bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Friction Performance Optimization of Chemically Deposited Ni-P-W Coating Using Taguchi Method
Authors: Roy Supriyo , Sahoo Prasanta
Published: August 2012

The present study considers the friction behavior of chemically deposited Ni-P-W coatings and optimization of the coating process parameters for minimum friction using Taguchi method. The study is carried out by varying the combination of four coating process parameters, namely, concentration of nickel source, concentration of reducing agent, concentration of tungsten source, and annealing temperature. The friction tests are conducted in a plate-on-roller configuration by keeping the coated sample fixed against a rotating steel roller. The optimum combination of process parameters for minimum friction coefficient is obtained from the analysis of S/N ratio. Furthermore, a statistical analysis of variance reveals that the concentration of nickel source solution has the most significant influence in controlling friction characteristics of Ni-P-W coating. The surface morphology and composition of coatings are also studied with the help of scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersed x-ray analysis, and x-ray diffraction analysis.
Occurrence of Biosurfactant Producing Bacillus spp. in Diverse Habitats
Authors: Joshi Sanket J. , Suthar Harish , Yadav Amit Kumar , Hingurao Krushi , Nerurkar Anuradha
Published: August 2012

Diversity among biosurfactant producing Bacillus spp. from diverse habitats was studied among 77 isolates. Cluster analysis based on phenotypic characteristics using unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMAs) method was performed. Bacillus isolates possessing high surface tension activity and five reference strains were subjected to amplified 16S rDNA restriction analysis (ARDRA). A correlation between the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Bacillus spp. is explored. Most of the oil reservoir isolates showing high surface activity clustered with B. licheniformis and B. subtilis, the hot water spring isolates clustered in two ingroups, while the petroleum contaminated soil isolates were randomly distributed in all the three ingroups. Present work revealed that diversity exists in distribution of Bacillus spp. from thermal and hydrocarbon containing habitats where majority of organisms belonged to B. licheniformis and B. subtilis group. Isolate B. licheniformis TT42 produced biosurfactant which reduced the surface tension of water from 72 mNm−1 to 28 mNm−1, and 0.05 mNm−1 interfacial tension against crude oil at 80°C. This isolate clustered with B. subtilis and B. licheniformis group on the basis of ARDRA. These findings increase the possibility of exploiting the Bacillus spp. from different habitats and their possible use in oil recovery.
Exile, Gender, and Communist Self-Fashioning: Dolores Ibárruri (La Pasionaria) in the Soviet Union
Authors: Kirschenbaum Lisa A.
Published: August 2012

Focusing on the Soviet exile of the Spanish communist and orator Dolores Ibárruri (La Pasionaria), Lisa A. Kirschenbaum brings into dialogue two topics often treated in isolation: Soviet subjectivities and the selfunderstandings of international communists. During the Spanish civil war, the Soviet media popularized Ibárruri's performance of fierce communist motherhood. The article traces Ibárruri's efforts in exile to maintain and adapt this public identity by analyzing sources in two distinct registers, both of which blurred the boundaries between public and private selves: Ibárruri's “official” correspondence and her interventions in party meetings. Reading such sources as sites of self-fashioning, Kirschenbaum argues that Ibárruri was at once empowered and constrained by her self-presentation as the mother of the Spanish exiles. Ibárruri's case both internationalizes understandings of Stalinist culture and suggests the possibility of a history of international communism structured around the interconnected and diverse lives of individual communists.
Social Categories and Business Ethics
Authors: Messick David M. ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: August 2012

In this article, I want to draw attention to one strand ofthe complex web of processes that are involved when people group others, including themselves, into social categories. I will focus on the tendency to treat members of one's own group more favorably than nonmembers, a tendency that has been called ingroup favoritism. The structure of the article has three parts. First I will offer anevolutionary argument as to why ingroup favoritism, or something very much like it, is required by theories of the evolution of altruism. I will then review some of the basic social psychological research findings dealing with social categorization generally, and ingroup favoritism specifically. Finally, I will examine two problems in business ethics from the point of view of ingroup favoritism to suggest ways in which social psychological principles and findings may be mobilized to help solve problems of racial or gender discrimination in business contexts.
Ingroups and Outgroups
Authors: Wood Donna J. ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: August 2012

I am foregoing the discussant's critical role in favor of a short examination of how one sociologist's imagination is tantalized and irritated by some of the ideas and interconnections of Professor Messick's paper. The question is, when it comes to ingroups and outgroups, why does race matter? Why does sex or gender matter? I will briefly make four points about sociobiology, favoritism toward the ingroup, hostility toward the outgroup, and finally, the conflict theorist's favorite topic - resource allocation.
Global Economy/Global Environment
Authors: Preston Lee E. ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: August 2012

The purpose of this paper is to set the stage by presenting a sketch of the global economic setting within which the environmental issues, which are our main concerns here, have arisen. It is important to note that this is also the setting within which any human, social and technological responses to these issues and concerns win have to be developed and implemented. There is no use thinking about arrangements that will work only in some other world. This world-the Planet Earth, with all its demographic, physical and climatological characteristics—is the only one we have to work with.
A Stakeholder Perspective of Entrepreneurial Activity
Authors: Harrison Jeffrey S. ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: August 2012

Venkataraman (2000) described entrepreneurship as a method for resolving stakeholder value anomalies. His description provides strong normative support for encouraging entrepreneurship in society on the basis of reducing inequities and promoting social harmony. However, a stakeholder perspective of entrepreneurship also has the potential to provide a flexible and comprehensive description of the entrepreneurial process through its various stages. In addition, a stakeholder perspective, combined with resource-based theory, can help researchers in identifying factors that lead to entrepreneurial success or failure. Specifically, stakeholder configurations created by entrepreneurs, because they are complex social systems, will be hard for competitors to imitate. If particular configurations are useful and enhance performance, they can lead to sustainable competitive advantages for the organizations these entrepreneurs create.
Monkey Business and Business Ethics
Authors: Flack Jessica C. , De Waal Frans B. M. ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: August 2012

To what degree has biology influenced and shaped the development of moral systems? One way to determine the extent to which human moral systems might be the product of natural selection is to explore behaviour in other species that is analogous and perhaps homologous to our own. Many non-human primates, for example, have similar methods to humans for resolving, managing, and preventing conflicts of interests within their groups. Such methods, which include reciprocity and food sharing, reconciliation, consolation, conflict intervention, and mediation, are the very building blocks of moral systems in that they are based on and facilitate cohesion among individuals and reflect a concerted effort by community members to find shared solutions to social conflict. Furthermore, these methods of resource distribution and conflict resolution often require or make use of capacities for empathy, sympathy, and sometimes even community concern. Non-human primates in societies in which such mechanisms are present may not be exactly moral beings, but they do show signs of a sense of social regularity that—just like the norms and rules underlying human moral conduct—promotes a mutually satisfactory modus vivendi.
Human Nature and Business Ethics
Authors: Messick David M. ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: August 2012

While there seems to be little controversy about whether there is a biological or evolutionary basis for human morality, in business and other endeavors, there is considerable controversy about the nature of this basis and the proper populations in which to study this foundation. Moreover, I suggest, the most fundamental element of this basis may be the tendency of humans and other species to experience the world in evaluative terms.
What Are You Assuming?
Authors: Kennedy Nadia Stoyanova
Published: August 2012

When students recognize and grapple with assumptions, they become better problem solvers.
Créer du consensus dans un partenariat public privé : analyse des compromis et arrangements managériaux
Authors: Moreau Denis Bernardeau , Grima François , Paillé Pascal
Published: August 2012

Ce travail analyse les formes de compromis et d’arrangements proposées par les managers du privé gérant des piscines publiques. Les épreuves que génère le changement de gestion conduisent au début à une stratégie d’exclusion des agents les plus récalcitrants. Ensuite, les managers s’attachent à « frayer » le compromis par la recherche d’un bien commun, le « service public marchand », rapprochant le monde marchand du secteur privé avec le monde civique du service public. L’intérêt commun visant à la satisfaction des usagers, une politique de développement d’un management de proximité autorise un métissage des valeurs avec le monde domestique.
Transgenic Analysis of Signaling Pathways Required for Xenopus Tadpole Spinal Cord and Muscle Regeneration
Authors: Lin Gufa , Chen Ying , Slack Jonathan M.W.
Published: August 2012

The Xenopus tadpole has the capacity fully to regenerate its tail after amputation. Previously, we have established that this regeneration process requires the operation of several signaling pathways including the bone morphogenic protein, Wnt, and Fgf pathways. Here, we have addressed the signaling requirements for spinal cord and muscle regeneration in a tissue‐specific manner. Two methods were used namely grafts of transgenic spinal cord to a wild type host, and the use of the Tet‐on conditional transgenic system to express inhibitors in the individual tissues. For the grafting experiments, the tail was amputated through the graft, which contained a temperature inducible inhibitor of the Wnt‐β‐catenin pathway. For the Tet‐on experiments, treatment with doxycycline was used to induce cell autonomous inhibitors of the Wnt‐β‐catenin or the Fgf pathway in either spinal cord or muscle. The results show that both spinal cord and muscle regeneration depend on both the Wnt‐β‐catenin and the Fgf pathways. This experimental design also enables us to observe the effect of inhibition of regeneration of one tissue on the regeneration of the others. Regardless of the method of inhibition, we find that reduction of spinal cord regeneration reduces regeneration of other parts of the tail, including the myotomal muscles. In contrast, reduction of muscle regeneration has no effect on the regeneration of the spinal cord. In common with other regeneration systems, this indicates that soluble factors from the spinal cord are needed to promote the regeneration of the other tissues in the tail. Anat Rec, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Developing Xenopus Limb as a Model for Studies on the Balance between Inflammation and Regeneration
Authors: King Michael W. , Neff Anton W. , Mescher Anthony L.
Published: August 2012

The roles of inflammation and immune cell reactivity triggered by amputation have only recently begun to be addressed in investigations of epimorphic regeneration, although studies of tissue repair in mammals clearly show the importance of the immune system in determining the quality of the repair process. Here, we first review inflammation‐related work in non‐mammalian systems of epimorphic regeneration which suggests that regeneration of an amputated appendage requires continuous modulation of the local immune response, from the first hours after amputation through the period of blastema patterning. We then present data on the effects of anti‐inflammatory and proinflammatory agents on regeneration of larval Xenopus hindlimbs. Treatment with the glucocorticoid beclomethasone immediately after amputation inhibits regeneration in regeneration‐complete stage 53 limbs. Other anti‐inflammatory agents, including the inhibitors of cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) activity celecoxib and diclofenac, applied similarly to larvae amputated at stage 55, when the capacity for limb regeneration is normally being lost, restore regenerative capacity. This suggests that although injury‐related events sensitive to glucocorticoids are necessary for regeneration, resolution of the inflammatory response may also be required to allow the complete regenerative response and normal blastema patterning. Conversely, if resolution of inflammation is prevented by local treatment of amputated limbs with beryllium, a strong immunoadjuvant, regeneration is inhibited, and gene expression data suggest that this inhibition results from a failure of normal blastema patterning. Both positive and negative effects of immune‐ or inflammation‐related activities occur during anuran limb regeneration and this underscores the importance of considering immune cells in studies of epimorphic regeneration. Anat Rec, 2012. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transducing Bioelectric Signals into Epigenetic Pathways During Tadpole Tail Regeneration
Authors: Tseng Ai‐Sun , Levin Michael
Published: August 2012

One important component of the cell–cell communication that occurs during regenerative patterning is bioelectrical signaling. In particular, the regeneration of the tail in Xenopus laevis tadpoles both requires, and can be initiated at non‐regenerative stages by, specific regulation of bioelectrical signaling (alteration in resting membrane potential and a subsequent change in sodium content of blastemal cells). Although standing gradients of transmembrane voltage and ion concentration can provide positional guidance and other morphogenetic cues, these biophysical parameters must be transduced into transcriptional responses within cells. A number of mechanisms have been described for linking slow voltage changes to gene expression, but recent data on the importance of epigenetic regulation for regeneration suggest a novel hypothesis: that sodium/butyrate transporters link ion flows to influx of small molecules needed to modify chromatin state. Here, we briefly review the data on bioelectricity in tadpole tail regeneration, present a technique for convenient alteration of transmembrane potential in vivo that does not require transgenes, show augmentation of regeneration in vivo by manipulation of voltage, and present new data in the Xenopus tail consistent with the hypothesis that the monocarboxlyate transporter SLC5A8 may link regeneration‐relevant epigenetic modification with upstream changes in ion content. Anat Rec, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Micro‐Computed Tomography for Visualizing Limb Skeletal Regeneration in Young Xenopus Frogs
Authors: Chen Ying , Lin Gufa , Chen Yungchung , Fok Alex , Slack Jonathan M.W.
Published: August 2012

For studies of vertebrate limb regeneration it is often desirable to visualize the regenerated skeleton, which is mostly cartilage, and also section the specimen for histological or immunohistochemical visualization of other tissues. However, the normal skeletal staining techniques are incompatible with immunohistochemistry. Here, we describe a contrast‐based micro‐computed tomography (microCT) method for direct and nondestructive observation of regenerated cartilage spikes in Xenopus frog limbs. In addition, we show that contrast based microCT imaging is compatible with immunohistochemistry protocols. This approach provides versatile and high contrast images of the cartilage allowing us to measure the regenerated skeletal structure in detail as well as carrying out the other types of analysis. It opens a wide range of potential microCT applications in research on vertebrate limb regeneration. Anat Rec, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Early Regulation of Axolotl Limb Regeneration
Authors: Makanae Aki , Satoh Akira
Published: August 2012

Amphibian limb regeneration has been studied for a long time. In amphibian limb regeneration, an undifferentiated blastema is formed around the region damaged by amputation. The induction process of blastema formation has remained largely unknown because it is difficult to study the induction of limb regeneration. The recently developed accessory limb model (ALM) allows the investigation of limb induction and reveals early events of amphibian limb regeneration. The interaction between nerves and wound epidermis/epithelium is an important aspect of limb regeneration. During early limb regeneration, neurotrophic factors act on wound epithelium, leading to development of a functional epidermis/epithelium called the apical epithelial cap (AEC). AEC and nerves create a specific environment that inhibits wound healing and induces regeneration through blastema formation. It is suggested that FGF‐signaling and MMP activities participate in creating a regenerative environment. To understand why urodele amphibians can create such a regenerative environment and humans cannot, it is necessary to identify the similarities and differences between regenerative and nonregenerative animals. Here we focus on ALM to consider limb regeneration from a new perspective and we also reported that focal adhesion kinase (FAK)–Src signaling controlled fibroblasts migration in axolotl limb regeneration. Anat Rec, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Golgi Study of the Camel Cuneate Nucleus
Authors: Zaqout Sami I. , Al‐hussain Saleh M. , Al‐saffar Raith A. , El‐dwairi Qasim A.
Published: August 2012

Neurons in the cuneate nucleus of the camel brain stem were studied by Golgi method. Six types of neurons were identified based on soma size and shape, density of dendritic trees, morphology and distribution of spines, and appendages. Type I neurons had large spherical somata with somatic appendages. Dendritic appendages were predominant on proximal dendrites with terminal flower‐like appendages. Type II neurons had medium to large soma. Appendages and spines were found for the soma as well as along dendrites of different orders. Axons with local branches were seen for these neurons. Type III neurons were small to medium spheroidal or triangulated with large number of spines and appendages on all parts of neurons including soma, dendrites, and initial axonal segments. Axons of these neurons branch profusely and formed rich local axonal arborizations. Type IV medium‐size neurons have bipolar, round, or fusiform soma with somatic spines. Their dendrites were sparsely branching with spines and terminal side branches. Type V neurons were spheroid or triangular with small soma with somatic appendages. Their dendrites were sparsely branching and terminate as thin spiny side branches. Type VI neurons were small‐size unipolar, round, or fusiform with some dendritic spines and protrusions. These findings shed some light on the structure of the cuneate nucleus of one of the largest animals (the camel). Anat Rec, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Carbodiimides in the Synthesis of Enamino‐ and α‐Aminophosphonates as Peptidomimetics of Analgesic/Antiinflammatory and Anticancer Agents
Authors: Abdou Wafaa M. , Barghash Reham F. , Bekheit Mohamed S.
Published: August 2012

Carbodiimide that was generated from the condensation reaction of iminophosphorane with phenylisocyanate was allowed to react with different phosphorus nucleophiles. Thus, the in situ resulted heterocumulene reacted with dialkylhydrogenphosphonates in tetrahydrofuran (THF)/FeCl3/H2O system to give fused pyrrole‐ (≈14%) and pyrimidinephosphonates (≈57%). On the other hand, with tris‐(dialkyl)aminophosphines, the reaction afforded the corresponding hexaalkylphosphinic diamides as a water‐sensitive fine powder, quite stable for a few days in a desiccator. When a protonating agent was present in the reaction medium, the reaction was markedly accelerated leading to the formation of the phosphamides. Next, some saturated and unsaturated Horner–Emmons reagents were applied in situ to the same carbodiimide to obtain more phosphorylated N‐heterocycles. The analgesic and antiinflammatory activities of the newly synthesized compounds were investigated and showed significant activities. Finally, we further estimated the antitumor activity of five new phosphonates against four carcinoma cell lines.
Measurement of cell‐bound complement activation products enhances diagnostic performance in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Kalunian Kenneth C. , Chatham W. Winn , Massarotti Elena M. , Reyes‐Thomas Joyce , Harris Cole , Furie Richard A. , Chitkara Puja , Putterman Chaim , Gross Rachel L. , Somers Emily C. , Kirou Kyriakos A. , Ramsey‐Goldman Rosalind , Hsieh Christine , Buyon Jill P. , Dervieux Thierry , Weinstein Arthur
Published: August 2012

Objective

To determine the value of cell‐bound complement activation products in combination with antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti–double‐stranded DNA antibody (anti‐dsDNA), and anti–mutated citrullinated vimentin antibody (anti‐MCV) for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

This was a multicenter cross‐sectional study in which 593 subjects were enrolled (210 SLE patients, 178 patients with other rheumatic diseases, and 205 healthy subjects). Complement receptor 1 levels on erythrocytes (ECR1) together with complement C4d levels on erythrocytes (EC4d), platelets (PC4d), and B cells (BC4d) were determined using fluorescence‐activated cell sorting. Serologic markers were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analyses were performed using area under the curve (AUC), logistic regression, and calculations of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.

Results

Anti‐dsDNA was an insensitive (30%) but specific (>95%) marker for SLE. Levels of EC4d, BC4d, and PC4d were several times higher, and levels of ECR1 lower, in SLE patients compared to patients with other rheumatic diseases and healthy subjects. Among 523 anti‐dsDNA–negative subjects, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that SLE was associated with ANA positivity (≥20 units), anti‐MCV negativity (≤70 units), and elevated levels of both EC4d and BC4d (AUC 0.918, P < 0.001). A positive index score corresponding to the weighted sum of these 4 markers correctly categorized 72% of SLE patients. Specificity in relation to patients with other rheumatic diseases and healthy controls was >90%. The combination of anti‐dsDNA and index score positivity yielded 80% sensitivity for SLE and 87% specificity against other rheumatic diseases.

Conclusion

An assay panel combining anti‐dsDNA, ANA, anti‐MCV, EC4d, and BC4d is sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of SLE.
Antibody levels correlate with creatine kinase levels and strength in anti–3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐coenzyme A reductase–associated autoimmune myopathy
Authors: Werner Jessie L. , Christopher‐Stine Lisa , Ghazarian Sharon R. , Pak Katherine S. , Kus Jordan E. , Daya Natalie R. , Lloyd Thomas E. , Mammen Andrew L.
Published: August 2012

Objective

Autoantibodies recognizing 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) are found in patients with statin‐associated immune‐mediated necrotizing myopathy and, less commonly, in statin‐unexposed patients with autoimmune myopathy. The main objective of this study was to define the association of anti‐HMGCR antibody levels with disease activity.

Methods

Anti‐HMGCR levels, creatine kinase (CK) levels, and strength were assessed in anti‐HMGCR–positive patients. Associations of antibody level with CK level and strength at visit 1 were analyzed in 55 patients, 40 of whom were exposed to statins. In 12 statin‐exposed and 5 statin‐unexposed patients with serum from 5 serial visits, the evolution of antibody levels, CK levels, and strength was investigated.

Results

Antibody levels were associated with CK levels (P < 0.001), arm strength (P < 0.05), and leg strength (P < 0.05) at visit 1, but these associations were only significant among statin‐exposed patients in stratified analyses. With immunosuppressive treatment over 26.2 ± 12.6 months (mean ± SD), antibody levels declined (P < 0.05) and arm abduction strength improved (P < 0.05) in the 17 patients followed up longitudinally. The separate analysis showed that statin‐exposed patients developed decreased antibody levels (P < 0.01), decreased CK levels (P < 0.001), improved arm strength (P < 0.05), and improved hip flexion strength (P < 0.05) with treatment. Anti‐HMGCR antibody levels did not normalize in any patient.

Conclusion

In the entire cohort, initial anti‐HMGCR levels correlated with indicators of disease activity; with immunosuppressive treatment, antibody levels declined and arm strength improved. Statin‐exposed patients had significant improvements in CK levels and strength whereas statin‐unexposed patients did not, suggesting a phenotypic difference between statin‐exposed and statin‐unexposed anti‐HMGCR–positive patients.
Stress‐induced cartilage degradation does not depend on the NLRP3 inflammasome in human osteoarthritis and mouse models
Authors: Bougault Carole , Gosset Marjolaine , Houard Xavier , Salvat Colette , Godmann Lars , Pap Thomas , Jacques Claire , Berenbaum Francis
Published: August 2012

Objective

The main feature of osteoarthritis (OA) is degradation and loss of articular cartilage. Interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) is thought to have a prominent role in shifting the metabolic balance toward degradation. IL‐1β is first synthesized as an inactive precursor that is cleaved to the secreted active form mainly in the “inflammasome,” a complex of initiators (including NLRP3), adaptor molecule ASC, and caspase 1. The aim of this study was to clarify the roles of IL‐1β and the inflammasome in cartilage breakdown.

Methods

We assessed IL‐1β release by cartilage explants from 18 patients with OA. We also evaluated the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)–, IL‐1α–, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)–induced activity of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP‐3), MMP‐9, and MMP‐13 in NLRP3‐knockout mice and wild‐type mice and the inhibition of caspase 1 with Z‐YVAD‐FMK and the blockade of IL‐1β with IL‐1 receptor antagonist (IL‐1Ra). Cartilage explants from NLRP3‐knockout mice and IL‐1R type I (IL‐1RI)–knockout mice were subjected to excessive dynamic compression (0.5 Hz, 1 MPa) to trigger degradation, followed by assessment of load‐induced glycosaminoglycan (GAG) release and MMP enzymatic activity.

Results

Despite the expression of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase 1, OA cartilage was not able to produce active IL‐1β. LPS, IL‐1α, and TNFα dose‐dependently increased MMP‐3, MMP‐9, and MMP‐13 activity in cultured chondrocytes and in NLRP3−/− chondrocytes, and this effect was not changed by inhibiting caspase 1 or IL‐1β. The load‐induced increase in GAG release and MMP activity was not affected by knockout of NLRP3 or IL‐1RI in cartilage explants.

Conclusion

OA cartilage may be degraded independently of any inflammasome activity, which may explain, at least in part, the lack of effect of IL‐1β inhibitors observed in previous trials.
Social Q&A and virtual reference—comparing apples and oranges with the help of experts and users
Authors: Shah Chirag , Kitzie Vanessa
Published: August 2012

Online question‐answering (Q&A) services are becoming increasingly popular among information seekers. We divide them into two categories, social Q&A (SQA) and virtual reference (VR), and examine how experts (librarians) and end users (students) evaluate information within both categories. To accomplish this, we first performed an extensive literature review and compiled a list of the aspects found to contribute to a “good” answer. These aspects were divided among three high‐level concepts: relevance, quality, and satisfaction. We then interviewed both experts and users, asking them first to reflect on their online Q&A experiences and then comment on our list of aspects. These interviews uncovered two main disparities. One disparity was found between users’ expectations with these services and how information was actually delivered among them, and the other disparity between the perceptions of users and experts with regard to the aforementioned three characteristics of relevance, quality, and satisfaction. Using qualitative analyses of both the interviews and relevant literature, we suggest ways to create better hybrid solutions for online Q&A and to bridge the gap between experts’ and users’ understandings of relevance, quality, and satisfaction, as well as the perceived importance of each in contributing to a good answer.
An epithelial tissue in Dictyostelium challenges the traditional origin of metazoan multicellularity
Authors: Dickinson Daniel J. , Nelson W. James , Weis William I.
Published: August 2012

We hypothesize that aspects of animal multicellularity originated before the divergence of metazoans from fungi and social amoebae. Polarized epithelial tissues are a defining feature of metazoans and contribute to the diversity of animal body plans. The recent finding of a polarized epithelium in the non‐metazoan social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum demonstrates that epithelial tissue is not a unique feature of metazoans, and challenges the traditional paradigm that multicellularity evolved independently in social amoebae and metazoans. An alternative view, presented here, is that the common ancestor of social amoebae, fungi, and animals spent a portion of its life cycle in a multicellular state and possessed molecular machinery necessary for forming an epithelial tissue. Some descendants of this ancestor retained multicellularity, while others reverted to unicellularity. This hypothesis makes testable predictions regarding tissue organization in close relatives of metazoans and provides a novel conceptual framework for studies of early animal evolution.

Editor's suggested further reading in BioEssays Searching for Eve: Basal metazoans and the evolution of multicellular complexity Abstract
Using simple manipulatives to improve student comprehension of a complex biological process: Protein synthesis
Authors: Guzman Karen , Bartlett John
Published: August 2012

Biological systems and living processes involve a complex interplay of biochemicals and macromolecular structures that can be challenging for undergraduate students to comprehend and, thus, misconceptions abound. Protein synthesis, or translation, is an example of a biological process for which students often hold many misconceptions. This article describes an exercise that was developed to illustrate the process of translation using simple objects to represent complex molecules. Animations, 3D physical models, computer simulations, laboratory experiments and classroom lectures are also used to reinforce the students' understanding of translation, but by focusing on the simple manipulatives in this exercise, students are better able to visualize concepts that can elude them when using the other methods. The translation exercise is described along with suggestions for background material, questions used to evaluate student comprehension and tips for using the manipulatives to identify common misconceptions.
Problem‐solving test: Signal transduction in Philadelphia chromosome positive leukemia cells
Authors: Szeberényi József
Published: August 2012

Terms to be familiar with before you start to solve the test: reciprocal translocation, proto‐oncogene, gene expression, c‐Abl, tyrosine protein kinases, transmembrane protein, G protein, Src protein, malignant transformation, transfection, immunoprecipitation, pre‐immune serum, [γ‐32P]ATP, cAMP, SDS‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, autoradiography, Western blot (immunoblot), co‐immunoprecipitation, expression vector, cDNA, transient transfection, reporter gene, reporter plasmid, promoter, Ras protein, transformed foci, extracellular signal‐regulated kinase © 2012 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Influence of a fabella in the gastrocnemius muscle on the common fibular nerve in Japanese subjects
Authors: Tabira Yoko , Saga Tsuyoshi , Takahashi Nagahiro , Watanabe Koichi , Nakamura Moriyoshi , Yamaki Koh‐Ichi
Published: August 2012

The fabella is a sesamoid bone located in the proximal tendon of the gastrocnemius muscle. In rare cases, its presence may lead to a variety of clinical problems, including fabella syndrome and common fibular (CF) nerve palsy. The purpose of this study was to analyze the morphology of the fabella and CF nerve and discuss the influence of any existing fabellae on the size of the CF nerve. The morphology of the fabella and CF nerve in the popliteal region of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle was investigated in 102 knees of 51 Japanese cadavers. The maximum circumference of the thigh, knee, and calf and the frequency, position, and size of the fabella were measured. In addition, the CF nerve width and thickness were measured proximal to the fabellar region and again as the CF nerve passed posterior, lateral, or medial to the region. A fabella was observed in 70 knees (68.6%). The CF nerve adjacent to the fabella was significantly wider and thinner than in the region proximal to the fabella (P < 0.001). In cases in which a bony fabella was present, there was a significant relationship between the thickness of the CF nerve and the circumference of the thigh and knee. The following factors were observed to contribute to the presence of a fabella causing alterations in the size of the CF nerve: a bony fabella, a CF nerve path posterior or lateral to the fabella, and subjects with a thin physique and bony fabella. Clin. Anat. 26:893–902, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Fathers and Domestic Violence: Building Motivation for Change through Perpetrator Programmes
Authors: Stanley Nicky , Graham‐Kevan Nicola , Borthwick Rachel
Published: August 2012

Men's intersecting identities as fathers and as perpetrators of domestic violence are increasingly acknowledged in research and practice and children's social services are referring such men to perpetrator programmes. This paper draws on the evaluation of a newly established voluntary programme for male perpetrators of domestic violence in north‐east England to consider how men's involvement with children's social services and fathering roles shaped motivation to engage with a process of change.

The evaluation drew on project throughput data and background information on programme participants as well as interviews undertaken with men and their partners. Men who were currently involved with children's social services were found to be more likely than other programme participants to engage with the programme for more than five sessions. The desire to secure or regain access to their children or to avoid care proceedings was an extrinsic form of motivation that appeared effective in securing men's initial engagement with the programme. However, children could also function as a form of intrinsic motivation with men developing their awareness of the impact of abusive behaviour on children and viewing their participation in the programme as a means of becoming a ‘better father’. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

‘The desire to secure or regain access to their children or to avoid care proceedings was an extrinsic form of motivation’

Key Practitioner Messages

Most men who contacted Strength to Change (STC), a voluntary programme for perpetrators of domestic violence in north‐east England, were parents.

Involvement with children's services and regarding the programme as a means of acquiring access to children or avoiding care proceedings facilitated rather than hindered men's engagement with the programme.

Men's identity as fathers functioned as a source of intrinsic motivation with men describing the programme as enabling them to become a ‘better father’.

Although the STC programme did not have a specific remit to address fathering, it enabled men to use the image of themselves as fathers and awareness of the impact of domestic violence on children as a means of achieving change.

‘Men describing the programme as enabling them to become a ‘better father’’
The Participation of Fathers in Child Protection Conferences: A Practitioner's Perspective
Authors: Goff Sarah
Published: August 2012

Fathers’ involvement in child protection processes appears to remain low and is problematic given their influence over the lives and wellbeing of their children and partners. Men's views need to be taken into account, as part of consideration of risk and the meaning of their participation for others in the family. While the risk or presence of abuse may necessarily limit how the participation of a father is managed in case conferences, and needs to be explored and challenged, in most cases it does not justify failing to contact or seeking to involve fathers. Involving fathers is crucial to actively managing and tackling risks. Most work on engaging fathers has been focused on engaging them one‐to‐one or in families. This article focuses on the neglected issue of the participation of fathers in child protection conferences and subsequent inter‐agency team work on the child protection plan recommended at the child protection conference. It argues that, with careful preparation and chairing, fathers’ participation can be managed using the skills of relationship‐based and authoritative practice in tandem. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

‘Fathers’ involvement in child protection processes appears to remain low’

‘Fathers’ participation can be managed using the skills of relationship‐based and authoritative practice in tandem’

Key Practitioner Messages

Including fathers' participation and views should be a requirement of good practice and forms an integral part of the assessment and management of risks; the extent of live participation depends on, and needs to be limited to manage, the immediate risks.

Even in complex cases involving multiple fathers, careful planning and skilled chairing can make it possible to include all the men in conferences.

The energy and commitment that can be generated for fathers at conferences can be harnessed to help enable them to change.
A quantitative approach for assessing significant improvements in elite sprint performance: Has IGF‐1 entered the arena?
Authors: Ernst Simon , Simon Perikles
Published: August 2012

The introduction of doping substances and methods in sports triggers noticeable effects on physical performance in metric sports. Here, we use time series analysis to investigate the recent development in male and female elite sprinting performance.

Time series displaying the average of the world's top 20 athletes were analyzed employing polynomial spline functions and moving averages. Outstanding changes in performance over time were statistically analyzed by Welch's t‐test and by Cohen's measurements of effect. For validation we exemplarily show that our analysis is capable of indicating the effect of the introduction of in‐ and out‐of‐competition doping testing on women's shot put as well as the effects of the market introduction of erythropoietin (EPO) and the introduction of EPO and continuous erythropoiesis receptor activator (CERA) testing on 5000 m top 20 male performances.

Time series analysis for 100 m men reveals a highly significant (p < 0.001) drop by more than 0.1 s from 2006 to 2011 with a large effect size of 0.952. This is roughly half of the effect size that can be found for the development of the 5000 m performance during the introduction of EPO between 1991 and 1996. While the men's 200 m sprinting performance shows a similar development, the women's 100 m and 200 m sprinting performances only show some minor abnormalities.

We will discuss here why the striking sex‐specific improvement in sprinting performance is indicative for a novel, very effective doping procedure with insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) being the primary candidate explaining the observed effects. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Whole mount nuclear fluorescent imaging: Convenient documentation of embryo morphology
Authors: Sandell Lisa L. , Kurosaka Hiroshi , Trainor Paul A.
Published: August 2012

Here, we describe a relatively inexpensive and easy method to produce high quality images that reveal fine topological details of vertebrate embryonic structures. The method relies on nuclear staining of whole mount embryos in combination with confocal microscopy or conventional wide field fluorescent microscopy. In cases where confocal microscopy is used in combination with whole mount nuclear staining, the resulting embryo images can rival the clarity and resolution of images produced by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The fluorescent nuclear staining may be performed with a variety of cell permeable nuclear dyes, enabling the technique to be performed with multiple standard microscope/illumination or confocal/laser systems. The method may be used to document morphology of embryos of a variety of organisms, as well as individual organs and tissues. Nuclear stain imaging imposes minimal impact on embryonic specimens, enabling imaged specimens to be utilized for additional assays. genesis 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evolutionary and biogeographic history of the subfamily Neoplecostominae (Siluriformes: Loricariidae)
Authors: Roxo Fábio F. , Zawadzki Cláudio H. , Alexandrou Markos A. , Costa Silva Guilherme J. , Chiachio Marcio C. , Foresti Fausto , Oliveira Claudio
Published: August 2012

Freshwater fish evolution has been shaped by changes in the earth's surface involving changes in the courses of rivers and fluctuations in sea level. The main objective of this study is to improve our knowledge of the evolution of loricariids, a numerous and adaptive group of freshwater catfish species, and the role of geological changes in their evolution. We use a number of different phylogenetic methods to test the relationships among 52 representative taxa within the Neoplecostominae using 4676 bps of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. Our analysis revealed that the subfamily Neoplecostominae is monophyletic, including Pseudotocinclus, with three lineages recognized. The first lineage is composed of part of Pareiorhina rudolphi, P. cf. rudolphi, and Pseudotocinclus; the second is composed of Isbrueckerichthys, Pareiorhaphis, Kronichthys, and the species Neoplecostomus ribeirensis; and the third is composed of Pareiorhina carrancas, P. cf. carrancas, Pareiorhina sp. 1, a new genus, and all the species of the genus Neoplecostomus, except N. ribeirensis. The relaxed molecular clock calibration provides a temporal framework for the evolution of the group, which we use for a likelihood‐based historical biogeographic analysis to test relevant hypotheses on the formation of southeast Brazil. We hypothesize that headwater capture events and marine regressions have shaped the patterns of distribution within the subfamily Neoplecostominae throughout the distinct basins of southeast Brazil.
Higher temperature variability increases the impact of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and shifts interspecific interactions in tadpole mesocosms
Authors: Hamilton Phineas T. , Richardson Jean M.L. , Govindarajulu Purnima , Anholt Bradley R.
Published: August 2012

The emergence of amphibian chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has led to the decline and extinction of numerous amphibian species. Multiple studies have observed links between climatic factors and amphibian declines apparently caused by Bd. Using outdoor experimental mesocosms, we tested the response of red‐legged frog (Rana aurora) tadpoles to increased variation in temperature, a component of climate linked to amphibian declines, and Bd exposure. We included tadpoles of a sympatric competitor species, Pacific chorus frog (Pseudacris regilla), in a fully factorial design to test the effects of Bd and temperature on interspecific interactions. We found that higher variation in temperature had numerous effects in mesocosms, including interacting with Bd presence to decrease the condition of R. aurora, shifting the relative performance of competing P. regilla and R. aurora, and accelerating the development of P. regilla relative to R. aurora. Our results demonstrate that increased variation in temperature can affect amphibians in multiple ways that will be contingent on ecological context, including the presence of Bd and competing species.
Pulmonary inflammation in mice with collagen‐induced arthritis is conditioned by complete Freund's adjuvant and regulated by endogenous IFN‐γ
Authors: Schurgers Evelien , Mertens Freya , Vanoirbeek Jeroen A. J. , Put Stéphanie , Mitera Tania , Langhe Ellen De , Billiau Alfons , Hoet Peter H. M. , Nemery Benoit , Verbeken Erik , Matthys Patrick
Published: August 2012

Following immunization with collagen II (CII) in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), DBA/1 mice develop arthritis of major joints. This collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA) is used as a model for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in man. Inflammatory changes in lung tissue commonly occur in RA. However, evidence for pulmonary inflammation in CIA is scarce and ambiguous. Here, we demonstrate pulmonary inflammation accompanying CIA in wild‐type DBA/1 mice. In IFN‐γ receptor‐deficient (IFN‐γR KO) mice, inflammation was more frequent and more severe. Injection of CFA only (without CII) proved to be as efficient in eliciting pulmonary inflammation as immunization with CFA + CII, though being less effective in causing arthritis. Significant correlation in severity between joint and pulmonary involvement could not be demonstrated. Macroscopic, microscopic, and functional characteristics of pulmonary inflammation in the mice resembled those seen in human RA. Increased inflammation in IFN‐γR KO mice was accompanied by augmented expression of various cytokines and chemokines, as measured by RT‐PCR on affected tissue. Treatment with a TNF‐α inhibitor ameliorated lung pathology. We conclude that CIA in DBA/1 mice is accompanied by pulmonary inflammation. Although both disease processes are kept in check by endogenous IFN‐γ, lack of strict parallelism indicates that overlap in their pathogeneses is partial.