bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systemic Mastocytosis in a Child With t(8;21) Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Mahadeo Kris M. , Wolgast Lucia , McMahon Christine , Cole Peter D.
Published: February 2011

Mastocytosis is primarily limited to the cutaneous variant in pediatric patients. Systemic mastocytosis (SM) has been associated with t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in adults. We provide the first report of a child with t(8;21) AML, diagnosed with asymptomatic SM following four cycles of chemotherapy. Unlike most adults with SM/AML, she was not found to have a c‐KIT (D816V) mutation. SM persisted in the bone marrow after completion of chemotherapy, and her AML relapsed 9 months off‐treatment. Although she achieved a second remission, mastocytosis persists in the marrow. Pediatric patients with t(8;21) AML/SM may represent a high‐risk group despite favorable cytogenetics. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011; 57: 684–687. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Electromechanical characteristics of unidirectional glass fiber epoxy composites
Authors: Hwang Hui Yun
Published: February 2011

Because crack detection for laminated composites in‐service is an effective method for improving structural reliability, various nondestructive methods have been studied to detect cracks in laminated composites. A recent study on the damage monitoring of composite materials using the piezoelectric method, which uses the piezoelectric characteristics of polymeric materials for the matrix of composite materials, concluded that the piezoelectric method can be a useful, nondestructive method for the damage monitoring of glass fiber epoxy composites. The dielectric and piezoelectric properties of composites are the basic properties used for the analysis of electromechanical coupling systems, along with the mechanical properties. In this research, therefore, the electromechanical characteristics of unidirectional glass fiber epoxy composites as well as their electric and mechanical characteristics were investigated. The dielectric, piezoelectric, and mechanical properties of unidirectional glass fiber epoxy composites were measured experimentally with respect to the fiber orientation, and the relationship between the piezoelectric and mechanical characteristics of unidirectional glass fiber epoxy composites was analyzed. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Genome‐wide identification of the subcellular localization of the Escherichia coli B proteome using experimental and computational methods
Authors: Han Mee‐Jung , Yun Hongseok , Lee Jeong Wook , Lee Yu Hyun , Lee Sang Yup , Yoo Jong‐Shin , Kim Jin Young , Kim Jihyun F. , Hur Cheol‐Goo
Published: February 2011

Escherichia coli K‐12 and B strains have most widely been employed for scientific studies as well as industrial applications. Recently, the complete genome sequences of two representative descendants of E. coli B strains, REL606 and BL21(DE3), have been determined. Here, we report the subproteome reference maps of E. coli B REL606 by analyzing cytoplasmic, periplasmic, inner and outer membrane, and extracellular proteomes based on the genome information using experimental and computational approaches. Among the total of 3487 spots, 651 proteins including 410 non‐redundant proteins were identified and characterized by 2‐DE and LC‐MS/MS; they include 440 cytoplasmic, 45 periplasmic, 50 inner membrane, 61 outer membrane, and 55 extracellular proteins. In addition, subcellular localizations of all 4205 ORFs of E. coli B were predicted by combined computational prediction methods. The subcellular localizations of 1812 (43.09%) proteins of currently unknown function were newly assigned. The results of computational prediction were also compared with the experimental results, showing that overall precision and recall were 92.16 and 92.16%, respectively. This work represents the most comprehensive analyses of the subproteomes of E. coli B, and will be useful as a reference for proteome profiling studies under various conditions. The complete proteome data are available online (http://ecolib.kaist.ac.kr).
Inhibition of Ataxia Telangiectasia- and Rad3 -Related Function Abrogates the In Vitro and In Vivo Tumorigenicity of Human Colon Cancer Cells Through Depletion of the CD133+ Tumor-Initiating Cell Fraction
Authors: Gallmeier Eike , Hermann Patrick C. , Mueller Maria-Theresa , Machado Juan G. , Ziesch Andreas , De Toni Enrico N. , Palagyi Andreas , Eisen Christian , Ellwart Joachim W. , Rivera Jose , Rubio-Viqueira Belen , Hidalgo Manuel , Bunz Fred , Göke Burkhard , Heeschen Christopher
Published: February 2011

The identification of novel approaches to specifically target the DNA-damage checkpoint response in chemotherapy-resistant cancer stem cells (CSC) of solid tumors has recently attracted great interest. We show here in colon cancer cell lines and primary colon cancer cells that inhibition of checkpoint-modulating phosphoinositide 3-kinase-related (PIK) kinases preferentially depletes the chemoresistant and exclusively tumorigenic CD133+ cell fraction. We observed a time- and dose-dependent disproportionally pronounced loss of CD133+ cells and the consecutive lack of in vitro and in vivo tumorigenicity of the remaining cells. Depletion of CD133+ cells was initiated through apoptosis of cycling CD133+ cells and further substantiated through subsequent recruitment of quiescent CD133+ cells into the cell cycle followed by their elimination. Models using specific PIK kinase inhibitors, somatic cell gene targeting, and RNA interference demonstrated that the observed detrimental effects of caffeine on CSC were attributable specifically to the inhibition of the PIK kinase ataxia telangiectasia- and Rad3-related (ATR). Mechanistically, phosphorylation of CHK1 checkpoint homolog (S. pombe; CHK1) was significantly enhanced in CD133+ as compared with CD133− cells on treatment with DNA interstrand-crosslinking (ICL) agents, indicating a preferential activation of the ATR/CHK1-dependent DNA-damage response in tumorigenic CD133+ cells. Consistently, the chemoresistance of CD133+ cells toward DNA ICL agents was overcome through inhibition of ATR/CHK1-signaling. In conclusion, our study illustrates a novel target to eliminate the tumorigenic CD133+ cell population in colon cancer and provides another rationale for the development of specific ATR-inhibitors.
Specific Glycosaminoglycans Modulate Neural Specification of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
Authors: Pickford Claire E. , Holley Rebecca J. , Rushton Graham , Stavridis Marios P. , Ward Christopher M. , Merry Catherine L.R.
Published: February 2011

Mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells express a low sulfated form of heparan sulfate (HS). HS chains displayed by ES cells and their progeny become more complex and more sulfated during progression from pluripotency to neuroectodermal precursors. Sulfated epitopes are important for recognition and binding of a variety of ligands including members of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family. We demonstrated previously that mES cells lacking HS cannot undergo neural specification but this activity can be recovered by adding soluble heparin, a highly sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG). Therefore, we hypothesized that soluble GAGs might be used to support neural differentiation of HS competent cells and that the mechanisms underlying this activity might provide useful information about the signaling pathways critical for loss of pluripotency and early lineage commitment. In this study, we demonstrate that specific HS/heparin polysaccharides support formation of Sox1+ neural progenitor cells from wild-type ES cells. This effect is dependent on sulfation pattern, concentration, and length of saccharide. Using a selective inhibitor of FGF signal transduction, we show that heparin modulates signaling events regulating exit from pluripotency and commitment to primitive ectoderm and subsequently neuroectoderm. Interestingly, we were also able to demonstrate that multiple receptor tyrosine kinases were influenced by HS in this system. This suggests roles for additional factors, possibly in cell proliferation or protection from apoptosis, during the process of neural specification. Therefore, we conclude that soluble GAGs or synthetic mimics could be considered as suitable low-cost factors for addition to ES cell differentiation regimes.
Concise Review: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Lineage Reprogramming: Prospects for Bone Regeneration
Authors: Illich Damir J. , Demir Necati , Stojković Miodrag , Scheer Martin , Rothamel Daniel , Neugebauer Jörg , Hescheler Jürgen , Zöller Joachim E.
Published: February 2011

Bone tissue for transplantation therapies is in high demand in clinics. Osteodegenerative diseases, in particular, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, represent serious public health issues affecting a respectable proportion of the elderly population. Furthermore, congenital indispositions from the spectrum of craniofacial malformations such as cleft palates and systemic disorders including osteogenesis imperfecta are further increasing the need for bone tissue. Additionally, the reconstruction of fractured bone elements after accidents and the consumption of bone parts during surgical tumor excisions represent frequent clinical situations with deficient availability of healthy bone tissue for therapeutic transplantations. Epigenetic reprogramming represents a powerful technology for the generation of healthy patient-specific cells to replace or repair diseased or damaged tissue. The recent generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is probably the most promising among these approaches dominating the literature of current stem cell research. It allows the generation of pluripotent stem cells from adult human skin cells from which potentially all cell types of the human body could be obtained. Another technique to produce clinically interesting cell types is direct lineage reprogramming (LR) with the additional advantage that it can be applied directly in vivo to reconstitute a damaged organ. Here, we want to present the two technologies of iPSCs and LR, to outline the current states of research, and to discuss possible strategies for their implementation in bone regeneration.
Color theory and design
Authors: Wegman Edward , Said Yasmin
Published: February 2011

This article, first published online on February 4, 2011 in Wiley Online Library (http://www.wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been revised at the request of the Editors‐in‐Chief and the Publisher. References and links have been added to aid the reader interested in following up on any technique. Please follow the link to the Supporting Information to view the original version of this article. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wics.146/suppinfo

In this article, we discuss color theory and design with emphasis on use in statistical, scientific, and data visualization. Color theory is inextricably linked to the physiology of the human visual system, and color design is similarly inextricably linked to human perception. We discuss color perception in the human visual system. We then quantify color perception in terms of the Munsell System and the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) color space. We continue to discuss color design with a perspective on individuals with defective color perception and finally conclude with a discussion of design of color usage in presentations. WIREs Comp Stat 2011 3 104–117 DOI: 10.1002/wics.146

This article is categorized under:

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Statistical Graphics and Visualization
ggplot2
Authors: Wickham Hadley
Published: February 2011

This article discusses ggplot2, an open source R package, based on a grammatical theory of graphics. The underlying theory has been discussed in depth elsewhere so this article illustrates some of the consequences of the theory for creating new graphics, the importance of programmable graphics, and the rich ecosystem that has grown up around ggplot2. WIREs Comp Stat 2011 3 180–185 DOI: 10.1002/wics.147

This article is categorized under:

Software for Computational Statistics > Software/Statistical Software

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Statistical Graphics and Visualization
Data mining and crime analysis
Authors: Oatley Giles , Ewart Brian
Published: February 2011

An essential component of criminal investigation involves the interrogation of large databases of information held by police and other criminal justice agencies. Data mining and decision support systems have an important role to play in assisting human inference in this forensic domain that creates one of the most challenging decision‐making environments. Technologies range widely and include social network analysis, geographical information systems, and data mining technologies for clustering crimes, finding links between crime and profiling offenders, identifying criminal networks, matching crimes, generating suspects, and predicting criminal activity. This paper does not intend to cover the gamut of techniques available to the investigator of crime as this has been presented elsewhere (Oatley GC, Ewart BW, Zeleznikow J. Decision support systems for police: lessons from the application of data mining techniques to ‘soft’ forensic evidence. Artif Intell Law 2006, 14:35–100). Rather, the objective is to highlight issues of implementation and interpretation of the techniques available to the crime analyst. To this end, the authors draw from their experiences of working with real‐world crime databases (Oatley GC, Belem B, Fernandes K, Hoggarth E, Holland B, Lewis C, Meier P, Morgan K, Santhanam J, et al. The gang gun‐crime problem—solutions from social network theory, epidemiology, cellular automata, Bayesian networks and spatial statistics. Accepted: book chapter for IEEE publication Computational Forensics; 2008; Oatley GC, McGarry K, Ewart BW. Offender network metrics. WSEAS Trans Inf Sci Appl 2006, 3:2440–2448; Oatley GC, Ewart BW. Crimes analysis software: pins in maps, clustering and Bayes net prediction. Expert Syst Appl 2003, 25:569–588), involving gun and gang crime, fraud, terrorism, burglary, and retail crime. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WIREs Data Mining Knowl Discov 2011 1 147‐153 DOI: 10.1002/widm.6

This article is categorized under:

Algorithmic Development > Spatial and Temporal Data Mining

Application Areas > Science and Technology

Application Areas > Society and Culture

Fundamental Concepts of Data and Knowledge > Human Centricity and User Interaction
Nanomaterial‐based advanced immunoassays
Authors: Hu Weihua , Li Chang Ming
Published: February 2011

Immunoassay has been the main stream in clinic diagnostics and still attracts extensive research interest in recent years to develop reliable, fast, sensitive, and specific detection methods and platforms to expand its applications in various areas including proteomics, drug discovery, homeland security, food safety, environmental monitoring, and health care. With the dramatic progress in material science, nanotechnology, and bioconjugation techniques, a great diversity of nanomaterials with desirable superior properties have been designed, synthesized, and tailored to facilitate high‐performance detections for advanced immunoassays. This paper comprehensively reviews recent advances in nanomaterial‐based immunoassay technologies and particularly highlights newly developed strategies associated with interdisciplinary areas for performance enhancement and related mechanisms. The future perspectives of immunosensing technologies are also discussed. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2011 3 119–133 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.124

This article is categorized under:

Diagnostic Tools > Biosensing

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies

Diagnostic Tools > In Vitro Nanoparticle-Based Sensing
Cauchois and Sénémaud Tables of wavelengths of X‐ray emission lines and absorption edges
Authors: Jonnard Philippe , Bonnelle Christiane
Published: February 2011

We present the Cauchois and Sénémaud Tables of X‐ray emission lines and absorption edges. They are written both in French and English. They were published in 1978 by Pergamon Press and are insufficiently known. However they are of large interest because of their completeness. They comprise the energies of all the K, L, M, N and O emission lines of natural elements from lithium up to uranium as well as the energies of satellite emissions and absorption discontinuities. The more intense lines of radio‐elements up to fermium (Z = 100) are also given. The Tables range from the hard X‐rays (122 keV, 0.01 nm) to the extreme ultra‐violet (12 eV, 102 nm). For each transition, the wavelength (Å and uX) and energy (eV and Ry) are given and references are indicated. The transitions are grouped by increasing wavelength (decreasing photon energy) and also by element and spectral series. We present, as an example, the use of the Tables to identify the emissions of the molybdenum L spectrum. We decided to scan the Cauchois and Sénémaud Tables and make them available for the scientific community. They are now available at the Website of our laboratory, http://www.lcpmr.upmc.fr/. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Good practice for radiological reporting. Guidelines from the European Society of Radiology (ESR)
Authors:   European Society of Radiology (ESR)
Published: February 2011

The views of the European Society of Radiology concerning what constitutes a good radiological report are outlined in this article. Some pertinent literature is reviewed.
Son Preference in Indian Families: Absolute Versus Relative Wealth Effects
Authors: Gaudin Sylvestre
Published: February 2011

The desire for male children is prevalent in India, where son preference has been shown to affect fertility behavior and intrahousehold allocation of resources. Economic theory predicts less gender discrimination in wealthier households, but demographers and sociologists have argued that wealth can exacerbate bias in the Indian context. I argue that these apparently conflicting theories can be reconciled and simultaneously tested if one considers that they are based on two different notions of wealth: one related to resource constraints (absolute wealth), and the other to notions of local status (relative wealth). Using cross-sectional data from the 1998–1999 and 2005–2006 National Family and Health Surveys, I construct measures of absolute and relative wealth by using principal components analysis. A series of statistical models of son preference is estimated by using multilevel methods. Results consistently show that higher absolute wealth is strongly associated with lower son preference, and the effect is 20%–40% stronger when the household’s community-specific wealth score is included in the regression. Coefficients on relative wealth are positive and significant although lower in magnitude. Results are robust to using different samples, alternative groupings of households in local areas, different estimation methods, and alternative dependent variables.
Uniqueness of post-gelation solutions of a class of coagulation equations
Authors: Normand Raoul , Zambotti Lorenzo
Published: February 2011

We prove well-posedness of global solutions for a class of coagulation equations which exhibit the gelation phase transition. To this end, we solve an associated partial differential equation involving the generating functions before and after the phase transition. Applications include the classical Smoluchowski and Flory equations with multiplicative coagulation rate and the recently introduced symmetric model with limited aggregations. For the latter, we compute the limiting concentrations and we relate them to random graph models.
A novel nonsense mutation of MSH2 gene in a Taiwanese family with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer
Authors: Chen Wen‐Chau , Lin Shao‐Chieh , Lee Jenq‐Chang
Published: February 2011

Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is an autosomal dominant inherited disease predisposing to the development of colorectal cancers and several other malignancies (endometrium, ovaries, stomach, small bowel, hepatobiliary, and urinary tract). HNPCC is caused by germline mutations in any of the mismatch repair genes. Mutations in MLH1 and MSH2 account for almost 90% of all identified ones. Here, we report a Taiwanese family with HNPCC and mutation analysis revealed a novel nonsense mutation (S611X) in MSH2 gene.
BOUNDS OF MULTIPLICATIVE CHARACTER SUMS WITH FERMAT QUOTIENTS OF PRIMES
Authors: SHPARLINSKI IGOR E.
Published: February 2011

Given a prime p, the Fermat quotient qp(u) of u with gcd (u,p)=1 is defined by the conditions We derive a new bound on multiplicative character sums with Fermat quotients qp(ℓ) at prime arguments ℓ.
A NOTE ON PARACOMPACT p-SPACES AND THE MONOTONE D-PROPERTY
Authors: GAO YIN-ZHU , SHI WEI-XUE
Published: February 2011

For any generalized ordered space X with the underlying linearly ordered topological space Xu, let X* be the minimal closed linearly ordered extension of X and $\tilde {X}$ be the minimal dense linearly ordered extension of X. The following results are obtained.

(1)

The projection mapping π:X*→X, π(〈x,i〉)=x, is closed.

(2)

The projection mapping $\phi : \tilde {X} \rightarrow X_u$, ϕ(〈x,i〉)=x, is closed.

(3)

X* is a monotone D-space if and only if X is a monotone D-space.

(4)

$\tilde {X}$ is a monotone D-space if and only if Xu is a monotone D-space.

(5)

For the Michael line M, $\tilde {M}$ is a paracompact p-space, but not continuously Urysohn.
Radiative instability of the flow around a rotating cylinder in a stratified fluid
Authors: RIEDINGER XAVIER , LE DIZÈS STÉPHANE , MEUNIER PATRICE
Published: February 2011

The stability of the flow around a rotating cylinder in a fluid linearly stratified along the cylinder axis is studied numerically and experimentally for moderate Reynolds numbers. The flow is assumed potential and axisymmetric with an angular velocity profile Ω = 1/r2, where r is the radial coordinate. Neglecting density diffusion and non-Boussinesq effects, the properties of the linear normal modes are first provided. A comprehensive stability diagram is then obtained for Froude numbers between 0 and 3 and Reynolds numbers below 1000. The main result is that the potential flow, which is stable for a homogeneous fluid, becomes unstable for Froude number close to one and for Reynolds numbers larger than 360. The numerical results are then compared with experimental results obtained using shadowgraph and synthetic Schlieren techniques. Two symmetrical helical modes are found to be simultaneously unstable. We show that these modes exhibit an internal gravity wave structure extending far from the cylinder in agreement with the theory. Their wavelength and frequency are shown to be in good agreement with the numerical predictions for a large range of Froude and Reynolds numbers. These experimental results are the first indisputable evidence of the radiative instability.
Antipoverty Programmes in Venezuela
Authors: DAGUERRE ANNE
Published: February 2011

This article analyses Venezuelan antipoverty programmes under the presidency of Hugo Chávez, the leader of the ‘Bolivarian Revolution’ (1998–present). Support for poor people has become the government's trademark since the creation in 2002–03 of a series of emergency social programmes, the Missions. These programmes attend to the basic needs of low-income individuals in terms of nutrition, health and education. The Missions are characterised by a pattern of institutional bypassing which makes their long-term institutionalisation difficult. Do the Missions really introduce a break with previous social policies? To answer this question, we first analyse the evolution of the Venezuelan social state. Second, we review the development of the Missions, especially the MissionVuelvan Caras, nowChe Guevara, an active labour market programme. Third, we provide an assessment of the Social Missions and identify ruptures and continuities with past social assistance policies. The main contention is that the Missions exhibit a strong pattern of path dependency, despite the ideological and discursive ruptures that have attended the presidency of Hugo Chávez.
‘I am living a peaceful life with my grandchildren. Nothing else.’ Stories of adversity and ‘resilience’ of older women caring for children in the context of HIV/AIDS and other stressors
Authors: CASALE MARISA
Published: February 2011

While the adverse effects of HIV and AIDS on female care-givers in southern Africa have been well documented, there are too few examples of more nuanced analyses, which reflect not only adversity and challenges, but also positive responses, perspectives and experiences. By discussing findings of qualitative research conducted with nine female carers of children in South Africa's Kwazulu-Natal province, one of the world's most HIV-affected regions, this paper explores two themes, focusing mainly on older (grandmother) carers: (a) their strength and resourcefulness in responding to adversity to ensure their families' survival and (b) their leadership role in affronting HIV and related stigma within their own families. These two themes unfold through insights provided by the stories of two study participants, which are discussed in the context of the broader study findings and literature. The aim of this research is both to add to experiential data on the much-debated notion of ‘resilience’ and further challenge the stereotype of older carers or ‘rural African grandmothers’ as passive victims of a changing world, rather than key agents of change. While terms such as ‘coping strategies’ and ‘resilience’ should be used cautiously, it is important to consider carers' short-term responses to the many challenges faced, with a view to constructively informing interventions.
Robotics competitions as benchmarks for AI research
Authors: Anderson John , Baltes Jacky , Cheng Chi Tai
Published: February 2011

In the last two decades various intelligent robotics competitions have become very popular. Arguably the most well-known of these are the robotic soccer competitions. In addition to their value in attracting media and capturing the minds of the general public, these competitions also provide benchmark problems for various robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. As with any benchmark, care must be taken that the benchmark does not introduce unwarranted biases. This paper critically evaluates the AI contributions made by various robotic competitions on AI research.
Ayurveda for agents: an attempt to bring the sciences of natural and artificial intelligence closer together
Authors: van Eijk Rogier M.
Published: February 2011

This paper advocates a new science of intelligence, one that is holistic, multi-disciplinary, oriented to crucial values as health and well-being and able to contribute to the solution of real-world problems. As a starting point we study the interplay between two research disciplines that until now have been hardly related to each other: Ayurveda and multi-agent systems. We consider some possible results of the cross fertilisation like for instance the application of ayurvedic knowledge to improve the skills of practical reasoning agents.
The impact of mobility on HIV control: a modelling study
Authors: VISSERS D. C. J. , DE VLAS S. J. , BAKKER R. , URASSA M. , VOETEN H. A. C. M. , HABBEMA J. D. F.
Published: February 2011

Mobility is associated with HIV due to more risky sexual behaviour of mobile groups such as travellers and migrants. Limited participation of such groups may reduce the effectiveness of HIV interventions disproportionally. The established STDSIM model, which simulates transmission and control of HIV and STD, was extended to simulate mobility patterns based on data from Tanzania. We explored the impact of non-participation of mobile groups (travellers and recent migrants) on the effectiveness of two interventions: condom promotion and health education aiming at partner reduction. If mobile groups do not participate, the effectiveness of both interventions could be reduced by 40%. The impact of targeting travellers with a combined HIV campaign is close to that of a general population intervention. In conclusion, it is important to account for possible non-participation of migrants and travellers. If non-participation is substantial, impact of interventions can be greatly improved by actively approaching these people.
Norm vs variation in British English irregular verbs: the case of past tensesangvssung
Authors: ANDERWALD LIESELOTTE
Published: February 2011

In this article I discuss the persistence of non-standard past tense forms in traditional and modern dialect data in the face of strong prescriptive norms against such non-standard forms. Past tense forms likeshe drunkorthey sungare still encountered frequently, although prescriptive grammars have militated against such usage for over a century, as a detailed investigation of nineteenth-century grammar books can show. I will argue that an increasing insistence especially by British nineteenth-century grammarians on distinct paradigm forms likedrink – drank – drunkis based on a (mistaken) Latin ideal and that it has not carried much weight with the ‘average’ speaker for functional reasons: non-standard forms in  can be functionally motivated and are more ‘natural’ past tense forms in the sense of Wurzel (1984).
Vowel change as systemic optimisation: why the New Zealand English front vowel shift is not a good example
Authors: LANGSTROF CHRISTIAN
Published: February 2011

This article discusses the relation between articulatory features and phonetic properties in the light of a specific type of vowel change, namely a push-chain in the front vowel system of New Zealand English. Specifically, an idea put forward by Hawkins (1976), which claims that the NZE front vowel shift is an example of phonological optimisation in vowel systems, will be discussed in some detail. It will be argued, contra Hawkins, that the NZE front vowel shift is not a good example of phonological optimisation in vowel systems due to the existence of intermediate systems in the speech of individuals showing complex patterns of allophonisation, turning the idea of economy on its head.
Dietary patterns, food and macronutrient intakes among adults in three ethnic groups in rural Kenya
Authors: Hansen Andreas W , Christensen Dirk L , Larsson Melanie W , Eis Jeannette , Christensen Tue , Friis Henrik , Mwaniki David L , Kilonzo Beatrice , Boit Michael K , Borch-Johnsen Knut , Tetens Inge
Published: February 2011

Objective

To compare dietary patterns and food and macronutrient intakes among adults in three ethnic groups in rural Kenya.

Design

In the present cross-sectional study, dietary intake was estimated in adult volunteers using two non-consecutive interactive 24 h recalls. Dietary patterns were assessed from the number of meals and snacks per day and from the food items and major food groups registered, and their contribution to energy intake (EI) was calculated. Anthropometric values were measured and sociodemographic data obtained using a questionnaire.

Setting

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Bondo, Kitui and Transmara districts of rural Kenya. A high prevalence of food insecurity in Kenya underlines the importance of describing the dietary patterns and intakes in different Kenyan ethnic groups.

Subjects

A total of 1163 (61 % women) adult Luo, Kamba and Maasai, with a mean age of 38·6 (range: 18–68) years, volunteered to participate.

Results

Dietary patterns and food groups contributing to EI differed significantly among the ethnic groups. Mean EI ranged from 5·8 to 8·6 MJ/d among women and from 7·2 to 10·5 MJ/d among men, with carbohydrates contributing between 55·7 % and 74·2 % and fat contributing between 14·5 % and 30·2 % of total EI. Mean protein intake ranged from 0·72 to 1·3 g/kg per d, and EI:BMR ratio ranged between 1·1 and 1·6 in both sexes, and was highest among the Luo. Prevalence of underweight (BMI < 18·5 kg/m2) was 13·7 %, 20·5 % and 24·2 % in the Luo, Kamba and Maasai, respectively.

Conclusions

The degree of food insecurity measured as a degree of undernutrition and as dietary patterns differed considerably among the ethnic groups. The Maasai and Kamba in particular were exposed to food insecurity.
AUTOMORPHISMS OF THE UHF ALGEBRA THAT DO NOT EXTEND TO THE CUNTZ ALGEBRA
Authors: CONTI ROBERTO
Published: February 2011

The automorphisms of the canonical core UHF subalgebra ℱnof the Cuntz algebra 𝒪ndo not necessarily extend to automorphisms of 𝒪n. Simple examples are discussed within the family of infinite tensor products of (inner) automorphisms of the matrix algebrasMn. In that case, necessary and sufficient conditions for the extension property are presented. Also addressed is the problem of extending to 𝒪nthe automorphisms of the diagonal 𝒟n, which is a regular maximal abelian subalgebra with Cantor spectrum. In particular, it is shown that there exist product-type automorphisms of 𝒟nthat do not extend to (possibly proper) endomorphisms of 𝒪n.
Categories of Alcohol Consumers
Authors: Tomberg Claude
Published: February 2011

Common patterns of alcohol consumption are described with their main criteria, blood alcohol levels, and diagnostic criteria. Binge drinking, an acute alcohol intoxication pattern of particularly concern, is also described, as it appears to be the most common pattern among teenagers when the brain is not yet mature. A number of classification schemes have been proposed specially for social drinking and alcohol dependence, and discussions still surround about them. The article summarize a consensus in classification.
Alcoholism and the Loss of Willpower
Authors: Noël Xavier , Bechara Antoine , Brevers Damien , Verbanck Paul , Campanella Salvatore
Published: February 2011

Like other addictions, alcoholism reflects the continuation of alcohol use despite negative consequences (e.g., an ulcer or family problems made worse by alcohol consumption). Recent cognitive theories suggest that optimal information processing related to the capacity to make decisions under uncertainty conditions is impaired either prior to the initiation of alcohol use, or it is related to the consequence of its repeated utilization. In this paper, we suggest that alcoholism may be the product of an imbalance between two separate, but interacting, cognitive registers that contribute to decision making: a reactive/automatic attentional and memory system for signaling the presence of alcohol cues in the environment and for attributing to such cues pleasure and/or excitement; and a reflective/nonautomatic system for regulating the dominant reactive/automatic response. Hyperactivity within the reactive system can override the reflective system and brain/cognitive changes induced by ethanol could lead to the disruption of self-regulation. We finally develop the idea that different patterns of imbalance between reactive and reflective systems could lead to distinct patterns of clinical impulsivity involved in the vulnerability to, the development of, and the relapse into alcoholism.
The Influence of Alcohol Ingestion on Cognitive Response Inhibition and Error Processing
Authors: Noël Xavier , Tomberg Claude , Verbanck Paul , Campanella Salvatore
Published: February 2011

Alcohol consumption has been known to affect behavior and cognition. In this paper, we review evidence for the idea that alcohol disrupts two important cognitive processes critical to flexible interaction with a changing environment: the individual’s ability to successfully and intentionally inhibit or suppress a prepotent response, and to detect the occurrence of an error. In compromising an individual’s ability to withhold a prepotent response and in attenuating the brain’s capacity to detect action slips, the consumption of alcohol may also prevent the mobilization of further flexible executive control in response to environmental prompts (e.g., to stop drinking when intending to drive a car). Individual differences in these cognitive processes prior to or following the ingestion of alcohol are also discussed.
Alcohol and Its Impact on Motor Control
Authors: Houa Myriam , Tomberg Claude , Noël Xavier
Published: February 2011

Acute and chronic alcohol intoxications have particularly deleterious consequences on physiological processes involving motor control and balance. This paper describes alcohol impairments to the central motor system networks in social and heavy drinkers and in individuals dependent on alcohol with or without neurological diseases.
Electromagnetic diffusion in anisotropic media
Authors: Carcione José M.
Published: February 2011

I present a plane‐wave analysis of anisotropic electromagnetic media at the low‐frequency range, where the displacement currents can be neglected and the field is diffusive. Anisotropy is due to the conductivity tensor and the magnetic permeability is a scalar quantity. The analysis includes the energy balance (Umov‐Poynting theorem) and provides expressions of measurable quantities such as the phase and energy velocities, the attenuation factor, and the skin depth as a function of frequency and propagation direction. The balance of energy allows the identification of the stored and dissipated energy densities, which are related to the magnetic energy and the conductive part of the electric energy. For a real conductivity tensor, the stored energy equals the dissipated energy. I also establish fundamental relations, e.g., the scalar product between the slowness vector and the power‐flow vector is equal to the energy density. For uniform plane waves, the phase velocity is the projection of the energy velocity vector onto the propagation direction and a similar relation is obtained by replacing the energy velocity with a velocity related to the dissipated energy. I have also obtained the Green function for an azimuthally isotropic medium (transverse isotropy), which is used to calculate transient fields.
A fluorescent all-fluorene polyazomethine—towards soluble conjugated polymers exhibiting high fluorescence and electrochromic properties
Authors: Barik Satyananda , Skene W. G.
Published: February 2011

A highly fluorescent conjugated fluorene polyazomethine that fluoresces in both solution and thin films was prepared. Fluorescence enhancement to near unity was further possible both at low temperature and with protonation.
Vowel Identification by Listeners With Hearing Impairment in Response to Variation in Formant Frequencies
Authors: Molis Michelle R. , Leek Marjorie R.
Published: February 2011

Purpose

This study examined the influence of presentation level and mild-to-moderate hearing loss on the identification of a set of vowel tokens systematically varying in the frequency locations of their second and third formants.

Method

Five listeners with normal hearing (NH listeners) and five listeners with hearing impairment (HI listeners) identified synthesized vowels that represented both highly identifiable and ambiguous examples of /
i
/, /ʊ/, and /ɝ/.

Results

Response patterns of NH listeners showed significant changes, with an increase in presentation level from 75 dB SPL to 95 dB SPL, including increased category overlap. HI listeners, listening only at the higher level, showed greater category overlap than normal and overall identification patterns that differed significantly from those of NH listeners. Excitation patterns based on estimates of auditory filters suggested smoothing of the internal representations, resulting in impaired formant resolution.

Conclusions

Both increased presentation level for NH listeners and the presence of hearing loss produced a significant change in vowel identification for this stimulus set. Major differences were observed between NH listeners and HI listeners in vowel category overlap and in the sharpness of boundaries between vowel tokens. It is likely that these findings reflect imprecise internal spectral representations due to reduced frequency selectivity.
Evidence for Preserved Novel Word Learning in Down Syndrome Suggests Multiple Routes to Vocabulary Acquisition
Authors: Mosse Emma K. , Jarrold Christopher
Published: February 2011

Purpose

Three studies investigated novel word learning, some requiring phonological production, each involving between 11 and 17 individuals with Down syndrome, and between 15 and 24 typically developing individuals matched for receptive vocabulary. The effect of stimuli wordlikeness and incidental procedure-based memory demands were examined to see whether these may account for an apparent impairment in word learning in Down syndrome demonstrated in earlier research.

Method

Paired associate word and nonword learning tasks were presented, requiring participants to learn the names of novel characters. The nonword stimuli varied in the degree of wordlikeness in 2 studies. A third study investigated extraneous task demand.

Results

Across 3 studies, there was no suggestion of a word learning deficit associated with Down syndrome (η
2
p
for the main effect of group of .03, .11, and .03, respectively), despite the level of phonological representation required. There was evidence that novel word learning by participants with Down syndrome exceeded that which their verbal short-term memory capacity would predict.

Conclusions

Vocabulary acquisition in Down syndrome may not rely on verbal short-term memory to the same extent as in typically developing children, lending support to the suggestion that new word learning may be underpinned by an additional memory process.
How Well Do Children Who Are Internationally Adopted Acquire Language? A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Scott Kathleen A. , Roberts Jenny A. , Glennen Sharon
Published: February 2011

Purpose

In this article, the authors present the results of a systematic and meta-analytic examination of the language outcomes of children who are internationally adopted. The study examined the questions of whether the early life experiences of children who are internationally adopted and the language switch that occurs after adoption hinder the acquisition of language skills.

Method

The authors selected available studies on the language acquisition of internationally adopted children using search strategies from both a comprehensive set of databases and manual searching of selected studies. Study eligibility criteria included (a) participants clearly identified as being internationally adopted, (b) measurable language outcomes were reported, (c) a control group or normative measure was used in the design of the study, and (d) effect size was reported, or data were provided to calculate effect size.

Results

The meta-analysis found that as a group, the children expressed great variability in their language skills. Overall, they were more likely to have poorer language outcomes than comparison children, but several moderating variables were found.

Conclusions

The results of the meta-analysis have direct clinical application regarding the assessment and treatment of language skills of internationally adopted children. The study also has implications for future studies of the language development of internationally adopted children.
Standoff spectroscopy via remote generation of a backward-propagating laser beam
Authors: Hemmer Philip R. , Miles Richard B. , Polynkin Pavel , Siebert Torsten , Sokolov Alexei V. , Sprangle Phillip , Scully Marlan O.
Published: February 2011

In an earlier publication we demonstrated that by using pairs of pulses of different colors (e.g., red and blue) it is possible to excite a dilute ensemble of molecules such that lasing and/or gain-swept superradiance is realized in a direction toward the observer. This approach is a conceptual step toward spectroscopic probing at a distance, also known as standoff spectroscopy. In the present paper, we propose a related but simpler approach on the basis of the backward-directed lasing in optically excited dominant constituents of plain air, N
2
and O
2
. This technique relies on the remote generation of a weakly ionized plasma channel through filamentation of an ultraintense femtosecond laser pulse. Subsequent application of an energetic nanosecond pulse or series of pulses boosts the plasma density in the seed channel via avalanche ionization. Depending on the spectral and temporal content of the driving pulses, a transient population inversion is established in either nitrogen- or oxygen-ionized molecules, thus enabling a transient gain for an optical field propagating toward the observer. This technique results in the generation of a strong, coherent, counterpropagating optical probe pulse. Such a probe, combined with a wavelength-tunable laser signal(s) propagating in the forward direction, provides a tool for various remote-sensing applications. The proposed technique can be enhanced by combining it with the gain-swept excitation approach as well as with beam shaping and adaptive optics techniques.
Sortase-catalyzed transformations that improve the properties of cytokines
Authors: Popp Maximilian W. , Dougan Stephanie K. , Chuang Tzu-Ying , Spooner Eric , Ploegh Hidde L.
Published: February 2011

Recombinant protein therapeutics often suffer from short circulating half-life and poor stability, necessitating multiple injections and resulting in limited shelf-life. Conjugation to polyethylene glycol chains (PEG) extends the circulatory half-life of many proteins, but the methods for attachment often lack specificity, resulting in loss of biological activity. Using four-helix bundle cytokines as an example, we present a general platform that uses sortase-mediated transpeptidation to facilitate site-specific attachment of PEG to extend cytokine half-life with full retention of biological activity. Covalently joining the N and C termini of proteins to obtain circular polypeptides, again executed using sortase, increases thermal stability. We combined both PEGylation and circularization by exploiting two distinct sortase enzymes and the use of a molecular suture that allows both site-specific PEGylation and covalent closure. The method developed is general, uses a set of easily accessible reagents, and should be applicable to a wide variety of proteins, provided that their termini are not involved in receptor binding or function.
LSPR: an integrated periodicity detection algorithm for unevenly sampled temporal microarray data
Authors: Yang Rendong , Zhang Chen , Su Zhen
Published: February 2011

Summary: We propose a three-step periodicity detection algorithm named LSPR. Our method first preprocesses the raw time-series by removing the linear trend and filtering noise. In the second step, LSPR employs a Lomb–Scargle periodogram to estimate the periodicity in the time-series. Finally, harmonic regression is applied to model the cyclic components. Inferred periodic transcripts are selected by a false discovery rate procedure. We have applied LSPR to unevenly sampled synthetic data and two Arabidopsis diurnal expression datasets, and compared its performance with the existing well-established algorithms. Results show that LSPR is capable of identifying periodic transcripts more accurately than existing algorithms.

Availability: LSPR algorithm is implemented as MATLAB software and is available at http://bioinformatics.cau.edu.cn/LSPR

Contact:  zhensu@cau.edu.cn

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.