bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Recognition and Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk in People with Rheumatoid Arthritis in Primary Care: A Questionnaire‐Based Study of General Practitioners
Authors: Bell Carolyn , Rowe Ian F.
Published: November 2010

Objectives. To investigate how well recognized the association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and excess cardiovascular (CV) risk is within primary care and the current assessment strategies being employed by general practitioners (GPs).

Methods. Questionnaires were sent to all 376 GPs in the Worcestershire Primary Care Trust.

Results. Thirty‐two per cent of GPs identified RA as an independent risk factor for CV disease. Fifteen per cent and 34%, respectively, assessed their RA patients for primary and secondary prevention of their CV risks. Of those GPs who made an assessment, 18.4% adjusted the calculated risk derived from standard charts. The frequency of assessment was greater among GPs who had received a form of education about the association between CV disease and RA. However, of the GPs identifying this susceptibility, only 40% performed any form of primary prevention risk assessment.

Conclusions. At present, the excess risk of CV disease conferred by RA is under‐recognized and under‐assessed in primary care. Currently, educational resources on this topic targeted at GPs are lacking and may in part account for our findings. However, even when GPs did identify the risk of CV disease in RA or had received education about it, this did not consistently change their clinical management. Further work to promote knowledge and management strategies for CV disease in RA is therefore needed to improve the care of patients with this condition.Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Photovoltaics literature survey (no. 82)
Authors: Shrestha Santosh
Published: November 2010

In order to help keep readers up‐to‐date in the field each issue of Progress in Photovoltaics will contain a list of recently published journal articles most relevant to its aims and scope. This list is drawn from an extremely wide range of journals, including IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Journal of Applied Physics, Applied Physics Letters, Progress in Photovoltaics and Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. To assist the reader, the list is separated into broad categories, but please note that these classifications are by no means strict. Also note that inclusion in the list is not an endorsement of a paper's quality. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Shotgun proteomic profiling of five species of New ZealandPachycladon
Authors: Mirzaei Mehdi , Pascovici Dana , Keighley Tim , George Iniga , Voelckel Claudia , Heenan Peter B. , Haynes Paul A.
Published: November 2010

The genusPachycladonconsists of ten species of alpine plants, nine of which are endemic to New Zealand. The species are closely related to the model plantArabidopsis thalianawith respect to their sequence divergence and chromosome synteny, occupy distinct geographical habitats in terms of both latitude and altitude, and display a range of morphologies. We have performed label‐free quantitative shotgun proteomic analysis of five different species ofPachycladon, namelyP. cheesemanii(CH),P. exile(EX),P. fastigiatum(FA),P. enysii(EN) andP. novae‐zelandiae(NZ). The total non‐redundant data set for all five species contained 1489 proteins. The numbers of proteins identified reproducibly in each species ranged from 629 for CH to 987 for NZ, with 681 for EN, 741 for EX and 934 for FA. Previous metabolite‐based studies have shown that FA hydrolyzes glucosinolates completely to isothiocyanates while EN converts glucosinolates to nitriles. In this study, we observed high expression of ESP (At1g54040, epithiospecifying senescence regulator protein) and myrosinase 2 (At5g25980, glycosyl hydrolase family protein), which result in production of nitriles and epithionitriles, in EN and NZ, and we also observed higher expression of ESM1 (At3g14210, GDSL esterase/lipase), which mediates the formation of isothiocyanate, in FA.
Increased oxidative‐modifications of cytosolic proteins in 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy)‐exposed rat liver
Authors: Upreti Vijay V. , Moon Kwan‐Hoon , Yu Li‐Rong , Lee Insong J. , Eddington Natalie D. , Ye Xiaoying , Veenstra Timothy D. , Song Byoung‐Joon
Published: November 2010

It is well established that 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) causes acute liver damage in animals and humans. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize oxidative modification and inactivation of cytosolic proteins in MDMA‐exposed rats. Markedly increased levels of oxidized and nitrated cytosolic proteins were detected 12 h after the second administration of two consecutive MDMA doses (10 mg/kg each). Comparative 2‐DE analysis showed markedly increased levels of biotin‐N‐methylimide‐labeled oxidized cytosolic proteins in MDMA‐exposed rats compared to vehicle‐treated rats. Proteins in the 22 gel spots of strong intensities were identified using MS/MS. The oxidatively modified proteins identified include anti‐oxidant defensive enzymes, a calcium‐binding protein, and proteins involved in metabolism of lipids, nitrogen, and carbohydrates (glycolysis). Cytosolic superoxide dismutase was oxidized and its activity significantly inhibited following MDMA exposure. Consistent with the oxidative inactivation of peroxiredoxin, MDMA activated c‐JunN‐terminal protein kinase and p38 kinase. Since these protein kinases phosphorylate anti‐apoptotic Bcl‐2 protein, their activation may promote apoptosis in MDMA‐exposed tissues. Our results show for the first time that MDMA induces oxidative‐modification of many cytosolic proteins accompanied with increased oxidative stress and apoptosis, contributing to hepatic damage.
Proteomic analysis of the anti‐inflammatory action of minocycline
Authors: Dunston Christopher R. , Griffiths Helen R. , Lambert Peter A. , Staddon Susan , Vernallis Ann B.
Published: November 2010

Minocycline possesses anti‐inflammatory properties independently of its antibiotic activity although the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced cytokines and pro‐inflammatory protein expression are reduced by minocycline in cultured macrophages. Here, we tested a range of clinically important tetracycline compounds (oxytetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline and tigecycline) and showed that they all inhibited LPS‐induced nitric oxide production. We made the novel finding that tigecycline inhibited LPS‐induced nitric oxide production to a greater extent than the other tetracycline compounds tested. To identify potential targets for minocycline, we assessed alterations in the macrophage proteome induced by LPS in the presence or absence of a minocycline pre‐treatment using 2‐DE and nanoLC‐MS. We found a number of proteins, mainly involved in cellular metabolism (ATP synthase β‐subunit and aldose reductase) or stress response (heat shock proteins), which were altered in expression in response to LPS, some of which were restored, at least in part, by minocycline. This is the first study to document proteomic changes induced by minocycline. The observation that minocycline inhibits some, but not all, of the LPS‐induced proteomic changes shows that minocycline specifically affects some signalling pathways and does not completely inhibit macrophage activation.
Quantitative protein determination for CYP induction via LC‐MS/MS
Authors: Williamson Brian L. , Purkayastha Subhasish , Hunter Christie L. , Nuwaysir Lydia , Hill James , Easterwood LaHoma , Hill Jeanette
Published: November 2010

The Cytochrome P450 (CYP) proteins are a family of membrane bound proteins that function as a major metabolizing enzyme in the human body. Quantification of CYP induction is critical in determining the disposition, safety and efficacy of drugs in humans. Described is a gel‐free, high‐throughput LC‐MS approach to quantitate the CYP isoforms 1A2, 2B6, 3A4 and 3A5 by measuring isoform specific peptides released by enzymatic digestion of the hepatocyte incubations. The method uses synthetic stable isotope‐labeled peptides as internal standards and allows both relative and absolute quantification to be performed from hepatic microsomal preparations. CYP protein determined by this LC‐MS method correlated well with the mRNA and activity for induced levels of CYP1A2, CYP2B6 and CYP3A4. Interestingly, a small fold change was observed for the induction of 3A5 with phenobarbital. The results were reproducible with an average CV less then 10% for repeat analysis of the sample. This LC‐MS method offers a robust assay for CYP protein quantitation for use in CYP induction assays
Role of primary care in the management of prostate cancer
Authors: Ayres Ben , Persad Raj
Published: November 2010

Prostate cancer is a common disease and the majority of men will be diagnosed by their GP. In this article the authors discuss how, with appropriate protocols in place, both localised and advanced disease are suitable for shared care between the urology cancer multidisciplinary team and general practice.
Managing bacterial infections in pregnancy and the puerperium
Authors: Ugwumadu Austin
Published: November 2010

Our series Prescribing in pregnancy provides guidance on what information to offer pregnant women about the risks and benefits of drug treatment. Here the author outlines the management of common bacterial infections in pregnancy.
Multi‐cause degradation path model: a case study on rubidium lamp degradation
Authors: Quan Sun , Kvam Paul H.
Published: November 2010

At the core of satellite rubidium standard clocks is the rubidium lamp, which is a critical piece of equipment in a satellite navigation system. There are many challenges in understanding and improving the reliability of the rubidium lamp, including the extensive lifetime requirement and the dearth of samples available for destructive life tests. Experimenters rely on degradation experiments to assess the lifetime distribution of highly reliable products that seem unlikely to fail under the normal stress conditions, because degradation data can provide extra information about product reliability. Based on recent research on the rubidium lamp, this article presents a multi‐cause degradation path model, including its application background, model description, modeling method, and parameter estimation method. Using the available data from degradation tests, we construct point estimates and interval estimates for rubidium lamp lifetimes using regression techniques. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sensor and actuator fault diagnosis for wind turbine systems by using robust observer and filter
Authors: Wei X. , Verhaegen M.
Published: November 2010

In this paper, we consider sensor and actuator fault detection and estimation issues for large scale wind turbine systems where individual pitch control (IPC) is used for load reduction. The faults considered are the blade root bending moment sensor faults and blade pitch actuator faults. In the first part, with the aid of a dynamical model of the wind turbine system, a so‐called H∞/H− observer in the finite frequency range, is applied to generate the residual for fault detection. The observer is designed to be sensitive to faults but insensitive to disturbances, such as wind turbulence. When there is a detectable fault, the observer sends an alarm signal if the residual evaluation is larger than a predefined threshold. In addition to the fault detection, we also consider the fault estimation problem, where a dynamic filter is used to estimate the fault magnitude. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by simulation results for several fault scenarios. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Polymeric Arched Chain and a Chair‐like M2L2‐Metallamacrocycle Crystal Engineered of [M(phen)]2+ (M = Cu, Cd; phen = 1,10‐Phenanthroline) Corner Units and the Bent Ligand 4,4′‐Dithiodipyridine
Authors: Seidel Rüdiger W. , Dietz Christina , Oppel Iris M.
Published: November 2010

Self‐assembly of Cd(phen)2+ and Cu(phen)2+ (phen = 1,10‐phenanthroline) building blocks with the bent ligand 4,4′‐dithiodipyridine (dtdp) has been investigated. Both building blocks serve as corner units with constrained cis‐geometry. The arched chain coordination polymer [{Cd(phen)(μ‐dtdp)(dtdp)(H2O)}(ClO4)2·2CH3OH·1.5H2O]n (1) crystallised from a mixture of Cd(ClO4)2·H2O, phen and dtdp in methanol. The reaction of [Cu(phen)(H2O)2](CF3SO3)2 (2) with dtdp in an ethanol/water mixture yielded a chair‐like metallamacrocycle, [{Cu(phen)(CF3SO3)2}2(μ‐dtpd)2] (3). The crystal structure of the precursor complex 2 is also reported.
Syntheses and Characterizations of two Zinc(II) Metal‐organic Frameworks based on 1,4‐Naphthalenedicarboxylate and Imidazole Ligands
Authors: Wang Jingyuan , You Hongpeng
Published: November 2010

Two new compounds, namely [Zn(1,4‐ndc)(L1)] (1), and [Zn(1,4‐ndc)(L2)]·0.25H2O (2) [L1 = 2‐phenylimidazole, L2 = 1,1′‐(1,4‐butanediyl)bis(imidazole), and 1,4‐ndc = 1,4‐naphthalenedicarboxylate] were successfully synthesized under similar hydrothermal conditions. In compound 1, each 1,4‐ndc anion links two neighboring ZnII cations with its carboxylate groups to generate a 2D layer structure. The L1 ligands are attached on both sides of the layers. In compound 2, each carboxylate group of 1,4‐ndc connects one ZnII atom in monodentate mode to form a 1D zigzag chain. Further, the L2 ligands link the chains to generate an expanded diamond net. Four diamond networks interweave to form a 3D interpenetrating diamond framework in an unusual [2+2] mode. Furthermore, the title compounds exhibit good luminescent properties in the range from ultraviolet to visible light and may find potential applications as fluorescent materials.
[Be3(μ3‐O)3(MeCN)6{Be(MeCN)3}3](I)6 – ein Berylliumkomplex mit Cyclo‐(Be3O3)‐Kern und sein Hydrolyseprodukt [Be(H2O)4](I)2·2MeCN
Authors: Puchta Ralph , Neumüller Bernhard , Dehnicke Kurt
Published: November 2010

Single crystals of [Be3(μ3‐O)3(MeCN)6{Be(MeCN)3}3](I)6·4CH3CN (1·4CH3CN) were obtained in low yield by the reaction of beryllium powder with iodine in acetonitrile suspension, which probably result from traces of beryllium oxide containing the applied beryllium metal. The compound 1·4CH3CN forms moisture sensitive, colourless crystal needles, which were characterized by IR spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction (Space group Pnma, Z = 4, lattice dimensions at 100(2) K: a = 2317.4(1), b = 2491.4(1), c = 1190.6(1) pm, R1 = 0.0315). The hexaiodide complex cation 16+consists of a cyclo‐Be3O3 core with slightly distorted chair conformation, stabilized by coordination of two acetonitrile ligands at each of the beryllium atoms and by a {Be(CH3CN)3}2+ cation at each of the oxygen atoms. This unique coordination behaviour results in coplanar OBe3 units with short Be–O distances of 155.0 pm and 153.6 pm on average of bond lengths within the cyclo‐Be3O3 unit and of the peripheric BeO bonds, respectively. Exposure of compound 1·4CH3CN to moist air leads to small orange crystal plates of [Be(H2O)4]I2·2CH3CN (3·2CH3CN). According to the crystal structure determination (Space group C2/c, Z = 4, lattice dimensions at 100(2) K: a = 1220.7(1), b = 735.0(1), c = 1608.5(1) pm, β = 97.97(1)°, R1 = 0.0394), all hydrogen atoms of the dication [Be(H2O)4]2+ are involved to form O–H···N and O–H···I hydrogen bonds with the acetonitrile molecules and the iodide ions, respectively. Quantum chemical calculations (B3LYP/6‐311+G**) at the model [Be3(μ3‐O)3(HCN)6{Be(HCN)3}3]6+ show that chair and boat conformation are stable and that the distorted chair conformation is stabilized by packing effects.
Modularizing communication middleware concerns using aspects
Authors: Maffort Cristiano Amaral , Valente Marco Tulio de Oliveira
Published: November 2010

Software engineers often rely on communication middleware platforms to design and implement distributed systems. However, middleware functionality is usually invasive, pervasive and tangled with business-specific concerns. In this paper, we describe an aspect-oriented distributed programming system that encapsulates middleware services provided by Java RMI and Java IDL. The proposed system, called DAJ, handles the basic service provided by such object-oriented middleware platforms, i.e., synchronous remote calls using call by-serialization and call by-remote-reference semantics. The paper documents our experience in using DAJ to modularize middleware concerns from three legacy distributed systems.
Brown‐Vialetto‐Van Laere and Fazio Londe syndrome is associated with a riboflavin transporter defect mimicking mild MADD: a new inborn error of metabolism with potential treatment
Authors: Bosch Annet M. , Abeling Nico G. G. M. , IJlst Lodewijk , Knoester Hennie , van der Pol W. Ludo , Stroomer Alida E. M. , Wanders Ronald J. , Visser Gepke , Wijburg Frits A. , Duran Marinus , Waterham Hans R.
Published: November 2010

We report on three patients (two siblings and one unrelated) presenting in infancy with progressive muscle weakness and paralysis of the diaphragm. Metabolic studies revealed a profile of plasma acylcarnitines and urine organic acids suggestive of a mild form of the multiple acyl‐CoA dehydrogenation defect (MADD, ethylmalonic/adipic acid syndrome). Subsequently, a profound flavin deficiency in spite of a normal dietary riboflavin intake was established in the plasma of all three children, suggesting a riboflavin transporter defect. Genetic analysis of these patients demonstrated mutations in the C20orf54 gene which encodes the human homolog of a rat riboflavin transporter. This gene was recently implicated in the Brown‐Vialetto‐Van Laere syndrome, a rare neurological disorder which may either present in infancy with neurological deterioration with hypotonia, respiratory insufficiency and early death, or later in life with deafness and progressive ponto‐bulbar palsy. Supplementation of riboflavin rapidly improved the clinical symptoms as well as the biochemical abnormalities in our patients, demonstrating that high dose riboflavin is a potential treatment for the Brown‐Vialetto‐Van Laere syndrome as well as for the Fazio Londe syndrome which is considered to be the same disease entity without the deafness.
Inbreeding depression in development, survival, and reproduction in the adzuki bean beetle (Callosobruchus chinensis)
Authors: Harano Tomohiro
Published: November 2010

Inbreeding depression of an aspect of fitness is observed in many insects, but the traits that are of importance for inbreeding depression of fitness remain poorly understood. Here the magnitude of inbreeding depression of fitness‐related traits in the development and adult stages was measured in a captive population of the adzuki bean beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). Beetles produced by full‐sib matings had 8% lower survival in the development stage than did beetles produced by unrelated matings. Although inbred and outbred offspring did not differ in body size after emergence, inbred offspring took 2–3% longer to develop to emergence. This indicates inbreeding depression of growth rate. At the adult stage, inbreeding had no significant effect on longevity, however lifetime offspring production was reduced by 11%. Thus, the magnitude of inbreeding depression was relatively large for offspring production. This suggests inbreeding depression of fitness manifests, to a particularly significant extent, in reduced productivity. This study shows the C. chinensis population, which has been in captivity for more than 100 generations, harbors genetic loads.
Dynamic regulation of T cell activation and co‐stimulation through TCR‐microclusters
Authors: Saito Takashi , Yokosuka Tadashi , Hashimoto-Tane Akiko
Published: November 2010

TCR‐microclusters (MC) are generated upon TCR stimulation prior to the immune synapse formation independently of lipid rafts. TCR‐MCs contain receptors, kinases and adaptors, and function as the signaling unit for T cell activation. The TCR complex, but not the signaling molecules, is transported to the center to form cSMAC. The co‐stimulation receptor CD28 joins the signaling region of cSMAC and recruits PKCθ and Carma1. CTLA‐4 accumulates in the same region and competes with CD28 for negative regulation of T cell activation. T cell activation is therefore mediated by two spatially distinct signaling compartments: TCR signaling by the peripheral TCR‐MC and co‐stimulation signal by the central signaling cSMAC.
Improving Campaign Success Rate by Tailoring Donation Requests along the Donor Lifecycle
Authors: Verhaert Griet Alice , Van den Poel Dirk
Published: November 2010

Since charitable fundraising relies heavily on direct mail, this paper studies how tailoring donation requests along the donor lifecycle could improve campaign success rate. Our field study provides a unique combination of three parameters whose combined interaction has not been studied to this date: donor segment, suggested personalized donation amount and social comparison, resulting in a 3 × 3 × 2 between-subjects design. Taking into account the donor's zone of acceptable prices, we show that for acquiring and reactivating donors the use of a recently suggested donation amount is most effective, whereas for retaining donors, it is preferred to use an average amount. Our results also demonstrate that social comparison is an excellent acquisition strategy, but that it could be harmful when reactivating lapsed donors. Social comparison was not found to have an effect on the donation behavior of current donors.
Feline-specific serum total IgE quantitation in normal, asthmatic and parasitized cats
Authors: Delgado Cherlene , Lee-Fowler Tekla M. , DeClue Amy E. , Reinero Carol R.
Published: November 2010

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) plays an important role in defense against parasitic infections as well as allergy. Knowledge of serum total IgE concentrations may have value in diagnosis and prognostication of various disorders; however, to date, no studies have reported feline serum total IgE concentrations. We hypothesize that serum total IgE concentrations will be greater in spontaneously parasitized and asthmatic cats compared to healthy pet cats. Healthy (n=10), parasitized (10) and asthmatic cats (eight) had measurement of serum total IgE by ELISA. Data were analyzed using a t-test with P<0.05 considered significant. Serum total IgE was higher in parasitized (mean±SEM, 328.4±123.8 μg/ml; P<0.028) and asthmatic cats (85.5±19.5 μg/ml; P<0.047) compared to healthy cats (45.9±19.6 μg/ml). However, serum total IgE had poor discriminatory capability between diseased and healthy cats. In conclusion, this assay can detect small quantities of feline serum total IgE, which may be beneficial in future studies of parasitism or allergic disease.
Internal wave generation by oscillation of a sphere, with application to internal tides
Authors: VOISIN B. , ERMANYUK E. V. , FLÓR J.-B.
Published: November 2010

A joint theoretical and experimental study is performed on the generation of internal gravity waves by an oscillating sphere, as a paradigm of the generation of internal tides by barotropic tidal flow over three-dimensional supercritical topography. The theory is linear and three-dimensional, applies both near and far from the sphere, and takes into account viscosity and the unsteadiness arising from the interference with transients generated at the start-up. The waves propagate in conical beams, evolving with distance from a bimodal to unimodal wave profile. In the near field, the profile is asymmetric with its major peak towards the axis of the cones. The experiments involve horizontal oscillations and develop a cross-correlation technique for the measurement of the deformation of fluorescent dye planes to sub-pixel accuracy. At an oscillation amplitude of one fifth of the radius of the sphere, the waves are linear and the agreement between experiment and theory is excellent. As the amplitude increases to half the radius, nonlinear effects cause the wave amplitude to saturate at a value that is 20% lower than its linear estimate. Application of the theory to the conversion rate of barotropic tidal energy into internal tides confirms the expected scaling for flat topography, and shows its transformation for hemispherical topography. In the ocean, viscous and unsteady effects have an essentially local role, in keeping the wave amplitude finite at the edges of the beams, and otherwise dissipate energy on such large distances that they hardly induce any decay.
Uptake and utilization of arachidonic acid in infective larvae ofAngiostrongylus cantonensis
Authors: Tang P. , Wang L.-C.
Published: November 2010

Infective larvae ofAngiostrongylus cantonensismay take up and incorporate exogenous arachidonic acid into their lipid pool. By scintillation counting, uptake and incorporation were determined to be time dependent. Arachidonic acid was mainly incorporated into phospholipid (56.8%) and neutral lipid (22.4%) pools. In the neutral lipids, 64.0% was diglyceride and 36.0% triglyceride. Phosphatidylcholine was the predominant fatty acid in the phospholipid pool. In addition to the release of leukotriene B4, the parasite was found to generate radiolabelled CO2after incubation with [U-14C]arachidonate. Moreover, enzymatic analysis of crude extracts revealed the presence of acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (short and long chain), thiolase, enoyl-CoA hydratase and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase. These findings suggest that infective larvae ofA. cantonensisnot only take up and incorporate exogenous arachidonic acid into their lipid pool, but may also utilize the fatty acid through a functional β-oxidation pathway.
Management of intra-operative cerebrospinal fluid leak following endoscopic trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery
Authors: Hobbs C G L , Darr A , Carlin W V
Published: November 2010

Objective:

Cerebrospinal fluid leakage is the most common complication of endoscopic trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery. However, there is no uniformly accepted way of managing this complication when it occurs intra-operatively. This paper describes a quick, simple technique, involving layered fibrin glue and gelatin sponge, which does not compromise post-operative patient follow up.

Method:

Retrospective review of all endoscopic pituitary surgery cases conducted at a single institution since the introduction of this technique in 2002.

Results:

A total of 120 endoscopic pituitary operations were performed (96 primary procedures and 24 revisions). All intra-operative cerebrospinal fluid leaks were managed using the described method, with a failure rate of 3.6 per cent. The overall post-operative leakage rate was 1.7 per cent.

Conclusion:

This simple, conservative technique avoids the need for further dissection and the use of non-absorbable foreign material, and has a low incidence of post-operative cerebrospinal fluid leakage.
Economic Planning of the Free Market in Israel during the First Decade: The Influence of Don Patinkin on Israeli Policy Discourse
Authors: Krampf Arie
Published: November 2010

Argument

Following World War II, as macroeconomics and econometrics became a necessary tool for policy-making, economists worldwide rose in influence. Those economists in peripheral and new countries were especially important as they could wield the instruments essential in forming states. Israel was no exception. In Israel this process was associated with the establishment of the economics department at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the Falk Project, led by Don Patinkin and the community of economists that he nurtured. This article poses three questions regarding Patinkin's influence and his role in the process of state formation. First, how did he affect economic policy discourse in Israel; second, what role did Patinkin and his students play in the process of state formation; and finally, what was the effect of Patinkin and his students on Israeli government policies? I argue that Patinkin had a specific and irreducible influence on the localization of pro-market ideas and policies in Israel, and that he and his students contributed to the consolidation of the state autonomy and capacity. Furthermore, I argue that they contributed to a more strict implementation of the recession policy in the mid-1960s.
Attempt at cloning high-quality goldfish breed ‘Ranchu’ by fin-cultured cell nuclear transplantation
Authors: Tanaka Daisuke , Takahashi Akito , Takai Akinori , Ohta Hiromi , Ueno Koichi
Published: November 2010

The viability of ornamental fish culture relies on the maintenance of high-quality breeds. To improve the profitability of culture operations we attempted to produce cloned fish from the somatic nucleus of the high-quality Japanese goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) breed ‘Ranchu’. We transplanted the nucleus of a cultured fin-cell from an adult Ranchu into the non-enucleated egg of the original goldfish breed ‘Wakin’. Of the 2323 eggs we treated, 802 underwent cleavage, 321 reached the blastula stage, and 51 reached the gastrula stage. Two of the gastrulas developed until the hatching stage. A considerable number of nuclear transplants retained only the donor nucleus. Some of these had only a 2n nucleus derived from the same donor fish. Our results provide insights into the process of somatic cell nuclear transplantation in teleosts, and the cloning of Ranchu.
DC and radio-frequency transmission characteristics of double-walled carbon nanotubes-based ink
Authors: Pacchini Sébastien , Flahaut Emmanuel , Fabre Norbert , Conédéra Véronique , Mesnilgrente Fabien , Coccetti Fabio , Dragoman Mircea , Plana Robert
Published: November 2010

In this paper, double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) network layers were patterned using inkjet transfer printing. The remarkable conductive characteristics of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are considered as promising candidates for transmission line as well as microelectronic interconnects of an arbitrary pattern. In this work, the DWNTs were prepared by the catalytic chemical vapor deposition process, oxidized and dispersed in ethylene-glycol solution. The DWNTs networks were deposited between electrodes contact and then characterized at DC through current–voltage measurements, low frequency, and high frequency by scattering parameters measurements from 40 MHz up to 40 GHz through a vector network analyzer. By varying the number of inkjet overwrites, the results confirm that the DC resistance of DWNTs networks can be varied according to their number and that furthermore the networks preserve ohmic characteristics up to 100 MHz. The microwave transmission parameters were obtained from the measuredS-parameter data. An algorithm is developed to calculate the propagation constant “γ”, attenuation constant “α” in order to show the frequency dependence of the equivalent resistance of DWNTs networks, which decreases with increasing frequency.
Taking care to protect the environment against damage: a meaningless obligation?
Authors: Hulme Karen
Published: November 2010

Little attention is paid to the obligation of ‘care’ in Article 55(1) of Additional Protocol I. Beyond a general principle of upholding environmental value in times of armed conflict, what is the scope and content of the obligation? If it is worthless, what makes it so? Since the care provision includes the same high threshold of harm found elsewhere in the environmental provisions, has this stumbling block now been removed by state practice? Rule 44 of theCustomary Law Studymight appear to suggest that this is so, or does it? Ultimately then, is the care obligation worth caring about?
Water, international peace, and security
Authors: Tignino Mara
Published: November 2010

Water scarcity, accelerated by climate change, affects water availability and may threaten peace and security. This role of water, as a contributing factor for triggering wars, sheds light on the significance of the protection of water during armed conflict. Keeping water out of war not only contributes to preserving an indispensable natural resource for life but also serves as a tool for the hostile parties to start negotiations, building trust and peace.
Climate change adaptation: integrating climate science into humanitarian work
Authors: Braman Lisette M. , Suarez Pablo , van Aalst Maarten K.
Published: November 2010

A changing climate means more work for humanitarian organizations. Vulnerable people served by the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement are likely to experience new patterns of disasters. In the face of these rising dangers, science-based information about likely threats can be used to reduce risk and improve resource allocation. Examples such as the 2008 emergency appeal for flood preparedness in West Africa illustrate the benefits of turning early warnings into early actions at community, national, and regional levels, at timescales ranging from hours to decades ahead of a looming threat. By making better use of a wide range of new information, humanitarian organizations can enhance their work even in the face of the rising risks of climate change.
Effect of temperature and cycle length on microbial competition in PHB-producing sequencing batch reactor
Authors: Jiang Yang , Marang Leonie , Kleerebezem Robbert , Muyzer Gerard , van Loosdrecht Mark C M
Published: November 2010

The impact of temperature and cycle length on microbial competition between polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)-producing populations enriched in feast-famine sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) was investigated at temperatures of 20 °C and 30 °C, and in a cycle length range of 1–18 h. In this study, the microbial community structure of the PHB-producing enrichments was found to be strongly dependent on temperature, but not on cycle length. Zoogloea and Plasticicumulans acidivorans dominated the SBRs operated at 20 °C and 30 °C, respectively. Both enrichments accumulated PHB more than 75% of cell dry weight. Short-term temperature change experiments revealed that P. acidivorans was more temperature sensitive as compared with Zoogloea. This is particularly true for the PHB degradation, resulting in incomplete PHB degradation in P. acidivorans at 20 °C. Incomplete PHB degradation limited biomass growth and allowed Zoogloea to outcompete P. acidivorans. The PHB content at the end of the feast phase correlated well with the cycle length at a constant solid retention time (SRT). These results suggest that to establish enrichment with the capacity to store a high fraction of PHB, the number of cycles per SRT should be minimized independent of the temperature.
Story Processing Ability in Cognitively Healthy Younger and Older Adults
Authors: Wright Heather Harris , Capilouto Gilson J. , Srinivasan Cidambi , Fergadiotis Gerasimos
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships among measures of comprehension and production for stories depicted in wordless pictures books and measures of memory and attention for 2 age groups.

Method

Sixty cognitively healthy adults participated. They consisted of two groups—young adults (20–29 years of age) and older adults (70–89 years of age). Participants completed cognitive measures and several discourse tasks; these included telling stories depicted in wordless picture books and answering multiple-choice comprehension questions pertaining to the story.

Results

The 2 groups did not differ significantly for proportion of story propositions conveyed; however, the younger group performed significantly better on the comprehension measure as compared with the older group. Only the older group demonstrated a statistically significant relationship between the story measures. Performance on the production and comprehension measures significantly correlated with performance on the cognitive measures for the older group but not for the younger group.

Conclusions

The relationship between adults' comprehension of stimuli used to elicit narrative production samples and their narrative productions differed across the life span, suggesting that discourse processing performance changes in healthy aging. Finally, the study’s findings suggest that memory and attention contribute to older adults' story processing performance.
Attention, Working Memory, and Grammaticality Judgment in Typical Young Adults
Authors: Smith Pamela A.
Published: November 2010

Purpose

To examine resource allocation and sentence processing, this study examined the effects of auditory distraction on grammaticality judgment (GJ) of sentences varied by semantics (reversibility) and short-term memory requirements.

Method

Experiment 1: Typical young adult females (
N
= 60) completed a whole-sentence GJ task in distraction (Quiet, Noise, or Talk). Participants judged grammaticality of Passive sentences varied by sentence (length), grammaticality, and reversibility. Reaction time (RT) data were analyzed using a mixed analysis of variance. Experiment 2: A similar group completed a self-paced reading GJ task using the similar materials.

Results

Experiment 1: Participants responded faster to Bad and to Nonreversible sentences, and in the Talk distraction. The slowest RTs were noted for Good–Reversible–Padded sentences in the Quiet condition. Experiment 2: Distraction did not differentially affect RTs for sentence components. Verb RTs were slower for Reversible sentences.

Conclusions

Results suggest that narrative distraction affected GJ, but by speeding responses, not slowing them. Sentence variables of memory and reversibility slowed RTs, but narrative distraction resulted in faster processing times regardless of individual sentence variables. More explicit, deliberate tasks (self-paced reading) resulted in less effect from distraction. Results are discussed in terms of recent theories about auditory distraction.
Hyoid Displacement in Post-Treatment Cancer Patients: Preliminary Findings
Authors: Zu Yihe , Yang Zhenyu , Perlman Adrienne L.
Published: November 2010

Purpose

Dysphagia after head and neck cancer treatment is a health care issue; in some cases, the cause of death is not cancer but, rather, the passage of food or liquid into the lungs. Hyoid displacement is known to be important to safe swallowing function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate hyoid displacement after cancer treatment.

Method

Hyoid displacement was measured in healthy persons with normal swallowing function, head and neck cancer patients postradiation only, and head and neck cancer patients postsurgery only. Three bolus conditions (5 ml and 10 ml liquid and 5 ml paste) were examined. The influence of 2 different measurement algorithms on the extent of hyoid movement was also explored.

Results

Radiation-therapy patients in this study had greater hyoid displacement than did surgery patients. Bolus viscosity and measurement method significantly influenced displacement results, whereas bolus volume did not. However, more multiple swallows occurred with 10 ml liquid; this may account for the apparent insignificance of bolus volume.

Conclusions

These findings can be used to assist head and neck cancer treatment planning and counseling. Because hyoid measurement methods influence research conclusions, this aspect of design should be considered when interpreting research findings.
Bilingual Language Assessment: A Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Accuracy
Authors: Dollaghan Christine A. , Horner Elizabeth A.
Published: November 2010

Purpose

To describe quality indicators for appraising studies of diagnostic accuracy and to report a meta-analysis of measures for diagnosing language impairment (LI) in bilingual Spanish–English U.S. children.

Method

The authors searched electronically and by hand to locate peer-reviewed English-language publications meeting inclusion criteria; the authors rated quality features, calculated accuracy metrics and confidence intervals, and generated forest plots.

Results

Of 771 citations (86 unique) located initially, accuracy metrics could be calculated for 17 index measures studied in a total of 100 children with LI and 109 with typical language. Most studies lacked clear descriptions of reference standards, procedures, and controls for subjective bias, making it difficult to rate specific quality features with confidence. Positive likelihood ratios (LR+) for most measures were at least diagnostically suggestive (pooled LR+ = 4.12; 95% CI [2.94, 5.78]). Negative likelihood ratios (LR−) were also generally suggestive, but heterogeneity precluded averaging. For every measure, confidence intervals for LR+ and LR− included diagnostically uninformative values.

Conclusions

The available evidence does not support strong claims concerning the diagnostic accuracy of these measures, but a number appear promising. Several steps are suggested for strengthening future investigations of diagnostic accuracy.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.6170351
Rangeland condition in relation to environmental variables, grazing intensity and livestock owners' perceptions in semi-arid rangeland in western Iran
Authors: Faramarzi M. , Kesting S. , Isselstein J. , Wrage N.
Published: November 2010

Rangeland condition has often been assessed in relation to either botanical, edaphic, environmental or management factors. In this investigation, we analysed the interaction of soil and topographic variables, management and range condition against the background of a sociological survey of livestock owners in western Iran to better understand the main influencing factors of rangeland quality in the area. In four grazing areas in Kermanshah differing in grazing pressure, environmental variables and livestock owners’ perceptions on range condition, investigations of botanical composition, soil and topographic variables were carried out on 43 main plots. To evaluate range condition, four factors were considered, namely litter frequency, herbage palatability, amount of biomass, and percentage of bare soil. A questionnaire was used to obtain information about management practices, the perception of livestock owners on range condition and suggested solutions to problems in the different grazing areas. The range condition scores showed that the condition of the sites was either fair or poor. Of the soil and topographic factors, only north-facing aspect explained part of the variation in range condition scores. High grazing intensity was associated with poor range condition. To improve the rangeland condition, measures influencing water availability and a reduction of grazing pressure seem to be more relevant in the study area than fertilisation or seeding.
Growth responses of Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvelev to sheep saliva after defoliation
Authors: Teng Xing , Ba Lei , Wang Deli , Wang Ling , Liu Jushan
Published: November 2010

Many studies indicated that saliva from herbivores might be involved in plant growth responses when plants have been grazed. However, there is currently no general agreement on whether saliva can affect plant growth. Our aims were to determine the growth response of plants to sheep saliva after defoliation under diverse environmental conditions (different sward structures), and whether the effect of saliva is influenced by time (duration) after its application. We conducted field experiments with clipping treatments and the application of sheep saliva to the damaged parts of tillers to simulate sheep grazing on the perennial grass Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvelev during the early growing seasons. Results demonstrated that clipping with saliva application significantly increased tiller numbers 8 weeks after treatments in comparison with clipping alone. A key finding is that the effect of sheep saliva on plant growth was short-lived. Clipping with saliva application increased leaf weight in the second week, while clipping alone had no effect. Moreover, clipping with saliva application promoted the elongation of new leaves (not the old ones) in the first week whereas clipping alone was ineffective. Results also showed that there were no differences between clipping with saliva application and clipping alone for relative height growth rate and aboveground biomass. Therefore, we concluded that saliva application to clipping treatment would produce an additional effect compared to clipping alone for the plant and the positive effects are time dependent. The additional effects primarily embodied in the individual level of plant, such as the changes of leaf weight and leaf length. Beyond the level, the effects of saliva only produced many more tiller numbers rather than the accumulation of aboveground biomass.
Effects of pH on aggregation kinetics of the repeat domain of a functional amyloid, Pmel17
Authors: Pfefferkorn Candace M. , McGlinchey Ryan P. , Lee Jennifer C.
Published: November 2010

Pmel17 is a functional amyloidogenic protein whose fibrils act as scaffolds for pigment deposition in human skin and eyes. We have used the repeat domain (RPT, residues 315–444), an essential luminal polypeptide region of Pmel17, as a model system to study conformational changes from soluble unstructured monomers to β-sheet-containing fibrils. Specifically, we report on the effects of solution pH (4 → 7) mimicking pH conditions of melanosomes, acidic organelles where Pmel17 fibrils are formed. Local, secondary, and fibril structure were monitored via intrinsic Trp fluorescence, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. We find that W423 is a highly sensitive probe of amyloid assembly with spectral features reflecting local conformational and fibril morphological changes. A critical pH regime (5 ± 0.5) was identified for fibril formation suggesting the involvement of at least three carboxylic acids in the structural rearrangement necessary for aggregation. Moreover, we demonstrate that RPT fibril morphology can be transformed directly by changing solution pH. Based on these results, we propose that intramelanosomal pH regulates Pmel17 amyloid formation and its subsequent dissolution in vivo.
ErbB4 in parvalbumin-positive interneurons is critical for neuregulin 1 regulation of long-term potentiation
Authors: Chen Yong-Jun , Zhang Meng , Yin Dong-Min , Wen Lei , Ting Annie , Wang Pu , Lu Yi-Sheng , Zhu Xin-Hong , Li Shu-Ji , Wu Cui-Ying , Wang Xue-Ming , Lai Cary , Xiong Wen-Cheng , Mei Lin , Gao Tian-Ming
Published: November 2010

Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) is a trophic factor that acts by stimulating ErbB receptor tyrosine kinases and has been implicated in neural development and synaptic plasticity. In this study, we investigated mechanisms of its suppression of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus. We found that NRG1 did not alter glutamatergic transmission at SC-CA1 synapses but increased the GABAAreceptor-mediated synaptic currents in CA1 pyramidal cells via a presynaptic mechanism. Inhibition of GABAAreceptors blocked the suppressing effect of NRG1 on LTP and prevented ecto-ErbB4 from enhancing LTP, implicating a role of GABAergic transmission. To test this hypothesis further, we generated parvalbumin (PV)-Cre;ErbB4−/−mice in which ErbB4, an NRG1 receptor in the brain, is ablated specifically in PV-positive interneurons. NRG1 was no longer able to increase inhibitory postsynaptic currents and to suppress LTP in PV-Cre;ErbB4−/−hippocampus. Accordingly, contextual fear conditioning, a hippocampus-dependent test, was impaired in PV-Cre;ErbB4−/−mice. In contrast, ablation of ErbB4 in pyramidal neurons had no effect on NRG1 regulation of hippocampal LTP or contextual fear conditioning. These results demonstrate a critical role of ErbB4 in PV-positive interneurons but not in pyramidal neurons in synaptic plasticity and support a working model that NRG1 suppresses LTP by enhancing GABA release. Considering that NRG1 and ErbB4 are susceptibility genes of schizophrenia, these observations contribute to a better understanding of how abnormal NRG1/ErbB4 signaling may be involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.