bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Look your last on lyric: Horace, Odes 4.15
Authors: Griffin Jasper
Published: February 2012

Quintus Horatius Flaccus brought his first three books of Odes before the public in 23 bc. They came with impressive sponsors, addressed to Maecenas, the second to the Princeps himself, the fourth to L. Sestius and M. Agrippa. Horace did not repeat, in books 1 to 3, the bold stroke of directly addressing the Princeps; that was reserved for book 4, odes 5 and 15. This chapter describes his relation to Augustus, and the relation of his poetry to the imperial propaganda. What is called ‘Augustan poetry’ is so intimately connected with the estimate of the crucial event in Roman history, the change from Republic to Empire, that both historians and literary scholars find the question fascinating.
The Culture of Urbanization in the Mediterranean c.800–600 BC
Authors: Riva Corinna
Published: February 2012

This chapter examines the cultural aspects of the urbanization process in the Mediterranean from 800 to 600 BC. The findings reveal that links between the Orientalizing movement and processes that ultimately led to the rise of urban centres can be explored in the different uses and meanings which élites from different regions attached to the aristocratic koine. The results also suggest that the Orientalizing koine provided new forms of sociability and identity which in turn provided the background against which the larger urban community emerged.
Russia and the Eastern Question
Authors: Bitis Alexander
Published: February 2012

This book covers one of the most important and persistent problems in nineteenth-century European diplomacy, the Eastern Question. The Eastern Question was essentially shorthand for comprehending the international consequences caused by the gradual and apparently terminal decline of the Ottoman Empire in Europe. This volume examines the military and diplomatic policies of Russia as it struggled with the Ottoman Empire for influence in the Balkans and the Caucasus. The book is based on extensive use of Russian archive sources and it makes a contribution to our understanding of issues such as the development of Russian military thought, the origins and conduct of the 1828–1829 Russo-Turkish War, the origins and conduct of the 1826–1828 Russo-Persian War and the Treaty of Adrianople. The book also considers issues such as the Russian army's use of Balkan irregulars, the reform of the Danubian Principalities (1829 –1834), the ideas of the ‘Russian Party’ and Russian public opinion toward the Eastern Question.
The Language of Epicureanism in Cicero: The Case of Atomism
Authors: Reinhardt Tobias
Published: February 2012

This chapter provides a discussion on Cicero’s treatment of Epicureanism. Cicero’s and Lucretius’ renderings of Epicurean terms and notions are radically different: whereas Lucretius’ seem colourful, suggestive, and rich, Cicero’s seem flat and matter-of-fact to the point of tedium. The purpose of atomism is to make all kinds of potentially frightening events in the world of experience less frightening by providing a rational explanation for them. The survey of terms for ‘atom’, namely atomus, corpora indiuidua, indiuidua, and corpusculum, is presented. The interpretation of the evidence from Cicero is also shown. Moreover, the chapter illustrates that Cicero read Epicurus’ texts with close attention to stylistic detail, and it is hence plausible to assume that imitating this particular aspect of Epicurus’ terminology was a relevant consideration for him. It then discusses the uses of terms for ‘atom’ and turns to the issue of what atoms ‘do’ in Cicero.
Introduction
Authors: Bogdanor Vernon
Published: February 2012

‘Joined-up government’ has been a topic of important discussion in the early twenty-first century as much as it was in the end of the twentieth century. Reinventing government was a move towards the ‘new public management’ which revolved on the importance to stimulate a business situation in the government and to apply the disciplines of the market to the public sector. The joined-up government on the other hand advocated a more holistic approach. It not only sought to apply the logic of economics but also the insights of other social sciences such as sociology and cultural theory to reform and change public service. This book focuses on the joined-up government strategy of the UK government. This strategy sought not only to bring together the government departments and agencies but also a number of various private and voluntary bodies for a common goal. The chapters in this book discusses the various barriers to the joined-up government such as contrasting perspectives of the central and local government, the conflicting departmental interests, and the diverging interests of the professionals.
The Transition of Babylonia from the Neo-Babylonian Empire to Achaemenid Rule
Authors: Jursa Michael
Published: February 2012

This chapter examines the aftermath of the Persian conquest of Babylonia in the sixth century BCE. It explores the relationship of the Iranian rulers and the indigenous Babylonian urban upper class and analyses the effects of administrative change introduced by the Achaemenid rulers and their officials, especially in the realm of taxation. It suggests that Cyrus the Great and his administration had achieved continuity by securing the cooperation of the traditional Babylonian elite, specifically by honouring the long-standing claims of these families on important offices both in temple and state administration.
Beyond Nature and Culture
Authors: DESCOLA PHILIPPE
Published: February 2012

This chapter discusses the concepts of nature and culture. It reveals that Radcliffe-Brown had a poor opinion of the concept of culture; he neglected to consider that the concept of nature was no more concrete or directly observable than ‘culture’. The chapter shows that other civilisations were able to adopt a variety of ways to distribute qualities to beings in the world, thus resulting in forms of discontinuity and continuity between humans and non-humans. It stresses that people should treat the modern ontological grid — moral singularity versus physical universality — as one of several other formulae employed to describe the structures of the world.
Neo-Assyrian and Israelite History in the Ninth Century: the Role of Shalmaneser III
Authors: Younger K. Lawson
Published: February 2012

In historical studies, one of the common models of periodization is the use of centuries. In the case of the history of Assyria, however, the ninth century does not accurately reflect periodization, even if long or short century designations are used. In the history of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, Shalmaneser III's reign serves as a bridge between two important periods, impacting the Omride and Jehuite periods through his 853 and 841 campaigns. The resistance offered by Ahab in conjunction with the western alliance that fought Shalmaneser at Qarqar in 853 gave way to the tribute gift of Jehu towards the conclusion of Shalmaneser's 841 campaign. While many years would pass before the Assyrians would accomplish the conquest of Israel, the initial contacts between Shalmaneser III and Ahab and Jehu demonstrate the two options that the Israelite kings would implement throughout the stormy relationship with the ‘Great King(s) of Assyria’ until the fall of Samaria and the land's incorporation into the Assyrian provincial system.
‘His dirge our groans—his monument our praise’: Official and Popular Commemoration of Nelson in 1805–6
Authors: White Colin
Published: February 2012

This chapter asks what the heroification of Nelson immediately after his death entailed. What conflicting images were created, in text and visual media, perhaps continuing the ways in which Nelson himself had manipulated his image during his lifetime? Contrasting official with popular commemoration, and exploring their interaction, it presents a nuanced picture of ‘national’ commemorations.
Mesolithic-Neolithic transitions in Britain: from essence to inhabitation
Authors: Thomas Julian
Published: February 2012

This chapter argues that the critical changes that we can identify across the so-called ‘Mesolithic–Neolithic transition’ are not limited to the presence or absence of particular resources or artefact types, or even their contribution to the overall diet of a community. Instead, we should address the way that people inhabit a landscape, and the extent to which new material and symbolic media transformed their existence, at the level of everyday tasks, routine movements, and habitual activities. Importantly, different facets of this transformation might not all have proceeded at the same rate, and this suggests that the phenomenon is best investigated at the regional scale.
Imagining Things: Mind Into Music (And Back Again)
Authors: COOK NICHOLAS
Published: February 2012

This chapter discusses the inherent limits of all the imaginative models for music, from analyses to sketches to scores, and the gap that opens up between them and the real-time experience of the composers, the performers, and the listeners. Drawing examples from the composer Roger Reynolds and from a recent piano project investigating the performance of contemporary piano music, this chapter argues that imaginative models of music are fully understood not as attempted comprehensive specifications, but as spurs or prompts that initiate improvisatory acts which bring the piece into a performable entity. Within this context, music constitutes a model of how people can work hand in hand towards a common goal yet maintain their autonomy. Music shows how individual imagination is consummated in social action.
Comments on Adams ‘The Priority of the Perfect’
Authors: ANTOGNAZZA MARIA ROSA
Published: February 2012

This chapter comments on Robert Adams’ chapter on the concept of the priority of the perfect in continental rationalists’ philosophical theology. It identifies the point of the top-down strategy project as a way of establishing that God’s properties are the ontological grounding of the properties of finite things, that that God is the root or ground of all reality, and a conclusion is not available from a bottom-up approach. It considers whether the theologically more promising top-down strategy does not simply beg a crucial question by assuming that we can have some conception of the perfect that is independent of, or prior to, a conception of the imperfect.
Condorcet and the Meaning of Enlightenment
Authors: Daston Lorraine
Published: February 2012

This lecture discusses the meaning of Enlightenment through Condorcet's eyes. It begins with the notion of lumières, which is a word best translated as ‘enlightenment’, but this time written in miniscule. This preserves the associations of wisdom and deeper insight that still cling to the word in English, such as in the phrase ‘spiritual enlightenment’. Next, the lecture explores the multiple senses of calculation. It also looks at how Condorcet sought to fight two variants of fear, one with lumières and the other with calculation. It finally concludes with some reflections on the Enlightenment, spiritual enlightenment, and the probability 0.999993.
Kinds of People: Moving Targets
Authors: Hacking Ian
Published: February 2012

This lecture gives a proposed framework within which to think about making up people as well as the looping effect. It elaborates on the kinds of people that will not be discussed, such as those belonging to different classifications called ‘ethnic’. The focus of this lecture is in the ways the social, medical and biological sciences create new classifications and new knowledge. The engines of discovery and autism are two of the topics covered by the lecture.
From Experiential-based to Relational-based Forms of Social Organization: A Major Transition in the Evolution of Homo sapiens
Authors: Read Dwight
Published: February 2012

The evolutionary trajectory from non-human to human forms of social organization involves change from experiential- to relational-based systems of social interaction. Social organization derived from biologically and experientially grounded social interaction reached a hiatus with the great apes due to an expansion of individualization of behaviour. The hiatus ended with the introduction of relational-based social interaction, culminating in social organization based on cultural kinship. This evolutionary trajectory links biological origins to cultural outcomes and makes evident the centrality of distributed forms of information for both the boundary and internal structure of human societies as these evolved from prior forms of social organization.
Instruments of Development: Randomisation in the Tropics, and the Search for the Elusive Keys to Economic Development
Authors: DEATON ANGUS
Published: February 2012

This lecture presents the text of the speech about economic development delivered by the author at the 2008 Keynes Lecture in Economics held at the British Academy. It examines macro and micro kinds of economic assistance and evaluates how assistance works. The lecture suggests that econometric methodology needs to be assessed, not only by methodologists but also by those who are concerned with the substance of the issue.
Milton’s Christian Temper
Authors: Keeble N. H.
Published: February 2012

This chapter discusses Milton's Christian temper. It is believed Milton did not belong to any worshipping Christian community. No existing records ecist to attest that he attended Christian service, or associated with a specific parish, or joined congregations. In an age of great divines, pastors, and preachers, Milton acknowledged no indebtedness to any man's ministerial support or guidance. The practice of his Christianity was non-congregational, domestic, and private. Milton's external Christian observance and inner spiritual life were both invisible. He never offered anything approaching a conversion narrative. When Milton approached matters of personal belief, it is intellectually and not experientially. In his Miltonic equivalent of a spiritual biography, the De Doctrina Christiana, he asserted that his search for truth was from his own original systematic exposition of the Christina doctrine. In his The Reason of Church-Government, Milton illustrates his own religious life by illustrating the coercive authority of the Episcopal Church and his conscientious refusal to submit to it. His anticlerical stance and his firm belief in the free debate and liberty to religion encouraged him to write prose and poems of unwavering intolerance of Roman Catholicism. Milton's Christian vision is neither congregation nor a remnant but that of just one man, who is reliant on his own intellectual and spiritual resource, and who, regardless of popular opinion, walked with integrity. Among Milton's critical and anticlerical works are Paradise Lost, The Reason of Church-Government, and Samson Agonistes.
The British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective
Authors: Allen Robert C.
Published: February 2012

This chapter presents the text of a lecture on the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain given at the British Academy's 2009 Keynes Lecture in Economics. This text suggests that the Industrial Revolution was Britain's response to the global economy that emerged after 1500 and that Britain's success in world trade resulted in one of the most urbanised economies in Europe with unusually high wages and cheap energy prices. The text here also highlights the contribution of Britain in the invention of the steam engine and the cotton spinning machines and in scientific discoveries relating to atmospheric pressure.
Surrealism and its Legacies in Latin America
Authors: AdÈs Dawn
Published: February 2012

This chapter presents the text of a lecture on the legacies of surrealism in Latin America given at the 2009 British Academy Lecture Series. This text discusses the tensions between surrealist internationalism and local cultural nationalisms, the contested relationship between surrealism and Magic Realism, and the enduring surrealist fascination with Pre-Columbian art and architecture. It analyzes the works of Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and Gunther Gerzso and works of contemporary Brazilian artist Cildo Meireles. It contents that art from Latin America has flourished in recent years without claiming surrealism as an exclusive source.
Quality of life in adults with juvenile‐onset dermatomyositis: A case–control study
Authors: Tollisen Anita , Sanner Helga , Flatø Berit , Wahl Astrid K.
Published: February 2012

Objective

To compare quality of life in adults diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis (DM) with that of matched controls, and to analyze the association with other disease parameters in patients.

Methods

Thirty‐nine patients with juvenile DM (ages ≥18 years) were clinically examined and compared with 39 age‐ and sex‐matched controls. Global and health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) were assessed by the Norwegian version of the Quality of Life Scale (QOLS‐N) and the Short Form 36 (SF‐36), respectively. For patients, disease parameters were assessed by the Disease Activity Score (DAS), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and Myositis Damage Index (MDI).

Results

Compared to the controls, patients with juvenile DM assessed a median of 22.2 years (range 1.8–36.1 years) after disease onset had reduced HRQOL in general health (P = 0.009) measured by the SF‐36. In patients, a moderate correlation was found between the physical component summary (PCS) score and the DAS (rs = −0.422) and MDI (rs = −0.381), and a strong correlation was found between the PCS score and the HAQ (rs = −0.516). There were no differences between patients and controls in the SF‐36 mental component summary scores. Patients and controls had similar total scores of the QOLS‐N, but differences existed within certain items.

Conclusion

Adult patients with juvenile DM had, compared to controls, reduced HRQOL in general health measured by the SF‐36, but not in the other subscales of the SF‐36 or in global quality of life measured by the QOLS‐N. An association was found between disease parameters and reduced HRQOL in the physical domains.
Relationship between physical activity and health‐related utility among knee osteoarthritis patients
Authors: Manheim Larry M. , Dunlop Dorothy , Song Jing , Semanik Pamela , Lee Jungwha , Chang Rowland W.
Published: February 2012

Objective

To estimate the relationship between physical activity and health‐related utility for people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and implications for designing cost‐effective interventions.

Methods

We used generalized estimating equation regression analysis to estimate partial association of accelerometer‐measured physical activity levels with health‐related utility after controlling for demographics, health status, knee OA severity level, pain, and functioning.

Results

Moving from the lowest to the middle tertile of physical activity level was associated with a 0.071 (P < 0.01) increase in health‐related utility after controlling for demographics and a 0.036 (P < 0.05) increase in utility after controlling for demographics, health status, knee OA severity level, weight, pain, and functional impairments.

Conclusion

Intervention programs that move individuals out of the lowest tertile of physical activity have the potential to be cost effective.
Nanostructured Poly(styrene‐b‐butadiene‐b‐styrene) (SBS) Membranes for the Separation of Nitrogen from Natural Gas
Authors: Buonomenna Maria Giovanna , Golemme Giovanni , Tone Caterina Maria , De Santo Maria Penelope , Ciuchi Federica , Perrotta Enrico
Published: February 2012

The preparation and characterization of new, tailor‐made polymeric membranes using poly(styrene‐b‐butadiene‐b‐styrene) (SBS) triblock copolymers for gas separation are reported. Structural differences in the copolymer membranes, obtained by manipulation of the self‐assembly of the block copolymers in solution, are characterized using atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and the transport properties of three gases (CO2, N2, and CH4). The CH4/N2 ideal selectivity of 7.2, the highest value ever reported for block copolymers, with CH4 permeability of 41 Barrer, is obtained with a membrane containing the higher amount of polybutadiene (79 wt%) and characterized by a hexagonal array of columnar polystyrene cylinders normal to the membrane surface. Membranes with such a high separation factor are able to ease the exploitation of natural gas with high N2 content. The CO2/N2 ideal selectivity of 50, coupled with a CO2 permeability of 289 Barrer, makes SBS a good candidate for the preparation of membranes for the post‐combustion capture of carbon dioxide.
Genome‐wide supported psychosis risk variant in ZNF804A gene and impact on cortico–limbic WM integrity in schizophrenia
Authors: Kuswanto Carissa Nadia , Woon Puay‐San , Zheng Xue Bin , Qiu Anqi , Sitoh Yih‐Yian , Chan Yiong Huak , Liu Jianjun , Williams Hywel , Ong Wei Yi , Sim Kang
Published: February 2012

Genome‐wide association, case association genetic and meta‐analytic studies have highlighted ZNF804A as a robust genome‐wide supported susceptibility gene for schizophrenia (SCZ). In view of the possible involvement of ZNF804A gene in early neurodevelopment and cellular processes including oligodendrocyte proliferation and differentiation, we examined the effect of ZNF804A on brain WM (WM) integrity in patients with SCZ. Based on extant data in healthy controls (HC), we hypothesized that ZNF804A risk variant rs1344706 is associated with lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in brain regions within cortico‐limbic circuits, namely frontal, parietal, medial temporal lobes, and cingulate gyri in SCZ. A total of 200 Chinese participants (125 patients with DSM‐IV diagnosis of SCZ and 75 controls) were genotyped using blood samples, a subset of 153 participants (89 patients with DSM‐IV diagnosis of SCZ and 64 controls) underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). There are significant effects of diagnosis (left cingulate gyrus: Adjusted F1,149 = 9.36, P = 0.003) and diagnosis–genotype interactions (left parietal lobe: Adjusted F1,147 = 7.39, P = 0.007; right parietal lobe: Adjusted F1,147 = 6.95, P = 0.009; right medial temporal lobe: Adjusted F1,147 = 8.79, P = 0.004; left cingulate gyrus: Adjusted F1,147 = 8.02, P = 0.005). Specifically, we found that patients with SCZ who are risk T homozygotes have lower FA in bilateral parietal lobes, and left cingulate gyrus compared with G carriers. Compared with risk T homozygotes in HC, patients with SCZ who are risk T homozygotes have decreased FA in bilateral parietal lobes, and left cingulate gyrus as well as right medial temporal lobe. Our findings suggest that ZNF804A risk variant influence WM integrity involving cortico‐limbic brain regions in SCZ and highlight the importance of investigating the impact of genome‐wide supported risk factors on intermediate phenotypes with potential to shed light on the neurobiology of SCZ. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
How Different Are Robust and Gracile Capuchin Monkeys? An Argument for the Use ofSapajusandCebus
Authors: ALFARO JESSICA W. LYNCH , SILVA JOSÉ DE SOUSA E , RYLANDS ANTHONY B.
Published: February 2012

Capuchin monkey behavior has been the focus of increasing numbers of captive and field studies in recent years, clarifying behavioral and ecological differences between the two morphological types: the gracile and the robust capuchins (also referred to as untufted and tufted). Studies have tended to focus on the gracile speciesCebus capucinus(fewer data are available forC. albifrons,C. olivaceus, andC. kaapori) and onCebus apella, a name that has encompassed all of the robust capuchins since the 1960s. As a result, it is difficult to ascertain the variation within either gracile or robust types. The phylogenetic relationships between gracile and robust capuchins have also, until now, remained obscure. Recent studies have suggested two independent Pliocene radiations of capuchins stemming from a common ancestor in the Late Miocene, about 6.2 millions of years ago (Ma). The present‐day gracile capuchins most likely originated in the Amazon, and the robust capuchins in the Atlantic Forest to the southeast. Sympatry between the two types is explained by a recent expansion of robust capuchins into the Amazon (ca. 400,000 years ago). Morphological data also support a division of capuchins into the same two distinct groups, and we propose the division of capuchin monkeys into two genera,SapajusKerr, 1792, for robust capuchins andCebusErxleben, 1777, for gracile capuchins, based on a review of extensive morphological, genetic, behavioral, ecological, and biogeographic evidence. Am. J. Primatol. 74:273–286, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Wnt/β‐catenin negative feedback loop inhibits interleukin‐1–induced matrix metalloproteinase expression in human articular chondrocytes
Authors: Ma Bin , van Blitterswijk Clemens A. , Karperien Marcel
Published: February 2012

Objective

The results of recent animal studies suggest that activation of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling in articular chondrocytes might be a driving factor in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) by stimulating, for instance, the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling in interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β)–induced MMP expression in human chondrocytes.

Methods

Primary cultures of human, murine, and bovine articular chondrocytes as well as human mesenchymal stem cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts were used in the experiments. Multiple strategies for the activation and inhibition of signaling pathways were utilized. Reporter assays and coimmunoprecipitation were performed to study the interaction between β‐catenin and NF‐κB.

Results

In contrast to the role of Wnt/β‐catenin in animal chondrocytes, in human chondrocytes it was a potent inhibitor of MMP‐1, MMP‐3, and MMP‐13 expression and generic MMP activity both in basal conditions and after IL‐1β stimulation. This effect was independent of the T cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor family of transcription factors but rather was attributable to an inhibitory protein–protein interaction between β‐catenin and NF‐κB. IL‐1β indirectly activated β‐catenin signaling by inducing canonical Wnt‐7B expression and by inhibiting the expression of canonical Wnt antagonists.

Conclusion

Wnt/β‐catenin signaling in human chondrocytes had an unexpected anticatabolic role by counteracting NF‐κB–mediated MMP expression induced by IL‐1β in a negative feedback loop.
Wie Bakterien ihre Umwelt wahrnehmen
Authors: Tetsch Larissa , Eitner Pascal
Published: February 2012

Bakterien passen sich an ein wechselndes Nährstoffangebot an und schützen sich erfolgreich vor ungünstigen Lebensbedingungen. Die Bakterienzelle erkennt Umweltreize über membranständige Sensoren und leitet die Signale ins Zellinnere weiter, wo sie eine Veränderung der Genexpression nach sich ziehen. Am Anfang steht meist eine Konformationsänderung des Sensors, die entweder eine veränderte DNA‐Bindung oder enzymatische Aktivität verursacht oder aber die Wechselwirkung mit anderen Proteinen beeinflusst. Neuere Untersuchungen zeigen, dass viele Transportproteine eine sensorische Rolle übernehmen, indem sie Effektormoleküle an ihren Wirkort transportieren oder sogar als Co‐Sensoren direkt mit Transkriptionsfaktoren interagieren. Ein Sonderfall sind Transporter, die externe abiotische Stressfaktoren wahrnehmen und durch ihre Transportfunktion dem Umweltstress entgegenwirken.
Gibt es einen vierten parasexuellen Vorgang bei Bakterien?
Authors: Schumann Wolfgang
Published: February 2012

Bakterien verfügen über drei verschiedene Mechanismen, um DNA aufzunehmen: Transformation, Transduktion und Konjugation. Nun wurde ein vierter Weg der Kommunikation festgestellt: Über Nanotubes, dünne Fortsätze aus Zellwandmaterial und anderen Bestandteilen, können Bakterien derselben oder verschiedener Spezies Kontakt aufnehmen.
Homogeneous and Disordered Assembly of Densely Packed Titanium Oxide Nanocrystals: An Approach to Coupled Synthesis and Assembly in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Oaki Yuya , Nakamura Keisuke , Imai Hiroaki
Published: February 2012

A homogeneous and disordered assembly of densely packed nanocrystals 2–3 nm in size was synthesized at room temperature in an aqueous solution without the assistance of any organic molecules. The assembled nanocrystals of titanium oxides, such as anatase titanium dioxide, sodium titanate, and a solid solution with rutile tin dioxide, formed macroscopic transparent objects 2–5 mm in size. In general, it is not easy to obtain homogeneous and disordered assembly of nanocrystals without assistance of any organic molecules for the inhibition of inhomogeneous and disordered aggregation. In the present work, the formation of the hydrated layer on the surface of nanocrystals facilitated the homogeneous and disordered assembly. The crystal phases and the compositions of the nanocrystals were controlled by the tuning of the synthetic conditions, such as the initial pH and metal source concentration. Based on the formation processes and mechanisms, this approach for the coupled synthesis and assembly can be applied to a variety of nanomaterials for preparation of homogeneous but disordered assembly.
Myosin VI is required for maintenance of brush border structure, composition, and membrane trafficking functions in the intestinal epithelial cell
Authors: Hegan Peter S. , Giral Hector , Levi Moshe , Mooseker Mark S.
Published: February 2012

Characterization of the intestinal epithelium of the Snell's waltzer (sv/sv) mouse revealed that myosin VI (Myo6) is required for proper brush border (BB) ultrastructure, composition and membrane traffic. The defects observed were distinct from that observed in the myosin Ia KO, even though Myo6 is lost from the BB in this KO. Myo6 is expressed throughout the length of the small and large intestine; it is localized to the subapical inter‐microvillar (MV) domain and basolateral membrane. Defects in the BB include apparent lifting of the plasma membrane off of the actin cytoskeleton in the inter‐MV region, fusion of MV, and disorganized morphology of the terminal web. The molecular composition of the sv/sv BB is altered. This includes increased expression of myosin Va, myosin Ie and the MV actin binding proteins espin and phosphorylated‐ezrin; myosin Id is reduced. Changes in endocytic components include reduced clathrin and adaptin β, and increased disabled‐2. Endocytic uptake of lumenal lactoferrin is inhibited in adult, but not neonatal intestinal epithelial cells. There is increased BB membrane‐associated expression of both the Na+/H+ exchanger, NHE3 and the Na+/phosphate transporter, NaPi2b. These results suggest that Myo6 is involved in the regulated trafficking of NHE3 and NaPi2b between the BB membrane and endosome. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc
Towards Hyphenated Sensors Development: Design and Application of Porphyrin Electropolymer Materials
Authors: Lvova Larisa , Mastroianni Marco , Di Natale Corrado , Lundström Ingemar , Paolesse Roberto
Published: February 2012

The peculiar properties of porphyrins allow their exploitation as sensing materials in chemical sensors having different transduction principles, or even the intriguing possibility to develop sensors where two different transduction mechanisms are hyphenated in the same substrate. This approach can allow a significant increase in the chemical information obtained from the device and it can boost the performances in terms of selectivity and sensitivity. Our recent achievements in the field of functionalized porphyrins application for the development of the hyphenated optoelectrochemical sensors will be discussed in this contribution.
Fast Determination of Ciclopirox in Pharmaceutical Products by Amperometry in Flow and Batch Injection Systems
Authors: Ferreira Luís M. C. , Felix Fabiana S. , Angnes Lúcio
Published: February 2012

Amperometry coupled to flow injection analysis (FIA) and to batch injection analysis (BIA) was used for the rapid and precise quantification of ciclopirox olamine in pharmaceutical products. The favourable hydrodynamic conditions provided by both techniques allowed a very high throughput (more than 300 injections per hour) with good linear range (2.0–200 µmol L−1) and low limits of detection (below 1.0 µmol L−1). The results obtained were compared with titration recommended by the American Pharmacopoeia and also using capillary electrophoresis. Good agreement between all results were achieved, demonstrating the good performance of amperometry combined with FIA and BIA.
Estimating constrained concentration–response functions between air pollution and health
Authors: Powell Helen , Lee Duncan , Bowman Adrian
Published: February 2012

The health risks associated with short‐term exposure to air pollution have been the focus of much recent research, most of which has considered linear concentration–response functions (CRFs) between ambient concentrations of pollution and a health response. A much smaller number of studies have relaxed this assumption of linearity and allowed the shape of the function to be estimated from the data. However, this increased flexibility has resulted in CRFs being estimated that appear unfeasible, often showing decreases in the risk to health with increasing concentrations. Therefore, this paper proposes a Bayesian hierarchical model for estimating constrained CRFs in this context, which is based on monotonic integrated splines. These splines produce non‐decreasing CRFs, owing to the associated regression parameters being constrained to be non‐negative, which we ensure by modelling the latter with a ‘slab and spike’ prior. The efficacy of our approach is assessed via simulation before being applied to a study of ozone concentrations and respiratory disease in Greater London between 2000 and 2005. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Astrocyte dysfunction in temporal lobe epilepsy: K+ channels and gap junction coupling
Authors: Steinhäuser Christian , Seifert Gerald , Bedner Peter
Published: February 2012

Astrocytes are endowed with the machinery to sense and respond to neuronal activity. Recent work has demonstrated that astrocytes play important physiological roles in the CNS, e.g., they synchronize action potential firing, ensure ion homeostasis, transmitter clearance and glucose metabolism, and regulate the vascular tone. Astrocytes are abundantly coupled through gap junctions, which is a prerequisite to redistribute elevated K+ from sites of excessive neuronal activity to sites of lower extracellular K+ concentration. Recent studies identified dysfunctional astrocytes as crucial players in epilepsy. Investigation of specimens from patients with pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy and epilepsy models revealed alterations in expression, localization, and function of astroglial inwardly rectifying K+ (Kir) channels, particularly Kir4.1, which is suspected to entail impaired K+ buffering. Gap junctions in astrocytes appear to play a dual role: on the one hand they counteract the generation of hyperactivity by facilitating clearance of elevated extracellular K+ levels while in contrast, they constitute a pathway for energetic substrate delivery to fuel neuronal (hyper)activity. Recent work suggests that astrocyte dysfunction is causative of the generation or spread of seizure activity. Thus, astrocytes should be considered as promising targets for alternative antiepileptic therapies. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transient receptor potential melastatin‐related 7 channel is overexpressed in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas and regulates human pancreatic cancer cell migration
Authors: Rybarczyk Pierre , Gautier Mathieu , Hague Frédéric , Dhennin‐Duthille Isabelle , Chatelain Denis , Kerr‐Conte Julie , Pattou François , Regimbeau Jean‐Marc , Sevestre Henri , Ouadid‐Ahidouch Halima
Published: February 2012

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer with a tendency to invade surrounding healthy tissues, leading to a largely incurable disease. Despite many advances in modern medicine, there is still a lack of early biomarkers as well as efficient therapeutical strategies. The melastatin‐related transient receptor potential 7 channel (TRPM7) is a nonselective cation channel that is involved in maintaining Ca2+ and Mg2+ homeostasis. It has been recently reported to regulate cell differentiation, proliferation and migration. However, the role of TRPM7 in PDAC progression is far to be understood. In our study, we show that TRPM7 is 13‐fold overexpressed in cancer tissues compared to the healthy ones. Furthermore, TRPM7 staining is stronger in tumors with high grade, suggesting a correlation between TRPM7 expression and PDAC progression. Importantly, TRPM7 expression is inversely related to patient survival. In BxPC‐3 cell line, dialyzing the cytoplasm during the patch‐clamp whole‐cell recording with a 0‐Mg2+ solution activated a nonselective current with a strong outward rectification. This cation current is inhibited by intracellular Mg2+ and by TRPM7 silencing. The downregulation of TRPM7 by small interference RNA dramatically inhibited intracellular Mg2+ fluorescence and cell migration without affecting cell proliferation, suggesting that TRPM7 contributes to Mg2+ entry and cell migration. Moreover, external Mg2+ following TRPM7 silencing fully restored the cell migration. In summary, our results indicate that TRPM7 is involved in the BxPC‐3 cell migration via a Mg2+‐dependent mechanism and may be a potential biomarker of poor prognosis of PDAC.
Focal adhesion kinase localizes to sites of cell‐to‐cell contact in vivo and increases apically in rat uterine luminal epithelium and the blastocyst at the time of implantation
Authors: Kaneko Yui , Lecce Laura , Day Margot L. , Murphy Christopher R.
Published: February 2012

Focal adhesions play an important role in promoting embryo invasion; in particular, focal adhesions disassemble at the time of implantation in the rat, facilitating the detachment of the uterine luminal epithelium to allow the embryo to invade the endometrium. This study investigated focal adhesion protein, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in the rat uterine luminal, and glandular epithelial cells to understand the dynamics of focal adhesions during early pregnancy. FAK undergoes extensive distributional change during early pregnancy, and surprisingly, FAK was not localized at the site of focal adhesions, instead being localized to the site of cell‐to‐cell contact and colocalizing with ZO‐1 on day 1 of pregnancy. At the time of implantation, FAK increases in the apical region of the uterine luminal epithelial cells which was regulated by progesterone. Using an in vitro co‐culture model of rat blastocysts attached to Ishikawa cells, FAK was present apically both in the rat blastocyst and the Ishikawa cells, suggesting a role in attachment andin mediating signal transduction between these two genetically different cell types. J. Morphol., 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Embryonic genome activation events in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) preimplantation embryos
Authors: Verma A. , Kumar P. , Rajput S. , Roy B. , De S. , Datta T.K.
Published: February 2012

Embryonic genome activation (EGA) is the first major step towards successful initiation of preimplantation development, which culminates in the formation of implantation‐competent embryos. EGA occurs at species‐specific embryonic cell stages. In the present work, EGA was identified for buffalo embryos by studying the development rate of embryos in normal as well as imposed transcription block conditions, analyzing bromo‐uridine triphosphate (BrUTP) incorporation rates as evidence of de novo transcription initiation, and studying the expression status of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 1A (eIF1A), U2 auxiliary splicing factor (U2AF), and polyadenylate polymerase (PAP) genes at different embryonic cell stages. Under normal, in vitro fertilization and culture conditions, about 26% and 17% of oocytes could reach morula and blastocyst stages, respectively, but no embryos could progress beyond 8‐cell stages in presence of α‐amanitin. Culturing embryos in the presence of BrUTP revealed a marked increase in its incorporation between 4‐ and 8‐cell stages. All genes studied displayed an abrupt increase in expression between 4‐ and 8‐cell stages; PAP expression was upregulated earlier from 2‐ to 4‐cell stages. About 65% of PAP transcripts from the 4‐cell stage and more than 70% of eIF1A, U2AF, and PAP transcripts at 8‐cell stage embryos were found to be synthesized de novo. Together, these data suggest that a minor EGA in buffalo embryos happens from 2‐ to 4‐cell stages, while the major EGA takes place from 4‐ to 8‐cell stage transition. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 79: 321–328, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Differentiating the dementias: a neurological approach
Authors: Shaik Saiffuddin Sheriff , Varma Anoop Ranjan
Published: February 2012

With improving lifespan, primary degenerative and vascular dementias are increasingly being recognised as prominent health problems. The four commonest causes of primary dementia are Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies. An accurate diagnosis is critical for the proper management and treatment of these disorders. Here, Dr Shaik and Dr Varma describe the clinical and imaging characteristics of each of these types of dementia. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Amphiphilic mesogen‐jacketed liquid crystalline polymers: Design, synthesis, and self‐assembly behaviors
Authors: Wu Hongliang , Zhang Lanying , Xu Yingrong , Ma Ziyue , Shen Zhihao , Fan Xinghe , Zhou Qifeng
Published: February 2012

We synthesized a series of amphiphilic mesogen‐jacketed liquid crystalline (LC) polymers with a biphenyl side‐chain mesogen containing a carboxylic acid group on one side and an octyloxy group on the other, and the number of methylene units between the biphenyl core and the exterior carboxylic acid group was varied to adjust the mesophases and the amphiphilic nature. The polymers were obtained through conventional radical polymerizations and characterized by a combination of different techniques such as thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, polarized light microscopy, and X‐ray scattering. The results revealed that the polymer without any methylene spacer, POBP‐0C, did not exhibit LC properties while POBP‐1C (n = 1) and POBP‐7C (n = 7) formed double layer smectic A (SA) phases. The hydrogen bonding among the carboxylic acid groups and the segregation between the carboxylic acid groups and the alky chains played important roles in forming the mesophases. In addition, the solution self‐assembly behaviors were also preliminarily investigated through the fluorescent probe technique and transmission electron microscopy, and vesicles with uniform sizes were observed. The weak hydrophilicity and large degree of freedom of the carboxylic acid group and the relative rigidity of the polymer chain due to the “jacketing” effect were responsible for the formation of the structures. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Respiratory mechanics in an infant with perinatal lethal hypophosphatasia treated with human recombinant enzyme replacement therapy
Authors: Rodriguez Elena , Bober Michael B. , Davey Lauren , Zamora Arlene , Li Puma Annelise B. , Chidekel Aaron , Shaffer Thomas H.
Published: February 2012

Hypophosphatasia is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by deficient activity of tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) and characterized by defective bone mineralization. In the perinatal lethal form, respiratory complications due to rachitic deformities of the thoracic cage and associated hypoplastic lungs are present. ENB‐0040 is a bone‐targeted human recombinant TNSALP fusion protein that aims to restore skeletal mineralization. The goal of this study was to characterize pulmonary and thoracic cage mechanics in an infant with the perinatal lethal form of hypophosphatasia under enzyme replacement therapy. Pulmonary function testing was performed on a preterm, 8‐week‐old patient with hypophosphatasia who was mechanically ventilated since birth because of severe chest wall insufficiency. The measurements consisted of respiratory impulse oscillation measurements (resistance and reactance), ventilatory mechanics (compliance and resistance), and thoracoabdominal motion (TAM) analysis. At baseline, chest wall compliance was 50% of normal, and the TAM indicated predominantly abdominal displacement. After 12 weeks of treatment, a consistent decrease in ventilator requirements and improvement in lung function and chest wall mechanics were observed and correlated with thoracic cage radiologic findings. Measurable changes in chest wall dynamics and respiratory mechanics using noninvasive technology were useful for respiratory management and therapeutic guidance of ENB‐0040 treatment in this patient. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2012. 47:917–922. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Studies on unsaturated polyester composites for high‐temperature applications
Authors: Girase Rajpal , Jaiswal Rajendra , Chaudhari Lokesh , Bhattacharya Subhendu , D'Melo Dawid
Published: February 2012

Unsaturated polyesters are widely used in a number of applications. However, they fall short in areas where high thermal stability and performance at higher temperatures are required. Previous investigations have studied the kinetics and degradation behavior of bismaleimide‐based unsaturated polyester composites. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of bismaleimide on the mechanical properties and thermal class of a bismaleimide unsaturated polyester composition. Addition of bismaleimide to the composition resulted in an increase in the thermal index of the material, thus making it useful in applications where high temperature stability is required. However, once degradation was initiated, the addition of bismaleimide had a detrimental effect on the stability of the composites. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
On the limits of using combined U-series/ESR method to date fossil teeth from two Early Pleistocene archaeological sites of the Orce area (Guadix-Baza basin, Spain)
Authors: Duval Mathieu , Falguères Christophe , Bahain Jean-Jacques , Grün Rainer , Shao Qingfeng , Aubert Maxime , Dolo Jean-Michel , Agustí Jordi , Martínez-Navarro Bienvenido , Palmqvist Paul , Toro-Moyano Isidro
Published: February 2012

The combined U-series/electron spin resonance (ESR) dating method was applied to nine teeth from two Early Pleistocene archaeological sites located in the Orce area (Guadix-Baza Basin, Southern Spain): Fuente Nueva-3 (FN-3) and Barranco León (BL). The combination of biostratigraphy and magnetostratigraphy places both sites between the Olduvai and Jaramillo subchrons (1.78–1.07 Ma).

Our results highlight the difficulty of dating such old sites and point out the limits of the combined U-series/ESR dating method based on the US model. We identified several sources of uncertainties that may lead to inaccurate age estimates. Seven samples could not be dated because the dental tissues had (230Th/234U) activity ratios higher than equilibrium, indicating that uranium had probably leached from these tissues. It was however possible to calculate numerical estimates for two of the teeth, both from FN-3. One yielded a Middle Pleistocene age that seems to be strongly underestimated; the other provided an age of 1.19 ± 0.21 Ma, in agreement with data obtained from independent methods. The latter result gives encouragement that there are samples that can be used for routine dating of old sites.