bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wash functions downstream of Rho and links linear and branched actin nucleation factors
Authors: Liu Raymond , Abreu-Blanco Maria Teresa , Barry Kevin C. , Linardopoulou Elena V. , Osborn Gregory E. , Parkhurst Susan M.
Published: July 2009

Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS) family proteins are Arp2/3 activators that mediate the branched-actin network formation required for cytoskeletal remodeling, intracellular transport and cell locomotion. Wasp and Scar/WAVE,the two founding members of the family, are regulated by the GTPases Cdc42 and Rac, respectively. By contrast, linear actin nucleators, such as Spire and formins, are regulated by the GTPase Rho. We recently identified a third WAS family member, called Wash, with Arp2/3-mediated actin nucleation activity. We show that Drosophila Wash interacts genetically with Arp2/3, and also functions downstream of Rho1 with Spire and the formin Cappuccino to control actin and microtubule dynamics during Drosophila oogenesis. Wash bundles and crosslinks F-actin and microtubules, is regulated by Rho1, Spire and Arp2/3, and is essential for actin cytoskeleton organization in the egg chamber. Our results establish Wash and Rho as regulators of both linear- and branched-actin networks, and suggest an Arp2/3-mediated mechanism for how cells might coordinately regulate these structures.
The individual and organizational commitments needed for a successful diabetes care community of practice
Authors: Gibson John , Meacheam David
Published: July 2009

Through a qualitative case study of a regional diabetes care programme in New South Wales, Australia, this article examines the phenomenon of communities of practice (CoPs) within organizations, with a specific focus on identifying the commitments required from both individuals and organizations in order to produce a successful CoP. The CoP literature suggests that ‘commitment’ is essential, yet the exact nature of this ‘commitment’ has not been identified. This study aims to discover what these commitments are. From the research data, key individual and organizational commitments are identified. The individual commitments needed are (in rank order of significance): a personal commitment to the aim of the CoP; a commitment to knowledge-sharing with others; a commitment to knowledge-seeking from others; effective management of personal relationships with others in the CoP; and understanding of the roles of other members. At the organizational level, the commitments needed are a good fit between the purposes of the CoP and the aims of the organizations employing the CoP members, a commitment to research regarding the CoP's activities, sufficient funding of the work of CoP members, continuing practical and political support to the CoP and facilitation of innovation within the CoP. Recommendations are made relating to the practical significance of the findings of the study. The implications of the findings are assessed relative to other health-service CoPs.
Optimal Internet Media Selection
Authors: Danaher Peter J. , Lee Janghyuk , Kerbache Laoucine
Published: July 2009

In this study we develop a method that optimally selects online media vehicles and determines the number of advertising impressions that should be purchased and then served from each chosen website. As a starting point, we apply Danaher's [Danaher, P. J. 2007. Modeling page views across multiple websites with an application to Internet reach and frequency prediction. Marketing Sci. 26(3) 422–437] multivariate negative binomial distribution (MNBD) for predicting online media exposure distributions. The MNBD is used as a component in the broader task of media selection. Rather than simply adapting previous selection methods used in traditional media, we show that the Internet poses some unique challenges. Specifically, online banner ads and other forms of online advertising are sold by methods that differ substantially from the way other media advertising is sold. We use a nonlinear optimization algorithm to solve the optimization problem and derive the optimum online media schedule. Data from an online audience measurement firm and an advertising agency are used to illustrate the speed and accuracy of our method, which is substantially quicker than using complete enumeration.
The Generalized Multinomial Logit Model: Accounting for Scale and Coefficient Heterogeneity
Authors: Fiebig Denzil G. , Keane Michael P. , Louviere Jordan , Wasi Nada
Published: July 2009

The mixed or heterogeneous multinomial logit (MIXL) model has become popular in a number of fields, especially marketing, health economics, and industrial organization. In most applications of the model, the vector of consumer utility weights on product attributes is assumed to have a multivariate normal (MVN) distribution in the population. Thus, some consumers care more about some attributes than others, and the IIA property of multinomial logit (MNL) is avoided (i.e., segments of consumers will tend to switch among the subset of brands that possess their most valued attributes). The MIXL model is also appealing because it is relatively easy to estimate. Recently, however, some researchers have argued that the MVN is a poor choice for modelling taste heterogeneity. They argue that much of the heterogeneity in attribute weights is accounted for by a pure scale effect (i.e., across consumers, all attribute weights are scaled up or down in tandem). This implies that choice behaviour is simply more random for some consumers than others (i.e., holding attribute coefficients fixed, the scale of their error term is greater). This leads to a “scale heterogeneity” MNL model (S-MNL). Here, we develop a generalized multinomial logit model (G-MNL) that nests S-MNL and MIXL. By estimating the S-MNL, MIXL, and G-MNL models on 10 data sets, we provide evidence on their relative performance. We find that models that account for scale heterogeneity (i.e., G-MNL or S-MNL) are preferred to MIXL by the Bayes and consistent Akaike information criteria in all 10 data sets. Accounting for scale heterogeneity enables one to account for “extreme” consumers who exhibit nearly lexicographic preferences, as well as consumers who exhibit very “random” behaviour (in a sense we formalize below).
Channel Pass-Through of Trade Promotions
Authors: Nijs Vincent , Misra Kanishka , Anderson Eric T. , Hansen Karsten , Krishnamurthi Lakshman
Published: July 2009

Packaged goods manufacturers spend in excess of $75 billion annually on trade promotions, even though their effectiveness has been hotly debated by academics and practitioners for decades. One reason for this ongoing debate is that empirical research has been limited mostly to case studies, managerial surveys, and data from one or two supermarket chains in a single market. In this paper, we assemble a unique data set containing information on prices, quantities, and promotions throughout the entire channel in a category. Our study extends the empirical literature on pass-through in three important ways. First, we investigate how pass-through varies across more than 1,000 retailers in over 30 states. Second, we study pass-through at multiple levels of the distribution channel. Third, we show how the use of accounting metrics, such as average acquisition cost, rather than transaction cost, yields biased estimates of pass-through and therefore overstates the effectiveness of trade promotions.

We find that mean pass-through elasticities are 0.71, 0.59, and 0.41, for the wholesaler, retailer, and total channel, respectively. More importantly, at each level of the channel we observe large variances in pass-through estimates that we explain using various measures of cost and competition. Surprisingly, we find that market structure and competition have a relatively small impact on pass-through.

We conclude by showing how the profitability of manufacturer and wholesaler deals can be improved by utilizing detailed effectiveness estimates. For example, a manufacturer using an inclusive trade promotion strategy might offer a 10% off invoice deal to all retailers on every product. This strategy would decrease manufacturer and wholesaler profits for 56% of product/store combinations, whereas retailers experience a profit boost in 96% of cases. Manufacturers and wholesalers can avoid unprofitable trade deals for specific products and retailers by utilizing estimates of pass-through, consumer price elasticity, and margins. Compared to the inclusive strategy, such a selective trade promotion strategy would improve deal profitability by 80% and reduce costs by 40%.
Comparisons of structural iron reduction in smectites by bacteria and dithionite: II. A variable-temperature Mössbauer spectroscopic study of Garfield nontronite
Authors: Ribeiro Fabiana R. , Fabris José D. , Kostka Joel E. , Komadel Peter , Stucki Joseph W.
Published: July 2009

The reduction of structural Fe in smectite may be mediated either abiotically by reaction with chemical reducing agents or biotically by reaction with various bacterial species. The effects of abiotic reduction on clay surface chemistry are much better known than the effects of biotic reduction, and differences between them are still in need of investigation. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of dithionite (abiotic) and bacteria (biotic) reduction of structural Fe in nontronite on the clay structure as observed by variable-temperature Mössbauer spectroscopy. Biotic reduction was accomplished by incubating Na-saturated Garfield nontronite (sample API 33a) with Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 (FeII/total Fe achieved was ~17 %). Partial abiotic reduction (FeII/total Fe ~23 %) was achieved using pH-buffered sodium dithionite. The nontronite was also reduced abiotically to FeII/total Fe ~96 %. Parallel samples were reoxidized by bubbling O2 gas through the reduced suspensions at room temperature prior to Mössbauer analysis at 77 and 4 K. At 77 K, the reduction treatments all gave spectra composed of doublets for structural FeII and FeIII in the nontronite. The spectra for reoxidized samples were largely restored to that of the unaltered sample, except for the sample reduced to 96 %. At 4 K, the spectrum for the 96 % reduced sample was highly complex and clearly reflected magnetic order in the sample. When partially reduced, the spectrum also exhibited magnetic order, but the features were completely different depending on whether reduced biotically or abiotically. The biotically reduced sample appeared to contain distinctly separate domains of FeII and FeIII within the structure, whereas partial abiotic reduction produced a spectrum representative of FeII–FeIII pairs as the dominant domain type. The 4 K spectra of the partially reduced, fully reoxidized samples were virtually the same as at 77 K, whereas reoxidation of the 96 % reduced sample produced a spectrum consisting of a magnetically ordered sextet with a minor contribution from a FeII doublet, indicating significant structural alterations compared to the unaltered sample.
Nonfluorescent Denaturing HPLC–Based Primer-Extension Method for Allele-Specific Expression: Application to Analysis of Mismatch Repair Genes
Authors: Aceto Gitana M , De Lellis Laura , Catalano Teresa , Veschi Serena , Radice Paolo , Di Iorio Angelo , Mariani-Costantini Renato , Cama Alessandro , Curia Maria Cristina
Published: July 2009

Background: Altered germline expression of genes may represent a powerful marker of genetic or epigenetic predisposition to cancer or other diseases.

Methods: We developed and validated a method of nonfluorescent primer extension that uses a single dideoxynucleotide and denaturing HPLC (DHPLC) to analyze the relative allele expression. We devised 5 independent assays for measuring allele-specific expression (ASE) to exploit different markers of mismatch repair genes MLH1 [mutL homolog 1, colon cancer, nonpolyposis type 2 (E. coli)] and MSH2 [mutS homolog 2, colon cancer, nonpolyposis type 1 (E. coli)]. We initially confirmed method reproducibility with genomic DNA (gDNA) from individuals heterozygous for a frequent single-nucleotide polymorphism in the MLH1 gene. After this preliminary validation with gDNA, we confirmed assay reproducibility with cDNA templates from control individuals. Relative allele expression was estimated by comparing the heights of the peaks corresponding to the 2 alleles. Results obtained with gDNA templates were used to normalize cDNA results.

Results: With these DHPLC-based primer-extension assays, we detected and confirmed a 5-fold imbalance in MLH1 allele expression in a mutation-negative patient with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer and in another patient with a modest degree of imbalance in MLH1 expression. Among control individuals, the relative expression of MLH1 alleles displayed a narrow range of variation.

Conclusions: Independent DHPLC-based primer-extension assays for measuring and confirming ASE can be developed for different sequence variants of interest. This DHPLC application provides a cost-effective method for detecting ASE in cases for which conventional screening fails to detect pathogenic mutations in candidate genes and may be applicable for confirming ASE revealed by other methods, such as those used for transcriptome-wide analyses. .
Biological control of sapstain fungi: From laboratory experiments to field trials 10th EWLP, Stockholm, Sweden, August 25–28, 2008
Authors: Gradinger Cornelia , Boisselet Tsilla , Stratev Daniel , Ters Thomas , Messner Kurt , Fackler Karin
Published: July 2009

Sapstain fungi, which reduce the value of pine wood, were isolated from an industrial wood yard in north-eastern Germany. The predominant wood discolouring species on the industrial wood yard and in the forests of the investigated region was Sphaeropsis sapinea (syn. Diplodia pinea), but Ophiostoma minus was also found. These fungi were challenged with antagonistic micro-organisms in laboratory trials and in field experiments. Amongst the tested microorganisms only strains of filamentous fungi (Trichoderma sp. and Phlebiopsis gigantea) could control the sapstain fungi on pine wood blocks efficiently. Although P. gigantea was unable to inhibit stain formation completely, the wood was bleached by this fungus in later incubation stages. In two field trials, sapstain on pine wood logs was successfully retarded for a period of 10 and 12 weeks, respectively, with a white sporulating mutant of Trichoderma harzianum. Thus, the concept using filamentous fungi as antagonists against sapstain developed under laboratory conditions also proved to be valid under natural conditions in forest eco-systems.
Association of hypovitaminosis D with metabolic disturbances in polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Wehr E , Pilz S , Schweighofer N , Giuliani A , Kopera D , Pieber T R , Obermayer-Pietsch B
Published: July 2009

Objectives

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) frequently suffer from metabolic disturbances, in particular from insulin resistance. Accumulating evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the development of the metabolic syndrome (MS). Hence, the aim of our study was to investigate the association of 25(OH)D levels and the components of the MS in PCOS women.

Methods

25(OH)D levels were measured by means of ELISA in 206 women affected by PCOS. Metabolic, endocrine, and anthropometric measurements and oral glucose tolerance tests were performed.

Results

The prevalence of insufficient 25(OH)D levels (<30 ng/ml) was 72.8% in women with PCOS. PCOS women with the MS had lower 25(OH)D levels than PCOS women without these features (17.3 vs 25.8 ng/ml respectively; P<0.05). In multivariate regression analysis including 25(OH)D, season, body mass index (BMI), and age, 25(OH)D and BMI were independent predictors of homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI; P<0.05 for all). In binary logistic regression analyses, 25(OH)D (OR 0.86, P=0.019) and BMI (OR 1.28, P<0.001) were independent predictors of the MS in PCOS women. We found significantly negative correlations of 25(OH)D levels with BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting and stimulated glucose, area under the glucose response curve, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, HOMA-β, triglycerides, and quotient total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and positive correlations of 25(OH)D levels with QUICKI and HDL (P<0.05 for all).

Conclusion

We demonstrate that low 25(OH)D levels are associated with features of the MS in PCOS women. Large intervention trials are warranted to evaluate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on metabolic disturbances in PCOS women.
Genomic actions of estrogen receptor α: what are the targets and how are they regulated?
Authors: Welboren Willem-Jan , Sweep Fred C G J , Span Paul N , Stunnenberg Hendrik G
Published: July 2009

The estrogen receptor α (ERα) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that regulates a large number of genes in many different target tissues and is important in the development and progression of breast cancer. ERα-mediated transcription is a complex process regulated at many different levels. The interplay between ligand, receptor, DNA sequence, cofactors, chromatin context, and post-translational modifications culminates in transcriptional regulation by ERα. Recent technological advances have allowed the identification of ERα target genes on a genome-wide scale. In this review, we provide an overview of the progress made in our understanding of the different levels of regulation mediated by ERα. We discuss the recent advances in the identification of the ERα-binding sites and target gene network and their clinical applications.
Understanding the consequences of seed dispersal in a heterogeneous environment
Authors: Baythavong Brooke S. , Stanton Maureen L. , Rice Kevin J.
Published: July 2009

Plant distributions are in part determined by environmental heterogeneity on both large (landscape) and small (several meters) spatial scales. Plant populations can respond to environmental heterogeneity via genetic differentiation between large distinct patches, and via phenotypic plasticity in response to heterogeneity occurring at small scales relative to dispersal distance. As a result, the level of environmental heterogeneity experienced across generations, as determined by seed dispersal distance, may itself be under selection. Selection could act to increase or decrease seed dispersal distance, depending on patterns of heterogeneity in environmental quality with distance from a maternal home site. Serpentine soils, which impose harsh and variable abiotic stress on non‐adapted plants, have been partially invaded by Erodium cicutarium in northern California, USA. Using nearby grassland sites characterized as either serpentine or non‐serpentine, we collected seeds from dense patches of E. cicutarium on both soil types in spring 2004 and subsequently dispersed those seeds to one of four distances from their maternal home site (0, 0.5, 1, or 10 m). We examined distance‐dependent patterns of variation in offspring lifetime fitness, conspecific density, soil availability, soil water content, and aboveground grass and forb biomass. ANOVA revealed a distinct fitness peak when seeds were dispersed 0.5 m from their maternal home site on serpentine patches. In non‐serpentine patches, fitness was reduced only for seeds placed back into the maternal home site. Conspecific density was uniformly high within 1 m of a maternal home site on both soils, whereas soil water content and grass biomass were significantly heterogeneous among dispersal distances only on serpentine soils. Structural equation modeling and multigroup analysis revealed significantly stronger direct and indirect effects linking abiotic and biotic variation to offspring performance on serpentine soils than on non‐serpentine soils, indicating the potential for soil‐specific selection on seed dispersal distance in this invasive species.
Manipulation of flowering time: phenological integration and maternal effects
Authors: Galloway Laura F. , Burgess Kevin S.
Published: July 2009

Timing of flowering is central to reproductive success and is currently advancing in many natural populations due to a warmer climate. However, we have little understanding of how earlier initiation of flowering influences subsequent reproductive phenology or the expression of traits in the offspring. To evaluate the consequences of an altered flowering phenology we manipulated cohorts of Campanulastrum americanum, an herb with annual and biennial growth forms, to flower and disperse seeds up to a month earlier, at the same time, and up to a month later than a natural population in two separate years. Relative to the date of first flower, the temporal patterns of flower production and the timing of fruit maturation and seed dispersal were similar among individuals that initiated flowering over the expanded reproductive season, indicating strong phenological integration of reproductive traits. However, plants that initiated flowering substantially outside the natural window showed a change in the rate of reproduction, with a compressed reproductive schedule for early‐flowering individuals and an expanded one for late‐flowering plants. Changes in flowering time had more dramatic effects on the offspring generation. Initiation of flowering two weeks earlier would result in a fourfold increase in the frequency of annual offspring, and four weeks earlier would result in a tenfold increase. The frequency of annuals was less sensitive to modest delays in flowering time but decreased with greater delays in flowering time. Collectively, these results reveal a tightly integrated reproductive phenology that shifts with timing of flowering within generations but may lead to more dramatic responses to climate change between generations.
Capital breeding and income breeding: their meaning, measurement, and worth
Authors: Stephens Philip A. , Boyd Ian L. , McNamara John M. , Houston Alasdair I.
Published: July 2009

The life histories of organisms can show pronounced variation in the way that the costs of reproduction are financed. To facilitate discussions of this variation, two terms are increasing in use: “capital breeding” describes the situation in which reproduction is financed using stored capital; “income breeding” refers to the use of concurrent intake to pay for a reproductive attempt. We consider the value of the capital and income typology with reference to three functions that it might serve: description, explanation, and prediction. We find that interpretations of the terms have diversified and lack rigidity, leading to subjectivity in their definition. We recognize that time frames of interest will vary among taxa, but we urge consistency of use within those taxa. We also urge consistency in the use of a single metric designed to measure the reliance of an organism on capital. The concepts of capital and income breeding have served well as proximate explanations for behavioral or physiological diversity, but efforts to explain their adaptive value have been disproportionately focused on individual taxa. Mapping cause to effect is difficult in ecology. Nevertheless, further analyses, based on consistently applied measures of reliance on stored capital, may reveal which of the putative ecological, morphological, and physiological drivers have the most consistent and widespread effects. The capital–income typology has yet to be applied to the question of prediction, and thus, it remains to be seen whether these concepts will be of use in identifying the likely responses of different populations to changes in their environment.
Effects of mycorrhizal fungi on insect herbivores: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Koricheva Julia , Gange Alan C. , Jones Tara
Published: July 2009

Mycorrhizal status of the host plant is often ignored in studies on plant–herbivore interactions, but mycorrhizal colonization is known to induce many morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes in host plants, which in turn may alter plant quality as a host for insect herbivores. Both positive and negative effects of mycorrhizal colonization of the host plant on performance and density of insect herbivores have been reported in previous studies. We have conducted a meta‐analysis of 34 published and unpublished studies on this topic in order to find out the sources of variation in mycorrhizae effects on insect herbivores. Effects of mycorrhizae on chewing insects depended upon the parameter measured and the degree of herbivore feeding specialization. Density and consumption of chewing insects were higher on mycorrhizal plants, but this did not lead to greater plant damage, presumably because herbivore survival tended to be lower on mycorrhizal plants. Mono‐ and oligophagous chewers benefited from mycorrhizal colonization of their host plants, whereas performance of polyphagous chewers was reduced on mycorrhizal plants. Among sucking insects, phloem feeders benefited from mycorrhizal infection, but performance of mesophyll feeders was lower on mycorrhizal plants. The type of mycorrhiza was not important for chewing insects, but performance of sucking insects was increased more by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM) than by ectomycorrhizae (ECM). Among AM inoculation studies, the most commonly used fungal species,Glomus intraradices, tended to have a negative effect on chewer performance, whereas all other fungal species tended to have a positive effect. There was no significant difference in results between studies using inoculation and fungicides, field and laboratory studies, and published and unpublished studies. Mycorrhizal status of the host plant thus influences insect herbivore performance, but the magnitude and direction of the effect depend upon the feeding mode and diet breadth of the insect and the identity of fungi.
Immune Depletion With Cellular Mobilization Imparts Immunoregulation and Reverses Autoimmune Diabetes in Nonobese Diabetic Mice
Authors: Parker Matthew J. , Xue Song , Alexander John J. , Wasserfall Clive H. , Campbell-Thompson Martha L. , Battaglia Manuela , Gregori Silvia , Mathews Clayton E. , Song Sihong , Troutt Misty , Eisenbeis Scott , Williams John , Schatz Desmond A. , Haller Michael J. , Atkinson Mark A.
Published: July 2009

OBJECTIVE

The autoimmune destruction of β-cells in type 1 diabetes results in a loss of insulin production and glucose homeostasis. As such, an immense interest exists for the development of therapies capable of attenuating this destructive process through restoration of proper immune recognition. Therefore, we investigated the ability of the immune-depleting agent antithymocyte globulin (ATG), as well as the mobilization agent granulocyte colony–stimulating factor (GCSF), to reverse overt hyperglycemia in the nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Effects of each therapy were tested in pre-diabetic and diabetic female NOD mice using measurements of glycemia, regulatory T-cell (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+) frequency, insulitis, and/or β-cell area.

RESULTS

Here, we show that combination therapy of murine ATG and GCSF was remarkably effective at reversing new-onset diabetes in NOD mice and more efficacious than either agent alone. This combination also afforded durable reversal from disease (>180 days postonset) in animals having pronounced hyperglycemia (i.e., up to 500 mg/dl). Additionally, glucose control improved over time in mice subject to remission from type 1 diabetes. Mechanistically, this combination therapy resulted in both immunological (increases in CD4-to-CD8 ratios and splenic regulatory T-cell frequencies) and physiological (increase in the pancreatic β-cell area, attenuation of pancreatic inflammation) benefits.

CONCLUSIONS

In addition to lending further credence to the notion that combination therapies can enhance efficacy in addressing autoimmune disease, these studies also support the concept for utilizing agents designed for other clinical applications as a means to expedite efforts involving therapeutic translation.
Is Prehypertension a Risk Factor for the Development of Type 2 Diabetes?
Authors: Mullican David R. , Lorenzo Carlos , Haffner Steven M.
Published: July 2009

OBJECTIVE

Prehypertension is associated with cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance. However, whether subjects with prehypertension have more diabetes risk is not known. We examine whether prehypertension is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Incident diabetes was examined in nondiabetic normotensive participants in the San Antonio Heart Study (n = 2,767; aged 25–65 years; median follow-up 7.8 years).

RESULTS

Incident diabetes was 12.4% in subjects with prehypertension and 5.6% in subjects with normal blood pressure. The odds of incident diabetes were 2.21 greater for individuals with prehypertension than for those with normal blood pressure (95% CI 1.63–2.98) after adjusting for age, sex, and ethnicity. Prehypertension was not associated with incident diabetes after additional adjustment for BMI, impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and secretion, and family history of diabetes (odds ratio 1.42 [95% CI 0.99–2.02]).

CONCLUSIONS

Subjects with prehypertension are at increased risk of diabetes. Much of this risk is explained by disorders related to the insulin resistance syndrome.
Legal Frankensteins and Monstrous Women
Authors: Lodhia Sharmila
Published: July 2009

Anti-violence activism for women in India has been riddled with a unique advocacy challenge. Women experiencing violence within the home confront a widespread backlash against Penal Code section 498A, the only criminal law in India that specifically encompasses domestic violence. Analysis of this phenomenon reveals that this prohibition against marital cruelty has been drastically undermined by a level of skepticism that not only permeates societal consciousness, but more perilously, has entered judicial decision-making in these cases. In this essay I deconstruct the patriarchal narratives that undergird the judicial backlash against Section 498A, arguing that they reflect a modern incarnation of the “crisis” discourses that have characterized state responses to women's right claims. I contend that Indian patriarchies are being recast in law through the construction of gendered subjects who threaten to destabilize the sanctity of the Indian family, and who are therefore deemed undeserving of the law's protection.
Never Innocent
Authors: Meiners Erica R.
Published: July 2009

Using recent work by anti-prison theorists and community-based activists who are working against the prison industrial complex, this article links prison abolition to feminist frameworks to question escalating sex offender registries and community notification laws that are the state's response to sexual violence against children and women. Part one offers a brief and queer history of sex offender registries in the United States and their growth in the last two decades, the available data on who assaults children and women. Part one will also use existing research to question the goal of safety that these registries advance. Part two builds on this foundation to use current shifts in the juvenile justice system to investigate how race, class, and gender complicate who has access to the protected categories of childhood and motherhood, and to the characteristic of innocence. Part three examines how sex offender registries participate in the larger practices of the privatization of public space and the expanding prison industrial complex. Part four concludes by using abolition as a possible framework to shift public dialogues about safety and conceptions about childhood and family, and discusses organizations that work within this framework to challenge our nation's over-reliance on incarceration.
Weddings and War
Authors: Johnson Penny , Nahleh Lamis Abu , Moors Annelies
Published: July 2009

In our comparison of marriage arrangements and wedding celebrations during the first and the second intifada in Palestine, we focus on “political marriages” wherein the political activism and affiliation of the marital partners are of considerable importance. During the first intifada, political engagement became a major consideration in choice of marriage partner in some settings, and conventional boundaries of religion and class were transgressed. Simultaneously, marriage celebrations were transformed, whereby a widespread culture of austerity and mourning made weddings far more simple and inexpensive, as well as signaling solidarity and resistance. In the second intifada, marriage arrangements and wedding celebrations are very different. The changed political climate, with the hope and popular participation of the first intifada turned into the despair and exclusions of the second, transformed political engagement from a positive into a largely negative qualification. The material side of marriage has again become more important, public displays of consumption acceptable, and celebrations more expensive. These shift s are shaped by the effects of the post-Oslo transition, as well as by the warlike conditions on the ground. Although these conditions, from Israeli army intrusions to physical barriers to marriage, are more insecure and dangerous than in the earlier intifada, they function largely as external threats to the shaping of wedding arrangements and ceremonies, rather than generating internal transformations.

For Maha Mustaqlem Nassar (1954–2008) whose committed life inspired us.
Postoperative pain management with tramadol after craniotomy: evaluation and cost analysis
Authors: Rahimi Scott Y. , Alleyne Cargill H. , Vernier Eric , Witcher Mark R. , Vender John R.
Published: July 2009

Object

Patients undergoing craniotomies have traditionally received opiates with acetaminophen for the management of their postoperative pain. The use of narcotic pain medications can be costly, decrease rates of early postoperative ambulation, lengthen hospital stays, and alter a patient's neurological examination. The use of alternative pain medications such as tramadol may benefit patients by resolving many of these issues.

Methods

The authors conducted a randomized, blinded prospective study to evaluate the efficacy of alternative pain management strategies for patients following craniotomies. Fifty patients were randomly assigned either to a control group who received narcotics and acetaminophen alone or an experimental group who received tramadol in addition to narcotic pain medications (25 patients assigned to each group).

Results

The control group was noted to have statistically significant higher visual analog scale pain scores, an increased length of hospital stay, and increased narcotic use compared with the tramadol group. The narcotics and acetaminophen group also had increased hospitalization costs when compared with the tramadol group.

Conclusions

The use of scheduled atypical analgesics such as tramadol in addition to narcotics with acetaminophen for the management of postoperative pain after craniotomy may provide better pain control, decrease the side effects associated with narcotic pain medications, encourage earlier postoperative ambulation, and reduce total hospitalization costs.
Endovascular mechanical retrieval of a terminal internal carotid artery breast tumor embolus
Authors: Bhatia Sanjay , Ku Andrew , Pu Cunfeng , Wright David G. , Tayal Ashis H.
Published: July 2009

The authors report the case of an acute left middle cerebral artery distribution stroke caused by a terminal internal carotid artery occlusion in a patient who underwent endovascular mechanical embolectomy. Histopathological analysis of embolic material obtained from the mechanical retriever device was diagnostic of a high-grade phyllodes breast tumor. This case represents the first instance, to our knowledge, of tumor embolus extraction via mechanical retrieval during acute ischemic stroke intervention.
Approach for tunneling the lead in deep brain stimulation
Authors: Fabiano Andrew J. , Plunkett Robert J.
Published: July 2009

The implantation of a deep brain stimulator (DBS) is often a staged procedure that involves stereotactic placement of the neurostimulator electrode, followed by connection of the electrode to a pulse generator during a separate operation. The authors describe a practical technique for the retrograde tunneling of the stimulator lead during the initial electrode implantation procedure. After DBS electrode placement and securing of the lead, the lead is covered with a protective cap and boot, which are then folded back to tunnel a redundant loop of the lead in a retrograde fashion into a subgaleal pocket. This technique facilitates connection of the lead to the pulse generator connecting wire at the subsequent operation and may reduce lead damage.
Influence of Different Polymer Types on the Overall Release Mechanism in Hydrophilic Matrix Tablets
Authors: Körner Anna , Piculell Lennart , Iselau Frida , Wittgren Bengt , Larsson Anette
Published: July 2009

The effect of three different types of polymer chain structures on the polymer release from hydrophilic matrix tablets was investigated by comparing a synthetic semi-crystalline linear polymer (PEO), a branched amorphous polysaccharide (dextran) and an amorphous substituted cellulose derivative (HPMC). The polymer release rates for tablets containing mixtures of high and low molecular weight grades in different ratios were determined by using a modified USP II method and a SEC-RI chromatography system. The results showed that independent of polymer type: (i) plots of the release versus time had similar shapes, (ii) the release of long and short polymer chains was equal and no fractionation occurred during the release and (iii) the release rate could be related to the average intrinsic viscosity of the polymer mixtures. This confirms the hypothesis that the release rate can be related to a constant viscosity on the surface of the hydrophilic matrix tablet and that it is valid for all the investigated polymers.
Performance of a Protected Wireless Sensor Network in a Fire. Analysis of Fire Spread and Data Transmission
Authors: Antoine-Santoni Thierry , Santucci Jean-François , De Gentili Emmanuelle , Silvani Xavier , Morandini Frederic
Published: July 2009

The paper deals with a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) as a reliable solution for capturing the kinematics of a fire front spreading over a fuel bed. To provide reliable information in fire studies and support fire fighting strategies, a Wireless Sensor Network must be able to perform three sequential actions: 1) sensing thermal data in the open as the gas temperature; 2) detecting a fire i.e., the spatial position of a flame; 3) tracking the fire spread during its spatial and temporal evolution. One of the great challenges in performing fire front tracking with a WSN is to avoid the destruction of motes by the fire. This paper therefore shows the performance of Wireless Sensor Network when the motes are protected with a thermal insulation dedicated to track a fire spreading across vegetative fuels on a field scale. The resulting experimental WSN is then used in series of wildfire experiments performed in the open in vegetation areas ranging in size from 50 to 1,000 m².
La difficulté d'accéder aux adresses des chercheurs français dans les bases de données bibliographiques
Authors: Bador Pascal , Lafouge Thierry
Published: July 2009

Résumé La difficulté d’accéder aux adresses des chercheurs français dans les bases de données bibliographiques est sans doute une des causes de la faible visibilité des universités françaises dans les classements internationaux. À partir de l’exemple de l’Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, cette étude vise à démontrer que cette situation pourrait en partie s’expliquer par le manque de rigueur des chercheurs dans la rédaction de l’adresse qu’ils font figurer en tête de leurs publications scientifiques. Une autre cause étant l’absence de libellé officiel et normalisé de ces adresses. Des recommandations formulées in fine pourront aider à valoriser au plan international les travaux des chercheurs français.
Séminaire interassociations
Authors: Battisti Michèle , Martinez Ruth
Published: July 2009

Résumé Un récent décret relatif à l’accès aux documents administratifs et à la réutilisation des informations publiques ouvre la possibilisté d’élargir l’utilisation des données publiques au service du développement économique et de renforcer l’efficacité de l’administration. Organisé à Paris le 27 janvier 2006 par le groupe interassociations « Diffusion des données publiques » qui réunit l’ACSEL, l’AFIGEO, le GESTE, le FIGEC, le GFII et le SPDG, un séminaire a permis de réfléchir avec les acteurs concernés aux conditions d’exploitation de ces données pour créer des services d’information à valeur ajoutée adaptés aux différentes catégories d’utilisateurs.
Droit d'auteur et droits voisins
Authors: Battisti Michèle
Published: July 2009

Résumé Organisée le 10 mars 2006 par l’IUT de La Roche-sur-Yon, le CNFPT Pays de Loire et l’ADDNB au moment même où le projet de loi sur les droits d’auteur et les droits voisins dans la société de l’information était débattu à l’Assemblée nationale, une journée d’étude a réuni des universitaires, des juristes et spécialistes du droit d’auteur et du numérique, des représentants d’associations ainsi que des professionnels de l’information et de la documentation pour expliquer les enjeux et les conséquences de ce texte dans le monde des bibliothèques et de la documentation.
Capillary Force Lithography: A Versatile Tool for Structured Biomaterials Interface Towards Cell and Tissue Engineering
Authors: Suh Kahp‐Yang , Park Min Cheol , Kim Pilnam
Published: July 2009

This Feature Article aims to provide an in‐depth overview of the recently developed molding technologies termed capillary force lithography (CFL) that can be used to control the cellular microenvironment towards cell and tissue engineering. Patterned polymer films provide a fertile ground for controlling various aspects of the cellular microenvironment such as cell–substrate and cell–cell interactions at the micro‐ and nanoscale. Patterning thin polymer films by molding typically involves several physical forces such as capillary, hydrostatic, and dispersion forces. If these forces are precisely controlled, the polymer films can be molded into the features of a polymeric mold with high pattern fidelity and physical integrity. The patterns can be made either with the substrate surface clearly exposed or unexposed depending on the pattern size and material properties used in the patterning. The former (exposed substrate) can be used to adhere proteins or cells on pre‐defined locations of a substrate or within a microfluidic channel using an adhesion‐repelling polymer such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐based polymer and hyaluronic acid (HA). Also, the patterns can be used to co‐culture different cells types with molding‐assisted layer‐by‐layer deposition. In comparison, the latter (unexposed substrate) can be used to control the biophysical surrounding of a cell with tailored mechanical properties of the material. The surface micropatterns can be used to engineer cellular and multi‐cellular architecture, resulting in changes of the cell shape and the cytoskeletal structures. Also, the nanoscale patterns can be used to affect various aspects of the cellular behavior, such as adhesion, proliferation, migration, and differentiation.
Mechanical Gradient Cues for Guided Cell Motility and Control of Cell Behavior on Uniform Substrates
Authors: Cortese Barbara , Gigli Giuseppe , Riehle Mathis
Published: July 2009

A novel method for the fabrication and the use of simple uniform poly(dimethylsiloxane) PDMS substrates for controlling cell motility by a mechanical gradient is reported. The substrate is fabricated in PDMS using soft lithography and consists of a soft membrane suspended on top of a patterned PDMS substrate. The difference in the gradient stiffness is related to the underlying pattern. It is shown experimentally that these uniform substrates can modulate the response of cell motility, thus enabling patterning on the surfaces with precise cell motility. Because of the uniformity of the substrate, cells can spread equally and a directional movement to stiffer regions is clearly observed. Varying the geometry underlying the membrane, cell patterning and movement can be quantitatively characterized. This procedure is capable of controlling cell motility with high fidelity over large substrate areas. The most significant advance embodied in this method is that it offers the use of mechanical features to control cell adhesion and not topographical or chemical variations, which has not been reported so far. This modulation of the response of cell motility will be useful for the design and fabrication of advanced planar and 3D biological assemblies suitable for applications in the field of biotechnology and for tissue‐engineering purposes.
Precipitation dynamics of zinc sulfide multiscale agglomerates
Authors: Frédéric Gruy , Mohamed Kamal Mekki‐Berrada , Cournil Michel
Published: July 2009

Homogeneous precipitation of zinc sulfide from thioacetamide decomposition in presence of zinc sulfate in acid solution results in the formation of four‐scale agglomerates. We present here experimental results relative to the monitoring of several physicochemical (pH, electrical conductivity, concentration in sulfide ions, turbidity) and morphological (agglomerate shape and size) parameters throughout the precipitation process. From these parameters essential characteristics of the precipitation process can be determined, especially the supersaturation level and the precipitated product mass. From this information and with the help of microphotographs of samples withdrawn at different stages of the precipitation, it is possible to formulate a new mechanism of zinc sulfide precipitation. In particular, the nature of the different agglomeration scales is elucidated as well their succession in time. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009
General partial properties
Authors: Iglesias‐Silva Gustavo A. , Hall Kenneth R.
Published: July 2009

Partial molar properties are useful thermodynamic properties because their molar average equals the property itself. In this article, we present a description of partial properties in general, and we show that for many partial properties, partial molar properties being a subset, the property is a molar average of the partial properties. Although partial molar properties remain the most useful, several of the other partial properties could have practical applications. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009
Health‐related quality of life measures in genetic disorders: An outcome variable for consideration in clinical trials
Authors: Stevenson David A. , Carey John C.
Published: July 2009

The field of medical genetics is rapidly advancing, and therapeutic options to treat genetic syndromes are becoming increasingly available. An understanding of the pathophysiology of various genetic disorders has provided researchers the opportunity to propose and test pharmacologic agents in preclinical murine models with hopes of translation to human trials. The development of clinical trials can be costly and time consuming, particularly for rare conditions. Pilot feasibility studies should be performed when designing clinical trials for genetic disorders. The development and selection of appropriate outcome measures are particularly paramount in the implementation of clinical trials. The selection of inappropriate outcome measures can lead to non‐measurable differences or clinically insignificant findings. In addition, just as age appropriate measures are needed, some instruments may not apply to populations with specific genetic disorders that have significant cognitive and physical impairment, as the measures may not be sensitive enough to identify clinically significant changes. In the last decade, health‐related quality of life measures (HRQOL) have been increasingly included as an outcome measure in clinical trials. While traditional clinical outcomes are important, these newly developed instruments should be considered along with clinical indicators as measures of effect in clinical trials of interventions in genetic disorders. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.