bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Propaganda of the Deed: Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Mobilization
Authors: Bueno de Mesquita Ethan , Dickson Eric S.
Published: March 2007

Many terrorist factions care about the level of popular support they enjoy within a population they claim to represent. Empirically, this level of support can either rise or fall in the aftermath of a campaign of terrorist violence. Under what circumstances is the use of terror an effective tactic for mobilizing political support for an extremist group? This article models a scenario in which an extremist faction considers attacking a government in the hopes of provoking a counterterror response that will radicalize the population, increasing the extremists' support at the expense of a more moderate faction. In our scenario, such radicalization can result either from the economic damage caused by counterterror operations or by the way in which such operations change the population's assessment of the government's motivations. We demonstrate that such attempts at mobilizing public support can be, but need not be, successful, discuss factors that make both the initiation of a terror campaign and successful mobilization more or less likely, and relate our results to several empirical cases.
The Analysis of Structural–Acoustic Coupling of an Irregular Enclosure Under the Excitation of Point Force and PVDF
Authors: Chao Luo , Zhushi Rao , Mei Zhao
Published: March 2007

The physical model of this paper is an irregular enclosure with double flexible plates. The primary source is the vibration of Plate A excited by a point force. The secondary source is the vibration of Plate B excited by a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) actuator. First, the interaction of the PVDF actuator and a thin plate is analyzed and the distribution of strain and stress is gained. Based on the hypothesis of linear distribution of strain on two sections of the plate–film system, a formula is deduced to calculate the rate of the strain distribution. Then an experiment is proposed to test the sound pressure response in an irregular enclosure under the excitation of the PVDF actuator. Second, the theoretical formulas of the mode contributions of the two plates and the cavity are deduced. Then the formulas are converted into compact matrix equations. Thus the expression of sound response of one point in the enclosure is gained under the excitation of both the primary and the secondary sources. Based on these results, the sound pressure square is taken as the control aim function. At last the optimized curves of control voltage and control phase are achieved.
Nonstationary
Heat Conduction in Complex-Shape Laminated
Plates
Authors: Shupikov Alexander
N. , Smetankina Natalia
V. , Svet Yevgeny V.
Published: March 2007

Based on the immersion method, an analytical solution has been obtained for the problem of nonstationary heat conduction in laminated plates of complex plan shape when they are heated with interlayer film heat sources. The temperature distribution over the thickness of each layer is represented in the form of an expansion in a system of the orthonormal Legendre polynomials and, in the plate plane, it is represented as trigonometric series expansions. Temperature fields were investigated in a five-layer plate for conditions of convective heat exchange with the environment. The method suggested can be applied for designing heating systems and determining temperature stresses in laminated glazing for different vehicles
Cumulative Clamp Load Loss Due to a Fully Reversed Cyclic Service Load Acting on an Initially Yielded Bolted Joint System
Authors: Nassar Sayed A. , Matin Payam H.
Published: March 2007

The amount of clamp load loss due to a fully reversed cyclic service load is determined for a bolted assembly in which the fastener and the joint were both tightened initially beyond their respective proportional limits. The cyclic reversed load acts in a direction parallel to the bolt axis. During the first half of each cycle, the cyclic load acts as tensile separating force that increases the fastener tension further into the nonlinear range; it simultaneously reduces the joint clamping force. Thus, after the first one half of the cycle, the clamp load is reduced from its initial value due to the plastic elongation of the fastener. During the second half cycle, the cyclic load compresses the joint further into the plastic range; simultaneously, it reduces the fastener tension. Due to the permanent set in the compressed joint, the clamp load is decreased further at the end of the second half cycle of the service load. The cumulative clamp load loss due to the permanent set in both the fastener and the joint is analytically determined using a nonlinear model. Variables investigated in this study include the joint-to-fastener stiffness ratio, the ratio of the initial fastener tension to its elastic limit, and the ratio of the external force to its maximum tensile value that would trigger joint separation.
Analysis and Application of a 2-DOF Planar Parallel Mechanism
Authors: Wu Jun , Wang Jinsong , Li Tiemin , Wang Liping
Published: March 2007

This paper deals with the optimal kinematic design, dynamic analysis, and application of a 2 degree of freedom (2-DOF) planar parallel mechanism. In the optimal kinematic design phase, the singularities and workspace are investigated, and the optimal kinematic parameters of the mechanism are achieved by minimizing a global and comprehensive conditioning index. The Newton–Euler method is employed to derive the inverse dynamic model. Dynamic simulations show that the inertia force of moving parts is an important factor affecting the dynamic characteristics of the mechanism. The parallel mechanism is incorporated into a 4-DOF hybrid machine tool which also includes a 2-DOF worktable to demonstrate its applicability.
The Ninth Homotopy Class of Spatial 3R Serial Regional Manipulators
Authors: Paganelli Davide
Published: March 2007

Singularities form surfaces in the jointspace of a serial manipulator. Paï and Leu (Paï and Leu, 1992, IEEE Trans. Rob. Autom., 8, pp. 545–559) introduced the important notion of generic manipulator, the singularity surfaces of which are smooth and do not intersect with each other. Burdick (Burdick, 1995, J. Mech. Mach. Theor., 30, pp. 71–89) proposed a homotopy-based classification method for generic 3R manipulators. Through this classification method, it was stated in Wenger, 1998, J. Mech. Des., 120, pp. 327–332 that there exist exactly eight classes of generic 3R manipulators. A counterexample to this classification is provided: a generic 3R manipulator belonging to none of the eight classes identified in (Wenger, 1998, J. Mech. Des., 120, pp. 327–332) is presented. The weak point of the proof given in (J. Mech. Des., 120, pp. 327–332) is highlighted. The counterexample proves the existence of at least nine homotopy classes of generic 3R manipulators. The paper points out two peculiar properties of the manipulator proposed as a counterexample, which are not featured by any manipulator belonging to the eight homotopy classes so far discovered. Eventually, it is proven in this paper that at most four branches of the singularity curve can coexist in the jointspace of a generic 3R manipulator and therefore at most eleven homotopy classes are possible.
Multiplex PCR Assay for Rapid and Accurate Capsular Typing of Group B Streptococci
Authors: Poyart Claire , Tazi Asmaa , Réglier-Poupet Hélène , Billoët Annick , Tavares Nicole , Raymond Josette , Trieu-Cuot Patrick
Published: March 2007

We developed a simple, specific, and sensitive two-multiplex-PCR assay that enabled the detection of all known group B streptococcal (GBS) capsular polysaccharides. This test is well adapted for GBS capsular polysaccharide typing in large-scale epidemiological studies.
Dysregulation of HER2/HER3 Signaling Axis in Epstein-Barr Virus-Infected Breast Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Lin Jiun-Han , Tsai Ching-Hwa , Chu Jan-Show , Chen Jeou-Yuan , Takada Kenzo , Shew Jin-Yuh
Published: March 2007

The role of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the pathogenesis of breast cancer has been of long-standing interest to the field. Breast epithelial cells can be infected by EBV through direct contact with EBV-bearing lymphoblastoid cells, and EBV infection has recently been shown to confer breast cancer cells an increased resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. In this study, we established EBV-infected breast cancer MCF7 and BT474 cells and demonstrated that EBV infection promotes tumorigenic activity of breast cancer cells. Firstly, we showed that the EBV-infected MCF7-A and BT474-A cells exhibited increased anchorage-independent growth in soft agar. The increased colony formation capacity in soft agar was associated with increased expression and activation of HER2/HER3 signaling cascades, as evidenced by the findings that the treatment of HER2 antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor, or MEK inhibitor completely abolished the tumorigenic capacity. In the EBV-infected breast cancer cells, the expression of EBV latency genes includingEBNA1,EBER1, andBARF0was detected. We next showed that BARF0 alone was sufficient to efficiently up-regulate HER2/HER3 expression and promoted tumorigenic activity in MCF7 and BT474 cells by the use of both overexpression and small interfering RNA knock-down. Collectively, we demonstrated that EBV-encoded BARF0 promotes the tumorigenic activity of breast cancer cells through activation of HER2/HER3 signaling cascades.
Unique Pathology in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Rapid Progressor Macaques Is Consistent with a Pathogenesis Distinct from That of Classical AIDS
Authors: Brown Charles R. , Czapiga Meggan , Kabat Juraj , Dang Que , Ourmanov Ilnour , Nishimura Yoshiaki , Martin Malcolm A. , Hirsch Vanessa M.
Published: March 2007

Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of macaques and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection of humans result in variable but generally fatal disease outcomes. Most SIV-infected macaques progress to AIDS over a period of 1 to 3 years, in the face of robust SIV-specific immune responses (conventional progressors [CP]). A small number of SIV-inoculated macaques mount transient immune responses and progress rapidly to AIDS (rapid progressors [RP]). We speculated that the underlying pathogenic mechanisms may differ between RP and CP macaques. We compared the pathological lesions, virus loads, and distribution of virus and target cells in SIVsmE660- or SIVsmE543-infected RP and CP rhesus macaques at terminal disease. RP macaques developed a wasting syndrome characterized by severe SIV enteropathy in the absence of opportunistic infections. In contrast, opportunistic infections were commonly observed in CP macaques. RP and CP macaques showed distinct patterns of CD4
+
T-cell depletion, with a selective loss of memory cells in RP macaques and a generalized (naive and memory) CD4 depletion in CP macaques. In situ hybridization demonstrated higher levels of virus expression in lymphoid tissues (
P
< 0.001) of RP macaques and a broader distribution to include many nonlymphoid tissues. Finally, SIV was preferentially expressed in macrophages in RP macaques whereas the primary target cells in CP macaques were T lymphocytes at end stage disease. These data suggest distinct pathogenic mechanisms leading to the deaths of these two groups of animals, with CP macaques being more representative of HIV-induced AIDS in humans.
Host Transcription Profiles upon Primary Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
Authors: Janssen Riny , Pennings Jeroen , Hodemaekers Hennie , Buisman Annemarie , van Oosten Marijke , de Rond Lia , Öztürk Kemal , Dormans Jan , Kimman Tjeerd , Hoebee Barbara
Published: March 2007

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of severe lower respiratory tract infection in children. Severe RSV disease is related to an inappropriate immune response to RSV resulting in enhanced lung pathology which is influenced by host genetic factors. To gain insight into the early pathways of the pathogenesis of and immune response to RSV infection, we determined the transcription profiles of lungs and lymph nodes on days 1 and 3 after infection of mice. Primary RSV infection resulted in a rapid but transient innate, proinflammatory response, as exemplified by the induction of a large number of type I interferon-regulated genes and chemokine genes, genes involved in inflammation, and genes involved in antigen processing. Interestingly, this response is much stronger on day 1 than on day 3 after infection, indicating that the strong transcriptional response in the lung precedes the peak of viral replication. Surprisingly, the set of down-regulated genes was small and none of these genes displayed strong down-regulation. Responses in the lung-draining lymph nodes were much less prominent than lung responses and are suggestive of NK cell activation. Our data indicate that at time points prior to the peak of viral replication and influx of inflammatory cells, the local lung response, measured at the transcriptional level, has already dampened down. The processes and pathways induced shortly after RSV infection can now be used for the selection of candidate genes for human genetic studies of children with severe RSV infection.
The Autoregulatory and Transactivating Functions of the Human Cytomegalovirus IE86 Protein Use Independent Mechanisms for Promoter Binding
Authors: Petrik Dustin T. , Schmitt Kimberly P. , Stinski Mark F.
Published: March 2007

The functions of the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) IE86 protein are paradoxical, as it can both activate and repress viral gene expression through interaction with the promoter region. Although the mechanism for these functions is not clearly defined, it appears that a combination of direct DNA binding and protein-protein interactions is involved. Multiple sequence alignment of several HCMV IE86 homologs reveals that the amino acids
534
LPIYE
538
are conserved between all primate and nonprimate CMVs. In the context of a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC), mutation of both P535 and Y537 to alanines (P535A/Y537A) results in a nonviable BAC. The defective HCMV BAC does not undergo DNA replication, although the P535A/Y537A mutant IE86 protein appears to be stably expressed. The P535A/Y537A mutant IE86 protein is able to negatively autoregulate transcription from the major immediate-early (MIE) promoter and was recruited to the MIE promoter in a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. However, the P535A/Y537A mutant IE86 protein was unable to transactivate early viral genes and was not recruited to the early viral UL4 and UL112 promoters in a ChIP assay. From these data, we conclude that the transactivation and repressive functions of the HCMV IE86 protein can be separated and must occur through independent mechanisms.
Sequential Autoprocessing of Marek's Disease Herpesvirus Protease Differs from That of Other Herpesviruses
Authors: Laurent S. , Blondeau C. , Belghazi M. , Remy S. , Esnault E. , Rasschaert P. , Rasschaert D.
Published: March 2007

Herpesviruses encode a unique serine protease essential for viral capsid maturation. This protease undergoes autoprocessing at two sites, R and M, at the consensus sequence (V, L, I)
P3
-X
P2
-A
P1
/S
P1′
(where X is a polar amino acid). We observed complete autoprocessing at the R and M sites of Marek's disease virus (MDV) protease following production of the polyprotein in
Escherichia coli
. Site-directed mutagenesis confirmed the predicted sequence of the R and M sites, with the M site sequence being nonconsensual: M
P3
-N
P2
-A
P1
/S
P1′
. Mutagenesis and expression kinetics studies suggested that the atypical MDV M site was cleaved exclusively by the processed short protease, a feature making MDV unique among herpesviruses.
Epstein-Barr Virus Infection of Langerhans Cell Precursors as a Mechanism of Oral Epithelial Entry, Persistence, and Reactivation
Authors: Walling Dennis M. , Ray Autumn J. , Nichols Joan E. , Flaitz Catherine M. , Nichols C. Mark
Published: March 2007

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous human herpesvirus associated with many malignant and nonmalignant human diseases. Life-long latent EBV persistence occurs in blood-borne B lymphocytes, while EBV intermittently productively replicates in mucosal epithelia. Although several models have previously been proposed, the mechanism of EBV transition between these two reservoirs of infection has not been determined. In this study, we present the first evidence demonstrating that EBV latently infects a unique subset of blood-borne mononuclear cells that are direct precursors to Langerhans cells and that EBV both latently and productively infects oral epithelium-resident cells that are likely Langerhans cells. These data form the basis of a proposed new model of EBV transition from blood to oral epithelium in which EBV-infected Langerhans cell precursors serve to transport EBV to the oral epithelium as they migrate and differentiate into oral Langerhans cells. This new model contributes fresh insight into the natural history of EBV infection and the pathogenesis of EBV-associated epithelial disease.
Random Screening for Dominant-Negative Mutants of the Cytomegalovirus Nuclear Egress Protein M50
Authors: Rupp Brigitte , Ruzsics Zsolt , Buser Christopher , Adler Barbara , Walther Paul , Koszinowski Ulrich H.
Published: March 2007

Inactivation of gene products by dominant-negative (DN) mutants is a powerful tool to assign functions to proteins. Here, we present a two-step procedure to establish a random screen for DN alleles, using the essential murine cytomegalovirus gene M50 as an example. First, loss-of-function mutants from a linker-scanning library were tested for inhibition of virus reconstitution with the help of FLP-mediated ectopic insertion of the mutants into the viral genome. Second, DN candidates were confirmed by conditional expression of the inhibitory proteins in the virus context. This allowed the quantification of the inhibitory effect, the identification of the morphogenesis block, and the construction of DN mutants with improved activity. Based on these observations a DN mutant of the homologous gene (UL50) in human cytomegalovirus was predicted and constructed. Our data suggest that a proline-rich sequence motif in the variable region of M50/UL50 represents a new functional site which is essential for nuclear egress of cytomegalovirus capsids.
A statistical technique for determining the source area of glacially transported granite erratics in the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Nunavut
Authors: Atkinson Nigel
Published: March 2007

This paper develops a technique that utilizes spatial and compositional trends in granite erratics distributed across the eastern and northwestern Queen Elizabeth Islands to discriminate between glacial dispersal trains originating from the Precambrian Shield of Ellesmere Island and the Canadian mainland. The distribution of glacially transported granite erratics in the eastern and northwestern Queen Elizabeth Islands defines a coherent pattern of regional dispersal from the Precambrian Shield of eastern Ellesmere Island. Principal components and cluster analyses demonstrate that most erratics within this dispersal train cluster within the same compositional group. Other members of this group represent outcrops on eastern Ellesmere Island, which define the locations of possible source areas. However, other compositional groups, which are unique to outcrops on the mainland, are absent from this dispersal train. Collectively, these spatial and compositional trends suggest that granite erratics on southwest Ellesmere, Amund Ringnes, and Meighen islands occur within a single dispersal train that resulted from the westward expansion of the Innuitian Ice Sheet from the Precambrian Shield of eastern Ellesmere Island. This technique may determine what differences, if any, exist among the composition of granite erratics deposited by the westward expansion of the Innuitian Ice Sheet across the Queen Elizabeth Islands and those deposited by the northward expansion of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. Any such differences may be useful in determining whether granite erratics of presently unknown provenance elsewhere in the Queen Elizabeth Islands are of Laurentide or Innuitian origin.
The growing degree-day and fish size-at-age: the overlooked metric
Authors: Neuheimer Anna B , Taggart Christopher T
Published: March 2007

Growth rate in ectotherms, including most fish, is a function of temperature. For decades, agriculturalists (270+ years) and entomologists (45+ years) have recognized the thermal integral, known as the growing degree-day (GDD, °C·day), to be a reliable predictor of growth and development. Fish and fisheries researchers have yet to widely acknowledge the power of the GDD in explaining growth and development among fishes. We demonstrate that fish length-at-day (LaD), in most cases prior to maturation, is a strong linear function of the GDD metric that can explain >92% of the variation in LaD among 41 data sets representing nine fish species drawn from marine and freshwater environments, temperate and tropical climes, constant and variable temperature regimes, and laboratory and field studies. The GDD demonstrates explanatory power across large spatial scales, e.g., 93% of the variation in LaD for age-2 to -4 Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) across their entire range (17 stocks) is explained by one simple GDD function. Moreover, GDD can explain much of the variation in fish egg development time and in aquatic invertebrate (crab) size-at-age. Our analysis extends the well-established and physiologically relevant GDD metric to fish where, relative to conventional time-based methods, it provides greater explanatory power.
Frequency of multiple paternity in an unexploited tropical population of sandbar sharks (Carcharhinus plumbeus)
Authors: Daly-Engel Toby S , Grubbs R Dean , Bowen Brian W , Toonen Robert J
Published: March 2007

Elasmobranch mating systems have received growing attention in the past few years because of worldwide overexploitation of shark populations. Few studies to date have examined mating systems in sharks because of difficulty in sampling. The sandbar shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus) is heavily harvested around the world and is the dominant species in the main commercial fishery for large coastal sharks in the United States. In contrast, Hawaii hosts one of the few unexploited populations of sandbar sharks and represents an opportunity to gather data on the reproductive biology of a vulnerable shark species without the confounding effects of fishing mortality. We examined the frequency of multiple paternity in Hawaiian sandbar sharks using 130 individuals (20 gravid females with three–eight pups each per litter) surveyed with six polymorphic microsatellite loci and determined that 8 of the 20 litters (40%) were multiple- sired. A Bayesian approach estimated the frequency of multiple mating in this population at 43.8%, with a 95% confidence interval of 23%–63%. We conclude that multiple paternity and genetic monogamy occur with roughly equal frequency in the Hawaiian sandbar shark population. This study may serve as groundwork for understanding the impact of commercial fishing pressure on elasmobranch mating systems.
Changes in organic carbon storage in a 50 year white spruce plantation chronosequence established on fallow land in Quebec
Authors: Tremblay Sylvie , Périé Catherine , Ouimet Rock
Published: March 2007

The objectives of this study were to assess the change in organic carbon (C) stocks in aboveground biomass, litter, and soil in a 50 year chronosequence of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) plantations established on non-regenerated fallow land in Quebec, and to determine the effects of ploughing (furrows) on these C stocks. Woody aboveground biomass was determined from dendrometric surveys and the use of allometric equations. The litter was sampled as well as the underlying soil in layers 10 cm thick down to 50 cm depth. The plantations under study were C sinks over the 50 year period, since they accumulated 75 Mg·ha–1 during this period, with the highest rate of C accumulation occurring in the woody aboveground vegetation between 10 and 35 years. The soil at 0–30 cm depth was a C source, mainly until the plantations reached 22 years of age, with an annual loss of 0.8% over 50 years. No difference was observed among the controls and site-preparation treatments. These results suggest that 22-year-old white spruce plantations, the oldest considered for the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol (2008–2012), would be a small C sink (12 Mg·ha–1) in southeastern Quebec but would become a larger sink for subsequent commitment periods.
Scale and spatial structure effects on tree size distributions: implications for growth and yield modelling
Authors: García Oscar
Published: March 2007

Diameter and other size distributions are extensively used in growth modelling. These are usually obtained from sample plot data and assumed to apply both at the stand level, of interest for production planning, and at the forest patch level, the level relevant for tree growth interactions. However, spatial correlation can cause distribution parameters and their estimates to vary with the extent of ground considered. Using mapped tree data from four forest stands in central Canada, it is shown that differences in DBH variance with plot size can be substantial. In addition, size correlations between neighbouring trees were positive, rather than negative as implied by current distance-dependent growth models. Biases in mean DBH are also found. It is proved that plot totals and frequencies are unbiased estimates of stand parameters, but variances and some other statistics are not. The expected variance is expressed in terms of plot size and shape and of second-order stand spatial structure properties. Some possible approaches for reducing bias in stand-level variance estimates are discussed, and the desirability of modelling microsite or genetic spatial correlations in individual-tree simulators is pointed out.
Growth response of Norway spruce saplings in two forest gaps in the Swiss Alps to artificial browsing, infection with black snow mold, and competition by ground vegetation
Authors: Cunningham Catherine , Zimmermann Niklaus E , Stoeckli Veronika , Bugmann Harald
Published: March 2007

Black snow mold (Herpotrichia juniperi (Duby) Petr.) infection and browsing byungulates influence the growth of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) saplings in subalpine forests in the European Alps. To isolate the impacts of artificial browsing (clipping of shoots) and snow mold infection on growth, we conducted a 2 year field experiment with planted saplings in two forest gaps in the subalpine zone of the Swiss Alps. In the first year (2003) saplings responded slightly positively to clipping and negatively to snow mold infection; sapling growth behavior was site-specific (ANOVA, r2 = 0.35). In 2004, saplings responded negatively to clipping, snow mold infection, long-lasting snow cover, and shading by ground vegetation (ANOVA, r2 = 0.59). The difference in mean annual growth rates between noninfected and infected saplings was large; long-lasting snow was found to enhance snow mold coverage. Removing these variables from general linear models strongly reduced model performance (d2 = 0.32 for the full model, d2 = 0.23 for no clipping, d2 = 0.16 for no snow cover). Sapling growth was negatively related to shading by ground vegetation, especially in 2004. We conclude that these biotic factors have a strong impact on growth, both individually and in combination, and that their effect is enhanced by interaction with environmental factors such as snow duration.
AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF BOOSTED NEURAL NETWORK FOR PARTICLE CLASSIFICATION IN HIGH ENERGY COLLISIONS
Authors: YU MEILING , LIU LIANSHOU
Published: March 2007

The possible application of boosted neural network to particle classification in high energy physics is discussed. A two-dimensional toy model, where the boundary between signal and background is irregular but not overlapping, is constructed to show how boosting technique works with neural network. It is found that boosted neural network not only decreases the error rate of classification significantly but also increases the efficiency and signal–background ratio. Besides, boosted neural network can avoid the disadvantage aspects of single neural network design. The boosted neural network is also applied to the classification of quark- and gluon-jet samples from Monte Carlo e+e- collisions, where the two samples show significant overlapping. The performance of boosting technique for the two different boundary cases — with and without overlapping is discussed.
TIME-FREQUENCY JIGSAW PUZZLE: ADAPTIVE MULTIWINDOW AND MULTILAYERED GABOR EXPANSIONS
Authors: JAILLET FLORENT , TORRÉSANI BRUNO
Published: March 2007

We describe a new adaptive multiwindow Gabor expansion, which dynamically adapts the windows to the signal's features in time-frequency space. The adaptation is based on local time-frequency sparsity criteria, and also yields as by-product an expansion of the signal into layers corresponding to different windows. As an illustration, we show that simply using two different windows with different sizes leads to decompositions of audio signals into transient and tonal layers. We also discuss potential applications to transient detection and denoising.
Cardiac-related rhythms in sympathetic nerve activity in preterm fetal sheep
Authors: Booth Lindsea C. , Bennet Laura , Barrett Carolyn J. , Guild Sarah-Jane , Wassink Guido , Gunn Alistair J. , Malpas Simon C.
Published: March 2007

Extensive studies in the adult have demonstrated that the sympathetic nervous system plays a central role in cardiovascular control. The maturation of the sympathetic nervous system before birth is poorly understood. In the present study, we directly recorded renal sympathetic nerve activity (renal SNA) in five preterm fetal sheep (99 ± 1 days gestation; term is 147 days). Recordings were performed in utero using a telemetry-based technique to alleviate movement artifact without anesthesia or paralysis. The preterm fetuses exhibited a coordinated discharge pattern in renal SNA, indicating many individual neurons active at approximately the same time. This is consistent with that observed previously in adult animals, although the frequency of the bursts was relatively low (0.5 ± 0.1 Hz). The discharges in renal SNA were entrained to the cardiac cycle (average delay between diastolic pressure and maximum renal SNA 319 ± 1 ms). The entrainment of the sympathetic discharges to the cardiac cycle indicates phasic baroreceptor input and that the underlying circuits controlling SNA within the central nervous system are active in premature fetuses.
Lanthanide Complex Strategy for Detection and Separation of Histidine-tagged Proteins
Authors: Tsukube Hiroshi , Yano Keiko , Ishida Akito , Shinoda Satoshi
Published: March 2007

A series of trivalent lanthanide complexes were immobilized on SPR sensory chips and protein separation membranes. They worked as alternatives to transition-metal complexes in detection and separation of histidine-tagged ubiquitin protein. Since the highly coordinated complex between NTA ligand, Eu3+ center, and hexahistidine moiety exhibited the enhanced luminescence, the present system provides a further possibility for use in in-situ optical protein imaging process.
Electrophile-triggered Assembly of Metal Enamides and Allyl Grignard Reagent in One Pot. Novel Nucleophilic Double Allylation of Azadienes
Authors: Urabe Hirokazu , Shikanai Daisuke , Arayama Kyohei , Sato Takayuki , Tanaka Ryoichi
Published: March 2007

When an electrophile (H+ or an alkyl halide) was added to a mixture of 1-aryl-2-aza-1,3-butadiene and allyl Grignard reagent, selective assembly of the azadiene, nucleophiles, and an electrophile took place to give α,α′-diallylated amine in one pot.
Systemtheorie und Strafrecht: Kritik der rollenbezogenen Zurechnungslehre
Authors: Sacher Mariana
Published: March 2007

I. Die aufgesplitterte „Lehre“ von der objektiven Zurechnung

Die Lehre von der objektiven Zurechnung unter dem unrechtsbezogenen Aspekt der Schaffung von Freiheitsräumen erfährt heutzutage so unterschiedliche Ausgestaltungen vor allem aufgrund der unterschiedlichen Basiskonzepte des Strafrechts, dass die Bezeichnung als Lehre nur durch die noch gemeinsame Idee eines tatbestandlichen strafrechtsfreien Raums bestehen bleibt. Die Entwicklung der Zurechnungslehre von Günther Jakobs hat vor allem dazu beigetragen, dass sich die Begründungswege und die Zurechnungsstrukturen voneinander wesentlich entfernt haben. Dies erfolgte vor allem durch die in der letzten Zeit vollzogene Wandlung von Jakobs bei der Begründung des Strafrechtsfundaments, was natürlich auch im Unrechtsbereich Folgen zeitigte.
Wirtschaftsstrafrecht: – Bank- und Kapitalmarktstrafrecht sowie Insolvenzstrafrecht –
Authors: Wohlers Wolfgang , Kudlich Hans
Published: March 2007

Seit der Publikation des letzten von Harro Otto und Klaus Tiedemann erstellten Literaturberichts zum Wirtschaftsstrafrecht sind sechs Jahre verstrichen. Das Bestreben, die in diesem Zeitraum publizierte wirtschaftsstrafrechtliche Literatur möglichst umfänglich zu berücksichtigen, macht es erforderlich, den Literaturbericht in mehreren, thematisch differenzierten Teilen zu erstellen, wobei der hier vorliegende erste Teil die Gebiete des Bank- und Kapitalmarktstrafrechts sowie des Insolvenzstrafrechts abdeckt. Angesichts der Fülle der Publikationen haben wir uns auf die Darstellung des einschlägigen monographischen Schrifttums beschränkt, während die – entweder bereits gut eingeführten und/oder anderweitig rezensierten – Lehr- und Handbücher bewusst ausgespart bleiben. Ziel des Literaturberichts ist es also, die sich im monographischen Schrifttum abbildende Diskussion wirtschaftsstrafrechtlicher Problemstellungen nachzuzeichnen.
Strafrechtliche Sanktionen und ihre Reform in England und Wales
Authors: Wischmeyer Thomas
Published: March 2007

I. Einleitung

Ein zwiespältiges Gefühl bestimmt die Annäherung an das englische Sanktionenrecht. Fortschrittlich erscheint, dass vieles, was in deutschen Reformdebatten erst am Horizont aufscheint, in England schon lange praktiziert wird. Die konkrete Umsetzung erzeugt aber oft ein Unbehagen beim Betrachter, das manchmal an Anthony Burgess' Roman „Clockwork Orange“ erinnert. Diese Mischung aus Progressivität und Problematik macht das englische Modell gerade vor dem Hintergrund deutscher Reformdiskussionen und europäischer Vereinheitlichungsbemühungen besonders attraktiv.
Diurnal and nocturnal nursing behavior in the OLETF rat
Authors: Schroeder Mariana , Lavi‐Avnon Yael , Dagan Michal , Zagoory‐Sharon Orna , Weller Aron , Moran Timothy H.
Published: March 2007

The Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rat model of obesity has been recently found to develop hyperphagia and obesity early in life. Our goal was to investigate the dams' nursing behavior during the day and the night in order to elucidate their contribution to the pre‐obesity of the pups. We examined nursing bout number, length, posture, initiative, nursing total time and frequency of other maternal behaviors over the three postpartum (PP) weeks. In the first week, OLETF dams nursed more during the day and presented more self‐directed activities during the night. In the third PP week, OLETF dams displayed increased nursing time, bout number, nursing frequency, and supine postures at the beginning of the nursing episodes and less active self‐directed behaviors, both day and night, while OLETF pups displayed more initiative in starting nursing bouts. The results suggest a circadian difference in nursing behavior and self‐directed activities between the strains on PP week 1 and a strong influence of the OLETF pups on the nursing behavior of the dam on PP week 3, which contributes to their obese features. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 49: 323–333, 2007.
Shear wave velocity measurement during a standard penetration test
Authors: Ohta Yutaka , Goto Noritoshi , Kagami Hiroshi , Shiono Keishi
Published: March 2007

An experiment was carried out to develop a technique to measure shear wave velocity simultaneously with the standard penetration test popular in soil engineering. In the standard penetration test an impact at the bottom of a borehole is produced by weight dropping and may be expected to generate seismic waves. A three‐component geophone was set on the ground surface near the borehole and the waves generated were recorded with a magnetic recorder at successive depths of the penetration test. The predominance of the SV wave obtained with this simple method was assured by measurement of the particle orbit. Signal amplitudes decrease with depth and become less than the noise level at a certain depth. Therefore records from deeper sources must be processed to disclose the shear waves. Since waveforms of SV events generated by blows of the penetration test at a given depth are very similar, the signal to noise ratio would be expected to be improved by a stack of wave trains. A paste‐up of the radial component after stacking was compared with that before stacking and a refinement was clearly recognized.

A vertical distribution of shear wave velocity was obtained by reading the onset time at each depth. Shear wave velocities thus obtained were compared with N values from the standard penetration test and specific resistivities from electrical logging in the same borehole. The data were mutually consistent.

This experiment showed that a convenient, precise shear wave velocity measurement can be conducted during the routine work of a standard penetration test.
Seismic response analysis of above‐ground pipelines
Authors: Powell Graham H.
Published: March 2007

A procedure for computing the seismic response of above‐ground, cross‐country pipelines is described. The procedure accounts for the effects of initial static loads, slipping of the pipe on its supports and out‐of‐phase ground motions at different points along the pipe. The idealization, assumptions and theory are described, and an example illustrating the influence of several parameters on the response is presented.
Climatological screening of climate model output with observations for Korean water resources applications
Authors: Bae Deg‐Hyo , Georgakakos Konstantine P. , Kwon Won‐Tae
Published: March 2007

This study focuses on the characteristic features of the surface hydroclimatology of seven watersheds on the South Korean Peninsula and the degree to which four modern‐day climate models represent it at nodal and watershed scales. Long‐term means and standard deviations of watershed mean areal precipitation and surface air temperature, and watershed‐outlet discharge are computed for each month of the year using daily observed data (1979–2002) aggregated to monthly averages. Cumulative frequency distributions of standardized anomalies by season and watershed characterize hydroclimatic variability. The results show that the surface climate variables examined exhibit strong seasonal cycles (monsoonal behavior) with substantial differences in mean and variability across watersheds and seasons. Single simulations from two high resolution (200 × 200 km2) and 10‐member ensemble simulations from two coarser resolution (280 × 280 km2 and 400 × 500 km2) models are also used to produce model hydroclimatologies of long‐term monthly means, standard deviations, and seasonal cumulative frequency distributions of standardized anomalies for nodes on and around the South Korean Peninsula. The models differ in physical and numerical formulations and some utilize observed and others utilize persisted sea surface temperature forcing. A comparison of the unadjusted model‐produced and observed hydroclimatology on peninsular scales showed that several models skillfully reproduce features of the hydroclimatology for certain seasons, but with substantial deficiencies in other features shown as well. The results of this paper form a basis for the judicious use of climate model simulations for developing hydroclimatology for means and variability of surface watershed variables for water resources planning in the South Korean Peninsula. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society
Impact of asthma education received from health care providers on parental illness representation in childhood asthma
Authors: Peterson‐Sweeney Kathleen , McMullen Ann , Yoos H. Lorrie , Kitzmann Harriet , Halterman Jill S. , Arcoleo Kimberly Sidora , Anson Elizabeth
Published: March 2007

The burden of asthma has increased dramatically despite increased understanding of asthma and new medication regimens. Data reported here are part of a larger study investigating factors that influence parental asthma illness representation and the impact of this representation on treatment outcomes, including the parent/health care provider relationship. We investigated the influence of asthma related education provided by health care providers on these outcomes. After interviewing 228 parents of children with asthma, we found that asthma education received from the child's health care providers positively influenced parental belief systems, especially attitudes towards anti‐inflammatory medications and facts about asthma. Parents who reported receiving more education also reported stronger partnerships with their child's health care provider. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 30: 203–212, 2007
Molecular prenatal diagnosis for hereditary distal arthrogryposis type 2B
Authors: Jiang Miao , Bian Chaoying , Li Xuefu , Man Xiaohui , Ge Wang , Han Weitian , Bao Haixia , Li Yunqing , Yi Dongxu , Guan Yanmin , Li Jianxin
Published: March 2007

Autosomal dominant distal arthrogryposes (DAs) are a group of muscle diseases characterized by congenital contractures of the limbs. Currently, prenatal diagnosis of DAs depends upon ultrasound examination during late gestation. Recently, five genes encoding fast switch proteins located at 9p13.2, 11p15.5 and 17q13.1 were identified. These included TPM2, TNNI2/TNNT3, and MYH3/MYH8. Last year, we discovered a novel heterozygous mutation c.523_525delAAG (p.K175del) in the TNNI2 gene, which encodes the isoform of troponinI, in a seven‐generation Chinese family affected with distal arthrogryposis type 2B (DA2B). Here, we report the molecular prenatal diagnosis of 3 high‐risk fetuses of two women in the family by two‐point linkage inferential analysis and deletion detection of the TNNI2 gene with chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis. To our knowledge, this is the first description of molecular prenatal diagnosis for DAs. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Molecular characterization of a ring chromosome 15 in a fetus with intra uterine growth retardation and diaphragmatic hernia
Authors: Hatem Elghezal , Meriam Ben Rekaya , Walid Denguezli , Adenen Moussa , Moez Gribaa , Ali Saad
Published: March 2007

Objective

To improve the phenotype‐genotype correlation in terminal 15q deletions and ring chromosome 15 syndrome.

Methods

Echographic examination of fetus. R‐banded chromosome and FISH analysis on cultured amniocytes. Microsatellite analysis to determine parental origin of the ring chromosome 15. Fetal autopsy.

Results

We report a new case of prenatal diagnosis of congenital diaphragmatic hernia and intrauterine growth retardation in a fetus with ring chromosome 15 involving 15q26.1‐qter deletion.

Conclusion

This case support the evidence that the region 15q26.3 is implicated in intrauterine growth retardation and suggests that the 15q critical region implicated in congenital diaphragmatic hernia is localized in 15q26.1–q26.2. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Outcome of prenatally diagnosed agenesis of the corpus callosum
Authors: Fratelli N. , Papageorghiou A. T. , Prefumo F. , Bakalis S. , Homfray T. , Thilaganathan B.
Published: March 2007

Objective

To investigate the natural history, associated abnormalities and outcome in fetuses diagnosed prenatally with agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC).

Methods

A retrospective study of all cases of prenatally detected ACC was performed in patients referred to two tertiary units between January 1993 and October 2003. Associated abnormalities, pregnancy outcome and infant follow‐up were recorded.

Results

ACC was diagnosed in 117 cases. In 82 (70%) cases this was associated with other fetal structural (n = 49) or chromosomal abnormalities (n = 33). ACC was classified as an isolated prenatal finding in 35 (30%) cases. Assuming normal development in all cases lost to follow‐up, significant developmental delay was present in 36% (95% CI, 15–65%) of isolated ACC. Furthermore, developmental delay was present in all cases with ventriculomegaly of at least 15 mm and in one of four cases with ventricular measurements less than 15 mm.

Conclusions

The outcome of prenatally detected ACC is mainly dependent on the presence or absence of associated anomalies. The full assessment of fetal ACC mandates karyotyping, MRI and a search for more subtle ultrasound features of certain genetic syndromes. In this series, at least 36% (95% CI, 15–65%) of cases with isolated ACC exhibited significant developmental delay when assessed postnatally. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Strategies for the effective identification of remotely related sequences in multiple PSSM search approach
Authors: Gowri V.S. , Tina K.G. , Krishnadev O. , Srinivasan N.
Published: March 2007

Searches using position specific scoring matrices (PSSMs) have been commonly used in remote homology detection procedures such as PSI‐BLAST and RPS‐BLAST. A PSSM is generated typically using one of the sequences of a family as the reference sequence. In the case of PSI‐BLAST searches the reference sequence is same as the query. Recently we have shown that searches against the database of multiple family‐profiles, with each one of the members of the family used as a reference sequence, are more effective than searches against the classical database of single family‐profiles. Despite relatively a better overall performance when compared with common sequence‐profile matching procedures, searches against the multiple family‐profiles database result in a few false positives and false negatives. Here we show that profile length and divergence of sequences used in the construction of a PSSM have major influence on the performance of multiple profile based search approach. We also identify that a simple parameter defined by the number of PSSMs corresponding to a family that is hit, for a query, divided by the total number of PSSMs in the family can distinguish effectively the true positives from the false positives in the multiple profiles search approach. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.