bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hobbes on Resistance
Authors: Sreedhar Susanne
Published: June 2011

Hobbes's political theory has traditionally been taken to be an endorsement of state power and a prescription for unconditional obedience to the sovereign's will. In this book, Susanne Sreedhar develops a novel interpretation of Hobbes's theory of political obligation and explores important cases where Hobbes claims that subjects have a right to disobey and resist state power, even when their lives are not directly threatened. Drawing attention to this broader set of rights, her comprehensive analysis of Hobbes's account of political disobedience reveals a unified and coherent theory of resistance that has previously gone unnoticed and undefended. Her book will appeal to all who are interested in the nature and limits of political authority, the right of self-defense, the right of revolution, and the modern origins of these issues.
Satire in an Age of Realism
Authors: Matz Aaron
Published: June 2011

As nineteenth-century realism became more and more intrepid in its pursuit of describing and depicting everyday life, it blurred irrevocably into the caustic and severe mode of literature better named satire. Realism's task of portraying the human became indistinguishable from satire's directive to castigate the human. Introducing an entirely new way of thinking about realism and the Victorian novel, Aaron Matz refers to the fusion of realism and satire as 'satirical realism': it is a mode in which our shared folly and error are so entrenched in everyday life, and so unchanging, that they need no embellishment when rendered in fiction. Focusing on the novels of Eliot, Hardy, Gissing, and Conrad, and the theater of Ibsen, Matz argues that it was the transformation of Victorian realism into satire that granted it immense moral authority, but that led ultimately to its demise.
Common Law, History, and Democracy in America, 1790–1900
Authors: Parker Kunal M.
Published: June 2011

This book argues for a change in our understanding of the relationships among law, politics and history. Since the turn of the nineteenth century, a certain anti-foundational conception of history has served to undermine law's foundations, such that we tend to think of law as nothing other than a species of politics. Thus viewed, the activity of unelected, common law judges appears to be an encroachment on the space of democracy. However, Kunal M. Parker shows that the world of the nineteenth century looked rather different. Democracy was itself constrained by a sense that history possessed a logic, meaning and direction that democracy could not contravene. In such a world, far from law being seen in opposition to democracy, it was possible to argue that law - specifically, the common law - did a better job than democracy of guiding America along history's path.
Gandhi in the West
Authors: Scalmer Sean
Published: June 2011

The non-violent protests of civil rights activists and anti-nuclear campaigners during the 1960s helped to redefine Western politics. But where did they come from? Sean Scalmer uncovers their history in an earlier generation's intense struggles to understand and emulate the activities of Mahatma Gandhi. He shows how Gandhi's non-violent protests were the subject of widespread discussion and debate in the USA and UK for several decades. Though at first misrepresented by Western newspapers, they were patiently described and clarified by a devoted group of cosmopolitan advocates. Small groups of Westerners experimented with Gandhian techniques in virtual anonymity and then, on the cusp of the 1960s, brought these methods to a wider audience. The swelling protests of later years increasingly abandoned the spirit of non-violence, and the central significance of Gandhi and his supporters has therefore been forgotten. This book recovers this tradition, charts its transformation, and ponders its abiding significance.
The Institutional Framework of Russian Serfdom
Authors: Dennison Tracy
Published: June 2011

Russian rural history has long been based on a 'Peasant Myth', originating with nineteenth-century Romantics and still accepted by many historians today. In this book, Tracy Dennison shows how Russian society looked from below, and finds nothing like the collective, redistributive and market-averse behaviour often attributed to Russian peasants. On the contrary, the Russian rural population was as integrated into regional and even national markets as many of its west European counterparts. Serfdom was a loose garment that enabled different landlords to shape economic institutions, especially property rights, in widely diverse ways. Highly coercive and backward regimes on some landlords' estates existed side-by-side with surprisingly liberal approximations to a rule of law. This book paints a vivid and colourful picture of the everyday reality of rural Russia before the 1861 abolition of serfdom.
The Politics of Inheritance in Romans
Authors: Forman Mark
Published: June 2011

Mark Forman explores the extent to which Paul's concept of 'inheritance' in Romans, and its associated imagery, logic and arguments, served to evoke socio-political expectations that were different to those which prevailed in contemporary Roman imperial discourse. Forman explores how Paul deploys the idea of inheritance in Romans and analyses the sources which inform and overlap with this concept. Coins, literature and architecture are all examined in order to understand the purpose, hopes and expectations of first-century society. This book contributes to recent studies covering Paul and politics by arguing that Paul's concept of inheritance subverts and challenges first-century Roman ideologies.
Living with Herds
Authors: Fijn Natasha
Published: June 2011

Domestic animals have lived with humans for thousands of years and remain essential to the everyday lives of people throughout the world. In this book, Natasha Fijn examines the process of animal domestication in a study that blends biological and social anthropology, ethology and ethnography. She examines the social behavior of humans and animals in a contemporary Mongolian herding society. After living with Mongolian herding families, Dr Fijn has observed through firsthand experience both sides of the human-animal relationship. Examining their reciprocal social behavior and communication with one another, she demonstrates how herd animals influence Mongolian herders' lives and how the animals themselves are active partners in the domestication process.
Politics, Identity, and Mexico’s Indigenous Rights Movements
Authors: Eisenstadt Todd A.
Published: June 2011

Drawing on an original survey of more than 5,000 respondents, this book argues that, contrary to claims by the 1994 Zapatista insurgency, indigenous and non-indigenous respondents in southern Mexico have been united by socioeconomic conditions and land tenure institutions as well as by ethnic identity. It concludes that - contrary to many analyses of Chiapas's 1994 indigenous rebellion - external influences can trump ideology in framing social movements. Rural Chiapas's prevalent communitarian attitudes resulted partly from external land tenure institutions, rather than from indigenous identities alone. The book further points to recent indigenous rights movements in neighboring Oaxaca, Mexico, as examples of bottom-up multicultural institutions that might be emulated in Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America.
War and the Crisis of Youth in Sierra Leone
Authors: Peters Krijn
Published: June 2011

The armed conflict in Sierra Leone and the extreme violence of the main rebel faction - the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) - have challenged scholars and members of the international community to come up with explanations. Up to this point, though, conclusions about the nature of the war are mainly drawn from accounts of civilian victims and commentators who had access to only one side of the war. The present study addresses this currently incomplete understanding of the conflict by focusing on the direct experiences and interpretations of protagonists, paying special attention to the hitherto neglected, and often underage, cadres of the RUF. The data presented challenges the widely canvassed notion of the Sierra Leone conflict as a war motivated by 'greed, not grievance'. Rather, it points to a rural crisis expressed in terms of unresolved tensions between landowners and marginalized rural youth, further reinforced and triggered by a collapsing patrimonial state.
Moral Dilemmas in Medieval Thought
Authors: Dougherty M. V.
Published: June 2011

The history of moral dilemma theory often ignores the medieval period, overlooking the sophisticated theorizing by several thinkers who debated the existence of moral dilemmas from 1150 to 1450. In this book Michael V. Dougherty offers a rich and fascinating overview of the debates which were pursued by medieval philosophers, theologians and canon lawyers, illustrating his discussion with a diverse range of examples of the moral dilemmas which they considered. He shows that much of what seems particular to twentieth-century moral theory was well-known long ago - especially the view of some medieval thinkers that some forms of wrongdoing are inescapable, and their emphasis on the principle 'choose the lesser of two evils'. His book will be valuable not only to advanced students and specialists of medieval thought, but also to those interested in the history of ethics.
Nature and Empire in Ottoman Egypt
Authors: Mikhail Alan
Published: June 2011

In one of the first ever environmental histories of the Ottoman Empire, Alan Mikhail examines relations between the empire and its most lucrative province of Egypt. Based on both the local records of various towns and villages in rural Egypt and the imperial orders of the Ottoman state, this book charts how changes in the control of natural resources fundamentally altered the nature of Ottoman imperial sovereignty in Egypt and throughout the empire. In revealing how Egyptian peasants were able to use their knowledge and experience of local environments to force the hand of the imperial state, Nature and Empire in Ottoman Egypt tells a story of the connections of empire stretching from canals in the Egyptian countryside to the palace in Istanbul, from the forests of Anatolia to the shores of the Red Sea, and from a plague flea's bite to the fortunes of one of the most powerful states of the early modern world.
Dietary free glutamate prevents diarrhoea during intra-gastric tube feeding in a rat model
Authors: Somekawa Shinji , Hayashi Naoki , Niijima Akira , Uneyama Hisayuki , Torii Kunio
Published: June 2011

Recent studies indicate that l-glutamate (l-Glu), abundant in many foods, is a stimulator of gastric vagal afferent nerves. The aim of the present study was to examine the possibility that l-Glu supplementation of a protein-rich liquid diet may prevent the incidence of diarrhoea during repetitive intra-gastric tube feeding. The gastric vagal afferent nerve recording of rats indicated that intra-gastric administration of a protein-rich liquid diet supplemented with 0·5 % monosodium glutamate enhanced the basal afferent activities seen with the protein-rich diet alone. The examination of the faeces showed that the addition of monosodium glutamate to the liquid diet significantly prevented the incidence of diarrhoea induced by repetitive gastric feeding. In conclusion, supplementation of an enteral liquid diet with free l-Glu may ameliorate diarrhoea during intra-gastric tube feeding by sending visceral glutamate information from the stomach to the brain.
Subconstituency Reactions to Elite Depolarization in the Netherlands: An Analysis of the Dutch Public's Policy Beliefs and Partisan Loyalties, 1986–98
Authors: Adams James , De Vries Catherine E. , Leiter Debra
Published: June 2011

During the 1980s and the 1990s, the elites of the two largest Dutch parties converged dramatically in debates on income redistribution, nuclear power and the overall Left–Right dimension, paving the way for the Dutch party system's polarization on immigration and cultural issues. Did the Dutch mass public depolarize along with party elites, and, if so, was this mass-level depolarization confined to affluent, educated, politically engaged citizens? Analysis of Dutch Parliamentary Election Study respondents’ policy beliefs and partisan loyalties in 1986–98 shows that the mass public depolarized during this period, and that this extended equally throughout the electorate. These conclusions mirror previous findings on Britain, but differ from those on the United States, and have important implications for political representation and for parties’ election strategies.
MONEY, CREDIT, AND LIMITED PARTICIPATION
Authors: Choi Hyung Sun
Published: June 2011

An asset market segmentation model is constructed to study the distributional effects of monetary policy when economic individuals can choose means of payment among alternatives. In equilibrium, monetary policy has two distributional effects: a direct effect and an indirect effect through the choice of means of payment. When the government injects money, some purchase a greater variety of goods with cash whereas others purchase a greater variety of goods with credit. Credit can dampen fluctuations in consumption arising from monetary policy. The optimal money growth rate can be positive or negative. The Friedman rule is not optimal in general.
ADVERSE SELECTION, SEGMENTED MARKETS, AND THE ROLE OF MONETARY POLICY
Authors: Sanches Daniel , Williamson Stephen
Published: June 2011

A model is constructed in which trading partners are asymmetrically informed about future trading opportunities and spatial and informational frictions limit arbitrage between markets. These frictions create inefficiency relative to a full-information equilibrium, and the extent of this inefficiency is affected by monetary policy. A Friedman rule is optimal under a wide range of circumstances, including ones where segmented markets limit the extent of monetary policy intervention.
The media and food‐risk perceptions
Authors: McCluskey Jill , Swinnen Johan
Published: June 2011

Food scares are prime examples of how the media can sway public perceptions of risk. Scientists and regulators need to understand the complex relationship between the media and their audience if they seek to counter scare stories and put risks and benefits into context.
Memories in the snow: immune memory, persistent infection and chronic disease
Authors: Pipkin Matthew E
Published: June 2011

The Keystone symposium on ‘Immunologic Memory, Persisting Microbes and Chronic Disease’ took place in February 2011. These topics are typically addressed in separate experimental settings, but are inextricably linked. Addressing them together proved to be both valuable and interesting.
Fuzzy logic as a decision-making support system for the indication of bariatric surgery based on an index (MAFOI) generated by the association between body fat and body mass index.
Authors: Miyahira Susana , Azevedo Joao , Araujo Filho José
Published: June 2011

Background:

A fuzzy obesity index (MAFOI) for use as an alternative to bariatric surgery indication (BSI) is presented. The search for a more accurate method to evaluate obesity and to indicate a better treatment is important in the world health context. BMI (body mass index) is considered the main criteria for obesity treatment and BSI. Nevertheless, the fat excess related to the percentage of Body Fat (%BF) is actually the principal harmful factor in obesity disease that is usually neglected. This paper presents a new fuzzy mechanism for evaluating obesity by associating BMI with %BF that yields a fuzzy obesity index for obesity evaluation and treatment and allows building up a Fuzzy Decision Support System (FDSS) for BSI. Methods: Seventy-two patients were evaluated for both BMI and %BF. These data are modified and treated as fuzzy sets. Afterwards, the BMI and %BF classes are aggregated yielding a new index (MAFOI) for input linguistic variable are considered the BMI and %BF, and as output linguistic variable is employed the MAFOI, an obesity classification with entirely new classes of obesity in the fuzzy context as well as is used for BSI.

Results:

There is gradual, smooth obesity classification and BSI when using the proposed fuzzy obesity index when compared with other traditional methods for dealing with obesity.

Conclusion:

The BMI is not adequate for surgical indication in all the conditions and fuzzy logic becomes an alternative for decision making in bariatric surgery indication based on the MAFOI.
The onset of convection in horizontally partitioned porous layers
Authors: Genç Gamze , Rees D. Andrew S.
Published: June 2011

In this paper, the onset of convection in a horizontally partitioned porous layer is investigated. Two identical sublayers are separated by a thin impermeable barrier. There exists a background horizontal flow in one of the layers or, equivalently, flows of half that strength in each sublayer but in opposite directions. A linearised stability analysis is performed where the horizontal component of the disturbance is factored into separate Fourier modes, leaving an ordinary differential eigenvalue problem for the critical Darcy-Rayleigh number as a function of the wavenumber. The dispersion relation is derived and the neutral stability curves are obtained for a wide range of horizontal flow rates. The presence of the horizontal flow alters the morphology of the neutral curves from that which occurs when there is no flow and travelling modes may arise. We also determine the condition under which the most dangerous disturbance changes from a stationary mode to travelling mode. Some three-dimensional aspects are also considered.
Stability of point-vortex multipoles revisited
Authors: Kizner Ziv
Published: June 2011

The point-vortex tripoles and pentapoles with zero total circulation are considered in the rigid-lid barotropic, equivalent-barotropic, and quasigeostrophic two-layer models. A tripole is assembled by three symmetrically arranged collinear vortices, while a pentapole by five vortices, of which one is located at the center of a square and four in the vertices of the square. The vortices on the sides, termed satellite vortices, are equal in strength and opposite in sign to the central vortex. To fulfill the zero-total-circulation condition, the central vortex is taken to be twice as strong as each of the satellite vortices in a tripole and four times as strong in a pentapole. In the two-layer model, two cases are distinguished, namely, the flat multipoles whose vortices are all located in the same layer and the carousel multipoles whose central vortex and satellite vortices reside in different layers. In all the models, the tripoles are shown to be nonlinearly stable and pentapoles, generally, unstable. Carousel pentapoles comparable in their size with the Rossby radius, and smaller, are exceptional in that they are stable to centrally symmetric perturbations (and, presumably, to arbitrary perturbations). The simple proof of the tripole stability is based on the fact that among the possible three-vortex configurations with zero total circulation characterized by the same (fixed) value of the Hamiltonian, there exists only one tripole, and, within the iso-Hamiltonian sheet, the squared linear momentum vanishes at this unique tripole only. This approach, being in essence universal for all models, works only with tripoles. For instance, a quadrupole cannot be treated in such a way, because there is a continuum of configurations of four vortices with zero total circulation on which the squared impulse vanishes. Dealing with pentapoles, we consider the perturbations that do not violate the central symmetry of the vortex configuration, fix the angular momentum, and examine the second derivatives of the Hamiltonian on the iso-momentum sheet.
Wave equation on spherically symmetric Lorentzian metrics
Authors: Bokhari Ashfaque H. , Al-Dweik Ahmad Y. , Kara A. H. , Karim M. , Zaman F. D.
Published: June 2011

Wave equation on a general spherically symmetric spacetime metric is constructed. Noether symmetries of the equation in terms of explicit functions of θ and ϕ are derived subject to certain differential constraints. By restricting the metric to flat Friedman case the Noether symmetries of the wave equation are presented. Invertible transformations are constructed from a specific subalgebra of these Noether symmetries to convert the wave equation with variable coefficients to the one with constant coefficients.
Location of trivalent lanthanide dopant energy levels in (Lu0.5Gd0.5)2O3
Authors: Rétot H. , Bessière A. , Viana B. , Galtayries A.
Published: June 2011

The location of Ln3+ dopant energy levels relative to bands in (Lu0.5Gd0.5)2O3 was studied. A several-steps analysis of XPS measurements on heavy lanthanides sesquioxides Ln2O3 (Ln = Gd, Tb, Dy, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu) and on Sc2O3 and Y2O3 reference materials were used to locate Ln3+ dopant ground state relative to the top of the valence band in (Lu0.5Gd0.5)2O3 within an error bar of ±0.4 eV. The agreement between XPS data and model was found improved relative to previous studies. When compared to XPS analysis, prediction based on optical absorption shows a slight underestimation attributed to the lack of precision in Ce4+ charge transfer band measurement.
Development and application of an electromagnetic pulse transmission probe for the profiling of material charge centers
Authors: Griffith William , Golden Teresa , Roberts James
Published: June 2011

The probing of liquid and solid materials and the detection of spatial and temporal charge centers in real time using electromagnetic wave interactions was explored. A microwave pulse source was used to create magnetostatic spin waves using yttrium iron garnet films. The yttrium film was magnetized to saturation within a static magnetic field supporting the propagation of spin-waves. Two transducers were placed over the film to excite and detect spin-wave signals. By probing a material sample placed into the path of the propagating electromagnetic spin-wave pulse, interactions with material charge centers were detected. The electromagnetic pulse transmission probe has been successfully applied to detect solution concentration and polar molecule interactions. Detection and profiling of reaction kinetics, reaction of metal complexes, and specific compounds within solutions is proposed. Phase coherent signal recovery using a modulated microwave source and a phase sensitive detection system is described.
YCa4O(BO3)3 (YCOB) high temperature vibration sensor
Authors: Kim Kyungrim , Zhang Shujun , Huang Wenbin , Yu Fapeng , Jiang Xiaoning
Published: June 2011

A shear-mode piezoelectric accelerometer using YCa4O(BO3)3 (YCOB) single crystal was designed, fabricated and successfully tested for high temperature vibration sensing applications. The prototyped sensor was tested at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 1000 °C and at frequencies ranging from 80 Hz to 1 kHz. The sensitivity of the sensor was found to be 5.7 pC/g throughout the tested frequency and temperature range. In addition, YCOB piezoelectric accelerometers remained the same sensitivity at 1000 °C for a dwell time of four hours, exhibiting high stability and reliability.
Spin-spin correlation functions of the q-valence-bond-solid state of an integer spin model
Authors: Arita Chikashi , Motegi Kohei
Published: June 2011

We consider the valence-bond-solid ground state of the q-deformed higher-spin Affleck, Kennedy, Lieb, and Tasaki model (q-VBS state) with q real. We investigate the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a matrix (G matrix), which is constructed from the matrix product representation of the q-VBS state. We compute the longitudinal and transverse spin-spin correlation functions, and determine the correlation amplitudes and correlation lengths.
Higher-order contributions to transport coefficients in two-temperature hydrogen thermal plasma
Authors: Sharma Rohit , Singh Gurpreet , Singh Kuldip
Published: June 2011

Within the framework of Chapman-Enskog method, electron transport properties and their higher-order contributions have been studied in temperature range 5000–40 000 K at different pressures for hydrogen thermal plasma in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) regimes. Two cases of thermal plasma have been considered: (i) Ground state (GS) plasma in which all atomic hydrogen has been assumed to be in ground state and (ii) the excited state (ES) plasma in which hydrogen atoms are distributed in various possible electronically excited states (EES). The plasma composition is calculated by modified Saha equation of van de Sanden et al. The influence of non-equilibrium parameter θ (=Te/Th) on these properties has been examined in both the cases. It has been observed that both EES and θ modify the plasma composition and consequently affect the electron transport properties (viz., electron thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, thermal diffusion and thermal diffusion ratio). It is shown that non-equilibrium parameter θ has meager effect on the higher-order convergence in comparison to EES. The unique behaviour observed for third-order contribution to these transport properties in GS plasma for small values of θ could be explained only when EES are taken into account. It is noted that EES show their influence on higher-orders to a considerable extent even when e-H(n) cross-sections are replaced by the ground state ones. Thus electron transport coefficients and their higher-order contributions are affected significantly due to inclusion of EES in LTE and NLTE plasmas.
Generation of a 400 GPa pressure in water using converging strong shock waves
Authors: Fedotov-Gefen A. , Efimov S. , Gilburd L. , Bazalitski G. , Gurovich V. Tz. , Krasik Ya. E.
Published: June 2011

Results related to the generation of an extreme state of water with pressure up to (4.3 ± 0.2)·1011 Pa, density up to 4.2 ± 0.1 g/cm3, and temperature up to 2.2 ± 0.1 eV in the vicinity of the implosion axis of a converging strong shock wave are reported. The shock wave was produced by the underwater electrical explosion of a cylindrical Cu wire array. A ∼8 kJ pulse generator with a current amplitude ≤550 kA and rise time of 350 ns was used to explode arrays having varying lengths, radii, and number of wires. Hydrodynamic numerical simulations coupled to the experimental data of the shock wave propagation in water, rate of energy deposition into the array, and light emission from the compressed water in the vicinity of the implosion axis were used to determine the pressure, density, and temperature profiles during the implosion. Results of a comparison between these parameters obtained with the SESAME and quantum molecular dynamics data bases of equation of state for water are reported as well. Also, the dependences of the maximal pressure in the vicinity of the implosion axes on the array radius and the deposited energy density per unit length are reported.
Interfacial instability of two rotating viscous immiscible fluids in a cylinder
Authors: Coppola Gennaro , Semeraro Onofrio
Published: June 2011

A complete original study of the linear temporal instability analysis of two viscous and immiscible fluids enclosed in a rigid cylinder rotating about its axis and separated by a cylindrical interface is performed for the case of higher density fluid located in the annulus. The results of the present contribution fill the lack of an overall assessment of the system behavior due to the increase of both the analytical difficulties and the number of the governing parameters when the several physical effects are all included. The analysis is carried out numerically by discretizing the equations of the evolution of disturbances separately in the two phases formulated in a rotating reference frame. Normal mode analysis leads to a generalized eigenvalue problem which is solved by means of a Chebyshev collocation spectral method. The investigation of the preferred modes of instability is carried out over wide ranges of the parameters space. The behavior of the system is physically discussed and is compared to inviscid asymptotic limits and to viscous approximate solutions of the previous literature.
Magnetoelectric effect in Fe-embedded BaTiO3 single crystal
Authors: Gupta Arti , Chatterjee Ratnamala
Published: June 2011

In this work, we experimentally demonstrate the magnetoelectric effect in a multilayered structure of Fe-BaTiO3-Fe, with 70 Å BaTiO3 (BT) sandwiched between 2 layers of implanted Fe, which was further treated by swift heavy ion (Ag+15) induced ion beam mixing/annealing. Due to this specific experimental procedure, condition of atomic orbital overlap between the Fe and Ti atoms could be favored in Fe-implanted BT crystal, showing a magnetoelectric effect arising from interfacial bonding at Fe/BT interface, as proposed by Duan et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 047201 (2006)]. Results are successfully interpreted in terms of magnetostriction behavior of polycrystalline Fe.
Phase-field simulation of electric-field-induced in-plane magnetic domain switching in magnetic/ferroelectric layered heterostructures
Authors: Hu Jia-Mian , Sheng G. , Zhang J. X. , Nan C. W. , Chen L. Q.
Published: June 2011

The electric-field-induced in-plane magnetic domain switching in magnetic/ferroelectric (FE) layered heterostructures was studied using phase-field simulations. In particular, we chose the CoFe2O4 (CFO) magnetic film and the Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 (PZN-PT) FE layer as a representative example due to their strong respective magnetoelastic and piezoelectric couplings. In-plane 90° magnetic domain switching in the CFO film was observed when a transverse electric field was applied to the PZN-PT layer. The detailed switching behaviors as well as the corresponding magnetic domain structures are presented for CFO films with different geometric sizes and initial magnetization configurations. The effect of a dynamic electric field on the switching process, i.e., a time-dependent electric-field-induced magnetic domain switching, is also discussed.
Electromagnetic absorption mechanisms in metal nanospheres: Bulk and surface effects in radiofrequency-terahertz heating of nanoparticles
Authors: Hanson G. W. , Monreal R. C. , Apell S. P.
Published: June 2011

We report on the absorption of electromagnetic radiation by metallic nanoparticles in the radio and far infrared frequency range, and subsequent heating of nanoparticle solutions. A recent series of papers has measured considerable radio frequency (RF) heating of gold nanoparticle solutions. In this work, we show that claims of RF heating by metallic nanoparticles are not supported by theory. We analyze several mechanisms by which nonmagnetic metallic nanoparticles can absorb low frequency radiation, including both classical and quantum effects. We conclude that none of these absorption mechanisms, nor any combination of them, can increase temperatures at the rates recently reported. A recent experiment supports this finding.
Exciton-phonon coupling in single quantum dots with different barriers
Authors: Dufåker D. , Mereni L. O. , Karlsson K. F. , Dimastrodonato V. , Juska G. , Holtz P. O. , Pelucchi E.
Published: June 2011

The coupling between longitudinal-optical (LO) phonons and neutral excitons in two different kinds of InGaAs pyramidal quantum dots (QDs) embedded in either AlGaAs or GaAs barriers is experimentally examined. We find a slightly weaker exciton-LO-phonon coupling and increased linewidth of the phonon replicas for the QDs with GaAs barriers compared to the ones with AlGaAs barriers. These results, combined with the fact that the LO-phonon energy of the exciton is the same for both kinds of dots, are taken as evidence that the excitons mainly couple to LO-phonons within the QDs.
UCHIME improves sensitivity and speed of chimera detection
Authors: Edgar Robert C. , Haas Brian J. , Clemente Jose C. , Quince Christopher , Knight Rob
Published: June 2011

Motivation: Chimeric DNA sequences often form during polymerase chain reaction amplification, especially when sequencing single regions (e.g. 16S rRNA or fungal Internal Transcribed Spacer) to assess diversity or compare populations. Undetected chimeras may be misinterpreted as novel species, causing inflated estimates of diversity and spurious inferences of differences between populations. Detection and removal of chimeras is therefore of critical importance in such experiments.

Results: We describe UCHIME, a new program that detects chimeric sequences with two or more segments. UCHIME either uses a database of chimera-free sequences or detects chimeras de novo by exploiting abundance data. UCHIME has better sensitivity than ChimeraSlayer (previously the most sensitive database method), especially with short, noisy sequences. In testing on artificial bacterial communities with known composition, UCHIME de novo sensitivity is shown to be comparable to Perseus. UCHIME is >100× faster than Perseus and >1000× faster than ChimeraSlayer.

Contact:  robert@drive5.com

Availability: Source, binaries and data: http://drive5.com/uchime.

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A rank-based statistical test for measuring synergistic effects between two gene sets
Authors: Shiraishi Yuichi , Okada-Hatakeyama Mariko , Miyano Satoru
Published: June 2011

Motivation: Due to recent advances in high-throughput technologies, data on various types of genomic annotation have accumulated. These data will be crucially helpful for elucidating the combinatorial logic of transcription. Although several approaches have been proposed for inferring cooperativity among multiple factors, most approaches are haunted by the issues of normalization and threshold values.

Results: In this article, we propose a rank-based non-parametric statistical test for measuring the effects between two gene sets. This method is free from the issues of normalization and threshold value determination for gene expression values. Furthermore, we have proposed an efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo method for calculating an approximate significance value of synergy. We have applied this approach for detecting synergistic combinations of transcription factor binding motifs and histone modifications.

Availability: C implementation of the method is available from http://www.hgc.jp/~yshira/software/rankSynergy.zip.

Contact:  yshira@hgc.jp

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
ODORactor: a web server for deciphering olfactory coding
Authors: Liu Xinyi , Su Xubo , Wang Fei , Huang Zhimin , Wang Qi , Li Zhen , Zhang Ruina , Wu Lifang , Pan Yi , Chen Yingyi , Zhuang Hanyi , Chen Guoqiang , Shi Ting , Zhang Jian
Published: June 2011

Summary: ODORactor is an open access web server aimed at providing a platform for identifying odorant receptors (ORs) for small molecules and for browsing existing OR-ligand pairs. It enables the prediction of ORs from the molecular structures of arbitrary chemicals by integrating two individual functionalities: odorant verification and OR recognition. The prediction of the ORs for several odorants was experimentally validated in the study. In addition, ODORactor features a comprehensive repertoire of olfactory information that has been manually curated from literature. Therefore, ODORactor may provide an effective way to decipher olfactory coding and could be a useful server tool for both basic olfaction research in academia and for odorant discovery in industry.

Availability: Freely available at http://mdl.shsmu.edu.cn/ODORactor

Contact:  jian.zhang@sjtu.edu.cn

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A Mig-14-like protein (PA5003) affects antimicrobial peptide recognition in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Jochumsen Nicholas , Liu Yang , Molin Søren , Folkesson Anders
Published: June 2011

The evolution of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria is a growing global health problem which is gradually making the treatment of infectious diseases less efficient. Antimicrobial peptides are small charged molecules found in organisms from the complete phylogenetic spectrum. The peptides are attractive candidates for novel drug development due to their activity against bacteria that are resistant to conventional antibiotics, and reports of peptide resistance are rare in the clinical setting. Paradoxically, many clinically relevant bacteria have mechanisms that can recognize and respond to the presence of cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) in the environment by changing the properties of the microbial surface thereby increasing the tolerance of the microbes towards the peptides. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa an essential component of this inducible tolerance mechanism is the lipopolysaccharide modification operon arnBCADTEF–PA3559 which encodes enzymes required for LPS alterations leading to increased antimicrobial peptide tolerance. The expression of the operon is induced by the presence of CAMPs in the environment but the molecular mechanisms underlying the cellular recognition of the peptides are poorly elucidated. In this work, we investigate the factors influencing arnB expression by transposon mutagenesis and arnB promoter green fluorescent protein reporters. We have identified a novel gene encoding a Mig-14-like protein that is required for recognition of the CAMPs colistin and Novispirin G10 by P. aeruginosa. Moreover, we show that this gene is also required for the formation of CAMP-tolerant subpopulations in P. aeruginosa hydrodynamic flow chamber biofilms.
Contributions of area Te2 to rat recognition memory
Authors: Ho Jonathan Weng-Thim , Narduzzo Katherine Elizabeth , Outram Alexandra , Tinsley Christopher John , Henley Jeremy Martin , Warburton Elizabeth Clea , Brown Malcolm Watson
Published: June 2011

Ablations and local intracerebral infusions were used to determine the role of rat temporal association cortex (area Te2) in object recognition memory, so that this role might be compared with that of the adjacent perirhinal cortex (PRH). Bilateral lesions of Te2 impaired recognition memory measured by preferential exploration of a novel rather than a familiar object at delays ≥20 min but not after a 5-min delay. Local infusion bilaterally into Te2 of (1) CNQX to block AMPA/kainate receptors or (2) lidocaine to block axonal transmission or (3) AP5, an NMDA receptor antagonist, impaired recognition memory after a 24-h but not a 20-min delay. In PRH all these manipulations impair recognition memory after a 20-min as well as a 24-h delay. UBP302, a GluK1 kainate receptor antagonist, impaired recognition memory after a 24-h but not a 20-min delay, contrasting with its action in PRH where it impairs only shorter-term (20 min) recognition memory. Also in contrast to PRH, infusion of the muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine was without effect. The Te2 impairments could not readily be ascribed to perceptual deficits. Hence, Te2 is essential for object recognition memory at delays >5 or 20 min. Thus, at long delays both area Te2 and PRH are necessary for object recognition memory.
Do photobionts influence the ecology of lichens? A case study of environmental preferences in symbiotic green alga Asterochloris (Trebouxiophyceae)
Authors: PEKSA ONDŘEJ , ŠKALOUD PAVEL
Published: June 2011

The distribution patterns of symbiotic algae are thought to be conferred mainly by their hosts, however, they may originate in algal environmental requirements as well. In lichens, predominantly terrestrial associations of fungi with algae or cyanobacteria, the ecological preferences of photobionts have not been directly studied so far. Here, we examine the putative environmental requirements in lichenized alga Asterochloris, and search for the existence of ecological guilds in Asterochloris‐associating lichens. Therefore, the presence of phylogenetic signal in several environmental traits was tested. Phylogenetic analysis based on the concatenated set of internal transcribed spacer rDNA and actin type I intron sequences from photobionts associated with lichens of the genera Lepraria and Stereocaulon (Stereocaulaceae, Ascomycota) revealed 13 moderately to well‐resolved clades. Photobionts from particular algal clades were found to be associated with taxonomically different, but ecologically similar lichens. The rain and sun exposure were the most significant environmental factor, clearly distinguishing the Asterochloris lineages. The photobionts from ombrophobic and ombrophilic lichens were clustered in completely distinct clades. Moreover, two photobiont taxa were obviously differentiated based on their substrate and climatic preferences. Our study, thus reveals that the photobiont, generally the subsidiary member of the symbiotic lichen association, could exhibit clear preferences for environmental factors. These algal preferences may limit the ecological niches available to lichens and lead to the existence of specific lichen guilds.
Effect of supplementation of multi‐microbe probiotic product on growth performance, apparent digestibility, cecal microbiota and small intestinal morphology of broilers
Authors: Kim J. S. , Ingale S. L. , Kim Y. W. , Kim K. H. , Sen S. , Ryu M. H. , Lohakare J. D. , Kwon I. K. , Chae B. J.
Published: June 2011

The present study investigated the effect of inclusion of multi‐microbe probiotic product on growth performance, apparent digestibility of nutrients, cecal microbiota and small intestinal morphology in broilers. Four hundred days‐old Ross chicks were randomly allotted to five treatments on the basis of body weight (BW). Each treatment had four replicates of 20 chicks in each. Experimental diets were fed in two phases, starter (day 0–21) and finisher (day 22–35). Dietary treatments were; basal diet without any antimicrobial (NC), basal diet added with 20 mg Avilamycin/kg of diet (PC), 107 cfu multi‐microbe probiotic/kg of diet (P1), 108 cfu multi‐microbe probiotic/kg of diet (P2), and 109 cfu multi‐microbe probiotic/kg of diet (P3). Overall BW gain and feed conversion ratio were better (p < 0.05) for treatments PC, P2 and P3 compared with NC and P1, with P1 being better (p < 0.05) than NC. Overall feed intake in treatments PC, P1, P2 and P3 were greater (p < 0.05) than NC. Apparent digestibility of dry matter and crude protein were greater (p < 0.05) in treatments PC, P2 and P3 compared with NC, with P1 being intermediate and not different form NC, PC, P2 and P3. At d 21 and 35, treatments PC, P1, P2 and P3 showed lower (p < 0.05) cecal Clostridium and Coliforms count in relation to NC. Moreover, cecal Clostridium (d 21) and Coliforms (d 21 and 35) count were lower (p < 0.05) in treatment PC in relation to P1; with P2 and P3 being intermediate and not different from PC. However, there was no effect of dietary treatments on cecal total anaerobic bacteria and Bifidobacterium spp. count. The villus height of duodenum in treatment PC was greater (p < 0.05) than NC, with P1, P2 and P3 being intermediate. Villus height of ileum in treatment PC was greater (p < 0.05) than in treatments P1 and NC, whereas it remained comparable among treatments PC, P2 and P3. Villus height to crypt depth ratio of ileum was greater (p < 0.05) for treatment PC, P2 and P3 compared with that in P1 and NC. It is concluded that multi‐microbe probiotic inclusion at 108 and 109 cfu/kg diet had beneficial effects on broilers growth performance, apparent digestibility of nutrients and intestinal morphology and can be used as replacement to antibiotics growth promoter in broiler nutrition.
Amoebic liver abscess in USA: a population‐based study of incidence, temporal trends and mortality
Authors: Congly Stephen E. , Shaheen Abdel Aziz M. , Meddings Liisa , Kaplan Gilaad G. , Myers Robert P.
Published: June 2011

Background: Amoebic liver abscess (ALA) may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality, but nationwide American data is unavailable. Our objective was to describe ALA epidemiology and outcomes in USA from a population‐based perspective.

Methods: Patients hospitalized with ALA between 1993 and 2007 were identified using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Patient characteristics, interventions and outcomes including mortality were determined. The annual incidence of ALA and temporal trends were determined using the negative binomial regression models.

Results: Between 1993 and 2007, 848 hospitalizations for ALA, corresponding to ∼4100 hospitalizations nationwide, were identified. The annual incidence was 1.38 per million population with a 2.4% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0–4.8%; P=0.06] average annual decline during this study. Most patients were hospitalized in western (54%) and southern states (27%), and 48% were Hispanic. Males (incidence rate ratio vs. females: 4.53; 95% CI 4.19–4.90) had the highest incidence rates. Percutaneous and surgical drainage was required in 48 and 7% of patients respectively. Although length of stay [median, 6 days; interquartile range (IQR) 4–10] and hospital charges (US$25 345; IQR US$15 030–42 275) were substantial, in‐hospital mortality was rare (0.8%). Females [odds ratio (OR) 6.12; CI 1.39–26.8], patients ≥60 years (OR 13.3; 95% CI 2.5–71.5), and those with ≥3 comorbidities (OR 5.80; 95% CI 1.30–25.8), particularly malnutrition, had an increased risk of death.

Conclusions: ALA is rare and the incidence has decreased in USA. Young, Hispanic males in southwestern states are most frequently affected. Mortality caused by ALA is lower than what was reported previously.
Priapism and Sickle-Cell Anemia: Diagnosis and Nonsurgical Therapy
Authors: Broderick Gregory A.
Published: June 2011

Introduction

Priapism describes a persistent erection lasting longer than 4 hours. Ischemic priapism and stuttering priapism are phenotypic manifestations of sickle-cell disease (SCD).

Aims

To define the types of priapism associated with SCD, to address pathogenesis, and to recommend best practices.

Sources

Literature review and published clinical guidelines.

Summary of Findings

Priapism is a full or partial erection that persists more than 4 hours. There are three kinds of priapism: ischemic priapism (veno-occlusive, low flow), stuttering priapism (recurrent ischemic priapism), and nonischemic priapism (arterial, high flow). Ischemic priapism is a pathologic phenotype of SCD. Ischemic priapism is a urologic emergency when untreated priapism results in corporal fibrosis and erectile dysfunction. The recommended treatment for ischemic priapism is decompression of the penis by needle aspiration and if needed, injection (or irrigation) with dilute sympathomimetic drugs. Stuttering priapism describes a pattern of recurring unwanted painful erections in men with SCD. Patients typically awaken with an erection that persists for several hours and becomes painful. The goals of managing stuttering ischemic priapism are: prevention of future episodes, preservation of erectile function, and balancing the risks vs. benefits of various treatment options. The current molecular hypothesis for stuttering priapism in SCD proposes that insufficient basal levels of phosphodiesterase type-5 are available in the corpora to degrade cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Nocturnal erections result from normal neuronal production and surges of cGMP. In the context of SCD stuttering priapism, these nocturnal surges in cGMP go unchecked, resulting in stuttering priapism.

Conclusions

Considering the embarrassing nature of the problem and the dire consequences to erectile function, it is important to inform patients, parents, and providers about the relationship of SCD to prolonged painful erections. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate medical management of priapism are necessary to spare patients surgical interventions and preserve erectile function.