bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of satellite erythemal UV products in analysing the global UV changes
Authors: Ialongo I. , Arola A. , Kujanpää J. , Tamminen J.
Published: September 2011

Abstract. Long term changes in solar UV radiation affect global bio-geochemistry and climate. The satellite-based dataset of TOMS (Total Ozone Monitoring System) and OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) of erythemal UV product was applied for the first time to estimate the long-term ultraviolet (UV) changes at the global scale. The analysis of the uncertainty related to the different input information is presented. OMI and GOME-2 (Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2) products were compared in order to analyse the differences in the global UV distribution and their effect on the linear trend estimation. The results showed that the differences in the inputs (mainly surface albedo and aerosol information) used in the retrieval, affect significantly the UV change calculation, pointing out the importance of using a consistent dataset when calculating long term UV changes. The areas where these differences played a major role were identified using global maps of monthly UV changes. Despite the uncertainties, significant positive UV changes (ranging from 0 to about 5 %/decade) were observed, with higher values in the Southern Hemisphere at mid-latitudes during spring-summer, where the largest ozone decrease was observed.
Observations of multi-microsecond VHF pulsetrains in energetic intracloud lightning discharges
Authors: Jacobson A. R. , Holzworth R. H. , Shao X.-M.
Published: September 2011

Abstract. Certain intracloud lightning discharges emit energetic, multi-microsecond pulsetrains of radio noise. Observations of this distinctive form of lightning date from 1980 and have involved both ground-based and satellite-based radio recording systems. The underlying intracloud lightning discharges have been referred to as "Narrow Bipolar Pulses", "Narrow Bipolar Events", and "Compact Intracloud Discharges". An important discriminant for this species of radio emission is that, in the range above ~30 MHz, it consists of several microseconds of intense radio noise. When the intracloud emission is viewed from a satellite, each radio pulsetrain is received both from a direct lightning-to-satellite path, and after some delay, from a path via ground. Thus one recording of the radio emission, if of sufficient length, contains the "view" of the intracloud emission from two different angles. One view is of radiation exiting the emitter into the upper hemisphere, the other for radiation exiting into the lower hemisphere. However, the propagation conditions are similar, except that one path includes a ground reflection, while the other does not. One would normally expect a stereoscopic double view of the "same" emission process to provide two almost congruent time series, one delayed from the other, and also differing due to the different propagation effects along the two signal paths, namely, the ground reflection. We present somewhat unexpected results on this matter, using recordings from the FORTE satellite at a passband 118–141 MHz, with simultaneous data at 26–49 MHz. We find that the 118–141 MHz pulsetrain's detailed time-dependence is completely uncorrelated between the two views of the process. We examine statistics of the 118–141 MHz pulsetrain's integrated power and show that the power emitted into the lower hemisphere, on average, exceeds the power emitted into the upper hemisphere. Finally, we examine statistical measures of the amplitude distribution and show that the 118–141 MHz signal emitted downward is slightly more dominated by discrete, temporally-narrow impulses than is the signal emitted upward.
Transient flow between aquifers and surface water: analytically derived field-scale hydraulic heads and fluxes
Authors: de Rooij G. H.
Published: September 2011

Abstract. The increasing importance of catchment-scale and basin-scale models of the hydrological cycle makes it desirable to have a simple, yet physically realistic model for lateral subsurface water flow. As a first building block towards such a model, analytical solutions are presented for horizontal groundwater flow to surface waters held at prescribed water levels for aquifers with parallel and radial flow. The solutions are valid for a wide array of initial and boundary conditions and additions or withdrawals of water, and can handle discharge into as well as lateral infiltration from the surface water. Expressions for the average hydraulic head, the flux to or from the surface water, and the aquifer-scale hydraulic conductivity are developed to provide output at the scale of the modelled system rather then just point-scale values. The upscaled conductivity is time-variant. It does not depend on the magnitude of the flux but is determined by medium properties as well as the external forcings that drive the flow. For the systems studied, with lateral travel distances not exceeding 10 m, the circular aquifers respond very differently from the infinite-strip aquifers. The modelled fluxes are sensitive to the magnitude of the storage coefficient. For phreatic aquifers a value of 0.2 is argued to be representative, but considerable variations are likely. The effect of varying distributions over the day of recharge damps out rapidly; a soil water model that can provide accurate daily totals is preferable over a less accurate model hat correctly estimates the timing of recharge peaks.
Anatomy of the Clitoris: Revision and Clarifications about the Anatomical Terms for the Clitoris Proposed (without Scientific Bases) by Helen O'Connell, Emmanuele Jannini, and Odile Buisson
Authors: Puppo Vincenzo
Published: September 2011

The anatomy of the clitoris is described in human anatomy textbooks. Some researchers have proposal and divulged a new anatomical terminology for the clitoris. This paper is a revision of the anatomical terms proposed by Helen O'Connell, Emmanuele Jannini, and Odile Buisson. Gynecologists, sexual medicine experts, and sexologists should spread certainties for all women, not hypotheses or personal opinions, they should use scientific terminology: clitoral/vaginal/uterine orgasm, G/A/C/U spot orgasm, and female ejaculation, are terms that should not be used by sexologists, women, and mass media. Clitoral bulbs, clitoral or clitoris-urethrovaginal complex, urethrovaginal space, periurethral glans, Halban's fascia erogenous zone, vaginal anterior fornix erogenous zone, genitosensory component of the vagus nerve, and G-spot, are terms used by some sexologists, but they are not accepted or shared by experts in human anatomy. Sexologists should define have sex, make love, the situation in which the orgasm happens in both partners with or without a vaginal intercourse.
Carbon Fiber: Surface Properties
Authors: Chee Ho Kingsley Kin , Qian Hui , Bismarck Alexander
Published: September 2011

Carbon fibers are the reinforcement of choice for high performance (advanced) composites. The fiber and matrix properties determine the various mechanical properties in and perpendicular to the fiber orientation in composites. However, for a given matrix the carbon fiber surface properties determine the quality of the fiber‐matrix interface, in which load transfer from the matrix to the fibers takes place. This article summarizes the surface properties of commercially available carbon fibers as well as the benefits of carbon fiber surface modification on the adhesion behavior between fibers and matrices.
Ceramic Matrix Composites:CVI(Chemical Vapor Infiltration)
Authors: Leuchs Martin
Published: September 2011

The principles of chemical vapor infiltration are described for carbon and silicon carbide infiltration. The preparation of fiber preforms including the necessary fiber treatment before infiltration is discussed and outlined in a discussion about the fracture toughness of ceramic matrix composites. The materials are presented with respect to porosity, strength data, thermal and electrical conductivity, corrosion, and tribology. Concise statements about the development status for space applications and the successful application in slide bearings are made.
Composite Electroceramics
Authors: Sebastian Mailadil Thomas , Ananthakumar Solaiappan , Subodh Ganesanpotti , Juuti Jari , Teirikangas Merja , Jantunen Heli
Published: September 2011

The last two decades witnessed tremendous research interest on composite materials, especially composite electroceramics. Composite electroceramic materials having flexible fabrication techniques and a wide range of properties are employed for many functional applications. This article gives a brief review of some of the fundamental aspect of composites such as, sum and product properties, connectivity patterns, dielectric mixing rules, and symmetry of composite materials. This article also provides an introduction to recent trends in electroceramic composite research such as composite dielectrics, magnetoelectric composites, composite varistors, tunable composites, composite metamaterials, low temperature co‐fired ceramic composite, and superconducting and percolating composites.
Conductive Composites
Authors: Cassinese Antonio
Published: September 2011

When an electrically conducting dispersed phase is added in sufficient quantities to a polymeric resin, a conductive composite is formed. The unique properties of such composites make them technologically superior to or more cost effective than alternative materials in a variety of applications. The inevitable link between conductive composites and the electronics industry has provided much of the impetus for their rapid development in the 1980s. Recently, progress in the field of composite materials has taken a new lead since the advent of the nanocluster‐based materials or nanocomposites. Conductive composites, broadly defined, include any composite having significant electrical or thermal conductivity. However, in practice, the term
conductive composites
is usually reserved for materials for which the conductivity is not only significant but also a primary characteristic of the composite and is specifically exploited in the end use. Following this practice, this article does not discuss composites such as graphite fiber‐reinforced epoxy resin composites used for structural reinforcement without regard for their electrical properties. Also, this discussion excludes conductive composite structures that are not composed of discrete particulate additives in a polymeric matrix. For example, expanded metal sheets or foils embedded in a polymer are not considered. A nonexhaustive description concerning nanocomposite material of interest for electronic applications is also reported.
Glass Matrix Composite
Authors: Bernardo Enrico
Published: September 2011

Glass and glass–ceramic matrix composites represent a very particular type of composite materials. As in most ceramic matrix composites, the reinforcements are mainly intended to increase the resistance to crack propagation, that is, the most significant weakness of the matrices, due to several toughening mechanisms. Unlike polycrystalline ceramic matrices, however, glasses offer the distinctive feature of viscous flow, being readily deformed and flowed in their low viscosity state, with the possibility of incorporating secondary phases at moderately high temperatures. Fibrous reinforcements (mainly C and SiC fibers) are at the basis of materials with impressive properties, for example, strength above 1 GPa, fracture toughness up to 35 MPa m
0.5
, almost zero thermal expansion, and service temperature up to 1500°C, but still facing high costs, although known for many years. Recent applications, such as that of “optomechanical materials,” that is, transparent materials with improved crack resistance, may stimulate research investments and production. As an alternative, dispersion‐reinforced composites, first seen as lower value category, owing to the limited improvements in fracture toughness, are currently the candidates for extensive industrial production, since the low cost treatments applied may be combined with complex combinations of different functionalities.
Hybrid Electrically Conducting Nano Composites Comprising Carbon Nanotubes/Intrinsically Conducting Polymer Systems
Authors: Suckeveriene Ran Y. , Zelikman Evgeni , Narkis Moshe
Published: September 2011

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have drawn much attention in recent years. CNTs have remarkable properties, such as mechanical properties and electrical and thermal conductivity, thus offering opportunities for the development of new nanocomposites. A major problem in the dispersion of CNTs in a polymer is due to their tendency to agglomerate, thus interrupting the fine dispersion of CNTs in a matrix and partially losing the unique nanoscale effect. Intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs) have drawn much attention since the discovery of electrically conductive polyacetylene by Shirakawa
et al
. in 1977.

The aim of this article is to introduce the work done in combining conductive polymers, ICPs, with CNTs, that is, hybrid ICP/CNT nanocomposites.
Reinforcements: Fibers, Whiskers, and Platelets
Authors: Piggott Michael R.
Published: September 2011

The origins of the strength of slender forms of materials are described and the choice materials suitable for reinforcement are discussed. The properties of polymer and inorganic fibers are detailed, particularly with respect to their tensile strength, compressive strength, and axial and transverse stiffnesses, together with their thermal conductivities and expansions. Manufacturing processes are also briefly described, as are inorganic whiskers and platelets.
Efficient Regioselective Three‐Component Domino Synthesis of 3‐(1,2,4‐Triazol‐5‐yl)‐1,3‐thiazolidin‐4‐ones as Potent Antifungal and Antituberculosis Agents
Authors: El Bialy Serry A. , Nagy Maria M. , Abdel‐Rahman Hamdy M.
Published: September 2011

In research for promising antibacterial and antifungal compounds, a series of 2‐aryl 3‐[1,2,4]triazol‐5‐yl 4‐thiazolidinones 1 were synthesized by a domino reaction of 5‐amino‐1H‐[1,2,4]triazoles 3, aromatic aldehydes, and α‐mercaptoacids in boiling toluene in the presence of molecular sieves 4 Å. Of the twenty novel 3‐[1,2,4]triazol‐5‐yl 4‐thiazolidinone derivatives, four compounds 2‐benzo[d][1,3]dioxol‐6‐yl‐3‐[(3‐morpholin‐4‐yl)‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐yl)]‐1,3‐thiazolidin‐4‐one (1i), 2‐(4‐chlorophenyl)‐5‐methyl‐3‐[3‐(4‐methylpiperazin‐1‐yl)‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐yl]‐1,3‐thiazolidin‐4‐one (1p), 2‐benzo[d][1,3]dioxol‐6‐yl‐3‐[3‐(4‐methylpiperazin‐1‐yl)‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐yl]‐1,3‐thiazolidin‐4‐one (1s), 2‐benzo[d][1,3]dioxol‐6‐yl‐5‐methyl‐3‐[3‐(4‐methylpiperazin‐1‐yl)‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐yl]‐1,3‐thiazolidin‐4‐one (1t) exhibited MICs of 4 µg/mL or less versus Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Moreover, these compounds were screened against Candida albicans. Compounds 1p, 1s gave MICs of 1 µg/mL or less, and were fungicidal. Finally, compound 1s was evaluated against an expanded fungal panel and showed good activity against Cryptococcus neoformans. In addition, compound 1s also appeared to be fungicidal against Aspergillus arrhizus, with MIC <1 µg/mL.
Evaluation of stereo and chemical stability of chiral compounds
Authors: Cannazza Giuseppe , Battisti Umberto , Carrozzo Marina M. , Brasili Livio , Braghiroli Daniela , Parenti Carlo
Published: September 2011

A stopped‐flow bidimensional recycle HPLC (sf‐BD‐rHPLC) configuration has been used to investigate simultaneously the stereo and chemical stability of labile chiral compounds. The single enantiomers of a racemate can be separated on chiral column (first dimension) and each one can be trapped in the achiral column (second dimension) that works as reactor.By filling the achiral column with the appropriate aqueous buffers it is possible to evaluate the stability of the trapped enantiomer toward aqueous buffer itself. It was possible to recycle the reaction products formed in the chiral column (first dimension) where they are separated by a second six valve port. The reaction rate constants were calculated for the different processes occurred in the achiral column by means of corresponding peak areas. The method was applied to a pharmacological active compound: (±)7‐chloro‐5‐ethyl‐3‐methyl‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐benzo[1,2,4]thiadiazine 1,1‐dioxide ((±)‐1) to evaluate enantiostability and hydrolysis in conditions similar to those of biological fluid. A classical batchwise kinetic method was used to calculate rate constants of hydrolysis and enantiomerization at the same temperature and in the same solvents used in sf‐BD‐rHPLC. The good agreement of the results obtained validate the novel procedure developed. Furthermore, the results generated off‐line were used to determine the influence of solvents on the racemization of (±)‐1. Chirality, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cryopreservation modulates the detection of regulatory T cell markers
Authors: Sattui Sebastian , de la Flor Carolina , Sanchez Cesar , Lewis Dorothy , Lopez Giovanni , Rizo‐Patrón Emiliana , White A. Clinton , Montes Martin
Published: September 2011

Background:

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) modulate the host response in infectious diseases and are key mediators of peripheral tolerance. Cryopreservation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) is commonly used in immunological field studies where access to complex laboratory tests is not feasible. Our objective is to assess the effects of cryopreservation on the flow cytometric detection of surface and intracellular markers of Tregs.

Methods:

Heparinized venous blood was obtained from 36 healthy individuals and 15 HIV‐1 infected subjects. PBMCs were isolated and stained for surface and intracellular markers of Tregs. PBMCs from each subject were cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen with DMSO; these cells were thawed and stained at a later date. All samples were analyzed by flow cytometry. The proportion of Tregs was compared using Wilcoxon signed‐rank test.

Results:

Cryopreservation decreased the proportion of Tregs identified by surface and intracellular markers in healthy individuals and in HIV‐1 patients. The proportion of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ was decreased from 3.13 to 2.16% (P < 0.001) for non‐HIV subjects and from 2.68 to 0.94% (P < 0.001) for HIV subjects, compared to fresh samples. Significant reduction was also observed for CD4+CD25+CD127lo‐neg. However, the effect varied considerably between samples. The effect was similar among HIV and non‐HIV patients (P = 0.38).

Conclusions:

Cryopreservation modulates the detection of surface and intracellular markers of Tregs. These results confirm that research on Tregs, including studies of HIV‐1 infected patients, should be carried out prospectively on fresh samples in order to obtain unbiased conclusions. Results using cryopreserved cells should be regarded as only preliminary. © 2011 International Clinical Cytometry Society
New regimens for reducing the duration of treatment of drug‐susceptible pulmonary tuberculosis
Authors: Conde Marcus B. , Lapa e Silva José R.
Published: September 2011

Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important health problem worldwide. The structure necessary for delivering TB treatment and implementing the directly observed treatment accounts for more than two‐thirds of its final cost. Furthermore, although with efficacy greater than 90%, the effectiveness of present treatment regimens ranges within 55–85%, depending on the setting, mainly because of poor adherence. Duration of treatment with the current first‐line anti‐TB drugs is a minimum of 6 months. Reducing the duration of treatment from 6 to 2 months or less could result in significant increase of adherence to treatment and cost reduction. The aim of this review is to highlight potential new agents or new drug combinations that could reduce the time of treatment of drug‐susceptible TB, currently under study or recently evaluated through clinical trials. We conducted a literature search in the English language for clinical studies as well as an electronic computer‐assisted and manual search. The literature search was conducted in November 2010, using MEDLINE (2000–2010), EMBASE (2000–2010), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Trials Register database (2000–2010). Most of the new agents identified as anti‐TB drug candidates are still in the preclinical phases. Nitroimidazole‐PA‐824 and fluoroquinolones are evaluated, whereas two first‐line drugs (i.e., rifampicin and rifapentine) are reevaluated to optimize their efficacy in new ultra‐short anti‐TB regimens through phase II/III clinical studies. A summary of the studies is presented, with their potential to change recommendations for TB treatment in the near future. Drug Dev Res 72:501–508, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Aeolian and fluvial processes in dryland regions: the need for integrated studies
Authors: Belnap Jayne , Munson Seth M. , Field Jason P.
Published: September 2011

Aeolian and fluvial processes play a fundamental role in dryland regions of the world and have important environmental and ecological consequences from local to global scales. Although both processes operate over similar spatial and temporal scales and are likely strongly coupled in many dryland systems, aeolian and fluvial processes have traditionally been studied separately, making it difficult to assess their relative importance in drylands, as well as their potential for synergistic interaction. Land degradation by accelerated wind and water erosion is a major problem throughout the world's drylands, and although recent studies suggest that these processes likely interact across broad spatial and temporal scales to amplify the transport of soil resources from and within drylands, many researchers and land managers continue to view them as separate and unrelated processes. Here, we illustrate how aeolian and fluvial sediment transport is coupled at multiple spatial and temporal scales and highlight the need for these interrelated processes to be studied from a more integrated perspective that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries. Special attention is given to how the growing threat of climate change and land‐use disturbance will influence linkages between aeolian and fluvial processes in the future. We also present emerging directions for interdisciplinary needs within the aeolian and fluvial research communities that call for better integration across a broad range of traditional disciplines such as ecology, biogeochemistry, agronomy, and soil conservation. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Published in 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering on silver dendrite with different growth directions
Authors: Xu Hongyan , Shao Mingwang , Chen Tao , Zhao Yi , Lee Shuit‐Tong
Published: September 2011

A simple and cost‐effective strategy was developed to synthesize Ag dendrites via an aqueous chemical route based on spontaneous galvanic displacement between silver (I) ions and copper foil under hydrothermal condition. Ag dendrites with [100], [110], and [111] growth direction can be prepared by adjusting the content of polyvinyl pyrrolidone. The Ag dendrites exhibited fine and well reproducible surface‐enhanced Raman scattering effect using Rhodamine 6G as model molecule. There is a corresponding relation between the false color plot of Raman intensity and the dendrite morphology. Among the products, the Ag dendrites growing along [100] direction have the best surface enhancement ability, and a possible explanation was proposed. The results might open up new thinking on surface‐enhanced Raman scattering by proper crystal growth and design. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identification of minerals and organic materials in Middle Eocene ironstones from the Bahariya Depression in the Western Desert of Egypt by means of micro‐Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Ciobotă Valerian , Salama Walid , Tarcea Nicolae , Rösch Petra , Aref Mourtada El , Gaupp Reinhard , Popp Jürgen
Published: September 2011

The Middle Eocene ironstones of the Bahariya Depression consist of four iron ore types: manganiferous mud‐ironstone, fossiliferous ironstone, stromatolitic ironstone and nummulitic–ooidal–oncoidal ironstone. The upper surfaces of these sequences were subjected to subaerial weathering and a lateritic iron ore type was formed. The chemical composition of these ironstone types was investigated by means of micro‐Raman spectroscopy. Various closely related iron‐containing and manganese‐containing minerals were detected by means of the above‐mentioned approach. The high spatial resolution and sensitivity of this method allowed us to identify minerals that could not be detected by other techniques. Well‐preserved organic materials were observed in one type of ironstones. Therefore, using Raman spectroscopy, we were able to provide evidence that the formation of some of the investigated rocks was biologically mediated. The application of Raman spectroscopy is considered a powerful technique for the identification of both organic and inorganic substances in the studied iron ore deposits. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
n-3 PUFA prevent metabolic disturbances associated with obesity and improve endothelial function in golden Syrian hamsters fed with a high-fat diet
Authors: Kasbi Chadli Fatima , Andre Agnès , Prieur Xavier , Loirand Gervaise , Meynier Anne , Krempf Michel , Nguyen Patrick , Ouguerram Khadija
Published: September 2011

Glucose intolerance and dyslipidaemia are independent risk factors for endothelium dysfunction and CVD. The aim of the present study was to analyse the preventive effect ofn-3 PUFA (EPA and DHA) on lipid and carbohydrate disturbances and endothelial dysfunction. Three groups of adult hamsters were studied for 20 weeks: (1) control diet (Control); (2) high-fat diet (HF); (3) high-fat diet enriched withn-3 PUFA (HFn-3) groups. The increase in body weight and fat mass in the HF compared to the Control group (P < 0·05) was not found in the HFn-3 group. Muscle TAG content was similar in the Control and HF groups, but significantly lower in the HFn-3 group (P = 0·008). Glucose tolerance was impaired in the HF compared to the Control group, but this impairment was prevented byn-3 PUFA in the HFn-3 group (P < 0·001). Plasma TAG and cholesterol were higher in the HF group compared to the Control group (P < 0·001), but lower in the HFn-3 group compared to the HF group (P < 0·001). HDL-cholesterol was lower in the HFn-3 group compared to the Control and HF groups (P < 0·0005). Hepatic secretion of TAG was lower in the HFn-3 group compared to the HF group (P < 0·005), but did not differ from the Control group. Hepatic gene expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, diacylglycerolO-acyltransferase 2 and stearyl CoA desaturase 1 was lower in the HFn-3 group, whereas carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 and scavenger receptor class B type 1 expression was higher (P < 0·05). In adipocytes and adipose macrophages, PPARγ and TNFα expression was higher in the HF and HFn-3 groups compared to the Control group. Endothelium relaxation was higher in the HFn-3 (P < 0·001) than in the HF and Control groups, and was correlated with glucose intolerance (P = 0·03) and cholesterol (P = 0·0003). In conclusion,n-3 PUFA prevent some metabolic disturbances induced by high-fat diet and improve endothelial function in hamsters.
Respective contributions of intestinal Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 and scavenger receptor class B type I to cholesterol and tocopherol uptake:in vivov.in vitrostudies
Authors: Reboul Emmanuelle , Soayfane Zeina , Goncalves Aurélie , Cantiello Michela , Bott Romain , Nauze Michel , Tercé François , Collet Xavier , Coméra Christine
Published: September 2011

The intestinal absorption of cholesterol and lipid micronutrients such as vitamin E has been shown to share some common pathways. The present study aims to further compare the uptake of cholesterol ([3H]cholesterolv. 22-(N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino)-23,24-bisnor-5-cholen-3-ol (NBD-cholesterol)) and tocopherol in Caco-2 TC-7 cells and in mouse intestine, with special focus on the respective roles of scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) and Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1). Conversely to NBD-cholesterol, the uptakes of [3H]cholesterol and tocopherol by Caco-2 cells were impaired by both block lipid transport-1 and ezetimibe, which inhibit SR-BI and NPC1L1, respectively. These inhibitions occurred only when cholesterol or tocopherol was delivered to cells included in micelles that contained biliary acid and at least oleic acid as a lipid.In vivo,after 2 h of digestion in mice, the uptake of the two cholesterol analogues and of tocopherol all showed distinct patterns along the duodenum–jejunum axis. [3H]Cholesterol uptake, which correlated closely to NPC1L1 mRNA expression in wild-type (wt) mice, was strongly inhibited by ezetimibe. Intestinal SR-BI overexpression did not change NPC1L1 expression and led to a significant increase in [3H]cholesterol uptake in the distal jejunum. Conversely, neither ezetimibe treatment nor SR-BI overexpression had an effect on NBD-cholesterol uptake. However, in contrast with SR-BI mRNA expression, tocopherol absorption increased strongly up to the distal jejunum in wt mice where it was specifically inhibited by ezetimibe, and was increased in the proximal intestine of intestinal SR-BI-overexpressing mice. Thus, cholesterol and tocopherol uptakes share common pathways in cell culture models, but display differentin vivoabsorption patterns associated with distinct contributions of SR-BI and NPC1L1.
Lochkovian plants from the Xitun Formation of Yunnan, China, and their palaeophytogeographical significance
Authors: XUE JINZHUANG
Published: September 2011

A megafossil plant assemblage containing three zosterophyll plants (Gen. nov. A, aff.Huiasp. and a unnamed spike) is described from the Lower Devonian Xitun Formation (Lochkovian) of Qujing, Yunnan Province, China, providing new data on the diversity of plant types during the Lochkovian, a time poorly represented by fossil vascular plants. Gen. nov. A has a character combination of naked axes, a diagnostic branching pattern (i.e. K-type branching as well as small lateral branches scattered along the axes) and lateral stalked sporangia. Aff.Huiasp. has ovate and stalked sporangia which are arranged in loose spirals and are reflexed adaxially. Combining the plants previously reported from the Xitun Formation (i.e.Xitunia spinitheca,Zosterophyllum shengfengenseandZ.minorstachyum), the Xitun flora is dominated by zosterophylls and exhibits varied vegetative and fertile morphologies. Unlike the coeval plant assemblages in many localities of Laurussia and western Gondwana, which are mainly composed of plants with isotomous branching and terminal sporangia, the Lochkovian flora of South China is dominated by zosterophylls, documenting the existence of a distinct Northwest Gondwanan phytogeographic unit in the Lochkovian and a strong effect of phytogeographical isolation.
The first report on cystic echinococcosis in a cat caused by Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (G1)
Authors: Konyaev S.V. , Yanagida T. , Ivanov M.V. , Ruppel V.V. , Sako Y. , Nakao M. , Ito A.
Published: September 2011

A case of cystic echinococcosis (CE) in a domestic cat is described from Saint Petersburg, Russia. Ultrasonography showed numerous cysts with hyperechoic walls and anechoic contents within the cat's abdominal cavity. Molecular identification based on mitochondrial DNA genes indicated that the causative agent was Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (G1 strain). This is the first report of CE in a cat caused by E. granulosus sensu stricto with molecular confirmation.
Autistic Spectrum Disorder in Prehistory
Authors: Pickard Catriona , Pickard Ben , Bonsall Clive
Published: September 2011

Individuals with ‘extraordinary’ or ‘different’ minds have been suggested to be central to invention and the spread of new ideas in prehistory, shaping modern human behaviour and conferring an evolutionary advantage at population level. In this article the potential for neuropsychiatric conditions such as autistic spectrum disorders to provide this difference is explored, and the ability of the archaeological record to provide evidence of human behaviour is discussed. Specific reference is made to recent advances in the genetics of these conditions, which suggest that neuropsychiatric disorders represent a non-advantageous, pathological extreme of the human mind and are likely a by-product rather than a cause of human cognitive evolution.
Class Politics, American-Style
Authors: Arnold Kathleen R.
Published: September 2011

Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson'sWinner-Take-All Politics: How Washington Made the Rich Richer—And Turned Its Back on the Middle Classis both a work of political science and a contribution to broad public discussion of distributive politics. Its topic could not be more relevant to a US polity wracked by bitter partisan disagreements about taxes, social spending, financial regulation, social insecurity, and inequality. The political power of “the rich” is a theme of widespread public attention. The headline on the cover of the January–February 2011 issue ofThe American Interest—“Inequality and Democracy: Are Plutocrats Drowning Our Republic?”—is indicative. Francis Fukuyama's lead essay, entitled “Left Out,” clarifies that by “plutocracy,” the journal means “not just rule by the rich, but rule by and for the rich. We mean, in other words, a state of affairs in which the rich influence government in such a way as to protect and expand their own wealth and influence, often at the expense of others.” Fukuyama makes clear that he believes that this state of affairs obtains in the United States today.

Readers ofPerspectives on Politicswill know that the topic has garnered increasing attention from political scientists in general and in our journal in particular. In March 2009, we featured a symposium on Larry Bartels'sUnequal Democracy: The Political Economy of the New Gilded Age. And in December 2009, our lead article, by Jeffrey A. Winters and Benjamin I. Page, starkly posed the question “Oligarchy in the United States?” and answered it with an equally stark “yes.”Winner-Take-All Politicsthus engages a broader scholarly discussion within US political science, at the same time that it both draws upon and echoes many “classic themes” of US political science from the work of Charles Beard and E. E. Schattschneider to Ted Lowi and Charles Lindblom.

In this symposium, we have brought together a group of important scholars and commentators who offer a range of perspectives on the book and on the broader themes it engages. While most of our discussants are specialists on “American politics,” we have also sought out scholars beyond this subfield. Our charge to the discussants is to evaluate the book's central claims and evidence, with a focus on three related questions: 1) How compelling is its analysis of the “how” and “why” of recent US public policy and its “turn” in favor of “the rich” and against “the middle class”? 2) How compelling is its critique of the subfield of “American politics” for its focus on the voter–politician linkage and on “politics as spectacle” at the expense of an analysis of “politics as organized combat”? 3) And do you agree with its argument that recent changes in US politics necessitate a different, more comparative, and more political economy–centered approach to the study of US politics?—Jeffrey C. Isaac, Editor
The Danish Cartoon Controversy and the Challenges of Multicultural Politics
Authors: Sinno Abdulkader
Published: September 2011

Jytte Klausen's The Cartoons That Shook the World offers an interesting political science account of the Danish cartoon controversy and of a broader set of tensions between multiculturalism, civility, and freedom of expression. The book is also a fascinating case study of how political science can itself become the object of dispute, due to Yale University Press' decision to publish the book without any reproductions of the controversial cartoons.

We have thus asked a range of political scientists to comment on the Danish cartoon imbroglio, the book's analysis of it, and the controversy over the book itself.—Jeffrey C. Isaac, Editor
Dynamics and dissipation in enzyme catalysis
Authors: Boekelheide Nicholas , Salomón-Ferrer Romelia , Miller Thomas F.
Published: September 2011

We use quantized molecular dynamics simulations to characterize the role of enzyme vibrations in facilitating dihydrofolate reductase hydride transfer. By sampling the full ensemble of reactive trajectories, we are able to quantify and distinguish between statistical and dynamical correlations in the enzyme motion. We demonstrate the existence of nonequilibrium dynamical coupling between protein residues and the hydride tunneling reaction, and we characterize the spatial and temporal extent of these dynamical effects. Unlike statistical correlations, which give rise to nanometer-scale coupling between distal protein residues and the intrinsic reaction, dynamical correlations vanish at distances beyond 4–6 Å from the transferring hydride. This work finds a minimal role for nonlocal vibrational dynamics in enzyme catalysis, and it supports a model in which nanometer-scale protein fluctuations statistically modulate—or gate—the barrier for the intrinsic reaction.
“Mashq-e shab” (Homework)
Authors: Davar Mitra
Published: September 2011

Mitra Davar's short story “Homework” takes us into the world of a young woman still at school but already grappling with a deep sense of alienation. Manizheh, the protagonist, leads a life delimited by her movements between home and school. Both sites demand duties and responsibilities she finds herself unable to fulfill. At school, her teachers complain that she is absentminded. At home, her mother urges her to take the medication a doctor has prescribed to combat her melancholia and to devote herself to her homework.

We do not know the exact causes of Manizheh's depression, but something in her longing gaze tells us of a need to get beyond barriers that circumscribe her life. She is forever looking out of windows, staring at stray cats, and collecting feathers and autumn leaves. Yet she cannot find the vital link between all that she observes and is asked to do.
Five Mystical Ghazals by the Ayatollah Khomeini
Authors: Khomeini Ruhollah
Published: September 2011

The following ghazals by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini were written between 1365/1986 and 1367/1988. They are taken from his Bada-ye ᶜeshq: Ashᶜar-e ᶜarefana-ye Hazrat-e Emam Khomeini (Wine of Love: Mystical Poems by His Eminence Imam Khomeini). The collection includes twenty-three mystical ghazals, a number of quatrains, and some other material. When one approaches late twentieth-century Persian ghazals, the intellectual climate in which we live today compels one to ask a number of questions. Has the contemporary poet mastered and applied the formal requirements that govern the pre-modern style? Are the poems confined to the traditional topics of wine, spring, and unrequited love in all its aspects or do they explore new areas of broader social relevance? Is the contemporary poet following or reacting to earlier poets? Finally, what is the relationship of the poetry to the life of the poet?
Exile and Dissonance: The Poetry of Naanaam (Hossein Fazeli)
Authors: Fazeli (Naanaam) Hossein
Published: September 2011

Naanaam's Poems Represent One Of The Most Subversive, Eclectic, and marginal styles of contemporary Persian poetry written by exiled Iranians. His knowledge of contemporary world poetry as well as classical Persian poetry provides him with solid grounds for a peculiar style that is at once thoughtful and playful, serious and sarcastic, engaged and apathetic, violent and kind. He jolts his readers out of routine readings in a variety of ways: he uses English words in the middle of Persian writings; he parodies the well-known lines by the dominant figures of contemporary Persian poetry; he splendidly highlights the ironies and contradictions of everyday life experiences that we normally tend to take for granted; he antagonizes and subverts all that is dominant, be it poetic style, linguistic norm, Logic, or Truth.
The Pre‐Islamic Languages
Authors: Malandra William W.
Published: September 2011

The Publication of an Encyclopedia of the Size of the Encyclopaedia Iranica is an enormous undertaking in terms of conception and the logistics of its execution. Under the general editorship of E. Yarshater and the managing editorships of the distinguished philologists C. Brunner and P. O. Skjærvø, extensive coverage of the Old and Middle Iranian languages and literatures was assured. In a work of such grand proportion engaging the best scholars from all over the world, information on language and literature is dispersed throughout. Anyone using the EIr needs to be aware that in many cases only a fraction of what one might want to find on a given subject may be under that heading specifically. For example, the subject of Avestan (henceforth Av.) is covered most extensively under that heading, but the various Yashts will be found as separate entries under the names of the Yashts. Lexical items will be scattered, sometimes in places that it takes some ingenuity to find.
Languages and Dialects: Islamic Period
Authors: Perry John R.
Published: September 2011

The Topics Treated so Far in Encyclopaedia Iranica Under the General rubric of languages and the language sciences may be subdivided as follows, with an approximate tally of the articles devoted to each subtopic: 1. Iranian languages and dialects (34; 9 languages, 25 dialects and dialect groups). 2. Relevant non-Iranian languages and dialects and language areas (19; 10 languages, 9 areas). 3. Scholars, authors, works (36; 26 persons, 10 works). 4. Technical terms, genres and etymologies (12). The articles range in length from a few lines to twenty columns or more, some with subdivisions, some in themselves being subdivisions of larger articles. Obviously it is impracticable to mention more than one hundred articles individually. The following overview will attempt an appraisal of each category and its salient components, referring to particular articles as illustrative of the whole.
Science and Medicine
Authors: Saliba George
Published: September 2011

Reviewing an Encyclopedia is in Itself a Difficult Task, Reviewing a specific topic or a set of topics in that encyclopedia while the encyclopedia is still in progress is even more so. An encyclopedia is not a book, one cannot read it from cover to cover even when it is finished. It does not have an introduction, a thesis, an argument, and a conclusion. It is not supposed to establish the frontiers of research in any field or to raise any issues about the direction of such research or the degree to which such frontiers could be pushed; instead it is supposed to report on the state of the art. In short one does not expect to find in an encyclopedia answers to pressing problems in a specific field but guidelines as to where such problems may be found.

Furthermore, an encyclopedia is organized by entries (alphabetically ordered) and not by the logic of the thesis, and the entries are mostly devoted to persons who are deemed as having played important roles in the domain with which the encyclopedia is concerned.
Genetic variation in productivity of foundation riparian species at the edge of their distribution: implications for restoration and assisted migration in a warming climate
Authors: Grady Kevin C. , Ferrier Sharon M. , Kolb Thomas E. , Hart Stephen C. , Allan Gerard J. , Whitham Thomas G.
Published: September 2011

We examined the hypothesis that genotypic variation among populations of commonly co‐occurring phreatophytic trees (Populus fremontii,Salix gooddingii) and the shrub (Salix exigua) regulates aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) at a hot site at the edge of the species’ distribution. We used a provenance trial in which replicated genotypes from populations varying in mean annual temperature were transplanted to a common garden adjacent to theLowerColoradoRiver in southeasternCalifornia. The garden environment represented an extreme maximum temperature for the study species. Four major findings emerged: (1) Genotypic variation inANPPwas significant for all species with broad‐sense heritability (H2) across populations of 0.11, 0.13, and 0.10 forP. fremontii,S. gooddingii, andS. exigua, respectively, and within‐populationH2ranging from 0.00 to 0.25, 0.00 to 0.44, and 0.02 to 0.21, respectively. (2) PopulationANPPdecreased linearly as mean annual maximum temperature (MAMT) transfer distance increased for bothP. fremontii(r2 = 0.64) andS. gooddingii(r2 = 0.37), whereas it did not change forS. exigua; (3) Populations with similarMAMTto that of the common garden were 1.5 and 1.2 times more productive than populations with 5.0 °CMAMTtransfer distances forP. fremontiiandS. gooddingii, respectively; and (4) Variation in regression slopes among species for the relationship betweenANPPandMAMTindicate species‐specific responses to temperature. As these plant species characterize a threatened habitat type and support a diverse community that includes endangered species, ecosystem restoration programs should consider using both local genotypes and productive genotypes from warmer environments to maximize productivity of riparian ecosystems in the face of global climate change.
Thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor activation and bleeding in haemophilia A
Authors: FOLEY J. H. , NESHEIM M. E. , RIVARD G. E. , BRUMMEL‐ZIEDINS K. E.
Published: September 2011

Summary.  Individuals with haemophilia A exhibit bleeding tendencies that are not always predicted by their factor (F)VIII level. It has been suggested that bleeding in haemophilia is due not only to defective prothrombin activation but also aberrant fibrinolysis. Thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) activation was measured in tissue factor (TF)‐initiated blood coagulation in blood samples of 28 haemophiliacs and five controls. Reactions were quenched over time with FPRck and citrate and assayed for TAFIa and thrombin‐antithrombin (TAT). The TAFIa potential (TP), TAFI activation rate and the TAFIa level at 20 min (TAFIa20 min) was extracted from the TAFI activation progress curve. In general, the time course of TAFI activation follows thrombin generation regardless of FVIII activity and as expected the rate of TAFI activation and TP decreases as FVIII decreases. The magnitude of TP was similar among the control subjects and subjects with <11% FVIII. In severe subjects with <1% FVIII at the time of blood collection, the TAFIa20 min was inversely and significantly correlated with haemarthrosis (−0.77, P = 0.03) and total bleeds (−0.75, P = 0.03). In all cases, TAFIa20 min was more strongly correlated with bleeding than TAT levels at 20 min. Overall, this study shows that TAFI activation in whole blood can be quantified and related to the clinical bleeding phenotype. Measuring TAFIa along with thrombin generation can potentially be useful to evaluate the differential bleeding phenotype in haemophilia A.