bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An integrated study of Permo-Triassic basins along the North Atlantic passive margin: implication for future exploration
Authors: Redfern J. , Shannon P. M. , Williams B. P. J. , Tyrrell S. , Leleu S. , Fabuel Perez I. , Baudon C. , Štolfová K. , Hodgetts D. , van Lanen X. , Speksnijder A. , Haughton P. D. W. , Daly J. S.
Published: May 2011

Permo-Triassic rift basins offer important hydrocarbon targets along the Atlantic margins. Their fill is dominated by continental red beds, comprising braided fluvial, alluvial fan, aeolian, floodplain and lacustrine facies. These relatively lightly explored basins span both the Atlantic and Tethyan domains and developed above a complex basement with inherited structural fabrics. Sparse data in offshore regions constrain understanding of depositional geometries and sedimentary architecture, further impeded by their deep burial beneath younger strata, combined with the effects of later deformation during continental breakup. This paper provides results from a multidisciplinary analysis of basins along the Atlantic margin. Regional seismic and well data, combined with geochemical provenance analysis from the European North Atlantic margins, are integrated with detailed outcrop studies in Morocco and Nova Scotia. The research provides new insights into regional basin tectonostratigraphic evolution, sediment fill, and reservoir distribution, architecture and quality at a range of scales. Regional seismic profiles, supported by key well data, indicate the presence of post-orogenic collapse basins, focused narrow rifts and low-magnitude multiple extensional depocentres. Significantly, Permo-Triassic basin geometries are different and more varied than the overlying Jurassic and younger basins. Provenance analysis using Pb isotopic composition of detrital K-feldspar yields new and robust controls on the sediment dispersal patterns of Triassic sandstones in the NE Atlantic margin. The evolving sedimentary architecture is characterized by detailed sedimentological studies of key outcrops of age equivalent Permian–Triassic rifts in Morocco and Nova Scotia. The interplay of tectonics and climate is observed to influence sedimentation, which has significant implications for reservoir distribution in analogue basins. New digital outcrop techniques are providing improved reservoir models, and identification of key marker horizons and sequence boundaries offers a potential subsurface correlation tool. Future work will address source and seal distribution within the potentially petroliferous basins.
Timing, controls and consequences of compression in the Rockall-Faroe area of the NE Atlantic Margin
Authors: Tuitt A. , Underhill J. R. , Ritchie J. D. , Johnson H. , Hitchen K.
Published: May 2011

The simplest models of passive margins would suggest that they are characterized by tectonic quiescence as they experienced gentle thermal subsidence following the extensional events that originally formed them. Analysis of newly acquired and pre-existing 2D seismic data from the Rockall Plateau to the Faroe Shelf, however, has confirmed that the NE Atlantic Margin was the site of significant active deformation. Seismic data have revealed the presence of numerous compression-related Cenozoic folds, such as the Hatton Bank, Alpin, Ymir Ridge and Wyville–Thomson Ridge Anticlines. The distribution, timing of formation and nature of these structures have provided new insights into the controls and effects of contractional deformation in the region. Growth of these compressional features occurred in five main phases: Thanetian, late Ypresian, late Lutetian, Late Eocene (C30) and Early Oligocene. Compression has been linked to hotspot-influenced ridge push, far-field Alpine and Pyrenean compression, asthenospheric upwelling and associated depth-dependent stretching. Regional studies make it clear that compression can have a profound effect on seabed bathymetry and consequent bottom-water current activity. Bottom-water currents have directly formed the early Late Oligocene, late Early Miocene (C20), Late Miocene–Early Pliocene, and late Early Pliocene (C10) unconformities. The present-day Norwegian Sea Overflow (NSO) from the Faroe–Shetland Channel into the Rockall Trough is restricted by the Wyville–Ymir Ridge Complex, and takes place via the syncline (Auðhumla Basin) between the two ridges. The Auðhumla Basin Syncline is now thought to have controlled the path of the NSO into the Rockall Trough and the resulting unconformity formation and sedimentation therein, no later than the Mid Miocene.
Episodic uplift and exhumation along North Atlantic passive margins: implications for hydrocarbon prospectivity
Authors: Japsen P. , Green P. F. , Bonow J. M. , Rasmussen E. S. , Chalmers J. A. , Kjennerud T.
Published: May 2011

We present observations that demonstrate that the elevated passive margins around the North Atlantic were formed by episodic, post-rift uplift movements that are manifest in the high-lying peneplains that characterize the coastal mountains, in the unconformities in the adjacent sedimentary basins and in accelerated subsidence in the basin centres. Results from West Greenland show that subsidence of the rifted margin took place for
c
. 25 Myr after rifting and breakup in the Paleocene, as predicted by classical rift theory, but that this development was reversed by a series of uplift movements (starting at
c
. 35, 10 and 5 Ma) that remain unexplained. East Greenland and Scandinavia seem to have had a similar evolution of post-rift subsidence followed by uplift starting at
c
. 35 Ma. There was no notable fall in sea-level at this time, so the subsiding basins must have been inverted by tectonic forces. We speculate that the forces causing this phase were related to the plate boundary reorganization in the North Atlantic around Chron 13 time. One feature that these areas have in common is that uplift took place along the edges of cratons where the thickness of the crust and lithosphere changes substantially over a short distance. It may be that the lateral contrasts in the properties of the stretched and unstretched lithosphere make the margins of the cratons unstable long after rifting. These vertical movements have profound influence on hydrocarbon systems, not only in frontier areas such as West and East Greenland, where Mesozoic basins are deeply truncated and exposed onshore, but also for the understanding of near-shore hydrocarbon deposits in mature areas such as the North Sea Basin, where low-angular unconformities may represent episodes of deposition and removal of significant sedimentary sections.
Intra-basalt units and base of the volcanic succession east of the Faroe Islands exemplified by interpretation of offshore 3D seismic data
Authors: Ellefsen M. , Boldreel L. O. , Larsen M.
Published: May 2011

Recent exploration activities in the basalt covered part of the offshore Faroe Island region has stressed the need for a better understanding of the volcanic succession, especially the lowermost part and the transition to the underlying non-volcanic succession. Using the proposed interpretation methods, which include careful identification of inclined reflector segments and flattening to various reflectors representing pronounced continuous markers embedded horizontally and 3D visualization, six volcanic units have been identified. The upper three units consist of plane-parallel reflector packages and probably represent subaerially extruded lava flows. The three lower units are characterized by irregular hummocky and inclined reflectors and are interpreted as lava deltas composed mainly of hyaloclastites. Within the data coverage area, the direction of extrusion is inferred from the seismic interpretation and four units originate from the NW and two from the SE. It is believed that the base of the volcanic succession is situated at a deeper level than the base of the parallel bedded units. At the base of the basalt succession and in the lower part of the volcanic succession pronounced reflector segments are ascribed to saucer-shaped sills. Analysing the seismic data using principles of seismic stratigraphy and observing them in a 3D environment, it is possible to obtain a broader understanding of the volcanic succession in the area and thereby divide the volcanic succession into characteristic facies units and separate it from the non-volcanic lithology and sills. The study shows that applying the proposed interpretation technique allows an evolution model to be put forward and it is suggested that the approach used in the study can be of use for hydrocarbon exploration in other basalt-covered areas.
Shale gas in Europe: a regional overview and current research activities
Authors: Schulz H.-M. , Horsfield B. , Sachsenhofer R. F.
Published: May 2011

Shale gas is produced from fine-grained siliciclastic sediments that are typically rich in organic carbon. Nearly all shales contain thermal gas generated
in situ
at mature to overmature levels of thermal alteration, although gas of biogenic origin is also produced from some shales. While shale gas production in the USA began in 1821, it is only in the last few years that it has become widely significant (currently about 8% of the domestic gas). In contrast, European shale gas exploration is still in its infancy. In general, European sedimentary basins offer the best potential for shale gas occurrence because thick, organic matter-rich sediments occur in nearly all Phanerozoic strata. Even so, there is little knowledge about the factors controlling shale gas generation and, more importantly, shale gas production in European basins. These factors are not necessarily the same as those that control commercial shale gas production in the USA. Palaeozoic sediments of Cambrian to Ordovician age are currently being tested for their shale gas potential and productivity in Sweden, as are those of Silurian age in Poland. Moreover, Lower and Upper Carboniferous sedimentary successions from England in the west to Poland in the east probably contain shale gas, but their depth, thickness and thermal maturity may be limiting factors for exploration in continental regions. Lower Carboniferous black shales in the Dniepr–Donets Basin of the Ukraine may also hold a significant potential. Moreover, organic-rich sediments of Oligocene/Miocene age in the Paratethyan Basin may offer shale gas potential, for example in the Pannonian Basin. At present, Upper Jurassic black shales are currently being tested for their shale gas potential in the Vienna Basin. European analogues of known biogenic shale gas systems may occur locally in organic-rich Lower Cretaceous sediments in the North German Basin with gas generation being related to Pleistocene glaciation/deglaciation cycles.
UK data and analysis for shale gas prospectivity
Authors: Smith N. , Turner P. , Williams G.
Published: May 2011

Organic-rich shale contains significant amounts of gas held within fractures and micropores and adsorbed onto organic matter. In the USA shale gas extracted from regionally extensive units such as the Barnett Shale currently accounts for 6% of gas production and is likely to reach 30% by 2015. Shale gas prospectivity is controlled by the amount and type of organic matter held in the shale, its thermal maturity, burial history, microporosity and fracture spacing and orientation. Potential targets range in age from Cambrian to the late Jurassic, within the main UK organic-rich black shales: younger shales have been excluded because they have not reached the gas window, but they may possess a biogenic gas play. A geographic information system, showing the distribution of potential reservoir units, has been created combining information on hydrocarbon shows, thermal maturity, fracture orientation, gas composition, and isotope data to identify potentially prospective areas for shale gas. Some of these data are shown as graphs and maps, but crucial data is lacking because earlier exploration concentrated on conventional reservoirs. The prospects include Lower Palaeozoic shale basins on the Midland Microcraton (a high risk because no conventional gas has been proved in this play), Mississippian shales in the Pennine Basin (the best prospect associated with conventional fields and high maturity), Pennsylvanian shales in the Stainmore and Northumberland Basin system (high risk because no conventional gas discoveries exist) and Jurassic shales in Wessex and Weald basins (small conventional fields signify potential here).
Athabasca oil sands: reservoir characterization and its impact on thermal and mining opportunities
Authors: Peacock M. J.
Published: May 2011

The heavy oil deposits of Canada are a large resource with an estimated 1.7×10
12
barrels of bitumen in place. The Lower Cretaceous McMurray Formation in the Athabasca area of northern Alberta contains about 900×10
9
barrels of bitumen in place. This resource can be developed through surface mining and thermal
in situ
techniques. This paper examines the size of this resource in a global context and highlights its position relative to the North American market. The regional geology of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin and the Athabasca area will also be reviewed. Understanding the regional reservoir distribution of the McMurray Formation is critical to understanding oil sands opportunities. Fluvial estuarine point bar reservoirs are a large portion of the resource that can be developed. Examples will be shown from the type outcrop location, where the stratigraphy can be organized into a hierarchy that subdivides channel-fills into bedsets, storeys, bars and barsets. Inclined heterolithic strata (IHS) surfaces can be identified. Considerable resource delineation drilling has occurred in the basin. The regulator for the Athabasca area specifies minimum drilling densities before project approvals are granted. Regional 2D seismic lines and project-specific 3D and 4D seismic datasets have also been acquired, to reduce the reservoir uncertainty and improve resource definition in this complex depositional environment. These techniques provide a unique opportunity to analyse a complex depositional system with abundant well and core control, outcrop data and seismic information.

To determine preliminary deposition environments, software techniques have been successfully used to interpret large datasets quickly. Laser imaging of mine faces has also been used to record stratigraphy and determine the mined volume of ore. The importance of detailed reservoir characterization studies and their impact on thermal
in situ
recovery mechanisms will also be discussed. Understanding reservoir facies distributions and lateral relationships affects any recovery process, but has an even greater significance in a heavy oil reservoir.
Resource potential of gas hydrates: recent contributions from international research and development projects
Authors: Collett T. S.
Published: May 2011

It is generally accepted that the amount of gas in the world's gas hydrate accumulations exceeds the volume of known conventional gas resources. Researchers have long speculated that gas hydrates could eventually be a commercial producible energy resource yet technical and economic hurdles have historically made gas hydrate development a distant goal rather than a near-term possibility. This view began to change in recent years with the realization that this unconventional resource could possibly be developed with existing conventional oil and gas production technology. The most significant development has been gas hydrate production testing conducted at the Mallik site in Canada's Mackenzie Delta. The Mallik Gas Hydrate Production Research Well Program has yielded the first modern, fully integrated field study and production test of a natural gas hydrate accumulation. More recently, BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. with the US Department of Energy and the US Geological Survey have successfully cored, logged and tested a gas hydrate accumulation on the North Slope of Alaska known as the Mount Elbert Prospect. The Mallik project along with the Mount Elbert effort has for the first time allowed the rational assessment of the production response of a gas hydrate accumulation. In addition to the gas hydrate production tests in Canada and the USA, marine gas hydrate research drilling, coring and logging expeditions launched by the national gas hydrate programmes in Japan, India, China and South Korea have also contributed significantly to our understanding of how gas hydrates occur in nature and have provided a much deeper appreciation of the geological controls on the occurrence of gas hydrates. With an increasing number of highly successful gas hydrate field studies, significant progress has been made in addressing some of the key issues on the formation, occurrence and stability of gas hydrates in nature.
Geological storage of carbon dioxide: an emerging opportunity
Authors: Senior W. J. , Kantorowicz J. D. , Wright I. W.
Published: May 2011

Concerns about climate change and the need to stabilize atmospheric CO
2
concentrations are driving the development of a lower carbon future. Within this context, carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) is gaining momentum as a large-scale option to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This paper reviews the rationale and potential scale of CCS, the status of geological storage options and lessons from the operating In Salah project. CCS is expected to have applications in the oil and gas industry, and other industries, particularly the coal and power sectors. CO
2
-enhanced oil recovery, depleted oil and gas fields and saline formations are considered the most important geological storage options. Experience with geological storage is being gained at the In Salah project in Algeria. Operating since 2004, it is the world's first industrial-scale project storing CO
2
in the water leg of a gas reservoir. A key challenge for wider deployment is for geological storage to be accepted as a safe and effective option, providing long-term CO
2
containment, with high integrity. This has several associated technical and regulatory challenges, including site characterization and selection, geological and well integrity risk assessment, performance prediction, the design of appropriate monitoring schemes and handling the closure and post-closure phases. The petroleum industry has the capabilities and know-how to deploy CCS and to manage the associated risks. This lends confidence that CCS will be a viable option and that deployment will help enable a low-carbon future.
Differences between flow of injected CO
2
and hydrocarbon migration
Authors: Hermanrud Christian , Teige Gunn Mari Grimsmo , Iding Martin , Eiken Ola , Rennan Lars , Østmo Svend
Published: May 2011

Knowledge of fluid flow processes in the subsurface is important for CO
2
storage operations as well as for hydrocarbon exploration. Repeated seismic surveys for more than 10 years of CO
2
injection into the Utsira Formation, in the Sleipner area, offer a unique dataset. This dataset holds information on fluid migration processes that can be analysed for the benefit of hydrocarbon exploration and CO
2
storage considerations alike. Thorough analyses of these datasets reveal several features that give useful information of subsurface fluid flow processes. The CO
2
in the Utsira Formation has flowed laterally beneath thin, intra-formational shales. At the same time, CO
2
has flowed vertically through shaly horizons that would normally be considered as barriers to fluid flow. This flow has apparently taken place through vertically stacked flow conduits through the shales. These conduits may to some extent have existed prior to the start of CO
2
injection, but may also have been augmented by the CO
2
injection process. The calculated pushdown of seismic reflectors below the CO
2
plume is less than that observed, which may point to the presence of hitherto unrecognized flow paths for the CO
2
. Hydrocarbon migration pathways are in general not recognizable in seismic data. This implies that such avenues are significantly thinner than those of the CO
2
migration in the Utsira Formation. This result points to the presence of mixed-wet migration pathways, in which capillary flow resistance may not control the (sub-horizontal) flow path thickness. A circular depression at the top of the Utsira Formation that existed prior to the injection may be interpreted as a result of a deeper seated sand remobilization feature. Such features will also promote vertical hydrocarbon migration where they are present. A more widespread occurrence of such features may explain why hydrocarbons are generally found beneath thick shales, but are less likely to be found below thin intra-formational shales below the structural spillpoint of the top seal. These observations suggest that seal thickness is an important parameter, even if the capillary entry pressure of the sealing rock is sufficiently high to preserve significant hydrocarbon columns.
Complexity and economics
Authors: Echenique Federico , Golovin Daniel , Wierman Adam
Published: May 2011

Recent results in complexity theory suggest that various economic theories require agents to solve intractable problems. However, such results assume the agents are optimizing explicit utility functions, whereas the economic theories merely assume the agents' behavior is
rationalizable
by the optimization of some utility function.

For a major economic theory, the theory of the consumer, we show that behaving in a rationalizable way is easier than the corresponding optimization problem. Specifically, if an agent's behavior is at all rationalizable, then it is rationalizable using a utility function that is easy to maximize in every budget set.
Beating the best Nash without regret
Authors: ligett Katrina , Piliouras Georgios
Published: May 2011

Nash equilibrium analysis has become the
de facto
solution standard in game theory. This approach, despite its prominent role, has been the subject of much criticism for being too
optimistic
. Indeed, in general games, natural play need not converge to Nash equilibria. In games with multiple equilibria, it is unclear how players are expected to coordinate; even in games with a unique equilibrium, finding it may involve unreasonable expectations on player communication or computation.
Puzzle
Authors: Littman Michael L. , Reeves Daniel
Published: May 2011

A good (a professional soft-serve ice cream maker, as it turns out) is being raffled off by an auctioneer. Bidders can buy tickets in the raffle for $1 apiece and at the end of the raffle the good is assigned to one of the bidders. The probability of assigning the good to a given bidder is proportional to the number of tickets he or she bought. Five bidders are participating in the raffle. They value the good at $480.50 (Max), $336.35 (Nora), $240.25 (Ozgür), $210.65 (Paolo) and $190.20 (Qiao), and these values are common knowledge.
Design and development of framework for diagnosing intermediate nodes
Authors: T Shobha , Akram Syed , Varaprasad G.
Published: May 2011

A framework is an integrated system that sets the rules of Automation of a specific product. This system integrates the function libraries, test data sources, object details and various reusable modules. This paper proposes a framework, used for diagnosing and performance analysis of intermediate network nodes such as load balancer, routers, servers etc. For analyzing the performance 'm' number of servers and 'n' number of clients are considered. This framework will help developers working on network nodes to check for the performance of network node component and also to detect the errors in the algorithms.
Adding concurrency in python using a commercial processor's hardware transactional memory support
Authors: Tabba Fuad
Published: May 2011

This paper reports on our experiences of using a commercial processor's best-effort hardware transactional memory to improve concurrency in CPython, the reference Python implementation. CPython protects its data structures using a single global lock, which inhibits parallelism when running multiple threads.

We modified the CPython interpreter to use besteffort hardware transactions available in Sun's Rock processor, and fall back on the single global lock when unable to commit in hardware. The modifications were minimal; however, we had to restructure some of CPython's shared data structures to handle false conflicts arising from CPython's management of the shared data. Our results show that the modified CPython interpreter can run small, simple, workloads and scale almost linearly, while improving the concurrency of more complex workloads.
Paper bricks
Authors: Dittrich Jens
Published: May 2011

The peer review system as used in several computer science communities has several flaws including long review times, overloaded reviewers, as well as fostering of niche topics. These flaws decrease quality, lower impact, slowdown the innovation process, and lead to frustration of authors, readers, and reviewers. In order to fix this, we propose a new peer review system termed paper bricks. Paper bricks has several advantages over the existing system including shorter publications, better competition for new ideas, as well as an accelerated innovation process. Furthermore, paper bricks may be implemented with minimal change to the existing peer review systems.
Mechanisms of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Latency and Reactivation
Authors: Ye Fengchun , Lei Xiufen , Gao Shou-Jiang
Published: May 2011

The life cycle of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) consists of latent and lytic replication phases. During latent infection, only a limited number of KSHV genes are expressed. However, this phase of replication is essential for persistent infection, evasion of host immune response, and induction of KSHV-related malignancies. KSHV reactivation from latency produces a wide range of viral products and infectious virions. The resultingde novoinfection and viral lytic products modulate diverse cellular pathways and stromal microenvironment, which promote the development of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). The mechanisms controlling KSHV latency and reactivation are complex, involving both viral and host factors, and are modulated by diverse environmental factors. Here, we review the cellular and molecular basis of KSHV latency and reactivation with a focus on the most recent advancements in the field.
The Changes in Residual Cancer Burden after Interval Debulking Surgery Are Effective in Evaluating the Response to Adjuvant Chemotherapy
Authors: Kong Lili , Li Xiaoping , Xu Qiying , Wei Lihui , Wang Jianliu , Cui Heng , Wang Shijun , Zhao Yan
Published: May 2011

Objective: To study the clinical significance of the change of residual cancer burden (RCB) of epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) between primary (PDS) and interval debulking surgery (IDS) in order to evaluate the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods: Thirty-eight EOC patients with suboptimal PDS with adjuvant chemotherapy were selected for this retrospective study and divided into pathologically negative (group A) and pathologically positive (group B) groups based on the histopathological examination and the change of size of residual disease after IDS. Patients in group B were further divided into groups B1 (partial remission criteria, n = 9), B2 (consistent with stable disease, n = 12) and B3 (consistent with disease progression, n = 4) based on the changes in RCB between PDS and IDS and the guidelines to evaluate the response to treatment in solid tumors (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, RECIST). The responses to chemotherapy evaluated by pathological examination of RCB versus by CA-125, recurrence patterns, and prognoses were analyzed. Results: The clinical benefit rates evaluated by pathological assessment for groups A, B1, B2 and B3 were 100, 100, 100 and 0%, respectively (p < 0.01), whereas the rates were not statistically different when evaluated by CA-125 (100, 100, 91.7 and 100%, respectively; p > 0.05). The median progression-free survival (PFS) for patients in groups A and B was 36 and 6 months, respectively (p < 0.05); the median overall survival (OS) was 93 and 42 months, respectively (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in median PFS or OS among patients in groups B1, B2 and B3 (PFS: 16, 6 and 1.5 months; OS: 52, 31 and 30.5 months, respectively; all p > 0.05), but there were significant differences in median PFS or OS between B1 and B3. There was no significant difference in recurrence rates between groups A and B (53.8 vs. 72.0%, p > 0.05), but there were significant differences in the rate of drug-resistant recurrence [28.6% (2/7) vs. 72.2% (13/18), p < 0.05] and in median PFS of relapsed patients (19 vs. 4 months, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The histopathological assessment of RCB between PDS and IDS may be used to evaluate and predict the response to adjuvant chemotherapy in EOC.
Common Polymorphisms in KNCJ5 Are Associated with Early-Onset Lone Atrial Fibrillation in Caucasians
Authors: Jabbari Javad , Olesen Morten S. , Holst Anders G. , Nielsen Jonas B. , Haunso Stig , Svendsen Jesper H.
Published: May 2011

Objectives: The aim of this study was to screen lone atrial fibrillation (AF) patients for mutations in the genes KCNJ2, KCNJ3 and KCNJ5, all encoding potassium channels. Furthermore, we wanted to replicate the prior association of two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in KCNJ5, C171T (rs6590357) and G810T (rs7118824), with lone AF in Han Chinese. Methods: We sequenced the coding region and splice site of KCNJ2, KCNJ3 and KCNJ5 in 187 early-onset lone-AF patients screening for mutations and counting SNP frequencies for the two noted SNPs in KCNJ5. Results: No mutations were found in KCNJ2, KCNJ3 or KCNJ5. Both genotype distribution and allele frequencies of the SNPs rs6590357 and rs7118824 significantly differed between the AF and control group (pgenotype = 0.0067, pallele = 0.0021 and pgenotype = 0.014, pallele = 0.0101, respectively). On allele level, the OR for lone AF for rs6590357 was 1.77 (95% CI 1.16–2.73, p = 0.009) and for rs7118824 it was 1.71 (95% CI 1.13–2.57, p = 0.01) in a model adjusted for age and gender. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that rs6590357 and rs7118824 in KCNJ5 are associated with early-onset lone AF in Caucasians. No mutations were found in the exon or splice site of KCNJ2, KCNJ3 or KCNJ5.
DMP1 and DSPP: Evidence for Duplication and Convergent Evolution of Two SIBLING Proteins
Authors: Fisher Larry W.
Published: May 2011

Since first being proposed as a tandem gene family in 2001, the relatedness of the 5 SIBLING proteins (BSP, DMP1, DSPP, MEPE, and SPP1/OPN) has predominantly depended on arguments involving shared intron/exon properties as well as conserved protein biochemical properties (e.g. unstructured and acidic) and specific peptide motifs (e.g. phosphorylation and integrin-binding RGD). This report discusses the evidence that an ancient DMP1 gene underwent a simple duplication in the common ancestor of mammals and reptiles and then separately evolved into DSPP-like paralogs in the 2 classes. Genomic sequence analyses show that different copies of the original DMP1 duplication process were selected by mammalian and reptilian (anole lizard) classes to acquire genetically different but biochemically similar phosphoserine-rich repeat domains by convergent evolution. Mammals, for example, expanded phosphoserine motifs encoded exclusively using motifs containing AGC/T serine codons while the reptile line’s repeats also used TCN-encoding serine codons. A similar analysis of the origins of the other 4 SIBLINGs will require even more detailed analysis as genome sequences of various fish and amphibia become available.
Roles of DMP1 Processing in Osteogenesis, Dentinogenesis and Chondrogenesis
Authors: Sun Yao , Chen Li , Ma Su , Zhou Jin , Zhang Hua , Feng Jian Q. , Qin Chunlin
Published: May 2011

Dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) is an acidic protein that plays critical roles in osteogenesis and dentinogenesis. Protein chemistry studies have demonstrated that DMP1 primarily exists as processed NH2- and COOH-terminal fragments in the extracellular matrix of bone and dentin. Our earlier work showed that the substitution of Asp213 (a residue at a cleavage site) by Ala213 blocks the processing of mouse DMP1 in vitro. Recently, we generated transgenic mice expressing this mutant DMP1 (designated ‘D213A-DMP1’). By crossbreeding these transgenic mice with Dmp1-knockout (Dmp1-KO) mice, we obtained mice expressing the D213A-DMP1 transgene in the Dmp1-null background (named ‘Dmp1-KO/D213A-Tg’ mice). In this study, we analyzed the long bone, mandible, dentin, and cartilage of Dmp1-KO/D213A-Tg mice in comparison with wild-type, Dmp1-KO, and Dmp1-KO mice expressing the normal DMP1 transgene (Dmp1-KO/normal-Tg). Our results showed that D213A-DMP1 was barely cleaved in the dentin matrix of Dmp1-KO/D213A-Tg mice and the expression of D213A-DMP1 failed to rescue the developmental defects in Dmp1-null mice. Interestingly, enlarged growth plates and condylar cartilages were observed in Dmp1-KO/D213A-Tg mice, indicating a potential role of the full-length form of DMP1 in chondrogenesis.
Ectopic Expression of Col2.3 and Col3.6 Promoters in the Brain and Association with Leptin Signaling
Authors: Scheller Erica L. , Leinninger Gina M. , Hankenson Kurt D. , Myers, Jr. Martin G. , Krebsbach Paul H.
Published: May 2011

The collagen 2.3 and 3.6 promoters have been used to drive Cre expression for generation of conditional transgenic mutant mice. Within the bone, Col3.6 is expressed by mesenchymal precursor cells and their downstream progeny, while Col2.3 is more osteoblast specific. Our generation of transgenic mice with Col2.3-Cre- and Col3.6-Cre-driven deletion of the long-form leptin receptor (ObRb) necessitated a thorough analysis of the nonspecific expression of these promoters in the central nervous system. Both Col2.3 and Col3.6 were capable of forcing loxP recombination in the brain as demonstrated by EGFP expression in ROSA reporter mice. Expression of Col2.3 was limited to the central base of the brain near the third ventricle. In contrast, robust expression of Col3.6 was noted throughout the brain, centering near the distal third ventricle, third ventricle, and aqueduct. We subsequently analyzed the colocalization of leptin-responsive P-Stat3 neurons with Col3.6-expressing neurons. Approximately 5–10% colocalization was noted in leptin-responsive brain areas such as the arcuate nucleus, dorsal medial hypothalamus, ventral premammillary nucleus, and lateral hypothalamus. Injection of 3.6Cre+F/F ObRb knockout mice with leptin confirmed the presence of an intact P-Stat3 response that was dampened in the lateral hypothalamus (p < 0.050). This test was done to explore the contribution of neural leptin signaling to the bone phenotype of the 3.6Cre+F/F mice. Our analysis indicates that neural ObRb deletion, while present, is likely not the sole driver of femoral changes through traditional sympathetic circuits.
Public Perspectives on Returning Genetics and Genomics Research Results
Authors: O’Daniel J. , Haga S.B.
Published: May 2011

Background: The debate about returning research results has revealed different perspectives among researchers, participants and advisory groups with participants generally interested in obtaining their results. Given this preference, policies regarding return of individual research results may affect whether a potential subject chooses to participate in a study. Public attitudes, particularly those of African-Americans, toward this issue have been understudied. Methods: In 2008–2009, we convened 10 focus groups in Durham, N.C. to explore attitudes about returning research results and how different policies might influence their likelihood to participate in genetic/genomic studies. Transcripts were complimented by a short anonymous survey. Of 100 participants, 73% were female and 76% African-American with a median age of 40–49 years. Results: Although there was general interest in obtaining genetics research results, particularly individual results, discussants recognized many potential complexities. The option to obtain research results (individual or summary) was clearly valued and lack thereof was potentially a deterrent for genetic/genomic research enrollment. Conclusions: Providing the option to learn research results may help strengthen relationships between investigators and participants and thereby serve as a positive influencing factor for minority communities. Consideration of the broader implications of returning research results is warranted. Engaging diverse publics is essential to gain a balance between the interests and burdens of participants and investigators.
Simulated Infusion of Paclitaxel with In-Line Filters
Authors: Bononi Ilaria , Forgetta Cinzia , Baldisserotto Anna , Tognon Mauro
Published: May 2011

Background: Paclitaxel is one of the most effective anticancer drugs ever developed. To prevent hazards associated with intravenous (IV) administration which include the formation of microbubbles, microbiological contamination and particulate matter, the suppliers recommend that an in-line IV filter should be used during the infusion of the chemotherapeutic agent. Methods: To rule out the possibility that polyethersulfone (PES) membranes retain the paclitaxel during filtration, we carried out specific tests. Paclitaxel retention by PES in-line IV filters was evaluated by a simulated-drug IV infusion and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. Results: In our model of study, no variation of paclitaxel concentration was revealed before and after filtration using two different filter devices. Conclusions: The results suggest that, under our experimental conditions, paclitaxel concentration in saline solution remains constant before and after filtration. Indeed, our study indicates that the filters analyzed herein, other than preventing hazards associated with IV administration, do not retain paclitaxel, thus avoiding the reduction of the drug concentration and potency during filtration.
Memory, Mystery and Coherence: Does the Presence of 2‐3 Counterintuitive Concepts Predict Cultural Success of a Narrative?
Authors: Upal M. Afzal
Published: May 2011

This article reports an investigation involving a series of studies carried out to critically examine the hypothesis that presence of 2 or 3 minimally counterintuitive concepts in a story makes it more memorable than stories containing fewer or more of such concepts. The results paint a more complicated picture involving a number of interacting factors with contribution of the counterintuitive concepts to the global story cohesion emerging as a key mediating factor. It was found that addition of counterintuitive concepts only makes stories more memorable if those concepts contribute to the global cohesion of the overall story.
Cognitive Constraints on the Visual Arts: An Empirical Study of the Role of Perceived Intentions in Appreciation Judgements
Authors: Jucker Jean-Luc , Barrett Justin L.
Published: May 2011

What influences people’s appreciation of works of art? In this paper, we provide a new cognitive approach to this big question, and the first empirical results in support of it. As a work of art typically does not activate intuitive cognition for functional artefacts, it is represented as an instance of non-verbal symbolic communication. By application of Sperber and Wilson’s (1986/1995) Relevance Theory of communication, we hypothesize that understanding the artist’s intention plays a crucial role in intuitive art appreciation judgements. About 60 works of fine art, representing a wide range of periods, genres and styles, were selected in the permanent exhibitions at Tate Britain in London, and rated by more than 500 visitors for goodness and understanding of the artist’s intention. Results suggest that works of art whose artist’s intention is easy to understand tend to be preferred over those with more obscure intentions, even when controlling for familiarity effects.
Moral Creationism: The Science of Morality and the Mutiny of Romantic Relativism
Authors: Haque Omar Sultan
Published: May 2011

Over the past decade, there has been an explosion of scientific research into the nature of our moral psychology that demonstrates that human morality is fully grounded in the natural world and, thus, part of our evolved nature. Yet, many, if not most, scholars in the social sciences and humanities remain sceptical or pessimistic. Looking at a number of these recurrent concerns, I identify the source of this resistance as ‘moral creationism’: a set of beliefs, grounded in relativism and romanticism, about morality as irreducibly complex, holistic and non-decomposable, and that, therefore, implicates the scientific approach to morality as irrelevant, misguided, or in the extreme, itself somehow taboo or unethical. I demonstrate that moral creationism is intellectually unfounded by examining evidence on moral diversity and universality, moral and conventional norms, emotion and reasoning in moral judgment, moral conflict, moral progress and religion and morality. I argue that rejecting moral creationism not only prevents an inaccurate view of our moral psychology, but also has implications for the plausibility and justification of various normative theories, for reforming the practice of moral philosophy and can inform applied ethical areas. Without the protective strategy of moral creationism as a default position, humanists as well as scientists will both benefit as already fruitful inquiry, constructive engagement, collaboration and incorporation of novel investigative methods across disciplines can continue to grow.
Naming Patterns and Inductive Inference: The Case of Birds
Authors: Tarlowski Andrzej
Published: May 2011

Although past research demonstrated that online presentation of labels plays a role in inductive inference few studies have shown that naming practices affect stable category representations that enter into inductive judgments. In this study we provide evidence for a relationship between naming and inductive inference by examining Polish and Spanish speakers’ inferences within the taxonomic class Aves. Birds in Polish are named with one label, ptak, while Spanish uses two labels, ave and pájaro. Size is the feature that determines whether Spanish speakers label a bird as ave or pájaro. As a result, compared to Polish speakers, Spanish speakers attach higher weight to bird size. This is evidenced by the fact that Spanish speakers’ perception of strength of inferences from birds decreases more strongly as a function of size dissimilarity between premise and conclusion. The hypothesis that feature weighting mediates in the influence of naming on induction is supported by the cross-linguistic differences in perceptions of animal similarity. The set of findings reported here contributes to the understanding of inductive inference and the relationship between language and thought.
Humor as Violation and Deprecation: A Cognitive Anthropological Account
Authors: Purzycki Benjamin Grant
Published: May 2011

Over the past few centuries, scholars have expressed a number of models of humor which are divergent, but potentially complementary. Specifically, the Incongruity Hypothesis posits that humor is our confrontation with a stimulus that is surprising or inconsistent with the way we normally view the world. The Hermetic Hypothesis maintains that the incongruity of humorous statements or events exploits shared cultural (i.e., schematic) knowledge. The Deprecation Hypothesis suggests that humor involves lowering the status of a target individual, group, or object. This paper tests a number of predictions derived from these approaches using statements that isolate the types of violations in both form (i.e., schematic or ontological template violations) and content (i.e., deprecating or non-deprecating). Using cognitive anthropological approaches to the mind, the present results suggest that the most effective forms of humor are deprecating, schematic violations.
Myth and Ritual at Sinope: From Diogenes the Cynic to Sanape the Amazon
Authors: Braund David
Published: May 2011

The interaction of myth and history at Sinope is explored with regard (1) to Diogenes the Cynic and (2) Sanape/Sinope the Amazon. The modern statue of Diogenes illustrates the abiding and changing significance of an individual whose myth is much more important than the more probable details of his biography. His dwelling in a storage-jar may echo the image of Sinope as a centre of production and exchange (especially in wine and oil), while his apparent exile from Sinope (with his father) may shed some light on the obscure history of the city around the turn of the fifth into the fourth century BC, especially in its dealings with Athens.As for Amazons, it is argued that the distinction between Sinope the nymph and Sinope/Sanape the Amazon is not clear-cut, especially because the nymph was imagined (as often as not) as a daughter of Ares, like the Amazons. That explains why she is an Amazon (and not a nymph) in Pseudo-Scymnus, writing for a king of neighbouring Bithynia. The much-discussed version of Andron of Teos and his story of the hard-drinking Amazon may owe something to the city’s reputation for wine, but it seems to be marginal to the main-line tradition from Heraclitus to Pseudo-Scymnus and the Tabula Albana. Sinope was one of several cities of Asia Minor which claimed and celebrated an Amazon in its mythical past. Aeneas Tacticus gives a clue to Amazon cult practice in the city. The link with Amazons may also have assisted Sinope’s imperialism in the eastern Black Sea region.
Sinope et les Cimmériens
Authors: Ivantchik Askold
Published: May 2011

Sinope and the CimmeriansThe article is devoted to the discussion of the literary tradition, according to which the Cimmerians settled for a long time on the place of Sinope. This tradition is not historical, but is probably base on a historical event: a short raid of the nomadic Cimmerians to the shore of Black Sea, during which a first Greek settlement on place of the future Sinope was destroyed. Two foundations of Sinope mentioned in the literary sources (by Habron and by Kretines and Koos) were not separated by a long period and probably belong to the same generation. The Cimmerians did not settled the south shore of Black Sea, but were present in the region close to the south of the Pontic mountains, as it is attested by archaeological data.
An Overview of the 2nd Millennium BC and Iron Age Cultures of the Province of Sinop in Light of New Research
Authors: Dönmez Şevket
Published: May 2011

Archaeological research conducted to date has shown that the earliest settlements in the province of Sinop date to the Late Chalcolithic period. However, despite these Late Chalcolithic period cultural strata, identified during the Kocagöz Höyük and Boyabat-Kovuklukaya excavations, the stone bracelet fragments from Maltepe Höyüğü and potsherds supposedly from Kıran Höyük and Kabalı Höyük (but hitherto unpublished) indicate that the settlement process of the region may have started in the Early Chalcolithic or even Late Neolithic period. In the Early Bronze Age, following the Late Chalcolithic period, the number of settlements increased in parallel with the population. A number of settlements identified during the excavations at Kocagöz Höyük and Kovuklukaya, as well as during surveys, indicate that the Early Bronze Age was a very active period in the province of Sinop. Finds from the ensuing Middle Bronze Age, pointing to the fact that the Sinop area was one of the northern extremities of the commercial network of the Assyrian Trade Colonies period, centered at Kültepe/Kaneš, have come to light from the Gerze-Hıdırlı cemetery and its settlement at Keçi Türbesi Höyüğü. As is the case with the neighboring province of Samsun, it is understood that the province of Sinop probably did not host any settlements in the late phases of the Middle Bronze Age. All along the Black Sea coast of Anatolia no centre or even find dating to the Early Iron Age (1190-900 BC) has been identified to date. However, settlements become more frequent in the inland part of the central Black Sea region during the Middle Iron Age (900-650/600 BC), and by the Late Iron Age (650/600-330 BC) they are seen both inland and along the coastline. Evidence to confirm this pattern has been obtained from the city centre of Sinop and Kovuklukaya.