bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intermittent turbulence, noisy fluctuations, and wavy structures in the Venusian magnetosheath and wake
Authors: Vörös Z. , Zhang T. L. , Leaner M. P. , Volwerk M. , Delva M. , Baumjohann W.
Published: December 2008

Recent research has shown that distinct physical regions in the Venusian induced magnetosphere are recognizable from the variations of strength of the magnetic field and its wave/fluctuation activity. In this paper the statistical properties of magnetic fluctuations are investigated in the Venusian magnetosheath and wake regions. The main goal is to identify the characteristic scaling features of fluctuations along Venus Express (VEX) trajectory and to understand the specific circumstances of the occurrence of different types of scalings. For the latter task we also use the results of measurements from the previous missions to Venus. Our main result is that the changing character of physical interactions between the solar wind and the planetary obstacle is leading to different types of spectral scaling in the near‐Venusian space. Noisy fluctuations are observed in the magnetosheath, wavy structures near the terminator, and in the nightside near‐planet wake. Multiscale turbulence is observed at the magnetosheath boundary layer and near the quasi‐parallel bow shock. Magnetosheath boundary layer turbulence is associated with an average magnetic field which is nearly aligned with the Sun‐Venus line. Noisy magnetic fluctuations are well described with the Gaussian statistics. Both magnetosheath boundary layer and near‐shock turbulence statistics exhibit non‐Gaussian features and intermittency over small spatiotemporal scales. The occurrence of turbulence near magnetosheath boundaries can be responsible for the local heating of plasma observed by previous missions.
Mucosal Tolerance to E-Selectin Promotes the Survival of Newly Generated Neuroblasts via Regulatory T-Cell Induction after Stroke in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Ishibashi Satoru , Maric Dragan , Mou Yongshan , Ohtani Ryo , Ruetzler Christl , Hallenbeck John M
Published: December 2008

Neuroblasts in the subventricular zone (SVZ) proliferate markedly after brain ischemia, and migrate to the site of injury along with blood vessels. However, a large fraction of stroke-generated neuroblasts die shortly after being born, in part, because of local inflammation. In spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) subjected to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion, we primed E-selectin-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs) by repetitive intranasal administration of recombinant E-selectin to target local secretion of immunomodulating, antiinflammatory cytokines to activating blood vessel segments. E-selectin-tolerized SHRs had decreased infarction volumes, and increased numbers of Tregs in the cervical lymph nodes and ischemic brain. The brain Tregs were distributed primarily in periinfarct regions. E-selectin tolerization did not alter cellular proliferation in the ipsilateral SVZ after stroke, but the expression of tumor necrosis factor on vascular niche blood vessels was suppressed and both doublecortin protein levels and the number of newly generated neuroblasts or neurons were increased in the brain. This enhanced survival of neural progenitor cells and neurons was paralleled by improved functional performance. These studies suggest that E-selectin-specific Tregs can modulate the efficacy of neurogenesis after ischemia and promote repair after brain injury.
Transmittance and optical constants of Eu films from 8.3 to 1400 eV
Authors: Fernández-Perea Mónica , Vidal-Dasilva Manuela , Aznárez José A. , Larruquert Juan I. , Méndez José A. , Poletto Luca , Garoli Denis , Malvezzi A. Marco , Giglia Angelo , Nannarone Stefano
Published: December 2008

The optical constants of Eu films were obtained in the 8.3–1400 eV range from transmittance measurements performed at room temperature. Thin films of Eu were deposited by evaporation in ultrahigh vacuum conditions and their transmittance was measured in situ. Eu films were deposited onto grids coated with a thin C support film. The refractive index n of Eu was calculated using the Kramers-Kronig analysis. Data were extrapolated both on the high- and low-energy sides by using experimental and calculated extinction coefficient values available in the literature. Eu, similar to other lanthanides, has a low-absorption band just below the O2,3 edge onset; the lowest absorption was measured at about 16.7 eV. Therefore, Eu is a promising material for filters and multilayer coatings in the energy range below the O2,3 edge in which materials typically have a strong absorption. The consistency of the composite optical constants was tested with the f and inertial sum rules and found to be good.
Electrostriction in elastic dielectrics undergoing large deformation
Authors: Zhao Xuanhe , Suo Zhigang
Published: December 2008

We develop a thermodynamic model of electrostriction for elastic dielectrics capable of large deformation. The model reproduces the classical equations of state for dielectrics at small deformation, but shows that some electrostrictive effects negligible at small deformation may become pronounced at large deformation. The model is then specialized to account for recent experiments with an elastomer, where the electric displacement is linear in the electric field when the strain of the elastomer is held fixed, but the permittivity changes appreciably when the strain changes. Our model couples this quasilinear dielectric behavior with nonlinear elastic behavior. We explore the consequence of the model by deriving conditions under which the deformation-dependent permittivity suppresses electromechanical instability.
Field-resolved detection of phase-locked infrared transients from a compact Er:fiber system tunable between 55 and 107 THz
Authors: Sell Alexander , Scheu Rüdiger , Leitenstorfer Alfred , Huber Rupert
Published: December 2008

We demonstrate phase-stable generation and ultrabroadband electro-optic detection of few-cycle multi-terahertz transients tunable from 55 to 107 THz based on a versatile telecom compatible three-branch Er:fiber laser system. Difference frequency mixing of two laser pulse trains at the full repetition rate of 49 MHz provides passively phase-locked multi-terahertz transients with peak fields of 69 kV/cm and average powers of up to 1.4 mW. 8 fs gating pulses from the third laser port allow for field-sensitive sampling throughout the midinfrared with a signal to noise ratio of up to 104 Hz1/2. A leadoff application in trace gas detection is discussed.
Variational and perturbative formulations of quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical free energy with mean-field embedding and its analytical gradients
Authors: Yamamoto Takeshi
Published: December 2008

Conventional quantum chemical solvation theories are based on the mean-field embedding approximation. That is, the electronic wavefunction is calculated in the presence of the mean field of the environment. In this paper a direct quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) analog of such a mean-field theory is formulated based on variational and perturbative frameworks. In the variational framework, an appropriate QM/MM free energy functional is defined and is minimized in terms of the trial wavefunction that best approximates the true QM wavefunction in a statistically averaged sense. Analytical free energy gradient is obtained, which takes the form of the gradient of effective QM energy calculated in the averaged MM potential. In the perturbative framework, the above variational procedure is shown to be equivalent to the first-order expansion of the QM energy (in the exact free energy expression) about the self-consistent reference field. This helps understand the relation between the variational procedure and the exact QM/MM free energy as well as existing QM/MM theories. Based on this, several ways are discussed for evaluating non-mean-field effects (i.e., statistical fluctuations of the QM wavefunction) that are neglected in the mean-field calculation. As an illustration, the method is applied to an SN2 Menshutkin reaction in water, NH3+CH3Cl→NH3CH3++Cl−, for which free energy profiles are obtained at the Hartree–Fock, MP2, B3LYP, and BHHLYP levels by integrating the free energy gradient. Non-mean-field effects are evaluated to be <0.5 kcal/mol using a Gaussian fluctuation model for the environment, which suggests that those effects are rather small for the present reaction in water.
Vortex filament dynamics in computational models of ventricular fibrillation in the heart
Authors: Clayton Richard H.
Published: December 2008

In three-dimensional cardiac tissue, the re-entrant waves that sustain ventricular fibrillation rotate around a line of phase singularity or vortex filament. The aim of this study was to investigate how the behavior of these vortex filaments is influenced by membrane kinetics, initial conditions, and tissue geometry in computational models of excitable tissue. A monodomain model of cardiac tissue was used, with kinetics described by a three-variable simplified ionic model (3V-SIM). Two versions of 3V-SIM were used, one with steep action potential duration restitution, and one with reduced excitability. Re-entrant fibrillation was then simulated in three tissue geometries: a cube, a slab, and an anatomically detailed model of rabbit ventricles. Filaments were identified using a phase-based method, and the number, size, origin, and orientation of filaments was tracked throughout each simulation. The main finding of this study is that kinetics, initial conditions, geometry, and anisotropy all affected the number, proliferation, and orientation of vortex filaments in re-entrant fibrillation. An important finding of this study was that the behavior of vortex filaments in simplified slab geometry representing part of the ventricular wall did not necessarily predict behavior in an anatomically detailed model of the rabbit ventricles.
Measurement of cavitation induced wall shear stress
Authors: Dijkink Rory , Ohl Claus-Dieter
Published: December 2008

The wall shear stress from cavitation bubbles collapsing close to a rigid boundary is measured with a constant temperature anemometer. The bubble is created with focused laser light, and its dynamics is observed with high-speed photography. By correlating the frames, a hydrophone signal, and the wall shear stress, we find that the highest stresses are created after the impact of the jet, during its radial spreading on the surface. The maximum of the wall shear stress varies with the power of −2.75 as a function of the distance from the jet impact and in accordance with the prediction for a steady wall impinging jet. The highest amplitude of the signal of the wall shear stresses is found for bubbles oscillating close to the boundary and reaches more than 3 kPa. Additionally, it contains a slowly decaying weaker component that may be generated by an expanding vortex ring.
High efficiency surface-conducted field emission from a ZnO nanotetrapod and MgO nanoparticle composite emitter
Authors: Qu Ke , Li Chi , Hou Kai , Yang Xiaxi , Zhang Jin , Lei Wei , Zhang Xiaobing , Wang Baoping , Sun X. W.
Published: December 2008

We report a surface-conducted field emitter made of a ZnO nanotetrapod and MgO nanoparticle composites with a high emission efficiency (∼100%) and current (3.77 mA at a gate voltage of 100 V and anode voltage of 1800 V). The fabrications of the triode structure with a 10×10pixel array and corresponding driving method have been proposed. The electron trajectories are simulated according to the structure. Individual pixel addressing can be achieved by a sequential scanning mode. Display of moving images employing this triode structure was demonstrated. The results are of significance to the development of ZnO based triode field emitters.
Dynamically programmable fluidic assembly
Authors: Tolley Michael T. , Krishnan Mekala , Erickson David , Lipson Hod
Published: December 2008

A major challenge in fluidic assembly is the dynamically programmable fabrication of arbitrary geometries from basic components. Current approaches require predetermination of either the assembly machinery or the component interfaces for the specific target geometries. We present an alternative concept that exploits self-assembly forces locally but directs these forces globally, allowing fabrication and manipulation of target structures without tailoring the substrate or interfaces. By controlling the flow in a microfluidic chamber, components are directed to their target locations where local interactions align and bond them. Following this approach, we demonstrate and quantify the experimental assembly of structures composed of two to ten components.
Nanostructured multilayer graded-index antireflection coating for Si solar cells with broadband and omnidirectional characteristics
Authors: Chhajed Sameer , Schubert Martin F. , Kim Jong Kyu , Schubert E. Fred
Published: December 2008

Design, fabrication, and characterization of a broadband, omnidirectional, graded-index antireflection (AR) coating made using nanostructured low-refractive-index (n=1.05–1.40) silica deposited by oblique-angle deposition are reported. Averaged over wavelength range from 400 to 1100 nm and 0°–90° angle of incidence, polished Si reflects ∼37% of incident radiation. The reflection losses are reduced to only 5.9% by applying a three-layer graded-index AR coating to Si. Our experimental results are in excellent agreement with theoretical calculations. The AR coatings reported here can be optimized for photovoltaic cells made of any type of material.
Growth of biepitaxial zinc oxide thin films on silicon (100) using yttria-stabilized zirconia buffer layer
Authors: Aggarwal Ravi , Jin Chunming , Pant Punam , Narayan J. , Narayan Roger J.
Published: December 2008

In this work, an approach for integrating zinc oxide thin films with Si(100) substrates using an epitaxial tetragonal yttria-stabilized zirconia buffer layer is reported. Selected area electron diffraction measurements revealed the following epitaxial relationship: [110]YSZ∥[100]Si and (001)YSZ∥(001)Si. X-ray diffraction studies demonstrated that subsequent growth of the zinc oxide thin film on the yttria-stabilized zirconia buffer layer occurred with the following epitaxial relationship: (0002)ZnO∥(001)YSZ. The full width at half maximum value for the (0002) peak of zinc oxide was small (∼0.16°), which indicated good crystalline quality. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the zinc oxide thin film grew epitaxially on an yttria-stabilized zirconia buffer layer in two different orientations, where one orientation was rotated by 30° from the other. The orientation relationship in this case was [101¯0]ZnO∥[100]YSZ or [21¯1¯0]ZnO∥[100]YSZ and (0002)ZnO∥(001)YSZ. The biepitaxial growth of the zinc oxide thin film has been explained in the framework of domain matching epitaxy. Optical emission measurements showed a strong excitonic emission peak from the zinc oxide thin film at ∼377 nm. Minimal green band emission in the photoluminescence spectrum indicated that the concentration of point defects was low. Integration of epitaxial zinc oxide thin films with Si(100) substrates is an important step toward developing practical applications of zinc oxide in a variety of optoelectronic devices.
Electrical-modulated magnetoresistance in multi-p-n heterojunctions of La0.9Sr0.1MnO3 and oxygen-vacant SrTiO3−δ on Si substrates
Authors: Zhao Kun , Jin Kui-Juan , Lu Hui-Bin , He Meng , Huang Yan-Hong , Yang Guo-Zhen , Zhang Jiandi
Published: December 2008

The electrical modulation of the magnetoresistance (MR) from −70% to 80% under a small magnetic field of 200Oe near room temperature is found in multi-p-n heterostructures of SrTiO3−δ∕La0.9Sr0.1MnO3∕SrTiO3−δ∕La0.9Sr0.1MnO3∕Si we fabricated. The mechanism causing the modulation of MR by applied bias is proposed as the interface competition effect in the multilayer heterojunctions. Our results of the present structure are expected to meet the high desire for the application of large electronic modulation of MR near room temperature.
Long-range ferromagnetism and giant magnetocaloric effect in type VIII Eu8Ga16Ge30 clathrates
Authors: Phan M. H. , Woods G. T. , Chaturvedi A. , Stefanoski S. , Nolas G. S. , Srikanth H.
Published: December 2008

Long-range ferromagnetism and low-field giant magnetocaloric effect are observed in Eu8Ga16Ge30 with the type VIII clathrate crystal structure, a material that is better known for its thermoelectric properties. Magnetization and modified Arrott plots indicate that the system undergoes a second-order ferromagnetic-paramagnetic phase transition at ∼13K. The low-field giant magnetic entropy change (−ΔSM∼11.4J∕kgK for Δμ0H=3T) coupled with the absence of thermal hysteresis and field hysteresis makes the system very attractive for low temperature magnetic refrigeration. The giant magnetic entropy change originates from the large magnetization (7.97μB per Eu ion) and the sharp change with temperature at the paramagnetic-ferromagnetic transition.
Electron coherence length and mobility in highly mismatched III-N-V alloys
Authors: Patanè A. , Allison G. , Eaves L. , Kozlova N. V. , Zhuang Q. D. , Krier A. , Hopkinson M. , Hill G.
Published: December 2008

We investigate the quantum coherence length, Lφ, and mobility of conduction electrons in the dilute nitride alloy GaAs1−xNx. Analysis of the negative magnetoresistance using weak localization theory reveals a marked reduction in Lφ with increasing N-content. Our data are compared to theoretical models of electronic transport in GaAs1−xNx and discussed in terms of the unusual type of compositional disorder exhibited by III-N-V alloys. A comparative study of the electron mobility in InAs1−xNx also indicates that disorder effects are significantly weaker in this small band gap material.
The Effect of Occupational Safety Legislation in Preventing Accidents at Work: Traditional versus Advanced Manufacturing Industries
Authors: Arocena Pablo , Núñez Imanol
Published: December 2008

We analyze the effect of occupational safety and health (OSH) legislation in reducing workplace accidents. It is argued that different impacts should be expected in advanced and traditional manufacturing sectors. We test this hypothesis with data on Spanish manufacturing throughout the period 1988–2004. To that effect, we estimate the relationship between the number of serious injuries and the potential risk factors, by means of diverse specifications of the negative binomial regression model for panel data. Our results indicate that, while the adoption of the new OSH regulation did contribute to the reduction in the number of injuries in advanced manufacturing sectors, the accident rates in traditional manufacturing did not show any statistically significant change following the reform.
Environmental Integration and Policy Implementation: Competing Governance Modes in Waste Management Decision Making
Authors: Nilsson Måns , Eklund Mats , Tyskeng Sara
Published: December 2008

Research into environmental policy integration (EPI) has focused very much on coordination issues associated with the preparation of policies at national and international levels. We instead examine some challenges in implementing EPI at the local level. We look at legal and policy frameworks relating to environmental governance and actual waste management decision making in five Swedish cities. We observe an implementation gap between the high-level policy ambitions relating to environmental governance of the waste sector, as expressed in national policy frameworks, and the local-level decision-making procedures and outcomes. Several discrepancies are identified: between national waste policy and the local decision premises, between local waste planning and project decision making, between knowledge gathering and project decision making, and between the legal mechanism in the development consent process and the national environmental quality objectives framework. Our study indicates that the governance frameworks at different levels are quite different, and at least partly incompatible, which causes important coordination problems across levels. Sectoral developments towards an industrial marketisation of waste have rendered frameworks such as local waste plans obsolete. We also find that the more traditional and coercive forms of governing the sector, such as consent, bans, and taxes, are the ones that have steering power, whereas new procedures, such as management by objectives, lack sufficient institutional and cognitive support structures to be effective.
A Review of Interventions to Encourage SMEs to Make Environmental Improvements
Authors: Parker Craig M , Redmond Janice , Simpson Mike
Published: December 2008

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are an important part of the world economy but they are thought to be responsible for around 60% of all carbon dioxide emissions and 70% of all pollution. SMEs often have major problems with limited resources, limited knowledge, and limited technical capabilities to deal with their own negative environmental impact. SMEs exhibit widely differing characteristics and commitment where environmental issues are concerned. Yet under these conditions they are all expected to engage in environmental improvement. Interventions that encourage environmental improvement are often polarised between regulation and legislation at one extreme and voluntary environmental agreement at the other. It is clear that a holistic mixture of interventions is necessary to achieve maximum engagement and environmental improvement by all SMEs. In this paper we categorise the different levels of environmental commitment observed in SMEs and develop a selection or ‘toolkit’ of intervention strategies that might be deployed within each category of SME.
Two-phase increase in the maximum size of life over 3.5 billion years reflects biological innovation and environmental opportunity
Authors: Payne Jonathan L. , Boyer Alison G. , Brown James H. , Finnegan Seth , Kowalewski Michał , Krause Richard A. , Lyons S. Kathleen , McClain Craig R. , McShea Daniel W. , Novack-Gottshall Philip M. , Smith Felisa A. , Stempien Jennifer A. , Wang Steve C.
Published: December 2008

The maximum size of organisms has increased enormously since the initial appearance of life >3.5 billion years ago (Gya), but the pattern and timing of this size increase is poorly known. Consequently, controls underlying the size spectrum of the global biota have been difficult to evaluate. Our period-level compilation of the largest known fossil organisms demonstrates that maximum size increased by 16 orders of magnitude since life first appeared in the fossil record. The great majority of the increase is accounted for by 2 discrete steps of approximately equal magnitude: the first in the middle of the Paleoproterozoic Era (≈1.9 Gya) and the second during the late Neoproterozoic and early Paleozoic eras (0.6–0.45 Gya). Each size step required a major innovation in organismal complexity—first the eukaryotic cell and later eukaryotic multicellularity. These size steps coincide with, or slightly postdate, increases in the concentration of atmospheric oxygen, suggesting latent evolutionary potential was realized soon after environmental limitations were removed.
Distinct roles of GSK-3α and GSK-3β phosphorylation in the heart under pressure overload
Authors: Matsuda Takahisa , Zhai Peiyong , Maejima Yasuhiro , Hong Chull , Gao Shumin , Tian Bin , Goto Kazumichi , Takagi Hiromitsu , Tamamori-Adachi Mimi , Kitajima Shigetaka , Sadoshima Junichi
Published: December 2008

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a master regulator of growth and death in cardiac myocytes. GSK-3 is inactivated by hypertrophic stimuli through phosphorylation-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Inactivation of GSK-3 removes the negative constraint of GSK-3 on hypertrophy, thereby stimulating cardiac hypertrophy. N-terminal phosphorylation of the GSK-3 isoforms GSK-3α and GSK-3β by upstream kinases (e.g., Akt) is a major mechanism of GSK-3 inhibition. Nonetheless, its role in mediating cardiac hypertrophy and failure remains to be established. Here we evaluated the role of Serine(S)21 and S9 phosphorylation of GSK-3α and GSK-3β in the regulation of cardiac hypertrophy and function during pressure overload (PO), using GSK-3α S21A knock-in (αKI) and GSK-3β S9A knock-in (βKI) mice. Although inhibition of S9 phosphorylation during PO in the βKI mice attenuated hypertrophy and heart failure (HF), inhibition of S21 phosphorylation in the αKI mice unexpectedly promoted hypertrophy and HF. Inhibition of S21 phosphorylation in GSK-3α, but not of S9 phosphorylation in GSK-3β, caused phosphorylation and down-regulation of G1-cyclins, due to preferential localization of GSK-3α in the nucleus, and suppressed E2F and markers of cell proliferation, including phosphorylated histone H3, under PO, thereby contributing to decreases in the total number of myocytes in the heart. Restoration of the E2F activity by injection of adenovirus harboring cyclin D1 with a nuclear localization signal attenuated HF under PO in the αKI mice. Collectively, our results reveal that whereas S9 phosphorylation of GSK-3β mediates pathological hypertrophy, S21 phosphorylation of GSK-3α plays a compensatory role during PO, in part by alleviating the negative constraint on the cell cycle machinery in cardiac myocytes.
Structure of PolC reveals unique DNA binding and fidelity determinants
Authors: Evans Ronald J. , Davies Douglas R. , Bullard James M. , Christensen Jeffrey , Green Louis S. , Guiles Joseph W. , Pata Janice D. , Ribble Wendy K. , Janjic Nebojsa , Jarvis Thale C.
Published: December 2008

PolC is the polymerase responsible for genome duplication in many Gram-positive bacteria and represents an attractive target for antibacterial development. We have determined the 2.4-Å resolution crystal structure of
Geobacillus kaustophilus
PolC in a ternary complex with DNA and dGTP. The structure reveals nascent base pair interactions that lead to highly accurate nucleotide incorporation. A unique β-strand motif in the PolC thumb domain contacts the minor groove, allowing replication errors to be sensed up to 8 nt upstream of the active site. PolC exhibits the potential for large-scale conformational flexibility, which could encompass the catalytic residues. The structure suggests a mechanism by which the active site can communicate with the rest of the replisome to trigger proofreading after nucleotide misincorporation, leading to an integrated model for controlling the dynamic switch between replicative and repair polymerases. This ternary complex of a cellular replicative polymerase affords insights into polymerase fidelity, evolution, and structural diversity.
Association of the circadian rhythmic expression of GmCRY1a with a latitudinal cline in photoperiodic flowering of soybean
Authors: Zhang Qingzhu , Li Hongyu , Li Rui , Hu Ruibo , Fan Chengming , Chen Fulu , Wang Zonghua , Liu Xu , Fu Yongfu , Lin Chentao
Published: December 2008

Photoperiodic control of flowering time is believed to affect latitudinal distribution of plants. The blue light receptor CRY2 regulates photoperiodic flowering in the experimental model plant
Arabidopsis thaliana
. However, it is unclear whether genetic variations affecting cryptochrome activity or expression is broadly associated with latitudinal distribution of plants. We report here an investigation of the function and expression of two cryptochromes in soybean, GmCRY1a and GmCRY2a. Soybean is a short-day (SD) crop commonly cultivated according to the photoperiodic sensitivity of cultivars. Both cultivated soybean (
Glycine max
) and its wild relative (
G. soja
) exhibit a strong latitudinal cline in photoperiodic flowering. Similar to their Arabidopsis counterparts, both GmCRY1a and GmCRY2a affected blue light inhibition of cell elongation, but only GmCRY2a underwent blue light- and 26S proteasome-dependent degradation. However, in contrast to Arabidopsis cryptochromes, soybean GmCRY1a, but not GmCRY2a, exhibited a strong activity promoting floral initiation, and the level of protein expression of GmCRY1a, but not GmCRY2a, oscillated with a circadian rhythm that has different phase characteristics in different photoperiods. Consistent with the hypothesis that GmCRY1a is a major regulator of photoperiodic flowering in soybean, the photoperiod-dependent circadian rhythmic expression of the GmCRY1a protein correlates with photoperiodic flowering and latitudinal distribution of soybean cultivars. We propose that genes affecting protein expression of the GmCRY1a protein play an important role in determining latitudinal distribution of soybeans.
Usage-based dialectology
Authors: Szelid Veronika , Geeraerts Dirk
Published: December 2008

Applying concepts of Cognitive Linguistics to dialectological data of a traditional kind, the present paper addresses the question whether differences of culture and conceptualization could be detected language-internally, not just across languages. At the same time, it shows that the traditional methodology of evaluating dialectological data at the level of language structure can be challenged by a usage-based cognitive linguistic analysis. The language variant in focus is the Moldavian Southern Csango, an archaic Hungarian dialect. We investigate the conceptualization of forty internal qualities (emotions and character traits) on the basis of two usage-based types of analysis: one in which we try to determine the entrenchment of the investigated concepts, and one in which we have a look at the semantic relationships between them. The two approaches provide converging evidence that negative concepts are more elaborated in the mind of the Csangos and that the most crucial factor organizing their conceptual system is “morality”.
Qualificational meanings, illocutionary signals, and the cognitive planning of language use
Authors: Nuyts Jan
Published: December 2008

This paper aims to show how a clear perspective on the cognitive systems and processes involved in language production can help to solve a number of persistent problems in the analysis of TAM and related categories, and particularly of the semantic categories of deontic modality, volition, intention and directivity, notions which raise the issue of the relationship between qualificational categories and illocutionary categories, and what these stand for/how these should be represented in a model of the human linguistic faculty.
AnnotationSketch: a genome annotation drawing library
Authors: Steinbiss Sascha , Gremme Gordon , Schärfer Christin , Mader Malte , Kurtz Stefan
Published: December 2008

Summary: To analyse the vast amount of genome annotation data available today, a visual representation of genomic features in a given sequence range is required. We developed a C library which provides layout and drawing capabilities for annotation features. It supports several common input and output formats and can easily be integrated into custom C applications. To exemplify the use of AnnotationSketch in other languages, we provide bindings to the scripting languages Ruby, Python and Lua.

Availability: The software is available under an open-source license as part of GenomeTools (http://genometools.org/annotationsketch.html).

Contact:  steinbiss@zbh.uni-hamburg.de
Osteoporosis
Authors: Davies Richard
Published: December 2008

Osteoporosis occurs mostly in postmenopausal women and patients taking long-term corticosteroids. In women, the lifetime risk is 40% and men have a much lower but still significant risk of 13%. The survival rates after hip fracture vary with the patient's age, for women between the ages of 65–69 years 1-year survival is 11%, while for men over 90 the figure is 67%. Hip fractures and other osteoporotic fractures can have an enormous impact on a patient's mobility and quality of life, leading to increase use of social care services and informal carers. The cost of osteoporosis and fractures is immense, this cost not only relates to the initial hospital care but also ongoing social care costs. Each admission from fractured hip can cost the NHS over £8,000. The main aim of treatment is to prevent fractures and to reduce the both morbidity and mortality.
Falls in the Elderly
Authors: Lawrence Deborah
Published: December 2008

With an aging population in the UK, an ever increasing percentage of a GP's workload is spent with the care of older people.
The Annual Diabetes Review
Authors: Gadsby Roger
Published: December 2008

Around 3.8% of the UK population are registered as having diabetes according to the prevalence data from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QoF). There is a strong evidence base that good control of blood glucose levels, blood pressure levels and the use of statin therapy reduces the risk of developing microvascular complications (retinopathy, nephropathy and foot problems) and macrovasular complications (heart attacks and strokes).
Why Should I Become a Rural GP? What do I Need to Know?
Authors: Baird A. Gordon
Published: December 2008

Rural General Practice is not a well-defined entity. The lack of locally accessible services, both medical and social, demands that a rural practice develops care pathways and service delivery that differs from urban practices. This, and the nature of a personal list in a defined community, inevitably shifts the balance between proactive and reactive care. W. H. Auden summed up a little of what the essence of rural practice is: well grounded and practical advice given within the context of patients and community; all our patients die (acknowledging an increasingly unspoken fact) and our relationship with them on that journey between birth and death is the essence of all general practice.
Interconnected porous hydroxyapatite ceramics for bone tissue engineering
Authors: Yoshikawa Hideki , Tamai Noriyuki , Murase Tsuyoshi , Myoui Akira
Published: December 2008

Several porous calcium hydroxyapatite (HA) ceramics have been used clinically as bone substitutes, but most of them possessed few interpore connections, resulting in pathological fracture probably due to poor bone formation within the substitute. We recently developed a fully interconnected porous HA ceramic (IP-CHA) by adopting the ‘foam-gel’ technique. The IP-CHA had a three-dimensional structure with spherical pores of uniform size (average 150 μm, porosity 75%), which were interconnected by window-like holes (average diameter 40 μm), and also demonstrated adequate compression strength (10–12 MPa). In animal experiments, the IP-CHA showed superior osteoconduction, with the majority of pores filled with newly formed bone. The interconnected porous structure facilitates bone tissue engineering by allowing the introduction of mesenchymal cells, osteotropic agents such as bone morphogenetic protein or vasculature into the pores. Clinically, we have applied the IP-CHA to treat various bony defects in orthopaedic surgery, and radiographic examinations demonstrated that grafted IP-CHA gained radiopacity more quickly than the synthetic HA in clinical use previously. We review the accumulated data on bone tissue engineering using the novel scaffold and on clinical application in the orthopaedic field.
A finite dissipative theory of temporary interfibrillar bridges in the extracellular matrix of ligaments and tendons
Authors: Ciarletta P. , Ben Amar M.
Published: December 2008

The structural integrity and the biomechanical characteristics of ligaments and tendons result from the interactions between collagenous and non-collagenous proteins (e.g. proteoglycans, PGs) in the extracellular matrix. In this paper, a dissipative theory of temporary interfibrillar bridges in the anisotropic network of collagen type I, embedded in a ground substance, is derived. The glycosaminoglycan chains of decorin are assumed to mediate interactions between fibrils, behaving as viscous structures that transmit deformations outside the collagen molecules. This approach takes into account the dissipative effects of the unfolding preceding fibrillar elongation, together with the slippage of entire fibrils and the strain-rate-dependent damage evolution of the interfibrillar bridges. Thermodynamic consistency is used to derive the constitutive equations, and the transition state theory is applied to model the rearranging properties of the interfibrillar bridges. The constitutive theory is applied to reproduce the hysteretic spectrum of the tissues, demonstrating how PGs determine damage evolution, softening and non-recoverable strains in their cyclic mechanical response. The theoretical predictions are compared with the experimental response of ligaments and tendons from referenced studies. The relevance of the proposed model in mechanobiology research is discussed, together with several applications from medical practice to bioengineering science.
Society for Medical Anthropology
Authors: Ragsdale Kathleen
Published: December 2008

•SMA Notes from the Field: Sexuality as Political Discourse in Iran Pardis Mahdavi
Association for Political and Legal Anthropology
Authors: Krause Elizabeth , Bhan Mona
Published: December 2008

•Emerging Trends: Immigration Law and Lawyers in Italy Barbars Faedda
Central States Anthropological Society
Authors: Dean‐Olmsted Evelyn , Glaros Angela
Published: December 2008

•Notes from the Field: Challenges of Urban Ethnography Evelyn Dean
Council on Anthropology and Education
Authors: Bialostok Steve
Published: December 2008

•Annual Meeting Review Ellen Skilton‐Sylvester, Thea Abu El‐Haj
Society for the Anthropology of Food and Nutrition
Authors: Black Rachel
Published: December 2008

•Food Producers on the Edge in West Bengal Anna Maria Nicolaysen
Society for Medical Anthropology
Authors: Ragsdale Kathleen
Published: December 2008

•SMA Notes from the Field: The Health of War Studies Matthew Gutmann
Oestrogen modulates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and interleukin‐17 production via programmed death 1
Authors: Wang Chunhe , Dehghani Babak , Li Yuexin , Kaler Laurie J. , Vandenbark Arthur A. , Offner Halina
Published: December 2008

The mechanism by which oestrogens suppress experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis, is only partially understood. We here demonstrate that treatment with 17β‐oestradiol (E2) in C57BL/6 mice boosted the expression of programmed death 1 (PD‐1), a negative regulator of immune responses, in the CD4+ FoxP3+ regulatory T (Treg) cell compartment in a dose‐dependent manner that correlated with the efficiency of EAE protection. Administration of E2 at pregnancy levels but not lower concentrations also enhanced the frequency of Treg cells. Additionally, E2 treatment drastically reduced the production of interleukin‐17 (IL‐17) in the periphery of immunized mice. However, E2 treatment did not protect against EAE or suppress IL‐17 production in PD‐1 gene‐deficient mice. Finally, E2 failed to prevent Treg‐deficient mice from developing spontaneous EAE. Taken together, our results suggest that E2‐induced protection against EAE is mediated by upregulation of PD‐1 expression within the Treg‐cell compartment.
A multi‐method, holistic strategy for researching critical success factors in IT projects
Authors: Remus Ulrich , Wiener Martin
Published: December 2008

In the field of information systems (IS) there is an observable trend towards the use of multi‐method research. Using different research methods allows for the cross‐validation of data obtained via multiple approaches, with the potential to increase the robustness of research results. Such a multi‐method approach is applicable to a comprehensive research agenda on critical success factors, an agenda that needs to take into account not only the identification, but also the analysis and management of critical success factors. The goal of this article is to contribute new knowledge on how to carry out research on critical success factors in IS projects using a multi‐method approach. For this purpose, two research projects are presented, each a variation of the research design customized to particular circumstances. First, there is an outline of the research approach taken for a critical success factor research project in the field of portal implementation, with discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the project. Taking into consideration these experiences, the research approach of a similar critical success factor research project in the field of offshore software development is then described. Finally, recommendations for using the multi‐method research approach in critical success factor research are presented.
Transgenes in Mexican maize: molecular evidence and methodological considerations for GMO detection in landrace populations
Authors: PIÑEYRO‐NELSON A. , VAN HEERWAARDEN J. , PERALES H. R. , SERRATOS‐HERNÁNDEZ J. A. , RANGEL A. , HUFFORD M. B. , GEPTS P. , GARAY‐ARROYO A. , RIVERA‐BUSTAMANTE R. , ÁLVAREZ‐BUYLLA E. R.
Published: December 2008

A possible consequence of planting genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in centres of crop origin is unintended gene flow into traditional landraces. In 2001, a study reported the presence of the transgenic 35S promoter in maize landraces sampled in 2000 from the Sierra Juarez of Oaxaca, Mexico. Analysis of a large sample taken from the same region in 2003 and 2004 could not confirm the existence of transgenes, thereby casting doubt on the earlier results. These two studies were based on different sampling and analytical procedures and are thus hard to compare. Here, we present new molecular data for this region that confirm the presence of transgenes in three of 23 localities sampled in 2001. Transgene sequences were not detected in samples taken in 2002 from nine localities, while directed samples taken in 2004 from two of the positive 2001 localities were again found to contain transgenic sequences. These findings suggest the persistence or re‐introduction of transgenes up until 2004 in this area. We address variability in recombinant sequence detection by analyzing the consistency of current molecular assays. We also present theoretical results on the limitations of estimating the probability of transgene detection in samples taken from landraces. The inclusion of a limited number of female gametes and, more importantly, aggregated transgene distributions may significantly lower detection probabilities. Our analytical and sampling considerations help explain discrepancies among different detection efforts, including the one presented here, and provide considerations for the establishment of monitoring protocols to detect the presence of transgenes among structured populations of landraces.
Phylogeography of the greater horseshoe bat,Rhinolophus ferrumequinum: contrasting results from mitochondrial and microsatellite data
Authors: FLANDERS JON , JONES GARETH , BENDA PETR , DIETZ CHRISTIAN , ZHANG SHUYI , LI GANG , SHARIFI MOZAFAR , ROSSITER STEPHEN J.
Published: December 2008

Phylogeographical studies are typically based on haplotype data, occasionally on nuclear markers such as microsatellites, but rarely combine both. This is unfortunate because the use of markers with contrasting modes of inheritance and rates of evolution might provide a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of a species’ history. Here we present a detailed study of the phylogeography of the greater horseshoe bat,Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, using 1098 bp of the mitochondrialND2gene from 45 localities from across its Palaearctic range to infer population history. In addition, we re‐analysed a large microsatellite data set available for this species and compared the results of both markers to infer population relationships and the historical processes influencing them. We show that mtDNA, the most popular marker in phylogeography studies, yielded a misleading result, and would have led us to conclude erroneously that a single expansion had taken place in Europe. Only by combining the mitochondrial and microsatellite data sets are we able to reconstruct the species’ history and show two colonization events in Europe, one before the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and one after it. Combining markers also revealed the importance of Asia Minor as an ancient refugium for this species and a source population for the expansion of the greater horseshoe bat into Europe before the LGM.
How many subjects are needed in a longitudinal birth cohort study?
Authors: Golding Jean , Steer Colin
Published: December 2008

One of the first decisions that needs to be taken when planning a birth cohort concerns the size of the study. This in turn will depend on the research questions to be answered and thence whether environmental exposures and outcomes are measured on a continuum or as dichotomous variables. Here we describe ways in which different birth cohorts have addressed this issue and explore the advantages of smaller detailed studies over larger less‐detailed studies.
Susceptibility to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Infection is Linked to the Pattern of Macrophage Activation
Authors: Tansini A. , De Medeiros B. M. M.
Published: December 2008

T helper 1 cells play a crucial role in the clearance of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection. By producing cytokines and presenting antigens to T cells, activated macrophages can orientate the adaptive immune response. The pathway used by macrophages to metabolize arginine has been employed as an important parameter to discriminate their activation state. In this study, the pattern of macrophage activation in Y. pseudotuberculosis‐infected BALB/c (Yersinia‐susceptible) and C57BL/6 (Yersinia‐resistant) mice and their immunostimulatory capacity were analysed. In the early phase of infection, macrophages obtained from C57BL/6 mice produced higher levels of NO, lower arginase activity, and larger amounts of IL‐12 and TNF‐α than macrophages from BALB/c mice. On the other hand, macrophages derived from BALB/c mice produced higher levels of IL‐10 and TGF‐β than C57BL/6 mice. The Y. pseudotuberculosis infection leads to a fall in the macrophage immunostimulatory capacity of both strains of mice, with T‐cell proliferation significantly reduced 12 h after infection. Moreover, we observed in the supernatant of co‐culture of macrophages from infected mice with T lymphocytes from heat‐killed Yersinia‐immunized mice lower IFN‐γ production by cells from BALB/c mice than by C57BL/6 mice, and IL‐4 was produced only by BALB/c mice on the first‐ and third‐day post‐infection. These results suggest that the pattern of macrophage activation is associated with susceptibility and resistance to Y. pseudotuberculosis infection in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice.
Th1 Cell Reactivity and HLA‐DR Binding Prediction for Promiscuous Recognition of MPT63 (Rv1926c), a Major Secreted Protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Mustafa A. S.
Published: December 2008

MPT63 (Rv1926c), a major secreted protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is immunoreactive in antibody assays in humans and animals and provides protection as a combined DNA vaccine in mice. This study was undertaken to determine the reactivity of MPT63 in T helper 1 (Th1) cell assays, i.e. antigen‐induced proliferation and interferon‐γ secretion, using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from 72 Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette–Guérin vaccinated healthy subjects. PBMCs were tested with complex mycobacterial antigens and pools of synthetic peptides corresponding to MPT63, MPB70, MT24, PPE68, CFP10 and ESAT‐6. The results showed that MPT63 induced moderate Th1 cell reactivity which was equivalent to the reactivity induced by other secreted antigens of M. tuberculosis, i.e. MT24 and MPB70. Furthermore, human leucocyte antigen (HLA) heterogeneity of the responding donors suggested that MPT63 was presented to Th1 cells promiscuously. Analysis of the MPT63 sequence and its peptides for binding to 51 alleles of 9 serologically defined HLA‐DR molecules, using a virtual matrix‐based prediction program (ProPred) showed that MPT63 sequence could bind to all the 51 alleles, whereas 9 of the 10 peptides of MPT63 were also predicted to bind promiscuously. When tested with PBMCs of HLA‐DR heterogeneous donors that responded to MPT63 in interferon‐γ assays, at least 9 of the 10 peptides of MPT63 were recognized by PBMCs from HLA heterogeneous donors. These results suggested that promiscuous Th1 cell reactive epitopes are scattered throughout the sequence of MPT63, and further support the inclusion of this protein in an antigen cocktail to develop a new anti‐tuberculosis vaccine.