bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Hydrogen Bonds and Nonspecific Interactions on the Spectral and Photophysical Properties of the Excited Singlet States of 4‐Aminophthalimide in Amine Solution
Authors: Maciejewski Andrzej , Krystkowiak Ewa , Koput Jacek , Dobek Krzysztof
Published: November 2010

The hydrogen‐bond and nonspecific interaction energies for 4‐aminophthalimide (4‐AP), often used as a probe, in the ground electronic and excited singlet states are determined using ab initio computational methods. It is shown that the 4‐AP molecule can form three relatively strong hydrogen bonds with trimethylamine (TMA) and triethylamine (TEA), which leads to the formation of S0‐complexes between the solute and solvent molecules. Only two of the hydrogen bonds with the amine group of 4‐AP change significantly their energies upon excitation and deactivation. The theoretical results are necessary to explain the spectral and unusual photophysical properties of 4‐AP in amine solutions.
Electrical and optical properties of Co doped TlGaS2 crystals
Authors: Karabulut O. , Yilmaz K. , Boz B.
Published: November 2010

In this study, Co doped TlGaS2 single crystals which belongs to the class of AIIIBIIIX2VI have been investigated by means of XRD, temperature dependent dark and illuminated conductivity, Space Charge Limited Currents and absorption measurements. The room temperature conductivity and trap concentration values were about 10‐8 (Ω‐cm)‐1 and 7.5 × 1013 cm‐3, respectively. From the temperature dependent conductivity measurements, two activation energies namely 271 and 12 meV have been determined in the high and low temperature regions, respectively. The trap level at 271 meV that was determined by the dark temperature dependent conductivity measurement has also been verified by Space Charge Limited Currents analysis. The absorption measurements have showed that the layered compound had indirect and direct band gaps and the values were determined to be 2.49 and 2.56 eV, respectively. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Nickel(II) and Cobalt(II) 3‐Hydroxy‐4‐pyridinone Complexes: Synthesis, Characterization and Speciation Studies in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Queiros Carla , Amorim M. João , Leite Andreia , Ferreira Monica , Gameiro Paula , de Castro Baltazar , Biernacki Krzysztof , Magalhães Alexandre , Burgess John , Rangel Maria
Published: November 2010

The interaction of nickel(II) and cobalt(II) with a set of 3‐hydroxy‐4‐pyridinone ligands (Hmpp, Hmepp, Hetpp, Hempp, Hdepp and Hdmpp) was investigated in aqueous solution. The family of chelators under study is pharmaceutically relevant in the treatment of iron‐overloaded patients and it is foreseen to be of use in occupational health situations associated with accumulation of nickel and cobalt such as nasal/pulmonary and skin hazards and allergies. Ligand dissociation constants and stability constants for the cobalt(II) and nickel(II) complexes have been determined by potentiometric methods allowing the establishment of the corresponding speciation plots as a function of pH. The values of the stability constants are consistent with the Irving–Williams series and indicate the formation of stable ML2 complexes which were isolated and characterized. Following the trend observed for 3‐hydroxy‐4‐pyridinone ligands the solids were obtained as hydrates whose composition was characterized as [ML2(H2O)2]·xH2O complexes. DFT calculations allowed geometry optimization and provided information about bond lengths and angles.
Recent advances in the MS analysis of glycoproteins: Capillary and microfluidic workflows
Authors: Cortes Diego F. , Kabulski Jarod L. , Lazar Alexandru C. , Lazar Iulia M.
Published: November 2010

Recent developments in bioanalytical instrumentation, MS detection, and computational data analysis approaches have provided researchers with capabilities for interrogating the complex cellular glycoproteome, to help gain a better insight into the cellular and physiological processes that are associated with a disease and to facilitate the efforts centered on identifying disease‐specific biomarkers. This review describes the progress achieved in the characterization of protein glycosylation by using advanced capillary and microfluidic MS technologies. The major steps involved in large‐scale glycoproteomic analysis approaches are discussed, with special emphasis given to workflows that have evolved around complex MS detection functions. In addition, quantitative analysis strategies are assessed, and the bioinformatics aspects of glycoproteomic data processing are summarized. The developments in commercial and custom fabricated microfluidic front‐end platforms to ESI‐ and MALDI‐MS instrumentation, for addressing major challenges in carbohydrate analysis such as sensitivity, throughput, and ability to perform structural characterization, are further evaluated and illustrated with relevant examples.
Thermophilic digestion of cellulose at high‐organic loading rates
Authors: Golkowska Katarzyna , Greger Manfred
Published: November 2010

The influence of high punctual organic loadings on performance of anaerobic biocenosis was examined. Thermophilic batch series with microcrystalline cellulose at six organic loading rates (OLRs) were performed (5.7–34.3 kg VS/m3). With the loading increase and exceeding of recommended substrate/inoculum ratio of 0.5 for volatile solids, an inhibitory state was targeted. Although extreme OLRs had been applied, they did not lead to the permanent acidosis. The only explicit sign of system stress was the increasing total degradation time and the extended period of higher biogas production rate with every increase of OLR. Measured fermentation parameters (pH, oxidation–reduction potential, volatile acids and acids/buffer capacity ratio) were changed simultaneously during fermentation. A clear system evaluation was not possible with any of these parameters without gas production. This confirms gas production as the first and most important control parameter for the supervision of the fermenting process. Also, propionic/acetic acid ratio as well as C4‐C5 fatty acids delivered only ambiguous results. Even significant exceeding of limits given by the literature did not result in extreme system performance. The observed signs of system stress were not proportional to the applied OLRs. They resulted from hydrolysis or acetogenesis rate delay. In addition, they prove a much higher than expected adaptation level of microbial biocenosis to increasing OLR if the loads are introduced gradually.
Use of zeolite to alleviate water stress on subsurface drip irrigated barley under hot environments
Authors: AL‐Busaidi Ahmed , Yamamoto Tahei , Tanigawa Torahiko , Rahman Hayder Abdel
Published: November 2010

Water stress is the primary environmental factor that limits cereal production in Mediterranean environments, where barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the main crops. This investigation aimed at evaluating the effects of zeolite on barley growth under subsurface drip irrigation, subjected to water and heat stress. A sand dune soil was amended with Ca‐type zeolite and irrigated every 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th day. The results showed that zeolite application significantly increased water‐holding capacity of the soil and improved plant growth. Using subsurface irrigation with zeolite amendment helped to reduce water evaporation, kept more water in lower horizons, encouraged salt leaching, and the plants used water more efficiently. Plant growth parameters showed significant differences among treatments and were negatively affected by heat and water stress conditions. High temperatures caused accelerated evapotranspiration, water stress in plants and faster depletion of water from the root zone, causing substantial water loss and inducing water deficit conditions in plants. Using subsurface irrigation poses a better option for the reduction of evaporation and achieving higher water use efficiency. Application of zeolite together with subsurface irrigation may provide favorable conditions for crop production in water‐scarce areas under warm environments. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The flawed interview of a psychopathic killer: what went wrong?
Authors: Perri Frank S.
Published: November 2010

The flawed interview of convicted killer Christopher Porco illustrates what occurs when a suspect's psychopathic traits are not considered in formulating an interview strategy. Specific areas of the dialogue between Christopher Porco and law enforcement demonstrates that traditional methods of interviewing may not produce a confession or valuable information when it comes to psychopathic suspects. Although the traditional goal of an interview is to obtain a confession or valuable information, law enforcement will have to display flexibility in the interview process by implementing alternative interview strategies and redefining what a successful interview is composed of when these suspects are unwilling to confess to their crimes. Failure to remain flexible, as displayed in the Christopher Porco case, which yielded neither a confession nor valuable information, can jeopardise the strength of a homicide case that ultimately may go to trial. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Intra‐individual variation in stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes in mandibles of modern caribou of Qamanirjuaq (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) and Banks Island (Rangifer tarandus pearyi): Implications for tracing seasonal and temporal changes in diet
Authors: Drucker D.G. , Hobson K.A , Münzel S.C. , Pike‐Tay A.
Published: November 2010

Intra‐individual variations in carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope measurements of dentine collagen in ungulate teeth can be related to diet and environmental changes at different periods during the life of the animal. A protocol of serial sampling of first, second and third molar roots was applied to modern caribou (17–27 months old) of the Qamanirjuaq herd (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus), Canada. Based on a previous study, we predicted that M2 would reflect winter, M3 summer and M1 a complete year in terms of the isotopic record. Relatively high δ15N values (ca. 6 to 8‰), previously attributed to winter stress, were found in different molars of different specimens, reflecting a period of growth between April 1966 to April 1967. Previous results on other teeth from the same population confirmed that a high δ15Ncoll value signal corresponded to the winter of 1966/67. This temporary increase in δ15N value was probably linked to diet and/or environmental change. Collagen from M1 reflects the first winter whereas M2 and M3 reflect the second winter of life of young caribou. A longer time record including summer is represented by the bone collagen of the mandible. Results obtained on molar roots and mandible bone of the modern caribou of Banks Island herd (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) confirmed this seasonal record. Such collagen isotopic analysis on M1, M2 and M3 roots and jawbone can be applied to reindeer found in archaeological sites. Mandibles retaining deciduous premolars are preferable to avoid the possible loss of the winter tooth signal observed in animals older than 2 years. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Amplification and overexpression of vinculin are associated with increased tumour cell proliferation and progression in advanced prostate cancer
Authors: Ruiz Christian , Holz David R , Oeggerli Martin , Schneider Sandra , Gonzales Irma M , Kiefer Jeffrey M , Zellweger Tobias , Bachmann Alexander , Koivisto Pasi A , Helin Heikki J , Mousses Spyro , Barrett Michael T , Azorsa David O , Bubendorf Lukas
Published: November 2010

Androgen withdrawal is the standard treatment for advanced prostate cancer. Although this therapy is initially effective, nearly all prostate cancers become refractory to it. Approximately 15% of these castration‐resistant prostate cancers harbour a genomic amplification at 10q22. The aim of this study was to explore the structure of the 10q22 amplicon and to determine the major driving genes. Application of high‐resolution array‐CGH using the 244k Agilent microarrays to cell lines with 10q22 amplification allowed us to narrow down the common amplified region to a region of 5.8 megabases. We silenced each of the genes of this region by an RNAi screen in the prostate cancer cell lines PC‐3 and 22Rv1. We selected genes with a significant growth reduction in the 10q22 amplified cell line PC‐3, but not in the non‐amplified 22Rv1 cells, as putative target genes of this amplicon. Immunohistochemical analysis of the protein expression of these candidate genes on a tissue microarray enriched for 10q22 amplified prostate cancers revealed vinculin as the most promising target of this amplicon. We found a strong association between vinculin gene amplification and overexpression (p < 0.001). Further analysis of 443 specimens from across all stages of prostate cancer progression showed that vinculin expression was highest in castration‐resistant prostate cancers, but negative or very low in benign prostatic hyperplasia (p < 0.0001). Additionally, high tumour cell proliferation measured by Ki67 expression was significantly associated with high vinculin expression in prostate cancer (p < 0.0001). Our data suggest that vinculin is a major driving gene of the 10q22 amplification in prostate cancer and that vinculin overexpression might contribute to prostate cancer progression by enhancing tumour cell proliferation. Copyright © 2011 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Infection with human immunodeficiency virus‐1 (HIV) among children with cancer in South Africa
Authors: Stefan D. Cristina , Wessels Glynn , Poole Janet , Wainwright Linda , Stones David , Johnston W. Tom , Newton Robert
Published: November 2010

Background In adults,

HIV increases the risk of certain cancers known, or thought, to have an underlying infectious etiology; the impact on the risk of cancer in children is less clear.

Methods

Here, we report results of an on‐going study at four pediatric oncology centers in South Africa in which children diagnosed with cancer are tested routinely for HIV. Odds ratios (OR) for the prevalence of various malignancies were calculated (with adjustment for age, sex, and center) for the children infected with HIV using all children with cancer and non‐malignant conditions, but not infected with HIV, as a comparison group.

Results

Of 882 children with cancer, 38 were HIV infected (for 12 the HIV status was unknown). HIV was associated with Kaposi sarcoma (all 10 cases were HIV infected; P < 0.001) and with Burkitt lymphoma (OR = 46.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 16.4–130.3; 13/33). For non‐Burkitt non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), 2/39 were HIV infected (OR = 5.0, 95% CI 0.9–27.0). No other cancer type was significantly associated with HIV, including lymphoid leukemias (OR = 0.4, 95% CI 0.04–2.9; 1/172).

Conclusions

Only Kaposi sarcoma and Burkitt lymphoma were significantly associated with HIV infection although results for non‐Burkitt NHL were suggestive. Notably, we did not identify an association between infection with HIV and lymphoid leukemias, for which an underlying infectious etiology has been suggested. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2011;56:77–79. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
3‐Morpholinosydnonimine participates in the attenuation of neointima formation via inhibition of annexin A2‐mediated vascular smooth muscle cell migration
Authors: Won Kyung‐Jong , Lee Philyoung , Jung Seung Hyo , Jiang Xiaowen , Lee Chang‐Kwon , Lin Hai Yue , Kang Hyun , Lee Hwan Myung , Kim Junghwan , Toyokuni Shinya , Kim Bokyung
Published: November 2010

3‐Morpholinosydnonimine (SIN‐1) affects vascular smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation, processes essential for atherosclerosis. However, the mechanism by which SIN‐1 exerts these effects has not been elucidated. We used 2‐DE followed by MALDI‐TOF/TOF MS to identify responses in protein expression to SIN‐1 in rat aortic smooth muscle. Platelet‐derived growth factor‐BB increased cell migration and proliferation in rat aortic smooth muscle cells, and subsequent SIN‐1 treatment inhibited it. Administration of SIN‐1 in vivo attenuated neointima formation in balloon‐injured rat carotid arteries. Proteomic analysis showed that glutathione peroxidase and 40S ribosomal protein S12 were differentially expressed in aortic strips exposed to SIN‐1. Expression of annexin A2 was decreased by SIN‐1. Platelet‐derived growth factor‐BB‐induced cell migration was increased and inhibited in rat aortic smooth muscle cells with overexpression and knockdown of annexin A2 gene, respectively. The expression of annexin A2 was increased in vascular neointima compared with the intact control, which was inhibited by SIN‐1 treatment. These results demonstrate that SIN‐1 may attenuate vascular neointima formation by inhibiting annexin A2‐mediated migration. Therefore, annexin A2 may be a potential target for therapeutic strategies for atherosclerosis.
Morphinome – A meta‐analysis applied to proteomics studies in morphine dependence
Authors: Bodzon‐Kułakowska Anna , Kułakowski Konrad , Drabik Anna , Moszczynski Adam , Silberring Jerzy , Suder Piotr
Published: November 2010

This review is a meta‐analysis of data describing proteins regulated by morphine influence studied worldwide across last years administration. Up to date (July 2010), 15 studies concerning this subject have been published. Animal models, examined brain structures, the route of morphine administration and proteomic platforms used for identification of differentially expressed proteins were described. Standardization of obtained results allowed for creation of database of proteins, whose expression was altered by morphine administration (www.addiction‐proteomics.org). Their analysis by tools available in Celera Panther Database was possible too. Proteins, which seem to be the most promising candidates for further research, due to their consistent appearance in different studies, were indicated. Created database may facilitate further studies by providing a possibility to compare results obtained during different experiments. At the end, dynamic picture of proteome after morphine administration, which emerges from the obtained results, is discussed and need for standardization of proteomics experiments is stressed. As meta‐analysis is a very powerful tool for evaluation and comparison of multiple data. We believe this approach will be useful in the nearest future to extract vital information from a vast number of similar publications. Morphinome database created already by our group is a comfortable tool for validation and verification of new data received after morphine influence on proteomes investigations. It gives a chance for fast comparison of results without hours spent on life science literature mining.
Combining peptide recognition specificity and context information for the prediction of the 14‐3‐3‐mediated interactome in S. cerevisiae and H. sapiens
Authors: Panni Simona , Montecchi‐Palazzi Luisa , Kiemer Lars , Cabibbo Andrea , Paoluzi Serena , Santonico Elena , Landgraf Christiane , Volkmer‐Engert Rudolf , Bachi Angela , Castagnoli Luisa , Cesareni Gianni
Published: November 2010

Large‐scale interaction studies contribute the largest fraction of protein interactions information in databases. However, co‐purification of non‐specific or indirect ligands, often results in data sets that are affected by a considerable number of false positives. For the fraction of interactions mediated by short linear peptides, we present here a combined experimental and computational strategy for ranking the reliability of the inferred partners. We apply this strategy to the family of 14‐3‐3 domains. We have first characterized the recognition specificity of this domain family, largely confirming the results of previous analyses, while revealing new features of the preferred sequence context of 14‐3‐3 phospho‐peptide partners. Notably, a proline next to the carboxy side of the phospho‐amino acid functions as a potent inhibitor of 14‐3‐3 binding. The position‐specific information about residue preference was encoded in a scoring matrix and two regular expressions. The integration of these three features in a single predictive model outperforms publicly available prediction tools. Next we have combined, by a naïve Bayesian approach, these “peptide features” with “protein features”, such as protein co‐expression and co‐localization. Our approach provides an orthogonal reliability assessment and maps with high confidence the 14‐3‐3 peptide target on the partner proteins.
A proteome‐scale study on in vivo protein Nα‐acetylation using an optimized method
Authors: Zhang Xumin , Ye Juanying , Engholm‐Keller Kasper , Højrup Peter
Published: November 2010

Protein N‐terminal acetylation (Nα‐acetylation) is among the most common modifications in eukaryotes. We previously described a simple method to enrich Nα‐modified peptides using CNBr‐activated Sepharose resin. A limitation of this method is that an optimal ratio of sample to resin had to be determined prior to the analysis since Lys‐containing Nα‐modified peptides may be lost. To address this problem, we hereby present an optimized method by the introduction of double incubation at pH 6.0. We demonstrate with the optimized method that the Nα‐modified peptides can be enriched regardless of whether ε‐NH2 is present or not, and the sample to resin ratio optimization is no longer necessary. Another improvement was accomplished by the inclusion of the singly charged precursor for MS/MS fragmentation to alleviate the shortcoming of the reduced charge state of Nα‐modified peptides. We employed a duplicate experiment using 80 μg samples each and identified 922 IPI annotated and 103 IPI unannotated acetylated N‐termini from 989 proteins, so far the largest acetylated N‐termini data set acquired from a tryptic digest. Furthermore, the reproducibility of the Nα‐acetyl proteome approach was evaluated and its complementarity to the regular proteome approach was analyzed. The unexpected coupling of CNBr‐activated Sepharose to His‐containing peptides via the imidazole group was discovered.
Recommended management of obesity in children
Authors: Abbey Janthe , Mushtaq Talat
Published: November 2010

Our series Prescribing in children gives practical advice for the management of childhood problems in general practice. Here, the authors discuss the treatment of obesity in children and adolescents.
Current drug management of hypo‐ and hyperthyroidism
Authors: Weetman Anthony
Published: November 2010

Thyroid dysfunction is a common disorder and most cases of hypothyroidism are managed in general practice. Our Drug review discusses the currently available drug treatments for hypo‐ and hyperthyroidism, followed by sources of further information in Resources.
Difficult‐to‐manage COPD: beyond first‐line inhaler therapy
Authors: Quantrill Simon , Roberts Michael
Published: November 2010

Our series on Prescribing challenges focuses on areas of therapeutics that can present a particular challenge in general practice. Here, the authors address the problem of COPD that does not respond to simple first‐line treatments.
Protective Effects of Mentha haplocalyx Ethanol Extract (MH) in a Mouse Model of Allergic Asthma
Authors: Lee Mee‐Young , Lee Jin‐Ah , Seo Chang‐Seob , Ha Hyekyung , Lee Nam‐Hun , Shin Hyeun‐Kyoo
Published: November 2010

Mentha haplocalyx Briq., a commonly used herb in traditional Oriental medicine, has a variety of known pharmacological properties. However, neither the protective effects of Mentha haplocalyx ethanol extract (MH) against inflammation of the airway in an asthmatic model nor the mechanisms involved, have previously been reported. In the present study, an ovalbumin (OVA)‐induced mouse model of allergic asthma was used to investigate whether MH was effective against the disease through regulation of airway inflammation. The MH treatment significantly inhibited increases in immunoglobulin (Ig) E and T‐helper 2 (Th2)‐type cytokines such as IL‐4 and IL‐5 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue. Inflammatory cell infiltration of the airway in mice treated with MH was effectively alleviated when compared with infiltration seen in the OVA‐induced group. These data indicated that decreased cytokine levels are the result of the decreased number of invaded leukocytes. Also, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in BALF was diminished by MH treatment. Taken together, these findings indicate that the administration of MH may have potential therapeutic value in the treatment of inflammatory disease. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ZipfAllocation: an algorithm for static allocation of movies in a cluster of video servers
Authors: Kim SeongKi , Song HaYoon , Han SangYong
Published: November 2010

When a single video server provides a streaming service, there are many limitations. Thus, clusters of multiple video servers are widely used today to provide better service. How movies are allocated to each server in a cluster is an important and ongoing research topic because the movies are large, and there are so many of them. We have developed a movie allocation algorithm based on the observation that client accesses follow a Zipf distribution. We have developed an algorithm in which servers use their storage to their full capacities, movies are assigned to servers as evenly as possible, servers receive requests as evenly as possible, and all movies are allocated to at least one server. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Safe, multiphase bounds check elimination in Java
Authors: Gampe Andreas , von Ronne Jeffery , Niedzielski David , Vasek Jonathan , Psarris Kleanthis
Published: November 2010

As part of its type‐safety regime, Java's semantics require precise exceptions at runtime when programs attempt out‐of‐bound array accesses. This paper describes a Java implementation that utilizes a multiphase approach to identifying safe array accesses. This approach reduces runtime overhead by spreading the out‐of‐bounds checking effort across multiple phases of compilation and execution: production of mobile code from source code, just‐in‐time (JIT) compilation in the virtual machine, application method invocations, and the execution of individual array accesses. The code producer uses multiple passes (including common subexpression elimination, load elimination, induction variable substitution, speculation of dynamically verified invariants, and inequality constraint analysis) to identify unnecessary bounds checks and prove their redundancy. During class‐loading and JIT compilation, the virtual machine verifies the proofs, inserts code to dynamically validate speculated invariants, and generates code specialized under the assumption that the speculated invariants hold. During each runtime method invocation, the method parameters and other inputs are checked against the speculated invariants, and execution reverts to unoptimized code if the speculated invariants do not hold. The combined effect of the multiple phases is to shift the effort associated with bounds‐checking array access to phases that are executed earlier and less frequently, thus, reducing runtime overhead. Experimental results show that this approach is able to eliminate more bounds checks than prior approaches with minimal overhead during JIT compilation. These results also show the contribution of each of the passes to the overall elimination. Furthermore, this approach increased the speed at which the benchmarks executed by up to 16%. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Schöne Städte durch große Pläne? – Baukultur und integrierte Stadtentwicklungsplanung
Authors: Hackenberg Katharina , Oostendorp Rebekka , Wiegandt Claus-Christian
Published: November 2010

In recent years building culture has become an issue of increasing interest in urban development policy in Germany. The deficiencies in urban design quality are in the focus of discussion. At the same time there is a discourse on the changed framework and characteristics of urban development planning. This article gives an introduction to current integrated urban development plans of the 20 major cities in Germany and analyses them with regard to statements and objectives about urban design. Finally the two case studies of Cologne and Munich illustrate the different treatment of the topic building culture in urban development planning.
Crop biotechnology: prospects and opportunities
Authors: DUNWELL J. M.
Published: November 2010

This paper is a brief review summarizing some of the important areas of activity in crop biotechnology likely to be exploited over the medium term (10–20 years), with an emphasis on agronomic traits. It provides details on various approaches to improving the tolerance of crops to abiotic and to biotic stresses. Additionally, it describes recent advances in understanding the factors that affect the intrinsic performance of plants, for example, in terms of their photosynthetic efficiency and their genetic composition. The review also provides a short selection of recently granted patents and patent applications, as this information often identifies those subjects that might be commercially exploited over this period. Finally, it provides a summary of the various predictions of the commercial development pipeline based upon a range of transgenes in major crop species.
Modified arytenoid adduction for cancer-related unilateral vocal fold paralysis
Authors: Shi J , Chen S , Chen D , Wang W , Xia S , Zheng H
Published: November 2010

Objectives:

(1) To evaluate the efficacy of modified arytenoid adduction in the management of patients with symptomatic cancer-related unilateral vocal fold paralysis, and (2) to assess the impact of this treatment on patients' quality of life.

Methods:

Forty-two patients with cancer-related unilateral vocal fold paralysis underwent modified arytenoid adduction between February 2001 and December 2008. Of these, 37 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study (one patient died of primary disease and four were lost to follow up). Laryngostroboscopy was performed to evaluate vocal fold orientation and mobility. Pre- and post-operative assessment of subjective and objective voice, aerodynamic parameters, and quality of life were also undertaken, and aspiration was subjectively rated.

Results:

Laryngostroboscopic findings indicated a significant post-operative improvement in vocal fold posterior glottal closure and vertical gap. Significant improvements in voice quality, aerodynamic parameters and quality of life were noted three months post-operatively in all patients (p < 0.01). The overall success rate for swallowing rehabilitation was 94.6 per cent (35/37). Subjective aspiration ratings decreased significantly post-operatively, compared with pre-operative values (p < 0.01). No major complication occurred in any patient, except for dyspnoea in one patient.

Conclusion:

Modified arytenoid adduction is an effective and reliable medialisation technique which can restore satisfactory voice quality, prevent aspiration and lead to a better quality of life for patients with cancer-related unilateral vocal fold paralysis.
Introduction
Authors: Corry Leo , Golan Tal
Published: November 2010

The history of Israeli science and technology offers a unique case study of a young and small nation that has developed an unprecedented love affair with science and technology. Unlike other nineteenth-century ideologies, Zionism was never considered to be founded on science. Nevertheless, from the very start, the Zionist movement perceived the sciences, pure and applied, as central to its program of creating a new Jewish society in the Land of Israel (Funkenstein [1985] 2003). Modern science was to provide twice for the Jews: a relief from their suffocating religion and the tools needed to recover their ancient land from its ruins. Israel would remain the people of the book, but it would be the Book of Nature, not of God, that would set it free. Sharing the universal knowledge and values of science with mankind, the Jews would finally become both normal and self-determined. Thus, already in the nineteenth century, long before the State of Israel was founded, Zionist visionaries had dreamt of it as a modern version of Francis Bacon's utopian Kingdom of Bensalem, where science and technology would provide health, wealth, and power (Elboim-Dror 1993; Herzl 1902).
Pasteur in Palestine: The Politics of the Laboratory
Authors: Davidovitch Nadav , Zalashik Rakefet
Published: November 2010

Argument

We examine the creation and functioning of the “Pasteur Institute in Palestine” focusing on the relationship between biological science, health policy, and the creation of a “new society” within the framework of Zionism. Similar to other bacteriological institutes founded by colonial powers, this laboratory was developed in response to public health needs. But it also had a political role. Dr. Leo Böhm, a Zionist physician, strived to establish his institution along the lines of the Zionist aspiration to develop a national entity based on strong scientific foundations. Even though the institute enjoyed several fruitful years of operation, mainly during World War I, it achieved no lasting national or scientific importance in the country. Böhm failed to adapt to new ways of knowledge production, scientifically and socially. The case study of the “Pasteur Institute in Palestine” serves as a prism to view the role of the public health laboratory in the history of Palestine with its ongoing changes of scientific, organizational, and political context.
Zionist Internationalism through Number Theory: Edmund Landau at the Opening of the Hebrew University in 1925
Authors: Corry Leo , Schappacher Norbert
Published: November 2010

Argument

This article gives the background to a public lecture delivered in Hebrew by Edmund Landau at the opening ceremony of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1925. On the surface, the lecture appears to be a slightly awkward attempt by a distinguished German-Jewish mathematician to popularize a few number-theoretical tidbits. However, quite unexpectedly, what emerges here is Landau's personal blend of Zionism, German nationalism, and the proud ethos of pure, rigorous mathematics – against the backdrop of the situation of Germany after World War I. Landau's Jerusalem lecture thus shows how the Zionist cause was inextricably linked to, and determined by political agendas that were taking place in Europe at that time. The lecture stands in various historical contexts - Landau's biography, the history of Jewish scientists in the German Zionist movement, the founding of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and the creation of a modern Hebrew mathematical language. This article provides a broad historical introduction to the English translation, with commentary, of the original Hebrew text.
The Kishon Affair: Science, Law, and the Politics of Causation
Authors: Golan Tal
Published: November 2010

Argument

This article describes how science and law were called upon (and failed) to resolve a controversy that created a painful rift between the Israeli State and some of its elite soldiers. The controversy, which came to be known as “the Kishon affair,” erupted in 2000, when veterans of an elite and secretive unit in the Israeli navy claimed that pollution in the Kishon River where they had trained and dived during their military service had been the cause of a rash of cancers. The veterans demanded that the Ministry of Defense take responsibility for their illnesses, finance their medical treatment, and support their families if they die. The military denied the causal connection between the polluted river and the veterans’ cancers and rejected their demands. The dispute quickly escalated into a bitter public controversy, and a high-rank commission comprised of one of Israel's top jurists and two prominent scientists was called upon to study the disputed causal relation and reveal its true nature. However, after nearly three years of intense inquiry the jurist and the scientists reached opposing conclusions: the jurist found a causal connection while the scientists rejected it.
Liberal Civic Education, Religious Commitment, and the Spillover Thesis: What Psychology Can Teach Us
Authors: Phillips John L. , McMillian Laura
Published: November 2010

This article addresses an idea central to liberal debates on civic education: the spillover thesis. Both egalitarian liberals and their religious opponents in these debates claim that liberal civic education creates spillover effects into the way individuals assess the meaning of their own lives. Some religious citizens fear that their politically reasonable conceptions of the good life are being undermined by education that emphasizes the practice of autonomous reasoning. Egalitarian liberals usually acknowledge this risk or cost, but deny that religious citizens should be given special dispensation from the burdens of autonomous reasoning. Some may even hope that conservative religious beliefs will be eroded by the practice of liberal civic education. This article disputes the spillover thesis. Given the best evidence available from the field of cognitive psychology, we challenge the notion that critical personal reflection about public matters is bound to spillover into critical reflection about private moral matters. On the contrary, the evidence suggests that human beings are usually well equipped to compartmentalize and are capable of reasoning in different ways depending on the context. Thus, reasonable citizens of faith are not necessarily unduly burdened by programs of civic education; nor are liberal programs of civic education necessarily going to lead us to a more secular society of autonomous thinkers. The article also speaks to a broader civic humanist tradition in political philosophy that includes Plato, Tocqueville, Rousseau, and Marcus Aurelius. For these authors, the success of a political enterprise is seen to crucially depend on the inculcation of a robust and comprehensive system of private virtue. For without private virtue, there is no public virtue. If we are correctly interpreting the available psychological research, private virtue need not be as crucially relevant for the success of common political enterprises. The inculcation of private moral virtue does not so clearly translate into making good leaders, voters, and public servants.
Double-walled carbon nanotube-based polymer composites for electromagnetic protection
Authors: Pacchini Sébastien , Dubuc David , Flahaut Emmanuel , Grenier Katia
Published: November 2010

In this paper, we present a microwave absorber based on carbon nanotubes (CNT) dispersed inside a BenzoCycloButen® (BCB) polymer. The high aspect ratio and remarkable conductive characteristics of CNT give rise to good absorbing properties for electromagnetic protecting in microelectronic devices with very low concentration. In this article, nanocomposites are prepared using a solution-mixing method and are then evaluated and modeled by means of coplanar test structures. First, CNT concentrations are quantified by image processing. The nanocomposites implemented with coplanar test waveguides are then characterized using a vector network analyzer from 40 MHz to 20 GHz. An algorithm is developed to calculate the propagation constant “γ”, attenuation constant “α”, and relative effective complex permittivity (ɛreff = ɛreff′ − jɛreff″) for each CNT concentration. The extracted effective parameters are verified using the electromagnetic FEM-based Ansoft's® high frequency structure simulator (HFSS). Power absorption (PA) of 7 dB at 15 GHz is obtained with only 0.37 weight percent of CNT concentration in the polymer matrix. The resulting engineerable and controllable composite provides consequently a novel degree of freedom to design and optimize innovative microwave components.
Russian Citizens' Representations of the Country's Position in the Geopolitical Space of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Europe, and the World
Authors: Petrenko Victor F. , Mitina Olga V. , Bertnikov Kirill A.
Published: November 2010

The aim of this research was the reconstruction of the system of categories through which Russians perceive the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Europe, and the world as a whole; to study the implicit model of the geopolitical space; to analyze the stereotypes in the perception of different countries and the superposition of mental geopolitical representations onto the geographic map. The techniques of psychosemantics by Petrenko, originating in the semantic differential of Osgood and Kelly's “repertory grids,” were used as working tools. Multidimensional semantic spaces act as operational models of the structures of consciousness, and the positions of countries in multidimensional space reflect the geopolitical stereotypes of respondents about these countries. Because of the transformation of geopolitical reality representations in mass consciousness, the commonly used classification of countries as socialist, capitalist, and developing is being replaced by other structures. Four invariant factors of the countries' descriptions were identified. They are connected with Economic and Political Well-being, Military Might, Friendliness toward Russia, and Spirituality and the Level of Culture. It seems that the structure has not been explained in adequate detail and is not clearly realized by the individuals. There is an interrelationship between the democratic political structure of a country and its prosperity in the political mentality of Russian respondents. Russian public consciousness painfully strives for a new geopolitical identity and place in the commonwealth of states. It also signifies the country's interest and orientation toward the East in the search for geopolitical partners. The construct system of geopolitical perception also depends on the region of perception.
Multidimensional Anxiety and Content-specificity Effects in Preferential Processing of Threat
Authors: Calvo Manuel G. , Avero P. , Castillo M. Dolores , Miguel-Tobal Juan J.
Published: November 2010

We examined the relative contribution of specific components of multidimensional anxiety to cognitive biases in the processing of threat-related information in three experiments. Attentional bias was assessed by the emotional Stroop word color-naming task, interpretative bias by an on-line inference processing task, and explicit memory bias by sensitivity (d') and response criterion (β) from word-recognition scores. Multiple regression analyses revealed, first, that phobic anxiety and evaluative anxiety predicted selective attention to physical- and ego-threat information, respectively; cognitive anxiety predicted selective attention to both types of threat. Second, phobic anxiety predicted inhibition of inferences related to physically threatening outcomes of ambiguous situations. And, third, evaluative anxiety predicted a response bias, rather than a genuine memory bias, in the reporting of presented and nonpresented ego-threat information. Other anxiety components, such as motor and physiological anxiety, or interpersonal and daily-routines anxiety made no specific contribution to any cognitive bias. Multidimensional anxiety measures are useful for detecting content-specificity effects in cognitive biases.
Extraversion and Neuroticism: The Typical Profiles of Self-Regulation
Authors: Morossanova Varvara I.
Published: November 2010

The project aims at an analysis of interactions of personality variables and individual peculiarities of self-regulation of one's voluntary activity. A questionnaire to diagnose individual peculiarities of self-regulation has been developed. It includes the following scales: planning of achievements, modeling of significant achievement conditions, programming of activities and assessment of results, independence and reliability, general level of self-regulation. The results of the study showed a unique finding—the existence of several profiles of self-regulation for extraverts and introverts. Thus, the typical Eysenck classification of personality types has been extended to the emerging domain of self-regulation of voluntary activity.
Lithotrophic iron-oxidizing bacteria produce organic stalks to control mineral growth: implications for biosignature formation
Authors: Chan Clara S , Fakra Sirine C , Emerson David , Fleming Emily J , Edwards Katrina J
Published: November 2010

Neutrophilic Fe-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) are often identified by their distinctive morphologies, such as the extracellular twisted ribbon-like stalks formed by Gallionella ferruginea or Mariprofundus ferrooxydans. Similar filaments preserved in silica are often identified as FeOB fossils in rocks. Although it is assumed that twisted iron stalks are indicative of FeOB, the stalk's metabolic role has not been established. To this end, we studied the marine FeOB M. ferrooxydans by light, X-ray and electron microscopy. Using time-lapse light microscopy, we observed cells excreting stalks during growth (averaging 2.2 μm h−1). Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy show that stalks are Fe(III)-rich, whereas cells are low in Fe. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that stalks are composed of several fibrils, which contain few-nanometer-sized iron oxyhydroxide crystals. Lepidocrocite crystals that nucleated on the fibril surface are much larger (∼100 nm), suggesting that mineral growth within fibrils is retarded, relative to sites surrounding fibrils. C and N 1s NEXAFS spectroscopy and fluorescence probing show that stalks primarily contain carboxyl-rich polysaccharides. On the basis of these results, we suggest a physiological model for Fe oxidation in which cells excrete oxidized Fe bound to organic polymers. These organic molecules retard mineral growth, preventing cell encrustation. This model describes an essential role for stalk formation in FeOB growth. We suggest that stalk-like morphologies observed in modern and ancient samples may be correlated confidently with the Fe-oxidizing metabolism as a robust biosignature.
Novel Clostridium populations involved in the anaerobic degradation of Microcystis blooms
Authors: Xing Peng , Guo Liang , Tian Wei , Wu Qinglong L
Published: November 2010

Understanding the microbial degradation of Microcystis biomass is crucial for determining the ecological consequences of Microcystis blooms in freshwater lakes. The purpose of this study was to identify bacteria involved in the anaerobic degradation of Microcystis blooms. Microcystis scum was anaerobically incubated for 90 days at three temperatures (15 °C, 25 °C and 35 °C). We used terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA genes, followed by cloning and sequencing of selected samples, to reveal the community composition of bacteria and their dynamics during decomposition. Clostridium spp. were found to be the most dominant bacteria in the incubations, accounting for 72% of the sequenced clones. Eight new clusters or subclusters (designated CLOS.1–8) were identified in the Clostridium phylogenetic tree. The bacterial populations displayed distinct successions during Microcystis decomposition. Temperature had a strong effect on the dynamics of the bacterial populations. At 15 °C, the initial dominance of a 207-bp T-RF (Betaproteobacteria) was largely substituted by a 227-bp T-RF (Clostridium, new cluster CLOS.2) at 30 days. In contrast, at 25 °C and 35 °C, we observed an alternating succession of the 227-bp T-RF and a 231-bp T-RF (Clostridium, new cluster CLOS.1) that occurred more than four times; no one species dominated the flora for the entire experiment. Our study shows that novel Clostridium clusters and their diverse consortiums dominate the bacterial communities during anaerobic degradation of Microcystis, suggesting that these microbes' function in the degradation process.