bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A variant in the heart-specific fatty acid transport protein 6 is associated with lower fasting and postprandial TAG, blood pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy
Authors: Auinger Annegret , Helwig Ulf , Pfeuffer Maria , Rubin Diana , Luedde Mark , Rausche Tim , Eddine El Mokhtari Nour , Fölsch Ulrich R. , Schreiber Stefan , Frey Norbert , Schrezenmeir Jürgen
Published: September 2011

Fatty acid transport protein 6 (FATP6) is primarily expressed in the heart and seems to be involved in cardiac fatty acid uptake. Therefore, we investigated whether a variation in the 5′-untranslated region of the FATP6 gene is associated with features of the metabolic syndrome and signs of myocardial alteration or heart failure. A total of 755 male participants from a Metabolic Intervention Cohort Kiel were genotyped for the FATP6–7T>A polymorphism (rs2526246) and phenotyped for features of the metabolic syndrome. Participants underwent a glucose tolerance test and the postprandial assessment of metabolic variables after a standardised mixed meal. Left ventricular heart function was evaluated in fifty-four participants. Fasting (P = 0·01) and postprandial (P = 0·02) TAG concentrations were significantly lower in AA homozygotes when compared with wild-type carriers. Homozygosity of allele A was associated with significantly lower postprandial insulin concentrations after a glucose load and significantly lower systolic (P = 0·01) and diastolic (P = 0·01) blood pressure values compared with wild-type carriers. Accordingly, left ventricular heart mass was significantly lower in twenty-seven AA homozygotes in comparison with twenty-seven TT homozygotes, matched for BMI (P = 0·04). In conclusion, the effects of the FATP6 polymorphism on TAG are mediated by affluent dietary fat. The FATP6–7T>A polymorphism may protect from traits of the metabolic syndrome and CVD.
Water balance throughout the adult life span in a German population
Authors: Manz Friedrich , Johner Simone A. , Wentz Andreas , Boeing Heiner , Remer Thomas
Published: September 2011

Mild dehydration, defined as a 1–2 % loss in body mass caused by fluid deficit, is associated with risks of functional impairments and chronic diseases. Whether water requirements change with increasing age remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present investigation is to quantify hydration status and its complex determining factors from young to old adulthood to analyse age-related alterations and to provide a reliable database for the derivation of dietary recommendations. Urine samples collected over a 24 h period and dietary records from 1528 German adults (18–88 years; sub-sample of the first National Food Consumption Survey) were used to calculate water intake (beverages, food and metabolic water) and water excretion parameters (non-renal water losses (NRWL), urine volume, obligatory urine volume) and to estimate hydration status (free-water-reserve) and ‘adequate intake (AI)’. Median total water intake (2483 and 2054 ml/d, for men and women, respectively (P < 0·0001)), decreased with increasing age only in males (P = 0·001). Obligatory urine volume increased in both sexes (P < 0·0001) due to decreased renal concentration capacity. The latter was balanced by a decrease of NRWL (P < 0·05), leaving the free-water-reserve and therefore hydration status almost unchanged. Calculated ‘AI’ of total water was the same for young (18–24 years) and elderly ( ≥ 65 years) adults (2910 and 2265 ml/d, for men and women, respectively). The present study is the first population-based examination showing that total water requirements do not change with age although ageing affects several parameters of water metabolism. Reduced sweat loss with increasing age appears to be primarily responsible for this observation.
Geochronological, geochemical and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic constraints on petrogenesis of Late Mesozoic gabbro–granite complexes on the southeast coast of Fujian, South China: insights into a depleted mantle source region and crust–mantle interactions
Authors: LI ZHEN , QIU JIAN-SHENG , XU XI-SHENG
Published: September 2011

The Quanzhou (QZ) and Huacuo (HC) gabbro–granite complexes on the southeast coast of Fujian, South China, are important components of a Late Mesozoic calc-alkaline volcanic–plutonic belt in the region. The complexes provide an excellent opportunity to investigate the genetic relationships between acid and basic magmas, and their interactions within the intrusive environment. The complexes are composed mainly of monzogranite and biotite granodiorite in the QZ complex, and biotite granite in the HC complex, with lesser amounts of hornblende gabbro. Zircon U–Pb dating provides consistent crystallization ages of 109 ± 1 Ma and 108 ± 1 Ma for the QZ gabbros and monzogranites, and an age of 111 ± 1 Ma for the HC gabbro, which is contemporaneous with the spatially associated HC granites. Both the mafic and felsic intrusions in these complexes are enriched in light rare earth elements (LREEs) and large-ion lithophile elements (LILEs), and are depleted in high-field-strength elements (HFSEs; e.g. Nb and Ta). They show similarly homogeneous Sr–Nd isotopic compositions. All these factors indicate a close genetic relationship between the gabbroic and granitic rocks in the QZ and HC complexes. Although the enriched Sr–Nd isotopic signatures of the QZ and HC gabbros seemingly point to an enriched mantle source (EM-1), they have highly variable zircon Hf isotopic compositions, with εHf(t) values ranging from negative to positive (specifically –4.6 to +6.1 for the QZ gabbros and –4.8 to +11.6 for the HC gabbros). We interpret the parental basic magmas of these gabbros to have received contributions from a depleted mantle source and crustal components. Contributions from such a depleted mantle source resulted in the growth of juvenile basaltic lower crust, the partial melting of which generated the parental felsic magmas of the QZ and HC complexes. Furthermore, based on a synthesis of petrography, geochronology, elemental and isotopic geochemistry and tectonics, we propose that break-off and rollback of the Late Mesozoic subducted Palaeo-Pacific Plate triggered the upwelling of asthenospheric mantle below the coastal area of the South China Block, which induced extension of the overlying continental lithosphere, and finally initiated the large-scale Late Yanshanian magmatism in the study area.
Prenatal and postnatal risk factors for infantile pneumonia in a representative birth cohort
Authors: CHEN C. H. , WEN H. J. , CHEN P. C. , LIN S. J. , CHIANG T. L. , HSIEH I. C. , GUO Y. L.
Published: September 2011

Pneumonia is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in infants. However, information of risk factors for pneumonia in children aged <6 months is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors and their contribution to infantile pneumonia in a large population-based survey. Of 24 200 randomly sampled main caregivers invited, 21 248 (87·8%) participated in this study. A structured questionnaire was used to interview the main caregivers. Information regarding whether hospitalization was required, family environment, and medical history were obtained. The prevalence of pneumonia was 0·62% in our study cohort. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that preterm birth, congenital cardiopulmonary disease, antibiotic use during pregnancy, maternal overweight, daily prenatal exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and visible mould on walls at home are risk factors associated with infantile pneumonia. Further study is warranted to investigate the causality and mechanisms of these novel factors.
Grammar and CALL: a review of current practice in some French language programs
Authors: Glencross Michael
Published: September 2011

Two of the most frequently voiced criticisms of the competences of the average language student entering higher education are lack of accuracy in the use of the written language and lack of knowledge of linguistic terminology or metalanguage for describing and reflecting on the language being learnt. For some useful background to the controversial position of grammar in foreign language learning with particular reference to CALL see Metcalfe (1992). However, far from becoming a laudator temporis acti of the precommunicative era and advocating a return to ‘traditional’ methods of teaching language and grammar, I want in this survey to examine the opportunities afforded by the growing interest in CALL to try to remedy some of the perceived shortcomings in students' performance and knowledge. The software I want to review covers a wide range, from dedicated grammar programs through content-free and level-free authoring packages to other pieces of software which while not specifically intended for improving students grammatical accuracy, can be applied for such a purpose. In studying these representative examples of current practice I hope to establish what may be the advantages of computer based learning over traditional methods and media in grammar teaching and learning and to identify the criteria for good practice in this type of CALL ware. For a recent survey of the evolution of CALL software see Last (1992).
Institutions, sustainable land use and consumer welfare: the case of forest and grazing lands in northern Ethiopia
Authors: Gebreegziabher Zenebe , Gebremedhin Berhanu , Mekonnen Alemu
Published: September 2011

Land is an essential factor of production. Institutions that govern its efficient use determine the sustainability of this essential resource. In Ethiopia all land is publicly owned. Such an institutional setting is said to have resulted in the major degradation of Ethiopia's land resources and dissipation of the resource rent. An alternative to this is assigning a private property institution. In this paper, we examine the consumer welfare effects of a change in the institutional setting on communal forest and grazing lands, using a cross-section data set of 200 households in Northern Ethiopia. Findings suggest that changing the current institutional setting could indeed be welfare reducing.
The effect of high multivitamin diet during pregnancy on food intake and glucose metabolism in Wistar rat offspring fed low-vitamin diets post weaning
Authors: Szeto I. M. Y. , Huot P. S. P. , Reza-López S. A. , Jahan-mihan A. , Anderson G. H.
Published: September 2011

Rat offspring born to dams fed a high multivitamin diet (HV) are shown to have increased risks of obesity and metabolic syndrome. We hypothesized that a low-vitamin postweaning diet would enhance these characteristics in offspring born to HV dams. During pregnancy, Wistar rats were fed the AIN-93G diet with or without a 10-fold increase in vitamin content. In Experiment 1, at weaning, males were fed the recommended diet (RV) or a diet with 1/3 the vitamin content (1/3 RV) for 12 weeks. In Experiment 2, males and females were fed the RV diet or 1/6 RV diet for 35 weeks. Body weight was measured on a weekly basis, food intake on a daily basis, and for 1 h after an overnight fast following glucose gavage at 6, 12 and 24 weeks. Blood glucose and insulin responses to an oral glucose load were measured at 30 weeks. Males from HV dams, compared with those from RV dams, gained more weight in Experiment 1 (+7%,P< 0.05) and Experiment 2 (+11%,P< 0.0001), along with higher glucose response (+33%,P< 0.05). The 1/6 RV pup diet led to lower weight gain in males (−16%,P< 0.0001) and females (−13%,P< 0.0005), and lower food intake in males (−9%,P< 0.01) independent of the gestational diet. Females on the 1/6 RV diet and from HV dams had higher 1 h food intake (+36%,P< 0.05) and lower insulin response (−25%,P< 0.05) compared with those from RV dams. Exposure of the offspring to low-vitamin diets did not amplify the expression of the metabolic syndrome observed in those born to dams fed an HV diet.
Heterogeneity: the issue of apples, oranges and fruit pie
Authors: Purgato M. , Adams C. E.
Published: September 2011

Heterogeneity refers to any kind of variation among studies contributing to the same outcome in a systematic review. There are three broad types of heterogeneity: clinical heterogeneity, methodological heterogeneity and statistical heterogeneity. In this paper, we describe these three types of heterogeneity and the main statistical approaches to measure heterogeneity.
Information Preferences and Corresponding Consumption Behavior in Common Pool Resource Management
Authors: Brucks Wernher M. , Mosler Hans-Joachim
Published: September 2011

For the purpose of managing a common pool resource (CPR), it may be crucial to know what kind of information is important to the actors involved. The present study tests a set of hypotheses from the social ecological relevance (SER) model of decision-making in commons dilemma situations. The results showed that (1) information about the resource increased in importance with decreasing resource availability, (2) this increase was more pronounced in the presence of high ecological uncertainty, and (3) individuals attributing the availability of the resource to the group attached more importance to information on others’ behavior. These findings were reflected by the results on consumption behavior, as (1) the average consumption decreased with decreasing resource availability, (2) it decreased more pronounced in the presence of high ecological uncertainty, and (3) individuals attributing the availability of the resource to the group were more inclined to follow the group’s consumption than individuals attributing to the resource.
Ixodes scapularis salivary gland protein P11 facilitates migration of Anaplasma phagocytophilum from the tick gut to salivary glands
Authors: Liu Lei , Narasimhan Sukanya , Dai Jianfeng , Zhang Lili , Cheng Gong , Fikrig Erol
Published: September 2011

Ixodes ticks harbour several human pathogens belonging to the order Rickettsiales, including Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the agent of human anaplasmosis. When ticks feed on A. phagocytophilum‐infected mice, the pathogen enters the ticks' gut. The bacteria then migrate from the gut to infect the salivary glands of the ticks and are transmitted to the next host via the saliva. The molecular mechanisms that enable the migration of A. phagocytophilum from the gut to the salivary glands are poorly understood. Here we show that a secreted tick protein, P11, is important in this process. We show that P11 enables A. phagocytophilum to infect tick haemocytes, which are required for the migration of A. phagocytophilum from the gut to the salivary glands. Silencing of p11 impaired the A. phagocytophilum infection of tick haemocytes in vivo and consequently decreased pathogen infection of the salivary glands. In vitro experiments showed that P11 could bind to A. phagocytophilum and thus facilitate its infection of tick cells. This report provides new insights into A. phagocytophilum infection of ticks and reveals new avenues to interrupt the life cycle of Anaplasma and related Rickettsial pathogens.
Marked Rise in Replikin Counts in H5N1 Influenza Virus Localized to Lethality Gene p B1.
Authors: Bogoch Samuel , Bogoch Elenore
Published: September 2011

Abstract: Virus outbreaks have been found to be related to the concentration of a new class of genomic peptides, Replikins^1^. The eight genes of H5N1 influenza virus were analyzed for the distribution of Replikin Counts (number Replikins /100 amino acids) in 2,441 sequences from birds and humans. An increase (p<0.001) occurred from 2004 to August 2011 in one gene, pB1.
Gas phase enthalpies of formation, isomerization, and disproportionation of mono- through tetra-substituted tetrahedranes: A G4MP2/G4 theoretical study
Authors: Rayne Sierra , Forest Kaya
Published: September 2011

Gas phase (298.15 K, 1 atm) enthalpies of formation (Δ~f~H°~(g)~), enthalpies of disproportionation to two corresponding acetylene molecules (Δ~rxn~H°~(g),Td→acet~), and enthalpies of isomerization from a tetrahedrane geometry to a 1,3-cyclobutadiene structure (Δ~isom~H°~(g),Td→CBD~) were calculated for the mono- through tetra-substituted hydro, fluoro, chloro, bromo, methyl, ethynyl, and cyano carbon tetrahedrane derivatives at the G4MP2 and G4 levels of theory. All derivatives have endothermic Δ~f~H°~(g)~ indicative of the cage strain in these systems. In all cases, Δ~rxn~H°~(g),Td→acet~ and Δ~isom~H°~(g),Td→CBD~ are predicted to be substantially exothermic. High quality linear regression fits within a homologous series were obtained between the number of substituents and the G4MP2/G4 estimated Δ~f~H°~(g)~. Via calculations on lower homolog members, this strategy was employed to allow extrapolated G4 and/or G4MP2 Δ~f~H°~(g)~ (as well as some Δ~rxn~H°~(g),Td→acet~ and Δ~isom~H°~(g),Td→CBD~) to be obtained for the mono- through tetra-substituted t-butyl, trifluoromethyl, and trimethylsilyl carbon tetrahedrane derivatives.
Annual cycle of aerosol backscatter coefficient and aerosol mixed layer height above Neuchâtel (Switzerland, 47.00°N, 6.95°E)
Authors: Srivastava Manoj K , Frioud Max , Matthey Renoud , Mitev Valentin
Published: September 2011

Due to the complexity of the direct and indirect effects of the atmospheric aerosols on the air quality and atmospheric radiation balance, complementary methods are necessary to assess the aerosol optical properties. In this sense the backscatter lidar methods are critical in aerosol vertical distribution study. This work presents the annual cycle of aerosol backscatter coefficient (ABC) and aerosol mixed layer (AML) height over Neuchâtel, Switzerland (47.00 N; 6.950 E, 485 m asl). The study is performed by a ground based backscatter lidar operating at 532 nm wavelength as part of EARLINET program of EU. Atmospheric layering for this study is based on a classification of lower atmosphere from 1 km to 2 km above sea level (asl) and from 2 km to 5 km asl, respectively.
Numerical investigation of transitional flow over a rapidly pitching plate
Authors: Garmann Daniel J. , Visbal Miguel R.
Published: September 2011

A computational study of a plate undergoing high amplitude, pitch, hold, and return motions is presented. An implicit large eddy simulation (ILES) technique is employed to capture the laminar-to-turbulent transition process as the plate is pitched to high angles of attack. Simulations are performed for Reynolds numbers between 5000 and 40 000 with motion profiles of varying accelerations and hold times. The solutions show extremely favorable flow field comparisons of span-averaged stream-wise velocity and out-of-plane vorticity with available experimental Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements. At a given Reynolds number, the span-averaged flow fields and aerodynamic loading show little sensitivity to the acceleration of the plate for the motions examined. The three-dimensional flow field structure reveals a very rapid transition process that occurs almost at the onset of motion for the higher Reynolds number cases. In spite of this, the aerodynamic loads for those cases compare closely with the same motions at lower Reynolds numbers.
Electrically induced bandwidth broadening in polymer stabilized cholesteric liquid crystals
Authors: Tondiglia V. T. , Natarajan L. V. , Bailey C. A. , Duning M. M. , Sutherland R. L. , Ke-Yang Deng , Voevodin A. , White T. J. , Bunning T. J.
Published: September 2011

The reflection notch bandwidth of a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC), equal to the product of the liquid crystal (LC) birefringence (Δn), and the pitch length (po), is typically on the order of 50-100 nm in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Static bandwidths greater than 100 nm can be observed in CLCs that possess a pitch gradient throughout the thickness of the cell. In this work, we report on polymer stabilized CLC (PSCLC) systems that exhibit electrically controllable, dynamic bandwidths governed by the strength of a direct current (DC) electric field applied across the sample. Symmetric notch broadening which increases linearly with field and reaches a maximum value at 4 V/μm is observed. Removal of the field returns the PSCLC cell to its original optical properties. A seven fold increase in bandwidth was observed for 22 μm thick cells which contained LCs with a small birefringence (∼0.04). A variety of CLC mixtures with small positive or negative dielectric anisotropies are shown to exhibit this reversible dynamic bandwidth broadening. The magnitude of the effect was dependent on the amount of polymer stabilization controlled by initial monomer content. The underlying mechanism is partially elucidated by examining cells simultaneously in transmission and reflection and observing differences when modulating the DC polarity across the cell. Different mechanisms for the observed effects are discussed in terms of consistency with our experimental results.
Effect of turbulence on the downstream velocity deficit of a rigid sphere
Authors: Eames I. , Johnson P. B. , Roig V. , Risso F.
Published: September 2011

The effect of external turbulence completely modifies how the velocity deficit behind a rigid sphere decays with distance, changing it from an x−1 (or x−2/3 depending on the Reynolds number characterising the flow past the sphere) to x−2 decay, where x is the distance downstream. The wake width is observed to grow linearly with x. This striking change has been reported by three recent studies. We develop a new model to explain these studies which combines a stochastic model for passive wake spreading in a turbulent flow with an integral constraint based on momentum flux conservation. These results also show that, in ambient flow with an integral scale L and intensity It, a new flow regime will ultimately emerge at a distance L/It downstream, where turbulence disperses the velocity deficit with a new x−1 law.
Experimental evidence of Alfvén wave propagation in a Gallium alloy
Authors: Alboussière Thierry , Cardin Philippe , Debray François , La Rizza Patrick , Masson Jean-Paul , Plunian Franck , Ribeiro Adolfo , Schmitt Denys
Published: September 2011

Experiments with a liquid metal alloy, Galinstan, are reported and show clear evidence of Alfvén wave propagation as well as resonance of Alfvén modes. Galinstan is liquid at room temperature and, although its electrical conductivity is not as large as that of liquid sodium or NaK, it has still been possible to study Alfvén waves, thanks to the use of intense magnetic fields up to 13 T. The maximal values of Lundquist number, around 60, are similar to that of the reference experimental study by Jameson [J. Fluid Mech. 19, 513 (1964)]. The generation mechanism for Alfvén waves and their reflection is studied carefully. Numerical simulations have been performed and have been able to reproduce the experimental results, despite the fact that the simulated magnetic Prandtl number was much larger than that of Galinstan. An originality of the present study is that a poloidal disturbance (magnetic and velocity fields) is generated, allowing us to track its propagation from outside the conducting domain, hence without interfering.
Shock pressure induced by glass-confined laser shock peening: Experiments, modeling and simulation
Authors: Wu Xianqian , Duan Zhuping , Song Hongwei , Wei Yanpeng , Wang Xi , Huang Chenguang
Published: September 2011

The shock pressure generated by the glass confined regime in laser shock peening and its attenuation in the target material are investigated. First, the particle velocity of the target back free surface induced by laser generated shock pressure of this regime is measured using a photonic Doppler velocimetry system. The temporal profile of the particle velocity at the back free surface, where the elastic precursor is captured, manifests a powerful diagnostic capability of this newly developed photonic Doppler velocimetry system for tracking the velocity on short time scales in shock-wave experiments. Second, a coupling pressure analytical model, in which the material constitutive models of confined layers and target material are considered, is proposed to predict the plasma pressure profile at the surface of target. Furthermore, using the predicted shock pressure profile as the input condition, the dynamic response of the target under the shock pressure is simulated by LS-DYNA. The simulated back free surface velocity profile agrees well with that measured by the photonic Doppler velocimetry system. Finally, the attenuation behavior of stress waves and particle velocities in the depth of the target is analyzed, and it indicates an exponential decay. The corresponding empirical formulas for the attenuation behavior are given based on the numerical results.
Cationic Iridium Dendrimers: Synthesis and Photophysical Properties
Authors: Du Bin , Yuan Si-Chun , Pei Jian
Published: September 2011

Two dendrimers, D1 and D2, containing the cationic iridium complexes (C1 and C2) as cores and truxene-functionalized chromophores as the branches, have been developed by a convergent synthetic strategy. The cationic complexes employ 3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole and 2-(pyridin-2-yl)-benzimidazole derivatives as the ancillary ligands. To avoid the change in emission colour arising from the iridium complex, the conjugation between the dendron and the ligand is decoupled by separating them using the alkyl chain. An investigation of their photoluminescent features reveals that efficient energy transfer happens from the dendrons to the core in the solid state. Likewise, the charged dendritic structure is demonstrated to be an efficient method to improve the compatibility between the polar charged iridium complexes and typical hydrophobic hosts with the additional benefit of excellent solution processability. Both dendrimers exhibit strong solvatochromic behaviours in solvents and exclusive green and yellow-orange light in the solid state.
MgII, CaII, and CoII Metal-Organic Framework Materials with [Si(p-C6H4CO2)3(p-C6H4CO2H)]3– Struts
Authors: Davies Robert P. , Lickiss Paul D. , Robertson Karen , White Andrew J. P.
Published: September 2011

Three new metal-organic framework materials [Mg3(LH)2(EtOH)2(H2O)]·(EtOH)4.5(H2O)0.25 (IMP-13Mg), [Co3(LH)2(EtOH)2(H2O)]·(EtOH)3 (IMP-13Co), and [Ca3(LH)2(EtOH)4]·(EtOH)6 (IMP-14) have been prepared from the treatment of silanetetrabenzoic acid (L-H4) with MgII, CoII, and CaII salts respectively. In all cases the silanetetrabenzoic acid has been triply deprotonated and the resultant carboxylate groups assemble with trinuclear metal-based nodes to give (3,6)-connected kgd-type two-dimensional layers. These layers are then extended into the third dimension by coordination of the metal nodes by carboxylic acid groups in adjacent layers. In the case of IMP-13Mg/Co, only alternate L-H connectors and metal nodes are involved in these interlayer interactions, leaving some acid groups free within the structure. However, in IMP-14 all L-H connectors and metal nodes participate in interlayer bonding.
Arabidopsis and Lobelia anceps access small peptides as a nitrogen source for growth
Authors: Soper Fiona M. , Paungfoo-Lonhienne Chanyarat , Brackin Richard , Rentsch Doris , Schmidt Susanne , Robinson Nicole
Published: September 2011

While importance of amino acids as a nitrogen source for plants is increasingly recognised, other organic N sources including small peptides have received less attention. We assessed the capacity of functionally different species, annual and nonmycorrhizal Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. (Brassicaceae) and perennial Lobelia anceps L.f. (Campanulaceae), to acquire, metabolise and use small peptides as a N source independent of symbionts. Plants were grown axenically on media supplemented with small peptides (2–4 amino acids), amino acids or inorganic N. In A. thaliana, peptides of up to four amino acid residues sustained growth and supported up to 74% of the maximum biomass accumulation achieved with inorganic N. Peptides also supported growth of L. anceps, but to a lesser extent. Using metabolite analysis, a proportion of the peptides supplied in the medium were detected intact in root and shoot tissue together with their metabolic products. Nitrogen source preferences, growth responses and shoot–root biomass allocation were species-specific and suggest caution in the use of Arabidopsis as the sole plant model. In particular, glycine peptides of increasing length induced effects ranging from complete inhibition to marked stimulation of root growth. This study contributes to emerging evidence that plants can acquire and metabolise organic N beyond amino acids.
Drought resistance - is it really a complex trait?
Authors: Blum Abraham
Published: September 2011

Drought resistance is being increasingly labelled as being a ‘complex trait’, especially with the recent expansion of research into its genomics. There is a danger that this label may turn into an axiom that is liable to damage education on the subject as well as research and the delivery of solutions to the farmer. This opinionated review examines whether there is grounds for such an axiom. Drought resistance is labelled as a ‘complex trait’ mainly when viewed by molecular biologists from the gene discovery platform. This platform is capable of expressing hundreds and thousands of drought-responsive genes, which are up- or down-regulated under dehydration stress according to growth stage, plant organ or even time of day. Sorting out the ‘grain out of the chaff’ in order to identify the function of the candidate genes towards drought resistance is difficult and, thus, the idea that drought resistance is complex is raised. However, when drought resistance is viewed from the physiological and agronomic whole-plant and crop platform, it appears much simpler; its control, whether constitutive or adaptive, is rather obvious with respect to manipulation in breeding and crop management. The most important and common drought resistance traits function to maintain plant hydration under drought stress due to effective use of water (EUW). The state of our knowledge and the achievements in breeding for drought resistance do not support labelling drought resistance as a complex trait. The genomics road towards drought resistance is complex but we already know that the destination is much simpler.
Measuring ‘equity’ and ‘equitability’ in school effectiveness research
Authors: Kelly Anthony
Published: September 2011

This paper introduces a Gini‐type index for measuring ‘attainment equity’ in schools; that is to say, how far a school (or group of schools) is from having a ‘fair’ proportion of its examination success attributable to a fair proportion of its student population. Using data from the National Pupil Database, the Index is applied to more than 20,000 students with matched attainment records at KS2 and KS4 in two ‘statistical‐neighbour’ local authorities in England, capturing the extent to which they are meeting a public policy notion of equity. It is then combined with existing contextual value added measures to analyse school and local authority performance in terms of both attainment equity and context.
Role Play: An Alternative Scenario
Authors: Goode Tony
Published: September 2011

Tony Goode is lecturer in drama at the Polytechnic of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and has particular experience using drama with the mentally handicapped.
Feeling Queer in Dramatherapy: Transformation, Alice & the Caterpillar
Authors: Bayley Bruce Howard
Published: September 2011

First delivered at the BADth Fundraising Event held on 23rd January 1999 at the Central School of Dramatic Art, London.

(This paper is based on a lecture that I gave to the Postgraduate Diploma students at the University of Herts in 1998. When the title was first publicized I received a number of telephone calls from people asking me if the word ‘queer’ meant that I would be addressing homosexuality within Dramatherapy. I was, at first, inclined to a negative response to this question but as it was being put forward so often I decided that I would use the apparent misconception and incorporate the sexual/gender implications of the word ‘Queer’ in the paper and see where that would take us, even though I acknowledge that there is no particular connection between Carroll's use of the word ‘queer’ and Queerness as a mode of sexual or gender orientation. I did this, partly because I feel it is always useful to investigate various perceptions of a word, partly because I am both Queer (in the sense of sexual orientation) and ‘out’ (in the socio-political sense) and, partly, because I have found little if any concern or ‘marking’ of the ‘Queer question’ within the literature of Dramatherapy.)
A Fast-Moving Floorshow-The Space between Acting and Thinking in Dramatherapy with Offenders
Authors: Stamp Sally
Published: September 2011

This paper was originally presented at an Arts Therapies in Prisons Seminar at Home Office Headquarters in 1996. I have presented several papers subsequently but this is the only one written for an arts therapies audience and I feel that the difficulties and doubts I describe still hold true for dramatherapists beginning work in such an environment.
Exploring Emotion through the Myth of Ravana, the Ten Headed Demon King
Authors: Senroy Sonali
Published: September 2011

This paper was first presented at the Ecarte Conference, Munster, Germany, September 1999
Fallen Angels
Authors: Barlow Peter
Published: September 2011

Fallen Angels is described in the programme as ‘a 21st century Gothic spectacle.
A Tale of Tales
Authors: Holmwood Clive
Published: September 2011

When our life is complex, which it is more often than not, we hope to find within the story images relevant to our own predicament, hoping maybe against hope, that an answer to our problem might dwell within the story…
Developing Friendship Skills with Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders: A Case Study
Authors: Miller Caroline
Published: September 2011

This is a case study of a group run over ten sessions with a class of children, aged between ten and twelve, in a special school. All of the children had a diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder, which included Rett's disorder, Autism, and Asperger's Syndrome. In addition two children had a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), one had some loss of vision, two had dyspraxia on fine motor skills, one had Tourette's disorder, and one had Goldenhar Syndrome with an associated disorder of expressive speech. The children were from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The factors they had in common were cognitive delay and low skill levels with the kind of communication skills needed to initiate and develop friendships. The therapy focussed on social skills involved in making and maintaining friendships. The aim of the programme was to improve key skills, and to encourage the group members to telephone peers to have a conversation or to invite them to come and play. All of the children had previous experience of dramatherapy.
The Bouffonade: Its Origins and Practice
Authors: Taylor George
Published: September 2011

This paper was presented to the BADth annual conference at Bretton Hall, September 2005. It followed a workshop in which the participants prepared a short ‘Bouffonade’, which was performed as part of the presentation to the wider audience attending the paper. Actually, the performance interrupted my delivery of the paper, as part of the carnivalesque function of a Bouffonade is to disrupt formality and deflate authority. A description of the performance has been inserted below to give some idea of its content.
The Communicube: Further Clinical Developments of a New Therapeutic Method
Authors: Casson John
Published: September 2011

I introduced the Communicube as the Five Story Self Structure in my book, Drama, Psychotherapy and Psychosis: dramatherapy and psychodrama with people who hear voices (2004). Since then I have been doing workshops around Britain and therapists of many different orientations have been using it. I write this to bring you news of these developments in practice.
Letting in the Fool: An Exploration of Humour within a CAT/Dramatherapy Treatment
Authors: Carr Philippa
Published: September 2011

This paper was first given as a presentation at the British Association of Dramatherapists Conference 2005.
The Fool and ‘Stranger Anxiety’: Creative and Destructive Possibilities
Authors: Dokter Ditty
Published: September 2011

“I have a vague theory that one learns most…. from having someone suddenly make fun of something one has taken seriously up to then.
The Definition of Acting Revisited: Meisner and Kirby
Authors: Scheiffele Eberhard
Published: September 2011

This article will explain and take apart the definitions of acting given by Meisner and Kirby. While they at first seem very different, we will be able to establish a correspondence taking into account that there are different degrees of acting. Meisner's definition will be seen as the more useful one, especially for the actor and acting teacher. He focuses on the quality of acting, whereas Kirby emphasizes the quantity of acting. Kirby's definition assumes a level of exactness in comparing different instances of acting that will be shown to be unattainable.
Cultural Diversity in Dramatherapy in the Malaysian Context
Authors: Chandrasegaram Vanitha
Published: September 2011

This paper discusses the practice of dramatherapy in the past 4 years in the Malaysian context. Malaysia is a culturally diverse country. There are three different ethnicities in Malaysia: Malays, Chinese and Indians. The most common religions practiced in Malaysia include Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, and Hinduism. In the past decades there have been migrations from other Asian countries, as well as an increase in foreign students and expatriates. This paper discusses the different perceptions and reactions of clients of these various ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. The author discusses the reactions of the employing organization, when she used Hindu mythology in a country where the official religion is Islam. Some of her work with international students, who bring a different set of cultural issues and richness to dramatherapy, is also explored. The author is Malaysian, trained as a dramatherapist in the UK, then returned to establish dramatherapy practice in her birth country.
How Dramatherapy is Informed by the Therapist's Own Background and History
Authors: Bruck Talya
Published: September 2011

This article developed from a talk given at the conference “Who's that behind you? The Cultural Background of the Dramatherapist and its impact on the Therapeutic Relationship”. Understanding one's own culture and that of your clients is of utmost importance. It gives the work a context and an understanding with regard to particular issues that might arise. A case study has been used to illustrate the importance of the relationship. In my belief, it is the therapeutic relationship that holds the importance and the authenticity of this. Culture is one aspect of this relationship. A pseudonym has been used to observe client confidentiality.
Towards a Purposeful Ending: A Study Exploring the Impact of Dramatherapy on the Quality of Life of People Suffering from Dementia
Authors: Mechaeil Rasha , Graybow Alex , Cobham Peter
Published: September 2011

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of Dramatherapy on people suffering from dementia. The work was a small scale quantitative study carried out over 12 weeks comparing the experience of a Dramatherapy group with an activity group. The subjects lived in the same care home and were randomly assigned to the groups. Audits assessing quality of life measures were carried out at regular intervals.

The study found that the clients receiving Dramatherapy showed significant improvements in quantitative measures of attentiveness and engagement compared with those taking part in the activity group. The results identified a cumulative benefit which suggests increasingly positive outcomes for longer term Dramatherapy.
Mayan Women Survivors Speak: The Gendered Relations of Truth Telling in Postwar Guatemala
Authors: Crosby Alison , Lykes M Brinton
Published: September 2011

Abstract1

Truth telling in response to massive violations of human rights is a gendered sociopolitical and cultural construction. It is also inherently relational and necessitates multidimensional engagement between state and civil society. Drawing on two years of feminist participatory action research, this article explores the significance of civil society-initiated truth-telling processes in Guatemala, in particular the 2010 Tribunal of Conscience for Women Survivors of Sexual Violence during the Armed Conflict. It seeks to clarify how local, national and transnational webs of relationships, and the speech acts and silences they simultaneously engender, inform processes of transformation from victim to survivor, or reinforce or reify victimization. The article examines the conditions under which indigenous women whose identities are deeply situated within local Mayan communities can narrate truth outside of those contexts, how the multiple spectators who are on the receiving end of those processes relate to ‘the pain of others’ and implications for future truth-telling processes.
Pyrosequencing the midgut transcriptome of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens
Authors: Peng X. , Zha W. , He R. , Lu T. , Zhu L. , Han B. , He G.
Published: September 2011

The brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens, is a serious pest threatening rice production across the world. To identify the main features of the gene expression and the key components of the midgut of N. lugens responsible for nutrition, xenobiotic metabolism and the immune response, we used pyrosequencing to sample the transcriptome. More than 190 000 clean sequences were generated, which led to about 30 000 unique sequences. Sequence analysis indicated that genes with abundant transcripts in the midgut of N. lugens were mainly sugar hydrolyases and transporters, proteases and detoxification‐related proteins. Based on the sequence information, we cloned the candidate sucrase gene; this enzyme is likely to interact with the perimicrovillar membrane through its highly hydrophobic C‐terminal region. Many proteases were identified, which supported the hypothesis that N. lugens uses the proteolysis system for digestion. Scores of detoxification genes were newly identified, including cytochrome P450s, glutathione S‐transferases, caroxylesterases. A wealth of new transcripts possibly participating in the immune response were described as well. The gene encoding a peptidoglycan recognition protein was cloned. Unlike in Acyrthosiphon pisum, the immunodeficiency pathway may be present in N. lugens. This is the first global analysis of midgut transcriptome from N. lugens.
Sensory outcomes of the anterior tongue after lingual nerve repair in oropharyngeal cancer
Authors: ELFRING T. T. , BOLIEK C. A. , SEIKALY H. , HARRIS J. , RIEGER J. M.
Published: September 2011

Summary  Primary treatment of oropharyngeal cancer often involves surgical resection and reconstruction of the affected area. However, during base of tongue reconstruction the lingual nerve is often severed on one or both sides, affecting sensation in the preserved tissue of the anterior tongue. The loss of specific tongue sensations could negatively affect a person’s oral function and quality of life. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of different types of lingual nerve intervention on sensory function for patients with base of tongue cancer as compared to healthy, age‐matched adults. Subjects included 30 patients who had undergone primary oropharyngeal reconstruction with a radial forearm free‐flap and 30 matched controls. Sensations tested were temperature, two‐point discrimination, light touch, taste, oral stereognosis and texture on the anterior two‐thirds of the tongue. Results indicated that type of surgical nerve repair may not have a significant impact on overall sensory outcomes, providing mixed results for either nerve repair technique. Sensations for the nonoperated tongue side and operated side with lingual nerve intact were comparable to matched controls, with mixed outcomes for nerve repair. The poorest sensory outcomes were observed in patients with the lingual nerve severed, while all patients with lingual nerve intervention exhibited deteriorated taste sensation on the affected tongue side. Overall, patients in this study who had undergone oropharyngeal reconstruction with lingual nerve intervention exhibited decreased levels of sensation on the operated tongue side, with minimal differences between types of lingual nerve repair.
Tooth wear and wear investigations in dentistry
Authors: LEE A. , HE L. H. , LYONS K. , SWAIN M. V.
Published: September 2011

Summary  Tooth wear has been recognised as a major problem in dentistry. Epidemiological studies have reported an increasing prevalence of tooth wear and general dental practitioners see a greater number of patients seeking treatment with worn dentition. Although the dental literature contains numerous publications related to management and rehabilitation of tooth wear of varying aetiologies, our understanding of the aetiology and pathogenesis of tooth wear is still limited. The wear behaviour of dental biomaterials has also been extensively researched to improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and for the development of restorative materials with good wear resistance. The complex nature of tooth wear indicates challenges for conducting in vitro and in vivo wear investigations and a clear correlation between in vitro and in vivo data has not been established. The objective was to critically review the peer reviewed English‐language literature pertaining to prevalence and aetiology of tooth wear and wear investigations in dentistry identified through a Medline search engine combined with hand‐searching of the relevant literature, covering the period between 1960 and 2011.
Target specificity of the Candida albicans Efg1 regulator
Authors: Lassak Theresia , Schneider Eva , Bussmann Michael , Kurtz Dagmar , Manak J. Robert , Srikantha Thyagarajan , Soll David R. , Ernst Joachim F.
Published: September 2011

Efg1 is a central transcriptional regulator of morphogenesis and metabolism in Candida albicans. In vivo genome‐wide ChIP chip and in vitro footprint analyses revealed the Efg1 recognition sequence (EGR‐box) TATGCATA in the yeast growth form of this human fungal pathogen. Upstream regions of EFG1 and genes encoding transcriptional regulators of hyphal growth including TCC1, CZF1, TEC1, DEF1 and NRG1 contained EGR‐ and/or EGR‐like boxes. Unexpectedly, after brief hyphal induction the genome‐wide Efg1 binding pattern was completely altered and new binding sites of yet unknown specificity had appeared. Hyphal induction abolished Efg1 accumulation on EFG1 and TCC1 promoters and led to rapid decline of both transcripts, although the Efg1 protein persisted in cells. While EFG1 promoter activity in the yeast growth form did not depend on bound Efg1, its downregulation under hyphal induction depended on the presence of Efg1 and the protein kinase A isoform Tpk2. Deletion analyses of the EFG1 upstream region revealed that none of its resident EGR‐boxes is uniquely responsible for EFG1 promoter downregulation. These results suggest different binding specificities of Efg1 in yeast growth and in hyphal induction and suggest a brief time window following hyphal induction, in which Efg1 exerts its repressive effect on target promoters.