bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Social Stratification of English in New York City
Authors: Labov William
Published: December 2009

One of the first accounts of social variation in language, this groundbreaking study founded the discipline of sociolinguistics, providing the model on which thousands of studies have been based. In this second edition, Labov looks back on forty years of sociolinguistic research, bringing the reader up to date on its methods, findings and achievements. In over thirty pages of new material, he explores the unforeseen implications of his earlier work, addresses the political issues involved, and evaluates the success of newer approaches to sociolinguistic investigation. In doing so, he reveals the outstanding accomplishments of sociolinguistics since his original study, which laid the foundations for studying language variation, introduced the crucial concept of the linguistic variable, and showed how variation across age groups is an indicator of language change. Bringing Labov's pioneering study into the 21st century, this classic volume will remain the benchmark in the field for years to come.
The Agri-Environment
Authors: Warren John , Lawson Clare , Belcher Kenneth
Published: December 2009

The application of ecological theory and conservation biology to agricultural ecosystems has become an important and growing research field and undergraduate course component in recent years. This book is both an academic textbook and practical guide to farm conservation, and has evolved from the authors' extensive teaching experience. It covers the ecology of farmed land, how agricultural practices influence the environment, how agriculture has changed over time and how the species that inhabit the agri-environment have adapted. It also covers the history of agricultural policy and subsidies and the development of agri-environment schemes. A number of different farming systems are discussed, as are the difficulties in determining their relative merits. Guidance is offered on how to produce a workable farm conservation plan, and the final chapters look to the future and the development of new, greener farming systems.
The Dynamics of Coastal Models
Authors: Hearn Clifford J.
Published: December 2009

Coastal basins are defined as estuaries, lagoons, and embayments. This book deals with the science of coastal basins using simple models, many of which are presented in either analytical form or Microsoft Excel or MATLAB. The book introduces simple hydrodynamics and its applications, from the use of simple box and one-dimensional models to flow over coral reefs. The book also emphasizes models as a scientific tool in our understanding of coasts, and introduces the value of the most modern flexible mesh combined wave-current models. Examples from shallow basins around the world illustrate the wonders of the scientific method and the power of simple dynamics. This book is ideal for use as an advanced textbook for graduate students and as an introduction to the topic for researchers, especially those from other fields of science needing a basic understanding of the basic ideas of the dynamics of coastal basins.
Merchants of Asianness: Japanese Art Dealers in the United States in the Early Twentieth Century
Authors: CHEN CONSTANCE J. S.
Published: December 2009

This article explores the role of Japanese merchants within American art and collecting circles and analyzes the ways in which the construction of “Asianness” and, in particular, “Japaneseness” became intertwined with the classification of Asian art. In order to reconstitute the market for high art and to create their own positionalities as legitimate cultural intermediaries, Asian art dealers such as Bunkio Matsuki (1867–1940) and Sadajiro Yamanaka (1866–1936) used their connections to Japan as cultural capital. Ultimately, their experiences illuminate the complexities of the reconceptualization of ethnic–racial identities through the lens of aesthetic discourses.
Transforming the Terms of Reading: Ideologies of Argument and the “Trope of the Angry Feminist” in Contemporary US Political and Academic Discourse
Authors: TOMLINSON BARBARA
Published: December 2009

Contemporary US political and academic discourse is a site for constant irruption and circulation of encapsulated arguments to delegitimize social criticism. Strategies such as the “trope of the angry feminist” – which disparages the arguments of feminist academics and feminists in general as “angry” – perform, enact, and instantiate gendered power. Because we have not adequately theorized the discursive role of such tropes, we fail to recognize the limits of our conventional reading practices, so that our responses often reproduce the problem. Whether we claim that feminists are not angry, or are legitimately angry, or that some feminists have a right be angry (though, perhaps, not all), we are responding to the logic of the trope rather than challenging it. In Wahneema Lubiano's terms, we are being mugged by a metaphor. Reframing the problem begins by transforming the terms of reading; I propose for that purpose a critical toolkit that I call “feminist socioforensic discursive analysis.” Using this toolkit I analyze two discursive events. One – a response by “Dr. Laura” Schlessinger to the inauguration of a new doctoral program in feminist studies – demonstrates what is at stake in the relentless operation of this cultural training program. The other – in which law professor Patricia Williams recounts the editing of an article she wrote for a law review – demonstrates how conventional discursive practices defend and deny their deeply political uses of racialized and gendered power by calling on what Williams calls “an ideology of style rooted in a social text of neutrality.” This episode also demonstrates how feminists can anticipate these moves and turn them to our own advantage.
The propagation of high-Reynolds-number non-Boussinesq gravity currents in axisymmetric geometry
Authors: UNGARISH MARIUS
Published: December 2009

We consider the propagation of a non-Boussinesq gravity current in an axisymmetric configuration (full cylinder or wedge). The current of density ρc is released from rest from a lock of radius r0 and height h0 into an ambient fluid of density ρa in a container of height H. When the Reynolds number is large, the resulting flow is governed by the parameters ρc/ρa and H* = H/h0. We show that the one-layer shallow-water model, carefully combined with a Benjamin-type front condition, provides a versatile formulation for the thickness and speed of the current, without any adjustable constants. The results cover in a continuous manner the range of light ρc/ρa ≪ 1, Boussinesq ρc/ρa ≈ 1, and heavy ρc/ρa ≫ 1 currents in a fairly wide range of depth ratio, H*. We obtain finite-difference solutions for the propagation and show that a self-similar behaviour develops for large times. This reveals the main features, in particular: (a) The heavy current propagates faster and its front is thinner than that for the light counterpart; (b) For large time, t, both the heavy and light currents spread like t1/2, but the thickness profiles display significant differences; (c) The energy-constrained propagation with the thickness of half-ambient-depth (when H* is close to 1) is a very limited occurrence, in contrast to the rectangular geometry counterpart in which this effect plays a major role. The predictions of the simple model are supported by some axisymmetric Navier–Stokes finite-difference simulations.
Is universalism a problem for particularists?
Authors: Crisp Oliver
Published: December 2009

In a previous article entitled ‘Augustinian Universalism’, I argued that the principles of Augustinianism are compatible with universalism. For those who reason to Augustinianism on the basis of biblical-theological arguments, this may not be terribly troubling. However, if the logic of Augustinianism is consistent with universalism this sets up an Augustinian problem of evil. For if God could have created a world where all would have been saved, but did not, this calls divine benevolence into question. In this article, I set out to rebut Augustinian universalism by arguing that there are good theological reasons for thinking God does not bring about the salvation of all humanity.
Testosterone: clinical relevance in ageing men
Authors: Huupponen Risto , Huhtaniemi Ilpo , Lehtonen Aapo
Published: December 2009

Testosterone production declines with age in men. The decline is associated with several risk factors and diseases, including obesity and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, diminished muscular, cognitive and sexual function and changes in body composition. Androgen treatment in elderly men has mostly been addressed in small short-term studies, and larger long-term investigations with sufficient statistical power are still needed for a proper evaluation of the benefit-risk-ratio of testosterone treatment. Current data do not support testosterone supplementation in healthy, asymptomatic older men with normal or low-normal testosterone levels. Treatment may be beneficial in older men with clear hypoandrogenic symptoms, especially reduced libido, erectile dysfunction and decreased muscle strength, if testosterone concentration is consistently low, and the patient selection, counselling and follow-up are adequate.
Characterization of SiGe Films for Use as a National Institute of Standards and Technology Microanalysis Reference Material (RM 8905)
Authors: Marinenko Ryna B. , Turner Shirley , Simons David S. , Rabb Savelas A. , Zeisler Rolf L. , Yu Lee L. , Newbury Dale E. , Paul Rick L. , Ritchie Nicholas W.M. , Leigh Stefan D. , Winchester Michael R. , Richter Lee J. , Meier Douglas C. , Scott Keana C.K. , Klinedinst Donna , Small John A.
Published: December 2009

Bulk silicon-germanium (SiGe) alloys and two SiGe thick films (4 and 5 μm) on Si wafers were tested with the electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) using wavelength dispersive spectrometers (WDS) for heterogeneity and composition for use as reference materials needed by the microelectronics industry. One alloy with a nominal composition of Si0.86Ge0.14and the two thick films with nominal compositions of Si0.90Ge0.10and Si0.75Ge0.25on Si, evaluated for micro- and macroheterogeneity, will make good microanalysis reference materials with an overall expanded heterogeneity uncertainty of 1.1% relative or less for Ge. The bulk Ge composition in the Si0.86Ge0.14alloy was determined to be 30.228% mass fraction Ge with an expanded uncertainty of the mean of 0.195% mass fraction. The thick films were quantified with WDS-EPMA using both the Si0.86Ge0.14alloy and element wafers as reference materials. The Ge concentration was determined to be 22.80% mass fraction with an expanded uncertainty of the mean of 0.12% mass fraction for the Si0.90Ge0.10wafer and 43.66% mass fraction for the Si0.75Ge0.25wafer with an expanded uncertainty of the mean of 0.25% mass fraction. The two thick SiGe films will be issued as National Institute of Standards and Technology Reference Materials (RM 8905).
Introduction
Authors: Rimbault Edward F.
Published: December 2009

The Chapels attached to the Palaces of Sovereigns form a remarkable feature of Christian Europe, and, from the earliest time on record, they seem to have been served on the same grand scale as the Cathedrals.

In England the Chapel Royal is the most ancient choir concerning which we have any authentic account. In olden times it was the fullest, best appointed, and the most remarkable for its excellence in the performance of the choral service.

As regards the constitution of this establishment, Dr. Jebb, in his valuable work orr “The Choral Service of the United Church of England and Ireland ” (1843, 8vo. p. 147), gives us the following

The earliest facts on record relating to the “King's Chapel ” are contained in the Liber Niger Domus Regis, a MS. of the time of Edward IV. in which an account is given of this establishment in the reign of that monarch.
Autophosphorylation of Polo-like Kinase 4 and Its Role in Centriole Duplication
Authors: Sillibourne James E. , Tack Frederik , Vloemans Nele , Boeckx An , Thambirajah Sathiesan , Bonnet Pascal , Ramaekers Frans C.S. , Bornens Michel , Grand-Perret Thierry
Published: December 2009

Centrosome duplication occurs once every cell cycle in a strictly controlled manner. Polo-like kinase 4 (PLK4) is a key regulator of this process whose kinase activity is essential for centriole duplication. Here, we show that PLK4 autophosphorylation of serine S305 is a consequence of kinase activation and enables the active fraction to be identified in the cell. Active PLK4 is detectable on the replicating mother centriole in G1/S, with the proportion of active kinase increasing through interphase to reach a maximum in mitosis. Activation of PLK4 at the replicating daughter centriole is delayed until G2, but a level equivalent to the replicating mother centriole is achieved in M phase. Active PLK4 is regulated by the proteasome, because either proteasome inhibition or mutation of the degron motif of PLK4 results in the accumulation of S305-phosphorylated PLK4. Autophosphorylation probably plays a role in the process of centriole duplication, because mimicking S305 phosphorylation enhances the ability of overexpressed PLK4 to induce centriole amplification. Importantly, we show that S305-phosphorylated PLK4 is specifically sequestered at the centrosome contrary to the nonphosphorylated form. These data suggest that PLK4 activity is restricted to the centrosome to prevent aberrant centriole assembly and sustained kinase activity is required for centriole duplication.
A meta‐analysis of erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents in anaemic patients with chronic heart failure
Authors: Jin Bo , Luo Xinping , Lin Haihong , Li Jian , Shi Haiming
Published: December 2009

Aims

Anaemia is a frequent comorbidity in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and is associated with worse outcomes. It is logical to consider whether correcting anaemia is a novel therapeutic target in such patients. We performed a meta‐analysis to explore whether treatment of anaemia with erythropoietin‐stimulating agents (ESA) can improve symptoms and progression in patients with CHF.

Methods and results

Studies were identified in English‐language articles by searching PUBMED (inception to May 2009). A standardized protocol with predefined criteria was used to extract details on study design, Jadad score, demographic data, interventions, and outcomes. The main outcome measures were cardiac function, exercise capacity, quality of life, and all‐cause mortality. Seven randomized controlled trials involving 678 patients were identified and included in the analysis. Cardiac function as well as exercise capacity were improved post‐treatment in the ESA group; however, the overall deaths analysis demonstrated a lower trend but no significant protective effect in the ESA treatment group (RR, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.41–1.24; P = 0.23).

Conclusion

This meta‐analysis suggests a symptomatic improvement in anaemic patients with CHF receiving ESA. However, a non‐significant reduction in all‐cause mortality in the ESA treatment group compared with the control group was observed.
Vigilance against predators induced by eavesdropping on heterospecific alarm calls in a non-vocal lizard
Oplurus cuvieri cuvieri
(Reptilia: Iguania)
Authors: Ito Ryo , Mori Akira
Published: December 2009

Prey animals can reduce their risk of predation by detecting potential predators before encounters occur. Some animals gain information about nearby predators by eavesdropping on heterospecific alarm calls. Despite having well-developed ears, most lizards do not use vocal information for intraspecific communication, and few studies have shown practical use of the ears in wild lizards. Here, we show that the Madagascan spiny-tailed iguana (
Oplurus cuvieri cuvieri
) obtains auditory signals for predator detection. The Madagascan spiny-tailed iguana and the Madagascar paradise flycatcher (
Terpsiphone mutata
) are syntopic inhabitants of the Ampijoroa dry deciduous forest of Madagascar. The iguana and the flycatcher have neither a predator–prey relationship nor resource competition, but they have shared predators such as raptors and snakes. Using playback experiments, we demonstrated that the iguana discriminates mobbing alarm calls of the flycatcher from its songs and then enhances its vigilance behaviour. Our results demonstrate the occurrence of an asymmetrical ecological relationship between the Madagascan spiny-tailed iguana and the paradise flycatcher through eavesdropping on information about the presence of predators. This implies that indirect interspecific interactions through information recognition may be more common than generally thought in an animal community.
Explosive eversion and functional morphology of the duck penis supports sexual conflict in waterfowl genitalia
Authors: Brennan Patricia L. R. , Clark Christopher J. , Prum Richard O.
Published: December 2009

Coevolution of male and female genitalia in waterfowl has been hypothesized to occur through sexual conflict. This hypothesis raises questions about the functional morphology of the waterfowl penis and the mechanics of copulation in waterfowl, which are poorly understood. We used high-speed video of phallus eversion and histology to describe for the first time the functional morphology of the avian penis. Eversion of the 20 cm muscovy duck penis is explosive, taking an average of 0.36 s, and achieving a maximum velocity of 1.6 m s
−1
. The collagen matrix of the penis is very thin and not arranged in an axial-orthogonal array, resulting in a penis that is flexible when erect. To test the hypothesis that female genital novelties make intromission difficult during forced copulations, we investigated penile eversion into glass tubes that presented different mechanical challenges to eversion. Eversion occurred successfully in a straight tube and a counterclockwise spiral tube that matched the chirality of the waterfowl penis, but eversion was significantly less successful into glass tubes with a clockwise spiral or a 135° bend, which mimicked female vaginal geometry. Our results support the hypothesis that duck vaginal complexity functions to exclude the penis during forced copulations, and coevolved with the waterfowl penis via antagonistic sexual conflict.
The Arabidopsis BET Bromodomain Factor GTE4 Is Involved in Maintenance of the Mitotic Cell Cycle during Plant Development
Authors: Airoldi Chiara A. , Rovere Federica Della , Falasca Giuseppina , Marino Giada , Kooiker Maarten , Altamura Maria Maddalena , Citterio Sandra , Kater Martin M.
Published: December 2009

Bromodomain and Extra Terminal domain (BET) proteins are characterized by the presence of two types of domains, the bromodomain and the extra terminal domain. They bind to acetylated lysines present on histone tails and control gene transcription. They are also well known to play an important role in cell cycle regulation. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), there are 12 BET genes; however, only two of them, IMBIBITION INDUCIBLE1 and GENERAL TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR GROUP E6 (GTE6), were functionally analyzed. We characterized GTE4 and show that gte4 mutant plants have some characteristic features of cell cycle mutants. Their size is reduced, and they have jagged leaves and a reduced number of cells in most organs. Moreover, cell size is considerably increased in the root, and, interestingly, the root quiescent center identity seems to be partially lost. Cell cycle analyses revealed that there is a delay in activation of the cell cycle during germination and a premature arrest of cell proliferation, with a switch from mitosis to endocycling, leading to a statistically significant increase in ploidy levels in the differentiated organs of gte4 plants. Our results point to a role of GTE4 in cell cycle regulation and specifically in the maintenance of the mitotic cell cycle.
Fibroblast‐like synoviocytes in inflammatory arthritis pathology: the emerging role of cadherin‐11
Authors: Kyung Chang Sook , Gu Zhizhan , Brenner Michael B.
Published: December 2009

Summary:  Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease affecting the joint synovium. The normal synovium consists of a lining layer of fibroblast‐like synoviocytes (FLS) and macrophages, one to three cells deep that overlies the loose connective tissue of the synovial sublining. During the course of RA, the synovium is the site of inflammation where immune cells are massively infiltrated, and the lining layer becomes hyperplastic and transforms into a pannus tissue that destroys articular cartilage and bone. FLS play an important role in this RA pathogenesis. In this review, we explain that cadherin‐11, an adhesion molecule, is selectively expressed on FLS and required for synovial lining formation. In addition, cadherin‐11 on FLS contributes to synovial inflammation and mediates cartilage degradation in a mouse model of inflammatory arthritis. Therefore, we suggest that FLS are critical regulators of synovial inflammation and arthritis pathology via mechanisms that are mediated by cadherin‐11.
Immunohistochemical analysis of CYP2A13 in various types of human lung cancers
Authors: Fukami Tatsuki , Nakajima Miki , Matsumoto Isao , Zen Yoh , Oda Makoto , Yokoi Tsuyoshi
Published: December 2009

Human CYP2A13, which is expressed in the respiratory tract, is the most efficient enzyme for the metabolic activation of tobacco‐specific nitrosamines such as 4‐(methylnitrosamino)‐1‐(3‐pyridyl)‐1‐butanone (NNK). The relevance of CYP2A13 in carcinogenicity and toxicity in the respiratory tract has been suggested, but the expression of CYP2A13 protein in lung cancer tissues remains to be determined. We first prepared a mouse monoclonal antibody against human CYP2A13. The antibody showed no cross reactivity with the other CYP isoforms including CYP2A6. Using the specific antibody, we performed immunohistochemical analysis for human lung carcinomas. In adenocarcinomas (n = 15), all specimens were positive for the staining and five samples showed strong staining. In squamous cell carcinomas (n = 15) and large cell carcinomas (n = 15), each 14 samples were positive for the staining and two and three samples showed strong staining, respectively. In small cell carcinoma samples (n = 15), eight samples were negative for the staining and five samples showed weak or moderate staining. In conclusion, we first found that the expression of CYP2A13 was markedly increased in non‐small cell lung carcinomas. The high expression might be associated with the tumor development and progression in non‐small cell lung carcinomas.

(Cancer Sci2010; 101: 1024–1028)
Good Government Means Different Things in Different Countries
Authors: ANDREWS MATT
Published: December 2009

Work on good governance implies a one‐best‐way model of effective government. This has isomorphic influences on development, whereby governments are influenced to adopt a one‐size‐fits‐all approach to get things done. This article challenges whether such an approach exists, proposing that models actually do not hold even for the so‐called effective governments. Governments look different, even if they are similarly called models of good government. This proposition is examined through a study of public financial management practices in a set of Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) and non‐OECD countries. The study shows that effective governments are not more likely to exhibit better practice characteristics implied in one‐best‐way models. Good public financial management means different things in different countries. The article concludes by suggesting that good governance models give way to menus and the development community invest more time in examining why different countries select different menu items.
Organizational Reputation and Jurisdictional Claims: The Case of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Authors: MAOR MOSHE
Published: December 2009

When do regulatory agencies expand, following the emergence of novel technologies? This article presents a verbal model that suggests that a regulator is most likely to announce that it has statutory authority to regulate a novel technology when its reputation is at stake. This is most likely to occur when (1) new information becomes available to the regulator regarding the seriousness of the anticipated harm of a novel technology, or (2) a rival regulator attempts to formalize its regulatory authority or fails to do so although officially required to. A historical–institutional analysis of the temporal process leading to jurisdictional claims by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration over gene therapy, laboratory‐developed complex diagnostic tests, human tissue transplants, and human cloning supports the model's prediction.
Crisis Behind Closed Doors: Global Food Crisis and Local Hunger
Authors: SWAN SAMUEL HAUENSTEIN , HADLEY SIERD , CICHON BERNARDETTE
Published: December 2009

The high and volatile food prices in 2007–8 triggered estimates of massive increases in poverty and hunger. However, hunger and volatile food prices have long been a feature of developing economies. This paper examines the impact of high global food prices on domestic terms‐of‐trade, food consumption and child undernutrition in the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Liberia and Sierra Leone, comparing findings with the impacts of ‘seasonality’. As high international food prices permeated domestic markets, households in all the case study areas resorted to coping strategies common in the annual hunger season. Though acute malnutrition has not risen as consistently as in a seasonal hunger crisis, reduced micronutrient intake threatens to have severe long‐term consequences for health and poverty reduction. The similar impacts of seasonal and global food price rises on households provide an opportunity to design appropriate interventions to protect livelihoods.
Equity in Federal Contracting: Examining the Link between Minority Representation and Federal Procurement Decisions
Authors: Smith Craig R. , Fernandez Sergio
Published: December 2009

The federal government increasingly relies on nongovernmental organizations for procuring goods and services. This long‐term trend presents a significant challenge for administrators because it risks the egalitarian values of democracy by further distancing administrative action from direct, participative, democratic oversight. The authors put forward a theory of representative bureaucracy as a way to reconcile democracy with the reality of the contemporary policy process in which unelected officials are the principal decision makers. The theory is tested in the domain of federal procurement, specifically within the contract award decisions of 60 federal agencies over three years. The authors argue that increased minority representation in leadership positions results in an increased proportion of federal contracts awarded to small minority‐owned firms.
Non‐additive effects of litter mixing are suppressed in a nutrient‐enriched stream
Authors: Rosemond Amy D. , Swan Christopher M. , Kominoski John S. , Dye Susan E.
Published: December 2009

Investigations of how species compositional changes interact with other aspects of global change, such as nutrient mobilization, to affect ecosystem processes are currently lacking. Many studies have shown that mixed species plant litters exhibit non‐additive effects on ecosystem functions in terrestrial and aquatic systems. Using a full‐factorial design of three leaf litter species with distinct initial chemistries (carbon:nitrogen; C:N) and breakdown rates (Liriodendron tulipifera, Acer rubrum and Rhododendron maximum), we tested for additive and non‐additive effects of litter species mixing on breakdown in southeastern US streams with and without added nutrients (N and phosphorus). We found a non‐additive (antagonistic) effect of litter mixing on breakdown rates under reference conditions but not when nutrient levels were elevated. Differential responses among single‐species litters to nutrient enrichment contributed to this result. Antagonistic litter mixing effects on breakdown were consistent with trends in litter C:N, which were higher for mixtures than for single species, suggesting lower microbial colonization on mixtures. Nutrient enrichment lowered C:N and had the greatest effect on the lowest‐ (R. maximum) and the least effect on the highest‐quality litter species (L. tulipifera), resulting in lower interspecific variation in C:N. Detritivore abundance was correlated with litter C:N in the reference stream, potentially contributing to variation in breakdown rates. In the nutrient‐enriched stream, detritivore abundance was higher for all litter and was unrelated to C:N. Thus, non‐additive effects of litter mixing were suppressed by elevated streamwater nutrients, which increased nutrient content of all litter, reduced variation in C:N among litter species and increased detritivore abundance. Nutrients reduced interspecific variation among plant litters, the base of important food web pathways in aquatic ecosystems, affecting predicted mixed‐species breakdown rates. More generally, world‐wide mobilization of nutrients may similarly modify other effects of biodiversity on ecosystem processes.
Meningeal carcinomatosis in a dog: magnetic resonance imaging features and pathological correlation
Authors: Mateo I. , Lorenzo V. , Muñoz A. , Molín J.
Published: December 2009

A six‐year‐old cross breed dog was presented with a four‐month history of seizure activity, which was unresponsive to anticonvulsive therapy and an acute deterioration in neurological status, evident as central blindness. Cyst‐like structures and nodular enhancement within the subarachnoid space were shown on a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scan. Histopathological examination of brain tissue was consistent with meningeal carcinomatosis.
Livestock Associated Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LaMRSA) Isolated from Lesions of Pigs at Necropsy in Northwest Germany Between 2004 and 2007
Authors: Meemken D. , Blaha T. , Tegeler R. , Tenhagen B.‐A. , Guerra B. , Hammerl J. A. , Hertwig S. , Käsbohrer A. , Appel B. , Fetsch A.
Published: December 2009

An increasing number of reported detections of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in food animals since 2007 has led to the assumption that there is an emerging zoonotic problem with livestock associated (la)MRSA potentially aggravating the MRSA problem in humans. It was the objective of the study to investigate, whether MRSA was present in clinical specimens of pigs collected at post‐mortem since 2004 and to further characterize these isolates. We studied 138 isolates of S. aureus collected between 2004 and 2007 from various pathological lesions of pigs at necropsy. Potential MRSA were identified by growth on selective chromogenic media. Isolates were confirmed as MRSA using multiplex PCR. Confirmed isolates were spa‐ and SCCmec‐typed and were tested for antimicrobial resistance. Overall, 60 (43%) S. aureus isolates were identified as MRSA. The majority (57/60) of the MRSA isolates found in the altered porcine tissues were spa‐types associated with MRSA ST398. Three MRSA were ST97 isolates, a type that has not been described as an MRSA in pigs before. Other clonal complexes (ST9, ST30) dominated among the methicillin‐sensitive S. aureus. MRSA were found in similar frequency in all 4 years. We assume that MRSA in pigs may have occurred earlier than 2004 and might be not really ‘emerging’, but rather have been overlooked until recently. The potentially causative role of the MRSA in the lesions warrants further investigation.
Outbreaks of Keratoconjunctivitis in a Camel Herd Caused by a Specific Biovar ofMoraxella canis
Authors: Tejedor-Junco María Teresa , Gutiérrez Carlos , González Margarita , Fernández Ana , Wauters Georges , De Baere Thierry , Deschaght Pieter , Vaneechoutte Mario
Published: December 2009

Two tributyrin hydrolysis-negativeMoraxellaisolates obtained in cases of keratoconjunctivitis inCamelus dromedariusin the Canary Islands showed highest degrees of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity toMoraxella canis. A level of DNA relatedness to theM. canistype strain of 79% confirmed the identity of the isolates as a tributyrin hydrolysis-negative biovar ofM. canis.
The Structure of the Poxvirus A33 Protein Reveals a Dimer of Unique C-Type Lectin-Like Domains
Authors: Su Hua-Poo , Singh Kavita , Gittis Apostolos G. , Garboczi David N.
Published: December 2009

The current vaccine against smallpox is an infectious form of vaccinia virus that has significant side effects. Alternative vaccine approaches using recombinant viral proteins are being developed. A target of subunit vaccine strategies is the poxvirus protein A33, a conserved protein in the
Chordopoxvirinae
subfamily of
Poxviridae
that is expressed on the outer viral envelope. Here we have determined the structure of the A33 ectodomain of vaccinia virus. The structure revealed C-type lectin-like domains (CTLDs) that occur as dimers in A33 crystals with five different crystal lattices. Comparison of the A33 dimer models shows that the A33 monomers have a degree of flexibility in position within the dimer. Structural comparisons show that the A33 monomer is a close match to the Link module class of CTLDs but that the A33 dimer is most similar to the natural killer (NK)-cell receptor class of CTLDs. Structural data on Link modules and NK-cell receptor-ligand complexes suggest a surface of A33 that could interact with viral or host ligands. The dimer interface is well conserved in all known A33 sequences, indicating an important role for the A33 dimer. The structure indicates how previously described A33 mutations disrupt protein folding and locates the positions of N-linked glycosylations and the epitope of a protective antibody.
Human Cytomegalovirus TR Strain Glycoprotein O Acts as a Chaperone Promoting gH/gL Incorporation into Virions but Is Not Present in Virions
Authors: Ryckman Brent J. , Chase Marie C. , Johnson David C.
Published: December 2009

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) produces the following two gH/gL complexes: gH/gL/gO and gH/gL/UL128-131. Entry into epithelial and endothelial cells requires gH/gL/UL128-131, and we have provided evidence that gH/gL/UL128-131 binds saturable epithelial cell receptors to mediate entry. HCMV does not require gH/gL/UL128-131 to enter fibroblasts, and laboratory adaptation to fibroblasts results in mutations in the UL128-131 genes, abolishing infection of epithelial and endothelial cells. HCMV gO-null mutants produce very small plaques on fibroblasts yet can spread on endothelial cells. Thus, one prevailing model suggests that gH/gL/gO mediates infection of fibroblasts, while gH/gL/UL128-131 mediates entry into epithelial/endothelial cells. Most biochemical studies of gO have involved the HCMV lab strain AD169, which does not assemble gH/gL/UL128-131 complexes. We examined gO produced by the low-passage clinical HCMV strain TR. Surprisingly, TR gO was not detected in purified extracellular virus particles. In TR-infected cells, gO remained sensitive to endoglycosidase H, suggesting that the protein was not exported from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, TR gO interacted with gH/gL in the ER and promoted export of gH/gL from the ER to the Golgi apparatus. Pulse-chase experiments showed that a fraction of gO remained bound to gH/gL for relatively long periods, but gO eventually dissociated or was degraded and was not found in extracellular virions or secreted from cells. The accompanying report by P. T. Wille et al. (J. Virol., 84:2585-2596, 2010) showed that a TR gO-null mutant failed to incorporate gH/gL into virions and that the mutant was unable to enter fibroblasts and epithelial and endothelial cells. We concluded that gO acts as a molecular chaperone, increasing gH/gL ER export and incorporation into virions. It appears that gO competes with UL128-131 for binding onto gH/gL but is released from gH/gL, so that gH/gL (lacking UL128-131) is incorporated into virions. Thus, our revised model suggests that both gH/gL and gH/gL/UL128-131 are required for entry into epithelial and endothelial cells.
IN-SITU TEM INVESTIGATION ON NUCLEATION AND GROWTH BEHAVIOR OF P-DOPED Si THIN FILMS
Authors: KIM KYOU-HYUN , SEO JONG-HYUN , YOON SANG-WON , LEE KON-BAE , WHANG JIN-HA , AHN JAE-PYOUNG
Published: December 2009

The nucleation and growth behaviors of undoped and phosphorus doped polycrystalline Si thin films were investigated by in-situ TEM observations. Polycrystalline Si thin films were partially changed to amorphous by ion implantations. A normal grain growth was observed in the undoped Si thin films during heating. On the other hand, the P -doped sample showed the recovery and growth at grain boundary as well as the nucleation of Si nanocrystals at amorphous regions. Although the amorphous hindered the grain growth and acted as the nucleation source of Si nanocrystals at lower temperature, the final grain size of polycrystalline Si at 650°C was larger in the P -doped sample. The carrier mobility of the P -doped Si thin films not only increased with heat treatments, but also was corresponding to the microstructural evolution.
A TEMPLATE-FREE SOLUTION METHOD BASED ON SOLID-LIQUID INTERFACE REACTION TOWARDS DENDRITIC PbSe NANOSTRUCTURES
Authors: LIU JUN , XUE DONGFENG
Published: December 2009

A template-free solution method based on solid-liquid interface reaction has been developed for fabricating metal chalcogenide dendritic nanostructures. Well-defined PbSe dendrites with four branches can be large-scale synthesized with metal lead foil as Pb 2+ source and Na 2 SeO 3 as Se 2+ source in solvothermal conditions. The nanorods in each branch are parallel to each other in the same plane and are perpendicular to the trunk. It was found that PbSe cubes first formed on the lead substrate through a direct surface reaction and that subsequent crystal growth preferentially took place on the vertex of these PbSe cubes, leading to the formation of final branched dendrites. The current solid-liquid interface reaction has been extended to the synthesis of CuS micro-pine dendrites with copper foil and sulfur powder as reaction reagents.
HYDROTHERMAL FABRICATION OF CORE-SHELL STRUCTURED Cu2O MICROSPHERES VIA AN INTERMEDIATE-TEMPLATE ROUTE
Authors: SI YUNFEI , XUE DONGFENG
Published: December 2009

Homogenous core-shell structured Cu 2 O microspheres have been successfully fabricated by a reductive transformation of in situ formed intermediate templates in an aqueous solution. The morphological evolution for these unique hollow structures was monitored via SEM observations and a detailed formation process has been proposed: (i) formation of intermediate microspheres; (ii) reductive conversion of this template to Cu 2 O ; (iii) inside-out Ostwald ripening of Cu 2 O microspheres. In this ethanol-water system, ethanol serves as reductant in the reductive conversion process and the reaction temperature has an important effect on the formation of unique core-shell architectures. This effective solution-based synthetic route may shed some light on the design and fabrication of homogenous core-shell micro/nanostructures of other promising functional materials.
HIERARCHICAL Zn5(OH)6(CO3)2 STRUCTURE ASSEMBLED IN AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION
Authors: WU JUNSHU , XUE DONGFENG
Published: December 2009

Hydrothermal technique is demonstrated for achieving Zn 5( OH )6( CO 3)2 microstructure consisting of nanosheets on zinc foils in the presence of formamide. Formamide concentration and reaction temperature have significant influences on the size and shape of hierarchical Zn 5( OH )6( CO 3)2 structures. A self-assembly mechanism is proposed to explain the growth of Zn 5( OH )6( CO 3)2 microstructure, which can be transformed into sheet-like dense ZnO architectures without loss of the shape features by calcining in air.
HYDROGEN BONDING CHARACTERISTICS OF CRYSTALLINE WATER IN INORGANIC CRYSTALS
Authors: ZHANG FANGFANG , LI KEYAN , XUE DONGFENG
Published: December 2009

From the chemical bond viewpoint, the microscopic characterstatics of hydrogen bonds in Mi— OH2⋯ O ( M is the metal cation coordinated to water molecule and i is the number of M ) systems were comprehensively studied. It is shown that the original O — OH and H ⋯ O bond lengths of each hydrogen bonding system are evidently influenced by the crystalline environment and strongly dependent on the corresponding average bond lengths of each system, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Furthermore, the hydrogen bonding capability of water molecules coordinated to various metal cations was properly estimated and found to be related to the ionic electronegativities of these metal cations. The current work provides a useful route to calculating hydrogen bond valences within reasonable accuracy and sheds light on the rational utilization of hydrogen bonds in crystal design.
Transient nitric oxide reduction induces permanent cardiac systolic dysfunction and worsens kidney damage in rats with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Bongartz L. G. , Braam B. , Verhaar M. C. , Cramer M. J. , Goldschmeding R. , Gaillard C. A. , Doevendans P. A. , Joles J. A.
Published: December 2009

Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with poorer prognosis. Because patients with CKD often exhibit progressively decreased nitric oxide (NO) availability and inhibition of NO production can reduce cardiac output, we hypothesized that loss of NO availability in CKD contributes to pathogenesis of LVSD. Subtotally nephrectomized (SNX) rats were treated with a low dose of the NO synthase inhibitor Nω-nitro-l-arginine (l-NNA; 20 mg/l water; SNX+l-NNA) and compared with relevant control groups. To study permanent changes separate from hemodynamic effects, l-NNA was stopped after week 8 and rats were followed up to week 15, until blood pressure was similar in SNX+l-NNA and SNX groups. To study effects of NO depletion alone, a control group with high-dose l-NNA (l-NNA-High: 100 mg/l) was included. Mild systolic dysfunction developed at week 13 after SNX. In SNX+l-NNA, systolic function decreased by almost 50% already from week 4 onward, together with markedly reduced whole body NO production and high mortality. In l-NNA-High, LVSD was not as severe as in SNX+l-NNA, and renal function was not affected. Both LVSD and NO depletion were reversible in l-NNA-High after l-NNA was stopped, but both were persistently low in SNX+l-NNA. Proteinuria increased compared with rats with SNX, and glomerulosclerosis and cardiac fibrosis were worsened. We conclude that SNX+l-NNA induced accelerated and permanent LVSD that was functionally and structurally different from CKD or NO depletion alone. Availability of NO appears to play a pivotal role in maintaining cardiac function in CKD.
Tuning Perceptual Competition
Authors: Wascher Edmund , Beste Christian
Published: December 2009

The ability to notice relevant visual information has been assumed to be determined both by the relative salience of relevant information compared with distracters within a given display and by voluntary allocation of attention toward intended goals. A dominance of either of these two mechanisms in stimulus processing has been claimed by different theories. A central question in this context is to what degree and how task irrelevant signals can influence processing of target information. In the present study, participants had to detect a luminance change in various conditions among others against an irrelevant orientation change. The saliency of the latter was systematically varied and was found to be predictive for the proportion of detected information when relevant and irrelevant information were spatially separated but not when they overlapped. Weighting and competition of incoming signals was reflected in the amplitude of the N1pc component of the event-related potential. Initial orientation of attention toward the irrelevant element had to be followed by a reallocation process, reflected in an N2pc. The control of conflicting information additionally evoked a fronto-central N2 that varied with the amount of competition induced. Thus the data support models that assume that attention is a dynamic interplay of bottom-up and top-down processes that may be mediated via a common dynamic neural network.
fMRI–Adaptation Studies of Viewpoint Tuning in the Extrastriate and Fusiform Body Areas
Authors: Taylor John C. , Wiggett Alison J. , Downing Paul E.
Published: December 2009

People are easily able to perceive the human body across different viewpoints, but the neural mechanisms underpinning this ability are currently unclear. In three experiments, we used functional MRI (fMRI) adaptation to study the view-invariance of representations in two cortical regions that have previously been shown to be sensitive to visual depictions of the human body—the extrastriate and fusiform body areas (EBA and FBA). The BOLD response to sequentially presented pairs of bodies was treated as an index of view invariance. Specifically, we compared trials in which the bodies in each image held identical poses (seen from different views) to trials containing different poses. EBA and FBA adapted to identical views of the same pose, and both showed a progressive rebound from adaptation as a function of the angular difference between views, up to ∼30°. However, these adaptation effects were eliminated when the body stimuli were followed by a pattern mask. Delaying the mask onset increased the response (but not the adaptation effect) in EBA, leaving FBA unaffected. We interpret these masking effects as evidence that view-dependent fMRI adaptation is driven by later waves of neuronal responses in the regions of interest. Finally, in a whole brain analysis, we identified an anterior region of the left inferior temporal sulcus (l-aITS) that responded linearly to stimulus rotation, but showed no selectivity for bodies. Our results show that body-selective cortical areas exhibit a similar degree of view-invariance as other object selective areas—such as the lateral occipitotemporal area (LO) and posterior fusiform gyrus (pFs).
Antisaccade Cost Is Modulated by Contextual Experience of Location Probability
Authors: Liu Chia-Lun , Chiau Hui-Yan , Tseng Philip , Hung Daisy L. , Tzeng Ovid J. L. , Muggleton Neil G. , Juan Chi-Hung
Published: December 2009

It is well known that pro- and antisaccades may deploy different cognitive processes. However, the specific reason why antisaccades have longer latencies than prosaccades is still under debate. In three experiments, we studied the factors contributing to the antisaccade cost by taking attentional orienting and target location probabilities into account. In experiment 1, using a new antisaccade paradigm, we directly tested Olk and Kingstone's hypothesis, which attributes longer antisaccade latency to the time it takes to reorient from the visual target to the opposite saccadic target. By eliminating the reorienting component in our paradigm, we found no significant difference between the latencies of the two saccade types. In experiment 2, we varied the proportion of prosaccades made to certain locations and found that latencies in the high location-probability (75%) condition were faster than those in the low location-probability condition. Moreover, antisaccade latencies were significantly longer when location probability was high. This pattern can be explained by the notion of competing pathways for pro- and antisaccades in findings of others. In experiment 3, we further explored the degrees of modulation of location probability by decreasing the magnitude of high probability from 75 to 65%. We again observed a pattern similar to that seen in experiment 2 but with smaller modulation effects. Together, these experiments indicate that the reorienting process is a critical factor in producing the antisaccade cost. Furthermore, the antisaccade cost can be modulated by probabilistic contextual information such as location probabilities.
Hilbert Algebras of Fractions
Authors: Dan Christina-Theresia
Published: December 2009

Let A be a bounded Hilbert algebra and S
a ‐closed subset of A. The Hilbert algebra of fractions AS is studied regarding maximal and irreducible deductive systems. As important results, we can mention a necessary and sufficient condition for a Hilbert algebra of fractions to be local and the characterization of this kind of algebras as inductive limits of some particular directed systems.