bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feigning the market: Funding anthropology in England (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Fardon Rishard
Published: February 2011

Impending changes to the funding of tertiary education in England (and, less directly, throughout the United Kingdom) pose particular challenges to small disciplines, like anthropology. From the perspective of students, potentially facing thirty years repaying educational debt, the new dispensation looks like ‘marketization’, with degrees conceived as private goods to be paid for at a rate that covers the costs of their provision. From the perspective of the universities, however, the same changes come with new layers of obligation, audit, assessment and regulation. The mismatch between students’ expectations and universities’ capacities is only likely to widen. These changes in undergraduate funding will take place concurrently with a reduction in all the other streams of government funding on which anthropology departments rely for the research of their staff and research students. Career paths in anthropology, involving progression through undergraduate and taught postgraduate studies, to postgraduate research and eventually a position in the academy, will become prohibitively expensive for all but a very few students. Departments of anthropology will be forced (by the logic of the new system and by their own universities) into exploiting their sources of comparative advantage; but the UK discipline as a whole will be the likely casualty of such behaviour if an already slender institutional presence is eroded further.
Inhabiting a risky earth: The Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010 and its impacts (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Lund Katrín Anna , Benediktsson Karl
Published: February 2011

The eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland in 2010 caused havoc to global air traffic. This article examines that event by looking at theories of risk and culture. We demonstrate the fragility of today's mobilities, which depend on unpredictable nature as well as complex technological systems. A new type of risk was revealed by the eruption, which has since become a feature of cultural risk portfolios in contemporary society.
School killings in China: Society or wilderness (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Steinmüller Hans , Fei Wu
Published: February 2011

Between March and May 2010 a series of school killings took place in mainland China. This article explores media discourses on the school killings and examines three cases in detail. It connects the search for underlying reasons and responsible authorities in relation to the murders with the wider search for ‘society’ in contemporary China, and concludes by emphasizing the gap between the official promotion of the idea of ‘society’ as a cohesive moral community and a parallel popular understanding of the contemporary Chinese social world as a savage wilderness.
Sport as politics and history: the 25th SEA Games in Laos (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Creak Simon
Published: February 2011

Like the recent World Cup in South Africa and the Beijing 2008 Olympics, December 2009's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Laos were embraced by the state as evidence of national achievement and progress. Yet, just like these much larger global sporting events, a range of controversies threatened to turn the pride of the Games into embarrassment. Of particular concern was the fact that, despite significantly reducing the size of the Games, Laos — one of the smallest and poorest countries in Southeast Asia — depended greatly on foreign help to conduct them, especially from China. The ultimate success of the SEA Games in Laos reinforced the power of sport to consolidate nationalism, despite the paradox in Laos of nationalism emerging from a complex mix of autonomy and dependence.
Property, rights ans community in a South African land‐claim case (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Nustad Knut G.
Published: February 2011

In the context of South Africa's land reform programme, the concepts of ‘property’ and ‘rights’ carry a heavy ideological baggage. This is evident in the country's land reform policies, which have sought to reach a compromise between differing and often contradictory histories involving both rights and property. A shift in government policy, from treating land reform as a question of rights to a question of the transfer of land, has been accompanied by a reification of the idea of community. The result is a policy that is seriously out of touch with the complex legacy of dispossession that the land reform programme was meant to address. As shown by the case presented in this article, these problems become exacerbated when the land in question is part of a conservation area.
GINI DECOMPOSITION AND GINI INCOME ELASTICITY UNDER INCOME VARIABILITY
Authors: Makdissi Paul , Wodon Quentin
Published: February 2011

The Gini income elasticity has been used to assess the impact of marginal proportional changes in income from a given source on inequality in total income. This note extends the methodology to take into account income variability.
Continuities and Changes in the Review of Religious Research
Authors: SWATOS WILLIAM H.
Published: February 2011

From its origins in 1959, the Review of Religious Research is assessed as a vehicle for communicating the ideals of the leaders of the Religious Research Fellowship, who transformed that group into the Religious Research Association in the same year. After raising some historical questions and treating methodological issues, the article focuses on the Review's editors, authors, contents, and its role in promoting the putative “applied mission” of the RRA.
ATP and glutamate released via astroglial connexin 43 hemichannels mediate neuronal death through activation of pannexin 1 hemichannels
Authors: Orellana Juan A. , Froger Nicolas , Ezan Pascal , Jiang Jean X. , Bennett Michael V. L. , Naus Christian C. , Giaume Christian , Sáez Juan C.
Published: February 2011

J. Neurochem. (2011) 118, 826–840.

Inflammation contributes to neurodegeneration in post‐ischemic brain, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Participants in this inflammatory response include activation of microglia and astrocytes. We studied the role of microglia treated with amyloid‐β peptide (Aβ) on hemichannel activity of astrocytes subjected to hypoxia in high glucose. Reoxygenation after 3 h hypoxia in high glucose induced transient astroglial permeabilization via Cx43 hemichannels and reduction in intercellular communication via Cx43 cell‐cell channels. Both responses were greater and longer lasting in astrocytes previously exposed for 24 h to conditioned medium from Aβ‐treated microglia (CM‐Aβ). The effects of CM‐Aβ were mimicked by TNF‐α and IL‐1β and were abrogated by neutralizing TNF‐α with soluble receptor and IL‐1β with a receptor antagonist. Astrocytes under basal conditions protected neurons against hypoxia, but exposure to CM‐Aβ made them toxic to neurons subjected to a sub‐lethal hypoxia/reoxygenation episode, revealing the additive nature of the insults. Astrocytes exposed to CM‐Aβ induced permeabilization of cortical neurons through activation of neuronal pannexin 1 (Panx1) hemichannels by ATP and glutamate released through astroglial Cx43 hemichannels. In agreement, inhibition of NMDA or P2X receptors only partially reduced the activation of neuronal Panx1 hemichannels and neuronal mortality, but simultaneous inhibition of both receptors completely prevented the neurotoxic response. Therefore, we suggest that responses to ATP and glutamate converge in activation of neuronal Panx1 hemichannels. Thus, we propose that blocking hemichannels expressed by astrocytes and/or neurons in the inflamed nervous system could represent a novel and alternative strategy to reduce neuronal loss in various pathological states including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and ischemia.
What We Know About Oxidative Stress in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease on Dialysis—Clinical Effects, Potential Treatment, and Prevention
Authors: Del Vecchio Lucia , Locatelli Francesco , Carini Marina
Published: February 2011

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) experience accelerated atherosclerosis leading to excessive cardiovascular death. This cannot be fully explained by traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Oxidative stress is currently receiving attention as an important pathogenetic mediator of tissue damage. Oxidative stress is highly prevalent in patients with CKD. Increased prooxidant activity (age, diabetes, hypertension, inflammation, incompatibility of dialysis membranes, and solutions) goes together with reduced antioxidant defense (reduced activity of the glutathione system, low levels of vitamin E, C). Oxidative stress has been linked to several surrogate markers of atherosclerosis in patients with CKD, such as endothelial dysfunction and intima‐media thickness. However, large epidemiological studies testing hard endpoints are lacking. Oxidative stress may also influence response to erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents. Among possible therapeutic approaches, the use of vitamin E seems to be the most promising. Given orally, it has been shown to significantly improve cardiovascular outcomes in a relatively small clinical trial. When bonded to biocompatible dialysis membranes, it may be effective in improving erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents’ responsiveness. Similarly, vitamin C may be effective in reducing cardiovascular events in haemodialysis patients. Further well‐designed, randomized controlled clinical trials with antioxidants are required to establish their potential to make a substantive difference in clinical practice.
Influence of Maternal Nutritional Status on Vascular Function in the Offspring
Authors: POSTON LUCILLA
Published: February 2011

Please cite this paper as: Poston (2011). Influence of Maternal Nutritional Status on Vascular Function in the Offspring. Microcirculation 18(4), 256–262.

Suboptimal maternal nutritional status has been implicated in the development of cardiovascular risk in the child. Initially inferred from studies of low‐birthweight children, investigations in cohorts of women subjected to famine provide direct evidence for an independent influence of the mother’s diet on the cardiovascular health of her child. Animal studies from rodents and sheep have shown associations between maternal undernutrition and raised blood pressure, as well as abnormalities in resistance artery function, particularly in endothelium‐dependent responses. Early life exposure to the influences of maternal over nutritional states, e.g. obesity and excessive gestational weight gain, has also been associated with markers of cardiovascular risk in man, and animal models have shown raised blood pressure and endothelial dysfunction in offspring of diet‐induced obese dams. Increased sympathetic tone is commonly associated with hypertension in animal models of both under nutritional and over nutritional states. This and several other similarities may indicate commonality of mechanism and could reflect supranormal nutritional status in postnatal life in both conditions.
Incorporating environmental change over succession in an integral projection model of population dynamics of a forest herb
Authors: Dahlgren Johan P. , Ehrlén Johan
Published: February 2011

Despite seemingly obvious effects of environmental drivers, mechanisms behind long‐term changes in plant population sizes over time are often poorly known. We investigated how soil potassium concentration and seed predation are likely to change over time as a result of succession from deciduous forest to spruce forest, and how this affects population trajectories of Actaea spicata. Observations and addition experiments showed that high soil potassium concentration increased individual growth rates. Among‐site comparisons showed that soil potassium concentration was lower where proportion spruce was higher. Incorporation of a gradual increase in spruce over time in an integral projection model where individual growth depended on potassium suggested a net decrease in A. spicata population sizes over forest succession. This result suggests that small changes in factors with small effects on individual performance can influence patterns of species occupancy along successional gradients. We incorporated also density independent and density dependent effects of pre‐dispersal seed predation over succession into the same model. Seed predation influenced the tree composition at which A. spicata population growth was positive. However, significant effects of A. spicata population size on seed predation intensity did not translate into important feedback effects on population growth trajectories over succession. Our results illustrate how demographic models can be used to gain understanding of the mechanisms behind effects of environmental change on species abundances and distributions by the simultaneous inclusion of changing abiotic and biotic factors.
Calix[4]arene methylenebisphosphonic acids as inhibitors of fibrin polymerization
Authors: Lugovskoy Eduard V. , Gritsenko Pavel G. , Koshel Tatyana A. , Koliesnik Ievgen O. , Cherenok Serhey O. , Kalchenko Olga I. , Kalchenko Vitaliy I. , Komisarenko Serhey V.
Published: February 2011

Calix[4]arenes bearing two or four methylenebisphosphonic acid groups at the macrocyclic upper rim have been studied with respect to their effects on fibrin polymerization. The most potent inhibitor proved to be calix[4]arene tetrakis‐methylene‐bis‐phosphonic acid (C‐192), in which case the maximum rate of fibrin polymerization in the fibrinogen + thrombin reaction decreased by 50% at concentrations of 0.52 × 10−6 m (IC50). At this concentration, the molar ratio of the compound to fibrinogen was 1.7 : 1. For the case of desAABB fibrin polymerization, the IC50 was 1.26 × 10−6 m at a molar ratio of C‐192 to fibrin monomer of 4 : 1. Dipropoxycalix[4]arene bis‐methylene‐bis‐phosphonic acid (C‐98) inhibited fibrin desAABB polymerization with an IC50 = 1.31 × 10−4 m. We hypothesized that C‐192 blocks fibrin formation by combining with polymerization site ‘A’ (Aα17–19), which ordinarily initiates protofibril formation in a ‘knob‐hole’ manner. This suggestion was confirmed by an HPLC assay, which showed a host–guest inclusion complex of C‐192 with the synthetic peptide Gly‐Pro‐Arg‐Pro, an analogue of site ‘A’. Further confirmation that the inhibitor was acting at the initial step of the reaction was obtained by electron microscopy, with no evidence of protofibril formation being evident. Calixarene C‐192 also doubled both the prothrombin time and the activated partial thromboplastin time in normal human blood plasma at concentrations of 7.13 × 10−5 m and 1.10 × 10−5 m, respectively. These experiments demonstrate that C‐192 is a specific inhibitor of fibrin polymerization and blood coagulation and can be used for the design of a new class of antithrombotic agents.
Discovery of Small Peptide Antagonists of PED/PEA15–D4α Interaction from Simplified Combinatorial Libraries
Authors: Scognamiglio Pasqualina Liana , Doti Nunzianna , Grieco Paolo , Pedone Carlo , Ruvo Menotti , Marasco Daniela
Published: February 2011

Most biological processes involve permanent and temporary interactions between different proteins: protein complexes often play key roles in human diseases and, as a consequence, molecules that prevent protein–protein interactions can be potential new therapeutic agents to treat diseases. Here, we describe a simplified approach by which small synthetic peptide libraries were screened to identify the inhibitors of the complex between phosphoprotein enriched in diabetes/phosphoprotein enriched in astrocytes15 (PED/PEA15) and D4α, a functional domain of the phospholipase D1, that is involved in the molecular mechanisms of insulin resistance occurring in type 2 diabetes. By using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)‐based screening, performed on a fully automated platform, we analyzed two simplified peptide libraries in a positional scanning format. This screening led to the identification of small peptides able to inhibit PED/PEA15–D4α interaction. The selection of inhibitors was carried out employing combined competitive and direct experiments, through ELISA and surface plasmon resonance techniques, providing peptides with IC50 values in the micromolar range. Our results showed that the protein complex PED/PEA15‐D4α is susceptible to peptides having H‐donor groups and aromatic rings on specific positions. These small sequences can be considered as promising scaffolds that could be converted into higher‐affinity inhibitor compounds.
Synthesis and Studies on Three‐Compartment Flavone‐Containing Combi‐Molecules Designed to Target EGFR, DNA, and MEK
Authors: Larroque‐Lombard Anne‐Laure , Todorova Margarita , Qiyu Qiu , Jean‐Claude Bertrand
Published: February 2011

In order to induce a tandem targeting of EGFR, DNA, and MEK, we built complex combi‐molecules containing an EGFR targeting quinazoline and an aminoethyltriazene moiety linking the entire molecule to PD98059. Two complex molecules were synthesized: one with a short aminoethyl spacer, AL232, and the other AL414 with a longer aminoethylaminoethyl spacer. AL414 was a more potent inhibitor of EGFR tyrosine kinase than AL232. Both combi‐molecules blocked EGFR phosphorylation in whole cells and downregulated extracellular signaling‐regulated kinases (ERK1,2). However, only AL414 was capable of inducing DNA damage. Thus, it was taken in vivo for metabolic analysis. The results showed that 3 h after injection, AL414 was hydrolyzed to an EGFR inhibitor FD105, which was further acetylated to FD105Ac, a more potent inhibitor of EGFR. The detected flavone derivative was PD98059 linked to the hydroxyalkyl moiety resulting from the decomposition of the alkyldiazonium species. Independent synthesis of the latter metabolite and further in vitro analysis showed that it was deprived of antiproliferative activity. The results in toto suggest that while AL414 is a three‐compartment combi‐molecule, only the EGFR and DNA targeting species can be released and the cleavage to the intact MEK inhibitor PD98059 was mitigated by the stability of the carbamate.
Arthroscopic partial patellectomy in a dog
Authors: Bright S. R. , May C.
Published: February 2011

A six‐year‐old, female, neutered, whippet was presented for evaluation of a severe, sudden‐onset right pelvic limb lameness. The extensor mechanism of the right stifle was intact and there was periarticular swelling in the right stifle. Radiography showed a fracture of the distal pole of the patella. The distal fragment was approximately 25% of the patellar length and the fracture was deemed non‐reconstructable. Fracture fragment removal was performed arthroscopically, which led to an excellent clinical outcome. The owner considered the dog to be exercising normally at the seven‐month postoperative examination. To the authors’ knowledge this report documents the first arthroscopically performed partial patellectomy in veterinary surgery.
Humpback whale abundance in the North Pacific estimated by photographic capture‐recapture with bias correction from simulation studies
Authors: Barlow Jay , Calambokidis John , Falcone Erin A. , Baker C. Scott , Burdin Alexander M. , Clapham Phillip J. , Ford John K. B. , Gabriele Christine M. , LeDuc Richard , Mattila David K. , Quinn Terrance J. , Rojas‐Bracho Lorenzo , Straley Janice M. , Taylor Barbara L. , Urbán R. Jorge , Wade Paul , Weller David , Witteveen Briana H. , Yamaguchi Manami
Published: February 2011

Abstract

We estimated the abundance of humpback whales in the North Pacific by capture‐recapture methods using over 18,000 fluke identification photographs collected in 2004–2006. Our best estimate of abundance was 21,808 (CV = 0.04). We estimated the biases in this value using a simulation model. Births and deaths, which violate the assumption of a closed population, resulted in a bias of +5.2%, exclusion of calves in samples resulted in a bias of −10.5%, failure to achieve random geographic sampling resulted in a bias of −0.4%, and missed matches resulted in a bias of +9.3%. Known sex‐biased sampling favoring males in breeding areas did not add significant bias if both sexes are proportionately sampled in the feeding areas. Our best estimate of abundance was 21,063 after accounting for a net bias of +3.5%. This estimate is likely to be lower than the true abundance due to two additional sources of bias: individual heterogeneity in the probability of being sampled (unquantified) and the likely existence of an unknown and unsampled breeding area (−8.7%). Results confirm that the overall humpback whale population in the North Pacific has continued to increase and is now greater than some prior estimates of prewhaling abundance.
Performance of Mussels, Mytilus edulis, Mytilus trossulus, and Their Hybrids in Cultivation at Three Scottish Lochs
Authors: Dias P. Joana , Malgrange Bastien , Snow Michael , Davies Ian M.
Published: February 2011

Mussel aquaculture is a growing industry in Scotland, dominated by the production of Mytilus edulis. However, Mytilus trossulus, Mytilus galloprovincialis, and their hybrids with M. edulis have recently been detected in Scotland. At some farms, M. trossulus have been associated with significant losses in production because of presenting low meat yields and fragile shells. In the present study, M. edulis, M. trossulus, and their hybrids were examined from three cultivation areas in order to investigate shell and meat characteristics and advise on future management of mixed‐species areas in Scotland. Results suggest that M. edulis is likely to consistently outperform M. trossulus and hybrids in mixed‐species areas, but that M. trossulus meat yields from different areas can vary considerably. The ability to classify mussels into two (M. edulis and non‐edulis) groups suggests that separation of M. trossulus genotypes could potentially be achieved by grading the harvested mussels. In the most affected areas, however, the fallowing of cultivation sites and importation of unispecific M. edulis spat appear as an alternative. Management of this problem in Scotland is likely to involve the implementation of area‐specific measures, and the establishment of clear guidance on good practice aiming at preventing further distribution of M. trossulus.
Effect of Feeding Regime on Compensatory Growth of Juvenile Abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, Fed on the Dry Sea Tangle, Laminaria japonica
Authors: Cho Sung Hwoan , Cho Young Jin , Choi Cheol Young
Published: February 2011

Effect of feeding regime on compensatory growth of juvenile abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) fed on the dry sea tangle (Laminaria japonica) was determined. Thirty juvenile abalone averaging 15.7 g were randomly stocked into 18 50‐L plastic rectangular containers each. Six treatments were prepared in triplicate: Abalone were fed the dry sea tangle once a day at a satiation level with a little leftover for 16 wk as the control (Con) and other abalone were fed the dry sea tangle once a day at a satiation level with a little leftover for 15 wk after 1‐wk starvation (S1 treatment), 14 wk after 2‐wk starvation (S2 treatment), 13 wk after 3‐wk starvation (S3 treatment), 12 wk after 4‐wk starvation (S4 treatment), and 10 wk after 6‐wk starvation (S6 treatment), respectively. A linear relationship between weight change of abalone and wk of starvation was observed: Y (Weight of abalone) = −0.17X (Wk of starvation) + 15.89 (R 2 = 0.9462) (P < 0.0001). The highest survival of abalone was achieved in the S2 treatment, but not different from that of abalone in the Con, S1 and S3 treatments. Weight gain of abalone in the Con treatment was higher than that of abalone in the S4 and S6 treatments. Abalone fed on the dry sea tangle seemed to be able to achieve full compensatory growth up to 3‐wk starvation.
Seasonal Variability of Optical Properties in a Highly Turbid Lake (Laguna Chascomús, Argentina)
Authors: Pérez Gonzalo Luis , Llames María Eugenia , Lagomarsino Leonardo , Zagarese Horacio
Published: February 2011

We study the underwater light field seasonality in a turbid lake, Laguna Chascomús (Buenos Aires, Argentina). We report (1) relationships between optical properties (OPs) and optically active substances (OASs); (2) relationships between inherent (IOPs) and apparent (AOPs) optical properties; and (3) the seasonal variability in OASs and OPs. Light absorption was dominated by the particulate fraction. The contributions of phytoplankton pigments and unpigmented components were similar. The best predictors of total particulate absorption, unpigmented particulate absorption, turbidity and vertical attenuation coefficient were total suspended solids or their ash content. Many OASs and OPs varied seasonally. The concentrations of OASs were higher during spring and summer, resulting in lower transparency and higher turbidity. However, mass‐specific absorption coefficients displayed lower values during spring and summer. Thus, the higher light attenuation observed during spring and summer resulted from higher concentrations of relatively less absorptive OASs. Collectively, these results suggest that: (1) light extinction is enhanced during spring and summer; (2) the enhanced light extinction is due to changes in the particulate fraction; (3) the enhanced light extinction is mostly due to an increase in the amount of particulate material; and (4) the increase of particulate matter also enhanced light extinction through increased scattering.
Species identification of Tanzanian antelopes using DNA barcoding
Authors: BITANYI STELLA , BJØRNSTAD GRO , ERNEST EBLATE M. , NESJE MARIT , KUSILUKA LUGHANO J. , KEYYU JULIUS D. , MDEGELA ROBINSON H. , RØED KNUT H.
Published: February 2011

Efficient tools for consistent species identification are important in wildlife conservation as it can provide information on the levels of species exploitation and assist in solving forensic‐related problems. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the mitochondrial cytochromecoxidase subunit I (COI) barcode in species identification of Tanzanian antelope species. A 470 base‐pair region of the COI gene was examined in 95 specimens representing 20 species of antelopes, buffalo and domesticBovidae. All the Tanzanian species showed unique clades, and sequence divergence within species was <1%, whereas divergence between species ranged from 6.3% to 22%. Lowest interspecific divergence was noted within theTragelaphusgenus. Neighbour‐joining phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the examined COI region provided correct and highly supported species clustering using short fragments down to 100 base‐pair lengths. This study demonstrates that even short COI fragments can efficiently identify antelope species, thus demonstrating its high potential for use in wildlife conservation activities.
What is a Christian School?
Authors: Booth W. R.
Published: February 2011

This article arises out of the necessity for making some very difficult decisions with regard to mission schools in South Africa, and is written in the hope of evoking constructive criticism from the wider Christian community.
A SURVEY OF NATIONAL CHRISTIAN COUNCILS
Authors: Hayward Victor
Published: February 2011

At the World Consultation on Christian Councils which met at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva from June 28 to July 7, 1971, the following overall report was given by the Rev. Victor E. W. Hayward, who has visited some eighty national Christian councils in the past two years. The Consultation Report, and an important address by Dr. Lukas Vischer on “Christian Councils — Instruments of Ecclesial Communion”, will appear in the Ecumenical Review for October 1971 and January 1972 respectively. Editor
If it matters for the group then it matters to me: Collective action outcomes for seasoned activists
Authors: Blackwood Leda M. , Louis Winnifred R.
Published: February 2011

The present article reports a longitudinal study of the psychological antecedents for, and outcomes of, collective action for a community sample of activists. At Time 1, activist identification influenced intentions to engage in collective action behaviours protesting the Iraq war, both directly and indirectly via perceptions of the efficacy of these behaviours for achieving group goals, as well as perceptions of individual‐level benefits. At Time 2, identification was associated with differences in the dimensions on which the movement's success was evaluated. In the context of the movement's failure to achieve its stated objectives of troop withdrawal, those with strong activist identity placed less importance on influencing government decision making. The implications are discussed in terms of models of collective action and social identity, focusing on a dynamic model that relates identification with a group to evaluations of instrumentality at a group and individual level; and to beliefs about strategic responses to achieve group goals.
Local release of ATP into the arterial inflow and venous drainage of human skeletal muscle: insight from ATP determination with the intravascular microdialysis technique
Authors: Mortensen Stefan P. , Thaning Pia , Nyberg Michael , Saltin Bengt , Hellsten Ylva
Published: February 2011

Non‐technical summary  ATP has been proposed to contribute to the local regulation of skeletal muscle blood flow by inducing local vasodilatation. ATP is continuously released, degraded and taken up by cells and the physiological levels are therefore difficult to determine. In the present investigation, we used a novel technique involving microdialysis probes to determine plasma ATP levels in blood vessels supplying and draining resting and contracting human skeletal muscle and to investigate the stimuli for ATP release. The results show a local release of ATP into arterial and venous blood. In addition, we found that thigh compression is a stimulus for ATP release. Furthermore, we find that the half‐life of ATP in arterial blood is <1 s.
Energy Optimization of
Air-Cooled Data Centers
Authors: Khalifa H.
E. , Demetriou D.
W.
Published: February 2011

The work presented in this paper describes a simplified thermodynamic model that can be used for exploring optimization possibilities in air-cooled data centers. The model has been used to identify optimal, energy-efficient designs, operating scenarios, and operating parameters such as flow rates and air supply temperatures. The results of this analysis highlight the important features that need to be considered when optimizing the operation of air-cooled data centers, especially the trade-off between low air supply temperature and increased air flow rate. The model was shown to be especially valuable in defining the optimal operating strategies for enclosed aisle configurations with fixed and variable server flows, and to elucidate the deleterious effect of temperature nonuniformity at the inlet of the racks on the data center cooling infrastructure power consumption. The analysis shows a potential for as much as an ∼58% savings in cooling infrastructure energy consumption by utilizing an optimized enclosed aisle configuration with bypass recirculation, instead of a traditional enclosed aisle, where all the data center exhaust is forced to flow through the computer room air conditioners. The analysis of open-aisle data centers shows that as the temperature at the inlet of the racks becomes more nonuniform, optimal operation tends toward lower recirculation and higher power consumption; again, stressing the importance of providing as uniform a temperature to the racks as possible. It is also revealed that servers with a modest temperature rise (∼10°C) have a wider latitude for cooling infrastructure optimization than those with a high temperature rise (≥20°C), which tend to consume less cooling power when the aisles are enclosed.
A New Empirical Relation for Free Surface Roughening
Authors: Alexandrov Sergei , Manabe Ken-Ichi , Furushima Tsuyoshi
Published: February 2011

A new empirical relation for the conventional measures of free surface roughness is proposed. Its geometric interpretation is a surface in three-dimensional space. A set of tests feasible for practical realization is discussed. Some available experimental and numerical results are used to reveal various qualitative features of the geometric surface. In particular, a reasonable assumption is that it is a ruled surface for a class of materials. A typical cross section of the surface, which is a curve, has an axis of symmetry if the roughening rate is independent of the sense of the strain rate normal to the material surface, where the roughness parameters should be predicted. The curve has a minimum at the axis of symmetry. Finally, there are two points, where the curve has a maximum. A simple analytic expression to specify the relation proposed for a given material is provided to fit experimental data.
Oncogenic MyD88
Authors: Foley John F.
Published: February 2011

A gain-of-function mutation in
MyD88
promotes survival of a B cell lymphoma through activation of NF-κB and JAK-STAT signaling pathways.
In Vitro
Studies Indicate a High Resistance Potential for the Lantibiotic Nisin in Staphylococcus aureus and Define a Genetic Basis for Nisin Resistance
Authors: Blake Katy L. , Randall Chris P. , O'Neill Alex J.
Published: February 2011

Lantibiotics such as nisin (NIS) are peptide antibiotics that may have a role in the chemotherapy of bacterial infections. A perceived benefit of lantibiotics for clinical use is their low propensity to select resistance, although detailed resistance studies with relevant bacterial pathogens are lacking. Here we examined the development of resistance to NIS in
Staphylococcus aureus
, establishing that mutants, including small-colony variants, exhibiting substantial (4- to 32-fold) reductions in NIS susceptibility could be selected readily. Comparative genome sequencing of a single NIS
r
mutant exhibiting a 32-fold increase in NIS MIC revealed the presence of only two mutations, leading to the substitutions V
229
G in the purine operon repressor, PurR, and A
208
E in an uncharacterized protein encoded by SAOUHSC_02955. Independently selected NIS
r
mutants also harbored mutations in the genes encoding these products. Reintroduction of these mutations into the
S. aureus
chromosome alone and in combination revealed that SAOUHSC_02955(A
208
E) made the primary contribution to the resistance phenotype, conferring up to a 16-fold decrease in NIS susceptibility. Bioinformatic analyses suggested that this gene encodes a sensor histidine kinase, leading us to designate it “nisin susceptibility-associated sensor (
nsaS
).” Doubling-time determinations and mixed-culture competition assays between NIS
r
and NIS
s
strains indicated that NIS resistance had little impact on bacterial fitness, and resistance was stable in the absence of selection. The apparent ease with which
S. aureus
can develop and maintain NIS resistance
in vitro
suggests that resistance to NIS and other lantibiotics with similar modes of action would arise in the clinic if these agents are employed as chemotherapeutic drugs.
Treatment of Yellow Fever Virus with an Adenovirus-Vectored Interferon, DEF201, in a Hamster Model
Authors: Julander Justin G. , Ennis Jane , Turner Jeffrey , Morrey John D.
Published: February 2011

Interferon (IFN) is an innate immune response protein that is involved in the antiviral response during viral infection. Treatment of acute viral infections with exogenous interferon may be effective but is generally not feasible for clinical use due to many factors, including cost, stability, and availability. To overcome these limitations, an adenovirus type 5-vectored consensus alpha IFN, termed DEF201, was constructed as a potential way to deliver sustained therapeutic levels of systemic IFN. To demonstrate the efficacy of DEF201 against acute flaviviral disease, various concentrations of the construct were administered as a single intranasal dose prior to virus infection, which resulted in a dose-responsive, protective effect in a hamster model of yellow fever virus (YFV) disease. A DEF201 dose of 5 × 10
7
PFU/animal administered intranasally just prior to YFV challenge protected 100% of the animals, while a 10-fold lower DEF201 dose exhibited lower, although significant, levels of protection. Virus titers in the liver and serum and levels of serum alanine aminotransferase were all significantly reduced as a result of DEF201 administration at all doses tested. No toxicity, as indicated by weight loss or gross morbidity, was observed in non-YFV-infected animals treated with DEF201. Protection of YFV-infected animals was observed when DEF201 was delivered as early as 7 days prior to virus challenge and as late as 2 days after virus challenge, demonstrating effective prophylaxis and therapy in a hamster model of disease. Overall, it appears that DEF201 is effective in the treatment of YFV in a hamster model.
Distribution of Intrinsic Plasmid Replicase Genes and Their Association with Carbapenem-Hydrolyzing Class D β-Lactamase Genes in European Clinical Isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Towner Kevin J. , Evans Benjamin , Villa Laura , Levi Katrina , Hamouda Ahmed , Amyes Sebastian G. B. , Carattoli Alessandra
Published: February 2011

Ninety-six genetically diverse multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of
Acinetobacter baumannii
from 25 hospitals in 17 European countries were screened by PCR for specific carbapenemase-hydrolyzing class D β-lactamase (CHDL) genes and by PCR-based replicon typing for the presence of 19 different plasmid replicase (
rep
) gene homology groups (GRs). Results were confirmed by DNA sequencing where necessary. All 96 isolates contained at least 1 (with a maximum of 4) of the 19 groups of
rep
genes. Groups detected were GR6 (
rep
Aci6; 93 isolates), GR2 (including
rep
Aci1 [67 isolates] and
rep
Aci2 [3 isolates]), GR16 (
rep
ApAB49; 12 isolates), GR12 (p2ABSDF0001; 10 isolates), GR3 (
rep
Aci3; 4 isolates), GR4 (
rep
Aci4; 3 isolates), GR10 (
rep
AciX; 1 isolate), and GR14 (
rep
p4AYE; 1 isolate). Variations in
rep
gene content were observed even among epidemiologically related isolates. Genes encoding OXA-58-like CHDLs (22 isolates) were associated with carriage of the
rep
Aci1,
rep
Aci3,
rep
Aci4, and
rep
AciX genes, genes encoding OXA-40-like CHDLs (6 isolates) were associated with
rep
Aci2 and p2ABSDF0001, and genes encoding OXA-23-like CHDLs (8 isolates) were associated with
rep
Aci1. Most intrinsic
Acinetobacter
plasmids are non-self-transferable, but the almost ubiquitous
rep
Aci6 gene was strongly associated with a potential
tra
locus that could serve as a general system for plasmid mobilization and consequent horizontal transmission of plasmids and their associated antibiotic resistance genes among strains of
A. baumannii
.
Molecular Risk Assessment and Epidemiological Typing of Shiga Toxin-Producing
Escherichia coli
by Using a Novel PCR Binary Typing System
Authors: Brandt Stephanie M. , King Nicola , Cornelius Angela J. , Premaratne Aruni , Besser Thomas E. , On Stephen L. W.
Published: February 2011

Shiga toxin-producing
Escherichia coli
(STEC) is a zoonotic pathogen that causes diarrheal disease in humans and is of public health concern because of its ability to cause outbreaks and severe disease such as hemorrhagic colitis or hemolytic-uremic syndrome. More than 400 serotypes of STEC have been implicated in outbreaks and sporadic human disease. The aim of this study was to develop a PCR binary typing (P-BIT) system that could be used to aid in risk assessment and epidemiological studies of STEC by using gene targets that would represent a broad range of STEC virulence genes. We investigated the distribution of 41 gene targets in 75 O157 and non-O157 STEC isolates and found that P-BIT provided 100% typeability for isolates, gave a diversity index of 97.33% (compared with 99.28% for XbaI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis [PFGE] typing), and produced 100% discrimination for non-O157 STEC isolates. We identified 24 gene targets that conferred the same level of discrimination and produced the same cluster dendrogram as the 41 gene targets initially examined. P-BIT clustering identified O157 from non-O157 isolates and identified seropathotypes associated with outbreaks and severe disease. Numerical analysis of the P-BIT data identified several genes associated with human or nonhuman sources as well as high-risk seropathotypes. We conclude that P-BIT is a useful approach for subtyping, offering the advantage of speed, low cost, and potential for strain risk assessment that can be used in tandem with current molecular typing schema for STEC.
Transcriptome, Proteome, and Metabolite Analyses of a Lactate Dehydrogenase-Negative Mutant of
Enterococcus faecalis
V583
Authors: Mehmeti Ibrahim , Jönsson Maria , Fergestad Ellen M. , Mathiesen Geir , Nes Ingolf F. , Holo Helge
Published: February 2011

A constructed lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)-negative mutant of
Enterococcus faecalis
V583 grows at the same rate as the wild type but ferments glucose to ethanol, formate, and acetoin. Microarray analysis showed that LDH deficiency had profound transcriptional effects: 43 genes in the mutant were found to be upregulated, and 45 were found to be downregulated. Most of the upregulated genes encode enzymes of energy metabolism or transport. By two-dimensional (2D) gel analysis, 45 differentially expressed proteins were identified. A comparison of transcriptomic and proteomic data suggested that for several proteins the level of expression is regulated beyond the level of transcription. Pyruvate catabolic genes, including the truncated
ldh
gene, showed highly increased transcription in the mutant. These genes, along with a number of other differentially expressed genes, are preceded by sequences with homology to binding sites for the global redox-sensing repressor, Rex, of
Staphylococcus aureus
. The data indicate that the genes are transcriptionally regulated by the NADH/NAD ratio and that this ratio plays an important role in the regulatory network controlling energy metabolism in
E. faecalis
.
Accumulation of Sulfonamide Resistance Genes in Arable Soils Due to Repeated Application of Manure Containing Sulfadiazine
Authors: Heuer Holger , Solehati Qodiah , Zimmerling Ute , Kleineidam Kristina , Schloter Michael , Müller Tanja , Focks Andreas , Thiele-Bruhn Sören , Smalla Kornelia
Published: February 2011

Two soils were amended three times with pig manure. The abundance of sulfonamide resistance genes was determined by quantitative PCR 2 months after each application. In both soils treated with sulfadiazine-containing manure, the numbers of copies of
sul1
and
sul2
significantly increased compared to numbers after treatments with antibiotic-free manure or a control and accumulated with repeated applications.
Suitability of
Vader
for Transposon-Mediated Mutagenesis in
Aspergillus niger
Authors: Hihlal Elkbir , Braumann Ilka , van den Berg Marco , Kempken Frank
Published: February 2011

The filamentous fungus
Aspergillus niger
is widely used in biotechnological applications. Strain CBS513.88 is known to harbor 21 copies of the nonautonomous transposon
Vader
. Upon selection of chlorate-resistant
A. niger
colonies, one
Vader
copy was found integrated in the
nirA
gene. This copy was used for vector construction and development of a transposon-tagging method.
Vader
showed an excision frequency of about 1 in 2.2 × 10
5
conidiospores. A total of 95 of 97 colonies analyzed exhibited an excision event at the DNA level, and
Vader
footprints were found. By employing thermal asymmetric interlaced (TAIL)-PCR, the reintegration sites of 21 independent excision events were determined. All reintegration events occurred within or very close to genes. Therefore, this method can be used for transposon mutagenesis in
A. niger
.
Internalization of Murine Norovirus 1 by
Lactuca sativa
during Irrigation
Authors: Wei Jie , Jin Yan , Sims Tom , Kniel Kalmia E.
Published: February 2011

Romaine lettuce (
Lactuca sativa
) was grown hydroponically or in soil and challenged with murine norovirus 1 (MNV) under two conditions: one mimicking a severe one-time contamination event and another mimicking a lower level of contamination occurring over time. In each condition, lettuce was challenged with MNV delivered at the roots. In the first case, contamination occurred on day one with 5 × 10
8
reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) U/ml MNV in nutrient buffer, and irrigation water was replaced with virus-free buffer every day for another 4 days. In the second case, contamination with 5 × 10
5
RT-qPCR U/ml MNV (freshly prepared) occurred every day for 5 days. Virus had a tendency to adsorb to soil particles, with a small portion suspended in nutrient buffer; e.g., ∼8 log RT-qPCR U/g MNV was detected in soil during 5 days of challenge with virus inoculums of 5 × 10
8
RT-qPCR U/ml at day one, but <6 log was found in nutrient buffer on days 3 and 5. For hydroponically grown lettuce, ∼3.4 log RT-qPCR U of viral RNA/50 mg of plant tissue was detected in some lettuce leaf samples after 5 days at high MNV inoculums, significantly higher than the internalized virus concentration (∼2.6 log) at low inoculums (
P
< 0.05). For lettuce grown in soil, approximately 2 log RT-qPCR U of viral RNA/50 mg of plant tissue was detected in lettuce with both high and low inoculums, showing no significant difference. For viral infectivity, infectious MNV was found in lettuce samples challenged with high virus inoculums grown hydroponically and in soil but not in lettuce grown with low virus inoculums. Lettuce grown hydroponically was further incubated in 99% and 70% relative humidities (RH) to evaluate plant transpiration relative to virus uptake. More lettuce samples were found positive for MNV at a significantly higher transpiration rate at 70% RH, indicating that transpiration might play an important role in virus internalization into
L. sativa.
Role of Carnitine Acetyltransferases in Acetyl Coenzyme A Metabolism in Aspergillus nidulans
Authors: Hynes Michael J. , Murray Sandra L. , Andrianopoulos Alex , Davis Meryl A.
Published: February 2011

The flow of carbon metabolites between cellular compartments is an essential feature of fungal metabolism. During growth on ethanol, acetate, or fatty acids, acetyl units must enter the mitochondrion for metabolism via the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) in the cytoplasm is essential for the biosynthetic reactions and for protein acetylation. Acetyl-CoA is produced in the cytoplasm by acetyl-CoA synthetase during growth on acetate and ethanol while β-oxidation of fatty acids generates acetyl-CoA in peroxisomes. The acetyl-carnitine shuttle in which acetyl-CoA is reversibly converted to acetyl-carnitine by carnitine acetyltransferase (CAT) enzymes is important for intracellular transport of acetyl units. In the filamentous ascomycete
Aspergillus nidulans
, a cytoplasmic CAT, encoded by
facC
, is essential for growth on sources of cytoplasmic acetyl-CoA while a second CAT, encoded by the
acuJ
gene, is essential for growth on fatty acids as well as acetate. We have shown that AcuJ contains an N-terminal mitochondrial targeting sequence and a C-terminal peroxisomal targeting sequence (PTS) and is localized to both peroxisomes and mitochondria, independent of the carbon source. Mislocalization of AcuJ to the cytoplasm does not result in loss of growth on acetate but prevents growth on fatty acids. Therefore, while mitochondrial AcuJ is essential for the transfer of acetyl units to mitochondria, peroxisomal localization is required only for transfer from peroxisomes to mitochondria. Peroxisomal AcuJ was not required for the import of acetyl-CoA into peroxisomes for conversion to malate by malate synthase (MLS), and export of acetyl-CoA from peroxisomes to the cytoplasm was found to be independent of FacC when MLS was mislocalized to the cytoplasm.