bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FoxG1 Interacts with Bmi1 to Regulate Self-Renewal and Tumorigenicity of Medulloblastoma Stem Cells
Authors: Manoranjan Branavan , Wang Xin , Hallett Robin M. , Venugopal Chitra , Mack Stephen C. , McFarlane Nicole , Nolte Sara M. , Scheinemann Katrin , Gunnarsson Thorsteinn , Hassell John A. , Taylor Michael D. , Lee Cathy , Triscott Joanna , Foster Colleen M. , Dunham Christopher , Hawkins Cynthia , Dunn Sandra E. , Singh Sheila K.
Published: April 2013

Brain tumors represent the leading cause of childhood cancer mortality, of which medulloblastoma (MB) is the most frequent malignant tumor. Recent studies have demonstrated the presence of several MB molecular subgroups, each distinct in terms of prognosis and predicted therapeutic response. Groups 1 and 2 are characterized by relatively good clinical outcomes and activation of the Wnt and Shh pathways, respectively. In contrast, groups 3 and 4 (“non-Shh/Wnt MBs”) are distinguished by metastatic disease, poor patient outcome, and lack a molecular pathway phenotype. Current gene expression platforms have not detected brain tumor-initiating cell (BTIC) self-renewal genes in groups 3 and 4 MBs as BTICs typically comprise a minority of tumor cells and may therefore go undetected on bulk tumor analyses. Since increasing BTIC frequency has been associated with increasing tumor aggressiveness and poor patient outcome, we investigated the subgroup-specific gene expression profile of candidate stem cell genes within 251 primary human MBs from four nonoverlapping MB transcriptional databases (Amsterdam, Memphis, Toronto, Boston) and 74 NanoString-subgrouped MBs (Vancouver). We assessed the functional relevance of two genes, FoxG1 and Bmi1, which were significantly enriched in non-Shh/Wnt MBs and showed these genes to mediate MB stem cell self-renewal and tumor initiation in mice. We also identified their transcriptional regulation through reciprocal promoter occupancy in CD15+ MB stem cells. Our work demonstrates the application of stem cell data gathered from genomic platforms to guide functional BTIC assays, which may then be used to develop novel BTIC self-renewal mechanisms amenable to therapeutic targeting.
p130Cas alters the differentiation potential of mammary luminal progenitors by deregulating c-Kit activity
Authors: Tornillo Giusy , Elia Angela Rita , Castellano Isabella , Spadaro Michela , Bernabei Paola , Bisaro Brigitte , Camacho-Leal Maria del Pilar , Pincini Alessandra , Provero Paolo , Sapino Anna , Turco Emilia , Defilippi Paola , Cabodi Sara
Published: April 2013

It has recently been proposed that defective differentiation of mammary luminal progenitors predisposes to basal-like breast cancer. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved are still unclear. Here, we describe that the adaptor protein p130Cas is a crucial regulator of mouse mammary epithelial cell (MMEC) differentiation. Using a transgenic mouse model, we show that forced p130Cas overexpression in the luminal progenitor cell compartment results in the expansion of luminal cells, which aberrantly display basal cell features and reduced differentiation in response to lactogenic stimuli. Interestingly, MMECs overexpressing p130Cas exhibit hyperactivation of the tyrosine kinase receptor c-Kit. In addition, we demonstrate that the constitutive c-Kit activation alone mimics p130Cas overexpression, whereas c-Kit downregulation is sufficient to re-establish proper differentiation of p130Cas overexpressing cells. Overall, our data indicate that high levels of p130Cas, via abnormal c-Kit activation, promote mammary luminal cell plasticity, thus providing the conditions for the development of basal-like breast cancer. Consistently, p130Cas is overexpressed in human triple-negative breast cancer, further suggesting that p130Cas upregulation may be a priming event for the onset of basal-like breast cancer.
Oscillatory serotonin function in depression
Authors: Salomon Ronald M. , Cowan Ronald L.
Published: April 2013

Oscillations in brain activities with periods of minutes to hours may be critical for normal mood behaviors. Ultradian (faster than circadian) rhythms of mood behaviors and associated central nervous system activities are altered in depression. Recent data suggest that ultradian rhythms in serotonin (5HT) function also change in depression. In two separate studies, 5HT metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were measured every 10 min for 24 h before and after chronic antidepressant treatment. Antidepressant treatments were associated with enhanced ultradian amplitudes of CSF metabolite levels. Another study used resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure amplitudes of dorsal raphé activation cycles following sham or active dietary depletions of the 5HT precursor (tryptophan). During depletion, amplitudes of dorsal raphé activation cycles increased with rapid 6 s periods (about 0.18 Hz) while functional connectivity weakened between dorsal raphé and thalamus at slower periods of 20 s (0.05 Hz). A third approach studied MDMA (ecstasy, 3,4‐methylenedioxy‐N‐methylamphetamine) users because of their chronically diminished 5HT function compared with non‐MDMA polysubstance users (Karageorgiou et al., 2009). Compared with a non‐MDMA using cohort, MDMA users showed diminished fMRI intra‐regional coherence in motor regions along with altered functional connectivity, again suggesting effects of altered 5HT oscillatory function. These data support a hypothesis that qualities of ultradian oscillations in 5HT function may critically influence moods and behaviors. Dysfunctional 5HT rhythms in depression may be a common endpoint and biomarker for depression, linking dysfunction of slow brain network oscillators to 5HT mechanisms affected by commonly available treatments. 5HT oscillatory dysfunction may define illness subtypes and predict responses to serotonergic agents. Further studies of 5HT oscillations in depression are indicated. Synapse 67:801–820, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Science as a classed and gendered endeavor: Persistence of two white female first‐generation college students within an undergraduate science context
Authors: Wilson Rachel E. , Kittleson Julie
Published: April 2013

As colleges and universities aim for greater diversity in their undergraduate populations, one population researchers consider is first‐generation students, or students whose parents do not have a college education. The research reported here addresses first‐generation college students' discipline of study (e.g., biology) and its impact on their persistence. Exploring how female, low‐income, first‐generation college students evaluate their persistence within undergraduate science learning environments contributes to understanding how gender and social class influence persistence in STEM fields. Two White, female, low‐income, first‐generation college students were interviewed during their last year in college. Using constant comparative coding methods and Ricoeur's (Ricoeur [1984] Time and narrative, Volume I (K. McLaughlin & D. Pellauer, Trans.). Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press) description of narrative construction, common tensions were identified related to participants' descriptions of undergraduate science as competitive. These persistence‐related tensions are (1) differing experiences in lecture and lab, (2) managing time to work, study, and maintain family relationships, and (3) weighing their personal (family) priorities against the longer time it would take them to reach their science‐related career goals. These tensions depict a traditional undergraduate science learning environment focused on individuals and abstract knowledge that positions female lower‐income students as “academic non‐competitors” because of the importance of kinship ties and physical skills in their cultural background (Lareau [2002] American Sociological Review 67(5), 747–776; Lareau [2003] Unequal childhoods: Class, race, and family life. Berkeley: University of California Press). The participants' experiences support that the gendered and classed expectations needed to succeed in a science environment could be somewhat alleviated through reforms to traditional lecture and laboratory undergraduate science courses that promote cooperative student learning groups and integration of lecture with hands‐on activities. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 50: 802–825, 2013
Global analysis of seasonal streamflow predictability using an ensemble prediction system and observations from 6192 small catchments worldwide
Authors: van Dijk Albert I. J. M. , Peña‐Arancibia Jorge L. , Wood Eric F. , Sheffield Justin , Beck Hylke E.
Published: April 2013

Key Points

Global bimonthly streamflow forecasts show potentially valuable skill

Initial catchment conditions are responsible for most skill

Skill can be estimated from model performance and theoretical skill
Development of a high‐resolution confocal micro‐XRF instrument equipped with a vacuum chamber
Authors: Nakazawa Takashi , Tsuji Kouichi
Published: April 2013

A confocal micro‐X‐ray fluorescence (micro‐XRF) instrument equipped with a vacuum chamber was newly developed. The instrument is operated under a vacuum condition to reduce the absorption of XRF in the atmosphere. Thin metal layers were developed to evaluate the confocal volume, corresponding to depth resolution. A set of thin metal layers (Al, Ti, Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zr, Mo, and Au) was prepared by a magnetron sputtering technique. The depth resolutions of the new instrument were varied from 56.0 to 10.9 µm for an energy range from 1.4 to 17.4 keV, respectively. The lower limit of detection (LLD) was estimated by comparison with a glass standard reference material NIST SRM 621). The LLDs obtained by a conventional micro‐XRF were compared with the LLDs obtained by a confocal micro‐XRF instrument. The LLDs were improved in the measurement under confocal configuration because of the reduction of background intensity. Finally, layered materials related to forensic investigation were measured. The confocal micro‐XRF instrument was able to nondestructively obtain the distribution of light elements that cannot be detected by measurement in air. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Counting strings, wound and bound
Authors: Ashok Sujay K. , Nampuri Suresh , Troost Jan
Published: April 2013

Abstract

We analyze zero mode counting problems for Dirac operators that find their origin in string theory backgrounds. A first class of quantum mechanical models for which we compute the number of ground states arises from a string winding an isometric direction in a geometry, taking into account its energy due to tension. Alternatively, the models arise from deforming marginal bound states of a string winding a circle, and moving in an orthogonal geometry. After deformation, the number of bound states is again counted by the zero modes of a Dirac operator. We count these bound states in even dimensional asymptotically linear dilaton backgrounds as well as in Euclidean Taub-NUT. We show multiple pole behavior in the fugacities keeping track of a U(1) charge. We also discuss a second class of counting problems that arises when these backgrounds are deformed via the application of a heterotic duality transformation. We discuss applications of our results to Appell-Lerch sums and the counting of domain wall bound states.
Exploring the Perceptions and the Role of Genetic Counselors in the Emerging Field of Perinatal Palliative Care
Authors: Wool Charlotte , Dudek Martha
Published: April 2013

Perinatal palliative care is a collaborative model of providing care to fetuses diagnosed with life‐limiting conditions along with supportive care to parents. The study explored perceptions and current practice trends of genetic counselors related to this care. An ethics framework was used to structure the study. This cross‐sectional, mixed method study was conducted to illuminate perceptions, practice barriers, familiarity with perinatal palliative care, clinician comfort, and referral comfort. The Perinatal Palliative Care Perceptions and Barriers Scale was self‐administered online to 212 genetic counselors. Hierarchical multiple regression, used to test the hypothesis that perceptions, barriers to PPC, years of experience, personal comfort and prior familiarity with PPC explain variation in comfort of referral to PPC, yielded a significant overall R2 of .51. These findings are the first data describing genetic counselors’ perspectives and some of the factors contributing to referral comfort. Genetic counselors broadly endorsed the importance of palliative care concepts. They varied in their comfort with referral practices in ways that may be mitigated by increasing their familiarity with this evolving model of care.
Hook of Hamate Fractures in Competitive Baseball Players
Authors: Bachoura Abdo , Wroblewski Andrew , Jacoby Sidney M. , Osterman A. Lee , Culp Randall W.
Published: April 2013

Background

Baseball players are susceptible to a number of specific upper extremity injuries secondary to batting, pitching, or fielding. Fractures of the hook of hamate have been known to occur in batters. The purpose of this study is to present our experience with the surgical management of hook of hamate fractures and their short-term impact on the playing capability of competitive baseball players.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed on patients with hook of hamate fractures between the years 2000 and 2012. The inclusion criteria were (1) hook of hamate fracture, (2) competitive baseball players, and (3) surgical treatment of the injury. Patient demographics, mechanism of injury, surgical treatment, and outcome were collected from the medical records. Information on return to play was collected from the Internet when applicable.

Results

There were seven male patients that underwent eight procedures. The mechanism of injury was attributed to batting in six cases and rogue pitches in two cases. All surgeries consisted of hamate hook excision and ulnar tunnel decompression. One patient had concomitant carpal tunnel release. The median time between surgery and return to play was 5.7 weeks (range, 4.3 to 10.4 weeks).

Conclusions

The mechanism of hook of hamate fractures in baseball players is predictable, most often developing secondary to repetitive swinging. This injury may occur at all levels of competition. Ulnar tunnel decompression with hook of hamate excision provides good outcomes, with minimal complications and early return to play.
Environmental risk assessment of the most commonly transported chemicals: case study of Finnish coastal areas
Authors: Häkkinen Jani , Malk Vuokko , Posti Antti , Penttinen Olli-Pekka , Mäkelä Riikka , Kiiski Anna
Published: April 2013

The environmental hazard potential of a total of 15 chemicals that are transported through the Finnish coastal areas was assessed in this paper using a scoring method developed for accidents. The study indicates that the chemicals most commonly transported/handled in Finnish ports are methanol, sodium hydroxide solution, acids, pentanes, phenol, xylenes, methyl tert-butyl ether, ethanol and ethanol solutions. For the evaluation of the environmental hazardousness of various chemicals, a priority list of chemicals that are the most commonly transported regionally in marine environments was compiled for this study. The method used has many similarities to other commonly used scoring systems, but this study gave more weight to specific characteristics of an accidental release, water biota and impact on the environment. Nonylphenol, ammonia and sulphuric acid ranked as the most hazardous substances on the list. The results of the study can be used by rescue and environmental authorities and enterprises to improve preparedness for accidents and to mitigate the effects of accidental spills.
The relationship between ‘theory of mind’ and attachment‐related anxiety and avoidance in Italian adolescents
Authors: Hünefeldt Thomas , Laghi Fiorenzo , Ortu Francesca , Belardinelli Marta Olivetti
Published: April 2013

This study examined the relationship between ‘theory of mind’ and attachment‐related anxiety and avoidance in adolescence. The “Reading the Mind in the Eyes” test and the “Experiences in Close Relationships – Relationship Structures” questionnaires were administered to 402 14–19 year‐old adolescents. Contrary to expectations, anxiety but not avoidance with mother was associated with less accurate mindreading, and this effect was stronger in younger than in older adolescents. Results might be explained in terms of the inconsistency of caregiver behavior that is supposed to cause anxious strategies, and thus illustrate the need to consider not only the effects, but also the causes of different types of insecure strategies.
Duality methods for a class of quasilinear systems
Authors: Marini Antonella , Otway Thomas H.
Published: April 2013

Duality methods are used to generate explicit solutions to nonlinear Hodge systems, demonstrate the well-posedness of boundary value problems, and reveal, via the Hodge–Bäcklund transformation, underlying symmetries among superficially different forms of the equations.
The Spread of Human Capital in the Former Soviet Union Area in a Comparative Perspective: Exploring a New Dataset
Authors: Didenko Dmitry , Földvári Péter , Van Leeuwen Bas
Published: April 2013

To date, the rise and fall of the (former) USSR has triggered a lot of research much of which has focussed on the accumulation of physical capital, growth, and consumption. Recently, also the accumulation of human capital has increasingly been incorporated in this picture. However, few datasets exist that cover this crucial variable for this vast area. Therefore, our main objective is to make available a new dataset that contains human capital related time-series for the USSR (and the Newly Independent States (NIS) after its dissolution), constructed mostly on an annual basis. These data are drawn together from various primary sources, available datasets and secondary literature where our focus was on constructing a dataset as consistent as possible. It is our hope that, by supplying these data in electronic format, it will significantly advance quantitative economic history research on Russia and all over the former Soviet Union area (FSU) and will inspire further research in various new fields relating to intellectual production.

The data presented in this paper follow after the discussion of the information value of the primary sources utilised, and the various problems that arose when linking and splicing the data from various sources. After constructing series of human capital indicators we perform a time-series and spatial analysis in order to identify the long-term trends of education penetration and of the human capital development in the FSU area with a strong emphasis on inequality issues between the NIS. Applying these results in a simple growth accounting framework provides us with some preliminary insights on the role of human capital in economic development in the FSU area.
Community Life, Memory and a Changing Nature of Mahalla Identity in Uzbekistan
Authors: Dadabaev Timur
Published: April 2013

This article focuses on the post-Soviet recollections of Soviet-era mahalla community by ordinary citizens in contemporary Uzbekistan. The primary message of this paper is that the community has historically represented one of only a few effective traditional structures that can unite representatives of various ethnic and religious groups through the creation of a common identity based on shared residence. However, throughout history of these communities, political authorities have often attempted to manipulate these institutions to enhance the state's legitimacy. This type of manipulation has challenged the essential nature of residents’ attachment to their communities and called the authority and legitimacy of mahalla structures into question.
MicroRNA profiling during rat ventricular maturation: A role for miR‐29a in regulating cardiomyocyte cell cycle re‐entry
Authors: Cao Xiaoqing , Wang Jue , Wang Zhenhua , Du Juan , Yuan Xin , Huang Weicong , Meng Jian , Gu Haiyong , Nie Yu , Ji Bingyang , Hu Shengshou , Zheng Zhe
Published: April 2013

Recent studies demonstrated that the mammalian heart possesses some capacity to proliferate. We observed cardiomyocyte proliferation within 4 weeks of age (P4W) in rats. We found 95 microRNAs that are differentially expressed in P4W cardiomyocytes. MicroRNA‐29a was among the most highly up‐regulated microRNAs in P4W cardiomyocytes. Overexpression of microRNA‐29a suppressed the proliferation of H9c2 cell line. MicroRNA‐29a inhibition induced cardiomyocytes to proliferate, accelerated the G1/S and G2/M transition, and up‐regulated the cell cycle gene expression. Cyclin D2 (CCND2) was identified as a direct target of microRNA‐29a. These findings indicate that microRNA‐29a is involved in cardiomyocyte proliferation during postnatal development.
Evidence of oxidative stress in young and aged DJ‐1‐deficient mice
Authors: Raman Arjun V. , Chou Vivian P. , Atienza-Duyanen Jennifer , Di Monte Donato A. , Bellinger Frederick P. , Manning-Boğ Amy B.
Published: April 2013

Loss of DJ‐1 function contributes to pathogenesis in Parkinson's disease. Here, we investigate the impact of aging and DJ‐1 deficiency in transgenic mice. Ventral midbrain from young DJ‐1‐deficient mice revealed no change in 4‐hydroxy‐2‐nonenal (4‐HNE), but HSP60, HSP40 and striatal dopamine turnover were significantly elevated compared to wildtype. In aged mice, the chaperone response observed in wildtype animals was absent from DJ‐1‐deficient transgenics, and nigral 4‐HNE immunoreactivity was enhanced. These changes were concomitant with increased striatal dopamine levels and uptake. Thus, increased oxidants and diminished protein quality control may contribute to nigral oxidative damage with aging in the model.
A rare case with typical acute promyelocytic leukemia morphology associated with isolated isochromosome 17q withoutRARα rearrangement
Authors: Yanchao Duan , Jing Nie , Zhirong Zhang , Li Zhou , Feng Zhu , Hong Zhang , Hongbo Zhu , Wenqing Shang
Published: April 2013

Isolated isochromosome 17q has rarely been reported in hematologic tumor patients. A 37-year-old man was admitted with fever and weakness. Blood routine test showed anemia and thrombocytopenia. The morphology and immunology of bone marrow cells conform to classic acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). But the karyotype showed isolated isochromosome 17q without t(15;17) (q22;q12). Rverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for PML -RARa was negative and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis showed no RARa gene rearrangements. The patient responded poorly to all trans retinoic acid and traditional chemotherapy with daunorubicin and cytarabine and survived only 43 days after diagnosis. The pathogenesis and the best treatment choice for this kind of patients are not clear currently.
Fibrillar amyloid correlates of preclinical cognitive decline
Authors: Stonnington Cynthia M. , Chen Kewei , Lee Wendy , Locke Dona E.C. , Dueck Amylou C. , Liu Xiaofen , Roontiva Auttawut , Fleisher Adam S. , Caselli Richard J. , Reiman Eric M.
Published: April 2013

Background

It is not known whether preclinical cognitive decline is associated with fibrillar β‐amyloid (Aβ) deposition irrespective of apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 status.

Methods

From a prospective observational study of 623 cognitively normal individuals, we identified all subjects who showed preclinical decline of at least 2 standard deviations beyond the decline of the entire group in memory or executive function. Fourteen decliners were matched by APOE ε4 gene dose, age, sex, and education with 14 nondecliners. Dynamic Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) positron emission tomography (PET) scans, the Logan method, statistical parametric mapping, and automatically labeled regions of interest were used to characterize and compare cerebral‐to‐cerebellar PiB distribution volume ratios (DVRs), reflecting fibrillar Aβ burden.

Results

At P < .005 (uncorrected), decliners had significantly greater DVRs in comparison to nondecliners.

Conclusions

Asymptomatic longitudinal neuropsychological decline is associated with subsequent increased fibrillar amyloid deposition, even when controlling for APOE ε4 genotype.
Word‐of‐mouth and the forecasting of consumption enjoyment
Authors: He Stephen X. , Bond Samuel D.
Published: April 2013

The digital era has permitted rapid transfer of peer knowledge regarding products and services. In the present research, we explore the value of specific types of word‐of‐mouth information (numeric ratings and text commentary) for improving forecasts of consumption enjoyment. We present an anchoring‐and‐adjustment model in which the relative forecasting error associated with ratings and commentary depends on the extent to which consumer and reviewer have similar product‐level preferences. To test our model, we present four experiments using a range of hedonic stimuli. Implications for the provision of consumer WOM are discussed.
International diversification of manufacturing operations: Performance implications and moderating forces
Authors: Lampel Joseph , Giachetti Claudio
Published: April 2013

The strategic importance of diversifying international manufacturing for firms with global operations has been extensively documented in a series of studies. There is a lack of studies, however, of the performance implications of strategically spreading manufacturing operations across the globe. In fact, most research on international manufacturing to date has generalized from findings by researchers that examine international diversification at the level of the whole value chain, rather than specifically looking at the performance impact of dispersing production operations. Building on the concept of international manufacturing diversification, we show that its relationship with financial performance is inverted U‐shaped, and that this relationship is positively moderated by product diversification and co‐location of manufacturing and sales activities in the same geographic market. We place the development of international manufacturing diversification processes in the context of the resource based view and transaction costs economics. Hypotheses are tested using data on 38 firms with home base in 15 countries and car and light truck production activities in 45 countries from 2002 to 2008.
Climatic and human controls on Holocene floodplain vegetation changes in eastern Pennsylvania based on the isotopic composition of soil organic matter
Authors: Stinchcomb Gary E. , Messner Timothy C. , Williamson Forrest C. , Driese Steven G. , Nordt Lee C.
Published: April 2013

A paleoenvironmental time-series spanning the Holocene was constructed using 29 radiocarbon ages and 149 standardized δ13Csomvalues from alluvial terrace profiles along the middle Delaware River valley. There is good agreement between increasing δ13Csomand Panicoideae phytolith concentrations, suggesting that variations in C4biomass are a major contributor to changes in the soil δ13C. A measurement error deconvolution curve over time reveals two isotope stages (II–I), with nine sub-stages exhibiting variations in average δ13Csom(average %C4). Stage II, ~ 10.7–4.3 ka, shows above-average δ13Csom(increase %C4) values with evidence of an early Holocene warming and dry interval (sub-stage IIb, 9.8–8.3 ka) that coincides with rapid warming and cool-dry abrupt climate-change events. Sub-stage IId, 7.0–4.3 ka, is an above average δ13Csom(increase %C4) interval associated with the mid-Holocene warm-dry hypsithermal. The Stage II–I shift at 4.3 ka documents a transition toward below average δ13Csom(decrease %C4) values and coincides with decreasing insolation and hydroclimatic change. Sub-stages Ib and Id (above average %C4) coincide with the first documented occurrence of maize in the northeastern USA and a substantial increase in human population during the Late Woodland. These associations suggest that people influenced δ13Csomduring the late Holocene.
Holocene climate variability on the Kola Peninsula, Russian Subarctic, based on aquatic invertebrate records from lake sediments
Authors: Ilyashuk Elena A. , Ilyashuk Boris P. , Kolka Vasily V. , Hammarlund Dan
Published: April 2013

Sedimentary records of invertebrate assemblages were obtained from a small lake in the Khibiny Mountains, Kola Peninsula. Together with a quantitative chironomid-based reconstruction of mean July air temperature, these data provide evidence of Holocene climate variability in the western sector of the Russian Subarctic. The results suggest that the amplitude of climate change was more pronounced in the interior mountain area than near the White Sea coast. A chironomid-based temperature reconstruction reflects a warming trend in the early Holocene, interrupted by a transient cooling at ca. 8500–8000 cal yr BP with a maximum drop in temperature (ca. 1°C) around 8200 cal yr BP. The regional Holocene Thermal Maximum, characterized by maximum warmth and dryness occurred at ca. 7900–5400 cal yr BP. During this period, July temperatures were at least 1°C higher than at present. The relatively warm and dry climate persisted until ca. 4000 cal yr BP, when a pronounced neoglacial cooling was initiated. Minimum temperatures, ca. 1–2°C lower than at present, were inferred at ca. 3200–3000 cal yr BP. Faunal shifts in the stratigraphic profile imply also that the late-Holocene cooling was followed by a general increase in effective moisture.
Talents and Interests: A Hegelian Moral Psychology
Authors: Yeomans Christopher L.
Published: April 2013

One of the reasons why there is no Hegelian school in contemporary ethics in the way that there are Kantian, Humean and Aristotelian schools is because Hegelians have been unable to clearly articulate the Hegelian alternative to those schools’ moral psychologies, i.e., to present a Hegelian model of the motivation to, perception of, and responsibility for moral action. Here it is argued that in its most basic terms Hegel's model can be understood as follows: the agent acts in a responsible and thus paradigmatic sense when she identifies as reasons those motivations which are grounded in his or her talents and support actions that are likely to develop those talents in ways suggested by his or her interests.
Kac's Theorem for equipped graphs and for maximal rank representations
Authors: Crawley-Boevey William
Published: April 2013

We give two generalizations of Kac's Theorem on representations of quivers. One is to representations of equipped graphs by relations, in the sense of Gelfand and Ponomarev. The other is to representations of quivers in which certain of the linear maps are required to have maximal rank.
Food in early life stages of Dosidicus gigas (Cephalopoda: Ommastrephidae) from the Gulf of California, Mexico
Authors: Camarillo-Coop Susana , Salinas-Zavala César A. , Lavaniegos Bertha E. , Markaida Unai
Published: April 2013

The digestive system of 36 paralarvae and 150 juvenile Dosidicus gigas were analysed to determine the diet. The early life stages were collected in the central and south region of the Gulf of California during different years and ranged in dorsal mantle length (ML) from 2.8 to 120.5 mm. The food content was separated first into identifiable material (IM) and non-identifiable material (NIM). All paralarvae contained only NIM stored mainly in the caecum rather than stomach. Juvenile squid feed on nine different prey types: euphausiids, copepods, amphipods, unidentified crustaceans, fishes, cephalopods, pteropods, bivalves and polychaetes. The IM were found mainly in the stomachs of juveniles with increasing number and diversity of prey in a function of increasing squid body size. In fact, juveniles from 60 to 120 mm ML had high stomach fullness percentages in half full and completely full stomachs suggesting improvement of swimming and hunting behaviour as they grow.
The Cultural Biography of Agarwood – Perfumery in Eastern Asia and the Asian Neighbourhood
Authors: JUNG DINAH
Published: April 2013

Agarwood (especially 〔 沉 香 〕 Chinesechen xiang/ 〔 沈 香 〕 Japanesejinkō), among other subspecies differentiated in East Asian languages, has caught international perfumery attention in conspicuous dimensions in the past years. It belongs to the most sought after perfumery raw materials in the world. The lucrative image of its business makes international businessmen, foreign scientists, perfumers, global industry representatives, as well as locals eager to participate in its international distribution and to improve its artificial mass cultivation and synthetic production. Moreover, efforts transgress mere economic activities in Eastern Asia when perfumery devotees engage in historical research and perfumery experiments, or when they publish on their experiences, as well as when they establish networks with like-minded people.
Vitamin D Deficiency/Insufficiency and Challenges in Developing Global Vitamin D Fortification and Supplementation Policy in Adults
Authors: Ben-Shoshan Moshe
Published: April 2013

This review summarizes studies discussing vitamin D status in adults and reveals that vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is highly prevalent in adults and that current fortification and supplementation policies are inadequate. Background and aims: Studies suggest a crucial role for adequate vitamin D status in various health conditions including bone metabolism, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and allergies. However, relatively little is known about poor vitamin D status and unmet needs in adults. This report aims to highlight the contribution of epidemiologic studies (through the identification of health effects and societal burden) to the development of vitamin D fortification and supplementation policies and reveal unmet global challenges in adults. Methods: In order to assess worldwide vitamin D status in adults, the search strategy combined the medical literature database MEDLINE (using PubMed) for the time period between January 1, 1980 and February 28, 2011, using the key words vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency, and included articles in which access to full text was possible and in which healthy adults were assessed according to one of four commonly used vitamin D threshold classifications. Results: This report reveals that vitamin D deficiency occurs in 4.10 % [95 % CI (confidence interval), 3.93 %, 4.27 %] to 55.05 % (54.07 %, 56.03 %) of adults, while insufficiency occurs in 26.07 % (24.82 %, 27.33 %) to 78.50 % (77.85 %, 79.16 %), depending on the classification used. However, lack of overlap in CIs and high value of I2 statistics indicate considerable heterogeneity between studies. Further, certain populations (i. e. dark-skinned individuals, immigrants, and pregnant women) may be at higher risk for poor vitamin D status. Conclusion: Current policies for vitamin D supplementation and fortification are inadequate and new guidelines are required to improve vitamin D status in adults.
Resveratrol Reduces Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Activity Induced by Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation and Reoxygenation in Human Cerebral Microvascular Endothelial Cells
Authors: Cavdar Zahide , Egrilmez Mehtap Y. , Altun Zekiye S. , Arslan Nur , Yener Nilgun , Sayin Oya , Genc Sermin , Genc Kursat , Islekel Huray , Oktay Gulgun , Akdogan Gul G.
Published: April 2013

The main pathophysiology in cerebral ischemia is the structural alteration in the neurovascular unit, coinciding with neurovascular matrix degradation. Among the human matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP-2 and -9, known as gelatinases, are the key enzymes for degrading type IV collagen, which is the major component of the basal membrane that surrounds the cerebral blood vessel. In the present study, we investigated the effects of resveratrol on cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and gelatinases (MMP-2 and -9) in human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells exposed to 6 hours of oxygen-glucose deprivation and a subsequent 24 hours of reoxygenation with glucose (OGD/R), to mimic ischemia/reperfusion in vivo. Lactate dehydrogenase increased significantly, in comparison to that in the normoxia group. ROS was markedly increased in the OGD/R group, compared to normoxia. Correspondingly, ROS was significantly reduced with 50 μM of resveratrol. The proMMP-2 activity in the OGD/R group showed a statistically significant increase from the control cells. Resveratrol preconditioning decreased significantly the proMMP-2 in the cells exposed to OGD/R in comparison to that in the OGD/R group. Our results indicate that resveratrol regulates MMP-2 activity induced by OGD/R via its antioxidant effect, implying a possible mechanism related to the neuroprotective effect of resveratrol.
Cerebral Vasomotor Reactivity during Hypo- and Hypercapnia in Sedentary Elderly and Masters Athletes
Authors: Zhu Yong-Sheng , Tarumi Takashi , Tseng Benjamin Y , Palmer Dean M , Levine Benjamin D , Zhang Rong
Published: April 2013

Physical activity may influence cerebrovascular function. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of life-long aerobic exercise training on cerebral vasomotor reactivity (CVMR) to changes in end-tidal CO2 (EtCO2) in older adults. Eleven sedentary young (SY, 27 ± 5 years), 10 sedentary elderly (SE, 72 ± 4 years), and 11 Masters athletes (MA, 72 ± 6 years) underwent the measurements of cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV), arterial blood pressure, and EtCO2 during hypocapnic hyperventilation and hypercapnic rebreathing. Baseline CBFV was lower in SE and MA than in SY while no difference was observed between SE and MA. During hypocapnia, CVMR was lower in SE and MA compared with SY (1.87 ± 0.42 and 1.47 ± 0.21 vs. 2.18 ± 0.28 CBFV%/mm Hg, P < 0.05) while being lowest in MA among all groups ( P < 0.05). In response to hypercapnia, SE and MA exhibited greater CVMR than SY (6.00 ± 0.94 and 6.67 ± 1.09 vs. 3.70 ± 1.08 CBFV1%/mm Hg, P < 0.05) while no difference was observed between SE and MA. A negative linear correlation between hypo- and hypercapnic CVMR ( R2 = 0.37, P < 0.001) was observed across all groups. Advanced age was associated with lower resting CBFV and lower hypocapnic but greater hypercapnic CVMR. However, life-long aerobic exercise training appears to have minimal effects on these age-related differences in cerebral hemodynamics.
The distribution of haemoglobin C and its prevalence in newborns in Africa
Authors: Piel Frédéric B. , Howes Rosalind E. , Patil Anand P. , Nyangiri Oscar A. , Gething Peter W. , Bhatt Samir , Williams Thomas N. , Weatherall David J. , Hay Simon I.
Published: April 2013

Haemoglobin C (HbC) is one of the commonest structural haemoglobin variants in human populations. Although HbC causes mild clinical complications, its diagnosis and genetic counselling are important to prevent inheritance with other haemoglobinopathies. Little is known about its contemporary distribution and the number of newborns affected. We assembled a global database of population surveys. We then used a Bayesian geostatistical model to create maps of HbC frequency across Africa and paired our predictions with high-resolution demographics to calculate heterozygous (AC) and homozygous (CC) newborn estimates and their associated uncertainty. Data were too sparse outside Africa for this methodology to be applied. The highest frequencies were found in West Africa but HbC was commonly found in other parts of the continent. The expected annual numbers of AC and CC newborns in Africa were 672,117 (interquartile range (IQR): 642,116-705,163) and 28,703 (IQR: 26,027-31,958), respectively. These numbers are about two times previous estimates.
Model of hot‐carrier degradation for lateral IGBT device on SOI substrate
Authors: Liu Siyang , Sun Weifeng , Zhang Chunwei , Huang Tingting , Qian Qinsong
Published: April 2013

A novel model for hot‐carrier degradation in a lateral insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) device on SOI substrate (SOI‐LIGBT) is presented. The setup of the model is based on the existing hot‐carrier degradation mechanism in a SOI‐LIGBT and assisted by a lateral DMOS device on SOI substrate (SOI‐LDMOS) with completely the same structure except for the doping type in the drain area. The model parameters have been extracted by the degradation measurement results and the validity of the proposed model in a SOI‐LIGBT has been also verified.
Time‐division self‐referencing multichannel spectral SPR sensor without mechanical scanning
Authors: Wang C. , Zhang W. , Liu R.P. , Wang Y.J. , Liu G.H.
Published: April 2013

A multichannel spectral surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor module which provides self‐referencing capability has been designed to inhibit error influences arising from light source instability. The device timely refreshes the light intensity baseline based on periodical scans over several channels. In particular, the scan operation is achieved by changing optical media on the optical path instead of conventional mechanical scanning. Experiments demonstrate that the sensor module achieves a refractive index resolution level up to ∼ 9.3 × 10− 7 RIU.
Error code correction for phase‐shifted optical quantisation based on maximum likelihood estimation algorithm
Authors: Wang Yang , Zhang Hongming , Dou Yujie , Yao Minyu
Published: April 2013

An improved error code correction algorithm for phase‐shifted optical quantisation is presented and experimentally demonstrated. The error probabilities for each valid code are calculated and the invalid codes are corrected by using the maximum likelihood estimation algorithm. The experimental result shows that the spur‐free dynamic range of the system has an improvement of 2.28 dB compared to the Hamming algorithm in a 10‐GSamples/s, 4‐bit resolution all‐optical analogue‐to‐digital converter.
Towards in vivo biosensors for low‐cost protein sensing
Authors: Ramesh A. , Ren F. , Berger P.R. , Casal P. , Theiss A. , Gupta S. , Lee S.C.
Published: April 2013

In vivo biosensing requires stable transistor operation in high‐salt concentration bodily fluids while exhibiting impermeability to mobile alkali ions that would otherwise render the metal‐oxide‐semiconductor (MOS) threshold voltage to drift. Metal oxide semiconductor capacitor structures using Al2O3 as the gate dielectric were soaked in a sterile physiological buffer solution (PBS) up to 24 hours and for thicknesses from 100 to 10 nm. The triangular voltage sweep technique characterised alkali ion penetration, and measured no detectable alkali ions for the Al2O3 capacitors. By contrast, the dose of alkali ions in silicon dioxide MOS capacitors steadily increased with increasing soak times in the PBS solution.
Interference diversity gains via adaptive block‐diagonalisation for multiuser MIMO downlinks
Authors: Masouros C. , Alsusa E.
Published: April 2013

Proposed is an adaptive fully transmitter‐based block‐diagonalisation scheme for multiple input multiple output (MIMO) multiuser downlink systems. A relaxation to the beamforming optimisation constraints is proposed, which introduces interference diversity and attains a more efficient performance optimisation. The trade‐off to the performance improvement is an increase in the precoding complexity imposed by the adaptive nature of the proposed beamforming. A sub‐optimal adaptive‐decomposition beamforming scheme is also proposed with a reduced complexity overhead. Comparative analytical and simulation results to conventional beamforming demonstrate the significant diversity gains offered by the proposed scheme.
Particle swarm optimisation with Kalman correction
Authors: Naha A. , Deb A.K.
Published: April 2013

A novel particle swarm optimisation (PSO) method with guaranteed convergence is proposed which is useful for various optimisation problems. This proposed algorithm searches for the optimum point by the PSO algorithm and at each iteration the optimum location found so far are corrected by the Kalman correction mechanism. This global convergence Kalman PSO (GKPSO) algorithm has been tested for many benchmark problems and the results compared with another popular PSO algorithm with a neighbourhood operator. The proposed algorithm converges faster than the other and also provides better quality of solution. Convergence to the global optimum for this proposed algorithm has been proved.
Shadow modelling and correction techniques in hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Roper T. , Andrews M.
Published: April 2013

Shadowing and illumination variations, caused by scene topography or non‐uniform lighting, are present in virtually all image data. Given its prevalence and nuisance value when making quantitative image measurements, the development of accurate shading compensation techniques is essential. The linear mixture model of image formation is broadly employed when dealing with hyperspectral data but makes no explicit provision for shading and this can lead to inaccurate analysis results. In this reported work, the effect of shading on a hyperspectral image is demonstrated, and new methods for mitigating the effect using a forced‐zero endmember and conical sub‐simplex projection are presented. It is shown that together they provide the most accurate and theoretically sound shadow‐corrected data.
All‐optical XOR gates for QPSK signal based optical networks
Authors: Kong D. , Li Y. , Wang H. , Zhou S. , Zang J. , Zhang J. , Wu J. , Lin J.
Published: April 2013

All‐optical XOR gates for QPSK signal based optical network applications such as checksum, error recognisation etc., aided by a partially‐modulated QPSK signal, are demonstrated through a 10‐Gbaud proof‐of‐concept experiment with power penalty of 4 dB.
Improved pedestrian tracking through Kalman covariance error selective reset
Authors: de la Rubia E. , Diaz‐Estrella A.
Published: April 2013

Kalman filtering is one of the most widely used approaches to handling inertial sensors in pedestrian tracking systems. This technique uses a covariance error matrix to estimate position. This reported study leads to the hypothesis that there is no correlation between some elements of this matrix from one step to the next. Therefore, a selective reset of these elements at the end of each step improves position estimation. A set of these elements is proposed, and a statistical study is conducted using 32 data traces from the same path. Four parameters are analysed: the correction mean length, the position error, the altitude error and the travelled distance. As a result, all of these parameters obtain a loose statistical significance when the covariance error selective reset is applied.
Effective HARQ code rate modelling for LTE
Authors: Kwan R. , Ikuno J. C.
Published: April 2013

Proposed is an intuitive model for the effective code rate of HARQ‐coded LTE transmissions. The model is derived from the circular structure of the rate matching buffer employed in LTE. Comparison with prior results, which were obtained by empirically extracting the code rates from the rate matcher, show the accuracy of the presented, entirely analytical, model.
Bandwidth enhancement of ground antenna using resonant feeding circuit
Authors: Zhang R. , Liu Y. , Kim H.H. , Kim H.
Published: April 2013

A loop‐type ground antenna with wide‐band operation is proposed for USB dongle applications. The solution for improving the bandwidth is based on a resonant feeding circuit that includes both an inductor and a capacitor. By choosing an appropriate ratio of the inductance to the capacitance, the impedance bandwidth (VSWR < 2) is 21.8% at 2.2 GHz, sufficient bandwidth to cover both the WCDMA and WiMax frequency bands.