bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Treatment of Skin Injury due to Vinorelbine Extravasation Using bFGF and rhGM-CSF: An Experimental Study in a Murine Model
Authors: Chunhua Yu  , Jin Wang  , Yan Fu  , Yongqiu Mao  , Yongshun Chen  , Yongdong Jiang  , Xuejuan Liao  , Juhong Guo  , Qiong Xu  , Junying Li
Published: August 2010

Background and objective: A murine model of skin injury from vinorelbine extravasation was established to evaluate the treatment efficacy of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF). Materials and method: Experimental models were divided into bFGF, rhGM-CSF, and control (saline) groups, with 40 mice in each group. Edema and ulceration were measured on Days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, and 18 after the onset of extravasation; injuries were examined pathomorphologically in three mice/group/time point. Results: Edema reached maximum size on Day 3 in the bFGF and rhGM-CSF groups and Day 5 in the control group. The difference between the two experimental groups was not significant; differences between the control group and the experimental groups were statistically significant at all time points. Edema and ulceration began to improve on Day 10 in the bFGF and rhGM-CSF groups and Day 18 in the control group. Healing duration was 14—18 days in the experimental groups, with a (not significantly) shorter duration in the bFGF group. Healing was completed by Day 27.5 in the control group. Pathomorphological evaluation showed regular reepithelization and newly formed granulation tissue in the bFGF and rhGM-CSF groups on Day 13. In the control group, wounds were partially healed, edema and shallow ulcers existed, and epithelization was fragile and disorganized on Day 18. Conclusions: bFGF and rhGM-CSF are useful for the treatment of skin injury due to vinorelbine extravasation, but bFGF may be slightly more effective in decreasing time and improving quality of healing.
Ethnicity as a Factor in Reproductive Health Care Utilization Among Males Attending Family Planning Clinics
Authors: Weinman Maxine L. , Buzi Ruth S. , Smith Peggy B.
Published: August 2010

Health care utilization of reproductive health care services among males is an emerging issue. This study examined ethnicity as a factor in reproductive health care utilization among 1,606 African American and Hispanic young males attending family planning clinics. Seventy percent were African American and 30% were Hispanic. Across groups, the most received service was treatment for a sexually transmitted infection (STI). African American males were more likely than Hispanic males to have health insurance, report a prior visit to a family planning/STI clinic, and have a history of an STI. Hispanic males had higher rates of employment. The most common source of referral for family planning services for both groups was either a current girlfriend or female friend. Hispanic males were more likely to use family as a referral source than African American males. Differences were also noted in regard to interest in health topics with African American males most interested in STI prevention and getting a job and Hispanic males in services related to working-out/eating well, controlling anger, feeling depressed, and getting along with family. Young males’ perceptions of what they consider to be important health care needs should be assessed carefully in order to maintain their interest in returning to the clinics.
Internet Advertisements for Public Sexual Encounters Among Men Who Have Sex With Men
Authors: Downing Martin J.
Published: August 2010

Public and commercial sex venues typically provide easy access to sexual encounters that are often anonymous and, therefore, may facilitate HIV/STD transmission among those men who attend. Recently, researchers have suggested that men who have sex with men may be using the Internet to search for sexual encounters to occur within sex venues. The current study explored the extent to which men who advertise for public or commercial sexual encounters initially communicate to potential partners their safe-sex intentions. Advertisements for sexual encounters ( n = 99) were collected from a publicly accessible website and examined for content related to venue type, sexual behavior, and indications of sexual safety or risk. Word frequencies were calculated to provide a closer investigation of how individuals negotiate safe sex within these communications. The findings revealed that approximately half of the men who advertised for sex in a public or commercial sex venue failed to communicate to potential partners in their initial advertisement a desire to be safe during sexual encounters involving oral and anal practices. Additionally, a small percentage of men advertised specifically for risky encounters (e.g., barebacking). Together, these findings suggest that men do use the Internet to coordinate public sexual encounters, some of which may be unprotected from HIV/STD transmission. Future research should address the process of condom negotiation among men who initially meet their male sex partners on the Internet for subsequent encounters in sex venues.
Men, Food, and Prostate Cancer: Gender Influences on Men’s Diets
Authors: Mróz Lawrence W. , Chapman Gwen E. , Oliffe John L. , Bottorff Joan L.
Published: August 2010

Although healthy eating might enhance long-term survival, few men with prostate cancer make diet changes to advance their well-being. Men’s typically poor diets and uninterest in self-health may impede nutrition interventions and diet change. Food choice behavior is complex involving many determinants, including gender, which can shape men’s health practices, diets, and prostate cancer experiences. Developing men-centered prostate cancer nutrition interventions to engage men (and where appropriate their partners) in promoting healthy diets can afford health benefits. This article presents an overview and synthesis of current knowledge about men’s food practices and provides an analysis of diet and diet change behaviors for men with prostate cancer. Masculinity and gender relations theory are discussed in the context of men’s food practices, and suggestions for future applications to nutrition and prostate cancer research and diet interventions are made.
The ambivalent consequences of visibility: Crime and prisons in the mass media
Authors: Cheliotis Leonidas K.
Published: August 2010

This article aims to demonstrate that, despite their potential for cultivating communitarianism and deliberative democracy on a large scale, the mass media contribute decisively to the formation of punitiveness amongst the public by means of selective semiotic aestheticisation. They overstate the problem of crime; put the blame on marginalised cohorts and level heavy criticism against the administration of prisons purportedly for laxity; issue urgent calls for ever-greater reliance on the use of strict imprisonment by the authorities and the adoption of self-policing measures by local communities and private individuals; and either mute or neutralise the attendant hardships prisoners suffer at the hands of the state. Breaking with discourses of rational linearity, whereby distorted perceptions of criminal danger result in punitive reactions, the claim is made that the imagery of crime and punishment helps audiences resolve at the level of symbolic expression contradictions which remain unconsciously insoluble at the level of everyday life.
Cytokine-induced immune complex binding to the high-affinity IgG receptor, FcγRI, in the presence of monomeric IgG
Authors: van der Poel Cees E. , Karssemeijer Roos A. , Boross Peter , van der Linden Joke A. , Blokland Miranda , van de Winkel Jan G. J. , Leusen Jeanette H. W.
Published: August 2010

FcγRI is the sole high-affinity immunoglobulin G (IgG) receptor on leukocytes. Its role in immunity and the clearance of opsonized particles has been challenged, as the receptor function may well be hindered by serum IgG. Here, we document immune complex binding by FcγRI to be readily enhanced by cytokine stimulation, whereas binding of monomeric IgG only modestly increased. Enhanced immune complex binding was independent of FcγRI surface expression levels. FcγRI, saturated with prebound IgG, was found capable of effective immune complex binding upon cytokine stimulation. Cytokine-enhanced binding was observed across a variety of immune complexes, including huIgG3- or mIgG2a-opsonized red blood cells, rituximab- or ofatumumab-opsonized B-cell lymphoma, and cetuximab-opsonized glioblastoma cells. This study contributes to our understanding of how FcγRI can participate in the clearance of opsonized particles despite saturation by monomeric IgG.
Adenosine A2A receptors induced on iNKT and NK cells reduce pulmonary inflammation and injury in mice with sickle cell disease
Authors: Wallace Kori L. , Linden Joel
Published: August 2010

We showed previously that pulmonary function and arterial oxygen saturation in NY1DD mice with sickle cell disease (SCD) are improved by depletion of invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells or blockade of their activation. Here we demonstrate that SCD causes a 9- and 6-fold induction of adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) mRNA in mouse pulmonary iNKT and natural killer (NK) cells, respectively. Treating SCD mice with the A2AR agonist ATL146e produced a dose-dependent reversal of pulmonary dysfunction with maximal efficacy at 10 ng/kg/minute that peaked within 3 days and persisted throughout 7 days of continuous infusion. Crossing NY1DD mice with Rag1−/− mice reduced pulmonary injury that was restored by adoptive transfer of 106 purified iNKT cells. Reconstituted injury was reversed by ATL146e unless the adoptively transferred iNKT cells were pretreated with the A2AR alkylating antagonist, FSPTP (5-amino-7-[2-(4-fluorosulfonyl)phenylethyl]-2-(2-furyl)-pryazolo[4,3-ϵ]-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine), which completely prevented pro-tection. In NY1DD mice exposed to hypoxia-reoxygenation, treatment with ATL146e at the start of reoxygenation prevented further lung injury. Together, these data indicate that activation of induced A2ARs on iNKT and NK cells in SCD mice is sufficient to improve baseline pulmonary function and prevent hypoxia-reoxygenation–induced exacerbation of pulmonary injury. A2A agonists have promise for treating diseases associated with iNKT or NK cell activation.
Mapping Haplotype-haplotype Interactions with Adaptive LASSO
Authors: Li Ming , Romero Roberto , Fu Wenjiang J , Cui Yuehua
Published: August 2010

Background

The genetic etiology of complex diseases in human has been commonly viewed as a complex process involving both genetic and environmental factors functioning in a complicated manner. Quite often the interactions among genetic variants play major roles in determining the susceptibility of an individual to a particular disease. Statistical methods for modeling interactions underlying complex diseases between single genetic variants (e.g. single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs) have been extensively studied. Recently, haplotype-based analysis has gained its popularity among genetic association studies. When multiple sequence or haplotype interactions are involved in determining an individual's susceptibility to a disease, it presents daunting challenges in statistical modeling and testing of the interaction effects, largely due to the complicated higher order epistatic complexity.

Results

In this article, we propose a new strategy in modeling haplotype-haplotype interactions under the penalized logistic regression framework with adaptiveL1-penalty. We consider interactions of sequence variants between haplotype blocks. The adaptiveL1-penalty allows simultaneous effect estimation and variable selection in a single model. We propose a new parameter estimation method which estimates and selects parameters by the modified Gauss-Seidel method nested within the EM algorithm. Simulation studies show that it has low false positive rate and reasonable power in detecting haplotype interactions. The method is applied to test haplotype interactions involved in mother and offspring genome in a small for gestational age (SGA) neonates data set, and significant interactions between different genomes are detected.

Conclusions

As demonstrated by the simulation studies and real data analysis, the approach developed provides an efficient tool for the modeling and testing of haplotype interactions. The implementation of the method in R codes can be freely downloaded fromhttp://www.stt.msu.edu/~cui/software.html.
The Escherichia coli K-12 ORFeome: a resource for comparative molecular microbiology
Authors: Rajagopala Seesandra V , Yamamoto Natsuko , Zweifel Adrienne E , Nakamichi Tomoko , Huang Hsi-Kuang , Mendez-Rios Jorge David , Franca-Koh Jonathan , Boorgula Meher Preethi , Fujita Kazutoshi , Suzuki Ken-ichirou , Hu James C , Wanner Barry L , Mori Hirotada , Uetz Peter
Published: August 2010

Background

Systems biology and functional genomics require genome-wide datasets and resources. Complete sets of cloned open reading frames (ORFs) have been made for about a dozen bacterial species and allow researchers to express and study complete proteomes in a high-throughput fashion.

Results

We have constructed an open reading frame (ORFeome) collection of 3974 or 94% of the known Escherichia coli K-12 ORFs in Gateway® entry vector pENTR/Zeo. The collection has been used for protein expression and protein interaction studies. For example, we have compared interactions among YgjD, YjeE and YeaZ proteins in E. coli, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus. We also compare this ORFeome with other Gateway-compatible bacterial ORFeomes and show its utility for comparative functional genomics.

Conclusions

The E. coli ORFeome provides a useful resource for functional genomics and other areas of protein research in a highly flexible format. Our comparison with other ORFeomes makes comparative analyses straighforward and facilitates direct comparisons of many proteins across many genomes.
Does the use of the 2009 FIGO classification of endometrial cancer impact on indications of the sentinel node biopsy?
Authors: Ballester Marcos , Koskas Martin , Coutant Charles , Chéreau Elisabeth , Seror Jeremy , Rouzier Roman , Daraï Emile
Published: August 2010

Background

Lymphadenectomy is debated in early stages endometrial cancer. Moreover, a new FIGO classification of endometrial cancer, merging stages IA and IB has been recently published. Therefore, the aims of the present study was to evaluate the relevance of the sentinel node (SN) procedure in women with endometrial cancer and to discuss whether the use of the 2009 FIGO classification could modify the indications for SN procedure.

Methods

Eighty-five patients with endometrial cancer underwent the SN procedure followed by pelvic lymphadenectomy. SNs were detected with a dual or single labelling method in 74 and 11 cases, respectively. All SNs were analysed by both H&E staining and immunohistochemistry. Presumed stage before surgery was assessed for all patients based on MR imaging features using the 1988 FIGO classification and the 2009 FIGO classification.

Results

An SN was detected in 88.2% of cases (75/85 women). Among the fourteen patients with lymph node metastases one-half were detected by serial sectioning and immunohistochemical analysis. There were no false negative case. Using the 1988 FIGO classification and the 2009 FIGO classification, the correlation between preoperative MRI staging and final histology was moderate with Kappa = 0.24 and Kappa = 0.45, respectively. None of the patients with grade 1 endometrioid carcinoma on biopsy and IA 2009 FIGO stage on MR imaging exhibited positive SN. In patients with grade 2-3 endometrioid carcinoma and stage IA on MR imaging, the rate of positive SN reached 16.6% with an incidence of micrometastases of 50%.

Conclusions

The present study suggests that sentinel node biopsy is an adequate technique to evaluate lymph node status. The use of the 2009 FIGO classification increases the accuracy of MR imaging to stage patients with early stages of endometrial cancer and contributes to clarify the indication of SN biopsy according to tumour grade and histological type.
Increasing community capacity to prevent childhood obesity: challenges, lessons learned and results from the Romp & Chomp intervention
Authors: de Groot Florentine P , Robertson Narelle M , Swinburn Boyd A , de Silva-Sanigorski Andrea M
Published: August 2010

Background

Obesity is a major public health issue; however, only limited evidence is available about effective ways to prevent obesity, particularly in early childhood. Romp & Chomp was a community-wide obesity prevention intervention conducted in Geelong Australia with a target group of 12,000 children aged 0-5 years. The intervention had an environmental and capacity building focus and we have recently demonstrated that the prevalence of overweight/obesity was lower in intervention children, post-intervention. Capacity building is defined as the development of knowledge, skills, commitment, structures, systems and leadership to enable effective health promotion and the aim of this study was to determine if the capacity of the Geelong community, represented by key stakeholder organisations, to support healthy eating and physical activity for young children was increased after Romp & Chomp.

Methods

A mixed methods evaluation with three data sources was utilised. 1) Document analysis comprised assessment of the documented formative and intervention activities against a capacity building framework (five domains: Partnerships, Leadership, Resource Allocation, Workforce Development, and Organisational Development); 2) Thematic analysis of key informant interviews (n = 16); and 3) the quantitative Community Capacity Index Survey.

Results

Document analysis showed that the majority of the capacity building activities addressed the Partnerships, Resource Allocation and Organisational Development domains of capacity building, with a lack of activity in the Leadership and Workforce Development domains. The thematic analysis revealed the establishment of sustainable partnerships, use of specialist advice, and integration of activities into ongoing formal training for early childhood workers. Complex issues also emerged from the key informant interviews regarding the challenges of limited funding, high staff turnover, changing governance structures, lack of high level leadership and unclear communication strategies. The Community Capacity Index provided further evidence that the project implementation network achieved a moderate level of capacity.

Conclusions

Romp & Chomp increased the capacity of organisations, settings and services in the Geelong community to support healthy eating and physical activity for young children. Despite this success there are important learnings from this mixed methods evaluation that should inform current and future community-based public health and health promotion initiatives.

Trial Registration Number

ANZCTRN12607000374460
Services used by perinatal substance-users with child welfare involvement: a descriptive study
Authors: McCann Kenneth J , Twomey Jean E , Caldwell Donna , Soave Rosemary , Fontaine Lynne Andreozzi , Lester Barry M
Published: August 2010

Background

Substance use during pregnancy often leads to involvement in the child welfare system, resulting in multiple social service systems and service providers working with families to achieve successful child welfare outcomes. The Vulnerable Infants Program of Rhode Island (VIP-RI) is a care coordination program developed to work with perinatal substance-users to optimize opportunities for reunification and promote permanency for substance-exposed infants. This paper describes services used by VIP-RI participants and child welfare outcomes.

Methods

Data collected during the first four years of VIP-RI were used to identify characteristics of program participants, services received, and child welfare outcomes: closed child welfare cases, reunification with biological mothers and identified infant permanent placements.

Descriptive Results

Medical and financial services were associated with positive child welfare outcomes. Medical services included family planning, pre- and post-natal care and HIV test counseling. Financial services included assistance with obtaining entitlement benefits and receiving tangible support such as food and clothing.

Conclusions

Findings from this study suggest services that address basic family needs were related to positive child welfare outcomes. The provision of basic services, such as health care and financial assistance through entitlement benefits and tangible donations, may help to establish a foundation so mothers can concentrate on recovery and parenting skills. Identification of services for perinatal substance users that are associated with more successful child welfare outcomes has implications for the child welfare system, treatment providers, courts and families.
Fetal cardiotocography before and after water aerobics during pregnancy
Authors: Silveira Carla , Pereira Belmiro G , Cecatti Jose G , Cavalcante Sergio R , Pereira Rosa I
Published: August 2010

Objective

To evaluate the effect of moderate aerobic physical activity in water on fetal cardiotocography patterns in sedentary pregnant women.

Method

In a non-randomized controlled trial, 133 previously sedentary pregnant women participated in multiple regular sessions of water aerobics in a heated swimming pool. Cardiotocography was performed for 20 minutes before and just after the oriented exercise. Cardiotocography patterns were analyzed pre- and post-exercise according to gestational age groups (24-27, 28-31, 32-35 and 36-40 weeks). Student's t and Wilcoxon, and McNemar tests were used, respectively, to analyze numerical and categorical variables.

Results

No significant variations were found between pre- and post-exercise values of fetal heart rate (FHR), number of fetal body movements (FM) or accelerations (A), FM/A ratio or the presence of decelerations. Variability in FHR was significantly higher following exercise only in pregnancies of 24-27 weeks.

Conclusions

Moderate physical activity in water was not associated with any significant alterations in fetal cardiotocography patterns, which suggests no adverse effect on the fetus.
Population attributable fraction: comparison of two mathematical procedures to estimate the annual attributable number of deaths
Authors: Choi Bernard CK
Published: August 2010

Objective

The purpose of this paper was to compare two mathematical procedures to estimate the annual attributable number of deaths (the Allison et al procedure and the Mokdad et al procedure), and derive a new procedure that combines the best aspects of both procedures. The new procedure calculates attributable number of deaths along a continuum (i.e. for each unit of exposure), and allows for one or more neutral (neither exposed nor nonexposed) exposure categories.

Methods

Mathematical derivations and real datasets were used to demonstrate the theoretical relationship and practical differences between the two procedures. Results of the comparison were used to develop a new procedure that combines the best features of both.

Findings

The Allison procedure is complex because it directly estimates the number of attributable deaths. This necessitates calculation of probabilities of death. The Mokdad procedure is simpler because it estimates the number of attributable deaths indirectly through population attributable fractions. The probabilities of death cancel out in the numerator and denominator of the fractions. However, the Mokdad procedure is not applicable when a neutral exposure category exists.

Conclusion

By combining the innovation of the Allison procedure (allowing for a neutral category) and the simplicity of the Mokdad procedure (using population attributable fractions), this paper proposes a new procedure to calculate attributable numbers of death.
Developmental dyslexia: clinical aspects
Authors: Thambirajah M. S.
Published: August 2010

Developmental dyslexia (reading disability) is a specific impairment in learning to read that affects 3–6% of school children in English-speaking countries. It is overrepresented in clinical populations referred to child and adolescent mental health services because of its high comorbidity with conduct disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and other developmental disorders. Clinicians may fail to identify it unless they maintain a high degree of awareness and make specific inquiries. A three-stage approach (routine screening, in-depth examination and referral for further testing) is described. The features of dyslexia and the clues to its diagnosis are discussed. A number of simple tests for identifying it are available and familiarity with these should improve diagnostic accuracy. In addition to treating psychiatric comorbidity, the clinician can help the child by working with educational professionals to ensure that educational needs are met. Evidence-based early interventions are available. Later reading interventions improve reading but rarely bring about normalisation.
Performance concerns in psychiatrists referred to the National Clinical Assessment Service
Authors: O'Leary Denis , McAvoy Pauline , Wilson John
Published: August 2010

Aims and method

Relative to workforce numbers, the National Clinical Assessment Service (NCAS) has reported high rates of referrals for performance concerns in psychiatrists. Our aim was to see how these concerns would be distributed across good medical practice (GMP) domains. Such specification would help identify appropriate training and development interventions. Concerns were obtained from consecutive case reports (anonymised) of psychiatrists referred to NCAS between October 2004 and April 2006.

Results

The proportion of psychiatrists with concerns in any domain was highest (just over 50%) in the domains of good clinical care and working with colleagues. Two-thirds had concerns across multiple domains.

Clinical implications

Training and development needs of psychiatrists referred to NCAS are more complex and more prevalent in the GMP domain of good clinical care than previously reported.
Criticality of the exponential rate of decay for the largest nearest-neighbor link in random geometric graphs
Authors: Gupta Bhupender , Iyer Srikanth K.
Published: August 2010

Let n points be placed independently in d-dimensional space according to the density f(x) = Ade−λ||x||α, λ, α > 0, x ∈ ℝd, d ≥ 2. Let dn be the longest edge length of the nearest-neighbor graph on these points. We show that (λ−1 log n)1−1/α dn - bn converges weakly to the Gumbel distribution, where bn ∼ ((d − 1)/λα) log log n. We also prove the following strong law for the normalized nearest-neighbor distance d̃n = (λ−1 log n)1−1/α dn/ log log n: (d − 1)/αλ ≤ lim infn→∞d̃n ≤ lim supn→∞d̃n ≤ d/αλ almost surely. Thus, the exponential rate of decay α = 1 is critical, in the sense that, for α > 1, dn → 0, whereas, for α ≤ 1, dn → ∞ almost surely as n → ∞.
An optimal portfolio problem in a defaultable market
Authors: Bo Lijun , Wang Yongjin , Yang Xuewei
Published: August 2010

We consider a portfolio optimization problem in a defaultable market. The investor can dynamically choose a consumption rate and allocate his/her wealth among three financial securities: a defaultable perpetual bond, a default-free risky asset, and a money market account. Both the default risk premium and the default intensity of the defaultable bond are assumed to rely on some stochastic factor which is described by a diffusion process. The goal is to maximize the infinite-horizon expected discounted log utility of consumption. We apply the dynamic programming principle to deduce a Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation. Then an optimal Markov control policy and the optimal value function is explicitly presented in a verification theorem. Finally, a numerical analysis is presented for illustration.
Fluid limit theorems for stochastic hybrid systems with application to neuron models
Authors: Pakdaman K. , Thieullen M. , Wainrib G.
Published: August 2010

In this paper we establish limit theorems for a class of stochastic hybrid systems (continuous deterministic dynamics coupled with jump Markov processes) in the fluid limit (small jumps at high frequency), thus extending known results for jump Markov processes. We prove a functional law of large numbers with exponential convergence speed, derive a diffusion approximation, and establish a functional central limit theorem. We apply these results to neuron models with stochastic ion channels, as the number of channels goes to infinity, estimating the convergence to the deterministic model. In terms of neural coding, we apply our central limit theorems to numerically estimate the impact of channel noise both on frequency and spike timing coding.
On optimal allocation of a continuous resource using an iterative approach and total positivity
Authors: Bartroff Jay , Goldstein Larry , Rinott Yosef , Samuel-Cahn Ester
Published: August 2010

We study a class of optimal allocation problems, including the well-known bomber problem, with the following common probabilistic structure. An aircraft equipped with an amount x of ammunition is intercepted by enemy airplanes arriving according to a homogeneous Poisson process over a fixed time duration t. Upon encountering an enemy, the aircraft has the choice of spending any amount 0 ≤ y ≤ x of its ammunition, resulting in the aircraft's survival with probability equal to some known increasing function of y. Two different goals have been considered in the literature concerning the optimal amount K(x, t) of ammunition spent: (i) maximizing the probability of surviving for time t, which is the so-called bomber problem; and (ii) maximizing the number of enemy airplanes shot down during time t, which we call the fighter problem. Several authors have attempted to settle the following conjectures about the monotonicity of K(x, t): (A) K(x, t) is decreasing in t; (B) K(x, t) is increasing in x; and (C) the amount x - K(x, t) held back is increasing in x. Conjectures (A) and (C) have been shown for the bomber problem with discrete ammunition, while (B) is still an open question. In this paper we consider both time and ammunition to be continuous, and, for the bomber problem, we prove (A) and (C), while, for the fighter problem, we prove (A) and (C) for one special case and (B) and (C) for another. These proofs involve showing that the optimal survival probability and optimal number shot down are totally positive of order 2 (TP2) in the bomber and fighter problems, respectively. The TP2 property is shown by constructing convergent sequences of approximating functions through an iterative operation which preserves TP2 and other properties.
Sympathetic, parasympathetic and enteric regulation of the gastrointestinal vasculature in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) under normal and postprandial conditions
Authors: Seth Henrik , Axelsson Michael
Published: August 2010

The control of the gastrointestinal hyperemia that occurs after feeding in most animals is of fundamental importance for the subsequent absorption, metabolism and redistribution of nutrients. Yet, in fish, it has received little attention and the nature of it is far from clear. We sought to investigate the importance of extrinsic and intrinsic innervation of the gastrointestinal tract in the regulation of gastrointestinal blood flow in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The contribution of the extrinsic innervation, i.e. by the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system, was examined by comparing the response to the injection of a predigested nutrient diet into the proximal intestine of untreated fish with the response in fish in which the splanchnic and vagal innervation of the gut had been removed. We also injected the predigested nutrient diet into anaesthetized fish treated with tetrodotoxin that would block the intrinsic innervation of the gut (i.e. enteric nervous system). Our results confirm the notion that the sympathetic portion of the extrinsic innervation maintains the basal vascular tone, but neither the splanchnic nor the vagal innervation is fundamental to the postprandial hyperemia. However, the tetrodotoxin treatment completely abolished the postprandial hyperemia, indicating the importance of the enteric nervous system. In conclusion, it seems as though the enteric nervous system is essential to the regulation of the postprandial hyperemia, and that the extrinsic innervation is involved mainly in the regulation of gastrointestinal blood flow under normal conditions and in response to central coordination with other organs.
Call properties and morphology of the sound-producing organ in Ophidion rochei (Ophidiidae)
Authors: Parmentier Eric , Bouillac Grégory , Dragičević Branko , Dulčić Jakov , Fine Michael
Published: August 2010

The anatomical structures of the sound-producing organ in Ophidion rochei males present an important panel of highly derived characters: three pairs of putatively slow sonic muscles; a neural arch that pivots; a rocker bone at the front pole of the swimbladder; a stretchable swimbladder fenestra; a swimbladder plate; and an internal cone that terminates in a pair of membranes in the caudal swimbladder. Male courtship calls are produced nocturnally and consist of trains of 10 to 40 pulses that increase in amplitude and decrease in rate before exhibiting alternating periods of ca. 84 and 111 ms. Each pulse includes an unusual waveform with two parts. Pulse part 1 is a single cycle followed by a longer duration pulse part that exhibits gradual damping. Sounds and morphology suggest two hypotheses on the sound-producing mechanism. The ‘pulley’ hypothesis would require an alternate contraction of the ventral and dorsal muscles to form the two parts of each pulse. The ‘bow’ hypothesis involves a release mechanism with the sustained contraction of the dorsal muscle during all of the call, and the rapid contraction/relaxation of the ventral muscle to form each pulse.
Intrapersonal and Populational Heterogeneity of the Chemokine RANTES
Authors: Oran Paul E , Sherma Nisha D , Borges Chad R , Jarvis Jason W , Nelson Randall W
Published: August 2010

BACKGROUND

Current immunoassays for the chemokine RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted) are not tailored for specific isoforms that exist endogenously, despite the fact that variants with modified activity are known to exist. This is surprising in view of this protein’s ubiquitous increased presence in many diseases and that the 2 established isoforms are truncated by enzymes also correlated to disease. An in-depth population survey of RANTES heterogeneity in the context of multiple diseases via a mass spectrometric immunoassay (MSIA) may resolve this issue.

METHODS

We developed an MSIA for RANTES and endogenous variants apparent in human plasma. Samples from multiple cohorts of individuals (type 2 diabetes, congestive heart failure, history of myocardial infarction, and cancer patients) were run in parallel with samples from healthy individuals (239 people total). We used 230 μL of plasma per individual and tabulated relative percent abundance (RPA) values for identified isoforms.

RESULTS

We detected at least 19 variants, including the dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV)–truncated variant. The majority of variants were unreported in the literature. Identifiable modifications included N- and/or C-terminal truncations, oxidation, glycation, and glycosylation. We observed statistically significant differences in RPA values for multiple variants between disease cohorts and recognized prospective disease-specific protein profiles for RANTES.

CONCLUSIONS

Because of widespread interest in the clinical value of RANTES, the protein diversity established here may aid in the design of future, fully quantitative assays. Equally important, an inclusive qualitative understanding of RANTES heterogeneity may present new insights into the relationship between RANTES and disease.
Film Reviews
Authors: Henderson Krista , Buhle Paul
Published: August 2010

Alice in Wonderland
(2010) Director Tim Burton Production Company Walt Disney Pictures Screenplay Linda Woolverton Producer Jennifer Todd Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski Production Designer Chris Lebenzon Starring Johnny
Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway Runtime 109 Minutes

Date Night
(2010) Director Shawn Levy Production Company Twentieth Century Fox Screenplay Josh Klausner Producer Tom McNulty Cinematographer Dean Semler
Production Designer David Gropman Starring Tina Fey, Steve Carrel, Mark Wahlberg, Taraji P. Henson Runtime 88 Minutes

Iron Man 2
(2010) Director Jon Favreau Screenplay Justin Theroux Producer Matthew Libatique Cinematographer
John Debney Editor Richard Pearson Production Designer Dan Lebental Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke Runtime 124 minutes

Robin Hood
(2010) Director Ridley Scott Screenplay Brian Helgeland Producer Brian
Grazer Cinematographer Marc Strentenfeld Production Design Pietro Scalia Starring Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Mark Strong

Behind the Burly Q
(2010) USA Associate Producer Donnalee Austen Film Editing Evan Finn Camera Sheri Hellard
Executive Music Supervisor Joel Sill Executive Producer Robert Zemeckis Produced by Sheri Hellard, Jackie Levine Written, Produced and Directed by Leslie Zemeckis Voice-Over Jacquie Barnbrook, Ron Bottita, Cate Cohen, Matthew Henerson, Amber Gainey Meade
Music Clearance by Lisa Bauman Wasiak Music Coordinator Marylou Eales Production Company First Run Features Runtime 98 minutes
A circular wall? Reformulating the fourth wall for videogames
Authors: Conway Steven
Published: August 2010

Within videogame culture there are many references to famous breaks of the fourth wall: Psycho Mantis' reading of the memory card in Metal Gear Solid, X-Men's use of the Sega Megadrive's reset button, Startropics' use of the letter packaged with the game, and so on. This
article concerns a new conception of the fourth wall in game-relevant terms, being conceived as expansions and contractions of the magic circle. Expansions of the magic circle occur when the synthetic world of the game expands beyond the screen, encompassing the technological apparatus of
the console/PC or the paratexts packaged with the game. Contractions occur when the magic circle shrinks behind the display, e.g. Sonic tapping his knuckles upon the screen or the game crashing. In unpacking and re-conceiving the notion of the fourth wall in gaming terms, this article hopes
to provide a valuable analytical perspective concerning the use of these expansions and contractions by developers and players, and their impact on wider media culture.
Effective Distributor Governance in Emerging Markets: The Salience of Distributor Role, Relationship Stages, and Market Uncertainty
Authors: Dong Maggie Chuoyan , Tse David K. , Hung Kineta
Published: August 2010

Effective governance of distributors represents a critical success factor for firms operating in emerging markets such as China. To increase understanding of this issue, the authors adopt a role theory framework to delineate the effect of fit between governance strategies and distributor role orientations on channel outcomes. They also examine the way two contingency factors (relationship stages and market uncertainty) may moderate the impact of this fit. Using a four-industry survey of distributors in China, the authors confirm the salience of strategic fit between the manufacturer's governance strategy and the distributor's role orientation (in short, governance fit), in support of propositions postulated in recent channel governance research. The findings also indicate that the effects of this governance fit are dependent on the stages of the channel relationship (buildup versus mature) but not market uncertainty. This study extends the current literature and suggests the need for finer, phase-oriented dynamic governance strategies in the Chinese market.
Genetic Differentiation, Clinal Variation and Phenotypic Associations With Growth Cessation Across the Populus tremula Photoperiodic Pathway
Authors: Ma Xiao-Fei , Hall David , Onge Katherine R St , Jansson Stefan , Ingvarsson Pär K
Published: August 2010

Perennial plants monitor seasonal changes through changes in environmental conditions such as the quantity and quality of light. To ensure a correct initiation of critical developmental processes, such as the initiation and cessation of growth, plants have adapted to a spatially variable light regime and genes in the photoperiodic pathway have been implicated as likely sources for these adaptations. Here we examine genetic variation in genes from the photoperiodic pathway in Populus tremula (Salicaceae) for signatures diversifying selection in response to varying light regimes across a latitudinal gradient. We fail to identify any loci with unusually high levels of genetic differentiation among populations despite identifying four SNPs that show significant allele frequency clines with latitude. We do, however, observe large covariance in allelic effects across populations for growth cessation, a highly adaptive trait in P. tremula. High covariance in allelic effects is a signature compatible with diversifying selection along an environmental gradient. We also observe significantly higher heterogeneity in genetic differentiation among SNPs from the photoperiod genes than among SNPs from randomly chosen genes. This suggests that spatially variable selection could be affecting genes from the photoperiod pathway even if selection is not strong enough to cause individual loci to be identified as outliers. SNPs from three genes in the photoperiod pathway (PHYB2, LHY1, and LHY2) show significant associations with natural variation in growth cessation. Collectively these SNPs explain 10–15% of the phenotypic variation in growth cessation. Covariances in allelic effects across populations help explain an additional 5–7% of the phenotypic variation in growth cessation.
Avoidance of Long Mononucleotide Repeats in Codon Pair Usage
Authors: Gu Tingting , Tan Shengjun , Gou Xiaoxi , Araki Hitoshi , Tian Dacheng
Published: August 2010

Protein is an essential component for life, and its synthesis is mediated by codons in any organisms on earth. While some codons encode the same amino acid, their usage is often highly biased. There are many factors that can cause the bias, but a potential effect of mononucleotide repeats, which are known to be highly mutable, on codon usage and codon pair preference is largely unknown. In this study we performed a genomic survey on the relationship between mononucleotide repeats and codon pair bias in 53 bacteria, 68 archaea, and 13 eukaryotes. By distinguishing the codon pair bias from the codon usage bias, four general patterns were revealed: strong avoidance of five or six mononucleotide repeats in codon pairs; lower observed/expected (o/e) ratio for codon pairs with C or G repeats (C/G pairs) than that with A or T repeats (A/T pairs); a negative correlation between genomic GC contents and the o/e ratios, particularly for C/G pairs; and avoidance of C/G pairs in highly conserved genes. These results support natural selection against long mononucleotide repeats, which could induce frameshift mutations in coding sequences. The fact that these patterns are found in all kingdoms of life suggests that this is a general phenomenon in living organisms. Thus, long mononucleotide repeats may play an important role in base composition and genetic stability of a gene and gene functions.
Effects of Technical Department’s Advice, Quality Assessment Standards, and Client Justifications on Auditors’ Propensity to Accept Client-Preferred Accounting Methods
Authors: Ng Terence Bu-Peow , Shankar Premila Gowri
Published: August 2010

ABSTRACT: We conduct an experiment to investigate whether the effects of an SAS No. 90-like quality assessment standard (QAS) on auditors’ decision to accept a client-preferred accounting method is jointly moderated by the nature of advice from an audit firm’s technical department and the strength of the client’s justification. Results indicate that, in the absence of advice, the presence of QAS does not affect auditors’ decision, regardless of client justification strength. However, in the presence of advice from the technical department, the presence of QAS significantly reduces auditors’ propensity to accept the client-preferred method, but only when the advice explicitly recommends the use of the most appropriate method and the client’s justification is strong. These findings demonstrate the complementary roles that professional standards and audit firms’ technical departments play in enhancing the quality of auditors’ decisions, and indicate that the nature of advice matters.
Glycemia Determines the Effect of Type 2 Diabetes Risk Genes on Insulin Secretion
Authors: Heni Martin , Ketterer Caroline , Thamer Claus , Herzberg-Schäfer Silke A. , Guthoff Martina , Stefan Norbert , Machicao Fausto , Staiger Harald , Fritsche Andreas , Häring Hans-Ulrich
Published: August 2010

OBJECTIVE

Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in diabetes risk genes reduce glucose- and/or incretin-induced insulin secretion. Here, we investigated interactions between glycemia and such diabetes risk polymorphisms.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Insulin secretion was assessed by insulinogenic index and areas under the curve of C-peptide/glucose in 1,576 subjects using an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Participants were genotyped for 10 diabetes risk SNPs associated with β-cell dysfunction: rs5215 (KCNJ11), rs13266634 (SLC30A8), rs7754840 (CDKAL1), rs10811661 (CDKN2A/2B), rs10830963 (MTNR1B), rs7903146 (TCF7L2), rs10010131 (WFS1), rs7923837 (HHEX), rs151290 (KCNQ1), and rs4402960 (IGF2BP2).

Furthermore, the impact of the interaction between genetic variation in TCF7L2 and glycemia on changes in insulin secretion was tested in 315 individuals taking part in a lifestyle intervention study.

RESULTS

For the SNPs in TCF7L2 and WFS1, we found a significant interaction between glucose control and insulin secretion (all P ≤ 0.0018 for glucose × genotype). When plotting insulin secretion against glucose at 120 min OGTT, the compromising SNP effects on insulin secretion are most apparent under high glucose. In the longitudinal study, rs7903146 in TCF7L2 showed a significant interaction with baseline glucose tolerance upon change in insulin secretion (P = 0.0027). Increased glucose levels at baseline predicted an increase in insulin secretion upon improvement of glycemia by lifestyle intervention only in carriers of the risk alleles.

CONCLUSIONS

For the diabetes risk genes TCF7L2 and WFS1, which are associated with impaired incretin signaling, the level of glycemia determines SNP effects on insulin secretion. This indicates the increasing relevance of these SNPs during the progression of prediabetes stages toward clinically overt type 2 diabetes.
Mechanical forces exerted by a dipole emitter on an interface
Authors: Petrov Dmitri
Published: August 2010

Mechanical forces exerted by an emitting dipole on the interface between two media with different dielectric susceptibilities are analyzed for different distances between the dipole and the interface. Estimations of the force values are given based on known molecular polarizabilities for inelastic processes such as Raman scattering and fluorescence including those that occur near metal structures.