bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Physical Interaction between Viral Replicase and Capsid Protein Is Required for Genome-Packaging Specificity in an RNA Virus
Authors: Seo Jang-Kyun , Kwon Sun-Jung , Rao A. L. N.
Published: March 2012

Genome packaging is functionally coupled to replication in RNA viruses pathogenic to humans (
Poliovirus
), insects (
Flock house virus
[FHV]), and plants (
Brome mosaic virus
[BMV]). However, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. We have observed previously that in FHV and BMV, unlike ectopically expressed capsid protein (CP), packaging specificity results from RNA encapsidation by CP that has been translated from mRNA produced from replicating genomic RNA. Consequently, we hypothesize that a physical interaction with replicase increases the CP specificity for packaging viral RNAs. We tested this hypothesis by evaluating the molecular interaction between replicase protein and CP using a FHV-
Nicotiana benthamiana
system. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation in conjunction with fluorescent cellular protein markers and coimmunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that FHV replicase (protein A) and CP physically interact at the mitochondrial site of replication and that this interaction requires the N-proximal region from either amino acids 1 to 31 or amino acids 32 to 50 of the CP. In contrast to the mitochondrial localization of CP derived from FHV replication, ectopic expression displayed a characteristic punctate pattern on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This pattern was altered to relocalize the CP throughout the cytoplasm when the C-proximal hydrophobic domain was deleted. Analysis of the packaging phenotypes of the CP mutants defective either in protein A-CP interactions or ER localization suggested that synchronization between protein A-CP interaction and its subcellular localization is imperative to confer packaging specificity.
Pharyngo-occipital artery variant arising from the internal carotid artery impacting surgical technique during carotid endarterectomy
Authors: Graham Randall B , Sugrue Patrick A , Rahme Rudy J , Batjer H Hunt , Bendok Bernard R
Published: March 2012

Background and importance

Extracranial carotid artery atherosclerotic stenosis typically occurs at the junction of the common carotid, external carotid and internal carotid arteries. Although rare, anatomical arterial variants can influence surgical strategy and can have a significant impact on surgical complications and patient outcome. An unusual case of atherosclerotic stenosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA) at the origin of a pharyngo-occipital variant off of the ICA is reported here.

Clinical presentation

A 60-year-old man presented with symptomatic severe left cervical ICA stenosis. The stenosis was related to the origin of the pharyngo-occipital common trunk which arose from the ICA rather than the typical origin off of the external carotid artery. The patient underwent successful left carotid endarterectomy with special attention to this variant anatomy.

Conclusion

Anomalies of the extracranial ICA, although rare, can influence the location of atherosclerotic disease and the surgical endarterectomy strategy. A detailed anatomical study should be performed prior to surgery to minimize risk and improve patient outcome.
FUNDAMENTAL GROUP OF SOME GENUS-2 FIBRATIONS AND APPLICATIONS
Authors: GURJAR R. V. , KOLTE SAGAR
Published: March 2012

We will prove that given a genus-2 fibration f : X → C on a smooth projective surface X such that b1(X) = b1(C) + 2, the fundamental group of X is almost isomorphic to π1(C) × π1(E), where E is an elliptic curve. We will also verify the Shafarevich Conjecture on holomorphic convexity of the universal cover of surfaces X with genus-2 fibration X → C such that b1(X) > b1(C).
PHYSICAL ORIGIN OF THE POWER-LAW TAILED STATISTICAL DISTRIBUTIONS
Authors: KANIADAKIS G.
Published: March 2012

Starting from the BBGKY hierarchy, describing the kinetics of nonlinear particle system, we obtain the relevant entropy and stationary distribution function. Subsequently, by employing the Lorentz transformations we propose the relativistic generalization of the exponential and logarithmic functions. The related particle distribution and entropy represents the relativistic extension of the classical Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution and of the Boltzmann entropy, respectively, and define the statistical mechanics presented in [Phys. Rev. E66 (2002) 056125] and [Phys. Rev. E72 (2005) 036108]. The achievements of the present effort, support the idea that the experimentally observed power-law tailed statistical distributions in plasma physics, are enforced by the relativistic microscopic particle dynamics.
ON THE SPIN-REFINED RESHETIKHIN–TURAEV SU(2) INVARIANTS OF LENS SPACES
Authors: OKAZAKI KENTA
Published: March 2012

We give the explicit formula of the spin-refined Reshetikhin–Turaev SU(2) invariants of lens spaces. Using this result, we also give the formula of the spin-refined Turaev–Viro SU(2) invariants of lens spaces.
BUSINESS PROCESS MODEL ABSTRACTION BASED ON SYNTHESIS FROM WELL-STRUCTURED BEHAVIORAL PROFILES
Authors: SMIRNOV SERGEY , WEIDLICH MATTHIAS , MENDLING JAN
Published: March 2012

There are several motives for creating process models ranging from technical scenarios in workflow automation to business scenarios in which management decisions are taken. As a consequence, companies typically have different process models for the same process, which differ in terms of granularity. In this context, business process model abstraction serves as a technique that takes a process model as an input and derives a high-level model with coarse-grained activities and the corresponding control flow between them. In this way, business process model abstraction reduces the number of models capturing the same business process on different abstraction levels. In this article, we provide a solution to the problem of deriving the control flow of an abstract process model for the case that an arbitrary grouping of activities is permitted. To this end, we use behavioral profiles and prove that the soundness of the synthesized process model requires a notion of well-structuredness of the abstract model behavioral profile. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the activities can be grouped according to the data flow of the model in a meaningful way, and that this grouping does not directly coincides with a structural decomposition of the process, which is generally assumed by other abstraction approaches. This finding emphasizes the need for handling arbitrary activity groupings in business process model abstraction.
CONFORMAL SCATTERING FOR A NONLINEAR WAVE EQUATION
Authors: JOUDIOUX JÉRÉMIE
Published: March 2012

We establish a geometric scattering theory for a conformally invariant nonlinear wave equation on an asymptotically simple space-time. The scattering operator is defined via some trace operators at null infinity, and the proof is decomposed into three steps. A priori linear estimates are obtained via an adaptation of the Morawetz vector field to the Schwarzschild space-time and a method introduced by Hörmander for the Goursat problem. A well-posedness theorem for the characteristic Cauchy problem on a light cone at infinity is then obtained. Its proof requires a control of the nonlinearity that is uniform in time and follows from, both, an estimate of the Sobolev constant and a decay assumption on the nonlinearity of the equation. Finally, the trace operators on conformal infinity are introduced and allow us to define the conformal scattering operator of interest.
DECAY RATES FOR SEMILINEAR VISCOELASTIC SYSTEMS IN WEIGHTED SPACES
Authors: RACKE REINHARD , SAID-HOUARI BELKACEM
Published: March 2012

We consider a class of second-order hyperbolic systems which describe viscoelastic materials, and we extend the recent results by Dharmawardane and Conti et al. More precisely, for all initial data (u0, u1)∈(Hs+1(ℝN) ∩ L1, γ(ℝN))×(Hs(ℝN) ∩ L1, γ(ℝN)) with γ∈[0, 1], we derive faster decay estimates for both dissipative structure or regularity-loss type models. To this end, we first transform our problem into Fourier space and then, by using the pointwise estimate derived by Dharmawardane et al., combined with a device to treat the Fourier transform in the low frequency region, we derive optimal decay results for the solutions to our problem. Finally, we use these decay estimates for the linear problem, combined with the weighted energy method introduced by Todorova and Yordanov, and tackle a semilinear problem.
Direct measurement of equilibrium constants for water-soluble porphyrin with copper(II) and cobalt(II) by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV)
Authors: Kutubi Md. Shahajahan , Tabata Masaaki
Published: March 2012

Because of high stability constants and slow metalation rate of porphyrins, it is difficult to determine stability constants of metalloporphyrins correctly. We propose here a new method for the determination of the stability constant of Cu(II) or Co(II) with 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octabromo-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin, H2(OBTMPyP(4))4+ , by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) using a gold working electrode. The concentrations of free Cu(II) or Co(II) ion as low as 10-7–10-8 M were determined directly in equilibrium with H2(OBTMPyP(4))4+ of 10-7–10-8 M under optimum DPSAV conditions of rotating disk gold electrode, deposition of metals, stripping of metals, potential pulse amplitude and pulse width. Furthermore effects of supporting electrolytes, time for the attainment of chemical equilibrium and determination methods (standard addition and calibration curve methods) of total free metal ions were considered. Tetramethylammonium chloride, (CH3)4N+Cl-(TMAC) , showed the lowest detection limit of metals among other electrolytes such as Na2SO4 , NaNO3 , NaCl : 0.5 ppb for Cu(II) at I = 0.1 ((CH3)4N+Cl-) . The stability constants of K s defined as M2+ + P2- = MP ( M = Cu(II) and Co(II) , and H2P = H2(OBTMPyP(4))4+ ) were 1013.93 and 109.47 M-1 for Cu(II) and Co(II) , respectively, at I = 0.1 (CH3)4N+Cl-) and 25 °C. The working electrode was also electrochemically activated at higher potential affording to lower detection limit of metal ions as well as to measure cyclic voltammetry of metal ions, porphyrin and metalloporphyrin as low as 10-5 M. The values of E ap (vs. Ag/AgCl ) of Cu2+ , H2(OBTMPyP(4))4+ and Cu(OBTMPyP(4))4+ were 345, 338 and 425, respectively.
Preparation of cyclophanes having cofacial bisporphyrins and their binding properties
Authors: Tsuge Akihiko , Ikeda Yutaka , Moriguchi Tetsuji , Araki Koji
Published: March 2012

Two types of dithia[3.3]metacyclophanes having cofacial bisporphyrins were prepared. The flexible cyclophane having C2 methylene units as the spacer exhibits the large stability constant (108M-1) for binding of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO). Similar large affinity for DABCO is also observed for the rigid cyclophane having C10 methylene units.
THE PERIODIC VOLTERRA MODEL WITH MUTUAL INTERFERENCE AND IMPULSIVE EFFECT
Authors: ZHANG YUJUAN , CHEN LANSUN
Published: March 2012

In this paper, a periodic Volterra model with mutual interference and impulsive effect is proposed and analyzed. By applying the Floquet theory of impulsive differential equation, some conditions are obtained for the linear stability of semi-trivial periodic solution. Some sufficient conditions are also given for the permanence of the system. Further, standard bifurcation theory is used to show the existence of coexistence state which arises near the semi-trivial periodic solution. Finally, theoretical results are confirmed by some special cases of the system.
COMPETING POPULATION MODEL WITH NONLINEAR INTRASPECIFIC REGULATION AND MATURATION DELAYS
Authors: LIU SHENGQIANG , XIE XIZHUANG , TANG JIANLIANG
Published: March 2012

This paper considers the combined effects of the nonlinear intra-specific regulation and maturation delays on the two-species competition model. Dynamical behaviors of the model are studied, and sharp global asymptotical stability criteria for the coexistence equilibrium as well as the excluding equilibria are established. It is shown that increase of the maturation delay of one species has negative effect on its permanence and a sufficiently large maturation delay will directly lead to its extinction, and that variation of the intra-specific regulation parameter of one species may change the surviving or extinction behaviors of its competitor.
The role of aspartic acid residues 405 and 416 of the kidney isotype of sodium-bicarbonate cotransporter 1 in its targeting to the plasma membrane
Authors: Li Hong C. , Kucher Volodymyr , Li Emily Y. , Conforti Laura , Zahedi Kamyar A. , Soleimani Manoocher
Published: March 2012

The NH2 terminus of the sodium-bicarbonate cotransporter 1 (NBCe1) plays an important role in its targeting to the plasma membrane. To identify the amino acid residues that contribute to the targeting of NBCe1 to the plasma membrane, polarized MDCK cells were transfected with expression constructs coding for green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged NBCe1 NH2-terminal deletion mutants, and the localization of GFP-tagged proteins was analyzed by confocal microscopy. Our results indicate that the amino acids between residues 399 and 424 of NBCe1A contain important sequences that contribute to its localization to the plasma membrane. Site-directed mutagenesis studies showed that GFP-NBCe1A mutants D405A and D416A are retained in the cytoplasm of the polarized MDCK epithelial cells. Examination of functional activities of D405A and D416A reveals that their activities are reduced compared with the wild-type NBCe1A. Similarly, aspartic acid residues 449 and 460 of pancreatic NBCe1 (NBCe1B), which correspond to residues 405 and 416 of NBCe1A, are also required for its full functional activity and accurate targeting to the plasma membrane. In addition, while replacement of D416 with glutamic acid did not affect the targeting or functional activity of NBCe1A, substitution of D405 with glutamic acid led to the retention of the mutated protein in the intracellular compartment and impaired functional activity. These studies demonstrate that aspartic acid residues 405 and 416 in the NH2 terminus of NBCe1A are important in its accurate targeting to the plasma membrane.
Generation and Analysis of Expressed Sequence Tags fromChimonanthus praecox(Wintersweet) Flowers for Discovering Stress-Responsive and Floral Development-Related Genes
Authors: Sui Shunzhao , Luo Jianghui , Ma Jing , Zhu Qinlong , Lei Xinghua , Li Mingyang
Published: March 2012

A complementary DNA library was constructed from the flowers ofChimonanthus praecox, an ornamental perennial shrub blossoming in winter in China. Eight hundred sixty-seven high-quality expressed sequence tag sequences with an average read length of 673.8 bp were acquired. A nonredundant set of 479 unigenes, including 94 contigs and 385 singletons, was identified after the expressed sequence tags were clustered and assembled. BLAST analysis against the nonredundant protein database and nonredundant nucleotide database revealed that 405 unigenes shared significant homology with known genes. The homologous unigenes were categorized according to Gene Ontology hierarchies (biological, cellular, and molecular). By BLAST analysis and Gene Ontology annotation, 95 unigenes involved in stress and defense and 19 unigenes related to floral development were identified based on existing knowledge. Twelve genes, of which 9 were annotated as “cold response,” were examined by real-time RT-PCR to understand the changes in expression patterns under cold stress and to validate the findings. Fourteen genes, including 11 genes related to floral development, were also detected by real-time RT-PCR to validate the expression patterns in the blooming process and in different tissues. This study provides a useful basis for the genomic analysis ofC. praecox.
PASSIOMA: Exploring Expressed Sequence Tags during Flower Development inPassifloraspp.
Authors: Cutri Lucas , Dornelas Marcelo Carnier
Published: March 2012

The genusPassifloraprovides a remarkable example of floral complexity and diversity. The extreme variation ofPassifloraflower morphologies allowed a wide range of interactions with pollinators to evolve. We used the analysis of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) as an approach for the characterization of genes expressed duringPassiflorareproductive development. Analyzing thePassiflorafloral EST database (named PASSIOMA), we found sequences showing significant sequence similarity to genes known to be involved in reproductive development such as MADS-box genes. Some of these sequences were studied using RT-PCR andin situhybridization confirming their expression duringPassifloraflower development. The detection of these novel sequences can contribute to the development of EST-based markers for important agronomic traits as well as to the establishment of genomic tools to study the naturally occurring floral diversity amongPassifloraspecies.
Lupus Nephritis: An Overview of Recent Findings
Authors: de Zubiria Salgado Alberto , Herrera-Diaz Catalina
Published: March 2012

Lupus nephritis (LN) is one of the most serious complications of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) since it is the major predictor of poor prognosis. In susceptible individuals suffering of SLE,in situformation and deposit of immune complexes (ICs) from apoptotic bodies occur in the kidneys as a result of an amplified epitope immunological response. IC glomerular deposits generate release of proinflammatory cytokines and cell adhesion molecules causing inflammation. This leads to monocytes and polymorphonuclear cells chemotaxis. Subsequent release of proteases generates endothelial injury and mesangial proliferation. Presence of ICs promotes adaptive immune response and causes dendritic cells to release type I interferon. This induces maturation and activation of infiltrating T cells, and amplification of Th2, Th1 and Th17 lymphocytes. Each of them, amplify B cells and activates macrophages to release more proinflammatory molecules, generating effector cells that cannot be modulated promoting kidney epithelial proliferation and fibrosis. Herein immunopathological findings of LN are reviewed.
Disrupting the Networks of Cancer
Authors: Camacho Daniel F. , Pienta Kenneth J.
Published: March 2012

Ecosystems are interactive systems involving communities of species and their abiotic environment. Tumors are ecosystems in which cancer cells act as invasive species interacting with native host cell species in an established microenvironment within the larger host biosphere. At its heart, to study ecology is to study interconnectedness. In ecologic science, an ecologic network is a representation of the biotic interactions in an ecosystem in which species (nodes) are connected by pairwise interactions (links). Ecologic networks and signaling network models have been used to describe and compare the structures of ecosystems. It has been shown that disruption of ecologic networks through the loss of species or disruption of interactions between them can lead to the destruction of the ecosystem. Often, the destruction of a single node or link is not enough to disrupt the entire ecosystem. The more complex the network and its interactions, the more difficult it is to cause the extinction of a species, especially without leveraging other aspects of the ecosystem. Similarly, successful treatment of cancer with a single agent is rarely enough to cure a patient without strategically modifying the support systems conducive to survival of cancer. Cancer cells and the ecologic systems they reside in can be viewed as a series of nested networks. The most effective new paradigms for treatment will be developed through application of scaled network disruption. Clin Cancer Res; 18(10); 2801–8. ©2012 AACR.
How to Optimally Manage Growth Hormone Therapy: Survey of Chilean Pediatric Endocrinologists
Authors: García Roberto J. , Martinez-Aguayo Alejandro , Mericq Verónica
Published: March 2012

Early referral is the key to the optimal management of growth failure. Evidence shows that there is no universal consensus for endocrinologists on the handling, tracking and monitoring of growth hormone (GH) treatment. The monitoring of therapy varies due to national prescription guidelines. The aim of this work was to assess the clinical management of short-stature patients who use GH prescribed by pediatric endocrinologists (n = 30) who belong to the Chilean Endocrinology Society (SOCHED). We conducted a questionnaire through an anonymous survey. We observed a large variability of responses to all of the questions. Once the clinician suggests GH treatment, patients usually begin treatment with a strong motivation, and maintenance of this motivation will improve the treatment outcomes. We propose 3–4 months of medical follow-up during which strict physician-patient communication and education is critical.
Multiplex Ligation-Dependent Probe Amplification Analysis of the NR0B1(DAX1) Locus Enables Explanation of Phenotypic Differences in Patients with X-Linked Congenital Adrenal Hypoplasia
Authors: Barbaro Michela , Bens Susanne , Haake Andrea , Peter Michael , Brämswig Jürgen , Holterhus Paul-Martin , Lopez-Siguero Juan Pedro , Menken Udo , Mix Monika , Sippell Wolfgang G. , Wedell Anna , Riepe Felix G.
Published: March 2012

Background/Aim:X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita (AHC) is a rare disorder characterized by primary adrenal insufficiency and hypogonadic hypogonadism. It is caused by deletions or point mutations of the NR0B1 gene, on Xp21. AHC can be associated with glycerol kinase deficiency, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and mental retardation (MR), as part of a contiguous gene deletion syndrome. A synthetic probe set for multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis was developed to confirm and characterize NR0B1 deletions in patients with AHC and to correlate their genotypes with their divergent phenotypes. Results:In 2 patients, isolated AHC was confirmed, while a patient at risk for metabolic crisis was revealed as the deletion extends to the GK gene. A deletion extending to IL1RAPL1 was confirmed in both patients showing MR. Thus, a good genotype-phenotype correlation was confirmed. Conclusions:Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis is a valuable tool to detect NR0B1 and contiguous gene deletions in patients with AHC. It is especially helpful for IL1RAPL1 deletion detection as no clinical markers for MR are available. Furthermore, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification has the advantage to identify female carriers that, depending on the deletion extension, have a high risk of giving birth to children with MR, AHC, glycerol kinase deficiency and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Age at Menarche in Childhood Cancer Survivors: Results of a Nationwide Survey in Germany
Authors: Wessel Theda , Balcerek Magdalena , Reinmuth Simone , Hohmann Cynthia , Keil Thomas , Henze Guenter , Borgmann-Staudt Anja
Published: March 2012

Background/Aims: With rising cure rates of childhood cancer, side effects of treatment are attracting increasing interest. The present analysis evaluates the influence of tumor localization, radiotherapy and chemotherapy on the age of menarche. Methods: 4,689 former pediatric oncology patients, diagnosed 1980–2004, were contacted in collaboration with the German Childhood Cancer Registry. Results: 1,036 out of 1,461 female participants reported their age at menarche and had an oncological diagnosis before menarche. The median age at menarche was 13 years, compared to 12.8 years in the German general population. A significant delay of menarche was seen in patients with pituitary radiation doses of ≧30 Gy (mean 13.6 years, SD 2.2) compared to <30 Gy (mean 12.5 years, SD 1.4, p = 0.05). Patients with additional spinal radiation were even older at menarche (mean 14.4 years, SD 2.5). Pelvic and pelvic-near radiation significantly delayed onset of menarche (mean 14.0 years, SD 1.9 and mean 14.3, SD 2.6, respectively, p < 0.001). Only some chemotherapeutic agents (carboplatin/cisplatin, etoposide) were associated with a menarcheal delay of <1 year. Conclusion: Overall, female childhood cancer survivors showed a normal menarcheal age. Pituitary radiation dosage of ≧30 Gy, spinal and pelvic radiotherapy were associated with a moderate delay in the occurrence of menarche.
Biosynthesis of Iminodiacetic Acid from Iminodiacetonitrile by Immobilized Recombinant Escherichia coli Harboring Nitrilase
Authors: Liu Zhi-Qiang , Zhou Ming , Zhang Xin-Hong , Xu Jian-Miao , Xue Ya-Ping , Zheng Yu-Guo
Published: March 2012

Iminodiacetic acid (IDA) is widely used as an intermediate in the manufacture of chelating agents, glyphosate herbicides and surfactants. In the current work, the fragment with the length of 1,110 bp encoding the Acidovorax facilis nitrilase was obtained. The recombinant nitrilase expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) was successfully used in the production of IDA from iminodiacetonitrile. To improve the stability of operation, the recombinant cells were entrapped in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and sodium alginate (SA) copolymer. The maximum relative nitrilase activity with 98.1% was further observed at 1.0% SA, 8.0% PVA, 1.0% CaCl2, and 5.0% wet cells, under conditions of 1.0% iminodiacetonitrile in distilled water and a temperature of 40°C, respectively. The entrapped cells facilitated easy separation and good recycling compared with free cells. Moreover, the immobilized cells showed good operation and storage stability. This report is the first to describe IDA preparation using immobilized recombinant E. coli harboring nitrilase.
Ejaculatory Abstinence Influences Intravaginal Ejaculatory Latency Time: Results from a Prospective Randomized Trial
Authors: Palmieri Alessandro , Imbimbo Ciro , Longo Nicola , Fusco Ferdinando , Verze Paolo , Maletta Alessandro , Creta Massimiliano , Mirone Vincenzo
Published: March 2012

Introduction: The relationship between ejaculatory frequency and ejaculatory latency time is under-investigated. Subjects and Methods: 120 healthy subjects were enrolled in a prospective randomized trial. Patients in group A engaged in sexual intercourse after a 10-day abstinence period for 3 months. Patients in group B engaged in sexual intercourse twice a week for 3 months. Ejaculation function was evaluated through the measurement of the intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) and through the premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT) at baseline and at the end of the study. Results: At the end of the study, mean IELT values in group A were significantly lower compared to baseline values. Results from the PEDT questionnaire at the end of the study demonstrated a significantly worse ejaculatory control and ability to delay ejaculation by patients in group A. Conclusions: Reduced ejaculatory frequency impairs ejaculation control.
Fibrinogen residue γAla341 is necessary for calcium binding and ‘A-a’ interactions
Authors: Ping Lifang , Song Jaewoo , Hong Sung-Yu , Choi Tae-Youn , Choi Jong-Rak , Gorkun Oleg V. , Lord Susan T. , Park Rojin
Published: March 2012

The fibrinogen γ-module has several important sites relating to fibri-nogen function, which include the high affinity calcium binding site, hole ‘a’ that binds with knob ‘A’, and the D:D interface. Residue γAla341, which is located in the vicinity of these sites, is altered in three variant fibrinogens: fibrinogen Seoul (γAla341Asp), Tolaga Bay (γAla341Val), and Lyon III (γAla341Thr). In order to investigate the impaired polymerisation of fibrinogens γAla341Asp and γAla341Val to understand the role of γAla341 in fibrin polymerisation and fibrinogen synthesis, we have expressed γAla341Asp and γAla341Val in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, purified these fibrinogens from the culture media and performed biochemical tests to elucidate their function. Expression in CHO cells was similar for these variants. For both variants the kinetics of thrombin-catalysed FpA release was not different from normal fibrinogen, while FpB release was slower than that of normal. Thrombin-catalysed polymerisation of both variants was dependent on the calcium concentration. At physiologic calcium (1 mM) the variants showed impaired polymerisation with a longer lag period and a slower Vmax than normal fibrinogen. Scanning electron micrographs showed the clots were less organised than normal, having thicker and more twisted fibers, and larger pores. Analysis by SDS-PAGE showed that factor XIIIa-catalysed γ and α chain cross-linking was delayed, and plas-min-catalysed lysis was not reduced by the presence of 5 mM calcium or 5 mM GPRP (Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro). Our data indicate that fibrinogen residue γAla341 is important for the proper conformation of the γ-module, maintaining calcium-binding site and ‘A-a’ interactions.
Eligibility for Intravenous Recombinant Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator Within a Population
Authors: de los Ríos la Rosa Felipe , Khoury Jane , Kissela Brett M. , Flaherty Matthew L. , Alwell Kathleen , Moomaw Charles J. , Khatri Pooja , Adeoye Opeolu , Woo Daniel , Ferioli Simona , Kleindorfer Dawn O.
Published: March 2012

Background and Purpose—

The publication of the European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study (ECASS III) expanded the treatment time to thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke from 3 to 4.5 hours from symptom onset. The impact of the expanded time window on treatment rates has not been comprehensively evaluated in a population-based study.

Methods—

All patients with an ischemic stroke presenting to an emergency department during calendar year 2005 in the 17 hospitals that compromise the large 1.3 million Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky population were included in the analysis. Criteria for exclusion from thrombolytic therapy are analyzed retrospectively for both the standard and expanded timeframes with varying door-to-needle times.

Results—

During the study period, 1838 ischemic strokes presenting to an emergency department were identified. A small proportion of them arrived in the expanded time window (3.4%) compared with the standard time window (22%). Only 0.5% of those who arrived in this timeframe met eligibility criteria for thrombolysis compared with 5.9% using standard eligibility criteria in the standard timeframe. These results did not vary significantly by repeated analysis varying the door-to-needle time or the expanded time window's exclusion criteria.

Conclusions—

In reality, the expanded time window for thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke benefits few patients. If we are to improve recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator administration rates, our focus should be on improving stroke awareness, transport to facilities with ability to administer thrombolysis, and familiarity of physicians with acute stroke treatment guidelines.
Effects of Parameterized Diffusion on Simulated Hurricanes
Authors: Rotunno Richard , Bryan George H.
Published: March 2012

In this study the authors analyze and interpret the effects of parameterized diffusion on the nearly steady axisymmetric numerical simulations of hurricanes presented in a recent study. In that study it was concluded that horizontal diffusion was the most important control factor for the maximum simulated hurricane intensity. Through budget analysis it is shown here that horizontal diffusion is a major contributor to the angular momentum budget in the boundary layer of the numerically simulated storms. Moreover, a new scale analysis recognizing the anisotropic nature of the parameterized model diffusion shows why the horizontal diffusion plays such a dominant role. A simple analytical model is developed that captures the essence of the effect. The role of vertical diffusion in the boundary layer in the aforementioned numerical simulations is more closely examined here. It is shown that the boundary layer in these simulations is consistent with known analytical solutions in that boundary layer depth increases and the amount of “overshoot” (maximum wind in excess of the gradient wind) decreases with increasing vertical diffusion. However, the maximum wind itself depends mainly on horizontal diffusion and is relatively insensitive to vertical diffusion; the overshoot variation with vertical viscosity mainly comes from changes in the gradient wind with vertical viscosity. The present considerations of parameterized diffusion allow a new contribution to the dialog in the literature on the meaning and interpretation of the Emanuel potential intensity theory.
Application of a Macroscale Hydrologic Model to Estimate Streamflow across Southeast Australia
Authors: Zhao Fangfang , Chiew Francis H. S. , Zhang Lu , Vaze Jai , Perraud Jean-Michel , Li Ming
Published: March 2012

Reliable predictions of water availability and streamflow characteristics, and the impact of climate and land use change on water availability, are central to water resources planning and management. This paper assesses the application of the widely used macroscale hydrologic model, the three-layer Variable Infiltration Capacity model (VIC-3L), to estimate daily streamflow in 191 unregulated catchments across southeast Australia and evaluates the regionalization of model parameters to predict streamflow in ungauged catchments. The parameter values in the VIC-3L model are estimated using three methods: default values, optimized values based on model calibration, and regionalized values based on spatial proximity method. The modeled streamflows from VIC-3L are assessed against the observed streamflows from the catchments. The authors discuss the model performance based on different parameter estimation methods and the effects of rainfall regimes on streamflow prediction. Also the implication of using a priori estimates of parameter values versus optimizing parameter values against observed streamflow to predict the impact of climate and land use change on streamflow is discussed. The VIC-3L model can simulate the streamflow in the catchments across southeast Australia reasonably well, with comparable results to those reported for the same region using conceptual rainfall-runoff models. The model performed better in summer-dominant rainfall catchments and wet catchments than in other catchments. The regionalization based on spatial proximity method performed reasonably well, which demonstrated the potential of VIC-3L model to predict streamflow in ungauged catchments in Australia.
A Tale of Two Blogospheres
Authors: Shaw Aaron , Benkler Yochai
Published: March 2012

In this article, the authors compare the practices of discursive production among top U.S. political blogs on the left and right during summer 2008. An examination of the top 155 political blogs reveals significant cross-ideological variations along several dimensions. Notably, the authors find evidence of an association between ideological affiliation and the technologies, institutions, and practices of participation. Blogs on the left adopt different, and more participatory, technical platforms, comprise significantly fewer sole-authored sites, include user blogs, maintain more fluid boundaries between secondary and primary content, include longer narrative and discussion posts, and (among the top half of the blogs in the sample) more often use blogs as platforms for mobilization. The findings suggest that the attenuation of the news producer-consumer dichotomy is more pronounced on the left wing of the political blogosphere than on the right. The practices of the left are more consistent with the prediction that the networked public sphere offers new pathways for discursive participation by a wider array of individuals, whereas the practices of the right suggest that a small group of elites may retain more exclusive agenda-setting authority online. The cross-ideological divergence in the findings illustrates that the Internet can be adopted equally to undermine or to replicate the traditional distinction between the production and consumption of political information. The authors conclude that these findings have significant implications for the study of prosumption and for the mechanisms by which the networked public sphere may or may not alter democratic participation relative to the mass mediated public sphere.
Linking research, policy and action: A look at the work of the special rapporteur on violence against women
Authors: Ertürk Yakın , Purkayastha Bandana
Published: March 2012

This article focuses on the achievements and challenges in linking research, activism and policy in the making of a comprehensive international regime on women’s human rights with a particular focus on the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women. The impact of violence against women as an international policy agenda not only opened the private sphere to public scrutiny but it has also challenged mainstream human rights practice and State doctrine, and broadened and diversified feminist theorizing thereby facilitating the augmentation of the transnational women’s movement. The article argues that preventing violence against women requires a holistic approach beyond the often hierarchical treatment of rights, the selective response to the problem as belonging to the ‘other’ and the narrow perception of violence as harm done. It concludes that unless women’s agency is recognized and their capabilities supported through social, economic and political empowerment, and violence is located within the web of relations of inequality at local, national and global levels, the rights contained in international conventions, declarations and policy documents will remain unattainable for the majority of the world’s women.
Negative Affect Reduces Team Awareness
Authors: Pfaff Mark S.
Published: March 2012

Objective:

This article presents research on the effects of varying mood and stress states on within-team communication in a simulated crisis management environment, with a focus on the relationship between communication behaviors and team awareness.

Background:

Communication plays a critical role in team cognition along with cognitive factors such as attention, memory, and decision-making speed. Mood and stress are known to have interrelated effects on cognition at the individual level, but there is relatively little joint exploration of these factors in team communication in technologically complex environments.

Method:

Dyadic communication behaviors in a distributed six-person crisis management simulation were analyzed in a factorial design for effects of two levels of mood (happy, sad) and the presence or absence of a time pressure stressor.

Results:

Time pressure and mood showed several specific impacts on communication behaviors. Communication quantity and efficiency increased under time pressure, though frequent requests for information were associated with poor performance. Teams in happy moods showed enhanced team awareness, as revealed by more anticipatory communication patterns and more detailed verbal responses to teammates than those in sad moods.

Conclusion:

Results show that the attention-narrowing effects of mood and stress associated with individual cognitive functions demonstrate analogous impacts on team awareness and information-sharing behaviors and reveal a richer understanding of how team dynamics change under adverse conditions.

Application:

Disentangling stress from mood affords the opportunity to target more specific interventions that better support team awareness and task performance.
Heavy-Truck Drivers’ Following Behavior With Intervention of an Integrated, In-Vehicle Crash Warning System
Authors: Bao Shan , LeBlanc David J. , Sayer James R. , Flannagan Carol
Published: March 2012

Objective:

This study is designed to evaluate heavy-truck drivers’ following behavior and how a crash warning system influences their headway maintenance.

Background:

Rear-end crashes are one of the major crash types involving heavy trucks and are more likely than other crash types to result in fatalities. Previous studies have observed positive effects of in-vehicle crash warning systems in passenger car drivers. Although heavy-truck drivers are generally more experienced, driver-related errors are still the leading factors contributing to heavy-truck-related rear-end crashes.

Method:

Data from a 10-month naturalistic driving study were used. Participants were 18 professional heavy-truck drivers who received warnings during the last 8 months of the study (treatment period) but not during the first 2 months (baseline period). Time headway and driver’s brake reaction time were extracted and compared with condition variables, including one between-subjects variable (driver shift) and five within-subjects variables (treatment condition, roadway types, traffic density, wiper state, and trailer configuration).

Results:

The presence of warnings resulted in a 0.28-s increase of mean time headway with dense on-road traffic and a 0.20-s increase with wipers on. Drivers also responded to the forward conflicts significantly faster (by 0.26 s, a 15% enhancement) in the treatment condition compared with responses in the baseline condition.

Conclusion:

Positive effects on heavy-truck drivers’ following performance were observed with the warning system.

Application:

The installation of such in-vehicle crash warning systems can help heavy-truck drivers keep longer headway distances in challenging situations and respond quicker to potential traffic conflicts, therefore possibly increasing heavy-truck longitudinal driving safety.
(Non)cooperative Dialogues
Authors: Cavicchio Federica , Poesio Massimo
Published: March 2012

Objective:

The effect of emotion on (non)co-operation in unscripted, ecological communication is investigated.

Background:

The participants in an interaction are generally cooperative in that, for instance, they tend to reduce the chance of misunderstandings in communication. However, it is also clear that cooperation is not complete. Positive and negative emotional states also appear to be connected to the participants’ commitment to cooperate or not, respectively. So far, however, it has proven remarkably difficult to test this because of the lack of entirely objective measurements of both cooperation levels and emotional responses.

Method:

In this article, the authors present behavioral methods and coding schemes for analyzing cooperation and (surface) indicators of emotions in face-to-face interactions and show that they can be used to study the correlation between emotions and cooperation effectively.

Results:

The authors observed large negative correlations between heart rate and cooperation, and a group of facial expressions was found to be predictive of the level of cooperation of the speakers.

Conclusion:

It is possible to develop reliable methods to code for cooperation, and with such coding schemes it is possible to confirm the commonsense prediction that noncooperative behavior by a conversational participant affects the other participant in ways that can be measured quantitatively.

Application:

These results shed light on an aspect of interaction that is crucial to building adaptive systems able to measure cooperation and to respond to the user’s affective states. The authors expect their methods to be applicable to building and testing such interaction systems.
Parental Involvement (and Uninvolvement) at an Inner-City High School
Authors: Williams Terrinieka T. , Sánchez Bernadette
Published: March 2012

This study sought to understand the perceptions of parental involvement and parental uninvolvement at a predominantly African American inner-city high school. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 parents and 10 staff at an inner-city public high school. Five major themes emerged regarding the meanings of parental involvement at this school: Participation at School, Being There Outside of School, Communication, Achieve and Believe, and Village Keepers. Results showed that some participants’ perceptions of parental involvement were consistent with earlier understandings of parental involvement. Results also highlighted areas in which earlier models may not address the context of inner-city schools.
Liberal NIMBY
Authors: Greenberg Cheryl
Published: March 2012

So far as black civil rights are concerned, most Jews behaved as liberals politically but as white people in their personal lives. Their experience reflects the dilemma of many white liberals in a nation where race has been inextricably tied not only to discrimination but therefore also to opportunity. To many, “white flight” connoted white racism. Yet for some who left, more than racism affected their decision. They recognized that black majority neighborhoods received fewer social services and generally had lower property values and poorer schools. Even if one endorsed civil rights, the reality of integration levied significant costs to those who remained. Liberal Jewish organizations studied the residential and business choices made by Jews as they pertained to integration. Examining a few studies in detail reveals some of the tensions between integration as political action and integration as lived experience in a quintessentially liberal white community.
Good culture, bad culture…no culture! The implications of culture in urban regeneration in Bradford, UK
Authors: Bolognani Marta
Published: March 2012

This paper shows how regeneration policies in Bradford (UK) have over the years been modified following local, national and international events since 1997. It will be argued that policy makers reacted to public perceptions of the city itself and of its large Muslim community in three phases: celebration of local minority ethnic culture; pathologization of the same; exclusion of any cultural element from the city’s self-projection. The paper suggests that these changes are at the same time reflexive of historical events and hegemonic discourses, and likely to be constitutive (as they have the potential to deeply affect social relations in the city). Further investigation is required to measure such constitutive long-term effects on minority ethnic groups and social relations in the city.
Femoroacetabular Impingement in Former High-Level Youth Soccer Players
Authors: Johnson Adam C. , Shaman Mark A. , Ryan Thomas G.
Published: March 2012

Background: Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) can be a source of hip pain in young adults. Repetitive kicking associated with youth soccer may lead to morphologic changes of the proximal femur that predispose a person to the development of FAI.

Hypothesis: Young adults who participated in high-level soccer competition as youths are more likely to demonstrate radiographic changes consistent with FAI and to have increased alpha angles as compared with controls.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: Pelvic radiographs (anteroposterior and frog-lateral) were obtained on 50 individuals who participated in high-level soccer during skeletal immaturity and 50 controls who did not participate in high-level soccer. There were 25 men and 25 women in each group. All subjects were between 18 and 30 years of age, had a body mass index of less than 30, and had not sought or received treatment for hip disorders. Radiographs were analyzed independently for the presence of FAI, and alpha angles were measured. Hips with alpha angles that measured greater than or equal to 55° were deemed to have cam deformity.

Results: Fifteen of the 25 male subjects had evidence of cam deformity, compared with 14 male controls. Nine of the 25 female subjects had evidence of cam deformity, compared with 8 female controls. Neither of these differences was statistically significant. There was a significantly higher prevalence of cam deformity in men as compared with women (29 vs 17, P = .016).

Conclusion: Participation in high-level soccer during skeletal immaturity is not associated with a higher risk of development of cam deformity in the young adult years. There is a high prevalence of cam deformity in the young adult population. Males demonstrate a higher prevalence of cam deformity than do females.