bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mitogen‐activated protein kinases support survival of activated microglia that mediate thrombin‐induced striatal injury in organotypic slice culture
Authors: Ohnishi Masatoshi , Katsuki Hiroshi , Izumi Yasuhiko , Kume Toshiaki , Takada‐Takatori Yuki , Akaike Akinori
Published: February 2010

Intracerebral hemorrhage‐associated tissue damage is triggered by blood‐derived serine proteases such as thrombin. In addition, our previous studies have suggested that mitogen‐activated protein (MAP) kinases contribute to intracerebral hemorrhage‐ and thrombin‐induced striatal tissue damage in vivo. Here we addressed the mechanisms of MAP kinase involvement in thrombin cytotoxicity in rat corticostriatal slice culture, focusing on striatal tissue damage. Thrombin induced apoptotic nuclear condensation and fragmentation in striatal cells, which was suppressed by DEVD‐CHO, a caspase‐3 inhibitor. DEVD‐CHO also prevented shrinkage of the striatal tissue induced by thrombin. Phagocytotic activity may be involved in tissue deterioration, because a phagocytosis inhibitor (cytochalasin D) and an inhibitor of phagocytosis of apoptotic cells (O‐phospho‐L‐serine) suppressed shrinkage of the striatal tissue. OX42 immunostaining revealed that apoptosis‐like microglial cell death was induced only when thrombin treatment was combined with application of inhibitors of MAP kinase/extracellular signal‐regulated kinase kinase (PD98059), p38 MAP kinase (SB203580), or c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (SP600125). Thrombin‐induced increase in the number of microglia was also prevented by these inhibitors of MAP kinase pathways. We also found that thrombin‐induced production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α was inhibited by PD98059, SB203580, and SP600125. Finally, thrombin‐induced neuronal apoptosis and shrinkage of the striatal tissue were significantly inhibited by anti‐TNF‐α neutralizing antibody. These results suggest that MAP kinases contribute to thrombin‐induced striatal damage by supporting survival of activated microglia, which induce neuron death by producing TNF‐α and cause tissue shrinkage by phagocytosing apoptotic cells. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Endocytic uptake of fluorescence labelled DNA in yeast
Authors: Riechers Sean‐Patrick , Stahl Ulf , Lang Christine
Published: February 2010

After dispiriting results using viral vectors in gene therapy, by which a number of patients acquired cancer as a result of the use of retroviral vector constructs, the percentage of non‐viral approaches has increased over recent years. To elucidate potential bottlenecks in the non‐viral transfection process we here introduce a novel method to directly visualize endocytic non‐viral DNA uptake in a transfection approach. This novel method allows for the first time to monitor the location of DNA which is taken up by endocytosis in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) wild type and mutant strains. More specifically it enables drawing conclusions about conditions favouring non‐viral gene transfection. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
High‐resolution diatom δ18O records, from the last 150 years, reflecting changes in amount of winter precipitation in two sub‐Arctic high‐altitude lakes in the Swedish Scandes
Authors: Jonsson Christina E. , Rosqvist Gunhild C. , Leng Melanie J. , Bigler Christian , Bergman Jonas , Tillman Päivi Kaislahti , Sloane Hilary J.
Published: February 2010

Waters from high‐altitude alpine lakes are mainly recharged by meteoric water. Because of seasonal variations in precipitation and temperature and relatively short hydraulic residence times, most high‐altitude lakes have lake water isotopic compositions (δ18Olake) that fluctuate due to seasonality in water balance processes. Input from snowmelt, in particular, has a significant role in determining lake water δ18O. Here we compare two high‐resolution δ18Odiatom records from lake sediments in the Swedish Scandes with instrumental data from the last century obtained from nearby meteorological stations. The time period AD 1900–1990 is characterised by an increase in winter precipitation and high winter/summer precipitation ratios and this is recorded in δ18Odiatom as decreasing trends. Lowest δ18Odiatom values and highest amount of winter precipitation are found around AD 1990 when the winter North Atlantic Oscillation index was above +2. We conclude that for the last 150 a the main factor affecting the δ18Odiatom signal in these sub‐Arctic high‐altitude lakes with short residence times has been changes in amount of winter precipitation and that δ18Odiatom derived from high‐altitude lakes in the Swedish Scandes can be used as a winter precipitation proxy. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Application of Hadamard transform to gas chromatography/nonresonant multiphoton ionization/time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Cheng Chao‐Chiang , Chang Hung‐Wei , Uchimura Tomohiro , Imasaka Totaro , Kaneta Takashi , Lin Cheng‐Huang
Published: February 2010

The technique of Hadamard transform was successfully coupled with GC/nonresonant multiphoton ionization/TOFMS, for the first time. 1,4‐Dichlorobenzene and the fourth harmonic generation (266 nm) of a Nd:YAG laser were employed as a model sample and an ionization laser, respectively. A Hadamard‐injector coupled with a capillary‐based supersonic jet nozzle (capillary‐injector) was also developed in this study. The Hadamard‐injector was used to obtain the chromatogram, which was encoded by successive sample introduction based on Hadamard codes, and the capillary‐injector was used for injection of GC‐elutes into TOFMS. Compared with a conventional single injection method, the S/N ratios were substantially improved after inverse Hadamard transformation of the encoded chromatogram. Under optimized conditions, when Hadamard matrices of 103 and 255 were used, the S/N ratios of the signals for 1,4‐dichlorobenzene (concentration level, 4 μg/1 mL ACN) were substantially improved to 4.1‐ and 6.6‐fold, respectively, and those improvements are in good agreement with those obtained by theory (5.1‐ and 8.0‐fold).
Fractionation and Analysis of an Impact Poly(propylene) Copolymer by TREF and SEC‐FTIR
Authors: de Goede Elana , Mallon Peter , Pasch Harald
Published: February 2010

TREF fractionation was combined with SEC‐FTIR analysis to measure the compositional heterogeneity within a commercial impact PP copolymer. The chemical composition of all fractions was determined as function of their molecular weight distribution. This approach proved to be highly successful at identifying different constituents within fractions exhibiting bimodal molecular weight distributions. Furthermore, the determination of ethylene and propylene crystallinity distribution across the molecular weight distribution confirmed the morphological nature of each of the components of the bimodal distribution. It is demonstrated that the combination of TREF and SEC‐FTIR provides a simple alternative to more time‐consuming conventional ways of characterising impact PP copolymers of complex heterogeneity.

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Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs). Structure—activity relationships: history and new QSAR perspectives
Authors: Pontiki Eleni , Hadjipavlou‐Litina Dimitra
Published: February 2010

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition is a recent, clinically validated therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. HDAC inhibitors (HDACIs) block angiogenesis, arrest cell growth, and lead to differentiation and apoptosis in tumor cells. In this article, a survey of published quantitative structure–activity relationships (QSARs) studies are presented and discussed in the hope of identifying the structural determinants for anticancer activity. Secondly a two‐dimensional QSAR study was carried out on biological results derived from various types of HDACIs and from different assays using the C‐QSAR program of Biobyte. The QSAR analysis presented here is an attempt to organize the knowledge on the HDACIs with the purpose of designing new chemical entities with enhanced inhibitory potencies and to study the mechanism of action of the compounds. This study revealed that lipophilicity is one of the most important determinants of activity. Additionally, steric factors such as the overall molar refractivity (CMR), molar volume (MgVol), the substituent's molar refractivity (MR) (linear or parabola), or the sterimol parameters B1 and L are important. Electronic parameters indicated as σp, are found to be present only in one case.  © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev 32:1‐165, 2012
The pharmacological management of Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Bishara Delia
Published: February 2010

Progress in Neurology and Psychiatry is running a series of articles on the major psychiatric drug groups, produced in association with the College of Mental Health Pharmacists. In this article, Delia Bishara discusses the use of cognitive enhancers in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias and provides an overview of new treatments in development. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Interface Ltd
SNRI‐NaSSA combination therapy for treatment‐resistant depression
Authors: Pandarakalam James Paul
Published: February 2010

Although more quality research is required to inform clinical practice, serotonin‐noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor ‐ noradrenaline and specific serotonergic antidepressant (SNRI‐NaSSA) combination therapy shows promise for treatment‐resistant depression. Here, Dr Pandarakalam discusses the rationale behind the use of this combination and some of the evidence gained so far for its efficacy. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Interface Ltd
Fast and automated functional classification with MED‐SuMo: An application on purine‐binding proteins
Authors: Doppelt‐Azeroual Olivia , Delfaud François , Moriaud Fabrice , de Brevern Alexandre G.
Published: February 2010

Ligand–protein interactions are essential for biological processes, and precise characterization of protein binding sites is crucial to understand protein functions. MED‐SuMo is a powerful technology to localize similar local regions on protein surfaces. Its heuristic is based on a 3D representation of macromolecules using specific surface chemical features associating chemical characteristics with geometrical properties. MED‐SMA is an automated and fast method to classify binding sites. It is based on MED‐SuMo technology, which builds a similarity graph, and it uses the Markov Clustering algorithm. Purine binding sites are well studied as drug targets. Here, purine binding sites of the Protein DataBank (PDB) are classified. Proteins potentially inhibited or activated through the same mechanism are gathered. Results are analyzed according to PROSITE annotations and to carefully refined functional annotations extracted from the PDB. As expected, binding sites associated with related mechanisms are gathered, for example, the Small GTPases. Nevertheless, protein kinases from different Kinome families are also found together, for example, Aurora‐A and CDK2 proteins which are inhibited by the same drugs. Representative examples of different clusters are presented. The effectiveness of the MED‐SMA approach is demonstrated as it gathers binding sites of proteins with similar structure‐activity relationships. Moreover, an efficient new protocol associates structures absent of cocrystallized ligands to the purine clusters enabling those structures to be associated with a specific binding mechanism. Applications of this classification by binding mode similarity include target‐based drug design and prediction of cross‐reactivity and therefore potential toxic side effects.
IR reflection, attenuated total reflection, and Raman scattering of porous polar III–V semiconductors
Authors: Dmitruk Nicholas , Barlas Tetyana , Dmitruk Igor , Kutovyi Sergiy , Berezovska Natalia , Sabataityte Julija , Simkiene Irena
Published: February 2010

Optical properties of porous III–V compounds (GaAs, GaP, InP) in the far infrared (IR) reststrahlen region have been studied by IR reflection and attenuated total reflection (ATR). Comparison of obtained data with Raman scattering (RS) spectra have been performed. Porous layers on III–V compounds wafers were obtained by electrochemical etching. Morphology of porous layers was investigated by methods of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), including cross‐section measurements. The ATR measurements allow to study dispersion and damping of surface phonon polaritons (SPPs) in λ = 20–50 µm spectral region. The ATR measurements were carried out in Otto geometry under frequency‐scanning regime at several constant angles of incidence of light. The reflection spectra of porous samples demonstrate change of the reststrahlen band shape due to direct excitation of surface polaritons. It was enabled to excite mixed plasmon–phonon surface modes for semiconductors with free electron concentrations of 1017–1018 cm−3. Frequencies of bulk TO‐, LO‐phonons, surface phonons, and coupled plasmon–phonon modes in the case of high doped semiconductors have been obtained and compared for three spectroscopic methods – reflectance, ATR, and RS.
Pressure‐induced superconductivity in CePd5Al2 and CeRhGe2, new family of heavy fermion superconductors
Authors: Honda Fuminori , Yoshiuchi Shingo , Hirose Yusuke , Nakamura Taichi , Yamamoto Etsuji , Tateiwa Naoyuki , Haga Yoshinori , Takeuchi Tetsuya , Settai Rikio , Ōnuki Yoshichika
Published: February 2010

Antiferromagnets CePd5Al2 and CeRhGe2 with the quasi‐two dimensional electronic state have been found to become superconductive by measuring the electrical resistivity under pressure. In these compounds, the Néel temperature decreases at high pressure and becomes approximately zero at critical pressure Pc = 9 GPa in CePd5Al2 and Pc = 7 GPa in CeRhGe2. Superconductivity was observed around Pc. In CePd5Al2, the upper critical field Hc2 is found to be highly anisotropic among H || [001] and [100], reflecting nearly cylindrical Fermi surfaces along the tetragonal [001] direction.
Structure and dynamics of the convective boundary layer on Mars as inferred from large‐eddy simulations and remote‐sensing measurements
Authors: Spiga A. , Forget F. , Lewis S. R. , Hinson D. P.
Published: February 2010

The structure of the Martian convective boundary layer (BL) is decribed by means of a novel approach involving both modelling and data analysis. Mars Express radio‐occultation (RO) temperature profiles are compared to large‐eddy simulations (LESs) performed with the Martian mesoscale model. The model combines the Martian radiative transfer, soil and surface layer schemes designed at Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (LMD) with the most recent version of the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) fully compressible non‐hydrostatic dynamical core. The key roles of the vertical resolution and, to lesser extent, of the domain horizontal extent have been investigated to ensure the robustness of the LES results. The dramatic regional variations of the BL depth are quantitatively reproduced by the Martian LES. Intense BL dynamics are found to underlie the measured depths (up to 9 km): vertical speed up to 20 m s−1, heat flux up to 2.7 K m s−1 and turbulent kinetic energy up to 26 m2 s−2. Under specific conditions, both the model and the measurements show a distinctive positive correlation between surface topography and BL depth. Our interpretation is that, in the tenuous CO2 Martian near‐surface environment, the daytime BL is to first order controlled by the infrared radiative heating, fairly independent of elevation, which implies a simple correlation between the BL potential temperature and the inverse pressure (‘pressure effect’). No prominent ‘pressure effect’ is in action on Earth where sensible heat flux dominates the BL energy budget. Both RO observations and numerical simulations confirm the terrain‐following behaviour of near‐surface temperature on Mars induced by the dominant radiative influence. The contribution of the Martian sensible heat flux is not negligible and results in a given isotherm in the BL being comparatively closer to the ground at higher surface elevation. The strong radiative control of the Martian convective BL implies a generalised formulation for the BL dimensionless quantities. Based on this formulation and the variety of simulated BL depths by the LES, new similarity relationships for the Martian convective BL in quasi‐steady midday conditions are derived. Rigorous comparisons between the Martian and terrestrial BL and fast computations of the mean Martian BL turbulent statistics are now made possible by such similarity laws. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society
Frequency Characteristics of 1‐D Periodic Structures with Tapered Microstrip Lines
Authors: Matsushita Kenji , Fukuda Makoto
Published: February 2010

The electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structure is a kind of photonic crystal that can be used in microwave and millimeter‐wave frequency regions. In this paper, we present the analysis and design of two types of periodic structure circuit with one‐dimensional (1‐D) EBG structures using alternately arranged, linear, tapered microstrip line (MSL) elements. In order to design the circuits, we calculated their frequency characteristics on the basis of transmission line models. First, we found an ABCD matrix using a model consisting of very short, series‐connected MSL elements. Thereafter, we converted these ABCD matrices into S matrices. Based on the theoretical analyses, we fabricated two types of circuits on printed circuit boards (PCBs) and evaluated their frequency characteristics. The results of evaluation showed that one of the circuits had a stopband of 2 GHz bandwidth and the other had a passband in the center of the stopband. The measured and calculated results were found to be in good agreement. Copyright © 2010 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Hemodynamic Effects of Combined Therapy Using Partial Splenic Embolization and Transjugular Retrograde Obliteration for Gastric Varices with Gastrorenal Shunt
Authors: Chikamori Fumio , Inoue Atsushi , Okamoto Hiroshi , Kuniyoshi Nobutoshi , Kawashima Takahiko , Takase Yasuhiro
Published: February 2010

Background

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the short‐term effects of combined therapy using partial splenic embolization (PSE) and transjugular retrograde obliteration (TJO) on the portal hemodynamics of gastric varices with a gastrorenal shunt.

Patients and Methods

Sixteen patients with gastric varices and a gastrorenal shunt were included in this study. Partial splenic embolization was applied 2 weeks before TJO. The portal blood flow was measured by an ultrasonic duplex Doppler system, and the wedged hepatic venous pressure (WHVP) was measured by hepatic venous catheterization, before and after the combined therapy.

Results

The complete obliteration of the gastrorenal shunt and gastric varices was revealed by retrograde shuntography and computed tomography after TJO in all cases. The WHVP before and just after PSE was 23 ± 7 and 19 ± 7 mmHg, respectively, showing a significant change (P < 0.01). The WHVP before and the day after TJO was 20 ± 5 mmHg and 22 ± 6 mmHg, respectively, showing a significant change (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between the WHVP before and after the combined therapy. The portal venous flow volume before and after the combined therapy were 514 ± 146 and 512 ± 161 ml/min, respectively, showing no significant change. However, the splenic venous flow volume before and after the combined therapy was 319 ± 131 and 179 ± 113 ml/min, respectively, showing a significant change (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The WHVP did not change after the combined therapy of PSE and TJO. Partial splenic embolization contributed to protecting portal congestion after TJO. We conclude that the combined therapy using PSE and TJO is an effective treatment for gastric varices from the portal hemodynamic point of view.
Regulatory T Cells in Peripheral Blood, Lymph Node, and Thyroid Tissue in Patients with Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Müller S. , Poehnert D. , Müller J. A. , Scheumann G. W. F. , Koch M. , Lück R.
Published: February 2010

Background

Immunological response of the human body is controlled by the suppressive characteristics of regulatory T cells (Tregs). In various diseases a change in the number of Tregs is evident. For example, whereas Tregs are reduced in auto‐immunological processes, an increase of Tregs is found with various malignant tumors. Regarding medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) no such studies have been performed to date.

Methods

Expression of CD4 and CD25 in CD45+ leukocytes from blood and lymph nodes was studied by flow cytometry in patients with MTC and patients with benign goiter. We also examined the marker forkhead box P3 (FoxP3), an intracellular transcription factor, which is supposed to be the most specific marker for Tregs. Immunohistochemical staining for FoxP3 was performed on lymph node and thyroid tissue.

Results

The number of FoxP3+ lymphocytes in peripheral blood was significantly higher in patients with MTC than in controls (p = 0.02). This result was confirmed immunohistochemically in lymph node and thyroid tissue, as well as in carcinoma tissue. No difference in CD4+CD25+ lymphocytes was observed between the two groups. After clinical staging (International Union against Cancer—UICC—stages) of MTC patients, triplication of FoxP3+ lymphocytes could be observed from MTC < UICC II to MTC > UICC II.

Conclusions

An increase of FoxP3+ lymphocytes could be shown in peripheral blood of patients with MTC but not in patients with benign goiter; this increase also correlates with findings in lymph nodes and thyroid gland. The number of FoxP3+ cells correlated with the patients’ prognosis. Therefore, FoxP3+ lymphocytes are a good diagnostic criterion for malignancy in patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma, and their presence at staging may influence therapeutic decisions.
Role of nasal muscles in nasal valve collapse
Authors: Aksoy Fadlullah , Veyseller Bayram , Yıldırım Yavuz Selim , Acar Hürtan , Demirhan Hasan , Özturan Orhan
Published: February 2010

Objective

This study was performed to determine the role of nasal muscle function in patients with dynamic or static nasal valve collapse by comparing the electromyographic activities of nasal muscles in healthy individuals.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional clinical study.

Setting

Tertiary referral center.

Subjects and Methods

Twenty adult patients with dynamic nasal valve collapse, 18 patients with unilateral static nasal valve stenosis (septum deviation), and 20 healthy adults were included in the study. The activity of their nasal muscles was measured by surface electromyography (EMG), and the results were compared for the patient and control groups.

Results

No abnormal finding was found in any of the nasal muscles of the control group. In the majority of patients with dynamic nasal valve pathology, statistically significant functional disorders were detected in the m dilator naris anterior and m nasalis transversalis muscles compared with the controls. During inspiration and expiration in patients with static nasal valve pathology, some revealed muscular abnormities during inspiration. Normal muscle activation was observed in all of the patients during expiration.

Conclusion

Determination of agents involved in pathologies of the nasal valve region is necessary for planning appropriate treatment. The role of nasal muscles in dynamic nasal valve pathologies, which has not been previously recognized, should be considered. A more effective and adequate solution for the nasal sidewalls than static pathologies should be considered in these patients by taking into account the muscular activity disorders detected by EMG at the stage of surgical treatment.
Air‐Ice‐Ocean Interaction: Turbulent Ocean Boundary Layer Exchange Processes
Authors: Weller Robert
Published: February 2010

This is a well‐written book about the upper boundary layer of the ice‐covered ocean. It combines a presentation of the physics and associated equations governing the structure of and mixing within the ice‐ocean boundary layer (IOBL) with illustrative examples from fi eldwork carried out during the author's career. The examples and good graphics do much to solidify the understanding the reader develops about these matters. Together with short summary glossaries of key quantities and parameters at the end of many chapters, the author's approach of weaving theory and observations together has resulted in an excellent text.
Erratum: Widespread distribution of proteorhodopsins in freshwater and brackish ecosystems
Authors: Atamna-Ismaeel Nof , Sabehi Gazalah , Sharon Itai , Witzel Karl-Paul , Labrenz Matthias , Jürgens Klaus , Barkay Tamar , Stomp Maayke , Huisman Jef , Beja Oded
Published: February 2010

Correction to: The ISME Journal (2008) 2, 656–662; doi:10.1038/ismej.2008.27 Since the publication of this paper, the authors have noticed an error in Table 2. The correct table is shown below. The authors would like to apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Room-temperature spin glass and near band edge properties of highly disorder (FeCo)0.03Zn0.97O and (FeCoNi)0.03Zn0.97O nanorods
Authors: Iqbal Javed , Liu Xiaofang , Ahmad Naeem , Harumoto Takashi , Yu Dapeng , Yu Ronghai
Published: February 2010

This paper is intended to give a detailed study of (FeCo)0.03Zn0.97O and (FeCoNi)0.03Zn0.97O magnetic nanorods, which have been synthesized using a versatile low temperature chemical solution method. The detailed structural and microstructural investigations verify the single hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO and rule out the formation of any secondary phase. The Raman study further reveals that the codoped magnetic transition metals are successfully doped into host lattice, while the structure is highly defective and disordered due to random distribution of different codopants. The prepared nanorods exhibit room and low temperatures spin glass magnetic phase arising from the random arrangement of codopants magnetic moments and their exchange interactions at lattice sites of ZnO. The optical investigations of these codoped nanorods show a redshift in near band edge emission, which is possibly raised from the strong s-p and p-d exchange interactions of codopants.
Exact solutions for a class of integrable Hénon–Heiles-type systems
Authors: Kostov N. A. , Gerdjikov V. S. , Mioc V.
Published: February 2010

We study the exact solutions of a class of integrable Hénon–Heiles-type systems (according to the analysis of Bountis et al. [Phys. Rev. A 25, 1257 (1982)]). These solutions are expressed in terms of two-dimensional Kleinian functions. Special periodic solutions are expressed in terms of the well-known Weierstrass function. We extend some of our results to a generalized Hénon–Heiles-type system with (n+1) degrees of freedom.
Correlated dynamics of water and amphiphilic molecules in thin Newton black films
Authors: Di Napoli S. , Gamba Z.
Published: February 2010

The dynamical properties of amphiphilics in Newton black films, as well as those of the water confined between the two charged hydrophilic surfaces, have been calculated via a series of molecular dynamic calculations in several films with different water contents. A charged semiflexible amphiphilic model and the TIP5P model of water are used in our simulations [Z. Gamba, J. Chem. Phys. 129, 164901 (2008)]. We calculate the diffusion coefficients, reorientational dynamics, and the atomic density profile of water molecules as a function of the number of water molecules per amphiphilic (nw). We also analyze the reorientational motion of the amphiphilics and determine a strong correlation between the dynamics of water molecules and the translational and reorientational dynamics of the amphiphilics, as well as a correlation between the reorientational dynamics of the amphiphilics belonging to the upper and lower halves of the studied thin films.
Rotation of methane and silane molecules in He droplets
Authors: Hoshina Hiromichi , Skvortsov Dmitry , Sartakov Boris G. , Vilesov Andrey F.
Published: February 2010

This work studies the renormalization of the molecular moments of inertia IG in liquid helium. For this purpose we have measured the rotational-vibrational spectra of the ν3 modes of a series of homologous light spherical top molecules such as CH4, CD4, SiH4, and SiD4 in He droplets. The spectra were fitted to an empirical gas phase Hamiltonian, yielding a set of spectroscopic constants. We found that the additional moment of inertia, ΔIHe, scales approximately as square of IG. This is in agreement with the theoretical model which assigns ΔIHe to coupling of molecular rotation with vibration of He in the molecular vicinity. Our results also indicate a large increase in the effective centrifugal distortion constants, which is another manifestation of the interaction of the molecular rotors with the He environment. Finally, the mechanism of the relaxation of rotational energy in liquid helium is discussed.
Dipole oscillator strength distributions with improved high-energy behavior: Dipole sum rules and dispersion coefficients for Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe revisited
Authors: Kumar Ashok , Thakkar Ajit J.
Published: February 2010

The construction of the dipole oscillator strength distribution (DOSD) from theoretical and experimental photoabsorption cross sections combined with constraints provided by the Kuhn–Reiche–Thomas sum rule and molar refractivity data is a well-established technique that has been successfully applied to more than 50 species. Such DOSDs are insufficiently accurate at large photon energies. A novel iterative procedure is developed that rectifies this deficiency by using the high-energy asymptotic behavior of the dipole oscillator strength density as an additional constraint. Pilot applications are made for the neon, argon, krypton, and xenon atoms. The resulting DOSDs improve the agreement of the predicted S2 and S1 sum rules with ab initio calculations while preserving the accuracy of the remainder of the moments. Our DOSDs exploit new and more accurate experimental data. Improved estimates of dipole properties for these four atoms and of dipole-dipole C6 and triple-dipole C9 dispersion coefficients for the interactions among them are reported.
The Well Person's Health Check: a population screening program in indigenous communities in north Queensland
Authors: Miller Geoffrey , McDermott Robyn , McCulloch Brad , Leonard Dympna , Arabena Kerry , Muller Reinhol
Published: February 2010

The National Indigenous Australians Sexual Health Strategy 1996-97 to 1998-99 provided the impetus and resources to assess the health of the large population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in rural and remote communities in northern Queensland, Australia. This paper describes the development, implementation and results of a community based screening program designed to detect and treat sexually transmissible infections and a range of non-communicable conditions and attendant risk factors. The Well Person's Health Check, conducted between March 1998 and December 2000,demonstrated a high prevalence of largely preventable health problems and initiated the development of a sustainable early detection strategy for the region.
A transitional care service for elderly chronic disease patients at risk of readmission
Authors: Brand Caroline A , Jones Catherine T , Lowe Adrian J , Nielsen David A , Roberts Carol , King Bellinda A L , Campbell Donald A
Published: February 2010

Background: Multiple hospital admissions,
especially those related to chronic disease, represent
a particular challenge to the acute health
care sector in Australia.
Objective: To determine whether a nurse-led
chronic disease management model of transitional
care reduced re admissions to acute care.
Design: A quasi-experimental controlled trial.
Setting: A large tertiary metropolitan teaching
hospital. Participants: 166 general medical
patients aged >65 years with either a history of
re admissions to acute care or multiple medical
comorbidities.
Intervention: Implementation of a chronic disease
management model of transitional care
aimed at improving patient management and
reducing readmissions to acute care.
Main outcome measures: Readmission rates
and emergency department presentation rates at
3-and 6-month follow up. Secondary outcome
measures include quality of life, discharge destination,
and primary health care service utilisation.
Results: There was no difference in readmission
rates, emergency department presentation rates,
quality of life, discharge destination or primary
health care service utilisation. The difficulties
inherent in evaluating this type of multifactorial
intervention are discussed and consideration is
given to patient factors, the difficulty of influencing
readmission rates, and local system issues.
Conclusion: The outcomes of this study reflect
the tension that exists between implementing multifaceted
integrated health service programs and
attempting to evaluate them within complex and
changing environments using robust research
methodologies.
A framework for place based health planning
Authors: Yeboah David A
Published: February 2010

Place based health planning is an effective approach
to health planning with enormous benefits including
the use of local characteristics, organisations and
partnerships to effectively and efficiently identify and
prioritise needs, and develop and deliver programs
and services. Despite its inherent advantages, place
based health planning has not been extensively
used by health professionals, neither has it been
given adequate attention in the literature. This article
provides a framework to guide and encourage health
professionals to use place based health planning.
The framework has three main parts, namely needs
assessment, program planning and implementation,
and covers most aspects of the identification of
needs, and the development and delivery of programs
and services to address those needs. The
article also includes a proposed index of prioritisation
to enable health professionals to prioritise needs
and improve program and service provision.
The impact of the pathology workforce crisis on acute health care
Authors: Graves Debra
Published: February 2010

There is much talk of the crisis in medical workforce.
This paper outlines the huge problem facing
pathology services in Australia and the impact this
will have on the delivery of health care services.
Bureaucracy to adhocracy A possible structure for the Department of Health and Family Services
Authors: Cahill Anne , Birch James , Goodier Gareth
Published: February 2010

At a meeting on Friday, 7 June 1996, the Minister for Health and Family Services,The Hon. Michael Wooldridge MP, asked the authors to prepare a paper on a possiblestructure for the Department of Health and Family Services. This followed ourexplanation to him of navigating women?s and children?s health service issues throughthe existing departmental structure. We had explained that such navigation includednearly all of the divisions within the department; and then within those divisionsthere were different branches responsible for different activities. It has been ourexperience that rarely do the different divisions, branches or sections exchange ideas,views or policies that might affect women and children. The result is a fragmentedapproach to this important group of the population. We know that this same approachexists for other key population groups.This paper has been prepared at the request of the Minister, and follows an approachbased on population and outcome.
Coordinating rural divisions:The workforce window
Authors: Williams Jenny
Published: February 2010

Divisions of General Practice have been established to alleviate the professionalisolation which general practitioners face by being excluded from involvement in otherparts of the health care system. Divisions facilitate the development of localcommunication networks and cooperative activities which improve the integrationof general practice with other elements of the health system.Coordination of communication is one of the strengths of divisions at the local leveland Rural Divisions Co-ordinating Units at the State level. This strength is beingeffectively utilised to target general practice workforce issues. Given the significantproportion of general practitioners in the medical workforce, particularly in rural andremote areas, this has implications for broader medical workforce issues.Australia faces a maldistribution in its general practitioner workforce, with an excesssupply in urban areas and a significant shortfall in rural and remote areas. Since1995?96, the General Practice Rural Incentives Program, which targets therecruitment and retention of rural doctors, has devolved funding to the RuralDivisions Co-ordinating Units to coordinate the statewide provision of practicalassistance to rural general practitioners, through their divisions, in relation tocontinuing medical education and the provision of locums. There is potential to buildon the successes of these initiatives and also to work with urban divisions through thestate-based organisational structures which are currently being developed.
Towards culturally competent health care: Language use of bilingual staff
Authors: Johnson Maree , Noble Cathy , Mathews Clair
Published: February 2010

The presence of diverse language skills within health staff provides opportunitiesto better meet the needs of a multicultural population. A cross-sectional survey ofall staff within the South Western Sydney Area Health Service was undertaken tocompare language skills with population needs and examine the context of languageuse. Thirty-one per cent of staff (n = 964) were bilingual or multilingual, with the predominant languages spoken being Tagalog (Filipino), Cantonese, Hindi, Spanish, Vietnamese and Italian. Thirty-seven per cent of bilingual staff used theirlanguage skills at least weekly, predominantly in situations of simple conversation and giving directions. Bilingual staff are a valuable resource for the organisation and the presence of a similar overall proportion of bilingual and bicultural staff may engender tolerance and adaptability in providing care to a diverse population. However, supply does not directly match community demand. This mismatch will continue unless recruitment is focused towards identified language groups. The high proportion of staff who rarely used their language skills (37%) may be due to lack of opportunity or limited need, and suggests that further research needs to examineservice models that locate bilingual workers close to client need. This study takesa crucial first step towards realising equitable and culturally appropriate careutilising the principles of productive diversity.
BAG1 restores formation of functional DJ-1 L166P dimers and DJ-1 chaperone activity
Authors: Deeg Sebastian , Gralle Mathias , Sroka Kamila , Bähr Mathias , Wouters Fred Silvester , Kermer Pawel
Published: February 2010

Mutations in the gene coding for DJ-1 protein lead to early-onset recessive forms of Parkinson’s disease. It is believed that loss of DJ-1 function is causative for disease, although the function of DJ-1 still remains a matter of controversy. We show that DJ-1 is localized in the cytosol and is associated with membranes and organelles in the form of homodimers. The disease-related mutation L166P shifts its subcellular distribution to the nucleus and decreases its ability to dimerize, impairing cell survival. Using an intracellular foldase biosensor, we found that wild-type DJ-1 possesses chaperone activity, which is abolished by the L166P mutation. We observed that this aberrant phenotype can be reversed by the expression of the cochaperone BAG1 (Bcl-2–associated athanogene 1), restoring DJ-1 subcellular distribution, dimer formation, and chaperone activity and ameliorating cell survival.
ADAM10 is essential for Notch2-dependent marginal zone B cell development and CD23 cleavage in vivo
Authors: Gibb David R. , El Shikh Mohey , Kang Dae-Joong , Rowe Warren J. , El Sayed Rania , Cichy Joanna , Yagita Hideo , Tew John G. , Dempsey Peter J. , Crawford Howard C. , Conrad Daniel H.
Published: February 2010

The proteolytic activity of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10) regulates cell-fate decisions in Drosophila and mouse embryos. However, in utero lethality of ADAM10−/− mice has prevented examination of ADAM10 cleavage events in lymphocytes. To investigate their role in B cell development, we generated B cell–specific ADAM10 knockout mice. Intriguingly, deletion of ADAM10 prevented development of the entire marginal zone B cell (MZB) lineage. Additionally, cleavage of the low affinity IgE receptor, CD23, was profoundly impaired, but subsequent experiments demonstrated that ADAM10 regulates CD23 cleavage and MZB development by independent mechanisms. Development of MZBs is dependent on Notch2 signaling, which requires proteolysis of the Notch2 receptor by a previously unidentified proteinase. Further experiments revealed that Notch2 signaling is severely impaired in ADAM10-null B cells. Thus, ADAM10 critically regulates MZB development by initiating Notch2 signaling. This study identifies ADAM10 as the in vivo CD23 sheddase and an important regulator of B cell development. Moreover, it has important implications for the treatment of numerous CD23- and Notch-mediated pathologies, ranging from allergy to cancer.
Vitronectin binds to the head region of Moraxella catarrhalis ubiquitous surface protein A2 and confers complement‐inhibitory activity
Authors: Singh Birendra , Blom Anna M. , Unal Can , Nilson Bo , Mörgelin Matthias , Riesbeck Kristian
Published: February 2010

The serum resistance of the common respiratory pathogen Moraxella catarrhalis is mainly dependent on ubiquitous surface proteins (Usp) A1 and A2 that interact with complement factor 3 (C3) and complement inhibitor C4b binding protein (C4BP) preventing the alternative and classical pathways of the complement system respectively. UspA2 also has the capacity to attract vitronectin that in turn binds C9 and hereby inhibits membrane attack complex (MAC) formation. We found UspA2 as a major vitronectin binding protein and hence the UspA2/vitronectin interaction was studied in detail. The affinity constant (KD) for vitronectin binding to UspA2 was 2.3 × 10−8 M, and the N‐terminal region encompassing residues UspA2 30–170 bound vitronectin with a KD of 7.9 × 10−8 M. Electron microscopy verified that the active binding domain (UspA230–177) was located at the head region of UspA2. Experiments with recombinantly expressed vitronectin also revealed that UspA230–177 bound to the C‐terminal region of vitronectin residues 312–396. Finally, when human serum was pre‐incubated with UspA2, bacteria showed significantly less serum resistance. Our study directly reveals the binding mode between the N‐terminal domain of UspA2 and the C‐terminal part of vitronectin and thus sheds light upon the mechanism of M. catarrhalis‐dependent serum resistance.
Optical methods for measurement of fatigue crack closure: moiré interferometry and digital image correlation
Authors: NOWELL D. , PAYNTER R. J. H. , DE MATOS P. F. P
Published: February 2010

This paper describes three different optical techniques for the measurement of in‐plane displacements close to the crack tip which can then be used to determine the presence of crack closure in propagating fatigue cracks. Conventional temporal phase shifting moiré interferometry is described first, followed by an improvement to this technique, load sequence phase stepping, which allows data to be collected much more frequently during a load cycle. Finally, more recent measurements using digital image correlation are reported. Results from all three techniques are compared and the advantages and disadvantages of each approach are discussed.
Thought's Social Nature
Authors: Travis Charles
Published: February 2010

Abstract: Wittgenstein, throughout his career, was deeply Fregean. Frege thought of thought as essentially social, in this sense: whatever I can think is what others could think, deny, debate, investigate. Such, for him, was one central part of judgement's objectivity. Another was that truths are discovered, not invented: what is true is so, whether recognised as such or not. (Later) Wittgenstein developed Frege's idea of thought as social compatibly with that second part. In this he exploits some further Fregean ideas: of a certain generality intrinsic to a thought; of lack of that generality in that which a thought represents as instancing some such generality. (I refer to this below as the ‘conceptual‐nonconceptual’ distinction.) Seeing Wittgenstein as thus building on Frege helps clarify (inter alia) his worries, in the Blue Book, and the Investigations, about meaning, intending, and understanding, and the point of the rule following discussion.
Cardiovascular Disease Is Associated with Greater Incident Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate Decline in the Oldest Old: The Cardiovascular Health Study All Stars Study
Authors: Sanders Jason L. , Boudreau Robert M. , Cappola Anne R. , Arnold Alice M. , Robbins John , Cushman Mary , Newman Anne B.
Published: February 2010

OBJECTIVES: To describe cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations with dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and change in DHEAS with age.

DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study.

SETTING: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

PARTICIPANTS: Cardiovascular Health Study All Stars study participants assessed in 2005/06 (N=989, mean age 85.2, 63.5% women, 16.5% African American).

MEASUREMENTS: Health characteristics were assessed in 2005/06 according to DHEAS level, mean DHEAS and DHEAS change across age categories were tested, and linear and logistic regression was used to identify factors present in 1996/97 associated with continuous and categorical DHEAS change.

RESULTS: Mean ± standard deviation DHEAS was 0.555 ± 0.414 μg/mL in 1996/97 and 0.482 ± 0.449 μg/mL in 2005/06 for women and 0.845 ± 0.520 μg/mL in 1996/97 and 0.658 ± 0.516 μg/mL in 2005/06 for men. In 2005/06, DHEAS was lower in women and subjects with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic pulmonary disease and higher for African Americans and subjects with hypertension and high cholesterol. Mean DHEAS change was greater in men (−0.200 μg/mL) than in women (−0.078 μg/mL) (P<.001). Each 1‐year increase in age attenuated the effect of male sex by 0.01 μg/mL (P=.009), abolishing the sex difference in DHEAS change by age 79. Presence of CVD before the study period was associated with greater absolute DHEAS change (β=−0.04 μg/mL, P=.04) and with the fourth quartile of DHEAS change versus the first to third quartiles (odds ratio=1.46, 95% confidence interval=1.03–2.05).

CONCLUSION: DHEAS change continues into very old age, is not homogenous, is affected by sex, and is associated with prevalent CVD. Future studies should investigate factors that might accelerate DHEAS decline.
Constraints on intragroup stellar mass from hostless Type Ia supernovae
Authors: McGee Sean L. , Balogh Michael L.
Published: February 2010

We probe the diffuse stellar mass in a sample of 1401 low-redshift galaxy groups (1013–1014h−1 M⊙) by examining the rate of hostless Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) within the groups. We correlate the sample of confirmed SNe Ia from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey SN survey with the positions of our galaxy groups, as well as with the resolved galaxies within them. We find that 19 of the 59 SNe Ia within the group sample have no detectable host galaxy, with another three ambiguous instances. This gives a robust upper limit that a maximum of 2.69+1.58−1.34 per cent of the group's total mass arises from diffuse stars in the intragroup medium. After correcting for a contribution from ‘prompt’ SNe occurring within galaxies, and including a contribution from those which arise in dwarf galaxies below our photometric limit, we find that only 1.32+0.78−0.70 per cent of the group's total mass is likely in the form of diffuse stellar mass. Combining this result with the galaxy stellar mass functions of Yang, Mo and van den Bosch, we find that 47+16−15 per cent of the stellar mass in our groups is in the form of diffuse light, so that stars make up a fraction 0.028+0.011−0.010 of the total group mass. Galaxy groups appear to be very efficient in disrupting stellar mass into a diffuse component; however, stars still make up a small fraction of the group mass, comparable to that seen in rich clusters. This remains a challenge to galaxy formation models.