bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Jesuits, Propaganda and Faith Healing in the Dutch Republic
Authors: DE WAARDT HANS
Published: June 2009

In the 1570s the structure of the Catholic Church had collapsed in the Dutch Republic, but soon after 1580 a process of reconstruction set in. At first exorcism and other types of faith healing were deployed by both secular and regular Catholic clergy. In time the secular clergy became less willing to respond to requests for this type of assistance. The regular clergy and particularly the Jesuits continued, however, to render this service just as frequently as before. The Jesuits did this in order to convert Protestants but after 1650 the secular clergy came to replace the Protestants as their main opponent. In the eyes of the Jesuits many secular priests were Jansenists and the production of miracles was now largely intended to increase support for the Jesuits among lay Catholics. In 1703 this conflict resulted in a schism in the Dutch Catholic Church.
Politics and the ‘Heauenly Sonnets’: George Wither's Religious Verse, 1619–1625
Authors: HACKETT KIMBERLEY J.
Published: June 2009

In the last years of his reign, James I experienced an unprecedented level of opposition to his government of England. Whilst the king remained committed to negotiating a Spanish bride for his son and refused to intervene to assist Protestants internationally, his subjects protested, railed and implored against royal policy. The bold and controversial satires of the poet George Wither are often employed by historians as examples of this political opposition. However, assigning Wither to the role of outspoken satirist in the early 1620s relies on neglecting his religious verse as irrelevant and at times contradictory to the ideology perceived in his secular poetry. This article seeks to restore the political value in Wither's religious verse and to demonstrate the consistency of purpose that can be identified throughout his works. Wither's biblical translations and spiritual compositions continued to uphold the Protestant, humanist ideals of his satires and functioned specifically to promote interest in the Protestant cause on the continent. This development of a more complete picture of Wither contributes towards a more nuanced understanding of the diverse and intricate nature of early Stuart political thought.
Acne's relationship with psychiatric and psychological morbidity: results of a school‐based cohort study of adolescents
Authors: Magin PJ , Pond CD , Smith WT , Goode SM
Published: June 2009

Background  There is a considerable number of studies linking acne with psychological and psychiatric morbidities, although this literature is not entirely consistent and is largely cross‐sectional in methodology.

Objective  This study aims to establish the relationship of acne and psychological and psychiatric morbidity in adolescents in a community setting and, via a longitudinal methodology, provide evidence for causality in the relationship.

Methods  The study was a 12‐month cohort study. Two hundred and forty‐four students in Years 8, 9 and 11 (ages 14–17) at four Australian high schools were assessed at baseline 6 months and 12 months. Presence and severity of acne were assessed, along with a number of psychological and psychiatric morbidities and personality traits (depression, anxiety, overall psychiatric morbidity, self‐consciousness, neuroticism and introversion/extraversion) and other demographic variables.

Results  Of the 244 participating students, 209 (86%) completed all three rounds of data collection. A further 26 (11%) completed two rounds. The study failed to demonstrate an association of the presence of acne or of acne severity with the examined measures of psychological and psychiatric morbidity, and no evidence for an effect of acne in their causation.

Conclusion  The relationship of acne and psychological morbidities found in previous health care settings was not found in this community sample. This may be due to differences between community and clinical acne populations. Other possible reasons for this finding are attenuation of psychological morbidity in subjects in this study by successful acne treatment, and the role of personality traits in the complex relationship between acne and psychological morbidities. It is suggested that this relationship would be best investigated by means of longer‐term cohort studies enlisting subjects at an zearly age, prior to the onset of acne.
Effect of cyclosporin A on functional recovery in the spinal cord following contusion injury
Authors: McMahon Siobhan S. , Albermann Silke , Rooney Gemma E. , Moran Cathal , Hynes Jacqueline , Garcia Yolanda , Dockery Peter , O’Brien Timothy , Windebank Anthony J. , Barry Frank P.
Published: June 2009

Considerable evidence has shown that the immunosuppressant drug cyclosporin A (CsA) may have neuroprotective properties which can be exploited in the treatment of spinal cord injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the cellular environment within the spinal cord following injury and determine whether CsA has an effect on altering cellular interactions to promote a growth‐permissive environment. CsA was administered to a group of rats 4 days after they endured a moderate contusion injury. Functional recovery was assessed using the Basso Beattie Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scale at 3, 5 and 7 weeks post‐injury. The rats were sacrificed 3 and 7 weeks post‐injury and the spinal cords were sectioned, stained using histological and immunohistochemical methods and analysed. Using stereology, the lesion size and cellular environment in the CsA‐treated and control groups was examined. Little difference in lesion volume was observed between the two groups. An improvement in functional recovery was observed within CsA‐treated animals at 3 weeks. Although we did not see significant reduction in tissue damage, there were some notable differences in the proportion of individual cells contributing to the lesion. CsA administration may be used as a technique to control the cell population of the lesion, making it more permissive to neuronal regeneration once the ideal environment for regeneration and the effects of CsA administration at different time points post‐injury have been identified.
The effect of habitat complexity on the functional response of a seed‐eating passerine
Authors: BAKER DAVID J. , STILLMAN RICHARD A. , BULLOCK JAMES M.
Published: June 2009

Recent population declines of seed‐eating farmland birds have been associated with reduced overwinter survival due to reductions in food supply. An important component of predicting how food shortages will affect animal populations is to measure the functional response, i.e. the relationship between food density and feeding rate, over the range of environmental conditions experienced by foraging animals. Crop stubble fields are an important foraging habitat for many species of seed‐eating farmland bird. However, some important questions remain regarding farmland bird foraging behaviour in this habitat, and in particular the effect of stubble on farmland bird functional responses is unknown. We measured the functional responses of a seed‐eating passerine, the Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs, consuming seeds placed on the substrate surface in three different treatments: bare soil, low density stubble and high density stubble. Stubble presence significantly reduced feeding rates, but there was no significant difference between the two stubble treatments. Stubble reduced feeding rates by reducing the maximum attack distance, i.e. the distance over which an individual food item is targeted and consumed. The searching speed, handling time per seed, proportion of time spent vigilant, duration of vigilance bouts and duration of head‐down search periods were unaffected by the presence of stubble. The frequency of vigilance bouts was higher in the bare soil treatment, but this is likely to be a consequence of the increased feeding rate. We show the influence of a key habitat type on the functional response of a seed‐eating passerine, and discuss the consequences of this for farmland bird conservation.
Nutrients, not caloric restriction, extend lifespan in Queensland fruit flies (Bactrocera tryoni)
Authors: Fanson Benjamin G. , Weldon Christopher W. , Pérez‐Staples Diana , Simpson Stephen J. , Taylor Phillip W.
Published: June 2009

Caloric restriction (CR) has been widely accepted as a mechanism explaining increased lifespan (LS) in organisms subjected to dietary restriction (DR), but recent studies investigating the role of nutrients have challenged the role of CR in extending longevity. Fuelling this debate is the difficulty in experimentally disentangling CR and nutrient effects due to compensatory feeding (CF) behaviour. We quantified CF by measuring the volume of solution imbibed and determined how calories and nutrients influenced LS and fecundity in unmated females of the Queensland fruit fly, Bactocera tryoni (Diptera: Tephritidae). We restricted flies to one of 28 diets varying in carbohydrate:protein (C:P) ratios and concentrations. On imbalanced diets, flies overcame dietary dilutions, consuming similar caloric intakes for most dilutions. The response surface for LS revealed that increasing C:P ratio while keeping calories constant extended LS, with the maximum LS along C:P ratio of 21:1. In general, LS was reduced as caloric intake decreased. Lifetime egg production was maximized at a C:P ratio of 3:1. When given a choice of separate sucrose and yeast solutions, each at one of five concentrations (yielding 25 choice treatments), flies regulated their nutrient intake to match C:P ratio of 3:1. Our results (i) demonstrate that CF can overcome dietary dilutions; (ii) reveal difficulties with methods presenting fixed amounts of liquid diet; (iii) illustrate the need to measure intake to account for CF in DR studies and (iv) highlight nutrients rather than CR as a dominant influence on LS.
Impact of experimental colitis on hepatobiliary transporter expression and bile duct injury in mice
Authors: Jahnel Jörg , Fickert Peter , Langner Cord , Högenauer Christoph , Silbert Dagmar , Gumhold Judith , Fuchsbichler Andrea , Trauner Michael
Published: June 2009

Background and Aims: The pathogenetic link between ulcerative colitis and sclerosing cholangitis (SC) is unclear. We hypothesized that colitis induces changes in bile composition via inflammation‐induced reduction of hepatobiliary transporter gene expression, ultimately resulting in cholestasis and bile duct injury.

Methods: Alterations in transporter expression and bile secretion in acute dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)‐induced colitis were compared with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐treated mice serving as positive control. Whether chronic DSS‐colitis elicits cholangitis in genetically predisposed animals was studied in heterozygous multidrug resistance gene 2 knockout mice (Mdr2+/−).

Results: LPS but not DSS‐colitis changed major hepatobiliary transporters (Ntcp, Bsep, Mrp2‐4, Ostα/β, Abcg5/8, Oatp1–4, Mdr1b and Mdr2), enzymes (Cyp3a11 and Cyp7a1), nuclear receptors (RXRα, FXR, CAR and PXR) and proinflammatory mediators (tumour necrosis factor α and inducible nitric oxide synthase). Formation of toxic bile reflected by an increased bile acid/phospholipid ratio was observed neither in acute nor in chronic colitis, although heterozygous Mdr2+/− mice developed mild portal inflammation after chronic colitis.

Conclusions: In contrast to LPS, DSS‐colitis has a minor impact on hepatobiliary gene expression and bile secretion. Therefore, intestinal inflammation‐associated changes of hepatobiliary transporter expression do not play a pathogenetic role in SC.
Leaf toughness changes the effectiveness of larval aggregation in the butterfly Byasa alcinous bradanus (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)
Authors: KAWASAKI Nami , MIYASHITA Tadashi , KATO Yoshiomi
Published: June 2009

Two subspecies of the papilionid butterfly Byasa alcinous, B. a. bradanus and B. a. alcinous, have varying degrees of larval aggregation. Early instar larvae of ssp. bradanus always occur in aggregations. To determine the functions of larval aggregation in this subspecies, we examined the effects of leaf toughness on larval performance when caterpillars were reared alone and in aggregations. Newly hatched larvae were reared either individually or in groups of 10 and were fed either tough or tender leaves of Aristolochia debilis. When fed tough leaves, more gregarious larvae survived the first instar. This difference between solitary and aggregated larvae did not occur when caterpillars were fed soft leaves. The effects of aggregation on larval weight and duration were not significant between leaf‐toughness treatments. Larval aggregation of B. a. bradanus improves larval survivorship in early instars that use host plants with tough leaves.
Early‐season colony development of the paper wasp Ropalidia plebeiana (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Canberra, Australia
Authors: OBERPRIELER Stefanie K. , SPRADBERY J. Philip
Published: June 2009

This study presents the first observations of early‐season colony development of Ropalidia plebeiana in Canberra, Australia. The growth pattern of three R. plebeiana nests was measured during weekly observations from October 2006 to January 2007 and showed that nests steadily increase in size over the early summer to approximately 50 cells when the nest is newly established and to approximately 170 cells when nests from the previous season are re‐used. A first generation of adult females is produced by December, and the bimodality of the curves of egg, larval and pupal numbers indicates that these three developmental stages last approximately 2–3 weeks each. The nesting cycle of R. plebeiana in Canberra commences approximately 2 weeks later than in coastal Australia, the shorter summers in this inland region restricting the length of the active season. R. plebeiana did not form dense nesting aggregations in Canberra as described elsewhere, with only small colonies consisting of a single or just a few nests. Characteristic comb‐cutting behavior of the species was observed but this did not result in complete nest division as recorded from coastal populations.
Comparison of cold tolerance in eggs of two cicadas, Cryptotympana facialis and Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, in relation to climate warming
Authors: MORIYAMA Minoru , NUMATA Hideharu
Published: June 2009

The population of the cicada Cryptotympana facialis began to increase in Osaka, Japan, during the late 20th century. Climate warming is considered a major cause, although the relationship between temperature and the cicada population increase remains unclear. By examining cold tolerance in overwintering eggs of C. facialis in relation to another cicada, Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, whose population has recently decreased in Osaka, we tested the hypothesis that warming has caused the population increase of C. facialis by decreasing egg mortality due to winter temperatures. A short‐term (24 h) cold exposure experiment demonstrated that the half‐lethal temperatures (LT50) of C. facialis and G. nigrofuscata were −23.3°C and −28.9°C, respectively, although these extreme low temperatures never occurred in Osaka during the 20th century. Prolonged exposure to −5°C for up to 30 days had no harmful effects on the hatching rate in either species. Overwintering mortality was also assessed under naturally fluctuating conditions by transferring eggs to cooler elevated sites that mimicked the environment prior to the current warming. Eggs of C. facialis that overwintered at the cooler site exhibited similar hatching rates to those maintained at the original site. The results of these experiments consistently indicated that overwintering eggs of C. facialis possess adequate tolerance to the low temperatures of the 20th century. Therefore, we rejected our initial hypothesis that recent increases in the C. facialis population have been caused by warming‐related reductions in overwintering egg mortality.
Longer copulation duration increases the risk of injury during copulation in the male bell cricketMeloimorpha japonica
Authors: KURIWADA Takashi , KASUYA Eiiti
Published: June 2009

Recent studies have documented male traits that cause physical harm to their mates during copulation. However, whether or not males sustain injuries during copulation has not been investigated except in sexually cannibalistic species. We found that males were injured by females during copulation in the polygynous cricketMeloimorpha japonica. More than half of the males sustained injuries to their forewings and/or genitalia during copulation. The probability of injury increased with the duration of copulation. The remating rate of females was high when the copulation duration in the first mating was short. These results suggest that copulation duration will be affected by the compromise between the risk of injury for males and paternity assurance.
First records of Microptila Ris (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) from Japan, with description of a new species
Authors: KJÆRANDSEN Jostein , ITO Tomiko
Published: June 2009

Microptila orienthula, sp. n. from Japan is described and illustrated based on adults of both sexes. The new species represents the first finding of Microptila in the Eastern Palaearctic Region, and it appears to be more closely related to Oriental species of Microptila than to the two Western Palaearctic species. The finding of a new species with affinities to the Oriental species as far northeast as Japan is noteworthy but fits well with general zoogeographical affinities of the Japanese fauna to the Oriental Region. The type locality indicates a hygropetric habitat for the larva, in agreement with the known larval habitat of the European type species Microptila minutissima Ris, 1897.
Two gynandromorphs of Sympetrum striolatum (Charpentier, 1840) (Odonata: Libellulidae)
Authors: TORRALBA‐BURRIAL Antonio , OCHARAN Francisco J.
Published: June 2009

Two gynandromorphs of the dragonfly Sympetrum striolatum, with different features, are described here, with special emphasis on the genitalic structures.
Sequestration and metabolism of host‐plant flavonoids by the Pale Grass Blue, Pseudozizeeria maha (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)
Authors: MIZOKAMI Hiroki , YOSHITAMA Kunijiro
Published: June 2009

Flavonoids in the eggs, larvae, pupae and adult butterflies of Pseudozizeeria maha were identified and quantified. Isovitexin (apigenin 6‐C‐glucoside) was the dominant flavonoid detected in pupae and imagines, whereas saponarin (isovitexin 7‐O‐glucoside) was the dominant flavonoid in larvae. Saponarin, biotransformed from isovitexin by the larvae, was found to be reconverted into isovitexin at the pupal stages. The total amounts of accumulated flavonoids differed between sexes, particularly in adults where the bodies of females had a much higher flavonoid concentration than that of the males. These flavonoids were also detected in the eggs. These results indicate the possibility that flavonoids are utilized in not only wing coloration but also as a chemical defense compound against natural threats.
Notes on two species of the subgenusLyrothoraxChaudoir (Coleoptera: Carabidae; genusPterostichus),Pterostichus amagisanusTanaka and Ishida andPterostichus fujitaiTanaka and Ishida
Authors: SASAKAWA Kôji
Published: June 2009

Two species of the subgenusLyrothoraxChaudoir (Coleoptera: Carabidae; genusPterostichus),Pterostichus amagisanusTanaka and Ishida andPterostichus fujitaiTanaka and Ishida, were revised based on the male endophallus (inner sac everted from aedeagus).P. amagisanuswas newly recorded based on a single male from Kyushu, southwest Japan, far from its known distribution (Honshu; the Fuji‐Hakone‐Izu volcano area), although additional materials are necessary to confirm this record. Despite a highly disjunct distribution, no conspicuous difference was recognized in either external or genital characters between the materials from Honshu and Kyushu. The nominal speciesP. fujitaiwas separated into two species,P. fujitai(Honshu) andPterostichus eoyoritomussp. nov. (Shikoku; type locality: Mount Jingayama); these two species have some significant differences in the endophallic structures. Character states in male genitalia suggest a sister relationship betweenP. eoyoritomussp. nov. andPterostichus yoritomusBates.
Monthly changes in various drone characteristics of Apis mellifera ligustica and Apis mellifera syriaca
Authors: ZAITOUN Shahera , AL‐MAJEED AL‐GHZAWI Abd , KRIDLI Rami
Published: June 2009

This study was conducted to investigate drone rearing activity and semen production of Apis mellifera ligustica and Apis mellifera syriaca. Tendency of worker bees of both subspecies towards egg laying under semiarid conditions were also monitored in the experiments. Differences were not observed in drone brood production between both honeybee subspecies throughout the investigation. Worker bees of both subspecies needed a significantly shorter time to start egg laying during February and March in comparison with the time those workers needed for laying eggs during the remaining months of the study. Syrian bee workers started egg laying earlier than Italian bee workers. Drones from laying workers were much smaller and produced less sperms with more abnormalities than normal drones. Drones produced from queens in May were heavier and produced more sperms with less abnormalities than those produced during the other months. The drone brood rearing of both subspecies tended to follow the same general cycle in 2005 and 2006. The study suggests that virgin queens have a better chance to receive adequate viable sperm amounts from drones in April and May in semiarid Mediterranean conditions.
New synonym and new Japanese record of the ant genus Ponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Authors: YOSHIMURA Masashi , HOSOISHI Shingo , KUBOKI Yuzuru , ONOYAMA Keiichi , OGATA Kazuo
Published: June 2009

A new synonym in the ant genus Ponera, and a new species‐record from Japan are reported following faunal surveys of Yakushima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture. Morphological comparison of type specimens with material collected on Yakushima and mainland Kyushu and Honshu reveals that Ponera yakushimensis Tanaka is a junior synonym of Ponera scabra Wheeler. Analysis of intraspecific variation in P. scabra is reported. Morphological comparison reveals that a recent putative distribution record of P. scabra from Yakushima was based on a misidentification of Ponera alisana Terayama. This is the first Japanese record of P. alisana, which was originally described from Taiwan. Geographic variation between the P. alisana types and specimens collected on Yakushima is discussed. A revised key to Japanese Ponera species is presented.
A Mathematical Model to Evaluate Control Strategies for Mechanical Circulatory Support
Authors: Cox Lieke G.E. , Loerakker Sandra , Rutten Marcel C.M. , De Mol Bas A.J.M. , Van De Vosse Frans N.
Published: June 2009

Continuous flow ventricular assist devices (VADs) for mechanical circulatory support (MCS) are generally smaller and believed to be more reliable than pulsatile VADs. However, regarding continuous flow, there are concerns about the decreased pulsatility and ventricular unloading. Moreover, pulsatile VADs offer a wider range in control strategies. For this reason, we used a computer model to evaluate whether pulsatile operation of a continuous flow VAD would be more beneficial than the standard constant pump speed. The computer model describes the left and right ventricle with one‐fiber heart contraction models, and the systemic, pulmonary, and coronary circulation with lumped parameter hemodynamical models, while the heart rate is regulated with a baroreflex model. With this computer model, both normal and heart failure hemodynamics were simulated. A HeartMate II left ventricular assist device model was connected to this model, and both constant speed and pulsatile support were simulated. Pulsatile support did not solve the decreased pulsatility issue, but it did improve perfusion (cardiac index and coronary flow) and unloading (stroke work and heart rate) compared with constant speed. Also, pulsatile support would be beneficial for developing control strategies, as it offers more options to adjust assist device settings to the patient's needs. Because the mathematical model used in this study can simulate different assist device settings, it can play a valuable role in developing mechanical circulatory support control strategies.
Sexual Function and Aging in Racially and Ethnically Diverse Women
Authors: Huang Alison J. , Subak Leslee L. , Thom David H. , Van Den Eeden Stephen K. , Ragins Arona I. , Kuppermann Miriam , Shen Hui , Brown Jeanette S.
Published: June 2009

OBJECTIVES: To examine factors influencing sexual activity and functioning in racially and ethnically diverse middle‐aged and older women.

DESIGN: Cross‐sectional cohort study.

SETTING: Integrated healthcare delivery system.

PARTICIPANTS: One thousand nine hundred seventy‐seven women aged 45 to 80.

MEASUREMENTS: Self‐administered questionnaires assessed sexual desire, activity, satisfaction, and problems.

RESULTS: Of the 1,977 participants (876 white, 388 African American, 347 Latina, and 351 Asian women), 43% reported at least moderate sexual desire, and 60% had been sexually active in the previous 3 months. Half of sexually active participants (n=969) described their overall sexual satisfaction as moderate to high. Among sexually inactive women, the most common reason for inactivity was lack of interest in sex (39%), followed by lack of a partner (36%), physical problem of partner (23%), and lack of interest by partner (11%); only 9% were inactive because of personal physical problems. In multivariable analysis, African‐American women were more likely than white women to report at least moderate desire (odds ratio (OR)=1.65, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.25–2.17) but less likely to report weekly sexual activity (OR=0.68, 95% CI=0.48–0.96); sexually active Latina women were more likely than white women to report at least moderate sexual satisfaction (OR=1.75, 95% CI=1.20–2.55).

CONCLUSION: A substantial proportion of community‐dwelling women remain interested and engaged in sexual activity into older age. Lack of a partner capable of or interested in sex may contribute more to sexual inactivity than personal health problems in this population. Racial and ethnic differences in self‐reported sexual desire, activity, and satisfaction may influence discussions about sexual difficulties in middle‐aged and older women.
Empirical Analysis of the Effects of Cyber Security Incidents
Authors: Davis Ginger , Garcia Alfredo , Zhang Weide
Published: June 2009

We analyze the time series associated with web traffic for a representative set of online businesses that have suffered widely reported cyber security incidents. Our working hypothesis is that cyber security incidents may prompt (security conscious) online customers to opt out and conduct their business elsewhere or, at the very least, to refrain from accessing online services. For companies relying almost exclusively on online channels, this presents an important business risk. We test for structural changes in these time series that may have been caused by these cyber security incidents. Our results consistently indicate that cyber security incidents do not affect the structure of web traffic for the set of online businesses studied. We discuss various public policy considerations stemming from our analysis.
Does Communicating (Flood) Risk Affect (Flood) Risk Perceptions? Results of a Quasi‐Experimental Study
Authors: Terpstra Teun , Lindell Michael K. , Gutteling Jan M.
Published: June 2009

People's risk perceptions are generally regarded as an important determinant of their decisions to adjust to natural hazards. However, few studies have evaluated how risk communication programs affect these risk perceptions. This study evaluates the effects of a small‐scale flood risk communication program in the Netherlands, consisting of workshops and focus group discussions. The effects on the workshop participants’ (n = 24) and focus group participants’ (n = 16) flood risk perceptions were evaluated in a pretest‐posttest control group (n = 40) design that focused on two mechanisms of attitude change—direct personal experience and attitude polarization. We expected that (H1) workshop participants would show greater shifts in their flood risk perceptions compared with control group participants and that (H2) focus groups would rather produce the conditions for attitude polarization (shifts toward more extreme attitudinal positions after group discussion). However, the results provide only modest support for these hypotheses, perhaps because of a mismatch between the sessions’ contents and the risk perception measures. An important contribution of this study is that it examined risk perception data by both conventional tests of the mean differences and tests for attitude polarization. Moreover, the possibility that attitude polarization could cause people to confirm their preexisting (hazard) beliefs could have important implications for risk communication.
Relative Contributions of Four Exposure Pathways to Influenza Infection Risk
Authors: Nicas Mark , Jones Rachael M.
Published: June 2009

The relative contribution of four influenza virus exposure pathways—(1) virus‐contaminated hand contact with facial membranes, (2) inhalation of respirable cough particles, (3) inhalation of inspirable cough particles, and (4) spray of cough droplets onto facial membranes—must be quantified to determine the potential efficacy of nonpharmaceutical interventions of transmission. We used a mathematical model to estimate the relative contributions of the four pathways to infection risk in the context of a person attending a bed‐ridden family member ill with influenza. Considering the uncertainties in the sparse human subject influenza dose‐response data, we assumed alternative ratios of 3,200:1 and 1:1 for the infectivity of inhaled respirable virus to intranasally instilled virus. For the 3,200:1 ratio, pathways (1), (2), and (4) contribute substantially to influenza risk: at a virus saliva concentration of 106 mL−1, pathways (1), (2), (3), and (4) contribute, respectively, 31%, 17%, 0.52%, and 52% of the infection risk. With increasing virus concentrations, pathway (2) increases in importance, while pathway (4) decreases in importance. In contrast, for the 1:1 infectivity ratio, pathway (1) is the most important overall: at a virus saliva concentration of 106 mL−1, pathways (1), (2), (3), and (4) contribute, respectively, 93%, 0.037%, 3.3%, and 3.7% of the infection risk. With increasing virus concentrations, pathway (3) increases in importance, while pathway (4) decreases in importance. Given the sparse knowledge concerning influenza dose and infectivity via different exposure pathways, nonpharmaceutical interventions for influenza should simultaneously address potential exposure via hand contact to the face, inhalation, and droplet spray.
Inhibition of 12‐LOX and COX‐2 reduces the proliferation of human epidermoid carcinoma cells (A431) by modulating the ERK and PI3K‐Akt signalling pathways
Authors: Agarwal Smita , Achari Chandrani , Praveen D. , Roy Karnati R. , Reddy Gorla Venkateswara , Reddanna Pallu
Published: June 2009

Abstract:  Eicosanoids, the oxygenated metabolites of arachidonic acid (AA), mediate a variety of human diseases, such as cancer, inflammation and arthritis. To evaluate the role of eicosanoids in epidermoid carcinoma, the expression of AA metabolizing enzymes, such as lipoxygenases (LOXs) and cyclooxygenases (COXs), was analysed in a human epidermoid carcinoma cell line (A431). These studies revealed overexpression of 12‐R‐LOX and COX‐2 in A431 cells. Baicalein (a 12‐LOX inhibitor) and celecoxib (a COX‐2 inhibitor) significantly reduced thymidine incorporation, whereas 12‐(R)‐HETE and 12‐(S)‐HETE (12‐LOX metabolites) and PGE2 (COX‐2 metabolite) significantly enhanced thymidine incorporation, suggesting a role for these enzymes in the regulation of A431 cell proliferation. Further studies on the mechanism of cell death by baicalein and celecoxib revealed that the induction of apoptosis in A431 cells was associated with reduction in the Bcl‐2/Bax ratio, release of cytochrome c, activation of caspase‐3 and PARP cleavage. The apoptosis induced by baicalein and celecoxib was mediated by down regulation of ERK and PI3K‐Akt pathways. Further, 12‐(R)‐HETE, 12‐(S)‐HETE and PGE2 upregulated the p‐ERK and p‐Akt levels, suggesting the involvement of ERK and Akt pathways in the 12‐LOX‐ and COX‐2‐mediated regulation of growth in A431 cells. Our findings suggest that 12‐R‐LOX and COX‐2 play a critical role in the regulation of growth in epidermoid carcinoma and that their inhibitors may be of potential therapeutic importance.
An improved method of human keratinocyte culture from skin explants: cell expansion is linked to markers of activated progenitor cells
Authors: Guo Aihua , Jahoda Colin A. B.
Published: June 2009

Abstract:  Human keratinocyte primary cultures are commonly established by tissue dissociation and often rely on feeder cell supports and culture medium that is not defined. Further, contamination by unwanted fibroblasts can be problematic. Here, we developed a skin explant method for growing primary keratinocytes that was rapid, simple, and reliably generated keratinocyte cultures free of fibroblast contamination. The process capitalized on the observation that fibroblasts migrate out of adult skin explants later than epidermal cells, allowing the early harvesting of keratinocytes by trypsinization. When grown subsequently in defined medium in the absence of feeder cells, the explant‐derived cells grew rapidly and could be cultured for multiple passages. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that a high percentage of cells harvested from the explant outgrowths expressed K15, while very few expressed the differentiation marker K10. Cells that were stained while migrating out from explants strongly expressed markers associated with progenitor cells, including p63, K15 and CD133, and displayed intense K6 expression, indicative of activated keratinocytes in wound‐healing epidermis. By replenishing the explants with fresh medium after harvesting, further epidermal outgrowths could be obtained, offering the possibility of greatly increased keratinocyte yields for clinical applications.
Osteopontin and the skin: multiple emerging roles in cutaneous biology and pathology
Authors: Buback Franziska , Renkl Andreas C. , Schulz Guido , Weiss Johannes M.
Published: June 2009

Abstract:  Osteopontin (OPN) is a glycoprotein expressed by various tissues and cells. The existence of variant forms of OPN as a secreted (sOPN) and intracellular (iOPN) protein and its modification through post‐translational modification and proteolytic cleavage explain its broad range of functions. There is increasing knowledge which receptors OPN isoforms can bind to and which signaling pathways are activated to mediate different OPN functions. sOPN interacts with integrins and CD44, mediates cell adhesion, migration and tumor invasion, and has T helper 1 (Th1) cytokine functions and anti‐apoptotic effects. iOPN has been described to regulate macrophage migration and interferon‐α secretion in plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Both sOPN and iOPN, through complex functions for different dendritic cell subsets, participate in the regulation of Th cell lineages, among them Th17 cells. For skin disease, OPN from immune cells and tumor cells is of pathophysiological relevance. OPN is secreted in autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus, and influences inflammation of immediate and delayed type allergies and granuloma formation. We describe that OPN is overexpressed in psoriasis and propose a model to study OPN function in psoriatic inflammation. Through cytokine functions, OPN supports immune responses against Mycobacteria and viruses such as herpes simplex virus. OPN is also implicated in skin tumor progression. Overexpression of OPN influences invasion and metastasis of melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma cells, and OPN expression in melanoma is a possible prognostic marker. As OPN protein preparations and anti‐OPN antibodies may be available in the near future, in‐depth knowledge of OPN functions may open new therapeutic approaches for skin diseases.
A novel in vitro stripping method to study geometry of corneocytes with fluorescent microscopy: example of aging skin
Authors: Guz N. V. , Gaikwad R. M. , Dokukin M. E. , Sokolov I.
Published: June 2009

Background/purpose: To develop modification of stripping method allowing high‐resolution fluorescent visualization of corneocytes of human skin in vitro. To validate the method, the measured corneocyte areas on skin flakes are collected from individuals of different ages.

Materials and methods: Two complimentary fluorescent dyes were used sequentially. First the adhesive layer of the stripping tape was stained with a cationic dye (rhodamine 640). This tape was used to collect skin flakes. Then both the tape and collected flakes were stained with anionic dye (fluorescein). The fluorescence of the adhesive tape exposed to the second staining is substantially decreased due to the mutual quenching of the dyes. Thirteen healthy, 6–86‐year‐old males participated to validate the method. The measurements were done on backhand and forearm.

Results: The method allows high‐resolution imaging of corneocytes by means of fluorescent microscopy. Both absolute areas and the dependence of corneocyte areas on the individual age are in good agreement with the data reported previously.

Conclusion: The developed method is fast and easy. It requires minimum interaction with the individual and allows using a broad variety of fluorescent dyes that may be potentially unsafe but beneficial for imaging. It can be used on any part of human or animal body.
Effects of landslides on the mountain vegetation of Flores Island, Azores
Authors: Elias R. B. , Dias E.
Published: June 2009

Question: What are the consequences of frequently occurring landslides on vegetation dynamics, floristic and structural diversity?

Location: 39°27′N; 31°13′W – Morro Alto, Flores Island, Azores, Portugal.

Methods: Six comparable landslides were selected. Plots were placed at the top, slope and toe of landslides. Data on floristic composition and biovolume, demography and size structure of the dominant tree species (Juniperus brevifolia) were collected. Hierarchical agglomerative clustering and Principal Component Analysis were used in order to identify succession stages and compare succession pathways and vegetation recovery in different parts of the landslides.

Results: Four stages of primary succession on substrates formed by landslides were identified: pioneer (Festuca‐Sphagnum grassland), assembly (Juniperus‐Festuca‐Sphagnum open scrub), building (Juniperus‐Sphagnum scrub) and mature (Juniperus‐Sphagnum woodland). Concerning J. brevifolia populations, the succession pathways are independent of location on the landslide. However, at the floristic level, there are some differences, mainly in the pioneer stage at the toes of landslides. Better abiotic conditions, resulting in a higher succession rate, are probably responsible for a faster vegetation recovery on landslide toes.

Conclusion: Landslides trigger succession processes that enable a massive regeneration of the dominant tree species and existence of species not present in mature forests. They are also responsible for the simultaneous occurrence of vegetation of different structures. Overall, landslides increase the floristic and structural diversity of the vegetation, consequently increasing landscape heterogeneity.
“That's more like how they know me as a person”: one primary pre‐service teacher's stories of her personal and ‘professional’ digital practices
Authors: Burnett Cathy
Published: June 2009

In contributing to debates about how student‐teachers might draw from personal experience in addressing digital literacy in the classroom, this paper explores the stories that one primary student‐teacher told of her digital practices during a larger study of the role of digital literacy in student‐teachers' lives. The paper investigates the ‘recognition work’ this student‐teacher did as she aligned herself with different discourses and notes how themes of ‘control’ and ‘professionalism’ seemed to pattern her stories of informal and formal practices both within and beyond her professional education. The paper calls for further research into how student‐teachers perceive the relevance of their personal experience to their professional role and argues for encouraging pre‐service and practising teachers to tell stories of their digital practices and reflect upon the discourses which frame them.
Exploring ‘learning lives’: community, identity, literacy and meaning
Authors: Erstad Ola , Gilje Øystein , Sefton‐Green Julian , Vasbø Kristin
Published: June 2009

This article explores the term ‘learning lives’ by reporting on three research projects conducted by members of the Oslo‐based research group TransActions. By stressing the term ‘learning lives’ within a range of social ‘educational’ contexts, the article aims to look at learning within and across different learning sites exploring the positioning and repositioning of learner identity across these different ‘locations’. We emphasise how the individual learner relates to other people and objects, drawing on deeper trajectories or narratives of the self as it exists within and outside the immediate learning contexts. We pay attention to processes occurring between people which we find significant for the individual's identity, literacy and learning. By doing so we hope to make explicit the mobilisation of resources within and across specific contexts, in the ‘learning lives’ of Norwegian youngsters.
It was a challenge but we did it! Digital worlds in a primary classroom
Authors: Graham Lynda
Published: June 2009

In this article I explore one day in the life of a primary classroom in which teacher and children are playful social insiders in digital worlds. I argue that this snapshot offers glimmers of unimagined ways forward in teaching in digital worlds. The classroom culture is one of challenge, collective intelligence and reflection. The teacher's own history of participation is significant. She is a reflective teacher educator, children's literature is central to her teaching and her journey into digital worlds is playful social.
Impressions, improvisations and compositions: reframing children's text production in social network sites
Authors: Dowdall Clare
Published: June 2009

Social networking can currently be described as a mainstream youth activity, with almost half of 8–17‐year‐old children, who have access to the Internet, claiming to participate. As an activity it is of particular interest to literacy educators because it is enacted through the production and consumption of text. However, a growing body of research is finding that while young people transfer knowledge and practices across the sites that they occupy, children's text production using informal digital literacy practices and children's school‐based text production can be regarded as increasingly disparate activities. This paper draws from a current research project that is exploring three pre‐teenage children's text production in social networking sites. Here one child's Bebo profile page is presented and discussed in order that the forces that play upon her text production can be identified. Through consideration of these forces, a framework for considering children's text production in informal digital environments is suggested. This framework steps away from the existing frameworks currently found within the Primary National Strategy for Literacy and Mathematics and instead requires that children's texts are viewed in relation to structure and agency.
Interested reader or uninterested dissembler?: the identities constructed by upper primary aged dyslexic pupils during silent reading sessions
Authors: Anderson Rosemary
Published: June 2009

This article discusses the identities that may be constructed by upper primary aged pupils during silent reading sessions. The findings presented are taken from a 2‐year ethnographic case study, which investigated how four dyslexic pupils, aged 10–11 (Y5–6), coped with the classroom reading they encountered at a large primary school in northern England. The theoretical aim was to integrate the psychological concept of dyslexia with a socio‐cultural view of literacy development and an analytic framework was developed using symbolic interactionist theory. Here ideas on presentation of self, formulated by Erving Goffman, are introduced and his notion of impression management is used as a lens through which to discuss what happened when the pupils were put in the position of having no choice but to engage with texts that were too difficult for them to read independently. I focus on the silent reading sessions that were a regular feature of their Literacy lessons and introduce a typology of reader identities. Evidence from systematic observations, supplemented with that from narrative observations and interview transcripts, is used to illustrate the four types ‐ interested reader, uninterested reader, interested dissembler and uninterested dissembler– and the implications for literacy development are drawn out.
Controversies in Sexual Medicine: Use and Abuse of Rigiscan in the Diagnosis of Erectile Dysfunction
Authors: Jannini Emmanuele A. , Granata Antonio M. , Hatzimouratidis Konstantinos , Goldstein Irwin
Published: June 2009

Introduction

Nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity (NPTR, or, more simply, NPT) studies, with or without the help of a recording computer (Rigiscan), have been traditionally positioned at the head of several erectile dysfunction (ED) diagnostic flowcharts with the aim to distinguish between psychogenic and organic etiology. Shall we continue to consider these tools as a diagnostic gold standard in ED diagnosis?

Methods

Four scientists with expertise and/or interest in the area of ED pathophysiology and diagnosis were asked to contribute their opinions.

Main Outcome Measure

To give to The Journal of Sexual Medicine’s reader new stimuli to reexamine a still largely utilized tool utilized in sexual medicine’s clinical practice.

Results

Of the four experts discussing the topic, the first who is the section editor of the Controversy section, believes that NPT/Rigiscan cannot be considered a useful diagnostic tool for differential diagnosis in ED. He is supported by the physiological considerations of the second expert and by the experimental evidence produced and discussed by the expert number four who questions the accuracy, reliability, and usefulness of these tools to measure a critical aspect of the erection physiology which is the adequate rigidity. In contrast, with several good arguments, the third expert still suggests the use of these tools, perhaps not for every man presenting with ED, but at least for the patient with no neurovascular risk factors who presents with a history suggestive of a psychogenic cause.

Conclusion

The reader will judge if the expensive, complicated, and time-consuming effort to record nocturnal erectile activity is or is not useful anymore for the patient and for orienting the treatment choices.
Tape Casting and Dielectric Properties of Zn2Te3O8‐Based Ceramics with an Ultra‐Low Sintering Temperature
Authors: Honkamo Johanna , Jantunen Heli , Subodh Ganesanpotti , Sebastian Mailadil T. , Mohanan Pezholil
Published: June 2009

The suitability of dielectric ceramics made of zinc tellurate (Zn2Te3O8) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) with an ultra‐low sintering temperature (650°C) for tape casting and thus for the multimodule technique with Al electrodes was investigated. The properties of the tape before and after sintering as well as the amount of organic additives for the casting process and a thermal analysis of the tape up to 1000°C are reported. In addition, electrodes on a multilayer module made on stacked tapes were prepared using Al paste and postfiring, followed by relative permittivity and loss tangent measurements to verify the electrical performance of the whole structure. The dielectric properties of the stacked module without any electrodes were also measured. The results show that the composition is well suited for the tape process but extra care should be taken especially with the proper sintering temperature for optimized electrical performance.