bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Freedom of the Press
Authors: Teeter Dwight
Published: June 2011

Freedom of the press refers to the freedom to criticize government without suffering official interference or punishment, before or after publication. “Freedom of the press,” “freedom of speech,” and “freedom of expression” are terms often used together in the United States, with “the press” primarily connoting print and electronic media. This bibliography concentrates on freedom of the press as defined by some major American and English writers and in decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States. Because of the advent of electronic media and of the internet and of other “new media” or “social media” during the 20th and early 21st centuries, the term “freedom of the press” is used to cover mediated communication in general. The clearest indicator of press freedom is that opponents of government or of government leaders, laws, or policies can publish effective criticisms without suffering government retaliation in the form of fines, imprisonment, or even death. That definition does not include communications that may break laws of general applicability, such as the law of fraud, nor violation of a contract. It also does not cover extralegal controls such a communicator’s sense of the community’s range of permissible expression, or public pressures (including mob action) against the press in times of crisis. The legal definition of “freedom of the press” in the United States begins with the forty-five words of the First Amendment to the Constitution, adopted 15 December 1791: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or the free exercise thereof, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” The absolute words of prohibition against congressional statutes tampering with speech or press freedom were, however, overridden early in the nation’s history by Congress in 1798, just seven years after the adoption of the First Amendment. Congress then passed the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, which, among other things, made it a crime to criticize the federal government or government leaders. These short-lived enactments, which fueled bitter partisan controversy in the new nation, are discussed in the Historical Context section. Freedom of the press is not static: it rises in times of peace and diminishes in times of war or national crisis, when most needed by society.
Information Processing
Authors: Bolls Paul
Published: June 2011

Information processing broadly refers to the mental activity emerging from processes the human mind engages in while processing information encountered in an individual’s environment. These mental processes have become particularly important to study in the context of communication research because features of communication-related stimuli— present in both mediated and interpersonal communication—construct the most meaningful parts of the social environment in which individuals engage in information processing. Historically, information processing has been considered to be representative of a distinct research approach as much as it defines a set of phenomena investigated by communication scientists. Information processing as a research approach emerged as part of the cognitive revolution in psychology, which brought about a significant paradigm shift in how researchers working in psychology attempted to understand the human mind. Scholars working in psychology at that time suggested that rigorous theoretical explanations of human nature and behavior could only emerge from research directed at systematically and objectively observing mental processes engaged in the minds and brains of individuals engaged in processing meaningful information in their environment. The adoption of this approach led to the establishment of new research methodologies involving psychophysiological measures in addition to self-report and behavioral measures designed to aid researchers in observing the human mind/brain at work. Communication scientists—particularly those interested in studying processes and effects of media—have adopted an information-processing approach to go beyond insight provided by traditional media-effects research and probe mental processes that may underlie the observed influence of mediated messages on individuals. The term “information processing” is biased toward describing more purely cognitive rather than emotional processes. Research in the field of neuropsychology demonstrates the fallacy of viewing cognition and emotion as isolated processes; thus, the term “information processing” is viewed as having limited utility in describing the more complex, integrated cognitive and emotional mental-activity that scientists engaged in this area investigate. The more general term “mental processing” or “mental processes” will be used here to more accurately describe the phenomenon that communication scientists involved in studying what has been historically considered information processing actually investigate. The first three headings of this bibliography have been included to present references that should provide foundational theoretical and methodological knowledge required to study information processing as mental processes engaged by communication activities, primarily media use. References provided in the remaining sections feature examples of recent information-processing research conducted in important areas of media research.
Microbial Volatile-Induced Accumulation of Exceptionally High Levels of Starch in Arabidopsis Leaves Is a Process Involving NTRC and Starch Synthase Classes III and IV
Authors: Li Jun , Ezquer Ignacio , Bahaji Abdellatif , Montero Manuel , Ovecka Miroslav , Baroja-Fernández Edurne , Muñoz Francisco José , Mérida Ángel , Almagro Goizeder , Hidalgo Maite , Sesma María Teresa , Pozueta-Romero Javier
Published: June 2011

Microbial volatiles promote the accumulation of exceptionally high levels of starch in leaves. Time-course analyses of starch accumulation in Arabidopsis leaves exposed to fungal volatiles (FV) emitted by Alternaria alternata revealed that a microbial volatile-induced starch accumulation process (MIVOISAP) is due to stimulation of starch biosynthesis during illumination. The increase of starch content in illuminated leaves of FV-treated hy1/cry1, hy1/cry2, and hy1/cry1/cry2 Arabidopsis mutants was many-fold lower than that of wild-type (WT) leaves, indicating that MIVOISAP is subjected to photoreceptor-mediated control. This phenomenon was inhibited by cordycepin and accompanied by drastic changes in the Arabidopsis transcriptome. MIVOISAP was also accompanied by enhancement of the total 3-phosphoglycerate/Pi ratio, and a two- to threefold increase of the levels of the reduced form of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. Using different Arabidopsis knockout mutants, we investigated the impact in MIVOISAP of downregulation of genes directly or indirectly related to starch metabolism. These analyses revealed that the magnitude of the FV-induced starch accumulation was low in mutants impaired in starch synthase (SS) classes III and IV and plastidial NADP-thioredoxin reductase C (NTRC). Thus, the overall data showed that Arabidopsis MIVOISAP involves a photocontrolled, transcriptionally and post-translationally regulated network wherein photoreceptor-, SSIII-, SSIV-, and NTRC-mediated changes in redox status of plastidial enzymes play important roles.
Small molecule CXCR3 antagonist NIBR2130 has only a limited impact on type 1 diabetes in a virus-induced mouse model
Authors: Christen S , Holdener M , Beerli C , Thoma G , Bayer M , Pfeilschifter J M , Hintermann E , Zerwes H-G , Christen U
Published: June 2011

CXCL10 is one of the key chemokines involved in trafficking of autoaggressive T cells to the islets of Langerhans during the autoimmune destruction of beta cells in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Blockade of CXCL10 or genetic deletion of its receptor CXCR3 results in a reduction of T1D in animal models. As an alternative to the use of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies to CXCL10 or CXCR3 we evaluated the small molecule CXCR3 antagonist NIBR2130 in a virus-induced mouse model for T1D. We found that the overall frequency of T1D was not reduced in mice administered with NIBR2130. An initial slight delay of diabetes onset was not stable over time, because the mice turned diabetic upon removal of the antagonist. Accordingly, no significant differences were found in the islet infiltration rate and the frequency and activity of islet antigen-specific T cells between protected mice administered with NIBR2130 and control mice. Our data indicate that in contrast to direct inhibition of CXCL10, blockade of CXCR3 with the small molecule antagonist NIBR2130 has no impact on trafficking and/or activation of autoaggressive T cells and is not sufficient to prevent T1D.
Antibody fragments as tools in crystallography
Authors: Griffin L , Lawson A
Published: June 2011

While antibody-based therapeutics have become firmly established as front-line drugs, the use of antibodies as research tools in small molecule drug discovery is still in its infancy. In this review we focus on the use of antibody fragments as crystallization chaperones to aid the structural determination of otherwise ‘uncrystallizable’ or ‘undruggable’ target proteins. We also highlight a potential application for this technology, in which antibody-mediated structures may be used to inform the design of new chemical entities.
Three‐dimensional gravity modelling and focusing inversion using rectangular meshes
Authors: Commer Michael
Published: June 2011

Rectangular grid cells are commonly used for the geophysical modeling of gravity anomalies, owing to their flexibility in constructing complex models. The straightforward handling of cubic cells in gravity inversion algorithms allows for a flexible imposition of model regularization constraints, which are generally essential in the inversion of static potential field data. The first part of this paper provides a review of commonly used expressions for calculating the gravity of a right polygonal prism, both for gravity and gradiometry, where the formulas of Plouff and Forsberg are adapted. The formulas can be cast into general forms practical for implementation. In the second part, a weighting scheme for resolution enhancement at depth is presented. Modelling the earth using highly digitized meshes, depth weighting schemes are typically applied to the model objective functional, subject to minimizing the data misfit. The scheme proposed here involves a non‐linear conjugate gradient inversion scheme with a weighting function applied to the non‐linear conjugate gradient scheme's gradient vector of the objective functional. The low depth resolution due to the quick decay of the gravity kernel functions is counteracted by suppressing the search directions in the parameter space that would lead to near‐surface concentrations of gravity anomalies. Further, a density parameter transformation function enabling the imposition of lower and upper bounding constraints is employed. Using synthetic data from models of varying complexity and a field data set, it is demonstrated that, given an adequate depth weighting function, the gravity inversion in the transform space can recover geologically meaningful models requiring a minimum of prior information and user interaction.
Platelet‐derived growth factor and platelet‐derived growth factor receptor‐α expression in the normal human thymus and thymoma
Authors: Cimpean Anca Maria , Ceauşu Raluca , Encică Svetlana , Gaje Pusa Nela , Ribatti Domenico , Raica Marius
Published: June 2011

Platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) and its receptors (PDGFRs) are strongly involved in the normal development of several organs, tumour angiogenesis and malignant progression and metastasis. Few studies concerning their expression, distribution and role in normal and pathological human thymus are available in the literature. The aim of this study has been to analyse the immunohistochemical expression of PDGF and PDGFR‐α in prenatal and postnatal normal human thymus and thymomal biopsy specimens. The results demonstrated immunoreactivity to both PDGF and PDGFR‐α in all specimens, but the intensity, distribution and number of positive cells were different in normal thymus and thymomas, and also among different tumour types. PDGF and PDGFR‐α were weakly expressed in foetal and postnatal humans with a different distribution between cortex and medulla in both blood vessels and epithelial cells, whereas they were overexpressed in thymoma, especially in type B2 and B3, in the tumour epithelial cells. Overall, these data suggest that PDGF and PDGFR‐α may be involved in the pathophysiology of the human thymus.
Past and present management influences the seed bank and seed rain in a rural landscape mosaic
Authors: Auffret Alistair G. , Cousins Sara A. O.
Published: June 2011

1. Seed bank and seed rain represent dispersal in time and space. They can be important sources of diversity in the rural landscape, where fragmented habitats are linked by their histories.

2. Seed bank, seed rain and above‐ground vegetation were sampled in four habitat types (abandoned semi‐natural grassland (ABA), grazed former arable field (FAF), mid‐field islet (MFI) and grazed semi‐natural grassland (SNG)) in a rural landscape in southern Sweden, to examine whether community patterns can be distinguished at large spatial scales and whether seed bank and seed rain are best explained by current, past or intended future vegetation communities.

3. We counted 54 357 seedlings of 188 species from 1190 seed bank and 797 seed rain samples. Seed bank, seed rain and above‐ground vegetation communities differed according to habitat. Several species characteristic of managed grassland vegetation were present in the seed bank, seed rain and vegetation of the other habitats.

4. The seed banks of SNGs and the seed rain of the FAFs were generally better predicted by the surrounding above‐ground vegetation than were the other habitat types. The seed rain of the grazed communities was most similar to the vegetation in the FAFs, while the seed banks of the abandoned grasslands most resembled the vegetation in SNGs.

5. Gap availability and seed input could be limiting the colonisation of target species in FAFs, while remnant populations in the seed bank and the presence of grassland specialists in the above‐ground vegetation indicate that abandoned grasslands and mid‐field islets could be valuable sources of future diversity in the landscape after restoration.

6. Synthesis and applications. SNG communities are able to form seed banks which survive land‐use change, but their seed rain does not reflect their above‐ground communities. It is important that grassland plants set seed. By connecting existing grasslands with restoration targets, increased disturbance in the target habitats would allow for colonisation via the seed bank or seed rain, while decreased grazing intensity would benefit seed production in the source grasslands. Otherwise, landscape‐wide propagule availability might increase with a more varied timing and intensity of management.
Post‐clearing recovery of coastal dunes invaded by Acacia longifolia: is duration of invasion relevant for management success?
Authors: Marchante Hélia , Freitas Helena , Hoffmann John H.
Published: June 2011

1. Invasive plants destroy the structure and function of many ecosystems but removal is expensive, so the likelihood of success should be assessed before a major control programme commences. Trial clearings can clarify how best to design and perform broad‐scale clearing programmes. Such trials need to consider the range of conditions that might affect the outcome of control operations, not least the duration of invasion before clearing commences, a parameter that has rarely been considered previously.

2. The recovery of plant communities was monitored over 6 years in a Portuguese coastal dune system after the removal of invasive Acacia longifolia plants, together with the underlying litter in half of the cleared areas but not in the remainder. Areas that had been invaded for >20 years (long‐invaded) as opposed to <7 years (recently invaded) were compared.

3. After the removal of A. longifolia, recently invaded areas had more exotic plant species but also higher native species richness, plant cover, initial diversity and species turnover rates than long‐invaded areas. Generalist native species were initially very abundant in cleared areas but progressively gave way to species more typical of dunes. Six years after clearing, many species that usually occur on dunes were still missing. Therophytes were the most abundant life form immediately after clearing, but nanophanerophytes, chamaephytes and A. longifolia increased with time. Seedlings of A. longifolia were most abundant in long‐invaded areas, but litter removal along with plants promoted increased plant species richness and cover and decreased susceptibility to reinvasion.

4. Synthesis and applications. A number of variables can affect the outcome of clearing invasive plant species. For A. longifolia on Portuguese dunes, recently invaded areas should be prioritized and thick litter layers should be removed along with the invader. Even so, recovery of native flora was not complete in this study, and other management actions are needed to supplement clearing operations, for example propagation of native species or prescribed fires to deplete the invasive species seed bank. Although complete restoration of the ecosystem will almost always be impossible, it should be possible in the long term to create an ecosystem with a structure and function that resembles the original habitat.
Spatial structure and the effects of host and soil environments on communities of ectomycorrhizal fungi in wooded savannas and rain forests of Continental Africa and Madagascar
Authors: TEDERSOO LEHO , BAHRAM MOHAMMAD , JAIRUS TEELE , BECHEM ENEKE , CHINOYA STEPHEN , MPUMBA REBECCA , LEAL MIGUEL , RANDRIANJOHANY EMILE , RAZAFIMANDIMBISON SYLVAIN , SADAM AVE , NAADEL TRIIN , KÕLJALG URMAS
Published: June 2011

Mycorrhizal fungi play a key role in mineral nutrition of terrestrial plants, but the factors affecting natural distribution, diversity and community composition of particularly tropical fungi remain poorly understood. This study addresses shifts in community structure and species frequency of ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi in relation to host taxa, soil depth and spatial structure in four contrasting African ecosystems. We used the rDNA and plastid trnL intron sequence analysis for identification of fungi and host plants, respectively. By partitioning out spatial autocorrelation in plant and fungal distribution, we suggest that African EcM fungal communities are little structured by soil horizon and host at the plant species and family levels. These findings contrast with patterns of vegetation in these forests and EcM fungal communities in other tropical and temperate ecosystems. The low level of host preference indirectly supports an earlier hypothesis that pioneer Phyllanthaceae may facilitate the establishment of late successional Fabaceae and potentially other EcM host trees by providing compatible fungal inoculum in deforested and naturally disturbed ecosystems of tropical Africa.
Exocytosis and growth do not occur only at hyphal tips
Authors: Read Nick D.
Published: June 2011

Mycologists have put extreme emphasis on hyphal tip growth as the primary mode of growth in filamentous fungi. Much attention has also been focused on the exocytosis of extracellular enzymes from hyphal tips. However, growth and exocytosis commonly occur at hyphal locations other than tips. Here I briefly review our limited understanding of growth and exocytosis during intercalary hyphal extension, subapical branch initiation, septum formation and secondary wall thickening. Secretion of extracellular enzymes and adhesion molecules from subapical hyphal regions is also discussed. Recent research using advanced live‐cell imaging techniques (e.g. Hayakawa et al., 2011 in this issue) is providing new insights into the mechanistic basis of many of these processes.
Functional characterization of the ferroxidase, permease high‐affinity iron transport complex from Candida albicans
Authors: Ziegler Lynn , Terzulli Alaina , Gaur Ruchi , McCarthy Ryan , Kosman Daniel J.
Published: June 2011

Saccharomyces cerevisiae expresses two proteins that together support high‐affinity Fe‐uptake. These are a multicopper oxidase, Fet3p, with specificity towards Fe2+ and a ferric iron permease, Ftr1p, which supports Fe‐accumulation. Homologues of the genes encoding these two proteins are found in all fungal genomes including those for the pathogens, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. At least one of these loci represents a virulence factor for each pathogen suggesting that this complex would be an appropriate pharmacologic target. However, the mechanism by which this protein pair supports Fe‐uptake in any fungal pathogen has not been elucidated. Taking advantage of the robust molecular genetics available in S. cerevisiae, we identify the two of five candidate ferroxidases likely involved in high‐affinity Fe‐uptake in C. albicans, Fet31 and Fet34. Both localize to the yeast plasma membrane and both support Fe‐uptake along with an Ftr1 protein, either from C. albicans or from S. cerevisiae. We express and characterize Fet34, demonstrating that it is functionally homologous to ScFet3p. Using S. cerevisiae as host for the functional expression of the C. albicans Fe‐uptake proteins, we demonstrate that they support a mechanism of Fe‐trafficking that involves channelling of the CaFet34‐generated Fe3+ directly to CaFtr1 for transport into the cytoplasm.
Deciphering tectonic‐ and erosion‐driven exhumation of the Nevado–Filábride Complex (Betic Cordillera, Southern Spain) by low temperature thermochronology
Authors: Vázquez Mercedes , Jabaloy Antonio , Barbero Luis , Stuart Finly M.
Published: June 2011

Terra Nova, 23, 257–263, 2011

New apatite (U‐Th)/He and fission‐track data from the Nevado–Filábride complex in the Sierra Nevada of southern Spain are used to constrain the Neogene exhumation history. Apatite (U‐Th)/He ages are close to fission‐track ages in western Sierra Nevada indicating that rapid cooling occurred at 8–6 Ma, consistent with exhumation due to extension along the Mecina Fault. The western Sierra de los Filabres cooled rapidly at c. 12 Ma, while the central Sierra de los Filabres experienced less rapid cooling at 8 Ma. The age distribution in the Sierra de los Filabres can be explained by exhumation due to flexural uplift to the south‐west of the footwall of the Mecina Fault. The lower cooling rates in the central Sierra de los Filabres suggest that folding and erosion were the main exhumation processes during the Late Tortonian.

Terra Nova, 00, 1–7, 2011
A NAC domain protein family contributing to the regulation of wood formation in poplar
Authors: Ohtani Misato , Nishikubo Nobuyuki , Xu Bo , Yamaguchi Masatoshi , Mitsuda Nobutaka , Goué Nadia , Shi Fusun , Ohme‐Takagi Masaru , Demura Taku
Published: June 2011

Wood harvested from trees is one of the most widely utilized natural materials on our planet. Recent environmental issues have prompted an increase in the demand for wood, especially as a cost‐effective and renewable resource for industry and energy, so it is important to understand the process of wood formation. In the present study, we focused on poplar (Populus trichocarpa) NAC domain protein genes which are homologous to well‐known Arabidopsis transcription factors regulating the differentiation of xylem vessels and fiber cells. From phylogenetic analysis, we isolated 16 poplar NAC domain protein genes, and named them PtVNS (VND‐, NST/SND‐ and SMB‐related proteins) genes. Expression analysis revealed that 12 PtVNS (also called PtrWND) genes including both VND and NST groups were expressed in developing xylem tissue and phloem fiber, whereas in primary xylem vessels, only PtVNS/PtrWND genes of the VND group were expressed. By using the post‐translational induction system of Arabidopsis VND7, a master regulator of xylem vessel element differentiation, many poplar genes functioning in xylem vessel differentiation downstream from NAC domain protein genes were identified. Transient expression assays showed the variation in PtVNS/PtrWND transactivation activity toward downstream genes, even between duplicate gene pairs. Furthermore, overexpression of PtVNS/PtrWND genes induced ectopic secondary wall thickening in poplar leaves as well as in Arabidopsis seedlings with different levels of induction efficiency according to the gene. These results suggest that wood formation in poplar is regulated by cooperative functions of the NAC domain proteins.
‘Managing patient involvement’: provider perspectives on diabetes decision‐making
Authors: Shortus Tim , Kemp Lynn , McKenzie Suzanne , Harris Mark
Published: June 2011

Background  Most studies of shared decision‐making focus on acute treatment or screening decision‐making encounters, yet a significant proportion of primary care is concerned with managing patients with chronic disease.

Aim  To investigate provider perspectives on the role of patient involvement in chronic disease decision‐making.

Design  A qualitative, grounded theory study of patient involvement in diabetes care planning.

Setting and participants  Interviews were conducted with 29 providers (19 general practitioners, eight allied health providers, and two endocrinologists) who participated in diabetes care planning.

Results  Providers described a conflict between their responsibilities to deliver evidence‐based diabetes care and to respect patients’ rights to make decisions. While all were concerned with providing best possible diabetes care, they differed in the emphasis they placed on ‘treating to target’ or practicing ‘personalized care’. Those preferring to ‘treat to target’ were more assertive, while ‘personalized care’ meant being more accepting of the patient’s priorities. Providers sought to manage patient involvement in decision‐making according to their objectives. ‘Treating to target’ meant involving patients where necessary to tailor care to their needs and abilities, but limiting patient involvement in decisions about the overall agenda. ‘Personalized care’ meant involving patients to tailor care to patient preference.

Discussion and conclusions  Respecting a patient’s autonomy and delivering high‐quality diabetes care are important to providers. At times it may not be possible to do both, so a careful balance is required. Involving patients in decision‐making may be a means to this end, rather than an end in itself.
Hepatic steatosis in hepatitis B virus infected patients: Meta‐analysis of risk factors and comparison with hepatitis C infected patients
Authors: Machado Mariana V , Oliveira António G , Cortez‐Pinto Helena
Published: June 2011

Background and Aims:  Although hepatic steatosis (HS) has an association with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, an association with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is controversial. We performed a meta‐analysis to evaluate HS prevalence and risk factors, in HBV infection.

Methods:  Standard guidelines for performance of meta‐analyses were followed. Studies with HS assessed by histology were included. Pooled odd ratios (OR) and standardized mean differences (SMD) were obtained with the random‐effects model and DerSimonian‐Laid method.

Results:  Seventeen out of 21 studies were included, comprising 4100 HBV infected patients. Overall HS prevalence was 29.6%. Eight studies also included 945 HCV infected patients, showing decreased risk of HS in HBV versus HCV patients (OR 0.55, 95%CI [0.45–0.67], P < 0.001). In HBV, HS positively associated with male gender (OR 1.74, 95%CI [1.28–2.38], P < 0.001), body mass index (SMD 2.17, 95%CI [1.23, 3.11], P < 0.001), obesity (OR 6.59, 95%CI [3.51–12.257], P = 0.003), diabetes (OR 2.62, 95%CI [1.37–4.00], P = 0.004), glycemia (SMD 0.84, 95%CI [0.00, 1.67], P = 0.049), triglycerides (SMD 1.18, 95%CI [0.48, 1.89], P = 0.001), cholesterol (SMD 0.88, 95%CI [0.31, 1.45], P = 0.003), moderate alcohol consumption (OR 1.54, 95%CI [1.10–2.15], P = 0.011) and negatively with HBV DNA (SMD −74.12, 95%CI [−82.93, −65.31], P < 0.001). HS had no association with aminotransferases, HBeAg, genotype or hepatic histology, necroinflammation or fibrosis.

Conclusion:  HS in HBV seems to be as frequent as in the general population, and lower than in HCV infected patients, relating to metabolic factors but not with hepatic histology severity. A puzzling strong negative association between viral load and HS, may even suggest a protective effect of the virus on HS.
Preoperative evaluation of the longitudinal extent of borderline resectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma by intraductal ultrasonography
Authors: Choi E Ryoung , Chung Yun Hee , Lee Jong Kyun , Lee Kyu Taek , Lee Kwang Hyuck , Choi Dong Wook , Choi Seong Ho , Heo Jin Seok , Jang Kee‐Taek , Park Sang Mo , Lim Jae Hoon
Published: June 2011

Background and Aim:  In patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC), longitudinal tumor extent is important for curative resection. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the longitudinal extents of HC using transpapillary intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS) for optimal surgical planning.

Methods:  From July 2006 to April 2010, a total of 42 patients with borderline resectable HC were enrolled at Samsung Medical Center, a tertiary referral hospital in Seoul, Korea. All patients were evaluated using multi‐detector computed tomography (MDCT), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and IDUS. The new modified Bismuth Type (MBT) classification, in which the traditional Bismuth type IV stage is divided into stages IVa and IVb, was used to determine whether the tumor invaded the left lateral section. Among the subtypes of HC, the periductal infiltrative type (PDI) and intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPN‐B) were compared. The accuracies of CT, ERCP, and IDUS were assessed through comparison with the postoperative histology findings.

Results:  A total of 42 patients were prospectively enrolled, and the tumor extent could be assessed histologically in 30 patients. The accuracies of CT, ERCP, and IDUS were 66.6%, 60%, and 90%, respectively. The accuracy of IDUS was 85.7% in 21 patients with PDI and 100% in nine patients with IPN‐B.

Conclusions:  Hilar cholangiocarcinoma staging based on IDUS findings was highly accurate. We therefore highly recommend using IDUS for optimal surgical planning in patients with borderline resectable HC.
Functional characterization of genetic variants in the apical sodium‐dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT; SLC10A2)
Authors: Ho Richard H , Leake Brenda F , Urquhart Brad L , Gregor Jamie C , Dawson Paul A , Kim Richard B
Published: June 2011

Background and Aim:  The major transporter responsible for bile acid uptake from the intestinal lumen is the apical sodium‐dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT, SLC10A2). Analysis of the SLC10A2 gene has identified a variety of sequence variants including coding region single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that may influence bile acid homeostasis/intestinal function. In this study, we systematically characterized the effect of coding SNPs on SLC10A2 protein expression and bile acid transport activity.

Methods:  Single nucleotide polymorphisms in SLC10A2 from genomic DNA of ethnically‐defined healthy individuals were identified using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐based temperature gradient capillary electrophoresis (TGCE) system. A heterologous gene expression system was used to assess transport activity of SLC10A2 nonsynonymous variants and missense mutations. Total and cell surface protein expression of wild‐type and variant ASBT was assessed by Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. Expression of ASBT mRNA and protein was also measured in human intestinal samples.

Results:  The studies revealed two nonsynonymous SNPs, 292G>A and 431G>A, with partially impaired in vitro taurocholate transport. A novel variant, 790A>G, was also shown to exhibit near complete loss of taurocholate transport, similar to the previously identified ASBT missense mutations. Examination of ASBT protein expression revealed no significant differences in expression or trafficking to the cell surface among variants versus wild‐type ASBT. Analysis of ASBT mRNA and protein expression in human intestinal samples revealed modest intersubject variability.

Conclusions:  Genome sequencing and in vitro studies reveal the presence of multiple functionally relevant variants in SLC10A2 that may influence bile acid homeostasis and physiology.
The Problem of Slums: Shifting Methods of Neoliberal Urban Government in Morocco
Authors: Bogaert Koenraad
Published: June 2011

This article puts forward two main arguments. First, it highlights the relationship between different phases of neoliberalism in Morocco together with the specific methods and techniques of urban government that were deployed in an effort to govern the slums and their populations. A period of ‘roll back neoliberalism’ during the 1980s generated reforms that tried to increase government control over the urban territory to compensate for the negative social outcomes of structural adjustment. The subsequent period of ‘roll out neoliberalism’ coincided with the attempt to manage and regulate the slum population through new modalities of state intervention. Second, while evolutions in neoliberal government reflected a gradual process, this transition in Morocco was accelerated by security concerns following two moments of serious urban violence: the 1981 riots and the 2003 suicide bombings in Casablanca. Therefore, Morocco's recent political transformations cannot be understood in terms provided by the mainstream narrative linking economic liberalization to democratization. Rather, they reflect a profound shift towards intrinsically authoritarian modalities of neoliberal government which are clearly revealed at the urban scale.
Climate Change, Conflict and Development in Sudan: Global Neo‐Malthusian Narratives and Local Power Struggles
Authors: Verhoeven Harry
Published: June 2011

Dystopian accounts of climate change posit that it will lead to more conflict, causing state failure and mass population movements. Yet these narratives are both theoretically and empirically problematic: the conflict–environment hypothesis merges a global securitization agenda with local manipulations of Northern fears about the state of planetary ecology. Sudan has experienced how damaging this fusion of wishful thinking, power politics and top‐down development can be. In the 1970s, global resource scarcity concerns were used locally to impose the fata morgana of Sudan as an Arab‐African breadbasket: in the name of development, violent evictions of local communities contributed to Sudan's second civil war and associated famines. Today, Darfur has been labelled ‘the world's first climate change conflict’, masking the long‐term political‐economic dynamics and Sudanese agency underpinning the crisis. Simultaneously, the global food crisis is instrumentalized to launch a dam programme and agricultural revival that claim to be African answers to resource scarcity. The winners, however, are Sudan's globalized Islamist elites and foreign investors, whilst the livelihoods of local communities are undermined. Important links exist between climatic developments and security, but global Malthusian narratives about state failure and conflict are dangerously susceptible to manipulations by national elites; the practical outcomes decrease rather than increase human security. In the climate change era, the breakdown of institutions and associated violence is often not an unfortunate failure of the old system due to environmental shock, but a strategy of elites in wider processes of power and wealth accumulation and contestation.
Genes to ecosystems: exploring the frontiers of ecology with one of the smallest biological units
Authors: Wymore Adam S. , Keeley Annika T. H. , Yturralde Kasey M. , Schroer Melanie L. , Propper Catherine R. , Whitham Thomas G.
Published: June 2011

Genes and their expression levels in individual species can structure whole communities and affect ecosystem processes. Although much has been written about community and ecosystem phenotypes with a few model systems, such as poplar and goldenrod, here we explore the potential application of a community genetics approach with systems involving invasive species, climate change and pollution. We argue that community genetics can reveal patterns and processes that otherwise might remain undetected. To further facilitate the community genetics or genes‐to‐ecosystem concept, we propose four community genetics postulates that allow for the conclusion of a causal relationship between the gene and its effect on the ecosystem. Although most current studies do not satisfy these criteria completely, several come close and, in so doing, begin to provide a genetic‐based understanding of communities and ecosystems, as well as a sound basis for conservation and management practices.

ContentsSummary19I.Introduction19II.Fundamental principles and the community genetics equivalent of Koch’s postulates20III.Genes, invasions and competition21IV.Mutation, resistance and ecosystem consequences24V.Heritable traits, pine cones and climate26VI.Gene expression, fish and pollution28VII.An emphasis on foundation species and their biotic and abiotic interactions31VIII.Applications to the human condition32IX.Conclusions32Acknowledgements33References33
Indirect effects of oral tolerance improve wound healing in skin
Authors: Costa Raquel A. , Ruiz‐de‐Souza Valéria , Azevedo Jr. Geraldo M. , Gava Elisandra , Kitten Gregory T. , Vaz Nelson M. , Carvalho Cláudia R.
Published: June 2011

Tissue injury in adult mammalian skin frequently results in scarring while fetal mammalian skin heals with complete regeneration. Inflammatory reactions are among the factors thought to impair regeneration. Previous studies have shown that the injection of an immunologically tolerated protein blocks immune responses to unrelated antigens and is also able to inhibit inflammation in mice. This phenomenon, which we refer to as the indirect effects of oral tolerance, does not require the simultaneous injection of the tolerated antigen and the second antigen, and also occurs when the two antigens are given by separate routes of immunization. Herein, we investigated whether the i.p. injection of an orally tolerated antigen (ovalbumin, OVA) would inhibit inflammatory reactions at an incisional lesion and influence healing of adult mouse skin. In OVA‐tolerant mice, the injection of OVA minutes before wounding altered inflammation: it reduced the numbers of mast cells, neutrophils, and lymphocytes but increased the number of macrophages around the lesion area. Tolerant mice also showed fewer myofibroblasts and reduced scar area. Furthermore, tolerant mice displayed a pattern of extracellular matrix deposition similar to that observed in intact skin, plus characteristics of regeneration, such as an increased deposition of fibronectin and tenascin‐C. These observations suggest that the indirect effects of oral tolerance can alter the process of wound healing in skin and reduce scar formation.
Zucker diabetic fatty rat: A new model of impaired cutaneous wound repair with type II diabetes mellitus and obesity
Authors: Slavkovsky Rastislav , Kohlerova Renata , Tkacova Vlasta , Jiroutova Alena , Tahmazoglu Burak , Velebny Vladimir , Rezačová Martina , Sobotka Lubos , Kanta Jiri
Published: June 2011

Impaired diabetic wound healing is an important current medical issue, mainly concerning patients recovering from complicated operations or patients with ulcers on their feet. The obese Zucker diabetic fatty rat, with a mutation in leptin receptors, may be a good choice for studying impaired wound healing. Male and female rats were fed a diabetogenic high‐fat diet. Wound size changes of air‐exposed excisional 2 cm circular wounds were measured until Day 10. Wound tissue was analyzed morphologically, histologically, and immunohistochemically. The hydroxyproline content in the granulation tissue (GT) was determined. mRNA expression was assayed by DNA‐array analysis and real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. Wound‐size changes were retarded in diabetic rats and differed between the sexes. Diabetic wounds were characterized by impaired contraction, abundant crust production, increased inflammation, and pus formation. On Day 10, the GT contained a significantly increased amount of intercalated fat tissue and showed an irregular arrangement of GT and collagen fibers. Interestingly, the length of new epithelium was increased in diabetic wounds. The concentration of hydroxyproline in the GT of diabetic animals was significantly decreased to about one half when compared with the nondiabetic controls. The expression of interleukin‐6, myeloperoxidase, stromelysin‐1, and collagenase‐3 was increased in the GT of diabetic rats on Day 10, while the expression of type I collagen and elastin was decreased. Taken together, Zucker diabetic fatty rats exhibited impairments in wound‐size reduction, inflammatory response, tissue organization, and connective tissue turnover and are thus proposed as a new model for studying impaired repair.
Lifestyle Physical Activity Behavior of Korean American Dry Cleaner Couples
Authors: Ju Sukyung , Wilbur JoEllen , Lee Eunice , Miller Arlene
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACT Objective: The purposes of this study were to: (1) describe and compare lifestyle physical activity (leisure‐time physical activity [LTPA], household physical activity [HPA], and occupational physical activity [OPA]), using both self‐report and an objective measure of step counts, in self‐employed Korean American married couples working together at dry cleaners, and (2) examine the relationship between self‐report and objective measures of physical activity.

Design and Sample: 70 couples participated in this cross‐sectional, descriptive, face‐to‐face interview survey.

Measures: 2 self‐reports (28‐item Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors Physical Activity Questionnaire and Tecumseh Occupational Physical Activity Questionnaire) and 1 objective measure (New Lifestyles‐800 pedometer) were used.

Results: The husbands spent significantly more time than their wives in moderate‐ to vigorous‐intensity LTPA (207 vs. 122 min/week) and OPA (2,585 vs. 1,065 min/week). Most couples (91%) met recommended levels of physical activity based on their OPA. Pedometer steps correlated significantly only with LTPA.

Conclusions: Study findings suggest that to increase physical activity in Korean American couples who work in a small business, moderate‐intensity lifestyle physical activity interventions across LTPA, HPA, and OPA will be more successful than traditional leisure‐time interventions. In addition, results suggest that there is a need for interventions that target both members of the married couple.
Feeding territory and variations in behavioural modes of algae‐grazing fishPlecoglossus altivelis ryukyuensis(Ryukyu‐ayu) in subtropical island streams
Authors: Awata Satoshi , Tsuruta Tetsuya , Abe Shin‐ichiro , Tamaki Yasuji , Iguchi Kei’ichiro
Published: June 2011

Abstract – Social and foraging modes in fish often vary between individuals with different body sizes and between populations under different ecological conditions. We studied social and foraging behaviour of algae‐grazing fishPlecoglossus altivelis ryukyuensis(Ryukyu‐ayu) inhabiting Japanese subtropical island streams. Ryukyu‐ayu exhibited four behavioural modes: territorial, schooling, solitary and floating. Their body sizes differed among these modes. Territorial fish predominantly foraged on benthic algae, whereas schooling and solitary individuals frequently consumed drifting materials as well. Schooling fish were smaller than territorial fish, but, unlike some other algae‐grazing fish species, did not use schooling to gain access to food within territories. Territorial fish attacked smaller conspecifics but exhibited lateral display towards larger fish and schooling fish while occasionally attacking grazing gobies. Larger fish maintained larger feeding territories and occupied territories for longer periods than smaller fish did. This suggests that, in Ryukyu‐ayu, intra‐ and interspecific food competitions and relative body size can influence diverse behavioural modes and duration of territory occupation. We also found that Ryukyu‐ayu foraged more often and had larger feeding territories than ayuP. a. altivelisinhabiting temperate streams. We conclude that foraging strategies of Ryukyu‐ayu may have adapted to subtropical island streams, where algal productivity is much lower than that in temperate regions.
Ultrasound stimulation attenuates root resorption of rat replanted molars and impairs tumor necrosis factor‐α signaling in vitro
Authors: Rego E. B. , Inubushi T. , Miyauchi M. , Kawazoe A. , Tanaka E. , Takata T. , Tanne K.
Published: June 2011

Rego EB, Inubushi T, Miyauchi M, Kawazoe A, Tanaka E, Takata T, Tanne K. Ultrasound stimulation attenuates root resorption of rat replanted molars and impairs tumor necrosis factor‐α signaling in vitro. J Periodont Res 2011; 46: 648–654. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Background and Objective:  A therapeutic protocol to minimize root resorption induced by tooth replantation has not yet been universally established. In this context, noninvasive modality such as ultrasound therapy have been a focus of increased interest. This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of ultrasound therapy on root resorption of replanted rat molars. In addition, the study aimed to promote insights into the mechanism through which ultrasound mediates the metabolism of periodontal cells in vitro.

Material and Methods:  An experimental model of tooth replantation in rats, involving luxation and immediate replacement of the maxillary first molars, was used to assess the inhibitory effect of an ultrasound‐therapy regimen (15 min of exposure to ultrasound, each day for 21 d) on root resorption. Moreover, the effect of ultrasound on osteoclastogenesis/cementoclastogenesis was examined in vitro using a mouse osteoblastic stromal cell line (ST2) and a mouse cementoblastic cell line (OCCM‐30).

Results:  The area of root resorption lacunae was statistically decreased (p < 0.01) in the ultrasound‐treated sample. In addition, immunohistochemical staining, using murine TNF‐α polyclonal antibody, failed to detect tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) protein in the ultrasound‐treated sample compared with the control. An in vitro study showed that the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced expression of Tnfalpha mRNA was significantly reduced by ultrasound therapy in both osteoblastic and cementoblastic cells. Moreover, the TNF‐α‐induced up‐regulation of Rankl mRNA was also inhibited by ultrasound.

Conclusion:  Ultrasound may contribute to the reduction of the trauma‐induced inflammatory reaction through impairment of the TNF‐α signaling pathway. It is therefore suggested that ultrasound shows potential as a therapeutic tool to optimize the regenerative potential of periodontal tissues on replanted teeth.