bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Observations on the placentae of eight Thoroughbred foals born with flexural limb deformities
Authors: Wilsher S. , Ousey J. , Allen W.R.
Published: July 2012

Congenital flexural deformities are relatively common in newborn Thoroughbred foals. This paper reports on the physical and morphological examination of 8 placentae from foals with varying degrees of the condition. All the placentae showed one or more of the following characteristics: a reduction in their linear dimensions; folding of the allantochorion over the course of major blood vessels; oedema. Although the changes observed in the placentae were indicative of uterine narrowing, it remains unclear if they are the cause of, an effect of or unrelated to the deformities.
Taku Manawa/My Human Rights, a Case Study in Partnership: Waikato Museum Working with the Human Rights Commission
Authors: Tunstall Jasmine
Published: July 2012

Abstract   Under the Human Rights Act, the Human Rights Commission is responsible for education and advocacy about human rights in New Zealand. In order to reach more people and ensure human rights education is ongoing, the commission initiated a human rights community development approach, creating the Taku Manawa (My Human Rights) program. Representatives from key community organizations were selected for a regional pilot program. These representatives were then trained in the knowledge and ability needed to undertake human rights advocacy and implement this advocacy in their communities. This paper explains how the Waikato Museum was first identified as a key community organization or a “human rights museum.” Exploring the relationship with the Human Rights Commission and leaders from local and national community organizations, this paper also examines how Taku Manawa has encouraged positive social change and greater awareness of human rights issues through the Waikato Museum’s community events, public programming, and exhibition planning.
Encounters in the District Six Museum
Authors: Bennett Bonita
Published: July 2012

Abstract   This reflection seeks to provide you, the reader, with some insight into the nature and intention of the work of the District Six Museum. It seeks to do so by presenting a composite collage of activities which form part of the organization’s offering at various times. Originally intended as a virtual visual walk though the museum—a presentation piece to provide the backdrop for discussion—it has been adapted for Curator: The Museum Journal.
Doors Being Open: Rights of Afro‐descendents in the National Museum of Colombia
Authors: Lleras Cristina
Published: July 2012

Abstract   In the early 1990s, Colombia developed a highly sophisticated constitutional and judicial framework. The Constitution of 1991 offers two sets of principles: First, the rights granted to minority groups so they might guide their lives according to their traditions and the recognition of the multicultural character of the nation. Second, the values of unity and sovereignty and universal human dignity, the minimum denominator that unites the Colombian people. In the context of a multicultural nation, what is the role of museums in supporting demands of minorities and disenfranchised groups? This paper looks at the issue of differentiated rights for Afro‐descendents through analysis of Wakes and Live Saints among Black, Afro‐Colombian, Maroon and Islander Communities at the National Museum of Colombia (2008). This exhibition was chosen because Afro‐Colombian activists and scholars have strongly demanded that the National Museum respond to claims of historical reparation.
Integrated Combustor Turbine Design for Improved Aerothermal Performance: Effect of Dilution Air Control
Authors: Basol Altug M. , Kai Regina , Kalfas Anestis I. , Abhari Reza S.
Published: July 2012

The effect of dilution air control in a combustor on the heat load distribution of an axial turbine with nonaxisymmetric endwall profiling is examined. Endwall profiling is a more common design feature in new engine types, due to its effectiveness in reducing secondary flows and their associated losses. In the present work, the effect of dilution air control is examined by using two different circumferentially nonuniform hot-streak shapes; the two cases differ in their spanwise extents either side of the stator and, therefore, represent different approaches for dilution air control. This numerical study details the impact of these two different strategies for dilution air control on the rotor blade heat load distribution. The inlet boundary conditions simulate the experiment that is conducted in the axial research turbine facility LISA at ETH Zurich. A circumferential nonuniformity in the spanwise migration pattern of the hot streak inside the stator is observed that is found to be alleviated by the effect of the endwall profiling. Due to the observed spanwise migration pattern inside the stator the two hot-streak cases result in considerably different heat load distributions on the rotor blade, emphasizing the importance of the integrated combustor turbine approach. Finally, the implications for dilution air control on the liner are discussed for the realization of the simulated hot-streak shapes in real combustors.
Modified Primary Shear Zone Analysis for Identification of Material Mechanical Behavior During Machining Process Using Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Pang L. , Kishawy H. A.
Published: July 2012

In the current work, an inverse analysis on the primary shear zone was introduced to determine the five constants in Johnson–Cook’s material constitutive equation under the conditions of metal cutting. Based on the detailed analysis on the boundary conditions of the velocity and shear strain rate fields, Oxley’s “equidistant parallel-sided” shear zone model was revisited. A more realistic nonlinear shear strain rate distribution has been proposed under the frame of nonequidistant primary shear zone configuration, so that all the boundary conditions can be satisfied. Based on the presented analysis, the shear strain, shear strain rate and temperature at the main shear plane were calculated. In conjugation with the measured cutting forces and chip thickness, a genetic algorithm (GA) based optimization program has been developed for the system identification. In order to verify the effectiveness of the developed algorithm, the obtained material constants were used in a forward analytical simulation. The acceptable agreement with experimental data validates the proposed method.
Study of Solder/Copper Interface Behavior Under Varying Strain Rates
Authors: Kwon Y. W. , Luteran A. M. , Didoszak J. M. , Kwon A. S.
Published: July 2012

This paper investigates the mechanical behavior of a copper–solder interface when subjected to varying strain rate loading between 0.05 s−1 and 10.0 s−1. The copper is alloy 101, and the solder is lead-free type with a composition of 96% tin and 4% silver. Both uniform and nonuniform two-level strain rate loadings were applied. For the two-level strain rate loading, the strain rate was changed from one level to another during the loading process as a step change. The strain rate tests were performed at room temperature as well as at an elevated temperature of 65 °C. The test results showed significant effects of uniform and nonuniform strain rates as well as temperature on fracture surface, peak stress, fracture strain, modulus, and stored energy density until fracture. Generally, a higher strain rate increased the peak stress and fracture strain, but decreased the modulus. The heated specimens showed significantly reduced strength and fracture strain at high strain rates when compared to the specimens tested at room temperature. For the two-level strain rates, the sequence of the loading rates affected the material behavior significantly. The peak stress under the two-level strain rates might be located outside the range that was determined by the two individual uniform strain rates occurring in the two-level rates. On the other hand, the fracture strain under two-level strain rate loading always fell inside that range. An expression was proposed to predict the interface fracture strains for the case of a two-level strain rate loading based on the data of each respective single-level strain test. The prediction was reasonable when compared to the experimental data with an average absolute error of 10%.
Parameter Calibrations on MOSFET Stress Sensors
Authors: Tan Ren-Tzung , Chung Hsien , Lwo Ben-Je , Tang Chun-Pai , Tseng Kun-Fu
Published: July 2012

Due to the carrier mobility changes with the mechanical loading and its small size, the MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effective-transistor) has the potential to be a suitable chip stress monitoring tool for microelectronic packaging. In this work, a complete and accurate approach to calibrate the coefficients for both types of MOSFET stress sensors under thermal and mechanical loadings was investigated quantitatively. Through data from different measurement modes on different types of MOSFET, the optimal experimental methodology was next proposed for the sensor applications on packaging stress extraction. The thermomechanical coupling coefficients for the selected experimental mode were finally extracted so that packaging stress measurements with MOSFET under elevated temperature can be performed more accurately.
SnO2-gated AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors based oxygen sensors
Authors: Hung Shao-Tsu , Chang Chi-Jung , Chen Chin Ching , Lo Chien Fong , Ren Fan , Pearton Stephen J. , Kravchenko Ivan I.
Published: July 2012

Hydrothermally grown SnO2 was integrated with AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) sensor as the gate electrode for oxygen detection. The crystalline of the SnO2 was improved after annealing at 400 °C. The grain growth kinetics of the SnO2 nanomaterials, together with the O2 gas sensing properties and sensing mechanism of the SnO2 gated HEMT sensors were investigated. Detection of 1% oxygen in nitrogen at 100 °C was possible. A low operation temperature and low power consumption oxygen sensor can be achieved by combining the SnO2 films with the AlGaN/GaN HEMT structure.
Spin-Transistor Action via Tunable Landau-Zener Transitions
Authors: Betthausen C. , Dollinger T. , Saarikoski H. , Kolkovsky V. , Karczewski G. , Wojtowicz T. , Richter K. , Weiss D.
Published: July 2012

A Different Spin Transistor

A typical transistor consists of a source and a drain; the current that makes it to the drain is controlled by applying voltage to the third terminal, called the gate. In spin-based electronics, where spin current is used instead of charge, the source and the drain are ferromagnetic materials connected by a narrow semiconducting channel. This design, however, suffers from low efficiency.

Betthausen
et al.

(p.
324
; see the Perspective by

Žutić and Lee

) combined homogeneous and helical magnetic fields to change the orientation of the spin on its way to the drain, preserving spin information over distances many times the spin mean free path. The transistor is “on” when the transport is adiabatic—i.e., slow enough for the spin to be able to adapt to the local magnetic field—and “off” otherwise.
Defining the Plant Germ Line—Nature or Nurture?
Authors: Whipple Clinton
Published: July 2012

Cellular redox state affects cell fate determination during germline development in plants.
Molecule Formation in Ultrahigh Magnetic Fields
Authors: Schmelcher Peter
Published: July 2012

An extreme magnetic field applied perpendicular to a diatomic or linear molecule increases its bond strength through a paramagnetic interaction.
Sex-Specific Adaptation Drives Early Sex Chromosome Evolution in
Drosophila
Authors: Zhou Qi , Bachtrog Doris
Published: July 2012

Sex Chromosome Evolution

The fly genus
Drosophilia
has repeatedly generated evolutionarily new sex chromosomes. To understand the changes shaping the X and Y chromosomes,
Zhou and Bachtrog
(p.
341
), sequenced the genome of
D. miranda
, which formed neo-X and neo-Y chromosomes approximately 1 million years ago. The data illuminate the ongoing conflict between selection for male and female function on the sex chromosomes and show that Y chromosome evolution is characterized both by a loss of gene function and selection for male-specific adaptations in genes beneficial to male functions.
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Is Essential for Toll-Like Receptor 3 Signaling
Authors: Yamashita Michifumi , Chattopadhyay Saurabh , Fensterl Volker , Saikia Paramananda , Wetzel Jaime L. , Sen Ganes C.
Published: July 2012

TLR3-mediated antiviral responses require phosphorylation of TLR3 by a growth factor receptor and a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase.
GSK3-Like Kinases Integrate Brassinosteroid Signaling and Stomatal Development
Authors: Casson Stuart A. , Hetherington Alistair M.
Published: July 2012

Brassinosteroid signaling is crucial for stomatal development.
Structural and Immunological Analysis of Anthrax Recombinant Protective Antigen Adsorbed to Aluminum Hydroxide Adjuvant
Authors: Wagner Leslie , Verma Anita , Meade Bruce D. , Reiter Karine , Narum David L. , Brady Rebecca A. , Little Stephen F. , Burns Drusilla L.
Published: July 2012

New anthrax vaccines currently under development are based on recombinant protective antigen (rPA) and formulated with aluminum adjuvant. Because long-term stability is a desired characteristic of these vaccines, an understanding of the effects of adsorption to aluminum adjuvants on the structure of rPA is important. Using both biophysical and immunological techniques, we compared the structure and immunogenicity of freshly prepared rPA-Alhydrogel formulations to that of formulations stored for 3 weeks at either room temperature or 37°C in order to assess the changes in rPA structure that might occur upon long-term storage on aluminum adjuvant. Intrinsic fluorescence emission spectra of tryptophan residues indicated that some tertiary structure alterations of rPA occurred during storage on Alhydrogel. Using anti-PA monoclonal antibodies to probe specific regions of the adsorbed rPA molecule, we found that two monoclonal antibodies that recognize epitopes located in domain 1 of PA exhibited greater reactivity to the stored formulations than to freshly prepared formulations. Immunogenicity of rPA-Alhydrogel formulations in mice was assessed by measuring the induction of toxin-neutralizing antibodies, as well as antibodies reactive to 12-mer peptides spanning the length of PA. Mice immunized with freshly prepared formulations developed significantly higher toxin-neutralizing antibody titers than mice immunized with the stored preparations. In contrast, sera from mice immunized with stored preparations exhibited increased reactivity to nine 12-mer peptides corresponding to sequences located throughout the rPA molecule. These results demonstrate that storage of rPA-Alhydrogel formulations can lead to structural alteration of the protein and loss of the ability to elicit toxin-neutralizing antibodies.
Complete Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium intracellulare Clinical Strain MOTT-36Y, Belonging to the INT5 Genotype
Authors: Kim Byoung-Jun , Choi Beom-Soon , Choi Ik-Young , Lee Je-Hee , Chun Jongsik , Hong Seok-Hyun , Kook Yoon-Hoh , Kim Bum-Joon
Published: July 2012

Here we report the complete genome sequence of the
Mycobacterium intracellulare
clinical strain MOTT-36Y, previously grouped into the INT5 genotype among the 5 genotypes of
M. intracellulare
. This genome sequence will serve as a valuable reference for understanding the disparity in virulence and epidemiologic traits between
M. intracellulare
-related strains.
Genome of Helicobacter pylori Strain XZ274, an Isolate from a Tibetan Patient with Gastric Cancer in China
Authors: Guo Ying , Wang Haiying , Li Yan , Song Yang , Chen Chen , Liao Yaling , Ren Li , Guo Chunliang , Tong Wende , Shen Wei , Chen Ming , Mao Xuhu , Guo Gang , Zou Quanming
Published: July 2012

The infection rate of
Helicobacter pylori
is high all over the world, especially in the Chinese Tibetan Plateau. Here, we report the genome sequence of
Helicobacter pylori
strain XZ274 isolated from a Tibetan patient with gastric cancer. The strain contains 1,634,138 bp with 1,654 coding sequences and a pXZ274 plasmid of 22,406 bp with 26 coding sequences. This is the first complete genome sequence of
Helicobacter pylori
from the Tibetan Plateau in China.
“Spoligoriftyping,” a Dual-Priming-Oligonucleotide-Based Direct-Hybridization Assay for Tuberculosis Control with a Multianalyte Microbead-Based Hybridization System
Authors: Gomgnimbou Michel Kiréopori , Abadia Edgar , Zhang Jian , Refrégier Guislaine , Panaiotov Stefan , Bachiyska Elizabeta , Sola Christophe
Published: July 2012

We developed “spoligoriftyping,” a 53-plex assay based on two preexisting methods, the spoligotyping and “rifoligotyping” assays, by combining them into a single assay. Spoligoriftyping allows simultaneous spoligotyping (i.e., clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat [CRISPR]-based genotyping) and characterization of the main rifampin drug resistance mutations on the
rpoB
hot spot region in a few hours. This test partly uses the dual-priming-oligonucleotide (DPO) principle, which allows simultaneous efficient amplifications of
rpoB
and the CRISPR locus in the same sample. We tested this method on a set of 114 previously phenotypically and genotypically characterized multidrug-resistant (MDR)
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
or drug-susceptible
M. tuberculosis
DNA extracted from clinical isolates obtained from patients from Bulgaria, Nigeria, and Germany. We showed that our method is 100% concordant with
rpoB
sequencing results and 99.95% (3,911/3,913 spoligotype data points) correlated with classical spoligotyping results. The sensitivity and specificity of our assay were 99 and 100%, respectively, compared to those of phenotypic drug susceptibility testing. Such assays pave the way to the implementation of locally and specifically adapted methods of performing in a single tube both drug resistance mutation detection and genotyping in a few hours.
Comparison of the BD Max Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Assay and the BD GeneOhm MRSA Achromopeptidase Assay with Direct- and Enriched-Culture Techniques Using Clinical Specimens for Detection of MRSA
Authors: Dalpke Alexander H. , Hofko Marjeta , Zimmermann Stefan
Published: July 2012

We evaluated the new, fully automated molecular BD Max methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) assay for detection of methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
in a low-prevalence (4.1%) setting. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 93.9%, 99.2%, 83.8%, and 99.7%, respectively. The assay reported fewer unresolved results than the BD GeneOhm MRSA ACP assay.
Transmembrane Protein Aptamers That Inhibit CCR5 Expression and HIV Coreceptor Function
Authors: Scheideman Elizabeth H. , Marlatt Sara A. , Xie Yanhua , Hu Yani , Sutton Richard E. , DiMaio Daniel
Published: July 2012

We have exploited the ability of transmembrane domains to engage in highly specific protein-protein interactions to construct a new class of small proteins that inhibit HIV infection. By screening a library encoding hundreds of thousands of artificial transmembrane proteins with randomized transmembrane domains (termed “traptamers,” for transmembrane aptamers), we isolated six 44- or 45-amino-acid proteins with completely different transmembrane sequences that inhibited cell surface and total expression of the HIV coreceptor CCR5. The traptamers inhibited transduction of human T cells by HIV reporter viruses pseudotyped with R5-tropic gp120 envelope proteins but had minimal effects on reporter viruses with X4-tropic gp120. Optimization of two traptamers significantly increased their activity and resulted in greater than 95% inhibition of R5-tropic reporter virus transduction without inhibiting expression of CD4, the primary HIV receptor, or CXCR4, another HIV coreceptor. In addition, traptamers inhibited transduction mediated by a mutant R5-tropic gp120 protein resistant to maraviroc, a small-molecule CCR5 inhibitor, and they dramatically inhibited replication of an R5-tropic laboratory strain of HIV in a multicycle infection assay. Genetic experiments suggested that the active traptamers specifically interacted with the transmembrane domains of CCR5 and that some of the traptamers interacted with different portions of CCR5. Thus, we have constructed multiple proteins not found in nature that interfere with CCR5 expression and inhibit HIV infection. These proteins may be valuable tools to probe the organization of the transmembrane domains of CCR5 and their relationship to its biological activities, and they may serve as starting points to develop new strategies to inhibit HIV infection.
Cytoplasmic Trafficking, Endosomal Escape, and Perinuclear Accumulation of Adeno-Associated Virus Type 2 Particles Are Facilitated by Microtubule Network
Authors: Xiao Ping-Jie , Samulski R. Jude
Published: July 2012

Understanding adeno-associated virus (AAV) trafficking is critical to advance our knowledge of AAV biology and exploit novel aspects of vector development. Similar to the case for most DNA viruses, after receptor binding and entry, AAV traverses the cytoplasm and deposits the viral genome in the cell nucleus. In this study, we examined the role of the microtubule (MT) network in productive AAV infection. Using pharmacological reagents (e.g., nocodazole), live-cell imaging, and flow cytometry analysis, we demonstrated that AAV type 2 (AAV2) transduction was reduced by at least 2-fold in the absence of the MT network. Cell surface attachment and viral internalization were not dependent on an intact MT network. In treated cells at 2 h postinfection, quantitative three-dimensional (3D) microscopy determined a reproducible difference in number of intracellular particles associated with the nuclear membrane or the nucleus compared to that for controls (6 to 7% versus 26 to 30%, respectively). Confocal microscopy analysis demonstrated a direct association of virions with MTs, further supporting a critical role in AAV infection. To investigate the underling mechanisms, we employed single-particle tracking (SPT) to monitor the viral movement in real time. Surprisingly, unlike other DNA viruses (e.g., adenovirus [Ad] and herpes simplex virus [HSV]) that display bidirectional motion on MTs, AAV2 displays only unidirectional movement on MTs toward the nuclei, with peak instantaneous velocities at 1.5 to 3.5 μm/s. This rapid and unidirectional motion on MTs lasts for about 5 to 10 s and results in AAV particles migrating more than 10 μm in the cytoplasm reaching the nucleus very efficiently. Furthermore, electron microscopy analysis determined that, unlike Ad and HSV, AAV2 particles were transported on MTs within membranous compartments, and surprisingly, the acidification of AAV2-containing endosomes was delayed by the disruption of MTs. These findings together suggest an as-yet-undescribed model in which after internalization, AAV2 exploits MTs for rapid cytoplasmic trafficking in endosomal compartments unidirectionally toward the perinuclear region, where most acidification events for viral escape take place.
Crystallographic Analysis of Rotavirus NSP2-RNA Complex Reveals Specific Recognition of 5′ GG Sequence for RTPase Activity
Authors: Hu Liya , Chow Dar-Chone , Patton John T. , Palzkill Timothy , Estes Mary K. , Prasad B. V. Venkataram
Published: July 2012

Rotavirus nonstructural protein NSP2, a functional octamer, is critical for the formation of viroplasms, which are exclusive sites for replication and packaging of the segmented double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) rotavirus genome. As a component of replication intermediates, NSP2 is also implicated in various replication-related activities. In addition to sequence-independent single-stranded RNA-binding and helix-destabilizing activities, NSP2 exhibits monomer-associated nucleoside and 5′ RNA triphosphatase (NTPase/RTPase) activities that are mediated by a conserved H225 residue within a narrow enzymatic cleft. Lack of a 5′ γ-phosphate is a common feature of the negative-strand RNA [(−)RNA] of the packaged dsRNA segments in rotavirus. Strikingly, all (−)RNAs (of group A rotaviruses) have a 5′ GG dinucleotide sequence. As the only rotavirus protein with 5′ RTPase activity, NSP2 is implicated in the removal of the γ-phosphate from the rotavirus (−)RNA. To understand how NSP2, despite its sequence-independent RNA-binding property, recognizes (−)RNA to hydrolyze the γ-phosphate within the catalytic cleft, we determined a crystal structure of NSP2 in complex with the 5′ consensus sequence of minus-strand rotavirus RNA. Our studies show that the 5′ GG of the bound oligoribonucleotide interacts extensively with highly conserved residues in the NSP2 enzymatic cleft. Although these residues provide GG-specific interactions, surface plasmon resonance studies suggest that the C-terminal helix and other basic residues outside the enzymatic cleft account for sequence-independent RNA binding of NSP2. A novel observation from our studies, which may have implications in viroplasm formation, is that the C-terminal helix of NSP2 exhibits two distinct conformations and engages in domain-swapping interactions, which result in the formation of NSP2 octamer chains.
TNFRSF25 Agonistic Antibody and Galectin-9 Combination Therapy Controls Herpes Simplex Virus-Induced Immunoinflammatory Lesions
Authors: J Reddy Pradeep B. , Schreiber Taylor H. , Rajasagi Naveen K. , Suryawanshi Amol , Mulik Sachin , Veiga-Parga Tamara , Niki Toshiro , Hirashima Mitsuomi , Podack Eckhard R. , Rouse Barry T.
Published: July 2012

Ocular infection with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) results in a chronic immunoinflamammtory reaction in the cornea, which is primarily orchestrated by CD4+T cells. Hence, targeting proinflammatory CD4+T cells or increasing the representation of cells that regulate their function is a relevant therapeutic strategy. In this report, we demonstrate that effective therapeutic control can be achieved using a combination of approaches under circumstances where monotherapy is ineffective. We use a convenient and highly effective monoclonal antibody (MAb) approach with MAbT25 to expand cells that express the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 25 (TNFRSF25). In naïve animals, these are predominantly cells that are Foxp3-positive regulatory T cells. MAbT25 treatment before or at the time of initial HSV infection was an effective means of reducing the severity of subsequent stromal keratitis lesions. However, MAbT25 treatment was not effective if given 6 days after infection since it expanded proinflammatory effector T cells, which also express TNFRSF25. Therefore, the MAbT25 procedure was combined with galectin-9 (Gal-9), an approach that compromises the activity of T cells involved in tissue damage. The combination therapy provided highly effective lesion control over that achieved by treatment with one of them. The beneficial outcome of the combination therapy was attributed to the expansion of the regulatory T cell population that additionally expressed activation markers such as CD103 needed to access inflammatory sites. Additionally, there was a marked reduction of CD4+gamma interferon-producing effector T cells responsible for orchestrating the tissue damage. The approach that we describe has potential application to control a wide range of inflammatory diseases, in addition to stromal keratitis, an important cause of human blindness.
Silicon granuloma mimicking lung cancer
Authors: Ali Liaquat , Mcgivern Damian , Teoh Richard
Published: July 2012

Silicon granuloma is one of the benign complications of breast implant failure but this is rarely reported. We report a 66-year-old lady presented to respiratory department with history of weight loss and a chest x-ray was highly suggestive of a lung malignancy. Further investigation including CT thorax and breast ultrasound suggested siliconoma that was later on confirmed on tissue biopsy.
IVF twins: buy one get one free?
Authors: Ismail Laura , Mittal Monica , Kalu Emmanuel
Published: July 2012

There has been an overall increase in the incidence of multiple pregnancies and assisted reproduction technology is largely responsible for this rise. Although twins may appeal to couples undergoingin vitrofertilisation (IVF), they have been associated with serious health consequences to the babies, their mothers and the family unit, as well as having massive financial implications for the National Health Service. Transfer of more than one embryo during IVF is mainly responsible for IVF twins, and elective transfer of a single embryo at a time with cryopreservation of surplus embryos for later transfer has been shown to be an effective strategy to minimise the risk of twins without compromising IVF success rates. Factors that will impact on the success of the policy of elective single embryo transfer (eSET) include improvement in embryo selection for transfer, better cryopreservation techniques and adequate state funding for IVF. However, in implementing the policy of eSET it is important that each case is assessed on an individual basis since in some situations (e.g. in older women) the transfer of two embryos may be more cost effective. Adequate and continuous education of all stakeholders is essential if the policy of eSET is to be successful in the UK.
Molecular characterisation of quinolone resistance in Escherichia coli from animals in Turkey
Authors: Cengiz M. , Sonal S. , Buyukcangaz E. , Sen A. , Arslan E. , Mat B. , Sahinturk P. , Gocmen H.
Published: July 2012

The aim of this study were to detect the gyrA, parC and marR mutations and qnr genes (qnrA, qnrB and qnrS) in 120 strains of Escherichia coli isolated from animals. European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing and Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests, respectively, were used to determine fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance, and molecular methods were used to detect the mutations and the genes. E coli isolates with an MIC of ≥8 mg/l had mutation at Ser‐80 in parC in addition to mutations at Ser‐83, Asp‐87 or both in gyrA. The nucleotide change was detected in marR (Ser‐3 → Asn, Ala‐53 → Glu, Gly‐103 → Ser, Tyr‐137 → His). Only four E coli isolates (3.3 per cent) contained qnrA and qnrS, and qnrB was not detected. Two E coli isolates from healthy calves also contained qnrA and qnrS. The MICs of enrofloxacin and danofloxacin for qnr ‐containing E coli isolates ranged from 32 mg/l to 256 mg/l. The results of this study indicated that the FQ‐resistant E coli isolates presented an alteration in gyrA (Ser‐83 → Leu, Asp‐87 → Asn) and parC (Ser‐80 → Ile) with high MICs (8–256 mg/l), and there was a low prevalence of qnr genes among E coli isolated from animals.
Natural disturbance emulation in boreal forest ecosystem management — theories, strategies, and a comparison with conventional even-aged management1This article is one of a selection of papers from the 7th International Conference on Disturbance Dynamics in Boreal Forests.
Authors: Kuuluvainen Timo , Grenfell Russell
Published: July 2012

Natural disturbance emulation (NDE) has been proposed as a general approach to ecologically sustainable forest management. We reviewed the concepts, theories, and strategies related to NDE in boreal forest management. We also reviewed publications that discussed NDE in the boreal forest in general and those that specifically compared NDE-based management with conventional even-aged management. The papers generally focused on northern North America and landscape-scale wildfire as the main disturbance factor, whereas information from Eurasia was exclusively theoretical. Within this limited scope, NDE was generally found to have a positive effect on biodiversity in terms of forest structure and species diversity when compared with conventional even-aged management. Studies on timber supply and social implications of NDE were so few that they preclude generalizations. We conclude that the ecological and economic performance of NDE as a management approach still remains poorly examined. To advance the development of NDE, particular attention should be given to (1) augmenting the knowledge base on natural range of variability of unmanaged forest ecosystems and evaluating the validity of this information in a changing climate, (2) fostering multidisciplinary research with better integration of ecological theory to both integrative and analytical research on NDE, and (3) better integration of socioeconomic concerns, adaptive management schemes, and international collaboration into NDE initiatives.
Dendrochronological reconstruction of spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) outbreaks in southern Quebec for the last 400 years1This article is one of a selection of papers from the 7th International Conference on Disturbance Dynamics in Boreal Forests.
Authors: Boulanger Yan , Arseneault Dominique , Morin Hubert , Jardon Yves , Bertrand Philip , Dagneau Charles
Published: July 2012

It is argued that spruce budworm ( Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens)) (SBW) outbreaks have tended to be more frequent, severe, and spatially synchronized since the beginning of the 20th century. However, few studies have assessed the long-term (>200 years) variations in SBW outbreak dynamics. We reconstructed the SBW outbreak history at the northern limit of the temperate forest in southern Quebec using dendrochronological material from old buildings and five old-growth stands. Our regional tree-ring chronology (1551–1995) represents one of the longest and most replicated insect outbreak reconstructions in North America. Nine potential outbreaks were identified (1976–1991, 1946–1959, 1915–1929, 1872–1903, 1807–1817, 1754–1765, 1706–1717, 1664–1670, and 1630–1638) with three additional uncertain outbreaks (1647–1661, 1606–1619, and 1564–1578). Results suggested that southern Quebec has experienced frequent and synchronized outbreaks throughout the last 400 years. Although outbreak frequency was higher during the 20th century (approximately 30 years) as compared with the 1660–1850 period (approximately 50 years), similar or even higher outbreak frequency might have occurred prior to 1660 (approximately 28 years). We did not find any evidence that the recent outbreak dynamics in southern Quebec is outside its historical range of the last 400 years. Previous studies based on living trees may have underestimated outbreak frequency and synchrony prior to 1900.
Estimating the value of wood quality information in constrained optimization
Authors: Kangas A. , Hurttala H. , Mäkinen H. , Lappi J.
Published: July 2012

In recent years, forest information has been evaluated increasingly through its value in decision making, not solely through its statistical accuracy. The value of forest information is rooted in the ability to make better decisions with better data. When the adopted option differs from the optimal, it incurs suboptimality losses, defined as the difference between the outcome (typically NPV) of the optimal and selected options. In this study, we analyse the value of timber quality information for the timber buyer selecting stands to be purchased with a given budget or demand constraint. In the basic constrained linear programming approach, the option selected as optimal with erroneous data may prove to be infeasible when evaluated with error-free data. To properly estimate the value of information, the costs of violating the constraints need to be included. We present a stochastic goal programming approach for solving this problem in which the violations are penalized with the interest of a loan, in the case of budget constraint, and with diminishing revenues, in the case of demand constraints. We show that information on timber quality has value to the buyer, increasing with the penalty. The value varied from 0 to about 80 €·ha–1, assuming only the timber quality assessments to be uncertain. Using the stochastic solution instead of expected value solution also has value for the buyer.
A Recent species of Frambocythere Colin, 1980 (Ostracoda, Crustacea) from a cave in South Korea; the first extant representative of a genus thought extinct since the Eocene
Authors: Smith Robin J. , Lee Jimin , Choi Yong Geun , Chang Cheon Young , Colin Jean-Paul
Published: July 2012

Abstract. The non-marine ostracod genus Frambocythere Colin, 1980 (Limnocytheridae, Timiriaseviinae) had a previously known stratigraphical range from the Albian (Lower Cretaceous) through to the Lutetian (middle Eocene). However, during surveys of Seongryu Cave in Uljin-gun Province, South Korea, specimens of an extant species of Frambocythere were recovered. This extends the stratigraphic range of the genus by more than 40 million years to the present, and the species is, therefore, considered to be a relict ‘living fossil’. This newly described species is most similar in morphology to Frambocythere gr. tumiensis (Helmdach, 1978), reported from Thanetian (Paleocene) deposits of the Paris Basin. The living species was found in the hypogean realm, in contrast to the fossil species, which were all epigean. It is hypothesized that, like the genus Kovalevskiella Klein, 1963, which belongs to the same lineage, Frambocythere migrated from epigean to hypogean habitats.
Early British students of modern foraminifera: Carpenter and Williamson
Authors: Murray John W.
Published: July 2012

Abstract. Most early workers in the field of foraminifera were learned gentlemen with great curiosity and broad interests who pursued microscopy as a hobby. Through their careful observations, Carpenter and Williamson laid the foundations of our understanding of morphology, growth plans and wall structure. They made their observations at a time when the zoological affinities of foraminifera were still under discussion. Because of the variability of form they took a broad view of taxonomic relationships, especially of genera and species, which strongly influenced later workers.
Anthropologies of Arab-Majority Societies
Authors: Deeb Lara , Winegar Jessica
Published: July 2012

This article reviews recent anthropological scholarship of Arab-majority societies in relation to geopolitical and theoretical shifts since the end of the Cold War, as well as conjunctures of research location, topic, and theory. Key contributions of the subfield to the larger discipline include interventions into feminist theorizing about agency; theories of modernity; analyses of cultural production/consumption that destabilize the culture concept; approaches to religion that integrate textual traditions with practice, experience, and institutions; and research on violence that emphasizes routinization and affect. Emerging work in the areas of race and ethnicity, secularism, law, human rights, science and technology, and queer studies has the potential to strengthen anthropology of the region as well as to contribute to the discipline more broadly.
Cytokinesis in Animal Cells
Authors: Green Rebecca A. , Paluch Ewa , Oegema Karen
Published: July 2012

Cytokinesis, the final step in cell division, partitions the contents of a single cell into two. In animal cells, cytokinesis occurs through cortical remodeling orchestrated by the anaphase spindle. Cytokinesis relies on a tight interplay between signaling and cellular mechanics and has attracted the attention of both biologists and physicists for more than a century. In this review, we provide an overview of four topics in animal cell cytokinesis: (a) signaling between the anaphase spindle and cortex, (b) the mechanics of cortical remodeling, (c) abscission, and (d) regulation of cytokinesis by the cell cycle machinery. We report on recent progress in these areas and highlight some of the outstanding questions that these findings bring into focus.
The Real Effects of Financial Markets
Authors: Bond Philip , Edmans Alex , Goldstein Itay
Published: July 2012

A large amount of activity in the financial sector occurs in secondary financial markets, where securities are traded among investors without capital flowing to firms. The stock market is the archetypal example, which in most developed economies captures a lot of attention and resources. Is the stock market just a sideshow or does it affect real economic activity? In this review, we discuss the potential real effects of financial markets that stem from the informational role of market prices. We review the theoretical literature and show that accounting for the feedback effect from market prices to the real economy significantly changes our understanding of the price formation process, the informativeness of the price, and speculators' trading behavior. We make two main points. First, we argue that a new definition of price efficiency is needed to account for the extent to which prices reflect information that is useful for the efficiency of real decisions (rather than the extent to which they forecast future cash flows). Second, incorporating the feedback effect into models of financial markets can explain various market phenomena that otherwise seem puzzling. Finally, we review empirical evidence on the real effects of secondary financial markets.
Origins of Human Cooperation and Morality
Authors: Tomasello Michael , Vaish Amrisha
Published: July 2012

From an evolutionary perspective, morality is a form of cooperation. Cooperation requires individuals either to suppress their own self-interest or to equate it with that of others. We review recent research on the origins of human morality, both phylogenetic (research with apes) and ontogenetic (research with children). For both time frames we propose a two-step sequence: first a second-personal morality in which individuals are sympathetic or fair to particular others, and second an agent-neutral morality in which individuals follow and enforce group-wide social norms. Human morality arose evolutionarily as a set of skills and motives for cooperating with others, and the ontogeny of these skills and motives unfolds in part naturally and in part as a result of sociocultural contexts and interactions.
Student Learning: What Has Instruction Got to Do With It?
Authors: Lee Hee Seung , Anderson John R.
Published: July 2012

A seemingly unending controversy in the field of instruction science concerns how much instructional guidance needs to be provided in a learning environment. At the one extreme lies the claim that it is important for students to explore and construct knowledge for themselves, which is often called discovery learning, and at the other extreme lies the claim that providing direct instruction is more beneficial than withholding it. In this article, evidence and arguments that support either of the approaches are reviewed. Also, we review how different instructional approaches interact with other instructional factors that have been known to be important, such as individual difference, self-explanation, and comparison. The efforts to combine different instructional approaches suggest alternative ways to conceive of learning and to test it.
Dynamic testosterone responses to near-physiological LH pulses are determined by the time pattern of prior intravenous LH infusion
Authors: Veldhuis Johannes D. , Liu Peter Y. , Takahashi Paul Y. , Keenan Daniel M.
Published: July 2012

The long-lived glycoprotein hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), downregulates testosterone (T) biosynthesis in vitro and in vivo in animals and humans. The degree to which short-lived pulses of pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH) do so, particularly at physiological concentrations, is not known. We test the hypothesis that continuous LH infusion compared with bolus injections of LH every 1 h or every 2 h overnight downregulates T secretory responses to a subsequent fixed template of three consecutive intravenous pulses of a physiological amount of recombinant human (rh) LH (triple stimulus). Nineteen healthy men ages 18–49 yr each underwent four separate randomly ordered overnight gonadotropin-releasing hormone-receptor antagonist treatments with superimposed intravenous infusions of saline or rhLH (1-h pulses, 2-h pulses, or continuously). Each 12-h infusion protocol was followed by the triple rhLH-pulse stimulus the next morning. During the triple stimulus, basal (nonpulsatile) as well as total (basal plus pulsatile) T secretion was higher after overnight 2- and 1-h rhLH pulses than after continuous rhLH or saline delivery. Approximate entropy, a probabilistic measure of feedforward-induced irregularity of T concentration time series, was higher after 1-h rhLH pulses than after continuous rhLH. Analytical estimation of pulsatile rhLH-T dose-response measures revealed higher T secretory sensitivity and greater rhLH potency (lower EC50) after exposure to 1-h than 2-h rhLH pulses. Collectively, these data indicate that in vivo dynamics of LH-stimulated T secretion under standardized conditions in men depend on the prior time mode of LH delivery in the bloodstream.
Photoperiod regulates dietary preferences and energy metabolism in young developing Fischer 344 rats but not in same-age Wistar rats
Authors: Togo Yuki , Otsuka Tsuyoshi , Goto Mariko , Furuse Mitsuhiro , Yasuo Shinobu
Published: July 2012

The effects of photoperiod on dietary preference were examined using young growing Fischer 344 and Wistar rats, which are seasonal and nonseasonal breeders, respectively. Rats were provided a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet (LFD: 66/10/24% energy as carbohydrate/fat/protein) and high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet (HFD: 21/55/24% energy as carbohydrate/fat/protein) simultaneously under long- (LD: 16 h light/day) and short-day (SD: 8 h light/day) conditions for 3 wk. Fischer 344 rats preferred the LFD to the HFD under the LD condition, whereas preference for both diets was equivalent under the SD condition. Consequently, their body weight and total energy intake exhibited 11–15 and 10–13% increases, respectively, under the LD condition. Calculation of energy intake from macronutrients revealed that rats under the LD condition consumed 20–24 and 9–13% higher energy of carbohydrates and proteins, respectively, than those under the SD condition. In contrast, Wistar rats preferred the LFD to the HFD irrespective of photoperiod and exhibited no photoperiodic changes in any parameters examined. Next, Fischer 344 rats were provided either the LFD or HFD for 3 wk under LD or SD conditions. Calorie intake was 10% higher in the rats fed the LFD than those fed the HFD under SD condition. However, rats under LD condition exhibited 5–10, 14, and 64% increases in body weight, epididymal fat mass, and plasma leptin levels, respectively, compared with those under the SD condition irrespective of dietary composition. In conclusion, photoperiod regulates feeding and energy metabolism in young growing Fischer 344 rats via the interactions with dietary macronutrient composition.