bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impersonal Influence
Authors: Mutz Diana C.
Published: June 2012

People's perceptions of the attitudes and experiences of mass collectives are an increasingly important force in contemporary political life. In Impersonal Influence, Mutz goes beyond simply providing examples of how impersonal influence matters in the political process to provide a micro-level understanding of why information about distant and impersonal others often influence people's political attitudes and behaviors. Impersonal Influence is worthy of attention both from the standpoint of its impact on contemporary politics, and because of its potential to expand the boundaries of our understanding of social influence processes, and media's relation to them. The book's conclusions do not exonerate media from the effects of inaccurate portrayals of collective experience or opinion, but they suggest that the ways in which people are influenced by these perceptions are in themselves, not so much deleterious to democracy as absolutely necessary to promoting accountability in a large scale society.
Finite Group Theory
Authors: Aschbacher M.
Published: June 2012

During the last 40 years the theory of finite groups has developed dramatically. The finite simple groups have been classified and are becoming better understood. Tools exist to reduce many questions about arbitrary finite groups to similar questions about simple groups. Since the classification there have been numerous applications of this theory in other branches of mathematics. Finite Group Theory develops the foundations of the theory of finite groups. It can serve as a text for a course on finite groups for students already exposed to a first course in algebra. It could supply the background necessary to begin reading journal articles in the field. For specialists it also provides a reference on the foundations of the subject. This second edition has been considerably improved with a completely rewritten Chapter 15 considering the 2-Signalizer Functor Theorem, and the addition of an appendix containing solutions to exercises.
Market Society
Authors: Spies-Butcher Benjamin , Paton Joy , Cahill Damien
Published: June 2012

Market Society: History, Theory, Practice explores the social basis of economic life, from the emergence of market society in feudal England to the complex and interwoven markets of modern capitalist society. This lively and accessible book draws upon a variety of theories to examine the social structures at the heart of capitalist economies. It considers how capitalism is constituted, the institutions that regulate economic processes in market society and the experience of living in contemporary market societies. Market Society: History, Theory, Practice provides students of both political economy and economic sociology with a more nuanced understanding of how markets and people interact and how this relationship has influenced the nature and structure of modern economies.
Planning Australia
Authors: Thompson Susan , Maginn Paul
Published: June 2012

Planning Australia provides a comprehensive introduction to the major issues and activities that constitute urban and regional planning in Australia today. Incorporating contemporary theory and practice, it contextualises planning in terms of its theoretical, ideological and professional foundations. The book adopts an interdisciplinary approach to the subject, underpinned by the principles of sustainability and social equity. It canvasses the history of the discipline, its relationship to broader governance structures and its legislative framework. Fully revised and updated, this edition features new chapters on healthy planning and transport planning. Written in an accessible style and richly illustrated with instructive case study examples, Planning Australia is an indispensable resource for students, practitioners and decision-makers, as well as anyone interested in the history and future of planning in Australia.
Water colliding with oil
Authors: Quéré David
Published: June 2012

The collision of two liquid drops is both an applied question (in rain formation or combustion, for example) and a beautiful basic situation, where impact involves liquid phases, making this problem worth studying in its own right. In a stimulating paper, Planchette, Lorenceau & Brenn (J. Fluid Mech., this issue, vol. 702, 2012, pp. 5–25) consider collisions between oil and water, which often lead to water drops protected by a shell of oil. By looking at the deformations during impact, they characterize the dynamical conditions leading to single encapsulation, and derive a criterion for avoiding fragmentation.
Geochemistry, petrogenesis and tectonic implications of granitic plutons at the Liziyuan orogenic goldfield in the Western Qinling Orogen, central China
Authors: YANG TAO , ZHU LAIMIN , WANG FEI , GONG HUJUN , LU RUKUI
Published: June 2012

The Liziyuan goldfield is located along the northern margin of the western part of the Qinling Orogen (WQO). The goldfield consists of five gold-only deposits hosted by metavolcanic rocks, and one polymetallic (Au–Ag–Pb) deposit hosted by the Tianzishan Monzogranite. As the Liziyuan goldfield appears to be spatially and temporally related to the Jiancaowan Porphyry, the study of the deposit provides a crucial insight into the relationship between tectonic-magmatic events and gold metallogenesis in the WQO. In this paper, we present whole-rock major and trace element geochemistry, andin situzircon U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopic data from the Tianzishan Monzogranite and Jiancaowan Porphyry. The two granitic plutons are enriched in LILEs and LREEs, depleted in HFSEs and have zirconεHf(t) values between −14.1 and −5.1 for the Tianzishan Monzogranite and between −21.0 and −8.4 for the Jiancaowan Porphyry. These characteristics indicate that the granites are derived from the crust. The Tianzishan Monzogranite has LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb ages of 256.1 ± 3.7 to 260.0 ± 2.1 Ma, which suggests that it was emplaced in the WQO during the convergence of the North and South (Yangtze) China cratons in the early stage of the Qinling Orogeny. In contrast, the porphyry has a LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb age of 229.2 ± 1.2 Ma, which is younger than the peak collision age, but corresponds to the widespread Late Triassic post-collisional granitic plutons in the WQO. The Tianzishan Monzogranite has somewhat higher Sr contents (196–631 ppm), lower Y (2.23–19.6 ppm) and Yb (0.20–2.01 ppm) contents, and a positive Eu/Eu* averaging 1.15. These characteristics suggest the pluton was derived from partial melting of the thickened crust. In contrast, the relatively higher MgO content (0.85–2.08 wt%) and Mg no. (43.4–58.2) of the Jiancaowan Porphyry indicates that insignificant amounts of subcontinental lithospheric mantle-derived mafic melts were involved in the generation of the magma. The Liziyuan goldfield is hosted by faults in greenschist-facies metamorphic rocks. Fluid inclusion studies suggest that gold was precipitated from CO2-rich, low-salinity and medium temperature fluids. This feature is consistent with the other orogenic gold deposits throughout the world. The field relationships and zircon U–Pb ages of the two granitic plutons suggest that gold mineralization is coeval with or slightly younger than the emplacement of the Jiancaowan Porphyry. Therefore, both the porphyry and deposit formed during the post-collisional stage of the Qinling Orogen.
There's No Place Like Home: The Right to Live in the Community for People with Disabilities, Under International Law and the Domestic Laws of the United States and Israel
Authors: Kanter Arlene S
Published: June 2012

This article explores the developing ‘right to live in the community’ for people with disabilities under international law and the domestic laws of two countries: the United States and Israel. In 2006, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD). This Convention embraces a human rights approach to disability, based on the principles of equality, dignity, freedom and inclusion. Based on these principles, Article 19 of the CRPD includes a specific right of all people with disabilities ‘to live in the community, with choices equal to others’. The author argues that the mandate of community living in Article 19 supports an explicit legal right of all people with disabilities not only to live in the community, but to choose where to live and with whom, and with supports, as needed. This new international legal right to live in one's home in the community also advances the goals and principles of the domestic laws of the US and Israel.

In the US, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects the right of people with disabilities to receive services in ‘the most integrated’ setting. Relying on this ‘integration mandate’, the US Supreme Court, in 1999, upheld a limited right of people with disabilities to live in the community inOlmstead v LC and EW. In Israel, the Parliament (Knesset) enacted a law similar to the ADA in 1998. This law, the Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law (‘Equal Rights Law’) includes a general right of people with disabilities to equality and non-discrimination. Although the current version of the Equal Rights Law does not include a specific article on the right to live in the community, the basis for such a right may be found in other articles of the law as well as other Israeli laws. In addition, in the recent case ofLior Levy et al., the Israeli High Court of Justice was asked to consider the right to live in the community under Israeli law. While the Court in this case recognised a limited right to live in the community, it failed to invalidate as discriminatory the Israeli government's policy of placing people with disabilities in large institution-like hostels rather than in homes in the community. The author concludes the article with a discussion of the scope and meaning of community living and the extent to which institutions, as well as community housing that functions just like institutions, should be prohibited under the CRPD as well as under US and Israeli law.
Separate and Different: Single-Sex Education and the Quest for Equality
Authors: Hostovsky Brandes Tamar
Published: June 2012

This article examines the separation of boys and girls in religious schools in Israel and the current Israeli policy that aims to balance the right of equality with the right of denominational education in state-funded, religious schools. It draws on the legacy of the case ofUnited States v Virginiaand the subsequent regulations published by the United States Department of Education in 2006 in order to determine when single-sex education may be compatible with equality. It then examines both the relevance and the application of the criteria developed in the United States to religious schools in Israel.

The article reviews and examines the two main justifications for single-sex education: cultural/religious and feminist. The right to establish single-sex educational institutions is perceived to be part of a minority group's right to culture. In conservative cultures, separation between men and women is often justified as a means of preserving modesty and as a necessity in order to educate and train men and women towards their respective social roles. More often than not, their justifications are incompatible with liberal notions of gender equality and dignity.

Separation of men and women in the area of education is often also justified, however, from a feminist standpoint, which is rooted in pedagogical theories. Proponents of single-sex education argue that women-only educational institutions circumvent the inherent bias against women prevalent in coeducational schools, relying on research that indicates that girls perform better in girl-only schools, and attributing this both to the method of study and the educational environment of girl-only schools. They argue that, while separation in other areas of life may be humiliating, in education it has the potential of being empowering.

The goal of this article is to examine how the two types of justification come into play in single-sex religious education in Israel. The article claims that where separation between boys and girls is justified by cultural and religious arguments, it must withstand the tests developed in the case law for the legality of practices that are incompatible with equality. It also argues that even where separation is permissible, the manner in which it is carried out should be regulated and supervised to ensure the minimum violation of equality.
Managing Cultural Heritage in China: A View from the Outside
Authors: Zan Luca , Bonini Baraldi Sara
Published: June 2012

This article investigates change processes regarding the managerial aspects of organizing cultural heritage activities in China. The focus is not on the historical and artistic meanings of archaeological discoveries in themselves; nor on the technical, scientific and methodological repercussions of conservation and restoration; nor on the evolution of museology per se. Rather, the core of the analysis is on new managerial problems along the “archaeological chain” (archaeological discoveries, restoration, museum definition and public access to cultural heritage) posed by new professional discourse and the overall evolution of the economic and political context. The article is based on field research carried out in Luoyang, Henan province. The micro view adopted (managing practices more than policies), and the unusual access to data (including financial figures on individual entities) represent a unique opportunity for a sort of “journey” inside the Chinese public sector.
Restoring Chaos to History: Sino-Soviet-American Relations, 1969
Authors: Lüthi Lorenz M.
Published: June 2012

Sino-Soviet-American relations during 1969 followed a chaotic course. Scholars have asserted in the past that the Sino-Soviet border conflict in March led to Sino-American rapprochement in December. However, evidence from China, the former socialist world and the United States undermines the interpretation of a purposeful and planned policy of any of the three actors to the others. None had a formulated policy or strategy in place. China lacked the governmental ability to chart a clear course, the United States underwent a presidential transition, and neither it nor the Soviet Union had meaningful diplomatic relations with the People's Republic. In this context, the border clashes, intended by China to reassert territorial claims on a small island, led to a complex web of actions and interactions between the three countries that was based on mutual misunderstanding, lack of communication, exaggerated threat perceptions and improvised decision making. Thus the outcome at the end of the year, the start of a friendly relationship between Beijing and Washington, was by no means the result of well-formulated and implemented policies.
Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2)
Authors: Kappel Viola , Thiel Andreas , Holzhausen Martin , Jaite Charlotte , Schneider Nora , Pfeiffer Ernst , Lehmkuhl Ulrike , Salbach-Andrae Harriet
Published: June 2012

Zusammenfassung. Das Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2; Paul & Thiel, 2005 ) ist ein mehrdimensionales psychometrisches Selbstberichtsinstrument zur Erfassung pathologischen Essverhaltens und anderer für Anorexia nervosa (AN) und Bulimia nervosa (BN) relevanter psychopathologischer Variablen bei Erwachsenen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird über die bisher noch fehlende Normierung an einer deutschen nicht-klinischen Stichprobe von 1754 SchülerInnen im Alter von 10 bis 20 Jahren (MAlter = 15.8, SD = 1.7) berichtet. Zusätzlich werden erste geschlechtsspezifische Werte für 66 Patientinnen mit AN (MAlter = 16.2, SD = 1.7) und 22 Patientinnen mit BN (MAlter = 16.8, SD = 1.5) beschrieben. Die hier vorgestellten Normen für Kinder und Jugendliche sowie eine bereits vorgenommene psychometrische Evaluation ( Salbach-Andrae et al., 2010 ) ermöglichen zukünftig den Einsatz des EDI-2 in dieser Altersgruppe. Unabhängig von der Antwortversion können interna-tionale Vergleiche anhand geschlechtsspezifischer (und für weibliche Stichproben altersspezifischer) Normen vorgenommen werden.
Das Dortmunder Beobachtungsinstrument zur Interaktion und Narrationsentwicklung (DO-BINE)
Authors: Lengning Anke , Katz-Bernstein Nitza , Schröder Anja , Stude Juliane , Quasthoff Uta
Published: June 2012

Zusammenfassung: Das Dortmunder Beobachtungsinstrument zur Interaktion und Narrationsentwicklung (DO-BINE) ist das erste standardisierte Beobachtungsinstrument zur Erfassung der interaktiven Erzählkompetenzen, das für den deutschsprachigen Raum konzipiert wurde. Es wurde für die Beobachtung von Kindern im Alter von vier bis sieben Jahren entwickelt. Ziel ist es, dass die Erzählfähigkeiten von Kindern, also ein zentraler sprachlicher Kompetenzbereich, durch Fachpersonen (in vorschulischen und schulischen Bildungseinrichtungen, Einrichtungen des Gesundheitswesens) gezielt beobachtet werden können. Darüber hinaus ist es möglich, Entwicklungsprofile und Förderziele zu ermitteln. Zunächst werden in einem Stuhlkreis, an dem mehrere Kinder teilnehmen, zwei erzählenswerte Vorfälle inszeniert. Danach erzählt das Kind einer instruierten Fachkraft darüber. Die Interaktion wird dokumentiert und standardisiert ausgewertet. Erste Studien weisen auf eine zufriedenstellende Reliabilität des Gesamtwertes von DO-BINE hin. Auch konnten Hinweise auf die Validität von DO-BINE ermittelt werden. Weitere Studien sollten durchgeführt werden, in die weitere Konstrukte zur Validierung und größere Stichproben aufgenommen werden.
Was und wie Kinder erzählen
Authors: Andresen Sabine
Published: June 2012

Zusammenfassung: Interviews mit Kindern gehören mittlerweile zum methodischen Repertoire insbesondere der Kindheitsforschung. Der Beitrag fragt nach den Potenzialen und den Grenzen qualitativer Interviews für die Kindheitsforschung und fokussiert dabei die Bedeutung ihrer Erzählungen. Die Argumentation basiert auf Forschungserfahrungen mit der Surveyforschung und der qualitativen Kinderarmutsforschung. Diskutiert werden konzeptionelle und methodische Aspekte von Narrationen in qualitativen Interviews mit Kindern der mittleren Kindheit.
Gedanken im Dialog entwickeln und erklären: Die Methode dialoggestützter Interviews mit Kindern
Authors: Weltzien Dörte
Published: June 2012

Zusammenfassung: Mit Hilfe von Kinderinterviews sollen zumeist Informationen darüber gewonnen werden, wie sich die Lebenswelten von Kindern aus ihrer subjektiven Perspektive heraus gestalten, wie sie diese explizieren oder wie sich Orientierungen, Wissen und Handeln in Abhängigkeit ihres biographischen Hintergrunds entwickeln. Durch die Methode des dialoggestützten Interviews entwickelt sich der Gesprächsverlauf nach einem thematisch fokussierenden Stimulus durch den dialogischen Prozess der Kinder weitgehend selbstläufig. Diese Methode wird aktuell in dem BMBF-geförderten Projekt „Begegnungen“ (www.intergenerative-begegnungen.de) zur Erfassung von Altersbildern bei Vorschulkindern eingesetzt. Insgesamt werden ca. 60 Kinder zu ihren Kenntnissen und Vorstellungen über das Alt-Sein und Alt-Werden befragt. Die bisherigen Auswertungen beziehen sich auf die Frage, wie sich die subjektiv-biographischen Erfahrungen der Kinder mit der (Ur-) Großelterngeneration darstellen und wie sie in den Interviews expliziert werden. Dabei zeigt sich, dass die Kinder in der interaktiven Auseinandersetzung miteinander ihre individuellen Erlebnisse, Interaktionserfahrungen und Gefühle vergleichen, kategorisieren und bewerten. Dabei entwickeln und äußern sie auch (vorläufige) Konzepte von Alt-Sein und Alt-Werden, Lebensqualität und sozialer Teilhabe.
Time to talk
Authors: Breithaupt Holger
Published: June 2012

Debate over the publication of the H5N1 flu virus papers highlights the need for better risk management of dual‐use research. Scientists should start this discussion instead of waiting for governments to implement regulation.
Myelin Basic Protein synthesis is regulated by small non‐coding RNA 715
Authors: Bauer Nina M , Moos Christina , van Horssen Jack , Witte Maarten , van der Valk Paul , Altenhein Benjamin , Luhmann Heiko J , White Robin
Published: June 2012

Oligodendroglial Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) synthesis is essential for myelin formation in the central nervous system. During oligodendrocyte differentiation, MBP mRNA is kept in a translationally silenced state while intracellularly transported, until neuron‐derived signals initiate localized MBP translation. Here we identify the small non‐coding RNA 715 (sncRNA715) as an inhibitor of MBP translation. SncRNA715 localizes to cytoplasmic granular structures and associates with MBP mRNA transport granule components. We also detect increased levels of sncRNA715 in demyelinated chronic human multiple sclerosis lesions, which contain MBP mRNA but lack MBP protein.
Nanostructured Biomaterials for Overcoming Biological Barriers
Authors:   Royal Society of Chemistry
Published: June 2012

This book provides a critical overview of the advances being made towards overcoming biological barriers through the contribution of nanosciences and nanotechnologies. Overcoming these barriers is of primary importance for solving the problems of many current drugs and vaccines and it is also especially relevant for the commercial exploitation of new therapeutic strategies i.e. gene and cellular therapies. Despite important information that has been covered in recently published books related to nanomedicine (mainly oriented to technologies and applications), there is still an important gap related to the relationship between the chemical properties of nanobiomaterials and their interaction with the biological environment. Thus, this comprehensive new book that is presented with a clear and organised structure dedicated to the different biological barriers relevant for drug delivery applications will focus on (i) mechanistic issues related to the interaction between drug delivery systems and biological barriers and (ii) the analysis of the critical factors determining the efficacy of nanobiomaterials for specific applications. Moreover, this field has become highly multidisciplinary over the last decade, leading to the development of new products, as well as to significant advances from the regulatory point of view. Moreover, this book will also provide an up-to-date view on the clinical relevance of nanomedicine and on its possible impact on global health.
Alanine scanning mutagenesis of a high-affinity nitrate transporter highlights the requirement for glycine and asparagine residues in the two nitrate signature motifs
Authors: Unkles Shiela E. , Karabika Eugenia , Symington Vicki F. , Cecile Jennifer L. , Rouch Duncan A. , Akhtar Naureen , Cromer Brett A. , Kinghorn James R.
Published: June 2012

Common to all of the nitrate nitrite porter family are two conserved motifs in transmembrane helices 5 and 11 termed NS (nitrate signature) 1 and NS2. Although perfectly conserved substrate-interacting arginine residues have been described in transmembrane helices 2 and 8, the role of NSs has not been investigated. In the present study, a combination of structural modelling of NrtA (nitrate transporter from Aspergillus nidulans) with alanine scanning mutagenesis of residues within and around the NSs has been used to shed light on the probable role of conserved residues in the NSs. Models show that Asn168 in NS1 and Asn459 in NS2 are positioned approximately midway within the protein at the central pivot point in close proximity to the substrate-binding residues Arg368 and Arg87 respectively, which lie offset from the pivot point towards the cytoplasmic face. The Asn168/Arg368 and Asn459/Arg87 residue pairs are relatively widely separated on opposite sides of the probable substrate translocation pore. The results of the present study demonstrate the critical structural contribution of several glycine residues in each NS at sites of close helix packing. Given the relative locations of Asn168/Arg368 and Asn459/Arg87 pairs, the validity of the models and possible role of the NSs together with the substrate-binding arginine residues are discussed.
A novel role for the transcription factor HIF-1α in the formation of mast cell extracellular traps
Authors: Branitzki-Heinemann Katja , Okumura Cheryl Y. , Völlger Lena , Kawakami Yuko , Kawakami Toshiaki , Naim Hassan Y. , Nizet Victor , Von Köckritz-Blickwede Maren
Published: June 2012

MCs (mast cells) are critical components of the host innate immune defence against bacterial pathogens, providing a variety of intra- and extra-cellular antimicrobial functions. In the present study we show, for the first time, that the transcriptional regulator HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor-1α) mediates the extracellular antimicrobial activity of human and murine MCs by increasing the formation of MCETs (MC extracellular traps).
The Impacts of Language Background and Language-Related Disorders in Auditory Processing Assessment
Authors: Loo Jenny Hooi Yin , Bamiou Doris-Eva , Rosen Stuart
Published: June 2012

Purpose

To examine the impact of language background and language-related disorders (LRDs—dyslexia and/or language impairment) on performance in English speech and nonspeech tests of auditory processing (AP) commonly used in the clinic.

Method

A clinical database concerning 133 multilingual children (mostly with English as an additional language) and 71 monolingual children (7- to 12-year-old native English speakers) with listening concerns was analyzed retrospectively.

Results

Language background had no significant effect on the 3 nonspeech AP tests, but the multilingual group performed worse in most of the speech tests. Children with LRDs generally performed more poorly than those without, except for the masking level difference.

Conclusions

Although language background affects performance in AP tasks that use speech, the effect of LRDs appears to be more wide-ranging insofar as the majority of the AP tests—speech and nonspeech—were significantly affected by their presence. The effects of language background are probably mediated directly through the effects of language expertise, whereas those associated with LRDs appear to arise from associated deficits in memory and attention. The vast majority of so-called AP tests tap abilities far beyond those typically thought of as specifically auditory; thus, they are poor measures of an AP disorder.
Past Tense Production by English Second Language Learners With and Without Language Impairment
Authors: Blom Elma , Paradis Johanne
Published: June 2012

Purpose

This study investigated whether past tense use could differentiate children with language impairment (LI) from their typically developing (TD) peers when English is children’s second language (L2) and whether L2 children’s past tense profiles followed the predictions of Bybee’s (2007) usage-based network model.

Method

A group of L2 children with LI (L2-LI) and a matched group of L2-TD peers were administered the past tense probe from the Test of Early Grammatical Impairment (Rice & Wexler, 2001) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (Dunn & Dunn, 1997). A representative input corpus provided distributional information for each verb used. Background information was obtained via parent questionnaire.

Results

The L2-LI group used fewer tense-marked verbs than did the L2-TD group. In both groups, vocabulary size and word frequency predicted accuracy with regular and irregular verbs. Children omitted regular past tense marking most often after alveolar stops, dropping the allomorph /
i
d/; L2-TD children omitted /t/ more often than /d/. Finally, first language typology predicted past tense accuracy.

Conclusions

Past tense use could potentially differentiate between English L2 children with and without LI. The impact of vocabulary, frequency, and phonological factors supported the network model and indicated profile differences between L2-LI and L2-TD children.
The Effects of Short-Term Computerized Speech-in-Noise Training on Postlingually Deafened Adult Cochlear Implant Recipients
Authors: Ingvalson Erin M. , Lee Brienne , Fiebig Pamela , Wong Patrick C. M.
Published: June 2012

Purpose

To determine if short-term computerized speech-in-noise training can produce significant improvements in speech-in-noise perception by cochlear implant (CI) recipients on standardized audiologic testing measures.

Method

Five adult postlingually deafened CI recipients participated in 4 speech-in-noise training sessions using the Seeing and Hearing Speech program (Sensimetrics; Malden, MA). Each participant completed lessons concentrating on consonant and vowel recognition at word, phrase, and sentence levels. Speech-in-noise abilities were assessed using the QuickSIN (Killion, Niquette, Gudmundsen, Revit, & Banerjee, 2004) and the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT (Nilsson, Soli & Sullivan, 1994)).

Results

All listeners significantly improved key word identification on the HINT after training, albeit only at the most favorable signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Listeners also showed a significant reduction in the degree of SNR loss on the QuickSIN after training.

Conclusion

Short-term speech-in-noise training may improve speech-in-noise perception in postlingually deafened adult CI recipients.
Maxillary Arch Dimensions and Spectral Characteristics of Children With Cleft Lip and Palate Who Produce Middorsum Palatal Stops
Authors: Zajac David J. , Cevidanes Lucia , Shah Sonam , Haley Katarina L.
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to determine maxillary arch dimensions of children with repaired cleft lip and palate (CLP) who produced middorsum palatal stops and (b) to describe some spectral characteristics of middorsum palatal stops.

Method

Maxillary arch width, length, and height dimensions and first spectral moments of /t/-/k/ contrast words were determined for three groups of children ages 7–11 years: (a) with CLP who were clinically judged to produce middorsum palatal stops (
n
= 5), (b) with CLP but without middorsum palatal stops (
n
= 6), and (c) typically developing controls (
n
= 8). Validity of clinical judgments of middorsum palatal stops was assessed by adult listeners via forced-choice identification of /t/-/k/ contrast words.

Results

Listeners confirmed production of middorsum palatal stops for 4 of 5 children with CLP. These children had (a) the narrowest anterior maxillary arch width relative to posterior arch width (
p
= .011) and (b) the lowest first spectral moment for /t/ targets (
p
= .001) and the lowest /t/-/k/ difference (
p
= .010).

Conclusion

Middorsum palatal stops may occur in children with repaired CLP in response to limited anterior oral cavity space due to restricted (or collapsed) maxillary arches. First spectral moment characteristics of middorsum palatal stops are consistent with backed lingual placement during stop release.
Chemical characterisation of humic-like substances from urban, rural and tropical biomass burning environments using liquid chromatography with UV/vis photodiode array detection and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry
Authors: Claeys Magda , Vermeylen Reinhilde , Yasmeen Farhat , Gómez-González Yadian , Chi Xuguang , Maenhaut Willy , Mészáros Tímea , Salma Imre
Published: June 2012

Environmental contextOne of the most important classes of water-soluble organic compounds in continental fine and tropical biomass burning aerosol is humic-like substances (HULIS), which contain components with strong polar, acidic and chromophoric properties. We focus on the chemical characterisation of HULIS and provide evidence that nitro-aromatic catecholic compounds are among the major species of HULIS. This indicates that volatile aromatic hydrocarbons emitted during biomass burning are important gas-phase precursors for HULIS.
AbstractHumic-like substances (HULIS) are ubiquitously present in the troposphere and make up a major fraction of continental fine-sized water-soluble organic compounds. They are regarded as material with strong polar, acidic and chromophoric properties; however, structural information at the individual component level is rather limited. In the present study, we have characterised HULIS from different locations using liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode array detection and negative ion electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry. Aerosol samples with particles less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) were collected in Budapest and K-puszta, Hungary, during 2007 and 2008 spring and summer periods, and in Rondônia, Brazil, during a 2002 biomass burning experiment. Major components of the Budapest 2007 and Brazil 2002 HULIS corresponded to chromophoric substances, of which 4-nitrocatechol (molecular weight (MW) 155) was identified as the most abundant organic species and less abundant ones were attributed to mono- and dimethyl nitrocatechols (MWs 169 and 183). The mass concentrations of 4-nitrocatechol in the water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) of the Budapest 2007 and day- and night-time Brazil 2002 HULIS were 0.46, 0.50 and 1.80 %. Abundant components of K-puszta 2008 HULIS were assigned to α-pinene secondary organic aerosol (SOA) tracers, i.e. 3-methyl-1,2,3-butanetricarboxylic acid and terpenylic acid; their mass concentrations in the HULIS WSOC were 0.75 and 0.40 %. Tere- and ortho-phthalic acids (MW 166) were major components of the Budapest and K-puszta HULIS, but only minor ones of the Brazil 2002 biomass burning HULIS, consistent with a source that is different from biomass burning and likely related to open waste burning of phthalate ester-containing material such as plastic.
Canonical Wnt suppressor, Axin2, promotes colon carcinoma oncogenic activity
Authors: Wu Zhao-Qiu , Brabletz Thomas , Fearon Eric , Willis Amanda L. , Hu Casey Yuexian , Li Xiao-Yan , Weiss Stephen J.
Published: June 2012

Aberrant activation of canonical Wingless-type MMTV integration site family (Wnt) signaling is pathognomonic of colorectal cancers (CRC) harboring functional mutations in either adenomatous polyposis coli or β-catenin. Coincident with Wnt cascade activation, CRCs also up-regulate the expression of Wnt pathway feedback inhibitors, particularly the putative tumor suppressor, Axin2. Because Axin2 serves as a negative regulator of canonical Wnt signaling in normal cells, recent attention has focused on the utility of increasing Axin2 levels in CRCs as a means to slow tumor progression. However, rather than functioning as a tumor suppressor, we demonstrate that Axin2 acts as a potent promoter of carcinoma behavior by up-regulating the activity of the transcriptional repressor, Snail1, inducing a functional epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program and driving metastatic activity. Silencing Axin2 expression decreases Snail1 activity, reverses EMT, and inhibits CRC invasive and metastatic activities in concert with global effects on the Wnt-regulated cancer cell transcriptome. The further identification of Axin2 and nuclear Snail1 proteins at the invasive front of human CRCs supports a revised model wherein Axin2 acts as a potent tumor promoter in vivo.
Activation of the p53 pathway by small-molecule-induced MDM2 and MDMX dimerization
Authors: Graves Bradford , Thompson Thelma , Xia Mingxuan , Janson Cheryl , Lukacs Christine , Deo Dayanand , Di Lello Paola , Fry David , Garvie Colin , Huang Kuo-Sen , Gao Lin , Tovar Christian , Lovey Allen , Wanner Jutta , Vassilev Lyubomir T.
Published: June 2012

Activation of p53 tumor suppressor by antagonizing its negative regulator murine double minute (MDM)2 has been considered an attractive strategy for cancer therapy and several classes of p53-MDM2 binding inhibitors have been developed. However, these compounds do not inhibit the p53-MDMX interaction, and their effectiveness can be compromised in tumors overexpressing MDMX. Here, we identify small molecules that potently block p53 binding with both MDM2 and MDMX by inhibitor-driven homo- and/or heterodimerization of MDM2 and MDMX proteins. Structural studies revealed that the inhibitors bind into and occlude the p53 pockets of MDM2 and MDMX by inducing the formation of dimeric protein complexes kept together by a dimeric small-molecule core. This mode of action effectively stabilized p53 and activated p53 signaling in cancer cells, leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Dual MDM2/MDMX antagonists restored p53 apoptotic activity in the presence of high levels of MDMX and may offer a more effective therapeutic modality for MDMX-overexpressing cancers.
Structural basis for germ-line gene usage of a potent class of antibodies targeting the CD4-binding site of HIV-1 gp120
Authors: West Anthony P. , Diskin Ron , Nussenzweig Michel C. , Bjorkman Pamela J.
Published: June 2012

A large number of anti–HIV-1 antibodies targeting the CD4-binding site (CD4bs) on the envelope glycoprotein gp120 have recently been reported. These antibodies, typified by VRC01, are remarkable for both their breadth and their potency. Crystal structures have revealed a common mode of binding for several of these antibodies; however, the precise relationship among CD4bs antibodies remains to be defined. Here we analyze existing structural and sequence data, propose a set of signature features for potent VRC01-like (PVL) antibodies, and verify the importance of these features by mutagenesis. The signature features explain why PVL antibodies derive from a single germ-line human V
H
gene segment and why certain gp120 sequences are associated with antibody resistance. Our results bear on vaccine development and structure-based design to improve the potency and breadth of anti-CD4bs antibodies.
SEC23B is required for the maintenance of murine professional secretory tissues
Authors: Tao Jiayi , Zhu Min , Wang He , Afelik Solomon , Vasievich Matthew P. , Chen Xiao-Wei , Zhu Guojing , Jensen Jan , Ginsburg David , Zhang Bin
Published: June 2012

In eukaryotic cells, newly synthesized secretory proteins require COPII (coat protein complex II) to exit the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). COPII contains five core components: SAR1, SEC23, SEC24, SEC13, and SEC31. SEC23 is a GTPase-activating protein that activates the SAR1 GTPase and also plays a role in cargo recognition. Missense mutations in the human COPII paralogues SEC23A and SEC23B result in craniolenticulosutural dysplasia and congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type II, respectively. We now report that mice completely deficient for SEC23B are born with no apparent anemia phenotype, but die shortly after birth, with degeneration of professional secretory tissues. In SEC23B-deficient embryonic pancreas, defects occur in exocrine and endocrine tissues shortly after differentiation. Pancreatic acini are completely devoid of zymogen granules, and the ER is severely distended. Similar ultrastructural alterations are also observed in salivary glands, but not in liver. Accumulation of proteins in the ER lumen activates the proapoptotic pathway of the unfolded protein response, suggesting a central role for apoptosis in the degeneration of these tissues in SEC23B-deficient embryos. Although maintenance of the secretory pathway should be required by all cells, our findings reveal a surprising tissue-specific dependence on SEC23B for the ER exit of highly abundant cargo, with high levels of SEC23B expression observed in professional secretory tissues. The disparate phenotypes in mouse and human could result from residual SEC23B function associated with the hypomorphic mutations observed in humans, or alternatively, might be explained by a species-specific shift in function between the closely related SEC23 paralogues.
Apolipoprotein A-I helical structure and stability in discoidal high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles by hydrogen exchange and mass spectrometry
Authors: Sevugan Chetty Palaniappan , Mayne Leland , Kan Zhong-Yuan , Lund-Katz Sissel , Englander S. Walter , Phillips Michael C.
Published: June 2012

To understand high-density lipoprotein (HDL) structure at the molecular level, the location and stability of α-helical segments in human apolipoprotein (apo) A-I in large (9.6 nm) and small (7.8 nm) discoidal HDL particles were determined by hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HX) and mass spectrometry methods. The measured HX kinetics of some 100 apoA-I peptides specify, at close to amino acid resolution, the structural condition of segments throughout the protein sequence and changes in structure and stability that occur on incorporation into lipoprotein particles. When incorporated into the large HDL particle, the nonhelical regions in lipid-free apoA-I (residues 45–53, 66–69, 116–146, and 179–236) change conformation from random coil to α-helix so that nearly the entire apoA-I molecule adopts helical structure (except for the terminal residues 1–6 and 237–243). The amphipathic α-helices have relatively low stability, in the range 3–5 kcal/mol, indicating high flexibility and dynamic unfolding and refolding in seconds or less. A segment encompassed by residues 125–158 exhibits bimodal HX labeling indicating co-existing helical and disordered loop conformations that interchange on a time scale of minutes. When incorporated around the edge of the smaller HDL particle, the increase in packing density of the two apoA-I molecules forces about 20% more residues out of direct contact with the phospholipid molecules to form disordered loops, and these are the same segments that form loops in the lipid-free state. The region of disc-associated apoA-I that binds the lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase enzyme is well structured and not a protruding unstructured loop as reported by others.
Characteristics of Effluents from Baitfish Holding Sheds in Central Arkansas
Authors: Adhikari Puspa L , Stone Nathan , Kelly Anita M , Thomforde Hugh K
Published: June 2012

This study characterized effluents from commercial baitfish holding sheds in central Arkansas, the source of about half of U.S. farm-raised baitfish. Nutrient and solid concentrations in effluents were relatively dilute compared with other aquaculture effluents because fish are not fed while in vats. Total phosphorus concentrations, however, were relatively high (median of 0.52 mg/L in spring, 0.32 mg/L in fall), but source water contributed from 83% to 96% of the total phosphorus concentration in baitfish holding shed effluents. Concentrations of total phosphorus similar to those found in study source waters have been documented for other waters from the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer. Daily variations in effluent quality generally overshadowed other temporal variation, with the exception of higher total ammonia concentrations in the spring. Higher loading rates are common in vats in the spring owing to increased baitfish sales. Daily flushing resulted in brief spikes in concentrations of total suspended solids, 5-d biochemical oxygen demand, and total phosphorus; the average contribution of flushing events to total daily loading was estimated to be 5–13%. Results suggest that holding shed effluents could be reused, at least for pond culture, as long as potential disease transmission issues are resolved.
Targeted retrieval of gene expression measurements using regulatory models
Authors: Georgii Elisabeth , Salojärvi Jarkko , Brosché Mikael , Kangasjärvi Jaakko , Kaski Samuel
Published: June 2012

Motivation: Large public repositories of gene expression measurements offer the opportunity to position a new experiment into the context of earlier studies. While previous methods rely on experimental annotation or global similarity of expression profiles across genes or gene sets, we compare experiments by measuring similarity based on an unsupervised, data-driven regulatory model around pre-specified genes of interest. Our experiment retrieval approach is novel in two conceptual respects: (i) targetable focus and interpretability: the analysis is targeted at regulatory relationships of genes that are relevant to the analyst or come from prior knowledge; (ii) regulatory model-based similarity measure: related experiments are retrieved based on the strength of inferred regulatory links between genes.

Results: We learn a model for the regulation of specific genes from a data repository and exploit it to construct a similarity metric for an information retrieval task. We use the Fisher kernel, a rigorous similarity measure that typically has been applied to use generative models in discriminative classifiers. Results on human and plant microarray collections indicate that our method is able to substantially improve the retrieval of related experiments against standard methods. Furthermore, it allows the user to interpret biological conditions in terms of changes in link activity patterns. Our study of the osmotic stress network for Arabidopsis thaliana shows that the method successfully identifies relevant relationships around given key genes.

Availability: The code (R) is available at http://research.ics.tkk.fi/mi/software.shtml.

Contact: elisabeth.georgii@aalto.fi; jarkko.salojarvi@helsinki.fi; samuel.kaski@hiit.fi

Supplementary Information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
PurityEst: estimating purity of human tumor samples using next-generation sequencing data
Authors: Su Xiaoping , Zhang Li , Zhang Jianping , Meric-Bernstam Funda , Weinstein John N.
Published: June 2012

Summary: We developed a novel algorithm, PurityEst, to infer the tumor purity level from the allelic differential representation of heterozygous loci with somatic mutations in a human tumor sample with a matched normal tissue using next-generation sequencing data. We applied our tool to a whole cancer genome sequencing datasets and demonstrated the accuracy of PurityEst compared with DNA copy number-based estimation.

Availability: PurityEst has been implemented in PERL and is available at http://odin.mdacc.tmc.edu/~xsu1/PurityEst.html

Contact:  xsu1@mdanderson.org
Integration of Bioinformatics and Synthetic Promoters Leads to the Discovery of Novel Elicitor-Responsive cis-Regulatory Sequences in Arabidopsis
Authors: Koschmann Jeannette , Machens Fabian , Becker Marlies , Niemeyer Julia , Schulze Jutta , Bülow Lorenz , Stahl Dietmar J. , Hehl Reinhard
Published: June 2012

A combination of bioinformatic tools, high-throughput gene expression profiles, and the use of synthetic promoters is a powerful approach to discover and evaluate novel cis-sequences in response to specific stimuli. With Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) microarray data annotated to the PathoPlant database, 732 different queries with a focus on fungal and oomycete pathogens were performed, leading to 510 up-regulated gene groups. Using the binding site estimation suite of tools, BEST, 407 conserved sequence motifs were identified in promoter regions of these coregulated gene sets. Motif similarities were determined with STAMP, classifying the 407 sequence motifs into 37 families. A comparative analysis of these 37 families with the AthaMap, PLACE, and AGRIS databases revealed similarities to known cis-elements but also led to the discovery of cis-sequences not yet implicated in pathogen response. Using a parsley (Petroselinum crispum) protoplast system and a modified reporter gene vector with an internal transformation control, 25 elicitor-responsive cis-sequences from 10 different motif families were identified. Many of the elicitor-responsive cis-sequences also drive reporter gene expression in an Agrobacterium tumefaciens infection assay in Nicotiana benthamiana. This work significantly increases the number of known elicitor-responsive cis-sequences and demonstrates the successful integration of a diverse set of bioinformatic resources combined with synthetic promoter analysis for data mining and functional screening in plant-pathogen interaction.