bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Purification and properties of S-hydroxymethylglutathione dehydrogenase of Paecilomyces variotii no. 5, a formaldehyde-degrading fungus
Authors: Fukuda Ryohei , Nagahama Kazuhiro , Fukuda Kohsai , Ekino Keisuke , Oka Takuji , Nomura Yoshiyuki
Published: December 2012

S-hydroxymethylglutathione dehydrogenase from Paecilomyces variotii No. 5 strain (NBRC 109023), isolated as a formaldehyde-degrading fungus, was purified by a procedure that included ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-Sepharose and hydroxyapatite chromatography and isoelectrofocusing. Approximately 122-fold purification was achieved with a yield of 10.5%. The enzyme preparation was homogeneous as judged by sodium dodecyl polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 49 kDa by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration, suggesting that it is a monomer. Enzyme activity was optimal at pH 8.0 and was stable in the range of pH 7.0–10. The optimum temperature for activity was 40°C and the enzyme was stable up to 40°C. The isoelectric point was pH 5.8. Substrate specificity was very high for formaldehyde. Besides formaldehyde, the only aldehyde or alcohol tested that served as a substrate was pyruvaldehyde. Enzyme activity was enhanced by several divalent cations such as Mn2+ (179%), Ba2+ (132%), and Ca2+ (112%) but was completely inhibited by Ni2+, Fe3+, Hg2+, p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB) and cuprizone. Inactivation of the enzyme by sulfhydryl reagents (Hg2+ and PCMB) indicated that the sulfhydryl group of the enzyme is essential for catalytic activity.
Optimization of lipid production by the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi by random mutagenesis coupled to cerulenin screening
Authors: Tapia V Eulalia , Anschau Andréia , Coradini Alessandro LV , T Franco Telma , Deckmann Ana Carolina
Published: December 2012

In this work we performed assays for the genetic improvement of the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi DSM 70296 focusing on its utilization for lipid biosynthesis from renewable sources. The genetic optimization was carried out by random mutagenesis by ultraviolet irradiation and mutant selection by cerulenin, a compound displaying inhibitory effects on lipid biosynthesis. Mutants demonstrating normal growth in presence of cerulenin were considered as good candidates for further studies. Using this strategy, we selected 6 mutants for further studies, in which their productivities were evaluated by fermentation in shaken flasks and bioreactor. The evaluation of the fermentative performance of mutants was carried out using xylose as sole carbon source; the fermentation of wild-type strain was used as reference. Using this strategy it was possible to identify one mutant (termed A1) presenting a significant increase in the productivity rates of both biomass and lipid in comparison to wild-type strain. A1 mutant was further studied in bioreactor using the same fermentation parameters optimized for L. starkeyi lipid production from a mixed carbon source (xylose:glucose), as previously determined by other studies in our laboratory. A1 presented a productivity increase of 15.1% in biomass and 30.7% in lipid productivity when compared to the wild-type strain with a similar fatty acid composition, despite a slight increase (approx. 7%) on the unsaturated fraction. Our work demonstrates the feasibility of the random mutagenesis strategy coupled with mutant selection based on cerulenin screening for the genetic improvement of the oleaginous yeast L. starkeyi.
FDG-PET is a good biomarker of both early response and acquired resistance in BRAFV600 mutant melanomas treated with vemurafenib and the MEK inhibitor GDC-0973
Authors: Baudy Andreas R , Dogan Taner , Flores-Mercado Judith E , Hoeflich Klaus P , Su Fei , van Bruggen Nicholas , Williams Simon-Peter
Published: December 2012

Background

The BRAF inhibitor, vemurafenib, has recently been approved for the treatment of metastatic melanoma in patients harboring BRAFV600 mutations. Currently, dual BRAF and MEK inhibition are ongoing in clinical trials with the goal of overcoming the acquired resistance that has unfortunately developed in some vemurafenib patients. FDG-PET measures of metabolic activity are increasingly employed as a pharmacodynamic biomarker for guiding single-agent or combination therapies by gauging initial drug response and monitoring disease progression. However, since tumors are inherently heterogeneous, investigating the effects of BRAF and MEK inhibition on FDG uptake in a panel of different melanomas could help interpret imaging outcomes.

Methods

18 F-FDG uptake was measured in vitro in cells with wild-type and mutant (V600) BRAF, and in melanoma cells with an acquired resistance to vemurafenib. We treated the cells with vemurafenib alone or in combination with MEK inhibitor GDC-0973. PET imaging was used in mice to measure FDG uptake in A375 melanoma xenografts and in A375 R1, a vemurafenib-resistant derivative. Histological and biochemical studies of glucose transporters, the MAPK and glycolytic pathways were also undertaken.

Results

We demonstrate that vemurafenib is equally effective at reducing FDG uptake in cell lines harboring either heterozygous or homozygous BRAFV600 but ineffective in cells with acquired resistance or having WT BRAF status. However, combination with GDC-0973 results in a highly significant increase of efficacy and inhibition of FDG uptake across all twenty lines. Drug-induced changes in FDG uptake were associated with altered levels of membrane GLUT-1, and cell lines harboring RAS mutations displayed enhanced FDG uptake upon exposure to vemurafenib. Interestingly, we found that vemurafenib treatment in mice bearing drug-resistant A375 xenografts also induced increased FDG tumor uptake, accompanied by increases in Hif-1α, Sp1 and Ksr protein levels. Vemurafenib and GDC-0973 combination efficacy was associated with decreased levels of hexokinase II, c-RAF, Ksr and p-MEK protein.

Conclusions

We have demonstrated that 18 F-FDG-PET imaging reflects vemurafenib and GDC-0973 action across a wide range of metastatic melanomas. A delayed post-treatment increase in tumor FDG uptake should be considered carefully as it may well be an indication of acquired drug resistance.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01271803
A Strong Law for the Rate of Growth of Long Latency Periods in a Cloud Computing Service
Authors: Ghosh Souvik , Ghosh Soumyadip
Published: December 2012

Cloud-computing shares a common pool of resources across customers at a scale that is orders of magnitude larger than traditional multiuser systems. Constituent physical compute servers are allocated multiple ‘virtual machines' (VMs) to serve simultaneously. Each VM user should ideally be unaffected by others’ demand. Naturally, this environment produces new challenges for the service providers in meeting customer expectations while extracting an efficient utilization from server resources. We study a new cloud service metric that measures prolonged latency or delay suffered by customers. We model the workload process of a cloud server and analyze the process as the customer population grows. The capacity required to ensure that the average workload does not exceed a threshold over long segments is characterized. This can be used by cloud operators to provide service guarantees on avoiding long durations of latency. As part of the analysis, we provide a uniform large deviation principle for collections of random variables that is of independent interest.
The Time to Ruin in Some Additive Risk Models with Random Premium Rates
Authors: Jacobsen Martin
Published: December 2012

The risk processes considered in this paper are generated by an underlying Markov process with a regenerative structure and an independent sequence of independent and identically distributed claims. Between the arrivals of claims the process increases at a rate which is a nonnegative function of the present value of the Markov process. The intensity for a claim to occur is another nonnegative function of the value of the Markov process. The claim arrival times are the regeneration times for the Markov process. Two-sided claims are allowed, but the distribution of the positive claims is assumed to have a Laplace transform that is a rational function. The main results describe the joint Laplace transform of the time at ruin and the deficit at ruin. The method used consists in finding partial eigenfunctions for the generator of the joint process consisting of the Markov process and the accumulated claims process, a joint process which is also Markov. These partial eigenfunctions are then used to find a martingale that directly leads to an expression for the desired Laplace transform. In the final section, three examples are given involving different types of the underlying Markov process.
Ruin Probabilities in a Finite-Horizon Risk Model with Investment and Reinsurance
Authors: Romera R. , Runggaldier W.
Published: December 2012

A finite-horizon insurance model is studied where the risk/reserve process can be controlled by reinsurance and investment in the financial market. Our setting is innovative in the sense that we describe in a unified way the timing of the events, that is, the arrivals of claims and the changes of the prices in the financial market, by means of a continuous-time semi-Markov process which appears to be more realistic than, say, classical diffusion-based models. Obtaining explicit optimal solutions for the minimizing ruin probability is a difficult task. Therefore we derive a specific methodology, based on recursive relations for the ruin probability, to obtain a reinsurance and investment policy that minimizes an exponential bound (Lundberg-type bound) on the ruin probability.
Optimal Design of Dynamic Default Risk Measures
Authors: Shen Leo , Elliott Robert
Published: December 2012

We consider the question of an optimal transaction between two investors to minimize their risks. We define a dynamic entropic risk measure using backward stochastic differential equations related to a continuous-time single jump process. The inf-convolution of dynamic entropic risk measures is a key transformation in solving the optimization problem.
Influence of latentToxoplasmainfection on human personality, physiology and morphology: pros and cons of theToxoplasma–human model in studying the manipulation hypothesis
Authors: Flegr Jaroslav
Published: December 2012

The parasitic protozoan Toxoplasma gondii infects about one-third of the population of developed countries. The life-long presence of dormant stages of this parasite in the brain and muscular tissues of infected humans is usually considered asymptomatic from the clinical point of view. In the past 20 years, research performed mostly on military personnel, university students, pregnant women and blood donors has shown that this ‘asymptomatic’ disease has a large influence on various aspects of human life. Toxoplasma-infected subjects differ from uninfected controls in the personality profile estimated with two versions of Cattell’s 16PF, Cloninger’s TCI and Big Five questionnaires. Most of these differences increase with the length of time since the onset of infection, suggesting that Toxoplasma influences human personality rather than human personality influencing the probability of infection. Toxoplasmosis increases the reaction time of infected subjects, which can explain the increased probability of traffic accidents in infected subjects reported in three retrospective and one very large prospective case-control study. Latent toxoplasmosis is associated with immunosuppression, which might explain the increased probability of giving birth to a boy in Toxoplasma-infected women and also the extremely high prevalence of toxoplasmosis in mothers of children with Down syndrome. Toxoplasma-infected male students are about 3 cm taller than Toxoplasma-free subjects and their faces are rated by women as more masculine and dominant. These differences may be caused by an increased concentration of testosterone. Toxoplasma also appears to be involved in the initiation of more severe forms of schizophrenia. At least 40 studies confirmed an increased prevalence of toxoplasmosis among schizophrenic patients. Toxoplasma-infected schizophrenic patients differ from Toxoplasma-free schizophrenic patients by brain anatomy and by a higher intensity of the positive symptoms of the disease. Finally, five independent studies performed in blood donors, pregnant women and military personnel showed that RhD blood group positivity, especially in RhD heterozygotes, protects infected subjects against various effects of latent toxoplasmosis, such as the prolongation of reaction times, an increased risk of traffic accidents and excessive pregnancy weight gain. The modern human is not a natural host of Toxoplasma. Therefore, it can only be speculated which of the observed effects of latent toxoplasmosis are the result of the manipulation activity of the Toxoplasma aimed to increase the probability of its transmission from a natural intermediate to the definitive host by predation, and which are just side effects of chronic infection.
Multidimensionality in parasite-induced phenotypic alterations: ultimateversusproximate aspects
Authors: Cézilly Frank , Favrat Adrien , Perrot-Minnot Marie-Jeanne
Published: December 2012

In most cases, parasites alter more than one dimension in their host phenotype. Although multidimensionality in parasite-induced phenotypic alterations (PIPAs) seems to be the rule, it has started to be addressed only recently. Here, we critically review some of the problems associated with the definition, quantification and interpretation of multidimensionality in PIPAs. In particular, we confront ultimate and proximate accounts, and evaluate their own limitations. We end up by introducing several suggestions for the development of future research, including some practical guidelines for the quantitative analysis of multidimensionality in PIPAs.
Toxoplasma gondii infection and behaviour – location, location, location?
Authors: McConkey Glenn A. , Martin Heather L. , Bristow Greg C. , Webster Joanne P.
Published: December 2012

Parasite location has been proposed as an important factor in the behavioural changes observed in rodents infected with the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. During the chronic stages of infection, encysted parasites are found in the brain but it remains unclear whether the parasite has tropism for specific brain regions. Parasite tissue cysts are found in all brain areas with some, but not all, prior studies reporting higher numbers located in the amygdala and frontal cortex. A stochastic process of parasite location does not, however, seem to explain the distinct and often subtle changes observed in rodent behaviour. One factor that could contribute to the specific changes is increased dopamine production by T. gondii. Recently, it was found that cells encysted with parasites in the brains of experimentally infected rodents have high levels of dopamine and that the parasite encodes a tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of this neurotransmitter. A mechanism is proposed that could explain the behaviour changes due to parasite regulation of dopamine. This could have important implications for T. gondii infections in humans.
Treatment of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections with a Minimal Inhibitory Concentration of 2 μg/mL to Vancomycin: Old (Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole) versus New (Daptomycin or Linezolid) Agents
Authors: Campbell Michelle L , Marchaim Dror , Pogue Jason M , Sunkara Bharath , Bheemreddy Suchitha , Bathina Pradeep , Pulluru Harish , Chugh Neelu , Wilson Melanie N , Moshos Judy , Ku Kimberley , Hayakawa Kayoko , Martin Emily T , Lephart Paul R , Rybak Michael J , Kaye Keith S
Published: December 2012

Background:

Guidelines recommend that agents other than vancomycin be considered for some types of infection due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) when the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to vancomycin is 2 μg/mL or more. Alternative therapeutic options include daptomycin and linezolid, 2 relatively new and expensive drugs, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX), an old and inexpensive agent.

Objective:

To compare the clinical efficacy and potential cost savings associated with use of TMP/SMX compared to linezolid and daptomycin.

Methods:

A retrospective study was conducted at Detroit Medical Center. For calendar year 2009, unique adults (age >18 years) with infections due to MRSA with an MIC to vancomycin of 2 μg/mL were included if they received 2 or more doses of TMP/SMX and/or daptomycin and/or linezolid. Data were abstracted from patient charts and pharmacy records.

Results:

There were 328 patients included in the study cohort: 143 received TMP/SMX alone, 89 received daptomycin alone, 75 received linezolid alone, and 21 patients received a combination of 2 or more of these agents. In univariate analysis, patients who received TMP/SMX alone had significantly better outcomes, including in-hospital (p = 0.003) and 90-day mortality (p < 0.001) compared to patients treated with daptomycin or linezolid. Patients receiving TMP/SMX were also younger (p < 0.001), had fewer comorbid conditions (p < 0.001), had less severe acute severity of illness (p < 0.001), and received appropriate therapy more rapidly (p = 0.001). In multivariate models the association between TMP/SMX treatment and mortality was no longer significant. Antimicrobial cost savings associated with using TMP/SMX averaged $2067.40 per patient.

Conclusions:

TMP/SMX monotherapy compared favorably to linezolid and daptomycin in terms of treatment efficacy and mortality. Use of TMP/SMX instead of linezolid or daptomycin could potentially significantly reduce antibiotic costs. TMP/SMX should be considered for the treatment of MRSA infection with MIC of 2 μg/mL to vancomycin.
K-Ar Age Constraints on the Origin Of Micaceous Minerals in Savannah River Site Soils, South Carolina, USA
Authors: Naumann Thomas E. , Elliott W. Crawford , Wampler J. M.
Published: December 2012

K-Ar measurements were used in this study of upland Savannah River Site soils to distinguish between sorbed K and the K remaining in remnants of primary minerals. Study of sorbed K contributes to understanding further the interaction of alkali metals (Cs in particular) with the soils. Primary mineral K and the associated radiogenic Ar were studied to characterize soil mica with respect to its provenance and its relationship to hydroxy-interlayered vermiculite. K-Ar age values of Na-saturated clay fractions from five samples of these soils range in age from 270 to 370 Ma. After a moderate acid treatment (6% HNO3 v/v, ~1 mol dm-3, 3 h, 80°C) of the clay fractions, K-Ar age values (270-325 Ma) were little changed on the whole, but they were more closely grouped near 300 Ma. Earlier work had shown that most of the K in these soils is found in material resistant to moderate acid extraction. The K-Ar age values show that this acid-resistant material is much older than any pedogenic minerals could be, even much older than the sedimentary parent rocks from which the soils were derived. These observations support earlier inferences by others that the K in these well leached soils is largely in remnants of primary muscovite from the parent sediments. Age values near 300 Ma suggest that the muscovite is largely from proximal Piedmont terranes of the Appalachian orogen, where the K-Ar relationship in most micas was set by Alleghanian tectonic processes late in the Paleozoic Era. The structural location of the K within mica, shown by the retention of the associated radiogenic Ar, is in contrast to the sorption-dominated behavior of the Cs and most of the Rb in these soils during pedogenesis. Stronger acid treatment (~6 mol dm-3 HNO3, 3 h, 100°C) extracted substantial fractions of both the K and the radiogenic Ar from bulk-soil portions, indicating destruction of some of the primary mica. K-Ar age values for the sand-rich bulk soils were not useful for this study because the sand contains excess radiogenic Ar, probably in sand-sized vein quartz.
Hawaii: Culture Shock, the Invisible MMPI, and Clinical Vignettes
Authors: Morgan Robert F.
Published: December 2012

A review of past and present psychological applications in tropical Hawaii in vignette format, including the appearance and disappearance of the MMPI as a section instrument, case histories of a parricide and his brother, senile pseudo-psychosis and an existential intervention, a forbidden island of culture suppression, and a 30-year follow-up of seasonal psychosis.
The Man Who Re-Shot John Wayne: Kitano Takeshi's Search for a Globalist Vision
Authors: Sim Gerald
Published: December 2012

This article will discuss Kitano Takeshi's walk in Violent Cop. Where do Kitano's walks take him to most often? - The beach. Here, literally at the edges of Japan's geography, his marginalized figures go, to gaze outward and never inward, to seek both peace and answers. The journey
I argue, takes him eventually to a post-Wayne America in Brother, where he finds existential meaning within a mood of cautious optimism tempered with manifest pessimism.
A Few Moments with Anthony Ng
Authors: Stokes Lisa Odham
Published: December 2012

The following interview took place at the 15th Florida Film Festival with Hong Kong born filmmaker Anthony Ng, following the premiere of his film 212.
Qiu Ju Goes to Court: Relating Cinematic Art to Juridical Reality
Authors: Sze-Lorrain Fiona
Published: December 2012

As an attempt to investigate how an ethnography of legal discourse dictates cinematic and theatrical figuration, this paper centers on a Chinese contemporary film directed by Yimou Zhang - Qiu Ju Goes to Court (The Story of Qiu Ju). Zhang is one of the Fifth Generation filmmakers, a
group whose emergence is conventionally considered a sign of the post-Cultural Revolution booming of aesthetic experimentation. By placing astutely the center of interest on the Chinese bureaucracy and legal system in its construction of the female protagonist, Qiu Ju, the film illustrates
how social and cultural concerns, at various moments in recent Chinese history, wrestle with each other for an ideologically figurative genesis. In this case, Zhang's film contains a plot that can serve as an ideal case study for Turner's "social drama" model.
"Little Red Flowers," or a Nightmare Gone Awry, a Coming of Age Movie for a New Generation in China
Authors: Meyer Mahlon D.
Published: December 2012

The film, in a way, heralds the coming of age of the generation of those children of intellectuals who were left behind when their parents were sent off to the countryside to labor - the generation of the 40-plus. I propose that this movie is, in a way, a coming-of-age saga not only
for its director, who for the first time tackles childhood, but for a whole generation which will most likely face the same dark hints of sexuality gone awry in dark rooms with monsters in them.
Silencing the Clamour of the World: Erice-Kiarostami, Correspondences. Curated by Alain Bergala and Jordi Balló
Authors: Ehrlich Linda C.
Published: December 2012

The following review examines the exhibition of Victor Erice's work, as it featured at the Centre de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona (CCCB) between February and May 2006. The exhibition combined Erice's work with films and artwork by Iranian director Abbas Kiarsotami, and was curated
by Alain Bergala and Jordi Ballo.
Forever Fever: "Disco Culture," Commercialism, and Singaporean Society
Authors: Stein Michael
Published: December 2012

Despite its presence as a prominent "Asian Tiger," one of the most industrialized and commercialized countries in the modern world, the cinematic medium within Singapore remains a somewhat underdeveloped local entity. Cinema going within Singapore has been dominated throughout
recent years by ongoing processes of importing, where Western-oriented and East Asian films have been predominant. Yet this praxis of importing has not deterred the steady emergence of native filmic production, where a range of directors including Eric Khoo, Jack Neo, and Phillip Lim have
surfaced with mixed results. One example demonstrating this "wave" of success in recent years is Forever Fever (1998, dir. Glen Goei). As this article shall outline, Forever Fever surfaces as a text of nostalgic re-interpretation, prefacing and negotiating diverse themes within the
Singaporean imaginary.
No Turning Back: An Interview with Kang Je-gyu
Authors: Cagle R. L.
Published: December 2012

The following is an interview between R. L. Cagle and the Korean filmmmaker Kang Je-gyu during his US tour in 2006.
Allegories of Reunification in the Long Arm of the Law Series
Authors: Williams Tony
Published: December 2012

This article will look at how the series represents not just a searching critique of the relationship between the "two Chinas" but also a distinctive contribution to the Hong Kong gangster movie. Most critics concentrate on what they see as the more interesting features of
the first film and criticize succeeding ones for not living up to its standards. While the Long Arm of the Law is a major achievement, this should not prohibit looking at the series as a whole and noting distinctive patterns within each film and their common relationship.
The Relation between Perception and Brain Activity in Gaze-Evoked Tinnitus
Authors: van Gendt Margriet J. , Boyen Kris , de Kleine Emile , Langers Dave R.M. , van Dijk Pim
Published: December 2012

Tinnitus is a phantom sound percept that can be severely disabling. Its pathophysiology is poorly understood, partly due to the inability to objectively measure neural correlates of tinnitus. Gaze-evoked tinnitus (GET) is a rare form of tinnitus that may arise after vestibular schwannoma removal. Subjects typically describe tinnitus in the deaf ear on the side of the surgery that can be modulated by peripheral eye gaze. This phenomenon offers a unique opportunity to study the relation between tinnitus and brain activity. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging in humans to show that in normal-hearing control subjects, peripheral gaze results in inhibition of the auditory cortex, but no detectable response in the medial geniculate body (MGB) and inferior colliculus (IC). In patients with GET, peripheral gaze (1) reduced the cortical inhibition, (2) inhibited the MGB, and (3) activated the IC. Furthermore, increased tinnitus loudness is represented by increased activity in the cochlear nucleus (CN) and IC and reduced inhibition in the auditory cortex (AC). The increase of CN and IC activity with peripheral gaze is consistent with models of plastic reorganization in the brainstem following vestibular schwannoma removal. The activity decrease in the MGB and the reduced inhibition of the AC support a model that attributes tinnitus to a dysrhythmia of the thalamocortical loop, leading to hypometabolic theta activity in the MGB. Our data offer the first support of this loop hypothesis of tinnitus, independent of the initial experiments that led to its formulation.
Localized Sphingolipid Signaling at Presynaptic Terminals Is Regulated by Calcium Influx and Promotes Recruitment of Priming Factors
Authors: Chan Jason P. , Sieburth Derek
Published: December 2012

Activity-dependent changes in presynaptic function represent a critical mechanism by which synaptic strength is controlled. However, how changes in synaptic activity couple to presynaptic components to control synaptic vesicle release and recycling are poorly understood. Sphingosine kinase (SphK) is a sphingolipid metabolic enzyme whose activity-dependent recruitment to membrane regions within presynaptic terminals promotes neurotransmitter release. Here, we show that synaptic recruitment of SPHK-1, the SphK ortholog inCaenorhabditis elegans, is mediated by presynaptic calcium influx. Quantitative fluorescence imaging of live presynaptic terminals reveals that blocking presynaptic calcium influx reduces synaptic SPHK-1 abundance whereas increasing calcium influx increases SPHK-1 synaptic abundance. CALM-1, the calcium and integrin binding protein ortholog, colocalizes with SPHK-1 at release sites and regulates muscarinic-mediated synaptic SPHK-1 recruitment. We identify two additional sphingolipid metabolic enzymes that are concentrated at presynaptic terminals, and mutants lacking one of these, HYL-1/ceramide synthase, have defects in synaptic transmission and in synaptic vesicle cycling. Finally, we show that SPHK-1 activity is required for the recruitment of the priming protein UNC-13/Munc13 to presynaptic terminals following activation by muscarinic signaling. These findings suggest that calcium-dependent regulation of local S1P metabolism at synapses may be an important mechanism by which synaptic vesicle priming factors are recruited to release sites to promote synaptic transmission.
Drivers of the Primate Thalamus
Authors: Rovó Zita , Ulbert István , Acsády László
Published: December 2012

The activity of thalamocortical neurons is primarily determined by giant excitatory terminals, called drivers. These afferents may arise from neocortex or from subcortical centers; however, their exact distribution, segregation, or putative absence in given thalamic nuclei are unknown. To unravel the nucleus-specific composition of drivers, we mapped the entire macaque thalamus using vesicular glutamate transporters 1 and 2 to label cortical and subcortical afferents, respectively. Large thalamic territories were innervated exclusively by either giant vGLUT2- or vGLUT1-positive boutons. Codistribution of drivers with different origin was not abundant. In several thalamic regions, no giant terminals of any type could be detected at light microscopic level. Electron microscopic observation of these territories revealed either the complete absence of large multisynaptic excitatory terminals (basal ganglia-recipient nuclei) or the presence of both vGLUT1- and vGLUT2-positive terminals, which were significantly smaller than their giant counterparts (intralaminar nuclei, medial pulvinar). In the basal ganglia-recipient thalamus, giant inhibitory terminals replaced the excitatory driver inputs. The pulvinar and the mediodorsal nucleus displayed subnuclear heterogeneity in their driver assemblies. These results show that distinct thalamic territories can be under pure subcortical or cortical control; however, there is significant variability in the composition of major excitatory inputs in several thalamic regions. Because thalamic information transfer depends on the origin and complexity of the excitatory inputs, this suggests that the computations performed by individual thalamic regions display considerable variability. Finally, the map of driver distribution may help to resolve the morphological basis of human diseases involving different parts of the thalamus.
Cingulum Microstructure Predicts Cognitive Control in Older Age and Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Metzler-Baddeley Claudia , Jones Derek K. , Steventon Jessica , Westacott Laura , Aggleton John P. , O'Sullivan Michael J.
Published: December 2012

Cognitive control, an important facet of human cognition, provides flexibility in response to varying behavioral demands. Previous work has focused on the role of prefrontal cortex, notably the anterior cingulate cortex. However, it is now clear that this is one node of a distributed cognitive network. In this emerging network view, structural connections are inherent elements, but their role has not been emphasized. Furthermore, lesion and functional imaging studies have contributed little knowledge about anatomical segregation, functional specialization, and behavioral importance of white matter connections. The relationship between cognitive control and microstructure of connections within the cingulum, a major white matter tract and conduit of projections to prefrontal sites, was probedin vivoin humans with diffusion MRI. Twenty healthy controls and 25 individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an early stage of age-associated cognitive deterioration, underwent cognitive testing, including several measures of cognitive control. For each individual, the anterior, middle, posterior, and parahippocampal portions of the cingulum bundle were reconstructed separately using deterministic tractography and anatomical landmarks. Microstructural variation in the left anterior cingulum was closely related to interindividual control based on verbal or symbolic rules. Errors in a task that involved maintenance of spatial rules were largely restricted to patients with MCI and were related, additionally, to right anterior cingulum microstructure. Cognitive control in MCI was also independently related to posterior parahippocampal connections. These results show how specific subpopulations of connections are critical in cognitive control and illustrate fine-grained anatomical specializations in the white matter infrastructure of this network.
Japan's Failed Experiment: The DPJ and Institutional Change for Political Leadership
Authors: Shinoda Tomohito
Published: December 2012

With the establishment of the DPJ government, Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio introduced a series of institutional changes in order to transform the existing bureaucracy-controlled government and to establish political leadership. These changes, however, created instability and irregularity in Japanese politics. As a result, they were reversed by his successors.
The Monarchy and Party Politics in Malaysia in the Era of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (2003–09): The Resurgence of the Role of Protector
Authors: Abdul Hamid Ahmad Fauzi , Ismail Muhamad Takiyuddin
Published: December 2012

This article argues that calls for the reassertion of royal power in Malaysia pre-dated the historic twelfth general elections of 2008. The erosion of UMNO’s hegemony accelerated the revival of the monarchy. Ironically, an institution strongly identified with the feudal order found itself reinvigorated in an age of new politics.
A Comparison of Chinese, Indian, and Japanese Perceptions of Energy Security
Authors: Sovacool Benjamin K. , Vivoda Vlado
Published: December 2012

This study explores how Asian energy security issues are perceived in China, India, and Japan. It investigates perceptions of 16 energy security challenges drawn from an extensive survey, as well as how such conceptions differ between Asian energy consumers and across these dimensions of energy security.
The association between papillary thyroid carcinoma and histologically proven Hashimoto's thyroiditis: a meta-analysis
Authors: Lee Ju-Han , Kim Younghye , Choi Jung-Woo , Kim Young-Sik
Published: December 2012

Objective

No consensus exists on the association between papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). To resolve this controversy, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the two conditions using a meta-analysis.

Methods

We searched relevant published studies using citation databases including PubMed, Embase, and ISI Web of Science. The effect sizes of clinicopathologic parameters were calculated by odds ratio (OR), weighted mean difference, or hazard ratio (HR). The effect sizes were combined using a random-effects model.

Results

Thirty-eight eligible studies including 10 648 PTC cases were selected. Histologically proven HT was identified in 2471 (23.2%) PTCs. HT was more frequently observed in PTCs than in benign thyroid diseases and other carcinomas (OR=2.8 and 2.4;P<0.001). PTCs with coexisting HT were significantly related to female patients (OR=2.7;P<0.001), multifocal involvement (OR=1.5;P=0.010), no extrathyroidal extension (OR=1.3;P=0.002), and no lymph node metastasis (OR=1.3;P=0.041). Moreover, PTCs with HT were significantly associated with long recurrence-free survival (HR=0.6;P=0.001).

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis showed that PTC is significantly associated with pathologically confirmed HT. PTC patients with HT have favorable clinicopathologic characteristics compared with PTCs without HT. However, patients with HT need to be carefully monitored for the development of PTC.
Surface Plasmon Enhanced Photoluminescence in InAs Quantum Dots by Spherical Ag Nanoparticles
Authors: Mangham Scott C. , Wu Jiang , Lee Seungyong , Reddy Vanga R. , Manasreh Omar
Published: December 2012

Reported is the photoluminescence enhancement due to surface plasmon from the metallic nanoparticles that are linked to the surface of a GaAs capped InAs quantum dots. In this study, spherical silver (Ag) nanoparticles are investigated where the different densities of Ag nanoparticles are deposited on four InAs/GaAs quantum dot samples. The PL enhancement due to Ag nanoparticles has been observed to be improved with increasing nanoparticle density. The photoluminescence enhancement is interpreted in terms of enhanced scattering from the surface plasmon excited in the Ag nanoparticles.
Depth Profiling of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 by Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction
Authors: Kötschau I.M. , Bilger G. , Schock H.W.
Published: December 2012

Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) in conjunction with a layer absorption modeling algorithm is a powerful tool for studying the structural properties of polycrystaline thin films. A typical application is the refinement of compositional depth profiles. Of genera interest are the depth profile of the Ga/(In+Ga)-ratio over the entire thickness of the thin film, as well as the depth profile of th Cu/(In+Ga)-ratio near the surface. In this respect the three stage process is a particular interesting deposition technique. A remarkable recrystalization of the entire thin film at the end of the second stage has a strong impact on Ga-gradients as well as on the Cu-depletion close to the surface. In this contribution we use the GIXRD technique to refine composititional depth profiles obtained by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). We demonstrate that structura changes near the surface due to the recrystalization can be monitored. In addition we are able measure the depth of a Cu-depleted surface layer with high accuracy.
Silicon Carbide Power Devices and Processing
Authors: Casady J.B. , Bonds J.R. , Draper W.A. , Merrett J.N. , Sankin I. , Seale D. , Mazzola M.S.
Published: December 2012

An overview of silicon carbide (SiC) power device technology is given with an emphasis on processing issues and commercial applications. Schottky Barrier Diodes (SBDs) were the first to be made commercially available in 2001, with power switch and RF amplifiers soon to follow. This paper discusses the performance of current available rectifiers and published power switch development and identifies key issues in processing and device structures which have influenced past and will impact future SiC product development.
Novel Glucose Biosensor Based on the Microcantilever
Authors: Pei Jianhong , Tian Fang , Thundat Thomas
Published: December 2012

We report a novel technique for micromechanical detection of biologically relevant glucose by immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx) onto a microcantilever surface. Microfabricated cantilevers have recently attracted considerable interest in the development of a wide range of novel physical, chemical, and biological sensors. This paper describes the combination of this novel technology with enzyme specificity to construct a highly selective glucose biosensor. The enzyme-functionalized microcantilever undergoes bending due to a change in surface stress induced by the reaction between glucose and the GOx immobilized on the cantilever surface. The common interferents for glucose detection in other detection schemes have been tested and have shown no effect on the measurement of blood glucose level by this technique.
The Creation and Annealing Kinetics of Fast Light Induced Defect States created by 1 Sun Illumination in a-Si:H
Authors: Albert M.L. , Deng J. , Niu X. , Pearce J.M. , Collins R.W. , Wronski C.R.
Published: December 2012

Preliminary results are presented on the kinetics of fast states at 25°C created by 1 sun illumination in protocrystalline hydrogen diluted a-Si:H films. The results are for the bulk properties of the a-Si:H films which was confirmed by the similarity of results obtained on corresponding intrinsic layers in p-i-n solar cells. It is found that the kinetics exhibit two regimes. The first regime is in the form of a delay before the onset of an A·log(t) time dependence indicative of a dispersive process. Despite the unexpected effect of a dependence of this first regime on the degradation/annealing history of the samples, it was possible to characterize the highly reproducible logarithmic dependences for different illumination times as well as in the presence of different carrier generation/recombination rates. It is found that for the degradation times studied, the annealing kinetics associated with the second regime are independent of the 1 sun illumination time but are dependent on the recombination introduced by illuminations as low as ∼0-5 of 1 sun. These fast states are located close to midgap, similar to the position of dangling bond defects. The results presented raise interesting questions that still need to be answered about the nature and origin of the fast defects in order to assess their contribution to the long term degradation and the overall stability a-Si:H materials.
Advanced Characterization of the Electronic Structure of MEH-PPV
Authors: Chambers David Keith , Selmic Sandra
Published: December 2012

In this paper, we present research results that explore the basic molecular structure, orientation, and electrical properties of the conjugated polymer poly(2-methoxy-5- (2,9-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV). The bandgap structure of MEH-PPV was investigated through optical absorption and emission spectra, and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS). Based on the optical absorption of MEH-PPV, the π-π* bandgap energy is 2.14eV. The emission spectrum of ITO/MEH-PPV/Al light emitting diode has a peak at 590nm in wavelength which corresponds to photon energies of 2.1eV. By using ultraviolet synchrotron radiation to investigate the highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMO) of the MEH-PPV, the relative change in photoemission cross-section for various electron states was measured. The HOMO to Fermi level gap obtained from UPS spectra is about 3eV. The UPS measurements include angle-resolved and incident energy dependent spectra. Some indication of bulk film orientation was inferred by dispersion of incident energy dependent UPS. Disparities in these spectra imply some role for defect states, extrinsic carrier involvement, or Fermi-level pinning.
Space-time variation of the relative abundance of Limnoperna fortunei in deep zones of São Gonçalo Channel, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Authors: Lopes Michelle , Vieira João
Published: December 2012

This work describes the spatial-temporal variation of the relative abundance and size of Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857) collected in São Gonçalo Channel through bottom trawl with a 0.5 cm mesh, at depths between 3 and 6 m. The estimative of mean relative abundance (CPUE) ranged from 2,425.3 individuals per drag (ind./drag) in the spring to 21,715.0 ind./drag in the fall, with an average of 9,515.3 ind./drag throughout the year. The estimated mean density of L. fortunei for the deep region of São Gonçalo Channel ranged from 1.2 to 10.3 ind./m², and it was recorded a maximum density of 84.9 ind./m² in the fall of 2008. The method of sampling using bottom trawl enabled the capture of L. fortunei under the soft muddy bottom of the channel, in different sizes ranging from 0.4 to 3.2 cm. This shows that the structure of the L. fortunei adult population under the bottom of the São Gonçalo Channel is composed mostly of small individuals (<1.4 cm), which represent up to 74% of the population collected.
Establishment of a new genus for Parastenocaris itica (Copepoda, Harpacticoida) from El Salvador, Central America, with discussion of the Parastenocaris fontinalis and P. proserpina groups
Authors: Corgosinho Paulo Henrique C. , Arbizu Pedro Martínez , Previattelli Daniel
Published: December 2012

A new genus of Parastenocarididae is described from the Neotropical region. Iticocaris gen. nov. is established to include Parastenocaris itica Noodt, 1962. Iticocaris gen. nov. is defined by the following characters: 1) male leg 3 with 2-segmented exopod; 2) first exopodal segment short and rectangular; 3) thumb hypertrophic, longer than the second exopodal segment and inserted on the distal edge of exopod segment 1, occupying the whole distal margin; 4) exopod 2 or apophysis strongly sclerotized, articulated with the exopod segment 1 on its inner margin and curved against the thumb, forming a strong forceps; 5) leg 4 endopod without dimorphism in shape and size vs. minor dimorphism in ornamentation; 6) leg 5 with three setae and 7) lack of the anterolateral furcal seta II. The new genus is monotypic, represented by Iticocaris itica (Noodt, 1962) comb. nov., from El Salvador, Central America. A close relationship is hypothesized between I. itica and the genus Brasilibathynellocaris Jakobi, 1972, the males of which both share the forceps-like elongated apophysis.
Avaliação da implementação de uma intervenção educativa em vigilância do desenvolvimento infantil com enfermeiros
Authors: Reichert Altamira Pereira da Silva , Vasconcelos Maria Gorete Lucena de , Eickmann Sophie Helena , Lima Marilia de Carvalho
Published: December 2012

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo avaliar as dificuldades e facilidades enfrentadas por enfermeiros da Estratégia de Saúde da Família durante o processo de implementação de uma intervenção educativa em vigilância do desenvolvimento infantil. A abordagem utilizada foi qualitativa, com onze enfermeiros que participaram de oficinas de capacitação em vigilância do desenvolvimento no contexto da Atenção Integrada às Doenças Prevalentes na Infância. Os dados foram coletados nos meses de maio e junho de 2009 e analisados a partir do método de análise de conteúdo, utilizando-se a modalidade temática. Foram identificados quatro núcleos temáticos: avaliação do Curso de capacitação em vigilância do desenvolvimento infantil; pontos dificultadores para aplicar os conhecimentos adquiridos; pontos facilitadores proporcionados pelo curso e transformação da prática a partir dos conhecimentos adquiridos na capacitação. Destaca-se a premência de incorporar conteúdos que priorizem questões voltadas para a vigilância do desenvolvimento infantil no ensino de graduação em enfermagem e na residência em saúde da família.
Criança dependente de tecnologia: a experiência do cuidado materno
Authors: Okido Aline Cristiane Cavicchioli , Pizzignacco Tainá Maués Pelúcio , Furtado Maria Cândida de Carvalho , Lima Regina Aparecida Garcia
Published: December 2012

Este estudo tem como objetivo compreender a experiência materna no cuidado ao filho dependente de tecnologia. Utilizamos a abordagem do estudo de caso etnográfico tendo como instrumentos de coleta de dados os genograma e ecomapa, entrevista aberta e observação. Os dados foram organizados em três unidades de significados: a busca pelas causas e por culpados; a alta hospitalar e as demandas para o cuidado e as redes de apoio. O estudo permitiu conhecer a experiência materna em busca por explicações, bem como os sentimentos de desconfiança, insegurança e insatisfação relacionados ao serviço de saúde. Ainda a apropriação da mãe em relação aos cuidados à criança e no que se refere à organização do ambiente domiciliar para recebê-la, a utilização das redes de apoio, destacando a carência de vínculos com familiares e vizinhos e a busca formal e informal para garantir a subsistência da criança doente e dos demais filhos.