bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An evolutionary perspective on C‐type lectins in infection and immunity
Authors: van den Berg Linda M. , Gringhuis Sonja I. , Geijtenbeek Teunis B.H.
Published: January 2012

Host–pathogen interactions have coevolved for many years. On the one hand, the human immune system consists of innate and adaptive immune cells that function to defeat pathogens, and on the other hand, pathogens have coevolved to use the system for their own propagation. C‐type lectins are conserved receptors recognizing carbohydrate structures on viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi. C‐type lectins such as DC‐SIGN, langerin, and dectin‐1 are expressed by dendritic cell subsets and macrophages. Pathogen recognition by C‐type lectins triggers signaling pathways that lead to the expression of specific cytokines which subsequently instruct adaptive T helper immune responses. T helper cell differentiation is crucial for initiating proper adaptive immune responses; some pathogens, however, use pattern recognition receptors like C‐type lectins to subvert immune responses for survival. This review provides an update on the role of C‐type lectins in HIV‐1, mycobacterial, and Candida infections, and the coevolution of hosts and pathogens.
Neuromyelitis optica shows hypermetabolism in 18‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography
Authors: Kawai Motoharu , Shimizu Fumitaka , Omoto Masatoshi , Ogasawara Jun‐Ichi , Takahashi Toshiyuki , Kanda Takashi
Published: January 2012

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an idiopathic severe necrotic inflammatory disease that mainly causes optic neuritis and myelopathy. Although it usually shows typical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the spinal lesions in NMO might sometimes mimic neoplasms or multiple sclerosis (MS) plaques. We present two NMO patients who showed marked hypermetabolism using 18‐fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging at spinal cord lesions, corresponding to the gadolinium‐enhanced site. As MS plaques typically show hypometabolism, FDG‐PET imaging might be a useful and specific tool for the differential diagnosis of MS and NMO. Furthermore, NMO lesions should not be misdiagnosed as neoplasms simply because of the presence of hypermetabolism in FDG‐PET imaging. (Clin. Exp. Neuroimmunol. doi: 10.1111/j.1759‐1961.2011.00026.x, 2012)
To 2012 and Beyond: International Assistance to Police and Security Sector Development in Timor‐Leste
Authors: Wilson Bu V. E.
Published: January 2012

The United Nations (UN) has now been involved in the (re)construction of Timor‐Leste's police force on two occasions. Although initially hailed as a success, in 2006 a serious security and governance crisis looked set to unravel the country's postindependence achievements, resulting in renewed international involvement in the security sector. However, many of the problems involved in constructing the Polícia Nacional Timor‐Leste (PNTL) the first time have been faithfully reproduced the second time. The mandate to reconstruct the PNTL in 2006 was an opportunity for the UN to salvage its reputation for a job done poorly the first time, yet the significant lack of capacity and relationship in both the UN and the Timor‐Leste government has meant little improvement in the PNTL. Arguably, the failure of the UN to construct a police force in Timor‐Leste has far broader implications in police building globally.
Tracking a Movement: U.S. Milestones in Suicide Prevention
Authors: Spencer‐Thomas Sally , Jahn Danielle R.
Published: January 2012

Suicidology and suicide prevention are relatively new fields of study in the United States, but they have made significant progress since their beginnings. This study aimed to identify the most impactful theories in the history of science and suicidology and the most impactful events in the suicide prevention movement. These theories and events were identified through expert nomination. The most impactful theories were those of Shneidman, Durkheim, and Joiner. The most impactful events included the opening of the first suicide prevention center and hotline, the founding of the American Association of Suicidology, and national publications (e.g.,National Strategy for Suicide Prevention).
Poverty and Violent Conflict: A Micro‐Level Perspective on the Causes and Duration of Warfare
Authors: Justino Patricia
Published: January 2012

This paper discusses how endogenous mechanisms linking processes of violent conflict and the economic well‐being of individuals and households in combat areas provide valuable micro foundations to the ongoing debate on the causes and duration of armed conflict. Notably, the endogenous relationship between conflict processes and household economic status leads to the emergence of symbiotic associations between armed groups and households living in areas they control that affect substantially the probability of a conflict starting and its effectiveness thereafter. Households in conflict areas draw on local armed groups to protect their economic status when anticipating violence and during the conflict, while armed groups make use of different levels of (either reluctant or voluntary) participation, support and cooperation from local populations to advance their strategic objectives at the onset and throughout the conflict. The level of household participation at the start and during the conflict is a function of two interdependent variables, namely household vulnerability to poverty and household vulnerability to violence. The poorer the household is at the start of the conflict, the higher is the probability of the household participating and supporting an armed group. The higher the risk of violence, the higher is the probability of the household participating and supporting armed groups. The interaction between these two variables varies with the conflict itself and is defined by the direct and indirect effects of conflict‐induced violence on the economic behaviour and decisions of households in combat areas.
Social Protection in Myanmar: Making the Case for Holistic Policy Reform
Authors: Nishino Yoshimi , Koehler Gabriele
Published: January 2012

Myanmar is a country with a very low per capita income and distressing failures in nutrition, health, education, and others areas of social development. Currently, there appears to be some political softening, and in the realm of policymaking, a series of adaptations have been gradually introduced over the past three years. This paper examines vulnerability and poverty dynamics in the country and its evolving social protection framework. Building on pertinent regional examples, the paper makes the case for holistic social protection policy responses in the domains of social transfers for livelihood support and access to finance, education and health access, child protection, protection from exclusion, and as an emergency response. The outlook argues that comprehensive inclusive and ultimately transformative social protection needs to be introduced and could be within reach, as an integral part of deeper systemic reform in Myanmar.
Mapping Police Services in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Institutional Interactions at Central, Provincial and Local Levels
Authors: Nlandu Thierry Mayamba
Published: January 2012

This paper examines the roles, responsibilities and interactions between the various formal and informal institutions and stakeholders involved in the management of police services in the DRC. It identifies informal networks that influence decision‐making processes and policy implementation, and provides an analysis of interactions between the Congolese population and national and international actors. It also aims to highlight both horizontal and vertical accountability mechanisms within the existing legal framework, setting out to identify any legal gaps and contradictions, which could explain overlapping mandates.

The study provides interesting geographical and administrative data on national security systems, and uses a multidimensional governance approach to understand the complexity of the security sector and the interconnectedness between the relevant actors.

The study concludes that stakeholders of the security and police sectors of the DRC are linked together in a web of complex and dynamic systems, characterised by discrepancies between theory and practice. It is inaccurate to think of these systems and mechanisms as working either in opposition to one another or in parallel. In fact, these systems intertwine more than they conflict, and there are significant overlaps and confusion with regard to the mandates of the existing institutions, structures and actors involved. All security services in the DRC possess a legal framework within which they must operate. The legal contradictions and loopholes identified in this paper are often the result of dubious interpretations, or even deliberate misinterpretations of existing operational provisions underlying the functioning of security services.

The research concludes that there is very poor coordination between the various actors and institutions involved in the management of security services in the DRC. This creates a dysfunctional structure characterised by a culture of impunity, with only a semblance of autonomy and independence among actors, but never with regard to senior civil servants in charge of coordination.
MOLECULAR DYNAMICS STUDY OF DIFFUSION OF DIFFERENT INERT GASES LIKE NEON AND ARGON IN WATER AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES
Authors: MOKTAN H. B. , PANDAY A. , ADHIKARI N. P.
Published: January 2012

Molecular dynamics study of a binary mixture of inert gases like neon and argon in SPC/E water, with the solute mole fraction of 0.023 have been accomplished at temperatures 288, 293, 298, 303, 308 and 313 K. The solvent–solvent, solute–solute and solute–solvent radial distribution functions have been estimated. The water–water radial distribution function has been found to agree well with the experimental value. Self-diffusion coefficients of both solvent and solutes have been determined by means of respective mean square displacement (MSD) curves using the Einstein's relation. The obtained values for the self-diffusion coefficients of these gases and solvent SPC/E water is found to agree well with available experimental values. The binary diffusion coefficients of these gases in water have then been estimated by using the Darken's relation. The temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficients has also been analyzed. The temperature dependence of estimated values of self-diffusion coefficients of water have been found to obey the Arrhenius relation. Self-diffusion coefficient of neon and argon is found to vary with the temperature according as Arrhenius relation.
EXTERNAL NON-GAUSSIAN NOISE-ENHANCED COLLECTIVE INTRINSIC SPIKING COHERENCE IN AN ARRAY OF STOCHASTIC HODGKIN–HUXLEY NEURONS
Authors: GONG YUBING , LIN XIU , WANG LI
Published: January 2012

In this Letter, we study the effect of the interaction of external non-Gaussian noise and channel noise on the temporal coherence of the collective intrinsic spiking of an array of bi-directionally coupled stochastic Hodgkin–Huxley (HH) neurons, mainly investigating how the non-Gaussian noise's deviation q from Gaussian distribution affects the spiking coherence and coherence resonance (CR) induced by channel noise and neuron number. It is found that the spiking coherence for small channel noise and the CR induced by channel noise or by neuron number change with the variation of q. As q is increased, the spiking with smaller channel noise becomes more ordered in time, and the CR by channel noise moves to bigger patch sizes. Furthermore, there is CR phenomenon when neuron number is varied, and the CR can occur in smaller channel noise when q is increased. These results show that appropriate external non-Gaussian noise can enhance and optimize the temporal coherence of the collective spiking of the coupled neurons when channel noise is sufficiently small, and can help the collective spiking with smaller channel noise reach the most ordered performance at an optimal neuron number. The mechanism underlying the phenomena is briefly discussed in terms of the property of the non-Gaussian noise. These findings could help to better understand the joint roles of external non-Gaussian noise and channel noise in the collective spiking activity of an array of coupled stochastic neurons.
DIFFERENCES IN THE STABILITY OF THE HEART INTERBEAT RATE DURING WAKE AND SLEEP PERIODS
Authors: HERNÁNDEZ-PÉREZ R. , GUZMÁN-VARGAS L. , REYES-RAMÍREZ I. , ANGULO-BROWN F.
Published: January 2012

The Allan (ADEV) and Hadamard (HDEV) deviations are mathematical tools developed in the field of time and frequency metrology to define quantitatively the frequency instabilities of an oscillator; which consist of any unwanted departure from its nominal frequency value over a specified time interval. We use both deviations to analyze the stability of the heart interbeat rate for healthy subjects and patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) during wake and sleep periods. We find that the ADEV and HDEV profiles for the subjects in the CHF group exhibit remarkably different trends between wake and sleep periods, namely, larger dispersion between the results for each member of the group while the results for the healthy subjects show some uniformity across the members of the group. Moreover, we observe that the stability for both groups degrades for low scales during the sleep phase, being more significant for the CHF group. Both ADEV and HDEV statistics reveal that healthy data can be described by more uniform deviation values along several scales, particularly for the wake period, whereas CHF data shows important variations.
ION TRAFFIC THROUGH A CELL MEMBRANE — AND HOW ITS 1/f NOISE CONNECTS TO GAMBLER'S RUIN, CATALAN NUMBERS AND ZIPF'S LAW
Authors: BIER MARTIN , GALLAHER JILL
Published: January 2012

1/f Noise has been observed in currents through ion channels, in currents through pores in lipid bilayers, and in the voltage noise of live cells. In the case of the ion channels and bilayer pores, a mechanism has been proposed and corroborated. The mechanism appears robust and may share an underlying logic with Zipf's Law and Gambler's Ruin.
LOW-FREQUENCY NOISE TO CHARACTERIZE RESISTIVE SWITCHING OF METAL OXIDE ON POLYMER MEMORIES
Authors: VANDAMME L. K. J. , CÖLLE M. , DE LEEUW D. M. , VERBAKEL F.
Published: January 2012

Resistive switching in aluminum-polymer diodes has been investigated by noise measurements. Quantitative criteria to characterize the diode states are: (i) Pristine state shows I ∝ Vm with m ≈ 6 at higher bias typical for tunneling. The resistance is very high, 1/f noise is very low, but the relative 1/f noise, fSI/I2 ≡ C1/f is very high. (ii) Forming state is a time-dependent soft breakdown in the Al-oxide that results in random telegraph signal noise (RTS) with a Lorentzian spectrum or in multi-level resistive switching (MLS) with a 1/f3/2 or 1/f-like spectrum. (iii) The H- or L-state shows I ∝ Vm with m = 1 for V < 1 V and 3/2 < m < 2 for V > 1 V . Deviations from ohmic behavior are explained by space charge limited current in the polymer. Reliable H- and L-states show pure 1/f noise, a resistance R that changes by at least a factor 30 and 1/f noise that follows the proportionality: C1/f ∝ R with a proportionality factor αμ( cm 2/ Vs ) of the same level as observed in metals, polymers and other semiconductors. C1/f ∝ R is explained by switching of the number of homogeneous conducting paths in parallel. Deviations in C 1/f ∝ R are also explained. In the pristine state and even in the H-state, only a fraction of the device are is carrying current and switching seems to be at spots of the Al/Al2O3 /polymer interface.
FORCE DISTRIBUTION AND OFFSET CONFIGURATION FOR CARBON NANOTUBES
Authors: ALISAFAEI F. , ANSARI R. , ROUHI H.
Published: January 2012

In this study, a novel semi-analytical approach is presented to evaluate the preferred position of an offset inner single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) with reference to the cross-section of outer one. Moreover, on the basis of the continuum method utilized together with Lennard-Jones potential function, suction energy and acceptance condition for a SWCNT entering the outer one are investigated. Using netting analysis, the optimum configuration is determined to minimize the potential energy. To obtain the nature of interaction force, a universal potential curve is presented for an offset inner tube entering various semi-infinite outer ones. Lastly, based on the direct method, the mechanics of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) is investigated.
PHOTOPHYSICAL BEHAVIOR OF FLUORESCENT NANOCOMPOSITES OF PHTHALOCYANINE LINKED TO QUANTUM DOTS AND MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLES
Authors: IDOWU MOPELOLA , NYOKONG TEBELLO
Published: January 2012

Fluorescent nanocomposite that consists of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane coated magnetic iron nanoparticles (MN), mercaptopropionic acid capped CdTe quantum dots (QD) and octacarboxy metallophthalocyanine (MOCPc) with either aluminium ((OH)AlOCPc) or zinc ( ZnOCPc ) as central metals have been prepared with (linked MOCPc-QD-MN) and without (mixed MOCPc-QD-MN) linking agents. The results presented give evidence of linkage within the components of the linked MOCPc-QD-MN. A red shift in the emission peak of QD within the linked nanocomposite compared to emission peak of QD alone was observed. Photoexcitation of both linked and mixed MOCPc-QD-MN at the excitation wavelength of the QD resulted in energy transfer from QD to the respective MOCPc while at the excitation wavelength of the MOCPc, a shift in emission peak of the linked MOCPc-QD-MN was observed resulting in large Stokes' shifts. The linked and mixed MOCPc-QD-MN were found to exhibit high triplet state quantum yields compared to the MOCPcs alone.
ANALYSIS OF CONTEXT-DEPENDENT ERRORS FOR ILLUMINA SEQUENCING
Authors: ABNIZOVA IRINA , LEONARD STEVEN , SKELLY TOM , BROWN ANDY , JACKSON DAVID , GOURTOVAIA MARINA , QI GUOYING , TE BOEKHORST RENE , FARUQUE NADEEM , LEWIS KEVIN , COX TONY
Published: January 2012

The new generation of short-read sequencing technologies requires reliable measures of data quality. Such measures are especially important for variant calling. However, in the particular case of SNP calling, a great number of false-positive SNPs may be obtained. One needs to distinguish putative SNPs from sequencing or other errors. We found that not only the probability of sequencing errors (i.e. the quality value) is important to distinguish an FP-SNP but also the conditional probability of "correcting" this error (the "second best call" probability, conditional on that of the first call). Surprisingly, around 80% of mismatches can be "corrected" with this second call. Another way to reduce the rate of FP-SNPs is to retrieve DNA motifs that seem to be prone to sequencing errors, and to attach a corresponding conditional quality value to these motifs. We have developed several measures to distinguish between sequence errors and candidate SNPs, based on a base call's nucleotide context and its mismatch type. In addition, we suggested a simple method to correct the majority of mismatches, based on conditional probability of their "second" best intensity call. We attach a corresponding second call confidence (quality value) of being corrected to each mismatch.
REVISIONS TO "PARABOLIC GENERALIZED MODULAR FORMS AND THEIR CHARACTERS"
Authors: KNOPP MARVIN , MASON GEOFFREY
Published: January 2012

The paper "Parabolic Generalized Modular Forms and Their Characters" which previously appeared in this journal, contained several anomalies in Sec. 3, "Structure of [Formula: see text]", arising from a mishandling of complex powers of the functions denoted F(τ). Here, we provide corrected proofs of the principle results.
A REFINEMENT OF RAMANUJAN'S CONGRUENCES MODULO POWERS OF 7 AND 11
Authors: JAMESON MARIE
Published: January 2012

Ramanujan's famous congruences for the partition function modulo powers of 5, 7, and 11 have inspired much further research. For example, in 2002 Lovejoy and Ono found subprogressions of 5jn + β5(j) for which Ramanujan's congruence mod 5j could be strengthened to a statement modulo 5j+1. Here we provide the analogous results modulo powers of 7 and 11. We require the arithmetic properties of two special elliptic curves.
POINTS ON HYPERBOLAS AT RATIONAL DISTANCE
Authors: GOINS EDRAY HERBER , MUGO KEVIN
Published: January 2012

Richard Guy asked for the largest set of points which can be placed in the plane so that their pairwise distances are rational numbers. In this article, we consider such a set of rational points restricted to a given hyperbola. To be precise, for rational numbers a, b, c, and d such that the quantity D = (ad - bc)/(2a2) is defined and non-zero, we consider rational distance sets on the conic section axy + bx + cy + d = 0. We show that, if the elliptic curve Y2 = X3 - D2X has infinitely many rational points, then there are infinitely many sets consisting of four rational points on the hyperbola such that their pairwise distances are rational numbers. We also show that any rational distance set of three such points can always be extended to a rational distance set of four such points.
CASIMIR OPERATORS FOR SYMPLECTIC GROUPS
Authors: MAURISCHAT KATHRIN
Published: January 2012

We give a full set of generators for the center of the universal enveloping Lie algebra of the symplectic group of arbitrary genus. They are of trace type and are given in terms of a basis chosen such that the action on representations of given K-type becomes transparent. We give examples for the latter.
RATIONAL EQUIVARIANT FORMS
Authors: EL BASRAOUI ABDELKRIM , SEBBAR ABDELLAH
Published: January 2012

We investigate the notion of equivariant forms as functions on the upper half-plane commuting with the action of a discrete group. We put an emphasis on the rational equivariant forms for a modular subgroup that are parametrized by generalized modular forms. Furthermore, we study this parametrization when the modular subgroup is of genus zero as well as their behavior under the effect of the Schwarz derivative.
Estimates of Age-Specific Mortality Rates from Sequential Cross-Sectional Data in Malawi
Authors: Doctor Henry V.
Published: January 2012

This paper uses a method for estimating age-specific event rates for adults (15–49 years) in Malawi between 1977 and 1998. This method, which is based on the development of unstable populations, is similar to the “variable-r” methods. Data from Malawi demonstrate mortality reduction nearly for all age groups between 1977 and 1987 for males whereas for females the reduction was observed for age groups 15–19 and 40–44. Contrary to this finding, the 1987–1998 intercensal period shows that mortality increased at a higher rate in the ages 20 and above for males than females. However, the increase for the females is much higher in the 1987–1998 intercensal period than in the 1977–1987 intercensal period. These findings may be related to the onset and effect of the AIDS epidemic. Implications for future research are discussed.
MicroRNA Signature in Alcoholic Liver Disease
Authors: Bala Shashi , Szabo Gyongyi
Published: January 2012

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a major global health problem. Chronic alcohol use results in inflammation and fatty liver, and in some cases, it leads to fibrosis and cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Increased proinflammatory cytokines, particularly TNF alpha, play a central role in the pathogenesis of ALD. TNF alpha is tightly regulated at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to modulate gene functions. The role of miRNAs in ALD is getting attention, and recent studies suggest that alcohol modulates miRNAs. Recently, we showed that alcohol induces miR-155 expression both in vitro (RAW 264.7 macrophage) and in vivo (Kupffer cells, KCs of alcohol-fed mice). Induction of miR-155 contributed to increased TNF alpha production and to the sensitization of KCs to produce more TNF alpha in response to LPS. In this paper, we summarize the current knowledge of miRNAs in ALD and also report increased expression of miR-155 and miR-132 in the total liver as well as in isolated hepatocytes and KCs of alcohol-fed mice. Our novel finding of the alcohol-induced increase of miRNAs in hepatocytes and KCs after alcohol feeding provides further insight into the evolving knowledge regarding the role of miRNAs in ALD.
Postzygotic Isolation Evolves before Prezygotic Isolation between Fresh and Saltwater Populations of the Rainwater Killifish,Lucania parva
Authors: Kozak Genevieve M. , Rudolph Arthur B. , Colon Beatrice L. , Fuller Rebecca C.
Published: January 2012

Divergent natural selection has the potential to drive the evolution of reproductive isolation. The euryhaline killifishLucania parvahas stable populations in both fresh water and salt water.Lucania parvaand its sister species, the freshwaterL. goodei, are isolated by both prezygotic and postzygotic barriers. To further test whether adaptation to salinity has led to the evolution of these isolating barriers, we tested for incipient reproductive isolation withinL. parvaby crossing freshwater and saltwater populations. We found no evidence for prezygotic isolation, but reduced hybrid survival indicated that postzygotic isolation existed betweenL. parvapopulations. Therefore, postzygotic isolation evolved before prezygotic isolation in these ecologically divergent populations. Previous work on these species raised eggs with methylene blue, which acts as a fungicide. We found this fungicide distorts the pattern of postzygotic isolation by increasing fresh water survival inL. parva, masking species/population differences, and underestimating hybrid inviability.
Stem Cell Applications in Tendon Disorders: A Clinical Perspective
Authors: Young Mark
Published: January 2012

Tendon injuries are a common cause of morbidity and a significant health burden on society. Tendons are structural tissues connecting muscle to bone and are prone to tearing and tendinopathy, an overuse or degenerative condition that is characterized by failed healing and cellular depletion. Current treatments, for tendon tear are conservative, surgical repair or surgical scaffold reconstruction. Tendinopathy is treated by exercises, injection therapies, shock wave treatments or surgical tendon debridement. However, tendons usually heal with fibrosis and scar tissue, which has suboptimal tensile strength and is prone to reinjury, resulting in lifestyle changes with activity restriction. Preclinical studies show that cell therapies have the potential to regenerate rather than repair tendon tissue, a process termed tenogenesis. A number of different cell lines, with varying degrees of differentiation, have being evaluated including stem cells, tendon derived cells and dermal fibroblasts. Even though cellular therapies offer some potential in treating tendon disorders, there have been few published clinical trials to determine the ideal cell source, the number of cells to administer, or the optimal bioscaffold for clinical use.
Radical Prostatectomy and Intraoperative Radiation Therapy in High-Risk Prostate Cancer
Authors: Marchioro Giansilvio , Volpe Alessandro , Tarabuzzi Roberto , Apicella Giuseppina , Krengli Marco , Terrone Carlo
Published: January 2012

Intraoperative electron beam radiotherapy (IOERT) for prostate cancer (PC) is a radiotherapeutic technique, giving high doses of radiation during radical prostatectomy (RP). This paper presents the published treatment approaches for intraoperative radiotherapy analyzing functional outcome, morbidity, and oncological outcome in patients with clinical intermediate-high-risk prostate cancer. A systematic review of the literature was performed, searching PubMed and Web of Science. A “free text” protocol using the term intraoperative radiotherapy and prostate cancer was applied. Ten records were retrieved and analyzed including more than 150 prostate cancer patients treated with IOERT. IOERT represents a feasible technique with acceptable surgical time and minimal toxicity. A greater number of cases and longer follow-up time are needed in order to assess the long-term side effects and oncological outcome.
In VivoHealing of Meniscal Lacerations Using Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Fibrin Glue
Authors: Ferris Dora , Frisbie David , Kisiday John , McIlwraith C. Wayne
Published: January 2012

Fibrin glue created from a patient's own blood can be used as a carrier to deliver cells to the specific site of an injury. An experimental model for optimizing various permutations of this delivery systemin vivowas tested in this study. Harvested equine meniscal sections were reapposed with fibrin glue or fibrin glue and equine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). These constructs were then implanted subcutaneously in nude mice. After harvesting of the constructs, BMSC containing constructs showed significantly increased vascularization, and histology showed subjectively decreased thickness of repair tissue and increased total bonding compared to fibrin alone constructs. This model allowed direct comparison of different meniscal treatment groups while using a small number of animals. Thisin vivomodel could be valuable in the future to optimize fibrin and cellular treatments for meniscal lesions in the horse and potentially humans as well.
Unilateral Hemiparesis with Thoracic Epidural in an Adolescent
Authors: Tassone Rosalie F. , Seefelder Christian , Sethna Navil F.
Published: January 2012

Objective. Unilateral sensory and motor blockade is known to occur with epidural anesthesia but is rarely reported in children. The differential diagnosis should include the presence of a midline epidural septum.Case Report. We describe a case of a 16-year-old adolescent who developed repeated complete unilateral extensive epidural sensory and motor blockade with Horner’s syndrome after thoracic epidural catheter placement. This unusual presentation of complete hemibody neural blockade has not been reported in the pediatric population. Maneuvers to improve contralateral uniform neural blockade were unsuccessful. An epidurogram was performed to ascertain the correct location of the catheter within the epidural space and presence of sagittal compartmentalization.Conclusion. This case report highlights a less frequently reported reason for unilateral sensory and motor blockade with epidural anesthesia in children. The presence of a midline epidural septum should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unilateral epidural blockade.
Pigmentation of the Cornea Secondary to Tinted Soft Contact Lens Wear
Authors: Spiteri Natasha , Choudhary Anshoo , Kaye Stephen
Published: January 2012

Purpose. To report a case of pigmented corneal iron lines following use of tinted soft contact lenses (CL).Methods. A retrospective case report.Results. A 16-year-old girl was referred with suspected CL-related keratopathy OU, having recently switched to tinted soft monthly disposable CLs (8.4/14.0 −3.00 OD, −3.25 OS Aquamarine SofLens Natural Colours, Bausch and Lomb, New York, USA). Both corneas exhibited symmetric superficial corneal pigmented iron lines, which gradually disappeared following discontinuation of CL wear.Conclusions. Pigmented corneal rings have been reported in normal ageing corneas, in certain pathological conditions, and in association with altered corneal topography following LASIK and orthokeratology. We suspect a poorly fitting CL resulted in localised tear pooling between the CL and cornea, and subsequent iron pigment deposition, similar to that seen with orthokeratology. Cosmetic CLs bought via the Internet can be used in an unsupervised manner, with possible impacts on visual function and potential complications.
On the Driving Mechanism of the Annual Cycle of the Florida Current Transport
Authors: Czeschel Lars , Eden Carsten , Greatbatch Richard J.
Published: January 2012

The mechanisms involved in setting the annual cycle of the Florida Current transport are revisited using an adjoint model approach. Adjoint sensitivities of the Florida Current transport to wind stress reproduce a realistic seasonal cycle with an amplitude of ~1.2 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1). The annual cycle is predominantly determined by wind stress forcing and related coastal upwelling (downwelling) north of the Florida Strait along the shelf off the North American coast. Fast barotropic waves propagate these anomalies southward and reach the Florida Strait within a month, causing an amplitude of ~1 Sv. Long baroclinic planetary Rossby waves originating from the interior are responsible for an amplitude of ~0.8 Sv but have a different phase. The sensitivities corresponding to the first baroclinic mode propagate westward and are highly influenced by topography. Considerable sensitivities are only found west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, with maximum values at the western shelf edge. The second baroclinic mode also has an impact on the Florida Current variability, but only when a mean flow is present. A second-mode wave train propagates southwestward from the ocean bottom on the western side of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between ~36° and 46°N and at Flemish Cap, where the mean flow interacts with topography, to the surface. Other processes such as baroclinic waves along the shelf and local forcing within the Florida Strait are of minor importance.
On the Response of a Buoyant Plume to Downwelling-Favorable Wind Stress
Authors: Moffat Carlos , Lentz Steven
Published: January 2012

Here, the response of a coastally trapped buoyant plume to downwelling-favorable wind forcing is explored using a simplified two-dimensional numerical model and a prognostic theory for the resulting width, depth, and density anomaly and along-shelf transport of the plume. Consistent with the numerical simulations, the analytical model shows that the wind causes mixing of the plume water and that the forced cross-shelf circulation can also generate significant deepening and surface narrowing, as well as increased along-shelf transport. The response is due to a combination of the purely advective process that leads to the steepening of the isopycnals and the entrainment of ambient water into the plume. The advective component depends on the initial plume geometry: plumes that have a large fraction of their total width in contact with the bottom (“bottom trapped”) suffer relatively small depth and width changes compared to plumes that have a large fraction of their total width detached from the bottom (“surface trapped”). Key theoretical parameters are Wγ/Wα, the ratio of the width of the plume detached from the bottom to the width of the plume in contact with it, and the ratio of the wind-generated mixed layer δe to the initial plume depth hp, which determines the amount of water initially entrained into the plume. The model results also show that the cross-shelf circulation can be strongly influenced by the wind-driven response in combination with the geostrophic shear of the plume. The continuous entrainment into the plume, as well as transient events, is also discussed.
Source and Pathway of the Western Arctic Upper Halocline in a Data-Constrained Coupled Ocean and Sea Ice Model
Authors: Nguyen An T. , Kwok Ronald , Menemenlis Dimitris
Published: January 2012

A coupled ocean and sea ice model is used to investigate dense water (DW) formation in the Chukchi and Bering shelves and the pathways by which this water feeds the upper halocline. Two 1992–2008 data-constrained solutions at 9- and 4-km horizontal grid spacing show that 1) winter sea ice growth results in brine rejection and DW formation; 2) the DW flows primarily down Barrow and Central–Herald Canyons in the form of bottom-trapped, intermittent currents to depths of 50–150 m from the late winter to late summer seasons; and 3) eddies with diameters ~ 30 km carry the cold DW from the shelf break into the Canada Basin interior at depths of 50–150 m. The 4-km data-constrained solution does not show eddy transport across the Chukchi Shelf at shallow depths; instead, advection of DW downstream of polynya regions is driven by a strong (~0.1 m s−1) mean current on the Chukchi Shelf. Upper halocline water (UHW) formation rate was obtained from two methods: one is based on satellite data and on a simple parameterized approach, and the other is computed from the authors’ model solution. The two methods yield 5740 ±1420 km3 yr−1 and 4190–4860 ±1440 km3 yr−1, respectively. These rates imply a halocline replenishment period of 10–21 yr. Passive tracers also show that water with highest density forms in the Gulf of Anadyr and along the eastern Siberian coast immediately north of the Bering Strait. These results provide a coherent picture of the seasonal development of UHW at high spatial and temporal resolutions and serve as a guide for improving understanding of water-mass formation in the western Arctic Ocean.
Can Improved Options for Private Saving Offer a Plausible Substitute for Public Pensions?
Authors: Burtless Gary
Published: January 2012

Old-age income protection is provided in wealthy democracies by publicly funded defined-benefit pensions. Budgetary challenges have forced policy makers to consider private alternatives to these traditional systems. I consider the shortcomings of private saving arrangements in duplicating the advantages of public pensions. Some shortcomings can be overcome by introducing compulsory elements into private saving plans. Worker contributions into such plans could be mandatory; some or all worker accumulations in the plans could be converted to annuities at retirement; and workers’ investment choices could be narrowly circumscribed. These restrictions do not eliminate the biggest weakness of private saving plans. Fluctuations in asset prices make it hard even for well-informed savers to select an affordable saving rate and an investment strategy that will assure decent income in old age. Public pension systems partly insulate workers against economic and financial market risks by sharing those risks broadly across workers, retirees, and taxpayers in multiple generations.
Putting on a good face: An examination of the emotional and aesthetic roots of presentational labour
Authors: Sheane Susan D
Published: January 2012

When we put on a good face we are claiming a set of approved social attributes – presenting an image of who/what we wish to be accepted as and taken for, by others. As Erving Goffman puts it, we have a good face when we fit an image others have of, for example, our profession, by making a good showing of ourselves (Goffman, 1967: 5). There is a large body of literature on the emotional labour of controlling and showing an emotional good face, that is, the work to preserve a professional and a corporate ‘face’, even if that entails hiding or disguising one’s personal emotions. Another smaller body of literature, building on the concept of emotional labour, is that describing aesthetic labour. Aesthetic labour is the selling of one’s embodied ‘face’, or approved social attributes, to create and preserve a professional and/or corporate image – often described as ‘looking good and sounding right’. Emotional and aesthetic literacy are fundamentally communication concepts requiring sophisticated perceptual as well as messaging skills. Using hairstylists as exemplars, I examine the close and personal relationships stylists enjoy with their clients as they toil, behind the chair but in the mirror, gathering insight into the relationship between emotional labour and aesthetic labour, and to the acquisition of emotional and aesthetic literacy that is essential to the effective performance of presentational labour.
Managing the semiotics of skin tone: Race and aesthetic labor in the fashion modeling industry
Authors: Wissinger Elizabeth
Published: January 2012

This article explores the aesthetic labor of embodying race. The author’s research on fashion models in New York City uncovered a demand for aesthetic labor that differs along racial lines, namely, black models must fit themselves to a narrower set of standards, and experience their race as both an asset and a liability. This difference is evident in the context of the market for black models, where the “white gaze,” and the “corporate gaze” intersect. Yet both employers’ desire for workers with a particular “look,” and workers’ willingness to call on personal resources to style that “look” for the job foster a structural bias toward racist practices that are masked by appeals to “aesthetics.” Managing one’s racial appearance reveals a unique quality of aesthetic labor that emerges only when race is taken into account, arguing for its inclusion among the characteristics workers manipulate when their work is studied as aesthetic labor.
Exploring innovative methodologies in time and place to analyse child protection documents as elements of practice
Authors: Skehill Caroline , Satka Mirja , Hoikkala Susanna
Published: January 2012

This article aims to demonstrate how a derived approach to case file analysis, influenced by the work of Michel Foucault and Dorothy E. Smith, can offer innovative means by which to study the relations between discourse and practices in child welfare. The article explores text-based forms of organization in histories of child protection in Finland and in Northern Ireland. It is focused on case file records in different organizational child protection contexts in two jurisdictions. Building on a previous article ( Satka and Skehill, 2011 ), we attempt to demonstrate the potential of how the relations between practices and discourses – a majorly important theme for understanding child welfare social work – can be effectively analysed using a combination of two approaches. This article is based on three different empirical studies from our two jurisdictions Northern Ireland (UK) and Finland; one study used Foucault; the other Smith and the third study sought to combine the methods. This article seeks to report on ongoing work in developing, for child welfare studies, ‘a history that speaks back’ as we have described it.
Identification of differentially expressed genes in SHSY5Y cells exposed to okadaic acid by suppression subtractive hybridization
Authors: Valdiglesias Vanessa , Fernández-Tajes Juan , Pásaro Eduardo , Méndez Josefina , Laffon Blanca
Published: January 2012

Background

Okadaic acid (OA), a toxin produced by several dinoflagellate species is responsible for frequent food poisonings associated to shellfish consumption. Although several studies have documented the OA effects on different processes such as cell transformation, apoptosis, DNA repair or embryogenesis, the molecular mechanistic basis for these and other effects is not completely understood and the number of controversial data on OA is increasing in the literature.

Results

In this study, we used suppression subtractive hybridization in SHSY5Y cells to identify genes that are differentially expressed after OA exposure for different times (3, 24 and 48 h). A total of 247 subtracted clones which shared high homology with known genes were isolated. Among these, 5 specific genes associated with cytoskeleton and neurotransmission processes (NEFM, TUBB, SEPT7, SYT4 and NPY) were selected to confirm their expression levels by real-time PCR. Significant down-regulation of these genes was obtained at the short term (3 and 24 h OA exposure), excepting for NEFM, but their expression was similar to the controls at 48 h.

Conclusions

From all the obtained genes, 114 genes were up-regulated and 133 were down-regulated. Based on the NCBI GenBank and Gene Ontology databases, most of these genes are involved in relevant cell functions such as metabolism, transport, translation, signal transduction and cell cycle. After quantitative PCR analysis, the observed underexpression of the selected genes could underlie the previously reported OA-induced cytoskeleton disruption, neurotransmission alterations and in vivo neurotoxic effects. The basal expression levels obtained at 48 h suggested that surviving cells were able to recover from OA-caused gene expression alterations.
Combining SNP discovery from next-generation sequencing data with bulked segregant analysis (BSA) to fine-map genes in polyploid wheat
Authors: Trick Martin , Adamski Nikolai Maria , Mugford Sarah G , Jiang Cong-Cong , Febrer Melanie , Uauy Cristobal
Published: January 2012

Background

Next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are providing new ways to accelerate fine-mapping and gene isolation in many species. To date, the majority of these efforts have focused on diploid organisms with readily available whole genome sequence information. In this study, as a proof of concept, we tested the use of NGS for SNP discovery in tetraploid wheat lines differing for the previously cloned grain protein content (GPC) gene GPC-B1. Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) was used to define a subset of putative SNPs within the candidate gene region, which were then used to fine-map GPC-B1.

Results

We used Illumina paired end technology to sequence mRNA (RNAseq) from near isogenic lines differing across a ~30-cM interval including the GPC-B1 locus. After discriminating for SNPs between the two homoeologous wheat genomes and additional quality filtering, we identified inter-varietal SNPs in wheat unigenes between the parental lines. The relative frequency of these SNPs was examined by RNAseq in two bulked samples made up of homozygous recombinant lines differing for their GPC phenotype. SNPs that were enriched at least 3-fold in the corresponding pool (6.5% of all SNPs) were further evaluated. Marker assays were designed for a subset of the enriched SNPs and mapped using DNA from individuals of each bulk. Thirty nine new SNP markers, corresponding to 67% of the validated SNPs, mapped across a 12.2-cM interval including GPC-B1. This translated to 1 SNP marker per 0.31 cM defining the GPC-B1 gene to within 13-18 genes in syntenic cereal genomes and to a 0.4 cM interval in wheat.

Conclusions

This study exemplifies the use of RNAseq for SNP discovery in polyploid species and supports the use of BSA as an effective way to target SNPs to specific genetic intervals to fine-map genes in unsequenced genomes.