bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A surface‐activated chemical ionization approach allows quantitative phosphorylation analysis of the cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor Sic1 phosphorylated on Ser201
Authors: Cirulli Claudia , Coccetti Paola , Alberghina Lilia , Tripodi Farida
Published: May 2012

RATIONALE

Quantitative phosphoproteomics represents a front line for functional proteomics and hence for systems biology. Here we present a new application of the surface‐activated chemical ionization (SACI) technology for quantitative phosphoproteomics analysis. The main advantages of SACI‐MS technology are high sensitivity, quantitative accuracy and matrix effect reduction, which allow quantitative estimations.

METHODS

A SACI‐MS approach was used to investigate the quantitative in vivo phosphorylation of the cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor Sic1, a low‐abundance protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is phosphorylated on Ser201 by casein kinase 2 (CK2) and compared its phosphorylation status in cells growing in two different carbon sources (glucose or ethanol).

RESULTS

Our relative quantification indicated that the Sic1‐Ser201 phosphorylation level is about 2‐fold higher in ethanol‐ than in glucose‐growing cells, proportional to the Sic1 protein level. This finding is coherent with results of western blot analysis using anti‐phospho‐Ser201‐specific antibody, validating the results obtained with this new SACI approach.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings presented in this paper indicate that the innovative LC/SACI‐MS method, coupled with immunoprecipitation, is a powerful device to obtain quantitative information on the phosphorylation state of low abundance proteins. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CEO compensation: A resource advantage and stakeholder‐bargaining perspective
Authors: Pandher Gurupdesh , Currie Russell
Published: May 2012

This paper studies how CEO pay and its composition is shaped by strategic factors related to the firm's capacity to generate rents and value, the uncertainty of its resource advantage, and the competitive interaction between firm stakeholders and top management. This is done using an analytical framework in which the CEO and other firm stakeholders interact over the firm's resource surplus as utility‐maximizing claimants based on their relative bargaining power while providing shareholders their market‐based required return. Results from the model yield a number of cogent strategic insights and predictions on the causal interplay between CEO pay, firm growth and risk characteristics, stakeholder management, corporate strategy (e.g., offshoring production), and behavioral biases such as CEO optimism and overconfidence. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A General Route to Efficient Functionalization of Silicon Quantum Dots for High‐Performance Fluorescent Probes
Authors: Wang Jing , Liu Yuexian , Peng Fei , Chen Chunying , He Yonghong , Ma Hui , Cao Lixin , Sun Shuqing
Published: May 2012

A general technique for efficient surface modification of silicon nanocrystals is highly desirable for the development of silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) as fluorescent probes for biological applications. Herein, a facile microwave‐assisted hydrosilylation process for the preparation of stable SiQDs in a single step is presented. FTIR spectroscopy indicates that molecules with various terminal functionalities, such as alcohol, alkyl groups, and carboxylic acid, are grafted successfully onto the surface of silicon nanocrystals. The dispersibility of such SiQDs is clearly dependent on the terminal functional groups of the grafted molecules. In addition, the as‐prepared SiQDs show excellent cell compatibility, photoluminescence properties, and stability, and their use as long‐term intracellular fluorescent probes is also demonstrated. It is envisaged that this facile and effective method for the stabilization and functionalization of SiQDs with tailored wetting and chemical properties will enable wide application of SiQDs in a number of areas.
Drug dependency and its management in younger men
Authors: Grewal Pardeep , Punukollu Bhaskar
Published: May 2012

Men are more likely to use illegal drugs than women, and tend to have a greater desire to experiment with drugs than their female counterparts, who more often use drugs to relieve stress. The authors look at some of the complications associated with excess drug use and discuss management principles. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons
Health risks in south Asian men: heightening awareness
Authors: Zaman M. Justin S. , Patel Kiran C.R.
Published: May 2012

Although south Asian men have higher rates of coronary heart disease and diabetes than the general population, there are some health benefits for this ethnic group. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons
Urolithiasis: the role of imaging
Authors: Patel Dhruv , Patel Uday
Published: May 2012

The incidence of urinary calculi is increasing, as is the diagnostic ability of medical imaging. The authors review imaging modalities for the diagnosis and treatment of urinary stone disease, and explain how imaging has a key role in management of patients with nephrolithiasis. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons
Male breast cancer: aetiology and clinical features
Authors: Gui Gerald
Published: May 2012

In the first of a two‐part series, Gerald Gui provides an overview of the pathology and presenting features of male breast cancer. Part 2 will cover the treatment options available. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons
Utilising a LIDAR to detect volcanic ash in the near‐field
Authors: Petersen Guðrún Nína , von Löwis Sibylle , Brooks Barbara , Groves James , Mobbs Stephen
Published: May 2012

Although many LIDAR systems in the UK and Continental Europe observed ash during the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption, no LIDAR was located in Iceland and the question regarding whether LIDARs have potential for near‐field monitoring of explosive eruptions remained unanswered. A LIDAR was therefore deployed in southern Iceland in 2011, by the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the UK National Centre of Atmospheric Science, with the aim of using re‐suspension of volcanic ash as a pilot near‐field programme. When Grímsvötn erupted in 2011 it was moved to Keflavík Airport to monitor the atmosphere above the airport. Here we describe this successful redeployment.
Aerial surveys adjusted by ground surveys to estimate area occupied by black‐tailed prairie dog colonies
Authors: Sidle John G. , Augustine David J. , Johnson Douglas H. , Miller Sterling D. , Cully Jack F. , Reading Richard P.
Published: May 2012

Aerial surveys using line‐intercept methods are one approach to estimate the extent of prairie dog colonies in a large geographic area. Although black‐tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) construct conspicuous mounds at burrow openings, aerial observers have difficulty discriminating between areas with burrows occupied by prairie dogs (colonies) versus areas of uninhabited burrows (uninhabited colony sites). Consequently, aerial line‐intercept surveys may overestimate prairie dog colony extent unless adjusted by an on‐the‐ground inspection of a sample of intercepts. We compared aerial line‐intercept surveys conducted over 2 National Grasslands in Colorado, USA, with independent ground‐mapping of known black‐tailed prairie dog colonies. Aerial line‐intercepts adjusted by ground surveys using a single activity category adjustment overestimated colonies by ≥94% on the Comanche National Grassland and ≥58% on the Pawnee National Grassland. We present a ground‐survey technique that involves 1) visiting on the ground a subset of aerial intercepts classified as occupied colonies plus a subset of intercepts classified as uninhabited colony sites, and 2) based on these ground observations, recording the proportion of each aerial intercept that intersects a colony and the proportion that intersects an uninhabited colony site. Where line‐intercept techniques are applied to aerial surveys or remotely sensed imagery, this method can provide more accurate estimates of black‐tailed prairie dog abundance and trends. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Effect of Lysine Addition on Growth of Black Iguana (Ctenosaura pectinata)
Authors: Guzmán Juan José Ortiz , Luis Arcos‐García José , Martínez Germán D. Mendoza , Pérez Fernando Xicoténcatl Plata , Mascorro Gisela Fuentes , Inzunza Gabriela Ruelas
Published: May 2012

The effects of the addition of lysine to commercial feed given to captive black iguana (Ctenosaura pectinata) were evaluated in terms of growth and feed digestibility. Twenty‐eight‐day‐old black iguana with an initial weight of 5.5 ± 0.3 g were housed individually in cages measuring 45 × 45 × 45 cm. The experiment lasted 150 days. The ambient temperature ranged from 28 to 35°C with a relative humidity of 60 to 95%. Treatments consisted of the addition of different percentages of lysine to the feed (0.0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3%, dry matter [DM] base). There was a linear response (P < 0.01) in daily gain (68, 112, 118, and 151 mg/d) and daily intake (251, 289, 297, and 337 mg/d) for levels from 0 to 0.3%, respectively, as well in the growth in head size, snout–vent length, and total length. The digestibility of DM, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber were reduced linearly (P < 0.01) as lysine levels increased. Intake and digestibility were negatively correlated (r = –0.74; P < 0.001). It is concluded that the addition of lysine to the black iguana diet in the first months of life is important to stimulate growth and intake. Zoo Biol 32:277–280, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The universal aspect ratio of vortices in rotating stratified flows: theory and simulation
Authors: Hassanzadeh Pedram , Marcus Philip S. , Le Gal Patrice
Published: May 2012

We derive a relationship for the vortex aspect ratio $\ensuremath{\alpha} $ (vertical half-thickness over horizontal length scale) for steady and slowly evolving vortices in rotating stratified fluids, as a function of the Brunt–Väisälä frequencies within the vortex ${N}_{c} $ and in the background fluid outside the vortex $\bar {N} $, the Coriolis parameter $f$ and the Rossby number $\mathit{Ro}$ of the vortex: ${\ensuremath{\alpha} }^{2} = \mathit{Ro}(1+ \mathit{Ro}){f}^{2} / ({ N}_{c}^{2} \ensuremath{-} {\bar {N} }^{2} )$. This relation is valid for cyclones and anticyclones in either the cyclostrophic or geostrophic regimes; it works with vortices in Boussinesq fluids or ideal gases, and the background density gradient need not be uniform. Our relation for $\ensuremath{\alpha} $ has many consequences for equilibrium vortices in rotating stratified flows. For example, cyclones must have ${ N}_{c}^{2} \gt {\bar {N} }^{2} $; weak anticyclones (with $\vert \mathit{Ro}\vert \lt 1$) must have ${ N}_{c}^{2} \lt {\bar {N} }^{2} $; and strong anticyclones must have ${ N}_{c}^{2} \gt {\bar {N} }^{2} $. We verify our relation for $\ensuremath{\alpha} $ with numerical simulations of the three-dimensional Boussinesq equations for a wide variety of vortices, including: vortices that are initially in (dissipationless) equilibrium and then evolve due to an imposed weak viscous dissipation or density radiation; anticyclones created by the geostrophic adjustment of a patch of locally mixed density; cyclones created by fluid suction from a small localized region; vortices created from the remnants of the violent breakups of columnar vortices; and weakly non-axisymmetric vortices. The values of the aspect ratios of our numerically computed vortices validate our relationship for $\ensuremath{\alpha} $, and generally they differ significantly from the values obtained from the much-cited conjecture that $\ensuremath{\alpha} = f/ \bar {N} $ in quasi-geostrophic vortices.
Experiments on multi-agent capture of a stochastically moving object using modified projective path planning
Authors: Shinde Vijaysingh , Dutta Ashish , Saxena Anupam
Published: May 2012

Most of the past research in swarm robotics has considered object capture and transport using a specified and very large number of agents. The objects therein were either stationary or moving deterministically (i.e., along a known path). In most previous efforts, the obstacles were also considered stationary. Here we present a modified projective path planning algorithm and illustrate via laboratory experiments that an object exhibiting stochastic (unplanned) but low-speed motion can be restrained by a limited number of agents guided in real-time across randomly moving obstacles. Relaxation of certain restrictions in the grasping objective allows for the determination of a minimum number and placement of agents around the perimeter of any generically shaped prismatic object. A closed loop experiment is designed using a single overhead camera that provides the visual feedback and helps determine the instantaneous positions of all entities in the workspace. Control signals are sent to the robots via wireless modules by a central processing unit to navigate and guide them to their respective new positions in the subsequent time-step. Agents continue to receive signals until they restrict the moving object in form closure.
How Much Are We Willing to Pay to Prevent A Fall? Cost-Effectiveness of a Multifactorial Falls Prevention Program for Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Jenkyn Krista Bray , Hoch Jeffrey S. , Speechley Mark
Published: May 2012

Cette étude a examiné le rapport coût-efficacité d’un programme multifactoriel de prévention des chutes et a évalué le compromis entre les coûts supplémentaires d’un tel programme et une augmentation de la réduction des chutes accidentelles. Le rapport coût-efficacité a été évalué en utilisant le rapport coût-efficacité différentiel traditionnel (RCED) et cadre de régression de l’avantage net (CRAN). En utilisant du CRAN, la prise de décision a été officialisée par l’incorporation,a priori,d’une predisposition à payer (PAP). Les résultats n’ont pas fourni preuve qu’un programme multifactoriel de prévention des chutes a été rentable. L’adhésion des participants au recommandations allaient de faible (41,3%) à modéré (21,1%), à élevé (37,6%). Un défi futur sera de comprendre plus clairement la relation entre la personne âgée qui habite à une communauté avec les risques de chutes qui sont potentiellement modifiables, le respect des recommandations concernant les facteurs de risque multifactoriels, les coûts, et les effets qui en résultent de pratiques pour prévenir les chutes. Les futures évaluations économiques des interventions pour éviter les chutes restent nécessaires et devraient tenir compte du CRAN afin que les outils de régression puissent faciliter l’analyse coût-efficacité.
Neurocognitive Speed and Inconsistency in Parkinson's Disease with and without Incipient Dementia: An 18-Month Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: de Frias Cindy M. , Dixon Roger A. , Camicioli Richard
Published: May 2012

We examined two-wave longitudinal changes in two indicators of neurocognitive speed (i.e., mean rate, intraindividual variability) using one simple and three complex reaction time tasks. Participants included idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, with and without incipient dementia, and normal controls. At baseline, there were 45 patients (26 men, 19 women) with idiopathic PD who ranged from 65 to 84 years (M = 71.3; SD = 4.5) and 47 matched controls (27 men, 20 women) who ranged from 65 to 84 years (M = 71.4; SD = 4.9). The 18-month longitudinal sample comprised of 74 returning participants (43 controls; 31 PD patients) who had no cognitive impairment or dementia at both waves. Ten of the 31 PD patients returning for Time 3 had dementia or cognitive impairment. These constituted the PD with incipient dementia (PDID) group. Repeated measures analyses of variance showed that the PD and PDID groups were slower over time on the reaction time tasks, whereas the controls improved their performance over time on all tasks. Inconsistency distinguished the two clinical groups (i.e., the PDID group but not the PD group became more inconsistent over time). Changes in neurocognitive speed and inconsistency may be valid clinical markers of PDID. (JINS, 2012, 18, 1–9)
Everyday Action Impairment in Parkinson's Disease Dementia
Authors: Giovannetti Tania , Britnell Priscilla , Brennan Laura , Siderowf Andrew , Grossman Murray , Libon David J. , Bettcher Brianne M. , Rouzard Francesca , Eppig Joel , Seidel Gregory A.
Published: May 2012

This study examined everyday action impairment in participants with Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) by comparison with participants with Parkinson's disease-no dementia (PD) or Alzheimer's disease (AD) and in reference to a neuropsychological model. Participants with PDD (n = 20), PD (n = 20), or AD (n = 20) were administered performance-based measures of everyday functioning that allowed for the quantification of overall performance and error types. Also, caregiver ratings of functional independence were obtained. On performance-based tests, the PDD group exhibited greater functional impairment than the PD group but comparable overall impairment relative to the AD group. Error patterns did not differ between PDD and PD participants but the PDD group demonstrated a higher proportion of commission errors and lower proportion of omission errors relative to the AD group. Hierarchical regression analyses showed omission errors were significantly predicted by neuropsychological measures of episodic memory, whereas commission errors were predicted by both measures of general dementia severity (MMSE) and executive control. Everyday action impairment in PDD differs quantitatively from PD but qualitatively from AD and may be characterized by a relatively high proportion of commission errors—an error type associated with executive control deficits. (JINS, 2012, 18, 1–12)
Wireless space-division-multiplexed signal discrimination device using electro-optic modulator with antenna-coupled electrodes and polarization-reversed structures
Authors: Murata Hiroshi , Miyanaka Ryota , Okamura Yasuyuki
Published: May 2012

Millimeter-wave wireless space-division-multiplexing signals were discriminated by a newly developed electro-optic modulator using an array of antenna-coupled electrodes and polarization-reversed structures of ferroelectric optical crystals. Discrimination with channel isolation over 13 dB was obtained for two 38 GHz wireless signals with an irradiation angle difference of 15° by use of a fabricated device 30 mm in length.
New pulsed measurement setup for GaN and GaAs FETs characterization
Authors: Santarelli Alberto , Cignani Rafael , Niessen Daniel , Traverso Pier Andrea , Filicori Fabio
Published: May 2012

A new setup is proposed for the measurement of current–voltage pulsed characteristics of electron devices. The main advantages of the system consist in: shorter pulse widths through generation in a 50-Ω environment, simple average current monitoring through separation of the direct and alternate current paths, setting of average voltage values independently of pulse amplitudes and duty cycle, and stability of the setup guaranteed by wide-band dissipative terminations. The system is used for the characterization of dispersive effects due to carrier energy traps and thermal phenomena in GaAs and GaN on SiC field effect transistors. The basic differences between the two technologies are highlighted in the paper.
Observations of global ionospheric responses to the 2009 stratospheric sudden warming event by FORMOSAT‐3/COSMIC
Authors: Lin C. H. , Lin J. T. , Chang L. C. , Liu J. Y. , Chen C. H. , Chen W. H. , Huang H. H. , Liu C. H.
Published: May 2012

The global ionospheric response to a stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) is studied using three‐dimensional electron density maps derived from radio occultation observations of FORMOSAT‐3/COSMIC during the 2009 SSW periods. Results show that the ionospheric electron density at EIA crests exhibit a morning/early afternoon increase followed by an afternoon decrease and an evening increase, indicative of a semidiurnal component during the SSW period, which is consistent with recent studies. The latitude‐altitude electron density slice maps show that the SSW related modifications of the equatorial plasma fountain interact with the existing summer‐to‐winter neutral winds and resulting in a north–south asymmetry. The global ionospheric response shows a clear longitudinal dependence in the equatorial plasma fountain enhancement during morning/early afternoon, inferred from the duration of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) enhancement. Following the enhancement, prominent global EIA reductions resulting from the equatorial plasma fountain weakening in the afternoon sector are seen. The ionospheric response to the 2009 SSW event is also compared with the usual seasonal variation during January–February 2007. Instead of showing the electron density increase in the northern hemisphere and decrease in the southern hemisphere as the usual seasonal variation does, the SSW period ionosphere shows prominent global electron density reductions in the afternoon period during the 2009 SSW event.
Field‐aligned distribution of the plasmaspheric electron density: An empirical model derived from the IMAGE RPI measurements
Authors: Ozhogin P. , Tu J. , Song P. , Reinisch B. W.
Published: May 2012

We present a newly developed empirical model of the plasma density in the plasmasphere. It is based on more than 700 density profiles along field lines derived from active sounding measurements made by the radio plasma imager on IMAGE between June 2000 and July 2005. The measurements cover all magnetic local times and vary from L = 1.6 to L = 4 spatially, with every case manually confirmed to be within the plasmasphere by studying the corresponding dynamic spectrogram. The resulting model depends not only on L‐shell but also on magnetic latitude and can be applied to specify the electron densities in the plasmasphere between 2000 km altitude and the plasmapause (the plasmapause location itself is not included in this model). It consists of two parts: the equatorial density, which falls off exponentially as a function of L‐shell; and the field‐aligned dependence on magnetic latitude and L‐shell (in the form of invariant magnetic latitude). The fluctuations of density appear to be greater than what could be explained by a possible dependence on magnetic local time or season, and the dependence on geomagnetic activity is weak and cannot be discerned. The solar cycle effect is not included because the database covers only a fraction of a solar cycle. The performance of the model is evaluated by comparison to four previously developed plasmaspheric models and is further tested against the in situ passive IMAGE RPI measurements of the upper hybrid resonance frequency. While the equatorial densities of different models are mostly within the statistical uncertainties (especially at distances greater than L = 3), the clear latitudinal dependence of the RPI model presents an improvement over previous models. The model shows that the field‐aligned density distribution can be treated neither as constant nor as a simple diffusive equilibrium distribution profile. This electron density model combined with an assumed model of the ion composition can be used to estimate the time for an Alfven wave to propagate from one hemisphere to the other, to determine the plasma frequencies along a field line, and to calculate the raypaths for high frequency waves propagating in the plasmasphere.
Laboratory and theoretical modeling of air‐sea momentum transfer under severe wind conditions
Authors: Troitskaya Y. I. , Sergeev D. A. , Kandaurov A. A. , Baidakov G. A. , Vdovin M. A. , Kazakov V. I.
Published: May 2012

The laboratory experiments on investigation of aerodynamic resistance of the waved water surface under severe wind conditions (up to U10 ≈ 40 m s−1) were carried out, complemented by measurements of the wind‐wave spectra. The tendency to saturation of the surface drag was observed for wind speeds exceeding 25 m s−1, accompanied by the saturation of wind‐wave slopes. The effect of surface drag saturation can be explained quantitatively within the quasi‐linear model of the air boundary layer above the waved water surface, when the contribution of the short‐wave part of the wind‐wave spectrum to aerodynamic resistance of the water surface is taken into account.
Numerical simulation of spatial‐temporal distribution of dust aerosol and its direct radiative effects on East Asian climate
Authors: Sun Hui , Pan Zaitao , Liu Xiaodong
Published: May 2012

The latest regional climate model version 4 (RegCM4) coupled with a dust module developed at the International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP, Italy) is used to simulate the spatial‐temporal distribution of dust aerosol and its climatic impact through direct radiative forcing over East Asia. Dust coupled and uncoupled experiments are carried out for the past decade (2000–2009). Comparison with satellite observed aerosol optical depth (AOD) shows that the coupled RegCM4 better reproduces spatial distribution of Asian dust loading that has been poorly resolved by general circulation models (GCM), capturing three surface dust concentration (SDC) centers in the Taklimakan desert, western Inner Mongolia, and northern Xinjiang respectively, with maximum values greater than 1000μg m−3 in spring. The negative surface shortwave (SW) irradiance is strongest in spring over East Asia. Its −20 W m−2 forcing near dust source centers results in surface temperature cooling by 0.8°C from spring through summer. SW irradiance at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) is also negative with a minimum value of up to −8 W m−2in North China. Dust aerosol induced cooling leads to the formation of a cyclonic circulation in the lower troposphere in Northwest China that further excites downstream an anticyclonic circulation (the Yellow River Loop) and a cyclonic circulation (East China Sea, ECS). The northeasterly flow in southern China straddled by the anticyclone and cyclone acts to weaken the southwest monsoon in southeastern China and the surrounding sea. Supported by the dust‐induced circulations, precipitation increases in cyclonic regions in Northwest China and ECS and decreases in the anticyclonic north‐central China.
Fault slip rates for the active External Dinarides thrust‐and‐fold belt
Authors: Kastelic Vanja , Carafa Michele M. C.
Published: May 2012

We present estimates of slip rates for active faults in the External Dinarides. This thrust‐and‐fold belt formed in the Adria‐Eurasia collision zone by the progressive formation of NE‐dipping thrusts in the footwalls of older structures. We calculated the long‐term horizontal velocity field, slip rates and related uncertainties for active faults using a thin‐shell finite element method. We incorporated active faults with different effective fault frictions, rheological properties, appropriate geodynamic boundary conditions, laterally varying heat flow and topography. The results were obtained by comparing the modeled maximum compressive horizontal stress orientations with the World Stress Map database. The calculated horizontal velocities decrease from the southeastern External Dinarides to the northwestern parts of the thrust‐and‐fold belt. This spatial pattern is also evident in the long‐term slip rates of active faults. The highest slip rate was obtained for the Montenegro active fault, while the lowest rates were obtained for active faults in northwestern Slovenia. Low slip rates, influenced by local active diapirism, are also characteristic for active faults in the offshore central External Dinarides. These findings are contradictory to the concept of Adria as an internally rigid, aseismic lithospheric block because the faults located in its interior release a part of the regional compressive stress. We merged the modeling results and available slip rate estimates to obtain a composite solution for slip rates.
A Modified Protocol to Maximize Differentiation of Human Preadipocytes and Improve Metabolic Phenotypes
Authors: Lee Mi‐Jeong , Wu Yuanyuan , Fried Susan K.
Published: May 2012

Adipose stromal cells proliferate and differentiate into adipocytes, providing a valuable model system for studies of adipocyte biology. We compared differentiation protocols for human preadipocytes and report on their metabolic phenotypes. By simply prolonging the adipogenic induction period from the first 3 to 7 days, the proportion of cells acquiring adipocyte morphology increased from 30–70% to over 80% in human subcutaneous preadipocytes (passages 5–6). These morphological changes were accompanied by increases in the adipogenic marker expression and improved adipocyte metabolic phenotypes: enhanced responses to β‐adrenergically stimulated lipolysis and to insulin‐stimulated glucose metabolism into triglyceride (TG). Confirming previous studies, fetal bovine serum (FBS) dose‐dependently inhibited adipogenesis. However, in subcutaneous preadipocytes that differentiate well (donor‐dependant high capacity and subcultured fewer than two times), the use of 7d‐induction protocols in both 3% FBS and serum‐free conditions allowed >80% differentiation. Responsiveness to β‐adrenergically stimulated lipolysis was lower in 3% FBS. Rates of insulin‐stimulated glucose uptake were higher in adipocytes differentiated with 3% FBS, whereas the sensitivity to insulin was almost identical between the two groups. In summary, extending the length of the induction period in adipogenic cocktail improves the degree of differentiation and responses to key metabolic hormones. This protocol permits functional analysis of metabolic phenotypes in valuable primary human adipocyte cultures through multiple passages.
Obesity Negatively Impacts Aerobic Capacity Improvements Both Acutely and 1‐Year Following Cardiac Rehabilitation
Authors: Martin Billie‐Jean , Aggarwal Sandeep G. , Stone James A. , Hauer Trina , Austford Leslie D. , Knudtson Merril , Arena Ross ,   For the APPROACH Investigators
Published: May 2012

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) produces a host of health benefits related to modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the influence of body weight, assessed through BMI, on acute and long‐term improvements in aerobic capacity following completion of CR. Three thousand nine hundred and ninety seven subjects with coronary artery disease (CAD) participated in a 12‐week multidisciplinary CR program. Subjects underwent an exercise test to determine peak estimated metabolic equivalents (eMETs) and BMI assessment at baseline, immediately following CR completion and at 1‐year follow‐up. Normal weight subjects at 1‐year follow‐up demonstrated the greatest improvement in aerobic fitness and best retention of those gains (gain in peak METs: 0.95 ± 1.1, P < 0.001). Although the improvement was significant (P < 0.001), subjects who were initially classified as obese had the lowest aerobic capacity and poorest retention in CR fitness gains at 1‐year follow‐up (gain in peak eMETs: 0.69 ± 1.2). Subjects initially classified as overweight by BMI had a peak eMET improvement that was also significantly better (P < 0.05) than obese subjects at 1‐year follow‐up (gain in peak eMETs: 0.82 ± 1.1). Significant fitness gains, one of the primary beneficial outcomes of CR, can be obtained by all subjects irrespective of BMI classification. However, obese patients have poorer baseline fitness and are more likely to “give back” fitness gains in the long term. Obese CAD patients may therefore benefit from additional interventions to enhance the positive adaptations facilitated by CR.
A Comparison Between the First-Fit Settings of Two Multichannel Digital Signal-Processing Strategies: Music Quality Ratings and Speech-in-Noise Scores
Authors: Higgins Paul , Searchfield Grant , Coad Gavin
Published: May 2012

Purpose

The aim of this study was to determine which level-dependent hearing aid digital signal-processing strategy (DSP) participants preferred when listening to music and/or performing a speech-in-noise task.

Method

Two receiver-in-the-ear hearing aids were compared: one using 32-channel adaptive dynamic range optimization (ADRO) and the other wide dynamic range compression (WDRC) incorporating dual fast (4 channel) and slow (15 channel) processing. The manufacturers' first-fit settings based on participants' audiograms were used in both cases. Results were obtained from 18 participants on a quick speech-in-noise (QuickSIN; Killion, Niquette, Gudmundsen, Revit, & Banerjee, 2004) task and for 3 music listening conditions (classical, jazz, and rock).

Results

Participants preferred the quality of music and performed better at the QuickSIN task using the hearing aids with ADRO processing. A potential reason for the better performance of the ADRO hearing aids was less fluctuation in output with change in sound dynamics.

Conclusion

ADRO processing has advantages for both music quality and speech recognition in noise over the multichannel WDRC processing that was used in the study. Further evaluations of which DSP aspects contribute to listener preference are required.
The Practical Hearing Aids Skills Test—Revised
Authors: Doherty Karen A. , Desjardins Jamie L.
Published: May 2012

Purpose

The purpose of the present study was to revise the Practical Hearing Aid Skills Test (PHAST; Desjardins & Doherty, 2009) for clinical use.

Method

The original PHAST 5-point rating scale was revised to a 3-point rating scale, and the battery and hearing aid cleaning skill tasks were revised to include additional actions necessary to perform these tasks. The revised version of the PHAST is referred to as the Practical Hearing Aid Skills Test—Revised (PHAST–R). The data obtained in the Desjardins and Doherty (2009) study with the original PHAST 5-point rating scale were re-analyzed in the present study using the PHAST–R 3-point rating scale. Also, the PHAST–R was piloted on 15 experienced hearing aid users in a clinical setting.

Results

The secondary data analysis of the original PHAST scores showed no significant difference between participants' percentage correct scores using the original PHAST 5-point rating scale and the PHAST–R 3-point rating scale. PHAST–R scores for the group of 15 experienced hearing aid users ranged from 61.29% to 100% (
M
= 88.48,
SD
= 12.6).

Conclusion

Clinicians were able to use the PHAST–R to quickly and objectively identify hearing aid orientation problems for which clients needed counseling and reinstruction.
Hercules X-1: an x-ray binary system with a pulsar
Authors: Lubkin Gloria B.
Published: May 2012

A binary x-ray source called Hercules X-1 has been attracting a great deal of attention lately. It turns out to have a pulsar associated with it, thus making it possible to determine directly for the first time the mass of a neutron star. Furthermore, the pulsar has been found to be speeding up, unlike other pulsars, which usually slow down. This result was reported to the Sixth Texas Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics (held in New York) in December by Harvey Tananbaum of American Science and Engineering.
Flash x-ray technique studies crystals during shock wave
Authors: Lubkin Gloria B.
Published: May 2012

Using flash x-ray diffraction, two Livermore experimenters say they have obtained for the first time an x-ray diffraction pattern of shock-transformed material at the instant of transformation. The experiment was reported by Quintin Johnson and A. C. Mitchell (Phys. Rev. Letters 29, 1369, 1972).
Modern ergodic theory
Authors: Lebowitz Joel L. , Penrose Oliver
Published: May 2012

The founding fathers of statistical mechanics, Boltzmann, Maxwell, Gibbs and Einstein, invented the concept of ensembles to describe equilibrium and nonequilibrium macroscopic systems. In trying to justify the use of ensembles, and to determine whether the ensembles evolved as expected from nonequilibrium to equilibrium, they introduced further concepts such as “ergodicity” and “coarse graining.” The use of these concepts raised mathematical problems that they could not solve, but like the good physicists they were they assumed that everything was or could be made all right mathematically and went on with the physics.
Optics as scattering
Authors: di Francia Giuliano Toraldo
Published: May 2012

One of the most efficient ways for a physicist to collect information about the outside world is through scattering processes: We aim a suitable beam of particles at the target or object to be investigated and observe the recoil particles or, more generally, the end products of the process as in figure 1. Classically, we use the results of this observation to derive, by theory and computation, some properties of the target that are assumed to be more fundamental than the mere scattering data. Alternatively we could take a very cautious attitude and assume that the scattering matrix, without further elaboration, fully describes our target, so far as that kind of primary particle is concerned. How do we get the most useful scattering matrix? And why, for so many years, did the only beam of “particles” exploited to any extent remain electromagnetic radiation within a certain limited frequency band—why did optics, the physics of visible light, develop first?
Mechanism of enhanced mechanical stability of a minimal RNA kissing complex elucidated by nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Chen Alan A. , García Angel E.
Published: May 2012

An RNA kissing loop from the Moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV) exhibits unusual mechanical stability despite having only two intermolecular base pairs. Mutations at this junction have been shown to destabilize genome dimerization, with concomitant reductions in viral packaging efficiency and infectivity. Optical tweezers experiments have shown that it requires as much force to break the MMLV kissing-loop complex as is required to unfold an 11-bp RNA hairpin [Li PTX, Bustamante C, Tinoco I (2006)
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA
103:15847–15852]. Using nonequilibrium all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we have developed a detailed model for the kinetic intermediates of the force-induced dissociation of the MMLV dimerization initiation site kissing loop. Two hundred and eight dissociation events were simulated (approximately 16 μs total simulation time) under conditions of constant applied external force, which we use to construct a Markov state model for kissing-loop dissociation. We find that the complex undergoes a conformational rearrangement, which allows for equal distribution of the applied force among all of the intermolecular hydrogen bonds, which is intrinsically more stable than the sequential unzipping of an ordinary hairpin. Stacking interactions with adjacent, unpaired loop adenines further stabilize the complex by increasing the repair rate of partially broken H-bonds. These stacking interactions are prominently featured in the transition state, which requires additional coordinates orthogonal to the end-to-end extension to be uniquely identified. We propose that these stabilizing features explain the unusual stability of other retroviral kissing-loop complexes such as the HIV dimerization site.
Functional genomics identifies therapeutic targets for MYC-driven cancer
Authors: Toyoshima Masafumi , Howie Heather L. , Imakura Maki , Walsh Ryan M. , Annis James E. , Chang Aaron N. , Frazier Jason , Chau B. Nelson , Loboda Andrey , Linsley Peter S. , Cleary Michele A. , Park Julie R. , Grandori Carla
Published: May 2012

MYC
oncogene family members are broadly implicated in human cancers, yet are considered “undruggable” as they encode transcription factors. MYC also carries out essential functions in proliferative tissues, suggesting that its inhibition could cause severe side effects. We elected to identify synthetic lethal interactions with c-MYC overexpression (MYC-SL) in a collection of ∼3,300 druggable genes, using high-throughput siRNA screening. Of 49 genes selected for follow-up, 48 were confirmed by independent retesting and approximately one-third selectively induced accumulation of DNA damage, consistent with enrichment in DNA-repair genes by functional annotation. In addition, genes involved in histone acetylation and transcriptional elongation, such as
TRRAP
and
BRD4
, were identified, indicating that the screen revealed known MYC-associated pathways. For in vivo validation we selected
CSNK1e
, a kinase whose expression correlated with
MYCN
amplification in neuroblastoma (an established MYC-driven cancer). Using RNAi and available small-molecule inhibitors, we confirmed that inhibition of CSNK1e halted growth of
MYCN
-amplified neuroblastoma xenografts. CSNK1e had previously been implicated in the regulation of developmental pathways and circadian rhythms, whereas our data provide a previously unknown link with oncogenic MYC. Furthermore, expression of
CSNK1e
correlated with c-
MYC
and its transcriptional signature in other human cancers, indicating potential broad therapeutic implications of targeting CSNK1e function. In summary, through a functional genomics approach, pathways essential in the context of oncogenic MYC but not to normal cells were identified, thus revealing a rich therapeutic space linked to a previously “undruggable” oncogene.
Ferruccio Busoni and the Absolute in Music: Form, Nature and Idee
Authors: Knyt Erinn E.
Published: May 2012

Ferruccio Busoni could be called an advocate of absolute music because of his frequent description of music as ‘absolute’ and his discussion of music as consisting of pure tones and rhythms found in the vibrating universe. However, he developed idiosyncratic theories about the term, its usage and its ideal manifestation in Tonkunst that remain largely unexamined in scholarly literature. True, Carl Dahlhaus noted Busoni's use of the concept to refer to music unconstrained by traditional forms, but this is merely one aspect of Busoni's views, which also, paradoxically, allowed for and included the visual and explicit connections to culture. The hybridity of Busoni's notion, which this article explores through an examination of writings and representative compositions, is especially relevant for current musicological discourse about absolute music. Sitting uneasily with Dahlhaus's more consistent view of absolute music as music apart from text or programme as well as with new musicological approaches that seek to refute the notion of music's autonomy, Busoni's view of absolute music offers a fascinating middle ground between compositions as discrete artistic artefacts on the one hand and as representations of their immediate culture on the other.
Multiplicity – Fragmentation – Simultaneity: Sound-Space as a Conveyor of Meaning, and Theatrical Roots in Luigi Nono's Early Spatial Practice
Authors: Santini Andrea
Published: May 2012

Luigi Nono's early spatial works with tape are characterized by strong political commitment as well as by compositional devices and performance solutions that reflect the composer's involvement with technology and theatrical practices after his detachment from Darmstadt in the late 1950s. Looking at the tape works composed between 1961 and 1969, the article outlines the development of Luigi Nono's unique spatial practice, its theatrical influences and the dramaturgical implications. The analysis is centred on the composer's use of acoustic space as a conveyor of meaning designed to stimulate active and critical audience engagement. Particular emphasis is thus placed on the use of tape and amplification in performance, introducing notions such as ‘doubling’, ‘con-fusion’, fragmentation, non-linearity, simultaneity and multiplicity, which inform Nono's vision of space and are essential for a serious understanding of the composer's engaged spatial aesthetic.
Constructing teacher agency in response to the constraints of education policy: adoption and adaptation
Authors: Robinson Sarah
Published: May 2012

Drawing on agency literature, this paper demonstrates how teachers' professional agency emerged when seemingly conflicting strategies were imposed on them in policy reform. Policy discourse is often linked to performance and accountability measures, which teachers respond to in a number of ways. Some education researchers identify tensions caused by such strategies; others warn that if outcomes are defined by mechanical techniques that are practised and imposed rather than constructed and negotiated then there is a danger that teachers will be re‐shaped as technicians. A number of debates discuss de‐professionalism, the erosion of status and new definitions of the role of the teacher. This ethnographic study examines how the implementation of policy requirements for writing student reports, stipulated by two levels of government, emerged through the practices of the teachers in an Australian non‐government school. The analysis of the data is located within the policy in/as practice literature. The evidence illustrates that, despite the strategies of performance, accountability and control mechanisms in policy text, the presence of strong collegial relationships enabled the teachers to construct their professional agency by adaptation and adoption of policy requirements to fit some practices and reshape others.
Fusion systems on small 𝑝-groups
Authors: Craven David , Glesser Adam
Published: May 2012

In this article we study several classes of ‘small’

2
2

-groups: we complete the classification, started by Stancu, of all saturated fusion systems on metacyclic

p
p

-groups for all primes

p
p

. We consider Suzuki

2
2

-groups, and classify all center-free saturated fusion systems on

2
2

-groups of

2
2

-rank

2
2

. We end by classifying all possible

F

\mathcal {F}

-centric,

F

\mathcal {F}

-radical subgroups in saturated fusion systems on

2
2

-groups of

2
2

-rank

2
2

.
Calcium-calmodulin kinase I cooperatively regulates nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of CCTα by accessing a nuclear export signal
Authors: Agassandian Marianna , Chen Bill B. , Pulijala Roopa , Kaercher Leah , Glasser Jennifer R. , Mallampalli Rama K.
Published: May 2012

We identified a new calmodulin kinase I (CaMKI) substrate, cytidyltransferase (CCTα), a crucial enzyme required for maintenance of cell membranes. CCTα becomes activated with translocation from the cytoplasm to the nuclear membrane, resulting in increased membrane phospholipids. Calcium-activated CCTα nuclear import is mediated by binding of its C-terminus to 14-3-3 ζ, a regulator of nuclear trafficking. Here CaMK1 phosphorylates residues within this C-terminus that signals association of CCTα with 14-3-3 ζ to initiate calcium-induced nuclear entry. CaMKI docks within the CCTα membrane-binding domain (residues 290–299), a sequence that displays similarities to a canonical nuclear export signal (NES) that also binds CRM1/exportin 1. Expression of a CFP-CCTα mutant lacking residues 290–299 in cells results in cytosolically retained enzyme. CRM1/exportin 1 was required for CCTα nuclear export, and its overexpression in cells was partially sufficient to trigger CCTα nuclear export despite calcium stimulation. An isolated CFP-290-299 peptide remained in the nucleus in the presence of leptomycin B but was able to target to the cytoplasm with farnesol. Thus CaMKI vies with CRM1/exportin 1 for access to a NES, and assembly of a CaMKI–14-3-3 ζ–CCTα complex is a key effector mechanism that drives nuclear CCTα translocation.