bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURTS ROUND-UP
Authors: Turns David , Rojo Carnero , McCausland Julieta Solano , Bojovic Aleks
Published: November 2010

The International Criminal Courts Round-Up reports on the most interesting judgements and decisions rendered by international(ized) criminal courts and tribunals during the reporting period. In addition, important developments within the various organs of the courts are highlighted, such as the appointment of new judges and significant amendments to the procedural rules of the courts. The Round-Up presently covers issues concerning the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S FIRST YEAR AND IHL: A PRAGMATIST RECLAIMS THE HIGH GROUND
Authors: Corn Geoffrey S. , Jensen Eric Talbot
Published: November 2010

In a list of ‘desk side reminders’, allegedly originating with General Colin Powell, there is one towards the end which says ‘the window for changes is the first year’. It is unlikely President Obama follows these reminders, but it is nonetheless worthwhile to consider how his decisions – the decisions of the Commander in Chief of the sole remaining military superpower – impacted the application and development of international humanitarian law during the year when his window of opportunity was open.

President Obama's first year in office can be defined by two words: pragmatism and commitment. His pragmatism is reflected in the decision to continue to pursue the armed conflicts against transnational terrorism, and his refusal to abandon the legal and policy positions of his predecessor that lodge that struggle squarely within an armed conflict paradigm. His commitment is reflected both in his decision to continue the armed struggle against transnational terrorism, and in the actions he has taken to demonstrate US commitment to fundamental humanitarian principles of the law, and to abandon the policy of legal exceptionalism that defined his predecessor's ‘authority without obligation’ interpretation of the law as it applied to this armed conflict. Any doubt about these dual pillars of his approach to transnational terrorism was eliminated when he delivered his Nobel acceptance speech. In that speech, he challenged the international community to accept the continuing need to meet the threat of transnational terrorism with military force. However, he also emphasized that maintaining the moral high ground in the conduct of hostilities – even when confronting an immoral opponent – is at the very core of the American military tradition.
TARGETING NARCOINSURGENTS IN AFGHANISTAN: THE LIMITS OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW
Authors: Schmitt Michael N.
Published: November 2010

In October 2008, upon the request of the Afghan government, NATO Defence Ministers meeting in Budapest agreed that ‘ISAF [International Security Assistance Force] can act in concert with the Afghans against facilities and facilitators supporting the insurgency, in the context of counternarcotics, subject to the authorization of respective nations’. In explaining the scope of the contemplated actions, NATO officials noted that drug producers and traffickers who aided the ongoing insurgency could now be attacked. NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), US General Bantz Craddock, justified the policy on the ground that the Taliban reaped over $100 million annually from the drug trade. US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates likewise defended the decision as sound strategy.

It soon became clear that other key figures were less enamoured with the new approach, or the subsequent guidance issued to effectuate it. On 5 January 2009, Craddock instructed General Egon Ramms, the German Commander of Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum, which overseas NATO operations in Afghanistan, ‘to attack directly drug producers and facilities throughout Afghanistan’. The threshold for engagement seemed to require little connection to the insurgency. According to SACEUR's guidance, it was ‘no longer necessary to produce intelligence or other evidence that each particular drug trafficker or narcotics facility in Afghanistan meets the criteria of being a military objective’ because the alliance ‘has decided that (drug traffickers and narcotics facilities) are inextricably linked to the Opposing Military Forces, and thus may be attacked’.
THE APPLICATION OF IHL IN THE GOLDSTONE REPORT: A CRITICAL COMMENTARY
Authors: Blank Laurie R.
Published: November 2010

Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli military operation in Gaza that began on December 27, 2008, demonstrated anew the challenges international humanitarian law faces in contemporary conflict. The Goldstone Report presented an opportunity to examine critically how the law applies in complicated modern warfare and how the law might be used to solve difficult problems such conflict poses.

This article analyzes the Goldstone Report's application of the law to the conduct of both parties in the conflict to examine how it applies and interprets the legal standards within the framework of the Gaza conflict. In particular, the article focuses on two main shortcomings in the Goldstone Report's application of IHL: areas in which the report could have benefitted from a greater sensitivity to the complexities of modern warfare, and areas in which its approach is questionable as a matter of law.

First, the article highlights the report's flawed examination of the challenges posed by contemporary conflicts in two fundamental areas of IHL: distinction and military objectives. Both require that military commanders and soldiers understand who is a civilian and who is a fighter or combatant, and which targets are military targets and which are civilian objects. Without a thorough and sophisticated understanding of how to make these determinations, military commanders, soldiers and policy makers will face grave difficulty in planning and carrying out military operations within the bounds of the law. The challenges presented in Operation Cast Lead are emblematic of some of the most difficult dilemmas modern warfare poses.

Second, the article highlights several areas in which the Goldstone Report's application of IHL is questionable, either because it uses the incorrect legal standard or because it applies the wrong law when more than one body of law applies. The report errs twice in its treatment of the principle of proportionality, first by approaching jus in bello proportionality retrospectively rather than prospectively, and second by conflating jus ad bellum proportionality with jus in bello proportionality. Additional problems arise in its analysis of the law governing precautions in attack and the treatment of prisoners of war, and its assessment of responsibility for specific crimes, including attacks on civilians, destruction of property and hostage taking.
Fig‐eating by vertebrate frugivores: a global review
Authors: SHANAHAN MIKE , SO SAMSON , GOMPTON STEPHEN G. , GORLETT RICHARD
Published: November 2010

The consumption of figs (the fruit of Ficus spp.; Moraceae) by vertebrates is reviewed using data from the literature, unpublished accounts and new field data from Borneo and Hong Kong. Records of frugivory from over 75 countries are presented for 260 Ficus species (approximately 30% of described species). Explanations are presented for geographical and taxonomic gaps in the otherwise extensive literature. In addition to a small number of reptiles and fishes, 1274 bird and mammal species in 523 genera and 92 families are known to eat figs. In terms of the number of species and genera of fig‐eaters and the number of fig species eaten we identify the avian families interacting most with Ficus to be Columbidae, Psittacidae, Pycnonotidae, Bucerotidae, Sturnidae and Lybiidae. Among mammals, the major fig‐eating families are Pteropodidae, Cercopithecidae, Sciuridae, Phyllostomidae and Cebidae. We assess the role these and other frugivores play in Ficus seed dispersal and identify fig‐specialists. In most, but not all, cases fig specialists provide effective seed dispersal services to the Ficus species on which they feed. The diversity of fig‐eaters is explained with respect to fig design and nutrient content, phenology of fig ripening and the diversity of fig presentation. Whilst at a gross level there exists considerable overlap between birds, arboreal mammals and fruit bats with regard to the fig species they consume, closer analysis, based on evidence from across the tropics, suggests that discrete guilds of Ficus species differentially attract subsets of sympatric frugivore communities. This dispersal guild structure is determined by interspecific differences in fig design and presentation. Throughout our examination of the fig‐frugivore interaction we consider phylogenetic factors and make comparisons between large‐scale biogeographical regions. Our dataset supports previous claims that Ficus is the most important plant genus for tropical frugivores. We explore the concept of figs as keystone resources and suggest criteria for future investigations of their dietary importance. Finally, fully referenced lists of frugivores recorded at each Ficus species and of Ficus species in the diet of each frugivore are presented as online appendices. In situations where ecological information is incomplete or its retrieval is impractical, this valuable resource will assist conservationists in evaluating the role of figs or their frugivores in tropical forest sites.
Bergmann glial ensheathment of dendritic spines regulates synapse number without affecting spine motility
Authors: Lippman Bell Jocelyn J. , Lordkipanidze Tamar , Cobb Natalie , Dunaevsky Anna
Published: November 2010

In the cerebellum, lamellar Bergmann glial (BG) appendages wrap tightly around almost every Purkinje cell dendritic spine. The function of this glial ensheathment of spines is not entirely understood. The development of ensheathment begins near the onset of synaptogenesis, when motility of both BG processes and dendritic spines are high. By the end of the synaptogenic period, ensheathment is complete and motility of the BG processes decreases, correlating with the decreased motility of dendritic spines. We therefore have hypothesized that ensheathment is intimately involved in capping synaptogenesis, possibly by stabilizing synapses. To test this hypothesis, we misexpressed GluR2 in an adenoviral vector in BG towards the end of the synaptogenic period, rendering the BG α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPARs) Ca2+-impermeable and causing glial sheath retraction. We then measured the resulting spine motility, spine density and synapse number. Although we found that decreasing ensheathment at this time does not alter spine motility, we did find a significant increase in both synaptic pucta and dendritic spine density. These results indicate that consistent spine coverage by BG in the cerebellum is not necessary for stabilization of spine dynamics, but is very important in the regulation of synapse number.
Depression in der Schwangerschaft
Authors: Frisch Ulrike , Riecher-Rössler Anita
Published: November 2010

Depressionen in der Schwangerschaft sind häufig, werden aber nicht immer als solche wahrgenommen, da viele Beschwerden der Schwangerschaft an sich zugeschrieben werden. Unbehandelt sind Risiken wie Frühgeburt oder niedriges Geburtsgewicht beschrieben. Eine Herausforderung ist die Wahl der geeigneten Therapiemaßnahme. Als Behandlungsmöglichkeiten stehen neben Psycho- und Pharmakotherapie unter anderem auch Elektrokrampftherapie sowie Lichttherapie zur Auswahl. Die Entscheidung, welche Therapiemaßnahme ergriffen wird, kann nur mit der werdenden Mutter zusammen getroffen werden; ein sorgfältiges Abwägen der Vor- und Nachteile der Behandlung ist dafür Voraussetzung.
Psychotherapie der Depression (unter Berücksichtigung verschiedener Verfahren)
Authors: Hermann Ernst K. , Munsch Simone , Biedert Esther , Lang Walter
Published: November 2010

Die Behandlung der Depression mit psychotherapeutischen Methoden kann aufgrund der empirischen Befundlage für die drei Paradigmen der Verhaltenstherapie (VT), der Interpersonalen Therapie (IPT) sowie der Analytischen Therapie empfohlen werden. Die Wirksamkeit der VT und der IPT ist nachgewiesen, diejenige der Analytischen Langzeittherapie weniger gut belegt. Unter dem Aspekt der Kosten-Nutzen-Analyse sind für eine fokale Behandlung von Depressiven Störungen die VT und die IPT zu empfehlen.
Psychopharmakologie und andere biologische Verfahren zur Therapie der Depression
Authors: Hatzinger Martin
Published: November 2010

In der Behandlung von Depressionen haben heute die biologischen Therapieverfahren, allen voran die psychopharmakologischen Ansätze, einen festen Platz. Letztere sind bei mittelschweren und schweren Depressionen lege artis praktisch immer indiziert. War man früher auf nebenwirkungsreiche Antidepressiva angewiesen, so sind heute mit den zur Verfügung stehenden Substanzen für den Patienten individuelle Therapien sehr viel besser zu erreichen. Auch wenn die Effizienz gegenüber den klassischen Substanzen nicht erhöht werden konnte, so wurde insbesondere die Nebenwirkungsrate durch die neuen Produkte deutlich gesenkt und damit die Verträglichkeit stark verbessert. Die aktuelle pharmakologische Forschung bemüht sich darum, neue Substanzen mit anderen biochemischen Wirkprofilen (z. B. auf die Stressachsen-Pathologie einwirkend) zu entwickeln, um damit die antidepressive Effizienz zu steigern und den Wirkungseintritt zu beschleunigen. Unter den nicht pharmakologischen, biologischen Verfahren sind die EKT und der Schlafentzug unbestritten sehr wirksame Therapieverfahren. Neuere Behandlungsformen wie die repetitive transkranielle Magnetstimulation sind weniger gut belegt.
A new interpretation of total column BrO during Arctic spring
Authors: Salawitch R. J. , Canty T. , Kurosu T. , Chance K. , Liang Q. , da Silva A. , Pawson S. , Nielsen J. E. , Rodriguez J. M. , Bhartia P. K. , Liu X. , Huey L. G. , Liao J. , Stickel R. E. , Tanner D. J. , Dibb J. E. , Simpson W. R. , Donohoue D. , Weinheimer A. , Flocke F. , Knapp D. , Montzka D. , Neuman J. A. , Nowak J. B. , Ryerson T. B. , Oltmans S. , Blake D. R. , Atlas E. L. , Kinnison D. E. , Tilmes S. , Pan L. L. , Hendrick F. , Van Roozendael M. , Kreher K. , Johnston P. V. , Gao R. S. , Johnson B. , Bui T. P. , Chen G. , Pierce R. B. , Crawford J. H. , Jacob D. J.
Published: November 2010

Emission of bromine from sea‐salt aerosol, frost flowers, ice leads, and snow results in the nearly complete removal of surface ozone during Arctic spring. Regions of enhanced total column BrO observed by satellites have traditionally been associated with these emissions. However, airborne measurements of BrO and O3 within the convective boundary layer (CBL) during the ARCTAS and ARCPAC field campaigns at times bear little relation to enhanced column BrO. We show that the locations of numerous satellite BrO “hotspots” during Arctic spring are consistent with observations of total column ozone and tropopause height, suggesting a stratospheric origin to these regions of elevated BrO. Tropospheric enhancements of BrO large enough to affect the column abundance are also observed, with important contributions originating from above the CBL. Closure of the budget for total column BrO, albeit with significant uncertainty, is achieved by summing observed tropospheric partial columns with calculated stratospheric partial columns provided that natural, short‐lived biogenic bromocarbons supply between 5 and 10 ppt of bromine to the Arctic lowermost stratosphere. Proper understanding of bromine and its effects on atmospheric composition requires accurate treatment of geographic variations in column BrO originating from both the stratosphere and troposphere.
Small‐scale structure of the Kane oceanic core complex, Mid‐Atlantic Ridge 23°30′N, from waveform tomography of multichannel seismic data
Authors: Canales J. Pablo
Published: November 2010

Frequency‐domain waveform tomography applied to deep‐sea multichannel seismic data collected across the Kane oceanic core complex (OCC) reveals the small‐scale structure of this section of oceanic lithosphere formed at the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge 3.3–2.1 Myr ago that has been uplifted and exhumed at the seafloor along an oceanic detachment fault. Geological and geophysical studies indicate that the central‐eastern area of the Kane OCC is formed by a large gabbroic intrusion. The new high‐resolution seismic velocity models show that this gabbroic core is 1,000–1,350 m thick and it is underlain by a ∼300‐m‐thick layer of low‐velocity material interpreted as serpentinized peridotite. The models also reveal the presence of a deeper, 200‐m‐thick by 1,700‐m‐long high‐velocity body interpreted as a small gabbroic sill embedded in serpentinzed peridotite.
Split Philippine Sea plate beneath Japan
Authors: Ide Satoshi , Shiomi Katsuhiko , Mochizuki Kimihiro , Tonegawa Takashi , Kimura Gaku
Published: November 2010

The shape of the Philippine Sea Plate subducting beneath western Japan is a crucial factor in understanding earthquakes and volcanic activity. We propose that the subducted plate was split along an extinct ridge due to an abrupt change of subduction direction, followed by elastic deformation of the plate and an accumulation of stress near the ridge. This shape is consistent with receiver function images, the distribution of deep tremor sources, the seismicity and focal mechanisms of intraplate earthquakes, and the distribution of anomalous ratios of helium isotopes in ground water. The movement history of the plate can explain active tectonics in western Japan in the last 2–4 Ma. The location history of the volcanic front and the tear control where fluids ascend in the crust, and these fluids are responsible for the generation of large earthquakes and volcanoes.
How ambient pressure influences water droplet nucleation at tropospheric conditions
Authors: Hyvärinen Antti‐Pekka , Brus David , Wedekind Jan , Lihavainen Heikki
Published: November 2010

Nucleation theories typically neglect the influence of the ambient pressure on the condensation of droplets from a supersaturated vapor, despite increasing experimental evidence. We have applied a recently presented model that incorporates this effect to the homogeneous nucleation rates of water at tropospheric conditions. We measured experimental pressure dependent nucleation rates of water in helium at low to intermediate pressures (70–200 kPa) and at temperatures from 240–270 K with the laminar flow diffusion chamber. The observed pressure effect shows a clear positive effect (increasing nucleation rate with increasing pressure) at 270 K and a weaker effect with lower temperatures, consistent with the theory. The experimental pressure effect was more pronounced than predicted by theory. The same principle of the pressure effect should also hold for heterogeneous nucleation of water, which implies that water vapor removal by droplet nucleation of water may be suppressed at tropospheric conditions.
Crustal thicknesses and Poisson's ratios in the eastern Tibetan Plateau and their tectonic implications
Authors: Wang Chun‐Yong , Zhu Lupei , Lou Hai , Huang Bor‐Shouh , Yao Zhixiang , Luo Xinghua
Published: November 2010

Crustal thicknesses and Poisson's ratios in the eastern Tibetan Plateau were estimated using the H‐k stacking method on teleseismic receiver functions. The data came mainly from the regional seismic networks in 2006–2008. Results show that the crust thickens from east to west, with a thickness difference of ∼30 km. A sharp change of crustal thickness from 41.5 to 52.5 km is observed across the Longmen Shan. Crustal thickness predictions based on the Airy‐type isostasy are consistent with the estimations from H‐k stacking, implying that the topography is approximately compensated. The study area can be divided into three parts according to the Poisson's ratios: (1) the northern Songpan‐Garze terrane and the western Qinling orogenic belt with low ratios (ν ≤ 0.26); (2) the southern Songpan‐Garze terrane, the Sanjiang fold system, and the Sichuan Basin with high‐to‐intermediate ratios (0.27 ≤ ν < 0.30); and (3) the southwestern Yangtze platform with low to intermediate ratios (ν ≤ 0.27). Joint interpretation of the low average Vp values from deep seismic sounding profiles and the low Vp/Vs ratios from receiver function analysis favors the presence of felsic crust rather than significant volumes of partial melts in the northern Songpan‐Garze terrane and the western Qinling orogenic belt. The junction of the Longmen Shan fault zone, the Xianshuihe fault zone, and the Anninghe fault zone has an ultrahigh Poisson's ratio (ν ≥ 0.30), which could be considered as an evidence of local partial melt. We propose that the eastward movement of upper and middle crustal material in the southern Songpan‐Garze terrane is obstructed by the more rigid Sichuan Basin, resulting in strain accumulation along the Longmen Shan fault zone.
A new particle‐tracking approach to simulating transport in heterogeneous fractured porous media
Authors: Roubinet Delphine , Liu Hui‐Hai , de Dreuzy Jean‐Raynald
Published: November 2010

Particle‐tracking methods are often used to model contaminant transport in fractured porous media because they are straightforward to implement for fracture networks and are able to take into account the matrix effect without mesh generation. While classical methods assume infinite matrix or regularly spaced fractures, we have developed a stochastic method adapted to solute transport in complex fracture networks associated with irregular matrix blocks. Diffusion times in the matrix blocks are truncated by the finite size of the blocks. High ratios of matrix diffusion to fracture advection, small fracture apertures, and small blocks favor the transfer of particles to nearby fractures through matrix diffusion. Because diffusion occurs on both sides of the originating fracture before particles reach one of the neighboring fractures, transfer times to both neighboring fractures are strongly affected by the network configurations on both sides of the fracture. This new particle‐tracking method is able to deal with complex fracture networks by considering heterogeneous configurations on both sides of the fracture. We finally show on simple Sierpinski lattice structures that neglecting the finite size of the matrix blocks may lead to orders of magnitude overestimations of the transfer times.
Regulatory T‐cell differentiation versus clonal deletion of autoreactive thymocytes
Authors: Wirnsberger Gerald , Hinterberger Maria , Klein Ludger
Published: November 2010

The concept of clonal deletion of immune cells that carry an autoreactive antigen receptor was a central prediction of Burnet's clonal selection theory. A series of classical experiments in the late 1980s revealed that certain immature thymocytes upon encounter of ‘self’ are indeed removed from the T‐cell repertoire before their release into the blood circulation. A second essential cornerstone of immunological tolerance, not anticipated by Burnett, has more recently surfaced through the discovery of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg). Intriguingly, it appears that the expression of an autoreactive T‐cell receptor is a shared characteristic of T cells that are subject to clonal deletion as well as of those deviated into the Treg lineage. This is all the more striking as Treg differentiation for the most part branches off from mainstream CD4T cell development during thymocyte maturation in the thymus, that is, it may neither temporally nor spatially be separated from clonal deletion. This raises the question of how an apparently identical stimulus, namely the encounter of ‘self’ during thymocyte development, can elicit fundamentally different outcomes such as apoptotic cell death on the one hand or differentiation into a highly specialized T‐cell lineage on the other hand. Here, we will review the T‐cell intrinsic and extrinsic factors that have been implicated in intrathymic Treg differentiation and discuss how these parameters may determine whether an autoreactive major histocompatibility complex class II‐restricted thymocyte is deviated into the Treg lineage or subject to clonal deletion.
BioSilicoSystems - A Multipronged Approach Towards Analysis and Representation of Biological Data (PhD Thesis)
Authors: Hariharaputran Sridhar
Published: November 2010

The rising field of integrative bioinformatics provides the vital methods to integrate, manage and also to analyze the diverse data and allows gaining new and deeper insights and a clear understanding of the intricate biological systems. The difficulty is not only to facilitate the study of heterogeneous data within the biological context, but it also more fundamental, how to represent and make the available knowledge accessible. Moreover, adding valuable information and functions that persuade the user to discover the interesting relations hidden within the data is, in itself, a great challenge. Also, the cumulative information can provide greater biological insight than is possible with individual information sources. Furthermore, the rapidly growing number of databases and data types poses the challenge of integrating the heterogeneous data types, especially in biology. This rapid increase in the volume and number of data resources drive for providing polymorphic views of the same data and often overlap in multiple resources.In this thesis a multi-pronged approach is proposed that deals with various methods for the analysis and representation of the diverse biological data which are present in different data sources. This is an effort to explain and emphasize on different concepts which are developed for the analysis of molecular data and also to explain its biological significance. The hypotheses proposed are in context with various other results and findings published in the past. The approach demonstrated also explains different ways to integrate the molecular data from various sources along with the need for a comprehensive understanding and clear projection of the concept or the algorithm and its results, but with simple means and methods. The multifarious approach proposed in this work comprises of different tools or methods spanning significant areas of bioinformatics research such as data integration, data visualization, biological network construction / reconstruction and alignment of biological pathways. Each tool deals with a unique approach to utilize the molecular data for different areas of biological research and is built based on the kernel of the thesis. Furthermore these methods are combined with graphical representation that make things simple and comprehensible and also helps to understand with ease the underlying biological complexity. Moreover the human eye is often used to and it is more comfortable with the visual representation of the facts.
ODIN: An Advanced Interface for the Curation of Biomedical Literature
Authors: Rinaldi Fabio , Clematide Simon , Schneider Gerold , Romacker Martin , Vachon Therese
Published: November 2010

We present *ODIN* (Ontogene Document INspector): a system for interactive curation of biomedical literature, developed within the scope of the "*SASEBio* project":http://www.ontogene.org/projects/sasebio/ (Semi-Automated Semantic Enrichment of the Biomedical Literature), as a collaboration between the "OntoGene group":http://www.ontogene.org/ at the University of Zurich and the NITAS/TMS group of Novartis Pharma AG. The purpose of the system is to allow a human annotator/curator to leverage upon the results of an advanced text mining system in order to enhance the speed and effectiveness of the annotation process.The OntoGene system takes as input a document (e.g a full paper from PubMed Central) and processes it with a custom NLP pipeline, which includes Named Entity recognition and relation extraction. Entities which are currently supported include proteins, genes, experimental methods, cell lines, species. Entities detected in the input document are disambiguated with respect to a reference database (UniProt, EntrezGene, NCBI taxonomy, PSI-MI ontology). The annotated documents are handed back to the ODIN interface, which allows multiple display modalities. The curator/annotator can view the whole document with in-line annotations highlighted, or can browse the extracted entities and be pointed back to the mentions of the entities within the original document. All entity mentions are entirely editable: the curator can easily add or delete any of them, and also change their extent (i.e. add/remove words to its right or left) with a simple click of the mouse. Different entity views are supported, with sorting capabilities according to different criteria (entity type, entity mention, confidence score, etc.). Selective highlighting of text units (e.g. sentences containing desired entities) is supported. Additionally, extensive logging functionalities are provided. All documents and entities are fully interlinked to reference databases, for the purpose of simplified inspection. Entities can be grouped in classes (e.g. by species) and actions can be applied to whole classes, for selective editing or removal.
Involvement of calpain‐I and microRNA34 in kanamycin‐induced apoptosis of inner ear cells
Authors: Yu Li , Tang Hao , Jiang Xiao Hua , Tsang Lai Ling , Chung Yiu Wa , Chan Hsiao Chang
Published: November 2010

Inner ear cells, including hair cells, spiral ganglion cells, stria vascularis cells and supporting cells on the basilar membrane, play a major role in transducing hearing signals and regulating inner ear homoeostasis. However, their functions are often damaged by antibiotic‐induced ototoxicity. Apoptosis is probably involved in inner ear cell injury following aminoglycoside treatment. Calpain, a calcium‐dependent protease, is essential for mediating and promoting cell death. We have therefore investigated the involvement of calpain in the molecular mechanism underlying ototoxicity induced by the antibiotic kanamycin in mice. Kanamycin (750 mg/kg) mainly induced cell death of cochlear cells, including stria vascularis cells, supporting cells and spiral ganglion cells, but not hair cells within the organ of Corti. Cell death due to apoptosis occurred in a time‐dependent manner with concomitant up‐regulation of calpain expression. Furthermore, the expression levels of two microRNAs, mir34a and mir34c, were altered in a dose‐dependent manner in cochlear cells. These novel findings demonstrated the involvement of both calpain and microRNAs in antibiotic‐induced ototoxicity.
Relevance of disease‐ and organ‐specific endothelial cells for in vitro research
Authors: Lehle Karla , Straub Rainer H , Morawietz Henning , Kunz‐Schughart Leoni A
Published: November 2010

The endothelium is a dynamic, heterogeneous, disseminated organ that possesses vital secretory, synthetic, metabolic and immunological functions. Endothelial dysfunction has been implicated as a key factor in the development of organ‐specific vascular diseases. This minireview gives a brief overview on EC (endothelial cell) biomarkers in arterial and venous endothelium and critically discusses the different sources of ECs that are most frequently applied in in vitro assays and research. The relevance of organ‐ and disease‐specific endothelial cell cultures for studying cellular responses as a basis for improving therapeutic interventions is highlighted with particular emphasis on endothelial dysfunction in transplant‐associated coronary artery disease, in atherosclerotic lesions and in response to diabetes mellitus.
Examining Dynamic Visual Scene Displays: Implications for Arranging and Teaching Symbol Selection
Authors: Olin Andrea Rachelle , Reichle Joe , Johnson LeAnne , Monn Emily
Published: November 2010

Purpose

Evidence supports using visual scene displays (VSDs) with young children using speech-generating devices. This study examined initial and subsequent performance during VSD use by children age 24–27 and 33–36 months to explore child characteristics that may relate to navigational skill differences.

Method

Children located 9 vocabulary items using a dynamic VSD. Tests of mean difference and analyses of variance were both completed to examine within- and between-age-group performance for accuracy and latency across 3 time points: at initial exposure, at criterion, and at a 2-week maintenance session for each of 2 linked navigational pages.

Results

Results indicated that, at initial exposure, older participants' symbol selections were significantly more accurate and significantly faster when navigating through each page of a 2-page dynamic VSD. Results also indicated that though younger participants required significantly more sessions to achieve mastery, when the effects of practice and language comprehension were controlled, performance differences between age groups were not found when maintenance was evaluated.

Conclusions

Older children perform better than younger children on initial opportunities. However, younger children learn to use VSDs in relatively few instructional opportunities, suggesting that VSDs can be used with children as young as 2 years of age.
Group-Item and Directed Scanning: Examining Preschoolers’ Accuracy and Efficiency in Two Augmentative Communication Symbol Selection Methods
Authors: White Aubrey Randall , Carney Edward , Reichle Joe
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The current investigation compared directed scanning and group-item scanning among typically developing 4-year-old children. Of specific interest were their accuracy, selection speed, and efficiency of cursor movement in selecting colored line drawn symbols representing object vocabulary.

Method

Twelve 4-year-olds made selections in both directed and group-item scanning conditions using a 36-symbol array that required matching line drawn symbols to pictures.

Results

The majority of participants took more time in the directed scanning condition. Though not statistically significant, participants tended to be more accurate in their use of directed scanning. The cursor movements required (as a proportion of optimal cursor movements) were similar for both scanning selection techniques.

Conclusions

Among typically developing 4-year-olds, there appears to be a trade-off between speed and accuracy in symbol selection when using directed or group-item scanning. Better accuracy with directed scanning appears to come at the cost of a slower response time. Whereas group-item scanning may be faster, it results in a decreased number of accurate responses. Applications for clinical practice and implications for future research are discussed.
Cross-Language Nonword Repetition by Bilingual and Monolingual Children
Authors: Windsor Jennifer , Kohnert Kathryn , Lobitz Kelann F. , Pham Giang T.
Published: November 2010

Purpose

Identifying children with primary or specific language impairment (LI) in languages other than English continues to present a diagnostic challenge. This study examined the utility of English and Spanish nonword repetition (NWR) to identify children known to have LI.

Method

Participants were 4 groups of school-age children (
N
= 187). There were 2 typically developing groups: proficient Spanish-English sequential bilinguals and monolingual English speakers. There were 2 groups of children with LI, one Spanish-English and the other monolingual English speakers. Children participated in both English and Spanish NWR.

Results

Children’s NWR performance was significantly correlated across languages. In English NWR, the 2 groups with LI had lower accuracy at the longest syllable length than the 2 typically developing groups. In Spanish NWR, monolingual children with LI had lower repetition accuracy than bilingual children with LI and typical monolingual children, with all 3 groups outperformed by the typical bilingual group. Likelihood ratios indicated adequate diagnostic power only for English NWR in ruling out the typical bilingual children as showing LI.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate that NWR performance relies on the dual influences of LI and native language experience. However, it remains possible that NWR is useful in a composite marker for LI.
Fidelity: An Essential Component of Evidence-Based Practice in Speech-Language Pathology
Authors: Kaderavek Joan N. , Justice Laura M.
Published: November 2010

Purpose

To provide a primer regarding treatment fidelity as it affects evidence-based practice (EBP) for speech-language pathologists.

Method

This tutorial defines treatment fidelity, examines the role of treatment fidelity for speech-language pathologists, provides examples of fidelity measurement, and describes approaches for assessing treatment fidelity.

Conclusion

Treatment fidelity is a neglected construct in the EBP literature; however, fidelity is a crucial construct for documenting intervention effectiveness and engaging in EBP.
T lymphopaenia in relation to body mass index and TNF‐α in human obesity: adequate weight reduction can be corrective
Authors: Tanaka S.‐I. , Isoda F. , Ishihara Y. , Kimura M. , Yamakawa T.
Published: November 2010

OBJECTIVE

Although individuals with obesity are susceptible to infection, the underlying causes have not been fully identified. To investigate whether obesity affects immunity, we studied subjects with isolated obesity.

DESIGN AND SUBJECTS

Thirty‐four obese persons from our outpatient obesity clinic and 50 nonobese healthy control subjects were studied. The effects of weight reduction were evaluated in obese subjects on a very‐low‐energy diet. We examined blastogenic response, lymphocyte subsets, circulatory TNF‐α, soluble TNF‐α receptor 1, soluble TNF‐α receptor 2, andin vitroTNF‐α production in obesity.

MEASUREMENTS

Lymphocyte subsets were analysed with flowcytometry. TNF‐α and soluble TNF receptors levels were assayed using commercially available enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay kits.

RESULTS

Blastogenic responses to phytohemagglutinin or concanavalin A of T cells, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+CD45RO+, and TCR αβ T cells were significantly diminished in obese subjects. Strong negative correlations were observed between TCR αβ and body weight and BMI in obese subjects. Circulatory levels of TNF‐α, soluble TNF‐α receptors, andin vitroTNF‐α production were significantly increased compared to nonobese subjects. In obese subjects, there were significant positive correlations between serum levels of TNF‐α and waist‐hip ratio, serum levels of soluble TNF‐α receptor 1 and body weight, soluble TNF‐α receptor 2 and BMI, and soluble TNF‐α receptor 2 and waist‐hip ratio. The T cell responses and previously reduced non‐CD8 T cell subsets were increased significantly following weight reduction.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that subsets of T cell populations and their function may be reduced in human obesity, and that this may be related, at least in part, to the elevated TNF‐α production. Furthermore, this T cell dysfunction can be recovered by adequate weight reduction.
Effect of Helicobacter pylori infection on cyclooxygenase‐2 expression in gastric antral mucosa
Authors: LU Hong , CHEN Xiao Yu , LIU Wen Zhong , PENG Yan Shen , XIAO Shu Dong
Published: November 2010

OBJECTIVE:  Helicobacter pylori infection is a major etiological cause
of chronic gastritis. Inducible cyclooxygenase (COX‐2) is an important
regulator of mucosal inflammation. Recent studies indicate that expression
of COX‐2 may contribute to gastro­intestinal carcinogenesis.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of H. pylori infection and eradication therapy on COX‐2 expression in gastric antral mucosa.

METHODS:  Antral biopsies were taken from 46 H. pylori‐infected
patients, who also had chronic gastritis, both before and after
anti‐H. pylori treatment. The COX‐2 protein was stained by
using immunohistochemical methods and COX‐2 expression was quantified
as the percentage of epithelial cells expressing COX‐2. Gastritis
and H. pylori infection status were graded according to the Sydney system.

RESULTS:  Cyclooxygenase‐2 expression was detected in the cytoplasm of gastric antral epithelial cells both before and after the eradication of H. pylori. Cyclooxygenase‐2 expression in mucosa with H.
pylori infection was compared with the corresponding mucosa after
successful H. pylori eradication (20.1 ± 13.1%vs 13.8 ± 5.9%; P < 0.05).
At the same time, COX‐2 expression in H. pylori‐infected
mucosa was com­pared with the normal controls (18.0 ± 14.1%vs 12.3 ± 4.6%, P < 0.05).
Expression of COX‐2 was correlated with the degree of chronic inflammation (r= 0.78, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS:  Our results showed that H. pylori infection leads to gastric
mucosal overexpression of COX‐2 protein, suggesting that the enzyme
is involved in H. pylori‐related gastric pathology in humans.
Nominally two-dimensional waves in inclined film flow in channels of finite width
Authors: Leontidis V. , Vatteville J. , Vlachogiannis M. , Andritsos N. , Bontozoglou V.
Published: November 2010

Traveling waves in inclined film flow in channels of finite width are never truly two-dimensional (2D) because of a long-range effect of sidewalls. The present study documents the characteristics of the first waves that are observed beyond the primary instability (termed nominally 2D) by taking measurements in a 3000 mm long inclined facility with adjustable width up to 450 mm using a fluorescence imaging technique. It is observed that nominally 2D waves are very persistent structures with their crests attaining a parabolic shape, which is symmetric with respect to the channel centerplane irrespective of the 3D content of the inlet forcing. The apex curvature of the parabola varies inversely with channel width and Reynolds number. The wave height is maximum at the centerplane and decreases to zero at the sidewalls, irrespective of the wetting properties of the system. The linear phase velocity of nominally 2D waves is always lower than predicted by the theory for small amplitude, 2D waves, and significantly in narrow channels and/or small inclinations. The above characteristics are shown to explain discrepancies between theory and observations, in particular the recently reported deviation of the onset of the primary instability from the classical prediction [M. Vlachogiannis et al., Phys. Fluids 22, 012106 (2010)].
A microfluidic platform for generation of sharp gradients in open-access culture
Authors: Cate David M. , Sip Christopher G. , Folch Albert
Published: November 2010

Control of the 3D microenvironment for cultured cells is essential for understanding the complex relationships that biomolecular concentration gradients have on cellular growth, regeneration, and differentiation. This paper reports a microfluidic device for delivering gradients of soluble molecules to cells in an open reservoir without exposing the cells to flow. The cells are cultured on a polyester membrane that shields them from the flow that delivers the gradient. A novel “lid” design is implemented which prevents leakage from around the membrane without requiring sealing agents or adhesives. Once layers are molded, device fabrication can be performed within minutes while at room temperature. Surface gradients were characterized with epifluorescence microscopy; image analysis verified that sharp gradients (∼33 μm wide) can be reproducibly generated. We show that heterogeneous laminar flow patterns of Orange and Green Cell Tracker (CT) applied beneath the membrane can be localized to cells cultured on the other side; concentration profile scans show the extent of CT diffusion parallel to the membrane’s surface to be 10–20 μm. Our device is ideal for conventional cell culture because the cell culture surface is readily accessible to physical manipulation (e.g., micropipette access), the cell culture medium is in direct contact with the incubator atmosphere (i.e., no special protocols for ensuring proper equilibration of gas concentrations are required), and the cells are not subjected to flow-induced shear forces, which are advantageous attributes not commonly found in closed-channel microfluidic designs.
Experimental assessment of drag reduction by traveling waves in a turbulent pipe flow
Authors: Auteri F. , Baron A. , Belan M. , Campanardi G. , Quadrio M.
Published: November 2010

We experimentally assess the capabilities of an active, open-loop technique for drag reduction in turbulent wall flows recently introduced by Quadrio et al. [J. Fluid Mech. 627, 161 (2009)]. The technique consists of generating streamwise-modulated waves of spanwise velocity at the wall, which travels in the streamwise direction. A proof-of-principle experiment has been devised to measure the reduction of turbulent friction in a pipe flow, in which the wall is subdivided into thin slabs that rotate independently in the azimuthal direction. Different speeds of nearby slabs provide, although in a discrete setting, the desired streamwise variation of transverse velocity. Our experiment confirms the available DNS results, and in particular, demonstrates the possibility of achieving large reductions of friction in the turbulent regime. Reductions up to 33% are obtained for slowly forward-traveling waves; backward-traveling waves invariably yield drag reduction, whereas a substantial drop of drag reduction occurs for waves traveling forward with a phase speed comparable to the convection speed of near-wall turbulent structures. A Fourier analysis is employed to show that the first harmonics introduced by the discrete spatial waveform that approximates the sinusoidal wave are responsible for significant effects that are indeed observed in the experimental measurements. Practical issues related to the physical implementation of this control scheme and its energetic efficiency are briefly discussed.
Electrodispersion of a liquid of finite electrical conductivity in an immiscible dielectric liquid
Authors: Higuera F. J.
Published: November 2010

Order-of-magnitude estimates and numerical computations are used to analyze an electrospray operating in the cone-jet mode in a bath of an immiscible dielectric liquid. In agreement with experimental results in the literature, the analysis predicts that the electric current carried by the jet increases as the square root of the flow rate of dispersed liquid in a wide range of conditions of the flow. The characteristics of the current transfer region determining the electric current are estimated taking into account the viscous drag of the dielectric liquid that surrounds the jet. The electric current is predicted to depart from the square root law for small flow rates, when charge relaxation effects become important in the current transfer region, and also when the flow rate increases to values of the order of QM=ϵ0γ2a/μ22K, where ϵ0 and μ2 are the permittivity and viscosity of the dielectric liquid, K is the electrical conductivity of the dispersed liquid, a is the radius of the capillary needle through which this liquid is injected, and γ is the interfacial tension of the liquid pair. When the flow rate becomes of order QM, the meniscus at the tip of the capillary ceases to resemble a Taylor cone, the current transfer region ceases to be short compared to the size of the meniscus, the electric current levels to a constant value, and the stationary jet cannot extend very far downstream of the meniscus.