bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surface‐based inversions above central Greenland
Authors: Miller N. B. , Turner D. D. , Bennartz R. , Shupe M. D. , Kulie M. S. , Cadeddu M. P. , Walden Von P.
Published: November 2012

Surface‐based temperature inversions (SBIs) are studied at Summit Station in central Greenland during the period spanning July 2010 to May 2012. The frequency and intensity of SBI are examined using microwave radiometer (MWR) temperature retrievals, radiosonde profiles, and near‐surface meteorological data. Using the MWRs' high temporal resolution, the diurnal, monthly, and annual cycles are investigated. Monthly mean values in SBI occurrence and intensity show that surface‐based inversions are prevalent in the winter with decreasing values in the summer months. A case study on 20 February 2011 suggests that factors other than solar elevation angle influence the intensity of surface‐based inversions. An increase in liquid water path corresponds to a decrease in SBI intensity, suggesting that liquid‐bearing clouds, especially within the lowest 1 km, are associated with weaker surface‐based inversions.
A spatial and nonstationary model for the frequency of extreme rainfall events
Authors: Gregersen Ida Bülow , Madsen Henrik , Rosbjerg Dan , Arnbjerg‐Nielsen Karsten
Published: November 2012

Key Points

A model of spatial and temporal changes in the frequency of extreme rainfall

Explanatory variables in two dimensions and correlation among the observations

Trend in frequency is correlated to changes in summer rainfall and temperature
Molecular Logic-based Computation
Authors: de Silva A Prasanna
Published: November 2012

We all learn - in schools, factories, bars and streets. We gather, store, process and transmit information in society. Molecular systems involved in our senses and within our brains allow all this to happen and molecular systems allow living things of all kinds to handle information for the purpose of survival and growth. Nevertheless, the vital link between molecules and computation was not generally appreciated until a few decades ago. Semiconductor-based information technology had penetrated society at many levels and the interest in maintaining momentum of this revolution led to the consideration of molecules, among others, as possible information handlers. Such an overlap between the recent engineering-oriented revolution with the ancient biology-oriented success story is very interesting and George Boole's times in Ireland 150 years ago produced the logic ideas that provide the foundations of computation to this day. Molecular logic and computation is a field which is 17 years young, has had a healthy growth and is a story which deserves to be told. It is a growing branch of chemical science which highlights the connection between information technology (engineering and biological) and chemistry. The author and co-workers of this publication launched molecular logic as an experimental field by publishing the first research in the primary literature in 1993 and are uniquely placed to recount how the field has grown. There is no other book at present on molecular logic and computation and is more comprehensive than that found in any review available so far. It shows how designed molecules can play the role of information processors in a wide variety of situations, once we are educated by those information processors already available in the semiconductor electronics business and in the natural world. Following a short history of the field, is a set of primers on logic, computing and photochemical principles which are an essential basis in this field. The book covers all of the Boolean logic gates driven by a single input and all of those with double inputs and the wide range of designs which lie beneath these gates is a particular highlight. The easily-available diversity of chemical systems is another highlight, especially when it leads to reconfigurable logic gates. Further on in the book, molecular arithmetic and other more complex logic operations, including those with a memory and those which stray beyond binary are covered. Then follows molecular computing approaches which lie outside the Boolean blueprint, including quantum phenomena and finally, the book catalogues the useful real-life applications of molecular logic and computation which are already available. This book is an authoritative, state of the art, reference and a 'one-stop-shop' concerning the current state of the field for scientists, academics and postgraduate students.
Integrated Forest Biorefineries: Current State and Development Potential
Authors: CHRISTOPHER LEW P.
Published: November 2012

Due to the strong and increasing off-shore competition and global movement and incentives for green fuels and chemicals, the pulp and paper industry needs to create additional revenues and diversify their products and markets to remain competitive. The transformation of pulp and paper mills into integrated forest biorefineries (IFBR) would require the development of advanced bio-based processes to bring about economic, environmental and social benefits. The major research needs, technological challenges, potential products derived from the IFBR platforms and models for the complex utilization of forest biomass for biofuels, biochemicals, market pulp and paper products will be presented and discussed.
Biohydrogen Production from Cellulosic Biomass
Authors: Levin David B , Hye Jo Ji , Maness Pin-Ching
Published: November 2012

Hydrogen can be produced by thermochemical, physicochemical, and biological processes. In contrast to thermo- and physicochemical processes, biological processes offer great potential for sustainable, renewable hydrogen production. Lignocellulosic biomass is renewable, inexpensive, constitutes a large fraction of waste biomass from municipal, agricultural, and forestry sectors, and thus offers excellent potential as a feedstock for renewable biofuels. Cellulose is, however, difficult to hydrolyze due to its crystalline structure. Biological hydrogen can be produced from cellulosic substrates by either hydrolyzing cellulose to sugars, followed by fermentation or by direct use of cellulose as the sole carbon source during fermentation. This chapter outlines the microbial basis of biological hydrogen production by cellulolytic bacteria, discusses the factors that influence hydrogen yields, and describes both single-phase and two-phase hydrogen production systems.
Integrated Technology for Biobased Composites
Authors: Cai Zhiyong , Rudie Alan W. , Wegner Theodore H.
Published: November 2012

This chapter describes the general composition, materials and processes used to manufacture biobased composites. It presents panel- and structural timber/lumber-composites intended for either general construction and/or interior use. This chapter also describes wood-nonwood composites including wood-plastic and wood-inorganic bound composites. The mechanical property data presented in this chapter was obtained from a variety of reports of research conducted to develop basic property information for a wide range of biobased composite materials
High proportion of type I fibres in thigh muscle of young dancers
Authors: DAHLSTROM M. , ESBJÖRNSSON LILJEDAHL M. , GIERUP J. , KAIJSER L. , JANSSON E.
Published: November 2012

A previous study showed that adult female dancers have a high percentage of type I fibres in vastus lateralis. similar to that of endurance‐trained female runners ar female cross‐country skiers. It is not known if dancers already at an early age are characterized by a high percentage of type I fibres or develop a high percentage of type I fibres as a consequence of dance training. Furthermore. the muscle fibre composition of male dancers has not previously been studied. Therefore the aim of the study was to analyse skeletal muscle fibre characteristics in 10‐year‐old and 20‐year‐old dancers of both sexes. Age‐matched boys and girls whose physical activity was average for their age groups served as controls. Muscle biopsies for histochemical analysis were obtained from vastus lateralis using the percutaneous needle technique. The major finding of the present study was that the vastus lateralis of young dancers of both sexes had a higher percentage of type I fibres than that of controls. Moreover. the higher type I percentage was seen not only in 20 year aids. but also in 10 year aids. who had begun their dance training at a professional level only a few weeks earlier. No significant difference in this respect was found between female and male dancers. In conclusion. the muscle fibre type composition in young dancers of both sexes differs from that of the average individual of the same age and is characterized by a high percentage of type I fibres.
Enhanced increase of plasma sodium pump inhibitory activity to saline expansion in vagosympathectomized and anaesthetized dogs
Authors: RODRÍGUEZ‐MARTÍNEZ M. , BRITO‐ORTA D. , ALONSO‐GALICIA M. , PADILLA‐RUIZ L. , DÁVILA‐ESQUEDA E.
Published: November 2012

To investigate whether plasma sodium pump inhibitory activity is controlled by cardiopulmonary and aortic baroreceptors, mean arterial pressure, right atrial pressure, sodium and water balances, plasma renin activity, plasma aldosterone concentration and plasma antinatriferic activity (PAA; plasma sodium pump inhibitory activity) were determined before, during and after Ringer volume expansion (10% of body wt) in anaesthetized dogs. Animals were studied with intact reflexes (CTR, n = 7) and after acute cervical bilateral vagosympathetic denervation (VGT, n = 8). With the exception of PAA, none of the parameters were different between groups before, during or after Ringer volume expansion. The PAA (μA cm−2) was similar for both groups before expansion and before either sham (CTR) or vagosympathectomy (VGT) was performed (CTR = 3.6 ± 0.4 vs. VGT = 4.3 ± 0.3). Compared to baseline, PAA at the end of the volume expansion phase increased in both groups (CTR = 6.1 ± 0.8, P < 0.05; VGT = 9.1 ± 0.7, P < 0.0005); however, this PAA value was significantly greater in the VGT group than in the CTR group (P < 0.01). At the end of the post‐expansion phase, PAA levels returned toward baseline in both groups (CTR = 4.4 ± 0.5 vs. VGT = 4.8 ± 0.2; n.s. vs. baseline); however, this PAA value in the CTR group was not significantly different from its peak value. The present data confirm that PAA is increased in response to saline volume expansion, and suggest that PAA synthesis and/or release is under inhibitory vagosympathetic control during saline volume expansion.
Identifying human influences on atmospheric temperature
Authors: Santer Benjamin D. , Painter Jeffrey F. , Mears Carl A. , Doutriaux Charles , Caldwell Peter , Arblaster Julie M. , Cameron-Smith Philip J. , Gillett Nathan P. , Gleckler Peter J. , Lanzante John , Perlwitz Judith , Solomon Susan , Stott Peter A. , Taylor Karl E. , Terray Laurent , Thorne Peter W. , Wehner Michael F. , Wentz Frank J. , Wigley Tom M. L. , Wilcox Laura J. , Zou Cheng-Zhi
Published: November 2012

We perform a multimodel detection and attribution study with climate model simulation output and satellite-based measurements of tropospheric and stratospheric temperature change. We use simulation output from 20 climate models participating in phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project. This multimodel archive provides estimates of the signal pattern in response to combined anthropogenic and natural external forcing (the fingerprint) and the noise of internally generated variability. Using these estimates, we calculate signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios to quantify the strength of the fingerprint in the observations relative to fingerprint strength in natural climate noise. For changes in lower stratospheric temperature between 1979 and 2011, S/N ratios vary from 26 to 36, depending on the choice of observational dataset. In the lower troposphere, the fingerprint strength in observations is smaller, but S/N ratios are still significant at the 1% level or better, and range from three to eight. We find no evidence that these ratios are spuriously inflated by model variability errors. After removing all global mean signals, model fingerprints remain identifiable in 70% of the tests involving tropospheric temperature changes. Despite such agreement in the large-scale features of model and observed geographical patterns of atmospheric temperature change, most models do not replicate the size of the observed changes. On average, the models analyzed underestimate the observed cooling of the lower stratosphere and overestimate the warming of the troposphere. Although the precise causes of such differences are unclear, model biases in lower stratospheric temperature trends are likely to be reduced by more realistic treatment of stratospheric ozone depletion and volcanic aerosol forcing.
Chromosomal duplication is a transient evolutionary solution to stress
Authors: Yona Avihu H. , Manor Yair S. , Herbst Rebecca H. , Romano Gal H. , Mitchell Amir , Kupiec Martin , Pilpel Yitzhak , Dahan Orna
Published: November 2012

Aneuploidy, an abnormal number of chromosomes, is a widespread phenomenon found in unicellulars such as yeast, as well as in plants and in mammalians, especially in cancer. Aneuploidy is a genome-scale aberration that imposes a severe burden on the cell, yet under stressful conditions specific aneuploidies confer a selective advantage. This dual nature of aneuploidy raises the question of whether it can serve as a stable and sustainable evolutionary adaptation. To clarify this, we conducted a set of laboratory evolution experiments in yeast and followed the long-term dynamics of aneuploidy under diverse conditions. Here we show that chromosomal duplications are first acquired as a crude solution to stress, yet only as transient solutions that are eliminated and replaced by more efficient solutions obtained at the individual gene level. These transient dynamics of aneuploidy were repeatedly observed in our laboratory evolution experiments; chromosomal duplications gained under stress were eliminated not only when the stress was relieved, but even if it persisted. Furthermore, when stress was applied gradually rather than abruptly, alternative solutions appear to have emerged, but not aneuploidy. Our findings indicate that chromosomal duplication is a first evolutionary line of defense, that retains survivability under strong and abrupt selective pressures, yet it merely serves as a “quick fix,” whereas more refined and sustainable solutions take over. Thus, in the perspective of genome evolution trajectory, aneuploidy is a useful yet short-lived intermediate that facilitates further adaptation.
Insulator-like pairing elements regulate silencing and mutually exclusive expression in the malaria parasite
Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Avraham Inbar , Schreier Jeremy , Dzikowski Ron
Published: November 2012

Plasmodium falciparum
causes the deadliest form of human malaria. Its virulence is attributed to its ability to modify the infected RBC and to evade human immune attack through antigenic variation. Antigenic variation is achieved through tight regulation of antigenic switches between variable surface antigens named “
P. falciparum
erythrocyte membrane protein-1” encoded by the
var
multicopy gene family. Individual parasites express only a single
var
gene at a time, maintaining the remaining
var
genes in a transcriptionally silent state. Strict pairing between
var
gene promoters and a second promoter within an intron found in each
var
gene is required for silencing and counting of
var
genes by the mechanism that controls mutually exclusive expression. We have identified and characterized insulator-like DNA elements that are required for pairing
var
promoters and introns and thus are essential for regulating silencing and mutually exclusive expression. These elements, found in the regulatory regions of each
var
gene, are bound by distinct nuclear protein complexes. Any alteration in the specific, paired structure of these elements by either deletion or insertion of additional elements results in an unregulated
var
gene. We propose a model by which silencing and mutually exclusive expression of
var
genes is regulated by the precise arrangement of insulator-like DNA pairing elements.
Syntactic flexibility and competition in sentence production: The case of English and Russian
Authors: Myachykov Andriy , Scheepers Christoph , Garrod Simon , Thompson Dominic , Fedorova Olga
Published: November 2012

We analysed how syntactic flexibility influences sentence production in two different languages—English and Russian. In Experiment 1, speakers were instructed to produce as many structurally different descriptions of transitive-event pictures as possible. Consistent with the syntactically more flexible Russian grammar, Russian participants produced more descriptions and used a greater variety of structures than their English counterparts. In Experiment 2, a different sample of participants provided single-sentence descriptions of the same picture materials while their eye movements were recorded. In this task, English and Russian participants almost exclusively produced canonical subject–verb–object active-voice structures. However, Russian participants took longer to plan their sentences, as reflected in longer sentence onset latencies and eye–voice spans for the sentence-initial subject noun. This cross-linguistic difference in processing load diminished toward the end of the sentence. Stepwise generalized linear model analyses showed that the greater sentence-initial processing load registered in Experiment 2 corresponded to the greater amount of syntactic competition from available alternatives (Experiment 1), suggesting that syntactic flexibility is costly regardless of the language in use.
PLI: a web-based tool for the comparison of protein-ligand interactions observed on PDB structures
Authors: Gallina Anna Maria , Bisignano Paola , Bergamino Maurizio , Bordo Domenico
Published: November 2012

Motivation: A large fraction of the entries contained in the Protein Data Bank describe proteins in complex with low molecular weight molecules such as physiological compounds or synthetic drugs. In many cases, the same molecule is found in distinct protein-ligand complexes. There is an increasing interest in Medicinal Chemistry in comparing protein binding sites to get insight on interactions that modulate the binding specificity, as this structural information can be correlated with other experimental data of biochemical or physiological nature and may help in rational drug design.

Results: The web service protein-ligand interaction presented here provides a tool to analyse and compare the binding pockets of homologous proteins in complex with a selected ligand. The information is deduced from protein-ligand complexes present in the Protein Data Bank and stored in the underlying database.

Availability: Freely accessible at http://bioinformatics.istge.it/pli/.

Contact:  domenico.bordo@istge.it
NURBS: a database of experimental and predicted nuclear receptor binding sites of mouse
Authors: Fang Yaping , Liu Hui-Xin , Zhang Ning , Guo Grace L. , Wan Yu-Jui Yvonne , Fang Jianwen
Published: November 2012

Summary: Nuclear receptors (NRs) are a class of transcription factors playing important roles in various biological processes. An NR often impacts numerous genes and different NRs share overlapped target networks. To fulfil the need for a database incorporating binding sites of different NRs at various conditions for easy comparison and visualization to improve our understanding of NR binding mechanisms, we have developed NURBS, a database for experimental and predicted nuclear receptor binding sites of mouse (NURBS). NURBS currently contains binding sites across the whole-mouse genome of 8 NRs identified in 40 chromatin immunoprecipitation with massively parallel DNA sequencing experiments. All datasets are processed using a widely used procedure and same statistical criteria to ensure the binding sites derived from different datasets are comparable. NURBS also provides predicted binding sites using NR-HMM, a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) model.

Availability: The GBrowse-based user interface of NURBS is freely accessible at http://shark.abl.ku.edu/nurbs/. NR-HMM and all results can be downloaded for free at the website.

Contact:  jwfang@ku.edu
Defective mitochondrial disulfide relay system, altered mitochondrial morphology and function in Huntington's disease
Authors: Napoli Eleonora , Wong Sarah , Hung Connie , Ross-Inta Catherine , Bomdica Prithvi , Giulivi Cecilia
Published: November 2012

A number of studies have been conducted that link mitochondrial dysfunction (MD) to Huntington's disease (HD); however, contradicting results had resulted in a lack of a clear mechanism that links expression of mutant Huntingtin protein and MD. Mouse homozygous (HM) and heterozygous (HT) mutant striatal cells with two or one allele encoding for a mutant huntingtin protein with 111 polyGln repeats showed a significant impairment of the mitochondrial disulfide relay system (MDRS). This system (consisting of two proteins, Gfer and Mia40) is involved in the mitochondrial import of Cys-rich proteins. The Gfer-to-Mia40 ratio was significantly altered in HM cells compared with controls, along with the expression of mitochondrial proteins considered substrates of the MDRS. In progenitors and differentiated neuron-like HM cells, impairment of MDRS were accompanied by deficient oxidative phosphorylation, Complex I, IV and V activities, decreased mtDNA copy number and transcripts, accumulation of mtDNA deletions and changes in mitochondrial morphology, consistent with other MDRS-deficient biological models, thus providing a framework for the energy deficits observed in this HD model. The majority (>90%) of the mitochondrial outcomes exhibited a gene–dose dependency with the expression of mutant Htt. Finally, decreases in the mtDNA copy number, along with the accumulation of mtDNA deletions, provide a mechanism for the progressive neurodegeneration observed in HD patients.
Employment Tribunals and the Civil Courts: Isomorphism Exemplified
Authors: Corby Susan , Latreille Paul L.
Published: November 2012

This article traces the evolution of Employment Tribunals (ETs) in Great Britain over the last 50 years from distinctive and comparatively informal bodies to their proposed merger with the ‘ordinary’ civil courts. This reflects the tendency of an organisation to become similar to another organisation where both are in the same organisational field: institutional isomorphism. Such isomorphism occurs because of coercive pressures by the body controlling the organisation’s resources, in this case government. Such isomorphism occurs also because of mimetic pressures; in this case the relatively newly established ETs have adopted the paradigm of the long-established civil courts, and because of normative pressures due to the common values held by judges in ETs and judges in the civil courts arising from their common legal training, legal apprenticeship and role socialisation. The article then argues that this isomorphism has contributed to the juridification of employment relations.
Mapping of antigenic sites of foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype Asia 1 and relationships with sites described in other serotypes
Authors: Grazioli Santina , Fallacara Francesca , Brocchi Emiliana
Published: November 2012

Knowledge of the antigenic structure of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) has relevance in the development of diagnostic assays, in the evaluation of the antigenic variability and in the selection of appropriate vaccine strains. Antigenic sites have been investigated only in FMDVs of serotypes O, A and C, while it would be valuable to extend studies also to other serotypes. This paper reports the identification of antigenic sites involved in virus neutralization in the FMDV serotype Asia 1 by using a new panel of mAbs and their relation with sites described in other serotypes is discussed. Out of 24 mAbs raised against the FMDV serotype Asia 1, 10 neutralize viral infectivity and were used to select FMDV mutants resistant to neutralization. On the basis of their reactivity profile with virus mutants, the 10 neutralizing mAbs were clustered in four groups corresponding to four independent antigenic sites. By comparing the amino acid sequence of the parental virus and of virus mutants, the amino acids crucial for the four sites were mapped at the following positions: VP1 140–142, VP2 67–79, VP3 58/59 and VP3 218. Three of the four neutralizing sites identified and mapped on FMDV serotype Asia 1 correspond structurally and functionally to analogous sites described in FMDV serotypes O, A and C, enforcing the evidence that these are dominant antigenic sites in the FMDV structure. The fourth site, located at the C terminus of VP3, is a new independent site, described for the first time in FMDV.
Comparison of the performance of HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose in identifying dysglycaemic status in Chinese high‐risk subjects
Authors: Du Ting‐Ting , Yin Ping , Zhang Jian‐Hua , Zhang Dan , Shi Wei , Yu Xue‐Feng
Published: November 2012

The aim of the present study was to compare the performance of HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in identifying dysglycaemic status among Chinese participants.

Fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c were measured in 2318 subjects with at least one risk factor for diabetes but without being previously diagnosed with diabetes.

Using HbA1c to diagnose diabetes resulted in the same classification as FPG for 90.5% of the study participants, with 21.0% (n = 487) classified as having diabetes by both FPG and HbA1c and 69.5% (n = 1610) classified as not having diabetes by both FPG and HbA1c. The kappa (κ) coefficient of the FPG criterion with the HbA1c criterion for diabetes was 0.75 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72–0.78). The overlap index regarding diabetes diagnosed by FPG or HbA1c was 68.8%. Of 1610 subjects with FPG < 126 mg/dL and HbA1c < 6.5%, 220 (13.7%) had FPG ≥ 100 mg/dL and HbA1c < 5.7%, whereas 277 (17.2%) had FPG < 100 mg/dL and HbA1c ≥ 5.7%. The κ coefficient of the FPG criterion with the HbA1c criterion for prediabetes was 0.30 (95% CI 0.25–0.35). The overlap index between subjects diagnosed as having prediabetes by FPG of 100–125 mg/dL (impaired fasting glucose (IFG)) or HbA1c of 5.7–6.4% (increased HbA1c (IGH)) was 35.9%.

The HbA1c criterion demonstrates reasonable concordance with the FPG criterion for diabetes. Hence, HbA1c and FPG can be used for the diagnosis of diabetes. However, the IGH shows limited overlap with IFG for prediabetes. Introduction of the IGH criterion in addition to IFG for the screening of prediabetes could lead to the identification of more people with this condition.
Pregnancy outcome following maternal exposure to statins: a multicentre prospective study
Authors: Winterfeld U , Allignol A , Panchaud A , Rothuizen LE , Merlob P , Cuppers‐Maarschalkerweerd B , Vial T , Stephens S , Clementi M , De Santis M , Pistelli A , Berlin M , Eleftheriou G , Maňáková E , Buclin T
Published: November 2012

Objective

This contribution addresses the risk associated with exposure to statins during pregnancy.

Design

Multicentre observational prospective controlled study.

Setting

European Network of Teratology Information Services.

Population

Pregnant women who contacted one of 11 participating centres, seeking advice about exposure to statins during pregnancy, or to agents known to be nonteratogenic.

Methods

Pregnancies exposed during first trimester to statins were followed up prospectively, and their outcomes were compared with a matched control group.

Main outcome measures

Rates of major birth defects, live births, miscarriages, elective terminations, preterm deliveries and gestational age and birthweight at delivery.

Results

We collected observations from 249 exposed pregnancies and 249 controls. The difference in the rate of major birth defects between the statin‐exposed and the control groups was small and statistically nonsignificant (4.1% versus 2.7% odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.5–4.5, P = 0.43). In an adjusted Cox model, the difference between miscarriage rates was also small and not significant (hazard ratio 1.36, 95% CI 0.63–2.93, P = 0.43). Premature birth was more frequent in exposed pregnancies (16.1% versus 8.5%; OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1–3.8, P = 0.019). Nonetheless, median gestational age at birth (39 weeks, interquartile range [IQR] 37–40 versus 39 weeks, IQR 38–40, P = 0.27) and birth weight (3280 g, IQR 2835–3590 versus 3250 g, IQR 2880–3630, P = 0.95) did not differ between exposed and non‐exposed pregnancies.

Conclusions

This study did not detect a teratogenic effect of statins. Its statistical power remains insufficient to challenge current recommendations of treatment discontinuation during pregnancy.
Children's collaborative recall of shared and unshared information
Authors: Gummerum Michaela , Leman Patrick J. , Hollins Tara S.
Published: November 2012

This study examined age differences in collaborative inhibition and the role of inter‐subjectivity, collective information sampling (CIS) and collaborative inhibition for the collaborative recall of shared and unshared information in groups of 7‐ and 9‐year‐old children. Three‐hundred and thirteen 7‐ and 9‐year‐old children recalled memorized wordlists either in real or nominal groups of three. All group members either recalled the same items, or each group member was given some unique items. Nine‐year‐olds, but not 7‐year‐olds, recalled significantly more items in nominal than real groups, a phenomenon called collaborative inhibition. Groups whose interactions were characterized by higher numbers of inter‐subjective exchanges recalled fewer words than groups low in inter‐subjectivity. In both age groups, a higher proportion of shared compared with unshared information was recalled consistent with processes of CIS. However, 7‐year‐olds recalled more unshared items than predicted, suggesting that collaborative inhibition additionally contributes to the recall of shared and unshared items.
Practical uroflowmetry
Authors: Jarvis Thomas R. , Chan Lewis , Tse Vincent
Published: November 2012

Uroflowmetry is an essential investigation that can assist in the diagnosis of common lower urinary tract dysfunctions.

This article describes key aspects on performing and interpreting the test.
Tolerance to nitroglycerin through proteasomal down‐regulation of aldehyde dehydrogenase‐2 in a genetic mouse model of ascorbate deficiency
Authors: Wölkart G , Beretta M , Wenzl MV , Stessel H , Schmidt K , Maeda N , Mayer B , Schrammel A
Published: November 2012

Background and Purpose

L‐gulonolactone oxidase‐deficient (Gulo(‐/‐)) mice were used to study the effects of ascorbate deficiency on aortic relaxation by nitroglycerin (GTN) with focus on changes in the expression and activity of vascular aldehyde dehydrogenase‐2 (ALDH2), which catalyses GTN bioactivation.

Experimental Approach

Ascorbate deficiency was induced in Gulo(‐/‐) mice by ascorbate deprivation for 4 weeks. Some of the animals were concomitantly treated with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib and effects compared with ascorbate‐supplemented Gulo(‐/‐), untreated or nitrate‐tolerant wild‐type mice. Aortic relaxation of the experimental groups to GTN, ACh and a NO donor was studied. Changes in mRNA and protein expression of vascular ALDH2 were quantified by qPCR and immunoblotting, respectively, and aortic GTN denitration rates determined.

Key Results

Like GTN treatment, ascorbate deprivation induced vascular tolerance to GTN that was associated with markedly decreased rates of GTN denitration. Ascorbate deficiency did not affect ALDH2 mRNA levels, but reduced ALDH2 protein expression and the total amount of ubiquitinated proteins to about 40% of wild‐type controls. These effects were largely prevented by ascorbate supplementation or treating Gulo(‐/‐) mice with the 26S proteasome inhibitor bortezomib.

Conclusions and Implications

Our data indicate that ascorbate deficiency results in vascular tolerance to GTN via proteasomal degradation of ALDH2. The results support the view that impaired ALDH2‐catalysed metabolism of GTN contributes significantly to the development of vascular nitrate tolerance and reveal a hitherto unrecognized protective effect of ascorbate in the vasculature.
Parental Socioeconomic Status, Communication, and Children's Vocabulary Development: A Third‐Generation Test of the Family Investment Model
Authors: Sohr‐Preston Sara L. , Scaramella Laura V. , Martin Monica J. , Neppl Tricia K. , Ontai Lenna , Conger Rand
Published: November 2012

This third‐generation, longitudinal study evaluated a family investment perspective on family socioeconomic status (SES), parental investments in children, and child development. The theoretical framework was tested for first‐generation parents (G1), their children (G2), and the children of the second generation (G3). G1 SES was expected to predict clear and responsive parental communication. Parental investments were expected to predict educational attainment and parenting for G2 and vocabulary development for G3. For the 139 families in the study, data were collected when G2 were adolescents and early adults and their oldest biological child (G3) was 3–4 years of age. The results demonstrate the importance of SES and parental investments for the development of children and adolescents across multiple generations.
Reasons for Marginal Bone Loss around Oral Implants
Authors: Qian Jie , Wennerberg Ann , Albrektsson Tomas
Published: November 2012

Background

The reasons for long‐term marginal bone loss around oral implants are not well understood.

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to analyze presented evidence behind anticipated reasons for long‐term marginal bone loss around oral implants.

Materials and Methods

A computerized research was conducted onPubMed inApril 2011 with the following keywords: oral implants and marginal bone resorption/crestal bone loss/bone loss/bone resorption. This search resulted in a total of one thousand one hundred ninety‐four papers of which seven hundred fifty‐three were clinical contributions. Further search and filtering finally resulted in 21 experimental studies and one hundred sixteen clinical studies, which were reviewed.

Results

No evidence was found that primary infection caused marginal bone resorption. Clinical papers that have reported high levels of peri‐implantitis were not supported by data given. Clinical evidence was presented that the so‐called combined factors (implant hardware, clinical handling, and patient characteristics) may lead to marginal bone resorption. However, once tissue damage has been caused by combined factors, inflammation and/or infection may develop secondarily and then result in peri‐implantitis that may need particular clinical treatment.

Conclusions

As marginal bone loss primarily depends on numerous background factors, it seems logical that, for example, the use of poorly constructed implants placed and handled by untrained clinicians may result in high numbers of patients with secondary problems in form of peri‐implantitis; having said this, control of combined factors may likewise lead to very good clinical results where peri‐implantitis would represent a very rare disease indeed even at follow‐up times of 10 years or more.
C‐reactive protein and incidence of type 2 diabetes in the Pizarra study
Authors: Rubio‐Martín Elehazara , Soriguer Federico , Gutiérrez‐Repiso Carolina , Garrido‐Sánchez Lourdes , de Adana Marisol S. Ruíz , García‐Fuentes Eduardo , Morcillo Sonsoles , Esteva Isabel , Chaves Felipe J , Rojo‐Martinez Gemma
Published: November 2012

Aim

To determine the association between serum levels of high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) and the incidence of type 2 diabetes in a prospective cohort from southern Spain (Pizarra study).

Materials and methods

The study formed part of the Pizarra cohort study, a prospective study started in 1995 with a follow‐up of 11 years. Anthropometric and metabolic variables were measured at baseline and at 6 years and 11 years of follow‐up. All subjects underwent an oral glucose tolerance test. Serum levels of TNFα and its receptors, hs‐CRP, IL‐6, leptin, adiponectin and FABP4 were measured at 6 years of follow‐up.

Results

After adjusting for age, sex and obesity, subjects with levels of hs‐CRP> 2.9 mg/L in the second study (2003–4) had a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes by the third study (2008–9) (OR = 7.97; 95% CI = 1.72–36.89; P = 0.008), and subjects with adiponectin levels > 13.2 mg/L had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes (OR = 0.23, P = 0.02). High values of hs‐CRP and high values of adiponectin were associated positively (OR = 8.26; 95% CI = 1.84–37.19; P = 0.006) and negatively (OR = 0.17; 95% CI = 0.04–0.69; P = 0.01), respectively, with the risk of having HbA1c ≥ 6.5% at 11 years of follow‐up.

Conclusions

Subjects with high serum hs‐CRP levels and low serum adiponectin levels have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes within five years.
Ideas and Policy Change
Authors: Baumgartner Frank R.
Published: November 2012

PeterHall's 1993 article came at the same time as a parallel body of literature was developing, some building explicitly, some only implicitly, on similar ideas. I review some literature on policy communities, ideas, and the nature of policy change before exploring the statistical distribution of budget changes at three levels of aggregation. The similarity of these results suggests that a single process may be at work rather than different processes for first‐, second‐, and third‐order change, asHall's original formulation has it. AsHall suggests, these processes typically generate only marginal adjustments but occasionally create fundamental change. The degree of discredit to the status quo may be an important unexplored variable in explaining the ability of policy reformers to enact marginal, substantial, or fundamental policy changes. In sum, this article shows the similarities and mutual value ofHall's approach with others that would appear to be starkly contrasting.
Transparency without Democracy: The Unexpected Effects of China's Environmental Disclosure Policy
Authors: Tan Yeling
Published: November 2012

This article examines the impact of transparency regulations enacted under authoritarian conditions, through a study of China's environmental transparency measures. Given China's decentralized administrative structure, environmental disclosure ends up being weakest in the most polluted cities. However, the measures have allowed nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to affect environmental governance through unusual pathways. Multinational companies (MNCs) have used NGO pollution databases to monitor Chinese suppliers, whereas local governments have responded to a transparency index with greater NGO engagement. That said, these civil society initiatives have had limited impact on key stakeholder behavior. For the environment ministry, enforcement costs remain high. Local government behavior depends on their economic priorities and the nature of their relations with enterprises. Chinese enterprise behavior depends on the character of their relations with government and MNCs. Given China's authoritarian structure, improved governance does not translate into stronger accountability, challenging common assumptions about the relationship between transparency and accountability.
Varieties of Liberalism: Keynesian Responses to the Great Recession in France and Germany
Authors: Vail Mark I.
Published: November 2012

This article argues that distinctive liberal traditions shaped France and Germany's Keynesian policy responses to the post‐2007 economic crisis. In France, “statist liberalism” privileges an activist state that favors macroeconomic intervention and investment. German “corporate liberalism,” by contrast, is more pluralist and emphasizes the powers and responsibilities of social and economic groups, who are viewed as the fundamental components of the social order. The article argues that these traditions shaped elite interpretations of the crisis and played central roles in defining policy trajectories. They informed a modest French response focused on macroeconomic stimulus that relied on existing income support and a larger German effort centered on a microeconomic strategy of group subsidization. It concludes that these outcomes are inconsistent with traditional institutional accounts and highlights the importance of research on the role of ideas in shaping national responses to economic crises.
Hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma based on tumor hemodynamics
Authors: Sakon Masato , Ogawa Hiroyuki , Fujita Makoto , Nagano Hiroaki
Published: November 2012

Survival or disease‐free survival is not considered an appropriate surrogate outcome for the locoregional curability (i.e. surgical margin) of hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma because these are greatly influenced by non‐metastatic factors like multicentric carcinogenesis (MC) or liver function. Hepatocellular carcinoma metastasizes by hematogenous seeding; therefore, the tumor blood flow (TBF) drainage area is a high‐risk area for intrahepatic metastasis, and can be identified by computed tomography under hepatic arteriography and completely resected as part of the surgical margin. The TBF pattern is classified into marginal, portal vein or hypovascular types. Partial hepatectomies were mostly performed in patients with marginal or hypovascular type, whereas anatomical surgery was frequently performed in those with portal vein type. Pathologically, nodules inside the TBF drainage area were moderately or poorly differentiated carcinomas, suggesting intrahepatic metastasis. In contrast, those outside the drainage area were frequently solitary and contained well‐differentiated carcinoma, which is consistent with MC. The pattern of tumor recurrences after TBF‐based hepatectomy is divided into two distinct groups – “a few nodules” and “many nodules in multiple segments or extrahepatic” – indicating that intrahepatic recurrences develop from MC and from circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood, respectively. Anatomical resection has not shown a survival benefit over that of TBF‐based partial hepatectomy. TBF‐based hepatectomy enables us to preserve liver function without compromising locoregional curability.
Why do hospitalized older adults take risks that may lead to falls?
Authors: Haines Terry P , Lee Den‐Ching Angel , O'Connell Beverly , McDermott Fiona , Hoffmann Tammy
Published: November 2012

Background

The behaviour of hospitalized older adults can contribute to falls, a common adverse event during and after hospitalization.

Objective

To understand why older adults take risks that may lead to falls in the hospital setting and in the transition period following discharge home.

Design

Qualitative research.

Setting and participants

Hospital patients from inpatient medical and rehabilitation wards (n = 16), their informal caregivers (n = 8), and health professionals (n = 33) recruited from Southern Health hospital facilities, Victoria, Australia.

Main variables studied

Perceived motivations for, and factors contributing to risk taking that may lead to falls.

Main outcome measures

Semi‐structured, in depth interviews and focus groups were used to generate qualitative data. Interviews were conducted both 2 weeks post‐hospitalization and 3 months post‐hospitalization.

Results

Risk taking was classified as; (i) enforced (ii) voluntary and informed and (iii) voluntary and mal informed. Five key factors that influence risk taking behaviour were (i) risk compensation ability of the older adult, (ii) willingness to ask for help, (iii) older adult desire to test their physical boundaries, (iv) communication failure between and within older adults, informal care givers and health professionals and (v) delayed provision of help.

Discussion and Conclusion

Tension exists between taking risks as a part of rehabilitation and the effect it has on likelihood of falling. Health professionals and caregivers played a central role in mitigating unnecessary risk taking, though some older adults appear more likely to take risks than others by virtue of their attitudes.
Developing SyrinOX total antioxidant capacity assay for measuring antioxidants in humans
Authors: Prasetyo Endry N. , Knes Otto , Nyanhongo Gibson S. , Guebitz Georg M.
Published: November 2012

Accurate monitoring of the antioxidant status or of oxidative stress in patients is still a big challenge in clinical laboratories. This study investigates the possibility of applying a newly developed total antioxidant capacity assay method based on laccase or peroxidase oxidized syringaldazine [Tetramethoxy azobismethylene quinone (TMAMQ)] which is referred to here as SyrinOX, as a diagnostic tool for monitoring both oxidative stress and antioxidant status in patients. Attempts to adapt the Randox total antioxidant procedure [simultaneous incubation of the radical generating system (metmyoglobin and H2O2) and antioxidant sample] for SyrinOX were abandoned after it was discovered that the H2O2 reacted with enzymatically generated TMAMQ and ABTS radicals at a rate of 6.4 × 10−2/μM/s and 5.7 × 10−3/μM/s respectively. Thus this study for the first time demonstrates the negative effects of H2O2 in the Randox system. This leads to erroneous results because the total antioxidant values obtained are the sum of radicals reduced by antioxidants plus those reacting with the radical generating system. Therefore they should be avoided not only for this particular method but also when using other similar methods. Consequently, SyrinOX is best applied using a three‐step approach involving, production of TMAMQ, recovery and purification (free from enzyme and other impurities) and then using TMAMQ for measuring the total antioxidant capacity of samples. Using this approach, the reaction conditions for application of SyrinOX when measuring the total antioxidant capacity of plasma sample were determined to be 50% (v/v) ethanol/50 mM sodium succinate buffer pH 5.5, between 20 and 25 °C for at least 1 h.
Local expression of interleukin‐2 by B16 melanoma cells results in decreased tumour growth and long‐term tumour dormancy
Authors: Gerber Scott A. , Sorensen Elizabeth W. , Sedlacek Abigail L. , Lim Joanne Y. H. , Skrombolas Denise , Frelinger John G. , Lord Edith M.
Published: November 2012

The tumour microenvironment is complex containing not only neoplastic cells but also a variety of host cells. The heterogeneous infiltrating immune cells include subsets of cells with opposing functions, whose activities are mediated either directly or through the cytokines they produce. Systemic delivery of cytokines such as interleukin‐2 ( IL‐2) has been used clinically to enhance anti‐tumour responses, but these molecules are generally thought to have evolved to act locally in a paracrine fashion. In this study we examined the effect of local production of IL‐2 on the growth and the immune response to B16 melanoma cells. We found that the local production of IL‐2 enhances the number of interferon‐γ‐expressing CD8 T and natural killer cells in the tumour, as well as inducing expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 on tumour vessels. These responses were largely absent in interferon‐γ knockout mice. The expression of IL‐2 in the tumour microenvironment decreases tumour growth despite also enhancing Foxp3+ CD4+ regulatory T cells and anti‐inflammatory cytokines such as IL‐10. Higher levels of IL‐2 in the tumour microenvironment eliminated the progressive growth of the B16 cells in vivo, and this inhibition was dependent on the presence of either T cells or, to a lesser extent, natural killer cells. Surprisingly however, the B16 tumours were not completely eliminated but instead were controlled for an extended period of time, suggesting that a form of tumour dormancy was established.