bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
INDIVIDUAL‐BASED MODELS AND THE MANAGEMENT OF SHOREBIRD POPULATIONS
Authors: GOSS‐CUSTARD JOHN D. , STILLMAN RICHARD A.
Published: August 2010

AbstractIndividual‐based models (IBMs) predict how animal populations will be affected by changes in their environment by modeling the responses of fitness‐maximizing individuals to environmental change and by calculating how their aggregate responses change the average fitness of individuals and thus the demographic rates, and therefore size of the population. This paper describes how the need to develop a new approach to make such predictions was identified in the mid‐1970s following work done to predict the effect of building a freshwater reservoir on part of the intertidal feeding areas of the shorebirds Charadrii that overwinter on the Wash, a large embayment on the east coast of England. The paper describes how the approach was developed and tested over 20 years (1976–1995) on a population of European oystercatchersHaematopus ostraleguseating musselsMytilus edulison the Exe estuary in Devon, England.

The paper goes on to describe how individual‐based modeling has been applied over the last 10 years to a wide range of environmental issues and to many species of shorebirds and wildfowl in a number of European countries. Although it took 20 years to develop the approach for 1 bird species on 1 estuary, ways have been found by which it can now be applied quite rapidly to a wide range of species, at spatial scales ranging from 1 estuary to the whole continent of Europe. This can now be done within the time period typically allotted to environmental impact assessments involving coastal bird populations in Europe.

The models are being used routinely to predict the impact on the fitness of coastal shorebirds and wildfowl of habitat loss from (i) development, such as building a port over intertidal flats; (ii) disturbance from people, raptors, and aircraft; (iii) harvesting shellfish; and (iv) climate change and any associated rise in sea level. The model has also been used to evaluate the probable effectiveness of mitigation measures aimed at ameliorating the impact of such environmental changes on the birds. The first steps are now being taken to extend the approach to diving sea ducks and farmland birds during the nonbreeding season.

The models have been successful in predicting the observed behavior and mortality rates in winter of shorebirds on a number of European estuaries, and some of the most important of these tests are described. These successful tests of model predictions raise confidence that the model can be used to advise policy makers concerned with the management of the coast and its important bird populations.
IS FISHING COMPATIBLE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION: A STOCHASTIC MODEL WITH AN ELEMENT OF SELF‐PROTECTION
Authors: AMI D. , HILGERT N. , PARDO S. , TIDBALL M.
Published: August 2010

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to introduce the impact of fishing activity on a marine ecosystem. The fishing activity is considered not only through annual harvest but also through a second component, called the degree of protection of the fishery environment. This characterizes the environmental impact of fishing. A stochastic dynamic programming problem is presented in infinite horizon, where a sole owner seeks to maximize a discounted expected profit. The main hypothesis states that the stock–recruitment relationship is stochastic and that both components of the fishing activity have an impact on the probability law of the state of the fishery environment. The optimal fishing policy is obtained and compared with standard models. This optimal policy has the following properties: is not a constant escapement policy and indicates an element of self‐protection by the fishery manager. The paper ends with a discussion on the existence of degrees of protection of the fishery environment that take into account the environmental conservation and preservation of economic activity.
IMPACT OF RISK AVERSION ON THE OPTIMAL ROTATION WITH STOCHASTIC PRICE
Authors: GONG PEICHEN , LÖFGREN KARL‐GUSTAF
Published: August 2010

AbstractThis paper examines the effect of risk aversion on the optimal rotation when the stumpage price is stochastic. Assuming that the stumpage price is normally distributed, we show that the optimal rotation under risk aversion may be shorter than, equal to, or longer than the corresponding optimal rotation under risk neutrality. Which of these cases holds true depends on the interest rate and the real regeneration cost, and can be determined based on the marginal variance (i.e., the derivative of the variance function with respect to rotation age) evaluated at the optimal rotation under risk neutrality. Furthermore, we show that there exists a monotone continuous curve, which divides the interest rate‐regeneration cost space into two regions where risk aversion affects the optimal rotation differently. For a given interest rate, risk aversion shortens (prolongs) the optimal rotation if the regeneration cost lies below (above) the curve. Along the separating curve the optimal rotation under risk aversion coincides with the optimal rotation under risk neutrality. Two examples are presented to demonstrate the separating curve and the impacts of risk aversion on the optimal rotation.
OPTIMAL ENVIRONMENTAL TAXES: EFFECTS OF POLLUTION DECAY AND CONSUMER AWARENESS
Authors: SANDAL LEIF K. , STEINSHAMN STEIN I.
Published: August 2010

Abstract The effects of nonlinear decay and consumer preferences are analyzed in a setting where optimal extraction of nonrenewable resources is combined with stock externalities. The control is exercised via a corrective tax and the time horizon is divided into two periods: an initial phase with extraction and a terminal phase without extraction. The time horizon with extraction is determined endogenously. The model does not assume separability of the objective function. The purpose here is to demonstrate that relatively simple deviations from the standard assumptions, such as linear decay and no consumer awareness, may have large effects. Sensitivity analyses indicate large differences in the optimal extraction period, the total level of extraction and cumulative emissions depending on the form of the decay function and the presence of consumers' awareness for the environment.
STABILITY ANALYSIS OF A TRITROPHIC FOOD CHAIN MODEL WITH AN ADAPTIVE PARAMETER FOR THE PREDATOR
Authors: TCHUENCHE JEAN M. , CHIYAKA CHRISTINAH
Published: August 2010

Abstract The study of three‐species communities have become the focus of considerable attention, and because the studies of ecological communities start with their food web, we consider a tritrophic food chain model comprised of the prey, the predator, and the super‐predator. The classical assumption of the domino effect is supplemented with an adaptive parameter for the predator (in the absence of prey). Thus, the model exhibits an equilibrium with the predator‐top‐predator steady state, which is a saddle point. Dynamical behaviors such as boundedness, existence of periodic orbits, persistence, as well as stability are analyzed. The long‐term coexistence of the three interacting species is addressed, and the stability analysis of the model shows that the biologically most relevant equilibrium point is globally asymptotically stable whenever it satisfies a certain criterion. Practical implications are explored and related to real populations.
Racial Differences in Spatial Job Search Patterns: Exploring the Causes and Consequences*
Authors: Stoll Michael A. , Raphael Steven
Published: August 2010

Abstract: In this paper, we present an analysis of the spatial job search patterns of black, white, and Latino workers in Los Angeles. We find that blacks and Latinos tend to search in areas where employment growth is low, whereas whites tend to search in areas where it is high. Moreover, over half of the mean racial and ethnic differences in the quality of spatial job search (as measured by mean employment growth in areas searched) is explained by racial residential segregation. In addition, racial segregation is a more important explanation of racial differences in spatial job search quality than systematic differences in social networks and job search methods, though these factors matter. Spatial job search quality has a positive and significant effect on the employment of whites and blacks, but not Latinos, and explains nearly 40 percent of the difference between white and black employment rates. These results are consistent with the existence of spatial mismatch in urban labor markets and imply that racial residential segregation limits the job opportunities of blacks, and to a lesser extent Latinos, in metropolitan areas.
Variation in pH Optima of Hydrolytic Enzyme Activities in Tropical Rain Forest Soils
Authors: Turner Benjamin L.
Published: August 2010

Extracellular enzymes synthesized by soil microbes play a central role in the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients in the environment. The pH optima of eight hydrolytic enzymes involved in the cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, were assessed in a series of tropical forest soils of contrasting pH values from the Republic of Panama. Assays were conducted using 4-methylumbelliferone-linked fluorogenic substrates in modified universal buffer. Optimum pH values differed markedly among enzymes and soils. Enzymes were grouped into three classes based on their pH optima: (i) enzymes with acidic pH optima that were consistent among soils (cellobiohydrolase, β-xylanase, and arylsulfatase), (ii) enzymes with acidic pH optima that varied systematically with soil pH, with the most acidic pH optima in the most acidic soils (α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, and
N
-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase), and (iii) enzymes with an optimum pH in either the acid range or the alkaline range depending on soil pH (phosphomonoesterase and phosphodiesterase). The optimum pH values of phosphomonoesterase were consistent among soils, being 4 to 5 for acid phosphomonoesterase and 10 to 11 for alkaline phosphomonoesterase. In contrast, the optimum pH for phosphodiesterase activity varied systematically with soil pH, with the most acidic pH optima (3.0) in the most acidic soils and the most alkaline pH optima (pH 10) in near-neutral soils. Arylsulfatase activity had a very acidic optimum pH in all soils (pH ≤3.0) irrespective of soil pH. The differences in pH optima may be linked to the origins of the enzymes and/or the degree of stabilization on solid surfaces. The results have important implications for the interpretation of hydrolytic enzyme assays using fluorogenic substrates.
Development and Application of a New Method for Specific and Sensitive Enumeration of Spores of Nonproteolytic
Clostridium botulinum
Types B, E, and F in Foods and Food Materials
Authors: Peck Michael W. , Plowman June , Aldus Clare F. , Wyatt Gary M. , Penaloza Izurieta Walter , Stringer Sandra C. , Barker Gary C.
Published: August 2010

The highly potent botulinum neurotoxins are responsible for botulism, a severe neuroparalytic disease. Strains of nonproteolytic
Clostridium botulinum
form neurotoxins of types B, E, and F and are the main hazard associated with minimally heated refrigerated foods. Recent developments in quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) and food safety objectives (FSO) have made food safety more quantitative and include, as inputs, probability distributions for the contamination of food materials and foods. A new method that combines a selective enrichment culture with multiplex PCR has been developed and validated to enumerate specifically the spores of nonproteolytic
C. botulinum
. Key features of this new method include the following: (i) it is specific for nonproteolytic
C. botulinum
(and does not detect proteolytic
C. botulinum
), (ii) the detection limit has been determined for each food tested (using carefully structured control samples), and (iii) a low detection limit has been achieved by the use of selective enrichment and large test samples. The method has been used to enumerate spores of nonproteolytic
C. botulinum
in 637 samples of 19 food materials included in pasta-based minimally heated refrigerated foods and in 7 complete foods. A total of 32 samples (5 egg pastas and 27 scallops) contained spores of nonproteolytic
C. botulinum
type B or F. The majority of samples contained <100 spores/kg, but one sample of scallops contained 444 spores/kg. Nonproteolytic
C. botulinum
type E was not detected. Importantly, for QMRA and FSO, the construction of probability distributions will enable the frequency of packs containing particular levels of contamination to be determined.
Correlation of Particular Bacterial PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis Patterns with Bovine Ruminal Fermentation Parameters and Feed Efficiency Traits
Authors: Hernandez-Sanabria Emma , Guan Le Luo , Goonewardene Laksiri A. , Li Meiju , Mujibi Denis F. , Stothard Paul , Moore Stephen S. , Leon-Quintero Monica C.
Published: August 2010

The influence of rumen microbial structure and functions on host physiology remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the interaction between the ruminal microflora and the host by correlating bacterial diversity with fermentation measurements and feed efficiency traits, including dry matter intake, feed conversion ratio, average daily gain, and residual feed intake, using culture-independent methods. Universal bacterial partial 16S rRNA gene products were amplified from ruminal fluid collected from 58 steers raised under a low-energy diet and were subjected to PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to relate specific PCR-DGGE bands to various feed efficiency traits and metabolites. Analysis of volatile fatty acid profiles showed that butyrate was positively correlated with daily dry matter intake (P< 0.05) and tended to have higher concentration in inefficient animals (P= 0.10), while isovalerate was associated with residual feed intake (P< 0.05). Our results suggest that particular bacteria and their metabolism in the rumen may contribute to differences in host feed efficiency under a low-energy diet. This is the first study correlating PCR-DGGE bands representing specific bacteria to metabolites in the bovine rumen and to host feed efficiency traits.
Site-Directed Mutagenesis of the
Anabaena
sp. Strain PCC 7120 Nitrogenase Active Site To Increase Photobiological Hydrogen Production
Authors: Masukawa Hajime , Inoue Kazuhito , Sakurai Hidehiro , Wolk C. Peter , Hausinger Robert P.
Published: August 2010

Cyanobacteria use sunlight and water to produce hydrogen gas (H
2
), which is potentially useful as a clean and renewable biofuel. Photobiological H
2
arises primarily as an inevitable by-product of N
2
fixation by nitrogenase, an oxygen-labile enzyme typically containing an iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMo-co) active site. In
Anabaena
sp. strain 7120, the enzyme is localized to the microaerobic environment of heterocysts, a highly differentiated subset of the filamentous cells. In an effort to increase H
2
production by this strain, six nitrogenase amino acid residues predicted to reside within 5 Å of the FeMo-co were mutated in an attempt to direct electron flow selectively toward proton reduction in the presence of N
2
. Most of the 49 variants examined were deficient in N
2
-fixing growth and exhibited decreases in their
in vivo
rates of acetylene reduction. Of greater interest, several variants examined under an N
2
atmosphere significantly increased their
in vivo
rates of H
2
production, approximating rates equivalent to those under an Ar atmosphere, and accumulated high levels of H
2
compared to the reference strains. These results demonstrate the feasibility of engineering cyanobacterial strains for enhanced photobiological production of H
2
in an aerobic, nitrogen-containing environment.
Optimization of Protease Secretion in
Bacillus subtilis
and
Bacillus licheniformis
by Screening of Homologous and Heterologous Signal Peptides
Authors: Degering Christian , Eggert Thorsten , Puls Michael , Bongaerts Johannes , Evers Stefan , Maurer Karl-Heinz , Jaeger Karl-Erich
Published: August 2010

Bacillus subtilis
and
Bacillus licheniformis
are widely used for the large-scale industrial production of proteins. These strains can efficiently secrete proteins into the culture medium using the general secretion (Sec) pathway. A characteristic feature of all secreted proteins is their N-terminal signal peptides, which are recognized by the secretion machinery. Here, we have studied the production of an industrially important secreted protease, namely, subtilisin BPN′ from
Bacillus amyloliquefaciens
. One hundred seventy-three signal peptides originating from
B. subtilis
and 220 signal peptides from the
B. licheniformis
type strain were fused to this secretion target and expressed in
B. subtilis
, and the resulting library was analyzed by high-throughput screening for extracellular proteolytic activity. We have identified a number of signal peptides originating from both organisms which produced significantly increased yield of the secreted protease. Interestingly, we observed that levels of extracellular protease were improved not only in
B. subtilis
, which was used as the screening host, but also in two different
B. licheniformis
strains. To date, it is impossible to predict which signal peptide will result in better secretion and thus an improved yield of a given extracellular target protein. Our data show that screening a library consisting of homologous and heterologous signal peptides fused to a target protein can identify more-effective signal peptides, resulting in improved protein export not only in the original screening host but also in different production strains.
Deletion of Genes Encoding Cytochrome Oxidases and Quinol Monooxygenase Blocks the Aerobic-Anaerobic Shift in
Escherichia coli
K-12 MG1655
Authors: Portnoy Vasiliy A. , Scott David A. , Lewis Nathan E. , Tarasova Yekaterina , Osterman Andrei L. , Palsson Bernhard Ø.
Published: August 2010

The constitutive activation of the anoxic redox control transcriptional regulator (ArcA) in
Escherichia coli
during aerobic growth, with the consequent production of a strain that exhibits anaerobic physiology even in the presence of air, is reported in this work. Removal of three terminal cytochrome oxidase genes (
cydAB
,
cyoABCD
, and
cbdAB
) and a quinol monooxygenase gene (
ygiN
) from the
E. coli
K-12 MG1655 genome resulted in the activation of ArcA aerobically. These mutations resulted in reduction of the oxygen uptake rate by nearly 98% and production of
d
-lactate as a sole by-product under oxic and anoxic conditions. The knockout strain exhibited nearly identical physiological behaviors under both conditions, suggesting that the mutations resulted in significant metabolic and regulatory perturbations. In order to fully understand the physiology of this mutant and to identify underlying metabolic and regulatory reasons that prevent the transition from an aerobic to an anaerobic phenotype, we utilized whole-genome transcriptome analysis,
13
C tracing experiments, and physiological characterization. Our analysis showed that the deletions resulted in the activation of anaerobic respiration under oxic conditions and a consequential shift in the content of the quinone pool from ubiquinones to menaquinones. An increase in menaquinone concentration resulted in the activation of ArcA. The activation of the ArcB/ArcA regulatory system led to a major shift in the metabolic flux distribution through the central metabolism of the mutant strain. Flux analysis indicated that the mutant strain had undetectable fluxes around the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and elevated flux through glycolysis and anaplerotic input to oxaloacetate. Flux and transcriptomics data were highly correlated and showed similar patterns.
Bar-Coded Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA Gene Amplicons Reveals Changes in Ileal Porcine Bacterial Communities Due to High Dietary Zinc Intake
Authors: Vahjen W. , Pieper R. , Zentek J.
Published: August 2010

Feeding high levels of zinc oxide to piglets significantly increased the relative abundance of ileal
Weissella
spp.,
Leuconostoc
spp., and
Streptococcus
spp., reduced the occurrence of
Sarcina
spp. and
Neisseria
spp., and led to numerical increases of all Gram-negative facultative anaerobic genera. High dietary zinc oxide intake has a major impact on the porcine ileal bacterial composition.
Patient safety incidents associated with tracheostomies occurring in hospital wards: a review of reports to the UK National Patient Safety Agency
Authors: McGrath B A , Thomas A N
Published: August 2010

Background

Tracheostomies are increasingly common in hospital wards due to the rising use of percutaneous and surgical tracheostomies in critical care and bed pressures in these units. Hospital wards may lack appropriate infrastructure to care for this vulnerable group and significant patient harm may result.

Objectives

To identify and analyse tracheostomy related incident reports from hospital wards between 1 October 2005 and 30 September 2007, and to make recommendations to improve patient safety based on the recurrent themes identified. The study was performed between August 2008 and August 2009.

Methods

968 tracheostomy related critical incidents reported to the National Patient Safety Agency over the 2 year period, identified by key letter searches, were analysed. Incidents were categorised to identify common themes, and root cause analysis attempted where possible.

Results

In the 453 incidents where patients were directly affected, 338 (75%) were associated with some identifiable patient harm, of which 83 (18%) were associated with more than temporary harm. In 29 incidents (6%) some intervention was required to maintain life, and in 15 cases the incident may have contributed to the patient’s death. Equipment was involved in 176 incidents and 276 incidents involved tracheostomies becoming blocked or displaced.

Conclusions

By identifying and analysing themes in incident reports associated with tracheostomies, recommendations can be made to improve safety for this group of patients. These recommendations include improvements in infrastructure, competency and training, equipment provision, and in communication.
Tobacco smoking in seven Latin American cities: the CARMELA study
Authors: Champagne B M , Sebrié E M , Schargrodsky H , Pramparo P , Boissonnet C , Wilson E
Published: August 2010

Objective

This study aimed to explore tobacco smoking in seven major cities of Latin America.

Methods

The Cardiovascular Risk Factor Multiple Evaluation in Latin America (CARMELA) study is a cross-sectional epidemiological study of 11 550 adults between 25 and 64 years old in Barquisimeto, Venezuela; Bogota, Colombia; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Peru; Mexico City, Mexico; Quito, Ecuador; and Santiago, Chile. Tobacco smoking, including cigarettes, cigars and pipes, was surveyed among other cardiovascular risk factors.

Results

Santiago and Buenos Aires had the highest smoking prevalence (45.4% and 38.6%, respectively); male and female rates were similar. In other cities, men smoked more than women, most markedly in Quito (49.4% of men vs 10.5% of women). Peak male smoking prevalence occurred among the youngest two age groups (25–34 and 35–44 years old). Men and women of Buenos Aires smoked the highest number of cigarettes per day on average (15.7 and 12.4, respectively). Men initiated regular smoking earlier than women in each city (ranges 13.7–20.0 years vs 14.2–21.1 years, respectively). Exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke at workplace for more than 5 h per day was higher in Barquisimeto (28.7%), Buenos Aires (26.8%) and Santiago (21.5%). The highest prevalence of former smokers was found among men in Buenos Aires, Santiago and Lima (30.0%, 26.8% and 26.0% respectively).

Conclusions

Smoking prevalence was high in the seven CARMELA cities, although patterns of smoking varied among cities. A major health and economic burden is inevitable in urban Latin America unless effective comprehensive tobacco control measures recommended by the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control are implemented.
Exploring the role of pH in modulating the effects of lidocaine in virtual ischemic tissue
Authors: Cardona Karen , Trénor Beatriz , Moltó Germán , Martínez Miguel , Ferrero José María , Starmer Frank , Saiz Javier
Published: August 2010

Lidocaine is a class I antiarrhytmic drug that blocks Na+channels and exists in both neutral and charged forms at a physiological pH. In this work, a mathematical model of pH and the frequency-modulated effects of lidocaine has been developed and incorporated into the Luo-Rudy model of the ventricular action potential. We studied the effects of lidocaine on Na+current, maximum upstroke velocity, and conduction velocity and demonstrated that a decrease of these parameters was dependent on pH, frequency, and concentration. We also tested the action of lidocaine under pathological conditions. Specifically, we investigated its effects on conduction block under acute regional ischemia. Our results in one-dimensional fiber simulations showed a reduction of the window of block in the presence of lidocaine, thereby highlighting the role of reduced conduction velocity and safe conduction. This reduction may be related to the antifibrillatory effects of the drug by hampering wavefront fragmentation. In bidimensional acute ischemic tissue, lidocaine increased the vulnerable window for reentry and exerted proarrhythmic effects. In conclusion, the present simulation study used a newly formulated model of lidocaine, which considers pH and frequency modulation, and revealed the mechanisms by which lidocaine facilitates the onset of reentries. The results of this study also help to increase our understanding of the potential antifibrillatory effects of the drug.
Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors as novel therapeutic tools for vascular remodeling diseases
Authors: Lambert Caroline M. , Roy Mélanie , Meloche Jolyane , Robitaille Geneviève A. , Agharazii Mohsen , Richard Darren E. , Bonnet Sébastien
Published: August 2010

Vascular remodeling diseases (VRDs) are characterized by enhanced inflammation and proliferative and apoptosis-resistant vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The sustainability of this phenotype has been attributed in part to the activation of the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1). There is evidence that circulating cytokines can act as HIF-1 activators in a variety of tissues, including VSMCs. Increased circulating tumor necrosis factor (TNF) levels have been associated with vascular diseases, but the mechanisms involved remain unknown. We hypothesized that increased circulating levels of TNF promotes VRDs by the activation of HIF-1, resulting in VSMC proliferation and resistance to apoptosis. Circulating TNF levels were significantly increased in patients with vascular diseases ( n = 19) compared with healthy donors ( n = 15). Using human carotid artery smooth muscle cells (CASMCs), we demonstrated that TNF (100 ng/ml) activates HIF-1 (HIF-1α expression), leading to increased CASMC proliferation (Ki-67 and PCNA staining) and resistance to mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis [tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester perchlorate (TMRM), terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), annexin-V staining]. In vivo, TNF inhibition using polyethylene glycol coupled with TNF membrane receptor 1 (PEGsTNFR1), a soluble TNF receptor inhibiting circulating TNF, prevented carotid artery postinjury media remodeling and neointima development in rats. This effect was associated with lowered HIF-1 activation and decreased CASMC proliferation. In conclusion, we demonstrate for the first time that the inhibition of the TNF/Akt/HIF-1 axis prevents vascular remodeling. TNF inhibitors may therefore represent new and interesting therapeutic tools against VRDs.
Moderate postnatal hyperoxia accelerates lung growth and attenuates pulmonary hypertension in infant rats after exposure to intra-amniotic endotoxin
Authors: Tang Jen-Ruey , Seedorf Gregory J. , Muehlethaler Vincent , Walker Deandra L. , Markham Neil E. , Balasubramaniam Vivek , Abman Steven H.
Published: August 2010

To determine the separate and interactive effects of fetal inflammation and neonatal hyperoxia on the developing lung, we hypothesized that: 1) antenatal endotoxin (ETX) causes sustained abnormalities of infant lung structure; and 2) postnatal hyperoxia augments the adverse effects of antenatal ETX on infant lung growth. Escherichia coli ETX or saline (SA) was injected into amniotic sacs in pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats at 20 days of gestation. Pups were delivered 2 days later and raised in room air (RA) or moderate hyperoxia (O2, 80% O2at Denver's altitude, ∼65% O2at sea level) from birth through 14 days of age. Heart and lung tissues were harvested for measurements. Intra-amniotic ETX caused right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and decreased lung vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) protein contents at birth. In ETX-exposed rats (ETX-RA), alveolarization and vessel density were decreased, pulmonary vascular wall thickness percentage was increased, and RVH was persistent throughout the study period compared with controls (SA-RA). After antenatal ETX, moderate hyperoxia increased lung VEGF and VEGFR-2 protein contents in ETX-O2rats and improved their alveolar and vascular structure and RVH compared with ETX-RA rats. In contrast, severe hyperoxia (≥95% O2at Denver's altitude) further reduced lung vessel density after intra-amniotic ETX exposure. We conclude that intra-amniotic ETX induces fetal pulmonary hypertension and causes persistent abnormalities of lung structure with sustained pulmonary hypertension in infant rats. Moreover, moderate postnatal hyperoxia after antenatal ETX restores lung growth and prevents pulmonary hypertension during infancy.
High-molecular-weight hyaluronan is a novel inhibitor of pulmonary vascular leakiness
Authors: Singleton Patrick A. , Mirzapoiazova Tamara , Guo Yurong , Sammani Saad , Mambetsariev Nurbek , Lennon Frances E. , Moreno-Vinasco Liliana , Garcia Joe G. N.
Published: August 2010

Endothelial cell (EC) barrier dysfunction results in increased vascular permeability, a perturbation observed in inflammatory states, tumor angiogenesis, atherosclerosis, and both sepsis and acute lung injury. Therefore, agents that enhance EC barrier integrity have important therapeutic implications. We observed that binding of high-molecular-weight hyaluronan (HMW-HA) to its cognate receptor CD44 within caveolin-enriched microdomains (CEM) enhances human pulmonary EC barrier function. Immunocytochemical analysis indicated that HMW-HA promotes redistribution of a significant population of CEM to areas of cell-cell contact. Quantitative proteomic analysis of CEM isolated from human EC demonstrated HMW-HA-mediated recruitment of cytoskeletal regulatory proteins (annexin A2, protein S100-A10, and filamin A/B). Inhibition of CEM formation [caveolin-1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) and cholesterol depletion] or silencing (siRNA) of CD44, annexin A2, protein S100-A10, or filamin A/B expression abolished HMW-HA-induced actin cytoskeletal reorganization and EC barrier enhancement. To confirm our in vitro results in an in vivo model of inflammatory lung injury with vascular hyperpermeability, we observed that the protective effects of HMW-HA on LPS-induced pulmonary vascular leakiness were blocked in caveolin-1 knockout mice. Furthermore, targeted inhibition of CD44 expression in the mouse pulmonary vasculature significantly reduced HMW-HA-mediated protection from LPS-induced hyperpermeability. These data suggest that HMW-HA, via CD44-mediated CEM signaling events, represents a potentially useful therapeutic agent for syndromes of increased vascular permeability.
CAV1 Inhibits Metastatic Potential in Melanomas through Suppression of the Integrin/Src/FAK Signaling Pathway
Authors: Trimmer Casey , Whitaker-Menezes Diana , Bonuccelli Gloria , Milliman Janet N. , Daumer Kristin M. , Aplin Andrew E. , Pestell Richard G. , Sotgia Federica , Lisanti Michael P. , Capozza Franco
Published: August 2010

Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is the main structural component of caveolae, which are plasma membrane invaginations that participate in vesicular trafficking and signal transduction events. Although evidence describing the function of CAV1 in several cancer types has recently accumulated, its role in melanoma tumor formation and progression remains poorly explored. Here, by using B16F10 melanoma cells as an experimental system, we directly explore the function of CAV1 in melanoma tumor growth and metastasis. We first show that CAV1 expression promotes proliferation, whereas it suppresses migration and invasion of B16F10 cells in vitro. When orthotopically implanted in the skin of mice, B16F10 cells expressing CAV1 form tumors that are similar in size to their control counterparts. An experimental metastasis assay shows that CAV1 expression suppresses the ability of B16F10 cells to form lung metastases in C57Bl/6 syngeneic mice. Additionally, CAV1 protein and mRNA levels are found to be significantly reduced in human metastatic melanoma cell lines and human tissue from metastatic lesions. Finally, we show that following integrin activation, B16F10 cells expressing CAV1 display reduced expression levels and activity of FAK and Src proteins. Furthermore, CAV1 expression markedly reduces the expression of integrin β3 in B16F10 melanoma cells. In summary, our findings provide experimental evidence that CAV1 may function as an antimetastatic gene in malignant melanoma. Cancer Res; 70(19); 7489–99. ©2010 AACR.
GP369, an FGFR2-IIIb–Specific Antibody, Exhibits Potent Antitumor Activity against Human Cancers Driven by Activated FGFR2 Signaling
Authors: Bai Ailin , Meetze Kristan , Vo Nhi Y. , Kollipara Sriram , Mazsa Elizabeth K. , Winston William M. , Weiler Solly , Poling Laura L. , Chen Ting , Ismail Nesreen S. , Jiang Jinwei , Lerner Lorena , Gyuris Jeno , Weng Zhigang
Published: August 2010

Dysregulated fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling has been implicated in the pathogenesis of human cancers. Aberrant activation of FGF receptor 2 (FGFR2) signaling, through overexpression of FGFR2 and/or its ligands, mutations, and receptor amplification, has been found in a variety of human tumors. We generated monoclonal antibodies against the extracellular ligand-binding domain of FGFR2 to address the role of FGFR2 in tumorigenesis and to explore the potential of FGFR2 as a novel therapeutic target. We surveyed a broad panel of human cancer cell lines for the dysregulation of FGFR2 signaling and discovered that breast and gastric cancer cell lines harboring FGFR2 amplification predominantly express the IIIb isoform of the receptor. Therefore, we used an FGFR2-IIIb–specific antibody, GP369, to investigate the importance of FGFR2 signaling in vitro and in vivo. GP369 specifically and potently suppressed ligand-induced phosphorylation of FGFR2-IIIb and downstream signaling, as well as FGFR2-driven proliferation in vitro. The administration of GP369 in mice significantly inhibited the growth of human cancer xenografts harboring activated FGFR2 signaling. Our findings support the hypothesis that dysregulated FGFR2 signaling is one of the critical oncogenic pathways involved in the initiation and/or maintenance of tumors. Cancer patients with aberrantly activated/amplified FGFR2 signaling could potentially benefit from therapeutic intervention with FGFR2-targeting antibodies. Cancer Res; 70(19); 7630–9. ©2010 AACR.
Reading the Panarion as Collective Biography: The Heresiarch as Unholy Man
Authors: Kim Young Richard
Published: August 2010

This article proposes a reading of the Panarion, a fourth-century heresiology, as a collective biography, a genre that compiled shortened biographical snapshots of prominent individuals who together embodied an idealized way of life. Epiphanius, the defender and model of orthodoxy, augmented his power and authority through his writing and heresy-hunting activities. The Panarion included miniature biographies of heresiarchs in many of the entries, and together these biographies constructed the composite image and character of the heresiarch and collectively portrayed the unholy life.
Small and Medium-sized Chinese Businesses in Mali and Senegal
Authors: Kernen Antoine
Published: August 2010

The two cases studies presented and compared allow for a better understanding of the development of Chinese small and medium sized businesses in Africa. Through the analysis of the Chinese businessmen’s life stories, the article stresses the diversity of situation in explaining the Chinese presence, giving importance to the national context.
Faces of China: New Chinese Migrants in South Africa, 1980s to Present
Authors: Huynh Tu T. , Jung Park Yoon , Ying Chen Anna
Published: August 2010

Contrary to media arguments that Chinese migration to Africa is part of a Chinese state project, the vast majority of new Chinese migrants in South Africa arrived (or made decisions to stay) independently, motivated by their desires to improve their lives. Newer Chinese migrants tend to follow paths cut by those who came earlier; some of these earlier migrants from the PRC came with Taiwanese businesses or state-owned enterprises. Today’s Chinese migrants are quite diverse: they come from various parts of China, with different levels of education and experience, and from different class backgrounds. Migration processes and migration successes are linked to sending country, receiving country and global conditions; however, Chinese migrants themselves play an integral role in shaping perceptions, constructing new identities and changing spaces, giving substance to the idea of a “global south”.
Beyond the Rhetoric: Noninterference in China’s African Policy
Authors: Hess Steve , Aidoo Richard
Published: August 2010

The following paper examines the historical origins and development of China’s advocacy of the principle of noninterference in its African foreign policy and suggests that in spite of its consistent rhetorical support for noninterference over the last fifty years, the relevance of the principle in shaping Beijing’s foreign policy decisions has varied as its pragmatic interests have shifted. China’s post-Maoist leadership, in the drive to win the African resources and markets needed to bolster its growing, export-driven economy, has utilized the practice of noninterference to win a foothold on the continent. As its level of investment in Africa and dependency on African energy resources and markets have expanded, however, Beijing has found limiting its actions vis-à-vis a policy of noninterference less tenable, and as recurrences of regional instability and anti-Chinese populism have threatened its interests, citizens, and assets on the continent, will likely take a more forceful role in its relations with partner states.
Establishment and characterization of a Chinese Game chicken embryo fibroblast bank
Authors: Li Xiangchen , Bai Chunyu , Su Xiaohua , Jin Dapeng , Zhao Qianjun , He Xiaohong , Guan Weijun , Ma Yuehui
Published: August 2010

For preserving the genetic resources of the Chinese Game chicken and exploring a new method to preserve endangered animals, a Chinese Game chicken embryo fibroblast cell bank was established by the attachment culture method and the cryopreservation biotechniques. This bank includes 43 embryo samples and has stocks of 178 cryovials, with each containing 4.0×106 cells respectively. Quality assays and biological characteristics of the bank established showed that the cells cultured in vitro were all typical fibroblast and the cell population doubling time (PDT) was about 2 days. The cell viability before freezing was 97.37% ± 2.25% and 91.43% ± 3.22% after thawing. Tests for microbial contamination by bacteria, fungus, viruses and mycoplasmas were all negative. The frequency of cells having the diploid number of chromosomes (78) was 94.65% ± 3.29%. Isoenzyme analysis confirmed that there was no cross-contamitation in the culture. The fluorescence could be observed well-distributed in cytoplasm and nucleus except for some cryptomere vesicles at 24 h after transfection, and the expression efficiency of pEGFP-C1, pEGFP-N3, pEYFP-N1, pECFP-N1, pECFP-mito and pDsRed1-N1 were all between 9.5%∼34.6% at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after transfection. This research provided both technical and theoretical support for preserving the genetic resources of other animals and poultry at the cell level.
Le problème du continu pour la mathématisation galiléenne et la géométrie cavalierienne
Authors: Boulier Philippe
Published: August 2010

What reasons can a physicist have to reject the principle of a mathematical method, which he nonetheless uses (even in an implicit way) and which he used frequently in his unpublished works? We are concerned here with Galileo’s doubts and objections against Cavalieri’s “geometry of indivisibles.” One may be astonished by Galileo’s behaviour: Cavalieri’s principle is implied by the Galilean mathematization of naturally accelerated motion; some Galilean demonstrations in fact hinge on it. Yet, in theDiscorsi(1638) Galileo seems to be opposed to this principle. e fundamental reason of Galileo’s reluctance with respect to Cavalieri’s geometry is to be sought in Galileo’s ideal of intelligibility. It is true that Galilean physics, and more particularly Galileo’s theories of motion and matter, faces deep paradoxes, which Cavalieri’s geometry succeeds to avoid, thanks to a clear determination of the concept of “aggregatum.” But while avoiding these difficulties, Cavalieri does not furnish anysolutionfor the problems raised by Galilean physics.
Deux exemples d’utilisation des mathématiques en musique dans le premier quatorzième siècle latin
Authors: Husson Matthieu
Published: August 2010

This article analyses the conditions under which mathematics could enter the field of fourteenth-century music. It distinguishes between descriptive and argumentative uses of mathematics. Jean de Murs’ uses of arithmetic to study musical time is an example of the former, Jean de Boen’s study of the division of the whole tone an example of the latter. It is furthermore explained how the mathematical descriptions appear to bring into agreement two types of constraint, namely the physical characteristics of sound and the aesthetic principles of the medieval discourse about music. Within these constraints, mathematics manages to fulfill different argumentative roles: it has an ontological function when music is seen as a part of the quadrivium; but an explicative function in the framework of the scientia media and, in an more innovative spirit for Jean de Boens, it provides a definition of the possible in the argumentation about the division of the whole tone.
Retreating State? Political Economy of Welfare Regime Change in Turkey
Authors: Eder Mine
Published: August 2010

Informed by the debates on the transformation of welfare states in advanced industrial economies, this article evaluates the changing role of the state in welfare provision in Turkey. Turkey's welfare state has long been limited and inegalitarian. Strong family ties coupled with indirect and informal channels of welfare (ranging from agricultural subsidies to informal housing—both costly but politically expedient) have compensated for the welfare vacuum. At first glance, Turkey's welfare reform that emerged from the 2000-2001 fiscal crisis appears like a classic case of moving towards a minimalist, 'neoliberal' welfare regime—with increasingly privatized health care and private social insurance. The state retreats via the subcontracting of welfare provision to private actors, growing involvement of charity organizations, and increasing public-private cooperation in education, health, and anti-poverty schemes. Yet, there is also evidence of the expansion of state power. The newly empowered 'General Directorate of Social Assistance and Solidarity (SYDGM)' manages an ever-increasing budget for social assistance, the number of mean-tested health insurance (Green Card) holders explodes, health care expenditures rise substantially, and municipalities become important liaisons for channeling private money and donations for antipoverty purposes. The cumulative effect is an 'institutional welfare-mix' that has actually mutated so as to compensate for the absence of the earlier, politically attractive but fiscally unsustainable welfare conduits. The result has so far been the creation of immense room for political patronage, the expansion of state power, and no significant improvement of welfare governance.
How Do We Assign Punishment? The Impact of Minimal and Maximal Standards on the Evaluation of Deviants
Authors: Kessler Thomas , Neumann Jörg , Mummendey Amélie , Berthold Anne , Schubert Thomas , Waldzus Sven
Published: August 2010

To explain the determinants of negative behavior toward deviants (e.g., punishment), this article examines how people evaluate others on the basis of two types of standards: minimal and maximal. Minimal standards focus on an absolute cutoff point for appropriate behavior; accordingly, the evaluation of others varies dichotomously between acceptable or unacceptable. Maximal standards focus on the degree of deviation from that standard; accordingly, the evaluation of others varies gradually from positive to less positive. This framework leads to the prediction that violation of minimal standards should elicit punishment regardless of the degree of deviation, whereas punishment in response to violations of maximal standards should depend on the degree of deviation. Four studies assessed or manipulated the type of standard and degree of deviation displayed by a target. Results consistently showed the expected interaction between type of standard (minimal and maximal) and degree of deviation on punishment behavior.
Assessing the Effects of Municipal Term Limits on Fiscal Policy in U.S. Cities
Authors: McGlynn Adam J. , Sylvester Dari E.
Published: August 2010

The arguments for and against term limits have been the subject of debate since the mid-1990s. Proponents claim term limits bring new energy and ideas to government, while opponents argue they shift power to special interests and the bureaucracy. Analyses of the true effects of term limits have been focused on their implementation at the state level. This article examines the effects of term limits on taxation, city employment, and spending on other public policies at the municipal level. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau and pooled cross-sectional time series models, the authors find that the presence of term limits has only a modest effect on economic and distributive public policies in U.S. cities as a city’s economic milieu has a greater effect on taxation and policy expenditures.
Fiscal Stress and Cutback Management Amongst State and Local Governments
Authors: Scorsone Eric A. , Plerhoples Christina
Published: August 2010

The study of cutback management at the state and local levels, or the management of resources in times of fiscal decline, has evolved since its inception in the 1970s. Throughout this time, scholars have attempted to answer how and why cutback management takes place, as well as its implications for future economic development and fiscal health. However, a dearth of research exists on its use and implications across differing types of governments under differing circumstances. With a current crisis threatening fiscal health at all levels of government, understanding the effects of cutback management choices is more critical than ever. This essay reviews the evolution of the literature and proposes a future research agenda for cutback management analysis.