bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ligand based virtual screening studies to design drug molecules for human PIN1 causing cardiovascular disease
Authors: Ramana C , Munikumar Manne , Umamaheswari Amineni
Published: November 2011

PIN1 is a member of the cis/trans peptidyl-prolyl isomerase family which plays critical roles in cell-cycle regulation. Over expression of PIN1 in endothelial cells causes cardiovascular disease. The present study has focused on computational analysis to identify the potential inhibitors for PIN1. The human PIN1 crystal structure was retrieved from the protein data bank and prepared using protein preparation wizard of Maestro v9.2. Fourteen PIN1 inhibitors reported in recent literature were acquired and searched for structural analogs using Ligand.Info tool. 5675 PIN1 inhibitor analogs yielded were converted to 3D structures using LigPrep with constraints of ADME evaluation and toxicity assessments. The 3D ligand dataset was docked to PIN1 through docking protocol of Glide v5.7. Nine leads showing better binding affinity compared to fourteen published inhibitors were proposed as potential inhibitors of PIN1. The Lead 1 (2-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxy-pheny)-1h-benzoimidazole-5-carboxamidine) showed a docking score of -7.543 kcal/mol with strong hydrogen bond network with active site residues such as Arg-74, Tyr-92 and Glu-110 and good van der Waals interaction. Therefore, Lead 1 is proposed as a promising lead for developing potential drug molecules for cardiovascular disease therapy.
Hierarchical self-assembly and secondary structures of linear polypeptides graft onto POSS in the side chain through click chemistry
Authors: Lin Yung-Chih , Kuo Shiao-Wei
Published: November 2011

A hexagonal cylinder packing nanostructure featuring α-helical conformations and POSS aggregates was proposed in this study.
Development of functional amino acid-based star polymers
Authors: Sulistio Adrian , Blencowe Anton , Widjaya Adrian , Zhang Xiaoqing , Qiao Greg
Published: November 2011

Various arm and core functionalized amino acid-based star polymer are prepared. Furthermore, a detailed investigation of reaction parameters affecting star formation is presented.
Identification of two independent nucleosome-binding domains in the transcriptional co-activator SPBP
Authors: Darvekar Sagar , Johnsen Sylvia Sagen , Eriksen Agnete Bratsberg , Johansen Terje , Sjøttem Eva
Published: November 2011

Transcriptional regulation requires co-ordinated action of transcription factors, co-activator complexes and general transcription factors to access specific loci in the dense chromatin structure. In the present study we demonstrate that the transcriptional co-regulator SPBP [stromelysin-1 PDGF (platelet-derived growth factor)-responsive element binding protein] contains two independent chromatin-binding domains, the SPBP-(1551–1666) region and the C-terminal extended PHD [ePHD/ADD (extended plant homeodomain/ATRX-DNMT3-DNMT3L)] domain. The region 1551–1666 is a novel core nucleosome-interaction domain located adjacent to the AT-hook motif in the DNA-binding domain. This novel nucleosome-binding region is critically important for proper localization of SPBP in the cell nucleus. The ePHD/ADD domain associates with nucleosomes in a histone tail-dependent manner, and has significant impact on the dynamic interaction between SPBP and chromatin. Furthermore, SPBP and its homologue RAI1 (retinoic-acid-inducible protein 1), are strongly enriched on chromatin in interphase HeLa cells, and both proteins display low nuclear mobility. RAI1 contains a region with homology to the novel nucleosome-binding region SPBP-(1551–1666) and an ePHD/ADD domain with ability to bind nucleosomes. These results indicate that the transcriptional co-regulator SPBP and its homologue RAI1 implicated in Smith–Magenis syndrome and Potocki–Lupski syndrome both belong to the expanding family of chromatin-binding proteins containing several domains involved in specific chromatin interactions.
ZraP is a periplasmic molecular chaperone and a repressor of the zinc-responsive two-component regulator ZraSR
Authors: Appia-Ayme Corinne , Hall Andrea , Patrick Elaine , Rajadurai Shiny , Clarke Thomas A. , Rowley Gary
Published: November 2011

The bacterial envelope is the interface with the surrounding environment and is consequently subjected to a barrage of noxious agents including a range of compounds with antimicrobial activity. The ESR (envelope stress response) pathways of enteric bacteria are critical for maintenance of the envelope against these antimicrobial agents. In the present study, we demonstrate that the periplasmic protein ZraP contributes to envelope homoeostasis and assign both chaperone and regulatory function to ZraP from Salmonella Typhimurium. The ZraP chaperone mechanism is catalytic and independent of ATP; the chaperone activity is dependent on the presence of zinc, which is shown to be responsible for the stabilization of an oligomeric ZraP complex. Furthermore, ZraP can act to repress the two-component regulatory system ZraSR, which itself is responsive to zinc concentrations. Through structural homology, ZraP is a member of the bacterial CpxP family of periplasmic proteins, which also consists of CpxP and Spy. We demonstrate environmental co-expression of the CpxP family and identify an important role for these proteins in Salmonella's defence against the cationic antimicrobial peptide polymyxin B.
Cross sections and rate constants for OH + H2 reaction on three different potential energy surfaces for ro-vibrationally excited reagents
Authors: Bhattacharya Sayak , Panda Aditya N. , Meyer Hans-Dieter
Published: November 2011

A systematic study of the reagent ro-vibrational excitations in H2 + OH reaction is presented on three different potential energy surfaces using the multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree method. An exact form of the kinetic energy operator including Coriolis coupling has been used. Coupled channel results on WDSE surface for vibrational excitation of H2 produce very large cross sections in accordance with the previous approximate results. The rate constant obtained for H2(v = 1) at 300 K on the YZCL2 surface shows an excellent agreement with the most recent experimental result. Quantum dynamical results for ro-vibrational excitation of reagents obtained on the WSLFH surface show similar behavior to previous quasiclassical trajectory studies. The integral cross sections obtained for excited reagent rotations exhibit contrasting trends on the three surfaces. The effects are explained considering the different orientations of the transition state structure and the individual surface characteristics.
ZnO nanowire Schottky barrier ultraviolet photodetector with high sensitivity and fast recovery speed
Authors: Cheng Gang , Wu Xinghui , Liu Bing , Li Bing , Zhang Xingtang , Du Zuliang
Published: November 2011

ZnO nanowire (NW) ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors have high sensitivity, while the long recovery time is an important limitation for its applications. In this paper, we demonstrate the promising applications of ZnO NW Schottky barrier as high performance UV photodetector with high sensitivity and fast recovery speed. The on/off ratio, sensitivity, and photocurrent gain are 4 × 105, 2.6 × 103 A/W, and 8.5 × 103, respectively. The recovery time is 0.28  s when photocurrent decreases by 3 orders of magnitude, and the corresponding time constant is as short as 46 ms. The physical mechanisms of the fast recovery properties have also been discussed.
Magnetic anisotropy and coercivity of Fe3Se4 nanostructures
Authors: Long Gen , Zhang Hongwang , Li Da , Sabirianov Renat , Zhang Zhidong , Zeng Hao
Published: November 2011

The hard magnetic properties of Fe3Se4 nanostructures were studied both experimentally and theoretically. Magnetic measurements showed that Fe3Se4 nanoparticles can exhibit giant coercivity exceeding 40 kOe at low temperature (10 K). This unusually large coercivity is attributed to the uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the monoclinic structure of Fe3Se4 with ordered cation vacancies. The measured anisotropy constant is 1.0 × 107 erg/cm3, consistent with the result from first-principles calculations. The magnetization reversal mechanism of the nanoparticles is found to be incoherent spin rotation.
Near-field dynamics of broad area diode laser at very high pump levels
Authors: Hempel Martin , Tomm Jens W. , Baeumler Martina , Konstanzer Helmer , Mukherjee Jayanta , Elsaesser Thomas
Published: November 2011

Near-field properties of the emission of broad area semiconductor diode lasers under extremely high pumping of up to ∼50 times the threshold are investigated. A transition from a gain to thermally-induced index guiding is shown under operation with single pulses of 300 ns duration. At highest output powers, catastrophic optical damage is observed which is studied in conjunction with the evolution of time-averaged filamentary near-field properties. Dynamics of the process is resolved on a picosecond time scale.
Martensite-like transition and spin-glass behavior in nanocrystalline Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3
Authors: Jammalamadaka S. Narayana , Rao S. S. , Vanacken J. , Stesmans A. , Bhat S. V. , Moshchalkov V. V.
Published: November 2011

We report on isothermal pulsed (20 ms) field magnetization, temperature dependent AC – susceptibility, and the static low magnetic field measurements carried out on 10 nm sized Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3 nanoparticles (PCMO10). The saturation field for the magnetization of PCMO10 (∼ 250 kOe) is found to be reduced in comparison with that of bulk PCMO (∼300 kOe). With increasing temperature, the critical magnetic field required to ‘melt’ the residual charge-ordered phase decays exponentially while the field transition range broadens, which is indicative of a Martensite-like transition. The AC - susceptibility data indicate the presence of a frequency-dependent freezing temperature, satisfying the conventional Vogel-Fulcher and power laws, pointing to the existence of a spin-glass-like disordered magnetic phase. The present results lead to a better understanding of manganite physics and might prove helpful for practical applications.
Reconstructing fire history in central Mongolia from tree-rings
Authors: Hessl Amy E. , Ariya Uyanga , Brown Peter , Byambasuren Oyunsannaa , Green Tim , Jacoby Gordon , Sutherland Elaine Kennedy , Nachin Baatarbileg , Maxwell R. Stockton , Pederson Neil , De Grandpré Louis , Saladyga Thomas , Tardif Jacques C.
Published: November 2011

Rising temperatures are expected to increase wildfire activity in many regions of the world. Over the last 60 years in Mongolia, mean annual temperatures have increased ~2°C and the recorded frequency and spatial extent of forest and steppe fires have increased. Few long records of fire history exist to place these recent changes in a historical perspective. The purpose of this paper is to report on fire history research from three sites in central Mongolia and to highlight the potential of this region as a test case for understanding the relationships between climate change, fire and land use. We collected partial cross-sections from fire-scarred trees and stumps at each site using a targeted sampling approach. All three sites had long histories of fire ranging from 280 to 450 years. Mean Weibull fire return intervals varied from 7 to 16 years. Fire scars at one protected-area site were nearly absent after 1760, likely owing to changes in land use. There is limited synchrony in fire occurrence across sites, suggesting that fire occurrence, at least at annual time scales, might be influenced by local processes (grazing, human ignitions, other land-use factors) as well as regional processes like climate. Additional data are being collected to further test hypotheses regarding climate change, land use and fire.
Mycobacterium tuberculosisprotein tyrosine phosphatase (PtpA) excludes host vacuolar-H+–ATPase to inhibit phagosome acidification
Authors: Wong Dennis , Bach Horacio , Sun Jim , Hmama Zakaria , Av-Gay Yossef
Published: November 2011

Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) pathogenicity depends on its ability to inhibit phagosome acidification and maturation processes after engulfment by macrophages. Here, we show that the secreted Mtb protein tyrosine phosphatase (PtpA) binds to subunit H of the macrophage vacuolar-H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) machinery, a multisubunit protein complex in the phagosome membrane that drives luminal acidification. Furthermore, we show that the macrophage class C vacuolar protein sorting complex, a key regulator of endosomal membrane fusion, associates with V-ATPase in phagosome maturation, suggesting a unique role for V-ATPase in coordinating phagosome–lysosome fusion. PtpA interaction with host V-ATPase is required for the previously reported dephosphorylation of VPS33B and subsequent exclusion of V-ATPase from the phagosome during Mtb infection. These findings show that inhibition of phagosome acidification in the mycobacterial phagosome is directly attributed to PtpA, a key protein needed for Mtb survival and pathogenicity within host macrophages.
Brassinosteroids modulate the efficiency of plant immune responses to microbe-associated molecular patterns
Authors: Belkhadir Youssef , Jaillais Yvon , Epple Petra , Balsemão-Pires Emilia , Dangl Jeffery L. , Chory Joanne
Published: November 2011

Metazoans and plants use pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) to sense conserved microbial-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) in the extracellular environment. In plants, the bacterial MAMPs flagellin and elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) activate distinct, phylogenetically related cell surface pattern recognition receptors of the leucine-rich repeat receptor kinase (LRR-RK) family called FLS2 and EF-Tu receptor, respectively. BAK1 is an LRR-RK coreceptor for both FLS2 and EF-Tu receptor. BAK1 is also a coreceptor for the plant brassinosteroid (BR) receptor, the LRR-RK BRI1. Binding of BR to BRI1 primarily promotes cell elongation. Here, we tune the BR pathway response to establish how plant cells can generate functionally different cellular outputs in response to MAMPs and pathogens. We demonstrate that BR can act antagonistically or synergistically with responses to MAMPs. We further show that the synergistic activities of BRs on MAMP responses require BAK1. Our results highlight the importance of plant steroid homeostasis as a critical step in the establishment of plant immunity. We propose that tradeoffs associated with plasticity in the face of infection are layered atop plant steroid developmental programs.
In vivo prevention of arterial restenosis with paclitaxel-encapsulated targeted lipid–polymeric nanoparticles
Authors: Chan Juliana M. , Rhee June-Wha , Drum Chester L. , Bronson Roderick T. , Golomb Gershon , Langer Robert , Farokhzad Omid C.
Published: November 2011

Following recent successes with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for treating coronary artery disease (CAD), many challenges remain. In particular, mechanical injury from the procedure results in extensive endothelial denudation, exposing the underlying collagen IV-rich basal lamina, which promotes both intravascular thrombosis and smooth muscle proliferation. Previously, we reported the engineering of collagen IV-targeting nanoparticles (NPs) and demonstrated their preferential localization to sites of arterial injury. Here, we develop a systemically administered, targeted NP system to deliver an antiproliferative agent to injured vasculature. Approximately 60-nm lipid–polymeric NPs were surface functionalized with collagen IV-targeting peptides and loaded with paclitaxel. In safety studies, the targeted NPs showed no signs of toxicity and a ≥3.5-fold improved maximum tolerated dose versus paclitaxel. In efficacy studies using a rat carotid injury model, paclitaxel (0.3 mg/kg or 1 mg/kg) was i.v. administered postprocedure on days 0 and 5. The targeted NP group resulted in lower neointima-to-media (N/M) scores at 2 wk versus control groups of saline, paclitaxel, or nontargeted NPs. Compared with sham-injury groups, an ∼50% reduction in arterial stenosis was observed with targeted NP treatment. The combination of improved tolerability, sustained release, and vascular targeting could potentially provide a safe and efficacious option in the management of CAD.
Enhanced microwave electromagnetic properties of Co0.4Fe0.6/Ce2O3 nanocomposites
Authors: Haibo Yi , Xinghua Li , Liang Qiao , Tao Wang , Fashen Li
Published: November 2011

Co0.4Fe0.6/Ce2O3 nanocomposites are fabricated by arc melting followed by ball milling. The CoFe nanocrystals are dispersed in cerium oxide. The complex permittivity, permeability and microwave absorbing properties of Co0.4Fe0.6/Ce2O3 powders/paraffin composites with orientation are studied. Lower permittivity and higher permeability of the oriented composites than those of the unoriented ones are clearly shown. A simulated microwave reflection result shows that the matching thickness and peak frequency are coincident with the quarter wavelength condition. For the oriented ones, the minimum RLm is reached with a matching thickness of about 2.49 mm at a corresponding frequency of 3.7 GHz. At this point, not only are the reflection waves out of phase by 180°, but also the input impedance of the absorber Z
in is equal to the impedance of air Z
0.
Modelling of keyhole dynamics and porosity formation considering the adaptive keyhole shape and three-phase coupling during deep-penetration laser welding
Authors: Zhao Haiyan , Niu Wenchong , Zhang Bin , Lei Yongping , Kodama Masaru , Ishide Takashi
Published: November 2011

The joint quality of deep-penetration laser beam welding is related to the keyhole behaviour, e.g. keyhole-induced porosities. In this paper, a model which considered the existence of three phases, including plasma gas, liquid metal and solid metal, was proposed to describe the keyhole phenomena of laser welding. The forces of interaction of fluid dynamics in the keyhole and molten pool were modelled using the CFD software, and an adaptive heat source model was proposed for the absorption of laser energy. The molten pool and keyhole phenomena of laser beam welding were simulated using the developed model, as well as the formation of keyhole-induced porosities. It was found that the keyhole depth self-fluctuates in continuous laser welding, and the bubbles formed from keyhole collapse and shrinkage are the cause of keyhole-induced porosity.
Competition for cofactor-dependent DNA binding underlies Hox phenotypic suppression
Authors: Noro Barbara , Lelli Katherine , Sun Liping , Mann Richard S.
Published: November 2011

Hox transcription factors exhibit an evolutionarily conserved functional hierarchy, termed phenotypic suppression, in which the activity of posterior Hox proteins dominates over more anterior Hox proteins. Using directly regulated Hox targeted reporter genes in Drosophila, we show that posterior Hox proteins suppress the activities of anterior ones by competing for cofactor-dependent DNA binding. Furthermore, we map a motif in the posterior Hox protein Abdominal-A (AbdA) that is required for phenotypic suppression and facilitates cooperative DNA binding with the Hox cofactor Extradenticle (Exd). Together, these results suggest that Hox-specific motifs endow posterior Hox proteins with the ability to dominate over more anterior ones via a cofactor-dependent DNA-binding mechanism.
Decoding overlapping memories in the medial temporal lobes using high-resolution fMRI
Authors: Chadwick Martin J. , Hassabis Demis , Maguire Eleanor A.
Published: November 2011

The hippocampus is proposed to process overlapping episodes as discrete memory traces, although direct evidence for this in human episodic memory is scarce. Using green-screen technology we created four highly overlapping movies of everyday events. Participants were scanned using high-resolution fMRI while recalling the movies. Multivariate pattern analysis revealed that the hippocampus supported distinct representations of each memory, while neighboring regions did not, demonstrating that the human hippocampus maintains unique pattern-separated memory traces even when memories are highly overlapping. The hippocampus also contained representations of spatial contexts that were shared across different memories, consistent with a specialized role in processing space.
Direct Infusion Mass Spectrometry of Oxylipin-Containing Arabidopsis Membrane Lipids Reveals Varied Patterns in Different Stress Responses
Authors: Vu Hieu Sy , Tamura Pamela , Galeva Nadezhda A. , Chaturvedi Ratnesh , Roth Mary R. , Williams Todd D. , Wang Xuemin , Shah Jyoti , Welti Ruth
Published: November 2011

Direct infusion electrospray ionization triple quadrupole precursor scanning for three oxidized fatty acyl anions revealed 86 mass spectral peaks representing polar membrane lipids in extracts from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) infected with Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000 expressing AvrRpt2 (PstAvr). Quadrupole time-of-flight and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry provided evidence for the presence of membrane lipids containing one or more oxidized acyl chains. The membrane lipids included molecular species of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, and acylated monogalactosyldiacylglycerol. The oxidized chains were identified at the level of chemical formula and included C18H27O3 (abbreviated 18:4-O, to indicate four double bond equivalents and one oxygen beyond the carbonyl group), C18H29O3 (18:3-O), C18H31O3 (18:2-O), C18H29O4 (18:3-2O), C18H31O4 (18:2-2O), and C16H23O3 (16:4-O). Mass spectral signals from the polar oxidized lipid (ox-lipid) species were quantified in extracts of Arabidopsis leaves subjected to wounding, infection by PstAvr, infection by a virulent strain of P. syringae, and low temperature. Ox-lipids produced low amounts of mass spectral signal, 0.1% to 3.2% as much as obtained in typical direct infusion profiling of normal-chain membrane lipids of the same classes. Analysis of the oxidized membrane lipid species and normal-chain phosphatidic acids indicated that stress-induced ox-lipid composition differs from the basal ox-lipid composition. Additionally, different stresses result in the production of varied amounts, different timing, and different compositional patterns of stress-induced membrane lipids. These data form the basis for a working hypothesis that the stress-specific signatures of ox-lipids, like those of oxylipins, are indicative of their functions.
Towards the conservation of crucian carp Carassius carassius: understanding the extent and causes of decline within part of its native English range
Authors: Sayer C. D. , Copp G. H. , Emson D. , Godard M. J. , Zięba G. , Wesley K. J.
Published: November 2011

The extent and causes of crucian carp Carassius carassius decline were assessed during an initial study of c. 25 ponds in north Norfolk, eastern England, U.K., which was then replicated (a validation study) on another c. 25 ponds in an adjacent area. Of these ponds, c. 40 are known to have contained C. carassius during the 1970s–1980s. In the initial and validation studies, C. carassius were found in only 11 of these ponds, yielding declines of 76% (five of 21 ponds) and 68% (six of 19 ponds), respectively (72% decline overall). Non‐native cyprinids, including goldfish Carassius auratus and common carp Cyprinus carpio and their hybrids with C. carassius, were observed in 20% of the ponds. Causes of C. carassius local extinction from 21 ponds were confidently determined as desiccation due to drought, terrestrialization and habitat deterioration, hybridization and competition with non‐native cyprinids, agricultural land reclamation and predation (after the introduction of pike Esox lucius). This study led to C. carassius being designated as a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species in the county of Norfolk, the first formal conservation designation for the species in the U.K. The C. carassius BAP plan aims to halt the decline of this much overlooked species through reintroductions and selective stocking of suitable ponds within the native range of the species.
Nitrogen addition alters mineralization dynamics of 13C‐depleted leaf and twig litter and reduces leaching of older DOC from mineral soil
Authors: Hagedorn Frank , Kammer Adrian , Schmidt Michael W. I. , Goodale Christine L.
Published: November 2011

Recent reviews indicate that N deposition increases soil organic matter (SOM) storage in forests but the undelying processes are poorly understood. Our aim was to quantify the impacts of increased N inputs on soil C fluxes such as C mineralization and leaching of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from different litter materials and native SOM. We added 5.5 g N m−2 yr−1 as NH4NO3 over 1 year to two beech forest stands on calcareous soils in the Swiss Jura. We replaced the native litter layer with 13C‐depleted twigs and leaves (δ13C: −38.4 and −40.8‰) in late fall and measured N effects on litter‐ and SOM‐derived C fluxes. Nitrogen addition did not significantly affect annual C losses through mineralization, but altered the temporal dynamics in litter mineralization: increased N inputs stimulated initial mineralization during winter (leaves: +25%; twigs: +22%), but suppressed rates in the subsequent summer. The switch from a positive to a negative response occurred earlier and more strongly for leaves than for twigs (−21% vs. 0%). Nitrogen addition did not influence microbial respiration from the nonlabeled calcareous mineral soil below the litter which contrasts with recent meta‐analysis primarily based on acidic soils. Leaching of DOC from the litter layer was not affected by NH4NO3 additions, but DOC fluxes from the mineral soils at 5 and 10 cm depth were significantly reduced by 17%. The 13C tracking indicated that litter‐derived C contributed less than 15% of the DOC flux from the mineral soil, with N additions not affecting this fraction. Hence, the suppressed DOC fluxes from the mineral soil at higher N inputs can be attributed to reduced mobilization of nonlitter derived ‘older’ DOC. We relate this decline to an altered solute chemistry by NH4NO3 additions, an increased ionic strength and acidification resulting from nitrification, rather than to a change in microbial decomposition.
Ubiquitous games for learning (UbiqGames): Weatherlings, a worked example
Authors: Klopfer E. , Sheldon J. , Perry J. , Chen V. H.‐H.
Published: November 2011

This paper provides a rationale for a class of mobile, casual, and educational games, which we call UbiqGames. The study is motivated by the desire to understand how students use educational games in light of additional distractions on their devices, and how game design can make those games appealing, educationally useful, and practical. In particular, we explain the choices made to build an engaging and educational first example of this line of games, namely Weatherlings. Further, we report results from a pilot study with 20 students that suggest that students are engaged by the game and are interested in learning more about academic content topics, specifically weather and climate, after playing the game. Research should continue to determine whether Weatherlings specifically does increase learning in these areas, and more generally to determine whether any learning gains and similar results with regard to engagement can be replicated in other content areas following the general model for game design.
Cases, simulacra, and Semantic Web technologies
Authors: Carmichael P. , Tscholl M.
Published: November 2011

‘Ensemble’ is an interdisciplinary research and development project exploring the potential role of emerging Semantic Web technologies in case‐based learning across learning environments in higher education. Empirical findings have challenged the claim that cases ‘bring reality into the classroom’ and that this, in turn, might provide the basis for an understanding of the role of Semantic Web technologies in case‐based learning environments. We describe how the work of authors including Baudrillard and Deleuze has provided an alternative framework for understanding the relationships between cases and the realities with which they are purportedly associated. We discuss how the idea of the ‘simulacrum’ has influenced our understanding of learning environments, has informed design and development practices, and has led to a shift in our understandings of the potential affordances of Semantic Web technologies in educational settings.
Asynchronous event‐based high speed vision for microparticle tracking
Authors: NI Z. , PACORET C. , BENOSMAN R. , IENG S. , RÉGNIER* S.
Published: November 2011

This paper presents a new high speed vision system using an asynchronous address‐event representation camera. Within this framework, an asynchronous event‐based real‐time Hough circle transform is developed to track microspheres. The technology presented in this paper allows for a robust real‐time event‐based multiobject position detection at a frequency of several kHz with a low computational cost. Brownian motion is also detected within this context with both high speed and precision. The carried‐out work is adapted to the automated or remote‐operated microrobotic systems fulfilling their need of an extremely fast vision feedback. It is also a very promising solution to the micro physical phenomena analysis and particularly for the micro/nanoscale force measurement.
Tomato plants overexpressing cryptochrome 2 reveal altered expression of energy and stress‐related gene products in response to diurnal cues
Authors: LOPEZ LOREDANA , CARBONE FABRIZIO , BIANCO LINDA , GIULIANO GIOVANNI , FACELLA PAOLO , PERROTTA GAETANO
Published: November 2011

In order to sense and respond to the fluctuating light conditions, higher plants possess several families of photoreceptors, such as phytochromes (PHYs), cryptochromes (CRYs) and phototropins. CRYs are responsible for photomorphogenesis and play a role in circadian, developmental and adaptive growth regulation of plants. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), CRY2 controls vegetative development, flowering time, fruit antioxidant content as well as the diurnal transcription of several other photoreceptor genes. We applied large‐scale molecular approaches to identify altered transcripts and proteins in tomato wild‐type (WT) versus a CRY2 overexpressing transgenic genotype, under a diurnal rhythm. Our results showed that tomato CRY2 profoundly affects both gene and protein expression in response to daily light cycle. Particularly altered molecular pathways are related to biotic/abiotic stress, photosynthesis, including components of the light and dark reactions and of starch and sucrose biosynthesis, as well as to secondary metabolism, such as phenylpropanoid, phenolic and flavonoid/anthocyanin biosynthesis pathways. One of the most interesting results is the coordinated up‐regulation, in the transgenic genotype, of a consistent number of transcripts and proteins involved in photorespiration and photosynthesis. It is conceivable that light modulates the energetic metabolism of tomato through a fine CRY2‐mediated transcriptional control.
Acroangiodermatitis in a lower leg amputee related to suction socket use
Authors: Armenores Paul , James Craig L , Weightman Warren , Huilgol Shyamala C
Published: November 2011

Acroangiodermatitis is a rare condition with numerous causes typically presenting as purple macules on the lower extremities. Although benign, it can mimic the presentation of more serious underlying conditions such as Kaposi's sarcoma. We present a case of acroangiodermatitis in the stump of an amputee related to suction socket use in order to raise awareness of an unusual setting for this vascular proliferation.
Predictive factors of solid food intake in patients with malignant gastric outlet obstruction receiving self‐expandable metallic stents for palliation
Authors: Sasaki Takashi , Isayama Hiroyuki , Nakai Yousuke , Togawa Osamu , Kogure Hirofumi , Kawakubo Kazumichi , Mizuno Suguru , Yashima Yoko , Ito Yukiko , Yamamoto Natsuyo , Sasahira Naoki , Hirano Kenji , Tsujino Takeshi , Toda Nobuo , Tada Minoru , Omata Masao , Koike Kazuhiko
Published: November 2011

Aim:  As for self‐expandable metallic stents (SEMS) for malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO), some predictive factors of stent patency have been reported, although re‐canalization of GOO by SEMS does not necessarily lead to favorable food intake. Therefore, we analyzed the predictive factors of oral food intake following SEMS placement.

Methods:  A total of 97 consecutive patients in whom SEMS were placed for malignant GOO in five hospitals were included in this retrospective study. Clinical outcomes and predictive factors influencing solid food intake were analyzed.

Results:  The technical and clinical success rates were 97.9% and 87.6%, respectively. The mean gastric outlet obstruction scoring system (GOOSS) improved from 0.39 to 2.24 after SEMS placement (P < 0.01). The median eating period was 2.1 months (95% CI, 1.1–3.0 months), and the median survival time was 3.1 months (95% CI, 2.0–4.2 months). A Karnofsky performance status of ≤50 (odds ratio, 3.65; 95% CI, 1.17–13.1; P = 0.03) and ascites (odds ratio, 3.28; 95% CI, 1.23–9.05; P = 0.02) were identified as statistically significant independent poor predictive factors of solid food intake.

Conclusion:  SEMS is an effective treatment for patients with malignant GOO. Ascites and a poor performance status were poor predictive factors of solid food intake.
Outlet obstruction after sling surgery
Authors: Tse Vincent , Chan Lewis
Published: November 2011

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

This article provides a current update on the risk factors, clinical features, and diagnosis on obstruction after female stress incontinence surgery using the mid‐urethral synthetic sling. Particular attention has been paid to identify the patient at risk for developing voiding difficulty post‐sling surgery, as well as the utility of urodynamics and various imaging modalities, especially translabial ultrasound, in the diagnostic process.

Urethral obstruction is not an uncommon complication after sling surgery for female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). This paper focuses on this complication in the context of the mid‐urethral synthetic sling, which is now the predominate surgical option used by many surgeons in the treatment of female SUI. The epidemiology and risk factors predisposing to sling obstruction is reviewed, followed by a description of clinical features used in supporting the diagnosis. The use of urodynamics in conjunction with translabial ultrasound as a novel approach to assess the position of the sling and its relation to the urethra is explained. This is particularly important in the understanding of why the sling obstructs from an anatomical standpoint. The paper concludes with a brief overview on treatment options.
Urethral diverticula in females
Authors: Foley Charlotte L. , Greenwell Tamsin J. , Gardiner Robert A.
Published: November 2011

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

This is a review of urethral diverticula in females. In addition to modes of presentation, differential diagnosis, complications and surgical management, the increasingly recognised value of computerised axial imaging, especially with MRI, is highlighted.

Urethral diverticula are rare but under‐diagnosed entities that may cause a variety of urinary and pelvic symptoms in women. They are best demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging and micturating cysto‐urethrography prior to transvaginal surgical excision. Although unlikely, the possibility of malignant transformation should not be forgotten.
Expert Evidence and Medical Manslaughter: Vagueness in Action
Authors: Quick Oliver
Published: November 2011

This article examines the reliance placed on expert evidence in prosecutions of health professionals for gross negligence manslaughter, where juries must decide whether conduct goes beyond civil negligence and constitutes the crime of involuntary manslaughter. It argues that the test for liability is vague and examines some of the consequences of this. Given the vagueness of the offence, jurors are likely to place great reliance on expert medical evidence. Little is known about how experts negotiate the legal process, empirically speaking: how they approach their task, how they view their role as expert witnesses, and the attitudes, biases, and beliefs that may underpin their testimony. Drawing on the experiences and perceptions often medical experts, this article explores how experts manage the vagueness inherent in the task of interpreting and applying gross negligence. Experts appear to go beyond offering purely medical opinion and enjoy engaging with law and the legal process.
Liberal Forms of Governing Australian Indigenous Peoples
Authors: McCallum David
Published: November 2011

This article considers three different historical events from the point of view of their connections to aspects of the history of liberal political reason: the actions of the British in New South Wales in the early nineteenth century in their claim to sovereignty over Indigenous lands; the establishment of Aboriginal missions and subsequent removal of Aboriginal children in the early twentieth century; and the Northern Territory Emergency Response and suspension of the Australian Commonwealth Racial Discrimination Act (1975) early in the twenty‐first century. The aim is to point to gaps between present claims about liberalism and ‘actual existing liberalism’, review the basis for examining accounts of governance deploying ‘authoritarian liberalism’ and ‘race war’ as central concepts, and call into question the Northern Territory campaign as an ‘exceptional’ event.
The Interplay between Creativity Issues and Design Theories: A New Perspective for Design Management Studies?
Authors: Le Masson Pascal , Hatchuel Armand , Weil Benoit
Published: November 2011

In this article, we analyse the relationship between creativity issues and design theory. Although these two notions seem to correspond to different academic fields (psychology, cognitive science and management for creativity; engineering science and logic for design theory), they appear to be deeply related when it comes to design methods and management. Analysing three historical moments in design theory building (the 1850s, with the ratio method for industrial upgrading in Germany, the 20th century with systematic design, and the 1920s with the Bauhaus theory), we point to the dialectical interplay that links creativity and design theory, structured around the notion of ‘fixation effect’: creativity identifies fixation effects, which become the targets of new design theories; design theories invent models of thought to overcome them; and, in turn, these design theories can also create new fixation effects that will then be designated by creativity studies. This dialectical interplay leads to regular inventions of new ways of managing design, i.e., new ways of managing knowledge, processes and organizations for design activities. We use this framework to analyse recent trends in creativity and design theories.
Innovation Culture, Collaboration with External Partners and NPD Performance
Authors: Brettel Malte , Cleven Nina J.
Published: November 2011

Researchers and managers have found that the use of external knowledge in the process of new product development (NPD) helps to sustain a firm's competitiveness by strengthening its innovative performance. However, little is known about why some firms use external knowledge sources for NPD in an extensive manner while others hardly ever use them. In addition, there is disagreement about which external partners significantly contribute to the innovative performance of a firm as valuable knowledge sources. Based on the resource‐based view (RBV) of the firm and Kitchell's innovation adoption model, this paper expects a firm's innovation culture to have a significant impact on its openness to external knowledge – measured in terms of its collaborative behaviour with five different external partners – and for that behaviour to influence the firm's NPD performance. A sample of 254 technology‐based firms across several industries is used to empirically test the research model with covariance‐based structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings deepen our understanding of the discrepancies between successful pioneering firms active in technology and knowledge sourcing and others being less successful.
Threshold Value: How Binding Thresholds Affect the Outcome of a Negotiation
Authors: THORON SYLVIE
Published: November 2011

The objective of this paper is to give the prospective outcome or “prospect” of a negotiation when the players’ value can only be realized if a certain threshold is reached. A threshold is usually defined as a certain total level of contribution. Here, I define a threshold in a cooperative game by the players who are necessary to reach it. It can take different forms such as a certain number of players, or certain coalitions of players. An important example is the minimum participation constraint in international environmental agreements. A value is proposed, which is defined for a given game and a given threshold. The threshold players may bear a commitment cost which decreases the benefit they can obtain from the negotiation.
Farsighted Stability for Roommate Markets
Authors: KLAUS BETTINA , KLIJN FLIP , WALZL MARKUS
Published: November 2011

We study farsighted stability for roommate markets. We show that a matching for a roommate market indirectly dominates another matching if and only if no blocking pair of the former is matched in the latter (Proposition 1). Using this characterization of indirect dominance, we investigate von Neumann–Morgenstern farsightedly stable sets. We show that a singleton is von Neumann–Morgenstern farsightedly stable if and only if the matching is stable (Theorem 1). We also present a roommate market without a von Neumann–Morgenstern farsightedly stable set (Example 1) and a roommate market with a nonsingleton von Neumann–Morgenstern farsightedly stable set (Example 2).
Public Expenditures, Taxes, Federal Transfers, and Endogenous Growth
Authors: GONG LIUTANG , ZOU HENG‐FU
Published: November 2011

This paper extends the Barro (1990) model with single aggregate government spending and one flat income tax to include public expenditures and taxes by multiple levels of government. It derives the rate of endogenous growth and, with both simulations and special examples, examines how that rate changes with respect to federal income tax, local taxes, and federal transfers. It also discusses the growth and welfare‐maximizing choices of taxes and federal transfers.
Phonological processing deficits in specific reading disability and specific language impairment: same or different?
Authors: McArthur Genevieve , Castles Anne
Published: November 2011

The aim of this study was to determine if phonological processing deficits in specific reading disability (SRD) and specific language impairment (SLI) are the same or different. In four separate analyses, a different combination of reading and spoken language measures was used to divide 73 children into three subgroups: poor readers with average spoken language (SRD), poor readers with poor spoken language (SRD + SLI) and average readers with poor spoken language (SLI). These groups were compared on five phonological processing measures. The SRD group had deficits in neural representations of phonemes, phoneme discrimination, phoneme awareness and rapid naming. The SRD + SLI group had more severe deficits than the SRD group on half of these measures, as well as phonological short‐term memory. Children with SLI were free from phonological processing deficits. Thus, phonological processing deficits were the same or different in SRD and SLI, depending on how SRD and SLI were defined, and how phonological processing was measured.
Population genetic segmentation of MHC‐correlated perfume preferences
Authors: Hämmerli A. , Schweisgut C. , Kaegi M.
Published: November 2011

Synopsis

It has become difficult to find a matching perfume. An overwhelming number of 300 new perfumes launch each year, and marketing campaigns target pre‐defined groups based on gender, age or income rather than on individual preferences. Recent evidence for a genetic basis of perfume preferences, however, could be the starting point for a novel population genetic approach to better match perfumes with people’s preferences. With a total of 116 participants genotyped for alleles of three loci of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), the aim of this study was to test whether common MHC alleles could be used as genetic markers to segment a given population into preference types. Significant deviations from random expectations for a set of 10 common perfume ingredients indicate how such segmentation could be achieved. In addition, preference patterns of participants confronted with images that contained a sexual communication context significantly differed in their ratings for some of the scents compared with participants confronted with images of perfume bottles. This strongly supports the assumption that genetically correlated perfume preferences evolved in the context of sexual communication. The results are discussed in the light of perfume customization.
False‐positive pregnancy tests following enterocystoplasty
Authors: Nakhal RS , Wood D , Woodhouse C , Creighton SM
Published: November 2011

Please cite this paper as: Nakhal R, Wood D, Woodhouse C, Creighton S. False‐positive pregnancy tests following enterocystoplasty. BJOG 2011; DOI: 10.1111/j.1471‐0528.2011.03031.x.

People with major congenital urological or neurological malformations invariably require bladder reconstruction with enterocystoplasty in early childhood. The improvement of the surgical management of these children has reflected significantly on their life expectancy. As a result, more young people with enterocystoplasty are being transitioned to adolescent clinics where they receive the usual counselling about sexual health and pregnancy risks. However, the possibility of false‐positive urinary pregnancy tests in these young women remains an overlooked but essential message. The lack of awareness about this fact can result in significant patient anxiety and the potential for unnecessary interventions as exemplified by the three cases we have encountered.
Problematic megafossils in Cambrian palaeosols of South Australia
Authors: RETALLACK GREGORY J.
Published: November 2011

Abstract: Red calcareous Middle Cambrian palaeosols from the upper Moodlatana Formation in the eastern Flinders Ranges of South Australia formed in well‐drained subhumid floodplains and include a variety of problematic fossils. The fossils are preserved like trace fossil endichnia but do not appear to be traces of burrows or other animal movement. They are here regarded as remains of sessile organisms, comparable with fungi or plants living in place, and are formally named as palaeobotanical form genera under provisions of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. Most common are slender (0.5–2 mm) branching filaments flanked by green‐grey reduction haloes within the red matrix of palaeosol surface horizons (Prasinema gracilegen. et sp. nov.). Other axial structures (Prasinema nodosumandP. adunatumgen. et spp. nov.) are larger and show distinctive surface irregularities (short protuberances and irregular striations, respectively). The size and form of these filaments are most like rhizines of soil‐crust lichens. Other evidence of life on land includes quilted spheroids (Erytholus globosusgen. et sp. nov.) and thallose impressions (Fargherasp. indet.), which may have been slime moulds and lichens, respectively. These distinctive fossils in Cambrian palaeosols represent communities comparable with modern biological soil crusts.