bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Earthquake Supercycles Inferred from Sea-Level Changes Recorded in the Corals of West Sumatra
Authors: Sieh Kerry , Natawidjaja Danny H. , Meltzner Aron J. , Shen Chuan-Chou , Cheng Hai , Li Kuei-Shu , Suwargadi Bambang W. , Galetzka John , Philibosian Belle , Edwards R. Lawrence
Published: December 2008

Records of relative sea-level change extracted from corals of the Mentawai islands, Sumatra, imply that this 700-kilometer-long section of the Sunda megathrust has generated broadly similar sequences of great earthquakes about every two centuries for at least the past 700 years. The moment magnitude 8.4 earthquake of September 2007 represents the first in a series of large partial failures of the Mentawai section that will probably be completed within the next several decades.
Gold-Catalyzed Synthesis of Aromatic Azo Compounds from Anilines and Nitroaromatics
Authors: Grirrane Abdessamad , Corma Avelino , García Hermenegildo
Published: December 2008

The selective formation of aromatic azo compounds at preparative or industrial levels requires stoichiometric amounts of environmentally unfriendly transition metals or nitrites. Here, we show that gold nanoparticles supported on titanium dioxide (TiO
2
) and nanoparticulated cerium dioxide (CeO
2
) catalyze the aerobic oxidation of aromatic anilines to aromatic azo compounds with yields above 98% under mild reaction conditions. Gold on TiO
2
can also act as a reductive catalyst to access the compound directly from nitroaromatics through a two-step, one-pot reaction. The catalytic process shows promise for efficient synthesis of symmetric aromatic azo compounds, and even a range of asymmetric aromatic azo compounds.
Postgenomic Analysis of
Streptococcus thermophilus
Cocultivated in Milk with
Lactobacillus delbrueckii
subsp.
bulgaricus
: Involvement of Nitrogen, Purine, and Iron Metabolism
Authors: Herve-Jimenez Luciana , Guillouard Isabelle , Guedon Eric , Boudebbouze Samira , Hols Pascal , Monnet Véronique , Maguin Emmanuelle , Rul Françoise
Published: December 2008

Streptococcus thermophilus
is one of the most widely used lactic acid bacteria in the dairy industry, in particular in yoghurt manufacture, where it is associated with
Lactobacillus delbrueckii
subsp.
bulgaricus
. This bacterial association, known as a proto-cooperation, is poorly documented at the molecular and regulatory levels. We thus investigate the kinetics of the transcriptomic and proteomic modifications of
S. thermophilus
LMG 18311 in response to the presence of
L. delbrueckii
subsp.
bulgaricus
ATCC 11842 during growth in milk at two growth stages. Seventy-seven different genes or proteins (4.1% of total coding sequences), implicated mainly in the metabolism of nitrogen (24%), nucleotide base (21%), and iron (20%), varied specifically in coculture. One of the most unpredicted results was a significant decrease of most of the transcripts and enzymes involved in purine biosynthesis. Interestingly, the expression of nearly all genes potentially encoding iron transporters of
S. thermophilus
decreased, whereas that of iron-chelating
dpr
as well as that of the
fur
(
perR
) regulator genes increased, suggesting a reduction in the intracellular iron concentration, probably in response to H
2
O
2
production by
L. bulgaricus
. The present study reveals undocumented nutritional exchanges and regulatory relationships between the two yoghurt bacteria, which provide new molecular clues for the understanding of their associative behavior.
Characterization of Two Novel α-Glucosidases fromBifidobacterium breveUCC2003
Authors: Pokusaeva Karina , O'Connell-Motherway Mary , Zomer Aldert , Fitzgerald Gerald F. , van Sinderen Douwe
Published: December 2008

Two α-glucosidase-encoding genes (agl1andagl2) fromBifidobacterium breveUCC2003 were identified and characterized. Based on their similarity to characterized carbohydrate hydrolases, the Agl1 and Agl2 enzymes are both assigned to a subgroup of the glycosyl hydrolase family 13, the α-1,6-glucosidases (EC 3.2.1.10). Recombinant Agl1 and Agl2 into which a His12sequence was incorporated (Agl1Hisand Agl2His, respectively) exhibited hydrolytic activity towards panose, isomaltose, isomaltotriose, and four sucrose isomers—palatinose, trehalulose, turanose, and maltulose—while also degrading trehalose and, to a lesser extent, nigerose. The preferred substrates for both enzymes were panose, isomaltose, and trehalulose. Furthermore, the pH and temperature optima for both enzymes were determined, showing that Agl1Hisexhibits higher thermo and pH optima than Agl2His. The two purified α-1,6-glucosidases were also shown to have transglycosylation activity, synthesizing oligosaccharides from palatinose, trehalulose, trehalose, panose, and isomaltotriose.
Multilocus Sequence Typing of
Oenococcus oeni
: Detection of Two Subpopulations Shaped by Intergenic Recombination
Authors: Bilhère Eric , Lucas Patrick M. , Claisse Olivier , Lonvaud-Funel Aline
Published: December 2008

Oenococcus oeni
is the acidophilic lactic acid bacterial species most frequently associated with malolactic fermentation of wine. Since the description of the species (formerly
Leuconostoc oenos
), characterization of indigenous strains and industrially produced cultures by diverse typing methods has led to divergent conclusions concerning the genetic diversity of strains. In the present study, a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme based on the analysis of eight housekeeping genes was developed and tested on a collection of 43 strains of diverse origins. The eight targeted loci were successfully amplified and sequenced for all isolates. Only three to 11 different alleles were detected for these genes. The average nucleotide diversity also was rather limited (0.0011 to 0.0370). Despite this limited allelic diversity, the combination of alleles of each strain disclosed 34 different sequence types, which denoted a significant genotypic diversity. A phylogenetic analysis of the concatenated sequences showed that all strains form two well distinct groups of 28 and 15 strains. Interestingly, the same groups were defined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, although this method targets different genetic variations. A minimum spanning tree analysis disclosed very few and small clonal complexes. In agreement, statistical analyses of MLST data suggest that recombination events were important during
O. oeni
evolution and contributed to the wide dissemination of alleles among strains. Taken together, our results showed that MLST is more efficient than pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for typing
O. oeni
strains, and they provided a picture of the
O. oeni
population that explains some conflicting results previously obtained.
Phosphoethanolamine Substitution of Lipid A and Resistance ofNeisseria gonorrhoeaeto Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides and Complement-Mediated Killing by Normal Human Serum
Authors: Lewis Lisa A. , Choudhury Biswa , Balthazar Jacqueline T. , Martin Larry E. , Ram Sanjay , Rice Peter A. , Stephens David S. , Carlson Russell , Shafer William M.
Published: December 2008

The capacity ofNeisseria gonorrhoeaeto cause disseminated gonococcal infection requires that such strains resist the bactericidal action of normal human serum. The bactericidal action of normal human serum againstN. gonorrhoeaeis mediated by the classical complement pathway through an antibody-dependent mechanism. The mechanism(s) by which certain strains of gonococci resist normal human serum is not fully understood, but alterations in lipooligosaccharide structure can affect such resistance. During an investigation of the biological significance of phosphoethanolamine extensions from lipooligosaccharide, we found that phosphoethanolamine substitutions from the heptose II group of the lipooligosaccharide β-chain did not impact levels of gonococcal (strain FA19) resistance to normal human serum or polymyxin B. However, loss of phosphoethanolamine substitution from the lipid A component of lipooligosaccharide, due to insertional inactivation oflptA, resulted in increased gonococcal susceptibility to polymyxin B, as reported previously forNeisseria meningitidis. In contrast to previous reports withN. meningitidis, loss of phosphoethanolamine attached to lipid A rendered strain FA19 susceptible to complement killing. Serum killing of thelptAmutant occurred through the classical complement pathway. Both serum and polymyxin B resistance as well as phosphoethanolamine decoration of lipid A were restored in thelptA-null mutant by complementation with wild-typelptA. Our results support a role for lipid A phosphoethanolamine substitutions in resistance of this strict human pathogen to innate host defenses.
Streptococcus agalactiae
CspA Is a Serine Protease That Inactivates Chemokines
Authors: Bryan Joshua D. , Shelver Daniel W.
Published: December 2008

Streptococcus agalactiae
(group B
Streptococcus
[GBS]) remains a leading cause of invasive infections in neonates and has emerged as a pathogen of the immunocompromised and elderly populations. The virulence mechanisms of GBS are relatively understudied and are still poorly understood. Previous evidence indicated that the GBS
cspA
gene is necessary for full virulence and the cleavage of fibrinogen. The predicted
cspA
product displays homology to members of the extracellular cell envelope protease family. CXC chemokines, many of which can recruit neutrophils to sites of infection, are important signaling peptides of the immune system. In this study, we purified CspA and demonstrated that it readily cleaved the CXC chemokines GRO-α, GRO-β, GRO-γ, neutrophil-activating peptide 2 (NAP-2), and granulocyte chemotactic protein 2 (GCP-2) but did not cleave interleukin-8. CspA did not cleave a panel of other test substrates, suggesting that it possesses a certain degree of specificity. CXC chemokines also underwent cleavage by whole GBS cells in a
cspA
-dependent manner. CspA abolished the abilities of three representative CXC chemokines, GRO-γ, NAP-2, and GCP-2, to attract and activate neutrophils. Genetic and biochemical evidence indicated that CspA is a serine protease with S575 at its active site. D180 was also implicated as part of the signature serine protease catalytic triad, and both S575 and D180 were required for both N-terminal and C-terminal autocatalytic processing of CspA.
T-POP Array Identifies EcnR and PefI-SrgD as Novel Regulators of Flagellar Gene Expression
Authors: Wozniak Christopher E. , Lee Changhan , Hughes Kelly T.
Published: December 2008

The T-POP transposon was employed in a general screen for tetracycline (Tet)-induced chromosomal loci that exhibited Tet-activated or Tet-repressed expression of afliC-lactranscriptional fusion. Insertions that activated flagellar transcription were located in flagellar genes. T-POP insertions that exhibited Tet-dependentfliC-lacinhibition were isolated upstream of theecnR, fimZ, pefI-srgD, rcsB, andydiVgenes and in the flagellar geneflgA, which is located upstream of the anti-σ28factor geneflgM. When expressed from the chromosomal ParaBADpromoter, EcnR, FimZ, PefI-SrgD, and RcsB inhibited the transcription of the flagellar class 1flhDCoperon. YdiV, which is weakly homologous to EAL domain proteins involved in cyclic-di-GMP regulation, appears to act at a step after class 1 transcription. By using a series of deletions of the regulatory genes to try to disrupt each pathway, these regulators were found to act largely independently of one another. These results identify EcnR and PefI-SrgD as additional components of the complex regulatory network controlling flagellar expression.
Archaeal ApbC/Nbp35 Homologs Function as Iron-Sulfur Cluster Carrier Proteins
Authors: Boyd Jeffrey M. , Drevland Randy M. , Downs Diana M. , Graham David E.
Published: December 2008

Iron-sulfur clusters may have been the earliest catalytic cofactors on earth, and most modern organisms use them extensively. Although members of the
Archaea
produce numerous iron-sulfur proteins, the major cluster assembly proteins found in the
Bacteria
and
Eukarya
are not universally conserved in archaea. Free-living archaea do have homologs of the bacterial
apbC
and eukaryotic
NBP35
genes that encode iron-sulfur cluster carrier proteins. This study exploits the genetic system of
Salmonella enterica
to examine the in vivo functionality of
apbC
/
NBP35
homologs from three archaea:
Methanococcus maripaludis
,
Methanocaldococcus jannaschii
, and
Sulfolobus solfataricus.
All three archaeal homologs could correct the tricarballylate growth defect of an
S. enterica apbC
mutant. Additional genetic studies showed that the conserved Walker box serine and the Cys-X-X-Cys motif of the
M. maripaludis
MMP0704 protein were both required for function in vivo but that the amino-terminal ferredoxin domain was not. MMP0704 protein and an MMP0704 variant protein missing the N-terminal ferredoxin domain were purified, and the Fe-S clusters were chemically reconstituted. Both proteins bound equimolar concentrations of Fe and S and had UV-visible spectra similar to those of known [4Fe-4S] cluster-containing proteins. This family of dimeric iron-sulfur carrier proteins evolved before the archaeal and eukaryal lineages diverged, representing an ancient mode of cluster assembly.
Surface Translocation byLegionella pneumophila: a Form of Sliding Motility That Is Dependent upon Type II Protein Secretion
Authors: Stewart Catherine R. , Rossier Ombeline , Cianciotto Nicholas P.
Published: December 2008

Legionella pneumophilaexhibits surface translocation when it is grown on a buffered charcoal yeast extract (BCYE) containing 0.5 to 1.0% agar. After 7 to 22 days of incubation, spreading legionellae appear in an amorphous, lobed pattern that is most manifest at 25 to 30°C. All nineL. pneumophilastrains examined displayed the phenotype. Surface translocation was also exhibited by some, but not all, otherLegionellaspecies examined.L. pneumophilamutants that were lacking flagella and/or type IV pili behaved as the wild type did when plated on low-percentage agar, indicating that the surface translocation is not swarming or twitching motility. A translucent film was visible atop the BCYE agar, advancing ahead of the spreading legionellae. Based on its abilities to disperse water droplets and to promote the spreading of heterologous bacteria, the film appeared to manipulate surface tension and, as such, acted like a surfactant. Indeed, a sample obtained from the film rapidly dispersed when it was spotted onto a plastic surface.L. pneumophilatype II secretion (Lsp) mutants, but not their complemented derivatives, were defective for both surface translocation and film production. In contrast, mutants defective for type IV secretion exhibited normal surface translocation. Whenlspmutants were spotted onto film produced by the wild type, they were able to spread, suggesting that type II secretion promotes the elaboration of theLegionellasurfactant. Together, these data indicate thatL. pneumophilaexhibits a form of surface translocation that is most akin to “sliding motility” and uniquely dependent upon type II secretion.
Characterization of a
Coxiella burnetii ftsZ
Mutant Generated by
Himar1
Transposon Mutagenesis
Authors: Beare Paul A. , Howe Dale , Cockrell Diane C. , Omsland Anders , Hansen Bryan , Heinzen Robert A.
Published: December 2008

Coxiella burnetii
is a gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium and the causative agent of human Q fever. The lack of methods to genetically manipulate
C. burnetii
significantly impedes the study of this organism. We describe here the cloning and characterization of a
C. burnetii ftsZ
mutant generated by
mariner
-based
Himar1
transposon (Tn) mutagenesis.
C. burnetii
was coelectroporated with a plasmid encoding the
Himar1
C9 transposase variant and a plasmid containing a
Himar1
transposon encoding chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, mCherry fluorescent protein, and a ColE1 origin of replication. Vero cells were infected with electroporated
C. burnetii
and transformants scored as organisms replicating in the presence of chloramphenicol and expressing mCherry. Southern blot analysis revealed multiple transpositions in the
C. burnetii
genome and rescue cloning identified 30 and 5 insertions in coding and noncoding regions, respectively. Using micromanipulation, a
C. burnetii
clone was isolated containing a Tn insertion within the C terminus of the cell division gene
ftsZ
. The
ftsZ
mutant had a significantly lower growth rate than wild-type bacteria and frequently appeared as filamentous forms displaying incomplete cell division septa. The latter phenotype correlated with a deficiency in generating infectious foci on a per-genome basis compared to wild-type organisms. The mutant FtsZ protein was also unable to bind the essential cell division protein FtsA. This is the first description of
C. burnetii
harboring a defined gene mutation generated by genetic transformation.
EVALUATION OF CHARGED CURRENT NEUTRINO–NUCLEON INTERACTION CROSS-SECTION
Authors: GANESAMURTHY K. , HARIHARAN C.
Published: December 2008

The charged current neutrino–nucleon interaction cross-section is evaluated using Thermodynamical Bag Model (TBM) in the neutrino energy range 1 < Eν < 200 GeV with the value of the four-momentum transfer squared 0.1 < Q2 < 20 GeV 2 and the Bjorken variable 0.1 < x < 0.5. The hadronic current carries the linear moments of the reaction that depend on the Bjorken scaling variable x as well as the four-momentum transfer. The results obtained have been compared with the experimental values.
DOES GAME THEORY HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN POLICY MAKING IN NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT?
Authors: PATRONE FIORAVANTE , SANCHEZ-SORIANO JOAQUIN , DINAR ARIEL
Published: December 2008

This paper presents selected contributions from the 6th Meeting on Game Theory and Practice Dedicated to Development, Natural Resources and the Environment that was held in Zaragoza (Spain) from 10 to 12 of July 2006. The dramatic increase in the application and use of game theory models for policy making in natural resources and the environment justifies the attention that is devoted to such topics. We provide examples for such applications, underlying the role they played. The contributions of the papers in this special section and the links between them are presented, together with a short synthesis of the range of contributions that are worth mentioning and would support policy making in fishery, water, and environmental regulation.
LEFT QUASI-MORPHIC RINGS
Authors: CAMILLO V. , NICHOLSON W. K. , WANG Z.
Published: December 2008

A ring R is called left quasi-morphic if, for each a ∈ R, there exist b and c in R such that Ra = l (b) and l (a) = Rc (where l (x) is the left annihilator). Every (von Neumann) regular ring is left quasi-morphic, as is every left morphic ring (b = c above). The main theorem of this paper is that, in a left quasi-morphic ring, finite intersections and finite sums of principal left ideals are again principal. This leads to structure theorems when mild finiteness conditions are imposed. In an earlier paper, the first two authors showed that left and right quasi-morphic rings have both these properties (on both sides), and used this to give a new characterization of the artinian principal ideal rings: They are just the left and right quasi-morphic rings with ACC on principal annihilators r (a), a ∈ R. Some extensions of this result are presented here.
SUPERDECOMPOSABLE PURE INJECTIVE MODULES OVER COMMUTATIVE NOETHERIAN RINGS
Authors: PUNINSKAYA VERA , TOFFALORI CARLO
Published: December 2008

We investigate width and Krull–Gabriel dimension over commutative Noetherian rings which are "tame" according to the Klingler–Levy analysis in [4–6], in particular over Dedekind-like rings and their homomorphic images. We show that both are undefined in most cases.
SIMULATION OPTIMIZATION: APPLICATIONS IN RISK MANAGEMENT
Authors: BETTER MARCO , GLOVER FRED , KOCHENBERGER GARY , WANG HAIBO
Published: December 2008

Simulation optimization is providing solutions to important practical problems previously beyond reach. This paper explores how new approaches are significantly expanding the power of simulation optimization for managing risk. Recent advances in simulation optimization technology are leading to new opportunities to solve problems more effectively. Specifically, in applications involving risk and uncertainty, simulation optimization surpasses the capabilities of other optimization methods not only in the quality of solutions but also in their interpretability and practicality. In this paper, we demonstrate the advantages of using a simulation optimization approach to tackle risky decisions, by showcasing the methodology on two popular applications from the areas of finance and business process design.
SINGLE QUBIT MANIPULATION IN HETERONUCLEAR DIATOMIC MOLECULAR SYSTEM
Authors: CAO WEN-ZHEN , TIAN LI-JIE , JIANG HUI-JUAN , LI CHONG
Published: December 2008

We propose a scenario to realize quantum computers utilizing heteronuclear diatomic rovibrational states as qubits. We focused on rovibrational qubits created by simple transform limited infrared laser pulse instead of using chirped pulse. Numerical calculations show that single qubit gate operation in the electronic ground state of LiH molecule can be obtained. We also discuss the effect of temperature on the initially rotational states, and a suitable experiment condition is indicated.
Saving and accessing the old IR literature
Authors: Harman Donna , Hiemstra Djoerd
Published: December 2008

This short paper describes the beginnings of a project to digitize some of the older literature in the information retrieval field. So far 14 of the older reports, such as the Cranfield reports and ISR reports have been scanned, along with Karen Sparck Jones's Information Retrieval Experiment book. The PDF versions of these are available from the SIGIR web site, which includes a new \museum" of information retrieval that allows searching of this material and provides room for exhibits of historic interest. The paper finishes with some thoughts for future work on making more of our IR literature available for searching.
Personal information management (PIM) 2008
Authors: Teevan Jaime , Jones William , Capra Robert
Published: December 2008

This paper reports on the Personal Information Management (PIM) 2008 workshop held at the CHI 2008 conference. The workshop addressed many challenges that must be overcome for personal information management to become a natural and effortless part of people's everyday information experience. The topics explored included how to build good PIM tools, how to develop sound methodologies so that PIM can be studied and understood, how to account for the influence of other people on an individual's PIM practices, and how to understand the affect of widespread mobile information access on PIM.
Exploiting task-document relations in support of information retrieval in the workplace
Authors: Freund Luanne
Published: December 2008

Increasingly, workplace information seeking takes place in digital information environments and is reliant upon search systems. Existing systems are designed to retrieve information that is relevant to the query, but are not capable of identifying information that is well-suited to the context and situation of a search. This is a problem for professionals who often are searching for a small amount of useful information that can be applied to a problem or task, and have limited time to browse through large sets of results. This inability of search systems to discriminate between topically relevant and useful documents is one of the core problems in information retrieval.
High-level problems in teaching undergraduate programming languages
Authors: Cook William R.
Published: December 2008

This paper discusses several problems in teaching programming languages. A language tends to indoctrinate its users and desensitize us to its problems and limitations. In addition, many language issues don't arise until programs reach a certain scale, which can be difficult to do in a one-semester course. No solution is proposed; instead the focus is to better understand the difficulty of designing an effective curriculum. One way to cut through the accidental combination of surface features in programming languages is to focus on semantics and programs themselves as object of study.
Marketing the programming languages course
Authors: Reges Stuart
Published: December 2008

Programming languages as a required course is disappearing from undergraduate computer science programs. This is not surprising given that the course often proves to be challenging for faculty to teach and unpopular among students. The author argues that the best way to convince departments to retain this material is to emphasize the benefit to undergraduates of stretching their understanding of programming early in their careers.
Some thoughts on teaching programming and programming languages
Authors: Reynolds John C.
Published: December 2008

It is argued that the teaching of programming is central to the education of skilled computer professionals, that the teaching of programming languages is central to the teaching of programming. that these topics must include the specification, structuring, and verification of software, and that they should be taught with the same regard to rigor and precision as in traditional mathematics.
Hypothalamic proinflammatory lipid accumulation, inflammation, and insulin resistance in rats fed a high-fat diet
Authors: Posey Kelly A. , Clegg Deborah J. , Printz Richard L. , Byun Jaeman , Morton Gregory J. , Vivekanandan-Giri Anuradha , Pennathur Subramaniam , Baskin Denis G. , Heinecke Jay W. , Woods Stephen C. , Schwartz Michael W. , Niswender Kevin D.
Published: December 2008

Weight gain induced by an energy-dense diet is hypothesized to arise in part from defects in the neuronal response to circulating adiposity negative feedback signals, such as insulin. Peripheral tissue insulin resistance involves cellular inflammatory responses thought to be invoked by excess lipid. Therefore, we sought to determine whether similar signaling pathways are activated in the brain of rats fed a high-fat (HF) diet. The ability of intracerebroventricular (icv) insulin to reduce food intake and activate hypothalamic signal transduction is attenuated in HF-fed compared with low-fat (LF)-fed rats. This effect was accompanied by both hypothalamic accumulation of palmitoyl- and stearoyl-CoA and activation of a marker of inflammatory signaling, inhibitor of κB kinase-β (IKKβ). Hypothalamic insulin resistance and inflammation were observed with icv palmitate infusion or HF feeding independent of excess caloric intake. Last, we observed that central IKKβ inhibition reduced food intake and was associated with increased hypothalamic insulin sensitivity in rats fed a HF but not a LF diet. These data collectively support a model of diet-induced obesity whereby dietary fat, not excess calories, induces hypothalamic insulin resistance by increasing the content of saturated acyl-CoA species and activating local inflammatory signals, which result in a failure to appropriately regulate food intake.
Kinetic and Mechanistic Study of the Reduction of Chromium(VI) by Lactic Acid
Authors: Shan Jinhuan , Wang Fang , Song Changying , Wang Heye
Published: December 2008

The kinetics and mechanism of the reduction of chromium(VI) by lactic acid (Lac) in aqueous acidic medium was studied with spectrophotometry in a temperature range of 298.15 K~313.15 K. Under the conditions of the pseudo‐first order ([Lac] 0 ≫ [Cr(VI)] 0), the observed rate constant (kobs) increased with the increase in [Lac] and [H+]. There is no salt effect. Based on the experimental results, a probable reaction mechanism of oxidation was proposed. The rate equation derived from the mechanism could explain all the experimental phenomena. Activation parameters along with rate constant of the rate‐determining step have been evaluated.
Transient Behaviour of Superconducting Magnet Systems of Fusion Reactor ITER during Safety Discharge
Authors: Miri A. M. , Fink S. , Fietz W. H.
Published: December 2008

To investigate the transient behaviour of the toroidal and poloidal field coils magnet systems of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor during safety discharge, network models with lumped elements are established. Frequency‐dependant values of the network elements, that is, inductances and resistances are calculated with the finite element method. That way, overvoltages can be determined. According to these overvoltages, the insulation coordination of coils has to be selected.
Three-Component One-Pot Synthesis of Novel Benzo[b]1,8-naphthyridines Catalyzed by Bismuth(III) Chloride
Authors: Naik Tangali R. Ravikumar , Naik Halehatty S. Bhojya , Naik Halehatty R. Prakasha , Bindu P. J.
Published: December 2008

A novel and efficient three-component one-pot synthesis of benzo[b]1,8-naphthyridines by 2-amino-4-methylquinoline, aromatic aldehydes, and malononitrile was done. The reaction was catalyzed by an acidic Bismuth(III) chloride, functionalized Bismuth(III) chloride, at room temperature to give various benzo[b]1,8-naphthyridines in high yields. The Bismuth(III) chloride is an environmentally friendly catalyst.
Combining AI Methods for Learning Bots in a Real‐Time Strategy Game
Authors: Baumgarten Robin , Colton Simon , Morris Mark
Published: December 2008

We describe an approach for simulating human game‐play in strategy games using a variety of AI techniques, including simulated annealing, decision tree learning, and case‐based reasoning. We have implemented an AI‐bot that uses these techniques to form a novel approach for planning fleet movements and attacks in DEFCON, a nuclear war simulation strategy game released in 2006 by Introversion Software Ltd. The AI‐bot retrieves plans from a case‐base of recorded games, then uses these to generate a new plan using a method based on decision tree learning. In addition, we have implemented more sophisticated control over low‐level actions that enable the AI‐bot to synchronize bombing runs, and used a simulated annealing approach for assigning bombing targets to planes and opponent cities to missiles. We describe how our AI‐bot operates, and the experimentation we have performed in order to determine an optimal configuration for it. With this configuration, our AI‐bot beats Introversion′s finite state machine automated player in 76.7% of 150 matches played. We briefly introduce the notion of ability versus enjoyability and discuss initial results of a survey we conducted with human players.
Contact and Distant Luminescence Quenching in Solutions
Authors: Burshtein Anatoly I.
Published: December 2008

The limitations and advantages of modern encounter theories of remote transfer are discussed, as well as their application to particular transfer reactions assisted by encounter diffusion. Comparison is made with contact multiparticle theories, Brownian dynamic simulations, and the actual experimental data requiring a distant description of energy and/or electron transfer.
Mate Choice and Copulation Frequency in the Burying BeetleNicrophorus quadripunctatus(Coleoptera: Silphidae): Effect of Male Body Size and Presence of a Rival
Authors: Suzuki Seizi
Published: December 2008

It is widely assumed that there exists a competition between males for mating and that females prefer males with elaborate male traits. Further, such traits are considered to be synonymous with high quality in terms of benefits to females. The number and duration of copulations and the frequency of mate refusal between large and smallNicrophorus quadripunctatusmales were examined both for single males and for two males competing. The number of copulations was not affected by the size of the male or by the presence of a rival, but there was a significant interaction such that large males increased their number of copulations when a small rival was present. Copulation duration was not affected by male size but was shortened by a rival male. Females rejected copulation attempts of small males more often than of large males, whether the males were alone or paired with a rival. These results suggest that large males have two advantages: they win contests between males and are preferred by females.
Endourologic Management of Upper Tract Transitional Cell Carcinoma following Cystectomy and Urinary Diversion
Authors: Tomaszewski Jeffrey John , Smaldone Marc Christopher , Ost Michael Cecil
Published: December 2008

Traditionally, nephroureterectomy is the gold standard therapy for upper tract recurrence of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) following cystectomy and urinary diversion. With advances in endoscopic equipment and improvements in technique, conservative endourologic management via a retrograde or antegrade approach is technically feasible with acceptable outcomes in patients with bilateral disease, solitary renal units, chronic renal insufficiency, or significant medical comorbidities. Contemporary studies have expanded the utility of these techniques to include low-grade, low-volume disease in patients with a normal contralateral kidney. The aim of this report is to review the current outcomes of conservative management for upper tract disease and discuss its application and relevance in patients following cystectomy with lower urinary tract reconstruction.
Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Gene Deletion Exacerbates Inflammation and Atypical Cardiac Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Huang Wei , Rubinstein Jack , Prieto Alejandro R. , Thang Loc Vinh , Wang Donna H.
Published: December 2008

The transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV1) channels expressed in sensory afferent fibers innervating the heart may be activated by protons or endovanilloids released during myocardial ischemia (MI), leading to angina. Although our previous in vitro data indicate that TRPV1 activation may preserve cardiac function after ischemia-reperfusion injury, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. To test the hypothesis that TRPV1 modulates inflammatory and early remodeling processes to prevent cardiac functional deterioration after myocardial infarction, TRPV1-null mutant (TRPV1−/−) and wild-type (WT) mice were subjected to left anterior descending coronary ligation or sham operation. The infarct size was greater in TRPV1−/−than in WT mice (P<0.001) 3 days after MI, and the mortality rate was higher in TRPV1−/−than in WT mice (P<0.05) 7 days after MI. The levels of plasma cardiac troponin I; cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6; chemokines, including monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and macrophage inflammatory protein-2; and infiltration of inflammatory cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, and myofibroblasts; as well as collagen contents, were greater in TRPV1−/−than in WT mice (P<0.05) in the infarct area on days 3 and 7 after MI. Changes in left ventricular geometry led to increased end-systolic and -diastolic diameters and reduced contractile function in TRPV1−/−compared with WT mice. These data show that TRPV1 gene deletion results in excessive inflammation, disproportional left ventricular remodeling, and deteriorated cardiac function after MI, indicating that TRPV1 may prevent infarct expansion and cardiac injury by inhibiting inflammation and abnormal tissue remodeling.
Protective Role of Angiotensin II Subtype 2 Receptor in Blood Pressure Increase in Obese Zucker Rats
Authors: Siddiqui Athar H. , Ali Quaisar , Hussain Tahir
Published: December 2008

Earlier, we reported that there was an increase in angiotensin II type 2 (AT2) receptor expression in the renal proximal tubule, and selective activation of the AT2receptor by AT2agonist inhibits Na,K-ATPase activity in the proximal tubules and increases urinary Na excretion in obese Zucker rats. We hypothesized that the AT2receptor has a protective role against blood pressure increase in obese Zucker rats. To test this hypothesis, we treated obese Zucker rats with the AT2receptor antagonist PD123319 (PD; 30 μg/kg per minute) using osmotic pumps. Age-matched lean rats and vehicle-treated obese Zucker rats served as controls. On day 15 of the treatment with PD, arterial blood pressure was measured by cannulation of the left carotid artery under anesthesia. Control obese rats exhibited higher mean arterial pressure (122.0±3.4 mm Hg) compared with lean control rats (97.0±4.8 mm Hg). The PD treatment of obese rats raised mean arterial pressure further by 13 mm Hg. The plasma renin activity was significantly increased in the PD-treated obese compared with control-obese or lean rats. Western blot analysis revealed that the PD treatment in obese rats caused an ≈3-fold increase in the renin expression in the kidney cortex but had no effect on the expression of the cortical angiotensin II type 1 and AT2receptors. The present study suggests that the renal AT2receptors provide a protective role against blood pressure increase in obese Zucker rats, and this protective effect, in part, could be because of the ability of the AT2receptors to keep the kidney renin expression low in obese rats.
Parmenides' Modal Fallacy
Authors: Lewis Frank
Published: December 2008

In his great poem, Parmenides uses an argument by elimination to select the correct "way of inquiry" from a pool of two, the ways of is and of is not, joined later by a third, "mixed" way of is and is not. Parmenides' first two ways are soon given modal upgrades – is becomes cannot not be, and is not becomes necessarily is not (B2, 3-6) – and these are no longer contradictories of one another. And is the common view right, that Parmenides rejects the "mixed" way because it is a contradiction? I argue that the modal upgrades are the product of an illicit modal shift. This same shift, built into two Exclusion Arguments, gives Parmenides a novel argument to show that the "mixed" way fails. Given the independent failure of the way of is not, Parmenides' argument by elimination is complete.
Truth as a Value in Plato's Republic
Authors: Woolf Raphael
Published: December 2008

To what extent is possession of truth considered a good thing in the Republic? Certain passages of the dialogue appear to regard truth as a universal good, but others are more circumspect about its value, recommending that truth be withheld on occasion and falsehood disseminated. I seek to resolve this tension by distinguishing two kinds of truths, which I label 'philosophical' and 'non-philosophical'. Philosophical truths, I argue, are considered unqualifiedly good to possess, whereas non-philosophical truths are regarded as worth possessing only to the extent that possession conduces to good behaviour in those who possess them. In the non-philosophical arena it is an open question, to be determined on a case-by-case basis, whether falsehood is more efficacious in furthering this practical aim than truth.
Textkritischer Kommentar zu ausgewählten Stellen des Lukas- und des Johannesevangeliums
Authors: Victor Ulrich
Published: December 2008

Because of the completely contaminated textual tradition of the NT, it is essential that the textual critic as a rule confines himself to the instruments of philology and exegesis, the so-called internal criteria. The customary evaluation of manuscripts and manuscript groups according to their assumed quality and value within the tradition or according to their geographical distribution on the one hand ignores the reality of the transmission, and is on the other hand not a rationally defensible procedure. In this contribution I will demonstrate the arbitrary nature of the customary approach, while showing at the same time the gains to be made for the text by applying internal criteria.
Is the Ability to Ambulate Associated With Better Employment Outcomes in Participants With Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury?
Authors: Krause James S.
Published: December 2008

The author compares current employment status after spinal cord injury between participants who were independent in ambulation (required no assistance from others) and those who were dependent in ambulation (required assistance from at least one other person to ambulate). Those who were independent of assistance from others in ambulation were significantly more likely to be employed. Rehabilitation counselors should consider the special needs and circumstances of those who ambulate with assistance.
Designing the Ideal Undergraduate Program in Tourism
Authors: Ring Amata , Dickinger Astrid , Wöber Karl
Published: December 2008

Globally, there are numerous undergraduate programs available in tourism that differ in content aims and scope. It is hard to judge which programs are preferable and on what criteria to base choice. Thus, this article provides a content analysis of 64 bachelor programs taught in English. The actual programs are compared to indicators identified in literature review. Furthermore, an adaptive conjoint analysis identifies the importance and utilities of different subject areas and themes that can compose a tourism program. The population is specified in a broad manner, including academics as well as industry professionals from both the private and public sectors. Results show that there are discrepancies between existing programs and what academics and industry professionals perceive as being important. The research offers recommendations on which topics and issues should be included in a tourism curriculum and provokes discussion on adaptation of existing curricula for the future.
Biotechnology in Cincinnati
Authors: Ferrand Yann , Kelton Christina M. L. , Chen Ke , Stafford Howard A.
Published: December 2008

This research, conducted via interviews at 32 biotechnology firms, which provide rare information on actual firm interactions, elucidates the factors that influence the location and growth of the biotechnology sector in a typical American metropolitan area. Results indicate that most of the biotechnology firms within the Cincinnati region are there because of entrepreneurial ties with universities and research hospitals in the area, not because the region has specific advantages for biotechnology firms compared to other metropolitan areas of similar size. The authors find that interfirm linkages range from extremely weak to nonexistent. No specialized labor force exists to support biotechnology firms, nor are there specialized infrastructure and business services. No biotechnology-dedicated government office exists. In summary, the authors see more colocation than interactive clustering of biotechnology firms, implying that economic development efforts to enhance interfirm linkages are likely to be less effective than support for hospital and university research and education.
Contribution of Residential Relocation and Lifestyle to the Structure of Health Trajectories
Authors: Hong Song-Iee , Chen Li-Mei
Published: December 2008

Objectives: Underlining ecological theories of aging, we assessed the impact of relocation, residential type, and individual lifestyle factors on the structure of health status overtime. Methods: From the data of Longitudinal Study on Aging II, we included older adults aged 70 and older ( N = 5,294). To analyze individual longitudinal trajectories of health outcomes, Latent Growth Curve Modeling (LGCM) was employed. Results: LGCMs supported that older adults' residential relocation and health-related lifestyles were important in preserving better health outcomes. Multiple structural equations corroborated the causal chains in the multidimensionality of health structure. Discussion: These findings suggest a necessity to design policies for older adults to create a synergy between housing and health care and to translate meaningful health-related lifestyles into diverse long-term care settings.
Review: Review of Nurse Home Visiting Interventions for Community-Dwelling Older Persons With Existing Disability
Authors: Liebel Dianne V. , Friedman Bruce , Watson Nancy M. , Powers Bethel A.
Published: December 2008

Despite there being a considerable number of meta-analyses and reviews synthesizing the nurse in-home visiting literature, there have been no reviews examining nurse in-home visiting for patients who are already disabled. This article presents a literature review and synthesis of 10 trials targeted on older adults with disability. The review is organized into structure and process components related to the outcome variable disability based on the classic Donabedian model. The review suggests that the components of in-home visiting associated with favorable disability outcomes include multiple home visits, geriatric training and experience, health provider collaboration, multidimensional assessment, and theory use. In contrast, lack of process measures, physician collaboration, training, and specific intervention components targeting disability are associated with ineffective interventions. This review helps provide insight into variables that influence disability outcomes as well as the development of best-practice models of in-home visiting to older adults with existing disability.
Leadership, Education, Achievement, and Development: A Nursing Intervention for Prevention of Youthful Offending Behavior
Authors: Shelton Deborah
Published: December 2008

PURPOSE : This 3-year study examines a theoretically designed community-based program aimed to reduce the risk of first-time involvement by minority youth with the juvenile justice system. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design with a nonrandomized sample of 146 African American youth test an expressive art curriculum with an after school control group. Outcome measures include protective factors, behavioral self-control, self-esteem, and resilience. FINDINGS: Ninety males and 56 females participated over the 3 years. All four of the outcomes were statistically significant or the LEAD group over the control group. Youth evaluate the LEAD program higher. CONCLUSION: LEAD can be viewed as a promising prevention program. Plans for replication, with larger samples and a longitudinal design are needed to examine the effects of the development of African American youth along with other variables that relate to later acquisition of offending behaviors. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc, 2009; 14(6), 429-441.
Managing Service Innovation and Interorganizational Relationships for Firm Performance
Authors: Eisingerich Andreas B. , Rubera Gaia , Seifert Matthias
Published: December 2008

An increasing body of research suggests interorganizational relationships as being critical to the financial performance of firms. Similarly, innovation has been considered a key driver of the growth and success of firms. However, little work has examined how the extent firms' interorganizational relationship commitment and diversity influence their innovation focus and performance. In this article, the authors show that diverse interorganizational relationships reduce the positive impact of innovation focus on firm performance. In contrast, interorganizational relationship commitment increases service innovation focus and strengthens the innovation focus—firm performance relationship. The findings are based on multisource and longitudinal performance data and highlight the positive impact of relationship commitment on the effects of service innovation focus on firm performance. Implications for management and research are discussed.
A Feasibility Study of Valerian Extract for Sleep Disturbance in Person With Arthritis
Authors: Taibi Diana M. , Bourguignon Cheryl , Gill Taylor Ann
Published: December 2008

Objectives: To present a pilot study of valerian to explore issues of feasibility and efficacy in studies of sedative herbs for arthritis-related sleep disturbance. Methods: Fifteen persons with arthritis and mild sleep disturbance were randomized to receive 600 mg valerian ( Valeriana officinalis, n = 7) or placebo ( n = 8) for five nights.

Results: Protocol adherence (dosing and data collection) was high. Allocation concealment was successful using a novel approach for matching the placebo on the distinctive odor of valerian. Nonsignificant differences between the groups were found on all sleep outcomes, measured by daily diaries and wrist actigraphy.

Conclusion: The study methods were feasible, except for recruitment issues (addressed in the discussion), and may guide the testing of other sedative herbs for persons with arthritis. Although efficacy outcomes were inconclusive due to the small sample size of this study, recent evidence from larger trials of valerian also does not support its efficacy.