bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peasant sexuality in eighteenth-century Hungary
Authors: Tóth István György
Published: November 2008

A l'aide de témoignages devant les cours féodales, dans cas de fornication, cet article étudie le comportement sexuel des paysans et les pratiques de contrôle des naissances. Des preuves sont fournies quant au droit de la communauté du village de sanctionner et d'admonester les fauteur en cas de méfaits sexuels et d'utilisation d'artifices pour éviter les conceptions. Il y a quelques références à la seule méthode effective de contrôle des naissances pour les paysans hongrois du 18e. siècle, notamment le coïtus interruptus. Pourtant beaucoup de femmes ont certainement dû recourir aux gris-gris et aux potions, dans une vaine tentative d'éviter une grossesse. Si ces méthodes rataient, elles eurent recours à une tentative d'avortement. Une dernière partie de l'article traite des rares cas rencontrés concernant l'homosexualité tant entre mâles qu'entre femmes.
Women apprentices in the trades and crafts of early modern Bristol
Authors: Ben-Amos Ilana Krausman
Published: November 2008

Cet article étudie l'importance et les différentes sortes d'apprentissage, tant officiel qu'officieux des jeunes femmes de Bristol au début de l'époque moderne. On y démontre que si, en ville, l'apprentissage officiel de femmes avait tendance à diminuer sous la pression d'une population croissante au cours du 16è siècle, l'apprentissage et le travail officieux, se poursuivaient durant la même époque. L'acquisition de techniques de façon officieuse n'est pas seulement liée à la domination inintérrompue des industries dans la ville même, mais aussi à la création d'emplois à vie, ce qui influençait le sort de plusieurs jeunes femmes de l'époque.
Dimensions of inequality among siblings in eighteenth-century English novels: the cases ofClarissa and The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless
Authors: Tadmor Naomi
Published: November 2008

Cet article étudie les modèles d'inégalité entre enfants dans deux romans populaires du 18e siècle. Il aborde ce sujet aussi bien au niveau du substantif qu'à celui de la méthodologie. La première partie explore les marques d'inégalité dans le langage et particulièrement dans la façon de référer et de s'adresser aux personnages. On constate comment certaines conventions pour les désigner dans ces romans, servent à définir le changement de leur standing et de leurs rôles et pour les situer dans un moule social. La seconde partie démontre comment les coutumes sociales et légales de l'époque figurent dans les romans et modèlent les personnages et l'intrigue. Cet article se concentre enfin sur la primogéniture et sur les normes apparentées du mariage. Des principes de sexe et de priorité d'âge apparaissent dans l'analyse de deux romans comme les principaux éléments formateurs. Celà remet en question quelques opinions requises sur la terminologie de la parenté anglaise et l'interprétation de families affectueuses dans les romans du 18e siècle. Cet article souligne encore l'avantage de la lecture de romans en ayant conscience des coutumes sociales et légales de l'époque. Il démontre encore qu'une lecture rigoureusement historique enrichit notre compréhension des oeuvres littéraires et de la société dans laquelle elles ont été produites.
Living arrangements of the elderly in a changing society: the case of Iceland, 1880–1930
Authors: Gunnlaugsson Gísli Ágúst
Published: November 2008

Cet article étudie comment l'urbanisation et l'introduction d'une législation d'assistance publique ont une incidence sur la position des personnes âgées dans le ménage en Islande entre 1880 et 1930. L'utilisation d'une perspective du cours de la vie démontre que l'urbanisation crée un nouveau genre de réseau familial durant cette période. Cela permet aux personnes âgées de compter sur l'aide de leur progéniture, même si les jeunes sont déjà chef de leur propre ménage. A la campagne l'accroissement de l'occupation par le propriétaire ainsi que le déclin du service mènent à quitter la maison à; un âge plus avancé augmentent les possibilités, pour les personnes âgées, de poursuivre la gestion de la ferme à un âge plus avancé, puisque aidés par une progéniture adulte.
American family and demographic patterns and the northwest European model
Authors: Smith Daniel Scott
Published: November 2008

Pour Hajnal et Laslett trois spécificités définissent le système de formation des ménages en Europe occidentale septentrionale: la fréquence des individus en service domestique, un âge moyen au mariage tardif, et la résidence neo-locale des jeunes époux. Si l'on ne considère que le critère de la résidence neo-locale, l'Amérique n'appartient pas du tout, en termes de famille et de démographie, à ce modèle occidental. La société américaine s'en écarte en deux points - par le mariage précoce et par la combinaison du travail libre et du travail servile, caractères qui sont cependant compatibles avec un modèle sous-jacent d'éeconomie malthusienne en région de frontière, où la terre est bon marché et la main d'œuvre bien payée. L'examen de ces anomalies apparentes amène à la conclusion que c'est uniquement la règie culturelle de l'établissement néo-local des nouveaux ménages qui caractérise vraiment le modèle européen nord-occidental.
Forced marriages and forbidden marriages in Switzerland: state control of the formation of marriage in catholic and protestant cantons in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
Authors: Head-König Anne-Lise
Published: November 2008

Avant le dernier quart du 19e siècle et l'unification du droit en Suisse, chaque canton était libre de legiférer en matière de droit matrimonial. Certains cantons étant catholiques et d'autres protestants, les bases religieuses du droit matrimonial étaient variables. Cet article étudie ces différences et met en évidence les conditions requises à la validité de l'engagement matrimonial dans les divers cantons aux 18e et 19e siècles. C'est ainsi qu'apparaît un lien entre le taux d'illégitimité et le régime matrimonial et une grande variété d'empêchements juridiques tendant à décourager le mariage dans les milieux pauvres. Enfin, il ressort que des cantons aux traditions religieuses et aux systèmes économiques similaires pouvaient adopter, à l'egard de l'engagement matrimonial, des lois fort différentes, sans compter la grande variabilité de la jurisprudence locale.
Diphtheria in late-nineteenth-century Sweden: policy and practice
Authors: Nelson Marie C.
Published: November 2008

Quoique le taux de mortalité général ne cesse de décliner pour l'ensemble de la Suède, après 1810, certains groupes d'ôge ne présentent pas ce modèle de comportement. La mortalité des enfants augmente en effet – particulièrement de 1 à 10 ans – après 1850. Cet accroissement est en partie attribué à des épidémies de diphtérie. Cet article s'attache à présenter la législation en matière de santé publique en Suède à cette époque, en particulier à l'egard des maladies infectieuses, et étudie deux villes, Sundsvall et Göteborg, qui furent l'objet de sévères épidémies de diphtérie. La législation imposait que soient présentés des rapports réguliers à l'administration centrale. Néanmoins, on voit varier d'une ville à l'autre aussi bien les dispositions prises pour les hôpitaux spécialisés dans les maladies infectieuses que les mesures d'isolation des malades contagieux et les modalités de désinfection des maisons touchées par l'épidémie ou plus tard le recours à des serum traitants. En conclusion nous posons la question de savoir si l'opinion publique s'est émue de cet accroissement de la mortalité enfantine.
Infant death, child care and the state: the baby-farming scandal and the first infant life protection legislation of 1872
Authors: Arnot Margaret L.
Published: November 2008

En Angleterre, à la fin de l'époque victorienne, on désigne communément comme ‘fermage infantile’ le systàme de nourrissage mercenaire des petits enfants, lorsqu'ils étaient confies contre payement à une gardienne ou nourrice. Un scandale public éclata en 1870, lorsque Margaret Waters et Sarah Ellis furent jugées pour l'assassinat de petits enfants dont elles avaient accepté la charge. Waters fut pendue. A la suite de l'enquête officielle qui suivit, une première loi fut promulgée en 1872, sur la protection de la vie infantile. Ce scandale est un bon exemple des doutes qu'avaient alors certains éléments de la classe moyenne quant à l'aptitude des femmes du peuple à soigner convenablement les enfants qu'on leur confiait. Les débats font ressortir des préoccupations touchant la sexualité, le niveau social, la nationalité des personnes impliquées et les rapports à instaurer entre la responsabilité de l'Etat et celle des parents à l'egard des enfants.

Cet article passe en revue quatre types d'attitudes rencontrées à l'égard de la législation: 1. les paternalistes qui font de la famille un domaine inviolable; 2. les medecins qui, dans leur propre intérêt professionnel, proposent que leur soient confiées toutes mesures pour la protection des enfants; 3. les femmes philanthropes qui aperçoivent le bien-fondé d'une plus grande intervention de l'Etat; 4. le groupe des féministes qui, au contraire, s'oppose à l'intrusion de l'Etat dans un domaine clé de la responsabilité féminine.

C'est le corps médical qui donne alors l'impulsion décisive à la mise en place de cette législation, défendant le bien-être de l'enfance, mais, dans ce début des années 1870, les objections de leurs adversaires réussissent à réduire l'efficacité des mesures nouvelles.
Iron production and the household as a production unit in nineteenth-century Sweden
Authors: Rydén Göran
Published: November 2008

Cet article envisage les ménages au travail. Le ménage comme unité de production est traité dans le cadre d'un modele théorique à partir de l'exemple des familles de fondeurs du Gästrikland (Suède), observées au cours de la première moitié du XIXe siècle. L'objectif de ce travail est de comprendre comment la production du fer en barres par des artisans spécialisés au sein d'ateliers centralisés s'est éloignée graduellement de la sphère familiale. Le travail salarié masculin est tout d'abord étudié en détail avant que ne soit abordée la dynamique des rapports complexes entre le travail des fondeurs, celui des femmes au sein du ménage et aussi en dehors et la taille et la structure de ménage dans cette communauté.
Demography in the archives: social and geographical factors in fourteenth-century York cause paper marriage litigation
Authors: Pedersen Frederik
Published: November 2008

L'auteur de cet article soutient l'idée que les dossiers de procès qui sont conservés pour l'époque médiévale ne sont pas des échantillons dus au hasard et qu'il n'y a aucune raison pour qu'ils ne soient pas représentatifs des cas traités par les juridictions médiévales qui les voient naître. Les litiges concernant des affaires matrimoniales ont été étudiés ici pour le 14e siècle dans la juridiction de l'archevêché d'York: il est clair dans ce cas qu'un accès facile au tribunal de cet archevêque a joué un rôle majeur dans le nombre des recours. L'analyse systématique des minutes montre qu'une grande proportion des procès matrimoniaux est le fait de plaideurs de rang social élevé. Et leur rang est d'autant plus élevé que leur domicile est plus éoigné de la ville de York. Les femmes sont les plus nombreuses à porter plainte; on note aussi qu'il a été impossible de faire concorder la répartition par âge des témoins, hommes ou femmes, avec quelque système de tables de mortalité, ce qui a fait naître des doutes sur la représentativité de tels documents juridiques quant au changement du comportement des personnes laïques. En conclusion, ce travail nous renseigne plus sur le comportement des habitués des tribunaux que sur le comportement de l'ensemble de la société contemporaine de ces procès particuliers.
Protective Effect of Vitamin C on Oxidative Stress: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Sasazuki  , Hayashi  , Nakachi  , Sasaki  , Tsubono  , Okubo  , Hayashi  , Tsugane
Published: November 2008

Background: Although a number of reports regarding the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as the first step in cancer induction exist, few studies have investigated how vitamin C influences ROS in human plasma. Aim of the study: Using the ROS assay system, a method recently established by one of the authors, we aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin C supplementation on serum ROS among subjects diagnosed with chronic gastritis. Methods: A total of 244 Japanese subjects with atrophic gastritis were randomized to take 5-year supplementation of either 50 mg or 500 mg of vitamin C. Results: The adjusted difference in the changes of total ROS between baseline and after 5-year supplementation was statistically significant between the intervention groups: 2.70 decrease (corresponds to 1.26% decrease) in the high-dose group and 4.16 increase (corresponds to 3.79% increase) in the low-dose group, p for difference = 0.01. Conclusion: Vitamin C was suggested to reduce oxidative stress among subjects with atrophic gastritis.
Effects of Yogurt Supplemented with Fish Oil on Plasma Lipid and Glucose Concentrations, and Liver Lipid Contents in Mice
Authors: Higuchi  , Shirai  , Suzuki  , Kawashima  , Tamura
Published: November 2008

The aim of this study is to clarify the effects of yogurt supplemented with fish oil on plasma lipid and glucose concentrations, and hepatic lipid contents in mice. Male Crlj:CD-1 (ICR) mice were fed five experimental diets for 12 weeks. The experimental diets were as follows: without yogurt and fish oil (control diet); 10% (w/w) yogurt without fish oil [10% FO(–)]; 10% yogurt with fish oil [10% FO(+)]; 30% yogurt without fish oil [30% FO(–)]; 30% yogurt with fish oil [30% FO(+)]. Plasma triacylglycerol concentrations in the 10% FO(+) and 30% FO(–) groups were significantly lower than that in the control diet group (p < 0.05 and p < 0.05, respectively). Plasma total cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations were significantly lower in the 30% FO(+) group than in the control diet group (p < 0.005). Concentrations tended to be lower with supplementation with fish oil. Plasma glucose concentrations in the 10% FO(+) and 30% FO(+) groups were significantly lower than those in the control diet group (p < 0.005 and p < 0.01, respectively). Hepatic triacylglycerol and total cholesterol contents in the 30% FO(+) group were significantly lower than those in the control diet group (p < 0.05 and p < 0.005, respectively). These results suggest that plasma triacylglycerol and glucose concentrations are effectively decreased by supplementation of yogurt with fish oil.
Patients with Sickle Cell Disease have Reduced Blood Antioxidant Protection
Authors: Ren  , Ghebremeskel  , Okpala  , Lee  , Ibegbulam  , Crawford
Published: November 2008

In previous studies, we found that homozygous sickle cell (HbSS) patients, compared with their healthy (HbAA) counterparts, had reduced levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids, in red cells, platelets, and mononuclear cells. These differences were not due to lower intake of the two fatty acids. We have investigated whether reduced antioxidant status in the patients could help explain the observed phenomenon. Blood specimens previously obtained for fatty acid study from Nigerian (26 HbSS and 30 HbAA) and British (30 HbSS, 9 sickle cell-hemoglobin C/HbSC, and 15 HbAA) subjects were analyzed for antioxidant status. The Nigerian HbSS patients compared with the controls had lower plasma retinol, α-tocopherol, and β-carotene concentrations (p < 0.005) and reduced activity of red cell Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) (p < 0.05). Similarly, the British HbSS group had reduced concentrations of plasma α-tocopherol (p < 0.005), and activities of red cell Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (p < 0.05) and Se-glutathione peroxidase (Se-GPx) (p < 0.005) than the controls. In addition, the British patients in comparison with those who had HbSC, a mild form of the disease, had lower α-tocopherol than that of the HbAA controls (p < 0.005). In the British sickle cell patients, there was a positive correlation between red cell ethanolamine phosphoglyceride (EPG) DHA and Cu/Zn-SOD activity (r = 0.700, p < 0.05), choline phosphoglyceride (CPG) DHA and Se-GPx activity (r = 0.605, p < 0.05), and CPG EPA and Se-GPx activity (r = 0.558, p > 0.05). Similarly, the percent DHA in red cell EPG was positively related with the activity of Se-GPx in the patients with HbSC (r = 0.674, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the lower levels of membrane EPA and DHA in blood cells of the HbSS patients could be due to peroxidation resulting from a compromised antioxidant competence.
Traveller’s thrombosis: International consensus statement
Authors: Schobersberger  , Toff  , Eklöf  , Fraedrich  , Gunga  , Haas  , Landgraf  , Lapostolle  , Partsch  , Perschler  , Schnapka  , Schobersberger  , Scurr  , Watzke
Published: November 2008

In 2001, consensus meetings on traveller’s thrombosis were held in Vienna and Berlin. The results of these conferences were subsequently published in VASA 2002. In 2006 a follow-up conference was organized in Hall, Tirol, Austria, in order to review new and emerging data and to update the conclusions and recommendations of the 2001 meetings. Prior to the conference key papers from peer-reviewed journals were pre-circulated to all participants. The consensus group discussed the data and drafted an updated statement. Thereafter, the writing group summarised the results including the pre-circulated material and additional papers identified by a formal literature search up to December 2007. In this article current knowledge on the incidence, pathophysiology and prevention of traveller’s thrombosis is summarised. The assessment of individual risk is described and recommendations for prevention of traveller’s thrombosis are given, based upon the conclusions of the Hall Conference.
Screening for renal artery stenosis in patients with aorticoiliac occlusive disease
Authors: Shakeri  , Shoja  , Tubbs  , Loukas  , Ardalan
Published: November 2008

Background: The prevalence of atherosclerotic renal artery disease has increased with improved life expectancy. Because renal artery stenosis is a potentially correctable cause of hypertension and ischemic nephropathy, early identification of this entity may lead to proper hypertension control and improved renal function and survival. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and patterns of subclinical renal artery stenosis in patients with aorticoiliac atherosclerosis. Patients and methods: The abdominal angiographies of 44 patients with high-grade aorticoiliac occlusive disease (> 70% stenosis) were reviewed for evidence of renal artery stenosis. This was compared to a group of 20 patients with mild-to-moderate aorticoiliac disease (< 70% stenosis). These patients had no history of renal artery disease or renal failure. Results: In patients with high-grade aorticoiliac occlusive disease, renal artery stenosis was found in 25 patients (56.8%); 13 with unilateral (29.5%) and 12 (27.3%) with bilateral involvement. A hemodynamically significant stenosis (> 50%) was found in 11 patients (25%), one of whom had bilateral stenosis (2.3%). High-grade renal artery stenosis (> 70%) or complete arterial occlusion was noted on seven sides (7.9%). The most common sites of stenosis were the origin and first centimeter of the renal artery. In patients with mild-to-moderate aorticoiliac disease, renal artery stenosis was found in two patients (10%). Conclusions: The present study revealed that subclinical renal artery disease may be present in more than half of the patients with high-grade aorticoiliac atherosclerosis highlighting the need for proper risk stratifications and screening programs. Based on our results, we suggest that examination of the renal arteries in these patients may be necessary in order to delay or prevent complications. Additionally, such information may have important therapeutic implications in planning reconstructive vascular surgeries or percutaneous angioplasties.
Incidence of venous thrombosis following peripheral arterial interventions. A prospective study
Authors: Schwarz  , Rastan  , Sixt  , Schwarzwälder  , Neumann  , Zeller
Published: November 2008

Background: The objective of the study was to investigate the incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) at the puncture site following peripheral interventions and to assess if there is a difference between using a vascular closure by means of vascular closure systems or compression bandages. Patients and methods: We prospectively included 474 consecutive patients after peripheral arterial interventions. The day after peripheral arterial intervention we performed venous compression ultrasound to exclude DVT in the area of the groin. We recorded management of arterial closure and subsequent antithrombotic treatment of the patient. Four weeks after intervention follow-up was performed by phone to exclude clinical DVT, pulmonary embolism (PE), and death. Results: We included 474 consecutive patients (mean age 69 y; 298 male / 176 female). All patients were under oral antiplatelet therapy. Vascular closure was achieved in 296 patients (62.44%) by Femostop™ followed by compression bandage and in 178 (37.56 %) by using a vascular closure device alone. Sonography revealed no DVT the day after intervention, no clinical PE occurred. Four weeks follow-up showed no DVT, but there was one patient in the compression bandage group who had PE without proven deep vein thrombosis. Two patients died from other reasons than PE. Conclusions: The immediate and mid-term risk of DVT after peripheral arterial interventions is extremely low and is not increased if compression bandages are used for vascular closure.
Extreme precipitation trends associated with tropical cyclones in the core of the North American monsoon
Authors: Cavazos Tereza , Turrent C. , Lettenmaier D. P.
Published: November 2008

We estimate trends of extreme daily precipitation (P95 > 95th percentile) events in the core of the North American monsoon region in Northwest Mexico during JJAS of 1961–1998. The intensity and seasonal contribution of P95 show significant upward linear trends in the mountain sites, which appear to be related to an increased contribution from heavy precipitation derived from tropical cyclones (TCs). Frequency of P95, total monsoon precipitation, and P95 in coastal stations did not change significantly. TC‐derived P95 events are associated with SST anomalies similar to weak La Niña conditions in the eastern Equatorial Pacific, SSTs > 28.5°C in the Caribbean Sea, and strong land‐sea thermal contrast over Northwest Mexico and the U.S. Southwest two weeks prior to their onset.
Resonant absorption of ULF waves at Mercury's magnetosphere
Authors: Kim Eun‐Hwa , Johnson Jay R. , Lee Dong‐Hun
Published: November 2008

Ultra low frequency (ULF) waves, which are assumed to be standing waves on the field, are observed by the Mariner 10 spacecraft at Mercury. These waves are oscillating at 38% of the proton gyrofrequency. It is well known that heavy ions, such as Na+, are abundant in Mercury's magnetosphere. Because the presence of different ion species has an influence on plasma dispersion characteristics near the ion gyrofrequencies, magnetospheric eigenoscillations observed at Mercury with frequency in the gyrofrequency range require a multi‐fluid treatment for the plasma. Thus ULF waves at Mercury may have a distinct difference from typical ULF oscillations at Earth, which are often described in terms of magnetohydrodynamics. By adopting a multi‐fluid numerical wave model, we examine how magnetic eigenoscillations occur in Mercury's magnetosphere. Because protons and sodium ions are the main constituents at Mercury, we assume an electron‐proton‐sodium plasma in our model. Our results show: (1) the observed ULF waves are likely compressional waves rather than standing oscillations such as field line resonances (FLRs), (2) FLRs at Mercury are expected to occur when the ion‐ion hybrid and/or Alfvén resonance conditions are satisfied, (3) the magnetic field of FLRs at Mercury's magnetosphere oscillates linearly in the east‐west (azimuthal) meridian when the frequency is located between two ion gyrofrequencies, and (4) the resonance frequency enables us to estimate the local heavy ion concentration ratio.
Enceladus: A potential source of ammonia products and molecular nitrogen for Saturn's magnetosphere
Authors: Smith H. T. , Shappirio M. , Johnson R. E. , Reisenfeld D. , Sittler E. C. , Crary F. J. , McComas D. J. , Young D. T.
Published: November 2008

The detection of nitrogen species in Saturn's magnetosphere could, in principle, provide clues to the origin and evolution of its satellites and tenuous rings. Smith et al. (2005) first identified low‐energy N+ using the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS). N+ was predominantly seen in the Saturn's inner magnetosphere (<∼14 Rs), indicating an Enceladus nitrogen source rather than the expected Titan source. However, the parent molecular species was not confirmed. Subsequent modeling showed that a small N2 source at Enceladus consistent with ion neutral mass spectrometer observations could produce the observed spatial distribution of N+. Considering the significance of understanding the Enceladus plumes, identifying the molecular parent for the observed N+ (N2 or NHx) can provide clues to the subsurface composition of Enceladus and the processes generating this plume activity. In this paper, we expand on the work of Smith et al. (2007) to identify the source molecules for nitrogen ions detected in Saturn's inner magnetosphere. We conduct an extensive study of all available CAPS data to determine if N2+ or ammonia is the parent molecule for these nitrogen ions. We present evidence for the detection of product ions (NHx+), likely from ammonia, and provide upper limits on the amount of N2+ that may be present in the plasma in the inner magnetosphere.
Lightning occurrence in relation with elevation, terrain slope, and vegetation cover in the Mediterranean
Authors: Kotroni Vassiliki , Lagouvardos Kostas
Published: November 2008

In the frame of this paper, 1‐year of lightning data from the experimental network ZEUS operated by National Observatory of Athens is analyzed. The area of interest is the Mediterranean and surrounding countries. At a first stage, the ZEUS data are compared with the data provided by the UK Met Office long‐range lightning detection network for the warm period of the year. It was found that although ZEUS system underestimates the nighttime and early morning activity, during the rest of the day ZEUS system detects increased number of lightning compared to ATD that suffers from saturation when the number of flashes exceeds a certain threshold. Furthermore, the possible relationship between lightning and elevation, terrain slope and vegetation is investigated. The analysis showed that during spring and summer there is a positive relationship of lightning activity with elevation, while this feature is not evident during the rest of the year. The lightning activity was found to be positively correlated with the elevation slope throughout the year except winter. As it concerns the vegetation cover, it was found that over bareground the lightning “yield” is low during the whole year, while the inverse is true for woodland areas. During the warm period of the year, due to drying of the Mediterranean surfaces, the forested and wooded areas that keep soil moisture present increased lightning “yield” in contrast with the shrubland areas that, for the same period, present a decreased lightning yield.
Preliminary use of ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography to study tree roots in pine forests and poplar plantations
Authors: Zenone Terenzio , Morelli Gianfranco , Teobaldelli Maurizio , Fischanger Federico , Matteucci Marco , Sordini Matteo , Armani Alessio , Ferrè Chiara , Chiti Tommaso , Seufert Guenther
Published: November 2008

In this study, we assess the possibility of using ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) as indirect non-destructive techniques for root detection. Two experimental sites were investigated: a poplar plantation [mean height of plants 25.7 m, diameter at breast height (dbh) 33 cm] and a pinewood forest mainly composed of Pinus pinea L. and Pinus pinaster Ait. (mean height 17 m, dbh 29 cm). GPR measures were taken using antennas of 900 and 1500 MHz applied in square and circular grids. ERT was previously tested along 2-D lines, compared with GPR sections and direct observation of the roots, and then using a complete 3-D acquisition technique. Three-dimensional reconstructions using grids of electrodes centred and evenly spaced around the tree were used in all cases (poplar and pine), and repeated in different periods in the pine forest (April, June and September) to investigate the influence of water saturation on the results obtainable. The investigated roots systems were entirely excavated using AIR-SPADE Series 2000. In order to acquire morphological information on the root system, to be compared with the GPR and ERT, poplar and pine roots were scanned using a portable on ground scanning LIDAR. In test sections analysed around the poplar trees, GPR with a high frequency antenna proved to be able to detect roots with very small diameters and different angles, with the geometry of survey lines ruling the intensity of individual reflectors. The comparison between 3-D images of the extracted roots obtained with a laser scan data point cloud and the GPR profile proved the potential of high density 3-D GPR in mapping the entire system in unsaturated soil, with a preference for sandy and silty terrain, with problems arising when clay is predominant. Clutter produced by gravel and pebbles, mixed with the presence of roots, can also be sources of noise for the GPR signals. The work performed on the pine trees shows that the shape, distribution and volume of roots system, can be coupled to the 3-D electrical resistivity variation of the soil model map. Geophysical surveys can be a useful approach to root investigation in describing both the shape and behaviour of the roots in the subsoil.
Intralymphatic allergen administration renders specific immunotherapy faster and safer: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Senti Gabriela , Prinz Vavricka Bettina M. , Erdmann Iris , Diaz Mella I. , Markus Richard , McCormack Stephen J. , Simard John J. , Wüthrich Brunello , Crameri Reto , Graf Nicole , Johansen Pål , Kündig Thomas M.
Published: November 2008

The only causative treatment for IgE-mediated allergies is allergen-specific immunotherapy. However, fewer than 5% of allergy patients receive immunotherapy because of its long duration and risk of allergic side effects. We aimed at enhancing s.c. immunotherapy by direct administration of allergen into s.c. lymph nodes. The objective was to evaluate safety and efficacy compared with conventional s.c. immunotherapy. In a monocentric open-label trial, 165 patients with grass pollen-induced rhinoconjunctivitis were randomized to receive either 54 s.c. injections with pollen extract over 3 years [cumulative allergen dose 4,031,540 standardized quality units (SQ-U)] or 3 intralymphatic injections over 2 months (cumulative allergen dose 3,000 SQ-U). Patients were evaluated after 4 months, 1 year, and 3 years by nasal provocation, skin prick testing, IgE measurements, and symptom scores. Three low-dose intralymphatic allergen administrations increased tolerance to nasal provocation with pollen already within 4 months (
P
< 0.001). Tolerance was long lasting and equivalent to that achievable after standard s.c. immunotherapy (
P
= 0.291 after 3 years). Intralymphatic immunotherapy ameliorated hay fever symptoms (
P
< 0.001), reduced skin prick test reactivity (
P
< 0.001), decreased specific serum IgE (
P
< 0.001), caused fewer adverse events than s.c. immunotherapy (
P
= 0.001), enhanced compliance (
P
< 0.001), and was less painful than venous puncture (
P
= 0.018). In conclusion, intralymphatic allergen administration enhanced safety and efficacy of immunotherapy and reduced treatment time from 3 years to 8 weeks.
Robust omniphobic surfaces
Authors: Tuteja Anish , Choi Wonjae , Mabry Joseph M. , McKinley Gareth H. , Cohen Robert E.
Published: November 2008

Superhydrophobic surfaces display water contact angles greater than 150° in conjunction with low contact angle hysteresis. Microscopic pockets of air trapped beneath the water droplets placed on these surfaces lead to a composite solid-liquid-air interface in thermodynamic equilibrium. Previous experimental and theoretical studies suggest that it may not be possible to form similar fully-equilibrated, composite interfaces with drops of liquids, such as alkanes or alcohols, that possess significantly lower surface tension than water (γ

lv

= 72.1 mN/m). In this work we develop surfaces possessing re-entrant texture that can support strongly metastable composite solid-liquid-air interfaces, even with very low surface tension liquids such as pentane (γ

lv

= 15.7 mN/m). Furthermore, we propose four design parameters that predict the measured contact angles for a liquid droplet on a textured surface, as well as the robustness of the composite interface, based on the properties of the solid surface and the contacting liquid. These design parameters allow us to produce two different families of re-entrant surfaces— randomly-deposited electrospun fiber mats and precisely fabricated microhoodoo surfaces—that can each support a robust composite interface with essentially any liquid. These omniphobic surfaces display contact angles greater than 150° and low contact angle hysteresis with both polar and nonpolar liquids possessing a wide range of surface tensions.
Roles of PCNA-binding and ubiquitin-binding domains in human DNA polymerase η in translesion DNA synthesis
Authors: Acharya Narottam , Yoon Jung-Hoon , Gali Himabindu , Unk Ildiko , Haracska Lajos , Johnson Robert E. , Hurwitz Jerard , Prakash Louise , Prakash Satya
Published: November 2008

Treatment of yeast and human cells with DNA-damaging agents elicits Rad6–Rad18-mediated monoubiquitination of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) at its Lys-164 residue [ubiquitin (Ub)-PCNA], and this PCNA modification is indispensable for promoting the access of translesion synthesis (TLS) polymerases (Pols) to PCNA. However, the means by which K164-linked Ub modulates the proficiency of TLS Pols to bind PCNA and take over synthesis from the replicative Pol has remained unclear. One model that has gained considerable credence is that the TLS Pols bind PCNA at 2 sites, to the interdomain connector loop via their PCNA-interacting protein (PIP) domain and to the K164-linked Ub moiety via their Ub-binding domain (UBD). Specifically, this model postulates that the UBD-mediated binding of TLS Pols to the Ub moiety on PCNA is necessary for TLS. To test the validity of this model, we examine the contributions that the PIP and Ub-binding zinc finger (UBZ) domains of human Polη make to its functional interaction with PCNA, its colocalization with PCNA in replication foci, and its role in TLS in vivo. We conclude from these studies that the binding to PCNA via its PIP domain is a prerequisite for Polη's ability to function in TLS in human cells and that the direct binding of the Ub moiety on PCNA via its UBZ domain is not required. We discuss the possible role of the Ub moiety on PCNA in TLS.
Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in fast food: Signatures of corn and confinement
Authors: Jahren A. Hope , Kraft Rebecca A.
Published: November 2008

Americans spend >100 billion dollars on restaurant fast food each year; fast food meals comprise a disproportionate amount of both meat and calories within the U.S. diet. We used carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes to infer the source of feed to meat animals, the source of fat within fries, and the extent of fertilization and confinement inherent to production. We sampled food from McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's chains, purchasing >480 servings of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches and fries within geographically distributed U.S. cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Detroit, Boston, and Baltimore. From the entire sample set of beef and chicken, only 12 servings of beef had δ
13
C < −21‰; for these animals only was a food source other than corn possible. We observed remarkably invariant values of δ
15
N in both beef and chicken, reflecting uniform confinement and exposure to heavily fertilized feed for all animals. The δ
13
C value of fries differed significantly among restaurants indicating that the chains used different protocols for deep-frying: Wendy's clearly used only corn oil, whereas McDonald's and Burger King favored other vegetable oils; this differed from ingredient reports. Our results highlighted the overwhelming importance of corn agriculture within virtually every aspect of fast food manufacture.
In vivo switch to IL-10–secreting T regulatory cells in high dose allergen exposure
Authors: Meiler Flurina , Zumkehr Judith , Klunker Sven , Rückert Beate , Akdis Cezmi A. , Akdis Mübeccel
Published: November 2008

High dose bee venom exposure in beekeepers by natural bee stings represents a model to understand mechanisms of T cell tolerance to allergens in healthy individuals. Continuous exposure of nonallergic beekeepers to high doses of bee venom antigens induces diminished T cell–related cutaneous late-phase swelling to bee stings in parallel with suppressed allergen-specific T cell proliferation and T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th2 cytokine secretion. After multiple bee stings, venom antigen–specific Th1 and Th2 cells show a switch toward interleukin (IL) 10–secreting type 1 T regulatory (Tr1) cells. T cell regulation continues as long as antigen exposure persists and returns to initial levels within 2 to 3 mo after bee stings. Histamine receptor 2 up-regulated on specific Th2 cells displays a dual effect by directly suppressing allergen-stimulated T cells and increasing IL-10 production. In addition, cytotoxic T lymphocyte–associated antigen 4 and programmed death 1 play roles in allergen-specific T cell suppression. In contrast to its role in mucosal allergen tolerance, transforming growth factor β does not seem to be an essential player in skin-related allergen tolerance. Thus, rapid switch and expansion of IL-10–producing Tr1 cells and the use of multiple suppressive factors represent essential mechanisms in immune tolerance to a high dose of allergens in nonallergic individuals.
Toward targeting B cell cancers with CD4+ CTLs: identification of a CD19-encoded minor histocompatibility antigen using a novel genome-wide analysis
Authors: Spaapen Robbert M. , Lokhorst Henk M. , van den Oudenalder Kelly , Otterud Brith E. , Dolstra Harry , Leppert Mark F. , Minnema Monique C. , Bloem Andries C. , Mutis Tuna
Published: November 2008

Some minor histocompatibility antigens (mHags) are expressed exclusively on patient hematopoietic and malignant cells, and this unique set of antigens enables specific targeting of hematological malignancies after human histocompatability leucocyte antigen (HLA)–matched allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT). We report the first hematopoietic mHag presented by HLA class II (HLA-DQA1*05/B1*02) molecules to CD4+ T cells. This antigen is encoded by a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the B cell lineage-specific CD19 gene, which is an important target antigen for immunotherapy of most B cell malignancies. The CD19L-encoded antigen was identified using a novel and powerful genetic strategy in which zygosity-genotype correlation scanning was used as the key step for fine mapping the genetic locus defined by pairwise linkage analysis. This strategy was also applicable for genome-wide identification of a wide range of mHags. CD19L-specific CD4+ T cells provided antigen-specific help for maturation of dendritic cells and for expansion of CD8+ mHag-specific T cells. They also lysed CD19L-positive malignant cells, illustrating the potential therapeutic advantages of targeting this novel CD19L-derived HLA class II–restricted mHag. The currently available immunotherapy strategies enable the exploitation of these therapeutic effects within and beyond allo-SCT settings.
Prediction of translation initiation site for microbial genomes with TriTISA
Authors: Hu Gang-Qing , Zheng Xiaobin , Zhu Huai-Qiu , She Zhen-Su
Published: November 2008

Summary: We report a new and simple method, TriTISA, for accurate prediction of translation initiation site (TIS) of microbial genomes. TriTISA classifies all candidate TISs into three categories based on evolutionary properties, and characterizes them in terms of Markov models. Then, it employs a Bayesian methodology for the selection of true TIS with a non-supervised, iterative procedure. Assessment on experimentally verified TIS data shows that TriTISA is overall better than all other methods of the state-of-the-art for microbial genome TIS prediction. In particular, TriTISA is shown to have a robust accuracy independent of the quality of initial annotation.

Availability: The C++ source code is freely available under the GNU GPL license viahttp://mech.ctb.pku.edu.cn/protisa/TriTISA.

Contact:  she@pku.edu.cn

Supplementary information: Full documentation of the program, containing installation instructions and other operational details, is available on our website. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Strains ofAureobasidium pullulansCan Lower Ochratoxin A Contamination in Wine Grapes
Authors: de Felice D. V. , Solfrizzo M. , De Curtis F. , Lima G. , Visconti A. , Castoria R.
Published: November 2008

Wine contamination with ochratoxin A (OTA) is due to the attack of wine grapes by ochratoxigenic Aspergillus carbonarius and Aspergillus spp. section Nigri. Four A. pullulans strains, AU14-3-1, AU18-3B, AU34-2, and LS30, are resistant to and actively degrade ochratoxin A in vitro. The less toxic ochratoxin α and the aminoacid L-β-phenylalanine were the major degradation products, deriving from the cleavage of the amide bond linking these two moieties of OTA. The same strains were studied further as biocontrol agents of A. carbonarius on wine grapes in laboratory experiments. Three of the four strains significantly prevented infections by A. carbonarius. Berries pretreated with the biocontrol agents and infected with A. carbonarius contained lower amounts of OTA as compared to the untreated infected control berries. Two of these strains were shown to degrade OTA to ochratoxin α in fresh grape must, but the mechanisms of the decrease of OTA accumulation in infected berries pretreated with the biocontrol agents remain to be elucidated. Assessment of one strain carried out in the vineyard during the growing season of 2006 showed that the tested strain was an effective biocontrol agent, reducing both severity of Aspergillus rots and OTA accumulation in wine grapes. To our knowledge this is the first report describing the positive influence of biocontrol agents on OTA accumulation in this crop species.
Aspects of linear and nonlinear instabilities leading to transition in pipe and channel flows
Authors: Cohen Jacob , Philip Jimmy , Ben-Dov Guy
Published: November 2008

The failure of normal-mode linear stability analysis to predict a transition Reynolds number (
Re
tr
) in pipe flow and subcritical transition in plane Poiseuille flow (PPF) has led to the search of other scenarios to explain transition to turbulence in both flows. In this work, various results associated with linear and nonlinear mechanisms of both flows are presented. The results that combine analytical and experimental approaches indicate the strong link between the mechanisms governing the transition of both flows. It is demonstrated that the linear transient growth mechanism is based on the existence of a pair of least stable nearly parallel modes (having opposite phases and almost identical amplitude distributions). The analysis that has been applied previously to pipe flow is extended here to a fully developed channel flow predicting the shape of the optimized initial disturbance (a pair of counter-rotating vortices, CVP), time for maximum energy amplification and the dependence of the latter on
Re
. The results agree with previous predictions based on many modes. Furthermore, the shape of the optimized initial disturbance is similar in both flows and has been visualized experimentally. The analysis reveals that in pipe flow, the transient growth is a consequence of two
opposite running modes
decaying with an
equal decay
rate whereas in PPF it is due to two
stationary modes
decaying with
different decay
rates. In the first nonlinear scenario, the breakdown of the CVPs (produced by the linear transient growth mechanism) into hairpin vortices is followed experimentally. The associated scaling laws, relating the minimal disturbance amplitude required for the initiation of hairpins and the
Re
, are found experimentally for both PPF and pipe flow. The scaling law associated with PPF agrees well with the previous predictions of Chapman, whereas the scaling of the pipe flow is the same as the one previously obtained by Hof
et al
., indicating transition to a turbulent state. In the second nonlinear scenario, the base flow of pipe when it is mildly deviated from the Poiseuille profile by an axisymmetric distortion is examined. The nonlinear features reveal a
Re
tr
of approximately 2000 associated with the bifurcation between two deviation solutions.
An optimal path to transition in a duct
Authors: Biau Damien , Bottaro Alessandro
Published: November 2008

This paper is concerned with the transition of the laminar flow in a duct of square cross section. As in the similar case of pipe flow, the motion is linearly stable for all Reynolds numbers, rendering this flow a suitable candidate for a study of the ‘bypass’ path to turbulence. It has already been shown that the classical linear optimal perturbation problem, yielding optimal disturbances in the form of longitudinal vortices, fails to provide an ‘optimal’ path to turbulence, i.e. optimal perturbations do not elicit a significant nonlinear response from the flow. Previous simulations have also indicated that a pair of travelling waves generates immediately, by nonlinear quadratic interactions, an unstable mean flow distortion, responsible for rapid breakdown. By the use of functions quantifying the sensitivity of the motion to deviations in the base flow, the optimal travelling wave associated with its specific defect is found by a variational approach. This optimal solution is then integrated in time and shown to display a qualitative similarity to the so-called ‘minimal defect’, for the same parameters. Finally, numerical simulations of an ‘edge state’ are conducted, to identify an unstable solution that mediates laminar–turbulent transition and relate it to results of the optimization procedure.