bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
H-, N- and Kras cooperatively regulate lymphatic vessel growth by modulating VEGFR3 expression in lymphatic endothelial cells in mice
Authors: Ichise Taeko , Yoshida Nobuaki , Ichise Hirotake
Published: February 2010

Mammalian Ras, which is encoded by three independent genes, has been thought to be a versatile component of intracellular signalling. However, when, where and how Ras signalling plays essential roles in development and whether the three Ras genes have overlapping functions in particular cells remain unclear. Here, we show that the three Ras proteins dose-dependently regulate lymphatic vessel growth in mice. We find that lymphatic vessel hypoplasia is a common phenotype in Ras compound knockout mice and that overexpressed normal Ras in an endothelial cell lineage selectively causes lymphatic vessel hyperplasia in vivo. Overexpression of normal Ras in lymphatic endothelial cells leads to sustained MAPK activation, cellular viability and enhanced endothelial network formation under serum-depleted culture conditions in vitro, and knockdown of endogenous Ras in lymphatic endothelial cells impairs cell proliferation, MAPK activation, cell migration and endothelial network formation. Ras overexpression and knockdown result in up- and downregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) 3 expression, respectively, in lymphatic endothelial cells in vitro. The close link between Ras and VEGFR3 in vitro is consistent with the result that Ras knockout and transgenic alleles are genetic modifiers in lymphatic vessel hypoplasia caused by Vegfr3 haploinsufficiency. Our findings demonstrate a cooperative function of the three Ras proteins in normal development, and also provide a novel aspect of VEGFR3 signalling modulated by Ras in lymphangiogenesis.
Liquefaction behavior of Western red cedar and Japanese beech in the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride
Authors: Nakamura Atsushi , Miyafuji Hisashi , Saka Shiro
Published: February 2010

Western red cedar and Japanese beech are studied concerning their liquefaction behavior with an ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C2mim][Cl]). Significant differences in liquefaction behavior were observed in terms of solubility and the lignin content of the insoluble residues. Thioacidolysis analysis of the residues confirmed that β-O-4 bonds in lignin were cleaved preferentially by the treatment with [C2mim][Cl]. The differences in liquefaction behavior can be explained by structural differences between softwood and hardwood lignins. Furthermore, gel permeation chromatography and GC-MS analyses revealed that cellulose and hemicelluloses were decomposed partly to monomeric sugars such as glucose, mannose, galactose, xylose, and arabinose.
Caenorhabditis elegans TRPV Channels Function in a Modality-Specific Pathway to Regulate Response to Aberrant Sensory Signaling
Authors: Ezak Meredith J , Hong Elizabeth , Chaparro-Garcia Angela , Ferkey Denise M
Published: February 2010

Olfaction and some forms of taste (including bitter) are mediated by G protein-coupled signal transduction pathways. Olfactory and gustatory ligands bind to chemosensory G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in specialized sensory cells to activate intracellular signal transduction cascades. G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) are negative regulators of signaling that specifically phosphorylate activated GPCRs to terminate signaling. Although loss of GRK function usually results in enhanced cellular signaling, Caenorhabditis elegans lacking GRK-2 function are not hypersensitive to chemosensory stimuli. Instead, grk-2 mutant animals do not chemotax toward attractive olfactory stimuli or avoid aversive tastes and smells. We show here that loss-of-function mutations in the transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channels OSM-9 and OCR-2 selectively restore grk-2 behavioral avoidance of bitter tastants, revealing modality-specific mechanisms for TRPV channel function in the regulation of C. elegans chemosensation. Additionally, a single amino acid point mutation in OCR-2 that disrupts TRPV channel-mediated gene expression, but does not decrease channel function in chemosensory primary signal transduction, also restores grk-2 bitter taste avoidance. Thus, loss of GRK-2 function may lead to changes in gene expression, via OSM-9/OCR-2, to selectively alter the levels of signaling components that transduce or regulate bitter taste responses. Our results suggest a novel mechanism and multiple modality-specific pathways that sensory cells employ in response to aberrant signal transduction.
Confiabilidade dos dados relativos ao cumprimento da Emenda Constitucional nº. 29 declarados ao Sistema de Informações sobre Orçamentos Públicos em Saúde pelos municípios de Pernambuco, Brasil
Authors: Gonçalves Rogério Fabiano , Bezerra Adriana Falangola Benjamin , Espírito Santo Antônio Carlos Gomes do , Sousa Islândia Maria Carvalho de , Duarte-Neto Paulo J. , Silva Keila Silene de Brito e
Published: February 2010

O estudo analisa a confiabilidade dos dados relativos ao cumprimento da Emenda Constitucional nº. 29 (EC29) declarados ao Sistema de Informações sobre Orçamentos Públicos em Saúde (SIOPS) pelos municípios de Pernambuco, Brasil. Configura-se como um estudo quantitativo, do tipo transversal e de caráter analítico, tendo como referência o período de 2000 a 2005. Os demonstrativos contábeis auditados pelo Tribunal de Contas do Estado (TCE) foram tomados como parâmetro para verificar a confiabilidade dos percentuais de aplicação da EC29 declarados ao SIOPS, sendo utilizado o coeficiente de correlação intraclasses (CCI) como prova estatística na medição da concordância dos dados. Os resultados demonstram a dissonância existente entre as bases consultadas, sugerindo um nível de concordância discreto a moderado entre os dados do SIOPS e do TCE. A baixa concordância identificada pode ser decorrente da falta de consenso pelos municípios acerca da composição das receitas e despesas vinculadas à saúde ou da existência de critérios diferentes no cálculo da EC29 entre o SIOPS e a auditoria do TCE.
Effect of Particle Shape on Colloid Retention and Release in Saturated Porous Media
Authors: Liu Qiang , Lazouskaya Volha , He Qingxiang , Jin Yan
Published: February 2010

Colloidal particles of environmental concern often have nonspherical shapes. However, theories and models such as the classical filtration theory have been developed based on the behavior of spherical particles. This study examined the effect of particle shape on colloid retention (e.g., attachment and straining) and release in saturated porous media. Two‐ and three‐step transport experiments were conducted in water‐saturated glass bead columns using colloids dispersed in deionized water and an electrolyte solution. The particles used in the experiments were carboxylate‐modified latex colloids of spherical (500 nm diam.) and rod (aspect ratio, 7.0) shapes. The rod‐like particles were prepared by stretching the spherical particles. Analysis of the colloid breakthrough curves indicates that particle shape affected transport behavior, but retention did not increase with increasing aspect ratio. Retention of the spherical particles occurred mainly in the secondary energy minimum, whereas retention of rod‐like particles occurred in primary and secondary energy minima. There was less straining of rod‐like particles compared with spherical ones, indicating that the minor axis was the critical dimension controlling the process. Release of spherical particles on elution was instantaneous, whereas release of rod‐like particles was rate limited, giving rise to long tails, implying an orientation effect for rod‐like colloids. The results suggest that the differences in electrostatic properties and shape contributed to the observed different retention and release behaviors of the two colloids.
Soil Texture and Carbon Dynamics in Savannah Vegetation Patches of Central Argentina
Authors: Gili Adriana A. , Trucco Román , Niveyro Selene , Balzarini Mónica , Estelrich Daniel , Quiroga Alberto , Noellemeyer Elke
Published: February 2010

This study was intended to contribute information on the relation between soil texture and plant community composition, and the effect of interactions between texture and vegetation patch on soil C dynamics. Six sampling sites were chosen and a vegetation census and soil sampling were performed for between‐canopy (BC) and under‐canopy (UC) patches at each site, Shannon–Weaver diversity index (DI) was determined for herbaceous species, an relative abundance of forage species and avoided grasses were calculated. Soil data included texture, bulk density, total organic C (TOC), particulate organic C (POC), intermediate organic C (IOC), and fine organic C (FOC). Correspondence analysis showed that sandy and loamy sites did not share the same herbaceous species. We also found an interaction between vegetation patches and texture, with distinct vegetation composition in the same type of patch in different textures. The DI was lower in UC than BC patches (0.86 vs. 1.7), but no effect of texture was found. The TOC showed a positive relation with texture; the extremes were 9.0 vs. 16.3 g kg−1 for a loamy sand and loam, respectively. Carbon fractions varied in their response to texture: while POC and IOC showed no clear trend with texture, FOC contents followed a textural gradient. Particulate organic C showed higher values in UC than BC (10.8 vs. 4.0 g kg−1). Differences between patches diminished with increasing clay contents. Intermediate organic C was similar to POC, while FOC showed no effect of patch but was related to texture. The high proportion of POC in sandy soils (50 vs. 35% in a loam) makes these more susceptible to changes in C balance and might thus render them less resilient under grazing.
A Comparison of Soil Organic Matter Content in 1932, 1984, and 2005/6 in Forests of the Adirondack Mountains, New York
Authors: Bedison James E , Johnson Arthur H. , Willig Sally Andersen
Published: February 2010

We quantified the organic matter content of organic and mineral horizons in 1932, 1984, and in 2005/6 at 54 sites in a mixed hardwood‐softwood stand and in northern hardwood (NH), pine‐dominated (PW), and spruce‐fir (SF) forests of the Adirondack Mountains, NY to determine if there were measurable changes in soil organic matter (SOM) pools over the ∼75‐yr interval. Further, the different land‐use histories of these sites provided an opportunity to evaluate the influence of land‐use history on forest SOM since the early 1930s. Overall, there were no significant differences in combined organic + mineral horizon (whole‐profile) SOM amounts over the interval. There was, however, a significant increase in whole‐profile SOM content between 1932 and 2005/6 at 16 sites that had a history of agriculture or fire which amounted to an increase in C content of approximately 0.5 Mg C ha−1yr−1 This indicated that at least some Adirondack forest soils were accumulating C during the 20th century.
USDA‐ARS North Appalachian Experimental Watershed: 70‐Year Hydrologic, Soil Erosion, and Water Quality Database
Authors: Owens L. B. , Bonta J. V. , Shipitalo M. J.
Published: February 2010

Hydrologic data from agricultural watersheds are necessary to identify long‐term trends and to develop and validate hydrologic and water quality models. These types of data have been collected for 70 yr at the North Appalachian Experimental Watershed (NAEW) near Coshocton, OH. The NAEW has 19 small (0.5–3.0‐ha), single‐land‐use watersheds for which surface runoff data have been collected year round on an event basis for various time periods since 1939. There are six large (17–123‐ha), mixed‐use watersheds with perennial streams where flow is measured continuously. Hydrologic data have been collected from 11, 2.4‐m‐deep, 8.1‐m2 surface area monolith lysimeters. Meteorological, land management, and soil property data are available. Water quality data have been collected from watersheds and lysimeters since the early 1970s. Collaborative research efforts utilizing this resource are encouraged; the NAEW web site (www.ars.usda.gov/mwa/coshocton; verified 19 Dec. 2009) has detailed information on the types of available data. Data are available through the authors.
Isothermal Titration Calorimetry as an Indicator of Phosphorus Sorption Behavior
Authors: Penn Chad J. , Zhang Hailin
Published: February 2010

Estimation of the amount, mechanisms, and strength of P retention on soils is important to agricultural production and surface water quality. The purpose of this study was to determine if isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) could provide any information on the P retention behavior of soils. Twenty‐eight benchmark Oklahoma soils were titrated with 0.01 mol L−1 NaH2PO4, analyzed using ITC, and the results compared with P sorption–desorption isotherms and other soil characterization data. The ITC provided an indicator of the P retention potential, and characteristics of the heat patterns and thermograms provided limited insight into a P retention mechanism. Strongly endothermic patterns were indicative of Al and Fe phosphate precipitation, while heat patterns dominated by exotherms indicated Ca phosphate precipitation, carbonate dissolution, acid–base neutralization, and ligand exchange of P onto Al and Fe minerals. Carbonate dissolution among high‐pH and Ca‐rich soils could potentially mask endotherms or overlap with exotherms produced from other P retention reactions. The use of ITC heat patterns and thermograms from P additions to soils should be restricted to qualitative interpretation with regard to discerning a P retention mechanism.
Gasification Processes Old and New: A Basic Review of the Major Technologies
Authors: Breault Ronald W.
Published: February 2010

This paper has been put together to provide a single source document that not only reviews the historical development of gasification but also compares the process to combustion. It also provides a short discussion on integrated gasification and combined cycle processes. The major focus of the paper is to describe the twelve major gasifiers being marketed today. Some of these are already fully developed while others are in various stages of development. The hydrodynamics and kinetics of each are reviewed along with the most likely gas composition from each of the technologies when using a variety of fuels under different conditions from air blown to oxygen blown and atmospheric pressure to several atmospheres.
Remarkable Iodine-Catalyzed Synthesis of Novel Pyrrole- Bearing N-Polyaromatic β-Lactams
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Debasish , Rivera Gildardo , Salinas Isabel , Aguilar Hector , Banik Bimal K.
Published: February 2010

Because of their interesting biological properties various methods for the synthesis of substituted pyrroles are described in the literature. However, synthesis of pyrroles fused with a β-lactam ring has not been reported. Our group has demonstrated synthesis and biological evaluation of various β-lactams as anticancer agents. The anticancer activities of these compounds have prompted us to study the synthesis of pyrroles bound to the β-lactams. We have identified an expeditious synthetic method for the preparation of pyrroles fused with β-lactams by reacting 3-amino β-lactams with acetonylacetone in the presence of catalytic amounts (5 mol%) of molecular iodine at room temperature. It has also been discovered that the reaction gives products under domestic and automated microwave oven irradiation. To our knowledge, there are no other prior reports that describe the synthesis of pyrrole-substituted β-lactams.
Chronic pain 5 years after randomized comparison of laparoscopic and Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repair
Authors:   Swedish Multicentre Trial of Inguinal Hernia Repair by Laparoscopy (SMIL) study group, Eklund A , Montgomery A , Bergkvist L , Rudberg C
Published: February 2010

Background

Chronic postoperative pain is a major drawback of inguinal hernia repair. This study compared the frequency of chronic pain after laparoscopic (totally extraperitoneal patch, TEP) and open (Lichtenstein) repairs.

Methods

A randomized multicentre study with 5 years' follow-up was conducted on men with a primary inguinal hernia. Chronic pain was categorized as mild, moderate or severe by blinded observers. A subgroup analysis was performed on 121 patients who experienced moderate or severe pain at any time during follow-up.

Results

Overall, 1370 of 1512 randomized patients underwent surgery, 665 in the TEP and 705 in the Lichtenstein group. The total incidence of chronic pain was 11·0 versus 21·7 per cent at 1 year, 11·0 versus 24·8 per cent at 2 years, 9·9 versus 20·2 per cent at 3 years and 9·4 versus 18·8 per cent at 5 years in the TEP and Lichtenstein groups respectively (P < 0·001). After 5 years, 1·9 per cent of patients in the TEP and 3·5 per cent in the Lichtenstein group reported moderate or severe pain (P = 0·092). Of the 121 patients, 72 (59·5 per cent) no longer reported pain a median of 9·4 (range 6·7–10·8) years after operation.

Conclusion

Five years after surgery only a small proportion of patients still report moderate to severe chronic pain. Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair leads to less chronic pain than open repair. Registration number: NCT00568269 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).
Coughing‐induced stress cardiomyopathy
Authors: Butman Samuel M.
Published: February 2010

Stress cardiomyopathy is described as acute myocardial infarction provoked by a stressful event with evidence of a significant focal wall motion but with little or no significant coronary artery disease. In this case report, a particularly bad bout of coughing resulted in chest pressure, troponin release, and evidence of antero‐apical dyskinesis despite angiographic normal coronary arteries. The patient made a full recovery of function after an uncomplicated hospital stay. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Carotid artery stenting in octogenarians using a proximal endovascular occlusion cerebral protection device: A multicenter registry
Authors: Micari Antonio , Stabile Eugenio , Cremonesi Alberto , Vadalà Giuseppe , Castriota Fausto , Pernice Vincenzo , Sorropago Giovanni , Rubino Paolo , Biamino Giancarlo
Published: February 2010

Background: Carotid stenting (CAS) has been proposed as an alternative to carotid endoarterectomy also in elderly patients with discrepant results. However, the use of proximal neuroprotection devices have not been evaluated in octogenarians. Purpose: The aim of this multicenter prospective registry was to demonstrate that CAS in octogenarians is safe and effective if performed in high‐volume centers by experienced operators. Methods: From July 2005 to May 2009, a total of 198 octogenarians patients, in three different institutions, were included in this registry. All patients underwent CAS using proximal endovascular occlusion device (Mo.Ma. device Invatec, Roncadelle, Italy). An independent neurologist evaluated all patients. The primary endpoint was death and stroke rate at 30 days. Results: 198 octogenarians (135 men; mean age: 83.2 years) were included in the registry. 39.4% of the patients were symptomatic. Procedural success was 100%. In‐hospital complications: Two minor and two major strokes (2.02%) occurred. No device‐related complications and no serious access site complication were noted. Between discharge and 30‐day follow‐up, one patient died due to a cardiac arrest. The overall 30‐day combined stroke/death rate was 2.52%, resulting in 1.61% event incidence in asymptomatic and 3.9% in symptomatic patients (P = ns). Logistic regression did not identify independent predictor of neurological events, except in the female gender. Conclusion: This multicenter prospective registry shows that CAS performed with proximal flow blockage is safe and feasible also in octogenarians. Thirty days death/stroke rates are similar to those of the overall population and within the International guidelines. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Clinical Outcome Following Conservative vs Revascularization Therapy in Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease and Borderline Fractional Flow Reserve Measurements
Authors: Lindstaedt Michael , Halilcavusogullari Yasemin , Yazar Aydan , Holland‐Letz Tim , Bojara Waldemar , Mügge Andreas , Germing Alfried
Published: February 2010

Background

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurements in the so‐called gray‐zone range of ≥ 0.75 and ⩽0.80 are associated with uncertainty concerning the guidance of patient therapy. It is unclear whether any difference in clinical outcome exists when revascularization treatment of FFR‐evaluated lesions in this borderline range is deferred or performed. The objective of this study is to compare the clinical outcome of these patients with respect to their recommended treatment strategy.

Methods

Out of a single center database of 900 consecutive patients with stable coronary artery disease, 97 patients with borderline FFR measurements were identified and included in the study. The rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE; cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), coronary revascularization) and the presence of angina were evaluated at follow‐up.

Results

A total of 48 patients were deferred from revascularization and 49 patients underwent revascularization. There was no difference in risk profile between these groups. At a mean follow‐up of 24±16 months, event‐free survival in the deferred group was significantly better regarding overall MACE, combined rate of cardiac death, and MI, as well as MACE related to the FFR‐evaluated vessel. No difference with regard to the presence of angina was observed.

Conclusions

Patients with coronary lesions in the borderline FFR range can be deferred from revasculariza‐tion without putting them at increased risk for major adverse events. Revascularization may be considered in the course of therapy on an individual basis if typical angina persists or worsens despite maximal medical treatment. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Difference in TB10.4 T‐cell epitope recognition following immunization with recombinant TB10.4, BCG or infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Billeskov Rolf , Grandal Michael V. , Poulsen Christian , Christensen Jan P. , Winter Nathalie , Vingsbo‐Lundberg Carina , Hoang Truc T. K. T. , van Deurs Bo , Song Young‐Hwa , Aagaard Claus , Andersen Peter , Dietrich Jes
Published: February 2010

Most novel vaccines against infectious diseases are based on recombinant Ag; however, only few studies have compared Ag‐specific immune responses induced by natural infection with that induced by the same Ag in a recombinant form. Here, we studied the epitope recognition pattern of the tuberculosis vaccine Ag, TB10.4, in a recombinant form, or when expressed by the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb), or by the current anti‐tuberculosis vaccine, Mycobacterium bovis BCG. We showed that BCG and M.tb induced a similar CD4+ T‐cell specific TB10.4 epitope‐pattern, which differed completely from that induced by recombinant TB10.4. This difference was not due to post‐translational modifications of TB10.4 or because TB10.4 is secreted from BCG and M.tb as a complex with Rv0287. In addition, BCG and TB10.4/CAF01 were both taken up by DC and macrophages in vivo, and in vitro uptake experiments revealed that both TB10.4 and BCG were transported to Lamp+‐compartments. BCG and TB10.4 however, were directed to different types of Lamp+‐compartments in the same APC, which may lead to different epitope recognition patterns. In conclusion, we show that different vectors can induce completely different recognition of the same protein.
Organometallic Synthesis of β‐CoAl Nanoparticles and β‐CoAl/Al Nanoparticles and Their Behaviour upon Air Exposure
Authors: Cokoja Mirza , Parala Harish , Birkner Alexander , Fischer Roland A. , Margeat Olivier , Ciuculescu Diana , Amiens Catherine , Chaudret Bruno , Falqui Andrea , Lecante Pierre
Published: February 2010

Nanocolloids of the intermetallic β‐CoAl phase were prepared by a soft organometallic route. They were fully characterized by (HR)TEM, EDX, WAXS, XAS and SQUID magnetometry. Their exposure to air led to an increased saturation magnetization in agreement with Co/Al segregation and the formation of Co/Al2O3 nanocomposite. Furthermore, the β‐CoAl nanoparticles could be used as seeds to grow an aluminum overlayer, which passivated the alloyed core against oxidation. These nanoparticles yielded stable colloidal solutions in aromatic solvents.
Consumer price behaviour: evidence from Luxembourg micro data
Authors: Lünnemann Patrick , Mathä Thomas Y.
Published: February 2010

We analyse micro‐level consumer price data in Luxembourg with a particular view on price change reversals and wage indexation. The median duration is roughly 8 months. On an average, price decreases are as large as price increases. With the exception of services, individual prices do not show signs of downward rigidity. Excluding price change reversals reduces the weighted frequency of price change from 17 to 12%. Accumulated price and wage inflation, automatic wage indexation, and the cash changeover increase the probability of a price change, whereas pricing at attractive pricing points and price regulation have the opposite effect. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Carrier Phase Relative RAIM Algorithms and Protection Level Derivation
Authors: Gratton Livio , Joerger Mathieu , Pervan Boris
Published: February 2010

The concept of Relative Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RRAIM) using time differential carrier phase measurements is investigated in this paper. The precision of carrier phase measurements allows for mitigation of integrity hazards by implementing RRAIM monitors with tight thresholds without significantly affecting continuity. In order to avoid the need for cycle ambiguity resolution, time differences in carrier phase measurements are used as the basis for detection. In this work, we examine RRAIM within the context of the GNSS Evolutionary Architecture Study (GEAS), which explores potential architectures for aircraft navigation utilizing the satellite signals available in the mid-term future with GPS III. The objectives of the GEAS are focused on system implementations providing worldwide coverage to satisfy LPV-200 operations, and potentially beyond. In this work, we study two different GEAS implementations of RRAIM. General formulas are derived for positioning, fault detection, and protection level generation to meet a given set of integrity and continuity requirements.
Environmental risk factors of West Nile virus infection of horses in the Senegal River basin
Authors: CHEVALIER V. , DUPRESSOIR A. , TRAN A. , DIOP O. M. , GOTTLAND C. , DIALLO M. , ETTER E. , NDIAYE M. , GROSBOIS V. , DIA M. , GAIDET N. , SALL A. A. , SOTI V. , NIANG M.
Published: February 2010

In 2005, a serological study was carried out on horses in five ecologically contrasted zones of the Senegal River basin (Senegal) to assess West Nile virus (WNV) transmission and investigate underlying environmental risk factors. In each study zone, horses were randomly selected and blood samples taken. A land-cover map of the five study areas was built using two satellite ETM+ images. Blood samples were screened by ELISA for anti-WNV IgM and IgG and positive samples were confirmed by seroneutralization. Environmental data were analysed using a principal components analysis. The overall IgG seroprevalence rate was 85% (n=367; 95% CI 0·81–0·89). The proximity to sea water, flooded banks and salted mudflats were identified as protective factors. These environmental components are unfavourable to the presence of Culex mosquitoes suggesting that in Senegal, the distribution of the vector species is more limiting for WNV transmission than for the hosts' distribution.
BETWEEN THE MEDUSAN AND THE PYGMALIAN: SWINBURNE AND SCULPTURE
Authors: Østermark-Johansen Lene
Published: February 2010

Two marble statues, each representing a reclining, sleeping nude of somewhat indeterminate sex, sit at the heart of Swinburne's early collections of poetry: the HellenisticSleeping Hermaphrodite(Figure 1) in hisPoems and Ballads(1866) and Michelangelo's allegorical figureLa Notte(Figure 2) in his “In San Lorenzo” sonnet inSongs before Sunrise(1871). Swinburne's dealings with theHermaphroditehave had a long and ever increasing bibliography; his fascination with Michelangelo's sculpture has, to my knowledge, not yet provoked much scholarly attention. This imbalance may partly be ascribed to the immediate sex appeal of theHermaphrodite– this “late Romantic freak,” as Camille Paglia appropriately called it (413) – which in the gendered critical discourse of the 1990s has given rise to a whole range of exciting explorations of Swinburne and the body, Swinburne and androgyny, Swinburne and poetic blindness. The Michelangelo statue was, however, turned into a poetic and political monument by Swinburne under far less erotically charged circumstances in the volume dedicated to Guiseppe Mazzini, and opens for different routes of inquiry.
Drift-kinetic simulation of neoclassical transport with impurities in tokamaks
Authors: Kolesnikov R. A. , Wang W. X. , Hinton F. L. , Rewoldt G. , Tang W. M.
Published: February 2010

Plasmas in modern tokamak experiments contain a significant fraction of impurity ions in addition to the main deuterium background ions. A new multiple ion-species δf particle simulation capability has been developed to self-consistently study the nonlocal effects of impurities on neoclassical transport in toroidal plasmas. A new algorithm for an unlike-particle collision operator, including test-particle and conserving field-particle parts, is described. Effects of the carbon impurity on the main deuterium species heat flux as well as an ambipolar radial electric field in a National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) [M. Ono, S. M. Kaye, Y.-K. M. Peng et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000)] configuration were studied. A difference between carbon poloidal rotation found from simulation and from conventional theoretical estimates has been investigated and was identified to be a nonlocal finite orbit effect. In the case of large-aspect ratio tokamak configurations with steep toroidal flow profiles, we propose a theoretical model to describe this nonlocal effect. The dominant mechanisms captured by the model are associated with ion parallel velocity modification due to steep toroidal flow and radial electric field profiles. We present simulation results for carbon poloidal velocity in NSTX. Comparisons with neoclassical theory are discussed.
The value of spatial information in MPA network design
Authors: Costello Christopher , Rassweiler Andrew , Siegel David , De Leo Giulio , Micheli Fiorenza , Rosenberg Andrew
Published: February 2010

The science of spatial fisheries management, which combines ecology, oceanography, and economics, has matured significantly. As a result, there have been recent advances in exploiting spatially explicit data to develop spatially explicit management policies, such as networks of marine protected areas (MPAs). However, when data are sparse, spatially explicit policies become less viable, and we must instead rely on blunt policies such as total allowable catches or imprecisely configured networks of MPAs. Therefore, spatial information has the potential to change management approaches and thus has value. We develop a general framework within which to analyze the value of information for spatial fisheries management and apply that framework to several US Pacific coast fisheries. We find that improved spatial information can increase fishery value significantly (>10% in our simulations), and that it changes dramatically the efficient management approach—switching from diffuse effort everywhere to a strategy where fishing is spatially targeted, with some areas under intensive harvest and others closed to fishing. Using all available information, even when incomplete, is essential to management success and may as much as double fishery value relative to using (admittedly incorrect) assumptions commonly invoked.
Placing marine protected areas onto the ecosystem-based management seascape
Authors: Halpern Benjamin S. , Lester Sarah E. , McLeod Karen L.
Published: February 2010

The rapid increase in the science and implementation of marine protected areas (MPAs) around the world in the past 15 years is now being followed by similar increases in the science and application of marine ecosystem-based management (EBM). Despite important overlaps and some common goals, these two approaches have remained either separated in the literature and in conservation and management efforts or treated as if they are one and the same. In the cases when connections are acknowledged, there is often little assessment of if or how well MPAs can achieve specific EBM goals. Here we start by critically evaluating commonalities and differences between MPAs and EBM. Next, we use global analyses to show where and how much no-take marine reserves can be expected to contribute to EBM goals, specifically by reducing the cumulative impacts of stressors on ocean ecosystems. These analyses revealed large stretches of coastal oceans where reserves can play a major role in reducing cumulative impacts and thus improving overall ocean condition, at the same time highlighting the limitations of marine reserves as a single tool to achieve comprehensive EBM. Ultimately, better synergies between these two burgeoning approaches provide opportunities to greatly benefit ocean health.
GO-Bayes: Gene Ontology-based overrepresentation analysis using a Bayesian approach
Authors: Zhang Song , Cao Jing , Kong Y. Megan , Scheuermann Richard H.
Published: February 2010

Motivation: A typical approach for the interpretation of high-throughput experiments, such as gene expression microarrays, is to produce groups of genes based on certain criteria (e.g. genes that are differentially expressed). To gain more mechanistic insights into the underlying biology, overrepresentation analysis (ORA) is often conducted to investigate whether gene sets associated with particular biological functions, for example, as represented by Gene Ontology (GO) annotations, are statistically overrepresented in the identified gene groups. However, the standard ORA, which is based on the hypergeometric test, analyzes each GO term in isolation and does not take into account the dependence structure of the GO-term hierarchy.

Results: We have developed a Bayesian approach (GO-Bayes) to measure overrepresentation of GO terms that incorporates the GO dependence structure by taking into account evidence not only from individual GO terms, but also from their related terms (i.e. parents, children, siblings, etc.). The Bayesian framework borrows information across related GO terms to strengthen the detection of overrepresentation signals. As a result, this method tends to identify sets of closely related GO terms rather than individual isolated GO terms. The advantage of the GO-Bayes approach is demonstrated with a simulation study and an application example.

Contact:  song.zhang@utsouthwestern.edu; richard.scheuermann@utsouthwestern.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Efficacy of artificial shelters for roach, Rutilus rutilus, against predators in the presence of reeds
Authors: ORPWOOD J. E. , MILES M. S. , RUSSELL I. C. , ARMSTRONG J. D.
Published: February 2010

Abstract  Cormorants, Phalacocorax spp., have great potential to affect recreational fisheries and have increased substantially in abundance over the last decades in UK inland waters. Fabricated refuges provide a potential means of reducing fish losses, yet the benefits of such structures may be marginal if natural shelters are abundant and favoured, or if strong density‐dependence limits refuge use. This study examined the efficacy of artificial shelters in mesocosm enclosures that allowed standardised and replicated observations of roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.), distribution. When given a choice between occupying open water, simulated reedbeds and artificial brushwood shelters, roach used brushwood shelters extensively across a range of fish densities. When fish had a choice of occupying open water or reedbeds offering no overhead cover, they actively avoided reedbeds and used open water almost exclusively. Occupation of reedbeds was positively related to the amount of overhead cover they provided. When artificial brushwood shelters and reedbeds offered complete overhead cover, brushwood shelters were occupied twice as much as reedbeds. Artificial shelters may therefore have wide application in stillwaters with abundant reedbeds unless the reedbeds are coupled with extensive overhead cover.
Retroperitoneoscopic live‐donor nephrectomy: 5‐year single‐center experience in China
Authors: Ma Lulin , Ye Jianfei , Huang Yi , Hou Xiaofei , Zhao Lei , Wang Guoliang
Published: February 2010

Objective:  To evaluate the efficacy and the learning‐curve period of our modified retroperitoneoscopic live‐donor nephrectomy.

Methods:  From December 2003 to May 2009, 138 consecutive retroperitoneoscopic live‐donor nephrectomies were carried out at our institution. Donors were separated into four groups in consecutive sequence in order to determine the learning‐curve period. Groups 1–3 included forty consecutive cases each, whereas group 4 included the last eighteen cases. The renal artery and vein were controlled with two plastic locking clips at proximal ends without any clips on the kidney side. The kidney was manually retrieved through lumbar incision.

Results:  Mean operative times were 160.5, 116.9, 101.4 and 109.2 min in groups 1–4, respectively (group 1 vs group 2, 3 or 4, P < 0.01). Mean warm ischemic time was 3.5 min. Mean estimated blood loss was 88.8, 73.0, 69.3 and 43.9 mL in groups 1–4, respectively (group 1 vs group 4, P < 0.01). No blood transfusion or open conversion was required. Mean hospital stay was 7.8, 6.9, 6.6 and 5.8 days in groups 1–4, respectively (group 1 vs group 4, P < 0.05). Eight donors and seven grafts suffered from complications. Complication rates were 22.5%, 7.5%, 5.0% and 6.0% in groups 1–4, respectively (group 1 vs group 3, P < 0.05).

Conclusion:  Our modified retroperitoneoscopic live‐donor nephrectomy can be carried out safely with a learning‐curve period of about 40 cases.
Perioperative anxiety in children
Authors: FORTIER MICHELLE A. , DEL ROSARIO ANTONIO M. , MARTIN SARAH R. , KAIN ZEEV N.
Published: February 2010

Objectives & Aim:  The purpose of this investigation was to examine children’s anxiety across the perioperative setting.

Background:  Although several studies have examined preoperative anxiety in children, few researchers have illustrated perioperative anxiety; that is, anxiety in children throughout the pre and postoperative continuum.

Methods:  Participants were 261 children ages 2–12. Anxiety was rated prior to surgery, immediately after surgery, and for 2 weeks at home following surgery.

Results:  Low child sociability and high parent anxiety predicted perioperative anxiety. Perioperative anxiety was related to postoperative pain and negative postoperative behavioral change.

Conclusions:  Identification and prevention of anxiety in children can help prevent negative outcomes following surgery.
Consuming Sex: Socio‐legal Shifts in the Space and Place of Sex Shops
Authors: Coulmont Baptiste , Hubbard Phil
Published: February 2010

Materials defined as pornographic have always been subject to regulation because of the potential of such items to ‘corrupt and deprave’. Yet the state and law has rarely sought to ban such materials, attempting instead to restrict their accessibility. The outcomes of such interventions have, however, rarely been predictable, an issue we explore with reference to the changing regulation of sex shops in Britain and France since the 1970s. Noting ambiguities in the legal definitions of spaces of sex retailing, this paper traces how diverse forms of control have combined to restrict the location of sex shops, simultaneously shaping their design, management, and marketing. Describing the emergence of gentrified and ‘designer’ stores, this paper demonstrates that regulation has been complicit in a process of neo‐liberalization that has favoured more corporate sex shops – without this having ever been an explicit aim of those who have argued for the regulation of sex retailing.
NATURE, MARKETS AND STATE RESPONSE: THE DROUGHT OF 1939 IN JAPAN AND KOREA
Authors: Hunter Janet
Published: February 2010

Large areas of Northeast Asia experienced drought in 1939. Agricultural production in Korea decreased significantly, but the drought did not cause famine in Japan despite its dependence on rice imports from Korea. The paper analyses the impact of the 1939 drought on the markets for rice and electricity in Japan. The authorities were ill‐prepared for such a disaster but willing to use it for the purpose of covering for other problems. The drought thus accelerated the move of Japan's economic system towards a managed economy. A lower total rainfall in Japan in 1940 did not generate similar problems, suggesting that the broader political, economic, and social context is crucial to the identification of short‐term climatic fluctuations as crises.
ROBERT JOHN RUSSELL VERSUS THE NEW ATHEISTS
Authors: Murphy Nancey
Published: February 2010

This essay compares Robert John Russell's work in his recent bookCosmology from Alpha to Omega: The Creative Mutual Interaction of Theology and Science(2008) to that of the authors known collectively as “the new atheists.” I treat the latter as recent contributors to the modern tradition of scientific naturalism. This tradition makes claims to legitimacy on the basis of its close relations to the natural sciences. The purpose of this essay is to show up the poverty of the naturalist tradition's scientific credentials by contrasting it with Russell's careful account of positive relations between science and Christian theology.
EMBODIED SCIENCE: RECENTERING RELIGION‐AND‐SCIENCE
Authors: Hefner Philip
Published: February 2010

Neither religion nor science is first of all a realm of pure ideas, even though religion‐and‐science discussions often assume that they are. I propose that a concept of embodied science is more adequate and that religion‐and‐science should center its attention on science as enabler for improving the world (SEIW). This idea of science is rooted in Jerome Ravetz's concept of industrialized science and Donna Haraway's technoscience. SEIW describes the sociocultural context of science in commercial, government, and university settings. The chief focus of religion‐and‐science consequently takes into account five basic issues: (1) the kind of world we want, (2) liberating science, (3) human action and ethics, (4) religion and the world's possibilities, and (5) recovering myth. An underlying presupposition of the discussion is that understanding the world always involves as well an understanding of our being‐in‐the‐world.
EDITORIAL
Authors: Davenport Anthony P , Daly Craig
Published: February 2010

This themed section on Imaging in Pharmacology comprising reviews and original articles arose from two symposia held at the Summer Meeting of the British Pharmacological Society in Edinburgh 8–10 July 2009 on Developments in Receptor Imaging and Imaging and Targeting Inflammation in Stroke and Atherosclerosis. The reports cover a broad spectrum of pharmacological studies, from whole animal imaging to gene expression and emphasize the importance of imaging techniques in pharmacology. The development of each new imaging methodology brings pharmacology closer to the ambitious goal of being able to image (simultaneously) each component part of the G‐protein‐coupled receptor signalling process.

This article is part of a themed section on Imaging in Pharmacology. See the reference list for all papers appearing in this section.
Knowledge Life Cycle, Knowledge Inventory, and Knowledge Acquisition Strategies*
Authors: Chen Andrew N. K. , Hwang Yuhchang , Raghu T. S.
Published: February 2010

For a knowledge‐ and skill‐centric organization, the process of knowledge management encompasses three important and closely related elements: (i) task assignments, (ii) knowledge acquisition through training, and (iii) maintaining a proper level of knowledge inventory among the existing workforce. Trade‐off on choices between profit maximization in the short run and agility and flexibility in the long term is a vexing problem in knowledge management. In this study, we examine the effects of different training strategies on short‐term operational efficiency and long‐term workforce flexibility. We address our research objective by developing a computational model for task and training assignment in a dynamic knowledge environment consisting of multiple distinct knowledge dimensions. Overall, we find that organizational slack is an important variable in determining the effectiveness of training strategies. Training strategies focused on the most recent skills are found to be the preferred option in most of the considered scenarios. Interestingly, increased efficiencies in training can actually create preference conflict between employees and the firm. Our findings indicate that firms facing longer knowledge life cycles, higher slack in workforce capacity, and better training efficiencies actually face more difficult challenges in knowledge management.
Organizational Integration for Product Development: The Effects on Glitches, On‐Time Execution of Engineering Change Orders, and Market Success
Authors: Koufteros Xenophon A. , Rawski Greg E. , Rupak Rauniar
Published: February 2010

Deviations from requirements during the product development process can be considered as glitches. Fixing glitches, or problems, during the product development process consumes valuable resources, which may adversely affect product development time and hamper the firm's goal to pursue a first‐mover advantage. It is posited that an integrated organizational response can diminish incidences of glitches and improve the ability of the firm to respond to engineering changes, subsequently leading to improved market success. This organizational response frequently includes heavyweight product development managers who are seen as essential catalysts for internal integration. Though internal integration is vital, it is equally important to integrate with customers and suppliers alike because such network partners can provide access to information, knowledge, and unique and complementary resources that are otherwise unavailable to the firm. Findings, which are based on a sample of 191 product development projects in the automotive industry, suggest that some integration routines have a positive impact on product development outcomes and market success, while other routines can in fact hamper the collective effort.
Impact of leptin and leptin‐receptor gene polymorphisms on serum lipids in Japanese obese children
Authors: Okada T , Ohzeki T , Nakagawa Y , Sugihara S , Arisaka O ,   The Study Group of Pediatric Obesity and Its related Metabolism
Published: February 2010

Aim:  Leptin is one of the factors affecting serum lipid profile. We investigated the association between serum lipids and leptin/leptin receptor (LEPR) gene polymorphisms in obese Japanese children.

Methods:  One hundred and thirty‐six obese children (99 males and 37 females, relative weight over than 20%) from 5 to 17 years of age were recruited from 10 institutes. Four known polymorphisms in leptin gene [(+19)A G, (−2548)G A, (−188)C A, (−633)C T] and four known polymorphisms in LEPR gene [Lys109Arg, Gln223Arg, Pro(G)1019Pro(A), Ser(T)343Ser(C)] were determined using polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism‐based analyses.

Results:  No associations were found between leptin gene polymorphisms and serum lipid profile. On the other hand, Lys109Arg and Ser343Ser polymorphism in LEPR gene, but not Gln223Arg or Pro1019Pro, had significant relationships with serum lipid profile; lower total and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in Arg109Arg homozygotes, and lower TG levels in Ser343Ser(C/C) homozygotes. In addition, LEPR gene also associated with relative weight; Arg109Arg homozygotes had higher relative weight and Ser343Ser(C/C) homozygotes had lower one.

Conclusion:  These results suggest that LEPR gene polymorphisms may partly contribute to serum lipid profile in obese children.