bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Why Chinese people play Western classical music: Transcultural roots of music philosophy
Authors: Huang Hao
Published: October 2011

This paper addresses the complex relationship between Confucian values and music education in East Asia, particularly its history in China. How does one account for the present ‘cultural fever’ of Western classical music that has infected more than 100 million Chinese practitioners? It is proposed that Western classical music finds transcultural affinities in Confucian traditional values of artful self-cultivation and virtue, while simultaneously acting as a signifier of modernity and individual creativity. The paradigm shift that applies to Confucius’s status change from a despised pre-feudal conservative to a state-sanctioned indigenous philosopher who resists market economy sociocultural destabilization in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is discussed. Corresponding changes in the Chinese Communist Party’s attitudes towards Western classical music are covered, starting with condemnations of politically-suspect foreign cultural practices to current advocacy of an arts discipline that is integral in educating disciplined, high-performing citizens of the modern Chinese nation state. Correlations between ancient Eastern and Western philosophies of music and their consequences for contemporary music education are explored.
How artists working in academia view artistic practice as research: Implications for tertiary music education
Authors: Blom Diana , Bennett Dawn , Wright David
Published: October 2011

Artistic research output struggles for recognition as ‘legitimate’ research within the highly-competitive and often traditional university sector. Often recognition requires the underpinning processes and thinking to be documented in a traditional written format. This article discusses the views of eight arts practitioners working in academia by asking whether or not they view their arts practice as research and, if they do, how it is so. The findings illuminate ways in which artistic practice is understood as research and reveal how the process of analytical and reflective writing impacts artist academics, their artistic and academic identities and their environment. The findings suggest a frame within which to advocate the equivalence of artistic research with traditional scholarly research. They also suggest a rationale for arguing against this, focusing instead (or perhaps as well) on a wider understanding of what constitutes knowledge. This has implications for academics, for students and for universities in recognizing the research inherent within arts practice itself, and in recognizing the value of practice-led writing in understanding and communicating new knowledge, new methods, and new definitions of research.
Evaluation of state and trait biomarkers in healthy volunteers for the development of novel drug treatments in schizophrenia
Authors: Koychev Ivan , Barkus Emma , Ettinger Ulrich , Killcross Simon , Roiser Jonathan P , Wilkinson Lawrence , Deakin Bill
Published: October 2011

Antipsychotic drugs are the mainstay of treatment for schizophrenia but they have little effect on core negative symptoms or cognitive impairment. To meet the deficiencies of current treatments, novel potential compounds are emerging from preclinical research but translation to clinical success has been poor. This article evaluates the possibility that cognitive and physiological abnormalities in schizophrenia can be used as central nervous system biomarkers to predict, in healthy volunteers, the likely efficacy of entirely new pharmacological approaches to treatment. Early detection of efficacy would focus resource on rapidly developing, effective drugs. We review the relevance of selected cognitive and physiological abnormalities as biomarkers in schizophrenia and three of its surrogate populations: (i) healthy volunteers with high trait schizotypy; (ii) unaffected relatives of patients; and (iii) healthy volunteers in a state of cortical glutamate disinhibition induced by low-dose ketamine. Several biomarkers are abnormal in these groups and in some instances there has been exploratory work to determine their sensitivity to drug action. They are generally insensitive to current antipsychotics and therefore their predictive validity cannot be established until novel, therapeutically useful drugs are discovered. Until then such biomarker studies can provide evidence of drugs engaging with the mechanism of interest and encouragement of the concept.
Loss of Normal Knee Motion After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Is Associated With Radiographic Arthritic Changes After Surgery
Authors: Shelbourne K. Donald , Urch Scott E. , Gray Tinker , Freeman Heather
Published: October 2011

Background: Meniscectomy and articular cartilage damage have been found to increase the prevalence of osteoarthritis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, but the effect of knee range of motion has not been extensively studied.

Hypothesis: The prevalence of osteoarthritis as observed on radiographs would be higher in patients who had abnormal knee range of motion compared with patients with normal knee motion, even when grouped for like meniscal or articular cartilage lesions.

Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: We prospectively followed patients at a minimum of 5 years after surgery. The constant goal of rehabilitation was to obtain full knee range of motion as quickly as possible after surgery and maintain it in the long term. Range of motion and radiographs were evaluated at the time of initial return to full activities (early follow-up) and final follow-up according to International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) objective criteria. A patient was considered to have normal range of motion if extension was within 2° of the opposite knee including hyperextension and knee flexion was within 5°. Radiograph findings were rated as abnormal if any signs of joint space narrowing, sclerosis, or osteophytes were present.

Results: Follow-up was obtained for 780 patients at a mean of 10.5 ± 4.2 years after surgery. Of these, 539 had either normal or abnormal motion at both early and final follow-up. In 479 patients who had normal extension and flexion at both early and final follow-up, 188 (39%) had radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis versus 32 of 60 (53%) patients who had less than normal extension or flexion at early and final follow-up ( P = .036). In subgroups of patients with like meniscal status, the prevalence of normal radiograph findings was significantly higher in patients with normal motion at final follow-up versus patients with motion deficits. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of categorical variables showed that abnormal knee flexion at early follow-up, abnormal knee extension at final follow-up, abnormal knee flexion at final follow-up, partial medial meniscectomy, and articular cartilage damage were significant factors related to the presence of osteoarthritis on radiographs. Abnormal knee extension at early follow-up showed a trend toward statistical significance ( P = .0544). Logistic regression showed the odds of having osteoarthritis were 2 times more for patients with abnormal range of motion at final follow-up; these odds were similar for those with partial medial meniscectomy and articular cartilage damage.

Conclusion: The prevalence of osteoarthritis on radiographs in the long term after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is lower in patients who achieve and maintain normal knee motion, regardless of the status of the meniscus.
Motivational Antecedents of Social Shopping for Fashion and its Contribution to Shopping Satisfaction
Authors: Kang Jiyun , Park-Poaps Haesun
Published: October 2011

To enhance the understanding of social shopping behavior along with its motivational antecedents and consequences, this study developed and tested a structural model of social shopping focused on the context of fashion consumption. An online survey was conducted with a random sample consisting of a total of 858 undergraduates enrolled at a large U.S. university. The results indicated that motivations toward social comparison were generally found to be antecedents of social shopping for fashion and social shopping contributed to product satisfaction and experience satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Producing Knowledge For Practice
Authors: Bushouse Brenda K. , Sowa Jessica E.
Published: October 2011

The question of relevance and the production of usable knowledge for practice has been a foremost concern for the field of nonprofit studies since the early years of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA). Exploring the research of nonprofit scholars from 2000 to 2010, this research note examines the following overarching question: How well do authors in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly ( NVSQ) explore the practice implications of their research? We find that more work needs to be done in improving the applicability of our research for practice, while recognizing that some work is geared toward the advancement of basic knowledge in the field of nonprofit studies. We adopt the position that scholars engaging in research with direct relevance for practice should invest in supporting praxis, investing a portion of their writing in addressing the “so what” question for both scholars and practitioners.
Developing an empirical model for ducted tidal turbine performance using numerical simulation results
Authors: Shives M , Crawford C
Published: October 2011

This article studies the effects of viscous loss, flow separation, and base pressure for ducted turbine designs using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Analytical model coefficients for inlet and diffuser efficiency and base pressure coefficient parameterize these effects and have been identified from CFD results. General trends are that the inlet efficiency is nearly unity for the simulated designs; the diffuser efficiency has a significant impact on performance and is degraded by flow separation; and that the base pressure effect can provide a significant performance enhancement. Geometric features influencing each of the aforementioned parameters are identified and a regression-based model has been developed to predict ducted turbine performance.
Impacts of horizontal and vertical foreign investment in business services: the experience of Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic
Authors: Hardy Jane , Sass Magdolna , Fifekova Martina Pollakova
Published: October 2011

This article examines the impact of foreign direct investment in business services on the economies of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia and their place in the European division of labour. A distinction is drawn between horizontal market-seeking foreign investment in business services and efficiency-seeking vertical investments, which have increased since 2000. We posit a conceptual framework that differentiates between the static, dynamic and institutional properties of global production networks and their impacts on localities and regions. The research is based on interviews with senior managers in 25 companies in the three case-study countries, as well as inward investment agencies. We conclude that the most salient static impacts of these investments are on the labour market, where horizontal investments provide fewer, but more skilled jobs than vertical investments. Dynamic effects were contradictory in that, although learning and spillover effects were modest, vertical investments demonstrated a propensity to move up the value chain. Strategic coupling with local actors involved institution bending, enhancement or harnessing in changing the spaces of production.
The Influence of Emergent Expertise on Group Decision Processes
Authors: Tajeddin Golnaz , Safayeni Frank , Connelly Catherine E. , Tasa Kevin
Published: October 2011

This study examines how group decision processes are affected by the perceived emergent expertise of a group member in situations where a correct solution is not readily verifiable. Using a moderately judgmental task, as opposed to an intellective task, the results of our experiment suggest that when group members are aware of performance feedback: (a) they gradually form a perception about their colleague’s expertise, (b) the emergence of expert recognition at the group level shifts the balance of individual influence on the group decision in favor of the expert, and (c) the group decision scheme thus changes as the perception of expertise emerges in the group. Moreover, the expert’s influence is stronger when there is a greater discrepancy between the expert’s proficiency and that of his or her fellow group members.
A University–Community Partnership to Advance Research in Practice Settings
Authors: Dulmus Catherine N. , Cristalli Maria E.
Published: October 2011

Human service organizations are uniquely positioned, given their scope of practice and access to consumers with the widest range of needs to significantly increase the national capacity for research if they were effectively equipped with the knowledge, skills, and funding to integrate research and development into their ongoing organizational activities. A university–community research partnership is one approach to achieving this goal. This article describes the Hillside/UB (HUB) Research Model, a formal research partnership between Hillside Family of Agencies (HFA) in Rochester, NY and the Buffalo Center for Social Research (BCSR) at the University at Buffalo (UB). The HUB research model combines the practice expertise and research subject access of HFA with the BCSR research expertise and resources to develop collaboratively a vibrant research partnership based on community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles that garners the strengths and assets of both partners to realize a true research to practice and practice to research agenda.
Neural networks as a unifying learning model for random normal form games
Authors: Spiliopoulos Leonidas
Published: October 2011

This article models the learning process of a population of randomly rematched tabula rasa neural network agents playing randomly generated 3 × 3 normal form games of all strategic types. Evidence was found of the endogenous emergence of a similarity measure of games based on the number and types of Nash equilibria, and of heuristics that have been found effective in describing human behavior in experimental one-shot games. The neural network agents were found to approximate experimental human behavior very well across various dimensions such as convergence to Nash equilibria, equilibrium selection, and adherence to principles of dominance and iterated dominance. This is corroborated by evidence from five studies of experimental one-shot games, because the Spearman correlation coefficients of the probability distribution over the neural networks’ and human subjects’ actions ranged from 0.49 to 0.89.
Use of Interview and Observation to Clarify Reported Practices of Head Start Staff Concerning Problem Behavior
Authors: Snell Martha E. , Voorhees Mary D. , Berlin Rebecca A. , Stanton-Chapman Tina L. , Hadden Sarah , McCarty Jane
Published: October 2011

This study used interviews and classroom observation to follow up a survey of 78 Head Start staff from five programs in the mid-Atlantic region. The purpose of the study was to collect additional details about administrator and staff needs in regard to addressing children’s challenging behavior in order to design a PBS in-service intervention. Interviews were conducted with 45 adults from the same preschool sample, and direct observation occurred in 10 classrooms. Similar to prior survey results, it was found that interview respondents (a) listed externalizing behaviors as the predominant challenging behavior, (b) identified prevention and replacement methods for addressing problem behavior, and (c) indicated that families of children with challenging behavior were given opportunities to be involved in intervention planning and implementation. However, interview and observation results further exposed the use of reactive practices and revealed five primary barriers to addressing children’s challenging behavior. Finally, interview respondents reported that all programs had defined procedures they followed when children exhibited challenging behavior that in most programs was based on a traditional, child-focused, mental health approach rather than on a comprehensive systems approach like positive behavior support.
What is a results/performance-based delivery system? An invited presentation to the European Parliament
Authors: Perrin Burt
Published: October 2011

The European Parliament has been considering changes to the cohesion (or regional) policy of the European Union (EU) that forms a key instrument for the EU to promote social, economic and territorial cohesion. It would like the new policy to be more results oriented and invited experts to advise it in this regard. This article consists of an invited address given to the European Parliament Committee on Regional Development. This presentation briefly touched upon the following considerations: 1. What does it mean to have a results-oriented system? 2. Why is this important, and what does it involve? 3. How can the EU Cohesion Policy move in this direction, distinguishing between the illusion and the reality of a results-oriented strategy and implementation? The key message of the presentation is that a results-oriented approach means orienting all aspects of planning and management on outcomes rather than on process. This represents a new way of thinking and managing that needs to be reflected in all aspects of management. Indicators can represent one form of support for a results-oriented system, but they have significant limitations as well as strengths, and by themselves do not constitute a results orientation.
The real functions of evaluation and response systems
Authors: Hanberger Anders
Published: October 2011

This article is intended to contribute to the understanding of evaluation use in the context of policy making and governance. It does this, first, by developing a framework that sets out the prerequisites of six possible functions of an evaluation ‘management response system’; and second, by analysing three aid organizations’ management response systems in relation to this framework. The prerequisites of the different functions are theoretically derived. The analysis finds that response systems have contributed to organizational legitimacy and achieved many of their intended functions, but only to an extent. Two factors – the system design, and top managers’ support for the system – were found to be critical for how these systems worked. The article also discusses whether a management response system meets the needs of public organizations and stakeholders operating in multi-actor policy making.
Using social network analysis to evaluate a complex policy network
Authors: Drew Roger , Aggleton Peter , Chalmers Helen , Wood Kate
Published: October 2011

There are many challenges in evaluating international networks within the fields of health and international development. Use of conventional tools is not only difficult but may fail to provide the kind of information that is developmentally useful. Social network analysis tools offer many benefits for network evaluators. In particular, they allow documentation and analysis of inter-relationships between individuals and organizations, pointing to potential gaps as well as areas of development. This article describes the use of such tools in the evaluation of Sexuality Policy Watch (SPW), a global forum of organizations and individuals active within the field of sexuality, health and rights. It highlights the potential of these tools to provide visual representations of complex relationships within networks. In this case, the tools enabled the representation of SPW as a complex but ordered network, focused on sexual and reproductive rights, composed of individuals with a multiplicity of organizational affiliations.
Deriving collaborative aims and outcomes: A case-study of cross-border cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Lawrence Roger
Published: October 2011

This article draws on a study of cross-border cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe to examine the ways in which common aims are derived in collaborative ventures. It identifies that a lack of clarity can emerge as aims can be variously derived, belong to a single agency or be owned by individual actors. Aims may also be externally imposed by funding bodies. Aims can be explicit and thus open to evaluation or either assumed or hidden, neither of which are likely to be subject to formal monitoring. The process of deriving outcomes and the impact of the nature of funding (to programmes rather than to collaborative partnerships) are discussed. I argue that there is a need to know what success might look like, something at odds with the ex post nature of much evaluation. The problems of evaluating collaboration are made more complex by the intangible nature of some of the outcomes such as learning, connections and capacity.
Improvement in health status following cough-suppression physiotherapy for patients with chronic cough
Authors: Patel Amit S , Watkin Gillian , Willig Briony , Mutalithas Kugathasan , Bellas Helene , Garrod Rachel , Pavord Ian D , Birring Surinder S
Published: October 2011

Cough-suppression physiotherapy is a novel self-help therapy for chronic cough. We evaluated the effectiveness of cough physiotherapy in a pilot prospective observational study. We assessed cough-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) with the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) and subjectively reported cough frequency and sleep disturbance in 23 patients with chronic cough refractory to medical therapy, before and after outpatient-based cough-suppression physiotherapy. Cough-suppression physiotherapy consisted of education, counselling, cough control, breathing retraining, and vocal hygiene. There was a significant improvement in cough-specific HRQOL after cough physiotherapy; mean (standard error of mean [SEM]) LCQ total score before 12.4 (0.9) versus after 15.1 (0.9); 95% confidence interval of difference −4.1 to −1.3; p < 0.001. The improvement in cough-specific HRQOL was greater than the LCQ minimal clinically important difference of 1.3. A significant improvement was seen in all LCQ domains: physical ( p = 0.001), psychological ( p < 0.001) and social ( p < 0.04). There was a significant reduction in cough frequency scores ( p = 0.002) and sleep disturbance scores ( p = 0.02). Our findings suggest cough-suppression physiotherapy may lead to a clinically significant improvement in cough-specific HRQOL in patients with chronic cough.
Unplanned transfers following admission to a long-term acute care hospital
Authors: White Alexander C , Joseph Bernard , Perrotta Barbara A , Grandfield Joanne , Muraldihar Nina , O’Connor Heidi H , Hendra Katherine
Published: October 2011

The unplanned transfer of patients from long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs) back to acute facilities disrupts the continuity of care, delays recovery and increases the cost of care. This study was performed to better understand the unplanned transfer of patients with pulmonary disease. A retrospective analysis of data obtained for quality management in a cohort of patients admitted to an LTACH system over a 3-year period. Of the 3506 patients admitted with a pulmonary diagnosis studied, 414 (12%) underwent 526 unplanned transfers back to an acute facility after a median LTACH length of stay (LOS) of 45 days. Mechanical ventilation via tracheostomy was used in 259 (63%) patients admitted to the LTACH with a pulmonary diagnosis. The commonest reasons for unplanned transfers included acute respiratory failure, cardiac decompensation, gastrointestinal bleed and possible sepsis. Over 50% of patients had LOS at the LTACH between 4 and 30 days prior to the unplanned transfer. Patients with an LOS <3 days prior to transfer were more likely to be transferred around the weekend. In all, 32% of patients died within a median of 7 days of transfer back to the acute facility. Thirty-day mortality following unplanned transfer appeared independent of organ system involved, attending physician specialty/coverage status, nursing shift or transferring LTACH unit. Unplanned transfers disrupting continuity of care remain a significant problem in patients admitted to an LTACH with a pulmonary diagnosis and are associated with significant mortality. Strategies designed to reduce cardiopulmonary decompensation, gastrointestinal bleeding and possible sepsis in the LTACH along with additional strategies implemented throughout the health care continuum will be needed to reduce this problem.
The Achilles’ Heel of HIV Treatment for Prevention
Authors: Kalichman Seth C. , Cherry Chauncey , White Denise , Jones Mich'l , Kalichman Moira
Published: October 2011

Background: Antiretroviral therapies (ARTs) offer promising new avenues for HIV prevention. Unfortunately, people infected with HIV who have co-occurring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are more infectious than suggested by the amount of virus in their peripheral blood. We examined the history of sexually transmitted coinfections in people living with HIV. Methods: People living with HIV/AIDS completed confidential computerized interviews that assessed history of STI, sexual behaviors, and STI knowledge. Results: Among 414 men and 156 women currently receiving ART, 53% had been diagnosed with at least 1 STI since testing HIV positive; 24% women, 19% men, and 11% transgender persons had been diagnosed with an STI in the past year. History of STI was associated with younger age, greater STI knowledge, substance use, and ART nonadherence. Conclusions: Aggressive strategies for detecting and treating STI in people receiving ART will be necessary to achieve protective benefits.
The Promise of mHealth
Authors: Dobkin Bruce H. , Dorsch Andrew
Published: October 2011

Mobile health tools that enable clinicians and researchers to monitor the type, quantity, and quality of everyday activities of patients and trial participants have long been needed to improve daily care, design more clinically meaningful randomized trials of interventions, and establish cost-effective, evidence-based practices. Inexpensive, unobtrusive wireless sensors, including accelerometers, gyroscopes, and pressure-sensitive textiles, combined with Internet-based communications and machine-learning algorithms trained to recognize upper- and lower-extremity movements, have begun to fulfill this need. Continuous data from ankle triaxial accelerometers, for example, can be transmitted from the home and community via WiFi or a smartphone to a remote data analysis server. Reports can include the walking speed and duration of every bout of ambulation, spatiotemporal symmetries between the legs, and the type, duration, and energy used during exercise. For daily care, this readily accessible flow of real-world information allows clinicians to monitor the amount and quality of exercise for risk factor management and compliance in the practice of skills. Feedback may motivate better self-management as well as serve home-based rehabilitation efforts. Monitoring patients with chronic diseases and after hospitalization or the start of new medications for a decline in daily activity may help detect medical complications before rehospitalization becomes necessary. For clinical trials, repeated laboratory-quality assessments of key activities in the community, rather than by clinic testing, self-report, and ordinal scales, may reduce the cost and burden of travel, improve recruitment and retention, and capture more reliable, valid, and responsive ratio-scaled outcome measures that are not mere surrogates for changes in daily impairment, disability, and functioning.
Brand substitution involved identical alternatives: a nationwide study undertaken among Australian community pharmacists
Authors: Ping Chong Chee , March Geoff , Clark Alice , Gilbert Andrew , Azmi Hassali Mohamed , Baidi Bahari Mohd
Published: October 2011

This article documented the Australian community pharmacists' brand substitution practices using identical alternatives (pseudo-generics) and the patients' acceptability. A national mail survey was conducted among 500 Australian community pharmacies from different geographical areas in year 2008. The data of the first 25 original PBS prescription items dispensed on one working day and eligible for generic substitution were collected from each pharmacy. Brand substitution which involved identical alternatives of the originator medicines were identified based on the manufacturers' information stated in the Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Responses were received from 82 pharmacies for a response rate of 16.4%. The pharmacists offered brand substitution for 96.4% of the prescription items which eligible for substitution. About 10% of the substitution recommendations were involved switching of originator medicine to its pseudo-generic alternatives. A total of 10.1% of the pseudo-generic substitution recommendations were declined by the patients. This resulted in an average of AUD$4.44 per item of unnecessary extra-costs paid by the patients for purchasing the originator medicines. This indicated that the existence of pseudo-generics in the PBS market can negatively affect the consumers' welfare in terms of unnecessary extra expenditures for originator medicines that have cheaper identical alternative brands.
Evergreening biologics
Authors: Ohly D Christopher , Patel Sailesh K
Published: October 2011

This article discusses the exclusivity provisions of the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 (the ‘Biologics Act’), as well as Congressional intent to avoid ‘evergreening’ of biologic drug products. Concludes that the FDA should deny any ‘new’ period of exclusivity when an application relating to a structurally modified reference product does not demonstrate, through ‘full clinical safety and efficacy data’ that differences in ‘safety, purity, or potency’ exist in a ‘second generation’ product that are both ‘clinically meaningful’ and patient favorable.
Citizen petitions: barriers to entry for generic medicines? An update and evaluation of petitions, their management, and disposition from 2004 to 2010
Authors: Glass Gregory , Collins Erin
Published: October 2011

In January 2007, the authors published their research findings regarding the filing of citizen petitions with the US Food and Drug Administration. While the research covered petitions filed in the prior two and a half years, the paper addressed the perception that brand companies were abusing the process in an attempt to extend the market lives of their products by filing petitions simply to create additional barriers to entry for generic competition. Later in 2007, Congress passed a law in an attempt to curtail this perceived practice. This paper updates this prior research by examining petition activity over the past seven years, the outcomes, and the law’s impact.
Patent linkage and data exclusivity: a look at some developments in India
Authors: Rathod Sandeep K
Published: October 2011

Over the past few years, India has seen action on TRIPs plus mechanisms such as patent linkage and data exclusivity, both in Court rooms and policy-making forums. This Article chronicles both judicial and non-judicial developments pertaining to these two areas in India. This Article does not take a policy stance on either of these areas nor does it present hypothetical ‘what-if’ scenarios for if or when India does go ahead and implements these mechanisms.
Lipopolysaccharide pretreatment of the udder protects against experimental Escherichia coli mastitis
Authors: Petzl Wolfram , Günther Juliane , Pfister Tobias , Sauter-Louis Carola , Goetze Leopold , von Aulock Sonja , Hafner-Marx Angela , Schuberth Hans-Joachim , Seyfert Hans-Martin , Zerbe Holm
Published: October 2011

Exposure to pathogen-associated molecular patterns such as LPS can cause an immune refractory state in mammals known as endotoxin tolerance (ET), resulting in a decreased inflammatory response after pathogen contact. This ET concept was used to reduce the severity of an experimentally-induced clinical mastitis. Cows were pretreated with 1 µg LPS per udder quarter and challenged 72 h (group L72EC) or 240 h (group L240EC) later with 500 CFU Escherichia coli. Pretreated animals showed no leukopenia after challenge, no (L72EC), or only slightly (L240EC), elevated body temperature and significantly reduced systemic and local clinical scores compared with cows that were not pretreated. Whereas an increase of milk somatic cell count after the E. coli challenge was abrogated in L72EC animals, it was significantly delayed in the L240EC group. In both pretreated groups the bacterial load in milk was markedly reduced. Based on the expression of inflammation-related genes in lobulo-alveolar mammary tissue, the tolerizing effect of LPS pretreatment is based on the inhibited up-regulation of inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-6, CXCL8, CCL20) and anti-inflammatory genes (IL-10, IRAK-M). These findings indicate that the concept of ET may be usefully applied as mastitis prophylaxis facilitating a rapid response to microbial infection and avoiding dysregulated inflammation.
TNF-α/Fas-RIP-1–induced cell death signaling separates murine hematopoietic stem cells/progenitors into 2 distinct populations
Authors: Xiao Yechen , Li Hongling , Zhang Jun , Volk Andrew , Zhang Shubin , Wei Wei , Zhang Shanshan , Breslin Peter , Zhang Jiwang
Published: October 2011

We studied the effects of TNF-α and Fas-induced death signaling in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) by examining their contributions to the development of bone marrow failure syndromes in Tak1-knockout mice (Tak1−/−). We found that complete inactivation of TNF-α signaling by deleting both of its receptors, 1 and 2 (Tnfr1−/−r2−/−), can prevent the death of 30% to 40% of Tak1−/− HSPCs and partially repress the bone marrow failure phenotype of Tak1−/− mice. Fas deletion can prevent the death of 5% to 10% of Tak1−/− HSPCs but fails to further improve the survival of Tak1−/−Tnfr1−/−r2−/− HSPCs, suggesting that Fas might induce death within a subset of TNF-α-sensitive HSPCs. This TNF-α/Fas-induced cell death is a type of receptor-interacting protein-1 (RIP-1)–dependent programmed necrosis called necroptosis, which can be prevented by necrostatin-1, a specific RIP-1 inhibitor. In addition, we found that the remaining Tak1−/− HSPCs died of apoptosis mediated by the caspase-8–dependent extrinsic apoptotic pathway. This apoptosis can be converted into necroptosis by the inhibition of caspase-8 and prevented by inhibiting both caspase-8 and RIP-1 activities. We concluded that HSPCs are heterogeneous populations in response to death signaling stimulation. Tak1 mediates a critical survival signal, which protects against both TNF-α/Fas-RIP-1–dependent necroptosis and TNF-α/Fas-independent apoptosis in HSPCs.
Analysis of conserved microRNAs in floral tissues of sexual and apomictic Boechera species
Authors: Amiteye Samuel , Corral José M , Vogel Heiko , Sharbel Timothy F
Published: October 2011

Background

Apomixis or asexual seed formation represents a potentially important agronomic trait whose introduction into crop plants could be an effective way to fix and perpetuate a desirable genotype through successive seed generations. However, the gene regulatory pathways underlying apomixis remain unknown. In particular, the potential function of microRNAs, which are known to play crucial roles in many aspects of plant growth and development, remains to be determined with regards to the switch from sexual to apomictic reproduction.

Results

Using bioinformatics and microarray validation procedures, 51 miRNA families conserved among angiosperms were identified in Boechera. Microarray assay confirmed 15 of the miRNA families that were identified by bioinformatics techniques. 30 cDNA sequences representing 26 miRNAs could fold back into stable pre-miRNAs. 19 of these pre-miRNAs had miRNAs with Boechera-specific nucleotide substitutions (NSs). Analysis of the Gibbs free energy (ΔG) of these pre-miRNA stem-loops with NSs showed that the Boechera-specific miRNA NSs significantly (p ≤ 0.05) enhance the stability of stem-loops. Furthermore, six transcription factors, the Squamosa promoter binding protein like SPL6, SPL11 and SPL15, Myb domain protein 120 (MYB120), RELATED TO AP2.7 DNA binding (RAP2.7, TOE1 RAP2.7) and TCP family transcription factor 10 (TCP10) were found to be expressed in sexual or apomictic ovules. However, only SPL11 showed differential expression with significant (p ≤ 0.05) up-regulation at the megaspore mother cell (MMC) stage of ovule development in apomictic genotypes.

Conclusions

This study constitutes the first extensive insight into the conservation and expression of microRNAs in Boechera sexual and apomictic species. The miR156/157 target squamosa promoter binding protein-like 11 (SPL11) was found differentially expressed with significant (p ≤ 0.05) up-regulation at the MMC stage of ovule development in apomictic genotypes. The results also demonstrate that nucleotide changes in mature miRNAs significantly (p ≤ 0.05) enhance the thermodynamic stability of pre-miRNA stem-loops.
CcpA represses the expression of the divergent cit operons of Enterococcus faecalis through multiple cresites
Authors: Suárez Cristian A , Blancato Víctor S , Poncet Sandrine , Deutscher Josef , Magni Christian
Published: October 2011

Background

In Enterococcus faecalis the genes encoding the enzymes involved in citrate metabolism are organized in two divergent operons, citHO and oadHDB-citCDEFX-oadA-citMG (citCL locus). Expression of both operons is specifically activated by adding citrate to the medium. This activation is mediated by binding of the GntR-like transcriptional regulator (CitO) to the cis-acting sequences located in the cit intergenic region. Early studies indicated that citrate and glucose could not be co-metabolized suggesting some form of catabolite repression, however the molecular mechanism remained unknown.

Results

In this study, we observed that the citHO promoter is repressed in the presence of sugars transported by the Phosphoenolpyruvate:carbohydrate Phosphotranserase System (PTS sugars). This result strongly suggested that Carbon Catabolic Repression (CCR) impedes the expression of the activator CitO and the subsequent induction of the cit pathway. In fact, we demonstrate that CCR is acting on both promoters. It is partially relieved in a ccpA-deficient E. faecalis strain indicating that a CcpA-independent mechanism is also involved in regulation of the two operons. Furthermore, sequence analysis of the citH/oadH intergenic region revealed the presence of three putative catabolite responsive elements (cre). We found that they are all active and able to bind the CcpA/P-Ser-HPr complex, which downregulates the expression of the cit operons. Systematic mutation of the CcpA/P-Ser-HPr binding sites revealed that cre1 and cre2 contribute to citHO repression, while cre3 is involved in CCR of citCL

Conclusion

In conclusion, our study establishes that expression of the cit operons in E. faecalis is controlled by CCR via CcpA-dependent and -independent mechanisms.
From RNA-seq to large-scale genotyping - genomics resources for rye (Secale cereale L.)
Authors: Haseneyer Grit , Schmutzer Thomas , Seidel Michael , Zhou Ruonan , Mascher Martin , Schön Chris-Carolin , Taudien Stefan , Scholz Uwe , Stein Nils , Mayer Klaus FX , Bauer Eva
Published: October 2011

Background

The improvement of agricultural crops with regard to yield, resistance and environmental adaptation is a perpetual challenge for both breeding and research. Exploration of the genetic potential and implementation of genome-based breeding strategies for efficient rye (Secale cereale L.) cultivar improvement have been hampered by the lack of genome sequence information. To overcome this limitation we sequenced the transcriptomes of five winter rye inbred lines using Roche/454 GS FLX technology.

Results

More than 2.5 million reads were assembled into 115,400 contigs representing a comprehensive rye expressed sequence tag (EST) resource. From sequence comparisons 5,234 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified to develop the Rye5K high-throughput SNP genotyping array. Performance of the Rye5K SNP array was investigated by genotyping 59 rye inbred lines including the five lines used for sequencing, and five barley, three wheat, and two triticale accessions. A balanced distribution of allele frequencies ranging from 0.1 to 0.9 was observed. Residual heterozygosity of the rye inbred lines varied from 4.0 to 20.4% with higher average heterozygosity in the pollen compared to the seed parent pool.

Conclusions

The established sequence and molecular marker resources will improve and promote genetic and genomic research as well as genome-based breeding in rye.
A conformation ensemble approach to protein residue-residue contact
Authors: Eickholt Jesse , Wang Zheng , Cheng Jianlin
Published: October 2011

Background

Protein residue-residue contact prediction is important for protein model generation and model evaluation. Here we develop a conformation ensemble approach to improve residue-residue contact prediction. We collect a number of structural models stemming from a variety of methods and implementations. The various models capture slightly different conformations and contain complementary information which can be pooled together to capture recurrent, and therefore more likely, residue-residue contacts.

Results

We applied our conformation ensemble approach to free modeling targets from both CASP8 and CASP9. Given a diverse ensemble of models, the method is able to achieve accuracies of. 48 for the top L/5 medium range contacts and. 36 for the top L/5 long range contacts for CASP8 targets (L being the target domain length). When applied to targets from CASP9, the accuracies of the top L/5 medium and long range contact predictions were. 34 and. 30 respectively.

Conclusions

When operating on a moderately diverse ensemble of models, the conformation ensemble approach is an effective means to identify medium and long range residue-residue contacts. An immediate benefit of the method is that when tied with a scoring scheme, it can be used to successfully rank models.
Performance analysis of spectrum sharing mechanisms in cognitive radio networks
Authors: Peipei Chen , Qinyu Zhang , Yalin Zhang , Ye Wang
Published: October 2011

In this article, a non-preemptive (NP) mechanism is proposed to improve the quality-of-service (QoS) of secondary users (SUs) in joint leasing and sensing-based cognitive radio networks (CRNs). In this spectrum-sharing mechanism, a primary user (PU) could not forcibly terminate a SU with ongoing transmission. Both the typical preemptive and the proposed NP mechanisms are modeled by multi-dimensional Markov chains with three state variables. A decomposition-approximated method is used to derive the closed-form solutions of the steady-state probabilities in the Markov chains. The analytical results are verified by numerical results. System parameters that affect performance metrics are also investigated in these two mechanisms. The simulation results show that in the proposed mechanism the performance metrics of SUs such as force-termination probability and mean system delay are improved significantly, with an acceptable loss of PUs' QoS in terms of mean waiting time and blocking probability. A QoS tradeoff can be achieved between the primary and the secondary systems. For QoS improvement of SUs, the proposed NP mechanism outperforms the preemptive mechanism in joint leasing and sensing-based CRNs.
Fixed point theorems for mappings satisfying contractive conditions of integral type and applications
Authors: Liu Zeqing , Li Xin , Kang Shin Min , Cho Sun Young
Published: October 2011

In this paper, the existence, uniqueness and iterative approximations of fixed points for contractive mappings of integral type in complete metric spaces are established. As applications, the existence, uniqueness and iterative approximations of solutions for a class of functional equations arising in dynamic programming are discussed. The results presented in this paper extend and improve essentially the results of Branciari (A fixed point theorem for mappings satisfying a general contractive condition of integral type. Int. J. Math. Math. Sci. 29, 531-536, 2002), Kannan (Some results on fixed points. Bull. Calcutta Math. Soc. 60, 71-76, 1968) and several known results. Four concrete examples involving the contractive mappings of integral type with uncountably many points are constructed.

2010 Mathematics Subject Classfication: 54H25, 47H10, 49L20, 49L99, 90C39
The role of the MYD88-dependent pathway in MPTP-induced brain dopaminergic degeneration
Authors: Drouin-Ouellet Janelle , Gibrat Claire , Bousquet Mélanie , Calon Frédéric , Kriz Jasna , Cicchetti Francesca
Published: October 2011

Background

Mounting evidence supports a significant role of inflammation in Parkinson's disease (PD) pathophysiology, with several inflammatory pathways being suggested as playing a role in the dopaminergic degeneration seen in humans and animal models of the disease. These include tumor necrosis factor, prostaglandins and oxidative-related stress components. However, the role of innate immunity has not been established in PD.

Methods

Based on the fact that the myeloid differentiation primary response gene (88) (MyD88) is the most common adaptor protein implicated in toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling, critical in the innate immune response, we undertook a study to investigate the potential contribution of this specific pathway to MPTP-induced brain dopaminergic degeneration using MyD88 knock out mice (MyD88-/-), following our observations that the MyD88-dependent pathway was critical for MPTP dopaminergic toxicity in the enteric nervous system. Post-mortem analyses assessing nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration and inflammation were performed using HPLC, western blots, autoradiography and immunofluorescence.

Results

Our results demonstrate that MyD88-/- mice are as vulnerable to MPTP-induced dopamine and DOPAC striatal depletion as wild type mice. Furthermore, MyD88-/- mice show similar striatal dopamine transporter and tyrosine hydroxylase loss, as well as dopaminergic cell loss in the substantia nigra pars compacta in response to MPTP. To evaluate the extent of the inflammatory response created by the MPTP regimen utilized, we further performed bioluminescence imaging using TLR2-luc/gfp transgenic mice and microglial density analysis, which revealed a modest brain microglial response following MPTP. This was accompanied by a significant astrocytic reaction in the striatum, which was of similar magnitude both in wild type and MyD88-/- mice.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that subacute MPTP-induced dopaminergic degeneration observed in the central nervous system is MyD88-independent, in contrast to our recent observations that this pathway, in the same cohort of animals, is critical in the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the enteric nervous system.