bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The I domain of the AAA+ HslUV protease coordinates substrate binding, ATP hydrolysis, and protein degradation
Authors: Sundar Shankar , Baker Tania A. , Sauer Robert T.
Published: November 2011

In the AAA+ HslUV protease, substrates are bound and unfolded by a ring hexamer of HslU, before translocation through an axial pore and into the HslV degradation chamber. Here, we show that the N‐terminal residues of an Arc substrate initially bind in the HslU axial pore, with key contacts mediated by a pore loop that is highly conserved in all AAA+ unfoldases. Disordered loops from the six intermediate domains of the HslU hexamer project into a funnel‐shaped cavity above the pore and are positioned to contact protein substrates. Mutations in these I‐domain loops increase KM and decrease Vmax for degradation, increase the mobility of bound substrates, and prevent substrate stimulation of ATP hydrolysis. HslU‐ΔI has negligible ATPase activity. Thus, the I domain plays an active role in coordinating substrate binding, ATP hydrolysis, and protein degradation by the HslUV proteolytic machine.
Protein topology from predicted residue contacts
Authors: Taylor William R. , Jones David T. , Sadowski Michael I.
Published: November 2011

Residue contacts predicted from correlated positions in a multiple sequence alignment are often sparse and uncertain. To some extent, these limitations in the data can be overcome by grouping the contacts by secondary structure elements and enumerating the possible packing arrangements of these elements in a combinatorial manner. Strong interactions appear frequently but inconsistent interactions are down‐weighted and missing interactions up‐weighted. The resulting improved consistency in the predicted interactions has allowed the method to be successfully applied to proteins up to 200 residues in length which is larger than any structure previously predicted using sequence data alone.
Subsurface drip application of alternative fumigants to methyl bromide for controlling nematodes in replanted grapevines
Authors: Cabrera J Alfonso , Wang Dong , Schneider Sally M , Hanson Bradley D
Published: November 2011

BACKGROUND:Many California grape growers use preplant fumigation to ensure uniform and healthy grapevine establishment in replant situations. A field study was conducted to evaluate the performance of subsurface drip‐applied chemical alternatives to methyl bromide on plant‐parasitic nematodes, plant vigor and fruit yield during the 6 year period following replanting.

RESULTS:Subsurface drip fumigation with 1,3‐dichloropropene plus chloropicrin and with iodomethane plus chloropicrin had generally similar nematicide activity as methyl bromide in three grape types, while sodium azide was less effective. The combination of 1,3‐dichloropropene plus chloropicrin enhanced vine vigor similarly to methyl bromide. However, all plots treated with alternative fumigants produced less fruit yield than methyl bromide over the 4 years of evaluation.

CONCLUSION:Subsurface drip fumigation with alternative chemicals to methyl bromide generally provided adequate management of plant‐parasitic nematodes during the vine establishment period. However, further research is required to increase the performance of alternative chemicals against other components of the replant problem, as grape yield in vines grown in the alternative treatments was lower than in methyl bromide. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Stable isotopic analysis of pyrogenic organic matter in soils by liquid chromatography–isotope‐ratio mass spectrometry of benzene polycarboxylic acids
Authors: Yarnes Christopher , Santos Fernanda , Singh Nimisha , Abiven Samuel , Schmidt Michael W. I. , Bird Jeffrey A.
Published: November 2011

Pyrogenic organic matter (PyOM), the incomplete combustion product of organic materials, is considered stable in soils and represents a potentially important terrestrial sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide. One well‐established method of measuring PyOM in the environment is as benzene polycarboxylic acids (BPCAs), a compound‐specific method, which allows both qualitative and quantitative estimation of PyOM. Until now, stable isotope measurement of PyOM carbon involved measurement of the trimethylsilyl (TMS) or methyl (Me) polycarboxylic acid derivatives by gas chromatography–combustion–isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC‐C‐IRMS). However, BPCA derivatives can contain as much as 150% derivative carbon, necessitating post‐analysis correction for the accurate measurement of δ13 C values, leading to increased measurement error. Here, we describe a method for δ13 C isotope ratio measurement and quantification of BPCAs from soil‐derived PyOM, based on ion‐exchange chromatography (IEC‐IRMS). The reproducibility of the δ13 C measurement of individual BPCAs by IEC‐IRMS was better than 0.35‰ (1σ). The δ13 C‐BPCA analysis of PyOM in soils, including at natural and artificially enriched 13 C‐abundance, produced accurate and precise δ13 C measurements. Analysis of samples that differed in δ13 C by as much as 900‰ revealed carryover of <1‰ between samples. The weighted sum of individual δ13 C‐BPCA measurements was correlated with previous isotopic measurements of whole PyOM, providing complementary information for bulk isotopic measurements. We discuss potential applications of δ13 C‐BPCA measurements, including the study of turnover rates of PyOM in soils and the partitioning of PyOM sources based on photosynthetic pathways. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ionic liquid self‐assembled monolayer and ion exchange for surface force control
Authors: Mo Yufei , Huang Fuchuan
Published: November 2011

Adhesion and lateral force were controlled by the formation of a self‐assembled monolayer combined with the surface ion exchange of ionic liquids on a silicon surface. In this study, the functionalized imidazolium ionic liquids were designed and synthesized with the aim of controlling surface force. N‐[3‐(Trimethoxylsilyl)propyl] ethylenediamine molecules were first self‐assembled onto a surface as an anchor layer and then 1‐propionic acid‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride were successfully grafted onto the amino‐modified surface. The surface force was changed by surface ion exchange in various anionic solutions. The self‐assembly and ion exchange processes were detected by means of attenuated total reflectance‐Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and further confirmed by X‐ray photoelectron spectra. Adhesion and friction behaviors were systematically investigated by atomic force/friction force microscope. The results indicated that anions played a great role in determining surface properties. Furthermore, surface adhesion and friction can be possibly quantitatively determined by the counter‐anions on the surface. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enriched designs for assessing discriminatory performance — analysis of bias and variance
Authors: Pinsky Paul F. , Gallas B.
Published: November 2011

In evaluating discriminatory performance of a new modality in a screening setting, a logistical constraint is that the prevalence of the disease of interest is typically very low. This implies that under a standard study design large numbers of subjects have to be evaluated using the new modality. However, if a predicate modality exists in clinical practice, one can base inclusion into the study of the new modality on the clinical results from the predicate to ‘enrich’ the population of diseased subjects in the study. If this enrichment is not accounted for when estimating sensitivity, specificity, and area under the ROC curve, these ‘naive’ estimates may be substantially biased compared with expected performance in the intended use population. We derive expressions for the magnitude of this bias in terms of correlations of modality scores. When such estimates are ‘corrected’ for the sampling weights using inverse probability weighting, the variances of the estimates of the above quantities are affected. We derive here analytic expressions for these variances. For a fixed number of diseased subjects, differential sampling increases the variance of the (corrected) estimates, all other things being equal. However, differential sampling also increases the number with disease for fixed total study size, which decreases the variance of the sensitivity and area under the ROC curve estimates, all other things being equal. The balance of these two effects determines the gain in efficiency when using enrichment and corrected estimates. These principles are illustrated with a simulation study motivated by the Digital Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial study, a trial of digital versus screen film mammography. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
NANOS2 Acts Downstream of Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Signaling to Suppress Differentiation of Spermatogonial Stem Cells
Authors: Sada Aiko , Hasegawa Kazuteru , Pin Pui Han , Saga Yumiko
Published: November 2011

Stem cells are maintained by both stem cell-extrinsic niche signals and stem cell-intrinsic factors. During murine spermatogenesis, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) signal emanated from Sertoli cells and germ cell-intrinsic factor NANOS2 represent key regulators for the maintenance of spermatogonial stem cells. However, it remains unclear how these factors intersect in stem cells to control their cellular state. Here, we show that GDNF signaling is essential to maintain NANOS2 expression, and overexpression of Nanos2 can alleviate the stem cell loss phenotype caused by the depletion of Gfra1, a receptor for GDNF. By using an inducible Cre-loxP system, we show that NANOS2 expression is downregulated upon the conditional knockout (cKO) of Gfra1, while ectopic expression of Nanos2 in GFRA1-negative spermatogonia does not induce de novo GFRA1 expression. Furthermore, overexpression of Nanos2 in the Gfra1-cKO testes prevents precocious differentiation of the Gfra1-knockout stem cells and partially rescues the stem cell loss phenotypes of Gfra1-deficient mice, indicating that the stem cell differentiation can be suppressed by NANOS2 even in the absence of GDNF signaling. Taken together, we suggest that NANOS2 acts downstream of GDNF signaling to maintain undifferentiated state of spermatogonial stem cells.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Feeling of certainty: Uncovering a missing link between knowledge and acceptance of evolution
Authors: Ha Minsu , Haury David L. , Nehm Ross H.
Published: November 2011

We propose a new model of the factors influencing acceptance of evolutionary theory that highlights a novel variable unexplored in previous studies: the feeling of certainty (FOC). The model is grounded in an emerging understanding of brain function that acknowledges the contributions of intuitive cognitions in making decisions, such as whether or not to accept a particular theoretical explanation of events. Specifically, we examine the relationships among religious identity, level of education, level of knowledge, FOC, and level of evolutionary acceptance to test whether our proposed model accurately predicts hypothesized pathways. We employ widely used measures—the CINS, MATE, and ORI—in addition to new variables in multiple regression and path analyses in order to test the interrelationships among FOC and acceptance of evolutionary theory. We explore these relationships using a sample of 124 pre‐service biology teachers found to display comparable knowledge and belief levels as reported in previous studies on this topic. All of our hypothesis tests corroborated the idea that FOC plays a moderating role in relationships among evolutionary knowledge and beliefs. Educational research into acceptance of evolutionary theory will likely benefit from increased attention to non‐conscious intuitive cognitions that give rise to feeling of knowing or certainty. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 49: 95–121, 2012
Performance of simple cognitive personal area networks with finite buffers and adaptive superframe duration
Authors: Mišić Jelena , Mišić Vojislav B. , Öztürk Serkan
Published: November 2011

We investigate the performance of simple cognitive personal area networks (CPANs) with cooperative sensing. Nodes are equipped with small buffers of capacity K each, and each node is allowed to transmit a batch of up to μ packets in one transmission cycle. Upon transmission, each node must support the operation of the CPAN by performing sensing duty in the amount obtained by multiplying the number of packets sent in a batch by a variable penalty coefficient. We model this system and show the relationship between values of design parameters and piconet performance. We also show that performance and bandwidth utilization can be improved by a simple technique of dynamically adjusting the duration of the superframe to cater to instantaneous traffic volume. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A meta‐analytic review of Berzonsky's Identity Style Inventory (ISI)
Authors: Bosch Leslie A. , Card Noel A.
Published: November 2011

Identity formation is an essential developmental challenge associated with adolescence (Cote, 2009; Erikson, 1950, 1968). Berzonsky (1988) developed a social‐cognitive model that distinguishes three styles by which adolescents engage the tasks associated with identity formation: informational, normative, and diffuse‐avoidant. Focusing on studies (K = 62) that employed the Identity Style Inventory (ISI; Berzonsky, 1989), three meta‐analytic reviews were performed. First, results show a medium positive association between the informational and normative styles, a medium negative association between informational and diffuse‐avoidant styles, and a negligible negative association between the normative and diffuse‐avoidant styles. Second, results show large positive associations between commitment and both the informational and normative identity styles, and a large negative association between commitment and the diffuse‐avoidant style. Finally, results show a small positive association between gender and the diffuse‐avoidant identity style, with men scoring higher than women. Age and country of origin were evaluated as moderators.
Developmental origins of health and disease: Moving from biological concepts to interventions and policy
Authors: Hanson Mark A. , Gluckman Peter D.
Published: November 2011

The rising incidence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), especially in young adults, presents great humanitarian and economic challenges to high‐resource and, increasingly, to low‐resource countries. No longer considered to be diseases of affluence, NCDs are exacerbated by urbanization and changes in social and lifestyle factors such as diet and family size. New research emphasizes the importance of early life factors in establishing the risk of NCDs through inadequate responses to later challenges, such as an obesogenic environment. A new focus on interventions to promote a good start to life in at‐risk populations necessitates revision of public health policy, with implications for the health, education, and empowerment of women and children in particular.
Maternal obesity: Implications for pregnancy outcome and long‐term risks–a link to maternal nutrition
Authors: Aviram Amir , Hod Moshe , Yogev Yariv
Published: November 2011

As obesity becomes a worldwide epidemic, its prevalence during reproductive age is also increased. Alarming reports state that two‐thirds of adults in the USA are overweight or obese, with half of them in the latter category, and the rate of obese pregnant women is estimated at 18–38%. These women are of major concern to women's health providers because they encounter numerous pregnancy‐related complications. Obesity‐related reproductive health complications range from infertility to a wide spectrum of diseases such as hypertensive disorders, coagulopathies, gestational diabetes mellitus, respiratory complications, and fetal complications such as large‐for‐gestational‐age infants, congenital malformations, stillbirth, and shoulder dystocia. Recent reports suggest that obesity during pregnancy can be a risk factor for developing obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases in the newborn later in life. This review will address the implication of obesity on pregnancy and child health, and explore recent literature on obesity during pregnancy.
Anemia and pregnancy: A link to maternal chronic diseases
Authors: Gangopadhyay Raja , Karoshi Mahantesh , Keith Louis
Published: November 2011

Anemia is a global public health problem. It has serious short‐ and long‐term consequences during pregnancy and beyond. The anemic condition is often worsened by the presence of other chronic diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, and diabetes. Untreated anemia also leads to increased morbidity and mortality from these chronic conditions as well. It is surprising that despite these chronic conditions (such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV) often being preventable, they still pose a real threat to public health. This article aims to review the current understanding of the pathophysiology, risks, prevention, and treatment of anemia in the light of these chronic conditions.
Matching diagnosis and management of diabetes in pregnancy to local priorities and resources: An international approach
Authors: McIntyre H. David , Oats Jeremy J.N. , Zeck Willibald , Seshiah V. , Hod Moshe
Published: November 2011

The International Association of the Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups' (IADPSG) criteria for the diagnosis and classification of hyperglycemia in pregnancy are described and application of these in differing healthcare contexts on a worldwide basis is reported. Existing local protocols and known epidemiologic and clinical data regarding the detection and management of overt diabetes and gestational diabetes in the context of human pregnancy are considered. Although the IADPSG criteria are uniform, their introduction poses a variety of practical and technical challenges in differing healthcare contexts, both between and within countries. Knowledge of local factors will be vital in the implementation of the new guidelines and will require extensive liaison with local clinical and health policy groups. Resource availability will be critical in determining the type of treatment available in this context. The IADPSG criteria offer an important opportunity for a uniform approach to diabetes in pregnancy. Scaled implementation of these criteria adapted to a variety of local healthcare contexts should improve both research endeavors and patient care.
Gestational diabetes screening: The low‐cost algorithm
Authors: Agarwal Mukesh M. , Weigl Bernhard , Hod Moshe
Published: November 2011

The American Diabetes Association has endorsed the demanding recommendation by the International Association of the Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) that every pregnant woman should undergo the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) for the screening of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The aim of this study was to find out if the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and newer emerging technologies could simplify the cumbersome IADPSG algorithm. Two FPG thresholds (of the OGTT) were used to rule in and rule out GDM in the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) cohort (n = 23316) and a population at high risk for GDM (n = 10283). For the HAPO cohort and the high‐risk population, respectively, FPG thresholds of: (a) ≥5.1 mmol/L (specificity 100%) independently ruled in GDM in 1769 (8.3%) women and 2975 (28.9%) women; and (b) ≤4.4 mmol/L ruled out GDM in 11526 (49.4%) women (84.1% sensitivity) and 2228 (21.7%) women (95.4% sensitivity). Use of the FPG independently could have avoided 13295 (57.0%) and 5203 (50.6%) OGTTs in the 2 groups. The initial FPG—by significantly reducing the number of cumbersome OGTTs needed—can make the IADPSG recommendations more acceptable worldwide. The number of GDM women missed is population dependent. For low‐resource countries, alternative newer and cheaper tests in development hold an exciting future.
Gestational diabetes mellitus: Advocating for policy change in India
Authors: Madhab Anand , Prasad Vishwa Mohan , Kapur Anil
Published: November 2011

A multimedia awareness and advocacy campaign for mainstreaming gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the public health domain is described. The multimedia campaign has created awareness about the relevance of GDM to women's health and the health of future generations through direct contact, reaching out to over half a million people in 7 districts of 4 states in northern India. Using mass media, over 3.7 million people have received information on GDM. Through multistakeholder forums, more than 1000 key stakeholders have been encouraged to mainstream GDM into the existing health delivery system. The Indian Ministry of Health has introduced free screening for GDM among the 5 services offered to pregnant women below the poverty line in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) program. In addition, several state governments, such as in Bihar, Delhi, Jharkhand, and Punjab, have pledged similar initiatives addressing GDM; the Government of Tamil Nadu is already implementing such a policy. Policy development is a complex process that requires action on many fronts. By showcasing evidence, raising awareness, creating public opinion through dialogue and discussion, media can help build a positive environment and momentum for effective policy creation as well as service utilization.
Global adaptation of IADPSG recommendations: A national approach
Authors: Lieberman Nicky , Kalter‐Leibovici Ofra , Hod Moshe
Published: November 2011

The current practice for diagnosing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Israel employs a two‐step screening approach using a 50 g glucose challenge test (GCT) followed by a 3‐hour 100 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The overall adherence to this process is more than 90%. Recently, the International Association of the Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) recommended changing this practice to a single‐step GDM screening, employing a 75 g OGTT. New plasma glucose cutoffs were recommended. To make recommendations for a new screening and diagnosis policy for GDM in Israel, a committee was assembled, including representatives of professional medical organizations, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), health policy makers, epidemiologists and biostatisticians. There was agreement that a consensus can be achieved only by clinical evidence and that consensus is a key factor for changing health policy. It was also realized that the availability of local data on the annual rates of GDM, its complications, and cost‐effectiveness of screening and treatment are suboptimal. This generated two studies: the first provided additional analyses of data concerning Israeli women participating in the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) study, and the second was a cost‐effectiveness analysis based on Clalit Health Service's (the largest HMO in the country) database. We found that the prevalence of GDM in Israel is approximately 6% and is expected to increase to 9% by adopting the new IADPSG recommendations. The conclusion was that a one‐step approach is presumed to be not only cost‐effective but cost‐saving, even under conservative estimates. We recommend such a process for other countries debating whether to change their GDM screening and diagnostic approach.
From Authentic Miracles to a Rhetoric of Authenticity: Examples from the Canonization and Cult of St. Vincent Ferrer
Authors: Smoller Laura Ackerman
Published: November 2011

Historians of science have often looked to the authentication of miracles at canonization trials as a way to investigate the ways in which religious and scientific understandings of the natural and the miraculous came together and, sometimes, into conflict. Most historians of science who have forayed into the world of miracles have, understandably, stopped at the moment of a saint's canonization. Examining the treatment of a saint's miracles both before and after the canonization process, however, yields a different picture. Drawing upon materials from the 1455 canonization and subsequent cult of the Dominican Vincent Ferrer (1350–1419), this essay reveals, first, that papal approval marked only one of several ways in which miracles received publicly-accepted “authentication,” and second, that, after the moment of canonization, the idea of carefully authenticated miracles became irrelevant not simply for the great masses of the faithful, but also for the ecclesiastical hierarchy, who adopted an ever shifting rhetoric of authenticity as authors used tales of the saint's “authentic” miracles to drive home their own various polemical points.
Claiming the Passion: American Fantasies of the Oberammergau Passion Play, 1923–1947
Authors: Spear Sonja E.
Published: November 2011

In 1934 the third centennial celebration of Oberammergau's famous passion play coincided with Adolph Hitler's rise to power. For American Jews, the Oberammergau Passion Play had long symbolized the Christian roots of Anti-Semitism. Ironically, American Jews' liberal Protestant allies viewed Oberammergau as a symbol of Christian ecumenism, capable of uniting Protestants, Catholics, and even Jews. “Claiming the Passion” traces Oberammergau in the rhetoric of American liberals from the American tour of Anton Lang, who portrayed the Christus in 1923, to his successor's trial for Nazi sympathies in 1947. It places the conflicting Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant views of Oberammergau in the context of the early goodwill or interfaith movement. It argues that liberal Protestants' enthusiasm for Oberammergau arose from their effort to articulate a more inclusive national identity, in opposition to the Ku Klux Klan and other nativists. But the conflicts over Oberammergau also suggest that liberal Protestants had not yet come to terms with Jewish critiques of Christian Anti-Judaism.
Seasonal influenza vaccination knowledge, risk perception, health beliefs and vaccination behaviours of nurses
Authors: ZHANG J. , WHILE A. E. , NORMAN I. J.
Published: November 2011

The relationship between knowledge, risk perceptions, health belief towards seasonal influenza and vaccination and the vaccination behaviours of nurses was explored. Qualified nurses attending continuing professional education courses at a large London university between 18 April and 18 October 2010 were surveyed (522/672; response rate 77·7%). Of these, 82·6% worked in hospitals; 37·0% reported receiving seasonal influenza vaccination in the previous season and 44·9% reported never being vaccinated during the last 5 years. All respondents were categorized using two-step cluster analyses into never, occasionally, and continuously vaccinated groups. Nurses vaccinated the season before had higher scores of knowledge and risk perception compared to the unvaccinated (P<0·001). Nurses never vaccinated had the lowest scores of knowledge and risk perception compared to other groups (P<0·001). Nurses' seasonal influenza vaccination behaviours are complex. Knowledge and risk perception predict uptake of vaccination in nurses.
A NOTE ON R&D SPILLOVERS IN AN ENDOGENOUS GROWTH MODEL WITH PHYSICAL CAPITAL, HUMAN CAPITAL, AND VARIETIES
Authors: Gómez Manuel A. , Sequeira Tiago Neves
Published: November 2011

This note shows that Lemma 3 in the paper by Tiago N. Sequeira [R&D spillovers in an endogenous growth model with physical capital, human capital and varieties, Macroeconomic Dynamics (2011)] is insufficient to guarantee stability and provides an alternative sufficient condition for stability.
IDEALS IN OPERATOR SPACE PROJECTIVE TENSOR PRODUCT OF C*-ALGEBRAS
Authors: JAIN RANJANA , KUMAR AJAY
Published: November 2011

Let A and B be C*-algebras. We prove the slice map conjecture for ideals in the operator space projective tensor product $A \mathbin {\widehat {\otimes }} B$. As an application, a characterization of the prime ideals in the Banach *-algebra $A\mathbin {\widehat {\otimes }} B$ is obtained. In addition, we study the primitive ideals, modular ideals and the maximal modular ideals of $A\mathbin {\widehat {\otimes }} B$. We also show that the Banach *-algebra $A\mathbin {\widehat {\otimes }} B$ possesses the Wiener property and that, for a subhomogeneous C*-algebra A, the Banach * -algebra $A \mathbin {\widehat {\otimes }} B$ is symmetric.
A THEOREM ON DERIVATIONS ON PRIME RINGS
Authors: LIU KUN-SHAN
Published: November 2011

Let R be a prime ring, let I be a nonzero ideal of R and let n be a fixed positive integer. We prove that if the characteristic of R is either 0 or a prime p that is greater than 2n, then an additive map d that satisfies d(xn+1)=∑ nj=0xn−jd(x)xj for all x∈I must be a derivation.
A FLAT LAGUERRE PLANE OF KLEINEWILLINGHÖFER TYPE V
Authors: SCHILLEWAERT JEROEN , STEINKE GÜNTER F.
Published: November 2011

The Kleinewillinghöfer types of Laguerre planes reflect the transitivity properties of certain groups of central automorphisms. Polster and Steinke have shown that some of the conceivable types for flat Laguerre planes cannot exist and given models for most of the other types. The existence of only a few types is still in doubt. One of these is type V.A.1, whose existence we prove here. In order to construct our model, we make systematic use of the restrictions imposed by the group. We conjecture that our example belongs to a one-parameter family of planes all of type V.A.1.
THE GENERALIZED WITT MODULAR LIE SUPERALGEBRA OF CARTAN TYPE
Authors: DONG YAN-QIN , ZHANG YONG-ZHENG , EBONZO ANGELO
Published: November 2011

We construct the generalized Witt modular Lie superalgebra $\tilde {W}$ of Cartan type. We give a set of generators for $\tilde {W}$ and show that $\tilde {W}$ is an extension of a subalgebra of $\tilde {W}$ by an ideal $\overline {J} $. Finally, we describe the homogeneous derivations of Z-degree of $\tilde {W}$ and we determine the derivation superalgebra of $\tilde {W}$.
Dopamine D3 receptor gene variation: impact on electroconvulsive therapy response and ventral striatum responsiveness in depression
Authors: Dannlowski Udo , Domschke Katharina , Birosova Eva , Lawford Bruce , Young Ross , Voisey Joanne , Morris C. Phillip , Suslow Thomas , Konrad Carsten , Kugel Harald , Ohrmann Patricia , Bauer Jochen , Schöning Sonja , Zavorotnyy Maxim , Diemer Julia , Arolt Volker , Baune Bernhard T. , Zwanzger Peter
Published: November 2011

Dysfunction of dopamine D3 receptors, particularly in the mesocorticolimbic system, has been linked to the pathogenesis of major depression. Preclinical data show enhanced D3 receptor binding in the striatum upon antidepressant medication and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Thus, the potential impact of dopamine D3 receptor gene (DRD3) variation on ECT outcome in treatment-resistant major depression was evaluated by applying a combined molecular and imaging genetic approach. Altogether, 10 representative variants covering 95.4% of DRD3 gene variation were investigated for association with response to ECT in a sample of 104 (71 female, 33 male) Caucasian patients with pharmacorefractory major depression. Additionally, ventral striatum responsiveness to happy faces was assessed in two independent samples of depressed patients (total N=54) by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T. Significant association of DRD3 rs3732790, rs3773679 and rs9817063 variants with response (uncorrected p=0.02–0.03) and remission (uncorrected p=0.01) after ECT was discerned. Logistic regression analyses revealed association of rs3732790 (uncorrected p=0.009; corrected p=0.045) and rs3773679 (uncorrected p=0.009; corrected p=0.045) with remission when applying a recessive model of inheritance. The rs3732790T allele conferring a more favourable treatment response was furthermore found to be associated with stronger striatal responsiveness to happy facial expressions (sample 1: cluster-corrected p=0.002; sample 2: p=0.023). In summary, the present study suggests some impact of DRD3 gene variation on ECT response, potentially mediated by alteration of striatal engagement during the processing of emotionally rewarding stimuli.
Factors controlling the bifurcation structure of sea ice retreat
Authors: Eisenman Ian
Published: November 2011

The contrast in surface albedo between sea ice and open ocean suggests the possibility of an unstable climate state flanked by two separate stable climate states. Previous studies using idealized single‐column models and comprehensive climate models have considered the possibility of abrupt thresholds during sea ice retreat associated with such multiple states, and they have produced a wide range of results. When the climate is warmed such that the summer minimum Arctic sea ice cover reaches zero, some models smoothly transition to seasonally ice‐free conditions, others discontinuously transition to seasonally ice‐free conditions, and others discontinuously transition to annually ice‐free conditions. Among the models that simulate a continuous transition to seasonally ice‐free conditions, further warming causes some to smoothly lose the remaining wintertime‐only sea ice cover and others to discontinuously lose it. Here, we use a toy model representing the essential physics of thermodynamic sea ice in a single column to investigate the factors controlling which of these scenarios occurs. All of the scenarios are shown to be possible in the toy model when the parameters are varied, and physical mechanisms giving rise to each scenario are investigated. We find that parameter shifts that make ice thicker or open ocean warmer under a given climate forcing make models less prone to stable seasonally ice‐free conditions and more prone to bistability and hence bifurcations. The results are used to interpret differences in simulated sea ice stability in comprehensive climate models.
Tracer attenuation in groundwater
Authors: Cvetkovic Vladimir
Published: November 2011

The self‐purifying capacity of aquifers strongly depends on the attenuation of waterborne contaminants, i.e., irreversible loss of contaminant mass on a given scale as a result of coupled transport and transformation processes. A general formulation of tracer attenuation in groundwater is presented. Basic sensitivities of attenuation to macrodispersion and retention are illustrated for a few typical retention mechanisms. Tracer recovery is suggested as an experimental proxy for attenuation. Unique experimental data of tracer recovery in crystalline rock compare favorably with the theoretical model that is based on diffusion‐controlled retention. Non‐Fickian hydrodynamic transport has potentially a large impact on field‐scale attenuation of dissolved contaminants.
Funding coastal impact assistance plans
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

Six U.S. states have received a combined $127 million to assist them in mitigating impacts of oil and gas development and production on the Outer Continental Shelf, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced on 20 December.

The funds, which are congressionally appropriated grants from the Coastal Impact Assistance Program, will help with coastal research and monitoring, controlling erosion, and restoring habitat.
A better lunar yardstick
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

Since the mid‐1980s, scientists have measured the approximately 384,140 kilometers distance from the center of the Moon to the center of Earth to a margin of about 2 centimeters. But Tom Murphy, a University of Washington (UW) postdoctoral researcher in physics and astronomy wants an even more precise measurement.

In acquiring the improved distance measure, Murphy and his UW team—astronomy professor Christopher Stubbs, physics professor Eric Adelberger, and physics graduate student Jana Strasburg—will perform one of the most sensitive tests ever done on several features of gravity. They will test Einstein's equivalence principal which concerns the acceleration of bodies of different composition and the variability of the strength of gravitational interaction. The team also will be undertaking a feasibility study for performing laser‐ranging experiments from space.
Catching lightning
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

Before 1995, researchers working with ground‐based lightning detectors had an approximate understanding of global lightning patterns. But with two recent satellite‐based optical sensors, NASA scientists are learning more about exactly where lightning strikes.

“For the first time, we have been able to map the global distribution of lightning, noting its variation as a function of latitude, longitude, and time of year,” said Hugh Christian, a scientist with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and project leader for the lightning team at the National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) in Huntsville.
Mountain regions in peril
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

The United Nations has declared 2002 the International Year of Mountains (IYM) to bring attention to a number of threats that affect ecosystems and human populations in mountainous and highland regions around the world.

“More than half of humanity—3 billion people—relies on mountains for safe, fresh water, water to grow food, to produce electricity to sustain industries and, most important, water to drink,“ said Jacques Diouf, director‐general of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the primary IYM sponsor. “Yet, mountain glaciers, the source of water for many of the world's river systems and people, are melting at unprecedented rates.”
Freshwater systems threatened, report charges
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

U.S. freshwater systems, including lakes, rivers, and wetlands, may face serious threats from temperature increases and weather pattern variations projected for the coming century according to a 29 January report by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.
U.S. storm season off to slow start
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

Just 11 tornadoes touched down in the United States through 15 March of this year, 6% of the average 178 tornadoes that have usually touched down by that time.

An official with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that the position of the jet stream and resulting storm track suppressed tornado development this winter, but that the most active season for tornadoes has just started. The United States normally averages 1,200 tornadoes a year.
Proposed Clean Air Act reform draws fire
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

A Congressional hearing on the accomplishments of the U.S. Clean Air Act and subsequent amendments turned into a squabble about whether Bush administration efforts to reform the act would improve or undermine air quality regulations.

At the 1 May hearing of the House of Representatives' Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality, a key sticking point concerned whether an emissions “cap‐and‐trade” program, which was proposed as part of President George W. Bush's 14 February Clear Skies initiative, would effectively meet air quality standards. The program would provide market‐based incentives to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury. Another point of contention was whether such a program would make some current regulations, including new source review of upgraded utility plants, redundant and unnecessary.
Encouraging students during Science and Tech Week
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

On 30 April, Robert Ballard, head of the Jason Project science education program, delivered a pep talk to students and teachers about environmental stewardship, ocean exploration, and science education, as part of Global Science and Technology Week.

Addressing students in a Congressional hearing room, Ballard urged them to investigate the vast, undiscovered regions of the Earth.
USGS releases Alaska oil assessment
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

With the U.S. Congress gearing up for a House‐Senate conference committee battle about whether to open the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for oil drilling, a new assessment of the amount of oil in the federal portion of the U.S. National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NRPA) is influencing the debate.

The U.S. Geological Survey has found that the NPRA holds “significantly greater” petroleum resources than had been estimated previously This finding was disclosed in a 16 May report. The assessment estimated that technically recoverable oil on NPRA federal lands are between 5.9 and 13.2 billion barrels of oil; a 1980 assessment estimated between 0.3 and 5.4 billion barrels.
Glacial changes
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

Receding glaciers in the Himalayas and other parts of the world likely will have an impact on the fresh water available from these sources, and also on their historic role as a natural barrier between land areas, according to geologist Jeff Kargel. Kargel is international coordinator of the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) project, which involves scientific collaborators in 23 countries analyzing and comparing NASA satellite imagery with other glaciological records.

“Glaciers in most areas of the world are known to be receding,” said Kargel, adding that accelerating average global termperatures could directly impact glacial retreat. “But glaciers in the Himalaya are wasting at alarming and accelerating rates, as indicated by comparisons of satellite and historic data, and as shown by widespread, rapid growth of lakes on the glacier surfaces.”
Smoke in the wind
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

To counter Asian haze episodes, the countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed an Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution on 10 June.

The agreement, whose signatories include Indonesia,The Philippines, and Vietnam, provides a legal basis for policy and technical cooperation to deal with haze arising from land and forest fires in the region.
Groups prepare for next phase in Ocean Drilling Program
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

With the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) slated to begin in October 2003—the month following the conclusion of the current Ocean Drilling Program (ODP)—a number of groups are preparing for this next stage in scientific ocean drilling.

The Joint Oceanographic Institutions (JOI), which has managed the Ocean Drilling Program for the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) since 1985, announced on 25 September that it has selected the two incumbent ODP science operators for its upcoming proposal to manage U.S. aspects of the IODP.
p24 proteins are required for secretion of Wnt ligands
Authors: Buechling Tina , Chaudhary Varun , Spirohn Kerstin , Weiss Matthias , Boutros Michael
Published: November 2011

During development and disease, the exocytosis of signalling molecules, such as Wnt ligands, is essential to orchestrate cellular programs in multicellular organisms. However, it remains a largely unresolved question whether signalling molecules follow specialized transport routes through the exocytic pathway. Here we identify several Drosophila p24 proteins that are required for Wnt signalling. We demonstrate that one of these p24 proteins, namely Opossum, shuttles in the early secretory pathway, and that the Drosophila Wnt proteins are retained in the absence of p24 proteins. Our results indicate that Wnt secretion relies on a specialized anterograde secretion route with p24 proteins functioning as conserved cargo receptors.
Algorithms and surrogate markers in translational research
Authors: van Helden Paul
Published: November 2011

Diagnostic tests to measure pathological aberrations help physicians to make diagnoses. Indirect, so‐called surrogate markers have even greater potential to improve diagnostic and clinical tests, if used within a smart framework.
Will we wake up to biodiversity?
Authors: Wolinsky Howard
Published: November 2011

Looking back on the International Year of Biodiversity, some conservationists hope that it has raised awareness, if nothing else. Even so, many scientists remain pessimistic about our efforts to halt biodiversity decline.
Wnts need a p(assport)24 to leave the ER
Authors: Palmer Lucy , Vincent Jean‐Paul , Beckett Karen
Published: November 2011

Wnts are secreted through a dedicated exocytic pathway, which has been only partly characterized. Here, Palmer and colleagues comment on two recent reports by the groups of K. Basler and M. Boutros, respectively, in which they show that p24 proteins take part in this exocytic route and are required for Wnt exit from the ER to the Golgi.
Myosin regulatory light chain mutation found in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients increases isometric force production in transgenic mice
Authors: Kazmierczak Katarzyna , Muthu Priya , Huang Wenrui , Jones Michelle , Wang Yingcai , Szczesna-Cordary Danuta
Published: November 2011

FHC (familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) is a heritable form of cardiac hypertrophy caused by mutations in genes encoding sarcomeric proteins. The present study focuses on the A13T mutation in the human ventricular myosin RLC (regulatory light chain) that is associated with a rare FHC variant defined by mid-ventricular obstruction and septal hypertrophy. We generated heart-specific Tg (transgenic) mice with ~10% of human A13T-RLC mutant replacing the endogenous mouse cardiac RLC. Histopathological examinations of longitudinal heart sections from Tg-A13T mice showed enlarged interventricular septa and profound fibrotic lesions compared with Tg-WT (wild-type), expressing the human ventricular RLC, or non-Tg mice. Functional studies revealed an abnormal A13T mutation-induced increase in isometric force production, no change in the force–pCa relationship and a decreased Vmax of the acto-myosin ATPase. In addition, a fluorescence-based assay showed a 3-fold lower binding affinity of the recombinant A13T mutant for the RLC-depleted porcine myosin compared with WT-RLC. These results suggest that the A13T mutation triggers a hypertrophic response through changes in cardiac sarcomere organization and myosin cross-bridge function leading to abnormal remodelling of the heart. The significant functional changes observed, despite a low level of A13T mutant incorporation into myofilaments, suggest a ‘poison-peptide’ mechanism of disease.
IL‐6 and soluble IL‐6 receptor stimulate the production of MMPs and their inhibitors via JAK—STAT and ERK—MAPK signalling in human chondrocytes
Authors: Aida Yukiko , Honda Kazuhiro , Tanigawa Shihoko , Nakayama Go , Matsumura Hideo , Suzuki Naoto , Shimizu Osamu , Takeichi Osamu , Makimura Masaharu , Maeno Masao
Published: November 2011

Elevated concentrations of IL‐6 (interleukin‐6) and sIL‐6r (soluble IL‐6 receptor) in the synovial fluid and serum of patients with arthritis have been implicated in joint cartilage destruction. This study examined the effects of IL‐6 and sIL‐6r on the expression of MMPs (matrix metalloproteinases), TIMPs (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases), the plasminogen activation system including tPA (tissue‐type PA), uPA (urokinase‐type PA) and PAI‐1 (PA inhibitor type 1) using chondrocytes derived from normal human femur cartilage. The cells were cultured with or without 50 ng/ml IL‐6 and/or 30 ng/ml sIL‐6r in the presence or absence of the JAK3 (Janus kinase 3) inhibitor WHI‐P131 or the MEK [MAPK (mitogen‐activated protein kinase)/ERK (extracellular signal protein kinase) kinase] inhibitor PD98059 for up to 28 days. The expression of MMPs, TIMPs, uPA, tPA and PAI‐1 was investigated at the mRNA and protein levels. MMP protein expression and pSTAT3 (phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) and pERK (phosphorylation of ERK) were also measured. Treatment with both IL‐6 and sIL‐6r markedly increased the expression of MMP‐1, MMP‐13, TIMP‐1 and PAI‐1, while significantly decreasing the expression of tPA and uPA and stimulating pSTAT3 and pERK. Adding WHI‐P131 or PD98059 decreased IL‐6 and sIL‐6r enhancement of MMP‐1, −3 and −13. The results suggest that IL‐6 and sIL‐6r stimulate the production of MMPs and their inhibitor via JAK—STAT and ERK—MAPK signalling in chondrocytes.