bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Caregiver and adult patient perspectives on the importance of a diagnosis of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
Authors: Costain G. , Chow E. W. C. , Ray P. N. , Bassett A. S.
Published: December 2011

Background  Recent advances in genetics are particularly relevant in the field of intellectual disability (ID), where sub‐microscopic deletions or duplications of genetic material are increasingly implicated as known or suspected causal factors. Data‐driven reports on the impact of providing an aetiological explanation in ID are needed to help justify widespread use of new and expensive genetic technologies.

Methods  We conducted a survey of caregivers on the value of a genetic/aetiologic diagnosis of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS), the most common microdeletion syndrome in ID. We also surveyed the opinion of a high‐functioning subset of adults with 22q11.2DS themselves. We used standard quantitative and qualitative methods to analyse the responses.

Results  In total, 73 of 118 surveys were returned (61.9%). There was convergence of quantitative and qualitative results, and consistency between adult patient and caregiver responses. A definitive molecular diagnosis of 22q11.2DS was a critical event with diverse positive repercussions, even if occurring later in life. Frequently cited benefits included greater understanding and certainty, newfound sense of purpose and a platform for advocacy, and increased opportunities to optimise medical, social and educational needs.

Conclusions  This is the first study to characterise the impact of a diagnosis of this representative microdeletion syndrome on adult patients and their families. The results both validate and expand on the theoretical benefits proposed by clinicians and researchers. The use of genome‐wide microarray technologies will provide an increasing number of molecular diagnoses. The importance of a diagnosis of 22q11.2DS demonstrated here therefore has implications for changing attitudes about molecular genetic diagnosis that could benefit individuals with ID of currently unknown cause and their families.
Relationship between Late Pleistocene sea‐level variations, carbonate platform morphology and aragonite production (Maldives, Indian Ocean)
Authors: PAUL ANDREAS , REIJMER JOHN J. G. , FÜRSTENAU JÖRN , KINKEL HANNO , BETZLER CHRISTIAN
Published: December 2011

A piston core from the Maldives carbonate platform was investigated for carbonate mineralogy, grain‐size distributions, calcium carbonate content and organic carbon. The sedimentary record was linked to Late Pleistocene sea‐level variations, using an age model based on oxygen isotopes obtained from planktonic foramanifera, nannofossil biostratigraphy and 14C age determinations. The correlation between the sedimentary record and Late Pleistocene sea‐level showed that variations in aragonite and mud during the past 150 000 years were clearly related to flooding and sea floor exposure of the main lagoons of the atolls of the Maldives carbonate platform. Platform flooding events were characterized by strongly increased deposition of aragonite and mud within the Inner Sea of the Maldives. Exposure events, in contrast, can be recognized by rapid decreases in the values of both proxy records. The results show that sediments on the Maldives carbonate platform contain a continuous record of Pleistocene sea‐level variations. These sediments may, therefore, contribute to a better understanding of regional and even global sea‐level changes, and yield new insights into the interplay between ocean currents and carbonate platform morphology.
Evolutionary size changes in plants of the south‐west Pacific
Authors: Burns Kevin C. , Herold Nadine , Wallace Ben
Published: December 2011

Aim  To investigate evolutionary changes in the size of leaves, stems and seeds of plants inhabiting isolated islands surrounding New Zealand.

Location  Antipodes, Auckland, Campbell, Chatham, Kermadec, Three Kings and Poor Knights Islands.

Methods  First, we compared the size of leaves and stems produced by 14 pairs of plant taxa between offshore islands and the New Zealand mainland, which were grown in a common garden to control for environmental effects. Similar comparisons of seed sizes were made between eight additional pairs of taxa. Second, we used herbarium specimens from 13 species pairs to investigate scaling relationships between leaf and stem sizes in an attempt to pinpoint which trait might be under selection. Third, we used herbarium specimens from 20 species to test whether changes in leaf size vary among islands located at different latitudes. Lastly, we compiled published records of plant heights to test whether insular species in the genus Hebe differed in size from their respective subgenera on the mainland.

Results  Although some evidence of dwarfism was observed, most insular taxa were larger than their mainland relatives. Leaf sizes scaled positively with stem diameters, with island taxa consistently producing larger leaves for any given stem size than mainland species. Leaf sizes also increased similarly among islands located at different latitudes. Size changes in insular Hebe species were unrelated to the average size of the respective subgenera on the mainland.

Main conclusions  Consistent evidence of gigantism was observed, suggesting that plants do not obey the island rule. Because our analyses were restricted to woody plants, results are also inconsistent with the ‘weeds‐to‐trees’ hypothesis. Disproportionate increases in leaf size relative to other plant traits suggest that selection may favour the evolution of larger leaves on islands, perhaps due to release from predation or increased intra‐specific competition.
Prospective study of the Perigee™ system for treatment of cystocele – our five‐year experience
Authors: RANE Ajay , IYER Jay , KANNAN Kurinji , CORSTIAANS Audrey
Published: December 2011

Objectives:  The Perigee™ transobturator cystocoele repair system (AMS) was designed and first used in Townsville, Australia. In this study, we are reporting our five‐year experience with the Perigee™ system in the management of cystocoele stage III and above.

Methods:  Women who underwent surgery with the Perigee™ system between March 2004 and June 2008 were reviewed. Women who consecutively presented to our clinic with a stage III cystocoele or above were given information regarding the Perigee™ mesh surgery. Those who consented were included in our study. The study involved a POPQ assessment pre‐ and post‐operatively at six weeks, three months, six months, 12 months and subsequently biannually.

Results:  A total of 376 women underwent surgery with the Perigee™ system between March 2004 and June 2008, of which 26 were lost to follow‐up. The anatomical success rate for the device was 94.3%, and there were no life‐threatening complications with the procedure. 39 (11.1%) of women were found to have small mesh extrusion through the vagina, and 20 (5.7%) had recurrence of stage II cystocoele. Of the subset of women analysed, 45.1% reported no sexual dysfunction, 40.9% reported improvement in sexual function, while 4.1% reported worsening of dyspareunia.

Conclusion:  In this five‐year experience, the Perigee™ system is deemed safe with an acceptable recurrence risk rate and complication rate. Further randomised controlled trials comparing Perigee™ system with traditional anterior colporrhaphy should be performed to evaluate mesh‐based surgery safety and efficacy for level one evidence.
Risk Profiles of Subtypes of Mild Cognitive Impairment: The Sydney Memory and Ageing Study
Authors: Sachdev Perminder S. , Lipnicki Darren M. , Crawford John , Reppermund Simone , Kochan Nicole A. , Trollor Julian N. , Draper Brian , Slavin Melissa J. , Kang Kristan , Lux Ora , Mather Karen A. , Brodaty Henry ,   the Memory and Ageing Study Team
Published: December 2011

Objectives

To compare the risk profiles of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subtypes in a population‐based elderly sample.

Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Setting

The population‐based Sydney Memory and Ageing Study.

Participants

Seven hundred fifty‐seven English‐speaking, community‐dwelling individuals without dementia aged 70 to 90.

Measurements

Comprehensive neuropsychological assessments were used to diagnose MCI and its subtypes, categorized as amnestic (aMCI) or nonamnestic (naMCI) and as single‐ (sdMCI) or multiple‐ (mdMCI) domain. Risk profiles were derived from sociodemographic; lifestyle; and cardiac, physical, mental, and general health data. Whole‐sample and sex‐specific comparisons between aMCI and naMCI and between mdMCI and sdMCI were made using age‐ (and sex‐) adjusted multiple regressions comprising initially significant univariate factors.

Results

Risk factors for MCI were presence of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele, heart disease, high homocysteine, poor odor identification ability, low visual acuity, and lower mental activity. The odds of having naMCI rather than aMCI were lower with greater levels of social activity and greater if taking antihypertensives, the latter particularly in men. The odds of naMCI were greater in men taking antidepressants or with a longer 6‐meter walk time and in women with hypertension. The odds of having mdMCI rather than sdMCI were greater in participants with a history of depression or having the APOE ε4 allele. Greater odds of mdMCI were also associated with lower mental activity, particularly for women. For men, the odds of mdMCI were greater with the APOE ε4 allele and lower if diagnosed with high cholesterol.

Conclusion

MCI subtypes exhibit distinctive, sex‐dependent risk profiles. This is consistent with MCI subtypes having different etiologies and outcomes and supports the idea that subtyping MCI may offer predictive validity and clinical application.
Providing Therapy to Children and Families in Foster Care: A Systemic‐Relational Approach
Authors: Lewis Catherine
Published: December 2011

Foster care is a system created to protect children from an unsafe home environment yet multiple foster home placements, conflictual or nonexistent relationships between foster parents and birth parents, long, drawn out court battles, and living in an on‐going state of not knowing when or if they will be going home are just some of the challenges many children in care are expected to manage. This paper presents a guide for therapists working with families involved in foster care. Utilizing ideas from the postmodern therapies and structural family therapy, suggestions will be provided about who needs to talk to whom about what, when to have these necessary conversations, and how to talk to people in a way that mobilizes adults to take action for the children, with the goal of minimizing postplacement trauma, strengthening and repairing relational bonds, and moving children out of foster care and into permanent homes as quickly as possible.
Improving Elementary School Quality Through the Use of a Social‐Emotional and Character Development Program: A Matched‐Pair, Cluster‐Randomized, Controlled Trial in Hawai'i
Authors: Snyder Frank J. , Vuchinich Samuel , Acock Alan , Washburn Isaac J. , Flay Brian R.
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: School safety and quality affect student learning and success. This study examined the effects of a comprehensive elementary school‐wide social‐emotional and character education program, Positive Action, on teacher, parent, and student perceptions of school safety and quality utilizing a matched‐pair, cluster‐randomized, controlled design. The Positive Action Hawai'i trial included 20 racially/ethnically diverse schools and was conducted from 2002‐2003 through 2005‐2006.

METHODS: School‐level archival data, collected by the Hawai'i Department of Education, were used to examine program effects at 1‐year post‐trial. Teacher, parent, and student data were analyzed to examine indicators of school quality such as student safety and well‐being, involvement, and satisfaction, as well as overall school quality. Matched‐paired t‐tests were used for the primary analysis, and sensitivity analyses included permutation tests and random‐intercept growth curve models.

RESULTS: Analyses comparing change from baseline to 1‐year post‐trial revealed that intervention schools demonstrated significantly improved school quality compared to control schools, with 21%, 13%, and 16% better overall school quality scores as reported by teachers, parents, and students, respectively. Teacher, parent, and student reports on individual school‐quality indicators showed improvement in student safety and well‐being, involvement, satisfaction, quality student support, focused and sustained action, standards‐based learning, professionalism and system capacity, and coordinated team work. Teacher reports also showed an improvement in the responsiveness of the system.

CONCLUSIONS: School quality was substantially improved, providing evidence that a school‐wide social‐emotional and character education program can enhance school quality and facilitate whole‐school change.
Miscanthus × giganteus productivity: the effects of management in different environments
Authors: Maughan Matt , Bollero Germán , Lee D. K. , Darmody Robert , Bonos Stacy , Cortese Laura , Murphy James , Gaussoin Roch , Sousek Matthew , Williams David , Williams Linda , Miguez Fernando , Voigt Thomas
Published: December 2011

Miscanthus × giganteus is a C4 perennial grass that shows great potential as a high‐yielding biomass crop. Scant research has been published that reports M. × giganteus growth and biomass yields in different environments in the United States. This study investigated the establishment success, plant growth, and dry biomass yield of M. × giganteus during its first three seasons at four locations (Urbana, IL; Lexington, KY; Mead, NE; Adelphia, NJ) in the United States. Three nitrogen rates (0, 60, and 120 kg ha−1) were applied at each location each year. Good survival of M. × giganteus during its first winter was observed at KY, NE, and NJ (79–100%), and poor survival at IL (25%), due to late planting and cold winter temperatures. Site soil conditions, and growing‐season precipitation and temperature had the greatest impact on dry biomass yield between season 2 (2009) and season 3 (2010). Ideal 2010 weather conditions at NE resulted in significant yield increases (P < 0.0001) of 15.6–27.4 Mg ha−1 from 2009 to 2010. Small yield increases in KY of 17.1 Mg ha−1 in 2009 to 19.0 Mg ha−1 in 2010 could be attributed to excessive spring rain and hot dry conditions late in the growing season. Average M. ×giganteus biomass yields in NJ decreased from 16.9 to 9.7 Mg ha−1 between 2009 and 2010 and were related to hot dry weather, and poor soil conditions. Season 3 yields were positively correlated with end‐of‐season plant height () and tiller density (). Nitrogen fertilization had no significant effect on plant height, tiller density, or dry biomass yield at any of the sites during 2009 or 2010.
Nosema spp. parasitization decreases the effectiveness of acaricide strips (Apivar®) in treating varroosis of honey bee (Apis mellifera iberiensis) colonies
Authors: Botías Cristina , Martín‐Hernández Raquel , Barrios Laura , Garrido‐Bailón Encarna , Nanetti Antonio , Meana Aranzazu , Higes Mariano
Published: December 2011

Given the key role played by honey bees in almost all terrestrial ecosystems, maintaining bee populations in adequate sanitary conditions is crucial for these essential pollinators to continue their work. From the beginning of the 21st century, beekeepers have reported a progressive increase in the overwintering mortality of honey bee colonies worldwide. Despite the failure to reach a consensus regarding the cause of this phenomenon, pathogens are thought to be strongly implicated. In the present work, we provide evidence of the negative effects of colony parasitization by Nosema spp. – primarily by N. ceranae– on the effectiveness of acaricide strips to treat Varroa destructor. The effectiveness of the Varroa mite strip treatment (Apivar®) was greater in colonies in which Nosema spp. parasitization had been controlled. Several studies report that infection by Nosema spp. may affect the behaviour of worker bees. As the effectiveness of Varroa strip treatment depends on bees contacting the strips and their subsequent interaction within the colony, such behavioural and social alterations could interfere with the treatment and allow more severe effects to develop in the colonies infected by Nosema. These results should be considered when assessing acaricide treatments in field conditions due to the high prevalence of both pathogens worldwide.
The influence of the causal background on the selection of causal explanations
Authors: McGill Ann L.
Published: December 2011

An experiment is presented which tested the hypothesis that people would provide different causal explanations for an occurrence depending on the ‘causal background’ against which the occurrence is considered. Results indicated that in devising an explanation for an occurrence, people might compare the target episode to contrasting background instances in which the episode did not occur. Data supported the hypothesis that distinctive features between the target episode and the contrasting background instances form the basis of people's causal explanations. The experiment also examined the hypothesis that background effects might be more difficult to produce when subjects are asked to select possible causal explanations from a list vs. providing explanations of their own. However, results indicated no significant effect for response mode on the production of background effects in causal explanations.
They all look alike, but so do we … sometimes: Perceptions of in‐group and out‐group homogeneity as a function of sex and context
Authors: Lorenzi‐Cioldi Fabio
Published: December 2011

The impact of gender on perceptions of group homogeneity was assessed using a memory paradigm. In the main experimental conditions, male and female subjects were presented with 12 pairs of photographs and gendered silhouettes. The photographs portrayed a series of environments (e.g. a kitchen) in public settings (e.g. a restaurant) and in domestic ones (e.g. at home). The connection of settings and gender of silhouettes varied across subjects. In control conditions, all silhouettes were of the same sex or were geometrical forms (triangles and squares). The subjects memorized the pairs of photographs and targets, and then had to reconstruct them. The experiment addressed three hypotheses. The categorization effect: within‐category errors would exceed between‐category errors, especially when gender was used as a categorization criterion. The out‐group homogeneity effect: within‐category errors concerning the out‐group would be greater than those concerning the in‐group. The social status effect: men would display more out‐group homogeneity than women. Results provided evidence for the categorization and the out‐group homogeneity hypotheses. They also supported to some extent the social status hypothesis. Different styles of processing of information were suggested by men's and women's performances. Men consistently displayed the out‐group homogeneity bias, whereas women did not. Women took into account the kind of setting: they made more errors when matching the male or the female silhouettes to the domestic settings (the stereotypical in‐group settings) than when matching these silhouettes to the public settings (the stereotypical out‐group settings). Finally, sex‐typing measures about the self were related to the subjects' behavioural performances, especially for women.
CHARACTERIZATION OF VENTRICULAR ARRHYTHMIAS USING A SEMANTIC MINING ALGORITHM
Authors: OTHMAN MOHD AFZAN , SAFRI NORLAILI MAT
Published: December 2011

Ventricular arrhythmia, especially ventricular fibrillation, is a type of arrhythmia that can cause sudden death. The aim of this paper is to characterize ventricular arrhythmias using semantic mining by extracting their significant characteristics (frequency, damping coefficient and input signal) from electrocardiogram (ECG) signals that represent the biological behavior of the cardiovascular system. Real data from an arrhythmia database are used after noise filtering and were statistically classified into two groups; normal sinus rhythm (N) and ventricular arrhythmia (V). The proposed method achieved high sensitivity and specificity (98.1% and 97.7%, respectively) and was capable of describing the differences between the N and V types in the ECG signal.
EFFECT OF Fe DEFICIENCY ON STRUCTURAL AND MAGNETIC PROPERTIES IN LOW TEMPERATURE SYNTHESIZED Mg-Mn FERRITE
Authors: LWIN NILAR , FAUZI M. N. AHMAD , SREEKANTAN SRIMALA , OTHMAN RADZALI , THANT AYE AYE
Published: December 2011

Magnesuim Manganese ferrite powders of Mg 0.9 Mn 0.1 Fe 2-x O 4 [x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8] compositions were synthesized by citrate precursor method at low temperature. The decomposition temperature, phase formation and microstructure were characterized by Thermogravimetrical Analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction method (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), respectively. The density and porosity of sintered pellets were measured by Archimedes' method. The synthesized powders showed fine agglomerated particles with the crystallite size in the range of 15–25 nm. The size of the particle was found to decrease with Fe content. The XRD results of the calcined powders at 500°C for all compositions revealed the formation of single phase cubic spinel structure. The grain size of the pellets sintered at 1250°C was in the range of ~ 0.05 to 0.08 μm which is smaller than that obtained for ferrites prepared by the conventional ceramic method. The observed variations in magnetic properties were investigated by Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) and the results of magnetization exhibit collinear ferromagnetic behavior. This synthesis method is relatively simple, economical, time and energy saving for mass production.
SugarJ
Authors: Erdweg Sebastian , Rendel Tillmann , Kästner Christian , Ostermann Klaus
Published: December 2011

Existing approaches to extend a programming language with syntactic sugar often leave a bitter taste, because they cannot be used with the same ease as the main extension mechanism of the programming language - libraries. Sugar libraries are a novel approach for syntactically extending a programming language within the language. A sugar library is like an ordinary library, but can, in addition, export syntactic sugar for using the library. Sugar libraries maintain the composability and scoping properties of ordinary libraries and are hence particularly well-suited for embedding a multitude of domain-specific languages into a host language. They also inherit self-applicability from libraries, which means that sugar libraries can provide syntactic extensions for the definition of other sugar libraries. To demonstrate the expressiveness and applicability of sugar libraries, we have developed SugarJ, a language on top of Java, SDF and Stratego, which supports syntactic extensibility. SugarJ employs a novel incremental parsing technique, which allows changing the syntax within a source file. We demonstrate SugarJ by five language extensions, including embeddings of XML and closures in Java, all available as sugar libraries. We illustrate the utility of self-applicability by embedding XML Schema, a metalanguage to define XML languages.
Da capo con scala
Authors: Sewe Andreas , Mezini Mira , Sarimbekov Aibek , Binder Walter
Published: December 2011

Originally conceived as the target platform for Java alone, the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) has since been targeted by other languages, one of which is Scala. This trend, however, is not yet reflected by the benchmark suites commonly used in JVM research. In this paper, we thus present the design and analysis of the first full-fledged benchmark suite for Scala. We furthermore compare the benchmarks contained therein with those from the well-known DaCapo 9.12 benchmark suite and show where the differences are between Scala and Java code---and where not.
Numerical Study of Laminar Confined Impinging Slot Jets with Nanofluids
Authors: Di Lorenzo Giuseppe , Manca Oronzio , Nardini Sergio , Ricci Daniele
Published: December 2011

A solution to obtain efficient cooling systems is represented by the use of confined or unconfined impinging jets. Moreover, the possibility of improving the thermal performances of the working fluids can be taken into account and the introduction of nanoparticles in a base fluid can be considered. In this paper, a numerical investigation on confined impinging slot jet working with a mixture of water and Al2O3 nanoparticles is described. The flow is laminar and a uniform temperature is applied on the target surface. The single-phase model approach has been adopted. Different geometric ratios, particle volume concentrations, and Reynolds numbers have been considered in order to study the behaviour of the system in terms of average and local Nusselt number, convective heat transfer coefficient and required pumping power profiles, temperature fields, and stream function contours.
A Novel Cellular Model to Study Angiotensin II AT2 Receptor Function in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Rodrigues-Ferreira Sylvie , Morel Marina , Reis Rosana I. , Cormier Françoise , Baud Véronique , Costa-Neto Claudio M. , Nahmias Clara
Published: December 2011

Recent studies have highlighted the AT1 receptor as a potential therapeutic target in breast cancer, while the role of the AT2 subtype in this disease has remained largely neglected. The present study describes the generation and characterization of a new cellular model of human invasive breast cancer cells (D3H2LN-AT2) stably expressing high levels of Flag-tagged human AT2 receptor (Flag-hAT2). These cells exhibit high-affinity binding sites for AngII, and total binding can be displaced by the AT2-selective antagonist PD123319 but not by the AT1-selective antagonist losartan. Of interest, high levels of expression of luciferase and green fluorescent protein make these cells suitable for bioluminescence and fluorescence studies in vitro and in vivo. We provide here a novel tool to investigate the AT2 receptor functions in breast cancer cells, independently of AT1 receptor activation.
Caveolin-1 Upregulation Contributes to c-Myc–Induced High-Grade Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Prostate Cancer
Authors: Yang Guang , Goltsov Alexei A. , Ren Chengzhen , Kurosaka Shinji , Edamura Kohei , Logothetis Richard , DeMayo Francesco J. , Troncoso Patricia , Blando Jorge , DiGiovanni John , Thompson Timothy C.
Published: December 2011

Previously we reported caveolin-1 (Cav-1) overexpression in prostate cancer cells and showed that it promotes prostate cancer progression. Here, we report that Cav-1 was overexpressed in 41.7% (15 of 36) of human high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) specimens obtained during radical prostatectomies. Positive correlations exist between Cav-1–positive (Cav-1+) HGPIN and Cav-1+ primary prostate cancer (rho = 0.655, P < 0.0001) and between Cav-1 and c-Myc expression in HGPIN (rho = 0.41, P = 0.032). To determine whether Cav-1 cooperates with c-Myc in development of premalignant lesions and prostate cancer in vivo, we generated transgenic mice with c-Myc overexpression driven by the ARR2PB promoter. In this ARR2PB–c-myc model, Cav-1 overexpression was found in mouse PIN (mPIN) lesions and prostate cancer cells and was associated with a significantly higher ratio of proliferative to apoptotic labeling in mPIN lesions than in the Cav-1–negative epithelia adjacent to those lesions (10.02 vs. 4.34; P = 0.007). Cav-1 overexpression was also associated with increased levels of P-Akt and VEGF-A, which were previously associated with Cav-1–induced prostate cancer cell survival and positive feedback regulation of cellular Cav-1 levels, respectively. In multiple prostate cancer cell lines, Cav-1 protein (but not mRNA) was induced by c-Myc transfection, whereas VEGF siRNA transfection abrogated c-Myc–induced Cav-1 overexpression, suggesting a c-Myc–VEGF–Cav-1 signaling axis. Overall, our results suggest that Cav-1 is associated with c-Myc in the development of HGPIN and prostate cancer. Furthermore, Cav-1 overexpression in HGPIN is potentially a biomarker for early identification of patients who tend to develop Cav-1+ primary prostate cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 10(2); 218–29. ©2011 AACR.
Parochial Libraries: Compiling a Directory, and its Aftermath
Authors: Perkin Michael
Published: December 2011

A short account of the background and origin of the 1959 report on parochial libraries is followed by particulars of the scope, sources, methodology, and field trip experiences of the revision process. A few hitherto unrecorded collections are described, and some remarks in conclusion draw attention to changing circumstances and tendencies, good and bad, especially relating to the deposit of collections since the publication of the second edition of the directory in 2004.
Some Parochial Libraries in the East Midlands
Authors: Hoare Peter
Published: December 2011

A number of parochial libraries survive from the counties of the East Midlands: Derbyshire (two), Leicestershire (five), Lincolnshire (six), Nottinghamshire (two), and Rutland (one). Among them are some of the most important in the country, such as the chained library at Grantham and the libraries housed in major churches at Boston and Newark. Three libraries are deposited at the University of Nottingham and are examined in detail. Oakham was founded by Lady Anne Harington in 1616 (a few volumes post-date this) and came to Nottingham in 1980; it consists mostly of theology, mostly in large folio volumes and including much early printing, with four incunabula. Elston is probably only a fragment of the library left by the Revd John Smith in 1732; only twenty-eight titles remain, the majority of them sixteenth–seventeenth-century continental theology. Coleorton is a recent deposit and has not yet been fully studied; it dates from a bequest of 1736 by the Revd William Hunt but had a number of later additions. Its seven hundred volumes range more widely than those of the other two libraries, though the majority are in English with a preponderance of theology but a good number of historical and political works. The location of such libraries in academic libraries offers opportunities for their better conservation and their availability for study, and can also lead to their being recorded in bibliographic resources, so contributing to scholarship both nationally and internationally.
Sperm structure and motility in the eusocial naked mole-rat, Heterocephalus glaber: a case of degenerative orthogenesis in the absence of sperm competition?
Authors: van der Horst Gerhard , Maree Liana , Kotzé Sanet H , O'Riain M Justin
Published: December 2011

Background

We have studied sperm structure and motility in a eusocial rodent where reproduction is typically restricted to a single male and behaviourally dominant queen. Males rarely compete for access to the queen during her estrus cycle, suggesting little or no role for sperm competition.

Results

Our results revealed an atypical mammalian sperm structure with spermatozoa from breeding, subordinate and disperser males being degenerate and almost completely lacking a "mammalian phylogenetic stamp". Sperm structure is characterized by extreme polymorphism with most spermatozoa classified as abnormal. Sperm head shapes include round, oval, elongated, lobed, asymmetrical and amorphous. At the ultrastructural level, the sperm head contains condensed to granular chromatin with large open spaces between the chromatin. Nuclear chromatin seems disorganized since chromatin condensation is irregular and extremely inconsistent. The acrosome forms a cap (ca 35%) over the anterior part of the head. A well defined nuclear fossa and neck with five minor sets of banded protein structures are present. The midpiece is poorly organized and contains only 5 to 7 round to oval mitochondria. The flagellar pattern is 9+9+2. A distinct degenerative feature of the tail principal piece is the absence of the fibrous sheath. Only 7% motile spermatozoa were observed which had exceptionally slow swimming speeds.

Conclusion

In this species, sperm form has simplified and degenerated in many aspects and represents a specialised form of degenerative orthogenesis at the cellular level.
Cortical injury in multiple sclerosis; the role of the immune system
Authors: Walker Caroline A , Huttner Anita J , O'Connor Kevin C
Published: December 2011

The easily identifiable, ubiquitous demyelination and neuronal damage that occurs within the cerebral white matter of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been the subject of extensive study. Accordingly, MS has historically been described as a disease of the white matter. Recently, the cerebral cortex (gray matter) of patients with MS has been recognized as an additional and major site of disease pathogenesis. This acknowledgement of cortical tissue damage is due, in part, to more powerful MRI that allows detection of such injury and to focused neuropathology-based investigations. Cortical tissue damage has been associated with inflammation that is less pronounced to that which is associated with damage in the white matter. There is, however, emerging evidence that suggests cortical damage can be closely associated with robust inflammation not only in the parenchyma, but also in the neighboring meninges. This manuscript will highlight the current knowledge of inflammation associated with cortical tissue injury. Historical literature along with contemporary work that focuses on both the absence and presence of inflammation in the cerebral cortex and in the cerebral meninges will be reviewed.
Analysis of optical absorption in GaAs nanowire arrays
Authors: Guo Haomin , Wen Long , Li Xinhua , Zhao Zhifei , Wang Yuqi
Published: December 2011

In this study, the influence of the geometric parameters on the optical absorption of gallium arsenide [GaAs] nanowire arrays [NWAs] has been systematically analyzed using finite-difference time-domain simulations. The calculations reveal that the optical absorption is sensitive to the geometric parameters such as diameter [D], length [L], and filling ratio [D/P], and more efficient light absorption can be obtained in GaAs NWAs than in thin films with the same thickness due to the combined effects of intrinsic antireflection and efficient excitation of resonant modes. Optimized geometric parameters are obtained as follows: D = 180 nm, L = 2 μm, and D/P = 0.5. Meanwhile, the simulation on the absorption of GaAs NWAs for oblique incidence has also been carried out. The underlying physics is discussed in this work.

PACS: 81.07.Gf nanowires; 81.05.Ea III-V semiconductors; 88.40.hj efficiency and performance of solar cells; 73.50.Pz photoconduction and photovoltaic effects.
The treatment of severe child aggression (TOSCA) study: Design challenges
Authors: Farmer Cristan A , Arnold L Eugene , Bukstein Oscar G , Findling Robert L , Gadow Kenneth D , Li Xiaobai , Butter Eric M , Aman Michael G
Published: December 2011

Background

Polypharmacy (the concurrent use of more than one psychoactive drug) and other combination interventions are increasingly common for treatment of severe psychiatric problems only partly responsive to monotherapy. This practice and research on it raise scientific, clinical, and ethical issues such as additive side effects, interactions, threshold for adding second drug, appropriate target measures, and (for studies) timing of randomization. One challenging area for treatment is severe child aggression. Commonly-used medications, often in combination, include psychostimulants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and alpha-2 agonists, which vary considerably in terms of perceived safety and efficacy.

Results

In designing our NIMH-funded trial of polypharmacy, we focused attention on the added benefit of a second drug (risperidone) to the effect of the first (stimulant). We selected these two drugs because their associated adverse events might neutralize each other (e.g., sleep delay and appetite decrease from stimulant versus sedation and appetite increase from antipsychotic). Moreover, there was considerable evidence of efficacy for each drug individually for the management of ADHD and child aggression. The study sample comprised children (ages 6-12 years) with both diagnosed ADHD and disruptive behavior disorder (oppositional-defiant or conduct disorder) accompanied by severe physical aggression. In a staged sequence, the medication with the least problematic adverse effects (stimulant) was openly titrated in 3 weeks to optimal effect. Participants whose behavioral symptoms were not normalized received additional double-blind medication, either risperidone or placebo, by random assignment. Thus children whose behavioral symptoms were normalized with stimulant medication were not exposed to an antipsychotic. All families participated in an empirically-supported parent training program for disruptive behavior, so that the actual comparison was stimulant+parent training versus stimulant+antipsychotic+parent training.

Conclusions

We hope that the resolutions of the challenges presented here will be useful to other investigators and facilitate much-needed research on child psychiatric polypharmacy.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00796302
Chemical composition and enzymatic digestibility of sugarcane clones selected for varied lignin content
Authors: Masarin Fernando , Gurpilhares Daniela B , Baffa David CF , Barbosa Márcio HP , Carvalho Walter , Ferraz André , Milagres Adriane MF
Published: December 2011

Background

The recalcitrance of lignocellulosic materials is a major limitation for their conversion into fermentable sugars. Lignin depletion in new cultivars or transgenic plants has been identified as a way to diminish this recalcitrance. In this study, we assessed the success of a sugarcane breeding program in selecting sugarcane plants with low lignin content, and report the chemical composition and agronomic characteristics of eleven experimental hybrids and two reference samples. The enzymatic digestion of untreated and chemically delignified samples was evaluated to advance the performance of the sugarcane residue (bagasse) in cellulosic-ethanol production processes.

Results

The ranges for the percentages of glucan, hemicellulose, lignin, and extractive (based on oven-dry biomass) of the experimental hybrids and reference samples were 38% to 43%, 25% to 32%, 17% to 24%, and 1.6% to 7.5%, respectively. The samples with the smallest amounts of lignin did not produce the largest amounts of total polysaccharides. Instead, a variable increase in the mass of a number of components, including extractives, seemed to compensate for the reduction in lignin content. Hydroxycinnamic acids accounted for a significant part of the aromatic compounds in the samples, with p-coumaric acid predominating, whereas ferulic acid was present only in low amounts. Hydroxycinnamic acids with ester linkage to the hemicelluloses varied from 2.3% to 3.6%. The percentage of total hydroxycinnamic acids (including the fraction linked to lignin through ether linkages) varied from 5.0% to 9.2%, and correlated to some extent with the lignin content. These clones released up to 31% of glucose after 72 hours of digestion with commercial cellulases, whereas chemically delignified samples led to cellulose conversion values of more than 80%. However, plants with lower lignin content required less delignification to reach higher efficiencies of cellulose conversion during the enzymatic treatment.

Conclusion

Some of the experimental sugarcane hybrids did have the combined characteristics of high biomass and high sucrose production with low lignin content. Conversion of glucan to glucose by commercial cellulases was increased in the samples with low lignin content. Chemical delignification further increased the cellulose conversion to values of more than 80%. Thus, plants with lower lignin content required less delignification to reach higher efficiencies of cellulose conversion during the enzymatic treatment.
Successful disease-specific induced pluripotent stem cell generation from patients with kidney transplantation
Authors: Thatava Tayaramma , Armstrong Adam S , De Lamo Josep Genebriera , Edukulla Ramakrishna , Khan Yulia Krotova , Sakuma Toshie , Ohmine Seiga , Sundsbak Jamie L , Harris Peter C , Kudva Yogish C , Ikeda Yasuhiro
Published: December 2011

Introduction

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a major public health problem. Although kidney transplantation is a viable therapeutic option, this therapy is associated with significant limitations, including a shortage of donor organs. Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology, which allows derivation of patient-specific pluripotent stem cells, could provide a possible alternative modality for kidney replacement therapy for patients with ESRD.

Methods

The feasibility of iPS cell generation from patients with a history of ESRD was investigated using lentiviral vectors expressing pluripotency-associated factors.

Results

In the present article we report, for the first time, generation of iPS cells from kidney transplant recipients with a history of autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), systemic lupus erythematosus, or Wilms tumor and ESRD. Lentiviral transduction of OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC, under feeder-free conditions, resulted in reprogramming of skin-derived keratinocytes. Keratinocyte-derived iPS cells exhibited properties of human embryonic stem cells, including morphology, growth properties, expression of pluripotency genes and surface markers, spontaneous differentiation and teratoma formation. All iPS cell clones from the ADPKD patient retained the conserved W3842X mutation in exon 41 of the PKD1 gene.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate successful iPS cell generation from patients with a history of ESRD, PKD1 gene mutation, or chronic immunosuppression. iPS cells from autosomal kidney diseases, such as ADPKD, would provide unique opportunities to study patient-specific disease pathogenesis in vitro.
Reply: What to Do When Evil Is Dancing on the Ruins of Evil
Authors: Žižek Slavoj
Published: December 2011

Replying to the critical remarks in “Poeticizing Revolution,” the text clarifies the topic of Mao Zedong's dialectics and of the possibility of radical social transformation today. It points out Mao's total misunderstanding of what Hegel meant by dialectical process: Mao's dialectics is a new version of the ancient cosmology of the eternal struggle of antagonistic forces. As to the possibility of radical change, it points out the ambiguous functioning of the coupled possible/impossible in today's ideology: while in the domain of technology and private pleasures, unheard-of things are becoming possible, the economic domain is perceived as the domain of the impossible — even a modest move against neoliberal economics is rejected as potentially catastrophic.
Durability of Acrylic Sealants Applied to Joints of Autoclaved Lightweight Concrete Walls: Evaluation of Exposure Testing
Authors: Miyauchi Hiroyuki , Lacasse Michael A. , Enomoto Noriyoshi , Murata Shigeki , Tanaka Kyoji
Published: December 2011

In Japan acrylic sealants are traditionally the sealant products of choice when specified for use between autoclaved lightweight concrete (ALC) panels. Although, in general terms, the mechanisms of the deterioration of acrylic sealants are well known its long-term durability to outdoor exposure has not, however, been fully investigated. The research described in this paper focuses on the change in the properties and deterioration of acrylic sealant products when exposed to outdoor testing. The two stage project consisted of (i) on-site investigations of deteriorated acrylic sealants that had been placed in external joints of ALC-clad buildings; and (ii) outdoor exposure testing of different types of acrylic sealant in three climate regions located in Japan. The results of the work from the first stage of the study revealed the following. Two-sided adhesion joint configurations installed in deep panel ALC cladding were more reliable than three-sided adhesion joints used for thin panel ALC cladding from the viewpoint of the durability of the sealed joint installed in actual buildings. Most fractures of the sealed joint could be characterized as failure in peel (or thin layer cohesive failures), in which the sealant ruptured at the interface with the ALC substrate to which it was applied. Additionally, in 47 of 62 locations surveyed, surface cracks were apparent on the coating that had been applied to protect the sealant. The second stage of the project focused on the degree of deterioration of coated and non-coated acrylic sealants subjected to outdoor exposure testing in a cold, a warm, and a subtropical climate. Results from this stage showed that aging of the sealant, as determined by the degree of surface cracking, expectedly depended on the local temperature and the respective degree of exposure to solar radiation. It was determined that the longer the exposure period, the lower the tensile performance of the acrylic sealants. The elongation of three-sided adhesive joint configurations after 5 years exposure testing decreased remarkably and their maximum elongation was less than 50 %. A significant number of sealed joints after 5 years ofexposure had ALC substrate failure.
Calorie restriction and rapamycin inhibit MMTV-Wnt-1 mammary tumor growth in a mouse model of postmenopausal obesity
Authors: Nogueira Leticia M , Dunlap Sarah M , Ford Nikki A , Hursting Stephen D
Published: December 2011

Obesity is an established risk and progression factor for postmenopausal breast cancer. Interventions to decrease caloric intake and/or increase energy expenditure beneficially impact tumor progression in normoweight humans and animal models. However, despite the increasingly high global prevalence of obesity, the effects and underlying mechanisms of these energy balance modulating interventions are poorly characterized in obese individuals. The goal of this study was to better characterize the mechanism(s) responsible for the link between energy balance and breast cancer progression in the postmenopausal obesity context. We compared the effects of calorie restriction (CR), treadmill exercise (EX), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR inhibitor) treatment on body composition, serum biomarkers, cellular signaling, and mammary tumor growth in obese mice. Ovariectomized C57BL/6 mice were administered a diet-induced obesity regimen for 8 weeks, then randomized into three treatment groups: control (semipurified diet fedad libitum, maintained the obese state); 30% CR (isonutrient relative to control except 30% reduction in carbohydrate calories); and EX (control diet fedad libitumplus treadmill exercise). Mice were implanted with syngeneic MMTV-Wnt-1 mammary tumor cells at week 12. Rapamycin treatment (5 mg/kg every 48 h) started at week 14. Tumors were excised at week 18. CR and rapamycin (but not EX) significantly reduced final tumor weight compared to control. In follow-up analysis, constitutive activation of mTOR ablated the inhibitory effects of CR on Wnt-1 mammary tumor growth. We conclude that mTOR inhibition may be a pharmacologic strategy to mimic the anticancer effects of CR and break the obesity–breast cancer progression link.