bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cervical Radiculopathy: A Review
Authors: Caridi John M. , Pumberger Matthias , Hughes Alexander P.
Published: September 2011

Background

Cervical radiculopathy is defined as a syndrome of pain and/or sensorimotor deficits due to compression of a cervical nerve root. Understanding of this disease is vital for rapid diagnosis and treatment of patients with this condition, facilitating their recovery and return to regular activity.

Purpose

This review is designed to clarify (1) the pathophysiology that leads to nerve root compression; (2) the diagnosis of the disease guided by history, physical exam, imaging, and electrophysiology; and (3) operative and non-operative options for treatment and how these should be applied.

Methods

The PubMed database was searched for relevant articles and these articles were reviewed by independent authors. The conclusions are presented in this manuscript.

Results

Facet joint spondylosis and herniation of the intervertebral disc are the most common causes of nerve root compression. The clinical consequence of radiculopathy is arm pain or paresthesias in the dermatomal distribution of the affected nerve and may or may not be associated with neck pain and motor weakness. Patient history and clinical examination are important for diagnosis. Further imaging modalities, such as x-ray, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and electrophysiologic testing, are of importance. Most patients will significantly improve from non-surgical active and passive therapies. Indicated for surgery are patients with clinically significant motor deficits, debilitating pain that is resistant to conservative modalities and/or time, or instability in the setting of disabling radiculopathy. Surgical treatment options include anterior cervical decompression with fusion and posterior cervical laminoforaminotomy.

Conclusion

Understanding the pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment indications, and treatment techniques is essential for rapid diagnosis and care of patients with cervical radiculopathy.
Tendon Injury Produces Changes in SSCT and Nerve Physiology Similar to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in an in Vivo Rabbit Model
Authors: Moriya Tamami , Zhao Chunfeng , Cha Stephen S. , Schmelzer James D. , Low Phillip A. , An Kai-Nan , Amadio Peter C.
Published: September 2011

Background

The etiology of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) remains idiopathic in many cases. Noninflammatory fibrosis of the subsynovial connective tissue (SSCT) within the carpal tunnel is common in CTS, and some clinicians have hypothesized that this fibrosis might be a cause rather than an effect of CTS. An animal model in which to test this hypothesis would be useful. The principal objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a surgical injury on SSCT fibrosis and median nerve function within the carpal tunnel in an in vivo rabbit model.

Methods

Rabbits were sacrificed 12 weeks after surgery and were evaluated by mechanical testing, histology, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, and electrophysiology.

Results

SSCT fibroblast density ( p<0.0001) and collagen fiber size ( p=0.0004) were significantly higher, and the median nerve distal motor amplitude was significantly lower ( p=0.0018), in the tendon injury group SSCT than in either the sham or control groups.

Conclusions

Our findings are similar to those seen in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and suggest that the tendon injury procedure may be the basis of a new animal model of SSCT injury and, possibly, CTS.
Childhood subacute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
Authors: Hsu Chia‐Yu , Chuang Yao‐Chia , Chiu Nan‐Chang , Chen Kuan‐Wen
Published: September 2011

Subacute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (SIDP) is an acquired immune‐mediated peripheral polyneuropathy with clinical course between 4 weeks and 8 weeks. Rare childhood cases with SIDP had been described in the current literature. We report the first case of childhood SIDP in Taiwan with thorough clinical studies. All of the clinical presentations, laboratory data, electrophysiological studies, and image tools were compatible with childhood SIDP. Benign neurological recovery without relapse was correlated with electrophysiological evidence of demyelination predominantly.
Anterior discectomies and interbody cage fusion without plate fixation for 5‐level cervical degenerative disc disease: A 5‐year follow‐up
Authors: Chu Cheng‐Wei , Kung Sui‐Sum , Tsai Tai‐Hsin , Huang Tzuu‐Yuan , Hwang Shiuh‐Lin
Published: September 2011

Anterior discectomy and interbody fusion have been proven to be a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease. Clinical results for 1‐ to 4‐level interbody cage fusion without plate fixation are encouraging. Five‐level cervical interbody cage fusion without plate fixation has not yet been previously reported. We report a 63‐year‐old female patient suffering from severe pain of the bilateral shoulders and left upper extremity with numbness and weakness of legs. Magnetic resonance imaging showed cervical degenerative disc herniation with cord compression between the levels of C2 and C7. Anterior cervical discectomy and interbody cage fusion without plate fixation were performed. Pain and neurological function improved dramatically after surgery. Asymptomatic subsidence of the cage occurred at the level of C6‐7 two months postoperatively with no further progression of subsidence 5 years postoperatively. Good stability of the cages was seen on flexion and extension radiographs 5 years postoperatively. We report the first case with good long‐term results of 5‐level interbody cage fusion without plate fixation for anterior cervical degenerative disc surgery.
Infective endocarditis detected by 18F‐fluoro‐2‐deoxy‐d‐glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in a patient with occult infection
Authors: Yeh Chia‐Lu , Liou Jer‐Young , Chen Shih‐Wei , Chen Yen‐Kung
Published: September 2011

Integrated 18F‐fluoro‐2‐deoxy‐d‐glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) has been clinically used to detect infectious lesions. We present a case with pyrexia and bacteremia of unknown origin. Whole body FDG PET/CT was arranged to look for an occult source of infection and it revealed a focal lesion with increased FDG uptake in the mitral valve area. Under suspicion of infective endocarditis, transthoracic echocardiography was repeated and then the presence of linear vegetation over the calcified mitral annulus was confirmed. Ultimately, definite infective endocarditis was diagnosed according to the Duke criteria. The patient recovered after the antibiotic therapy. In our case, FDG PET/CT can help to localize the exact site of occult infection, thereby guiding additional testing and facilitating timely definitive diagnosis and therapy.
Climate-induced fluvial dynamics in tropical Africa around the last glacial maximum?
Authors: Sangen Mark , Neumann Katharina , Eisenberg Joachim
Published: September 2011

The alluvia of the Ntem, Nyong and Sanaga fluvial systems in southern Cameroon recorded repeated fluvial activity fluctuations during the Late Pleistocene, including the last glacial maximum (LGM), the beginning of the African Humid Period and the northern hemispheric Bølling-Allerød. We applied a multi-proxy approach on alluvial stratigraphies dated between 22.4 and 13.0 cal ka BP, including remote sensing, sedimentological and morphogenetic methods, phytoliths, sponge spicules, 14C and δ13C data. A distinct NE–SW gradient of landscape and fluvial dynamics around the LGM can be drawn, with evidence for the persistence of extended fluvial rainforest refuges only in the Ntem catchment. The Sanaga and Nyong catchment areas were characterized by frequent channel migrations, floodplain reorganization and unstable vegetation subject to fire, including grasslands, woodlands, and gallery forests with bamboo thickets. In spite of increasing rainfall after 16.4 cal ka BP, persisting landscape instability played the major role for fluvial system dynamics, floodplain transformations and vegetation development until 13.0 cal ka BP, before a general landscape stabilization and rainforest expansion set in at the beginning of the Holocene.
Refeeding with a high-protein diet after a 48 h fast causes acute hepatocellular injury in mice
Authors: Oarada Motoko , Tsuzuki Tsuyoshi , Nikawa Takeshi , Kohno Shohei , Hirasaka Katsuya , Gonoi Tohru
Published: September 2011

Elucidating the effects of refeeding a high-protein diet after fasting on disease development is of interest in relation to excessive protein ingestion and irregular eating habits in developed countries. The objective of the present study was to address the hepatic effects of refeeding a high-protein diet after fasting. Mice were fasted for 48 h and then refed with a test diet containing 3, 15, 35, 40, 45 or 50 % casein. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities and liver immediate-early gene expression levels were sequentially measured for the first 24 h after initiation of refeeding. Refeeding with a 50 % casein diet after 48 h of fasting led to a rapid (within 2–3 h) and abnormal elevation in serum ALT (P = 0·006) and AST (P = 0·001) activities and a marked increase in liver Finkel-Biskis-Jinkins (FBJ) osteosarcoma oncogene (P = 0·007) and nuclear receptor subfamily 4, group A, member 1 (P = 0·002) mRNA levels. In contrast, refeeding of the 3, 15 or 35 % casein diets produced no substantial increases in serum ALT and AST activities in mice. Refeeding of 40, 45 or 50 % casein increased serum ALT and AST activities in proportion to this dietary casein content. In mice refed the 3, 15 or 35, but not 50 %, casein diets, liver heat shock protein 72 transcript levels greatly increased. We conclude from these data that the consumption of a high-protein diet after fasting causes acute hepatocellular injury in healthy animals, and propose that careful attention should be paid to the use of such diets.
Effect of lean red meat from lamb v. lean white meat from chicken on the serum lipid profile: a randomised, cross-over study in women
Authors: Mateo-Gallego Rocio , Perez-Calahorra Sofia , Cenarro Ana , Bea Ana M. , Andres Eva , Horno Jaime , Ros Emilio , Civeira Fernando
Published: September 2011

The main dietary guidelines recommend restricting total and saturated fat intake in the management of high blood cholesterol levels for cardiovascular risk. These recommendations are usually oversimplified by considering that all red meats should be limited and replaced by white meats. However, lean red meat can be as low in fat as white meat. We examined the effects of red meat (lean breed lamb) and lean white meat (chicken) intake on the lipid profile of a group of women with stable life conditions (nuns living in convents). An open-label, randomised, cross-over study was carried out in thirty-six nuns who consumed either lamb or chicken three times per week for 5-week periods with their usual diet. Clinical, dietary and biochemical variables were evaluated at baseline and the end of each diet period. A validated FFQ was used to assess nutrient intake and monitor compliance. The results showed neither between-diet differences in lipid responses nor differences from baseline in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol or TAG for any diet period. In conclusion, consumption of lean red meat (lamb) or lean white meat (chicken) as part of the usual diet is associated with a similar lipid response. These two foods can be exchanged in a healthy diet to increase palatability.
Lactate and the GPR81 receptor in metabolic regulation: implications for adipose tissue function and fatty acid utilisation by muscle during exercise
Authors: Rooney Kieron , Trayhurn Paul
Published: September 2011

Lactate is increasingly recognised to be more than a simple end product of anaerobic glycolysis. Skeletal muscle and white adipose tissue are considered to be the main sites of lactate production and release. Recent studies have demonstrated that there is a specific G-protein coupled receptor for lactate, GPR81, which is expressed primarily in adipose tissue, and also in muscle. Lactate inhibits lipolysis in adipose tissue by mediating, through GPR81, the anti-lipolytic action of insulin. A high proportion (50 % or more) of the glucose utilised by white adipose tissue is converted to lactate and lactate production by the tissue increases markedly in obesity; this is likely to reflect a switch towards anaerobic metabolism with the development of hypoxia in the tissue. During exercise, there is a shift in fuel utilisation by muscle from lipid to carbohydrate, but this does not appear to be a result of the inhibition of lipolysis in the main adipose tissue depots by muscle-derived lactate. It is suggested instead that a putative autocrine lactate loop in myocytes may regulate fuel utilisation by muscle during exercise, operating via a muscle GPR81 receptor. In addition to being an important substrate, lactate is a key signal in metabolic regulation.
Comparison of the effects of fish oil and olive oil on blood lipids and aortic atherosclerosis in Watanabe heritable hyperlipidaemic rabbits
Authors: Mortensen Alicja , Hansen Birgit Fischer , Hansen Jørgen Fischer , Frandsen Henrik , Bartnikowska Elzbieta , Andersen Peder S. , Bertelsen Lone S.
Published: September 2011

To compare the effects of fish oil and olive oil on the development of atherosclerosis in Watanabe heritable hyperlipidaemic (WHHL) rabbits, 6-week-old animals were given a daily dose (1·5 ml/kg body weight) of fish oil (n10) or olive oil (n10) by oral administration for 16 weeks. Plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerols were measured once monthly, and their concentrations in lipoproteins, together with susceptibility of LDL to oxidation were measuredin vitroat the termination of the experiment. Aortic atherosclerosis was quantified biochemically and microscopically. After 4 weeks of treatment, and throughout the study thereafter, blood lipids were significantly (P< 0·05) lower in the fish-oil group than in the olive-oil group (cholesterol: 17·0v.30·3 mmol/l, triacylglycerols 2·97v.6·25 mmol/l, at termination). In the fish-oil group cholesterol was significantly lower in intermediate-density lipoproteins (2·69v.6·76 mmol/l) and VLDL (3·36v.11·51 mmol/l). Triacylglycerol levels of intermediate-density lipoproteins and VLDL in the fish-oil group were also significantly lower when compared with the olive-oil group (0·54v1·36 mmol/l and 0·92v.2·87 mmol/l respectively). No group differences were recorded for LDL- and HDL-cholesterol or triacylglycerol levels. A significantly higher oxidation of LDL was recorded 1 h after exposure to CuSO4in the fish-oil group when compared with the olive-oil group (0·465v.0·202, arbitrary units). The following indicators of atherosclerosis development were significantly lower in the fish-oil group than in the olive-oil group: the cholesterol content (mg/g tissue) in the ascending aorta (29·8v.48·9), the intima:media value (4·81v.18·24) and the area of intima (0·10v.0·57 mm2) in the thoracic aorta. It was concluded that fish-oil treatment decreased blood lipids and the development of aortic atherosclerosis in WHHL rabbits when compared with olive-oil treatment.
Identifying the ‘agriculturists’ in the Burma Delta in the colonial period: A new perspective on agriculturists based on a village tract's registers of holdings from the 1890s to the 1920s
Authors: Mizuno Asuka
Published: September 2011

According to the existing studies on Myanmar's economic history, agricultural land in the Lower Myanmar delta was transferred from ‘agriculturists’ to ‘non-agriculturists’ under British colonial rule. However, a clear distinction could not be drawn between the agriculturists and non-agriculturists as was generally thought with respect to their economic activity. More importantly, the categories could be applied interchangeably. The purpose of this study is to reconsider the very concept of ‘agriculturist’ as a colonial category in British Burma by exploring the hitherto unused register of holdings (Register IA, U pain hmatpoun sayin).
Re-centreing the city: Spirits, local wisdom, and urban design at the Three Kings Monument of Chiang Mai
Authors: Johnson Andrew
Published: September 2011

Recent political events, such as the coup of 2006 or the ‘Red Shirt’ uprisings of 2010 underlined the divisions in Thai society between the provinces and the capital. As one of the world's most primate cities, Bangkok exerts a tremendous political, economic and cultural force upon the rest of Thailand. But how is such pressure interpreted, internalised and/or subverted? In this article, I look at Thailand's second-largest city, Chiang Mai, in Thailand's North, and the struggle to cure an increasing sense of urban crisis and thereby assert the former independent capital's symbolic authority vis-à-vis Bangkok. I examine this by looking at two specific discourses: that of architecture and spirit mediumship. Northern Thai architects attempt to cure Chiang Mai's ills through recourse to the ‘cultural heritage’ of the city's urban space, while spirit mediums call upon the sacred power of that space in order to restore Chiang Mai's ‘lost’ prosperity. The focal point for each effort lies at the city's centre: the Three Kings Monument and its surrounding plaza (khuang). Here, each group casts themselves as those most able to put Chiang Mai's past in physical form and thereby ensure Chiang Mai's future. In this article, I examine how ideas of cultural heritage become entwined with magico-religious concepts of power (sak). In each, there is a search for efficacious power in the face of political and cultural domination from Bangkok.
Diversity, distribution and biogeographical origins of Plasmodium parasites from the New Zealand bellbird (Anthornis melanura)
Authors: BAILLIE S. M. , BRUNTON D. H.
Published: September 2011

Understanding the origin of invasive parasites and ecological transmission barriers on the distribution of mosquito-borne pathogens is enriched by molecular phylogenetic approaches now that large databases are becoming available. Here we assess the biogeographical relationships among haemosporidian blood parasites and an avian host, the New Zealand bellbird (Meliphagidae, Anthornis melanura). Four Plasmodium haplotypes were identified among 93 infected bellbirds (693 screened) using nested PCR of a mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b gene fragment. The most common lineage, LIN1 (11%), is confined to northern New Zealand and falls within a known clade of Plasmodium (subgenus Novyella) sp. infecting Australian meliphagids. LIN1 differs within that clade by 4 9% sequence divergence suggestive of an endemic lineage to New Zealand. The most widespread lineage, LIN2 (2%), is an exact match with a global cosmopolitan (P. elongatum GRW06). Two rare lineages, LIN3 and LIN4 are less abundant, geographically restricted within New Zealand and have <1% sequence divergence with P. (Novyella) sp. (AFTRU08) and P. relictum (LINOLI01) documented from Africa. For the first time, we provide invaluable information on possible rates of entry of invading parasites in New Zealand and their distribution from temperate to cold environments.
Which categories of social and lifestyle activities moderate the association between negative life events and depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults in Japan?
Authors: Katsumata Yuriko , Arai Asuna , Ishida Kozo , Tomimori Masashi , Lee Romeo B. , Tamashiro Hiko
Published: September 2011

Background: Social and lifestyle activities may serve as potential moderators of the association between negative life events (NLEs) and depressive symptoms among older adults. In this study, we examined whether social and lifestyle activities moderate the association between NLEs and depressive symptoms among older adults, and which activities are significant moderators.

Methods: The data came from a community-based sample of non-institutionalized adults aged 65 years or older. Of the 731 eligible older adults, 682 completed the Japanese version of the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale. We measured 15 specific negative life events as well as 17 social and lifestyle activities which were grouped into four categories.

Results: Specific NLEs pertaining to human relationships, physical condition and financial status were all or were mostly associated with depressive symptoms. Significant moderating roles of social and lifestyle activities on the association of NLEs with depressive symptoms were observed between “loss of a significant other” and “contact with family members and friends” (β = −0.282, SE = 0.091, p = 0.002); “change in human relationships” and “contact with family members and friends” (β = −0.270, SE = 0.137, p = 0.048); and “change in human relationships” and “community involvement” (β = −0.344, SE = 0.133, p = 0.010).

Conclusions: The most statistically significant variable moderating the associations between negative life events and depressive symptoms was “having frequent contact with family members”. Depressive symptoms arising from troublesome interpersonal relationships in one's proximal network might be moderated by positive interpersonal relationships.
Applying Mindfulness Therapy in a Group of Psychotic Individuals: A Controlled Study
Authors: Langer Álvaro I. , Cangas Adolfo J. , Salcedo Estela , Fuentes Belén
Published: September 2011

Background: There are already several existing studies that show the effectiveness of mindfulness-based approaches in varying types of disorders. Only a few studies, however, have analyzed the effectiveness of this intervention in psychosis, and without finding, up to now, significant differences from the control group. Aims: The aim of this study is two-fold: to replicate previous studies, and to focus on analyzing the feasibility and effectiveness of applying mindfulness in a group of people with psychosis. Method: Eighteen patients with psychosis were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received eight 1-hour sessions of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), while the control group was relegated to a waiting list to receive MBCT therapy. Results: The experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group in their ability to respond mindfully to stressful internal events. Conclusions: Both the usefulness and effectiveness of implementing a mindfulness-based program have been replicated in a controlled manner in patients with psychosis.
Hominid evolution: genetics versus memetics
Authors: Carter Brandon
Published: September 2011

The last few million years on planet Earth have witnessed two remarkable phases of hominid development, starting with a phase of biological evolution characterized by rather rapid increase of the size of the brain. This has been followed by a phase of even more rapid technological evolution and concomitant expansion of the size of the population that began when our own particular ‘sapiens’ species emerged, just a few hundred thousand years ago. The present investigation exploits the analogy between the neo-Darwinian genetic evolution mechanism governing the first phase, and the memetic evolution mechanism governing the second phase. From the outset of the latter until very recently – about the year 2000 – the growth of the global populationNwas roughly governed by an equation of the form dN/Ndt=N/T*, in whichT* is a coefficient introduced (in 1960) by von Foerster, who evaluated it empirically as about 200 000 million years. It is shown here how the value of this hitherto mysterious timescale governing the memetic phase is explicable in terms of what happened in the preceding genetic phase. The outcome is that the order of magnitude of the Foerster timescale can be accounted for as the product of the relevant (human) generation timescale, about 20 years, with the number of bits of information in the genome, of the order of 10 000 million. Whereas the origin of our ‘homo’ genus may well have involved an evolutionary hard step, it transpires that the emergence of our particular ‘sapiens’ species was rather an automatic process.
The scientific legacy of Sydney Chapman
Authors: Akasofu Syun‐Ichi
Published: September 2011

Sydney Chapman (1888–1970) was arguably one of the greatest scientists of the twentieth century. His comprehensive work on the kinetic theory of gases and solar‐terrestrial physics, as well as on the mechanisms behind the formation of Earth's ozone layer, has inspired a wide swath of research spanning several generations [Van Allen, 1970]. Chapman, a member of the Royal Society, in London, and president of the International Geophysical Year (IGY), also was a recipient of AGU's William Bowie Medal. Young AGU members today may recognize Chapman from the topical conferences that carry his name. Although his biography has so far not been published, he gave three talks on his life: two at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colo., in 1965 and 1966, and one at the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, in 1967 (see Figure 1). All three are transcribed and included in a book, Sydney Chapman, Eighty: From His Friends [Akasofu et al., 1968]. These talks, combined with other sources, shed light on this insightful and discerning scientist.
NOAA atmospheric baseline observatories provide key data for researchers
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: September 2011

GREENLAND—Brian Vasel, an admitted “Poley” who has overwintered twice at the South Pole, is drawn to ice sheets. That's a good thing for him: Two of the six atmospheric baseline observatories that he oversees as field operations manager for the Global Monitoring Division of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) are located on ice sheets, one at the South Pole and the other at Summit Station, in central Greenland, atop 3.2 kilometers of ice. All of the NOAA atmospheric baseline observatories (ABOs)—including those at Barrow, Alaska; Trinidad Head, Calif.; Mauna Loa, Hawaii; and American Samoa—were strategically selected for their unique locations to conduct a variety of atmospheric and solar measurements. For instance, Summit Station is a high‐latitude, high‐altitude site that is in the free troposphere, and the site in American Samoa is in the Intertropical Convergence Zone, Vasel noted.
Southern Ocean natural iron fertilization
Authors: Charette Matt , Sanders Richard , Zhou Meng
Published: September 2011

Modeling and Synthesis of Southern Ocean Natural Iron Fertilization; Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 27–29 June 2011; For many years a major paradox in ocean science was the existence of regions where the major nutrients are present in nonlimiting concentrations yet phytoplankton biomass is low. Pioneering experiments in the 1990s firmly established that the likely cause of this high‐nutrient, low‐chlorophyll condition is a deficit of iron relative to other nutrients. Iron is required for numerous processes within the cell, including photosynthesis, respiration, and nutrient uptake, yet because of its chemical properties, in seawater it is present at vanishingly small concentration levels. Elucidating the role of iron in governing ecosystem functioning and carbon sequestration is in its infancy; however, one promising approach is to make observations in regions where landmasses act as point sources of iron. In 2004–2006, three separate expeditions targeted the southern Indian Ocean around the Crozet and Kerguelen Islands and in the southern Scotia Sea around the southern Drake Passage. Representatives from all three programs met recently to compare findings and identify critical gaps in existing knowledge.
Climate dynamics: Why does climate vary?
Authors: Schultz Colin
Published: September 2011

In recent years, climate change has become a major focus of public and political discussion. Ongoing scientific inquiry, revolving predominantly around understanding the anthropogenic effects of rising greenhouse gas levels, coupled with how successfully findings are communicated to the public, has made climate science both contentious and exigent. In the AGU monograph Climate Dynamics: Why Does Climate Vary?, editors De‐Zheng Sun and Frank Bryan reinforce the importance of investigating the complex dynamics that underlie the natural variability of the climate system. Understanding this complexity—particularly how the natural variability of climate may enhance or mask anthropogenic warming—could have important consequences for the future. In this interview, Eos talks to De‐Zheng Sun.
New watershed classification based on distance to the drainage divide
Authors: Schultz Colin
Published: September 2011

Models of watershed behavior are beginning to incorporate lidar (light detection and ranging) topography measurements with resolutions of the order of 1 square meter, but this increase in the availability of high‐quality data is outpacing the ability to make the best use of them. At issue is the conceptual lens through which the data are analyzed, particularly when investigating hydrologic behavior at different scales. Scaling parameters are used to break down the masses of data into groupings that fit within certain constraints that can then be analyzed for trends, and watershed research has traditionally used either stream order—a measure based around how many tributaries a body of water has—or the upstream catchment area to make these divisions. To best make use of the available high‐resolution topography data,Gangodagamage et al. propose a new scaling parameter based on what the authors refer to as the “directed distance from the divide.” The technique involves calculating, for each point in a watershed, the longest distance from that point to a drainage divide, taking into account variations in topography and recognizing that water only flows downhill. When two of these paths converge, the shorter is treated as a tributary to the longer, with this process being repeated until the entire watershed culminates in one major river. From these calculations the watershed can be broken down and analyzed using ensemble statistics based on flow paths of different lengths. (Water Resources Research, doi:10.1029/2010WR009252, 2011)
Addressing socioeconomic and political challenges posed by climate change
Authors: Fernando Harindra Joseph , Klaic Zvjezdana Bencetic
Published: September 2011

NATO Advanced Research Workshop: Climate Change, Human Health and National Security; Dubrovnik, Croatia, 28–30 April 2011; Climate change has been identified as one of the most serious threats to humanity. It not only causes sea level rise, drought, crop failure, vector‐borne diseases, extreme events, degradation of water and air quality, heat waves, and other phenomena, but it is also a threat multiplier wherein concatenation of multiple events may lead to frequent human catastrophes and intranational and international conflicts. In particular, urban areas may bear the brunt of climate change because of the amplification of climate effects that cascade down from global to urban scales, but current modeling and downscaling capabilities are unable to predict these effects with confidence. These were the main conclusions of a NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) sponsored by the NATO Science for Peace and Security program. Thirty‐two invitees from 17 counties, including leading modelers; natural, political, and social scientists; engineers; politicians; military experts; urban planners; industry analysts; epidemiologists; and health care professionals, parsed the topic on a common platform.
Global cyclone activity historically low
Authors: Balcerak Ernie
Published: September 2011

A new research study shows that overall global tropical cyclone activity has decreased to historically low levels during the past 5 years. Maue analyzed global tropical cyclone data from 1970 through May 2011 to examine the considerable interannual variability of the accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) metric. Since 2006, global and Northern Hemisphere ACE have decreased significantly, reaching their lowest levels since the late 1970s. Also, during 2010–2011, the overall global frequency of tropical cyclones reached a historic low. The author demonstrated that much of the variability in tropical cyclone energy during the past 40 years is clearly associated with natural large‐scale climate oscillations such as the El Niño—Southern Oscillation and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2011GL047711, 2011)
Does the space environment affect the ecosphere?
Authors: Schwadron Nathan A. , Spence Harlan E. , Came Rosemarie
Published: September 2011

The Sun is now emerging from a deep and protracted solar minimum, when the power, pressure, flux, and magnetic flux of solar wind were at their lowest levels [McComas et al., 2008; Schwadron and McComas, 2008;Connick et al., 2011]. Because of an anomalously weak heliospheric magnetic field and low solar wind pressure, galactic cosmic rays (GCRs)—protons, electrons, and ionized nuclei of elements accelerated to high energies—achieved the highest fluxes observed in the space age (Figure 1) [Mewaldt et al., 2010]. Related observations have shown remarkably rapid changes in the fluxes of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) used by NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer mission to image the global heliosphere surrounding the solar system [McComas et al., 2010]. These changes in ENAs are caused by decreasing solar wind pressure. Does the recent anomalous deep solar minimum hint at larger changes in store? And how do changing GCR fluxes and conditions on the Sun influence Earth's ecosphere? Given the fact that GCR radiation can damage living tissue, causing cellular mutagenesis, the changing state of the Sun may have serious implications for life on the planet.
U.S. ocean acidification researchers: First national meeting
Authors: Cooley Sarah R. , Kleypas Joan , Benway Heather
Published: September 2011

Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry Program Ocean Acidification Principal Investigators' Meeting; Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 22–24 March 2011; Ocean acidification (OA) is the progressive decrease in seawater pH and change in inorganic carbon chemistry caused by uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2). Marine species respond to OA in multiple ways that could profoundly alter ocean ecosystems and the goods and services they provide to human communities. With major support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and additional support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Naval Postgraduate School, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB) Project Office and Ocean Acidification Subcommittee (http://www.us‐ocb.org/about/subcommittees.html) held the first multidisciplinary workshop for U.S. OA researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The 112 attendees included ecologists, paleoceanographers, instrumentation specialists, chemists, biologists, economists, ocean and ecosystem modelers, and communications specialists.
Tremor activity changes following two San Andreas Fault earthquakes
Authors: Balcerak Ernie
Published: September 2011

Large earthquakes change the stress on faults. This can either accelerate or decelerate deep fault creep, as suggested by changes in tremor activity rates. Analyzing tremor data from the San Andreas Fault in central California, Shelly and Johnson found that the 2003 San Simeon earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.5, created a “stress shadow” north of Parkfield, causing tremors to stop abruptly there for about a month, while tremors south of Parkfield continued. On the other hand, tremors increased sharply following the 2004 magnitude 6.0 Parkfield earthquake. The authors examined the spatial and temporal variability of postearthquake effects on the San Andreas Fault and noted a depth dependence of tremor recurrence patterns. The study provides new information on the properties of these sections of the fault as well as new insight into how earthquakes affect stress on a fault and deep fault motion. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2011GL047863, 2011)
Molecular basis of α1‐antitrypsin deficiency revealed by the structure of a domain‐swapped trimer
Authors: Yamasaki Masayuki , Sendall Timothy J , Pearce Mary C , Whisstock James C , Huntington James A
Published: September 2011

α1‐Antitrypsin (α1AT) deficiency is a disease with multiple manifestations, including cirrhosis and emphysema, caused by the accumulation of stable polymers of mutant protein in the endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocytes. However, the molecular basis of misfolding and polymerization remain unknown. We produced and crystallized a trimeric form of α1AT that is recognized by an antibody specific for the pathological polymer. Unexpectedly, this structure reveals a polymeric linkage mediated by domain swapping the carboxy‐terminal 34 residues. Disulphide‐trapping and antibody‐binding studies further demonstrate that runaway C‐terminal domain swapping, rather than the s4A/s5A domain swap previously proposed, underlies polymerization of the common Z‐mutant of α1AT in vivo.
LGR4 and LGR5 are R‐spondin receptors mediating Wnt/β‐catenin and Wnt/PCP signalling
Authors: Glinka Andrei , Dolde Christine , Kirsch Nadine , Huang Ya‐Lin , Kazanskaya Olga , Ingelfinger Dierk , Boutros Michael , Cruciat Cristina‐Maria , Niehrs Christof
Published: September 2011

R‐spondins are secreted Wnt signalling agonists, which regulate embryonic patterning and stem cell proliferation, but whose mechanism of action is poorly understood. Here we show that R‐spondins bind to the orphan G‐protein‐coupled receptors LGR4 and LGR5 by their Furin domains. Gain‐ and loss‐of‐function experiments in mammalian cells and Xenopus embryos indicate that LGR4 and LGR5 promote R‐spondin‐mediated Wnt/β‐catenin and Wnt/PCP signalling. R‐spondin‐triggered β‐catenin signalling requires Clathrin, while Wnt3a‐mediated β‐catenin signalling requires Caveolin‐mediated endocytosis, suggesting that internalization has a mechanistic role in R‐spondin signalling.
Unended knights' tournaments
Authors: Kováč Ladislav
Published: September 2011

Richard Dawkins introduced a generation of biologists to the influential idea of ‘selfish genes’. But the implicit genocentrism of his hypothesis is increasingly challenged.
OneStop:JWS Online's access point to SBML,SBGN and MIRIAM compliant annotation
Authors: Snoep Jacky , Du Preez Franco , Owen Stuart , Wolstencroft Katherine , Krebs Olga , Müller Wolfgang , Goble Carole
Published: September 2011

We have developed an online model constructor and validator called OneStop, which is compliant with SBGN, SBML and MIRIAM standards. Key features of OneStop are: 1) a human readable input form (in addition to SBML upload and saving); 2) live visualization (SBGN graphics) of the reaction network during the construction phase; and 3) online access from any machine with a compatible browser. Sophisticated error feedback simplifies the debugging process during model construction significantly and guides the efforts of new users in a step by step fashion. OneStop is seamlessly integrated with the JWS Online model repository and simulator and also facilitates the importation of models from the BioModels database. In addition, OneStop is part of the SysMO-SEEK platform, which is used for data and model management in the Pan-European SysMO consortium.
Respiration characteristics of mitochondria in parental and giant transformed cells of the murine Nemeth—Kellner lymphoma
Authors: Horbay Rostyslav O. , Manko Bohdan O. , Manko Volodymyr V. , Lootsik Maxim D. , Stoika Rostyslav S.
Published: September 2011

Respiration characteristics of mitochondria of the parental and giant cells of murine NK/Ly (Nemeth—Kellner lymphoma) were studied. The giant cell‐enriched ascites were obtained by serial intraperitoneal injections of vinblastine in tumour‐bearing mice. Ascites containing >70% giant cells were used. Their diameter of was over 17 μm (∼2800 μm3), while the diameter of the parental cells was 12.7 μm (1100 μm3). The respiration rate of mitochondria in situ was measured by oxygen consumption in intact and digitonin‐permeabilized NK/Ly cells. Endogenous respiration of intact giant NK/Ly cells was three times higher compared to the parental ones, roughly in agreement with the volume change. The giant NK/Ly cells were far more resistant to permeabilization with digitonin than the parental cells, as shown by Trypan Blue and LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) release tests. After digitonin permeabilization, oxygen consumption was reduced to a minimal level (0.06 ng atom O/(s × 106 cells) in both types of cells. Addition of α‐ketoglutarate or succinate to the incubation medium increased oxygen consumption in the parental cells by 46 and 164% respectively. In the giant NK/Ly cells, the corresponding increases were 164 and 276%. Addition of ADP to α‐ketoglutarate‐ or succinate‐supplemented medium further stimulated oxygen consumption of the permeabilized NK/Ly cells; however, the effect of ADP was more pronounced in the giant cells. In addition, indices of respiratory control were significantly higher in the giant cells. Oligomycin suppressed considerably the respiration of the intact giant cells but had a much weaker effect on parental cells. Thus, giant NK/Ly cells possess much higher respiration rates and show tighter coupling between the respiration and oxidative phosphorylation compared with parental cells.
Economically viable land regeneration in Central Queensland and improved water quality outcomes for the Great Barrier Reef
Authors: Star M. , Donaghy P. , Rolfe J.
Published: September 2011

The impact of excessive sediment loads entering into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon has led to increased awareness of land condition in grazing lands. Improved ground cover and land condition have been identified as two important factors in reducing sediment loads. This paper reports the economics of land regeneration using case studies for two different land types in the Fitzroy Basin. The results suggest that for sediment reduction to be achieved from land regeneration of more fertile land types (brigalow blackbutt) the most efficient method of allocating funds would be through extension and education. However for less productive country (narrow leaved ironbark woodlands) incentives will be required. The analysis also highlights the need for further scientific data to undertake similar financial assessments of land regeneration for other locations in Queensland.
Helicobacter pylori
vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA) engages the mitochondrial fission machinery to induce host cell death
Authors: Jain Prashant , Luo Zhao-Qing , Blanke Steven R.
Published: September 2011

A number of pathogenic bacteria target mitochondria to modulate the host's apoptotic machinery. Studies here revealed that infection with the human gastric pathogen
Helicobacter pylori
disrupts the morphological dynamics of mitochondria as a mechanism to induce host cell death. The vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA) is both essential and sufficient for inducing mitochondrial network fragmentation through the mitochondrial recruitment and activation of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), which is a critical regulator of mitochondrial fission within cells. Inhibition of Drp1-induced mitochondrial fission within VacA-intoxicated cells inhibited the activation of the proapoptotic Bcl-2–associated X (Bax) protein, permeabilization of the mitochondrial outer membrane, and cell death. Our data reveal a heretofore unrecognized strategy by which a pathogenic microbe engages the host's apoptotic machinery.
Self-enforcing strategies to deter free-riding in the climate change mitigation game and other repeated public good games
Authors: Heitzig Jobst , Lessmann Kai , Zou Yong
Published: September 2011

As the Copenhagen Accord indicates, most of the international community agrees that global mean temperature should not be allowed to rise more than two degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels to avoid unacceptable damages from climate change. The scientific evidence distilled in the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and recent reports by the US National Academies shows that this can only be achieved by vast reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. Still, international cooperation on greenhouse gas emissions reductions suffers from incentives to free-ride and to renegotiate agreements in case of noncompliance, and the same is true for other so-called “public good games.” Using game theory, we show how one might overcome these problems with a simple dynamic strategy of linear compensation when the parameters of the problem fulfill some general conditions and players can be considered to be sufficiently rational. The proposed strategy redistributes liabilities according to past compliance levels in a proportionate and timely way. It can be used to implement any given allocation of target contributions, and we prove that it has several strong stability properties.
Nontelomeric splice variant of telomere repeat-binding factor 2 maintains neuronal traits by sequestering repressor element 1-silencing transcription factor
Authors: Zhang Peisu , Casaday-Potts Rebecca , Precht Patricia , Jiang Haiyang , Liu Yie , Pazin Michael J. , Mattson Mark P.
Published: September 2011

Telomere repeat-binding factor 2 (TRF2) is critical for telomere integrity in dividing stem and somatic cells, but its role in postmitotic neurons is unknown. Apart from protecting telomeres, nuclear TRF2 interacts with the master neuronal gene-silencer repressor element 1-silencing transcription factor (REST), and disruption of this interaction induces neuronal differentiation. Here we report a developmental switch from the expression of TRF2 in proliferating neural progenitor cells to expression of a unique short nontelomeric isoform of TRF2 (TRF2-S) as neurons establish a fully differentiated state. Unlike nuclear TRF2, which enhances REST-mediated gene repression, TRF2-S is located in the cytoplasm where it sequesters REST, thereby maintaining the expression of neuronal genes, including those encoding glutamate receptors, cell adhesion, and neurofilament proteins. In neurons, TRF2-S–mediated antagonism of REST nuclear activity is greatly attenuated by either overexpression of TRF2 or administration of the excitatory amino acid kainic acid. Overexpression of TRF2-S rescues kainic acid-induced REST nuclear accumulation and its gene-silencing effects. Thus, TRF2-S acts as part of a unique developmentally regulated molecular switch that plays critical roles in the maintenance and plasticity of neurons.