bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An ab initio study of the Ar–NO(A Σ2+) intermolecular potential
Authors: Castro-Palacio Juan Carlos , Ishii Keisaku , Rubayo-Soneira Jesús , Yamashita Koichi
Published: July 2009

More complete molecular dynamics simulations of NO doped Ar solid upon photoexcitation of the impurity should include effects of angular variations of Ar–NO intermolecular potential. This is the main reason for presenting in this work an ab initio study of the Ar–NO(A Σ2+) intermolecular potential. Ab initio calculations were carried out at the level of CASSCF-MRCI, with the aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets. In order to evaluate the influence of the quadruple excitations on the topology of the potential energy surface (PES), two cases were considered, that is, with and without taking into account Davidson’s correction for quadruple excitations during the calculations. An analytical representation of the PES has been obtained as a function of the Jacobi coordinates of the system. In general, the PES is repulsive, except for linear directions, where two shallow wells appear. When quadruple excitations are considered, wells are located at 4.2 Å (α=0°) and 6.08 Å (α=180°) with energies of −20 and −15 cm−1, respectively; and when are not considered, wells are located at 6.1 Å (α=0°) and 6.8 Å (α=180°) with energies of −15 and −10 cm−1, respectively. For distances beyond 7 Å, it is observed a very low energy decay and a rapid tendency to isotropic interactions.
A density-functional study of the vertical ionization potentials of the cluster Mn13
Authors: Longo R. C. , Carrete J. , Gallego L. J.
Published: July 2009

Using the density-functional method SIESTA, nonlocal norm-conserving pseudopotentials and the generalized gradient approximation to exchange and correlation, we show that the two ionization energies of the photoionization spectrum of Mn13 can be attributed to the presence of the ground state and an excited spin isomer of this species.
Life history plasticity magnifies the ecological effects of a social wasp invasion
Authors: Wilson Erin E. , Mullen Lynne M. , Holway David A.
Published: July 2009

An unresolved question in ecology concerns why the ecological effects of invasions vary in magnitude. Many introduced species fail to interact strongly with the recipient biota, whereas others profoundly disrupt the ecosystems they invade through predation, competition, and other mechanisms. In the context of ecological impacts, research on biological invasions seldom considers phenotypic or microevolutionary changes that occur following introduction. Here, we show how plasticity in key life history traits (colony size and longevity), together with omnivory, magnifies the predatory impacts of an invasive social wasp (
Vespula pensylvanica
) on a largely endemic arthropod fauna in Hawaii. Using a combination of molecular, experimental, and behavioral approaches, we demonstrate (
i
) that yellowjackets consume an astonishing diversity of arthropod resources and depress prey populations in invaded Hawaiian ecosystems and (
ii
) that their impact as predators in this region increases when they shift from small annual colonies to large perennial colonies. Such trait plasticity may influence invasion success and the degree of disruption that invaded ecosystems experience. Moreover, postintroduction phenotypic changes may help invaders to compensate for reductions in adaptive potential resulting from founder events and small population sizes. The dynamic nature of biological invasions necessitates a more quantitative understanding of how postintroduction changes in invader traits affect invasion processes.
Three susceptible loci associated with primary open-angle glaucoma identified by genome-wide association study in a Japanese population
Authors: Nakano Masakazu , Ikeda Yoko , Taniguchi Takazumi , Yagi Tomohito , Fuwa Masahiro , Omi Natsue , Tokuda Yuichi , Tanaka Masami , Yoshii Kengo , Kageyama Masaaki , Naruse Shigeta , Matsuda Akira , Mori Kazuhiko , Kinoshita Shigeru , Tashiro Kei
Published: July 2009

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is the major type of glaucoma. To discover genetic markers associated with POAG, we examined a total of 1,575 Japanese subjects in a genome-wide association study (stage 1) and a subsequent study (stage 2). Both studies were carried out at a single institution. In the stage 1 association study, we compared SNPs between 418 POAG patients and 300 control subjects. First, low-quality data were eliminated by a stringent filter, and 331,838 autosomal SNPs were selected for analysis. Poorly clustered SNPs were eliminated by a visual assessment, leaving 255 that showed a significant deviation (
P
< 0.001) in the allele frequency comparison. In the stage 2 analysis, we tested these 255 SNPs for association in DNA samples from a separate group of 409 POAG and 448 control subjects. High-quality genotype data were selected and used to calculate the combined
P
values of stages 1 and 2 by the Mantel–Haenszel test. These analyses yielded 6 SNPs with
P
< 0.0001. All 6 SNPs showed a significant association (
P
< 0.05) in stage 2, demonstrating a confirmed association with POAG. Although we could not link the SNPs to the annotated gene(s), it turned out that we have identified 3 genetic loci probably associated with POAG. These findings would provide the foundation for future studies to build on, such as for the metaanalysis, to reveal the molecular mechanism of the POAG pathogenesis.
Differentiation between superficial and deep lobe parotid tumors by magnetic resonance imaging: usefulness of the parotid duct criterion
Authors: Imaizumi A. , Kuribayashi A. , Okochi K. , Ishii J. , Sumi Y. , Yoshino N. , Kurabayashi T.
Published: July 2009

Background: The location of a parotid tumor affects the choice of surgery, and there is a risk of damaging the facial nerve during surgery. Thus, differentiation between superficial and deep lobe parotid tumors is important for appropriate surgical planning.

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of using the parotid duct, in addition to the retromandibular vein, for differentiating between superficial and deep lobe parotid tumors on MR images.

Material and Methods: Magnetic resonance images of 42 parotid tumors in 40 patients were reviewed to determine whether the tumor was located in the superficial or deep lobe. In each case, the retromandibular vein and the parotid duct were used to locate the tumor. The parotid duct was only used in cases where the tumor and the duct were visualized on the same image.

Results: Using the retromandibular vein criterion, 71% of deep lobe and 86% of superficial lobe tumors were correctly diagnosed, providing an accuracy of 81%. However, the accuracy achieved when using the parotid duct criterion was 100%, although it could be applied to only 28 of the 42 cases. Based on these results, we defined the following diagnostic method: the parotid duct criterion is first applied, and for cases in which it cannot be applied, the retromandibular vein criterion is used. The accuracy of this method was 88%, which was better than that achieved using the retromandibular vein criterion alone.

Conclusion: The parotid duct criterion is useful for determining the location of parotid tumors. Combining the parotid duct criterion with the retromandibular vein criterion might improve the diagnostic accuracy of parotid tumor location compared to using the latter criterion alone.
Jørgensen number and arithmeticity
Authors: Callahan Jason
Published: July 2009

The Jørgensen number of a rank-two non-elementary Kleinian group

Γ
\Gamma

is
\[
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="upper J left-parenthesis normal upper Gamma right-parenthesis equals inf left-brace right-brace colon plus plus vertical-bar vertical-bar minus minus times times times times trace 2 upper X 4 vertical-bar vertical-bar minus minus times times times times trace left-bracket right-bracket comma upper X comma upper Y 2 colon equals equals mathematical left-angle mathematical right-angle comma upper X comma upper Y upper Gamma period">

J
(
Γ
)
=
inf
{

|

t
r

2

X
−
4

|

+

|

t
r

[
X
,
Y
]
−
2

|

:
⟨
X
,
Y
⟩
=
Γ
}
.

J(\Gamma ) = \inf \{|\mathrm {tr}^2 X - 4| + |\mathrm {tr} [X, Y] - 2| : \langle X, Y \rangle = \Gamma \}.

\]
Jørgensen’s Inequality guarantees

J
(
Γ
)
≥
1

J(\Gamma ) \geq 1

, and

Γ
\Gamma

is a Jørgensen group if

J
(
Γ
)
=
1

J(\Gamma ) = 1

. This paper shows that the only torsion-free Jørgensen group is the figure-eight knot group, identifies all non-cocompact arithmetic Jørgensen groups, and establishes a characterization of cocompact arithmetic Jørgensen groups. The paper concludes with computations of

J
(
Γ
)

J(\Gamma )

for several non-cocompact Kleinian groups including some two-bridge knot and link groups.
Importin β Regulates the Seeding of Chromatin with Initiation Sites for Nuclear Pore Assembly
Authors: Rotem Asaf , Gruber Rita , Shorer Hagai , Shaulov Lihi , Klein Eugenia , Harel Amnon
Published: July 2009

The nuclear envelope of higher eukaryotic cells reforms at the exit from mitosis, in concert with the assembly of nuclear pore complexes (NPCs). The first step in postmitotic NPC assembly involves the “seeding” of chromatin with ELYS and the Nup107-160 complex. Subsequent steps in the assembly process are poorly understood and different mechanistic models have been proposed to explain the formation of the full supramolecular structure. Here, we show that the initial step of chromatin seeding is negatively regulated by importin β. Direct imaging of the chromatin attachment sites reveals single sites situated predominantly on the highest substructures of chromatin surface and lacking any sign of annular structures or oligomerized pre-NPCs. Surprisingly, the inhibition by importin β is only partially reversed by RanGTP. Importin β forms a high-molecular-weight complex with both ELYS and the Nup107-160 complex in cytosol. We suggest that initiation sites for NPC assembly contain single copies of chromatin-bound ELYS/Nup107-160 and that the lateral oligomerization of these subunits depends on the recruitment of membrane components. We predict that additional regulators, besides importin β and Ran, may be involved in coordinating the initial seeding of chromatin with subsequent steps in the NPC assembly pathway.
Apportionment Cycles as Natural Experiments
Authors: Elis Roy , Malhotra Neil , Meredith Marc
Published: July 2009

Although there are compelling theoretical reasons to believe that unequal political representation in a legislature leads to an unequal distribution of funds, testing such theories empirically is challenging because it is difficult to separate the effects of representation from the effects of either population levels or changes. We leverage the natural experiment generated by infrequent and discrete census apportionment cycles to estimate the distributional effects of malapportionment in the U.S. House of Representatives. We find that changes in representation cause changes in the distribution of federal outlays to the states. Our method is exportable to any democratic system in which reapportionments are regular, infrequent, and nonstrategic.
Dequantization of the Dirac monopole
Authors: Brody Dorje C.
Published: July 2009

Using a sheaf-theoretic extension of conventional principal bundle theory, the Dirac monopole is formulated as a spherically symmetric model free of singularities outside the origin such that the charge may assume arbitrary real values. For integral charges, the construction effectively coincides with the usual model. Spin structures and Dirac operators are also generalized by the same technique.
Rationality in collective decision-making by ant colonies
Authors: Edwards Susan C. , Pratt Stephen C.
Published: July 2009

Economic models of animal behaviour assume that decision-makers are rational, meaning that they assess options according to intrinsic fitness value and not by comparison with available alternatives. This expectation is frequently violated, but the significance of irrational behaviour remains controversial. One possibility is that irrationality arises from cognitive constraints that necessitate short cuts like comparative evaluation. If so, the study of whether and when irrationality occurs can illuminate cognitive mechanisms. We applied this logic in a novel setting: the collective decisions of insect societies. We tested for irrationality in colonies ofTemnothoraxants choosing between two nest sites that varied in multiple attributes, such that neither site was clearly superior. In similar situations, individual animals show irrational changes in preference when a third relatively unattractive option is introduced. In contrast, we found no such effect in colonies. We suggest that immunity to irrationality in this case may result from the ants’ decentralized decision mechanism. A colony's choice does not depend on site comparison by individuals, but instead self-organizes from the interactions of multiple ants, most of which are aware of only a single site. This strategy may filter out comparative effects, preventing systematic errors that would otherwise arise from the cognitive limitations of individuals.
TheTRANSPORT INHIBITOR RESPONSE2Gene Is Required for Auxin Synthesis and Diverse Aspects of Plant Development
Authors: Yamada Masashi , Greenham Katie , Prigge Michael J. , Jensen Philip J. , Estelle Mark
Published: July 2009

The plant hormone auxin plays an essential role in plant development. However, only a few auxin biosynthetic genes have been isolated and characterized. Here, we show that the TRANSPORT INHIBITOR RESPONSE2 (TIR2) gene is required for many growth processes. Our studies indicate that the tir2 mutant is hypersensitive to 5-methyl-tryptophan, an inhibitor of tryptophan synthesis. Further, treatment with the proposed auxin biosynthetic intermediate indole-3-pyruvic acid (IPA) and indole-3-acetic acid rescues the tir2 short hypocotyl phenotype, suggesting that tir2 may be affected in the IPA auxin biosynthetic pathway. Molecular characterization revealed that TIR2 is identical to the TAA1 gene encoding a tryptophan aminotransferase. We show that TIR2 is regulated by temperature and is required for temperature-dependent hypocotyl elongation. Further, we find that expression of TIR2 is induced on the lower side of a gravitropically responding root. We propose that TIR2 contributes to a positive regulatory loop required for root gravitropism.
The Paralogous GenesRADICAL-INDUCED CELL DEATH1andSIMILAR TO RCD ONE1Have Partially Redundant Functions during Arabidopsis Development
Authors: Teotia Sachin , Lamb Rebecca S.
Published: July 2009

RADICAL-INDUCED CELL DEATH1 (RCD1) and SIMILAR TO RCD ONE1 (SRO1) are the only two proteins encoded in the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genome containing both a putative poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase catalytic domain and a WWE protein-protein interaction domain, although similar proteins have been found in other eukaryotes. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases mediate the attachment of ADP-ribose units from donor NAD+ molecules to target proteins and have been implicated in a number of processes, including DNA repair, apoptosis, transcription, and chromatin remodeling. We have isolated mutants in both RCD1 and SRO1, rcd1-3 and sro1-1, respectively. rcd1-3 plants display phenotypic defects as reported for previously isolated alleles, most notably reduced stature. In addition, rcd1-3 mutants display a number of additional developmental defects in root architecture and maintenance of reproductive development. While single mutant sro1-1 plants are relatively normal, loss of a single dose of SRO1 in the rcd1-3 background increases the severity of several developmental defects, implying that these genes do share some functions. However, rcd1-3 and sro1-1 mutants behave differently in several developmental events and abiotic stress responses, suggesting that they also have distinct functions. Remarkably, rcd1-3; sro1-1 double mutants display severe defects in embryogenesis and postembryonic development. This study shows that RCD1 and SRO1 are at least partially redundant and that they are essential genes for plant development.
Amphipathic property of free thiol group contributes to an increase inthe catalytic efficiency of carboxypeptidase Y
Authors: Mima Joji , Jung Giman , Onizuka Takuo , Ueno Hiroshi , Hayashi Rikimaru
Published: July 2009

Cys341 of carboxypeptidase Y, which constitutes one side of the solvent‐accessible surface of the S1 binding pocket, was replaced with Gly, Ser, Asp, Val, Phe or His by site‐directed mutagenesis. Kinetic analysis, using Cbz‐dipeptide substrates, revealed that polar amino acids at the 341 position increased Km whereas hydrophobic amino acids in this position tended to decrease Km. This suggests the involvement of Cys341 in the formation of the Michaelis complex in which Cys341 favors the formation of hydrophobic interactions with the P1 side chain of the substrate as well as with residues comprising the surface of the S1 binding pocket. Furthermore, C341G and C341S mutants had significantly higher kcat values with substrates containing the hydrophobic P1 side chain than C341V or C341F. This indicates that the nonhydrophobic property conferred by Gly or Ser gives flexibility or instability to the S1 pocket, which contributes to the increased kcat values of C341G or C341S. The results suggest that Cys341 may interact with His397 during catalysis. Therefore, we propose a dual role for Cys341: (a) its hydrophobicity allows it to participate in the formation of the Michaelis complex with hydrophobic substrates, where it maintains an unfavorable steric constraint in the S1 subsite; (b) its interaction with the imidazole ring of His397 contributes to the rate enhancement by stabilizing the tetrahedral intermediate in the transition state.
Genetic composition of Atlantic and Mediterranean recruits of European eel Anguilla anguilla based on EST‐linked microsatellite loci
Authors: Pujolar J. M. , De Leo G. A. , Ciccotti E. , Zane L.
Published: July 2009

Anguilla anguilla glass eels arriving at two Mediterranean and two Atlantic sites were tested for differences in genetic composition between regions using a total of 23 microsatellite loci developed from an expressed sequence tag (EST) library. Hierarchical analysis of molecular variance indicated a non‐significant difference between regions (Mediterranean v. Atlantic), which contrasted with the significant differences observed between samples within regions. The existence of a single spawning site for all A. anguilla individuals and extensive migration loop with great opportunity for mixing of individuals might explain the homogeneity in genetic composition found between regions. The observation of a (small‐scale) pattern of genetic patchiness among intra‐annual samples (arrival waves) within geographic regions does not conflict with the lack of (large‐scale) geographic sub‐structuring found between the Mediterranean and Atlantic regions, but most likely is a consequence of the strong dependence of A. anguilla on oceanic conditions in the Sargasso Sea that might result in a limited parental contribution to each spawning event. The comparison of Atlantic and Mediterranean A. anguilla glass eel recruits based on EST‐linked microsatellite loci provides evidence supporting the hypothesis of panmixia A. anguilla across Europe.
Development of a key using morphological characters to distinguish south‐western Indian Ocean anguillid glass eels
Authors: Réveillac É. , Gagnaire P.‐A. , Lecomte‐Finiger R. , Berrebi P. , Robinet T. , Valade P. , Feunteun É.
Published: July 2009

Two morphological characters were examined in 4099 anguillid glass eels sampled in four south‐western Indian Ocean islands, and resulting identifications were tested using genetic analysis. Distance between the origin of the dorsal and anal fins as related to total length and tail and caudal fin pigmentation enabled formulation of a useful field identification key, which was able to discriminate 4036 glass eels of the regional species Anguilla bicolor bicolor, Anguilla marmorata and Anguilla mossambica, and excluded the occurrence of Anguilla nebulosa labiata in the sample.
Salinity‐linked growth in anguillid eels and the paradox of temperate‐zone catadromy
Authors: Cairns D. K. , Secor D. A. , Morrison W. E. , Hallett J. A.
Published: July 2009

Temperate‐zone anguillid eels use both saline (marine or brackish) and fresh waters during their continental phase, but use of fresh waters is paradoxical because on average these fishes grow more rapidly in saline than in fresh waters. Based on data from anguillid eels whose habitat‐residency histories had been determined by Sr:Ca otolithometry, superiority of growth rates in saline water is much greater in American eels Anguilla rostrata in north‐eastern North America (mean saline:fresh growth rate ratio 2·07) than in European Anguilla anguilla, Japanese Anguilla japonica and shortfinned Anguilla australis eels (range of mean ratios 1·12–1·14). Data from A. rostrata in the Hudson Estuary, U.S.A., and Prince Edward Island, Canada, were used to test adaptive explanations of catadromous migrations. The hypothesis that lower mortality in fresh water offsets faster growth in saline water was not supported because loss (mortality + emigration ) rates did not vary between saline and fresh zones of the Hudson Estuary. Hypotheses that anguillid eels move to fresh water to escape from larger anguillid eels in saline water or to evaluate habitat quality were not supported by size and age distributions. Catadromy in temperate‐zone anguillid eels increases the diversity of occupied habitats and therefore lowers fitness variance caused by environmental fluctuations. Catadromy in temperate‐zone anguillid eels could be due to natural selection for maximum geometric mean fitness which is sensitive to fitness variance. Temperate‐zone catadromy might also be maladaptive, at least in local areas, due to shifts over time in selective pressures or to inability of panmictic genetic systems to adapt to local conditions.
Anguilla rostrata glass eel migration and recruitment in the estuary and Gulf of St Lawrence
Authors: Dutil J.‐D. , Dumont P. , Cairns D. K. , Galbraith P. S. , Verreault G. , Castonguay M. , Proulx S.
Published: July 2009

This study describes catches of Anguilla rostrata glass eels and associated oceanographic conditions in the St Lawrence Estuary and Gulf. Ichthyoplankton survey data suggest that they enter the Gulf primarily in May, migrate at the surface at night, and disperse broadly once they have passed Cabot Strait. They arrive in estuaries beginning at about mid‐June and through the month of July. Migration extends west up to Québec City, in the freshwater zone of the St Lawrence Estuary, 1000 km west of Cabot Strait. Anguilla rostrata glass eels travel between Cabot Strait and receiving estuaries at a straight‐line ground speed of c. 10–15 km day−1. Catches of fish per unit effort in estuaries in the St Lawrence system are much lower than those reported for the Atlantic coast of Canada. Low abundance of A. rostrata glass eels in the St Lawrence system may be due to cold surface temperatures during the migration period which decrease swimming capacity, long distances from the spawning ground to Cabot Strait and from Cabot Strait to the destination waters (especially the St Lawrence River), complex circulation patterns, and hypoxic conditions in bottom waters of the Laurentian Channel and the St Lawrence Estuary.
Morphological and genetic seasonal dynamics of European eel Anguilla anguilla recruitment in southern France
Authors: Maes G. E. , Van Vo B. , Crivelli A. J. , Volckaert F. A. M.
Published: July 2009

The fine scale morphological and genetic dynamics of successive waves of Anguilla anguilla glass eel recruitment was studied over a 2 year period at a southern European Mediterranean location (Camargue, France) with continuous recruitment. Using morphometric [total length (LT), mass (M), condition (K) and pigmentation stage] as well as genetic (allozyme) markers, the aim was to test for the existence of temporally separated spawning groups and explore the relation between genetic variability and morphological heterogeneity of recruits. The results showed that LT, M and K varied over time, being highest from the end of summer to winter (peaking in December) and lowest in spring (lowest in April). The pigmentation stages within monthly samples were highly diverse with a heterogeneous seasonal pattern. Allozyme data showed high genetic variability values within samples, but low genetic differentiation among samples (FST = 0·003, P < 0·05). Pairwise comparisons between samples indicated a positive correlation between genetic differentiation and difference in recruitment time (days), with a marked increase in genetic differentiation around 250 days between monthly recruitment samples. Furthermore, genetic diversity increased with the number of pigmentation stages per sample and was negatively correlated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index during the putative year of trans‐oceanic migration. No correlation, however, was found between the level of multilocus heterozygosity (MLH) and growth variables. A situation of genetic patchiness with fluctuating parental contribution can thus best explain the patterns observed, although the existence of two separate spawning periods cannot be excluded. More discriminatory and sensitive genetic markers, such as (neutral and adaptive) microsatellites, could probably provide additional insights into the most probable hypothesis explaining the population structure and recruitment heterogeneity of A. anguilla.
Review article: anti‐inflammatory mechanisms of action of Saccharomyces boulardii
Authors: POTHOULAKIS C.
Published: July 2009

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 30, 826–833

Background  Saccharomyces boulardii, a well‐studied probiotic, can be effective in inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases with diverse pathophysiology, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and bacterially mediated or enterotoxin‐mediated diarrhoea and inflammation.

Aim  To discuss the mechanisms of action involved in the intestinal anti‐inflammatory action of S. boulardii.

Methods  Review of the literature related to the anti‐inflammatory effects of this probiotic.

Results  Several mechanisms of action have been identified directed against the host and pathogenic microorganisms. S. boulardii and S. boulardii secreted‐protein(s) inhibit production of proinflammatory cytokines by interfering with the global mediator of inflammation nuclear factor κB, and modulating the activity of the mitogen‐activated protein kinases ERK1/2 and p38. S. boulardii activates expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐gamma (PPAR‐γ) that protects from gut inflammation and IBD. S. boulardii also suppresses ‘bacteria overgrowth’ and host cell adherence, releases a protease that cleaves C. difficile toxin A and its intestinal receptor and stimulates antibody production against toxin A. Recent results indicate that S. boulardii may interfere with IBD pathogenesis by trapping T cells in mesenteric lymph nodes.

Conclusions  The multiple anti‐inflammatory mechanisms exerted by S. boulardii provide molecular explanations supporting its effectiveness in intestinal inflammatory states.
Use of the Kidcope to identify socio‐economically diverse Spanish school‐age children's stressors and coping strategies
Authors: Pereda N. , Forns M. , Kirchner T. , Muñoz D.
Published: July 2009

Background  The process by which children cope with stressful events is a very relevant topic. However, few systematic efforts have been made to design age‐specific measures.

Methods  This study examined problems commonly experienced by children, ages between 7 and 12 years, from two different sources: a primary school mainly enrolling families of medium socio‐economic status, and an after‐school social care centre from a socially and economically deprived neighbourhood. Data were obtained using the younger version of the Kidcope.

Results  Almost 55% of the sample reported a problem related to others with no differences observed in age, gender or school group. The strategies that children considered the most effective were ‘social support’ (35%), ‘emotional regulation’ (33%) and ‘wishful thinking’ (32%). The children from disadvantaged backgrounds reported different problems mainly related with ‘victimization and violence’, ‘moving house’ and conflicts with ‘norms and rules’ and tended to use avoidant strategies to face them, which could be related to the perception of uncontrollability of these stressors.

Conclusions  This study reported the first descriptive results in the type of problems and coping strategies of two different social groups of Spanish children using the Kidcope. The Kidcope can be useful to screen children for coping abilities at an early age living under stressful conditions in underprivileged sectors of society.
Mortality of Parkinson's disease by Hoehn–Yahr stage from community‐based and clinic series [Keelung Community‐based Integrated Screening (KCIS) no. 17)]
Authors: Liou Horng‐Huei , Wu Chia‐Yun , Chiu Yueh‐Hsia , Yen Amy Ming‐Fang , Chen Rong‐Chi , Chen Ta‐Fu , Chen Chih‐Chuan , Hwang Yuarn‐Chung , Wen Ying‐Rong , Chen Tony Hsiu‐Hsi
Published: July 2009

Purpose  We aimed to quantify the mortality reduction by which the early detection of Parkinson's disease (PD) within a community‐based study could reduce the number of advanced cases.

Methods  Data used in this study were derived from two community‐based surveys and from a clinical series of PD cases identified from a medical centre. The cumulative survival by Hoehn–Yahr (H–Y) scale was estimated and the mortality reduction derived from a community‐based survey was predicted.

Results  A total of 117 PD patients were detected through two community‐based approaches. By comparing the H–Y stage distribution of screen‐detected cases with those from the clinical series, a 22.5% excess in the number of early PD (H–Y stage I and stage II) were identified with screening. The risk ratios of being H–Y stage III or severe for community‐based detected cases versus clinical series were 0.49 (95% confidence interval: 0.30–0.78). The total death rate adjusted by H–Y stage distribution was 21% and 28% for cases from community and clinical series, respectively.

Conclusions  The present study revealed that early detection of PD through a community‐based survey may reduce 51% incidence of stage III or more severe PD at diagnosis, leading to a 25% reduction in mortality.
An audit of health education services within UK hospitals
Authors: Haynes Charlotte L. , Cook Gary A.
Published: July 2009

Rationale, aims and objective  UK public health policy requires hospitals to deliver health promotion services to patients for healthy lifestyles (i.e. health education), but there are currently few data on the health education delivered within hospitals. This audit aimed to collect data on the routine health education activities delivered to hospitalized patients to assess whether the following standards were met: 100% of hospitalized patients screened for smoking, alcohol use and obesity, 70% of smokers offered health education for smoking cessation and 50% of patients identified as misusing alcohol, obese, consuming an unhealthy diet and/or physically inactive delivered the appropriate health education.

Methods  An audit of data contained in hospitalized patients' written medical case notes for evidence that the above standards were met. Nine hospitals in Greater Manchester in England participated.

Results  Four hospitals screened all patients for smoking. None of the hospitals met the standards for screening alcohol or obesity. For health education delivery, all hospitals met the standard for diet, four for alcohol misuse and four for physical activity. None of the hospitals met the standards for smoking or obesity.

Conclusions  Improvements in practice for screening of alcohol and obesity are required. While some hospitals appeared to meet standards for health education delivery for alcohol, diet and physical activity, given the poor screening procedures for these risk factors, we can not conclude that health education delivery was adequate.
Understanding health from a complex systems perspective
Authors: Topolski Stefan
Published: July 2009

Doctors often use theory to inform medical practice. The current bio‐psycho‐social model of health may be advanced still further with theoretical rigour. Traditional fields of thermodynamics and newer fields of non‐linear dynamics including chaos theory and complex systems science can inform our understanding of the complexity of human health, illness and disease. Commonly accepted aspects of human health may be projected as probabilities over time creating curves of human health potential. Maximum health may be represented by maximum functional complexity. Complexity's relationship to entropy and energy can produce a complex surface that better models the human experience of health and illness from birth to death. Such a potential health trajectory uniting complexity and entropy expands upon earlier theories of health while allowing for unusual predictions and the novel opportunity to test and validate this model of human health.
Lessons from Jurassic Park: patients as complex adaptive systems
Authors: Katerndahl David A.
Published: July 2009

Rationale  With realization that non‐linearity is generally the rule rather than the exception in nature, viewing patients and families as complex adaptive systems may lead to a better understanding of health and illness. Doctors who successfully practise the ‘art’ of medicine may recognize non‐linear principles at work without having the jargon needed to label them.

Methods  Complex adaptive systems are systems composed of multiple components that display complexity and adaptation to input. These systems consist of self‐organized components, which display complex dynamics, ranging from simple periodicity to chaotic and random patterns showing trends over time.

Results  Understanding the non‐linear dynamics of phenomena both internal and external to our patients can (1) improve our definition of ‘health’; (2) improve our understanding of patients, disease and the systems in which they converge; (3) be applied to future monitoring systems; and (4) be used to possibly engineer change.

Conclusion  Such a non‐linear view of the world is quite congruent with the generalist perspective.
‘It just doesn't seem to fit’. Environmental illness, corporeal chaos and the body as a complex system
Authors: Coyle Fiona J.
Published: July 2009

Environmental illness (EI) still remains something of an enigma, despite attempts to squeeze it into the increasingly flexible framework of the biomedical model or label it as ‘psychogenic’. Consistently, environmentally ill bodies fail to respond to conventional medical tests, with the emergence of ambiguous, indecipherable or negative results. During a series of in‐depth interviews in Canada, both patients and environmental health practitioners advocated the need for an alternative paradigm from which to view EI. They also spoke of the complex nature of the illness, a conundrum that is currently being explored at the Nova Scotia Environmental Health Centre through an alternative epistemological framework: complexity theory. In this paper, I present a tentative proposal, based on the juxtaposition of theoretical insights from this new science to discourses emanating from patients and doctors. Specifically, I argue that the diverse symptoms of EI can be comprehended through a study of complexity theory, a conception that has positive implications for treatment.
Controlled dehydration of a biological sample using an alternative form of environmental SEM
Authors: NEDĚLA V.
Published: July 2009

In this study a non‐conductive biological sample is observed free of charging artefacts when placed on a cooled Peltier stage in the specimen chamber of an alternative form of the environmental scanning electron microscope, equipped with a specially designed hydration system. This system was used to create dynamically changing surrounding conditions leading to controlled dehydration of the sample enabling us to visualize the topographical structure of a rat tongue in the transition region between the liquid and the gas state of water in the microscope specimen chamber.
Effects of meloxicam on reproduction parameters in dairy cattle
Authors: HIRSCH A. C. , PHILIPP H.
Published: July 2009

This study was carried out in dairy cattle with the NSAID meloxicam to investigate possible drug effects on different reproductive parameters as well as on the progeny. Forty‐one cows received intravenous injection of either meloxicam (Metacam® 20 mg/mL solution for injection) or placebo at a dose volume of 7.5 mL/100 kg, corresponding to a dose of 1.5 mg meloxicam/kg, i.e. three times the recommended therapeutic dose. Treatment was performed in each phase of reproduction, i.e. once prior to breeding, twice shortly after breeding, once at the beginning of the second and third trimester of gestation and once at the end of the third trimester of gestation. Offspring of the cows were weighed and clinically examined for vitality at birth and after 28 days. No relevant difference between the meloxicam and control group was found in the reproductive performance of the cows or in the body weight development or vitality of the calves.
Pseudoxanthoma elasticum‐like lesions in association with thalassaemia major
Authors: Yu Shirley , Ming Andrew , Wegman Annette
Published: July 2009

A 33‐year‐old woman with a background of thalassaemia major presented with a 3‐month history of yellowish plaques on the back of her neck bilaterally and alterations in the texture of the skin in both axillae. Examination of these lesions showed yellowish cobblestone plaques and coalescing papules in both axillae. Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE)‐like lesions were confirmed histopathologically. PXE‐like lesions in association with thalassaemia major are an uncommon occurrence. Due to the increase in the survival rate of thalassaemia major patients on treatment, the development of these lesions is likely to increase. The histopathological manifestation of these lesions mimics that of hereditary PXE and is associated with severe vascular complications. This case highlights the importance of recognising this rare disorder and the role dermatologists have in establishing the diagnosis and advising on appropriate screening for complications.
Primary umbilical melanoma
Authors: Cecchi Roberto , Pavesi Mario , Buralli Lauro , Rapicano Valentina , De Gaudio Cataldo
Published: July 2009

We report a 72‐year‐old woman who presented with a primary melanoma of the umbilicus and periumbilical skin of 4 years' duration. Pathological examination of a biopsy specimen showed Clark's level IV, and tumour thickness 2.3 mm. The patient underwent preoperative lymphatic mapping followed by sentinel lymph node biopsy, and wide local excision of the primary tumour, including its attachment to the peritoneum. Because of the variations in vascularity and the residual embryonal connections of the umbilicus with the peritoneum and other intra‐abdominal organs, an aggressive surgical approach is recommended in the management of malignant umbilical tumours.
Prophylactic use of isepamicin and levofloxacin for transrectal prostate biopsy: A retrospective single center study
Authors: Shigemura Katsumi , Yasufuku Tomihiko , Yamashita Masuo , Arakawa Soichi , Fujisawa Masato
Published: July 2009

Objectives:  To evaluate the combination of isepamicin and levofloxacin in the prophylaxis of infectious complications associated with prostate biopsy (PBX).

Methods:  A total of 586 patients who underwent transrectal PBX in a single center were included in this retrospective analysis. They received 400 mg isepamicin once just before PBX plus 300 mg oral levofloxacin each day for three days as a rule. Clinical and laboratory data were evaluated.

Results:  A total of three (0.51%) patients presented a febrile complication after PBX. All of them were diagnosed as acute prostatitis. Serum white blood cell count and C‐reactive protein in the 131 patients whose laboratory data were available for statistical analyses did not rise significantly after PBX.

Conclusions:  Isepamicin plus fluoroquinolone can be considered a valuable regimen for antibiotic prophylaxis of PBX.
The bacterial genus Collimonas: mycophagy, weathering and other adaptive solutions to life in oligotrophic soil environments
Authors: Leveau Johan H. J. , Uroz Stéphane , De Boer Wietse
Published: July 2009

This minireview provides a synopsis of past and present research on the biology and ecology of members of the bacterial genus Collimonas. From the distribution, abundance and functional behaviours of these so‐called collimonads emerges a general picture of bacterial adaptation to low‐nutrient soil environments. Among these adaptations is the ability to extract nutrients from living fungi (mycophagy) and from rocks and minerals (weathering). This unique combination of properties will be discussed in the context of other interactions that collimonads have with their biotic and abiotic surroundings, such as the ability to inhibit fungal growth (fungistasis), protect plant roots from fungal disease (biocontrol), and degrade natural polymers and synthetic pollutants (biodegradation). Future research on Collimonas is expected to take advantage of the genomic tools and resources that are becoming available to uncover and describe the genes and gene functions that distinguish this group of bacteria and are the basis for its phenotypes. Potential applications of collimonads include the control of unwanted fungi, for example in agriculture, their use as biological indicators of soil quality and fertility, and as a source of bioactive compounds.
SiaA and SiaD are essential for inducing autoaggregation as a specific response to detergent stress in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Klebensberger Janosch , Birkenmaier Antoinette , Geffers Robert , Kjelleberg Staffan , Philipp Bodo
Published: July 2009

Cell aggregation is a stress response and serves as a survival strategy for Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO1 during growth with the toxic detergent Na‐dodecylsulfate (SDS). This process involves the psl operon and is linked to c‐di‐GMP signalling. The induction of cell aggregation in response to SDS was studied. Transposon and site‐directed mutagenesis revealed that the cupA‐operon and the co‐transcribed genes siaA (PA0172) and siaD (PA0169) were essential for SDS‐induced aggregation. While siaA encodes a putative membrane protein with a HAMP and a PP2C‐like phosphatase domain, siaD encodes a putative diguanylate cyclase involved in the biosynthesis of c‐di‐GMP. Complementation studies uncovered that the loss of SDS‐induced aggregation in the formerly isolated spontaneous mutant strain N was caused by a non‐functional siaA allele. DNA‐microarray analysis of SDS‐grown cells revealed consistent activation of eight genes, including cupA1, with known or presumptive important functions in cell aggregation in the parent strain compared with non‐aggregating siaA and siaD mutants. A siaAD‐dependent increase of cupA1 mRNA levels in SDS‐grown cells was also shown by Northern blots. These results clearly demonstrate that SiaAD are essential for inducing cell aggregation as a specific response to SDS and suggest that they are responsible for perceiving and transducing SDS‐related stress.
EXPLORING THE AMBIGUITY OF HYBRID ORGANISATIONS: A STAKEHOLDER APPROACH
Authors: Thomasson Anna
Published: July 2009

This paper focuses on hybrid organisations, which have both public and private sector elements. Therefore, stakeholders of hybrid organisations have different views regarding what to expect from the organisation and the role of stakeholders tend to be multifaceted. This creates ambiguity that imposes demands on the management of hybrid organisations. In this paper a stakeholder approach is used in order to explore the ambiguity of hybrid organisations and the demands this imposes on managers.
The Origination of a Human Being: A Reply to Oderberg
Authors: PERSSON INGMAR
Published: July 2009

abstract

Recently David S. Oderberg has tried to refute three arguments that have been advanced in favour of the view that a human being does not begin to exist at fertilization. These arguments turn on the absence of differentiation between the embryoblast and trophoblast, the possibility of monozygotic twinning, and the totipotency of the cells during the first days after fertilization. It is here contended that Oderberg fails to rebut these arguments, though it is conceded that the first two arguments are not conclusive. They do, however, make it at least as reasonable to deny this early origination as to affirm it. It should be noticed that this is all that is needed by those who have used these arguments to dispute that something with a special moral status exists right from fertilization. Nonetheless, it will be seen that the third argument could be developed to the point of giving a conclusive reason to believe that a human being does not begin to exist at fertilization.
Increased lipid peroxidation in Down’s syndrome mouse models
Authors: Ishihara Keiichi , Amano Kenji , Takaki Eiichi , Ebrahim Abdul Shukkur , Shimohata Atsushi , Shibazaki Noriko , Inoue Ikuyo , Takaki Mayuko , Ueda Yuto , Sago Haruhiko , Epstein Charles J. , Yamakawa Kazuhiro
Published: July 2009

Elevated oxidative stress has been suggested to be associated with the features of Down’s syndrome (DS). We previously reported increased oxidative stress in cultured cells from the embryonic brain of Ts1Cje, a mouse genetic DS model. However, since in vivo evidence for increased oxidative stress is lacking, we here examined lipid peroxidation, a typical marker of oxidative stress, in the brains of Ts1Cje and another DS mouse model Ts2Cje with an overlapping but larger trisomic segment. Accumulations of proteins modified with the lipid peroxidation‐derived products, 13‐hydroperoxy‐9Z,11E‐octadecadienoic acid and 4‐hydroxy‐2‐nonenal were markedly increased in Ts1Cje and Ts2Cje brains. Analysis with oxidation‐sensitive fluorescent probe also showed that reactive oxygen species themselves were increased in Ts1Cje brain. However, electron spin resonance analysis of microdialysate from the hippocampus of Ts1Cje showed that antioxidant activity remained unaffected, suggesting that the reactive oxygen species production was accelerated in Ts1Cje. Proteomics approaches with mass spectrometry identified the proteins modified with 13‐hydroperoxy‐9Z,11E‐octadecadienoic acid and/or 4‐hydroxy‐2‐nonenal to be involved in either ATP generation, the neuronal cytoskeleton or antioxidant activity. Structural or functional impairments of these proteins by such modifications may contribute to the DS features such as cognitive impairment that are present in the Ts1Cje mouse.
Stroke research at a road block: the streets from adversity should be paved with meta‐analysis and good laboratory practice
Authors: Dirnagl Ulrich , Macleod Malcolm R
Published: July 2009

In this issue, Bath et al. use state of the art meta‐analytical tools to address the pressing question of why NXY‐059, a compound at the time considered to fulfil all the recommendations for the evaluation of preclinical data regarding neuroprotective drugs, has failed clinically. They demonstrate quantitatively that a negative publication bias existed, that the compound was indeed neuroprotective in experimental stroke, but that bias may have resulted in an overestimation of efficacy, and that efficacy in healthy, male, adolescent animals is a poor predictor of success in clinical trial. The study contains important messages for researchers, journal editors, the pharmaceutical industry and science policy makers. Bias is both prevalent and relevant in experiments modelling human stroke. Simple measures can reduce, perhaps substantially, the impact of such bias. The decision to proceed to clinical trial should be based on a thorough and systematic review of the animal data.