bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SEARLEWORLD1
Authors: Roth Paul A.
Published: January 2012

John Searle's most recent effort to account for human social institutions claims to provide a synthesis of the explanatory and the normative while simultaneously dismissing as confused and wrongheaded theorists who held otherwise. Searle, although doubtless alert to the usual considerations for separating the normative and the explanatory projects, announces at the outset that he conceives of matters quite differently. Searle's reason for reconceiving the field rests on his claim that both ends can be achieved by a single “underlying principle of social ontology” (7). This principle, he maintains, proves basic both to any explanation of how the social arises and sustains itself as well as to all justifications of core common norms, for example, human rights. His approach transforms what previously appeared to be ontological/explanatory questions (and so prima facie empirical/causal matters) completely into semantic/conceptual issues. By situating language as constitutive of the social, and intentionality as a necessary conceptual precursor to language, Searle claims to join by semantic necessity philosophical projects that the philosophical tradition that he rejects held distinct. Searle's notion of the social comes for free once one has language as a conventional cloak for prelinguistic, semantically well‐formed intentional contents, individual and collective. But upon examination, Searle's key argument for displacement of the tradition depends upon the viability of his linguistic mechanism, and that in turn requires prelinguistic necessity for all forms of intentionality. But he can produce no compelling connection, conceptual or empirical, to establish the role that collective intentionality supposedly must play.
Professional relationships in dangerous times: C. G. Jung and the Society for Psychotherapy
Authors: Lammers Ann C.
Published: January 2012

Abstract:  Relying in part on previously unpublished documents of the 1930s, this paper1 describes the origins and mission of the General Medical Society for Psychotherapy, both as it existed before Hitler's rise to power and as it was transformed afterward. Jung accepted the Society's presidency in 1933–34, on condition that it be restructured as an international, politically neutral organization, free from the laws of Gleichschaltung (Nazi conformity). The paper also contains a close study of Jung's collaboration with one interesting German colleague, Walter Cimbal. Cimbal, a neurologist, was briefly a member of the Nazi Party and, judging from his early letters to Jung, a Hitler enthusiast. Yet he also seems to have tried, together with Jung, to alleviate the difficulties of German Jewish colleagues whose lives were disrupted by the Hitler revolution. The paper includes translated passages from Cimbal's previously unpublished letters from 1933–36 and the post‐war years. It also includes a first‐person account by Wladimir Rosenbaum, the Zurich lawyer who assisted Jung in 1934, when Jung tried to mitigate the impact of anti‐Jewish laws on his German Jewish colleagues. In the primary materials of this period one discovers more evidence of moral shadow—and also less—than is sometimes assumed.
The effect of refrigerated storage of raw milk on the physicochemical and microbiological quality of Tunisian semihard Gouda‐type cheese during ripening
Authors: MANKAI MELIKA , BOULARES MOUNA , BEN MOUSSA OLFA , KAROUI ROMDHANE , HASSOUNA MNASSER
Published: January 2012

A Tunisian semihard Gouda‐type cheese made from milk kept at 4 °C for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h was monitored during 45 days of ripening. The effect of milk refrigeration on the evolution of physicochemical parameters in relation to the quantitative variation of the microbial population during ripening of Gouda‐type cheese was investigated. Microbiological and physicochemical analyses were performed on raw milk and cheese samples after curding, 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 37 and 45 days of ripening time. The raw milk kept under refrigeration at 4 °C for 96 h showed the highest microbial count and proteolysis level. The duration of storage significantly reduced the cheese yield as a result of important solubilisation casein in proteoses‐peptones. Results of different nitrogenous fractions by Kjeldahl method showed enzymatic hydrolysis products of casein whose intensity depended on the maturing stage as well as the refrigeration time. Besides the evident action of the plasmin, original milk protease, on the hydrolysis of casein in soluble fractions, the proteolysis of cheese caseins is also initiated by proteolytic action of the chymosin and extracellular heat‐resistant proteases notably produced by the same psychrotrophic microflora. Lactic acid bacteria starters that constitute the dominant microflora of this type of cheese are also considered as aroma precursors.
Physical Health Conditions Associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in U.S. Older Adults: Results from Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions
Authors: Pietrzak Robert H. , Goldstein Risë B. , Southwick Steven M. , Grant Bridget F.
Published: January 2012

Objectives

To present findings on past‐year medical conditions associated with lifetime trauma exposure and full and partial posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a nationally representative sample of U.S. older adults.

Design

Face‐to‐face diagnostic interviews.

Setting

Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

Participants

Nine thousand four hundred sixty‐three adults aged 60 and older.

Measurements

Logistic regression analyses adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and psychiatric comorbidity were used to evaluate associations between PTSD status and past‐year medical disorders; linear regression models evaluated associations with past‐month physical functioning.

Results

After adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics and comorbid lifetime mood, anxiety, substance use, attention‐deficit/hyperactivity, and personality disorders, respondents with lifetime PTSD were more likely than respondents who reported experiencing one or more traumatic life events but who did not meet lifetime criteria for full or partial PTSD (trauma controls) to report being diagnosed with hypertension, angina pectoris, tachycardia, other heart disease, stomach ulcer, gastritis, and arthritis (odds ratios (ORs) = 1.3–1.8) by a healthcare professional; they also scored lower on a measure of physical functioning than controls and respondents with partial PTSD. Respondents with lifetime partial PTSD were more likely than controls to report past‐year diagnoses of gastritis (OR = 1.7), angina pectoris (OR = 1.5), and arthritis (OR = 1.4) and reported worse physical functioning. Number of lifetime traumatic event types was associated with most of the medical conditions assessed; adjustment for these events reduced the magnitudes of and rendered nonsignificant most associations between PTSD status and medical conditions.

Conclusion

Older adults with lifetime PTSD have high rates of several physical health conditions, many of which are chronic disorders of aging, and poorer physical functioning. Older adults with lifetime partial PTSD have higher rates of gastritis, angina pectoris, and arthritis and poorer physical functioning.
Functional Status Does Not Predict Complicated Clinical Course in Older Adults in the Emergency Department with Infection
Authors: Caterino Jeffrey M. , Murden Robert A. , Stevenson Kurt B.
Published: January 2012

Objectives

To identify the relationship between functional status and complicated clinical course in older adults in the emergency department (ED) with suspected infection and to identify other independent predictors of complicated clinical course.

Design

A prospective observational cohort study.

Setting

An academic, tertiary care ED with 70,000 visits per year.

Participants

Aged 65 and older, blood cultures obtained in the ED, and final ED physician diagnosis of acute infection.

Measurements

Functional status was obtained using the Older Americans Resources Scale (OARS). Complicated clinical course was defined as in‐hospital mortality, need for intensive care unit (ICU)‐level care, or worsening in sepsis criteria within 48 hours. Analysis was performed using multivariable logistic regression.

Results

One hundred five participants were enrolled, 34 with the primary outcome. OARS was not predictive of complicated clinical course in univariate (P = .13) or multivariable (P = .90) models. An OARS score of 25 or less was also not significant (P = .22). Independent predictors were immunosuppression (odds ratio (OR) = 3.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.06–11.20), systolic blood pressure (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.96–1.00), pulse (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.00–1.06), metabolic acidosis (OR = 3.46, 95% CI = 1.08–11.09), severe sepsis or septic shock (OR = 10.24, 95% CI = 1.44–72.79), and suspected bloodstream infection (OR = 3.56, 95% CI = 1.13–11.16).

Conclusion

For older adults admitted to the ED with infection, functional status did not predict complicated clinical course, but several other variables were predictive, including immunosuppression, several variables associated with hypoperfusion, and suspected bloodstream infection. Emergency physicians could consider these variables as potential indicators of complicated clinical course when making disposition decisions for this population.
Health Consequences Associated with Being Overweight or Obese: A Swedish Population‐Based Study of 85‐Year‐Olds
Authors: Dong Huan‐Ji , Unosson Mitra , Wressle Ewa , Marcusson Jan
Published: January 2012

Objectives

To determine whether being overweight or obese is associated with significant health outcomes in an 85‐year‐old population.

Design

A cross‐sectional population‐based study.

Setting

Linköping,Sweden.

Participants

Three hundred thirty‐eight people born in 1922 were identified using the local authority's register.

Measurements

Data related to sociodemographic characteristics, health‐related quality of life (HRQoL), assistance use, and the presence of diseases were collected using a postal questionnaire. Anthropometry and functional status were assessed during home and geriatric clinic visits. Diseases were double‐checked in the electronic medical records, and information about health service consumption was obtained from the local healthcare register.

Results

Overweight (body mass index (BMI) 25.0–29.9 kg/m2) and obese (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2) participants perceived more difficulty performing instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and had more comorbidity than their normal‐weight counterparts (BMI18.5–24.9 kg/m2), but their overallHRQoLand health service costs did not differ from those of normal‐weight participants. After controlling for sociodemographic factors, being overweight did not influenceIADLsor any comorbidity, but obese participants were more likely to perceive greater difficulty in performing outdoor activities (odds ratio (OR) = 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1–4) and cleaning (OR = 2.2, 95%CI = 1.2–4.2) than their normal‐weight counterparts. Although obesity was also associated with multimorbidity (OR = 3, 95%CI = 1.2–8), the health service cost of each case of multimorbidity (n = 251) was highest in normal‐weight participants and nearly three times as much as in obese participants (ratio: 2.9, 95%CI = 1.1–8.1).

Conclusion

For 85‐year‐olds, being obese, as opposed to overweight, is associated with self‐reported activity limitations and comorbidities. Overweight older adults living in their own homes in this population had well‐being similar to that of those with normal weight.
Protein Intake and Muscle Strength in Older Persons: Does Inflammation Matter?
Authors: Bartali Benedetta , Frongillo Edward A. , Stipanuk Martha H. , Bandinelli Stefania , Salvini Simonetta , Palli Domenico , Morais Jose A. , Volpato Stefano , Guralnik Jack M. , Ferrucci Luigi
Published: January 2012

Objectives

To examine whether protein intake is associated with change in muscle strength in older persons. Because systemic inflammation has been associated with protein catabolism, the study also evaluated whether a synergistic effect exists between protein intake and inflammatory markers on change in muscle strength.

Design

Longitudinal.

Setting

The Invecchiare in Chianti Study.

Participants

Five hundred and ninety‐eight older adults.

Measurements

Knee extension strength was measured at baseline (1998–2000) and during 3‐year follow‐up (2001–2003) using a handheld dynamometer. Protein intake was assessed using a detailed food frequency questionnaire. The inflammatory markers examined were C‐reactive protein (CRP), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), and tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α).

Results

The main effect of protein intake on change in muscle strength was not significant. However, a significant interaction was found between protein intake and CRP (P = .003), IL‐6 (P = .049), and TNF‐α (P = .02), indicating that lower protein intake was associated with greater decline in muscle strength in persons with high levels of inflammatory markers.

Conclusion

Lower protein intake was associated with decline in muscle strength in persons with high levels of inflammatory markers. These results may help to understand the factors contributing to decline in muscle strength with aging and to identify the target population of older persons who may benefit from nutritional interventions aimed at preventing or reducing age‐associated muscle impairments and its detrimental consequences.
Effective Use of Survey Information in Estimating the Evolution of Expected Inflation
Authors: KOZICKI SHARON , TINSLEY P. A.
Published: January 2012

The evolution of the term structure of expected U.S. inflation is modeled using survey data to provide timely information on structural change not contained in lagged inflation data. To capture shifts in subjective perceptions, the model is adaptive to long‐horizon survey expectations. However, even short‐horizon survey expectations inform shifting‐endpoint estimates that capture the lag between inflation and the perceived inflation target, which anchors inflation expectations. Results show movements of the perceived target are an important source of inflation persistence and suggest historical U.S. monetary policy was not fully credible for much of the postwar sample.
Turning Bagehot on His Head: Lending at Penalty Rates When Banks Can Become Insolvent
Authors: CASTIGLIONESI FABIO , WAGNER WOLF
Published: January 2012

Ever since Bagehot’s (1873) pioneering work, it is a widely accepted wisdom that in order to alleviate (ex ante) bank moral hazard, a lender of last resort should lend at penalty rates only. In a model in which banks are subject to shocks but can exert effort to affect the likelihood of these shocks, we show that the validity of this argument crucially relies on banks always remaining solvent. The reason is that when banks become insolvent, Bagehot’s prescription dictates to let them fail. Penalty rates charged when banks are illiquid (but solvent) then reduce banks’ incentives to avoid insolvency ex ante and thus increase bank moral hazard. We derive a condition which shows precisely when this effect on ex ante incentives outweighs the traditional one and show that it is fulfilled under plausible scenarios.
A Confucian Improvement of Democracy
Authors: TONGDONG BAI
Published: January 2012

For 500 years the West was on the rise, culminating in Globalizaiton 1.0—the open system of trade, information flows and the spread of technology on the terms and in the image of the West. The benefits of that system over the last 30 years have led to the rise of the emerging economies. As a result we are entering the new era of Globalization 2.0 characterized by new forms of non‐Western modernity and the interdependence of plural identities. The advent of this new era has been hastened by the fiscal and financial crisis in Europe and the United States.

Turkey, with its Islamic‐oriented democracy that has become a template for the liberated peoples of the Arab Spring, and China, with its effective neo‐Confucian form of governance, are the most sharply defined new players in this multi‐polar and multi‐dimensional world.

In this section, one of Turkey's most insightful sociologists examines the post‐secular transformation of that nation. One of China's more provocative philosophers proposes a hybrid model that combines what has been learned from the experience of Western and Chinese governance in a way that “enhances democracy” in both systems.
Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography in Congenital Heart Disease
Authors: Shirali Girish S.
Published: January 2012

Complex intracardiac anatomy and spatial relationships are inherent to congenital heart defects (CHDs). Recognition of the limitations of two‐dimensional echocardiography has stimulated clinical interest in three‐dimensional imaging. The current review examines contemporary studies in the following areas where three‐dimensional echocardiography has provided additive value in CHD: (1) visualization of morphology, (2) quantitation of chamber sizes and ventricular function, and (3) image‐guided interventions. (Echocardiography 2012;29:242‐247)
Real Time Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography in Assessment of Left Ventricular Dyssynchrony and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
Authors: Wang Haojie , Shuraih Mossaab , Ahmad Masood
Published: January 2012

Left ventricular (LV) mechanical dyssynchrony is an important prognostic marker for higher morbidity and mortality in patients with symptomatic heart failure. However, the response rate to resynchronization varies among patients meeting current guidelines for Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Two‐dimensional echocardiography and Doppler‐based techniques have shown variable results in the assessment of LV dyssynchrony. There is an obvious need for a noninvasive tool that can reliably measure LV dyssynchrony. Accurate prediction of response to CRT will improve patient selection for such therapy. Real time three‐dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) is a novel noninvasive imaging modality that has been recently used in quantitative evaluation of global and regional LV function. A number of published studies have described the use of RT3DE in the measurement of LV dyssynchrony in patients with normal or reduced LV function. The systolic dyssynchrony index derived from RT3DE has been used to quantify LV dysynchrony and to evaluate and predict the response to CRT. This review will discuss the recently published data regarding the role of RT3DE in CRT. (Echocardiography 2012;29:192‐199)
Real Time Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography Evaluation of Intracardiac Masses
Authors: Zaragosa‐Macias Elisa , Chen Michael A. , Gill Edward A.
Published: January 2012

The evaluation of cardiac masses is often a challenge for cardiac imaging techniques. The traditional standby has been two‐dimensional echocardiography (2DE). Real time three‐dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) offers incremental value for the evaluation of intracardiac masses by providing more accurate assessment of the size and shape of the mass as well as in some cases, composition of the mass. RT3DE aids with the relationship between the mass and adjacent structures. Therefore, here we discuss the subject of RT3DE evaluation of cardiac masses is reviewed and discussed in detail. (Echocardiography 2012;29:207‐219)
C2 to the Tactical Edge
Authors: FAMME JOSEPH B. , PRICE BRYAN , RAITCH TED , DAVISON JIM
Published: January 2012

The United States and Allied Maritime domain dominance of sea approaches, lengthy coastlines, and associated rivers and ports is essential. At risk are the security and the economies of the United States and allied countries. The classical Mahan strategies for control of the maritime domain are the role of ships of the line, submarines, and aircraft in roles for Sea and Choke Points Control and Amphibious Assault. Current threats have proven the need to extend tactical response options beyond the ship's hull to its boats and RHIBs used for security and “combatant” craft roles including antipiracy, antidrug, illegal trade, and border security. The stakes are high for these “outside the hull” craft operations because the threats beyond the ship's hull are increasingly more capable and violent and the legal stakes are frequently international in nature. Positive control of these boats is also required for safety‐at‐sea in darkness and rough sea states. Under these conditions command and control (C2) functions similar to the capabilities of ships of the line are now required to be extended to the ship's manned craft in a distributed defensive and offensive role outside the hull of the ship. The ASNE topics list suggested “Engineering the Fighter Integer … into a Distributed Defense Architecture.” This paper will address the potential threat scenarios, the associated C2 requirements for success, and postulate C2 solutions as available to the United States and allied navies for distributed defensive and offensive architectures for the manned boats beyond the hull of the ship: we call this, “C2 to the Tactical Edge.”
Optimization of electron paramagnetic resonance imaging for visualization of human skin melanoma in various stages of invasion
Authors: Godechal Quentin , Leveque Philippe , Marot Liliane , Baurain Jean‐François , Gallez Bernard
Published: January 2012

Abstract:  Malignant melanoma is a tumor characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of melanocytes, mainly in skin, but also in eyes. Its incidence is rising each year. To improve the diagnosis and treatment of the tumor, it is essential to develop new effective methods to early detect and characterize melanoma. Previously, we demonstrated in a single‐shot study that it was possible to map free radicals of melanin pigments using an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)‐based method. Furthermore, we demonstrated that X‐Band (9 GHz) EPR spectrometry was an accurate tool to assess the growth stage of a pigmented tumor. The aim of the present study was to investigate the ability of EPR imaging to detect and localize melanin pigments inside melanin phantoms, B16 melanoma tumor models and resected human melanomas. We show that EPR can provide an accurate image of synthetic samples, both in terms of shape and size, with errors always lower than 10% compared to the real size. Regarding melanoma studies, the ability of EPR imaging to map accurately the melanoma was depending on the concentration of melanin in the sample, which is proportional to the growth stage of the tumor and the consequent signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) provided by the EPR signal intensity. This led us to define an operational concept, considering SNR and interferences with other EPR signals, to determine when EPR imaging was feasible.
Survivin gene promoter polymorphism ‐31G/C as a risk factor for keratocystic odontogenic tumor development
Authors: Andric Miroslav , Nikolic Nađa , Boskovic Marija , Milicic Biljana , Skodric Sanja , Basta Jovanovic Gordana , Milasin Jelena
Published: January 2012

Andric M, Nikolic N, Boskovic M, Milicic B, Skodric S, Basta Jovanovic G, Milasin J. Survivin gene promoter polymorphism ‐31G/C as a risk factor for keratocystic odontogenic tumor development. Eur J Oral Sci 2012; 120: 9–13. © 2012 Eur J Oral Sci

Several single nucleotide polymorphisms in survivin gene promoters, notably ‐31G/C, have been shown to modulate the expression and activity of the survivin protein. Consequently, the ‐31G/C polymorphism has been identified as a risk factor for the development of several types of tumors. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible association between the ‐31G/C polymorphism and the risk for keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT) development. DNA from 52 biopsy specimens of KCOTs and from 82 buccal swabs of healthy individuals was subjected to PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis to identify individual genotypes. The distribution of genotypes in KCOT and control groups, respectively, was: GG: 30 (57.7%) vs. 26 (31.7%); CG: 17 (32.7%) vs. 45 (54.9%); and CC: 5 (9.6%) vs. 11 (13.4%), respectively. These differences were statistically significant. The G allele was more common in the KCOT group than in the control group: 76 (74%) vs. 96 (59%), respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that GC heterozygotes had a considerably decreased susceptibility for KCOTs compared with GG homozygotes. The same was true for GC+CC vs. GG. The GG genotype of the ‐31G/C polymorphism might be a risk factor for KCOT development.
Emergence of naturally occurring melatonin isomers and their proposed nomenclature
Authors: Tan Dun‐Xian , Hardeland Ruediger , Manchester Lucien C. , Rosales‐Corral Sergio , Coto‐Montes Ana , Boga Jose A. , Reiter Russel J.
Published: January 2012

Abstract:  Melatonin was considered to be the sole member of this natural family. The emergence of naturally occurring melatonin isomers (MIs) has opened an exciting new research area. Currently, several MIs have been identified in wine, and these molecules are believed to be synthesized by either yeasts or bacteria. A tentative nomenclature for the MIs is proposed in this article. It will be important to explore whether all organisms have the capacity to synthesize MIs, especially under the conditions of environmental stress. These isomers probably share many of the biological functions of melatonin, but their activities seem to exceed those of melatonin. On basis of the limited available information, it seems that MIs differ in their biosynthetic pathways from melatonin. Especially in those compounds in which the aliphatic side chain is not attached to ring atom 3, the starting material may not be tryptophan. Also, the metabolic pathways of MIs remain unknown. This, therefore, is another promising area of research to explore. It is our hypothesis that MIs would increase the performance of yeasts and probiotic bacteria during the processes of fermentation. Therefore, yeasts producing elevated levels of these isomers might have a superior alcohol tolerance and be able to produce higher levels of alcohol. This can be tested by comparing existing yeast strains differing in alcohol tolerance. Selection for MIs may become a strategy for isolating more resistant yeast and Lactobacillus strains, which can be of interest for industrial alcohol production and quality improvements in bacterially fermented foods such as kimchi.
Water stress interacts with early arrival to influence interspecific and intraspecific priority competition: a test using a greenhouse study
Authors: Moore James E. , Franklin Scott B.
Published: January 2012

Questions

Do species arriving early (priority effect) to a site have a competitive advantage over species arriving later? Does early arrival aid in species ability to tolerate water stress? Is intra‐ and interspecific competition different for early and late arrivers?

Location

Greenhouse, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, USA.

Methods

A 1‐mo ‘head start’ in the greenhouse was used to simulate early arrival of Panicum capillare and Polygonum persicaria. We used a completely randomized design to examine the effects of water stress (drained, drought, flood) and priority competition (interspecific and intraspecific) in relation to species’ cohort [older (established) and younger (novel) individuals planted in different combinations]. We calculated increases in root and shoot weights, total biomass, root/shoot ratios, height, leaf number and length of longest leaf. All dependent variables were analysed using MANOVA and individual GLM ANOVAs.

Results

Increases in shoot and root biomass were significantly affected by water stress but the effects were species‐ and priority level‐specific. Root biomass for established individuals was significantly reduced after flooding and drought. Shoot biomass was least for drought and flood treatments of both older and younger P. persicaria, but older and younger P. capillare were unaffected. There were species‐specific priority differences (i.e. greater for older individuals) for shoot height and increases in leaf number; however, the opposite was seen for increases in leaf length.

Conclusions

In terms of community assembly, neither species appears to have an advantage in relation to competition or water stress, as both seem plastic and are negatively affected by flood and drought stress. The greater impact of older P. persicaria on P. capillare is the only advantage P. persicaria seems to have in the greenhouse. Correlating this to natural conditions, it appears that chance in reaching a site first plays a major role in P. persicaria's colonization success. This study provides evidence of the impacts of arrival time on subsequent physiological and competitive abilities of plants.
Bacterial acetohydroxyacid synthase and its inhibitors – a summary of their structure, biological activity and current status
Authors: Gedi Vinayakumar , Yoon Moon‐Young
Published: January 2012

Acetohydroxyacid synthase (anabolic AHAS; EC 2.2.1.6) is a thiamin diphosphate‐dependent enzyme that catalyzes the first step in the branched‐chain amino acid (BCAA) biosynthesis pathway. BCAAs are synthesized by plants, algae, fungi and bacteria, although not by animals. Thus, the enzymes of the BCAA biosynthetic pathway are potential targets in the development of herbicides, fungicides and antimicrobial compounds. Plant AHASs are well studied in this regard because specific plant AHAS inhibitors are considered to comprise the most potent herbicides. These inhibitors are also effective against bacterial AHASs, inhibit the growth of several bacterial strains and have little to no toxicity in mammals. This review provides an overview of bacterial AHASs with an update of the current status of AHAS inhibitors.
Structural characterization of Helicobacter pylori dethiobiotin synthetase reveals differences between family members
Authors: Porebski Przemyslaw J. , Klimecka Maria , Chruszcz Maksymilian , Nicholls Robert A. , Murzyn Krzysztof , Cuff Marianne E. , Xu Xiaohui , Cymborowski Marcin , Murshudov Garib N. , Savchenko Alexei , Edwards Aled , Minor Wladek
Published: January 2012

Dethiobiotin synthetase (DTBS) is involved in the biosynthesis of biotin in bacteria, fungi, and plants. As humans lack this pathway, DTBS is a promising antimicrobial drug target. We determined structures of DTBS from Helicobacter pylori (hpDTBS) bound with cofactors and a substrate analog, and described its unique characteristics relative to other DTBS proteins. Comparison with bacterial DTBS orthologs revealed considerable structural differences in nucleotide recognition. The C‐terminal region of DTBS proteins, which contains two nucleotide‐recognition motifs, differs greatly among DTBS proteins from different species. The structure of hpDTBS revealed that this protein is unique and does not contain a C‐terminal region containing one of the motifs. The single nucleotide‐binding motif in hpDTBS is similar to its counterpart in GTPases; however, isothermal titration calorimetry binding studies showed that hpDTBS has a strong preference for ATP. The structural determinants of ATP specificity were assessed with X‐ray crystallographic studies of hpDTBS·ATP and hpDTBS·GTP complexes. The unique mode of nucleotide recognition in hpDTBS makes this protein a good target for H. pylori‐specific inhibitors of the biotin synthesis pathway.

Database
 Coordinates and structure factors for structures presented in this article have been deposited in the Protein Data Bank under the following accession codes: 2QMO – apo‐form; 3MLE – hpDTBS·8‐ac·ADP· in P212121 form; 3QXC – hpDTBS·ATP; 3QXH – hpDTBS·8‐ac:ADP· in C2 form; 3QXJ – hpDTBS·GTP; 3QXS – hpDTBS·ANP; 3QXX – 8‐ac·GDP·; and 3QY0 – hpDTBS·GDP·.

Structured digital abstract

 hpDTBS and hpDTBS bind by x‐ray crystallography (View interaction)
Formation of massive globular clusters with heavy element abundance spread in the Galactic building blocks
Authors: Bekki Kenji
Published: January 2012

A growing number of recent observations have revealed that the Galactic globular cluster (GC) ω Cen is not the only GC that shows abundance spread in heavy elements (e.g. Fe). In order to understand the origin of the Galactic GCs with heavy element abundance spread (HEAS), we investigate the formation processes of massive GCs (MGCs) with masses larger than 106 M⊙ in gas-rich dwarf galaxies interacting and merging with the very young Galaxy. We find that massive and compact stellar clumps with masses larger than 106 M⊙, which can be regarded as progenitors of MGCs, can form from massive gas clumps that are developed through merging of gaseous regions initially at different radii and thus with different metallicities. Therefore, it is inevitable that MGCs formed in dwarfs have HEAS. The abundance spread in each individual MGC depends on the radial metallicity gradient of the host dwarf such that it can be larger for the steeper metallicity gradient. For example, MGCs formed in a dwarf with a central metallicity of [Fe/H] =−1.1 and the radial gradient of ∼−0.2 dex kpc−1 can have the abundance spread of Δ[Fe/H] ∼ 0.2. The simulated MGCs appear to be significantly flattened owing to their dissipative formation from gas discs of their host dwarfs. Based on these results, we discuss possibly diverse formation mechanisms for the Galactic GCs such as M22, M54, NGC 2419, ω Cen and Terzan 5.
N‐Nitrourea Derivatives as Novel Potential Fungicides against Rhizoctonia solani: Synthesis, Antifungal Activities, and 3D‐QSAR
Authors: Cao Xiufang , Xu Shengzhen , Li Xuegang , Shen Xiaoxia , Zhang Qingye , Li Jianhong , Chen Changshui
Published: January 2012

A series of N‐nitrourea derivatives bearing various aryl substituents were conveniently obtained via three steps including nitration, carbamic chlorination, and aminolysis reactions. The structures of all newly synthesized compounds were characterized and confirmed by IR, 1H‐NMR, MS, and elemental analysis. The preliminary bioassays indicate that five compounds possess sufficient fungicidal activity against Rhizoctonia solani. Structure–activity relationship (SAR) is also discussed based on the experimental data, and the further quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) was analyzed using comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA).
Complications associated with temporary tracheostomy tubes in 42 dogs (1998 to 2007)
Authors: Nicholson I. , Baines S.
Published: January 2012

Objective: To identify the type and frequency of tracheostomy tube complications, and to determine factors associated with these complications, and with poor outcome.

Methods: A database search for dogs undergoing temporary tube tracheostomy was performed. The medical records were scrutinised. The signalment, respiratory disease history, diagnosis, surgery, type and frequency of tube care procedures, type of complications and outcome were recorded.

Results: Forty‐two records were found. Complications occurred in 36 of 42 (86%) cases. Bulldogs were more likely to dislodge the tube than other breeds (P=0·0376), and cases with three or more complication types underwent more routine care procedures than those with fewer complications (P=0·0370). Thirty‐four of 42 (81%) dogs had a successfully managed tracheostomy tube and survived until tube removal, or elective euthanasia without significant tube complications. Bulldogs were also significantly (P=0·0376) more likely to have an unsuccessful tube outcome, as were dogs experiencing severe bradycardia during treatment (P=0·0176). Dogs with unsuccessful tube outcome were significantly (P=0·0331) younger than dogs with successful tube outcome.

ClinicalSignificance: Tracheostomy tubes in dogs have a high complication rate but a good outcome in most dogs. Careful management may improve the outcome of dogs with tracheostomy tubes, especially bulldogs and dogs exhibiting bradycardia during treatment.
Chitosan Nanoparticles for Antimicrobial Photodynamic Inactivation: Characterization and In Vitro Investigation†
Authors: Chen Chueh‐Pin , Chen Chin‐Tin , Tsai Tsuimin
Published: January 2012

The growing resistance to antibiotics has rendered antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (PDI) an attractive alternative treatment modality for infectious diseases. Chitosan (CS) was shown to further potentiate the PDI effect of photosensitizers and was therefore used in this study to investigate its ability to potentiate the activity of erythrosine (ER) against bacteria and yeast. CS nanoparticles loaded with ER were prepared by ionic gelation method and tested for their PDI efficacy on planktonic cells and biofilms of Streptococcus mutans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. The nanoparticles were characterized for their size, polydispersity index and zeta potential. No toxicity was observed when planktonic cells and biofilms were treated with the nanoparticles in the dark. However, when the cells were exposed to light irradiation after treatment with free ER or ER/CS nanoparticles, a significant phototoxicity was observed. The antimicrobial activity of ER/CS nanoparticles was significantly higher than ER in free form. The particle size and incubation time of the nanoparticles also appeared to be important factors affecting their PDI activity against S. mutans and C. albicans.
Couple and Family Interventions in Health Problems
Authors: Shields Cleveland G. , Finley Michelle A. , Chawla Neelu , Meadors with Patrick
Published: January 2012

Intervention research for couples and families managing chronic health problems is in an early developmental stage. We reviewed randomized clinical trials of family interventions for common neurological diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes, which is similar to the content of previous reviews discussed later. One overriding theme of these studies is that patients with chronic illnesses and their families face a variety of challenges to which researchers have responded with an array of treatment modalities. Very few of the interventions reviewed, with the exception of treatment for adolescents with diabetes, tested family psychotherapy models. Most interventions were time‐limited therapeutic interventions that trained families to improve their communication and problem‐solving skills, individual and family coping skills, and medical management. Researchers more clearly described mechanisms of change in intervention studies with cancer and diabetes than with other diseases, and not surprisingly, they found greater empirical support for their interventions. Family interventions show promise to help patients and family members manage chronic illnesses. To develop an empirical base for family approaches to managing chronic illnesses, interventions must be based on theories that delineate mechanisms of change in family processes and skills in medical management necessary to maintain patients’ and family members’ health.
Cardio‐Selective Beta‐Blocker: Pharmacological Evidence and Their Influence on Exercise Capacity
Authors: Ladage Dennis , Schwinger Robert H.G. , Brixius Klara
Published: January 2012

SUMMARY  For the past 40 years, beta‐blockers have been widely used in cardiovascular medicine, reducing morbidity as well as mortality. Beta‐blockers are currently used in a number of cardiovascular conditions such as systolic heart failure, postmyocardial infarction, and in prevention and treatment of arrhythmias. They are not recommended as the first line antihypertensive therapy, particularly in the elderly, unless there are specific indications. Despite the benefits of beta‐blockers, tolerability concerns in patients with co‐morbidities have limited their use. Some of these problems were overcome with the discovery of cardioselective beta‐blockers. The third generation beta‐blockers have additional properties of vasodilatation and advantages in terms of minimizing the adverse effects of beta‐blockers. Some of the advantages include improvement of insulin resistance, decrease in cholesterol as well as alleviation of erectile dysfunction. Acute treatment with beta‐blockers modifies local muscular metabolic properties and impairs endurance exercise capacity whereas the influence of chronic is debated controversially.
The origin of crystalline residues in Stardust Al foils: Surviving cometary dust or crystallized impact melts?
Authors: WOZNIAKIEWICZ Penelope J. , KEARSLEY Anton T. , ISHII Hope A. , BURCHELL Mark J. , BRADLEY John P. , TESLICH Nick , COLE Mike J. , PRICE Mark C.
Published: January 2012

Abstract– Samples returned by the Stardust mission from comet 81P/Wild 2 provide an unequaled opportunity to investigate cometary formation and evolution. Crystalline silicates have been identified in impact craters in Stardust Al foil, yet their origin is ambiguous. They may be original cometary components, or they may have grown from melt generated by impact. We have now studied experimental impacts of the calcium silicate mineral wollastonite, using scanning and transmission electron microscopy to document the relationship between impact feature shape and crystal lattice orientation in impact residue. Wollastonite can have a characteristic acicular habit, forming crater shapes that indicate crystal orientation upon impact. From extracted impact residue, we determined the lattice orientation of crystalline material for comparison with the whole particle orientation. We assume that crystallization from melt, without surviving seed nuclei, should result in randomly oriented crystallite growth, with no preferred direction for individual crystals. However, we find that the majority of crystalline material in the residue retains b‐axis orientation parallel to the long axis of the crater form. This, together with impact parameter calculations and lack of Al incorporation by the residue (suggesting melting did not occur), indicates that these crystals and, by analogy, the majority of Al‐free crystalline silicates in Stardust foil, are surviving remnants of the impactor. Furthermore, amorphous wollastonite residue probably did not form via melting and subsequent quenching, but instead by high‐pressure amorphization or degradation of unquenchable phases. Finally, one crystal studied appears to be a new high‐pressure/temperature polymorph of CaSiO3, indicating that such polymorphs may be observed in Stardust residues in craters.
Poverty, Livelihoods and War Legacies: The Case of Post‐War Rural Kosovo
Authors: Douarin Elodie , Litchfield Julie , Sabates‐Wheeler Rachel
Published: January 2012

This paper examines the effects of war on livelihood portfolios and welfare outcomes of rural households in Kosovo using the 2000 Kosovo Living Standards Measurement Survey. We question to what extent the legacy of war was experienced through selection into low return livelihood activities or through decreases in welfare generally. We first identify portfolios using a clustering algorithm which groups households pursuing similar combinations of activities. The emerging clusters are comparable to those described in more qualitative studies for Kosovo in the immediate post‐conflict period. We then examine the determinants of livelihood portfolio choice and the consequences of these for welfare outcomes, controlling for war legacies and selection into specific portfolios. We find evidence of a relationship between a household's war experience and their livelihood choices and that war exposure has different impacts on household welfare depending on the livelihood portfolio adopted. We also identify significant selection effects on welfare for three out of four of our livelihood clusters, highlighting the fact that selecting into a specific portfolio raised or lowered welfare above expected levels.
Be hard on the interests and soft on the values: Conflict issue moderates the effects of anger in negotiations
Authors: Harinck Fieke , Van Kleef Gerben A.
Published: January 2012

Emotions play an important role in conflict resolution. Past work has found that negotiators tend to concede when confronted with anger. We argue and show that this effect occurs in conflicts about interests, but not in conflicts about values. In value conflicts that are more closely tied to a person's values, norms, and identity, expressions of anger are likely to backfire. We demonstrate that people deem expressions of anger more unfair in value conflicts than in interest conflicts (Study 1) and that they are more likely to engage in retaliatory and escalatory behaviours when confronted with an angry reaction in the context of a value issue rather than an interest issue (Study 2).
Unraveling the Spin Polarization of the ν = 5/2 Fractional Quantum Hall State
Authors: Tiemann L. , Gamez G. , Kumada N. , Muraki K.
Published: January 2012

Toward Quantum Computing

Quantum computers are expected to be able to tackle problems that would take classical computers many lifetimes to solve. Nonabelian states of matter can store quantum information in their topology, making them immune to environmental perturbations. A physical system expected to possess this unusual property is the fractional quantum Hall state at filling factor ν = 5/2.

Tiemann
et al.

(p.
828
, published online 26 January) used nuclear magnetic resonance to measure the polarization of the 5/2 state and found that it is fully polarized—a finding consistent with a nonabelian state—keeping hopes for topological fault-tolerant quantum computing alive.
Ethical reflections on the thoughts and lives of Kurosawa's doctors
Authors: Asai Atsushi , Maki Sakiko , Kadooka Yasuhiro
Published: January 2012

The year 2010 marked the centenary of the birth of Akira Kurosawa (1910–1998), whose works have been reassessed favourably in the last couple of years in Japan. During his lifetime, Kurosawa directed and produced three films whose chief characters are medical doctors:Drunken Angel(1948),The Quiet Duel(1949) andRed Beard(1965). This paper discusses these three films and examines the thoughts and lives of the three protagonists from the perspective of modern medical ethics. The films depict contemporary ethical and social problems, and deal with paternalism, a healthy professional life and the proper place for human reason in medicine, all of which still give rise to debate in modern medical settings. They are very impressive in their portrayal of extreme paternalism, excessively professional lives and disproportionate reliance on rationality. The doctors are role models in certain situations and are examples of how not to behave in other situations. On the one hand, they are devoted to helping their patients, with their self-sacrifice firmly based on humanity and medical ethics. On the other hand, they perform unwelcome favours and are unhealthy role models who might harm others through narrow-minded attitudes about human beings, a fixed view of life and inflexible ideas about medicine. In this sense, they can be regarded as a rather mixed blessing. These films provide us with an opportunity to simultaneously recognise the importance of modern ethical principles and the significance of ‘old’ ethical values.