bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving HRI design by applying Systemic Interaction Analysis (SInA)
Authors: Lohse Manja , Hanheide Marc , Pitsch Karola , Rohlfing Katharina J. , Sagerer Gerhard
Published: December 2009

Social robots are designed to interact with humans. That is why they need interaction models that take social behaviors into account. These usually influence many of a robot’s abilities simultaneously. Hence, when designing robots that users will want to interact with, all components need to be tested in the system context, with real users and real tasks in real interactions. This requires methods that link the analysis of the robot’s internal computations within and between components (system level) with the interplay between robot and user (interaction level). This article presents Systemic Interaction Analysis (SInA) as an integrated method to (a) derive prototypical courses of interaction based on system and interaction level, (b) identify deviations from these, (c) infer the causes of deviations by analyzing the system’s operational sequences, and (d) improve the robot iteratively by adjusting models and implementations. Keywords: analysis tools, user studies, autonomous robots
Age differences and images of robots
Authors: Nomura Tatsuya , Kanda Takayuki , Suzuki Tomohiro , Kato Kensuke
Published: December 2009

In order to investigate the influence of participants’ age on their image of robots in Japan, a pilot research was completed by 371 visitors (male: 124, female: 246, age: from 2 to 80 years) at a robot exhibition held at a commercial facility in Japan, based on the questionnaire consisting of four open-ended questions. The comparison of younger (under 25 years), adult (26–50 years), and elderly groups (older than 51 years), found that: (1) in the younger age group, images of robots are ambiguous about near future assumptions, preferences, and antipathy, (2) the adult group assumes that communication robots will appear in the near future, but actually expects robots to function in non-communication tasks such as household duties and dangerous tasks, and experiences great anxiety and fear about social relationships between robots and humans, (3) the elderly group assumes that both communication and non-communication robots will appear in the near future, but actually expects robots to function in communication tasks such as service in public settings and providing care at home or in welfare facilities, and is very concerned about the physical and ecological damage that robots may cause. Although the pilot study had a problem of sample bias on participant selection and distributions of gender and age, it can lead to some predictions on social acceptance of robots in Japan. Keywords: Robots, images, age differences, social research
Towards using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Wilderness Search and Rescue
Authors: Goodrich Michael A. , Morse Bryan S. , Engh Cameron , Cooper Joseph L. , Adams Julie A.
Published: December 2009

Wilderness Search and Rescue (WiSAR) is the process of finding and assisting persons who are lost in remote wilderness areas. Because such areas are often rugged or relatively inaccessible, searching for missing persons can take huge amounts of time and resources. Camera-equipped mini-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have the potential for speeding up the search process by enabling searchers to view aerial video of an area of interest while closely coordinating with nearby ground searchers. In this paper, we report on lessons learned by trying to use UAVs to support WiSAR. Our research methodology has relied heavily on field trials involving searches conducted under the direction of practicing search and rescue personnel but using simulated missing persons. Lessons from these field trials include the immediate importance of seeing things well in the video, the field need for defining and supporting various roles in the search team, role-specific needs like supporting systematic search by providing a visualization tool to represent the quality of the search, and the on-going need to better support interactions between ground and video searchers. Surprisingly to us, sophisticated autonomous search patterns were less critical than we anticipated, though advances in video enhancement and visualizing search progress, as well as ongoing work to model the likely location of a missing person, open up the possibility of closing the loop between UAV path-planning, search quality, and the likely location of a moving missing person. Keywords: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Wilderness Search and Rescue, Human–Robot Interaction, Human Factors, Field Robotics, Graphical User Interfaces
Lenz-Barlotti I.4 perspectivity groups are abelian
Authors: Liebler Robert , Scott-Janda Elizabeth
Published: December 2009

We extend a 1972 result of Kantor and Pankin and give a new elementary proof of the assertion in the title for projective planes of arbitrary order. The main tool appears in the very first book on group theory by Jordan in 1870.
Q-curvature prescription; forbidden functions and the GJMS null space
Authors: Gover A.
Published: December 2009

On a closed even conformal manifold

(
M
,
c
)

(M,c)

, such that the critical GJMS operator has a non-trivial kernel, we identify and discuss the role of a finite dimensional vector space

N

(

Q

)

\mathcal {N}(\mathcal {Q})

of functions determined by the conformal structure. Using these we describe an infinite dimensional class of functions that cannot be the Q-curvature

Q
g

Q^g

for any

g
∈
c

g\in c

. If certain functions arise in

N

(

Q

)

\mathcal N(\mathcal Q)

, then

Q
g

Q^g

cannot be constant for any

g
∈
c

g\in c

.
Maximum likelihood estimation in Skorohod stochastic differential equations
Authors: Bishwal Jaya
Published: December 2009

Consistency and limit distribution of the maximum likelihood estimator of a parameter in the drift coefficient of an anticipative Skorohod stochastic differential equation satisfying a boundary condition are obtained based on

n
n

independent trajectories of the corresponding Skorohod diffusion inside a time interval

[
0
,
T
]

[0, T]

as

n
→
∞

n \rightarrow \infty

. The results are illustrated for the anticipative Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process.
Bockstein theorem for nilpotent groups
Authors: Cencelj M. , Dydak J. , Mitra A. , Vavpetič A.
Published: December 2009

We extend the definition of Bockstein basis

σ
(
G
)

\sigma (G)

to nilpotent groups

G
G

. A metrizable space

X
X

is called a Bockstein space if
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="dimension Subscript upper G Baseline left-parenthesis upper X right-parenthesis equals sup left-brace right-brace vertical-bar of dimdimH left-parenthesis right-parenthesis upper X vertical-bar element-of element-of upper H of sigma sigma left-parenthesis right-parenthesis upper G">

dim
G

⁡
(
X
)
=
sup
{

dim
H

⁡
(
X
)

|

H
∈
σ
(
G
)
}

\operatorname {dim}_G(X) = \sup \{\operatorname {dim}_H(X) | H\in \sigma (G)\}

for all Abelian groups

G
G

. The Bockstein First Theorem says that all compact spaces are Bockstein spaces.

Here are the main results of the paper:

Theorem 0.1. Let

X
X

be a Bockstein space. If

G
G

is nilpotent, then

dim
G

⁡
(
X
)
≤
1

\operatorname {dim}_G(X) \leq 1

if and only if

sup
{

dim
H

⁡
(
X
)

|

H
∈
σ
(
G
)
}
≤
1

\sup \{\operatorname {dim}_H(X) | H\in \sigma (G)\}\leq 1

.

Theorem 0.2.

X
X

is a Bockstein space if and only if
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="dimension Subscript bold upper Z Sub Subscript left-parenthesis l right-parenthesis Baseline left-parenthesis upper X right-parenthesis equals dimension Subscript ModifyingAbove upper Z With caret Sub Subscript left-parenthesis l right-parenthesis Baseline left-parenthesis upper X right-parenthesis">

dim

Z

(
l
)

⁡
(
X
)
=

dim

Z
^

(
l
)

⁡
(
X
)

\operatorname {dim}_{{\mathbf {Z}}_{(l)}} (X) = \operatorname {dim}_{\hat {Z}_{(l)}}(X)

for all subsets

l
l

of prime numbers.
Inequalities of Chernoff type for finite and infinite sequences of classical orthogonal polynomials
Authors: Smarzewski Ryszard , Rutka Przemysław
Published: December 2009

In this paper we present two-sided estimates of Chernoff type for the weighted

L

w

2

L_{w}^{2}

-distance of a smooth function to the

k
k

-dimensional space of all polynomials of degree less than

k
k

, whenever the weight function

w
w

solves the Pearson differential equation and generates a finite or infinite sequence of classical orthogonal polynomials. These inequalities are simple corollaries of a unified general theorem, which is the main result of the paper.
An optimal limiting 2𝐷 Sobolev inequality
Authors: Biryuk Andrei
Published: December 2009

The main goal of this paper is to prove an optimal limiting Sobolev inequality in two dimensions for Hölder continuous functions. Additionally, from this inequality we derive the double logarithmic inequality\[<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="double-vertical-bar u double-vertical-bar Subscript upper L Sub Superscript normal infinity Baseline less-than-or-slanted-equals StartFraction double-vertical-bar nabla u double-vertical-bar Subscript upper L squared Baseline Over StartRoot 2 pi alpha EndRoot EndFraction NestedTwiceStartRoot ln left-parenthesis 1 plus 6 StartRoot 2 pi alpha EndRoot StartFraction double-vertical-bar u double-vertical-bar Subscript ModifyingAbove normal upper C With dot Sub Superscript alpha Subscript Baseline Over double-vertical-bar nabla u double-vertical-bar Subscript upper L squared Baseline EndFraction NestedStartRoot ln left-parenthesis 1 plus StartRoot 2 pi alpha EndRoot StartFraction double-vertical-bar u double-vertical-bar Subscript ModifyingAbove normal upper C With dot Sub Superscript alpha Subscript Baseline Over double-vertical-bar nabla u double-vertical-bar Subscript upper L squared Baseline EndFraction right-parenthesis NestedEndRoot right-parenthesis NestedTwiceEndRoot">‖u‖L∞⩽‖∇u‖L22παln⁡(1+62πα‖u‖C˙α‖∇u‖L2ln⁡(1+2πα‖u‖C˙α‖∇u‖L2))\|u\|_{L^{\infty }} \leqslant \frac {\|\nabla u\|_{L^2}}{\sqrt {2\pi \alpha }} \sqrt {\ln \Bigl (1+6\sqrt {2\pi \alpha } \tfrac {\|u\|_{{\left .\rm \! \dot C\right .^{\!\alpha }}}}{\|\nabla u\|_{L^{2}}} \sqrt {\ln (1+\sqrt {2\pi \alpha } \tfrac {\|u\|_{{\left .\rm \! \dot C\right .^{\!\alpha }}}} {\|\nabla u\|_{L^{2}}} )\!}\, \Bigr )}\]for functionsu∈W01,2(B1)u\in W^{1,2}_0(B_1)on the unit diskB1B_1inR2\mathbb R^2,α∈(0,1].\alpha \in (0,1].
On the values of a class of Dirichlet series at rational arguments
Authors: Chakraborty K. , Kanemitsu S. , Li H.-L.
Published: December 2009

In this paper we shall prove that the combination of the general distribution property and the functional equation for the Lipschitz-Lerch transcendent capture the whole spectrum of deeper results on the relations between the values at rational arguments of functions of a class of zeta-functions. By Theorem 1 and its corollaries, we can cover all the previous results in a rather simple and lucid way. By considering the limiting cases, we can also deduce new striking identities for Milnor’s gamma functions, among which is the Gauss second formula for the digamma function.
Rigidity of trivial actions of abelian-by-cyclic groups
Authors: McCarthy Anne
Published: December 2009

Let

Γ
A

\Gamma _A

denote the abelian-by-cyclic group associated to an integer-valued, non-singular matrix

A
A

. We show that if

A
A

has no eigenvalues of modulus one, then there are no faithful

C
1

C^1

perturbations of the trivial action

ι
:

Γ
A

→

D
i
f
f

1

(
M
)

\iota : \Gamma _A \to \mathrm {Diff}^1(M)

, where

M
M

is a compact manifold.
Homomorphism of quasianalytic local rings
Authors: Elkhadiri Abdelhafed
Published: December 2009

Let

C

n

\mathcal {C}_n

be a local quasi-analytic subring of the ring of germs of

C
∞

C^\infty

functions on

R

n

\mathbb {R}^n

, and let

C

=
{

C

n

,

n
∈

N

}

\mathcal {C}=\{ \mathcal {C}_n\,,\, n\in \mathbb {N}\}

. We suppose that

C

\mathcal {C}

is closed under composition. Consider a map

φ
:
(

R

n

,
0
)
→
(

R

k

,
0
)

\varphi : (\mathbb {R}^n, 0)\rightarrow (\mathbb {R}^k, 0)

vanishing at zero, where

φ
\varphi

is a

k
k

-tuple

(

φ
1

,
…
,

φ
k

)

(\varphi _1,\ldots ,\varphi _k)

and

φ
1

,
…
,

φ
k

\varphi _1,\ldots ,\varphi _k

are in

C

n

\mathcal {C}_n

. Then

φ
\varphi

defines uniquely a map

ϕ
:

C

k

→

C

n

\phi : \mathcal {C}_k \rightarrow \mathcal {C}_n

by composition, and

ϕ
\phi

induces a morphism

ϕ
^

:

C

k

^

→

C

n

^

\hat {\phi }: \hat {\mathcal {C}_k }\rightarrow \hat {\mathcal {C}_n}

between completions. We let
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="phi Subscript asterisk Baseline colon StartFraction ModifyingAbove script upper C Subscript k Baseline With caret Over script upper C Subscript k Baseline EndFraction right-arrow StartFraction ModifyingAbove script upper C Subscript n Baseline With caret Over script upper C Subscript n Baseline EndFraction">

ϕ
∗

:

C

k

^

C

k

→

C

n

^

C

n

\phi _* : \frac {\hat {\mathcal {C}_k} }{\mathcal {C}_k }\rightarrow \frac {\hat {\mathcal {C}_n }}{\mathcal {C}_n }

be the homomorphism of groups induced by

ϕ
\phi

and

ϕ
^

\hat {\phi }

in the obvious manner. In the analytic case, i.e. when each

C

n

\mathcal {C}_n

is the ring of germs of real analytic functions, M. Eakin and A. Harris give a condition under which

ϕ
∗

\phi _*

is injective. In this paper we prove that the same statement does not hold for a quasianalytic system unless this system is analytic.
Variations on a question of Larsen and Lunts
Authors: Sebag Julien
Published: December 2009

Let

k
k

be a field of characteristic zero. Let

X
X

and

X
′

X’

be two

k
k

-schemes of finite type having the same class in the Grothendieck ring of varieties. Is it true that

X
X

and

X
′

X’

are piecewise isomorphic? This question, originally asked by Larsen and Lunts, and some of its consequences constitute the subject of this article.
On Gromov’s scalar curvature conjecture
Authors: Bolotov Dmitry , Dranishnikov Alexander
Published: December 2009

We prove the Gromov conjecture on the macroscopic dimension of the universal covering of a closed spin manifold with a positive scalar curvature under the following assumptions on the fundamental group.

0.10.1.Theorem.Suppose that a discrete groupπ\pihas the following properties:

11. The Strong Novikov Conjecture holds forπ\pi.

22. The natural mapper:kon(Bπ)→KOn(Bπ)per:ko_n(B\pi )\to KO_n(B\pi )is injective. Then the Gromov Macroscopic Dimension Conjecture holds true for spinnn-manifoldsMMwith the fundamental groupsπ1(M)\pi _1(M)that containπ\pias a finite index subgroup.
Non-crossing linked partitions, the partial order ≪ on 𝑁𝐶(𝑛), and the 𝑆-transform
Authors: Nica Alexandru
Published: December 2009

The paper establishes a connection between two recent combinatorial developments in free probability: the non-crossing linked partitions introduced by Dykema in 2007 to study the

S
S

-transform, and the partial order

≪
\ll

on

N
C
(
n
)

NC(n)

introduced by Belinschi and Nica in 2008 in order to study relations between free and Boolean probability. More precisely, one has a canonical bijection between

N
C
L
(
n
)

NCL(n)

(the set of all non-crossing linked partitions of

{
1
,
…
,
n
}

\{ 1, \ldots , n \}

) and the set

{
(
α
,
β
)
∣
α
,
β
∈
N
C
(
n
)
,
 
α
≪
β
}

\{ ( \alpha , \beta ) \mid \alpha , \beta \in NC(n), \ \alpha \ll \beta \}

. As a consequence of this bijection, one gets an alternative description of Dykema’s formula expressing the moments of a non-commutative random variable

a
a

in terms of the coefficients of the reciprocal

S
S

-transform

1

/

S
a

1/S_a

. Moreover, due to the Boolean features of

≪
\ll

, this formula can be simplified to a form which resembles the moment-cumulant formula from

c
c

-free probability.
Level lowering for half-integral weight modular forms
Authors: Brown Jim , Li Yingkun
Published: December 2009

In this paper we provide a level lowering result for half-integral weight modular forms. The main ingredients are the Shimura map from half-integral weight modular forms to integral weight modular forms along with a level lowering result for integral weight modular forms due to Ribet. It is necessary to keep track of the parity of the weight as well as the character involved so that one can apply the Shintani lift to go back to a half-integral weight modular form and establish the result.
The singular extremal solutions of the bi-Laplacian with exponential nonlinearity
Authors: Moradifam Amir
Published: December 2009

Consider the problem
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="StartLayout 1st Row StartLayout Enlarged left-brace 1st Row 1st Column normal upper Delta squared u equals lamda e Superscript u Baseline 2nd Column a m p semicolon in upper B comma 2nd Row 1st Column u equals StartFraction partial-differential u Over partial-differential n EndFraction equals 0 2nd Column a m p semicolon on partial-differential upper B comma EndLayout EndLayout">

{

Δ
2

u
=
λ

e

u

a
m
p
;
in 
B
,

u
=

∂
u

∂
n

=
0

a
m
p
;
on 
∂
B
,

\begin{eqnarray*} \left \{ \begin {array}{ll} \Delta ^2 u= \lambda e^{u} &\text {in } B,\\ u=\frac {\partial u}{\partial n}=0 &\text {on }\partial B, \end{array} \right . \end{eqnarray*}

where

B
B

is the unit ball in

R

N

{\mathbb {R}}^N

and

λ
\lambda

is a parameter. Unlike the Gelfand problem the natural candidate

u
=
−
4
ln
⁡
(

|

x

|

)

u=-4\ln (|x|)

, for the extremal solution, does not satisfy the boundary conditions, and hence showing the singular nature of the extremal solution in large dimensions close to the critical dimension is challenging. Recently a computer-assisted proof was used to show that the extremal solution is singular in dimensions

13
≤
N
≤
31

13\leq N\leq 31

. Here by an improved Hardy-Rellich inequality we overcome this difficulty and give a simple mathematical proof to show that the extremal solution is singular in dimensions

N
≥
13

N\geq 13

.
Self-poisoning of the mind
Authors: Elster Jon
Published: December 2009

Rational-choice theory tries to explain behaviour on the assumption that individuals optimize. Some forms of irrational behaviour can be explained by assuming that the individual is subject to hedonic, pleasure-seeking mechanisms, such as wishful thinking or adaptive preference formation. In this paper, I draw attention to psychic mechanisms, originating in the individual, which make her worse off. I first consider the ideas of counterwishful thinking and of counteradaptive preference formation and then, drawing heavily on Proust, the self-poisoning of the mind that occurs through the operation of amour-propre.
Changing time and emotions
Authors: Geoffard Pierre-Yves , Luchini Stéphane
Published: December 2009

In this paper, we consider that our experience of time (to come) depends on the emotions we feel when we imagine future pleasant or unpleasant events. A positive emotion such as relief or joy associated with a pleasant event that will happen in the future induces impatience. Impatience, in our context, implies that the experience of time up to the forthcoming event expands. A negative emotion such as grief or frustration associated with an unpleasant event that will happen in the future triggers anxiety. This will give the experience of time contraction. Time, therefore, is not exogeneously given to the individual and emotions, which
link
together events or situations, are a constitutive ingredient of the experience of time. Our theory can explain experimental evidence that people tend to prefer to perform painful actions earlier than pleasurable ones, contrary to the predictions yielded by the standard exponential discounting framework.
From molecule to market: steroid hormones and financial risk-taking
Authors: Coates John M. , Gurnell Mark , Sarnyai Zoltan
Published: December 2009

Little is known about the role of the endocrine system in financial decision-making. Here, we survey research on steroid hormones and their cognitive effects, and examine potential links to trader performance in the financial markets. Preliminary findings suggest that cortisol codes for risk and testosterone for reward. A key finding of this endocrine research is the different cognitive effects of acute versus chronic exposure to hormones: acutely elevated steroids may optimize performance on a range of tasks; but chronically elevated steroids may promote irrational risk-reward choices. We present a hypothesis suggesting that the irrational exuberance and pessimism observed during market bubbles and crashes may be mediated by steroid hormones. If hormones can exaggerate market moves, then perhaps the age and sex composition among traders and asset managers may affect the level of instability witnessed in the financial markets.
A toolkit for the characterization of CCD cameras for transmission electron microscopy
Authors: Vulovic M. , Rieger B. , van Vliet L. J. , Koster A. J. , Ravelli R. B. G.
Published: December 2009

Charge-coupled devices (CCD) are nowadays commonly utilized in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for applications in life sciences. Direct access to digitized images has revolutionized the use of electron microscopy, sparking developments such as automated collection of tomographic data, focal series, random conical tilt pairs and ultralarge single-particle data sets. Nevertheless, for ultrahigh-resolution work photographic plates are often still preferred. In the ideal case, the quality of the recorded image of a vitrified biological sample would solely be determined by the counting statistics of the limited electron dose the sample can withstand before beam-induced alterations dominate. Unfortunately, the image is degraded by the non-ideal point-spread function of the detector, as a result of a scintillator coupled by fibre optics to a CCD, and the addition of several inherent noise components. Different detector manufacturers provide different types of figures of merit when advertising the quality of their detector. It is hard for most laboratories to verify whether all of the anticipated specifications are met. In this report, a set of algorithms is presented to characterize on-axis slow-scan large-area CCD-based TEM detectors. These tools have been added to a publicly available image-processing toolbox forMATLAB. Three in-house CCD cameras were carefully characterized, yielding, among others, statistics for hot and bad pixels, the modulation transfer function, the conversion factor, the effective gain and the detective quantum efficiency. These statistics will aid data-collection strategy programs and provide prior information for quantitative imaging. The relative performance of the characterized detectors is discussed and a comparison is made with similar detectors that are used in the field of X-ray crystallography.
Feasibility of one-shot-per-crystal structure determination using Laue diffraction
Authors: Cornaby Sterling , Szebenyi Doletha M. E. , Smilgies Detlef-M. , Schuller David J. , Gillilan Richard , Hao Quan , Bilderback Donald H.
Published: December 2009

Crystal size is an important factor in determining the number of diffraction patterns which may be obtained from a protein crystal before severe radiation damage sets in. As crystal dimensions decrease this number is reduced, eventually falling to one, at which point a complete data set must be assembled using data from multiple crystals. When only a single exposure is to be collected from each crystal, the polychromatic Laue technique may be preferable to monochromatic methods owing to its simultaneous recording of a large number of fully recorded reflections per image. To assess the feasibility of solving structures using single Laue images from multiple crystals, data were collected using a `pink' beam at the CHESS D1 station from groups of lysozyme crystals with dimensions of the order of 20–30 µm mounted on MicroMesh grids. Single-shot Laue data were used for structure determination by molecular replacement and correct solutions were obtained even when as few as five crystals were used.
Structure of a family 3b′ carbohydrate-binding module from the Cel9V glycoside hydrolase fromClostridium thermocellum: structural diversity and implications for carbohydrate binding
Authors: Petkun Svetlana , Jindou Sadanari , Shimon Linda J. W. , Rosenheck Sonia , Bayer Edward A. , Lamed Raphael , Frolow Felix
Published: December 2009

Family 3 carbohydrate-binding modules (CBM3s) are associated with both cellulosomal scaffoldins and family 9 glycoside hydrolases (GH9s), which are multi-modular enzymes that act on cellulosic substrates. CBM3s bind cellulose. X-ray crystal structures of these modules have established an accepted cellulose-binding mechanism based on stacking interactions between the sugar rings of cellulose and a planar array of aromatic residues located on the CBM3 surface. These planar-strip residues are generally highly conserved, although some CBM3 sequences lack one or more of these residues. In particular, CBM3b′ fromClostridium thermocellumCel9V exhibits such sequence changes and fails to bind cellulosic substrates. A crystallographic investigation of CBM3b′ has been initiated in order to understand the structural reason(s) for this inability. CBM3b′ crystallized in space groupC2221(diffraction was obtained to 2.0 Å resolution in-house) with three independent molecules in the asymmetric unit and in space groupP41212 (diffraction was obtained to 1.79 Å resolution in-house and to 1.30 Å resolution at a synchrotron) with one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The molecular structure of Cel9V CBM3b′ revealed that in addition to the loss of several cellulose-binding residues in the planar strip, changes in the backbone create a surface `hump' which could interfere with the formation of cellulose–protein surface interactions and thus prevent binding to crystalline cellulose.
The structure of dihydrodipicolinate reductase (DapB) fromMycobacterium tuberculosisin three crystal forms
Authors: Janowski Robert , Kefala Georgia , Weiss Manfred S.
Published: December 2009

Dihydrodipicolinate reductase (DHDPR, DapB) is an enzyme that belongs to the L-lysine biosynthetic pathway. DHDPR reduces the α,β-unsaturated cyclic imine 2,3-dihydrodipicolinic acid to yield the compound 2,3,4,5-tetrahydrodipicolinic acid in a pyridine nucleotide-dependent reaction. The substrate of this reaction is the unstable product of the preceding enzyme dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS, DapA). Here, the structure of apo-DHDPR fromMycobacterium tuberculosisis reported in two orthorhombic crystal forms, as well as the structure of DHDPR fromM. tuberculosisin complex with NADH in a monoclinic crystal form. A comparison of the results with previously solved structures of this enzyme shows that DHDPR undergoes a major conformational change upon binding of its cofactor. This conformational change can be interpreted as one of the low-frequency normal modes of the structure.
Two crystal modifications of (Pro-Pro-Gly)4-Hyp-Hyp-Gly-(Pro-Pro-Gly)4reveal the puckering preference of Hyp(X) in the Hyp(X):Hyp(Y) and Hyp(X):Pro(Y) stacking pairs in collagen helices
Authors: Okuyama Kenji , Morimoto Tatsuya , Narita Hirotaka , Kawaguchi Tatsuya , Mizuno Kazunori , Bächinger Hans Peter , Wu Guanghan , Noguchi Keiichi
Published: December 2009

Two crystal modifications of a collagen model peptide, (Pro-Pro-Gly)4-Hyp-Hyp-Gly-(Pro-Pro-Gly)4[where Hyp is (4R,2S)-L-hydroxyproline], showed very similar unit-cell parameters and belonged to the same space groupP21. Both crystals exhibited pseudo-merohedral twinning. The main difference was in their molecular-packing arrangements. One modification showed pseudo-hexagonal packing, while the other showed pseudo-tetragonal packing. Despite their different packing arrangements, no significant differences were observed in the hydration states of these modifications. The peptide in the pseudo-tetragonal crystal showed a cyclic fluctuation of helical twists with a period of 20 Å, while that in the pseudo-hexagonal crystal did not. In these modifications, the puckering conformations of four of the 12 Hyp residues at theXposition of the Hyp(X)-Hyp(Y)-Gly sequence were in the opposite conformations to the previous hypothesis that Hyp(X) residues involved in Hyp(X):Hyp(Y) and Hyp(X):Pro(Y) stacking pairs prefer up-puckering and down-puckering conformations, respectively. Detailed investigation of the molecular interactions between Hyp(X) and adjacent molecules revealed that these opposite conformations appeared because the puckering conformation, which follows the hypothesis, is subject to steric hindrance from the adjacent molecule.
High density of intraepithelial γδ lymphocytes and deposits of immunoglobulin (Ig)M anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies in the jejunum of coeliac patients with IgA deficiency
Authors: Borrelli M , Maglio M , Agnese M , Paparo F , Gentile S , Colicchio B , Tosco A , Auricchio R , Troncone R
Published: December 2009

The diagnosis of coeliac disease (CD) represents a special challenge in selective immunoglobulin (Ig)A deficiency (IgAD). A high density of T cell receptor (TCR)γδ+ intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) and intestinal IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase 2 (anti-TG2) antibody deposits are suggestive of CD. We analysed the density of TCRγδ+ IELs and the deposition of IgM anti-TG2 antibodies in the jejunal mucosa of IgAD patients with and without CD. Immunohistochemical analyses for the number of CD3+ and TCRγδ+ IELs and double immunofluorescence assay for IgM anti-TG2 antibody deposits were performed in biopsies from 25 children with IgAD (nine untreated CD, seven potential CD and nine without CD). Sixteen immunologically intact children without CD represented the controls. IgAD without CD had a higher number of CD3+ and TCRγδ+ IELs than controls (P < 0·05), but lower than IgAD with CD (P < 0·01). No significant differences were noted between IgAD subjects without CD and those with potential CD. Furthermore, IgAD patients without CD showed a higher TCRγδ+/CD3+ ratio than the control group (P < 0·05), while the ratio was similar to subjects with CD and potential CD. Intestinal IgM anti-TG2 antibody deposits were present in six of seven of the IgAD patients with untreated CD, one of seven with potential CD and none of those without CD. Most of the patients with IgAD show immune activation in the jejunal mucosa. IgM anti-TG2 antibody deposits are present only in CD. Intestinal IgM anti-TG2 and immunohistochemical markers do not discriminate between IgAD and potential CD with IgAD. Therefore, the serum IgG CD-associated autoantibodies remains very important for the diagnosis of CD in IgAD.
High‐dose tirofiban with enoxaparin and inflammatory markers in high‐risk percutaneous intervention
Authors: Walters D. L. , Ray M. J. , Wood P. , Perrin E. J. , Bett J. H. N. , Aroney C. N.
Published: December 2009

Eur J Clin Invest 2010; 40 (2): 139–147

Aim  The study assessed the benefit of high bolus dose tirofiban (HD‐tirofiban) with enoxaparin compared with HD‐tirofiban with unfractionated heparin (UFH). The study examined markers of platelet activation, thrombin generation and inflammation.

Materials and methods  The study is a prospective single centre open‐label trial of patients with high‐risk acute coronary syndrome treated with percutaneous intervention (PCI) who were randomized to anticoagulation with UFH or enoxaparin with HD‐tirofiban (25 μg kg−1 bolus). This study measured a panel of platelet activation markers, inflammatory biomarkers and thrombus generation between the two groups.

Result  Sixty patients undergoing high‐risk PCI were enroled in the study. Platelet inhibition as assessed by whole blood aggregometry following HD‐tirofiban infusion was similar in both the UFH and enoxaparin groups. CD40 ligand expression on platelets was significantly reduced following PCI with HD‐tirofiban and either UFH or enoxaparin. Following PCI, there were significant reductions measured in other markers of platelet activation including PAC‐1, P selectin, factor V/Va, platelet‐monocyte aggregates and monocyte expression of Mac‐1 as determined by analysis of venous blood samples using flow cytometry. Prothrombin fragment 1+2, D‐dimer, von Willebrand factor and high sensitive C‐reactive protein levels were significantly less post PCI in the enoxaparin group compared with those patients receiving UFH.

Conclusion  The combination of HD tirofiban with enoxaparin resulted in an attenuated inflammatory response when compared with that of the combination of HD tirofiban with UFH.
Suppressive effect of COX2 inhibitor on the progression of adipose inflammation in high‐fat‐induced obese rats
Authors: Hsieh P.‐S. , Lu K.‐C. , Chiang C.‐F. , Chen C.‐H.
Published: December 2009

Eur J Clin Invest 2010; 40 (2): 164–171

Background  The aim was to examine whether the inhibition of selective cyclooxygenase (COX) 2 activation could suppress the development of inflammatory reaction in visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fats of high‐fat‐induced obese rats.

Materials and methods  The rats were fed separately regular diet (CONT), high‐fat diet ad libitum or energy‐restrictedly (HFr) for 12 weeks. Rats fed high‐fat diet ad libitum were further divided into those co‐treated with vehicle (HFa), a selective COX2 inhibitor‐celecoxib (HFa‐Cel) or nimesulide (HFa‐Nim). Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed at the end of weeks 4, 8, 12. Another set of rats with similar grouping was divided into those with a 4‐, 8‐ or 12‐week intervention for tissue sampling.

Results  Body and epididymal fat weights were increased similarly in HFa, HFa‐Cel and HFa‐Nim. Time‐dependent increases in plasma insulin, triglyceride, impaired OGTT shown in HFa were significantly reversed in HFa‐Cel and HFa‐Nim. The obese‐linked increases in gene expressions of COX‐2, monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) and tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) in epididymal and subcutaneous fats (especially in the former) were significantly suppressed in HFa‐Cel and HFa‐Nim. The protein contents of MCP‐1 and TNF‐α in epididymal fats were changed consistently with their gene expressions. Plasma MCP‐1 was increased time‐dependently in HFa and suppressed in HFa‐Cel and HFa‐Nim. The increased CD68 positive cells showed in both epididymal and subcutaneous fats of HFa were significantly attenuated in HFa‐Cel and HFa‐Nim.

Conclusions  Our findings suggest that COX2 activation is crucially involved in the development of inflammatory response in adipose tissues of high‐fat‐induced obese rats.
Estimating terrestrial contribution to stream invertebrates and periphyton using a gradient‐based mixing model for δ13C
Authors: Rasmussen Joseph B.
Published: December 2009

1. This paper outlines a gradient‐based model that can be used for isotopic signature source partitioning, even if source signatures are not distinct, as long as their spatial gradients differ. A model of this type is applied to the partitioning of autochthonous vs. allochthonous contribution to stream invertebrate δ13C signatures, which has often been confounded by overlap in source signatures.

2. δ13C signatures of inorganic carbon and most autochthonous production exhibit pronounced gradients along rivers, being depleted relative to terrestrial signatures in upstream reaches, and enriched downstream. Terrestrial detritus, by contrast, exhibits no gradient. Thus terrestrial food consumption reduces downstream signature slopes in proportion to the amount of terrestrial food consumed.

3. The gradient‐based mixing model produces estimates of the proportion of terrestrial consumption (pT) from signature slopes of consumers; pT estimates for invertebrate primary consumers were: herbivore/grazers (0·15) <filterers (0·38), collector/gatherers (0·43) <shredders (0·85).

4. Periphyton (epilithon), a mixture of attached algae, bacteria and detritus, exhibited a weaker downstream slope than attached algae. pT values calculated for periphyton relative to pure algal signatures were 0·32 implying ∼30% allochthonous content. The slope for herbivore/grazers calculated relative to periphyton signatures was >1, indicating selective assimilation of the autochthonous component from the biofilms.
Predictability of repeated carnivore attacks on livestock favours reactive use of mitigation measures
Authors: Karlsson Jens , Johansson Örjan
Published: December 2009

1. Predation on livestock is one of the main reasons for low tolerance against large carnivores in many parts of the world. Measures to reduce the conflicts have been developed, but resources for using them are often scarce. If wildlife managers as well as farmers learn more about when the risk of predation on livestock is higher, they will be able to make more effective use of resources for reducing predation.

2. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the risk of predation on livestock immediately after an attack is higher on the affected farm compared with other farms in the same area. Data on sheep predation by brown bear Ursus arctos, lynx Lynx lynx and wolf Canis lupus in Sweden 1998–2006 were used in the analysis.

3. On depredated farms there was approximately a 55 times higher risk for a repeat predation event within 12 months compared to any other farm in the same area. During the first 5 weeks, 63%, 60% and 50% of the repeat attacks had occurred.

4. We suggest that the main mechanism behind repeat attacks on livestock is that carnivores return to the kill site to feed on carrion. Where livestock are still present and unprotected at the kill site when the carnivore returns, the farms will suffer a higher likelihood of a further attack compared to livestock on other farms. This study uses data from Sweden but we argue that the pattern will be the same in any part of the world where the ranges of livestock and large carnivores overlap.

4.
Synthesis and applications. As the risk of an attack is higher directly after an initial attack, it will be more cost‐effective to implement measures designed to reduce livestock predation by large carnivores at that time, i.e. within the following 5 weeks. Temporary proactive measures are usually simpler and cheaper than permanent deterrents and we recommend their use wherever resources are limited.
No interaction between methyl jasmonate and ozone in Pima cotton: growth and allocation respond independently to both
Authors: GRANTZ D. A. , VU H.‐B. , AGUILAR C. , REA M. A.
Published: December 2009

Ozone (O3) is damaging to plants, inducing signalling pathways involving antagonism between jasmonates and ethylene. These pathways mediate O3 responses, particularly to acute exposure, and their manipulation protected several species against acute and chronic O3. We use chronic daily exposure of up to 163 ppb O3, and twice weekly application of up to 320 µg plant−1 methyl jasmonate (MeJA) to test two hypothesizes: 1) a low rate of MeJA does not affect growth but increases O3 sensitivity; 2) a high rate inhibits growth but reduces O3 sensitivity. Both hypotheses were rejected. Growth declined with increases in both MeJA and O3. MeJA at 40 µg plant−1 caused no direct effect, and at 160 µg plant−1 reduced growth similarly at all O3. Neither rate altered O3 sensitivity. These additive responses are not consistent with protection by MeJA in this system. They may reflect inter‐specific differences in signalling, since O3 concentrations used here exceeded some reported acute exposures. Alternatively, parallel responses to O3 and MeJA may suggest that O3‐induced jasmonates play a developmental role in chronic response but no protective role in the absence of lesions characteristic of acute exposure. MeJA appears useful as a probe of these mechanisms.
Gaps in anaphylaxis management at the level of physicians, patients, and the community: a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Kastner M. , Harada L. , Waserman S.
Published: December 2009

To cite this article: Kastner M, Harada L, Waserman S. Gaps in anaphylaxis management at the level of physicians, patients, and the community: a systematic review of the literature. Allergy 2010; 65: 435–444.

Diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis can be a challenge because reactions are often unexpected and progress quickly. The focus of anaphylaxis management has mostly been on the acute episode, with little attention given to the long‐term management of patients at risk. This is compounded by conflicting information in current guidelines and a general lack of agreement among clinicians about which management strategies are the most appropriate. We systematically reviewed the literature to identify and summarize studies that investigated gaps in anaphylaxis management. Our search included MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Evidence‐Based Medicine Reviews. Studies were included if they addressed an outcome describing gaps in anaphylaxis knowledge, education, anaphylaxis management, and quality of life (QOL). Populations of interest were health care professionals involved in the care of patients at risk for anaphylaxis, and patients of any age, their parents, caregivers, and teachers in primary care, hospital or community settings. Of 5014 citations that were identified, the final 59 studies (selected from 75 full‐text articles) met the inclusion criteria. Two hundred and two gaps were identified and classified according to major themes: gaps in knowledge and anaphylaxis management (physicians and patients); gaps in follow‐up care (physicians); and QOL of patients and caregivers. Findings from this systematic review revealed gaps in anaphylaxis management at the level of physicians, patients, and the community. Findings will be used to provide a basis for developing interventional strategies to help address these deficiencies.
Analysis of the high affinity IgE receptor genes reveals epistatic effects of FCER1A variants on eczema risk
Authors: Mahachie John J. M. , Baurecht H. , Rodríguez E. , Naumann A. , Wagenpfeil S. , Klopp N. , Mempel M. , Novak N. , Bieber T. , Wichmann H.‐E. , Ring J. , Illig T. , Cattaert T. , Van Steen K. , Weidinger S.
Published: December 2009

To cite this article: Mahachie John JM, Baurecht H, Rodríguez E, Naumann A, Wagenpfeil S, Klopp N, Mempel M, Novak N, Bieber T, Wichmann H‐E, Ring J, Illig T, Cattaert T, Van Steen K, Weidinger S. Analysis of the high affinity IgE receptor genes reveals epistatic effects of FCER1A variants eczema risk. Allergy 2010; 65: 875–882.

Background:  High levels of total and allergen‐specific IgE levels are a key feature in allergic diseases. The high‐affinity receptor for IgE, which is composed of one alpha (FCER1A), one beta (FCER1B), and two gamma (FCER1G) subunits, represents the central receptor of IgE‐induced reactions. In a genome‐wide association scan, we recently identified associations between functional FCER1A variants and total serum IgE levels. Previous studies had reported linkage and association of FCER1B variants with IgE and atopic traits. The FCER1G gene has not yet been investigated with regard to atopy. Filaggrin (FLG) is the strongest known risk gene for eczema, in particular the allergic subtype of eczema.

Methods:  We investigated the association of FCER1A, FCER1B, and FCER1G variants with IgE in a large population‐based cohort (n = 4261) and tested for epistatic effects using the model‐based multifactor dimensionality reduction (MB‐MDR) method. In addition, we investigated a potential interaction between FLG and FCER1A variants in a large collection of eczema cases (n = 1018) and population controls.

Results:  Three strongly correlated FCER1A polymorphisms were significantly associated with total and specific IgE levels as well as allergic sensitization. No associations were seen for FCER1B and FCER1G. After adjustment for FLG effects, a significant epistatic effect of the FCER1A variants rs10489854 and rs2511211 on eczema risk was detected.

Conclusions:  These results suggest that FCER1A variants by themselves and in combination influence IgE levels and act synergistically to influence eczema risk.
The influence of OKT3 therapy on hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence following liver transplantation
Authors: Zimmerman Michael A. , Kelly Mara A. , Campsen Jeffrey , Mandell M. Susan , Wachs Michael , Bak Tom , Skibba Afshin , Lancaster Brian , Kam Igal
Published: December 2009

Zimmerman MA, Kelly MA, Campsen J, Mandell MS, Wachs M, Bak T, Skibba A, Lancaster B, Kam I. The influence of OKT3 therapy on hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence following liver transplantation. Clin Transplant 2010: 24: E103–E108. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Abstract:  Introduction:  Cancer recurrence following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant obstacle in up to 10–20% of recipients. Recent evidence suggests that anti‐CD3 antibody (OKT3) therapy may be associated with increased rates of HCC recurrence.

Methods:  At the University of Colorado Transplant Center, 173 patients underwent OLT for end‐stage liver disease with concomitant HCC between 1997 and 2008. Nine clinical and pathologic variables were analyzed to test the association between OKT3 therapy for steroid‐resistant rejection (SRR) and HCC recurrence‐free survival.

Results:  Overall, the rate of HCC recurrence in this cohort was low and comparable across treatment groups (8.7%). Multivariate analysis reveals that increasing tumor diameter and differentiation have a negative impact on HCC recurrence‐free survival.

Conclusions:  While several pathologic variables appear to influence outcome, we found no association between OKT3 therapy for SRR and HCC recurrence or survival.
Elective single‐vessel percutaneous coronary intervention in a vegetative state patient
Authors: Watanabe Tomoyuki , Sugiyama Masaki , Satoh Takeshi , Makigami Kuniko
Published: December 2009

A 73‐year‐old male in a persistent vegetative state underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for unstable angina with multiple‐vessel stenosis. The maximum dose pharmaceutical therapy was ineffective in controlling his symptoms. The goal of the procedure was to alleviate the patient's severe chest pain and vomiting with minimal invasion and risk. The procedure was effective despite treating only the culprit artery. Symptoms disappeared immediately after PCI and the patient remained attack free for 12 months. With the consent of the patient's family and support of medical staff, elective single‐vessel PCI can be a practical and effective treatment option for refractory angina in patients with impaired consciousness.
Mechanism modelling of shot peening effect on fatigue life prediction
Authors: XIANG Y. , LIU Y.
Published: December 2009

A new mechanism modelling is proposed in this paper to explain the shot peening effect on fatigue life predictions of mechanical components. The proposed methodology is based on the crack growth analysis of shot peened specimens, which are affected by the interaction of surface roughness and residual stress produced during the shot peening process. An asymptotic stress intensity factor solution is used to include the surface roughness effect and a time‐varying residual stress function is used to change the crack tip stress ratio during the crack propagation. Parametric studies are performed to investigate the effects of surface roughness and the residual stress relaxation rate. Following this, a simplified effective residual stress model is proposed based on the developed mechanism modelling. A wide range of experimental data is used to validate the proposed mechanism modelling. Very good agreement is observed between experimental data and model predictions.