bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The End of the Beginning? Mining, sacred geographies, memory and performance in Lihir
Authors: Bainton Nicholas A. , Ballard Chris , Gillespie Kirsty
Published: February 2012

This article explores the critical ways in which the relationship between landscape and memory is mediated by performance—through song, dance, ritual and the movements of the living and the dead. In the Lihir group of islands, in Papua New Guinea, these acts of memorialisation are rehearsed on a remarkable stage, an involuted cosmography or sacred geography in which the cosmological point of origin, the sacred rock of Ailaya, is also the ultimate destination for all human and spirit forms. Spirit beings are held to have emerged from the Ailaya, spreading across the island group, their tracks charting the links amongst distant clan members and the networks of alliance between trading partners. It is to the Ailaya that the spirits of deceased Lihirians must return, following preparatory mortuary rites and sung along a route that recalls the spirit connections. This teleological process is mapped through an account of the performance of relationships between people and land, to which an additional layer of complexity is added by the presence of a giant gold mine, in which the Ailaya is again the central feature.
A morphological and molecular assessment of the genus Sinotubimorpha (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta)
Authors: SHENG Ying‐Wen , ZHANG Wen , ZHAO Dan , WANG Hong‐Wei
Published: February 2012

Abstract  A critical reassessment of the morphological features of two closely related red algal genera, Grateloupia C. Agardh and Sinotubimorpha W. X. Li & Z. F. Ding (Halymeniaceae), pointed out that members of the two genera had most morphological characteristics in common, including the Grateloupia type auxiliary cell ampullae. Sinotubimorpha hitherto was distinguished from Grateloupia by: (i) the hollow axis; (ii) the presence of secondary filaments in ampullae; (iii) 1‐ to 3‐celled carpogonial branch; and (iv) the occasional production of 1‐ to 4‐celled flanking filaments on carpogonium. However, when these features were re‐examined among 37 Chinese species of genera described in Flora Algarum Marinarum Sinicarum and one newly reported species, Grateloupia orientalis, we found that it was difficult to draw a clear‐cut distinction between the two genera based only on morphological differences. In rbcL sequence analysis, all the species of Sinotubimorpha with G. catenata formed a single monophyletic subclade within the large Grateloupia clade of the Halymeniaceae. It is therefore suggested that all the Chinese species of Sinotubimorpha, S. catenata, S. guangdongensis, S. qingdaoensis, S. claviformis, and S. ramosissima should be synonymous with G. catenata, and that Sinotubimorpha should be included in synonymy under Grateloupia.
Does the relative importance of resource competition and architectural effect in floral variation vary with stages of floral ontogeny?
Authors: LIU Chang‐Qiu , HUANG Shuang‐Quan
Published: February 2012

Abstract  Variation in floral allocation within inflorescences has been attributed to resource competition and/or architectural effect. The two hypotheses were extensively studied and both hypotheses were partly supported by previous studies. However, the relative importance of resource competition and architectural effect may vary with stages of floral ontogeny in a species. To detect the effects of ontogenetic stages on floral variation, we manipulated the 6‐flowered inflorescences of Adenophora jasionifolia (Campanulaceae) by early, late, and non‐thinning flowers. Our results indicated that pollen and ovule production of the remaining flowers were not significantly different between early and late thinning manipulations, suggesting that floral sex allocation was determined far before flowering, in support of the architectural effect hypothesis. Under hand‐pollination treatments, early thinning but not late thinning resulted in a significant increase in seed number and seed set of the remaining flowers. Therefore, the increase in seed production of the remaining flowers related to the floral ontogeny. The resource competition for floral allocation was significant under early thinning rather than late thinning manipulation. Our results suggest that studies on floral variation within inflorescences should take into account the stages of floral ontogeny.
How selection fashions morphological variation in Cakile maritima: A comparative analysis of population structure using random amplified polymorphic DNA and quantitative traits
Authors: MHEMMED Gandour , KAMEL Hessini , CHEDLY Abdelly
Published: February 2012

Abstract  It is a long‐standing debate in evolutionary biology whether natural selection can generate divergence in the face of gene flow. Comparative studies of quantitative genetic and neutral marker differentiation have provided means for detecting the action of selection and random genetic drift in natural populations. We estimated the degree of population divergence in several quantitative traits and compared these estimates with that based on presumably neutral molecular markers (random amplified polymorphic DNA [RAPD]). This approach allowed us to disentangle the effects of divergent selection from that of other evolutionary forces. Nine populations of Cakile maritima, which encompasses the complete range of distribution of this species in Tunisia, were examined. We found a high proportion of total genetic variance to be among populations and among ecoregions for quantitative traits (range of QST: 0.44–0.88) and a moderate one for RAPD markers (GST: 0.081). In addition, almost all characters displayed a significant higher QST than GST, indicating occurrence of phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation. The latter is explicable as there is no reason to expect that natural selection would affect in similar fashion all traits and affect all populations at a similar level. We also found a negative and significant correlation between genetic variation in molecular marker loci and quantitative traits at the multitrait scale. This result attests that the evolution of these markers in C. maritima were not paralleled, suggesting that the degree of genetic differentiation in neutral marker loci is closely predictive of the degree of differentiation in loci coding quantitative traits and the majority of these neutral markers negatively controlled the studied quantitative traits.
Microsporogenesis of Cycas and its systematic implications
Authors: ZHANG Hua‐Fen , OUYANG Hai‐Bo , DU Jin‐Yan , ZHANG Shou‐Zhou , LI Yong , WU Hong
Published: February 2012

Abstract  Taxonomists are divided over the infrageneric classification and species delimitation within the genus Cycas. The division is largely determined by whether a broad or narrow species concept is adopted, the latter approach being based on apparently minor morphological differences. It is well known that cytokinesis in the cells of pollen provides important evidence for plant taxonomy, particularly at the higher taxonomic level. Here we present the first broad comparison of the cytokinesis of male meiosis in five species of Cycas. A comparative analysis of microsporogenesis in Cycas was carried out using conventional microscopy, semi‐thin sectioning, histochemistry, and fluorescence microscopy with a focus on the cytokinesis of meiosis in the pollen of dividing cells. Our observations confirmed that, contrary to previous reports, the cytokinesis in male meiosis of five species in Cycas is simultaneous at the end of second meiosis. The basic model of microsporogenesis and its systematic implications in Cycas is discussed based both on previous reports and our new results.
Successful treatment of a tracheal squamous cell carcinoma with a combination of cryoablation and photodynamic therapy
Authors: Nam Sung‐Jin , Oak Chul‐Ho , Jang Tae‐Won , Jung Mann‐Hong , Chun Bong‐Kwon
Published: February 2012

Malignant tumors of the trachea are rare, and account for less than 0.1% of all malignancies. Because there are no guidelines based on randomized clinical trials, the choice of treatment modalities and optimal sequences have not yet been established. In most cases of malignant airway obstruction, a single modality is chosen as the treatment of choice for management, but complete ablation becomes increasingly problematic with minimal residual lesions that require additional treatment. There were few case reports of the combined use of cryoablation and photodynamic therapy to treat tracheal cancer. Therefore, we present our experience of successful tracheal cancer treatment using this combination therapy. A bronchoscopic complete regression was obtained using these two modalities, and the procedures proved to be a safe and effective treatment option based on a one‐year follow‐up.
Trade Costs and Economic Development
Authors: Fratianni Michele , Marchionne Francesco
Published: February 2012

abstract

In our study, we tested the hypothesis of the bidirectional causality between trade costs and economic development using data on Italian provinces. Using different methods to control for multilateral resistance, we applied a gravity equation to estimate sectoral exports to 188 countries over the period 1995–2004. Provincial trade costs were constructed as the sum of five province‐specific elasticities, including distance, adjacency, and common money. We found that Italian provinces are heterogeneous with respect to trade costs. These costs are influenced by lagged provincial per capita income and industrial structure. In turn, trade costs influence future provincial per capita income. This bidirectional relationship between trade costs and income is broadly consistent with the two‐way causation process emphasized by the New Geographical Economics.
Learning Complex Grammar in the Virtual Classroom: A Comparison of Processing Instruction, Structured Input, Computerized Visual Input Enhancement, and Traditional Instruction
Authors: Russell Victoria
Published: February 2012

This study investigated the effects of processing instruction (PI) and structured input (SI) on the acquisition of the subjunctive in adjectival clauses by 92 second‐semester distance learners of Spanish. Computerized visual input enhancement (VIE) was combined with PI and SI in an attempt to increase the salience of the targeted grammatical form for Web‐based delivery. VIE was operationalized as word animation of subjunctive forms. Four experimental groups (+PI +VIE, +PI ‐VIE, +SI +VIE, +SI ‐VIE) were compared with traditional instruction (TI), and the results indicate that for interpretation and production tasks, there were no signifi cant differences between TI and the experimental groups. However, for interpretation tasks on the immediate posttest, the +PI+VIE group outperformed the +SI‐VIE group. In addition, responses from the Posttreatment Questionnaire revealed that learners who received PI, with or without VIE, expressed a preference for the PI materials over their regular course materials, which fell under the TI paradigm.
Flexural deformities of the distal interphalangeal joint (clubfeet)
Authors: O'Grady S. E.
Published: February 2012

A true clubfoot results from a flexural deformity of the distal interphalangeal joint that is characterised by a shortening of the deep digital flexor tendon musculotendinous unit. Flexural deformities are a problem not only in foals but are also responsible for the clubfoot conformation seen in mature horses. Treatment is most successful when the cause is investigated and therapy initiated as early as possible, and when the biomechanical properties of the foot are thoroughly understood. Flexural deformities in foals and mature horses are addressed through appropriate farriery, often combined with surgery.
Case Study: A Woman Who Hemorrhages 24 Hours Post Tonsillectomy
Authors: Buckley Joan
Published: February 2012

PURPOSE.  This case study focused on the emergency nursing care of a 32‐year‐old female, less than 24 hours post operatively from a tonsillectomy. The purpose is to identify the priority nursing diagnoses, patient outcomes, and nursing interventions that guided nursing care during this emergency.

DATA SOURCES.  Data were obtained through the author's clinical practice in emergency nursing and literature sources.

DATA SYNTHESIS.  NANDA International Classification, the Nursing Outcomes Classification, and the Nursing Interventions Classification were used to identify the appropriate nursing diagnosis, patient outcomes, and nursing interventions of an adult with a postoperative hemorrhage.

CONCLUSIONS.  This case study provides emergency nurses and students with the pertinent nursing diagnoses, patient outcomes, and nursing interventions for persons with post‐op hemorrhage after tonsillectomy.
Ultimate Limit State Model Basis for Assessment of Offshore Wind Energy Converters
Authors: Thöns S. , Faber M. H. , Rücker W.
Published: February 2012

This paper establishes the model basis regarding the ultimate limit state consisting of structural, loading, and probabilistic models of the support structure of offshore wind energy converters together with a sensitivity study. The model basis is part of a risk based assessment and monitoring framework and will be applied for establishing the “as designed and constructed” reliability as prior information for the assessment and as a basis for designing a monitoring system. The model basis is derived considering the constitutive physical equations and the methodology of solving these which then in combination with the ultimate limit state requirements leads to the specific constitutive relations. As a result finite element models based on shell elements incorporating a structural and a loading model are introduced and described in detail. Applying these models the ultimate capacity of the support structure and the tripod structure are determined with a geometrically and materially nonlinear finite element analysis. The observed failure mechanisms are the basis for the definition of the ultimate limit state responses. A probabilistic model accounting for the uncertainties involved is derived on the basis of literature review and measurement data from a prototype Multibrid M5000 support structure. In combination with the developed structural and loading models, sensitivity analyses in regard to the responses are performed to enhance the understanding and to refine the developed models. To this end, as the developed models necessitate substantial numerical efforts for the probabilistic response analysis predetermined designs of numerical experiments are applied for the calculation of the sensitivities using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. With this quantification of the sensitivity of the random variables on the responses including nonlinearity the refinement of the model is performed on a quantitative basis.
Fatigue and Serviceability Limit State Model Basis for Assessment of Offshore Wind Energy Converters
Authors: Thöns S. , Faber M. H. , Rücker W.
Published: February 2012

This paper develops the models for the structural performance of the loading and probabilistic characterization for the fatigue and the serviceability limit states for the support structure of offshore wind energy converters. These models and a sensitivity study are part of a risk based assessment and monitoring framework and will be applied for establishing the “as designed and constructed” reliability as prior information for the assessment and the design of monitoring systems. The constitutive physical equations are introduced in combination with the fatigue and serviceability limit state requirements as the starting point for the development of the structural performance and loading models. With these models introduced in detail, several modeling aspects for both limit states are analyzed. This includes analyses of the influence on the hot spot stresses by applying a contact formulation for the pile guide brace connection and the application of a finite element formulation using solid elements. Further, the comparison of the natural frequencies of a discrete rotor model with a continuous rotor model is documented. To account for uncertainties associated with the structural and loading models, a probabilistic model is derived on the basis of literature review and measurement data from a prototype Multibrid M5000 support structure. The sensitivity study is based on the calculation of a nonlinear coefficient of correlation in conjunction with predetermined designs of experiments. This is conducted by a systematic analysis of the influence of the random variables on limit state responses and hence on the structural reliability. Integrating the analyses and sensitivity studies of the fatigue and serviceability limit state models developed in this paper as well as the ultimate limit state models in Thöns et al. (“Ultimate Limit State Model Basis for Assessment of Offshore Wind Energy Converters,” ASME J. Offshore Mech. Arct. Eng.), the model basis for the assessment is completed. The process of establishing and analyzing such a model basis contributes to a detailed understanding of the deterministic and probabilistic characteristics of the structure and provides valuable insights in regard to the significance of available data.
The Effect of Tilting Pad Journal Bearing Dynamic Models on the Linear Stability Analysis of an 8-Stage Compressor
Authors: Dimond Timothy W. , Younan Amir A. , Allaire Paul
Published: February 2012

Rotordynamic instability, a self-excited vibration phenomenon, can lead to equipment failures, reduced production rates, and expensive redesign. Properly characterizing the stability response of flexible rotors on tilting pad bearings is therefore vital. Typically, this must be first considered during the design stage with computer modeling. Previous studies have demonstrated that non-synchronous bearing coefficients give a lower estimate of bearing stability than the eight synchronously reduced tiling pad bearing coefficients. However, a study of a reduced order non-synchronous stiffness-damping-mass (KCM) model and the effect on stability estimates has not been done previously for the same rotor model. In this paper, four load-between-pad tilting pad bearing designs, two four-pad and two five-pad, are considered. The stability margin for an eight-stage gas reinjection compressor is estimated for the four bearings, using a full KC representation, the KCM representation, and synchronously reduced bearing coefficients. The full KC representation gave the lowest estimate of stability margin, with up to 18% difference between full KC and KCM and up to 109% difference between full KC and synchronously reduced bearing coefficients. The results indicate that the KCM bearing representation does not necessarily result in the lowest estimate of rotordynamic stability margin, which is of significant interest to rotating machinery designers.
Influence of Decorin on the Mechanical, Compositional, and Structural Properties of the Mouse Patellar Tendon
Authors: Dourte LeAnn M. , Pathmanathan Lydia , Jawad Abbas F. , Iozzo Renato V. , Mienaltowski Michael J. , Birk David E. , Soslowsky Louis J.
Published: February 2012

The interactions of small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRPs) with collagen fibrils, their association with water, and their role in fibrillogenesis suggests that SLRPs may play an important role in tendon mechanics. Some studies have assessed the role of SLRPs in the mechanical response of the tendon, but the relationships between sophisticated mechanics, assembly of collagen, and SLRPs have not been well characterized. Decorin content was varied in a dose dependent manner using decorin null, decorin heterozygote, and wild type mice. Quantitative measures of mechanical (tension and compression), compositional, and structural changes of the mouse patellar tendon were evaluated. Viscoelastic, tensile dynamic modulus was increased in the decorin heterozygous tendons compared to wild type. These tendons also had a significant decrease in total collagen and no structural changes compared to wild type. Decorin null tendons did not have any mechanical changes; however, a significant decrease in the average fibril diameter was found. No differences were seen between genotypes in elastic or compressive properties, and all tendons demonstrated viscoelastic mechanical dependence on strain rate and frequency. These results suggest that decorin, a member of the SLRP family, plays a role in tendon viscoelasticity that cannot be completely explained by its role in collagen fibrillogenesis. In addition, reductions in decorin do not cause large changes in indentation compressive properties, suggesting that other factors contribute to these properties. Understanding these relationships may ultimately help guide development of tissue engineered constructs or treatment modalities.
Resource Letter PhD-2: Physics Demonstrations
Authors: Berg Richard E.
Published: February 2012

This Resource Letter provides a guide to physics demonstrations, computer simulations of physics demonstrations, and physics education research regarding the use and effectiveness of demonstrations and simulations. Articles, books, and materials on the internet are cited for the following: professional journals dealing with demonstrations, web sites of professional organizations, workshops including use of demonstrations and simulations, books dealing with demonstrations in classroom teaching as well as informal settings, web sites for physics demonstrations, videos of physics demonstrations, demonstration simulations, and physics education research regarding the use of demonstrations in teaching.
A low-cost setup for microstructuring experiments using a homemade UV laser
Authors: Bergmann Antje , Jansen Stephanie , Christoffel Sebastian , Zimmermann Alexander , Busch Kurt , Hofmann Richard
Published: February 2012

We present a simple high school and university undergraduate laboratory setup, with which we are able to texture microscopic structures into polymer and dye films using a homemade UV nitrogen laser. We describe both the laser and the microstructuring setup and provide detailed information on the laser and its beam characteristics. Although this is a low-cost setup, we are able to directly write or texture high-quality patterns into thin films, either by manually controlling a positioning stage or by programming a desired sequence for an automated structuring process. We introduce several hands-on experiments for high school and university undergraduate students and present our first results.
Quantum chaos: An introduction via chains of interacting spins 1/2
Authors: Gubin Aviva , F. Santos Lea
Published: February 2012

We introduce aspects of quantum chaos by analyzing the eigenvalues and the eigenstates of quantum many-body systems. The properties of quantum systems whose classical counterparts are chaotic differ from those whose classical counterparts are not chaotic. The spectrum of the first exhibits repulsion of the energy levels, which is one of the main signatures of quantum chaos. We show how level repulsion develops in one-dimensional systems of interacting spins 1/2 which are devoid of random elements and involve only two-body interactions. In addition to the statistics of the eigenvalues, we analyze how the structure of the eigenstates may indicate chaos. The programs used to obtain the data are available online.
Understanding Pound-Drever-Hall locking using voltage controlled radio-frequency oscillators: An undergraduate experiment
Authors: Liekhus-Schmaltz C. E. , Martin J. D. D.
Published: February 2012

We have developed a senior undergraduate experiment that illustrates frequency stabilization techniques using radio-frequency electronics. The primary objective is to frequency stabilize a voltage controlled oscillator to a cavity resonance at 800 MHz using the Pound-Drever-Hall method. This technique is commonly applied to stabilize lasers at optical frequencies. By using only radio-frequency equipment, it is possible to systematically study aspects of the technique more thoroughly, inexpensively, and free from eye hazards. Students also learn about modular radio-frequency electronics and basic feedback control loops. By varying the temperature of the resonator, students can determine the thermal expansion coefficients of copper, aluminum, and super invar.
Model-based speech enhancement using a bone-conducted signal
Authors: Kechichian Patrick , Srinivasan Sriram
Published: February 2012

Codebook-based single-microphone noise suppressors, which exploit prior knowledge about speech and noise statistics, provide better performance in nonstationary noise. However, as the enhancement involves a joint optimization over speech and noise codebooks, this results in high computational complexity. A codebook-based method is proposed that uses a reference signal observed by a bone-conduction microphone, and a mapping between air- and bone-conduction codebook entries generated during an offline training phase. A smaller subset of air-conducted speech codebook entries that accurately models the clean speech signal is selected using this reference signal. Experiments support the expected improvement in performance at low computational complexity.
Botulinum Neurotoxin Is Shielded by NTNHA in an Interlocked Complex
Authors: Gu Shenyan , Rumpel Sophie , Zhou Jie , Strotmeier Jasmin , Bigalke Hans , Perry Kay , Shoemaker Charles B. , Rummel Andreas , Jin Rongsheng
Published: February 2012

Piercing Botulinum's Defense

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are poisons that cause muscle paralysis. In the acidic intestine, ingested BoNTs are protected within a progenitor toxin complex. The toxins are released on absorption into the neutral bloodstream.

Gu
et al.

(p.
977
; see the Perspective by

Adler

) present the structure of a minimally functional progenitor toxin complex—BoNT in complex with a nontoxic, nonhemagglutinin protein at 2.7 angstrom resolution. The structure, together with biochemical studies, showed how complex assembly is regulated by pH and may be useful in guiding the development of delivery vehicles for oral administration of biologics and in the design of inhibitors for oral BoNT poisoning.
Evolution of Shape by Multiple Regulatory Changes to a Growth Gene
Authors: Loehlin David W. , Werren John H.
Published: February 2012

Winging It

Genes that explain phenotypic variation between species have only been identified within a handful of model organisms, which limits the scope and understanding of the genetics of phenotypic diversification. On investigating the phenotypic diversity in wing size among wasps of the genus
Nasonia
,
Loehlin and Werren
(p.
943
) have identified the genetic basis of a morphological difference between two closely related species and showed how changes in regulatory elements have evolved to change expression of a single gene,
unpaired-like
(
upd-like
), a functionally conserved signaling gene. Overall, it appeared that significant morphological change was achieved through a series of relatively rapid, but small-scale changes.
Comment on “Lévy Walks Evolve Through Interaction Between Movement and Environmental Complexity”
Authors: Jansen Vincent A. A. , Mashanova Alla , Petrovskii Sergei
Published: February 2012

de Jager
et al
. (Reports, 24 June 2011, p. 1551) concluded that mussels Lévy walk. We confronted a larger model set with these data and found that mussels do not Lévy walk: Their movement is best described by a composite Brownian walk. This shows how model selection based on an impoverished set of candidate models can lead to incorrect inferences.
Satellite Estimates of Precipitation-Induced Dissipation in the Atmosphere
Authors: Pauluis Olivier , Dias Juliana
Published: February 2012

When the Rain Comes

When raindrops fall, frictional forces between the droplet and the surrounding air create a drag that limits the speed at which the raindrop can descend. This drag also dissipates some of the kinetic energy of the falling raindrops within the shear zones surrounding them and is a significant component of the atmospheric energy budget, according to
Pauluis and Dias
(p.
953
; see the Perspective by

Frierson

). Using data from satellites, they find that precipitation-induced energy dissipation is of the same magnitude as that caused by atmospheric turbulence and therefore that of a strengthened hydrological cycle, which is widely expected to occur as a result of climate warming and could have an impact on the strength of atmospheric circulation.
Collapse of Classic Maya Civilization Related to Modest Reduction in Precipitation
Authors: Medina-Elizalde Martín , Rohling Eelco J.
Published: February 2012

How Dry They Were

How much rainfall failure contributed to the disintegration of classical Maya civilization?
Medina-Elizalde and Rohling
(p.
956
) analyzed records from three lakes and a stalagmite from the Yucatán Peninsula to quantify the change in precipitation that the region experienced between 800 to 1000 years A.D. Precipitation decreased episodically for up to a decade at a time and in total by as much as 40% during the 200 years of the civilization's fall, probably as a result of a reduction in summer tropical storm rainfall. This finding highlights the sensitivity of this region to modest reductions of rainfall that are projected by some climate model.
Solving Amorphous Structures—Two Pairs Beat One
Authors: Gibson J. Murray
Published: February 2012

Consideration of atomic ordering beyond just pairs of atoms shows that amorphous silicon is better modeled as paracrystalline material than as a disordered network.
Some Like It Hot
Authors: Smith Felisa A.
Published: February 2012

A study of horse evolution illustrates the connection between environmental temperature and mammal body size.
Mendelian Puzzles
Authors: Chakravarti Aravinda , Kapoor Ashish
Published: February 2012

Variations that lie outside of the coding region of a mutated gene can give rise to a range of clinical phenotypes for a Mendelian genetic disorder.
How a Neurotoxin Survives
Authors: Adler Michael
Published: February 2012

Botulinum neurotoxin must form a complex with a structurally similar protein to survive in the gastrointestinal tract.
Cell Death by Glutamine Repeats?
Authors: Link Christopher D. , Saldi Tassa K.
Published: February 2012

A glutamine-rich protein plays a role in developmentally regulated cell death in
C. elegans
.
WHO Group: H5N1 Papers Should Be Published in Full
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: February 2012

An international group of 22 influenza scientists, public health officials, and journal editors recommended last week that the details of how a highly pathogenic bird flu virus was rendered capable of being transmitted easily among mammals be published in full.
Scientists Decry Cuts That Would Doom ExoMars Missions
Authors: Bhattacharjee Yudhijit
Published: February 2012

The president's 2013 budget request eliminates funding for the 2016 Mars mission called Trace Gas Orbiter, which received $27 million this year, as part of a 20% cut to NASA's planetary science division.
LIFE SCIENCE TECHNOLOGIES: A New Era For Clinical Models
Authors: May Mike
Published: February 2012

Not long ago, a clinically relevant and genomics-based model of disease meant an animal, but today's models also include cell lines and even computer-based simulations. Still, bioengineered mice and rats make up many of the models, and these genetically modified organisms provide increasingly accurate representations of how drugs treat human diseases. To get the most from genomics-based models for drug research, scientists can now combine information from bioengineered organisms, genomically modified cell lines, and computational models.
Case Report of the Reliability 1,3-β-d-Glucan Monitoring during Treatment of Peritoneal Candidiasis in a Child Receiving Continuous Peritoneal Dialysis
Authors: Ginocchio Francesca , Verrina Enrico , Furfaro Elisa , Cannavò Rossella , Bandettini Roberto , Castagnola Elio
Published: February 2012

Fungal peritonitis is an unusual but severe complication of continuous peritoneal dialysis. The role of 1,3-β-d-glucan is unknown in early diagnosis and in treatment monitoring of peritoneal candidiasis. This case report shows the utility of 1,3-β-d-glucan monitoring in management ofCandidaperitonitis in a child undergoing continuous peritoneal dialysis.
CD46Measles Virus Receptor Polymorphisms Influence Receptor Protein Expression and Primary Measles Vaccine Responses in Naive Australian Children
Authors: Clifford Holly D. , Hayden Catherine M. , Khoo Siew-Kim , Zhang Guicheng , Le Souëf Peter N. , Richmond Peter
Published: February 2012

Despite the availability of measles vaccines, infants continue to die from measles. Measles vaccine responses vary between individuals, and poor immunogenicity is likely to preclude protection against measles. CD46 is a ubiquitously expressed specific receptor for vaccine strains of measles virus.CD46polymorphisms have not been functionally investigated but may affect CD46 protein expression, which in turn may mediate primary measles antibody responses in infants. In a cohort of children aged 12 to 14 months from Perth, Australia (n= 137), after their first dose of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine,CD46polymorphisms were genotyped, and postvaccination measles IgG and CD46 protein expression before and after measles lysate stimulation of cells were measured. ThreeCD46variants (rs7144, rs11118580, and rs2724384) were significantly associated with measles virus-specific IgG levels (P= 0.008,P= 0.026, andP= 0.018, respectively). There were significant differences betweenCD46rs7144 genotypes and CD46 protein expression on T cells, as well as the downregulation of CD46 and T-cell frequency after measles lysate stimulation. We show thatCD46polymorphisms were associated with primary measles antibody responses in naive infants. We also report the first association of a measles virus receptor polymorphism with functional effects on the receptor, suggesting a possible mechanism through which antibody responses are altered. Elucidating all of the interconnecting genetic factors that alter primary measles vaccine responses may be important for identifying children at risk of poor immunogenicity or vaccine failure and for the future design of vaccine strategies to help these children.
Age-Related Differences in Patterns of Increased Bordetella pertussis Antibodies
Authors: Prince Harry E. , Lieberman Jay M. , Cherry James D.
Published: February 2012

During the period 2008 to 2010, we identified 11,386 serum samples with increased (positive) levels of antibodies recognizingBordetella pertussisantigens. We sought to characterize the distribution of positive antibody result patterns in relation to patient age. IgG and IgA antibodies recognizing pertussis toxin (PT) and filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) were quantified using a multianalyte immunodetection assay. Four mutually exclusive positive result patterns were observed: increased FHA antibodies only, increased PT IgA but not IgG, increased PT IgG but not IgA, and increased PT IgG and IgA. In patients <21 years old, the predominant pattern was increased PT IgG but not IgA, whereas in patients ≥21 years old, it was increased FHA antibodies only. The proportion of positive serum samples exhibiting increased PT IgA but not IgG was <20% in all age categories but showed a stepwise rise with age. The proportions of positive serum samples exhibiting increased PT IgG and IgA were similar (26 to 32%) in the age categories spanning 11 to 60 years of age but lower in the <11- and >60-year-old groups. In 3 of 5 age categories, a significant rise in the proportion of positive serum samples exhibiting increased FHA antibodies only occurred in 2010. Patterns of positiveB. pertussisantibody results varied with age. The predominance of increased FHA antibodies only in patients >20 years old suggests that many adults thought to haveB. pertussisinfections actually have other infections that induce FHA-reactive antibodies. Similarly, the 2010 rise in the frequency of increased FHA antibodies only in some age groups suggests an increase in non-B. pertussisinfections.
Clinical Validation of a Point-of-Care Multiplexed
In Vitro
Immunoassay Using Monoclonal Antibodies (the MSD Influenza Test) in Four Hospitals in Vietnam
Authors: van Doorn H. Rogier , van Kinh Nguyen , Tuan Ha Manh , Tuan Tran Anh , Minh Ngo Ngoc Quang , Bryant Juliet E. , Hang Vu thi Ty , Uyen Le thi Tham , Thinh Le Quoc , Anh Tran thi Ngoc , Lan Nguyen Phu Huong , Trung Nguyen Vu , Taylor Walter , Merson Laura , Wertheim Heiman F. L. , Farrar Jeremy , Wolbers Marcel , Chau Nguyen van Vinh , de Jong Menno D.
Published: February 2012

Point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tests for influenza can considerably shorten the time to clinical decision making. An investigational POC test based on a multiplexed immunoassay was developed by Meso Scale Diagnostics, LLC (MSD), with the objective to make a more sensitive rapid test that can also subtype influenza A viruses (1977 H1, H3, and H5). Between February and November 2010, we conducted a prospective multicenter study at four hospitals in Vietnam and compared the performance of this test to that of the WHO/CDC real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) on nasal and throat swab specimens from patients presenting with influenza-like illness. Five hundred sixty-three adults and children with a median age of 25 months were enrolled. Sensitivity and specificity of the test with combined results from nasal and throat swab samples were 74.0% (131/177) and 99.7% (351/352), respectively, compared to RT-PCR. The POC test was as sensitive for influenza virus B as for influenza virus A (74.4% [64/86] versus 73.6% [67/91]). The positivity rate was associated with lower cycle threshold values (a marker for higher viral loads), sample type (73.6% for nasal swab versus 52.4% for throat swab), and younger age. A total of 210 (18.7%) out of 1,126 MSD tests failed, and for 34 (6%) of patients, both test samples failed (these were excluded from the performance analysis). Subtyping could be assessed only for influenza virus A/H3N2, as 1977 H1N1 was not circulating at the time and no H5N1-infected patients were enrolled, and was successful only in 9/54 patients infected with H3 influenza virus who had a positive POC test result for influenza virus A. This novel POC test provided highly sensitive detection of influenza viruses A and B compared to the reported sensitivities of other rapid tests. However, 18.7% of tests failed for technical reasons and subtyping for H3 was poor. Drawbacks to the technology include the requirement for a dedicated reader instrument and the need for continual updating of subtyping antibodies within the test array.
Epidemiology of Klebsiella oxytoca-Associated Diarrhea Detected by Simmons Citrate Agar Supplemented with Inositol, Tryptophan, and Bile Salts
Authors: Cheng Vincent C. C. , Yam Wing-Cheong , Tsang Lee-Lee , Yau Miranda C. Y. , Siu Gilman K. H. , Wong Sally C. Y. , Chan Jasper F. W. , To Kelvin K. W. , Tse Herman , Hung Ivan F. N. , Tai Josepha W. M. , Ho Pak-Leung , Yuen Kwok-Yung
Published: February 2012

We studied the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of
Klebsiella oxytoca
-associated diarrhea in hospitalized patients in Hong Kong. Between 1 November 2009 and 30 April 2011, all inositol-fermenting colonies found on Simmons citrate agar supplemented with inositol, tryptophan, and bile salts (SCITB agar) used for the culturing of diarrheal stool samples were screened by a spot indole test for
K. oxytoca
. The overall sensitivity of SCITB agar plus the spot indole test (93.3%) for the detection of
K. oxytoca
in stool samples was superior to that of MacConkey agar (63.3%), while the specificities were 100% and 60.4%, respectively. The former achieved a 23-fold reduction in the workload and cost of subsequent standard biochemical identifications. Cytotoxin production and the clonality of
K. oxytoca
were determined by a cell culture cytotoxicity neutralization assay using HEp-2 cells and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), respectively. Of 5,581 stool samples from 3,537 patients,
K. oxytoca
was cultured from 117/5,581 (2.1%) stool samples from 104/3,537 (2.9%) patients. Seventy-six of 104 (73.1%) patients with
K. oxytoca
had no copathogens in their diarrheal stool samples. Twenty-four (31.6%) of 76 patients carried cytotoxin-producing strains, which were significantly associated with antibiotic therapy after hospital admission (50% versus 21.2%;
P
= 0.01). Health care-associated diarrhea was found in 44 (42%) of 104 patients with
K. oxytoca
, but there was no epidemiological linkage suggestive of a nosocomial outbreak, and PFGE showed a diverse pattern. None of the patients with cytotoxin-producing
K. oxytoca
developed antibiotic-associated hemorrhagic colitis, suggesting that
K. oxytoca
can cause a mild disease manifesting as uncomplicated antibiotic-associated diarrhea with winter seasonality.
Development and Evaluation of a PCR Assay for Tracking the Emergence and Dissemination of Haitian Variant
ctxB
in Vibrio cholerae O1 Strains Isolated from Kolkata, India
Authors: Naha Arindam , Pazhani G. P. , Ganguly Mou , Ghosh Santanu , Ramamurthy T. , Nandy Ranjan K. , Nair G. Balakrish , Takeda Yoshifumi , Mukhopadhyay Asish K.
Published: February 2012

A PCR-based assay was developed to discriminate the classical, El Tor, and Haitian types of
ctxB
alleles. Our retrospective study using this newly developed PCR showed that Haitian
ctxB
first appeared in Kolkata during April 2006, and 93.3% of strains isolated during 2011 carried the new allele. Dendrogram analysis showed a pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern of the new variant strains isolated recently that was distinct from the PFGE pattern of the strains carrying classical
ctxB
that closely matched the 2006 to 2007 variant strains.
Development of a Transcription-Reverse Transcription Concerted Reaction Method for Specific Detection of Human Enterovirus 71 from Clinical Specimens
Authors: Nakajima Naoto , Kitamori Yuka , Ohnaka Satoru , Mitoma Yasutami , Mizuta Katsumi , Wakita Takaji , Shimizu Hiroyuki , Arita Minetaro
Published: February 2012

A transcription-reverse transcription (RT) concerted reaction (TRCR) method was developed for rapid and specific detection of EV71 from clinical specimens. This method was validated with EV71 strains from all of the known genotypes (genotypes A, B1 to B5, and C1 to C5), with detection limits of 10 to 10
3
copies, and was useful for identification of EV71 from throat swabs of patients with hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD).
Detection of Carbapenemase Producers in Enterobacteriaceae by Use of a Novel Screening Medium
Authors: Nordmann Patrice , Girlich Delphine , Poirel Laurent
Published: February 2012

A Drigalski agar-based culture medium containing an ertapenem, cloxacillin, and zinc sulfate (Supercarba medium) was tested for screening carbapenemase-producing members of the family
Enterobacteriaceae
. OXA-48 (
n
= 44), NDM (
n
= 25), VIM or IMP (
n
= 27), and KPC producers (
n
= 18) were detected with a low detection limit. Its overall sensitivity (95.6%) was higher than those of the currently available ChromID ESBL (bioMérieux) and CHROMagar KPC (CHROMagar) screening media. The Supercarba medium provides a significant improvement for detection of the most common types of carbapenemase producers.
Clinical and Microbiologic Characteristics of Invasive Streptococcus pyogenes Infections in North and South India
Authors: Haggar Axana , Nerlich Andreas , Kumar Rajesh , Abraham Vinod J. , Brahmadathan Kootallur N. , Ray Pallab , Dhanda Vanita , Joshua John Melbin Jose , Mehra Narinder , Bergmann Rene , Chhatwal G. Singh , Norrby-Teglund Anna
Published: February 2012

The lack of epidemiologic data on invasive
Streptococcus pyogen
es infections in many developing countries is concerning, as
S. pyogenes
infections are commonly endemic in these areas. Here we present the results of the first prospective surveillance study of invasive
Streptococcus pyogenes
infections in India. Fifty-four patients with invasive
S. pyogenes
infections were prospectively enrolled at two study sites, one in the north and one in the south of India. Sterile-site isolates were collected, and clinical information was documented using a standardized questionnaire. Available acute-phase sera were tested for their ability to inhibit superantigens produced by the patient's own isolate using a cell-based neutralizing assay. The most common clinical presentations were bacteremia without focus (30%), pneumonia (28%), and cellulitis (17%). Only two cases of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome and no cases of necrotizing fasciitis were identified. Characterization of the isolates revealed great heterogeneity, with 32 different
emm
subtypes and 29 different superantigen gene profiles being represented among the 49 sterile-site isolates. Analyses of acute-phase sera showed that only 20% of the cases in the north cohort had superantigen-neutralizing activity in their sera, whereas 50% of the cases from the south site had neutralizing activity. The results demonstrate that there are important differences in both clinical presentation and strain characteristics between invasive
S. pyogenes
infections in India and invasive
S. pyogenes
infections in Western countries. The findings underscore the importance of epidemiologic studies on streptococcal infections in India and have direct implications for current vaccine developments.
Mycobacteriophage Marvin: a New Singleton Phage with an Unusual Genome Organization
Authors: Mageeney Catherine , Pope Welkin H. , Harrison Melinda , Moran Deborah , Cross Trevor , Jacobs-Sera Deborah , Hendrix Roger W. , Dunbar David , Hatfull Graham F.
Published: February 2012

Mycobacteriophages represent a genetically diverse group of viruses that infect mycobacterial hosts. Although more than 80 genomes have been sequenced, these still poorly represent the likely diversity of the broader population of phages that can infect the host,
Mycobacterium smegmatis
mc
2
155. We describe here a newly discovered phage, Marvin, which is a singleton phage, having no previously identified close relatives. The 65,100-bp genome contains 107 predicted protein-coding genes arranged in a noncanonical genomic architecture in which a subset of the minor tail protein genes are displaced about 20 kbp from their typical location, situated among nonstructural genes anticipated to be expressed early in lytic growth. Marvin is not temperate, and stable lysogens cannot be recovered from infections, although the presence of a putative
xis
gene suggests that Marvin could be a relatively recent derivative of a temperate parent. The Marvin genome is replete with novel genes not present in other mycobacteriophage genomes, and although most are of unknown function, the presence of amidoligase and glutamine amidotransferase genes suggests intriguing possibilities for the interactions of Marvin with its mycobacterial hosts.