bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A scientometric analysis of dermoscopy literature over the past 25 years
Authors: Tasli L. , Kaçar N. , Argenziano G.
Published: October 2011

Background  Dermoscopy is a useful method allowing the non‐invasive visualization of dermal and epidermal structures.

Objective  To determine the scientific output in dermoscopy between 1985 and 2009 using ISI Web of Knowledge.

Methods  The ISI Web of Knowledge was searched for articles on dermoscopy published between 1985 and 2009 using appropriate terms. Articles were characterized each year by publication type and journal type.

Results  The search yielded 1490 dermoscopy publications, of which 1198 (80%) appeared in dermatology journals. A cubic increase in the number of publications over time was observed (R2 = 95.3%, P < 0.0001). Most of these publications were published in high‐impact dermatologic journals, including Archives of Dermatology (209, 14%), Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (161, 10.8%) and British Journal of Dermatology (113, 7.6%). Italy produced 29% of all articles followed by the United States with 22% and Austria with 15%. The number of dermoscopy publications associated with a given country correlated with melanoma incidence and Growth Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of that country (r = 0517 P = 0.02, and r = 0486 P = 0.03 respectively).

Conclusion  The number of scientific publications in the field of dermoscopy has increased significantly over the past 25 years. Italy, the United States and Austria have dominated the field of dermoscopy.
Is More ‘Brussels’ the Solution? New European Union Member States' Preferences about the European Financial Architecture*
Authors: SPENDZHAROVA ANETA
Published: October 2011

The changes in the European financial architecture in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis have highlighted the tension between the need for greater centralization of financial regulation at the EU level and the reluctance of some Member States to give up national regulatory autonomy. This article analyses the attitudes of new EU Member States toward the EU financial regulatory reforms. It investigates whether the extent of foreign ownership in the domestic financial sector, Euroscepticism, government support for deregulation and recent experiences of a severe financial crisis have an impact on countries' reservations. According to the results of the analysis, the higher the foreign ownership of a country's financial sector, the more reservations it expresses. The Eurosceptic attitude of the political parties in government matters as well. The more the governing political parties are opposed to EU integration in general, the more reservations one finds in a country's official position on the new EU financial architecture.
Lobbying Institutional Key Players: How States Seek to Influence the European Commission, the Council Presidency and the European Parliament*
Authors: PANKE DIANA
Published: October 2011

In governance arrangements on the local, state, regional and international levels, lobbying as a strategy to gain influence on policy outcomes via informal channels takes place. While most studies focus on how individuals, companies, interest groups or non‐governmental organizations try to exert influence via state actors, we know much less about whether and how frequently states themselves engage in lobbying. How effectively do state actors seek to further their own preferences informally in lobbying institutional key actors in governance arrangements beyond the nation‐state? To shed light on these blind spots, this article draws on the example of the European Union and analyses the conditions under which states are especially inclined to use this informal influence strategy as well as the conditions for lobbying success. Is shows that states use lobbying strategies more often, the more capacities they possess, the lower the transaction costs of lobbying and also the stronger their incentives of getting active are for particular policies. Additionally, it is not only a high frequency of lobbying that increases the chances of informally influencing policies, but also the type of reasoning applied, its quality and its fit to the nature of the issue at stake.
Enlargement and the Environment: The Changing Behaviour of the European Parliament*
Authors: BURNS CHARLOTTE , CARTER NEIL , WORSFOLD NICHOLAS
Published: October 2011

It was widely anticipated before European Union enlargement that the accession states would have a negative impact on EU environmental governance. By extension, the European Parliament's (EP) reputation as an environmental champion might be threatened by the influx of MEPs from accession states. An analysis of all EP amendments to environmental legislation between 1999 and 2009 reveals that post‐enlargement the EP was more successful at securing the adoption of its amendments into law but that these amendments were less radical. These changes arise from the institutional adaptation prompted by enlargement and a broad ideological shift to the right within the EP.
Explaining EU Activism and Impact in Global Climate Politics: Is the Union a Norm‐ or Interest‐Driven Actor?
Authors: VAN SCHAIK LOUISE , SCHUNZ SIMON
Published: October 2011

This contribution examines the driving factors behind the European Union's activism in global climate politics since the mid‐1990s. Two alternatives are considered: norms and interests. Norms underlying the EU's stance include its belief in multilateralism, sustainable development and the precautionary principle. Interests comprise economic opportunities and the climate change–security nexus. It is argued here that the normative orientation has dominated the EU's ‘leading by example’ strategy in global negotiations. In Copenhagen, it yielded little influence as it was insufficiently geared towards the context of the negotiations. This challenges the notion of ‘normative power’ Europe and makes a review of the Union's external climate policy necessary.
Ocean‐scale prediction of whale shark distribution
Authors: Sequeira Ana , Mellin Camille , Rowat David , Meekan Mark G. , Bradshaw Corey J. A.
Published: October 2011

Aim  Predicting distribution patterns of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus, Smith 1828) in the open ocean remains elusive owing to few pelagic records. We developed multivariate distribution models of seasonally variant whale shark distributions derived from tuna purse‐seine fishery data. We tested the hypotheses that whale sharks use a narrow temperature range, are more abundant in productive waters and select sites closer to continents than the open ocean.

Location  Indian Ocean.

Methods  We compared a 17‐year time series of observations of whale sharks associated with tuna purse‐seine sets with chlorophyll a concentration and sea surface temperature data extracted from satellite images. Different sets of pseudo‐absences based on random distributions, distance to shark locations and tuna catch were generated to account for spatiotemporal variation in sampling effort and probability of detection. We applied generalized linear, spatial mixed‐effects and Maximum Entropy models to predict seasonal variation in habitat suitability and produced maps of distribution.

Results  The saturated generalized linear models including bathymetric slope, depth, distance to shore, the quadratic of mean sea surface temperature, sea surface temperature variance and chlorophyll a had the highest relative statistical support, with the highest percent deviance explained when using random pseudo‐absences with fixed effect‐only models and the tuna pseudo‐absences with mixed‐effects models (e.g. 58% and 26% in autumn, respectively). Maximum Entropy results suggested that whale sharks responded mainly to variation in depth, chlorophyll a and temperature in all seasons. Bathymetric slope had only a minor influence on the presence.

Main conclusions  Whale shark habitat suitability in the Indian Ocean is mainly correlated with spatial variation in sea surface temperature. The relative influence of this predictor provides a basis for predicting habitat suitability in the open ocean, possibly giving insights into the migratory behaviour of the world’s largest fish. Our results also provide a baseline for temperature‐dependent predictions of distributional changes in the future.
Solicited diaries and the everyday geographies of heterosexual love and home: reflections on methodological process and practice
Authors: Morrison Carey‐Ann
Published: October 2011

This paper draws upon material from a study with 14 heterosexual couples who live in Hamilton, Aotearoa New Zealand to consider the use of personal solicited diaries in research on the everyday geographies of heterosexual love and home. Critical feedback, in the form of evaluation questionnaires, as well diary content is used to reflect critically upon the usefulness of diaries as a methodological tool. This paper argues solicited diaries have the ability to provide research participants with a space of embodied and emotional self‐reflection and they can facilitate researchers with access to emotional spaces and situations typically beyond their reach. It concludes that while solicited diaries can potentially offer a more accurate portrayal of everyday life in process, they continue to be a product of research momentariness.
Effects of Introducing Threatened Falcons into Vineyards on Abundance of Passeriformes and Bird Damage to Grapes
Authors: KROSS SARA M. , TYLIANAKIS JASON M. , NELSON XIMENA J.
Published: October 2011

Abstract:  Agricultural landscapes are becoming an important focus of animal conservation, although initiatives to conserve predators to date have rarely provided economic benefits to agricultural producers. We examined whether introduction to vineyards of the New Zealand Falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae), a species listed as threatened by the New Zealand Department of Conservation, affected the abundance of 4 species of Passeriformes that are considered vineyard pests or affected the amount of economic loss due to grape (Vitis vinifera) damage. Three of the species were introduced and remove whole grapes from bunches (Blackbird [Turdus merula], Song Thrush [Turdus philomelos], and Starling [Sturnus vulgaris]), whereas the one native species (Silvereye [Zosterops lateralis]) pecks holes in grapes. The introduction of falcons to vineyards was associated with a significant decrease in the abundance of introduced passerines and with a 95% reduction in the number of grapes removed relative to vineyards without falcons. Falcon presence was not associated with a change in the number of Silvereyes, but there was a 55% reduction in the number of grapes pecked in vineyards with falcons. Our results indicate that, relative to damage in vineyards without falcons, the presence of a falcon could potentially result in savings of US$234/ha for the Sauvignon Blanc variety of grapes and $326/ha for Pinot Noir variety of grapes.
Reflectance confocal microscopy for the evaluation of acute epidermal wound healing
Authors: Terhorst Dorothea , Maltusch Adrienne , Stockfleth Eggert , Lange‐Asschenfeldt Susanne , Sterry Wolfram , Ulrich Martina , Lange‐Asschenfeldt Bernhard
Published: October 2011

The dynamic process of wound healing is routinely evaluated by clinical or histological evaluation. Recently, a number of non‐invasive imaging techniques have been evaluated for their clinical applicability in dermatology. Among them, reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) represents a non‐invasive imaging technique that allows the in vivo characterization of the skin at near‐histological resolution. The aim of this study was to monitor epidermal wound repair using RCM in a model of tissue damage induced by cryosurgery. For this purpose, contact cryosurgery was performed at −32 °C for 10 seconds on the volar forearm of five healthy volunteers. Clinical and RCM evaluations were performed at nine consecutive time points. RCM allowed the visualization of edema formation and blood vessel dilatation immediately after cryosurgery, as well as morphologic features of wound repair, including the formation of finger‐like protusions of keratinocytes into the wound bed, the appearance of hairpin‐like vessels, and inflammatory cells. This pilot study illustrates that RCM represents a promising technique for quasi‐real‐time monitoring the kinetics of wound repair non‐invasively and over time, thus offering new insights into in vivo processes of cutaneous wound repair and angiogenesis, as well as potential effects of topically applied drugs on the process of tissue repair.
The efficacy of silver dressings and antibiotics on MRSA and MSSA isolated from burn patients
Authors: Percival Steven L. , Thomas John G. , Slone Will , Linton Sara , Corum Linda , Okel Tyler
Published: October 2011

In this study our objectives were (1) to investigate whether meticillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) showed an increased tolerance to silver wound dressings compared with meticillin‐sensitive S. aureus (MSSA); and (2) to evaluate the effects of bacterial phenotypic states of MRSA and MSSA, and pH, on the activity of silver wound dressings and two antibiotics, ampicillin and clindamycin. Twenty MRSA strains and 10 MSSA strains isolated from burns patients in South Africa were evaluated for their susceptibility to a silver alginate and a silver carboxymethyl cellulose wound dressing, employing a corrected zone of inhibition assay, conducted on Mueller Hinton agar and a poloxamer‐based biofilm model. When exposed to the two silver dressings, all 30 S. aureus strains showed susceptibility. Possible enhanced antimicrobial efficacy of the silver dressings occurred when pH was lowered to 5.5, compared with a pH of 7.0. When all S. aureus were grown in the biofilm phenotypic state and exposed to both silver dressings and antibiotics, enhanced tolerance was noted. Susceptibility to silver was overall higher for MRSA when compared with MSSA. This study showed that the effect of pH and bacterial phenotypic state must be considered when the antimicrobial activity of silver wound dressings is being investigated. It is evident from the data generated that both pH and the bacterial phenotypic state are factors that induce changes that affect both antimicrobial performance and bacterial susceptibility.
Intravenous Acetaminophen for Pain after Major Orthopedic Surgery: An Expanded Analysis
Authors: Sinatra Raymond S. , Jahr Jonathan S. , Reynolds Lowell , Groudine Scott B. , Royal Mike A. , Breitmeyer James B. , Viscusi Eugene R.
Published: October 2011

Background and Methods:  From the time that Sinatra et al. (Anesthesiology. 2005;102:822) was published to FDA apaproval of intravenous (IV) acetaminophen, an expanded analysis of the original raw study data became necessary for the regulatory submission. The following analyses were conducted: (1) sum of pain intensity differences over 24 hours (SPID24) using currently accepted imputation methods to account for both missing data and the effects of rescue; (2) efficacy results after the first 6 hours; (3) effects of gender, race/ethnicity, age, weight, surgical site, ASA Class, and serotonin antagonists; and (4) a stepwise regression analysis of why adverse events of nausea and vomiting were numerically (although not statistically) higher in the IV acetaminophen group compared with placebo.

Results:  Sum of pain intensity differences over 24 hours using a 0‐ to 100‐mm visual analog scale was statistically significantly (P < 0.001) in favor of IV acetaminophen (n = 49) compared with placebo (n = 52). Time to rescue was found to be 3.9 and 2.1 hours, respectively, for total hip and knee arthroplasty compared with 0.8 hours for the placebo group. Rescue medication consumption, requests, and actual administration were all significantly lower in the IV acetaminophen group compared with placebo for each dosing interval, except in the 6‐ to 12‐hours interval where a numerical trend was observed. Analysis of various subset variables demonstrated similar efficacy for each variable. A stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that AE reports of nausea and vomiting were most likely due to prerandomization events, particularly opioid consumption and presence of nausea prior to randomization.

Conclusion:  Repeated‐dose 24‐hours end points were found to be as robust as previously published results. IV acetaminophen efficacy and safety appeared to be unaffected by specific subset variables.▪
Sentinel node procedures in gynecologic cancers: an overview
Authors: VAN OOSTRUM NOORTJE H. M. , MAKAR AMIN P. H. , VAN DEN BROECKE RUDY
Published: October 2011

The aim of this study was to assess the value of sentinel lymph node procedures in gynecologic cancers. A systematic literature overview, using the PubMed database, was performed. In early stage vulvar, endometrial and cervical cancer, lymph node status is the most important prognostic factor. Lymphadenectomy, performed for adequate staging, is associated with high morbidity rates. Sentinel node procedures hold the promise of adequate staging with less treatment‐related morbidity. Sentinel lymph node procedures in patients with early‐stage vulvar cancer are associated with low recurrence rates, excellent survival, lower morbidity and shorter hospital stay compared to classical inguinal dissection. Therefore, these procedures should be the standard of care in early‐stage unilateral vulvar cancer. Reports on sentinel lymph node procedures in endometrial and cervical cancer are ambiguous. The procedures in these cancers are reported in small studies only. Detection rates vary depending on the used injection sites and the used tracers. Bilateral detection rates are low and are not mentioned by default. Large controlled multi‐institutional studies are necessary to evaluate the validity and the prognostic significance of the sentinel lymph node procedures in endometrial and cervical cancer.
Cex1p Facilitates Rna1p‐Mediated Dissociation of the Los1p‐tRNA‐Gsp1p‐GTP Export Complex
Authors: McGuire Andrew T. , Mangroo Dev
Published: October 2011

Nuclear tRNA export plays an essential role in key cellular processes such as regulation of protein synthesis, cell cycle progression, response to nutrient availability and DNA damage and development. Like other nuclear export processes, assembly of the nuclear tRNA export complex in the nucleus is dependent on Ran‐GTP/Gsp1p‐GTP, and dissociation of the export receptor‐tRNA‐Ran‐GTP/Gsp1p‐GTP complex in the cytoplasm requires RanBP1/Yrb1p and RanGAP/Rna1p to activate the GTPase activity of Ran‐GTP/Gsp1p‐GTP. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cex1p and Human Scyl1 have also been proposed to participate in unloading of the tRNA export receptors at the cytoplasmic face of the nuclear pore complex (NPC). Here, we provide evidence suggesting that Cex1p is required for activation of the GTPase activity of Gsp1p and dissociation of the receptor‐tRNA‐Gsp1p export complex in S. cerevisiae. The data suggest that Cex1p recruits Rna1p from the cytoplasm to the NPC and facilitates Rna1p activation of the GTPase activity of Gsp1p by enabling Rna1p to gain access to Gsp1p‐GTP bound to the export receptor tRNA complex. It is possible that this tRNA unloading mechanism is conserved in evolutionarily diverse organisms and that other Gsp1p‐GTP‐dependent export processes use a pathway‐specific component to recruit Rna1p to the NPC.
Geographies of Urban Politics: Pathways, Intersections, Interventions
Authors: MGUIRK PAULINE
Published: October 2011

This paper deals with urban political geographies and, most particularly, with political economy perspectives on urban politics. It offers an account that narrates what I see as influential pathways and intersections, theoretical debates, and methodological developments that have shaped contemporary urban political geographies in this vein since the 1970s, including: the ‘new urban politics’, intersections with postmodernism, and postcolonialism; urban neoliberalism and the contingency of urban politics; and, most recently, poststructural political economy and the notion of assemblage. This leads me to trace the implications of the shift in understanding from urban political geography to geographies of urban politics, and the growing emphasis on practice, contingency, relationality, and assemblage that accompany this shift. I conclude with reflections on new directions, new productive questions and tensions, and on the knowledge politics of how we do and might do contemporary urban political geographies.
Extramedullary plasmacytoma of the small intestine: Clinical features, diagnosis and treatment
Authors: LOPES DA SILVA Rodrigo
Published: October 2011

Extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) of the small intestine is an unusual plasma cell neoplasm in this anatomic region with only 61 cases described so far. Clinical suspicion is infrequent owing to its location and nonspecific manifestations such as abdominal pain, obstructive symptoms or even bleeding. Diagnosis is reached through histopathological examination coupled with immunohistochemistry of the endoscopic biopsy or surgical resection specimens. Nevertheless, the differential diagnosis between EMP, lymphoma and other kinds of tumors can sometimes be troublesome. The managements include surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Generally, the prognosis of EMP is favorable, but occasionally it may relapse, or progress to a plasma cell myeloma. EMP should therefore be followed‐up for a long period after treatment. In this comprehensive review of the current literature, the patients' characteristics, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment and outcome were discussed.
Insights into osteoarthritis from MRI
Authors: TAN York Kiat , CONAGHAN Philip G.
Published: October 2011

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has added a new dimension to the study of osteoarthritis, a long‐known degenerative joint disease with limited therapeutic options. It has advanced our understanding of joint pathophysiology and identifying that osteoarthritis as a simple ‘wear and tear’ process of the articular cartilage has indeed become a thing of the past. Recent work has focused on the study and validation of MRI scoring/quantification systems, as well as the identification of MRI predictors of symptoms/disease progression. The latter may serve to identify patients at greater risk for osteoarthritis disease progression to be enrolled in clinical trials. Like all imaging tools, MRI use has its associated problems. Structural changes seen in patients with osteoarthritis are often seen in asymptomatic subjects and this makes an MRI definition of osteoarthritis less straightforward. The ability to pick up multiple structural abnormalities simultaneously and high sensitivity in delineating structural changes can makes interpretation of true pathology more complicated. Although there has been much progress in the field of MRI in osteoarthritis, there remain many clinical/technical issues that need to be addressed. Until more data are obtained from clinical trials, the question of whether MRI is useful in therapeutics intervention in osteoarthritis remains unanswered.
A latent trait model for response times on tests employing the proportional hazards model
Authors: Ranger Jochen , Ortner Tuulia
Published: October 2011

For computer‐administered tests, response times can be recorded conjointly with the corresponding responses. This broadens the scope of potential modelling approaches because response times can be analysed in addition to analysing the responses themselves. For this purpose, we present a new latent trait model for response times on tests. This model is based on the Cox proportional hazards model. According to this model, latent variables alter a baseline hazard function. Two different approaches to item parameter estimation are described: the first approach uses a variant of the Cox model for discrete time, whereas the second approach is based on a profile likelihood function. Properties of each estimator will be compared in a simulation study. Compared to the estimator for discrete time, the profile likelihood estimator is more efficient, that is, has smaller variance. Additionally, we show how the fit of the model can be evaluated and how the latent traits can be estimated. Finally, the applicability of the model to an empirical data set is demonstrated.
Do actions speak louder than words? A comparative perspective on implicit versus explicit meta‐cognition and theory of mind
Authors: Couchman Justin J. , Beran Michael J. , Coutinho Mariana V. C. , Boomer Joseph , Zakrzewski Alexandria , Church Barbara , Smith J. David
Published: October 2011

Research in non‐human animal (hereafter, animal) cognition has found strong evidence that some animal species are capable of meta‐cognitively monitoring their mental states. They know when they know and when they do not know. In contrast, animals have generally not shown robust theory of mind (ToM) capabilities. Comparative research uses methods that are non‐verbal, and thus might easily be labelled ‘implicit’ using the terminology of traditional human cognition. However, comparative psychology has developed several non‐verbal methods that are designed to test for aspects of meta‐cognition that – while perhaps not fully explicit – go beyond the merely implicit or associative. We believe similar methods might be useful to developmental researchers who work with young children, and may provide a sound empirical alternative to verbal reports. Comparative psychology has moved away from all‐or‐none categorical labels (e.g., ‘implicit’ vs. ‘explicit’) towards a theoretical framework that contains a spectrum of mental abilities ranging from implicit to explicit, and from associative to cognitive to fully conscious. We discuss how this same framework might be applied to developmental psychology when it comes to implicit versus explicit processing and ToM.
Tribological Characteristics of Deformed Magnesium Alloy AZ61 Under Dry Conditions
Authors: El-Morsy Abdel-Wahab , Abouel-Kasem A.
Published: October 2011

The wear behavior of deformed magnesium alloy AZ61 under dry conditions was evaluated. Two types of AZ61 alloy were used, extruded and rolled samples, to investigate the effect of deformation process on the wear behavior. The experiments were performed using a pin-on-ring type wear apparatus against a stainless-steel counterface under applied stresses in the range of 3–7 MPa, and within a sliding velocity range of 0.2–1.8 m/s. The topographical images of the eroded surfaces at different sliding velocity for extruded and rolled samples were quantified using fractal analysis. The results revealed that for all applied stress, the wear rates increased with increasing the sliding velocity of both samples. The wear rate of the rolled samples is greater than that of the extruded samples at the stress range from 3 to 5 MPa. However, when the stress is increased to 7 MPa the wear rate of the rolled samples is lower than that of the extruded samples. The variation of fractal value of slope of linearized power spectral density (PSD) with the sliding velocity is largely similar to the relationship between the wear rate and the sliding velocity.
Review Paper on Wind Turbine Aerodynamics
Authors: Hansen Martin O. L. , Aagaard Madsen Helge
Published: October 2011

The paper describes the development and description of the aerodynamic models used to estimate the aerodynamic loads on wind turbine constructions. This includes a status of the capabilities of computation fluid dynamics and the need for reliable airfoil data for the simpler engineering models. Also a discussion of the use of passive and active aerodynamic devices is included such as, e.g., Vortex Generators and distributed active flaps. Finally the problem of wakes in wind farms is addressed and a section of the likely future development of aerodynamic models for wind turbines is included.
Galilean Tracks in the Physics Lab
Authors: Hellman Walter
Published: October 2011

Variations of Galileo's famous track experiments in acceleration are commonly performed in high school and college.1 The purpose of this article is to present a sequence of three low-tech basic kinematics experiments using Galilean tracks that can be set up extremely quickly and yet generally yield excellent results. A low-cost construction method for the tracks is also given.
Using NASA Science News Articles to Enhance Learning in the Classroom
Authors: Singh Vandana
Published: October 2011

In this author's experience, students of introductory physics and physical science courses are often under-confident of their ability to master physics concepts, many of them believing they simply cannot “get physics,” however hard they might work at it. In addition, they have an impression that physics is not only dry and boring but also static (they do, after all, spend much of their time on the discoveries of Galileo and Newton in physics class). Since they are unlikely to read popular science articles in the media, they tend to be unaware of cutting-edge research in the physical sciences that might, for good or ill, transform their lives. This paper describes an innovative use of articles from NASA's Science News website, and similar Internet resources that can potentially address the issue of student confidence while increasing science literacy and interest. The approach is inspired by the work of educational psychologist Carol Dweck and her research on “fixed” versus “growth” mindsets. I believe it is necessary for instructors to understand her work if we are to increase student comprehension, interest, and curiosity in the physical sciences.
About the International System of Units (SI) Part I. Introduction and Bibliography
Authors: Aubrecht Gordon J. , French Anthony P. , Iona Mario
Published: October 2011

Since much of SI is based on physics and mathematics, physics teachers have the background to teach SI. We present this review and summary in a series of SI notes in order to help teachers answer many questions about the SI that often are, or should be, asked (for example, in workshops for teachers). SI should not be considered a jargon to set science apart from everyday life but as a tool to make everyday measurements in all fields easier and more informative. It will be assumed that the reader has some general background knowledge of SI.1 A review and update of SI is timely now because the official United States SI document has just been updated.2
The Three-Pole Electromagnet
Authors: Greenslade Thomas B.
Published: October 2011

A standard piece of demonstration apparatus in the second half of the 19th century was the horizontal electromagnet. Figure 1 shows a pair of them from the 1860 era in my personal museum. The coils were wound on mandrels about 7 mm in diameter, which were then removed after the turns were glued together. With no core, or a brass rod as a core, it will support only a few ferrous objects from each end. With a ferrous metal core, strands of small iron objects (washers or paper clips) can be supported. It is hard to imagine how amazing this demonstration must have been to students when they first saw it in the 1840s. Perhaps our students today can recreate this amazement when given a single-turn, hollow-core solenoid, an iron rod that can fit into the core, a power supply, and a supply of paper clips—with no prior hints as to what will happen.
Vibration Analysis and the Accelerometer
Authors: Hammer Paul
Published: October 2011

Have you ever put your hand on an electric motor or motor-driven electric appliance and felt it vibrate? Ever wonder why it vibrates? What is there about the operation of the motor, or the object to which it is attached, that causes the vibrations? Is there anything “regular” about the vibrations, or are they the result of random causes? In this paper, I will introduce a laboratory approach that may be followed to begin to understand the vibration characteristics of a rotating device—in this case, an electric box fan. This approach involves collecting data with an accelerometer and analyzing the data with software that performs a fast Fourier transform analysis.
The Great Escape
Authors: Hong David S.
Published: October 2011

The tryptophan degradation product kynurenine suppresses the antitumor immune response and enhances tumor cell survival.
Biochemical and Thermodynamic Analyses of Salmonella enterica Pat, a Multidomain, Multimeric
N
ε
-Lysine Acetyltransferase Involved in Carbon and Energy Metabolism
Authors: Thao Sandy , Escalante-Semerena Jorge C.
Published: October 2011

In the bacterium
Salmonella enterica
, the CobB sirtuin protein deacetylase and the Gcn5-related
N
ε
-acetyltransferase (GNAT) Pat control carbon utilization and metabolic flux via
N
ε
-lysine acetylation/deacetylation of metabolic enzymes. To date, the
S. enterica
Pat (
Se
Pat) acetyltransferase has not been biochemically characterized. Here we report the kinetic and thermodynamic characterization of the
Se
Pat enzyme using two of its substrates, acetyl coenzyme A (Ac-CoA) synthetase (Acs; AMP forming, EC 6.2.1.1) and Ac-CoA. The data showed typical Michaelis-Menten kinetic behavior when Ac-CoA was held at a saturating concentration while Acs was varied, and a sigmoidal kinetic behavior was observed when Acs was saturating and the Ac-CoA concentration was varied. The observation of sigmoidal kinetics and positive cooperativity for Ac-CoA is an unusual feature of GNATs. Results of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiments showed that binding of Ac-CoA to wild-type
Se
Pat produced a biphasic curve having thermodynamic properties consistent with two distinct sites. Biphasicity was not observed in ITC experiments that analyzed the binding of Ac-CoA to a C-terminal construct of
Se
Pat encompassing the predicted core acetyltransferase domain. Subsequent analytical gel filtration chromatography studies showed that in the presence of Ac-CoA,
Se
Pat oligomerized to a tetrameric form, whereas in the absence of Ac-CoA,
Se
Pat behaved as a monomer. The positive modulation of
Se
Pat activity by Ac-CoA, a product of the Acs enzyme that also serves as a substrate for
Se
Pat-dependent acetylation, is likely a layer of metabolic control.

IMPORTANCE
For decades,
N
ε
-lysine acetylation has been a well-studied mode of regulation of diverse proteins involved in almost all aspects of eukaryotic physiology. Until recently,
N
ε
-lysine acetylation was not considered a widespread phenomenon in bacteria. Recent studies have indicated that
N
ε
-lysine acetylation and its impact on cellular metabolism may be just as diverse in bacteria as they are in eukaryotes. The
S. enterica
Pat enzyme, specifically, has recently been implicated in the modulation of many metabolic enzymes. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of how this enzyme controls the activity of diverse enzymes by
N
ε
-lysine acetylation will advance our understanding of how the prokaryotic cell responds to its changing environment in order to meet its metabolic needs.
RELATIVELY HYPERBOLIC GROUPS
Authors: BOWDITCH B. H.
Published: October 2011

In this paper we develop some of the foundations of the theory of relatively hyperbolic groups as originally formulated by Gromov. We prove the equivalence of two definitions of this notion. One is essentially that of a group admitting a properly discontinuous geometrically finite action on a proper hyperbolic space, that is, such that every limit point is either a conical limit point or a bounded parabolic point. The other is that of a group which admits a cofinite action on a connected fine hyperbolic graph. We define a graph to be "fine" if there are only finitely many circuits a given length containing any given edge, and we develop some of the properties of this notion. We show how a relatively hyperbolic group can be assumed to act on a proper hyperbolic space of a particular geometric form. We define the boundary of a relatively hyperbolic group, and show that the limit set of any geometrically finite action of the group is equivariantly homeomorphic to this boundary. This generalizes a result of Tukia for geometrically finite kleinian groups. We also describe when the boundary is connected.
SURJECTIVITY AND EQUIDISTRIBUTION OF THE WORD xaybONPSL(2, q) ANDSL(2, q)
Authors: BANDMAN TATIANA , GARION SHELLY
Published: October 2011

We determine the integers a, b ≥ 1 and the prime powers q for which the word map w(x, y) = xaybis surjective on the group PSL (2, q) (and SL (2, q)). We moreover show that this map is almost equidistributed for the family of groups PSL (2, q) (and SL (2, q)). Our proof is based on the investigation of the trace map of positive words.
Legislative Impact on Lending: Credit Risk Management in China
Authors: Li Zhaohua
Published: October 2011

The Chinese government established the Act on Commercial Banks 1995 to enforce and regulate commercial banking activities. The government envisaged that the Act, together with other bank reforms, would improve credit risk management practice among commercial banks, hence, prompting the banks to reduce and ultimately stop local government directed policy lending to state-owned enterprises (SOEs). This paper examines the lending behavior of a government-controlled commercial bank before and after the passage of the Act. We find that the bank tightened control of the credit risk of borrowers after the passage of the Act. We also find that SOEs are charged a rate of interest higher than that charged to private firms.
HOW TO CHOOSE A NORMALIZATION STRATEGY FOR MIRNA QUANTITATIVE REAL-TIME (QPCR) ARRAYS
Authors: DEO AMEYA , CARLSSON JESSICA , LINDLÖF ANGELICA
Published: October 2011

Low-density arrays for quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) are increasingly being used as an experimental technique for miRNA expression profiling. As with gene expression profiling using microarrays, data from such experiments needs effective analysis methods to produce reliable and high-quality results. In the pre-processing of the data, one crucial analysis step is normalization, which aims to reduce measurement errors and technical variability among arrays that might have arisen during the execution of the experiments. However, there are currently a number of different approaches to choose among and an unsuitable applied method may induce misleading effects, which could affect the subsequent analysis steps and thereby any conclusions drawn from the results. The choice of normalization method is hence an important issue to consider. In this study we present the comparison of a number of data-driven normalization methods for TaqMan low-density arrays for qPCR and different descriptive statistical techniques that can facilitate the choice of normalization method. The performance of the normalization methods was assessed and compared against each other as well as against standard normalization using endogenous controls. The results clearly show that the data-driven methods reduce variation and represent robust alternatives to using endogenous controls.
A HYBRID ELECTRONIC NOSES' SYSTEM BASED ON MOS-SAW DETECTION UNITS INTENDED FOR LUNG CANCER DIAGNOSIS
Authors: WANG DI , YU KAI , WANG YISHAN , HU YANJIE , ZHAO CONG , WANG LIN , YING KEJING , WANG PING
Published: October 2011

In this paper, a hybrid electronic noses' system (HENS) based on MOS-SAW detection units intended for lung cancer diagnosis is proposed. The MOS gas sensors are used to detect the VOC molecules with low molecular weight (LMW), and the SAW sensors are adopted for the detection of VOC with high molecular weight (HMW). Thus, the novel combination of these two kinds of gas sensors provides higher sensitivities to more of VOC species in breath than that of using only a single kind of sensor. The signals from MOS-SAW detection units are then recognized by a multi-model diagnosis method. Applying four algorithms, six models were established for diagnosis and tested by leave-one-out cross-validation method. The model by artificial neural network (ANN) was selected as the best model to analyze breath samples. 89 clinical samples were tested with MOS-SAW ANN diagnostic model, which takes the features derived from both the MOS and SAW sensors. It shows the highest sensitivity of 93.62%, and the highest selectivity of 83.37%. The study shows that, promisingly, our HENS is effective during screening of lung cancer patients, especially among the people of high risk.
Increased food intake and changes in metabolic hormones in response to chronic sleep restriction alternated with short periods of sleep allowance
Authors: Barf R. Paulien , Desprez Tifany , Meerlo Peter , Scheurink Anton J. W.
Published: October 2011

Rodent models for sleep restriction have good face validity when examining food intake and related regulatory metabolic hormones. However, in contrast to epidemiological studies in which sleep restriction is associated with body weight gain, sleep-restricted rats show a decrease in body weight. This difference with the human situation might be caused by the alternation between periods of sleep restriction and sleep allowance that often occur in real life. Therefore, we assessed the metabolic consequences of a chronic sleep restriction protocol that modeled working weeks with restricted sleep time alternated by weekends with sleep allowance. We hypothesized that this protocol could lead to body weight gain. Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: sleep restriction (SR), forced activity control (FA), and home cage control (HC). SR rats were subjected to chronic sleep restriction by keeping them awake for 20 h per day in slowly rotating drums. To model the human condition, rats were subjected to a 4-wk protocol, with each week consisting of a 5-day period of sleep restriction followed by a 2-day period of sleep allowance. During the first experimental week, SR caused a clear attenuation of growth. In subsequent weeks, two important processes occurred: 1) a remarkable increase in food intake during SR days, 2) an increase in weight gain during the weekends of sleep allowance, even though food intake during those days was comparable to controls. In conclusion, our data revealed that the alternation between periods of sleep restriction and sleep allowance leads to complex changes in food intake and body weight, that prevent the weight loss normally seen in continuous sleep-restricted rats. Therefore, this “week-weekend” protocol may be a better model to study the metabolic consequences of restricted sleep.
Layer-specific serotonergic facilitation of IPSC in layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons of the visual cortex
Authors: Jang Hyun-Jong , Cho Kwang-Hyun , Park Sung-Won , Kim Myung-Jun , Yoon Shin Hee , Rhie Duck-Joo
Published: October 2011

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) inhibits the induction of long-term synaptic plasticity in layer 2/3 of the visual cortex at the end of its critical period in rats. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Since inhibitory influence is crucial in the induction of synaptic plasticity, the effect of 5-HT on inhibitory transmission was investigated in layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons of the primary visual cortex. The amplitude of inhibitory postsynaptic current (IPSC), but not excitatory postsynaptic current, evoked by stimulation of the underlying layer 4, was increased by ∼20% with a bath application of 5-HT. The amplitude of miniature IPSC was also increased by the application of 5-HT, while the paired-pulse ratio was not changed. The facilitating effect of 5-HT on IPSC was mediated by the activation of 5-HT2 receptors. An increase in intracellular Ca2+ via release from inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-sensitive stores, which was confirmed by confocal Ca2+ imaging, and activation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) were involved in the facilitation of IPSC by 5-HT. However, 5-HT failed to facilitate IPSC evoked by the stimulation of layer 1. These results suggest that activation of 5-HT2 receptors releases intracellular Ca2+ via IP3-sensitive stores, which facilitates GABAAergic transmission via the activation of CaMKII in layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons of the visual cortex in a layer-specific manner. Thus facilitation of inhibitory transmission by 5-HT might be involved in regulating the information flow and the induction of long-term synaptic plasticity, in a pathway-specific manner.
Stopping a response has global or nonglobal effects on the motor system depending on preparation
Authors: Greenhouse Ian , Oldenkamp Caitlin L. , Aron Adam R.
Published: October 2011

Much research has focused on how people stop initiated response tendencies when instructed by a signal. Stopping of this kind appears to have global effects on the motor system. For example, by delivering transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the leg area of the primary motor cortex, it is possible to detect suppression in the leg when the hand is being stopped (Badry R et al. Suppression of human cortico-motoneuronal excitability during the stop-signal task. Clin Neurophysiol 120: 1717–1723, 2009). Here, we asked if such “global suppression” can be observed proactively, i.e., when people anticipate they might have to stop. We used a conditional stop signal task, which allows the measurement of both an “anticipation phase” (i.e., where proactive control is applied) and a “stopping” phase. TMS was delivered during the anticipation phase ( experiment 1) and also during the stopping phase ( experiments 1 and 2) to measure leg excitability. During the anticipation phase, we did not observe leg suppression, but we did during the stopping phase, consistent with Badry et al. (2009) . Moreover, when we split the subject groups into those who slowed down behaviorally (i.e., exercised proactive control) and those who did not, we found that subjects who slowed did not show leg suppression when they stopped, whereas those who did not slow did show leg suppression when they stopped. These results suggest that if subjects prepare to stop, then they do so without global effects on the motor system. Thus, preparation allows them to stop more selectively.
Mechanisms underlying the sparing of masticatory versus limb muscle function in an experimental critical illness model
Authors: Aare Sudhakar , Ochala Julien , Norman Holly S. , Radell Peter , Eriksson Lars I. , Göransson Hanna , Chen Yi-Wen , Hoffman Eric P. , Larsson Lars
Published: October 2011

Acute quadriplegic myopathy (AQM) is a common debilitating acquired disorder in critically ill intensive care unit (ICU) patients that is characterized by tetraplegia/generalized weakness of limb and trunk muscles. Masticatory muscles, on the other hand, are typically spared or less affected, yet the mechanisms underlying this striking muscle-specific difference remain unknown. This study aims to evaluate physiological parameters and the gene expression profiles of masticatory and limb muscles exposed to factors suggested to trigger AQM, such as mechanical ventilation, immobilization, neuromuscular blocking agents, corticosteroids (CS), and sepsis for 5 days by using a unique porcine model mimicking the ICU conditions. Single muscle fiber cross-sectional area and force-generating capacity, i.e., maximum force normalized to fiber cross-sectional area (specific force), revealed maintained masseter single muscle fiber cross-sectional area and specific-force after 5 days' exposure to all triggering factors. This is in sharp contrast to observations in limb and trunk muscles, showing a dramatic decline in specific force in response to 5 days' exposure to the triggering factors. Significant differences in gene expression were observed between craniofacial and limb muscles, indicating a highly complex and muscle-specific response involving transcription and growth factors, heat shock proteins, matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, oxidative stress responsive elements, and sarcomeric proteins underlying the relative sparing of cranial vs. spinal nerve innervated muscles during exposure to the ICU intervention.