bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structure of influenza virus ribonucleoprotein complexes and their packaging into virions
Authors: Noda Takeshi , Kawaoka Yoshihiro
Published: September 2010

The influenza A virus genome consists of eight segmented, single‐stranded, negative‐sense RNAs. Each viral RNA (vRNA) segment forms a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex together with NPs and a polymerase complex, which is a fundamental unit for transcription and replication of the viral genome. Although the exact structure of the intact RNP remains poorly understood, recent electron microscopic studies have revealed certain structural characteristics of the RNP. This review focuses on the findings of these various electron microscopic analyses of RNPs extracted from virions and RNPs inside virions. Based on the morphological and structural observations, we present the architecture of RNPs within a virion and discuss the genome packaging mechanism by which the vRNA segments are incorporated into virions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tribo‐electrochemical surface modification of tantalum using in situ AFM techniques
Authors: Huitink David , Gao Feng , Liang Hong
Published: September 2010

A scanning‐probe‐based technique to observe tribo‐electrochemically stimulated surface was demonstrated. The configuration consists of an electrochemical cell attached to an atomic force microscope (AFM) scanner. Under an applied electrical potential and in various chemical environments, the surface morphology, roughness, skew, bearing ratio, as well as surface adhesive forces between probes were measured, and the effects of mechano‐electrochemical stimuli were evaluated. The effects of mechanical, electrochemical, and mechano‐electrochemical stimuli were found to compete during AFM sliding process. Their effects do not follow a linear relationship, implying that the mechanical stimulus promotes electrochemical reactions. Similarly, electrochemically enhanced mechanical removal of surface materials is possible. SCANNING 32: 336–344, 2010. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Laser profilometry and length‐scale analysis of stone tools: second series experiment results
Authors: James Stemp W. , Childs Ben E. , Vionnet Samuel
Published: September 2010

Based on the need to develop a method to reliably and objectively document and discriminate the use‐wear on archaeological stone tools, Stemp et al. (2009) tested whether the surface roughness measured on experimentally worn stone tools used on different contact materials could be discriminated. Results of these initial experiments indicated that discrimination was possible and also determined the scales over which this discrimination occurred. In this article, we report the results of additional experiments using the same method on a second set of tools to test its reliability and reproducibility. In these experiments, four flint flakes were intensively used for 20 min on either conch shell or dry deer antler. The surface roughness or texture of the stone tools was measured by generating 2D profiles using a UBM laser profilometer. Relative lengths (RLs) calculated from the profiles were used directly as characterization parameters and subsequently compared statistically at each scale using the F‐test to establish a level of confidence for the differentiation at each scale represented in the measured profiles. The mean square ratios of measurement data were used to determine whether the variation in roughness was statistically significant and to what level of confidence. The scales at which there was a high level of confidence were the ones at which the tools were differentiable. The results of these experiments confirm our previous findings that RLs, over certain scale ranges, can discriminate the stone tool surface wear profiles produced by the different contact materials. SCANNING 32: 233–243, 2010. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nanoscale crystallization of phase change Ge2Sb2Te5 film with AFM lithography
Authors: Kim JunHo
Published: September 2010

We have made nanoindents on Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) films using electric field‐assisted atomic force microscope (AFM) lithography. GST shows increase of material density and electric conductivity as it changes from amorphous to crystalline phases. By applying electric field between AFM probe‐tip and GST surface, nanoscale crystallization could be induced on tip contact area. As the crystallized GST exhibits increase of material density, that is to say depression of volume, nanoindented surface with crystallization is created on host amorphous GST (a‐GST) film. For the AFM lithography, a highly conductive tip, which showed voltage‐switching characteristics in current–voltage spectroscopy of GST film, was found to be very suitable for recording and sensing crystallized nanoindents on the GST film. By varying sample bias voltages, we performed nanoscale crystallization, and measured the nanostructured film in AFM conductance‐image (C‐image) mode and topography‐image (T‐image) mode, simultaneously. Two types of crystallized wires were fabricated on (a‐GST) film. Type‐I was sensed in only C‐image, whereas Type‐II was sensed in both C‐image and T‐image. These nanowires are discussed in terms of crystallization of GST and sensitivity of current (or topography) sensing. By repeated lithography, larger size of nanoindented wires were also produced, which indicates line‐dimension controllability of AFM lithography. SCANNING 32: 320–326, 2010. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Temperature‐Responsive Nanoreactor
Authors: Li Songjun , Ge Yi , Tiwari Ashutosh , Cao Shunsheng
Published: September 2010

An originally designed temperature‐responsive nanoreactor is reported. The nanoreactor is made of Ag nanoparticles and a functional polymer composite of poly(acrylamide) (PAAm) and poly(2‐acrylamide‐2‐methylpropanesulfonic acid) (PAMPS). At a relatively low temperature (e.g., 20 °C), this nanoreactor displayed weak reactivity because of the interpolymer complexation between PAAm and PAMPS, which largely restricted the access of reactants to the encapsulated Ag nanoparticles. On the contrary, at a relatively high temperatures (e.g., 40 °C), the nanoreactor demonstrated significant catalytic activity resulting from the dissociation of the interpolymer complexation between PAAm and PAMPS, which allowed reactants to get access to the encapsulated Ag nanoparticles. By taking account of previously reported PNIPAm‐based nanoreactors, which show inverse temperature response, i.e., reactivity decreases whilst temperature increases, this temperature‐responsive nanoreactor would greatly facilitate and enrich the increasing studies on smart nanomaterials, generating numerous applications in a wide range of areas, such as catalysis and sensing.
Hopes and directions for the future
Authors: Wehlburg Catherine M.
Published: September 2010

Changes have occurred since the first edition of New Directions for Teaching and Learning was published. This chapter focuses on areas that have changed and on those that will probably not change as we move into the future.
Splines, knots, and penalties
Authors: Eilers Paul H. C. , Marx Brian D.
Published: September 2010

Penalized splines have gained much popularity as a flexible tool for smoothing and semi‐parametric models. Two approaches have been advocated: (1) use a B‐spline basis, equally spaced knots, and difference penalties [Eilers PHC, Marx BD. Flexible smoothing using B‐splines and penalized likelihood (with Comments and Rejoinder). Stat Sci 1996, 11:89–121.] and (2) use truncated power functions, knots based on quantiles of the independent variable and a ridge penalty [Ruppert D, Wand MP, Carroll RJ. Semiparametric Regression. New York: Cambridge University Press; 2003]. We compare the two approaches on many aspects: numerical stability, quality of the fit, interpolation/extrapolation, derivative estimation, visual presentation and extension to multidimensional smoothing. We discuss mixed model and Bayesian parallels to penalized regression. We conclude that B‐splines with difference penalties are clearly to be preferred.WIREs Comp Stat2010 2 637–653 DOI: 10.1002/wics.125

This article is categorized under:

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Density Estimation
The effectiveness of indigestible markers for identifying individual animal feces and their prevalence of use in North American zoos
Authors: Fuller Grace , Margulis Susan W. , Santymire Rachel
Published: September 2010

Techniques for analyzing hormone metabolites in animal excreta have created many opportunities for noninvasive monitoring of health, reproduction, and welfare in zoo animals, but can be difficult to implement when individual samples are not readily identifiable in animal groups. A common approach to this problem is to feed animals an indigestible marker that subsequently appears in feces, but there has been little systematic research on the use of such “fecal markers.” First, we used an online survey to assess the prevalence of fecal marker use in North American zoological institutions. Second, we conducted a series of experimental tests utilizing commonly employed fecal markers in a variety of typical zoo taxa to determine the: (1) effectiveness of several markers to accurately distinguish samples in a variety of species, (2) minimum quantity of marker needed for detection, and (3) length of time between ingestion and detection in the feces. The majority of the 45 institutions that completed the survey reported using fecal markers with their collections. The survey also revealed that the most frequently used markers are seeds/grains and food colorants, with the former generally used in Carnivora and the latter in Primates. Our experimental data confirmed the success of these taxa/marker combinations and also revealed that food colorants function as markers in a variety of avian, reptilian, and mammalian species. Our data describe successful fecal markers for a wide variety of zoo taxa and should, therefore, be useful for zoological managers and researchers needing to employ fecal markers in future investigations. Zoo Biol 30:379–398, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Genetic structure analysis of a highly inbred captive population of the African antelope Addax nasomaculatus. Conservation and management implications
Authors: Armstrong E. , Leizagoyen C. , Martínez A.M. , González S. , Delgado J.V. , Postiglioni A.
Published: September 2010

The African antelope Addax nasomaculatus is a rare mammal at high risk of extinction, with no more than 300 individuals in the wild and 1,700 captive animals distributed in zoos around the world. In this work, we combine genetic data and genealogical information to assess the structure and genetic diversity of a captive population located at Parque Lecocq Zoo (N=27), originated from only two founders. We amplified 39 microsatellites previously described in other Artiodactyls but new to this species. Seventeen markers were polymorphic, with 2–4 alleles per locus (mean=2.71). Mean expected heterozygosity (He) per locus was between 0.050 (marker ETH3) and 0.650 (marker D5S2), with a global He of 0.43. The mean inbreeding coefficient of the population computed from pedigree records of all registered individuals (N=53) was 0.222. The mean coancestry of the population was 0.298 and FIS index was −0.108. These results reflect the importance of an adequate breeding management on a severely bottlenecked captive population, which would benefit by the incorporation of unrelated individuals. Thanks to the successful amplification of a large number of microsatellites commonly used in domestic bovids, this study will provide useful information for the management of this population and serve as future reference for similar studies in other captive populations of this species. Zoo Biol 30:399–411, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
RetractedFood habits of Rhinopithecus bieti as assessed by fecal analysis at Mt. Longma, Southwest China
Authors: Li Xue‐You , Yang Shi‐Jian , Yang Yang
Published: September 2010

The following article from Zoo Biology, "Food habits of Rhinopithecus bieti as assessed by fecal analysis at Mt. Longma, Southwest China" by Xue‐You Li, Shi‐Jian Yang and Yang Yang, published online on September 17, 2010, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com), has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal's Executive Editor, Jason V. Watters, and the publisher, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The retraction has been agreed due to overlap between this article and the following article published in the American Journal of Primatology: "Diet and feeding behavior of Rhinopithecus bieti at Xiaochangdu, Tibet: adaptations to a marginal environment" by Zuo‐fu Xiang, Sheng Huo, Wen Xiao, Rui‐chang Quan and Cyril C. Grueter. Am J Primatol 69:1141–1158, 2007.
S‐adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase deficiency: two siblings with fetal hydrops and fatal outcomes
Authors: Grubbs Randall , Vugrek Oliver , Deisch Jeremy , Wagner Conrad , Stabler Sally , Allen Robert , Barić Ivo , Rados Marko , Mudd S. Harvey
Published: September 2010

This paper reports the clinical and metabolic findings in two sibling sisters born with fetal hydrops and eventually found to have deficient S‐adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (AHCY) activity due to compound heterozygosity for two novel mutations, c.145C>T; p.Arg49Cys and c.257A>G; p.Asp86Gly. Clinically, the major abnormalities in addition to fetal hydrops (very likely due to impaired synthetic liver function) were severe hypotonia/myopathy, feeding problems, and respiratory failure. Metabolic abnormalities included elevated plasma S‐adenosylhomocysteine, S‐adenosylmethionine, and methionine, with hypoalbuminemia, coagulopathies, and serum transaminase elevation. The older sister died at age 25 days, but the definitive diagnosis was made only retrospectively. The underlying genetic abnormality was diagnosed in the second sister, but treatment by means of dietary methionine restriction and supplementation with phosphatidylcholine and creatine did not prevent her death at age 122 days. These cases extend the experience with AHCY deficiency in humans, based until now on only the four patients previously identified, and suggest that the deficiency in question may be a cause of fetal hydrops and developmental abnormalities of the brain.
Plant diversity and dry‐matter dynamics of peri‐urban plant communities in an Indian dry tropical region
Authors: Gupta Shachi , Narayan Rup
Published: September 2010

The emergence of variety of land‐use changes due to continuous anthropogenic pressure in peri‐urban areas may concomitantly result in modification of the structure of associated plant communities for their sustainable growth. In the present study, plant diversity, and above‐ and belowground biomass distribution among species were investigated to understand their dynamics across different season, soil, and site conditions in a dry tropical peri‐urban region in India. From four study sites that covered contrasting land uses: abandoned brick kiln (ABK), grazing land (GL), Kali river bank (KRB), and agricultural land (AL), a total of 360 monoliths were randomly extracted in three seasons, and dry weights were estimated for aboveground and belowground parts of species individuals. Seasonal soil samples of the sites were analyzed for physico‐chemical characteristics. Of the total 87 recorded species that were mainly annual weeds and ruderals, 77% were forbs and 23% grasses. The ranges of plant biomass recorded across all sites and seasons were: aboveground 228–738 g m−2, belowground 83–288 g m−2, and a total of 344–1,026 g m−2. The dominance of species differed between above‐ and belowground; some species dominated only above‐ or belowground, and others dominated in both layers. Above‐ and belowground biomass of the sites, differential community‐biomass allocation to above‐ and belowground parts and species dominants varied significantly with site and season. ABK and AL sites showed lower species diversity and soil nutrients compared to GL and KRB sites. Belowground biomass significantly declined with increasing soil organic C and total N, indicating altered dry matter allocation under resource‐scarce habitat conditions. Higher diversity occurred at both low‐ and high‐biomass sites, reflective of enhanced ability of these plant communities to exploit resources maximally in spatio‐temporal pattern.
Determination of Acid Number of Biodiesel and Biodiesel Blends
Authors: Baig Aijaz , Ng Flora T. T.
Published: September 2010

Due to an increase in the commercial use of biodiesel and biodiesel blends, both ASTM D 6751 and EN 14214 include the acid number (AN) as an important quality parameter. It was found that determination of AN of biodiesel and biodiesel blends using the ASTM D 974 results in large values of repeatability (up to 73.41%) and larger percentage error (up to 42.88%). Therefore, ASTM D 974 has been modified using a lower concentration of base (0.02 M KOH instead of 0.1 M KOH) as well as reducing the amount of toxic titration solvent from 100 mL to only 10 mL. This makes the modified ASTM D 974 as a green analytical method which uses a reduced amount of toxic solvent. This modified method significantly reduced the maximum percentage error from 42.88 to 5.92%. The application of this modified ASTM D 974 for the determination of AN of biodiesel and biodiesel blends was studied. The accuracy of this modified ASTM D 974 for biodiesel (B100) was measured to be within 3.51% over the AN range of 0.313–0.525 mg KOH/g and maximum repeatability was decreased from 8.37 to 2.75% within this AN range which is far below the ASTM D 974 stated repeatability specifications. For B20, B10, B5, B2, and B1, the most accurate values were measured at AN values of 0.177, 0.067, 0.072, 0.126, and 0.096 mg KOH/g, respectively. Excellent linearity values of R2 for calculated and experimentally determined AN were obtained. The difference between the experimental and the calculated AN for all biodiesel and biodiesel blend samples was within ± 0.018 mg KOH/g. This extensive study has demonstrated that this modified ASTM D 974 is a reliable method for the determination of AN and could be used for establishing the specifications of AN for biodiesel and biodiesel blends ranging from B1 to B20 in quality standards.
Epigenetic targets of bioactive dietary components for cancer prevention and therapy
Authors: Meeran Syed M. , Ahmed Amiya , Tollefsbol Trygve O.
Published: September 2010

The emergent interest in cancer epigenetics stems from the fact that epigenetic modifications are implicated in virtually every step of tumorigenesis. More interestingly, epigenetic changes are reversible heritable changes that are not due to the alteration in DNA sequence but have potential to alter gene expression. Dietary agents consist of many bioactive ingredients which actively regulate various molecular targets involved in tumorigenesis. We present evidence that numerous bioactive dietary components can interfere with various epigenetic targets in cancer prevention and therapy. These agents include curcumin (turmeric), genistein (soybean), tea polyphenols (green tea), resveratrol (grapes), and sulforaphane (cruciferous vegetables). These bioactive components alter the DNA methylation and histone modifications required for gene activation or silencing in cancer prevention and therapy. Bioactive components mediate epigenetic modifications associated with the induction of tumor suppressor genes such asp21WAF1/CIP1and inhibition of tumor promoting genes such as the human telomerase reverse transcriptase during tumorigenesis processes. Here, we present considerable evidence that bioactive components and their epigenetic targets are associated with cancer prevention and therapy which should facilitate novel drug discovery and development. In addition, remarkable advances in our understanding of basic epigenetic mechanisms as well as the rapid progress that is being made in developing powerful new technologies, such as those for sensitive and quantitative detection of epigenetic and epigenomic changes in cancer biology, hold great promise for novel epigenetic approaches to cancer prevention and therapy.
Positive and negative romantic relationship quality: Age, familiarity, attachment and well‐being as correlates of couple agreement and projection
Authors: Zimmer‐Gembeck Melanie J. , Ducat Wendy
Published: September 2010

Capturing the multiple aspects of the romantic peer context is a significant challenge for research. One often recommended option is to use reports of multiple relationship features from both members of the romantic dyad. Using a new measure, we extended an existing model of dyadic perception (Kenny & Acitelli, 2001) to investigate associations between couples’ (N = 148) reports about the positive and negative dimensions of their romantic relationships. Differences by participant age and relationship length were examined to test developmental hypotheses, and attachment and well‐being were examined as correlates of participants’ romantic perceptions. Agreement between partners was low, but associations of individuals’ reports about themselves and their partners were high (projection). Agreement about negative romantic behaviors was higher in older compared to younger individuals and agreement about positive behaviors was higher in longer compared to shorter relationships. Partner similarity in negative behavior was higher than similarity in positive behavior. Individuals with better well‐being reported more positive romantic behaviors, and attachment security was associated in some cases. Males were more negative about romantic behaviors than females, but there was no gender difference in agreement or projection.
Role of prostaglandin E2 in peptidoglycan mediated iNOS expression in mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro
Authors: Dahiya Yogesh , Pandey Rajeev Kumar , Bhatt Kunal H. , Sodhi Ajit
Published: September 2010

Many extracellular stimuli, e.g. microbial products, cytokines etc., result in the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in macrophages. However, it is not known whether expression of the iNOS gene in response to microbial products is a primary response of macrophages, or is the result of paracrine/autocrine signalling induced by endogenous biomolecules that are synthesised as a result of host cell–microbe interaction. In this paper we demonstrate that iNOS expression in mouse peritoneal macrophages in response to bacterial peptidoglycan (PGN) is a secondary effect requiring autocrine signalling of endogenously produced prostaglandin E2, and that PGN stimulation is mandatory, but not sufficient in itself, for induction of iNOS expression.
TGFβ enforces activation of eukaryotic elongation factor‐2 (eEF2) via inactivation of eEF2 kinase by p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (p90Rsk) to induce mesangial cell hypertrophy
Authors: Das Falguni , Ghosh-Choudhury Nandini , Kasinath Balakuntalam S. , Choudhury Goutam Ghosh
Published: September 2010

eEF2 phosphorylation is under tight control to maintain mRNA translation elongation. We report that TGFβ activates eEF2 by decreasing eEF2 phosphorylation and simultaneously increasing eEF2 kinase phosphorylation. Remarkably, inhibition of Erk1/2 blocked the TGFβ‐induced dephosphorylation and phosphorylation of eEF2 and eEF2 kinase. TGFβ increased phosphorylation of p90Rsk in an Erk1/2‐dependent manner. Inactive p90Rsk reversed TGFβ‐inhibited phosphorylation of eEF2 and suppressed eEF2 kinase activity. Finally, inactive p90Rsk significantly attenuated TGFβ‐induced protein synthesis and hypertrophy of mesangial cells. These results present the first evidence that TGFβ utilizes the two layered kinase module Erk/p90Rsk to activate eEF2 for increased protein synthesis during cellular hypertrophy.
Interplay between I308 and Y310 residues in the third repeat of microtubule‐binding domain is essential for tau filament formation
Authors: Naruto Keiko , Minoura Katsuhiko , Okuda Ryouhei , Taniguchi Taizo , In Yasuko , Ishida Toshimasa , Tomoo Koji
Published: September 2010

Investigation of the mechanism of tau polymerization is indispensable for finding inhibitory conditions or identifying compounds preventing the formation of paired helical filament or oligomers. Tau contains a microtubule‐binding domain consisting of three or four repeats in its C‐terminal half. It has been considered that the key event in tau polymerization is the formation of a β‐sheet structure arising from a short hexapeptide 306VQIVYK311 in the third repeat of tau. In this paper, we report for the first time that the C–H⋯π interaction between Ile308 and Tyr310 is the elemental structural scaffold essential for forming a dry “steric zipper” structure in tau amyloid fibrils.
Defining the structural requirements for ribose 5‐phosphate‐binding and intersubunit cross‐talk of the malarial pyridoxal 5‐phosphate synthase
Authors: Derrer Bianca , Windeisen Volker , Guédez Rodríguez Gabriela , Seidler Joerg , Gengenbacher Martin , Lehmann Wolf D. , Rippe Karsten , Sinning Irmgard , Tews Ivo , Kappes Barbara
Published: September 2010

MINT‐7994425, MINT‐7994413, MINT‐7994435: PfPdx1 (uniprotkb:C6KT50) and PfPdx1 (uniprotkb:C6KT50) bind (MI:0407) by cosedimentation in solution (MI:0028).
Counteracting MDM2‐induced HIPK2 downregulation restores HIPK2/p53 apoptotic signaling in cancer cells
Authors: Nardinocchi Lavinia , Puca Rosa , Givol David , D'Orazi Gabriella
Published: September 2010

Homeodomain‐interacting protein kinase‐2 (HIPK2) is a crucial regulator of p53 apoptotic function by phosphorylating serine 46 (Ser46) in response to DNA damage. In tumors with wild‐type p53, its tumor suppressor function is often impaired by MDM2 overexpression that targets p53 for proteasomal degradation. Likewise, MDM2 targets HIPK2 for protein degradation impairing p53‐apoptotic function. Here we report that zinc antagonised MDM2‐induced HIPK2 degradation as well as p53 ubiquitination. The zinc inhibitory effect on MDM2 activity leads to HIPK2‐induced p53Ser46 phosphorylation and p53 pro‐apoptotic transcriptional activity. These results suggest that zinc derivatives are potential molecules to target the MDM2‐induced HIPK2/p53 inhibition.
EGCG functions through estrogen receptor‐mediated activation of ADAM10 in the promotion of non‐amyloidogenic processing of APP
Authors: Fernandez Jamie Winderbaum , Rezai-Zadeh Kavon , Obregon Demian , Tan Jun
Published: September 2010

Estrogen depletion following menopause has been correlated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). We previously explored the beneficial effect of (−)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG) on AD mice and found increased non‐amyloidogenic processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) through the α‐secretase a disintegrin and metallopeptidase domain 10 (ADAM10). Our results in this study suggest that EGCG‐mediated enhancement of non‐amyloidogenic processing of APP is mediated by the maturation of ADAM10 via an estrogen receptor‐α (ERα)/phosphoinositide 3‐kinase/Ak‐transforming dependent mechanism, independent of furin‐mediated ADAM10 activation. These data support prior assertions that central selective ER modulation could be a therapeutic target for AD and support the use of EGCG as a well‐tolerated alternative to estrogen therapy in the prophylaxis and treatment of this disease.
Nodding or Needling: Analyzing Delegate Responsiveness in an Authoritarian Parliament
Authors: MALESKY EDMUND , SCHULER PAUL
Published: September 2010

Recent scholarship argues that one solution to ensure longevity and economic growth in an authoritarian regime is to co-opt potential opposition by offering them limited policy influence in a national legislature. Although cooptation theory generates a number of predictions for delegate behavior within an authoritarian parliament, the opacity of such regimes has made empirical confirmation difficult. We resolve this problem by exploiting the transcripts of query sessions in the Vietnamese National Assembly, where delegates question the prime minister and Cabinet members on important issues of the day. Using a content analysis of queries, we offer the first empirical test of delegate behavior in nondemocratic parliaments. We find that some delegates exhibit behavior consistent with cooptation theory by actively participating in sessions, demonstrating criticism of authorities, and responding to the needs of local constituents. Such responsiveness, however, is parameterized by regime rules for nominating, electing, and assigning parliamentary responsibilities to individual delegates.
QUASILINEARITY OF SOME COMPOSITE FUNCTIONALS WITH APPLICATIONS
Authors: DRAGOMIR S. S.
Published: September 2010

The quasilinearity of certain composite functionals defined on convex cones in linear spaces is investigated. Applications in refining the Jensen, Hölder, Minkowski and Schwarz inequalities are given.
THE EFFECT OF CONSANGUINITY ON CONGENITAL DISABILITIES IN THE KUWAITI POPULATION
Authors: AL-KANDARI YAGOUB Y. , CREWS DOUGLAS E.
Published: September 2010

Consanguinity has been shown to increase homozygosity and to reduce genetic variation in a group, which may protect against the expression of recessive genes that can lead to genetic disorders. Consanguineous marriages are practised widely in Kuwait. The major aim of this study is to delineate the association of consanguineous marriages with congenital disabilities in different Kuwaiti population subcultures. A total of 9104 married Kuwaiti females aged 15–79 years from different backgrounds were selected at ten primary health care centres from six governorates in Kuwait. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analysed with chi-squared tests. The data indicate significant differences in the occurrence of genetic diseases in consanguineous couples' offspring (4.88%) compared with those of non-consanguineous couples (4.13%) (p<0.002). The results also show significant differences in frequencies of genetic/environmental diseases in consanguineous couples' offspring (8.59%) compared with those of non-consanguineous couples (8.23%) (p<0.005). No significant differences between the two groups regarding environmental diseases were observed. A higher frequency of genetic diseases was found in first- (6.97%;p<0.001), second- (6.78%;p<0.001) and third-cousin (6.46%;p<0.022) couples' offspring compared with those of non-consanguineous couples. The frequency of congenital disabilities in the offspring of couples from consanguineous marriages (2.9%) is higher than that in the offspring of non-consanguineous marriages (2.3%). But this difference is not significant at the 0.05 level. First-cousin marriages have the highest frequency (3.5%) of congenital disabilities compared with other kinds of marriages (2.1–2.3%). Differences across groups are significant (p<0.036). Significant differences are found for first-cousin couples in both physical (2.37;p<0.042) and mental (0.74;p<0.037) disabilities compared with non-consanguineous couples. No significant differences were observed in deafness and blindness disabilities. The data show no significant differences between second- and third-cousin and non-consanguineous couples in physical, mental or deafness and blindness disabilities. There are no significant differences in the percentages of offspring with congenital disabilities in consanguineous and non-consanguineous marriages across sub-population groups for the total of four types of congenital disability.
MEN'S ATTITUDES ABOUT ABORTION IN UGANDA
Authors: MOORE ANN M. , JAGWE-WADDA GABRIEL , BANKOLE AKINRINOLA
Published: September 2010

Abortion is illegal in Uganda except to save the life of the woman. Nevertheless, the practice is quite common: about 300,000 induced abortions occur annually among Ugandan women aged 15–49 (Singh et al., 2005) and a large proportion of these women require treatment for post-abortion complications. In the male-dominant culture of Uganda, where men control most of the financial resources, men play a critical part in determining whether women receive a safe abortion, or appropriate treatment if they experience abortion complications. This study examines men's roles in determining women's access to a safer abortion and post-abortion care. It draws on in-depth interviews carried out in 2003 with 61 women aged 18–60 and 21 men aged 20–50 from Kampala and Mbarara, Uganda. Respondents' descriptions of men's involvement in women's abortion care agreed that men's stated attitudes about abortion often prevented women from involving them in either the abortion or post-abortion care. Most men believe that if a woman is having an abortion, it must be because she is pregnant with another man's child, although this does not correspond with women's reasons for having an abortion – a critical disjuncture revealed by the data between men's perceptions of, and women's realities regarding, reasons for seeking an abortion. If the woman does experience post-abortion complications, the prevailing attitude among men in the sample was that they cannot support a woman in such a situation seeking care because if it had been his child, she would not have had a covert abortion. Since money is critical to accessing appropriate care, without men's support, women seeking an abortion may not be able to access safer abortion options and if they experience complications, they may delay care-seeking or may not obtain care at all. Barriers to involving men in abortion decision-making endanger women's health and possibly their lives.
Arbitrage Risk and Stock Mispricing
Authors: Doukas John A. , Kim Chansog (Francis) , Pantzalis Christos
Published: September 2010

In this paper we examine the relation between equity mispricing and arbitrage risk and find that stocks with high arbitrage risk have higher estimated mispricing than stocks with low arbitrage risk. These results are not limited to high book-to-market or small capitalization stocks, and they are not sensitive to transaction and short-selling costs. In addition, they remain robust to alternative multifactor return generating specification models and mispricing measures. Overall, our empirical results are consistent with the conjecture that mispricing is a manifestation of the inability of arbitrageurs to hedge idiosyncratic risk, a major deterrent to arbitrage activity.
Agency Costs of Free Cash Flow and the Effect of Shareholder Rights on the Implied Cost of Equity Capital
Authors: Chen Kevin C. W. , Chen Zhihong , Wei K. C. John
Published: September 2010

In this paper, we examine the effect of shareholder rights on reducing the cost of equity and the impact of agency problems from free cash flow (FCF) on this effect. We find that firms with strong shareholder rights have a significantly lower implied cost of equity after controlling for risk factors, price momentum, analysts’ forecast biases, and industry and year effects than do firms with weak shareholder rights. Further analysis shows that the effect of shareholder rights on reducing the cost of equity is significantly stronger for firms with more severe agency problems from FCFs.
OnHymenolepis sinensisn. sp. ; a New Cestode from the Grey Sand-Hamster (Cricetulus griseus)
Authors: Oldham J. N.
Published: September 2010

The material upon which this study is based was obtained from a Grey Sand-Hamster (Cricetulus griseus) which died in captivity at the experimental farm of the Institute of Agricultural Parasitology. Several examples of two species of hamster were received from Dr. Hindle on his return from China, the specimen furnishing the worms being one of these. On death a post-mortem examination of the animal was made and the cestodes removed and preserved in dilute formalin. Some weeks subsequently the parasites were examined and found to differ from the descriptions of other species ofHymenolepisencountered in hamsters and the present study was entered upon.
On the Trematodes of the digestive tract ofTropidonotus piscatorfrom Lucknow
Authors: Thapar Gobind Singh , Ali Farzand
Published: September 2010

Reptiles form a very prominent part of the fauna of India, but very little is known about the Entozoa of this group in the country. The foundation of our knowledge of the Trematode parasites of Reptiles is laid by Rudolphi (1819), Dujardin (1845) and Diesing (1850–58), all of whom have described them under a common genusDistomum, along with the forms from other hosts. Von Linstow (1877–85), Looss (1899) and Lühe (1900–11) have considerably extended our knowledge of these forms. They have also revised the observations of the earlier workers and have split up the original genus into several genera, thereby placing the group on a more scientific and natural basis.
Some Victorian Perceptions of Greek Tragedy
Authors: Dowgun Richard
Published: September 2010

The Victorians would have been remarkable if they had resisted the temptation to find lessons for, and parallels with, their own situation in the history they wrote. The story of Athens in the fifth century B.C. was particularly enticing in this regard. The small state that defeated the Persians at Salamis, that rapidly became the leader of Western civilization, that brought to birth advances in art, in philosophy, in practical science, that struggled toward democracy, that attained imperial power but then began to decline, seemed obviously to prefigure the destiny of the small state that defeated France at Waterloo, that brought to birth the Industrial Revolution, and so on. In this paper I will examine the implications for their own times that various Victorians found in the lives and works of the Greek tragedians. I will show how two different groups interpreted Aeschylus so as to appropriate his prestige for their own view of life; how the figure of Sophocles was used in the debate over aestheticism; and how Euripides' philosophical sophistication and ambiguity were felt to have a special relevance for troubled thinkers at the end of the century. Trying to summarize so much critical diversity is rather like trying to reduce an opera to a melody or two; but, to change metaphors, the field is new, and first maps are always crude.
The Brownings' Correspondence: Supplement No. 5 to the Checklist
Authors: Kelley Philip , Hudson Ronald
Published: September 2010

Yet another year has passed, and we once more gratefully take this opportunity of issuing a supplement to our Checklist. This addition is smaller than the previous ones, containing only 114 entries, compared with an average of close to 350 in the previous supplements. However, this listing does contain 69 completely new entries, bringing the total of new discoveries to the astonishing figure of almost 700. Of the new letters now listed, many have been brought to our attention through the survey of Browningiana in the United States being coordinated by Dr. Eleanor Hoag under the auspices of the Armstrong Browning Library. We applaud this initiative, and look forward to the planned extension of the survey to other countries; as noted in last year's introduction, it seems very probable that letters exist in Germany and Japan, of which we have no knowledge.
The impact of informal care-giving networks on adult children's care-giver burden
Authors: TOLKACHEVA NATALIA , VAN GROENOU MARJOLEIN BROESE , DE BOER ALICE , VAN TILBURG THEO
Published: September 2010

Previous research on the care-giver burden experienced by adult children has typically focused on the adult child and parent dyad. This study uses information on multiple informal care-givers and examines how characteristics of the informal care-giving network affect the adult child's care-giver burden. In 2007, 602 Dutch care-givers who were assisting their older parents reported on parental and personal characteristics, care activities, experienced burden and characteristics of other informal care-givers. A path model was applied to assess the relative impact of the informal care-giving network characteristics on the care-giver burden. An adult child experienced lower care-giver burden when the informal care-giving network size was larger, when more types of tasks were shared across the network, when care was shared for a longer period, and when the adult child had no disagreements with the other members of the network. Considering that the need for care of older parents is growing, being in an informal care-giving network will be of increasing benefit for adult children involved in long-term care. More care-givers will turn into managers of care, as they increasingly have to organise the sharing of care among informal helpers and cope with disagreements among the members of the network.
The Allied Struggle over Cultural Restitution, 1942–1947
Authors: Kurtz Michael J.
Published: September 2010

This article discusses the Allied diplomatic and political impasse over restitution during and after World War II. The focus is on cultural restitution—the return of art, archives, and libraries looted by the Nazis. Serious Allied disagreements on general postwar policy for Germany inhibited the development of a coherent approach to the restitution of cultural property. Cultural restitution became lost in the maze of other greater political, economic, and ideological conflicts. Ultimately, the impasse was also fueled by the very complex issues involving cultural restitution itself. Issues including the scope of the entire effort, restitution in kind, returning property to refugees, and the fate of heirless Jewish property were intractable. The problems with cultural restitution reflected the clash of interests and ideologies. As a result, the four occupying powers had distinct approaches with radically differing results.
Stalin's Decrees and Soviet Trophy Brigades: Compensation, Restitution in Kind, or “Trophies” of War?
Authors: Akinsha Konstantin
Published: September 2010

The article is dedicated to the official decrees issued by Joseph Stalin in 1945 ordering the Soviet removal of cultural property from Eastern European and German territories occupied by the Red Army. As opposed to popular belief dominant today in Russia, such decrees were few. Preparation for the removal of cultural property from enemy countries had started before the fate of the war was decided. In 1943 on the request of academician Igor Grabar, the Bureau of Experts was established with the task of composing lists of so-called “eventual equivalents,” which Soviet officials wanted to receive after the war as “restitution in kind,” to compensate for the cultural losses of the USSR. The listed equivalents included art works from museums and private collections in the Axis countries. However, the projected provisions for “restitution in kind” were never approved by the Allies, in large part because during the last months of the war and immediately thereafter, the Soviet Union had already begun massive removal of cultural property from territories occupied by the Red Army. Different trophy brigades sent to the front lines were authorized or ordered to send back home whole collections of German museums and libraries. Only rarely were any of the ‘trophies’ labeled “compensation.”
The UNIDROIT Convention: Three Significant Departures from the Urtext
Authors: Merryman John Henry
Published: September 2010

The text of the Unidroit Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects (the Convention) had its origin in a Unidroit Study Group which produced the Preliminary Draft Unidroit Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects (hereinafter PDC or Urtext) in 1991. With the PDC as their working text, four conferences of National Experts produced the Draft Unidroit Convention on the International Return of Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects, and a Diplomatic Conference held in June, 1995, produced the Convention.
The Case Against Statutes of Limitations for Stolen Art
Authors: Bibas Stephanos
Published: September 2010

When a thief steals a work of art and resells it to a bona fide purchaser, most commentators favor protecting the buyer's title against a claim by the original owner. American law on this issue has been in flux, and today most American States resolve these disputes by balancing the buyer's blameworthiness against the owner's delay and fault. Such ad hoc statutes of limitations are misguided because they encourage art theft, reward morally culpable buyers, and leave the law unclear and unpredictable. Instead, the law should award title automatically to theft victims who immediately report their losses to the police and an international computerized database of art thefts. Doing so would create clear incentives for owners to report thefts and for buyers and art merchants to check the database, thus drying up the market for stolen art.
The World of Tuscan Tomb Robbers: Living with the Local Community and the Ancestors
Authors: van Velzen Diura Thoden
Published: September 2010

Grave robbers, we all know, loot tombs for material gain. Recently, however, Italian tomb robbers, or tombaroli, have sought public attention by publishing their biographies and appearing on television to present an entirely new image of their métier. They depict themselves as heroes who bring the treasures of the past to the public and boast of an expertise, which remains unrecognised by official archaeologists. Rather than merely dismissing these stories as a justification, or glorification of an illegal activity, a more careful reading reveals many issues, which are of considerable importance to heritage management and archaeological research. These accounts contain a wealth of information on the identity of the people who loot tombs; their backgrounds, motivations and attempts to legitimate their actions. Moreover, they provide a unique insight into the relations between tomb robbers and the communities within which they operate. It is well known that public opinion in Italy and elsewhere to some extent sanctions illegal digging and, in my view, changing these attitudes could prove to be one of the most important steps towards a more effective policy of protecting the cultural patrimony.
Licit International Art Trade in Times of Armed Conflict?
Authors: Fitschen Thomas
Published: September 2010

The articles concerning a licit international trade in artistic and other cultural objects published recently in the first volume of the 1995 International Journal for Cultural Property address a great number of issues concerning current trends in the law governing the exportation, importation and transfer of ownership of cultural property. What is barely mentioned in these articles, however, is the problem of the trade in art objects originating from occupied territories in times of armed conflict.
BILIARY AND PANCREATIC DISEASE IN PREGNANCY
Authors: JONES BRYONY A , GIRLING JOANNA C
Published: September 2010

Pregnancy is a physiological condition that affects all organs. Diseases unrelated to pregnancy may present coincidentally during pregnancy or may be exacerbated by pregnancy, and may increase maternal and/or fetal morbidity or mortality. Compared with many other systems, the changes within the biliary tree and pancreas are relatively minimal. However, pregnancy is associated with an increased likelihood of cholelithiasis, which can have significant implications for the parturient.
Religious and Moral Conditions Among the Canadian Pioneers
Authors: McNeill John T.
Published: September 2010

The generous phraseology of our title may suggest a field of inquiry larger than that covered by the following study. The data to be here considered are derived from the records of life in Protestant settlements formed after the close of the French régime (1763) and within the provinces east of Lake Huron. The accompanying bibliography will indicate the principal sources utilized, and the limitations of these will be noted by expert students. While admittedly incomplete, they have been sufficient to illustrate certain phases of pioneer religious and social life, and the writer feels justified in the hope that the main impressions here given will not be negatived by further investigation.