bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Mixed Modes” in John Locke's Moral and Political Philosophy
Authors: Forde Steven
Published: October 2011

The moral theory of “mixed modes” John Locke presents in hisEssay concerning Human Understandingis beset with paradoxes. On the one hand, he tells us that all mixed modes, including moral concepts, are “arbitrary” mental constructs. On the other hand, he speaks of an “eternal law” of right and wrong, and is well known as a champion of objective, universally valid natural law. This paradox stems from problems created by the new natural science. That science is predicated on the demolition of Aristotelian Scholasticism. Locke participates in that demolition on behalf of science, but it leaves him with limited options in building his own moral theory. Samuel Pufendorf responded to this situation by devising a theory of “moral modes,” and Locke follows Pufendorf's model. The essay concludes by noting some similarities and differences with the moral metaphysics of Immanuel Kant.
Does Kant Justify Liberal Intervention?
Authors: Wilson James Lindley , Monten Jonathan
Published: October 2011

The recent US occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan have renewed the debate over whether military interventions intended to impose democracy in a foreign state are consistent with liberal principles. The liberal political tradition within the United States has often been divided over this question. At issue is what place, if any, military force should have in a foreign policy dedicated to promoting goals such as the spread of electoral democracy, respect for human rights, and the rule of law.
The sociolinguistic functions of codeswitching between Standard Arabic and Dialectal Arabic
Authors: Albirini Abdulkafi
Published: October 2011

This study examines the social functions of codeswitching (CS) between Standard Arabic (SA) and Dialectal Arabic (DA). The data came from thirty-five audio and video recordings in the domains of religious lectures, political debates, and soccer commentaries. The findings suggest that speakers create a functional division between the two varieties by designating issues of importance, complexity, and seriousness to SA, the High code, and aligning less important, less serious, and accessible topics with DA, the Low code. The CS patterns therefore reproduce the unequal socialvaluesand distribution of SA and DA in the Arabic sociolinguistic landscape and simultaneously call for a reconceptualization of the notion of diglossia as presented in Ferguson's (1959) work. Other functions of CS as a marker of speakers' attitudes and as an index of pan-Arab or Muslim identities are discussed. (Arabic, bidialectal codeswitching, High/Low dichotomy, functional diglossia, identity, language attitudes)*
Obesity in older adults: epidemiology and implications for disability and disease
Authors: Samper-Ternent Rafael , Al Snih Soham
Published: October 2011

Obesity is a worldwide problem with increasing prevalence and incidence in both developed and developing countries. In older adults, excess weight is associated with a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, several important cancers, and numerous other medical conditions. Obesity has also been associated with increased functional limitations, disability, and poorer quality of life. Additionally, obesity has been independently associated with all-cause mortality. The obesity epidemic has important social and economic implications, representing an important source of increased public health care costs. The aim of this review is to report the epidemiology of obesity worldwide, and the implications of obesity on disability and chronic diseases in older adults.
Surface assemblages. Towards an archaeology in and of the present
Authors: Harrison Rodney
Published: October 2011

This paper explores a central paradox in the aims of the archaeology of the contemporary past as they have been articulated by its practitioners. On the one hand, its aim has been expressed as one of making the familiar ‘unfamiliar’, of distancing the observer from their own material world; a work of alienation. On the other hand, it has also aimed to make the past more accessible and egalitarian; to recover lost, subaltern voices and in this way to close the distance between past and present. I suggest that this paradox has stymied its development and promoted a culture of self-justification for a subfield which has already become well established within archaeology over the course of three decades. I argue that this paradox arises from archaeology's relationship with modernity and the past itself, as a result of its investment in the modernist trope of archaeology-as-excavation and the idea of a past which is buried and hidden. One way of overcoming this paradox would be to emphasize an alternative trope of archaeology-as-surface-survey and a process of assembling/reassembling, and indeed to shift away from the idea of an ‘archaeology of the contemporary past’ to speak instead of an archaeology ‘in and of the present’. This would reorient archaeology so that it is seen primarily as a creative engagement with the present and only subsequently as a consideration of the intervention of traces of the past within it. It is only by doing this that archaeology will develop into a discipline which can successfully address itself to the present and future concerns of contemporary societies. Such a move not only has implications for archaeologies of the present and recent past, but concerns the very nature and practice of archaeology as a discipline in its broadest sense in the 21st century.
In praise of depth
Authors: González-Ruibal Alfredo
Published: October 2011

I am totally for the archaeology in and of the present that Rodney Harrison defends in his powerful text. In fact, I have defended a similar idea elsewhere, although in a rather less eloquent and straightforward way. I have suggested that we could transform ethnoarchaeology, an archaeological subdiscipline that already deals with the present, into a true ‘archaeology of the present . . . that . . . deals with people that are alive and things that are in full use, and which accepts that all presents are entangled with a diversity of pasts in a percolating time’ (González-Ruibal 2006a, 112). With the author, I think that archaeological engagements should not be reduced to the past – understood as something remote and finished: archaeology can be a very creative way of dealing with the present, and even of transforming it. I also coincide with Harrison in considering that the archaeology of the contemporary past is less harassed than we tend to think and that we should be less anxious in defending ourselves against possible attackers and focusing more on creating exciting work.
Art and archaeology. A modern allegory
Authors: Russell Ian Alden
Published: October 2011

Following the recent discussion of excavation in Archaeological dialogues (18(1)), Rodney Harrison's questioning of the viability of excavation and depth as viable tropes for conceptualizing and communicating archaeology's epistemological processes is both timely and pertinent. Beginning where Harrison finished, his use of Anselm Kiefer's artistic work as a ‘framing’ device, brings me to some intriguing critical trajectories for understanding archaeology's modern condition and the possibilities for it at this moment through deeper engagements with contemporary art, and visual and material gesture and culture.
Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Assessment of Cerebral Oxygen Metabolism in the Developing Premature Brain
Authors: Roche-Labarbe Nadège , Fenoglio Angela , Aggarwal Alpna , Dehaes Mathieu , Carp Stefan A , Franceschini Maria Angela , Grant Patricia Ellen
Published: October 2011

Little is known about cerebral blood flow, cerebral blood volume (CBV), oxygenation, and oxygen consumption in the premature newborn brain. We combined quantitative frequency-domain near-infrared spectroscopy measures of cerebral hemoglobin oxygenation (SO2) and CBV with diffusion correlation spectroscopy measures of cerebral blood flow index (BFix) to determine the relationship between these measures, gestational age at birth (GA), and chronological age. We followed 56 neonates of various GA once a week during their hospital stay. We provide absolute values of SO2 and CBV, relative values of BFix, and relative cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (rCMRO2) as a function of postmenstrual age (PMA) and chronological age for four GA groups. SO2 correlates with chronological age ( r=−0.54, P value 0.001) but not with PMA ( r=−0.07), whereas BFix and rCMRO2 correlate better with PMA ( r=0.37 and 0.43, respectively, P value 0.001). Relative CMRO2 during the first month of life is lower when GA is lower. Blood flow index and rCMRO2 are more accurate biomarkers of the brain development than SO2 in the premature newborns.
Sweet Sixteen for ANLS
Authors: Pellerin Luc , Magistretti Pierre J
Published: October 2011

Since its introduction 16 years ago, the astrocyte–neuron lactate shuttle (ANLS) model has profoundly modified our understanding of neuroenergetics by bringing a cellular and molecular resolution. Praised or disputed, the concept has never ceased to attract attention, leading to critical advances and unexpected insights. Here, we summarize recent experimental evidence further supporting the main tenets of the model. Thus, evidence for distinct metabolic phenotypes between neurons (mainly oxidative) and astrocytes (mainly glycolytic) have been provided by genomics and classical metabolic approaches. Moreover, it has become clear that astrocytes act as a syncytium to distribute energy substrates such as lactate to active neurones. Glycogen, the main energy reserve located in astrocytes, is used as a lactate source to sustain glutamatergic neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity. Lactate is also emerging as a neuroprotective agent as well as a key signal to regulate blood flow. Characterization of monocarboxylate transporter regulation indicates a possible involvement in synaptic plasticity and memory. Finally, several modeling studies captured the implications of such findings for many brain functions. The ANLS model now represents a useful, experimentally based framework to better understand the coupling between neuronal activity and energetics as it relates to neuronal plasticity, neurodegeneration, and functional brain imaging.
Development of second generation epigenetic agents
Authors: Jones Philip
Published: October 2011

This review focuses on the progress in the development of the second generation of epigenetic modifiers able to modulate histone marks, and restore normal gene transcription.
Synthesis and characterization of a biodegradable polymer prepared viaradical copolymerization of 2-(acetoacetoxy)ethyl methacrylate and molecular oxygen
Authors: Pal Sunirmal , Das Amit , Maiti Sankar , De Priyadarsi
Published: October 2011

We describe the synthesis and characterization of a biodegradable and biocompatible polymeric peroxide, poly[2-(acetoacetoxy)ethyl methacrylate] peroxide.
A facile synthesis of a novel triptycene-containing A–B monomer: precursor to polymers of intrinsic microporosity
Authors: Ghanem Bader S.
Published: October 2011

A novel triptycene-containing A–B monomer bearing both phenazine activating aromatic o-dichloride and a catechol group was synthesized. This monomer is the first example of an A–B monomer used for the synthesis of a novel polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM). The synthesized polymer demonstrated good porosity, thermal stability and solubility in common organic solvents.
Large T-antigen up-regulates Kv4.3 K+ channels through Sp1, and Kv4.3 K+ channels contribute to cell apoptosis and necrosis through activation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II
Authors: Li Qi , Zhang Ying , Sheng Yue , Huo Rong , Sun Bo , Teng Xue , Li Na , Zhu Jiu-Xin , Yang Bao-Feng , Dong De-Li
Published: October 2011

Down-regulation of Kv4.3 K+ channels commonly occurs in multiple diseases, but the understanding of the regulation of Kv4.3 K+ channels and the role of Kv4.3 K+ channels in pathological conditions are limited. HEK (human embryonic kidney)-293T cells are derived from HEK-293 cells which are transformed by expression of the large T-antigen. In the present study, by comparing HEK-293 and HEK-293T cells, we find that HEK-293T cells express more Kv4.3 K+ channels and more transcription factor Sp1 (specificity protein 1) than HEK-293 cells. Inhibition of Sp1 with Sp1 decoy oligonucleotide reduces Kv4.3 K+ channel expression in HEK-293T cells. Transfection of pN3-Sp1FL vector increases Sp1 protein expression and results in increased Kv4.3 K+ expression in HEK-293 cells. Since the ultimate determinant of the phenotype difference between HEK-293 and HEK-293T cells is the large T-antigen, we conclude that the large T-antigen up-regulates Kv4.3 K+ channel expression through an increase in Sp1. In both HEK-293 and HEK-293T cells, inhibition of Kv4.3 K+ channels with 4-AP (4-aminopyridine) or Kv4.3 small interfering RNA induces cell apoptosis and necrosis, which are completely rescued by the specific CaMKII (calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II) inhibitor KN-93, suggesting that Kv4.3 K+ channels contribute to cell apoptosis and necrosis through CaMKII activation. In summary, we establish: (i) the HEK-293 and HEK-293T cell model for Kv4.3 K+ channel study; (ii) that large T-antigen up-regulates Kv4.3 K+ channels through increasing Sp1 levels; and (iii) that Kv4.3 K+ channels contribute to cell apoptosis and necrosis through activating CaMKII. The present study provides deep insights into the mechanism of the regulation of Kv4.3 K+ channels and the role of Kv4.3 K+ channels in cell death.
The Use of a Kirschner Wire in the Treatment of a Comminuted Le Fort I Fracture: A Case Report
Authors: De Temmerman Griet , Falter Bart , Schepers Serge , Vrielinck Luc , Orye Johan , Politis Constantinus
Published: October 2011

Simultaneous fracture of the maxilla and cervical vertebrae rarely occurs in bicycling accidents. The following case report describes a simple technique for closed reduction of a severely comminuted maxillary fracture with shattering of the dentoalveolar process. The combination of a rigid external distractor halo frame on the skull, a Kirschner wire through the maxilla, and an intermaxillary wire fixation resulted in stable vertical and sagittal correction of the fragmented maxilla with adequate access and minimal manipulation and without necessitating removal of the cervical collar.
Perceptual Weight Judgments When Viewing One's Own and others' Movements under Minimalist Conditions of Visual Presentation
Authors: Auvray Malika , Hoellinger Thomas , Hanneton Sylvain , Roby-Brami Agnes
Published: October 2011

Across five experiments, we investigated the parameters involved in the observation and in the execution of the action of lifting an object. The observers were shown minimal information on movements, consisting of either the working-point displacement only (ie two points representing the hand and object) or additional configural information on the kinematics of the trunk, shoulder, arm, forearm, and hand, joined by a stick diagram. Furthermore, displays showed either a participant's own movements or those of another person, when different weights were lifted. The participants' task was to estimate the weight of the lifted objects. The results revealed that, although overall performance was not dependent on the visual conditions (working point versus stick diagram) or ownership conditions (self versus other), the kinematic cues used to perform the task differed as a function of these conditions. In addition, the kinematic parameters relevant for action observation did not match those relevant for action execution. This was confirmed in experiments by using artificially altered movement samples, where the variations in critical kinematic variables were manipulated separately or in combination. We discuss the implications of these results for the roles of motor simulation and visual analysis in action observation.
Polarisation of Class II Methanol Masers
Authors: Stack P. D. , Ellingsen S. P.
Published: October 2011

We have used the University of Tasmania Mt Pleasant 26-m radio telescope to investigate the polarisation characteristics of a sample of strong 6.7 GHz methanol masers, the first spectral line polarisation observations to be undertaken with this instrument. As part of this process we have developed a new technique for calibrating linear polarisation spectral line observations. This calibration method gives results consistent with more traditional techniques, but requires much less observing time on the telescope. We have made the first polarisation measurements of a number of 6.7 GHz methanol masers and find linear polarisation at levels from a few to 10% in most of the sources we observed, consistent with previous results. We also investigated the circular polarisation produced by Zeeman splitting in the 6.7 GHz methanol maser G9.62+0.20 to get an estimate of the line of sight magnetic field strength of 35±7 mG.
Application of a Bayesian Method to Absorption Spectral-Line Finding in Simulated ASKAP Data
Authors: Allison J. R. , Sadler E. M. , Whiting M. T.
Published: October 2011

The large spectral bandwidth and wide field of view of the Australian SKA Pathfinder radio telescope will open up a completely new parameter space for large extragalactic HI surveys. Here we focus on identifying and parametrising HI absorption lines which occur in the line of sight towards strong radio continuum sources. We have developed a method for simultaneously finding and fitting HI absorption lines in radio data by using multi-nested sampling, a Bayesian Monte Carlo algorithm. The method is tested on a simulated ASKAP data cube, and is shown to be reliable at detecting absorption lines in low signal-to-noise data without the need to smooth or alter the data. Estimation of the local Bayesian evidence statistic provides a quantitative criterion for assigning significance to a detection and selecting between competing analytical line-profile models.
Astrocytic regulation of cortical UP states
Authors: Poskanzer Kira E. , Yuste Rafael
Published: October 2011

The synchronization of neuronal assemblies during cortical UP states has been implicated in computational and homeostatic processes, but the mechanisms by which this occurs remain unknown. To investigate potential roles of astrocytes in synchronizing cortical circuits, we electrically activated astrocytes while monitoring the activity of the surrounding network with electrophysiological recordings and calcium imaging. Stimulating a single astrocyte activates other astrocytes in the local circuit and can trigger UP state synchronizations of neighboring neurons. Moreover, interfering with astrocytic activity with intracellular injections of a calcium chelator into individual astrocytes inhibits spontaneous and stimulated UP states. Finally, both astrocytic activity and neuronal UP states are regulated by purinergic signaling in the circuit. These results demonstrate that astroglia can play a causal role in regulating the synchronized activation of neuronal ensembles.
Motivation as a predictor of outcomes in school‐based humanistic counselling
Authors: Killips Carin , Cooper Mick , Freire Elizabeth S. , McGinnis Susan
Published: October 2011

Background: Recent years have seen a growth in the provision of counselling within UK secondary schools, and research indicates that it is associated with significant reductions in psychological distress. However, little is known about the moderators and mediators of positive therapeutic benefit. In the field of adult mental health, motivation has been found to be one of the strongest predictors of therapeutic outcomes, and it was hypothesised that this may also be a predictor of outcomes for young people in school‐based counselling services. Aims: To assess the relationship between young people's motivation for counselling and its effectiveness within a secondary school setting. Sample: Eighty‐one young people (12–17 years old) who attended school‐based humanistic counselling services in Scotland. Method: Clients completed a measure of motivation for counselling at the commencement of their therapeutic work and a measure of psychological wellbeing at the commencement and termination of counselling. Results: Motivation for counselling was not found to be significantly related to outcomes. Discussion: The results indicate that the association between motivation and outcomes may be weaker in young people as compared with adults. However, a number of design factors may also account for the non‐significant findings: insufficient participants, marginal reliability of the motivation measure and social desirability effects.
Structure and bifurcation of pullback attractors in a non-autonomous Chafee-Infante equation
Authors: Carvalho A. , Langa J. , Robinson J.
Published: October 2011

The Chafee-Infante equation is one of the canonical infinite-dimensional dynamical systems for which a complete description of the global attractor is available. In this paper we study the structure of the pullback attractor for a non-autonomous version of this equation,

u
t

=

u

x
x

+
λ
u
−
β
(
t
)

u
3

u_t=u_{xx}+\lambda u-\beta (t)u^3

, and investigate the bifurcations that this attractor undergoes as

λ
\lambda

is varied. We are able to describe these in some detail, despite the fact that our model is truly non-autonomous; i.e., we do not restrict to ‘small perturbations’ of the autonomous case.
Can one distinguish quantum trees from the boundary?
Authors: Kurasov Pavel
Published: October 2011

Schrödinger operators on metric trees are considered. It is proven that for certain matching conditions the Titchmarsh-Weyl matrix function does not determine the underlying metric tree; i.e. there exist quantum trees with equal Titchmarsh-Weyl functions. The constructed trees form one-parameter families of isospectral and isoscattering graphs.
Red cell distribution width as a marker of impaired exercise tolerance in patients with chronic heart failure
Authors: Van Craenenbroeck Emeline M. , Pelle Aline J. , Beckers Paul J. , Possemiers Nadine M. , Ramakers Christian , Vrints Christiaan J. , Van Hoof Viviane , Denollet Johan , Conraads Viviane M.
Published: October 2011

Aims

Exercise intolerance predicts mortality in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Recently, increased red cell distribution width (RDW) has emerged as an additional powerful predictor of poor outcome. We investigated the relationship between RDW and exercise capacity in patients with CHF. In addition, the association between training‐induced improved maximal aerobic capacity (VO2peak) and RDW was studied.

Methods and results

Stable and optimally treated CHF patients (n = 118) with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40% were included. RDW and cardiopulmonary exercise testing were obtained at baseline and after 6 months of exercise training (n = 71) or a sedentary lifestyle (n = 47). At baseline, log[RDW] was inversely related to VO2peak (P = 0.003), independently of disease severity [LVEF, New York Heart Association class, N‐terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP)] and haemoglobin. Exercise training was associated with a decrease in RDW compared with controls (P < 0.0001 for interaction), independent of baseline VO2peak, haemoglobin, and NT‐proBNP levels. The change in RDW after 6 months was significantly related to the change in VO2peak (r= –0.248, P = 0.009).

Conclusions

Higher RDW is independently related to impaired exercise capacity in CHF patients. Increased VO2peak following exercise training relates to the observed changes in RDW. Whether increased RDW is a marker of impaired exercise tolerance, or plays a pathophysiological role in impaired oxygen transport, deserves further investigation.
Effect of Single Recombinant Human Erythropoietin Injection on Transfusion Requirements in Preoperatively Anemic Patients Undergoing Valvular Heart Surgery
Authors: Yoo Young-Chul , Shim Jae-Kwang , Kim Jong-Chan , Jo Youn-Yi , Lee Jong-Hoon , Kwak Young-Lan
Published: October 2011

Background

The authors investigated the effect of a single preoperative bolus of erythropoietin on perioperative transfusion requirement and erythropoiesis in patients with preoperative anemia undergoing valvular heart surgery.

Methods

In this prospective, single-site, single-blinded, randomized, and parallel-arm controlled trial, 74 patients with preoperative anemia were randomly allocated to either the erythropoietin or the control group. The erythropoietin group received 500 IU/kg erythropoietin and 200 mg iron sucrose intravenously 1 day before the surgery. The control group received an equivalent volume of normal saline. The primary endpoint was transfusion requirement assessed during the surgery and for 4 days postoperatively. Reticulocyte count and iron profiles were measured serially and compared preoperatively and on postoperative days 1, 2, 4, and 7.

Results

Transfusion occurred in 32 patients (86%) of the control group versus 22 patients (59%) of the erythropoietin group (P = 0.009). The mean number of units of packed erythrocytes transfused per patient during the surgery and for 4 postoperative days (mean ± SD) was also significantly decreased in the erythropoietin group compared with the control group (3.3 ± 2.2 vs.. 1.0 ± 1.1 units/patient, P = 0.001). The reticulocyte count was significantly greater in the erythropoietin group at postoperative days 4 (P = 0.001) and 7 (P = 0.001).

Conclusions

A single intravenous administration of erythropoietin and an iron supplement 1 day before surgery significantly reduced the perioperative transfusion requirement in anemic patients undergoing valvular heart surgery, implicating its potential role as a blood conservation strategy.
Likelihood reinstates
Archaeopteryx
as a primitive bird
Authors: Lee Michael S. Y. , Worthy Trevor H.
Published: October 2011

The widespread view that
Archaeopteryx
was a primitive (basal) bird has been recently challenged by a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis that placed
Archaeopteryx
with deinonychosaurian theropods. The new phylogeny suggested that typical bird flight (powered by the front limbs only) either evolved at least twice, or was lost/modified in some deinonychosaurs. However, this parsimony-based result was acknowledged to be weakly supported. Maximum-likelihood and related Bayesian methods applied to the same dataset yield a different and more orthodox result:
Archaeopteryx
is restored as a basal bird with bootstrap frequency of 73 per cent and posterior probability of 1. These results are consistent with a single origin of typical (forelimb-powered) bird flight. The
Archaeopteryx
–deinonychosaur clade retrieved by parsimony is supported by more characters (which are on average more homoplasious), whereas the
Archaeopteryx
–bird clade retrieved by likelihood-based methods is supported by fewer characters (but on average less homoplasious). Both positions for
Archaeopteryx
remain plausible, highlighting the hazy boundary between birds and advanced theropods. These results also suggest that likelihood-based methods (in addition to parsimony) can be useful in morphological phylogenetics.
The rising cost of warming waters: effects of temperature on the cost of swimming in fishes
Authors: Hein Andrew M. , Keirsted Katrina J.
Published: October 2011

Understanding the effects of water temperature on the swimming performance of fishes is central in understanding how fish species will respond to global climate change. Metabolic cost of transport (COT)—a measure of the energy required to swim a given distance—is a key performance parameter linked to many aspects of fish life history. We develop a quantitative model to predict the effect of water temperature on COT. The model facilitates comparisons among species that differ in body size by incorporating the body mass-dependence of COT. Data from 22 fish species support the temperature and mass dependencies of COT predicted by our model, and demonstrate that modest differences in water temperature can result in substantial differences in the energetic cost of swimming.
Hierarchical flexural strength of enamel: transition from brittle to damage-tolerant behaviour
Authors: Bechtle Sabine , Özcoban Hüseyin , Lilleodden Erica T. , Huber Norbert , Schreyer Andreas , Swain Michael V. , Schneider Gerold A.
Published: October 2011

Hard, biological materials are generally hierarchically structured from the nano- to the macro-scale in a somewhat self-similar manner consisting of mineral units surrounded by a soft protein shell. Considerable efforts are underway to mimic such materials because of their structurally optimized mechanical functionality of being hard and stiff as well as damage-tolerant. However, it is unclear how different hierarchical levels interact to achieve this performance. In this study, we consider dental enamel as a representative, biological hierarchical structure and determine its flexural strength and elastic modulus at three levels of hierarchy using focused ion beam (FIB) prepared cantilevers of micrometre size. The results are compared and analysed using a theoretical model proposed by Jäger and Fratzl and developed by Gao and co-workers. Both properties decrease with increasing hierarchical dimension along with a switch in mechanical behaviour from linear-elastic to elastic-inelastic. We found Gao's model matched the results very well.
Multi-stability of free spontaneously curved anisotropic strips
Authors: Giomi L. , Mahadevan L.
Published: October 2011

Multi-stable structures are objects with more than one stable conformation, exemplified by the simple switch. Continuum versions are often elastic composite plates or shells, such as the common measuring tape or the slap bracelet, both of which exhibit two stable configurations: rolled and unrolled. Here, we consider the energy landscape of a general class of multi-stable anisotropic strips with spontaneous Gaussian curvature. We show that while strips with non-zero Gaussian curvature can be bistable, and strips with positive spontaneous curvature are always bistable, independent of the elastic moduli, strips of spontaneous negative curvature are bistable only in the presence of spontaneous twist and when certain conditions on the relative stiffness of the strip in tension and shear are satisfied. Furthermore, anisotropic strips can become tristable when their bending rigidity is small. Our study complements and extends the theory of multi-stability in anisotropic shells and suggests new design criteria for these structures.
Delayed recovery of non-marine tetrapods after the end-Permian mass extinction tracks global carbon cycle
Authors: Irmis Randall B. , Whiteside Jessica H.
Published: October 2011

During the end-Permian mass extinction, marine ecosystems suffered a major drop in diversity, which was maintained throughout the Early Triassic until delayed recovery during the Middle Triassic. This depressed diversity in the Early Triassic correlates with multiple major perturbations to the global carbon cycle, interpreted as either intrinsic ecosystem or external palaeoenvironmental effects. In contrast, the terrestrial record of extinction and recovery is less clear; the effects and magnitude of the end-Permian extinction on non-marine vertebrates are particularly controversial. We use specimen-level data from southern Africa and Russia to investigate the palaeodiversity dynamics of non-marine tetrapods across the Permo-Triassic boundary by analysing sample-standardized generic richness, evenness and relative abundance. In addition, we investigate the potential effects of sampling, geological and taxonomic biases on these data. Our analyses demonstrate that non-marine tetrapods were severely affected by the end-Permian mass extinction, and that these assemblages did not begin to recover until the Middle Triassic. These data are congruent with those from land plants and marine invertebrates. Furthermore, they are consistent with the idea that unstable low-diversity post-extinction ecosystems were subject to boom–bust cycles, reflected in multiple Early Triassic perturbations of the carbon cycle.
Regulation of Neutrophil Survival/Apoptosis by Mcl-1
Authors: Milot Eric , Filep János G.
Published: October 2011

Neutrophil granulocytes have the shortest lifespan among leukocytes in the circulation and die via apoptosis. At sites of infection or tissue injury, prolongation of neutrophil lifespan is critical for effective host defense. Apoptosis of inflammatory neutrophils and their clearance are critical control points for termination of the inflammatory response. Evasion of neutrophil apoptosis aggravates local injury and leads to persistent tissue damage. The short-lived prosurvival Bcl-2 family protein, Mcl-1 (myeloid cell leukemia-1), is instrumental in controlling apoptosis and consequently neutrophil lifespan in response to rapidly changing environmental cues during inflammation. This paper will focus on multiple levels of control of Mcl-1 expression and function and will discuss targeting Mcl-1 as a potential therapeutic strategy to enhance the resolution of inflammation through accelerating neutrophil apoptosis.
The Role of CD40/CD40 Ligand Interactions in Bone Marrow Granulopoiesis
Authors: Mavroudi Irene , Papadaki Helen A.
Published: October 2011

The CD40 ligand (CD40L) and CD40 are two molecules belonging to the TNF/TNF receptor superfamily, and their role in adaptive immune system has widely been explored. However, the wide range of expression of these molecules on hematopoietic as well as nonhematopoietic cells has revealed multiple functions of the CD40/CD40L interactions on different cell types and processes such as granulopoiesis. CD40 triggering on stromal cells has been documented to enhance the expression of granulopoiesis growth factors such as granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte/monocyte-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and upon disruption of the CD40/CD40L-signaling pathway, as in the case of X-linked hyperimmunoglobulin M (IgM) syndrome (XHIGM), it can lead to neutropenia. In chronic idiopathic neutropenia (CIN) of adults, however, under the influence of an inflammatory microenvironment, CD40L plays a role in granulocytic progenitor cell depletion, providing thus a pathogenetic cause of CIN.
Real-Time G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Imaging to Understand and Quantify Receptor Dynamics
Authors: Aymerich María S. , López-Azcárate J. , Bonaventura J. , Navarro G. , Fernández-Suárez D. , Casadó V. , Mayor F. , Lluís C. , Valencia M. , Artieda J. , Franco Rafael
Published: October 2011

Understanding the trafficking of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their regulation by agonists and antagonists is fundamental to develop more effective drugs. Optical methods using fluorescent-tagged receptors and spinning disk confocal microscopy are useful tools to investigate membrane receptor dynamics in living cells. The aim of this study was to develop a method to characterize receptor dynamics using this system which offers the advantage of very fast image acquisition with minimal cell perturbation. However, in short-term assays photobleaching was still a problem. Thus, we developed a procedure to perform a photobleaching-corrected image analysis. A study of short-term dynamics of the long isoform of the dopamine type 2 receptor revealed an agonist-induced increase in the mobile fraction of receptors with a rate of movement of 0.08 μm/s For long-term assays, the ratio between the relative fluorescence intensity at the cell surface versus that in the intracellular compartment indicated that receptor internalization only occurred in cells co-expressing G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2. These results indicate that the lateral movement of receptors and receptor internalization are not directly coupled. Thus, we believe that live imaging of GPCRs using spinning disk confocal image analysis constitutes a powerful tool to study of receptor dynamics.
UV-C–Irradiated Arabidopsis and Tobacco Emit Volatiles That Trigger Genomic Instability in Neighboring Plants
Authors: Yao Youli , Danna Cristian H. , Zemp Franz J. , Titov Viktor , Ciftci Ozan Nazim , Przybylski Roman , Ausubel Frederick M. , Kovalchuk Igor
Published: October 2011

We have previously shown that local exposure of plants to stress results in a systemic increase in genome instability. Here, we show that UV-C–irradiated plants produce a volatile signal that triggers an increase in genome instability in neighboring nonirradiated Arabidopsis thaliana plants. This volatile signal is interspecific, as UV-C–irradiated Arabidopsis plants transmit genome destabilization to naive tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants and vice versa. We report that plants exposed to the volatile hormones methyl salicylate (MeSA) or methyl jasmonate (MeJA) exhibit a similar level of genome destabilization as UV-C–irradiated plants. We also found that irradiated Arabidopsis plants produce MeSA and MeJA. The analysis of mutants impaired in the synthesis and/or response to salicylic acid (SA) and/or jasmonic acid showed that at least one other volatile compound besides MeSA and MeJA can communicate interplant genome instability. The NONEXPRESSOR OF PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENES1 (npr1) mutant, defective in SA signaling, is impaired in both the production and the perception of the volatile signals, demonstrating a key role for NPR1 as a central regulator of genome stability. Finally, various forms of stress resulting in the formation of necrotic lesions also generate a volatile signal that leads to genomic instability.
AGAMOUSTerminates Floral Stem Cell Maintenance inArabidopsisby Directly RepressingWUSCHELthrough Recruitment of Polycomb Group Proteins
Authors: Liu Xigang , Kim Yun Ju , Müller Ralf , Yumul Rae Eden , Liu Chunyan , Pan Yanyun , Cao Xiaofeng , Goodrich Justin , Chen Xuemei
Published: October 2011

Floral stem cells produce a defined number of floral organs before ceasing to be maintained as stem cells. Therefore, floral stem cells offer an ideal model to study the temporal control of stem cell maintenance within a developmental context. AGAMOUS (AG), a MADS domain transcription factor essential for the termination of floral stem cell fate, has long been thought to repress the stem cell maintenance gene WUSCHEL (WUS) indirectly. Here, we uncover a role of Polycomb Group (PcG) genes in the temporally precise repression of WUS expression and termination of floral stem cell fate. We show that AG directly represses WUS expression by binding to the WUS locus and recruiting, directly or indirectly, PcG that methylates histone H3 Lys-27 at WUS. We also show that PcG acts downstream of AG and probably in parallel with the known AG target KNUCKLES to terminate floral stem cell fate. Our studies identify core components of the network governing the temporal program of floral stem cells.
Addiction Research Centres and the Nurturing of Creativity
Authors: Parry Charles , Morojele Neo , Myers Bronwyn , Plüddemann Andreas
Published: October 2011

The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Unit (ADARU) was established at the South African Medical Research Council (MRC) at the beginning of 2001, although its origins lie in the activities of the Centre for Epidemiological Research in Southern Africa and other MRC entities. Initial challenges included attracting external funding, recruiting new staff, developing the skills of junior staff, publishing in international journals and building national and international collaborative networks. ADARU currently comprises a core staff of 33 members who work on 22 projects spanning substance use epidemiology and associated consequences, intervention studies with at‐risk populations and services research. A large component of this portfolio focuses on the link between alcohol and other drug use and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk behaviour, with funding from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Junior staff members are encouraged to develop independent research interests and pursue PhD studies. Research outputs, such as the 20 papers that were published in 2010 and the 35 conference presentations from that year, form an important part of the unit's research translation activities. We engage actively with policy processes at the local, provincial, national and international levels, and have given particular attention to alcohol policy in recent years. The paper includes an analysis of major challenges currently facing the unit and how we are attempting to address them. It ends with some thoughts on what the unit intends doing to enhance the quality of its research, the capacity of its staff and its international standing.
Novel coupling of individual‐based epidemiological and demographic models predicts realistic dynamics of tuberculosis in alien buffalo
Authors: Bradshaw Corey J. A. , McMahon Clive R. , Miller Philip S. , Lacy Robert C. , Watts Michael J. , Verant Michelle L. , Pollak John P. , Fordham Damien A. , Prowse Thomas A. A. , Brook Barry W.
Published: October 2011

1.  Increasing sophistication of population viability analysis has broadened our capacity to model population change while accounting for system complexity and uncertainty. However, many emergent properties of population dynamics, such as the coupling of demographic processes with transmission and spread of disease, are still poorly understood.

2.
 We combined an individual‐based demographic (Vortex) and epidemiological (Outbreak) model using a novel command‐centre module (MetaModel Manager) to predict the progression of bovine tuberculosis in introduced swamp buffalo Bubalus bubalis in northern Australia and validated the model with data from a large‐scale disease‐monitoring and culling programme. We also assessed the capacity to detect disease based on incrementing sentinel (randomly sampled individuals) culling rates.

3.  We showed that even high monitoring effort (1000 culled sentinels) has a low (<10%) probability of detecting the disease, and current sampling is inadequate.

4.  Testing proportional and stepped culling rates revealed that up to 50% of animals must be killed each year to reduce disease prevalence to near‐eradication levels.

5.  Sensitivity analysis indicated that prevalence depended mainly on population demography (e.g. female age at primiparity) and the additional mortality induced by disease, with only minor contributions from epidemiological characteristics such as probability of transmission and encounter rate. This is a useful finding because the disease parameters are the least well known.

6.
 Synthesis and applications. Our models suggest that details of population demography should be incorporated into epidemiological models to avoid extensive bias in predictions of disease spread and effectiveness of control. Importantly, we demonstrate that low detection probabilities challenge the effectiveness of existing disease‐monitoring protocols in northern Australia. The command‐centre module we describe linking demographic and epidemiological models provides managers with the tools necessary to make informed decisions regarding disease management.
Repeated moderate‐dose ethanol bouts impair cognitive function in Wistar rats
Authors: Kuzmin Alexander , Liljequist Sture , Meis Jennifer , Chefer Vladimir , Shippenberg Toni , Bakalkin Georgy
Published: October 2011

The effects of repeated, intermittent administration of a moderate dose of ethanol (3.4 g/kg/day × 6 days, intragastrically via gavages) on cognitive function were examined in male Wistar rats. No significant differences in weight gain between the ethanol‐ and water‐treated rats were found. Analysis of physical dependence revealed no signs of spontaneous withdrawal, whereas withdrawal signs exacerbated by Ro15‐4513, an inverse benzodiazepine agonist, were apparent 5 hours but not 24 hours after the cessation of ethanol treatment. Spatial learning and memory, as assessed in the Barnes maze, were impaired 3–6 days following the treatment but recovered by the 11th–14th days. Reversal learning, however, was impaired throughout the 2‐week observation period. Thus, bouts of moderate‐dose ethanol administration transiently impair spatial learning and memory, and promote cognitive inflexibility. The employed ethanol exposure paradigm may provide a model of human cognitive deficits associated with alcohol binge drinking.
A polygene network model for the complex pathological phenotypes of collagen disease
Authors: Nose Masato
Published: October 2011

Almost 70 years after the description of ‘collagen disease’ by P. Klemperer et al., it is still controversial whether the diversity and similarity of pathological manifestations among the collagen diseases depends on ambiguity in diagnosis or is an intrinsic quality of the collagen diseases themselves. A genome wide analysis of the MRL mouse models of collagen disease may shed some light on the complex pathological manifestations. Study of the susceptibility loci to each type ofcollagen disease (such as glomerulonephritis, vasculitis, arthritis, sialoadenitis and dacryoadenitis) in the mice, revealed that these lesions developed because of a cumulative effect of multiple gene loci, none of which can induce the related phenotype alone. This may indicate that collagen disease develops in ‘a polygenic system’, as proposed by K. Mather in 1949. Each lesion in the mice developed because of an additive effect of the polygenes, which is also, in part, hierarchical. Some of the polygenes seemed to be common to those in other collagen diseases as well. Some of the positional candidate genes involved an allelic polymorphism in the coding or promoter regions, thus possibly causing a qualitative or quantitative difference in their function, respectively. As a result, a particular combination of the polygenes with such an allelic polymorphism may thus play a critical role in leading the cascade reaction to developing collagen disease, and also the regular variation in the pathological manifestations. We herein describe this as a polygene network of collagen disease.
Genomic analysis of the potential for aromatic compounds biodegradation in Burkholderiales
Authors: Pérez‐Pantoja Danilo , Donoso Raúl , Agulló Loreine , Córdova Macarena , Seeger Michael , Pieper Dietmar H. , González Bernardo
Published: October 2011

The relevance of the β‐proteobacterial Burkholderiales order in the degradation of a vast array of aromatic compounds, including several priority pollutants, has been largely assumed. In this review, the presence and organization of genes encoding oxygenases involved in aromatics biodegradation in 80 Burkholderiales genomes is analysed. This genomic analysis underscores the impressive catabolic potential of this bacterial lineage, comprising nearly all of the central ring‐cleavage pathways reported so far in bacteria and most of the peripheral pathways involved in channelling of a broad diversity of aromatic compounds. The more widespread pathways in Burkholderiales include protocatechuate ortho ring‐cleavage, catechol ortho ring‐cleavage, homogentisate ring‐cleavage and phenylacetyl‐CoA ring‐cleavage pathways found in at least 60% of genomes analysed. In general, a genus‐specific pattern of positional ordering of biodegradative genes is observed in the catabolic clusters of these pathways indicating recent events in its evolutionary history. In addition, a significant bias towards secondary chromosomes, now termed chromids, is observed in the distribution of catabolic genes across multipartite genomes, which is consistent with a genus‐specific character. Strains isolated from environmental sources such as soil, rhizosphere, sediment or sludge show a higher content of catabolic genes in their genomes compared with strains isolated from human, animal or plant hosts, but no significant difference is found among Alcaligenaceae, Burkholderiaceae and Comamonadaceae families, indicating that habitat is more of a determinant than phylogenetic origin in shaping aromatic catabolic versatility.