bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structure and Usage of the Tartu University Corpus of Written Estonian
Authors: Hennoste T. , Koit Mare , Roosmaa T. , Saluveer M.
Published: November 2010

This paper provides an overview of the first computer corpus of the Estonian language compiled at the University of Tartu. It was based on the design principles of the LOB and Brown corpora. The main part of the corpus was assembled from 1991-1995 and contains about 1 million textual words. It was compiled by an interdepartmental computational linguistics research group of the university. This paper gives a survey of the text groups in the corpus and of the problems the compilers had to solve together with the proposed solutions and outlines the main differences from the model corpora and the underlying reasons for them. These are followed by a review of the available computer routines for processing the corpus.
Corpus Linguistics and Cognitivism
Authors: Schönefeld Doris
Published: November 2010

The following article is meant to discuss the status of corpus linguistics, how it is seen and sees itself as a field: Is it merely a method of doing linguistics, or can it be considered a distinct approach to language description? In our argument, we claim that corpus linguistics is on the way of becoming more than a methodology, since its research results are increasingly interpreted with regard to their impact on the commonly held views about language. Dealing with these interpretations, we have noticed a number of similarities with assumptions made by cognitive linguistics, and we aim at showing that the two trends—corpus linguistics and cognitivism—are compatible in that they complement each other.
Towards Automatic Annotation of Anaphoric Links in Corpora
Authors: Mitkov Ruslan
Published: November 2010

The paper proposes a methodology for the semi-automatic annotation of pronoun-antecedent pairs in corpora. The proposal is based on robust, knowledge-poor pronoun resolution followed by post-editing.
The paper is structured as follows. The introduction comments on the fact that automatic identification of referential links in corpora has lagged behind in comparison with similar lexical, syntactical, and even semantic tasks. The second section of the paper outlines the author s robust, knowledge-based approach to pronoun resolution which will subsequently be put forward as the core of a larger architecture proposed for the automatic tagging of referential links. Section 3 briefly presents other related knowledge-poor approaches, while Section 4 discusses the limitations and advantages of the knowledge-poor approach outlined in Section 2. The main argument of the paper is to be found in Section 5, which presents the idea of developing a semi-automatic environment for annotating anaphoric links and outlines the components of such a program. Finally, the conclusion looks at the anticipated success rate of the approach.
Videoconferencing
Authors: Mouzourakis Panayotis
Published: November 2010

The technical aspects of videoconferencing are described, with emphasis on the H 320 standards for the transmission of compressed video and audio streams. The implications of multilingual videoconferencing for sound and image quality in conference interpreting and the related cognitive, medical and psychological problems are then discussed. The suitability of this technique for various kinds of meetings and its cost effectiveness are also touched upon.
An interactional sociolinguistic analysis of turn-taking in an interpreted event
Authors: Roy Cynthia B.
Published: November 2010

This paper describes several features of turns in the turn-taking exchange of an interpreted meeting between a professor and a student. Analysis of the transcript of the videotaped meeting revealed 1) turns with smooth transitions, or regular turns, 2) turns with pauses and gaps, 3) turns that occur when speakers talk at the same time, and 4) turns initiated by the interpreter. Interviews with all three participants demonstrate that they interact in complex ways. Both speakers and the interpreter create unique kinds of pauses, lag, overlapping talk, and turns. This analysis demonstrates the active involvement of the interpreter in managing face-to-face interaction.
A psycholinguistic perspective on Simultaneous Interpretation
Authors: Frauenfelder Ulrich , Schriefers Herbert
Published: November 2010

Experimental psycholinguistics investigates the cognitive processes underlying our ability to comprehend and produce language using empirical tools similar to those used in experimental psychology. In so doing, it adopts the strategy of cognitive decomposition (see also Massaro & Shlesinger, this volume). It first studies the component language processes in isolation, and only later are these processes investigated in the larger context of other component processes. In the present paper, we attempt to illustrate how the complex cognitive skill of simultaneous translation can fruitfully be examined from this psycholinguistic perspective, despite the scepticism from some of the SI community towards such an experimental enterprise. Inversely, we will also show that studies of the processes underlying simultaneous translation promise to provide us with important insights in psycholinguistics.
The proposed role of suppression in simultaneous interpretation
Authors: Gernsbacher Morton Ann , Shlesinger Miriam
Published: November 2010

In this paper we suggest that the cognitive mechanism of suppression attenuates interference in many language comprehension phenomena, and is particularly crucial when comprehension must share processing capacity with other cognitive tasks, as is manifestly the case in simultaneous interpreting. During lexical access, the mechanism of suppression attenuates the interference caused by the activation of other lexical information, such as the inappropriate meanings of homonyms. During anaphoric reference, the mechanism of suppression attenuates the interference caused by the activation of other potential referents. In this way, the referent to which the anaphor does refer becomes the most activated concept. During syntactic parsing, the mechanism of suppression attenuates the interference caused by a previous syntactic form. During metaphor comprehension, the mechanism of suppression attenuates the interference caused by a literal interpretation. During inferencing, the mechanism of suppression attenuates the interference caused by an initial but inappropriate inference. We propose therefore that suppression — a general, cognitive mechanism that attenuates interference — plays a crucial role in language comprehension and simultaneous interpretation.
The bilingual individual
Authors: Grosjean Francois
Published: November 2010

This article presents a general overview of the adult bilingual individual. First, the bilingual is defined and discussed in terms of the complementary principle, i.e. the fact that bilinguals acquire and use their languages for different purposes, in different domains of life, with different people. Next, the various language modes bilinguals find themselves in during their everyday interactions are examined. These range from the monolingual mode when they are communicating with monolinguals (and they have to deactivate all but one language) to the bilingual mode when they are interacting with other bilinguals who share their two (or more) languages and with whom they can mix languages if they so wish (i.e. code-switch and borrow). The article ends with a rapid survey of the psycholinguistics of bilingualism and, in particular, of how bilinguals access their lexicon when perceiving mixed speech. The regular bilingual is compared to the interpreter bilingual whenever possible.
The cognitive psychology of expertise and the domain of interpreting
Authors: Hoffman Robert R.
Published: November 2010

This article surveys findings from cognitive science research on expertise, with a focus on applications to the domain of simultaneous interpreting, including methods of knowledge elicitation that might be useful in the empirical investigation of proficiency at simultaneous interpreting. Defining features of expertise include its developmental progression, the nature of expert memory organization, and the nature of expert reasoning. I explore ways in which a number of defining criteria might apply to the domain of interpreting. With regard to knowledge elicitation, I explore three knowledge elicitation methods that sample the palette of available methods, specifically, a type of structured interview, a type of task analysis, and a more contrived or laboratory task.
What transcriptions of authentic discourse can reveal about interpreting
Authors: Meyer Bernd
Published: November 2010

This paper will outline how the theoretical and methodological framework of Functional Pragmatics can be applied to interpreting research. The aim is to show that mental dimensions of the interpreting process can be reconstructed from transcriptions of interpreted discourse.
The scope of such an analysis will be discussed on the basis of Bührig & Rehbein (forthcoming). This analysis considers interpreting as a type of action that consists first and foremost in "reproducing" (sections 1 and 2). The HIAT transcription conventions and the syncWRITER-software as tools for the transcription and analysis of interpreted discourse will be presented in section 3 and applied to authentic data (section 4). In section 5, the explanatory value of the approach will be discussed in relation to phenomena found in the data presented.
Canadian and Spanish youths’ risk perceptions of drinking and driving, and riding with a drunk driver
Authors: Dhami Mandeep K. , Mandel David R. , Garcia‐Retamero Rocio
Published: November 2010

The present research compared Canadian and Spanish youths’ perceptions of the potential benefits and drawbacks of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and riding with a drunk driver (RDD). Eighty (41 female) Canadian and 87 (71 female) Spanish undergraduates completed a survey asking about their past and forecasted engagement in DUI and RDD, and their perceptions of the benefits and drawbacks of DUI and RDD. A sizeable proportion of both samples reported DUI and RDD in the past year. Past risk takers forecasted significantly greater chances of engaging in these behaviors in the following year compared to those who had not engaged in DUI and RDD. Both samples provided significantly more drawbacks than benefits of DUI and RDD. Whereas the benefits of both behaviors tended to refer to personal effects (e.g., save money, arrive faster) that occurred before, during, or after driving, the drawbacks referred to a range of outcomes (e.g., accident, kill/injure, penal sanction) that mostly occurred during driving. Although Canada and Spain differ in important respects (e.g., potential penalty for DUI), there were similarities in the two samples’ perceptions of DUI and RDD. Young people are aware of the costs of these risky behaviors but nevertheless engage in them. These findings can inform theories of the co‐occurrence of risky driving behaviors, and the development of prevention programs that focus on perceived outcomes.
Between Economic Competitiveness and Social Inclusion: New Labour and the Economic Revival of Deprived Neighbourhoods
Authors: Syrett Stephen , North David
Published: November 2010

Following the election of the first New Labour government in 1997 the revitalisation of deprived neighbourhoods quickly became a central feature of the policy landscape. Motivated by the desire to tackle processes of social exclusion and find a new economic basis for these areas, an array of policy experiments and interventions emerged. An increasing focus of these was to improve the economic conditions of deprived neighbourhoods with a particular emphasis upon tackling worklessness and promoting entrepreneurial activity. Yet despite this sustained activity, 13 years later the gap between the poorest neighbourhoods and the rest persisted. This paper reflects critically upon the development of this policy agenda, its aims, outcomes and effectiveness, and identifies the factors that constrained its ability to transform the economic fortunes of England's most deprived neighbourhoods.
New Labour's Spaces of Competitiveness
Authors: Valler Dave , Carpenter Juliet
Published: November 2010

New Labour's engagement with sub-national economic governance was a stuttering and uneven story marked by both significant achievements and jolting failures. While devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the introduction of Regional Development Agencies in England represented early successes, the bold rhetoric of New Labour's programme was not in reality matched by solid ideological foundations and a coherent policy approach. Rather, the decentralisation project was constructed around a distinctive ‘rationality’ based around the role of place in driving competitiveness in the face of a global, knowledge-based economy. This had significant implications for the level and clarity of political commitments in this sphere, and the durability of new forms. After the comprehensive ‘no’ vote in the referendum for the North East Elected Regional Assembly in 2004 and the subsequent collapse of the English regional agenda, a period of hiatus gave way to an emerging sub-regional agenda, where developments were influenced at least in part by bottom-up pressures and allowed for some degree of local autonomy and flexibility in the construction of new governance forms. Yet the continuing absence of a clear ideological drive emphasized the ad-hoc nature of these changes and accentuated the lack of an over-arching political resolution. In this context Labour's proposals for sub-national economic governance were muddied, raising questions over the sustainability of new arrangements. The paper concludes with a brief commentary on the experience of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government following the general election on 6 May 2010.
Environmental Policy under New Labour
Authors: Jackson Tony
Published: November 2010

New Labour's efforts to shape development practice to incorporate sustainable precepts and deliver low carbon outcomes are reviewed. A failure to promote integrated environmental policies within government and to subject these to statutory environmental assessment has severely constrained the realisation of sustainable development pathways. Climate change policy initiatives have generated a greater degree of cross-departmental commitment. Yet one of its short-lived initiatives, the Infrastructure Planning Commission, would have struggled to deliver a low carbon economy, because its deliberations were exempt from statutory forms of environmental assessment that quantify the carbon footprints of alternative development scenarios.
Revisiting the ‘Missing Middle’ in English Sub-National Governance
Authors: Shaw Keith , Greenhalgh Paul
Published: November 2010

In the light of the new Coalition Government's proposed ‘rescaling’ of sub-national governance away from the regional level, it is an opportune time to re-consider the strength and weaknesses of the city or sub-regional approach to economic development and to search, once more, for the ‘missing middle’ in English Governance. In this context, the article initially assesses the case for city or sub regions as tiers of economic governance, before examining the lessons to be learnt from the experiences of the existing city regions in the North East of England. It argues that while contemporary plans to develop Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) can be usefully considered within the context of the emerging city regional developments under the previous Labour Governments, a number of important challenges remain, particularly in relation to ensuring accountable structures of governance, a range of appropriate functions, adequate funding, and comprehensive coverage across a variety of sub-regional contexts. While the proposals of the new Government create the necessary ‘space’ to develop sub-regional bodies and offer genuine opportunities for both city and county LEPs, the scale of the sub-regional challenge should not be underestimated, particularly given the context of economic recession and major reductions in the public sector.
Flux–force relation for non-axisymmetric tori in general flux coordinates and neoclassical toroidal plasma viscosity
Authors: Shaing K.C. , Chu M.S. , Sabbagh S.A.
Published: November 2010

Flux–force relation, a fundamental relation that relates transport fluxes to forces, for non-axisymmetric tori in general magnetic flux coordinates that are not Hamada coordinates, is derived. The derivation is based on kinetic theory instead of fluid theory. It is shown that pressure force also contributes to the relation in non-Hamada coordinates in general to make the relation compatible with kinetic theory and to make it coordinates invariant. The results are applied to the theory for the neoclassical toroidal viscosity in tokamaks that have error fields or resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modes.
Redistribution of left ventricular strain by cardiac resynchronization therapy in heart failure patients
Authors: Klimusina Julija , De Boeck Bart W. , Leenders Geert E.H. , Faletra Francesco F. , Prinzen Frits , Averaimo Manuela , Pasotti Elena , Klersy Catherine , Moccetti Tiziano , Auricchio Angelo
Published: November 2010

Aims

The aim of this study was to investigate (i) the baseline patterns of segmental peak myocardial strain (PMS) in heart failure (HF) patients with ventricular conduction delay, (ii) changes in patterns of segmental PMS induced by cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), and (iii) whether they differ between CRT responders and non‐responders.

Methods and results

Segmental and global longitudinal (L‐) and radial (R‐) PMS measurements derived from speckle tracking were prospectively obtained in 85 HF patients with intraventricular conduction delay before and 6 months after CRT device implantation and in 30 healthy subjects. Segmental strain analysis in HF patients showed pronounced heterogeneity both in longitudinal and in radial directions with the lowest amplitudes in the septum and the highest amplitudes in the lateral and posterior walls. After CRT, 60% of the patients were responders (≥15% reduction in end‐systolic volume). Before CRT, responders showed higher global R‐PMS than non‐responders (19.5 ± 13.4 vs.13.1 ± 4.8%, respectively; P = 0.04) despite similar global L‐PMS. After CRT, responders showed an increase in L‐PMS in most segments and a homogeneous increase in R‐PMS, leading to a more uniform pattern of strain and an improved global L‐PMS and R‐PMS. In contrast, in non‐responders, the gain in L‐PMS and R‐PMS in septal segments was completely offset by a decrease in posterolateral segments, failing to decrease segmental heterogeneity and to increase global L‐PMS and R‐PMS.

Conclusion

Heart failure patients with ventricular conduction delay show pronounced heterogeneous patterns of segmental PMS, which can be reversed by CRT.
Stress measurement in East Asian lacquer thin films owing to changes in relative humidity using phase-shifting interferometry
Authors: Elmahdy A. E. , Ruiz P. D. , Wildman R. D. , Huntley J. M. , Rivers S.
Published: November 2010

In this paper, we address the behaviour of lacquer coatings similar to that found on the Mazarin Chest, an important Japanese lacquerware artefact currently held by the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London. The response of Japanese lacquer (
urushi
) to changes in environmental conditions was investigated by examining the deflection of a glass substrate coated with a thin film of
urushi
subjected to changes of humidity. This deflection, measured using phase-shifting interferometry, was then used to determine the two in-plane hygral stress components. Results were compared for two sample conditioning regimes—subjected to intense UV ageing and no ageing—each at a range of relative humidity (RH) steps. The changes in humidity were found to cause rapid stress changes in the lacquers, which then relax over much longer time scales. A simple one-dimensional model of the moisture transport and the stress development is shown to be effective in describing the response of the material to changes in environmental RH.
Networks uncover hidden lexical borrowing in Indo-European language evolution
Authors: Nelson-Sathi Shijulal , List Johann-Mattis , Geisler Hans , Fangerau Heiner , Gray Russell D. , Martin William , Dagan Tal
Published: November 2010

Language evolution is traditionally described in terms of family trees with ancestral languages splitting into descendent languages. However, it has long been recognized that language evolution also entails horizontal components, most commonly through lexical borrowing. For example, the English language was heavily influenced by Old Norse and Old French; eight per cent of its basic vocabulary is borrowed. Borrowing is a distinctly non-tree-like process—akin to horizontal gene transfer in genome evolution—that cannot be recovered by phylogenetic trees. Here, we infer the frequency of hidden borrowing among 2346 cognates (etymologically related words) of basic vocabulary distributed across 84 Indo-European languages. The dataset includes 124 (5%) known borrowings. Applying the uniformitarian principle to inventory dynamics in past and present basic vocabularies, we find that 1373 (61%) of the cognates have been affected by borrowing during their history. Our approach correctly identified 117 (94%) known borrowings. Reconstructed phylogenetic networks that capture both vertical and horizontal components of evolutionary history reveal that, on average, eight per cent of the words of basic vocabulary in each Indo-European language were involved in borrowing during evolution. Basic vocabulary is often assumed to be relatively resistant to borrowing. Our results indicate that the impact of borrowing is far more widespread than previously thought.
Biting through constraints: cranial morphology, disparity and convergence across living and fossil carnivorous mammals
Authors: Goswami Anjali , Milne Nick , Wroe Stephen
Published: November 2010

Carnivory has evolved independently several times in eutherian (including placental) and metatherian (including marsupial) mammals. We used geometric morphometrics to assess convergences associated with the evolution of carnivory across a broad suite of mammals, including the eutherian clades Carnivora and Creodonta and the metatherian clades Thylacoleonidae, Dasyuromorphia, Didelphidae and Borhyaenoidea. We further quantified cranial disparity across eutherians and metatherians to test the hypothesis that the marsupial mode of reproduction has constrained their morphological evolution. This study, to our knowledge the first to extensively sample pre-Pleistocene taxa, analysed 30 three-dimensional landmarks, focused mainly on the facial region, which were digitized on 130 specimens, including 36 fossil taxa. Data were analysed with principal components (PC) analysis, and three measures of disparity were compared between eutherians and metatherians. PC1 showed a shift from short to long faces and seemed to represent diet and ecology. PC2 was dominated by the unique features of sabre-toothed forms: dramatic expansion of the maxilla at the expense of the frontal bones. PC3, in combination with PC1, distinguished metatherians and eutherians. Metatherians, despite common comparisons with felids, were more similar to caniforms, which was unexpected for taxa such as the sabre-toothed marsupial
Thylacosmilus
. Contrary to previous studies, metatherian carnivores consistently exhibited disparity which exceeded that of the much more speciose eutherian carnivore radiations, refuting the hypothesis that developmental constraints have limited the morphological evolution of the marsupial cranium.
Electrical activity in rat cortico-limbic structures after single or repeated administration of lipopolysaccharide or staphylococcal enterotoxin B
Authors: Doenlen Raphael , Krügel Ute , Wirth Timo , Riether Carsten , Engler Andrea , Prager Geraldine , Engler Harald , Schedlowski Manfred , Pacheco-López Gustavo
Published: November 2010

Immune-to-brain communication is essential for an individual to aptly respond to challenging internal and external environments. However, the specificity by which the central nervous system detects or ‘senses’ peripheral immune challenges is still poorly understood. In contrast to post-mortem c-Fos mapping, we recorded neural activityin vivoin two specific cortico-limbic regions relevant for processing visceral inputs and associating it with other sensory signalling, the amygdala (Am) and the insular cortex (IC). Adult rats were implanted with deep-brain monopolar electrodes and electrical activity was monitored unilaterally before and after administration of two different immunogens, the T-cell-independent antigen lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or the T-cell-dependent antigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). In addition, the neural activity of the same individuals was analysed after single as well as repeated antigen administration, the latter inducing attenuation of the immune response. Body temperature and circulating cytokine levels confirmed the biological activity of the antigens and the success of immunization and desensitization protocols. More importantly, the present data demonstrate that neural activity of the Am and IC is not only specific for the type of immune challenge (LPS versus SEB) but seems to be also sensitive to the different immune state (naive versus desensitization). This indicates that the forebrain expresses specific patterns of electrical activity related to the type of peripheral immune activation as well as to the intensity of the stimulation, substantiating associative learning paradigms employing antigens as unconditioned stimuli. Overall, our data support the view of an intensive immune-to-brain communication, which may have evolved to achieve the complex energetic balance necessary for mounting effective immunity and improved individual adaptability by cognitive functions.
Breaking the routine: individual Cory's shearwaters shift winter destinations between hemispheres and across ocean basins
Authors: Dias Maria P. , Granadeiro José P. , Phillips Richard A. , Alonso Hany , Catry Paulo
Published: November 2010

There is growing evidence that migratory species are particularly vulnerable to rapid environmental changes arising from human activity. Species are expected to vary in their capacity to respond to these changes: long-distance migrants and those lacking variability in migratory traits are probably at considerable disadvantage. The few studies that have assessed the degree of plasticity in behaviour of marine animals suggest that fidelity to non-breeding destinations is usually high. In the present study, we evaluated individual flexibility in migration strategy of a highly pelagic seabird, the Cory's shearwater
Calonectris diomedea
. Geolocation data from 72 different migrations, including 14 birds that were tracked for more than one non-breeding season, showed a remarkable capacity to change winter destinations between years. Although some birds exhibited high site fidelity, others shifted from the South to North Atlantic, from the western to eastern South Atlantic, and from the Atlantic to Indian Ocean. Individuals also showed flexibility in stopover behaviour and migratory schedule. Although their K-selected life-history strategy has the disadvantage that the chances of microevolution are slight if circumstances alter rapidly, these results suggest that Cory's shearwaters may be in a better position than many other long-distance migrants to face the consequences of a changing environment.
Dynamics of species interaction strength in space, time and with developmental stage
Authors: Kordas Rebecca L. , Dudgeon Steve
Published: November 2010

Quantifying species interaction strengths enhances prediction of community dynamics, but variability in the strength of species interactions in space and time complicates accurate prediction. Interaction strengths can vary in response to density, indirect effects, priority effects or a changing environment, but the mechanism(s) causing direction and magnitudes of change are often unclear. We designed an experiment to characterize how environmental factors influence the direction and the strength of priority effects between sessile species. We estimated
per capita
non-trophic effects of barnacles (
Semibalanus balanoides
) on newly settled germlings of the fucoid,
Ascophyllum nodosum
, in the presence and absence of consumers in experiments on rocky shores throughout the Gulf of Maine, USA.
Per capita
effects on germlings varied among environments and barnacle life stages, and these interaction strengths were largely unaltered by changing consumer abundance. Whereas previous evidence shows adult barnacles facilitate fucoids, here, we show that recent settlers and established juveniles initially compete with germlings. As barnacles mature, they switch to become facilitators of fucoids. Consumers caused variable mortality of germlings through time comparable to that from competition. Temporally variable effects of interactors (e.g.
S. balanoides
), or spatial variation in their population structure, in different regions differentially affect target populations (e.g.
A. nodosum
). This may affect abundance of critical stages and the resilience of target species to environmental change in different geographical regions.
Niche specialization of reef-building corals in the mesophotic zone: metabolic trade-offs between divergent
Symbiodinium
types
Authors: Cooper Timothy F. , Ulstrup Karin E. , Dandan Sana S. , Heyward Andrew J. , Kühl Michael , Muirhead Andrew , O'Leary Rebecca A. , Ziersen Bibi E. F. , Van Oppen Madeleine J. H.
Published: November 2010

The photobiology of two reef corals and the distribution of associated symbiont types were investigated over a depth gradient of 0–60 m at Scott Reef, Western Australia.
Pachyseris speciosa
hosted mainly the same
Symbiodinium
C type similar to C3 irrespective of sampling depth. By contrast,
Seriatopora hystrix
hosted predominantly
Symbiodinium
type D1a or D1a-like at shallow depths while those in deeper water were dominated by a
Symbiodinium
C type closely related to C1. The photosynthesis/respiration (P/R) ratio increased consistently with depth at the two sampling times (November 2008 and April 2009) for
P. speciosa
and in November 2008 only for
S. hystrix
, suggesting a reduction in metabolic energy expended for every unit of energy obtained from photosynthesis. However, in April 2009, shallow colonies of
S. hystrix
exhibited decreased P/R ratios down to depths of approximately 23 m, below which the ratio increased towards the maximum depth sampled. This pattern was mirrored by changes in tissue biomass determined as total protein content. The depth of change in the direction of the P/R ratio correlated with a shift from
Symbiodinium
D to C-dominated colonies. We conclude that while photobiological flexibility is vital for persistence in contrasting light regimes, a shift in
Symbiodinium
type may also confer a functional advantage albeit at a metabolic cost with increased depth.
A growth-essential Tetrahymena Piwi protein carries tRNA fragment cargo
Authors: Couvillion Mary T. , Sachidanandam Ravi , Collins Kathleen
Published: November 2010

Argonaute/Piwi proteins associate with small RNAs that typically provide sequence specificity for RNP function in gene and genome regulation. Here we show that Twi12, a Tetrahymena Piwi protein essential for growth, is loaded with mature tRNA fragments. The tightly bound ∼18- to 22-nucleotide tRNA 3′ fragments are biochemically distinct from the tRNA halves produced transiently in response to stress. Notably, the end positions of Twi12-bound tRNA 3′ fragments precisely match RNAs detected in total small RNA of mouse embryonic stem cells and human cancer cells. Our studies demonstrate unanticipated evolutionary conservation of mature tRNA processing to tRNA fragment small RNAs.
Burkholderia glumae: next major pathogen of rice?
Authors: HAM JONG HYUN , MELANSON REBECCA A. , RUSH MILTON C.
Published: November 2010

Burkholderia glumae causes bacterial panicle blight of rice, which is an increasingly important disease problem in global rice production. Toxoflavin and lipase are known to be major virulence factors of this pathogen, and their production is dependent on the TofI/TofR quorum‐sensing system, which is mediated by N‐octanoyl homoserine lactone. Flagellar biogenesis and a type III secretion system are also required for full virulence of B. glumae. Bacterial panicle blight is thought to be caused by seed‐borne B. glumae; however, its disease cycle is not fully understood. In spite of its economic importance, neither effective control measures for bacterial panicle blight nor rice varieties showing complete resistance to the disease are currently available. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying B. glumae virulence and of the rice defence mechanisms against the pathogen would lead to the development of better methods of disease control for bacterial panicle blight.

Taxonomy: Bacteria; Proteobacteria; Betaproteobacteria; Burkholderiales; Burkholderiaceae; Burkholderia.

Microbiological properties: Gram‐negative, capsulated, motile, lophotrichous flagella, pectolytic.

Disease symptoms: Aborted seed, empty grains as a result of failure of grain filling, brown spots on panicles, seedling rot.

Disease control: Seed sterilization, planting partially resistant lines (no completely resistant line is available).

Known virulence factors: Toxoflavin, lipase, type III effectors.
Patients' Beliefs about Medicines in a primary care setting in Germany
Authors: Mahler Cornelia , Hermann Katja , Horne Rob , Jank Susanne , Haefeli Walter Emil , Szecsenyi Joachim
Published: November 2010

Objectives  The aim of this study was to explore patients' beliefs about medicines by administering the German version of the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ) in a primary care setting among chronically ill patients and to examine its psychometric properties. The BMQ assesses patients' beliefs about their individual prescribed medication as well as their beliefs about medicines in general.

Methods  A cross‐sectional survey of 485 chronically ill patients was performed. The German version of the BMQ was evaluated in terms of internal consistency, validity and scale structure. To assess validity the Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS‐D) and the Satisfaction with Information about Medicines Scale (SIMS‐D) were applied.

Results  The BMQ showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's α 0.79–0.83). Patients' belief about the specific necessity of their medicines correlated positively with the MARS‐D (ρ = 0.202; P < 0.01). There were significant correlations in the predicted direction between the MARS‐D and all the BMQ subscales with the exception of the General‐Overuse subscale (ρ = −0.06; P = 0.30). Relationship to the SIMS‐D was comparable to the original study. Factor analysis corroborated the scale structure.

Conclusions  The BMQ is a suitable instrument to measure patients' beliefs in medicines in German primary care settings. Most patients in our sample had positive beliefs concerning the necessity of their medication. Their levels of concern were associated with higher non‐adherence.
Incidence of and risk factors for falls among adults with an intellectual disability
Authors: Cox C. R. , Clemson L. , Stancliffe R. J. , Durvasula S. , Sherrington C.
Published: November 2010

Background  Falls among people with intellectual disability (ID) occur at a younger age than the general population and are a significant cause of injury and hospitalisation. There is very limited research investigating risk factors for falls among people with ID and none with people living outside of formal care arrangements, either independently or with their family. We used a medical chart audit to identify the incidence and risk factors for falls among people with ID living in a variety of settings.

Methods  We retrospectively identified 114 consecutive patients, aged 18 years and over who attended a clinic for people with developmental disabilities within a 15‐month period. Fall information was measured by carer recall of falls in the past 12 months. Potential risk factors were extracted from medical reports and a patient information questionnaire. Potential predictors were identified using univariate analysis and entered into a multiple logistic regression.

Results  Of 114 participants, 39 (34%) reported a fall in the previous 12 months. The number of reported falls was similar for formal care and non‐formal care arrangements. The vast majority of fallers (84%) reported sustaining an injury from a fall and many potential risk factors were identified. Multivariate analysis revealed having seizures in the past 5 years, a history of fracture and increasing age were risk factors for falls.

Conclusions  Falls are a significant health concern for adults with ID of all ages as a result of their incidence and the resulting injuries. Falls appear to be equally an issue for people residing in formal and non‐formal care accommodation. Further research is needed to develop screening tools and interventions for this population.
Stereological Analysis of Wistar Rat Testis During Early Post‐natal Development
Authors: Dorostghoal M. , Sorooshnia F. , Zardkaf A.
Published: November 2010

With 1 figure and 2 tables

Quantitative analysis of testis structure was performed during early post‐natal development in Wistar rats. For this purpose, at 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 60 and 90 days after birth, weights and volumes of testes were recorded and fixed in Bouin’s solution. For stereological studies, 5‐μm paraffin sections were stained with haematoxylin–eosin. Relative and then absolute volumes of seminiferous tubules, germinal epithelium, seminiferous tubuli lumina and interstitial tissue were estimated by point‐counting method. The results showed that weight and volume of testis in rats increase 75‐ and 86.28‐fold during post‐natal development, respectively. The greatest growth rate (2.96‐fold) of testis was observed between days 35 and 42. Also, diameter of seminiferous tubules increased significantly (P < 0.001) between different ages and represented 5.55‐fold increase during post‐natal development. The percentage volume of tubular tissue increased 1.4‐fold between birth and 90 days of age. Interstitial tissue formed 36.68 ± 0.90% of testicular parenchyma at birth. This percentage decreased progressively during post‐natal development until 90 (9.00 ± 0.55%) days of age. Lumen of seminiferous tubules was recognized at day 28, and its relative volume increased with age. This study provides systematic data on the stereological characteristics of developing Wistar rat testis.
Immunolocalization of Ghrelin in the Stomach of Sprague‐Dawley Rat
Authors: Li J. , Yi S.‐Q. , Wang H.‐X. , Yi N. , Ogawa Y. , Ozaki N. , Itoh M.
Published: November 2010

With 3 figures and 1 table

To investigate the distribution of ghrelin in different regions of stomach in Sprague‐Dawley rat, and attempt to compare with those of humans and other mammalian species in this study, the stomach of rats was divided into five sections, cardia, fundus, greater curvature, lesser curvature and pylorus. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were performed to investigate the ghrelin‐producing cells. The immunolocalization and protein levels of ghrelin differed significantly in different regions of stomach in rats. It was present at a high level in the greater curvature of the pars glandularis, and the lesser curvature. In the fundus and pylorus, no ghrelin immunoreactive cells were detected. In this study, we elucidated the distribution of ghrelin‐producing cells in different regions of rat stomach in detail for the first time. It is further considered that the differences of ghrelin distribution in stomach of different species may induce different stimulatory effects on fat accumulation and metabolism.
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in bipolar patients initiating acute‐phase treatment: A 6‐month follow up
Authors: Guan Nianhong , Liu Hairen , Diao Feici , Zhang Jinbei , Zhang Ming , Wu Tingjuan
Published: November 2010

Aims:  To evaluate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its correlates in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) during acute‐phase treatment in southern China.

Methods:  This study included 148 BD patients presenting with acute mood symptoms and 65 healthy controls at entry. Sociodemographic characteristics were noted for all participants. For patients, lifestyle information (alcohol, smoking, and exercise habits) and clinical characteristics were also collected. Patients were followed up for 6 months after the commencement of pharmacological treatment. Using the Chinese Medical Association Diabetes Branch criteria, MetS prevalence rates were calculated at entry and recalculated for patients at months 1, 3, and 6.

Results:  At baseline, MetS was presented in 11.5% of the patients; overweight, 34.5%; low high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, 15.5%; hypertriglyceridemia, 29.1%; hypertension, 14.9%; and hyperglycemia, 5.4%. Compared with controls, the patients had a significantly higher prevalence of MetS and all its components except for hyperglycemia (P < 0.05). In the regression analysis, history of hypertension, presence of diabetes, and alcohol drinking were associated with MetS. During the follow‐up period, rates of MetS and overweight increased gradually and stably, hypertriglyceridemia and low high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol increased significantly in the first month and then remained stable, and hypertension and hyperglycemia remained stable all the time.

Conclusions:  These data show that MetS is highly prevalent in Chinese BD patients. Weight gain and dyslipidemia result from a short period of treatment. Early interventions for weight gain and dyslipidemia are warranted.
Probable variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease in Asia: A case report from Taiwan and review of two prior cases
Authors: Yang Chih‐Wen , Fuh Jong‐Ling , Wang Shuu‐Jiun , Lirng Jiing‐Feng , Yang Chih‐Chao , Cheng Shih‐Jung
Published: November 2010

New variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD) was first identified in the UK in 1996, and was causally linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Herein we report the first case of vCJD in Taiwan: a 34‐year‐old man who had lived in the UK between 1989 and 1997. The patient presented with depression, irritability, personality change, painful feet and allodynia, followed by gait ataxia and cognitive impairment. Electroencephalograms did not show the typical appearance of sporadic CJD. The cerebrospinal fluid 14‐3‐3 protein immunoassay was negative. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed high signal lesions involving bilateral caudate nuclei, left lentiform nucleus, bilateral dorsomedial thalami and pulvinar on fluid‐attenuation inversion recovery, T2‐ and diffusion‐weighted imaging. Prion protein gene analysis showed homozygous for methionine at codon 129. The patient developed akinetic mutism at 16 months and died at 28 months after onset. The clinical presentation and neuroimaging findings were compatible with the vCJD cases reported since 1996, and met the World Health Organization Case Definition for probable vCJD. In this communication, we also review two other cases of vCJD in Asia. All three cases were assumed as imported cases from the UK because of the residential or travel history of the patients.
No association between glutathione‐synthesis‐related genes and Japanese schizophrenia
Authors: Hanzawa Ryo , Ohnuma Tohru , Nagai Yasuhito , Shibata Nobuto , Maeshima Hitoshi , Baba Hajime , Hatano Tokiko , Takebayashi Yuto , Hotta Yuri , Kitazawa Maiko , Arai Heii
Published: November 2010

Aims:  Schizophrenia is a major psychiatric disorder with complex genetic, environmental, and psychological causes, and oxidative stress may be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Glutathione (GSH), one of the main cellular non‐protein antioxidants and redox regulators, and altered GSH levels have been reported in various regions in patients with schizophrenia. Three enzymes are responsible for GSH synthesis: glutamate cysteine ligase modifier (GCLM), glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), and glutathione synthetase (GSS). Previously, positive associations between GCLM and schizophrenia were reported in Europeans, but not in the Japanese population. Thus, in this study, we investigated the association between the GSH synthesis genes (GCLM, GCLC, and GSS) and schizophrenia in Japanese individuals.

Methods:  Seventeen single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in GCLM, GCLC, and GSS were genotyped in 358 patients with schizophrenia and in 359 controls.

Results:  No SNP showed a significant association between their allelic or genotypic frequencies and schizophrenia. Case–control haplotype association analysis using windows of two or three SNP showed no significant associations with schizophrenia. The case–control haplotype analyses based on the ascertained linkage disequilibrium blocks also showed no significant associations in any genes with schizophrenia.

Conclusions:  The three primary GSH synthesis genes do not have an apparent degree of association with schizophrenia in the Japanese population.
Diversity and distribution of microbial long‐chain fatty acid biosynthetic genes in the marine environment
Authors: Shulse Christine N. , Allen Eric E.
Published: November 2010

Bacterial production of long‐chain fatty acids via a polyketide synthase‐related mechanism has thus far only been investigated in isolate‐based studies. Here, the genetic capacity for production of long‐chain fatty acids was investigated using a culture‐independent approach. PCR primers targeting the keto‐acyl synthase (KS) domain of the pfaA gene involved in omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) biosynthesis were used to construct clone libraries to investigate KS sequence diversity in disparate marine habitats. Of the 446 sequences recovered, 123 (27.6%) clustered with KS sequences involved in the synthesis of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n‐3), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n‐3) and arachidonic acid (AA, C20:4n‐6). The remaining 72.4% of clones formed environmental‐only groups or grouped with the KS domains of pfaA homologues from organisms producing unidentified products. In total, 17 groups were recovered – four known and 13 newly identified. A query of metagenomic data sets revealed sequences related to EPA KS domains, as well as sequences related to four environmental‐only groups discovered in the clone libraries. The phylogenetic affiliation and end product of these environmental‐only KS clusters is unknown. These findings reveal a widespread capacity for long‐chain fatty acid production in marine microorganisms, including biosynthetic pathways not yet characterized.