and seminal research on rocky coast geomorphology along open-ocean coasts of the continental United States (USA).
Native American DNA: Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications of an Evolving Concept
Authors: Bardill Jessica
Published: July 2014

This review examines the emerging concept of “Native American DNA” utilized by genetic scientists and anthropologists to denote a connection via nucleotide bases between ancient and contemporary peoples of the Americas. This concept is problematic on conceptual and practical levels; this review highlights its use in various disciplines, focusing on ongoing disputes about its meaning and applicability and concluding with a call to attention for all who utilize such concepts. The ethical, legal, and social implications of Native American DNA have to be taken into account because the label itself is still under construction: Contemporary Native American peoples should not be confounded with the past or ancestral remains, but instead must actively be brought into research conversations at all stages.
The Archaeology of Urban Landscapes
Authors: Smith Monica L.
Published: July 2014

Urban centers have inner and outer landscapes whose physical remains can be read as the materialization of social, political, economic, and ritual interactions. Inner landscapes are manifested in architecture and spatial organizations that configure relationships on the basis of economic status, ethnicity, occupation, age grade, and gender within the city. Outer landscapes are composed of the hinterlands on which urban centers depend for resources, including agricultural products and in-migrating laborers who seek economic and social opportunities. Urban-based elites reach deep into the countryside not only as a matter of political control, but also for investment of centralized resources into infrastructure such as canals, roads, and territorial borders. The monumental and household configurations of cities, expressed both at the heart of urban centers and in their countrysides, enable a distinct phenomenology of interaction mapped into daily experiences.
Networks of Power in Archaeology
Authors: Schortman Edward M.
Published: July 2014

Archaeologists and other social scientists have long argued that exercising power is a relational process. One way of modeling these relations is to see them as organized within social networks through which the resources needed to exert power in all its forms flow differentially. Two approaches to describing these interactions and understanding their political implications are particularly salient in the literature. One perspective draws from graph theory to describe how people's positions in established network structures affect their political aspirations and achievements. The other sees social nets as outcomes of strategies employed by actors seeking to define and achieve political goals within structural constraints. The advantages and limitations of these viewpoints are briefly reviewed, along with their implications for understanding past political processes.
The Importance of Development for Comparative Primatology
Authors: Bard Kim A. , Leavens David A.
Published: July 2014

It is a truism to say that primates develop, but it is also important to acknowledge that development occurs across many domains, including motor behavior, socioemotional behavior, communication, and cognition. In this review, we focus on those aspects of development that impact social cognition outcomes in infancy. Triadic engagements, such as those of joint attention, cooperation, and intentional communication, develop in the first year of life in chimpanzees and humans. Joint attention, for example, occurs when infants coordinate their attention to a social partner while also attending to an object or event. Hominoids are strongly influenced by experiences during early development, especially experiences that are foundational for these coordinated triadic engagements. Purported species differences in triadic engagements are highlighted in current evolutionary theories of primate social cognition, but conclusions about species differences are unfounded when development is ignored. Developmental experiences must be matched, controlled, or systematically varied in experimental designs that make cross-species comparisons. Considerations of development, across species and across rearing experiences, would contribute to more accurate evolutionary theories of primate social cognition.
Informed Consent: The Politics of Intent and Practice in Medical Research Ethics
Authors: Hoeyer Klaus , Hogle Linda F.
Published: July 2014

Informed consent is a key feature of risk management in medical research. This review outlines the history of the consent requirement and describes its diverse forms through a review of anthropological studies of consent practices. We make a distinction between the politics of intent and the politics of practice to show how the consent requirement has become entrenched in practices through insistence on particular morally sanctioned intentions regardless of whether these intentions are ever realized. We draw attention to the importance of socioeconomic contexts, material practices, and the ethicopolitical dynamics that undergird the resilience of informed consent. We conclude that informed consent has become so ubiquitous thanks to an ability to conjure a stable image of a recognizable and manageable procedure with a particular moral appeal, while simultaneously serving as an empty signifier: an image onto which people can project very different hopes, concerns, and expectations.
Cell Size as a Key Determinant of Phytoplankton Metabolism and Community Structure
Authors: Marañón Emilio
Published: July 2014

Phytoplankton size structure controls the trophic organization of planktonic communities and their ability to export biogenic materials toward the ocean's interior. Our understanding of the mechanisms that drive the variability in phytoplankton size structure has been shaped by the assumption that the pace of metabolism decreases allometrically with increasing cell size. However, recent field and laboratory evidence indicates that biomass-specific production and growth rates are similar in both small and large cells but peak at intermediate cell sizes. The maximum nutrient uptake rate scales isometrically with cell volume and superisometrically with the minimum nutrient quota. The unimodal size scaling of phytoplankton growth arises from ataxonomic, size-dependent trade-off processes related to nutrient requirement, acquisition, and use. The superior ability of intermediate-size cells to exploit high nutrient concentrations explains their biomass dominance during blooms. Biogeographic patterns in phytoplankton size structure and growth rate are independent of temperature and driven mainly by changes in resource supply.
The Measurement of Neutrino Properties with Atmospheric Neutrinos
Authors: Kajita Takaaki
Published: July 2014

Atmospheric neutrinos are produced by cosmic-ray interactions in the atmosphere. Atmospheric neutrino experiments typically observe zenith-angle and energy dependences of [Formula: see text] and νe events. Through these experiments, neutrino oscillation was discovered. Since then, various studies have been performed to further our understanding of neutrino properties. This article discusses experimental studies of neutrino oscillations with atmospheric neutrinos.
Interference of angiotensin II and enalapril with hepatic blood flow regulation
Authors: Pereira Adriano J. , Jeger Victor , Fahrner René , Djafarzadeh Siamak , Lensch Michael , Takala Jukka , Jakob Stephan M.
Published: July 2014

Acute reduction of portal vein blood flow ( Qpv) increases hepatic arterial perfusion ( Qha) [the hepatic arterial buffer response (HABR)]. Angiotensin II (AT-II) reduces Qpv, but its effect on HABR is not known. We explored interactions of AT-II and enalapril with hepatic blood flow regulation. Twenty healthy anesthetized pigs were randomized to receive AT-II ( n = 8) from 5 to 61 ng/kg per min, enalapril ( n = 8) from 3 to 24 μg/kg per h, or saline ( n = 4). HABR was assessed by occluding portal vein and expressed as 1) ratio between changes in Qha and Qpv, 2) hepatic arterial conductance ( Cha). AT-II infusion increased mean arterial blood pressure from 74 (66–77) mmHg to 116 (109–130) mmHg (median, IQR; P < 0.0001) and decreased cardiac output, Qpv, and renal artery flow (−24%, −28% and −45%, respectively). The fraction of cardiac output of Qha, carotid, and femoral flows increased. With enalapril, blood pressure decreased, whereas cardiac output was maintained with flow redistribution favoring hepatic and renal arteries. In AT-II group, d Qha/d Qpv increased from 0.06 (0.03, 0.17) to 0.24 (0.13, 0.31) ( P = 0.002), but Cha during acute portal vein occlusion decreased from 4.3 (1.6, 6.6) to 2.9 (1.2, 3.7) ml/mmHg ( P = 0.003). Both variables remained unchanged in the enalapril group and in controls. AT-II infusion reduces portal flow in parallel with cardiac output and induces a dose-dependent redistribution of flow, favoring brain, hepatic artery, and peripheral tissues at the expense of renal perfusion. During HABR, AT-II decreases Cha but increases Qha compensation, likely as result of increased hepatic arterial perfusion pressure. Enalapril had no effect on HABR.
FLT3 Kinase Inhibitor TTT-3002 Overcomes Both Activating and Drug Resistance Mutations in FLT3 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Ma Hayley S. , Nguyen Bao , Duffield Amy S. , Li Li , Galanis Allison , Williams Allen B. , Brown Patrick A. , Levis Mark J. , Leahy Daniel J. , Small Donald
Published: July 2014

There have been a number of clinical trials testing the efficacy of FMS-like tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) harboring a constitutively activating mutation in FLT3. However, there has been limited efficacy, most often because of inadequate achievement of FLT3 inhibition through a variety of mechanisms. In a previous study, TTT-3002 was identified as a novel FLT3 inhibitor with the most potent activity to date against FLT3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3/ITD) mutations. Here, the activity of TTT-3002 is demonstrated against a broad spectrum of FLT3-activating point mutations, including the most frequently occurring D835 mutations. The compound is also active against a number of point mutations selected for in FLT3/ITD alleles that confer resistance to other TKIs, including the F691L gatekeeper mutation. TTT-3002 maintains activity against patients with relapsed AML samples that are resistant to sorafenib and AC220. Studies utilizing human plasma samples from healthy donors and patients with AML indicate that TTT-3002 is only moderately protein bound compared with several other TKIs currently in clinical trials. Tumor burden of mice in a FLT3 TKI–resistant transplant model is significantly improved by oral dosing of TTT-3002. Therefore, TTT-3002 has demonstrated preclinical potential as a promising new FLT3 TKI that may overcome some of the limitations of other TKIs in the treatment of FLT3-mutant AML. Cancer Res; 74(18); 5206–17. ©2014 AACR.
Chronic Use of NSAIDs and/or Statins Does Not Affect PSA or PSA Velocity in Men at High Risk for Prostate Cancer
Authors: Algotar Amit M. , Behnejad Roxanna , Stratton M. Suzanne , Stratton Steven P.
Published: July 2014

Background: PSA and PSA velocity (PSAV, rate of PSA change over time) are biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer. Men who are at high risk for prostate cancer also have associated comorbidities for which they are taking NSAIDs and statins for long periods; therefore, it is important to understand the effect of these medications on markers used to assess prostate cancer risk.

Methods: Using a population of 699 men, multiple linear regressions were used to investigate the associations between PSA and concomitant medications, and mixed-effects models were used to investigate these associations with PSAV.

Results: After adjusting for selenium use, age, race, body mass index, and pack-years of smoking, aspirin, other NSAIDs, or statins did not demonstrate statistically significant associations with PSA (P = 0.79, 0.68, and 0.79, respectively) or PSAV (P = 0.23, 0.43, and 0.84, respectively). Results were not altered upon stratifying the sample between men who developed prostate cancer during the course of the study and those who did not.

Conclusions: Results from this study indicate that chronic use of aspirin, other NSAIDs, or statins did not affect PSA levels or PSAV in men at high risk for prostate cancer. Larger prospective studies designed to investigate these relationships are needed to confirm this result.

Impact: Long-term use of NSAIDs or statins in men at high risk for prostate cancer may not interfere with the diagnosis or prognosis of this disease, and supports appropriate use of these medications with regard to prostate cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(10); 2196–8. ©2014 AACR.
SMAD4 Suppresses AURKA-Induced Metastatic Phenotypes via Degradation of AURKA in a TGFβ-Independent Manner
Authors: Jia Lina , Lee Hun Seok , Wu Chun Fu , Kundu Juthika , Park Sang Gyu , Kim Ryong Nam , Wang Li-Hui , Erkin Özgür Cem , Choi Jong-Sun , Chae Seoung Wan , Yang Ho Bin , Choi Yoon-La , Shin Young Kee
Published: July 2014

SMAD4 has been suggested to inhibit the activity of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway in cancer. However, the mechanism by which SMAD4 antagonizes WNT/β-catenin signaling in cancer remains largely unknown. Aurora A kinase (AURKA), which is frequently overexpressed in cancer, increases the transcriptional activity of β-catenin/T-cell factor (TCF) complex by stabilizing β-catenin through the inhibition of GSK-3β. Here, SMAD4 modulated AURKA in a TGFβ-independent manner. Overexpression of SMAD4 significantly suppressed AURKA function, including colony formation, migration, and invasion of cell lines. In addition, SMAD4 bound to AURKA induced degradation of AURKA by the proteasome. A luciferase activity assay revealed that the transcriptional activity of the β-catenin/TCF complex was elevated by AURKA, but decreased by SMAD4 overexpression. Moreover, target gene analysis showed that SMAD4 abrogated the AURKA-mediated increase of β-catenin target genes. However, this inhibitory effect of SMAD4 was abolished by overexpression of AURKA or silencing of AURKA in SMAD4-overexpressed cells. Meanwhile, the SMAD4-mediated repression of AURKA and β-catenin was independent of TGFβ signaling because blockage of TGFβR1 or restoration of TGFβ signaling did not prevent suppression of AURKA and β-catenin signaling by SMAD4. These results indicate that the tumor-suppressive function of SMAD4 is mediated by downregulation of β-catenin transcriptional activity via AURKA degradation in a TGFβ-independent manner.

Implications: SMAD4 interacts with AURKA and antagonizes its tumor-promoting potential, thus demonstrating a novel mechanism of tumor suppression. Mol Cancer Res; 12(12); 1779–95. ©2014 AACR.
Convergence of Nanotechnology and Cancer Prevention: Are We There Yet?
Authors: Menter David G. , Patterson Sherri L. , Logsdon Craig D. , Kopetz Scott , Sood Anil K. , Hawk Ernest T.
Published: July 2014

Nanotechnology is emerging as a promising modality for cancer treatment; however, in the realm of cancer prevention, its full utility has yet to be determined. Here, we discuss the potential of integrating nanotechnology in cancer prevention to augment early diagnosis, precision targeting, and controlled release of chemopreventive agents, reduced toxicity, risk/response assessment, and personalized point-of-care monitoring. Cancer is a multistep, progressive disease; the functional and acquired characteristics of the early precancer phenotype are intrinsically different from those of a more advanced anaplastic or invasive malignancy. Therefore, applying nanotechnology to precancers is likely to be far more challenging than applying it to established disease. Frank cancers are more readily identifiable through imaging and biomarker and histopathologic assessment than their precancerous precursors. In addition, prevention subjects routinely have more rigorous intervention criteria than therapy subjects. Any nanopreventive agent developed to prevent sporadic cancers found in the general population must exhibit a very low risk of serious side effects. In contrast, a greater risk of side effects might be more acceptable in subjects at high risk for cancer. Using nanotechnology to prevent cancer is an aspirational goal, but clearly identifying the intermediate objectives and potential barriers is an essential first step in this exciting journey. Cancer Prev Res; 7(10); 973–92. ©2014 AACR.
Valor de antiguidade, conservação e restauro
Authors: Azevedo Mirandulina Maria Moreira
Published: July 2014

A teoria e a prática da conservação de monumentos de Alois Riegl(1858-1905) está articulada ao valor de antiguidade, noçãofundamental da obra Culto moderno dos monumentos (1903). Adiscussão promovida pelo autor suscita, até hoje, o interesse dosespecialistas em preservação de bens culturais, seja no locus de suaconcepção – a conservação –, seja no terreno da teoria e prática derestauro.A leitura de alguns registros conhecidos de Riegl, em que o autor,diante dos problemas relacionados à prática da conservação de bensculturais, elabora opiniões profissionais com acurado rigor conceitual,levou-nos a identificar uma afinidade maior com a abordagem deproblemas de restauro. É nosso objetivo, neste artigo, expor estaaproximação, tendo por linha mestra o valor de antiguidade.
Olive Oil Polyphenols Enhance High-Density Lipoprotein Function in Humans
Authors: Hernáez Álvaro , Fernández-Castillejo Sara , Farràs Marta , Catalán Úrsula , Subirana Isaac , Montes Rosa , Solà Rosa , Muñoz-Aguayo Daniel , Gelabert-Gorgues Anna , Díaz-Gil Óscar , Nyyssönen Kristiina , Zunft Hans-Joachim F. , de la Torre Rafael , Martín-Peláez Sandra , Pedret Anna , Remaley Alan T. , Covas María-Isabel , Fitó Montserrat
Published: July 2014

Objective—

Olive oil polyphenols have shown beneficial properties against cardiovascular risk factors. Their consumption has been associated with higher cholesterol content in high-density lipoproteins (HDL). However, data on polyphenol effects on HDL quality are scarce. We, therefore, assessed whether polyphenol-rich olive oil consumption could enhance the HDL main function, its cholesterol efflux capacity, and some of its quality-related properties, such HDL polyphenol content, size, and composition.

Approach and Results—

A randomized, crossover, controlled trial with 47 healthy European male volunteers was performed. Participants ingested 25 mL/d of polyphenol-poor (2.7 mg/kg) or polyphenol-rich (366 mg/kg) raw olive oil in 3-week intervention periods, preceded by 2-week washout periods. HDL cholesterol efflux capacity significantly improved after polyphenol-rich intervention versus the polyphenol-poor one (+3.05% and −2.34%, respectively;
P
=0.042). Incorporation of olive oil polyphenol biological metabolites to HDL, as well as large HDL (HDL
2
) levels, was higher after the polyphenol-rich olive oil intervention, compared with the polyphenol-poor one. Small HDL (HDL
3
) levels decreased, the HDL core became triglyceride-poor, and HDL fluidity increased after the polyphenol-rich intervention.

Conclusions—

Olive oil polyphenols promote the main HDL antiatherogenic function, its cholesterol efflux capacity. These polyphenols increased HDL size, promoted a greater HDL stability reflected as a triglyceride-poor core, and enhanced the HDL oxidative status, through an increase in the olive oil polyphenol metabolites content in the lipoprotein. Our results provide for the first time a first-level evidence of an enhancement in HDL function by polyphenol-rich olive oil.
Thin-Cap Fibroatheroma Rupture Is Associated With a Fine Interplay of Shear and Wall Stress
Authors: Pedrigi Ryan M. , de Silva Ranil , Bovens Sandra M. , Mehta Vikram V. , Petretto Enrico , Krams Rob
Published: July 2014

In this review, we summarized the effect of mechanical factors (shear and wall stress) on thin-cap fibroatheroma formation and rupture. To make this review understandable for a biology-oriented audience, we start with detailed definitions of relevant mechanical metrics. We then describe how biomechanics has supported histopathologic efforts to understand the basis of plaque rupture. In addition to plaque rupture, biomechanics also contributes toward the progression of thin-cap fibroatheroma through a multitude of reported mechanobiological mechanisms. We thus propose a new mechanism whereby both shear stress and wall stress interact to create thin-cap fibroatheromas. Specifically, when regions of certain blood flow and wall mechanical stimuli coincide, they synergistically create inflammation within the cellular environment that can lead to thin-cap fibroatheroma rupture. A consequence of this postulate is that local shear stress is not sufficient to cause rupture, but it must coincide with regions of local tissue stiffening and stress concentrations that can occur during plaque progression. Because such changes to the wall mechanics occur over a micrometer scale, high spatial resolution imaging techniques will be necessary to evaluate this hypothesis and ultimately predict plaque rupture in a clinical environment.