bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Arithmetic Word Problem Solving and Mental Representations
Authors: Thevenot Catherine , Barrouillet Pierre
Published: August 2014

Arithmetic word problem solving is considered as a testing ground of mathematical achievement, but remains the area of mathematics in which students experience the greatest difficulties. In this chapter, we review recent theoretical and empirical work that could shed light on these difficulties. We first describe the most frequently used classifications of word problems and assess their psychological relevance. Then, we present the main hypotheses concerning the nature of the representations involved in word problems. Some theories assume that problem solving relies on the instantiation of schemas abstracted from recurrently encountered problems of the same relational structure, whereas other theories propose that ad hoc transient mental representations are constructed for each problem encountered. A third part is devoted to the impact of individual differences in calculation, reading comprehension, and more general factors, such as working memory capacity. Finally, we address the issue of enhancing performance in word problem solving.
Cultural History and a Singing Style
Authors: Day Timothy
Published: August 2014

Of all musical sounds clearly none are more intimately related to the men and women andchildren who produce them than singing. How might the relationship between singersand singing styles be studied? What sources might be drawn on to illuminate thisrelationship? This chapter examines the peculiar and distinctive choral tradition ofEnglish cathedral choirs, a style distinguished by the “whiteness” of the sounds, theabsence of vibrato, and the control, restraint, and reserve. It attempts to relate thesounds the men and boys make to the lives they lead and the ideas and ideals by whichthey lead them. What is the value of such an exercise in cultural history?
Adolescent Girls’ Singing Development
Authors: Gackle Lynne
Published: August 2014

A considerable amount of study has been devoted to the development of the adolescent male singing voice. By comparison, little attention has been given to the study of the adolescent female singing voice. However, in recent years, there has been increased interest in information regarding the girl’s voice during adolescence. In addition to providing a comparison of male and female adolescent voice change, this chapter reviews the physiological changes as well as symptoms associated with vocal development in the singing voice of adolescent girls. Further, the chapter outlines phases of vocal development as well as criteria for classification according to developmental phase. Finally, the chapter provides a review of research/literature on the topic of the female adolescent singing voice, as well as research regarding self-identity, singing, and adolescent females.
Pragmatics and Information Structure
Authors: Ward Gregory , Birner Betty J. , Kaiser Elsi
Published: August 2014

Information structure deals with the question of how—and specifically, in what order—we choose to present the informational content of a proposition. In English and many other languages, this content is structured in such a way that given, or familiar, information precedes new, or unfamiliar, information. Because givenness and newness are largely matters of what has come previously in the discourse, information structuring is inextricably tied to matters of context—in particular, the prior linguistic context—and this is what makes information structure quintessentially pragmatic in nature. While it has long been recognized that various non-canonical word orders function to preserve a given-before-new ordering in an utterance, a great deal of research has focused on how to determine the specific categories of givenness and newness that matter for information structuring. A growing body of psycholinguistic work explores the role that these categories play in language comprehension.
Reason, Normativity, and Hume’s “Title Principle”
Authors: Garrett Don
Published: August 2014

David Hume’s “Title Principle,” as it has come to be called, is a specification of the normative scope of reason: “Where reason is lively, and mixes itself with some propensity, it ought to be assented to. Where it does not, it never can have any title to operate on us.” This chapter seeks to answer four central questions about the principle. First, what does Hume mean by “reason” in it? Second, what particular kinds of beliefs does it mandate or disallow? Third, what kind of normativity is expressed by its use of “ought”? Fourth, can it permit Hume properly to overcome—if only to some extent—the “doubts,” “contradictions and imperfections,” and “objections” concerning the use of reason that he describes prior to stating the principle? The chapter concludes with brief reflections on the significance for contemporary epistemology of Hume’s use of the Title Principle.
Hume’s Skeptical Realism
Authors: Wright John P.
Published: August 2014

The author argues that the core of Hume’s Academic skepticism lies in his commitment to an external world and objective causal powers that are cognitively opaque to human understanding. Three central topics of Hume’s theory of the understanding are discussed—the existence of absolute space, the existence of a world external to our senses, and the existence of objective causal powers. In each case, Hume draws a Pyrrhonian opposition between judgments based on his “Copy Principle” and the “fictions” or “illusions” formed through association of ideas. While he suspends judgment concerning the existence of absolute space, he argues that the association-based beliefs in an external world and objective causal powers are necessary for human life and indispensible in science. In adopting such beliefs about external reality, while at the same time denying their intelligibility, Hume was following ancient Academic skepticism.
Dancing Multiple Identities
Authors: Hoppu Petri
Published: August 2014

This chapter examines the role of the traditional dance of the Skolt Sámi in Finland in constructing and producing identity. The Skolt Sámi are a culturally and linguistically distinct group of the Eastern Sámi. Originally they lived in a widespread area, from Lake Inari eastward to the Russian city of Murmansk. Today most Skolts live near Lake Inari in Finnish Lapland, where they were relocated after World War II. The multiple identities of the Skolts are actualized in many ways—including in language, music, and clothing—but perhaps most distinctively in their dancing. Their dancing traditions, especially the quadrille, separate them from other Sámi in Finland and connect them to Northern Russian culture. Despite their dramatic past, the Skolts have preserved their culture and distinctive identities. The quadrille has a special place among the Skolts, and it continues in a new context as a part of their embodied culture.
Employed Job Seekers and Job-to-Job Search
Authors: Boswell Wendy R. , Gardner Richard G.
Published: August 2014

The purpose of this chapter is to review and integrate the existing research on job-to-job search behavior. The authors provide an overview of the various job-search and employee withdrawal/turnover models followed by a review of the prior empirical findings on the processes, antecedents, and outcomes of job-search behavior within the context of employed individuals. An important focus of this paper is the authors’ explicit focus on the varying objectives an employee may have for engaging in job-search activity. The chapter concludes by discussing developing issues in this research area and offering directions for future research to enhance our understanding of job-to-job search behavior.
Language Retention/Language Shift, “English Only,” and Multilingualism in the United States
Authors: Fishman Joshua A.
Published: August 2014

This essay discusses the role of non-English languages in the United States and how they have been transformed. The rise and fall of the German language and the ascendancy of the Spanish language reveals the nuances of language retention among the country at large and among the foreign-stock population. Reactions to non-English speech have included the “English Only” and “English Official” movements, which oppose any extensive use of non-English languages. Also discussed are aspects of bilingualism in the United States.
Cross-Cultural Differences in Adjustment to Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period
Authors: Onoye Jane M. , Goebert Deborah , Morland Leslie
Published: August 2014

Cultural context is important to understanding cross-cultural difference in adjustment to pregnancy and the postpartum period. Culture is complex, with interrelated variables posing challenges for research. Highlighted with examples of research with women from Western, Eastern, Native, and Other cultures, the chapter discusses variables such as acculturation and acculturative stress, social support, religious and spiritual beliefs and practices, and help-seeking and utilization of services in perinatal mental health and adjustment. Although rates of psychiatric symptoms and disorders vary across cultures, postpartum depression is universal and most often reflected in the perinatal mental health literature. Research on interventions and services mainly examine Western approaches as standard models of health care; however, understanding cultural context can help to inform directions for intervention adaptations or tailoring through a “cultural lens.” There are growing segments of cross-cultural perinatal mental health research, but many gaps still remain.
Casual Sexual Relationships and Experiences in Emerging Adulthood
Authors: Claxton Shannon , Van Dulmen Manfred
Published: August 2014

Casual sexual relationships and experiences (CSREs) such as hookups, one-night stands, friends with benefits relationships, and booty calls have received increasing attention in the past decade. This review examines the role of CSREs during emerging adulthood, as well as similarities and differences among the different types of CSREs. The authors also examine the predictors and positive and negative consequences of engaging in CSREs. Although research in the area of CSREs has provided important information about the development and course of these relationships/experiences, future research should focus on exploring these relationships and experiences using an integrated theoretical perspective and longitudinal methods, in diverse, non-college samples.
Contemporary Issues in Sexual Orientation and Identity Development in Emerging Adulthood
Authors: Morgan Elizabeth M.
Published: August 2014

Emerging adulthood presents a unique developmental milieu for sexual orientation and identity development. Over the past 10 years, a body of research has begun delineating contemporary emerging adults’ understandings of their sexual orientation and processes of sexual identity development. This scholarship has increasingly recognized the complexity and multidimensional nature of sexual identity development among both heterosexual and sexual-minority individuals. This review covers current conceptualizations of sexual orientation and identity, traditional and contemporary models of sexual identity development, and recent empirical literature assessing developmental trajectories, consistency between and within dimensions of sexual orientation and identity, stability of these dimensions, and issues of sexual identity labeling and categorization. This scholarship suggests that increased attention to diversity within and between sexual identity groups is warranted but also reveals notable patterns and categories that should be considered as the field moves forward.
Growing Up with a Little Help from their Friends in Emerging Adulthood
Authors: McNamara Barry Carolyn , Madsen Stephanie D. , DeGrace Alyssa
Published: August 2014

Friendships are vital to emerging adults’ adjustment due to the rapid changes that come during this decade (e.g., leaving their families of origin, delaying adult roles of marriage and parenthood). Indeed, friends are often central to emerging adults’ lives and can afford immeasurable support as they tackle developmental tasks, such as identity. This chapter reviews the literature on the types (same vs. opposite sex vs. friends with benefits), formation processes, and qualities of emerging adults’ friendships. The authors discuss variations in friendships as a function of gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity/culture. Additionally, the authors note the extent to which emerging adults’ friendships change as a result of transitions concerning college, career, relationship status, and parenthood. Next, the authors document the mechanisms of friendship influence and the extent of this influence on salient developmental tasks for emerging adults. They conclude by identifying implications of the findings for researchers and practitioners.
Brilliant Corners
Authors: Muyumba Walton M.
Published: August 2014

“Brilliant Corners: Improvisation and Practices of Freedom” is a critique of John Edgar Wideman’s novel,Sent for You Yesterday. The chapter interrogates Wideman’s attempt to expose the limits of masculinity and racial thinking through his use of blues-idiom musical themes and jazz aesthetics in the novel. It argues that Wideman, rather than essentializing or reifying status quo conceptions of blackness and masculinity, offers through Doot, the novel’s narrator, a model of a blues idiom literary mind and body improvising within the liminal spaces of various identities, voices, and narratives. Wideman’s novel suggests that while improvisation can create various forms of freedom from shifting, dehumanizing constraints; it is also an ever-evolving, embodied practice that demands training and continual reinvention.
Historical Perspectives of Sport-Related Concussion
Authors: De Marco Anthony P. , Barth Jeffrey T.
Published: August 2014

Evaluation and management of sport-related concussion have received much deserved attention in the wake of recent state legislation and congressional hearings centered on concussion management; however, neuropsychology as a field has been interested in the sequelae of concussive injuries for more than three decades. To provide the historical perspective of sport-related concussion, this chapter begins by exploring the shifts in concussion terminology. While clinically driven, societal and medicolegal influences have clearly exerted a force in shaping the clinical vernacular associated with brain injuries. After reviewing some of the more commonly referenced definitions of concussion proffered over the years, this chapter will examine the history of concussion evaluation and management from a sports neuropsychology perspective.
Computer Instrumentation Issues in Sport-Related Concussion Assessment
Authors: Schatz Philip
Published: August 2014

The clinical utility and psychometric properties of computer-based neuropsychological assessment measures have been widely discussed in the literature. Regardless of the outcomes of scholarly debates regarding these issues, computerized baseline testing of athletes has become a hallmark (if not “de rigeur”) component of concussion management programs. The current chapter discusses issues related to the equivalency of computer-based and paper-based neurocognitive assessment, methodological issues related to the use of computer-based neurocognitive assessments, and hardware and software issues related to the use of computer-based neurocognitive assessments.
The Five Percenters
Authors: Knight Michael Muhammad
Published: August 2014

This article focuses on the Five Percenters, also known as the Five Percent Nation or Nation of Gods and Earths (NGE), and how this movement has become a controversial movement with respect to its own relationship to Islam as well as Islam’s relationship to blackness. It first looks at the history of the Five Percenters, tracing its roots to 1960s New York and its link to the theology and theodicy of the Nation of Islam (NOI) and its radical reinterpretation of the NOI’s concept of godhood. It then examines the Five Percenters’ complex construction of Islam, which is often contested both in polemics with Muslims and within the movement itself. the chapter also discusses the movement’s exponential growth, first throughout New York City’s five boroughs and then in major cities throughout the country and even internationally. In addition, it considers the Five Percenters’ constructions of race, gender, and godhood. The article analyzes two distinct documents that are central to the movement, Supreme Mathematics and Supreme Alphabets, before concluding with an assessment of its contribution to hip-hop and rap music.
Transformation in Post-Tonal Music
Authors: Roeder John
Published: August 2014

Post-tonal music (loosely, most Western art-music compositions since the turn of the 20th century) manifests many organizational techniques but not the processes of harmony and counterpoint that direct and articulate time in tonal music. Of the diverse theories for explaining this music, the theory of musical transformations is especially productive. Not only does its notion of a transformational graph offer a powerful, hierarchical view of musical relationships, but it also embraces a processive attitude toward musical form that has broad applicability. This article identifies four specifically temporal aspects of transformational theory that have been neglected in the recent literature and demonstrates how they can inform understanding of a variety of post-tonal music much more recent than the modernist works to which the theory has mostly been applied. The demonstrations proceed through detailed analytical consideration of compositions by Kurtág, Adams, Adès, Sheng, Haas, and Saariaho.
Juvenile Justice in Poland
Authors: Krajewski Krzysztof
Published: August 2014

The juvenile justice system in Poland is an example of a paternalistic and welfare approach to juvenile justice. Special, nonpenal responsibility for juveniles applies for those between 13 and 17 years. For younger juveniles, special measures of exclusively educational and care character are possible. Indeterminate measures are child welfare oriented without any justice considerations. This includes the correctional center imposed in cases of most serious misbehavior. Waiver of juvenile jurisdiction is never automatic or mandatory and happens very seldom. Jurisdiction over all juvenile cases have special courts, and juvenile judges enjoy broad discretionary powers. Procedure used in juvenile cases constitutes a mix of criminal and civil procedure. One of the most hotly debated issues constitutes lack of sufficient procedural safeguards enjoyed by adult offenders. Despite this, recent amendments retain basic features of the system, although they also attempt to regulate better procedural guarantees of juveniles.
Ecclesiology/Church–State Relationship in Early Modern Catholicism
Authors: Tutino Stefania
Published: August 2014

This essay provides a broad overview of the main ecclesiological controversies within the Catholic Church between the sixteenth and the eighteenth centuries, and it shows how the Reformation affected the ways in which Catholic theologians understood the Church as both a spiritual community and a political government. This essay also explores some of the most relevant repercussions of the Catholic ecclesiological debates in the political history of post-Reformation Europe. By discussing issues such as the nature and scope of the supreme authority over the Church, the political aspect of the Church, and the complex relationship between political and spiritual authorities, early modern Catholic theologians contributed significantly to the broader history of Western thought. Moreover, following the developments of the Catholic ecclesiological debates can help us to put the political history of Europe in a wider theoretical and transnational perspective.
The Challenges of Empirical Understanding in Early Modern Theology
Authors: Gaukroger Stephen
Published: August 2014

By contrast with its Patristic formulations, Christian theology in the early modern era is intimately caught up with empirical questions and questions of the sensory basis of knowledge. Some of these date back to the introduction of Aristotelianism into scholastic philosophy in the thirteenth century. But there were also a number of new developments in the seventeenth century, marked by a search for a mutually reinforcing combination of Christian theology and natural inquiry. There was one area in particular in which this approach was pursued, namely the history of the earth. In general terms, Christianity is very distinctive in its stress on doctrinal questions, and in the early modern era this doctrinal concern fits well with attempts to develop comprehensive theories about the natural realm.
Grapevine Leafroll: A Complex Viral Disease Affecting a High-Value Fruit Crop
Authors: Naidu Rayapati , Rowhani Adib , Fuchs Marc , Golino Deborah , Martelli Giovanni P.
Published: August 2014

Grapevine (Vitis spp.) is one of the most widely grown fruit crops in the world. It is a deciduous woody perennial vine for which the cultivation of domesticated species began approximately 6,000 to 8,000 years ago in the Near East. Grapevines are broadly classified into red- and white-berried cultivars based on their fruit skin color, although yellow, pink, crimson, dark blue, and black-berried cultivars also exist. Grapevines can be subject to attacks by many different pests and pathogens, including graft-transmissible agents such as viruses, viroids, and phytoplasmas. Among the virus and virus-like diseases, grapevine leafroll disease (GLD) is by far the most widespread and economically damaging viral disease of grapevines in many regions around the world. The global expansion of the grape and wine industry has seen a parallel increase in the incidence and economic impact of GLD. Despite the fact that GLD was recognized as a potential threat to grape production for several decades, our knowledge of the nature of the disease is still quite limited due to a variety of challenges related to the complexity of this virus disease, the association of several distinct GLD-associated viruses, and contrasting symptoms in red- and white-berried cultivars. In view of the growing significance of GLD to wine grape production worldwide, this feature article provides an overview of the state of knowledge on the biology and epidemiology of the disease and describes management strategies currently deployed in vineyards.
Pollen Transmission of Asparagus virus 2 (AV-2) May Facilitate Mixed Infection by Two AV-2 Isolates in Asparagus Plants
Authors: Kawamura Ryusuke , Shimura Hanako , Mochizuki Tomofumi , Ohki Satoshi T. , Masuta Chikara
Published: August 2014

Asparagus virus 2 (AV-2) is a member of the genus Ilarvirus and thought to induce the asparagus decline syndrome. AV-2 is known to be transmitted by seed, and the possibility of pollen transmission was proposed 25 years ago but not verified. In AV-2 sequence analyses, we have unexpectedly found mixed infection by two distinct AV-2 isolates in two asparagus plants. Because mixed infections by two related viruses are normally prevented by cross protection, we suspected that pollen transmission of AV-2 is involved in mixed infection. Immunohistochemical analyses and in situ hybridization using AV-2-infected tobacco plants revealed that AV-2 was localized in the meristem and associated with pollen grains. To experimentally produce a mixed infection via pollen transmission, two Nicotiana benthamiana plants that were infected with each of two AV-2 isolates were crossed. Derived cleaved-amplified polymorphic sequence analysis identified each AV-2 isolate in the progeny seedlings, suggesting that pollen transmission could indeed result in a mixed infection, at least in N. benthamiana.
Geochemical arguments for an Earth-like Moon-forming impactor
Authors: Dauphas Nicolas , Burkhardt Christoph , Warren Paul H. , Fang-Zhen Teng
Published: August 2014

Geochemical evidence suggests that the material accreted by the Earth did not change in nature during Earth's accretion, presumably because the inner protoplanetary disc had uniform isotopic composition similar to enstatite chondrites, aubrites and ungrouped achondrite NWA 5363/5400. Enstatite meteorites and the Earth were derived from the same nebular reservoir but diverged in their chemical evolutions, so no chondrite sample in meteorite collections is representative of the Earth's building blocks. The similarity in isotopic composition (Δ
17
O,
ε
50
Ti and
ε
54
Cr) between lunar and terrestrial rocks is explained by the fact that the Moon-forming impactor came from the same region of the disc as other Earth-forming embryos, and therefore was similar in isotopic composition to the Earth. The heavy
δ
30
Si values of the silicate Earth and the Moon relative to known chondrites may be due to fractionation in the solar nebula/protoplanetary disc rather than partitioning of silicon in Earth's core. An inversion method is presented to calculate the Hf/W ratios and
ε
182
W values of the proto-Earth and impactor mantles for a given Moon-forming impact scenario. The similarity in tungsten isotopic composition between lunar and terrestrial rocks is a coincidence that can be explained in a canonical giant impact scenario if an early formed embryo (two-stage model age of 10–20 Myr) collided with the proto-Earth formed over a more protracted accretion history (two-stage model age of 30–40 Myr).
Evaporative fractionation of volatile stable isotopes and their bearing on the origin of the Moon
Authors: Day James M. D. , Moynier Frederic
Published: August 2014

The Moon is depleted in volatile elements relative to the Earth and Mars. Low abundances of volatile elements, fractionated stable isotope ratios of S, Cl, K and Zn, highμ(238U/204Pb) and long-term Rb/Sr depletion are distinguishing features of the Moon, relative to the Earth. These geochemical characteristics indicate both inheritance of volatile-depleted materials that formed the Moon and planets and subsequent evaporative loss of volatile elements that occurred during lunar formation and differentiation. Models of volatile loss through localized eruptive degassing are not consistent with the available S, Cl, Zn and K isotopes and abundance data for the Moon. The most probable cause of volatile depletion is global-scale evaporation resulting from a giant impact or a magma ocean phase where inefficient volatile loss during magmatic convection led to the present distribution of volatile elements within mantle and crustal reservoirs. Problems exist for models of planetary volatile depletion following giant impact. Most critically, in this model, the volatile loss requires preferential delivery and retention of late-accreted volatiles to the Earth compared with the Moon. Different proportions of late-accreted mass are computed to explain present-day distributions of volatile and moderately volatile elements (e.g. Pb, Zn; 5 to >10%) relative to highly siderophile elements (approx. 0.5%) for the Earth. Models of early magma ocean phases may be more effective in explaining the volatile loss. Basaltic materials (e.g. eucrites and angrites) from highly differentiated airless asteroids are volatile-depleted, like the Moon, whereas the Earth and Mars have proportionally greater volatile contents. Parent-body size and the existence of early atmospheres are therefore likely to represent fundamental controls on planetary volatile retention or loss.
The iodine–plutonium–xenon age of the Moon–Earth system revisited
Authors: Avice G. , Marty B
Published: August 2014

Iodine–plutonium–xenon isotope systematics have been used to re-evaluate time constraints on the early evolution of the Earth–atmosphere system and, by inference, on the Moon-forming event. Two extinct radionuclides (129I,T1/2=15.6 Ma and244Pu,T1/2=80 Ma) have produced radiogenic129Xe and fissiogenic131−136Xe, respectively, within the Earth, the related isotope fingerprints of which are seen in the compositions of mantle and atmospheric Xe. Recent studies of Archaean rocks suggest that xenon atoms have been lost from the Earth's atmosphere and isotopically fractionated during long periods of geological time, until at least the end of the Archaean eon. Here, we build a model that takes into account these results. Correction for Xe loss permits the computation of new closure ages for the Earth's atmosphere that are in agreement with those computed for mantle Xe. The corrected Xe formation interval for the Earth–atmosphere system is Ma after the beginning of Solar System formation. This time interval may represent a lower limit for the age of the Moon-forming impact.
Mesoflavibacter sabulilitoris sp. nov., isolated from seashore sand
Authors: Park Sooyeon , Park Ja-Min , Jung Yong-Taek , Seong Chi Nam , Yoon Jung-Hoon
Published: August 2014

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, non-flagellated, gliding and rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated GJMS-9T, was isolated from seashore sand collected at Geoje island in the South Sea, South Korea. Strain GJMS-9T grew optimally at 30 °C, at pH 7.0–8.0 and in the presence of 2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain GJMS-9T clustered with the type strain of

Mesoflavibacter zeaxanthinifaciens

, showing the highest sequence similarity of 99.1 %. Strain GJMS-9T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 96.5 % to the type strain of

Mesoflavibacter aestuarii

and of less than 96.1 % to the type strains of other recognized species. Strain GJMS-9T contained MK-6 as the only menaquinone and iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C16 : 0 3-OH, iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH as the major fatty acids. The polar lipid profile of strain GJMS-9T containing phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified lipid and one unidentified glycolipid as major components was similar to that of the type strain of

M. zeaxanthinifaciens

. The DNA G+C content of strain GJMS-9T was 32.2 mol% and its DNA–DNA relatedness with

M. zeaxanthinifaciens

DSM 18436T was 38±6.1 %. The differential phenotypic properties, together with the phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain GJMS-9T is separated from other species of the genus

Mesoflavibacter

. On the basis of the data presented, strain GJMS-9T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus

Mesoflavibacter

, for which the name Mesoflavibacter sabulilitoris sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GJMS-9T ( = KCTC 42117T = CECT 8597T).
Minicystis rosea gen. nov., sp. nov., a polyunsaturated fatty acid-rich and steroid-producing soil myxobacterium
Authors: Garcia Ronald , Gemperlein Katja , Müller Rolf
Published: August 2014

A bacterial strain designated SBNa008T was isolated from a Philippine soil sample. It exhibited the general characteristics associated with myxobacteria, such as swarming of Gram-negative vegetative rod cells, fruiting body and myxospore formation and predatory behaviour in lysing micro-organisms. The novel strain was characterized as mesophilic, chemoheterotrophic and aerobic. The major fatty acids were C20 : 4ω6,9,12,15 all cis (arachidonic acid), iso-C15 : 0, C17 : 1 2-OH and iso-C15 : 0 dimethylacetal. Interestingly, SBNa008T contained diverse fatty acids belonging to the commercially valuable polyunsaturated omega-6 and omega-3 families, and a highly conjugated dihydroxylated C28 steroid. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 67.3 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed 95–96 % similarity to sequences derived from clones of uncultured bacteria and 94–95 % similarity to cultured members of the suborder

Sorangiineae

. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that strain SBNa008T formed a novel lineage in the suborder

Sorangiineae

. Based on a polyphasic taxonomic characterization, we propose that strain SBNa008T represents a novel genus and species, Minicystis rosea gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of Minicystis rosea is SBNa008T ( = DSM 24000T = NCCB 100349T).
Mode of swine hepatitis E virus infection and replication in primary human hepatocytes
Authors: Oshiro Yukio , Yasue Hiroshi , Takahashi Kazuhiro , Hattori Shinji , Ideno Shoji , Urayama Takeru , Chiba Mitsuru , Osari Suguru , Naito Tadasuke , Takeuchi Kaoru , Nagata Kyosuke , Ohkohchi Nobuhiro
Published: August 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the infection and replication of swine-derived hepatitis E virus (HEV) in primary cultured human hepatocytes (PHCs). Hepatocytes were cultured from the resected normal livers of patients with metastatic tumours. These cultured hepatocytes were infected with swine-derived genotype 3 or 4 HEV. Viral replication was monitored using reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR. The amount of HEV RNA increased in the culture media and cells following infection. Immunofluorescence staining implied that the spread of HEV infection in hepatocytes was attributed mainly to cell-to-cell transmission via the cell membrane. The sequences of the inoculated and propagated HEV were determined to examine whether sequence variation occurred during infection. Sequence analysis showed that there were no differences between inoculated and propagated HEV, demonstrating that in vitro infection and replication of swine HEV in PHCs occurred without sequence variation.
Branching and oscillations in the epigenetic landscape of cell-fate determination
Authors: Rabajante Jomar Fajardo , Babierra Ariel Lagdameo
Published: August 2014

The well-known Waddington’s epigenetic landscape of cell-fate determination is not static but varies because of the dynamic gene regulation during development. However, existing mathematical models with few state variables and fixed parameters are inadequate in characterizing the temporal transformation of the landscape. Here we simulate a decision-switch model of gene regulation with more than two state variables and with time-varying repression among regulatory factors. We are able to demonstrate multi-lineage differentiation at different timescales that portrays the branching canals in Waddington’s illustration. We also present a repressilator-type system that activates suppressed genes via sustained oscillations in a flattened landscape, hence providing an alternative scheme for cellular reprogramming. The time-dependent parameters governed by gradient-based dynamics regulate cell differentiation, dedifferentiation and transdifferentiation. Our prediction integrates the theories of branching and structural oscillations in cell-fate determination, which reveals key temporal patterns of cell differentiation and associated diseases, such as cancer.
A versatile two-step CRISPR- and RMCE-based strategy for efficient genome engineering inDrosophila
Authors: Zhang Xu , Koolhaas Wouter , Schnorrer Frank
Published: August 2014

The development of CRISPR/Cas9 technologies promises a quantum leap in genome-engineering of model organisms. However, CRISPR-mediated gene targeting reports inDrosophilaare still restricted to a few genes, use variable experimental conditions and vary in efficiency, questioning the universal applicability of the method. Here, we developed an efficient, two-step strategy to flexibly engineer the fly genome by combining CRISPR with recombinase-mediated cassette exchange (RMCE). In the first step, two sgRNAs, whose activity had been tested in cell culture, were co-injected together with a donor plasmid into transgenicAct5C-Cas9, Ligase4mutant embryos and the homologous integration events were identified by eye fluorescence. In the second step, the eye marker was replaced with DNA sequences of choice using RMCE enabling flexible gene modification. We applied this strategy to engineer four different loci, including a gene on the fourth chromosome, at comparably high efficiencies, suggesting that any fly lab can engineer their favourite gene for a broad range of applications within about three months.
Crystal structure of 4-sulfamoylanilinium dihydrogen phosphate
Authors: Muthuselvi C. , Mala N. , Srinivasan N. , Pandiarajan S. , Krishnakumar R. V.
Published: August 2014

In the crystal structure of the title molecular salt, C6H9N2O2S+·H2PO4−, the sulfomylalinium cations and the dihydrogen phosphate anions form independent [100] chains through Ns—H...O (s = sulfamoyl) and O—H...O hydrogen bonds, respectively. The chains are cross-linked by Na—H...O (a = amine) hydrogen bonds, generating (010) sheets. Two C—H...O hydrogen bonds involving diametrically opposite C atoms in the benzene ring of the cation as donors form chains parallel to [202] in which P=O and P—OH groups are acceptors. Together, these interactions lead to a three-dimensional network.
Crystal structure of bis(acetato-κO)diaqua(2,2′-bipyridine-κ2N,N′)manganese(II)
Authors: Saravanan Natarajan , Selvam Parasuraman
Published: August 2014

In the title monomeric manganese(II) complex, [Mn(CH3COO)2(C10H8N2)(H2O)2], the metal ion is coordinated by a bidentate 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy) ligand, two water molecules and two axial acetate anions, resulting in a highly distorted octahedral environment. The aqua ligands are stabilized by the formation of strong intramolecular hydrogen bonds with the uncoordinated acetate O atoms, giving rise to pseudo-bridging arrangement of the terminal acetate groups. In the crystal, the molecules form [010] zigzag chainsviaO—H...O hydrogen bonds involving the aqua ligands and acetate O atoms. Further, the water and bpy ligands aretransto each other, and are arranged in an off-set fashion showing intermolecular π–π stacking between nearly parallel bipy rings, the centroid–centroid separations being 3.8147 (12) and 3.9305 (13) Å.
Crystal structure of (E)-N′-benzylidene-1-methyl-4-nitro-1H-pyrrole-2-carbohydrazide
Authors: Wang Zhijun , Zhou Chengyong , Yan Lei , Wang Jinglin
Published: August 2014

In the title compound, C13H12N4O3, the dihedral angle between the planes of the pyrrole and benzene rings is 7.47 (1)°. In the crystal, molecules are arranged in sheets lying parallel to (101). Neighbouring sheets are linked by N—H...O hydrogen bonds, weak π–π [centroid–centroid distance between the pyrrole rings = 3.765 (11) Å] and C—H...π interactions, forming a three-dimensional structure.
Crystal structure of 7-bromo-2-(3-fluorophenyl)-1-(methylsulfinyl)naphtho[2,1-b]furan
Authors: Choi Hong Dae , Lee Uk
Published: August 2014

In the title compound, C19H11BrFO2S, the dihedral angle between the plane of the naphthofuran ring system [r.m.s. deviation = 0.043 (2) Å] and that of the 3-fluorobenzene ring is 39.32 (8)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked by C—H...O and C—Br...π [3.835 (1) Å] interactions into stacks along thecaxis, forming a three-dimensional network. The F atom is disordered over two positions, with site-occupancy factors of 0.851 (3) and 0.149 (3).
Homocysteine and nitrite levels are modulated by MTHFR 677C>T polymorphism in obese women treated with simvastatin
Authors: Villela Maria P , Andrade Vanessa L , Eccard Bryelle , Jordão Alceu A , Sertório Jonas T , Tanus‐Santos Jose E , Silva Ieda FO , Silveira Josianne N , Sandrim Valéria C
Published: August 2014

Higher homocysteine (Hcy) levels are associated with cardiovascular risk. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of simvastatin treatment on circulating Hcy levels in obese women without hypertension, diabetes or dyslipidaemia; and to determine whether the 677C>T polymorphism located in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (NAD(P)H) (MTHFR) gene modulates the effects of this treatment on Hcy and nitrite (as a biomarker of nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability). Twenty‐five obese women (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2) who had received 20 mg/day simvastatin for 6 weeks were enrolled in the study. Venous blood samples were collected to measure plasma biomarkers and gene polymorphisms. Simvastatin treatment significantly reduced total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein–cholesterol, thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances, high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein and Hcy, whereas nitrite levels were increased. The reduction in Hcy levels in carriers of the T allele was −20.3% compared with –9.4% in patients with the CC genotype. Importantly, before treatment, nitrite levels were significantly higher in patients with the CC genotype compared with T allele carriers, whereas after treatment these levels were similar between groups. Our findings demonstrate that obese women without comorbidities and carrying the T variant of the 677C>T polymorphism of MTHFR exhibit benefits with simvastatin treatment, mainly in terms of increased NO levels.
Tracking anti‐fibrotic pathways of nilotinib and imatinib in experimentally induced liver fibrosis: An insight
Authors: Shiha Gamal E , Abu‐Elsaad Nashwa M , Zalata Khaled R , Ibrahim Tarek M
Published: August 2014

The tyrosine kinase inhibitors imatinib and nilotinib have been suggested to have promising antifibrotic activity in experimental models of liver fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate new pathways underlying this beneficial effect. Hepatic injury was induced in male Wistar rats by intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 for 12 weeks. During the last 8 weeks of treatment, rats were also injected daily intraperitoneally with 20 mg/kg imatinib or 20, 10 or 5 mg/kg nilotinib. At the end of treatment, effects on fibrosis were assessed by measuring serum fibrotic markers and profibrogenic cytokines, as well as by histopathological examination. Possible anti‐inflammatory effects were estimated by measuring levels of inflammatory cytokines in liver tissue. Liver expression of α‐smooth muscle actin, transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β1 antibodies and platelet‐derived growth factor receptor β (PDGFRβ) was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining techniques. Nilotinib (5 and 10 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.05) decreased all serum fibrotic markers measured, but 20 mg/kg of either nilotinib or imatinib had limited effects. At all doses tested, nilotinib significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the CCl4‐induced increases in tissue inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, 5 and 10 mg/kg nilotinib significantly decreased TGF‐β1 levels and tissue expression of its antibody, as well expression of PDGFRβ. In conclusion, low doses (5 and 10 but not 20 mg/kg) of nilotinib, rather than imatinib, can control hepatic fibrosis by regulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines, primarily interleukin (IL)‐1 and IL‐6. Nilotinib also controls the signalling pathways of profibrogenic cytokines by lowering TGF‐β1 levels and decreasing expression of PDGFRβ.
Recent progress in gastric arrhythmia: Pathophysiology, clinical significance and future horizons
Authors: O'Grady Gregory , Wang Tim H‐H , Du Peng , Angeli Tim , Lammers Wim JEP , Cheng Leo K
Published: August 2014

Gastric arrhythmia continues to be of uncertain diagnostic and therapeutic significance. However, recent progress has been substantial, with technical advances, theoretical insights and experimental discoveries offering new translational opportunities. The discoveries that interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) generate slow waves and that ICC defects are associated with dysmotility have reinvigorated gastric arrhythmia research. Increasing evidence now suggests that ICC depletion and damage, network disruption and channelopathies may lead to aberrant slow wave initiation and conduction. Histological and high‐resolution (HR) electrical mapping studies have now redefined the human ‘gastric conduction system’, providing an improved baseline for arrhythmia research. The application of HR mapping to arrhythmia has also generated important new insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of arrhythmia onset and maintenance, resulting in the emergence of new provisional classification schemes. Meanwhile, the strong associations between gastric functional disorders and electrogastrography (EGG) abnormalities (e.g. in gastroparesis, unexplained nausea and vomiting and functional dyspepsia) continue to motivate deeper inquiries into the nature and causes of gastrointestinal arrhythmias. In future, technical progress in EGG methods, new HR mapping devices and software, wireless slow wave acquisition systems and improved gastric pacing devices may achieve validated applications in clinical practice. Neurohormonal factors in arrhythmogenesis also continue to be elucidated and a deepening understanding of these mechanisms may open opportunities for drug design for treating arrhythmias. However, for all translational goals, it remains to be seen whether arrhythmia can be corrected in a way that meaningfully improves organ function and symptoms in patients.
B‐Type natriuretic peptide suppression of neutrophil superoxide generation: mechanistic studies in normal subjects
Authors: Liu Saifei , Ngo Doan TM , Stewart Simon , Horowitz John D , Chirkov Yuliy Y
Published: August 2014

Many acute cardiovascular disease states are associated with neutrophil infiltration of myocardium and subsequent release of superoxide (O2−) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), which contribute to inflammatory reactions. B‐Type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is known to exert anti‐inflammatory and antifibrotic effects, but it is not known whether these may include interactions with neutrophils. In neutrophils isolated from 20 healthy subjects, we assessed the effect of BNP on the ‘neutrophil burst’ (O2− production and MPO release) stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and N‐formyl‐methionyl‐leucyl‐phenylalanine (fMLP), respectively. Effects of BNP on cGMP accumulation, and the effects of the cell‐permeable cGMP analogue 8‐(4‐chlorophenylthio) guanosine‐cGMP (8‐p‐CPT‐cGMP) and protein kinase G (PKG) inhibition with KT5823 on the neutrophil–BNP interaction were also evaluated. B‐Type natriuretic peptide suppressed O2− release from neutrophils by 23 ± 6% (P < 0.001) and 24 ± 8% (P < 0.05) following PMA and fMLP stimulation, respectively. Although BNP did not significantly increase cGMP formation, 8‐p‐CPT‐cGMP suppressed both PMA‐ and fMLP‐induced neutrophil O2− release by 16% and 28%, respectively (P < 0.05). The PKG inhibitor KT5823 attenuated the effects of BNP on both fMLP‐ and PMA‐associated O2− production. Neither BNP nor 8‐p‐CPT‐cGMP significantly affected MPO release from neutrophils. Suppression of O2− release from neutrophils by BNP may contribute to its anti‐inflammatory and antifibrotic actions.
Transforming growth factor‐β1 mediates psoriasis‐like lesions via a Smad3‐dependent mechanism in mice
Authors: Zhang Yun , Meng Xiao‐Ming , Huang Xiao‐Ru , Wang Xiao‐Jing , Yang Liu , Lan Hui Yao
Published: August 2014

Transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β1 signals through downstream Smad‐dependent and ‐independent pathways to exert its biological actions. It has been reported that overexpression of TGF‐β1 results in the development of psoriasis‐like lesions in a mouse model of K5.TGF‐βWT transgenic mice. However, the signalling mechanisms by which TGF‐β1 mediates the development of psoriasis‐like lesions remain unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the hypothesis that TGF‐β1 mediates the development of psoriasis‐like lesions via a Smad3‐dependent mechanism. This was tested in a mouse model of K5.TGF‐βWT transgenic mice by blocking TGF‐β signalling with a specific Smad3 inhibitor. Topical treatment with a Smad3 inhibitor markedly blocked TGF‐β/Smad3 signalling and progressive psoriasis‐like lesions in K5.TGF‐βWT transgenic mice, as evidenced by decreased skin severity scores, double skin fold thickness (DSFT) scores, infiltration of CD3+ T cells and F4/80+ macrophages and the degree of fibrosis in the dermis. This was associated with a marked reduction in TGF‐β1, interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐23 and IL‐17A both locally in skin plaque lesions and systemically in the plasma, resulting in inhibition of both the T helper (Th) 17 cell transcription factor RORγt and accumulation of CD4+IL‐17A+ cells within the skin plaque lesions. In conclusion, TGF‐β1 mediates the development of psoriasis‐like lesions via a Smad3‐dependent, Th17‐mediated mechanism. Targeting TGF‐β/Smad3 signalling with a Smad3 inhibitor may represent a novel and effective therapy for psoriasis.