bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adverse events from calcium supplementation: Relationship to errors in myocardial infarction self-reporting in randomized controlled trials of calcium supplementation
Authors: Lewis Joshua R , Zhu Kun , Prince Richard L
Published: December 2011

The clinical effects of calcium supplements on adverse events reporting have not been well described. This study reviews randomized controlled trial (RCT) evidence of adverse events to clarify the epidemiology of these events. The hypothesis that patient self-report of myocardial infarction (MI) is increased in individuals receiving calcium supplementation is because of an increase in non-MI events incorrectly perceived by the patient as being because of MI, is examined. In seven RCTs summary self-reported gastrointestinal (GI) adverse event rates were more common in participants receiving calcium. These were described as constipation, excessive abdominal cramping, bloating, upper GI events, GI disease, GI symptoms, and severe diarrhoea or abdominal pain (calcium 14.1%, placebo 10.0%), relative risk (RR) 1.43 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28 to 1.59, p < 0.001. Adjudicated functional GI hospitalizations in one study were calcium 6.8%, placebo 3.6% (RR 1.92, 95% CI 1.21–3.05, p = 0.006). Direct comparison of self-reported and adjudicated MI events in the two trials of dietary calcium supplementation showed self-reported MI rates of 3.6% in the calcium group and 2.1% in the placebo group. After adjudication the MI rates were 2.4% in the calcium group and 1.6% in the placebo group (RR 1.45, 95% CI 0.88–2.45, p = 0.145). These data support the hypothesis that calcium tablets increase the incidence of adverse GI events, which may account for an increase in self-reported MI in calcium treated patients but not controls. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
Intratumoral injection of taxol in vivo suppresses A549 tumor showing cytoplasmic vacuolization
Authors: Wang Chaoyang , Chen Tongsheng
Published: December 2011

Based on our recent in vitro studies, this report was designed to explore the mechanism by which high concentration of taxol (70 µM) induced paraptosis‐like cell death in human lung carcinoma (A549) cells, and to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of taxol using A549 tumor‐bearing mice in vivo. Exposure of cells to taxol induced time‐dependent cytotoxicity and cytoplasmic vacuolization without the involvement of Bax, Bak, Mcl‐1, Bcl‐XL, and caspase‐3. Although taxol treatment induced activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) cleavage indicative of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, silencing ATF6 by shATF6 did not prevent taxol‐induced both cytotoxcity and cytoplasmic vacuolization, suggesting that taxol‐induced cytoplasmic vacuolization and cell death were not due to ER stress. Moreover, taxol‐treated cells did not show DNA fragmentation and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, the typical characteristics of apoptosis. In addition, taxol‐induced cytoplasmic vacuolization did not show the cellular lysis, the characteristics of oncosis, and positive of β‐galactosidase, the characteristic of senescence, indicating that taxol induced paraptosis‐like cell death is neither oncosis nor senescence. Moreover, our in vivo data showed that intratumoral injection of taxol (50 mg/kg) in A549 tumor xenograft mice on day 1 and day 19 potently suppressed tumor growth showing significant ER vacuolization without toxicity. In conclusion, high concentration of taxol exhibits a significant anticancer activity by inducing paraptosis‐like cell death in vitro and in vivo, without significant toxicity, suggesting a promising therapeutic strategy for apoptosis‐resistance cancer by inducing ER vacuolization. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 1397–1406, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Tetravalent vertex‐transitive graphs of order 4p
Authors: Zhou Jin‐Xin
Published: December 2011

A graph is vertex‐transitive if its automorphism group acts transitively on vertices of the graph. A vertex‐transitive graph is a Cayley graph if its automorphism group contains a subgroup acting regularly on its vertices. In this article, the tetravalent vertex‐transitive non‐Cayley graphs of order 4p are classified for each prime p. As a result, there are one sporadic and five infinite families of such graphs, of which the sporadic one has order 20, and one infinite family exists for every prime p>3, two families exist if and only if p≡1 (mod 8) and the other two families exist if and only if p≡1 (mod 4). For each family there is a unique graph for a given order. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Random Poly(methyl methacrylate‐co‐styrene) Brushes by ATRP to Create Neutral Surfaces for Block Copolymer Self‐Assembly
Authors: Liu Hui , O'Mahony Colm T. , Audouin Fabrice , Ventura Claudia , Morris Michael , Heise Andreas
Published: December 2011

Random copolymer brushes of styrene and methyl methacrylate (MMA) on silicon wafers by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) are synthesized using CuCl/CuCl2/HMTETA. It is found that with increasing amount of styrene the thickness of the brush layer could no longer be well controlled by the amount of free (sacrificial) initiator in the reaction. At constant concentration of free initiator a constant thickness is obtained for various ratios of MMA to styrene. Within 30–70% MMA in the monomer feed the composition of the free polymer corresponds well to the monomer feed ratio, displaying a water contact angle in agreement with the theoretical value for a random copolymer. These copolymers are shown to create a neutral surface directing spin‐coated poly(styrene‐b‐MMA) into a perpendicular lamellae orientation.
Surface electromyography features in manual workers affected by carpal tunnel syndrome
Authors: Bonfiglioli Roberta , Botter Alberto , Calabrese Monica , Mussoni Patrizia , Violante Francesco S. , Merletti Roberto
Published: December 2011

Introduction: Alterations in surface electromyographic (sEMG) signals of the abductor pollicis brevis muscle were evaluated in 24 non‐manual workers and 40 manual workers (25 asymptomatic and 15 reporting CTS symptoms). Methods: The initial value (IV) and the normalized rate of change (NRC) of average rectified value (ARV), mean frequency of the power spectrum (MNF), and muscle fiber conduction velocity (MFCV) were calculated during contractions at 20% and 50% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Neuromuscular efficiency (NME) and kurtosis of the sEMG amplitude distribution were estimated. Results: With respect to controls, manual workers showed higher NME, lower ARV IV, and reduced myoelectric manifestations of fatigue (lower MNF NRC for both contraction levels, and lower MFCV NRC at 50% MVC). Kurtosis at 20% MVC showed higher values in symptomatic manual workers than in the other two groups. Conclusions: Kurtosis seems to be a promising parameter for use in monitoring individuals who develop CTS. Muscle Nerve 45: 873–882, 2012
Extracranial measurements of amide proton transfer using exchange‐modulated point‐resolved spectroscopy (EXPRESS)
Authors: Walker‐Samuel Simon , Johnson S. Peter , Pedley Barbara , Lythgoe Mark F. , Golay Xavier
Published: December 2011

Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) imaging has been used experimentally in a large range of applications. However, full quantification of CEST effects in vivo using standard imaging sequences is time consuming as a large number of saturation frequency offsets, each followed by an imaging readout, are required to define a z spectrum. Furthermore, outside the brain, the presence of fat can confound the interpretation of z spectra. A novel acquisition and post‐processing technique is presented in this study, named exchange‐modulated point‐resolved spectroscopy (EXPRESS), which aims to address these limitations and to enable spatially localised, high signal‐to‐noise measurements of CEST effects in vivo. Using amide proton exchange (APT) measurements in tumours, it is demonstrated that the acquisition of two‐dimensional EXPRESS spectra composed of chemical shift and saturation frequency offset dimensions allows the correction of CEST data containing both fat and water signals, which is a common confounding property of tissues found outside the brain. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Relative contribution of delaying senescence to growth compensation after defoliation
Authors: Dobarro Iker , Gazol Emérita , Peco Begoña
Published: December 2011

Delaying senescence as a response to tissue losses has been reported in some studies, but there is no information about its influence in growth compensation. We performed a first test of the relative contribution of delaying senescence after defoliation to growth compensation in Dactylis glomerata L. by means of an iterative growth analysis modified to estimate tissue losses to senescent leaves. We show that Dactylis glomerata overcompensated for relative growth rate after defoliation, mainly by slowing down senescence, and to a lesser extent by increasing the newly assimilated mass allocated to leaves.
Position statement of the European Psychiatric Association (EPA) on the value of antidepressants in the treatment of unipolar depression
Authors: Möller H.-J. , Bitter I. , Bobes J. , Fountoulakis K. , Höschl C. , Kasper S.
Published: December 2011

This position statement will address in an evidence-based approach some of the important issues and controversies of current drug treatment of depression such as the efficacy of antidepressants, their effect on suicidality and their place in a complex psychiatric treatment strategy including psychotherapy. The efficacy of antidepressants is clinically relevant. The highest effect size was demonstrated for severe depression. Based on responder rates and based on double-blind placebo-controlled studies, the number needed to treat (NNT) is 5–7 for acute treatment and four for maintenance treatment. Monotherapy with one drug is often not sufficient and has to be followed by other antidepressants or by comedication/augmentation therapy approaches. Generally, antidepressants reduce suicidality, but under special conditions like young age or personality disorder, they can also increase suicidality. However, under the conditions of good clinical practice, the risk–benefit relationship of treatment with antidepressants can be judged as favourable also in this respect. The capacity of psychiatrists to individualise and optimise treatment decisions in terms of ‘the right drug/treatment for the right patient’ is still restricted since currently there are no sufficient powerful clinical or biological predictors which could help to achieve this goal. There is hope that in future pharmacogenetics will contribute significantly to a personalised treatment. With regard to plasma concentration, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is a useful tool to optimize plasma levels therapeutic outcome. The ideal that all steps of clinical decision-making can be based on the strict rules of evidence-based medicine is far away from reality. Clinical experience so far still has a great impact.
Ancient Jewish Mystical Motifs in Hebrews' Theology of Access and Entry Exhortations
Authors: Mackie Scott D.
Published: December 2011

A number of motifs found in ancient Jewish accounts of the heavenly throne room appear in the Epistle to the Hebrews. These elements include the throne of God, the temple veil, the glory of God, and participation in angelic worship. Though in ancient Jewish texts they are all depicted as presenting nearly insurmountable obstacles to the presence of God, the author of Hebrews transforms these conceptions, and instead depicts them as encouraging, facilitating, and even ensuring access to a welcoming God. This is especially apparent in the passages promoting the author's ultimate hortatory goal: the community's entry into the heavenly sanctuary (2.5–10; 4.14–16; 6.18–20; 10.19–23; 12.22–24).
Bundesideologie im Matthäusevangelium. Die Vorstellung vom neuen Bund als Grundlage der matthäischen Gesetzesverkündigung
Authors: Müller Mogens
Published: December 2011

The prophetic concept of a new covenant appears to be the key to the question of how the Gospel of Matthew depicts the life of believers in obedience to the commandments of God. This is made possible by the fact that God forgives all sins and puts his Spirit in the hearts of people, so that they are enabled to fulfil his will. Even though the new covenant is hardly mentioned in Matthew's Gospel, that is because it is written to a community of baptized believers in which the new covenant is presupposed as the foundation of their Christian life.  The essential obligation also to forgive others is stressed in 6.14–15 and in the parable of the unforgiving servant (18.23–35), and the necessity of heart-transformation can be seen besides in the Matthean use of the metaphor of the heart.
Gegenwart des Abwesenden. Eidetische Christologie in Lk 1.39–45
Authors: Nassauer Gudrun
Published: December 2011

The Graeco–Roman bios depicts its characters through elements of narrative construction. In order to show that it is worth noting those elements within the Gospel of Luke we use an episode in the infancy narrative (Lk 1.39–45) in which the main character at first sight seems to be absent. The semantic and narratological analysis of the figurative elements opens access to the normative ‘presence’ of Jesus, thereby furnishing fresh insights into the narrative mode of Lukan christology.
Social continuity and religious coexistence: the Muslim community of Tudela in Navarre before the expulsion of 1516
Authors: SOLARES CARLOS CONDE
Published: December 2011

This article evaluates the presence of Muslim communities in the Kingdom of Navarre in the late Middle Ages. Following the Christian Reconquest of the Navarrese bank of the Ebro in 1119, a sizeable Muslim community remained in Christian territory until 1516. This article focuses on the fifteenth century, a period for which religious coexistence in the smallest of the Iberian Christian kingdoms is in need of further contextualisation. An analysis of existing scholarship and new archival evidence throws light on the economic activities of the Muslims in Tudela as well as on their relationship with the Navarrese monarchy, their collective identity, their legal systems and their relationships not only with their Christian and Jewish neighbours, but also with other Iberian Muslim communities including those of Al Andalus, or Moorish Iberia.
Language, Place, and Heritage: Reflexive Cultural Luxembourgishness in Wisconsin
Authors: Horner Kristine
Published: December 2011

The rapid movement of people and information on a global scale has contributed to the renegotiation of ethnicity and group membership, especially as new networks have been formed across large geographical distances. The focus here is on Belgium, Wisconsin for two interrelated reasons: one of the largest concentrations of people of Luxembourgish descent in the United States is domiciled in that area; moreover, the grand opening celebration of the Luxembourg American Cultural Center took place there in 2010. Taking an ethnographically grounded geosemiotic approach, this paper provides an analysis of Luxembourgish linguistic and cultural heritage displays in Belgium, Wisconsin and explores how localized practices are being renegotiated in the context of augmented transatlantic cooperation.*
Catastrophes and Insurance Stocks – A Benchmarking Approach for Measuring Efficiency
Authors: West Jason
Published: December 2011

This study uses the numeraire portfolio to benchmark insurance stock returns as a natural measure for detecting abnormal insurance stock returns from catastrophic events. The assumptions underlying the efficient markets hypothesis using a numeraire denominated returns approach hold for catastrophic insurance events whereas other more traditional methods such as the market model and Fama-French three factor model often fail, typically due to the accumulation of estimation errors. We construct a portfolio of Australian insurance firms and observe the market reaction to major insured catastrophic events. Using the numeraire denominated returns approach we observe no particular trend in the cumulative abnormal returns of insurance securities following a catastrophic event. Using both the traditional market model and the Fama-French three factor model however, we observe significantly positive cumulative abnormal returns following an insured catastrophic event. The errors inherent in the market model and three factor model for event studies are shown to be eliminated using the numeraire denominated returns approach.
Es ist nicht schlimm, dass man hinfällt, sondern dass man liegen bleibt
Authors: Peseschkian† Nossrat
Published: December 2011

Zusammenfassung. Der Vortrag auf dem Symposion des BKMT (www.bkmt.de) vom 21.11.2009 stellt das Vorgehen der Positiven Psychotherapie im Umgang mit Geschichten und Lebensweisheiten vor. Positiv leitet sich vom lateinischen Wort „positum” ab. Es bedeutet, das Ganze zu sehen, das Tatsächliche, das Vorgegebene. Auf der Grundlage des transkulturellen Ansatzes, der Weisheiten und intuitive Gedanken des Orients mit den neuen psychotherapeutischen Methoden des Okzidents verknüpft, werden die drei Fundamente erklärt: „Der positive Ansatz: Das Prinzip Hoffnung”, „das inhaltliche Vorgehen: Konfliktinhalt und Konfliktdynamik” und „Therapie und Selbsthilfe: Das Prinzip Beratung”. Der positive Ansatz besteht aus dem positiven Menschenbild und der positiven Symptombildung; das inhaltliche Vorgehen orientiert sich an den vier Qualitäten des Lebens als Ausdruck der Erkenntnisfähigkeit: Körper/Sinne – Leistung (Verstand) – Kontakt/Tradition – Phantasie (Intuition). Therapie und Selbsthilfe basieren auf den fünf Stufen: Beobachtung/Distanzierung – Inventarisierung – situative Ermutigung – Verbalisierung – Zielerweiterung. Ein ausführliches Fallbeispiel demonstriert die Anwendung der vier Formen der Konfliktbewältigung unter Verwendung des Differentialanalytischen Inventars (DAI) von transkulturell unterschiedlich gewichteten Aktualfähigkeiten.
Zusammenhang zwischen Aufmerksamkeitsdefiziten und Lese-Rechtschreibschwäche
Authors: Ruland Anne , Willmes Klaus , Günther Thomas
Published: December 2011

Neben anderen Voraussetzungen sind beim Lese- und Rechtschreiberwerb Aufmerksamkeitsprozesse essentiell. In der vorliegenden Studie wurde modellorientiert erfasst, in welchen Teilkomponenten der Aufmerksamkeit Kinder mit einer Lese- Rechtschreibstörung (LRS) auffällig sind. Dazu wurden 32 Kinder mit einer LRS aus dem dritten und vierten Schuljahr mit 31 Kontrollkindern verglichen. Alle Kinder führten computergestützte Aufmerksamkeitsaufgaben durch, mit denen Intensitätsaspekte, Selektivitätsaspekte, Kontrollfunktionen und räumliche Ausrichtung der Aufmerksamkeit überprüft wurden. Es zeigte sich, dass Defizite im Lesen und Schreiben mit Leistungen im Bereich der Aufmerksamkeit korrelieren. Im Vergleich zur Kontrollgruppe konnten Defizite für Intensitätsaspekte der Aufmerksamkeit, räumliche Aufmerksamkeitsaspekte und kontrollierende Aufmerksamkeitsfunktionen festgestellt werden. Schlussfolgernd sprechen die Ergebnisse dafür, dass eine LRS mit Defiziten in der Aufmerksamkeit assoziiert ist.
Selbstverletzendes Verhalten
Authors: Petermann Franz
Published: December 2011

Selbstverletzendes Verhalten (z. B. sich schneiden und ritzen) kommt bei Kindern ab 12 Jahre relativ häufig vor. Oft handelt es sich um den Ausdruck einer psychischen Störung oder von massiven sozialen Belastungen, wobei ganz unterschiedliche Motive für solch ein Verhalten angegeben werden. Obwohl zahlreiche Studien und Übersichtsarbeiten zum Thema vorliegen, bestehen nach wie vor Unstimmigkeiten hinsichtlich der Definition und der diagnostischen Einordnung. Aufgrund der hohen Prävalenzzahlen im Jugendalter rücken schulbasierte Präventionsansätze vermehrt in den Fokus.
Hyporheic temperature dynamics and heat exchange near channel‐spanning logs
Authors: Sawyer Audrey H. , Bayani Cardenas M. , Buttles Jim
Published: December 2011

The flow of river water around large woody debris (LWD) creates pressure gradients along the riverbed that drive river‐groundwater mixing, or hyporheic exchange, and heat transport within the hyporheic zone. We quantify hyporheic fluid and heat exchange induced by current interaction with channel‐spanning logs using two approaches: laboratory flume experiments and numerical simulations that link turbulent open‐channel fluid flow, porous fluid flow, and heat transport. Flume and numerical experiments show that logs produce a characteristic diel temperature pattern within sediment that shifts with log blockage ratio (a fraction of the channel depth blocked by the log), channel Froude number, and sediment permeability. Upstream of a log, downwelling water transports the river's diel thermal signal deep into the sediment. Downstream, upwelling water from shallow flow paths has a thermal signal similar to the surface water, while upwelling water from deep flow paths forms a wedge of buffered (low‐amplitude) temperatures. Since most hyporheic water emerges from shallow flow paths, upwelling water has limited potential to buffer surface water temperature. Because of historic channel clearing practices, modern rivers have unnaturally low densities of LWD. A key implication is that LWD removal has contributed to thermal homogenization and potential degradation of hyporheic habitats. LWD reintroduction is a promising strategy to improve vertical connectivity in rivers and increase thermal patchiness within the hyporheic zone. However, hyporheic exchange near LWD may not impact diel surface water temperatures at the reach scale.
A new proofreading mechanism for lesion bypass by DNA polymerase‐λ
Authors: Crespan Emmanuele , Maga Giovanni , Hübscher Ulrich
Published: December 2011

Replicative DNA polymerases (DNA pols) increase their fidelity by removing misincorporated nucleotides with their 3′ → 5′ exonuclease activity. Exonuclease activity reduces translesion synthesis (TLS) efficiency and TLS DNA pols lack 3′ → 5′ exonuclease activity. Here we show that physiological concentrations of pyrophosphate (PPi) activate the pyrophosphorolytic activity by DNA pol‐λ, allowing the preferential excision of the incorrectly incorporated A opposite a 7,8‐dihydro‐8‐oxoguanine lesion, or T opposite a 6‐methyl‐guanine, with respect to the correct C. This is the first example of an alternative proofreading mechanism used during TLS.
Stem cell research, scientific freedom and the commodification concern
Authors: Caulfield Timothy , Ogbogu Ubaka
Published: December 2011

‘Commodification’ has been repeatedly used as an argument to ban or limit research on human embryonic stem cells. But what does it mean and is the term sufficiently defined to serve as a justification to curtail the freedom of research?
Induced terahertz emission as a probe for semiconductor devices
Authors: Hoyer Patrick , Matthäus Gabor , Blumröder Ulrike , Füchsel Kevin , Nolte Stefan
Published: December 2011

A nondestructive and contact free method for the characterization of semiconductor devices is presented using stimulated terahertz (THz) emission. For demonstration purposes, nanostructured semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor solar cells are investigated. These solar cells are based on indium tin oxide (ITO) upon black silicon (BS). During illumination with fs laser pulses, free charge carriers are generated at the junction between ITO and BS yielding the emission of broadband THz radiation. Since the THz field strength depends on the acceleration characteristics of the photoinduced charge carriers, phase sensitive detection of the emitted THz signal reflects the existing electric field distribution at the boundary zone. In contrast to existing methods where the sample is illuminated by an additional THz generator, here, the THz emission itself characterizes the sample. Moreover, only the region of THz generation is probed yielding a depth-resolved measurement setup that can be applied for the investigation of semiconductor multilayer systems in general as far as THz generation is supported.
Modernising Climate Policy in Australia: Climate Narratives and the Undoing of a Prime Minister
Authors: Curran Giorel
Published: December 2011

Australia came very close to legislating an emissions trading scheme as part of a climate policy package in 2009. This climate policy was driven by a new Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, who had made addressing climate change his signature policy commitment both before and after the 2007 election that brought the Australian Labor Party to power. His climate policy was underpinned by two main interrelated narratives: ecological modernisation and climate justice. In this paper I consider the story of the Rudd government's climate policy experience through an ecological modernisation lens. In the end, it was the seeming disjuncture between political rhetoric and policy outcomes that brought the Rudd prime ministership down. The telling of the Rudd climate story through these narratives reveals some of the limitations of (mainstream) ecological modernisation as a major environmental management approach, as well as highlighting the vagaries of political leadership.
Do Local Policy Networks Deter the Race to the Bottom in Environmental Regulation? The Case of South Korea
Authors: Kim Doo-Rae
Published: December 2011

Scholars of environmental regulation have speculated that decentralization of policy authority may induce subnational governments to lower their regulatory stringency in pursuit of an economic advantage over other jurisdictions. I examine whether there is an environmental race to the bottom among local governments and to what extent local policy networks can offset this tendency in the nascent decentralized system of South Korea. The results of an empirical analysis of local enforcement activities show that, although positive regulatory gaps lack any significant influence, industrial decline leads local agencies to decrease their enforcement actions. Yet, I also find that local policy networks not only directly affect the regulatory behavior of local governments but also counterbalance the influence of industry, thereby mitigating the race to the bottom. Together, these findings suggest that decentralization may not always engender the interjurisdictional competition that leads to the suboptimal production of social policies.
The inflammatory cytokine IL-18 induces self-reactive innate antibody responses regulated by natural killer T cells
Authors: Enoksson Sara Lind , Grasset Emilie K. , Hägglöf Thomas , Mattsson Nina , Kaiser Ylva , Gabrielsson Susanne , McGaha Tracy L. , Scheynius Annika , Karlsson Mikael C. I.
Published: December 2011

Inflammatory responses initiate rapid production of IL-1 family cytokines, including IL-18. This cytokine is produced at high levels in inflammatory diseases, including allergy and autoimmunity, and is known to induce IgE production in mice. Here we provide evidence that IL-18 is directly coupled to induction of self-reactive IgM and IgG antibody responses and recruitment of innate B2 B cells residing in the marginal zone of the spleen. Moreover, the data suggest that the B-cell activation occurs predominantly in splenic extrafollicular plasma cell foci and is regulated by natural killer T (NKT) cells that prevent formation of mature germinal centers. We also find evidence that NKT cells control this type of B-cell activation via cytotoxicity mediated by both the perforin and CD95/CD178 pathways. Thus, NKT cells regulate innate antibody responses initiated by an inflammatory stimulus, suggesting a general mechanism that regulates B-cell behavior in inflammation and autoreactivity.
Arabidopsis cryptochrome 2 (CRY2) functions by the photoactivation mechanism distinct from the tryptophan (trp) triad-dependent photoreduction
Authors: Li Xu , Wang Qin , Yu Xuhong , Liu Hongtao , Yang Huan , Zhao Chenxi , Liu Xuanming , Tan Chuang , Klejnot John , Zhong Dongping , Lin Chentao
Published: December 2011

Cryptochromes are blue-light receptors mediating various light responses in plants and animals. The photochemical mechanism of cryptochromes is not well understood. It has been proposed that photoactivation of cryptochromes involves the blue-light–dependent photoreduction of flavin adenine dinucleotide via the electron transport chain composed of three evolutionarily conserved tryptophan residues known as the “trp triad.” We investigated this hypothesis by analyzing the photochemical and physiological activities of
Arabidopsis
cryptochrome 2 (CRY2) mutations altered in each of the three trp-triad residues. We found that all trp-triad mutations of CRY2 tested lost photoreduction activity in vitro but retained the physiological and biochemical activities in vivo. Some of the trp-triad mutations of CRY2 remained responsive to blue light; others, such as CRY2
W374A
, became constitutively active. In contrast to wild-type CRY2, which undergoes blue-light–dependent interaction with the CRY2-signaling proteins SUPPRESSOR OF PHYA 1 (SPA1) and cryptochrome-interaction basic helix–loop–helix 1 (CIB1), the constitutively active CRY2
W374A
interacts with SPA1 and CIB1 constitutively. These results support the hypothesis that cryptochromes mediate blue-light responses via a photochemistry distinct from trp-triad–dependent photoreduction and that the trp-triad residues are evolutionarily conserved in the photolyase/cryptochrome superfamily for reasons of structural integrity rather than for photochemistry per se.
Influence of Incision Location on Transmitter Loss, Healing, Survival, Growth, and Suture Retention of Juvenile Chinook Salmon
Authors: Panther Jennifer L. , Brown Richard S. , Gaulke Greg L. , Deters Katherine A. , Woodley Christa M. , Eppard M. Brad
Published: December 2011

Fisheries research involving surgical implantation of transmitters necessitates the use of methods that minimize transmitter loss and fish mortality and optimize healing of the incision. We evaluated the effects of three incision locations on transmitter loss, healing, survival, growth, and suture retention in juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. The three incision locations were (1) on the linea alba (LA incision), (2) adjacent and parallel to the LA (muscle‐cutting [MC] incision), and (3) extending from the LA towards the dorsum at a 45° angle, between the parallel lines of myomeres (muscle‐sparing [MS] incision). A Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System acoustic transmitter (0.44 g in air) and a passive integrated transponder tag (0.10 g in air) were implanted into each fish (total N = 936 fish). The fish were held at 12°C or 20°C and were examined weekly for 98 d. The progression of healing among incision locations and the variability in transmitter loss made it difficult to identify one incision location as the best choice. The LA incisions had a much smaller wound extent (area of visible subepidermal tissue) than MC and MS incisions during the first 28 d of the study. In both temperature treatments, apposition of incisions through day 14 was better for LA incisions than for MC and MS incisions. However, MC and MS incisions were less likely than LA incisions to reopen over time and thus were less likely to allow transmitter loss through the incision.
A system for measuring surface roughness by total integrated scattering
Authors: Mazule L , Liukaityte S , Eckardt R C , Melninkaitis A , Balachninaite O , Sirutkaitis V
Published: December 2011

A system for measurement of surface roughness based on total integrated scattering at 532 and 355 nm is built and demonstrated. Surfaces up to 25 mm × 25 mm are scanned in 6 min with a spatial resolution of 0.4 mm. Careful attention to reducing stray light and purging the measurement chamber with filtered air allow scattering resolution better than 10−5. Surface roughness measurements better than 1 nm RMS are demonstrated and confirmed by comparison measurements with an atomic-force microscope.
Affine geometric crystals in unipotent loop groups
Authors: Lam Thomas , Pylyavskyy Pavlo
Published: December 2011

We study products of the affine geometric crystal of type

A
A

corresponding to symmetric powers of the standard representation. The quotient of this product by the

R
R

-matrix action is constructed inside the unipotent loop group. This quotient crystal has a semi-infinite limit, where the crystal structure is described in terms of limit ratios previously appearing in the study of total positivity of loop groups.
Testing the Infrequent Purchases Model Using Direct Measurement of Hidden Consumption from Food Stocks
Authors: Gibson John , Kim Bonggeun
Published: December 2011

Survey reports of zero expenditure result from either genuine non‐consumption, or purchases undertaken too infrequently to observe during a survey, with hidden consumption from stocks. Infrequent purchase models rely on untested hypotheses to distinguish these types of zeros. We test such models with data from an unusual survey where food stocks are measured at the start and end of the survey reference period. Parameter estimates using these direct measures of hidden consumption out of stocks are compared with estimates from infrequent purchase models that attempt to recover this hidden consumption. The results suggest considerable bias when using the infrequent purchase models.
N-3-Oxo-Decanoyl-l-Homoserine-Lactone Activates Auxin-Induced Adventitious Root Formation via Hydrogen Peroxide- and Nitric Oxide-Dependent Cyclic GMP Signaling in Mung Bean
Authors: Bai Xuegui , Todd Christopher D. , Desikan Radhika , Yang Yongping , Hu Xiangyang
Published: December 2011

N-Acyl-homoserine-lactones (AHLs) are bacterial quorum-sensing signaling molecules that regulate population density. Recent evidence demonstrates their roles in plant defense responses and root development. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitric oxide (NO), and cyclic GMP (cGMP) are essential messengers that participate in various plant physiological processes, but how these messengers modulate the plant response to N-acyl-homoserine-lactone signals remains poorly understood. Here, we show that the N-3-oxo-decanoyl-homoserine-lactone (3-O-C10-HL), in contrast to its analog with an unsubstituted branch chain at the C3 position, efficiently stimulated the formation of adventitious roots and the expression of auxin-response genes in explants of mung bean (Vigna radiata) seedlings. This response was mimicked by the exogenous application of auxin, H2O2, NO, or cGMP homologs but suppressed by treatment with scavengers or inhibitors of H2O2, NO, or cGMP metabolism. The 3-O-C10-HL treatment enhanced auxin basipetal transport; this effect could be reversed by treatment with H2O2 or NO scavengers but not by inhibitors of cGMP synthesis. Inhibiting 3-O-C10-HL-induced H2O2 or NO accumulation impaired auxin- or 3-O-C10-HL-induced cGMP synthesis; however, blocking cGMP synthesis did not affect auxin- or 3-O-C10-HL-induced H2O2 or NO generation. Additionally, cGMP partially rescued the inhibitory effect of H2O2 or NO scavengers on 3-O-C10-HL-induced adventitious root development and auxin-response gene expression. These results suggest that 3-O-C10-HL, unlike its analog with an unmodified branch chain at the C3 position, can accelerate auxin-dependent adventitious root formation, possibly via H2O2- and NO-dependent cGMP signaling in mung bean seedlings.
Persuading library use in technologically structured individuals
Authors: Ferebee Susan , Wayne Davis James
Published: December 2011

Purpose

Recent neuroscience research demonstrates that individuals born after 1980 (technologically structured individuals (TSI)) differ in brain structure from individuals born before 1980 (non‐technologically structured individuals (NTSI), due to intense technology exposure from early ages. This preliminary research seeks to view persuasion through the lens of neuroscience and to apply the concepts to persuasive technology, specifically persuasive technology that can leverage the resurgent interest in library use by younger generations.

Design/methodology/approach

A descriptive, correlative, quantitative study is used to explore how TSIs and NTSIs differ in their perceptions of libraries and in their responses to persuasive stimuli that might be employed to engage them in increased library use. An online survey was administered to a sample of 310 internet users between the ages of 18‐70.

Findings

The study found that there are small but important differences in TSI and NTSI perceptions of libraries and librarians. Additionally, three factors emerge about TSIs that are relevant to persuasion and persuasive technology: TSIs are rapid cycle processors of audio and visual stimulus; TSIs perceive and utilize time differently than NTSIs; and immediacy is the norm for TSIs.

Research limitations/implications

Library users who do not use computers or the internet were excluded.

Practical implications

As librarians take responsibility for promoting library resources and their own expertise, they may find their role moving from information providers to mentors who empower library users as independent researchers. Currently a quiet place for research, the future library may become an interactive learning environment. Persuasive technology designers must consider the unique characteristics of TSIs in order to implement effective persuasive techniques.

Originality/value

This study is original in applying the neuroscience lens to persuasion, and specifically to persuasion related to library users and improved engagement and library use.
Development, assessment and use of an on‐line plagiarism tutorial
Authors: Kate Kellum Karen , Mark Amy E. , Riley‐Huff Debra A.
Published: December 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to share with the wider academic community an example of one tool developed locally that can be a successful part of any institution's arsenal on the war against plagiarism.

Design/methodology/approach

Over the course of a year, the committee scripted, filmed, and edited the video portion of the tutorial. The assessment portion of the tutorial (an eight‐question quiz drawn from a pool of 40 questions) was developed and refined in a series of pilot tests.

Findings

More than 80 percent of the 2,097 students who have completed the tutorial have correctly answered the question presented for seven of the eight outcomes.

Practical implications

This paper presents a method for integrating information literacy into the wider university community. The paper discusses a practical, effective method for teaching students about the ethical use of information.

Originality/value

The value of this paper is the demonstration of one method of educating students on the issue of plagiarism and how information literacy standards can be integrated into the curriculum and centralized through administrative and faculty support.
Round two of FATCA Guidance: Notice 2011‐34: what's new and what remains on the wish list for non‐US investment funds
Authors: Baker Adrienne M.
Published: December 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight areas of particular interest to non‐US investment funds in the second installment of the US Treasury Department's written guidance under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explains the background to FATCA and the Treasury Department's guidance on procedures for identifying US accounts among pre‐existing individual accounts, “pass‐thru payments” to “recalcitrant account holders” or non‐compliant foreign financial institutions (FFIs), FFIs deemed to be FATCA‐compliant, and centralized compliance options for certain affiliated groups of FFIs; explains next steps and offers future guidance.

Findings

FATCA was enacted in March 2010 to ensure that there is no gap in the ability of the US government to determine the ownership of US assets in foreign accounts and to prevent offshore tax abuses by US persons – in particular to prevent a US person from escaping US tax liability by owning US assets through foreign accounts.

Practical implications

Various industry groups are expected to press Treasury for guidance that would alleviate the FATCA burdens on widely held investment vehicles and funds that prohibit investment by reportable US account holders. In the interim, non‐US funds should begin to decide whether to permit reportable US account holders and to determine who will be responsible for performing the due diligence required to identify US account holders.

Originality/value

The paper provides practical guidance from experienced financial services lawyers.
Validation of microcontroller codes: an architecture oriented approach
Authors: Chacko Mariamma , Poulose Jacob K.
Published: December 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe an approach towards code validation of RISC microcontrollers, which helps to automate software debugging. A static machine code analysis which checks the appropriateness of instructions in a sequence to identify any logical mistakes and also to identify redundant codes appearing in a program for the target processor is presented.

Design/methodology/approach

Validation is done with the help of rules of inferences formulated for the target processor. The rules govern the occurrence of illegitimate/out of place instructions and code sequences for executing the computational and integrated peripheral functions. The stipulated rules are encoded in propositional logic formulae and their compliance is tested in all possible execution paths of the application programs. An incorrect sequence of machine code pattern is identified using slicing techniques on the control flow graph generated from machine code.

Findings

The results explain that the technique is independent of compiler/assembler and contributes to early detection of software bugs that are otherwise hard to detect. Program states are identified mainly with machine code pattern, which drastically reduces the state space creation contributing to an improved state‐of‐the‐art model checking.

Research limitations/implications

Though the technique described is general, the implementation is highly architecture oriented, and hence the feasibility study is conducted only on PIC16F87X microcontrollers.

Practical implications

This validation tool can be integrated to the system development environment resulting in improved software quality and reduced debugging time.

Originality/value

It is a novel and original approach at machine code level applicable to a wide range of processors once appropriate rules are available.
Crack propagation in buckling plates: test results and a simplified numerical approach
Authors: Bierbaum Julia , Horst Peter
Published: December 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the first results of tests where cracks lie in the tension field of a shear forced aluminium panel. The paper's main focus is on the crack propagation behavior and possible 3D‐effects caused by the bending of the plate. A simplified numerical approach is presented to confirm the observed phenomena.

Design/methodology/approach

Experiments have been performed to investigate the influence of buckling on accidental damages. A simplified numerical approach is presented and compared to the experimental results.

Findings

It can be shown that the crack propagates due to buckling of the plate. The principal stress of the neutral axis of the plate has significant influence on the crack propagation.

Originality/value

Investigations of stability problems and damage tolerance behavior of metallic structures have been realized but mainly separately. This paper shows that cracks propagate due to buckling and that both phenomena influence one another considering accidental damages. The paper presents the first experimental and numerical results of cracked aluminium panels subjected to cyclic shear load.
Development of flexible matrix composites (FMC) for fluidic actuators in morphing systems
Authors: Kirn Johannes , Lorkowski Thomas , Baier Horst
Published: December 2011

Purpose

This paper seeks to focus on material combinations for flexible matrix composites (FMCs) and the production methods thereof. These materials enable a high flexibility in one direction while being very stiff in the other.

Design/methodology/approach

Tested were rubber, silicone and thermoplastic elastomer matrices with carbon fibers using different production methods. These tests focused on the impregnation of the fibers with the different matrices and the orthotropy of the produced materials.

Findings

In the paper, a production capability for large quantities of easy to use off‐the‐shelf material was developed. The produced material handles similar to prepreg material known from “classical” composite materials. Test specimens were manufactured and characterized for mechanical properties using tensile tests.

Originality/value

These FMC materials are envisaged for a new pneumatic actuation system for an aircraft's droop nose to replace the electro‐mechanical system designed in the SADE and SmartLED projects. Combining a tube‐like geometry and a variable fiber‐angle lay‐up enables a wide range of deformation possibilities (large design freedom of movement behaviour).
Significance of IDH mutations varies with tumor histology, grade, and genetics in Japanese glioma patients
Authors: Mukasa Akitake , Takayanagi Shunsaku , Saito Kuniaki , Shibahara Junji , Tabei Yusuke , Furuya Kazuhide , Ide Takafumi , Narita Yoshitaka , Nishikawa Ryo , Ueki Keisuke , Saito Nobuhito
Published: December 2011

Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) and IDH2 are found frequently in malignant gliomas and are likely involved in early gliomagenesis. To understand the prevalence of these mutations and their relationship to other genetic alterations and impact on prognosis for Japanese glioma patients, we analyzed 250 glioma cases. Mutations of IDH1 and IDH2 were found in 73 (29%) and 2 (1%) cases, respectively. All detected mutations were heterozygous, and most mutations were an Arg132His (G395A) substitution. IDH mutations were frequent in oligodendroglial tumors (37/52, 71%) and diffuse astrocytomas (17/29, 59%), and were less frequent in anaplastic astrocytomas (8/29, 28%) and glioblastomas (13/125, 10%). The pilocytic astrocytomas and gangliogliomas did not have either mutation. Notably, 28 of 30 oligodendroglial tumors harboring the 1p/19q co‐deletion also had an IDH mutation, and these alterations were significantly correlated (P < 0.001). The association between TP53 and IDH mutation was significant in diffuse astrocytomas (P = 0.0018). MGMT promoter methylation was significantly associated with IDH mutation in grade 2 (P < 0.001) and grade 3 (P = 0.02) gliomas. IDH mutation and 1p/19q co‐deletion were independent favorable prognostic factors for patients with grade 3 gliomas. For patients with grade 3 gliomas and without 1p/19q co‐deletion, IDH mutation was strongly associated with increased progression‐free survival (P < 0.0001) and overall survival (P < 0.0001), but no such marked correlation was observed with grade 2 gliomas or glioblastomas. Therefore, IDH mutation would be most useful when assessing prognosis of patients with grade 3 glioma with intact 1p/19q; anaplastic astrocytomas account for most of these grade 3 gliomas. (Cancer Sci 2012; 103: 587–592)