bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Geospatial Information Integration for Authoritative and Crowd Sourced Road Vector Data
Authors: Du Heshan , Anand Suchith , Alechina Natasha , Morley Jeremy , Hart Glen , Leibovici Didier , Jackson Mike , Ware Mark
Published: May 2012

This article describes results from a research project undertaken to explore the technical issues associated with integrating unstructured crowd sourced data with authoritative national mapping data. The ultimate objective is to develop methodologies to ensure the feature enrichment of authoritative data, using crowd sourced data. Users increasingly find that they wish to use data from both kinds of geographic data sources. Different techniques and methodologies can be developed to solve this problem. In our previous research, a position map matching algorithm was developed for integrating authoritative and crowd sourced road vector data, and showed promising results (Anand et al. 2010). However, especially when integrating different forms of data at the feature level, these techniques are often time consuming and are more computationally intensive than other techniques available. To tackle these problems, this project aims at developing a methodology for automated conflict resolution, linking and merging of geographical information from disparate authoritative and crowd‐sourced data sources. This article describes research undertaken by the authors on the design, implementation, and evaluation of algorithms and procedures for producing a coherent ontology from disparate geospatial data sources. To integrate road vector data from disparate sources, the method presented in this article first converts input data sets to ontologies, and then merges these ontologies into a new ontology. This new ontology is then checked and modified to ensure that it is consistent. The developed methodology can deal with topological and geometry inconsistency and provide more flexibility for geospatial information merging.
The Annotation Process in OpenStreetMap
Authors: Mooney Peter , Corcoran Padraig
Published: May 2012

In this article we describe the analysis of 25,000 objects from the OpenStreetMap (OSM) databases of Ireland, United Kingdom, Germany, and Austria. The objects are selected as exhibiting the characteristics of “heavily edited” objects. We consider “heavily edited” objects as having 15 or more versions over the object's lifetime. Our results indicate that there are some serious issues arising from the way contributors tag or annotate objects in OSM. Values assigned to the “name” and “highway” attributes are often subject to frequent and unexpected change. However, this “tag flip‐flopping” is not found to be strongly correlated with increasing numbers of contributors. We also show problems with usage of the OSM ontology/controlled vocabularly. The majority of errors occurring were caused by contributors choosing values from the ontology “by hand” and spelling these values incorrectly. These issues could have a potentially detrimental effect on the quality of OSM data while at the same time damaging the perception of OSM in the GIS community. The current state of tagging and annotation in OSM is not perfect. We feel that the problems identified are a combination of the flexibility of the tagging process in OSM and the lack of a strict mechanism for checking adherence to the OSM ontology for specific core attributes. More studies related to comparing the names of features in OSM to recognized ground‐truth datasets are required.
Street‐Level Tort Law: The Bureaucratic Justice of Liability Decision‐Making
Authors: Halliday Simon , Ilan Jonathan , Scott Colin
Published: May 2012

Most legal scholarship on tort focuses primarily on judicial decisions, but this represents only a limited aspect of tortious liability. The vast majority of decisions concerning tortious liability are made by bureaucrats. Unavoidably then, there are two tiers of justice in tort law. This article focuses on the lower tier – bureaucratic decision‐making – arguing that the justice of bureaucratic decisions on tort should be considered on its own terms and not by judicial standards. We develop the notion of bureaucratic justice, applying a normative framework originally set out in relation to public administration. This enables an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of different ways of bureaucratically determining liability claims in tort. The regimes discussed concern the liability of public authorities, but decision makers comprise both state and non‐state actors and the bureaucratic justice framework is, in principle, applicable to understand and evaluate the liability of both public and private actors.
Arresting Developments? Restricting the Enforcement of the UK's Universal Jurisdiction Provisions
Authors: Williams Sarah
Published: May 2012

Recently introduced legislative amendments limit the issue of arrest warrants on the application of a private prosecutor where jurisdiction is based on universal jurisdiction. The amendments addressed a ‘loophole’ in English law whereby a private prosecutor could seek and be granted an arrest warrant, generally in respect of an individual on a short term visit to the UK, even though the consent of the Attorney General would be required for the prosecution to continue. This article argues that these amendments addressed legitimate evidentiary and diplomatic relations concerns, are consistent with the UK's international obligations, and are in line with the UK's policy on the exercise of universal jurisdiction and with international trends. However, given the limited category of persons who were subject to such arrest warrants under the previous law and the practice of the UK concerning special missions, the amendments may be of limited practical significance.
The Supreme Court on Compensation for Miscarriages of Justice: Is it better that ten innocents are denied compensation than one guilty person receives it?
Authors: Quirk Hannah , Requa Marny
Published: May 2012

The Supreme Court determined that a ‘fresh approach’ was needed in an attempt to bring some clarity to the issue of the eligibility for compensation of those who have had their convictions quashed by the Court of Appeal. The definition that the majority agreed upon was that ‘a new fact will show that a miscarriage of justice has occurred when it so undermines the evidence against the defendant that no conviction could possibly be based upon it’. This article argues that the judgment suffers from a failure to consider the purpose of the legislation; that it is unclear whether the test is normative or historical and that this presents a particular problem in cases relating to the Northern Ireland conflict. The Court focuses on the guilt of the appellant and excludes from its consideration any notion of culpability by the state, which is a cause for concern.
The Global Production of Transportation Public–Private Partnerships
Authors: Siemiatycki Matti
Published: May 2012

Around the world, public–private partnerships have become increasingly popular to deliver large‐scale transportation infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, railways, subways, seaports and airports. The aim of this article is to provide a framework to understand the global geography of projects built through this market‐driven procurement model, which have been predominantly concentrated in a small number of developed countries and emerging markets. As is shown, within many countries, a governance and regulatory environment has been established that supports public–private partnerships over other alternative procurement approaches. Nevertheless, the production of public–private partnerships worldwide has been dominated by a relatively small number of highly globalized construction contractors, engineering firms, financiers, accountancies and consultants from developed countries, who have focused their activities in a narrow set of regions. The article concludes by reflecting on the implications of the high level of industry concentration, and emerging trends showing greater involvement from firms from developing countries.

Resumé

À travers le monde, les partenariats public‐privé sont de plus en plus utilisés pour les projets d’infrastructure de transports de grande envergure, tels que routes, ponts, voies ferrées, métros, ports et aéroports. Cet article définit un cadre permettant de comprendre la géographie planétaire des projets bâtis selon ce modèle orienté par le marché, projets concentrés dans un petit nombre de pays développés et émergents. Les régimes de gouvernance et la réglementation mis en place dans de nombreux pays favorisent les partenariats public‐privé au détriment d’autres approches de réalisation de projets. Néanmoins, la production de ces partenariats dans le monde a été dominée par un nombre relativement réduit d’entreprises de bâtiment et d’ingénierie, de bailleurs de fonds, de cabinets de comptabilité et de conseils, acteurs installés dans des pays développés et dont les activités internationalisées s’exercent sur un ensemble restreint de régions. La conclusion aborde les conséquences d’une forte concentration industrielle et l’apparition d’une implication croissante des entreprises des pays en développement.
Ultra‐High‐Speed Full‐Field Deformation Measurements on Concrete Spalling Specimens and Stiffness Identification with the Virtual Fields Method
Authors: Pierron F. , Forquin P.
Published: May 2012

Abstract:  For one decade, spalling techniques based on the use of a metallic Hopkinson bar in contact with a concrete sample have been widely employed to characterise the dynamic tensile strength of concrete at strain rates ranging from a few tens to hundreds of s−1. However, the processing method based on the use of the velocity profile measured on the rear free surface of the sample (Novikov formula) remains quite basic. In particular, the identification of the whole softening behaviour of the concrete material is currently out of reach. In the present paper, a new processing technique is proposed based on the use of the virtual fields method (VFM). First, a digital ultra‐high‐speed camera is used to record the pictures of a grid bonded onto the specimen. Then, images of the grid recorded by the camera are processed to obtain full‐field axial displacement maps at the surface of the specimen. Finally, a specific virtual field has been defined in the VFM equation to use the acceleration map as an alternative ‘load cell’. This method applied to three spalling tests with different impact parameters allowed the identification of Young's modulus during the test. It was shown that this modulus is constant during the initial compressive part of the test and decreases in the tensile part when microdamage exists. It was also shown that in such a simple inertial test, it was possible to reconstruct average axial stress profiles using only the acceleration data. It was then possible to construct local stress–strain curves and derive a tensile strength value.
Buying Negative Agenda Control in the U.S. House
Authors: Jenkins Jeffery A. , Monroe Nathan W.
Published: May 2012

We explore the foundations of the legislative party cartel, as theorized by Cox and McCubbins (1993, 2005), to determine how majority‐party moderates who suffer net policy losses from the majority leadership's use of negative agenda control are kept from defecting from the cartel arrangement. First, we identify formally the group of majority‐party members who are net policy losers. We find that those members occupying the initial 30% of the space within the majority‐party blockout zone—that space closest to the floor median—are hurt on a pure policy basis by the cartel arrangement. Second, we find that members in this “30% zone” are rewarded disproportionately by majority‐party leaders (relative to members in other intervals on the same side of the floor median) via side payments in the form of campaign contributions. In addition, majority‐party members within the 30% zone receive side payments commensurate with their particular policy loss.
Comparison of Ventricular Radiofrequency Lesions in Sheep Using Standard Irrigated Tip Catheter versus Catheter Ablation Enabling Direct Visualization
Authors: SACHER FREDERIC , DERVAL NICOLAS , JADIDI AMIR , SCHERR DANIEL , HOCINI MELEZE , HAISSAGUERRE MICHEL , SANTOS PIERRE DOS , JAIS PIERRE
Published: May 2012

Comparison of Ventricular Radiofrequency Lesions in Sheep. Introduction: In vivo assessment of RF ablation lesions is limited. Improved feedback could affect procedural outcome. A novel catheter, IRIS™ Cardiac Ablation Catheter (IRIS), enabling direct tissue visualization during ablation, was compared to a 3.5 mm open‐irrigated tip ThermoCool™ Catheter (THERM) for endocardial ventricular RF ablation in sheep.

Methods: Sixteen anesthetized sheep (6 ± 1 years old, 60 ± 10 kg) underwent ventricular RF applications with either the THERM (Biosense Webster) or IRIS (Voyage Medical) ablation catheter. In the THERM group, RF was delivered (30 W, 60 seconds) when electrode contact was achieved as assessed by recording high‐amplitude electrogram, tactile feedback, and x‐ray. In the IRIS group, direct visualization was used to confirm tissue contact and to guide energy delivery (10–25 W for 60 seconds) depending on visual feedback during lesion formation.

Results: A total of 160 RF applications were delivered (80 with THERM; 80 with IRIS). Average power delivery was significantly higher in the THERM group than in the IRIS group (30 ± 2 W [25–30 W] for 57 ± 14 seconds vs 21 ± 4 W [10–25 W] for 57 ± 27 seconds; P<0.001). At necropsy, 62/80 (78%) lesions created with THERM were identified versus 79/80 (99%) with IRIS (P<0.001). The lesion dimensions were not significantly different between THERM and IRIS.

Conclusion: Despite best efforts using standard clinical assessments of catheter contact, 22% of RF applications in the ventricles using a standard open‐irrigated catheter could not be identified on necropsy. In vivo assessment of catheter contact by direct visualization of the tissue undergoing RF ablation with the IRIS™ catheter was more reliable by allowing creation of 99% prescribed target lesions without significant complications. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 23, pp. 869‐873, August 2012)
Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardias Using Remote Magnetic Navigation: A Consecutive Case–Control Study
Authors: SZILI‐TOROK TAMAS , SCHWAGTEN BRUNO , AKCA FERDI , BAUERNFEIND TAMAS , ABKENARI LARA DABIRI , HAITSMA DAVID , BELLE YVES VAN , GROOT NATASJA DE , JORDAENS LUC
Published: May 2012

Remote Magnetic Navigation for VT Ablation. Background: This study aimed to compare acute and late outcomes of VT ablation using the magnetic navigation system (MNS) to manual techniques (MAN) in patients with (SHD) and without (NSHD) structural heart disease.

Methods: Ablation data of 113 consecutive patients (43 SHD, 70 NSHD) with ventricular tachycardia treated with catheter ablation at our center were analyzed. Success rate, complications, procedure, fluoroscopy, and ablation times, and recurrence rates were systematically recorded for all patients.

Results: A total of 72 patients were included in the MNS group and 41 patients were included in the MAN group. Patient age, gender, and right ventricular and left ventricular VT were equally distributed. Acute success was achieved in 59 patients in the MNS group (82%) versus 27 (66%) patients in the MAN group (P = 0.046). Overall procedural time (177 ± 79 vs 232 ± 99 minutes, P < 0.01) and mean patient fluoroscopy time (27 ± 19 vs 56 ± 32 minutes, P < 0.001) were all significantly lower using MNS. In NSHD pts, higher acute success was achieved with MNS (83,7% vs 61.9%, P = 0.049), with shorter procedure times (151 ± 57 vs 210 ± 96, P = 0.011), whereas in SHD‐VT these were not significantly different. No major complications occurred in the MNS group (0%) versus 1 cardiac tamponade and 1 significantly damaged ICD lead in the MAN group (4.9%, NS). After follow‐up (20 ± 11 vs 20 ± 10 months, NS), VT recurred in 14 pts (23.7%) in the MNS group versus 12 pts (44.4%) in the MAN group (P = 0.047).

Conclusions: The use of MNS offers advantages for ablation of NSHD‐VT, while it offers similar efficacy for SHD‐VT. ((J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 23, pp. 948‐954, September 2012)
“I spent the first year drinking tea”: Exploring Canadian university researchers’ perspectives on community‐based participatory research involving Indigenous peoples
Authors: Castleden Heather , Morgan Vanessa Sloan , Lamb Christopher
Published: May 2012

Community‐based participatory research (CBPR) is generally understood as a process by which decision‐making power and ownership are shared between the researcher and the community involved, bi‐directional research capacity and co‐learning are promoted, and new knowledge is co‐created and disseminated in a manner that is mutually beneficial for those involved. Within the field of Canadian geography we are seeing emerging interest in using CBPR as a way of conducting meaningful and relevant research with Indigenous communities. However, individual interpretations of CBPR's tenets and the ways in which CBPR is operationalized are, in fact, highly variable. In this article we report the findings of an exploratory qualitative case study involving semi‐structured, open‐ended interviews with Canadian university‐based geographers and social scientists in related disciplines who engage in CBPR to explore the relationship between their conceptual understanding of CBPR and their applied research. Our findings reveal some of the tensions for university‐based researchers concerning CBPR in theory and practice.
Assessment of Emotional Status of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Zambia
Authors: Kirkpatrick Sharon M. , Rojjanasrirat Wilaiporn , South Beverly J. , Sindt Jeri A. , Williams Lee A.
Published: May 2012

Purpose: To describe the emotional status of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in two communities in Zambia.

Methods: The Health Ed Connect Adaptation Questionnaire (HECAQ) was used to interview 306 OVC and 158 primary caregivers in Zambia in 2010.

Findings: Child participants and caregivers reported evidence of emotional distress behaviors in the majority of OVC.

Conclusions: More research to evaluate the efficacy of intervention programs for loss and grief, normal and abnormal reactions to grief, and positive coping skills is needed to assist both children and their caretakers. In the population studied, caregivers and OVC could benefit from additional support for promoting emotional health and managing emotional distress in vulnerable children.

Clinical Relevance: Healthcare professionals play a key role in promoting the emotional health of OVC through identification of deviant behaviors and the development of interventions to alleviate emotional and psychological distress.
An epidemiologic study of occlusal anomalies in relation to development of the dentition in Icelandic children
Authors: Magnússon Thordur Eydal
Published: May 2012

Abstract— The purpose of the investigation was to determine the prevalence of occlusal anomalies in relation to dental stages (DS) in Icelandic schoolchildren, and to compare it with results from other Scandinavian countries and Ireland found on the basis of the same method. The material consisted of 1,641 randomly selected children, 791 boys and 850 girls, corresponding to 9.5 % of the total primary and secondary school population of Reykjavík. A significant sex difference was only recorded in the frequencies of two of the single morphologic traits of occlusal anomalies, the boys showing higher frequencies in deep bite and in scissors‐bite. Significant differences in the occurrence of occlusal anomalies in Iceland and Denmark were only found in two out of 108 pairs of frequencies.
Identification by DNA microarray of genes involved in Candida albicans‐treated gingival epithelial cells
Authors: Ikuta Tonami , Bhawal Ujjal K. , Tsushima Katsumasa , Aoki Akinobu , Kuboyama Noboru , Abiko Yoshimitsu
Published: May 2012

J Oral Pathol Med (2012) 41: 769–778

Background:  Oral epithelial cells significantly influence host inflammatory responses against Candida albicans in oropharyngeal candidiasis. Pro‐inflammatory cytokines function as an early innate immune system mediator during C. albicans infection in oral epithelial cells. We sought to elucidate the pattern of the molecular mechanisms governing the human gingival epithelial cells (HGECs) to C. albicans infection likely involve multiple converging signal transduction pathways.

Materials and methods:  Primary HGECs were cultured with C. albicans ATCC90029. Total RNA was extracted after 8 h of infection and monitored mRNA levels using Affymetrix GeneChip (Human Genome U133 plus 2.0 Array, 48 000 genes). GeneChip data was analyzed by GeneSpring software and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis system. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), real‐time RT‐PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to investigate gene expression changes.

Results:  The differentially expressed genes represented functions as diverse as immune response and inflammatory disease. IL‐8, ICAM‐1 and Cox‐2 showed a greater than two fold change in expression relative to those in control cells. Altered mRNA levels in GeneChip analysis were confirmed by RT‐PCR and real‐time RT‐PCR. Stronger immunoreactivity against ICAM‐1 and Cox‐2 was also observed in the infection with C. albicans in rat gingival epithelium. We have identified differential gene expression up‐regulated or down‐regulated with the up‐regulation of IL‐8 in C. albicans‐treated cells.

Conclusion:  These findings indicate that the molecular mechanisms underlying the IL‐8 response of HGECs to C. albicans infection likely involve multiple converging signal transduction pathways.
Effects on bone by the light/dark cycle and chronic treatment with melatonin and/or hormone replacement therapy in intact female mice
Authors: Witt‐Enderby Paula A. , Slater John P. , Johnson Nakpangi A. , Bondi Corry D. , Dodda Balasunder R. , Kotlarczyk Mary P. , Clafshenkel William P. , Sethi Shalini , Higginbotham Suzanne , Rutkowski James L. , Gallagher Katie M. , Davis Vicki L.
Published: May 2012

Abstract:  In this study, the effects of the light/dark cycle, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and nocturnal melatonin supplementation on osteogenic markers and serum melatonin levels were examined in a blind mouse model (MMTV‐Neu transgenic mice). Melatonin levels in this mouse strain (FVB/N) with retinal degeneration (rd−/−) fluctuate in a diurnal manner, suggesting that these mice, although blind, still perceive light. Real‐time RT‐PCR analyses demonstrated that Runx2, Bmp2, Bmp6, Bglap, and Per2 mRNA levels coincide with melatonin levels. The effect of chronic HRT (0.5 mg 17β‐estradiol + 50 mg progesterone in 1800 kcal of diet) alone and in combination with melatonin (15 mg/L drinking water) on bone quality and density was also assessed by histomorphometry and microcomputed tomography, respectively. Bone density was significantly increased (P < 0.05) after 1 yr of treatment with the individual therapies, HRT (22% increase) and nocturnal melatonin (20% increase) compared to control. Hormone replacement therapy alone also increased surface bone, decreased trabecular space, and decreased the number of osteoclasts without affecting osteoblast numbers compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Chronic HRT + melatonin therapy did not significantly increase bone density, even though this combination significantly increased Bglap mRNA levels. These data suggest that the endogenous melatonin rhythm modulates markers important to bone physiology. Hormone replacement therapy with or without nocturnal melatonin in cycling mice produces unique effects on bone markers and bone density. The effects of these therapies alone and combined may improve bone health in women in perimenopause and with low nocturnal melatonin levels from too little sleep, too much light, or age.
The calf training for loading onto vehicle at weaning
Authors: FUKASAWA Michiru
Published: May 2012

The aim of this study is to examine whether calf training for loading at the weaning period improves later loading. Five calves were allocated to the trained group and the control group, respectively. Calves in the trained group were loaded onto a livestock trailer for 5 successive days at weaning. Trainers led or hauled the calves by rope only. When loading was completed, trainers fed calves with sugar cubes as rewards. Calves in the control group were weaned without any treatment. Five weeks after weaning, tests were carried out under similar conditions as the trained group. Loading efficiency, physical effort on the handler and handling stress on calves between groups were compared. Trained calves were loaded significantly faster than control calves. Trained calves balked less during loading than control calves. Heart rates of handlers after loading were significantly lower in the trained group than in the control group; however, salivary amylase activity and cortisol concentration was not different between groups. Physical effort and stress on handlers would be almost the same in both groups. Heart rate, plasma cortisol, NEFA and CPK of calves were significantly increased only in the control group after loading. These results show calf training improves loading efficiency and reduces stress on calves.
The mcrA gene and 16S rRNA gene in the phylogenetic analysis of methanogens in the rumen of faunated and unfaunated cattle
Authors: OZUTSUMI Yuhei , TAJIMA Kiyoshi , TAKENAKA Akio , ITABASHI Hisao
Published: May 2012

The influence of rumen protozoa on the composition of rumen methanogens was studied by using seven growing Holstein cattle divided into two groups: four faunated and three unfaunated. 16S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) and methyl coenzyme‐M reductase (MCR) α subunit (mcrA) gene clonal libraries were constructed. The results of each analysis showed that Methanobacteriales was dominant in the rumen of both groups. By mcrA gene analysis, 22.1% of unfaunated clones were classified into unfaunated group 1, which was not detected from faunated cattle. The 16S rRNA gene analysis showed that the number of operational taxonomic units was higher in unfaunated than faunated cattle, suggesting the diversity of methanogens tended to be higher by the removal of protozoa. The results of the LIBSHUFF program indicated that the 16S rRNA gene and mcrA gene clone libraries for the faunated group differed from those for the unfaunated group (P = 0.001). It was suggested that the presence of protozoa strongly affected the composition of rumen methanogens.
Management of venous thromboembolism for older adults in long‐term care facilities
Authors: Choi Myunghan , Hector Melvin
Published: May 2012

Abstract  Purpose: To provide information on current evidence‐based clinical management of venous thromboembolism (VTE) for nurse practitioners working for older adults in long‐term care facilities.

Methods and data resources: A systematic review and summary using current clinical guidelines and reliable clinical research studies: American Medical Directors Association, American College of Chest Physicians, Medline, PubMed, Refworks, and CINAHL.

Conclusions: The management of VTE focuses on a comprehensive approach including acute and long‐term pharmacologic approach, surgical and mechanical approach, prophylaxis of recurrent VTE, maintaining INR, and monitoring lab values.

Implications: Recommendations based on the most current clinical research studies and guidelines will facilitate a cost‐effective management of venous thromboembolism for older adults in long‐term care facilities.
Neuroprotective Effects of Vitexin, a Flavonoid, on Pentylenetetrazole‐Induced Seizure in Rats
Authors: Abbasi Esmail , Nassiri‐Asl Marjan , Shafeei Mahsa , Sheikhi Mehdi
Published: May 2012

Flavonoids are important constituents of food and beverages and have several neuropharmacological activities. Many of these compounds are ligands for γ‐aminobutyric acid type A receptors in the central nervous system. This study aimed to investigate the anticonvulsant effects of intracerebroventricularly administered vitexin (5, 7, 4‐trihydroxyflavone‐8‐glucoside), a flavonoid found in plants, in rats treated with pentylenetetrazole (90 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) and to clarify the underlying mechanism. Vitexin (100 and 200 μm, i.c.v) affected minimal clonic seizures and generalized tonic–clonic seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole by increasing the seizure onset time. Pretreatment with flumazenil suppressed the anticonvulsant effects of vitexin during the onset of both the seizures. These results indicate that vitexin has anticonvulsant effects in the brain, possibly through interaction at the benzodiazepine site of the γ‐aminobutyric acid type A receptor complex.
Enhancing and Limiting Endothelin‐1 Signaling with a Cell‐penetrating Peptide Mimicking the Third Intracellular Loop of the ETB Receptor
Authors: Sallum Christine O. , Wilson Jamie L. , Rupasinghe Chamila , Berg Eric , Yu Jun , Green Daniel S. , Taylor Linda , Mierke Dale , Polgar Peter
Published: May 2012

TAT (a 13‐mer derived from the HIV‐1 Tat protein)‐linked cell‐permeable peptides deliver plasma membrane impermeable cargos into the cell. We investigated the effect of a TAT‐linked intracellular third loop of the endothelin‐1 type B receptor on endothelin‐1 activation of ERK. The effect of this peptide on ERK activation was determined in ETB receptor cDNA‐transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells and in ETA‐ and ETB‐expressing human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells obtained from a normal and a bone morphogenetic protein‐2 receptor, exon 1–8 deletion subject, with pulmonary hypertension. In the Chinese hamster ovary cells the peptide, at optimum 10 μm concentration, suppressed endothelin‐1 activation. In the normal human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells, the peptide marginally enhanced endothelin‐1 activation of ERK. However, it markedly enhanced the endothelin‐1 activation of ERK in the bone morphogenetic protein‐2 receptor human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. While the effective concentration for endothelin‐1 activation of ERK remained unchanged in the bone morphogenetic protein‐2 receptor human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells, the number of ETB receptors declined by 2/3. These data point to the intracellular third loop peptide as having variable receptor interactive effects with both signal repressive and enhancing capabilities. Peptides that can alter endothelin‐1 signal capabilities are potentially important in the study and treatment of pulmonary hypertension.
Proteomic Profiling of the Photo‐Oxidation of Silk Fibroin: Implications for Historic Tin‐Weighted Silk
Authors: Solazzo Caroline , Dyer Jolon M. , Deb‐Choudhury Santanu , Clerens Stefan , Wyeth Paul
Published: May 2012

The stability of silk proteins to ultraviolet light is an issue of significant concern in both the appearance retention of silk‐derived products and the preservation of historic silk textiles. Until now, evaluation of silk degradation has only been performed at the holistic, rather than molecular level. This article describes the first proteomic profiling of silk photo‐oxidation, characterizing protein primary level modification leading to coloration changes, and evaluating the effects of tin weighting on photodegradation. Heavy‐chain fibroin, the main proteinaceous component of the silk thread, is a repetitive, highly crystalline protein with a content rich in tyrosine. Photoproducts of tyrosine were characterized and the levels of oxidative modification at the protein primary structural level correlated with changes in coloration and tensile strength. The effect of tin as a weighting agent used on historical fabrics was examined. Tin‐weighted fabrics were evaluated following two treatments (pink and dynamite) and proteomic analysis revealed a significant increase in oxidatively modified amino acid residues within the pink‐treated silk. These findings offer new insight into the molecular‐level oxidation of silk proteins under UV exposure, and the effects of silk treatments in either exacerbating or ameliorating this degradation.
Current state of biology and diagnosis of clonal mast cell diseases in adults
Authors: ALVAREZ‐TWOSE I. , MORGADO J. M. , SÁNCHEZ‐MUÑOZ L. , GARCÍA‐MONTERO A. , MOLLEJO M. , ORFAO A. , ESCRIBANO L.
Published: May 2012

Mastocytosis comprises a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by the presence of clonal mast cells (MC) in organs such as skin, bone marrow (BM), and gastrointestinal tract, among other tissues. The clonal nature of the disease can be established in most adult patients by the demonstration of activating KIT mutations in their BM MC. When highly sensitive techniques capable of identifying cells present at very low frequencies in a sample are applied, BM MC from virtually all systemic mastocytosis patients display unique immunophenotypical features, particularly the aberrant expression of CD25. By contrast, large, multifocal BM MC aggregates (the only World Health Organization major criterion for systemic mastocytosis) are absent in a significant proportion of patients fulfilling at least three minor criteria for systemic mastocytosis, particularly in subjects studied at early stages of the disease with very low MC burden. Moreover, recent molecular and immunophenotypical investigations of BM MC from patients with indolent systemic mastocytosis have revealed a close association of some biological features (e.g., multilineage involvement of hematopoiesis by the KIT mutation and an immature mast cell immunophenotype) with an increased risk for disease progression. These observations support the fact that, although the current consensus diagnostic criteria for systemic mastocytosis have been a major advance for the diagnosis and classification of the disease, rationale usage of the most sensitive diagnostic techniques available nowadays is needed to improve the diagnosis, refine the classification, and reach objective prognostic stratification of adult mastocytosis.
Do Therapists Address Gender and Power in Infidelity? A Feminist Analysis of the Treatment Literature
Authors: Williams Kirstee , Knudson‐Martin Carmen
Published: May 2012

Sociocontextual factors such as gender and power play an important role in the etiology of affairs and in recovery from them, yet it is unclear how current treatment models address these issues. Drawing on feminist epistemology, this study utilized a grounded theory analysis of 29 scholarly articles and books on infidelity treatment published between 2000 and 2010 to identify the circumstances under which gender and power issues were or were not part of treatment. We found five conditions that limit attention to gender and power: (a) speaking (or assuming) as though partners are equal, (b) reframing infidelity as a relationship problem, (c) limiting discussion of societal context to background, (d) not considering how societal gender and power patterns impact relationship dynamics, and (e) limiting discussion of ethics on how to position around infidelity. Analysis explored how each occurred across three phases of couple therapy. The findings provide a useful foundation for a sociocontextual framework for infidelity treatment.
Management of Water Shortage in the Colorado River Basin: Evaluating Current Policy and the Viability of Interstate Water Trading1
Authors: Wildman Richard A. , Forde Noelani A.
Published: May 2012

Wildman, Richard A., Jr. and Noelani A. Forde, 2012. Management of Water Shortage in the Colorado River Basin: Evaluating Current Policy and the Viability of Interstate Water Trading. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(3): 411‐422. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2012.00665.x

Abstract:  The water of the Colorado River of the southwestern United States (U.S.) is presently used beyond its reliable supply, and the flow of this river is forecast to decrease significantly due to climate change. A recent interim report of the Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study is the first acknowledgment of these facts by U.S. federal water managers. In light of this new stance, we evaluate the current policy of adaptation to water shortages in the Colorado River Basin. We find that initial shortages will be borne only by the cities of Arizona and Nevada and farms in Arizona whereas the other Basin states have no incentive to reduce consumptive use. Furthermore, the development of a long‐term plan is deferred until greater water scarcity exists. As a potential response to long‐term water scarcity, we evaluate the viability of an interstate water market in the Colorado River Basin. We inform our analysis with newly available data from the Murray‐Darling Basin of Australia, which has used interstate water trading to create vital flexibility during extreme aridity during recent years. We find that, despite substantial obstacles, an interstate water market is a compelling reform that could be used not only to adapt to increased water scarcity but also to preserve core elements of Colorado River Basin law.
Study on Ticks and Tick‐Borne Zoonoses in Public Parks in Italy
Authors: Corrain R. , Drigo M. , Fenati M. , Menandro M. L. , Mondin A. , Pasotto D. , Martini M.
Published: May 2012

A survey on tick density and on tick‐borne zoonoses was carried out in four public parks in the outskirts of Imola (northern Italy) from June to October 2006. All stages of Ixodes ricinus and only larvae of Riphicephalus sanguineus were recovered by dragging, performed on 100‐m transects. Almost all ticks (99%) were harvested in one park. I. ricinus density (nymphs/100 m2) ranged from 0 in park L to 6.3 in park F. Nymphs and adults of I. ricinus were subjected to PCR for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella spp., Borrelia burgdorferi s. l. and Rickettsia spp. The observed prevalences were 38.3% for Bartonella henselae, 5.2% for Bartonella clarridgeiae, 10.4% for B. burgdorferi s. l., 2.6% for Rickettsia helvetica and 13% for Rickettsia monacensis, respectively. No DNA of A. phagocytophilum was found. Acarological risks (AR) were calculated as probabilities of collecting at least one infected nymph per transect. The AR values calculated for the various zoonotic agents were 11.4% for R. helvetica, 27.7% for B. clarridgeiae, 49.7% for B. burgdorferi s. l., 57.2% for R. monacensis and 90.4% for B. henselae, respectively. In this study, B. clarridgeiae was for the first time identified in I. ricinus ticks.
Relationship between interleukin‐6 and ammonia in patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy due to liver cirrhosis
Authors: Luo Ming , Li Lei , Yang Er‐Na , Cao Wu‐Kui
Published: May 2012

Aim:  Previous studies have shown significantly elevated levels of interleukin (IL)‐6 in cirrhotic patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE), but the relationship between circulating levels of IL‐6 and ammonia is unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between both variables in cirrhotic patients with MHE.

Methods:  Psychometric tests including number connection test part A (NCT‐A) and digit symbol test (DST) were performed to diagnose MHE in 85 cirrhotic patients. Simultaneously, circulating levels of IL‐6 and ammonia were measured.

Results:  Thirty‐two (37.6%) cirrhotic patients were diagnosed with MHE. IL‐6 and ammonia were the independent predictors of the presence of MHE (P < 0.05 for both variables). Circulating levels of IL‐6 and ammonia correlated with the severity of MHE represented by results of NCT‐A (r = 0.56, P < 0.05 and r = 0.39, P < 0.05, respectively) and DST (r = −0.48, P < 0.05 and r = −0.47, P < 0.05, respectively). Moreover, there was a significant correlation between circulating levels of IL‐6 and those of ammonia in patients with MHE (r = 0.61, P < 0.05), and a positive additive interaction was found between IL‐6 and ammonia on the presence of MHE, with a significant synergy index of 1.51 (95% confidence interval = 1.12–3.46).

Conclusion:  The present study demonstrates a significant correlation and a positive additive interaction between IL‐6 and ammonia in cirrhotic patients with MHE, suggesting that IL‐6 may have a potential synergistic relationship with ammonia in the induction of MHE.
Biodiversity soup: metabarcoding of arthropods for rapid biodiversity assessment and biomonitoring
Authors: Yu Douglas W. , Ji Yinqiu , Emerson Brent C. , Wang Xiaoyang , Ye Chengxi , Yang Chunyan , Ding Zhaoli
Published: May 2012

1. Traditional biodiversity assessment is costly in time, money and taxonomic expertise. Moreover, data are frequently collected in ways (e.g. visual bird lists) that are unsuitable for auditing by neutral parties, which is necessary for dispute resolution.

2. We present protocols for the extraction of ecological, taxonomic and phylogenetic information from bulk samples of arthropods. The protocols combine mass trapping of arthropods, mass‐PCR amplification of the COI barcode gene, pyrosequencing and bioinformatic analysis, which together we call ‘metabarcoding’.

3. We construct seven communities of arthropods (mostly insects) and show that it is possible to recover a substantial proportion of the original taxonomic information. We further demonstrate, for the first time, that metabarcoding allows for the precise estimation of pairwise community dissimilarity (beta diversity) and within‐community phylogenetic diversity (alpha diversity), despite the inevitable loss of taxonomic information inherent to metabarcoding.

4. Alpha and beta diversity metrics are the raw materials of ecology and the environmental sciences, facilitating assessment of the state of the environment with a broad and efficient measure of biodiversity.
Teacher feedback during active learning: Current practices in primary schools
Authors: van den Bergh Linda , Ros Anje , Beijaard Douwe
Published: May 2012

Background. Feedback is one of the most powerful tools, which teachers can use to enhance student learning. It appears difficult for teachers to give qualitatively good feedback, especially during active learning. In this context, teachers should provide facilitative feedback that is focused on the development of meta‐cognition and social learning.

Aims. The purpose of the present study is to contribute to the existing knowledge about feedback and to give directions to improve teacher feedback in the context of active learning.

Sample. The participants comprised 32 teachers who practiced active learning in the domain of environmental studies in the sixth, seventh, or eighth grade of 13 Dutch primary schools. A total of 1,465 teacher–student interactions were examined.

Methods. Video observations were made of active learning lessons in the domain of environmental studies. A category system was developed based on the literature and empirical data. Teacher–student interactions were assessed using this system.

Results. About half of the teacher–student interactions contained feedback. This feedback was usually focused on the tasks that were being performed by the students and on the ways in which these tasks were processed. Only 5% of the feedback was explicitly related to a learning goal. In their feedback, the teachers were directing (rather than facilitating) the learning processes.

Conclusions. During active learning, feedback on meta‐cognition and social learning is important. Feedback should be explicitly related to learning goals. In practice, these kinds of feedback appear to be scarce. Therefore, giving feedback during active learning seems to be an important topic for teachers’ professional development.
Rethinking Research Ethics: The Case of Postmarketing Trials
Authors: London Alex John , Kimmelman Jonathan , Carlisle Benjamin
Published: May 2012

Human subjects research ethics needs to directly address threats to the evidence base of the medical information economy.
21st-Century Evolution of Greenland Outlet Glacier Velocities
Authors: Moon T. , Joughin I. , Smith B. , Howat I.
Published: May 2012

Not So Fast

Recent observations of some of Greenland's outlet glaciers have shown large and rapid increases in the speeds at which their ice has streamed to the sea. Simple projections of ice loss and sea level rise, based only on these increases, result in alarmingly high values and correspondingly great public concern. In order to provide a more comprehensive and detailed picture of this type of ice sheet mass loss,

Moon
et al.

(p.
576
; see the cover) compiled a decade-long record of ice stream velocity measurements for nearly all of Greenland's major outlet glaciers. The pattern of flow variability around the ice sheet was both spatially and temporally complex, with clear differences between marine- and land-terminating types, as well as between regions. Furthermore, the integrated velocity of all of the outlet glaciers measured was considerably less than the upper bounds that have been proposed on the basis of a few rapidly accelerating locations, implying that sea level rise over the next century may be less than the 2 meters that have been suggested.
The Place of Words
The Bioregional Imagination
Literature, Ecology, and Place

by Tom Lynch, Cheryll Glotfelty, and Karla Armbruster, Eds.

University of Georgia Press, Athens, GA, 2012. 454 pp. $69.95. ISBN 9780820341712. Paper, $24.95. ISBN 9780820335926.
Authors: Cokinos Christopher
Published: May 2012

These 24 essays offer a diverse sample of place-based ecocriticism and its approaches to writing, reading, teaching, and understanding literature and science.
A Dynamic Twist in the Tail
Authors: Slavin James A.
Published: May 2012

Observations by Venus Express suggest that the magnetic tails of Venus and, by implication, comets may be more dynamic than originally thought.
Superresolution Subspace Signaling
Authors: Lederer W. Jonathan , Hagen Brian M. , Zhao Guiling
Published: May 2012

Highly localized activity of ion channels in vascular endothelial cells controls the contraction of surrounding muscle cells and blood flow.
New Light on Revolutions That Weren't
Authors: Balter Michael
Published: May 2012

At a meeting last month, researchers heard new evidence that human evolution took a gradual, rather than revolutionary, course during two key junctures in prehistory.
Interlaboratory Reproducibility of Etest Amphotericin B and Caspofungin Yeast Susceptibility Testing and Comparison with the CLSI Method
Authors: Ranque S. , Lachaud L. , Gari-Toussaint M. , Michel-Nguyen A. , Mallié M. , Gaudart J. , Bertout S.
Published: May 2012

This study aimed to assess the interlaboratory reproducibility at four university hospital laboratories in the southeast region of France of the Etest technique for the determination of caspofungin (CAS) and amphotericin B (AMB) MICs and to compare it to the CLSI broth microdilution reference method. Consecutive clinical yeast isolates (
n
= 198) were included in the study. AMB and CAS MICs were read at 24 and 48 h. Interlaboratory reproducibility was estimated by using (i) an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), (ii) essential agreement (EA), and (iii) categorical agreement (CA). For Etest interlaboratory reproducibility for CAS, ICCs were 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76 to 0.84) and 0.81 (95% CI, 0.77 to 0.85) at 24 and 48 h, respectively. For AMB, the ICCs were 0.51 (95% CI, 0.43 to 0.58) and 0.69 (95% CI, 0.63 to 0.74) at 24 and 48 h, respectively. At 48 h, the between-center EAs ranged from 94.4 to 99.0% for both antifungals. For the comparison of the CLSI method and the Etest, the between-technique ICCs were 0.69 (95% CI, 0.63 to 0.74) and 0.62 (95% CI, 0.55 to 0.68) for CAS and AMB, respectively. The EAs ranged from 76.5 to 98.5% for CAS and from 90.3 to 97.4% for AMB according to the centers. CAs ranged from 87.9% to 91.4%, with four very major errors for 2 strains (1
Candida albicans
strain and 1
Candida krusei
strain), for CAS and from 97.5 to 99.5%, with four major errors, for AMB. In conclusion, the Etest showed a good interlaboratory reproducibility and a good correlation with the CLSI technique. It is well suited for the routine clinical laboratory and can thus be used to monitor clinical yeast isolates'
in vitro
susceptibilities in this setting.