bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flexibility in Existential Beliefs and Worldviews
Authors: Van Pachterbeke Matthieu , Keller Johannes , Saroglou Vassilis
Published: December 2011

Being open to questioning and changing one’s own existential beliefs and worldviews is an understudied epistemological tendency we call “existential quest.” We found that existential quest is a specific construct that can be distinguished from related constructs such as searching for meaning in life, readiness to question proreligious beliefs (i.e., religious quest), need for closure, and dogmatism. In five studies, we tested the psychometric qualities of a newly developed 9-item scale and the relationship of existential quest with individual difference variables reflecting ideological and epistemological needs (such as authoritarianism or regulatory focus) and behavioral tendencies (myside bias in an argument generation task). Existential quest showed incremental validity over and above established constructs regarding the prediction of relevant cognitive biases and empathy. The findings indicate the relevance of existential quest as an epistemological construct that seems particularly interesting for research in the developing field of existential psychology.
Cross‐shelf thermal variability in southern Lake Michigan during the stratified periods
Authors: Troy Cary D. , Ahmed Sultan , Hawley Nathan , Goodwell Allison
Published: December 2011

Results from a field experiment in southern Lake Michigan are used to quantify the cross‐shelf nearshore variability in Great Lakes temperatures during the stratified season. The experiment was conducted along the Indiana coast of southern Lake Michigan, with temperature and velocity moorings arranged in a cross‐shelf transect that extended to approximately 20 km from shore (40 m depth). The field site is noteworthy because of its location at the end of a major axis of an elliptical Great Lake, the relatively mild bathymetric slope, and local shoreline orientation that is perpendicular relative to the dominant summer winds. Measurements demonstrate that the location of the thermocline‐bottom intersection is highly variable, causing a wide zone of extreme thermal variability in the nearshore region with time scales of variability ranging from hours to months. Near‐inertial internal Poincaré waves are shown to cause large thermocline excursions but primarily only during periods of elevated activity. Several full upwelling events were observed, but in general, they were brief, lasting only 1–2 days, and had very limited spatial extent (2.5 km or less). Nonetheless, the offshore extent of the upwelling front was shown to be reasonably estimated with a simple estimate of the cross‐shelf transport caused by alongshore wind events. A persistent feature that determined the zone of elevated thermal variability (the thermocline‐shelf intersection point) was the strongly tilted thermocline, which resulted in the thermocline being located very close to shore. No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that internal Kelvin waves affect thermal variability at the study location.
Statistical extraction of volcanic sulphate from nonpolar ice cores
Authors: Moore J. C. , Beaudon E. , Kang Shichang , Divine D. , Isaksson E. , Pohjola V. A. , van de Wal R. S. W.
Published: December 2011

Ice cores from outside the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are difficult to date because of seasonal melting and multiple sources (terrestrial, marine, biogenic and anthropogenic) of sulfates deposited onto the ice. Here we present a method of volcanic sulfate extraction that relies on fitting sulfate profiles to other ion species measured along the cores in moving windows in log space. We verify the method with a well dated section of the Belukha ice core from central Eurasia. There are excellent matches to volcanoes in the preindustrial, and clear extraction of volcanic peaks in the post‐1940 period when a simple method based on calcium as a proxy for terrestrial sulfate fails due to anthropogenic sulfate deposition. We then attempt to use the same statistical scheme to locate volcanic sulfate horizons within three ice cores from Svalbard and a core from Mount Everest. Volcanic sulfate is <5% of the sulfate budget in every core, and differences in eruption signals extracted reflect the large differences in environment between western, northern and central regions of Svalbard. The Lomonosovfonna and Vestfonna cores span about the last 1000 years, with good extraction of volcanic signals, while Holtedahlfonna which extends to about AD1700 appears to lack a clear record. The Mount Everest core allows clean volcanic signal extraction and the core extends back to about AD700, slightly older than a previous flow model has suggested. The method may thus be used to extract historical volcanic records from a more diverse geographical range than hitherto.
Target loads of atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen deposition for protection of acid sensitive aquatic resources in the Adirondack Mountains, New York
Authors: Sullivan T. J. , Cosby B. J. , Driscoll C. T. , McDonnell T. C. , Herlihy A. T. , Burns D. A.
Published: December 2011

The dynamic watershed acid‐base chemistry model of acidification of groundwater in catchments (MAGIC) was used to calculate target loads (TLs) of atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen deposition expected to be protective of aquatic health in lakes in the Adirondack ecoregion of New York. The TLs were calculated for two future dates (2050 and 2100) and three levels of protection against lake acidification (acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) of 0, 20, and 50 μeq L−1). Regional sulfur and nitrogen deposition estimates were combined with TLs to calculate exceedances. Target load results, and associated exceedances, were extrapolated to the regional population of Adirondack lakes. About 30% of Adirondack lakes had simulated TL of sulfur deposition less than 50 meq m−2 yr to protect lake ANC to 50 μeq L−1. About 600 Adirondack lakes receive ambient sulfur deposition that is above this TL, in some cases by more than a factor of 2. Some critical criteria threshold values were simulated to be unobtainable in some lakes even if sulfur deposition was to be decreased to zero and held at zero until the specified endpoint year. We also summarize important lessons for the use of target loads in the management of acid‐impacted aquatic ecosystems, such as those in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Frequency discriminators for the characterization of narrow-spectrum heterodyne beat signals: Application to the measurement of a sub-hertz carrier-envelope-offset beat in an optical frequency comb
Authors: Schilt Stéphane , Bucalovic Nikola , Tombez Lionel , Dolgovskiy Vladimir , Schori Christian , Di Domenico Gianni , Zaffalon Michele , Thomann Pierre
Published: December 2011

We describe a radio-frequency (RF) discriminator, or frequency-to-voltage converter, based on a voltage-controlled oscillator phase-locked to the signal under test, which has been developed to analyze the frequency noise properties of an RF signal, e.g., a heterodyne optical beat signal between two lasers or between a laser and an optical frequency comb. We present a detailed characterization of the properties of this discriminator and we compare it to three other commercially available discriminators. Owing to its large linear frequency range of 7 MHz, its bandwidth of 200 kHz and its noise floor below 0.01 Hz2/Hz in a significant part of the spectrum, our frequency discriminator is able to fully characterize the frequency noise of a beat signal with a linewidth ranging from a couple of megahertz down to a few hertz. As an example of application, we present measurements of the frequency noise of the carrier envelope offset beat in a low-noise optical frequency comb.
Kinetics of azobenzene nitrene oxidation by molecular oxygen in glassy propylene carbonate
Authors: Syutkin V. M. , Vyazovkin V. L. , Bol'shakov B. V.
Published: December 2011

The kinetics of azobenzene nitrene oxidation by molecular oxygen dissolved in a matrix was studied in glassy propylene carbonate. The reaction was carried out in excess oxygen within its concentration range 0.008 to 0.048 M. The oxidation kinetics, controlled by oxygen diffusion, is not described by the exponential function. A specific reaction rate decreases in the course of the process. The higher the oxygen concentration in the matrix, the sharper is the decrease in the reaction rate. It is shown that at all concentrations, the oxidation kinetics is described in the framework of the model of heterogeneous matrix with a characteristic size of heterogeneities of 1.5 nm and a dispersion of the activation energy of oxygen molecule jump of 4 kJ/mol. The reaction radius is about 0.5 nm.
Three-dimensional microlasers based on polymer fibers fabricated by electrospinning
Authors: Das Anshuman J. , Lafargue Clément , Lebental Mélanie , Zyss Joseph , Narayan K. S.
Published: December 2011

We report three-dimensional mirror-less lasing from non-cylindrical dye doped polystyrene fibers drawn using an electrospinning procedure where the fiber cross-sectional shape and dimension could be controlled. Signatures of three dimensional etalon like modes were observed corresponding to the transverse and axial quantization of the wave vector. Low lasing thresholds of the order of 200 nJ were achieved along with moderate Q factors.
Meeting bulk density sampling requirements efficiently to estimate soil carbon stocks
Authors: Holmes Karen W. , Wherrett Andrew , Keating Adrian , Murphy Daniel V.
Published: December 2011

Estimation of soil organic carbon stocks requires bulk density (BD) measurements. Variability in BD contributes to carbon stock uncertainty, in turn affecting how large a change in stock can be observed over time or space. However, BD is difficult and time-consuming to measure, and sample collection is further complicated by extremely dry field conditions, coarse-textured soils, and high coarse-fragment content, which are common in southern Australia and other semi-arid and Mediterranean-type climates. Two alternatives to reduce BD sampling effort are to take fewer BD samples at a site (i.e. volumetric rings or clod), and to use more time-efficient methods (i.e. gamma–neutron density meter, NDM). We evaluate these options in the context of a soil carbon stock survey in agricultural land in the south-west of Australia. The BD values within a monitoring site measured with conventional and NDM methods were statistically different when assessed using large sample sizes; the measurements diverged where the coarse fraction volume was >20%. However, carbon stocks were equivalent, reflecting the much larger relative variability in carbon percentage, which contributed 84–99% of the uncertainty in carbon stocks compared with <5% from BD. Given the maximum variability measured, soil carbon stock changes in southern Australia should be monitored on a decadal scale.
Gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) mediates chemotaxis in neutrophils
Authors: Czepielewski Rafael Sanguinetti , Porto Bárbara Nery , Rizzo Lucas Bortolotto , Roesler Rafael , Abujamra Ana Lúcia , Pinto Larissa Garcia , Schwartsmann Gilberto , Cunha Fernando de Queiroz , Bonorino Cristina
Published: December 2011

Neutrophil migration to inflamed sites is crucial for both the initiation of inflammation and resolution of infection, yet these cells are involved in perpetuation of different chronic inflammatory diseases. Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) is a neuropeptide that acts through G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) involved in signal transmission in both central and peripheral nervous systems. Its receptor, gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR), is expressed by various cell types, and it is overexpressed in cancer cells. RC-3095 is a selective GRPR antagonist, recently found to have antiinflammatory properties in arthritis and sepsis models. Here we demonstrate that i.p. injection of GRP attracts neutrophils in 4 h, and attraction is blocked by RC-3095. Macrophage depletion or neutralization of TNF abrogates GRP-induced neutrophil recruitment to the peritoneum. In vitro, GRP-induced neutrophil migration was dependent on PLC-β2, PI3K, ERK, p38 and independent of Gαi protein, and neutrophil migration toward synovial fluid of arthritis patients was inhibited by treatment with RC-3095. We propose that GRPR is an alternative chemotactic receptor that may play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory disorders.
Legume pectate lyase required for root infection by rhizobia
Authors: Xie Fang , Murray Jeremy D. , Kim Jiyoung , Heckmann Anne B. , Edwards Anne , Oldroyd Giles E. D. , Downie J. Allan
Published: December 2011

To allow rhizobial infection of legume roots, plant cell walls must be locally degraded for plant-made infection threads (ITs) to be formed. Here we identify a
Lotus japonicus nodulation pectate lyase
gene (
LjNPL
), which is induced in roots and root hairs by rhizobial nodulation (Nod) factors via activation of the nodulation signaling pathway and the NIN transcription factor. Two
Ljnpl
mutants produced uninfected nodules and most infections arrested as infection foci in root hairs or roots. The few partially infected nodules that did form contained large abnormal infections. The purified LjNPL protein had pectate lyase activity, demonstrating that this activity is required for rhizobia to penetrate the cell wall and initiate formation of plant-made infection threads. Therefore, we conclude that legume-determined degradation of plant cell walls is required for root infection during initiation of the symbiotic interaction between rhizobia and legumes.
Disordered form of the scaffold protein IscU is the substrate for iron-sulfur cluster assembly on cysteine desulfurase
Authors: Kim Jin Hae , Tonelli Marco , Markley John L.
Published: December 2011

The scaffold protein for iron-sulfur cluster assembly, apo-IscU, populates two interconverting conformational states, one disordered (D) and one structured (S) as revealed by extensive NMR assignments. At pH 8 and 25 °C, approximately 70% of the protein is S, and the lifetimes of the states are 1.3 s (S) and 0.50 s (D). Zn(II) and Fe(II) each bind and stabilize structured (S-like) states. Single amino acid substitutions at conserved residues were found that shift the equilibrium toward either the S or the D state. Cluster assembly takes place in the complex between IscU and the cysteine desulfurase, IscS, and our NMR studies demonstrate that IscS binds preferentially the D form of apo-IscU. The addition of 10% IscS to IscU was found to greatly increase H/D exchange at protected amides of IscU, to increase the rate of the S → D reaction, and to decrease the rate of the D → S reaction. In the saturated IscU:IscS complex, IscU is largely disordered. In vitro cluster assembly reactions provided evidence for the functional importance of the S⇆D equilibrium. IscU variants that favor the S state were found to undergo a lag phase, not observed with the wild type, that delayed cluster assembly; variants that favor the D state were found to assemble less stable clusters at an intermediate rate without the lag. It appears that IscU has evolved to exist in a disordered conformational state that is the initial substrate for the desulfurase and to convert to a structured state that stabilizes the cluster once it is assembled.
Growth, metabolic partitioning, and the size of microorganisms
Authors: Kempes Christopher P. , Dutkiewicz Stephanie , Follows Michael J.
Published: December 2011

Population growth rate is a fundamental ecological and evolutionary characteristic of living organisms, but individuals must balance the metabolism devoted to biosynthesis and reproduction against the maintenance of existing structure and other functionality. Here we present a mathematical model that relates metabolic partitioning to the form of growth. The model captures the observed growth trajectory of single cells and individuals for a variety of species and taxa spanning prokaryotes, unicellular eukaryotes, and small multicellular eukaryotes. Our analysis suggests that the per-unit costs of biosynthesis and maintenance are conserved across prokaryotes and eukaryotes. However, the relative metabolic expenditure on growth and maintenance of whole organisms clearly differentiates taxa: prokaryotes spend an increasing fraction of their entire metabolism on growth with increasing cell size, whereas eukaryotes devote a diminishing fraction. These differences allow us to predict the minimum and maximum size for each taxonomic group, anticipating observed evolutionary life-history transitions. The framework provides energetic insights into taxonomic tradeoffs related to growth and metabolism and constrains traits that are important for size-structured modeling of microbial communities and their ecological and biogeochemical effects.
Macrophages, Meta-Inflammation, and Immuno-Metabolism
Authors: Shapiro Haim , Lutaty Aviv , Ariel Amiram
Published: December 2011

Current research depicts specific modes of immunity and energy metabolism as being interrelated at the molecular, cellular, organ and organism level. Hence, whereas M2 (alternatively-activated) macrophages dominate insulin-sensitive adipose tissue in the lean, M1-skewed (classically-activated) macrophages accumulate in parallel to adiposity in the obese, and promote inflammation and insulin resistance, that is, meta-inflammation. The latest frontier of immuno-metabolism explores the coregulation of energy metabolism and immune function within hematopoietic cells. M1-skewed macrophages are sustained in edematous, hypoxic tissues by anaerobic glycolysis, whereas mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration dominates in M2 cells. We review the underlying mechanisms and the consequences of the transition from M2 to M1 predominance in adipose tissue, as well as the extracellular signals and transcription factors that control macrophage phenotypes and impose distinct metabolic modes.
Maternal intestinal flora and wheeze in early childhood
Authors: Lange N. E. , Celedón J. C. , Forno E. , Ly N. P. , Onderdonk A. , Bry L. , Delaney M. L. , DuBois A. M. , Gold D. R. , Weiss S. T. , Litonjua A. A.
Published: December 2011

Background

Increasing evidence links altered intestinal flora in infancy to eczema and asthma. No studies have investigated the influence of maternal intestinal flora on wheezing and eczema in early childhood.

Objective

To investigate the link between maternal intestinal flora during pregnancy and development of wheeze and eczema in infancy.

Methods

A total of 60 pregnant women from the Boston area gave stool samples during the third trimester of their pregnancy and answered questions during pregnancy about their own health, and about their children's health when the child was 2 and 6 months of age. Quantitative culture was performed on stool samples and measured in log10colony‐forming units (CFU)/gram stool. Primary outcomes included infant wheeze and eczema in the first 6 months of life. Atopic wheeze, defined as wheeze and eczema, was analysed as a secondary outcome.

Results

In multivariate models adjusted for breastfeeding, day care attendance and maternal atopy, higher counts of maternal total aerobes (TA) and enterococci (E) were associated with increased risk of infant wheeze (TA: OR 2.32 for 1 log increase in CFU/g stool [95% CI 1.22, 4.42]; E: OR 1.57 [95% CI 1.06, 2.31]). No organisms were associated with either eczema or atopic wheeze.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

In our cohort, higher maternal total aerobes and enterococci were related to increased risk of infant wheeze. Maternal intestinal flora may be an important environmental exposure in early immune system development.
Prostate cancer risk in men with prostate and breast cancer family history: results from the REDUCE study (R1)
Authors: Thomas J.‐A. , Gerber L. , Moreira D. M. , Hamilton R. J. , Bañez L. L. , Castro‐Santamaria R. , Andriole G. L. , Isaacs W. B. , Xu J. , Freedland S. J.
Published: December 2011

Abstract.  Thomas J‐A II, Gerber L, Moreira DM, Hamilton RJ, Bañez LL, Castro‐Santamaria R, Andriole GL, Isaacs WB, Xu J, Freedland SJ (Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA; The Author Smith Institute for Urology, New Hyde Park, NY, USA; Memorial Sloan‐Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA; Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA; Wake Forest University, Winston‐Salem, NC, USA; and Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA). Prostate cancer risk in men with prostate and breast cancer family history: results from the REDUCE study (R1). J Intern Med 2012; 272: 85–92.

Background.  To what degree the associations between PCa risk and family history of prostate cancer (PCa) and/or breast cancer (BCa) are attributable to screening biases is unclear. We examined these questions within the REDUCE study, where biopsies were largely independent of prostate specific antigen (PSA) minimizing screening biases.

Methods.  Data were from REDUCE, which tested dutasteride 0.5 mg daily for PCa risk reduction in men with PSA 2.5–10.0 ng mL−1 and a negative prestudy biopsy. Among men undergoing at least one on‐study biopsy with complete data (n = 6415; 78.1%), the association between family history and PCa risk was tested using multivariate logistic regression adjusting for clinicodemographic characteristics.

Results.  A family history of PCa alone was associated with increased PCa diagnosis (OR: 1.47, 95%CI: 1.22–1.77). In North America, PCa family history was not related to PCa diagnosis (OR: 1.02, 95%CI: 0.73–1.44), whereas outside North America, PCa family history was significantly related to diagnosis (OR: 1.72, 95%CI: 1.38–2.15) (P‐interaction = 0.01). A family history of both PCa and BCa (OR: 2.54, 95%CI: 1.72–3.75) but not BCa alone (OR: 1.04, 95%CI: 0.84–1.29) was associated with increased PCa risk versus no family history and irrespective of geographical region.

Conclusions.  In REDUCE, PCa family history was significantly related to PCa diagnosis, although only for men outside North America. The presence of both PCa and BCa family history significantly increased risk versus PCa family history alone, irrespective of geographical region. Ultimately, our observations may support the need for changes in how we address family history in terms of both risk of PCa diagnosis and general risk stratification.
Perioperative dilutional coagulopathy treated with fresh frozen plasma and fibrinogen concentrate: a prospective randomized intervention trial
Authors: Lancé M. D. , Ninivaggi M. , Schols S. E. M. , Feijge M. A. H. , Oehrl S. K. , Kuiper G. J. A. J. M. , Nikiforou M. , Marcus M. A. E. , Hamulyak K. , van Pampus E. C. M. , ten Cate H. , Heemskerk J. W. M.
Published: December 2011

Background and objectives  Treatment of dilutional coagulopathy by transfusing fresh frozen plasma (FFP) remains sub‐optimal. We hypothesized that partial replacement of transfused FFP by fibrinogen concentrate results in improved coagulant activity and haemostasis. This was tested in a controlled clinical intervention trial with patients experiencing massive bleeding during major surgery.

Methods  Patients undergoing major elective surgery were treated according to current protocols. When transfusion with FFP was required, patients were randomized as follows: group A received 4 units FFP and group B received 2 units FFP plus 2 g fibrinogen concentrate. Blood samples were taken before and after the intervention. Analysts were blinded to the treatment type.

Results  Group A (B) consisted of 21 (22) patients, in 16 (17) of whom bleeding stopped after intervention. Plasma fibrinogen increased significantly more in group B (0·57 g/l) than in group A (0·05 g/l). However, levels of prothrombin and factors VIII, IX and X increased more in group A than in group B. Rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) of whole blood and plasma revealed improved fibrin clot formation in group B but not in group A. Thrombin generation [calibrated automated thrombogram (CAT)] in plasma increased more in group A. Principal parameters determining whole‐blood thromboelastometry were the fibrinogen level and platelet count. In vitro addition of fibrinogen and prothrombin complex concentrate to pre‐intervention samples restored both ROTEM and CAT parameters.

Conclusions  Partial replacement of transfused FFP by fibrinogen increases fibrin clot formation at the expense of less improved thrombin generation. Coagulation factors other than fibrinogen alone are required for full restoration of haemostasis.
Essential but toxic: Controlling the flux of iron in the body
Authors: Anderson Gregory J , Wang Fudi
Published: December 2011

Iron is an essential nutrient, but, because it is toxic when present in excess, its levels in the body are tightly controlled. This regulation is affected by controlling the release of iron into the plasma.

Most iron enters the plasma from macrophages, which recycle iron from senescent erythrocytes, but dietary iron absorption and the release of hepatocyte storage iron are other major sources.

Cellular iron export is mediated by the membrane iron transporter ferroportin 1, in conjunction with an iron oxidase. Hephaestin provides this oxidase activity in the intestine, whereas ceruloplasmin is the oxidase used by most other tissues.

The liver‐derived peptide hepcidin binds to ferroportin 1 and removes it from the cell surface, thus reducing iron donation to the plasma. The levels of hepcidin, in turn, reflect body iron requirements.

At the cellular level, ferroportin 1 can also be regulated independently of hepcidin by hypoxia‐inducible factors and the iron regulatory proteins.

The hepcidin–ferroportin axis plays a critical role in regulating body iron homeostasis.
Does topical lidocaine before tracheal intubation attenuate airway responses in children? An observational audit
Authors: Hamilton Nigel D. , Hegarty Mary , Calder Alyson , Erb Thomas O. , von Ungern‐Sternberg Britta S.
Published: December 2011

Background:  The use of topical lidocaine, applied to the airways with various administration techniques, is common practice in pediatric anesthesia in many institutions. However, it remains unclear whether these practices achieve their intended goal of reducing the risk of perioperative respiratory adverse events (PRAE) in children undergoing elective endotracheal intubation without neuromuscular blockade (NMB). The relative frequency of PRAE (laryngospasm, coughing, desaturation <95%) associated with no use of topical airway lidocaine (TAL), with TAL sprayed directly onto the vocal cords, and TAL administered blindly into the pharynx was assessed.

Methods:  This prospective audit involved 1000 patients undergoing general anesthesia with elective endotracheal intubation without NMB. Patients with suspected difficult airways or undergoing airway surgery were excluded. The use of TAL and the mode of administration were recorded. Respiratory adverse events were recorded in the perioperative period.

Results:  Two hundred and fifty‐four patients had the vocal cords sprayed under direct vision, 236 had lidocaine blindly dripped into the pharynx, and 510 received no TAL. The mean age and known risk factors for PRAE (asthma, recent upper respiratory tract infection (≤2 weeks), passive smoking, hayfever, past or present eczema, nocturnal dry cough) were similar among the groups. The proportion of patients with desaturation (<95%) between induction of anesthesia and discharge from the recovery room was higher in the two groups who received TAL (data combined for all patients receiving lidocaine regardless of administration method, P = 0.01) compared to those who received no TAL. No difference in the rates of laryngospasm (P = 0.13) or cough (P = 0.07) was observed among the groups. There was no difference in the rates of PRAE between the groups given TAL directly onto the vocal cords and in those whom received TAL blindly.

Conclusions:  The incidence of desaturation was higher in patients receiving TAL compared with children who did not. This association should perhaps be considered when contemplating the use of this technique.
Cogitate, articulate, communicate: the psychosocial reality of technology roadmapping and roadmaps
Authors: Kerr Clive , Phaal Robert , Probert David
Published: December 2011

Roadmapping has gained acceptance by technology management practitioners as a key tool in planning and strategy development. Technology roadmapping workshops are essentially a socially facilitated mechanism that solicits a diverse group of participants for their pool of experience and expertise in order to explore the opportunities and challenges facing an organisation. The group collaboration is captured through the generation of a roadmap which provides a visual representation of their collective cognitive efforts. It must therefore be acknowledged that the actual practice of roadmapping involves numerous complex underlying cognitive factors and social interactions. In this regard, an initial framework for the exploration of the psychological and sociological aspects involved in technology roadmapping and roadmaps is presented. The postulation is that roadmapping/roadmaps provide a mechanism/vehicle to cogitate, articulate and communicate.
Stories and Interests in Finance: Agendas of Governance before and after the Financial Crisis
Authors: FROUD JULIE , NILSSON ADRIANA , MORAN MICHAEL , WILLIAMS KAREL
Published: December 2011

The financial crisis can be understood in many different terms. In this article, it is analyzed in terms of the unfolding of a series of elite narratives that shaped the agenda of regulation before the crisis, that were damaged by the crisis, and that were then reframed and recounted again in the wake of the crisis. The form of these stories differs in subtle ways by jurisdiction, and thus the fate of postcrisis regulatory practice likewise differs.
Trolox mitigates fibrosis in a bile duct ligation model
Authors: Galicia‐Moreno Marina , Favari Liliana , Muriel Pablo
Published: December 2011

Several studies suggest that free radicals may play a role in cholestatic liver injury. The aim of this work was to evaluate the role of trolox in chronic bile duct ligation (BDL). Liver injury was induced by 28‐day BDL to male Wistar rats. Animals were divided in four groups of six rats. Trolox was administered daily (50 mg/kg, p.o.). Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was quantified in serum. Fibrosis was assessed measuring liver hydroxyproline content. Reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, lipid peroxidation, catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were measured in liver. Transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), and interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) were determined by western blot and quantified densitometrically. Our results show that trolox treatment in BDL rats prevented the increase in ALT. Collagen was increased by chronic BDL, but trolox administration preserved the normal collagen concentration. BDL produced high levels of the cytokine TGF‐β1, IL‐6, and IL‐10 levels. Trolox administration was effective to partially prevent the increase of TGF‐β1 and IL‐6, and it was able to further augment the levels of IL‐10. Oxidative stress (assessed by lipid peroxidation and liver glutathione content) was increased by BDL; this process was normalized by trolox. The activities of CAT and GPx were altered by BDL, and trolox prevented these events. We found that there is a close relationship between cholestatic liver damage and oxidative stress generation, and this was effectively prevented by trolox. Our study shows that the beneficial effects of trolox are because of its important antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties.
Comparison of Outcomes and the Use of Multimodality Therapy in Young and Elderly People Undergoing Surgical Resection of Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Barbas Andrew S. , Turley Ryan S. , Ceppa Eugene P. , Reddy Srinevas K. , Blazer Dan G. , Clary Bryan M. , Pappas Theodore N. , Tyler Douglas S. , White Rebekah R. , Lagoo Sandhya A.
Published: December 2011

Objectives

To compare outcomes and the use of multimodality therapy in young and elderly people with pancreatic cancer undergoing surgical resection.

Design

Retrospective, single‐institution study.

Setting

National Cancer Institute/National Comprehensive Cancer Network cancer center.

Participants

Two hundred three individuals who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma at Duke University Medical Center comprised the study population. Participants were divided into three groups based on age (<65, n = 97; 65–74, n = 74; ≥75, N = 32).

Measurements

Perioperative outcomes, the use of multimodality therapy, and overall survival of the different age groups were compared.

Results

Similar rates of perioperative mortality and morbidity were observed in all age groups, but elderly adults were more likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility. A similar proportion of participants received neoadjuvant therapy, but a smaller proportion of elderly participants received adjuvant therapy. Overall survival was similar between the age groups. Predictors of poorer overall survival included coronary artery disease, positive resection margin, and less‐differentiated tumor histology. Treatment with neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy were predictors of better overall survival.

Conclusion

Carefully selected elderly individuals experience similar perioperative outcomes and overall survival to those of younger individuals after resection of pancreatic cancer. There appears to be a significant disparity in the use of adjuvant therapy between young and elderly individuals.
miRNA in Wound Inflammation and Angiogenesis
Authors: ROY SASHWATI , SEN CHANDAN K.
Published: December 2011

Please cite this paper as: Roy S, Sen CK. miRNA in wound inflammation and angiogenesis. Microcirculation19: 224–232, 2012.

Chronic wounds represent a rising health and economic burden to our society. Emerging studies indicate that miRNAs play a key role in regulating several hubs that orchestrate the wound inflammation and angiogenesis processes. Of interest to wound inflammation are the regulatory loops where inflammatory mediators elicited following injury are regulated by miRNAs, as well as regulate miRNA expression. Adequate angiogenesis is a key determinant of success in ischemic wound repair. Hypoxia and cellular redox state are among the key factors that drive wound angiogenesis. We provided first evidence demonstrating that miRNAs regulate cellular redox environment via a NADPH oxidase‐dependent mechanism in human microvascular endothelial cells (HMECs). We further demonstrated that hypoxia‐sensitive miR‐200b is involved in induction of angiogenesis by directly targeting Ets‐1 in HMECs. These studies point toward a potential role of miRNA in wound angiogenesis. miRNA‐based therapeutics represent one of the major commercial hot spots in today’s biotechnology market space. Understanding the significance of miRs in wound inflammation and angiogenesis may help design therapeutic strategies for management of chronic nonhealing wounds.
Drug‐Facilitated Sexual Assault Using Tetrahydrozoline
Authors: Spiller Henry A. , Siewert Dennis J.
Published: December 2011

Abstract:  Drug‐facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) has been defined as the use of a chemical agent to facilitate a sexual assault. We report two cases of the use of tetrahydrozoline for DFSA. We believe this is the first report with urinary quantification of tetrahydrozoline levels postassault. Blood and urine were obtained c. 20 h postexposure in two cases of reported DFSA. Tetrahydrozoline was not detected in blood but was identified in urine in both victims. After initial identification in the urine using the 2010 update to the AAFS mass spectrometry database library, tetrahydrozoline was quantified at 114 and 150 ng/mL, respectively, using GC/MS. Two unique clinical features reported in these cases were intermittent periods of consciousness and postexposure vomiting. Use of GC/MS was successful in identifying tetrahydrozoline in the 100 ng/mL range up to 20 h postexposure. For victims with late presentation, urine may be a better sample for evaluation for tetrahydrozoline.
Evidence‐based knowledge on the biology and treatment of extraction sockets
Authors: Hämmerle Christoph H.F. , Araújo Mauricio G. , Simion Massimo ,   On Behalf of the Osteology Consensus Group 2011
Published: December 2011

Objectives

The fresh extraction socket in the alveolar ridge represents a special challenge in everyday clinical practice. Maintenance of the hard and soft tissue envelope and a stable ridge volume were considered important aims to allow simplifying subsequent treatments and optimizing their outcomes in particular, when implants are planned to be placed.

Material and Methods:

Prior to the consensus meeting four comprehensive systematic reviews were written on two topics regarding ridge alteration and ridge preservation following tooth extraction and implant placement following tooth extraction. During the conference these manuscripts were discussed and accepted thereafter. Finally, consensus statements and recommendations were formulated.

Results:

The systematic reviews demonstrated that the alveolar ridge undergoes a mean horizontal reduction in width of 3.8 mm and a mean vertical reduction in height of 1.24 mm within 6 months after tooth extraction. The techniques aimed at ridge preservation encompassed two different approaches: i) maintaining the ridge profile, ii) enlarging the ridge profile. Regarding timing of implant placement the literature showed that immediate implant placement leads to high implant survival rates. This procedure is primarily recommended in premolar sites with low esthetic importance and favorable anatomy. In the esthetic zone, however, a high risk for mucosal recession was reported. Hence, it should only be used in stringently selected situations with lower risks and only by experienced clinicians. In molar sites a high need for soft and hard tissue augmentation was identified.

Conclusions:

Future research should clearly identify the clinical and patient benefits resulting from ridge preservation compared with traditional procedures. In addition, future research should also aim at better identifying parameters critical for positive treatment outcomes with immediate implants. The result of this procedure should be compared to early and late implant placement.
Human herpesvirus 8‐associated lymphoma mimicking cutaneous anaplastic large T‐cell lymphoma in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection
Authors: Li Meng‐Fang , Hsiao Cheng‐Hsiang , Chen Yi‐Lin , Huang Wen‐Ya , Lee Yi‐Hsuan , Huang Hsien‐Neng , Lien Huang‐Chun
Published: December 2011

Primary effusion lymphoma, a human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8)‐associated lymphoma, is uncommon, and it is usually seen in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐infected patients. It presents as a body cavity‐based lymphomatous effusion, but several cases of the so‐called solid primary effusion lymphoma presenting as solid tumors without associated lymphomatous effusion have been reported. They have similar clinical, histopathological and immunophenotypical features. Most of them have a B‐cell genotype. This suggests the solid variant may represent a clinicopathological spectrum of primary effusion lymphoma. We report a case of HHV8‐associated lymphoma histopathologically and immunophenotypically mimicking cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma. The patient was a 31‐year‐old HIV‐seropositive man presenting with skin nodules over his right thigh. Biopsy of the nodules showed anaplastic large cells infiltrating the dermis. These malignant cells strongly expressed CD3, CD30 and CD43. Cutaneous anaplastic large T‐cell lymphoma was initially diagnosed, but further tests, including immunoreactivity for HHV8 protein and clonal rearrangements of immunoglobulin genes, confirmed the diagnosis of HHV8‐associated B‐cell lymphoma with aberrant T‐cell marker expression. This case provides an example of solid primary effusion lymphoma mimicking cutaneous anaplastic large T‐cell lymphoma and highlights the importance of HHV8 immunohistochemistry and molecular tests in the diagnosis of HHV8‐associated lymphoma with a cutaneous presentation.

Li M‐F, Hsiao C‐H, Chen Y‐L, Huang W‐Y, Lee Y‐H, Huang H‐N, Lien H‐C. Human herpesvirus 8‐associated lymphoma mimicking cutaneous anaplastic large T‐cell lymphoma in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
Actinobaculum schaalii, a cause of urinary tract infections in children?
Authors: Andersen Lise Bols , Bank Steffen , Hertz Birgitte , Søby Karen Marie , Prag Jørgen
Published: December 2011

Aim:  To inform that Actinobaculum schaalii can colonize the urine and cause urinary tract infection in children.

Methods:  Urine samples were examined by wet smear microscopy, incubated in 5% CO2 for 1–2 days, and species‐specific real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for A. schaalii was performed.

Results:  In 5 of the 29 screened urines, A. schaalii was found only by real‐time PCR in quantities equivalent to ≥104–105 CFU/mL. In addition, A. schaalii was found in quantities equivalent to ≥106 CFU/mL by both culture and PCR in two children with a urinary tract infection and large numbers of leucocytes in the urine.

Conclusion:  Actinobaculum schaalii is CO2‐dependent. Therefore, if there are clinical symptoms and/or a negative culture despite the presence of leucocytes in the urine, Gram staining and incubation in 5% CO2 or species‐specific real‐time PCR should be performed to identify A. schaalii.
Possible evolution of alliarinoside biosynthesis from the glucosinolate pathway in Alliaria petiolata
Authors: Frisch Tina , Møller Birger L.
Published: December 2011

Nitrile formation in plants involves the activity of cytochrome P450s. Hydroxynitrile glucosides are widespread among plants but generally do not occur in glucosinolate producing species. Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard, Brassicaceae) is the only species known to produce glucosinolates as well as a γ‐hydroxynitrile glucoside. Furthermore, A. petiolata has been described to release diffusible cyanide, which indicates the presence of unidentified cyanogenic glucoside(s). Our research on A. petiolata addresses the molecular evolution of P450s. By integrating current knowledge about glucosinolate and hydroxynitrile glucoside biosynthesis in other species and new visions on recurrent evolution of hydroxynitrile glucoside biosynthesis, we propose a pathway for biosynthesis of the γ‐hydroxynitrile glucoside, alliarinoside. Homomethionine and the corresponding oxime are suggested as shared intermediates in the biosynthesis of alliarinoside and 2‐propenyl glucosinolate. The first committed step in the alliarinoside pathway is envisioned to be catalysed by a P450, which has been recruited to metabolize the oxime. Furthermore, alliarinoside biosynthesis is suggested to involve enzyme activities common to secondary modification of glucosinolates. Thus, we argue that biosynthesis of alliarinoside may be the first known case of a hydroxynitrile glucoside pathway having evolved from the glucosinolate pathway. An intriguing question is whether the proposed hydroxynitrile intermediate may also be converted to novel homomethionine‐derived cyanogenic glucoside(s), which could release cyanide. Elucidation of the pathway for biosynthesis of alliarinoside and other putative hydroxynitrile glucosides in A. petiolata is envisioned to offer significant new knowledge on the emerging picture of P450 functional dynamics as a basis for recurrent evolution of pathways for bioactive natural product biosynthesis.
Quantifying seed dispersal kernels from truncated seed‐tracking data
Authors: Hirsch Ben T. , Visser Marco D. , Kays Roland , Jansen Patrick A.
Published: December 2011

1. Seed dispersal is a key biological process that remains poorly documented because dispersing seeds are notoriously hard to track. While long‐distance dispersal is thought to be particularly important, seed‐tracking studies typically yield incomplete data sets that are biased against long‐distance movements.

2. We evaluate an analytical procedure developed by Jansen, Bongers & Hemerik (2004) to infer the tail of a seed dispersal kernel from incomplete frequency distributions of dispersal distances obtained by tracking seeds. This ‘censored tail reconstruction’ (CTR) method treats dispersal distances as waiting times in a survival analysis and censors nonretrieved seeds according to how far they can reliably be tracked. We tested whether CTR can provide unbiased estimates of long‐distance movements which typically cannot be tracked with traditional field methods.

3. We used a complete frequency distribution of primary seed dispersal distances of the palm Astrocaryum standleyanum, obtained with telemetric thread tags that allow tracking seeds regardless of the distance moved. We truncated and resampled the data set at various distances, fitted kernel functions on CTR estimates of dispersal distance and determined how well this function approximated the true dispersal kernel.

4. Censored tail reconstruction with truncated data approximated the true dispersal kernel remarkably well but only when the best‐fitting function (lognormal) was used. We were able to select the correct function and derive an accurate estimate of the seed dispersal kernel even after censoring 50–60% of the dispersal events. However, CTR results were substantially biased if 5% or more of seeds within the search radius were overlooked by field observers and erroneously censored. Similar results were obtained using additional simulated dispersal kernels.

5. Our study suggests that the CTR method can accurately estimate the dispersal kernel from truncated seed‐tracking data if the kernel is a simple decay function. This method will improve our understanding of the spatial patterns of seed movement and should replace the usual practice of omitting nonretrieved seeds from analyses in seed‐tracking studies.