bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In the Hunt for the Red Planet's Dirtiest Secret
Authors: Kerr Richard A.
Published: August 2012

More obstacles to Curiosity rover's search for the organic remains of martian life are turning up, complicating an already daunting task.
Acquisition of Maternal Antibodies both from the Placenta and by Lactation Protects Mouse Offspring from Yersinia pestis Challenge
Authors: Qi Zhizhen , Zhao Haihong , Zhang Qingwen , Bi Yujing , Ren Lingling , Zhang Xuecan , Yang Hanqing , Yang Xiaoyan , Wang Qiong , Li Cunxiang , Zhou Jiyuan , Xin Youquan , Yang Yonghai , Yang Huiying , Du Zongmin , Tan Yafang , Han Yanping , Song Yajun , Zhou Lei , Zhang Pingping , Cui Yujun , Yan Yanfeng , Zhou Dongsheng , Yang Ruifu , Wang Xiaoyi
Published: August 2012

Artificially passive immunization has been demonstrated to be effective againstYersinia pestisinfection in animals. However, maternal antibodies' protective efficacy against plague has not yet been demonstrated. Here, we evaluated the kinetics, protective efficacy, and transmission modes of maternal antibodies, using mice immunized with plague subunit vaccine SV1 (20 μg of F1 and 10 μg of rV270). The results showed that the rV270- and F1-specific antibodies could be detected in the sera of newborn mice (NM) until 10 and 14 weeks of age, respectively. There was no antibody titer difference between the parturient mice immunized with SV1 (PM-S) and the caesarean-section newborns (CSN) from the PM-S or between the lactating mice immunized by SV1 (LM-S) and the cross-fostered mice (CFM) during 3 weeks of lactation. The NM had a 72% protection against 4,800 CFUY. pestisstrain 141 challenge at 6 weeks of age, whereas at 14 weeks of age, NM all succumbed to 5,700 CFU ofY. pestischallenge. After 7 weeks of age, CFM had an 84% protection against 5,000 CFU ofY. pestischallenge. These results indicated that maternal antibodies induced by the plague subunit vaccine in mother mice can be transferred to NM by both placenta and lactation. Passive antibodies from the immunized mothers could persist for 3 months and provide early protection for NM. The degree of early protection is dependent on levels of the passively acquired antibody. The results indicate that passive immunization should be an effective countermeasure against plague during its epidemics.
Microbiological Analysis of Nontyphoidal Salmonella Strains Causing Distinct Syndromes of Bacteremia or Enteritis in HIV/AIDS Patients in San Diego, California
Authors: Preziosi Michael J. , Kandel Sean M. , Guiney Donald G. , Browne Sara H.
Published: August 2012

Recurrent invasive nontyphoidal
Salmonella
(NTS) infection is an AIDS-defining illness that has become less common in the developed world in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), while it has emerged as a major public health problem in developing countries, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. We retrospectively analyzed
Salmonella
(NTS) infection in HIV/AIDS patients from June 2003 until December 2009 at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), Medical Center. Bacterial isolates from all patients were tested for selected microbiological properties, including major
Salmonella
(NTS) virulence loci
rpoS
,
sodCI
,
spvB
, and
sseI
. Fourteen percent of all
Salmonella
(NTS) cases recorded at the UCSD Medical Center during this period occurred in known HIV/AIDS patients. The clinical presentations in HIV patients fell into two distinct groups, bacteremia and enteritis. There was little clinical overlap between these two syndromes. All strains were positive for the presence of the
rpoS and sodCI
virulence loci, and 75% of strains were positive for the presence of the
spvB
and
sseI
loci. Antibiotic susceptibility assay showed that all strains were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin. The clinical presentation did not have a clear relationship to the CD4
+
cell count. Of the bacteremic isolates, all but one isolate, drawn from a patient with substantial enteric comorbidities, had all of the virulence genes tested, but 66% of nonbacteremic, enteritis strains also contained all the tested virulence loci. In conclusion, neither patients' CD4
+
cell count nor bacterial strain properties necessarily predicted the clinical presentation of HIV/AIDS patients with
Salmonella
(NTS) infection, and AIDS patients can have episodes of
Salmonella
enteritis without dissemination.
Cryopreservation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Cells
Authors: Shu Zhiquan , Weigel Kris M. , Soelberg Scott D. , Lakey Annie , Cangelosi Gerard A. , Lee Kyong-Hoon , Chung Jae-Hyun , Gao Dayong
Published: August 2012

Successful long-term preservation of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
cells is important for sample transport, research, biobanking, and the development of new drugs, vaccines, biomarkers, and diagnostics. In this report,
Mycobacterium
bovis
bacillus Calmette-Guérin and
M. tuberculosis
H37Ra were used as models of
M. tuberculosis
complex strains to study cryopreservation of
M. tuberculosis
complex cells in diverse sample matrices at different cooling rates. Cells were cryopreserved in diverse sample matrices, namely, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), Middlebrook 7H9 medium with or without added glycerol, and human sputum. The efficacy of cryopreservation was quantified by microbiological culture and microscopy with BacLight LIVE/DEAD staining. In all sample matrices examined, the microbiological culture results showed that the cooling rate was the most critical factor influencing cell viability. Slow cooling (a few degrees Celsius per minute) resulted in much higher
M. tuberculosis
complex recovery rates than rapid cooling (direct immersion in liquid nitrogen) (
P
< 0.05). Among the three defined cryopreservation media (PBS, 7H9, and 7H9 plus glycerol), there was no significant differential effect on viability (
P
= 0.06 to 0.87). Preincubation of thawed
M. tuberculosis
complex cells in 7H9 broth for 20 h before culture on solid Middlebrook 7H10 plates did not help the recovery of the cells from cryoinjury (
P
= 0.14 to 0.71). The BacLight LIVE/DEAD staining kit, based on Syto 9 and propidium iodide (PI), was also applied to assess cell envelope integrity after cryopreservation. Using the kit, similar percentages of “live” cells with intact envelopes were observed for samples cryopreserved under different conditions, which was inconsistent with the microbiological culture results. This implies that suboptimal cryopreservation might not cause severe damage to the cell wall and/or membrane but instead cause intracellular injury, which leads to the loss of cell viability.
Rapid Detection of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex by Use of Quenching Probe PCR (geneCube)
Authors: Hida Yukio , Hisada Kyoko , Shimada Akihiro , Yamashita Masanori , Kimura Hideki , Yoshida Haruyoshi , Iwasaki Hiromichi , Iwano Masayuki
Published: August 2012

Early detection of tuberculosis (TB) is essential for infection control. The geneCube (Toyobo) is a novel fully automated gene analyzer that can amplify target DNAs within 60 min. In this study, we evaluated the ability of the geneCube to directly detect
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
complex (MTBC) and
Mycobacterium avium
complex (MAC) in clinical specimens. The results were then compared with those obtained using conventional culture, microscopy, and the Cobas Amplicor assay (Roche). We examined a total of 516 frozen samples from 69 patients who showed culture-positive infection (73 samples; 39 MTBC, 32 MAC, and 2 mixed infections) and from 354 patients who were culture negative (443 samples). Assays using the geneCube had a sensitivity of 85.4% and a specificity of 99.8% for detection of MTBC and a sensitivity of 85.3% and a specificity of 99.8% for detection of MAC. These results are similar to those obtained using the Amplicor system but were obtained much more rapidly (1 h with the geneCube versus 5.5 h with the Amplicor system). The geneCube thus enables a significant shortening of the assay time with no loss of sensitivity or specificity.
Genetic Characterization of a Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolate from the Respiratory Tract of a Patient in a University Hospital in Northeastern Iran
Authors: Azimian Amir , Havaei Seyed Asghar , Fazeli Hosein , Naderi Mahmood , Ghazvini Kiarash , Samiee Siamak Mirab , Soleimani Masoud , Peerayeh Shahin Najar
Published: August 2012

Emergence of vancomycin-intermediate
Staphylococcus aureus
(VISA) and vancomycin-resistant
S. aureus
(VRSA) strains has led to global concerns about treatments for staphylococcal infections. These strains are currently rare even though there is an upward trend in their reported incidence. Therefore, appropriate screening and epidemiological evaluation of VRSA strains can affect future global health care policies. Isolates of
Staphylococcus aureus
were obtained from various clinical samples and were then evaluated with agar screening, disk diffusion, and MIC methods to determine resistance to vancomycin and methicillin. After confirmation of the isolated VRSA strain, genetic analysis was performed by evaluating
mecA
and
vanA
gene presence, SCC
mec
,
agr
, and
spa
types, and toxin profiles. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and plasmid analysis were also performed. The VRSA strain was resistant to oxacillin (MIC of 128 μg/ml) and vancomycin (MIC of 512 μg/ml). Disk diffusion antimicrobial susceptibility tests showed resistance to oxacillin, vancomycin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, clindamycin, rifampin, and tetracycline. The isolate was susceptible to minocycline and gentamicin. PCRs were positive for the
mecA
and
vanA
genes. Other genetic characteristics include SCC
mec
type III,
agr
I,
spa
type t037, and sequence type (ST) 1283. The plasmid profile shows five plasmids with a size of ∼1.7 kb to >10 kb. The isolated VRSA strain was obtained from a critically ill hospitalized patient. Genetic analysis of this strain suggested that the strain was a methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA) clone endemic in Asia that underwent some genetic changes, such as mutation in the
gmk
gene and acquisition of the
vanA
gene.
Russian “Successful” Clone B0/W148 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing Genotype: a Multiplex PCR Assay for Rapid Detection and Global Screening
Authors: Mokrousov Igor , Narvskaya Olga , Vyazovaya Anna , Otten Tatiana , Jiao Wei-Wei , Gomes Lia Lima , Suffys Philip N. , Shen A-Dong , Vishnevsky Boris
Published: August 2012

We describe a multiplex PCR assay to detect the
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Beijing genotype variant B0/W148, which is considered a “successful” clone of
M. tuberculosis
, widespread in Russia. Specificity and sensitivity of the assay were 100% based on the analysis of a collection of 516
M. tuberculosis
isolates of different genotypes and origins. This assay may be used for accurate and simple detection and surveillance of this clinically and epidemiologically important variant of
M. tuberculosis
.
Reconstituting the Epidemic History of HIV Strain CRF01_AE among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Liaoning, Northeastern China: Implications for the Expanding Epidemic among MSM in China
Authors: An Minghui , Han Xiaoxu , Xu Junjie , Chu Zhenxing , Jia Manhong , Wu Hao , Lu Lin , Takebe Yutaka , Shang Hong
Published: August 2012

HIV CRF01_AE accounted for 84% of the recent infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Liaoning Province of northeastern China. CRF01_AE strains were grouped into two distinct clusters (designated clusters 1 and 2) that were also detected in other regions in China. Phylodynamics study revealed that these two CRF01_AE strains were independently introduced into the population of MSM in China in the early and mid-1990s. Our study elucidated unique features of dynamics and interrelationships of MSM epidemics in China.
Identification of RNA-Protein Interaction Networks Involved in the Norovirus Life Cycle
Authors: Vashist Surender , Urena Luis , Chaudhry Yasmin , Goodfellow Ian
Published: August 2012

Human noroviruses are one of the major causes of acute gastroenteritis in the developed world, yet our understanding of their molecular mechanisms of genome translation and replication lags behind that for many RNA viruses. Due to the nonculturable nature of human noroviruses, many related members of the
Caliciviridae
family of small RNA viruses are often used as model systems to dissect the finer details of the norovirus life cycle. Murine norovirus (MNV) has provided one such system with which to study the basic mechanisms of norovirus translation and replication in cell culture. In this report we describe the use of riboproteomics to identify host factors that interact with the extremities of the MNV genome. This network of RNA-protein interactions contains many well-characterized host factors, including PTB, La, and DDX3, which have been shown to play a role in the life cycle of other RNA viruses. By using RNA coimmunoprecipitation, we confirmed that a number of the factors identified using riboproteomics are associated with the viral RNA during virus replication in cell culture. We further demonstrated that RNA inhibition-mediated knockdown of the intracellular levels of a number of these factors inhibits or slows norovirus replication in cell culture, allowing identification of new intracellular targets for this important group of pathogens.
Temporal Association of HLA-B*81:01- and HLA-B*39:10-Mediated HIV-1 p24 Sequence Evolution with Disease Progression
Authors: Ntale R. S. , Chopera D. R. , Ngandu N. K. , Assis de Rosa D. , Zembe L. , Gamieldien H. , Mlotshwa M. , Werner L. , Woodman Z. , Mlisana K. , Abdool Karim S. , Gray C. M. , Williamson C. ,   the CAPRISA 002 Study Team
Published: August 2012

HLA-B*81:01 and HLA-B*39:10 alleles have been associated with viremic control in HIV-1 subtype C infection. Both alleles restrict the TL9 epitope in p24 Gag, and cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated escape mutations in this epitope have been associated with an
in vitro
fitness cost to the virus. We investigated the timing and impact of mutations in the TL9 epitope on disease progression in five B*81:01- and two B*39:10-positive subtype C-infected individuals. Whereas both B*39:10 participants sampled at 2 months postinfection had viruses with mutations in the TL9 epitope, in three of the five (3/5) B*81:01 participants, TL9 escape mutations were only detected 10 months after infection, taking an additional 10 to 15 months to reach fixation. In the two remaining B*81:01 individuals, one carried a TL9 escape variant at 2 weeks postinfection, whereas no escape mutations were detected in the virus from the other participant for up to 33 months postinfection, despite CTL targeting of the epitope. In all participants, escape mutations in TL9 were linked to coevolving residues in the region of Gag known to be associated with host tropism. Late escape in TL9, together with coevolution of putative compensatory mutations, coincided with a spontaneous increase in viral loads in two individuals who were otherwise controlling the infection. These results provide
in vivo
evidence of the detrimental impact of B*81:01-mediated viral evolution, in a single Gag p24 epitope, on the control of viremia.
Discovery of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Bunyavirus Strains Originating from Intragenic Recombination
Authors: He Cheng-Qiang , Ding Nai-Zheng
Published: August 2012

This study analyzes available severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) genomes and reports that a sublineage of lineage I bears a unique M segment recombined from two of three prevailing SFTSV lineages. Through recombination, the sublineage has acquired nearly complete G1 associated with protective epitopes from lineage III, suggesting that this recombination has the capacity to induce antigenic shift of the virus. Therefore, this study provides some valuable implications for the vaccine design of SFTSV.
An Sp1/Sp3 Site in the Downstream Region of Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) oriS Influences Origin-Dependent DNA Replication and Flanking Gene Transcription and Is Important for VZV Replication
In Vitro
and in Human Skin
Authors: Khalil Mohamed I. , Robinson Makeda , Sommer Marvin , Arvin Ann , Hay John , Ruyechan William T.
Published: August 2012

The distribution and orientation of origin-binding protein (OBP) sites are the main architectural contrasts between varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) origins of DNA replication (oriS). One important difference is the absence of a downstream OBP site in VZV, raising the possibility that an alternative
cis
element may replace its function. Our previous work established that Sp1, Sp3, and YY1 bind to specific sites within the downstream region of VZV oriS; we hypothesize that one or both of these sites may be the alternative
cis
element(s). Here, we show that the mutation of the Sp1/Sp3 site decreases DNA replication and transcription from the adjacent ORF62 and ORF63 promoters following superinfection with VZV. In contrast, in the absence of DNA replication or in transfection experiments with ORF62, only ORF63 transcription is affected. YY1 site mutations had no significant effect on either process. Recombinant viruses containing these mutations were then constructed. The Sp1/Sp3 site mutant exhibited a significant decrease in virus growth in MeWo cells and in human skin xenografts, while the YY1 site mutant virus grew as well as the wild type in MeWo cells, even showing a late increase in VZV replication in skin xenografts following infection. These results suggest that the Sp1/Sp3 site plays an important role in both VZV origin-dependent DNA replication and ORF62 and ORF63 transcription and that, in contrast to HSV, these events are linked during virus replication.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Nonstructural Protein 2C Interacts with Beclin1, Modulating Virus Replication
Authors: Gladue D. P. , O'Donnell V. , Baker-Branstetter R. , Holinka L. G. , Pacheco J. M. , Fernandez-Sainz I. , Lu Z. , Brocchi E. , Baxt B. , Piccone M. E. , Rodriguez L. , Borca M. V.
Published: August 2012

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), the causative agent of foot-and-mouth disease, is an
Apthovirus
within the
Picornaviridae
family. Replication of the virus occurs in association with replication complexes that are formed by host cell membrane rearrangements. The largest viral protein in the replication complex, 2C, is thought to have multiple roles during virus replication. However, studies examining the function of FMDV 2C have been rather limited. To better understand the role of 2C in the process of virus replication, we used a yeast two-hybrid approach to identify host proteins that interact with 2C. We report here that cellular Beclin1 is a specific host binding partner for 2C. Beclin1 is a regulator of the autophagy pathway, a metabolic pathway required for efficient FMDV replication. The 2C-Beclin1 interaction was further confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation and confocal microscopy to actually occur in FMDV-infected cells. Overexpression of either Beclin1 or Bcl-2, another important autophagy factor, strongly affects virus yield in cell culture. The fusion of lysosomes to autophagosomes containing viral proteins is not seen during FMDV infection, a process that is stimulated by Beclin1; however, in FMDV-infected cells overexpressing Beclin1 this fusion occurs, suggesting that 2C would bind to Beclin1 to prevent the fusion of lysosomes to autophagosomes, allowing for virus survival. Using reverse genetics, we demonstrate here that modifications to the amino acids in 2C that are critical for interaction with Beclin1 are also critical for virus growth. These results suggest that interaction between FMDV 2C and host protein Beclin1 could be essential for virus replication.
Epitope Mapping of Broadly Neutralizing HIV-2 Human Monoclonal Antibodies
Authors: Kong Rui , Li Hui , Georgiev Ivelin , Changela Anita , Bibollet-Ruche Frederic , Decker Julie M. , Rowland-Jones Sarah L. , Jaye Assan , Guan Yongjun , Lewis George K. , Langedijk Johannes P. M. , Hahn Beatrice H. , Kwong Peter D. , Robinson James E. , Shaw George M.
Published: August 2012

Recent studies have shown that natural infection by HIV-2 leads to the elicitation of high titers of broadly neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against primary HIV-2 strains (T. I. de Silva, et al., J. Virol. 86:930–946, 2012; R. Kong, et al., J. Virol. 86:947–960, 2012; G. Ozkaya Sahin, et al., J. Virol. 86:961–971, 2012). Here, we describe the envelope (Env) binding and neutralization properties of 15 anti-HIV-2 human monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), 14 of which were newly generated from 9 chronically infected subjects. All 15 MAbs bound specifically to HIV-2 gp120 monomers and neutralized heterologous primary virus strains HIV-2
7312A
and HIV-2
ST
. Ten of 15 MAbs neutralized a third heterologous primary virus strain, HIV-2
UC1
. The median 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC
50
s) for these MAbs were surprisingly low, ranging from 0.007 to 0.028 μg/ml. Competitive Env binding studies revealed three MAb competition groups: CG-I, CG-II, and CG-III. Using peptide scanning, site-directed mutagenesis, chimeric Env constructions, and single-cycle virus neutralization assays, we mapped the epitope of CG-I antibodies to a linear region in variable loop 3 (V3), the epitope of CG-II antibodies to a conformational region centered on the carboxy terminus of V4, and the epitope(s) of CG-III antibodies to conformational regions associated with CD4- and coreceptor-binding sites. HIV-2 Env is thus highly immunogenic
in vivo
and elicits antibodies having diverse epitope specificities, high potency, and wide breadth. In contrast to the HIV-1 Env trimer, which is generally well shielded from antibody binding and neutralization, HIV-2 is surprisingly vulnerable to broadly reactive NAbs. The availability of 15 human MAbs targeting diverse HIV-2 Env epitopes can facilitate comparative studies of HIV/SIV Env structure, function, antigenicity, and immunogenicity.
Developing temporal hydroecological perspectives to inform stewardship of a northern floodplain landscape subject to multiple stressors: paleolimnological investigations of the Peace–Athabasca Delta
Authors: Wolfe Brent B. , Hall Roland I. , Edwards Thomas W.D. , Johnston John W.
Published: August 2012

Effective stewardship of ecologically-significant floodplain landscapes requires knowledge of the relative roles of natural processes and upstream human activities on environmental flows. In these landscapes, hydroecological conditions that develop from potentially competing drivers, such as climate change and industrial development, tend to be expressed at spatial and temporal scales that are often inadequately captured by existing monitoring datasets. Consequently, perceived cause–effect relations may be misunderstood, conflict can escalate among stakeholders, and effectiveness of surveillance systems, policies, and governance may be impaired. This is the context for the Peace–Athabasca Delta (PAD), an internationally-recognized water-rich floodplain landscape located in northern Alberta (Canada) that has been subject to multiple stressors. Here we synthesize evidence from paleolimnological records that have fostered an unparalled window into the natural history of this landscape. Over the past 12 years, we have assembled numerous decadal- to multicentennial-long records of hydrological and ecological variability, including an exceptionally detailed chronicle of Peace River flood frequency and magnitude spanning ~600 years. These efforts recently culminated in a 5200-year reconstruction of Lake Athabasca water-level history. Results have provided the foundation to identify drivers of landscape change and generate insight into the delta’s dynamic and ongoing evolution. Contrary to widespread perceptions that hydroelectric regulation of the Peace River since the late 1960s has reduced the frequency of ice-jam floods and lowered floodplain lake-water levels, results indicate that climate variability exerts the overwhelming influence on the delivery of water to the PAD. We show that impending climate-driven freshwater scarcity of a scale unprecedented in our collective societal memory now poses a significant threat to the ecological integrity of this world-renowned landscape and a major challenge to water resource managers. Also, we propose a hydroecological monitoring program, built upon the knowledge gained from our extensive process studies and paleoenvironmental research, to inform effective ongoing stewardship of the delta.
OPTIMIZED SCALE-FREE NETWORKS AGAINST CASCADING FAILURES
Authors: WANG JIANWEI
Published: August 2012

According to the dynamical characteristics of the local redistribution of the load on a removal node, by the reconnection of the neighboring edge of the most vulnerable node, we propose an effective method to improve the network robustness against cascading failures. Under two constraints, i.e. keeping the degree of each node unchanged and fixing the total protective cost of a network, we investigate the efficiency of the swap method on scale-free networks and analyze the correlation between the optimized network and the Pearson correlation coefficient. We numerically show that effective swapping of the small part of connections can dramatically improve the network robust level against cascading failures and find that the optimized networks obtained by the swap method exhibit an extremely disassortative degree–degree correlation, that is, the disassortativity decreases the robustness of the optimized network against cascading failures. While the extent of the disassortative mixing is decided by the parameters in the cascading model. In addition, we also compare the average path length and the diameter of the optimized and the original networks.
SUPERFIELD APPROACH TO NILPOTENT SYMMETRIES OF THE FREEDMAN–TOWNSEND MODEL: NOVEL FEATURES
Authors: MALIK R. P.
Published: August 2012

We perform the Becchi–Rouet–Stora–Tyutin (BRST) analysis of the Freedman–Townsend (FT) model of topologically massive non-Abelian theory by exploiting its (1-form) Yang–Mills (YM) gauge transformations to show the existence of some novel features that are totally different from the results obtained in such a kind of consideration carried out for the dynamical non-Abelian 2-form theory. We tap here the potential and power of the augmented version of Bonora–Tonin's superfield approach to BRST formalism to derive the full set of off-shell nilpotent and absolutely anticommuting (anti-)BRST symmetry transformations where, in addition to the horizontality condition (HC), we are theoretically compelled to exploit the appropriate gauge-invariant restrictions (GIRs) on the (super)fields for the derivation of the appropriate symmetry transformations for all the relevant fields. We compare our key results with that of the other such attempt for the discussion of the present model within the framework of BRST formalism.
A FINITE SET OF LOCAL MOVES FOR KIRBY CALCULUS
Authors: MARTELLI BRUNO
Published: August 2012

We exhibit a finite set of local moves that connect any two surgery presentations of the same 3-manifold via framed links in S3. The moves are handle-slides and blow-downs/ups of a particular simple kind.
NON-UNIFORM HYPERBOLICITY FOR INFINITE DIMENSIONAL COCYCLES
Authors: BESSA MÁRIO , CARVALHO MARIA
Published: August 2012

Let [Formula: see text] be an infinite dimensional Hilbert space, X a compact Hausdorff space and f : X → X a homeomorphism which preserves a Borel ergodic probability measure which is positive on non-empty open sets. We prove that non-uniformly Anosov cocycles are C0-dense in the family of partially hyperbolic cocycles with non-trivial unstable bundles.
THERMODYNAMIC AND MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF BLOOD FLOW CONSIDERING ROTATION OF MICRO-PARTICLES OF BLOOD
Authors: MISRA J. C. , CHANDRA S. , SHIT G. C. , KUNDU P. K.
Published: August 2012

Flow and heat transfer of blood under the action of an external magnetic field are analyzed in this paper. The flow is considered to take place in a channel that is bounded by stretchable walls. The surface velocity of the channel is assumed to vary linearly with axial distance. The microrotation of the micro-particles of blood is taken into account by treating blood as a micropolar fluid. The governing partial differential equations are transformed into a system of ordinary differential equations and then solved numerically by developing a suitable finite difference technique. Computational work has been carried out in order to have an estimate of the velocity, microrotation, and the temperature of the fluid for different values of various physical parameters of interest in the present study of blood flow dynamics. Different physiological aspects are discussed via graphical presentation of the computed results.
The Impact of Molecular Data on Our Understanding of Bee Phylogeny and Evolution
Authors: Danforth Bryan N. , Cardinal Sophie , Praz Christophe , Almeida Eduardo A.B. , Michez Denis
Published: August 2012

Our understanding of bee phylogeny has improved over the past fifteen years as a result of new data, primarily nucleotide sequence data, and new methods, primarily model-based methods of phylogeny reconstruction. Phylogenetic studies based on single or, more commonly, multilocus data sets have helped resolve the placement of bees within the superfamily Apoidea; the relationships among the seven families of bees; and the relationships among bee subfamilies, tribes, genera, and species. In addition, molecular phylogenies have played an important role in inferring evolutionary patterns and processes in bees. Phylogenies have provided the comparative framework for understanding the evolution of host-plant associations and pollen specialization, the evolution of social behavior, and the evolution of parasitism. In this paper, we present an overview of significant discoveries in bee phylogeny based primarily on the application of molecular data. We review the phylogenetic hypotheses family-by-family and then describe how the new phylogenetic insights have altered our understanding of bee biology.
Payments for Environmental Services: Evolution Toward Efficient and Fair Incentives for Multifunctional Landscapes
Authors: van Noordwijk Meine , Leimona Beria , Jindal Rohit , Villamor Grace B. , Vardhan Mamta , Namirembe Sara , Catacutan Delia , Kerr John , Minang Peter A. , Tomich Thomas P.
Published: August 2012

Payments for environmental services (PES), the non-provisioning part of ecosystem services, target alignment of microeconomic incentives for land users with meso- and macroeconomic societal costs and benefits of their choices across stakeholders and scales. They can interfere with or complement social norms and rights-based approaches at generic (land-use planning) and individual (tenure, use rights) levels; they interact with macroeconomic policies influencing the drivers to which individual agents respond. In many developing country contexts, community scale factors strongly influence land users' decisions, whereas unclear land rights complicate the use of market-based instruments. PES concepts need to adapt. Multiple paradigms have emerged within the broad PES domain. Evidence suggests that forms of “coinvestment in stewardship” (CIS) alongside rights are the preferred entry point. Commodification of environmental services (ES) and ES markets might evolve later on, but require strong government regulation to set and enforce rules of the game. We frame hypotheses for wider testing and “no-regrets” recommendations for practitioners.
Global Biodiversity Change: The Bad, the Good, and the Unknown
Authors: Pereira Henrique Miguel , Navarro Laetitia Marie , Martins Inês Santos
Published: August 2012

Global biodiversity change is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. Here, we review current scientific knowledge on global biodiversity change and identify the main knowledge gaps. We discuss two components of biodiversity change—biodiversity alterations and biodiversity loss—across four dimensions of biodiversity: species extinctions, species abundances, species distributions, and genetic diversity. We briefly review the impacts that modern humans and their ancestors have had on biodiversity and discuss the recent declines and alterations in biodiversity. We analyze the direct pressures on biodiversity change: habitat change, overexploitation, exotic species, pollution, and climate change. We discuss the underlying causes, such as demographic growth and resource use, and review existing scenario projections. We identify successes and impending opportunities in biodiversity policy and management, and highlight gaps in biodiversity monitoring and models. Finally, we discuss how the ecosystem services framework can be used to identify undesirable biodiversity change and allocate conservation efforts.
Power for Development: A Review of Distributed Generation Projects in the Developing World
Authors: Brass Jennifer N. , Carley Sanya , MacLean Lauren M. , Baldwin Elizabeth
Published: August 2012

The paradigm for providing affordable electricity for the world's poor—power for development—has begun to change. Historically, centralized governments built large consolidated power plants and distribution and transmission lines with the ultimate goal of providing electricity to all of their citizens. It has become increasingly common in recent decades, however, for donors, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), firms, and communities to collaborate with governments to develop small-scale localized energy systems known as distributed generation (DG) either as complements or alternatives to centralized operations. DG programs have been implemented around the world but with a mixed record of success. Based on an analysis of the existing case study literature, we examine DG program goals and outcomes, identifying major factors that affect these outcomes, including appropriately chosen technology, adequate financing and payment arrangements, ongoing end users' involvement, and supportive national policies. We highlight the importance of institutions for collaborative governance in the pursuit of these factors.
Genetics of Climate Change Adaptation
Authors: Franks Steven J. , Hoffmann Ary A.
Published: August 2012

The rapid rate of current global climate change is having strong effects on many species and, at least in some cases, is driving evolution, particularly when changes in conditions alter patterns of selection. Climate change thus provides an opportunity for the study of the genetic basis of adaptation. Such studies include a variety of observational and experimental approaches, such as sampling across clines, artificial evolution experiments, and resurrection studies. These approaches can be combined with a number of techniques in genetics and genomics, including association and mapping analyses, genome scans, and transcription profiling. Recent research has revealed a number of candidate genes potentially involved in climate change adaptation and has also illustrated that genetic regulatory networks and epigenetic effects may be particularly relevant for evolution driven by climate change. Although genetic and genomic data are rapidly accumulating, we still have much to learn about the genetic architecture of climate change adaptation.
Genetics of Aggression
Authors: Anholt Robert R.H. , Mackay Trudy F.C.
Published: August 2012

Aggression mediates competition for food, mating partners, and habitats and, among social animals, establishes stable dominance hierarchies. In humans, abnormal aggression is a hallmark of neuropsychiatric disorders and can be elicited by environmental factors acting on an underlying genetic susceptibility. Identifying the genetic architecture that predisposes to aggressive behavior in people is challenging because of difficulties in quantifying the phenotype, genetic heterogeneity, and uncontrolled environmental conditions. Studies on mice have identified single-gene mutations that result in hyperaggression, contingent on genetic background. These studies can be complemented by systems genetics approaches in Drosophila melanogaster, in which mutational analyses together with genome-wide transcript analyses, artificial selection studies, and genome-wide analysis of epistasis have revealed that a large segment of the genome contributes to the manifestation of aggressive behavior with widespread epistatic interactions. Comparative genomic analyses based on the principle of evolutionary conservation are needed to enable a complete dissection of the neurogenetic underpinnings of this universal fitness trait.
Genetics of Reproduction and Regulation of Honeybee (Apis melliferaL.) Social Behavior
Authors: Page Robert E. , Rueppell Olav , Amdam Gro V.
Published: August 2012

Honeybees form complex societies with a division of labor for reproduction, nutrition, nest construction and maintenance, and defense. How does it evolve? Tasks performed by worker honeybees are distributed in time and space. There is no central control over behavior and there is no central genome on which selection can act and effect adaptive change. For 22 years, we have been addressing these questions by selecting on a single social trait associated with nutrition: the amount of surplus pollen (a source of protein) that is stored in the combs of the nest. Forty-two generations of selection have revealed changes at biological levels extending from the society down to the level of the gene. We show how we constructed this vertical understanding of social evolution using behavioral and anatomical analyses, physiology, genetic mapping, and gene knockdowns. We map out the phenotypic and genetic architectures of food storage and foraging behavior and show how they are linked through broad epistasis and pleiotropy affecting a reproductive regulatory network that influences foraging behavior. This is remarkable because worker honeybees have reduced reproductive organs and are normally sterile; however, the reproductive regulatory network has been co-opted for behavioral division of labor.
The Force of Law and Lawyers: Pierre Bourdieu and the Reflexive Sociology of Law
Authors: Dezalay Yves , Madsen Mikael Rask
Published: August 2012

Looking back 25 years after the publication of Pierre Bourdieu's seminal article “The Force of Law,” we inquire into the background for the weak reception of his work in law and society studies. We argue that the differences in the conceptions of law, state, and society between US law and society scholarship and French historical sociology have made it hard to transfer the theory across the Atlantic. We further contend that the impact of Bourdieu's work has generally been reduced by how it has been perceived as yet another French theory. It has thus been decoupled from perhaps its greatest strength, namely, the underlying notion of sociology as a reflexive practice. Against this background, this article sets out to reconnect the practice of Bourdieusian sociology with its conceptual framework and, in so doing, demonstrate its potentially central role in the sociology of law.
Icebergs as Unique Lagrangian Ecosystems in Polar Seas
Authors: Smith K.L. , Sherman A.D. , Shaw T.J. , Sprintall J.
Published: August 2012

Global warming and its disproportionate impact on polar regions have led to increased iceberg populations. Southern Ocean studies in the northwest Weddell Sea have verified substantial delivery of terrestrial material accompanied by increased primary production and faunal abundance associated with free-drifting icebergs. It is hypothesized that input and utilization of macro- and micronutrients are promoted by conditions unique to free-drifting icebergs, leading to increased production, grazing, and export of organic carbon. In Arctic regions, increased freshwater input from meltwater acts to stratify and stabilize the upper water column. As has been observed in the Southern Ocean, Arctic-region icebergs should drive turbulent upwelling and reduce stratification, potentially leading to increased nitrate delivery to the local ecosystem. Increasing populations of icebergs in polar regions can potentially be important in mediating the drawdown and sequestration of CO2 and can thus impact the oceanic carbon cycle.
The Role of Telomere Biology in Cancer
Authors: Xu Lifeng , Li Shang , Stohr Bradley A.
Published: August 2012

Telomere biology plays a critical and complex role in the initiation and progression of cancer. Although telomere dysfunction resulting from replicative attrition constrains tumor growth by engaging DNA-damage signaling pathways, it can also promote tumorigenesis by causing oncogenic chromosomal rearrangements. Expression of the telomerase enzyme enables telomere-length homeostasis and allows tumor cells to escape the antiproliferative barrier posed by short telomeres. Telomeres and telomerase also function independently of one another. Recent work has suggested that telomerase promotes cell growth through pathways unrelated to telomere maintenance, and a subset of tumors elongate telomeres through telomerase-independent mechanisms. In an effort to exploit the integral link between telomere biology and cancer growth, investigators have developed several telomerase-based therapeutic strategies, which are currently in clinical trials. Here, we broadly review the state of the field with a particular focus on recent developments of interest.
Kinetics of nuclear-cytoplasmic translocation of Foxo1 and Foxo3A in adult skeletal muscle fibers
Authors: Schachter Tova Neustadt , Shen Tiansheng , Liu Yewei , Schneider Martin F.
Published: August 2012

In skeletal muscle, the transcription factors Foxo1 and Foxo3A control expression of proteins that mediate muscle atrophy, making the nuclear concentration and nuclear-cytoplasmic movements of Foxo1 and Foxo3A of therapeutic interest in conditions of muscle wasting. Here, we use Foxo-GFP fusion proteins adenovirally expressed in cultured adult mouse skeletal muscle fibers to characterize the time course of nuclear efflux of Foxo1-GFP in response to activation of the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway to determine the time course of nuclear influx of Foxo1-GFP during inhibition of this pathway and to show that Akt mediates the efflux of nuclear Foxo1-GFP induced by IGF-1. Localization of endogenous Foxo1 in muscle fibers, as determined via immunocytochemistry, is consistent with that of Foxo1-GFP. Inhibition of the nuclear export carrier chromosome region maintenance 1 by leptomycin B (LMB) traps Foxo1 in the nucleus and results in a relatively rapid rate of Foxo1 nuclear accumulation, consistent with a high rate of nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling of Foxo1 under control conditions before LMB application, with near balance of unidirectional influx and efflux. Expressed Foxo3A-GFP shuttles ∼20-fold more slowly than Foxo1-GFP. Our approach allows quantitative kinetic characterization of Foxo1 and Foxo3A nuclear-cytoplasmic movements in living muscle fibers under various experimental conditions.
Thigh oxygen uptake at the onset of intense exercise is not affected by a reduction in oxygen delivery caused by hypoxia
Authors: Christensen Peter M. , Nordsborg Nikolai Baastrup , Nybo Lars , Mortensen Stefan P. , Sander Mikael , Secher Niels H. , Bangsbo Jens
Published: August 2012

In response to hypoxic breathing most studies report slower pulmonary oxygen uptake (V̇o2) kinetics at the onset of exercise, but it is not known if this relates to an actual slowing of the V̇o2 in the active muscles. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether thigh V̇o2 is slowed at the onset of intense exercise during acute exposure to hypoxia. Six healthy male subjects (25.8 ± 1.4 yr, 79.8 ± 4.0 kg, means ± SE) performed intense (100 ± 6 watts) two-legged knee-extensor exercise for 2 min in normoxia (NOR) and hypoxia [fractional inspired oxygen concentration (FiO2) = 0.13; HYP]. Thigh V̇o2 was measured by frequent arterial and venous blood sampling and blood flow measurements. In arterial blood, oxygen content was reduced ( P < 0.05) from 191 ± 5 ml O2/l in NOR to 180 ± 5 ml O2/l in HYP, and oxygen pressure was reduced ( P < 0.001) from 111 ± 4 mmHg in NOR to 63 ± 4 mmHg in HYP. Thigh blood flow was the same in NOR and HYP, and thigh oxygen delivery was consequently reduced ( P < 0.05) in HYP, but femoral arterial-venous oxygen difference and thigh V̇o2 were similar in NOR and HYP. In addition, muscle lactate release was the same in NOR and HYP, and muscle lactate accumulation during the first 25 s of exercise determined from muscle biopsy sampling was also similar (0.35 ± 0.07 and 0.36 ± 0.07 mmol·kg dry wt−1·s−1 in NOR and HYP). Thus the increase in thigh V̇o2 was not attenuated at the onset of intense knee-extensor exercise despite a reduction in oxygen delivery and pressure.
IGF-I measurement across blood, interstitial fluid, and muscle biocompartments following explosive, high-power exercise
Authors: Nindl Bradley C. , Urso Maria L. , Pierce Joseph R. , Scofield Dennis E. , Barnes Brian R. , Kraemer William J. , Anderson Jeffrey M. , Maresh Carl M. , Beasley Kathleen N. , Zambraski Edward J.
Published: August 2012

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) resides across different biocompartments [blood, interstitial fluid (ISF), and muscle]. Whether circulating IGF-I responses to exercise reflect local events remains uncertain. We measured the IGF-I response to plyometric exercise across blood, ISF, and muscle biopsy from the vastus lateralis. Twenty volunteers (8 men, 12 women, 22 ± 1 yr) performed 10 sets of 10 plyometric jump repetitions at a 40% 1-repetition maximum. Blood, ISF, and muscle samples were taken pre- and postexercise. Circulating IGF-I increased postexercise: total IGF-I (preexercise = 546 ± 42, midexercise = 585 ± 43, postexercise = 597 ± 45, +30 = 557 ± 42, +60 = 536 ± 40, +120 = 567 ± 42 ng/ml; midexercise, postexercise, and +120 greater than preexercise, P < 0.05); Free IGF-I (preexercise = 0.83 ± 0.09, midexercise = 0.78 ± 0.10, postexercise = 0.79 ± 0.11, +30 = 0.93 ± 0.10, +60 = 0.88 ± 0.10, + 120 = 0.91 ± 0.11 ng/ml; +30 greater than all other preceding time points, P < 0.05). No exercise-induced changes were observed for ISF IGF-I (preexercise = 2.35 ± 0.29, postexercise = 2.46 ± 0.35 ng/ml). No changes were observed for skeletal muscle IGF-I protein, although IGF-I mRNA content increased ∼40% postexercise. The increase in circulating total and free IGF-I was not correlated with increases in ISF IGF-I or muscle IGF-I protein content. Our data indicate that exercise-induced increases in circulating IGF-I are not reflective of local IGF-I signaling.
α2-Adrenoceptor agonist dexmedetomidine protects septic acute kidney injury through increasing BMP-7 and inhibiting HDAC2 and HDAC5
Authors: Hsing Chung-Hsi , Lin Chiou-Feng , So Edmund , Sun Ding-Ping , Chen Tai-Chi , Li Chien-Feng , Yeh Ching-Hua
Published: August 2012

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-7 protects sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). Dexmedetomidine (DEX), an α2-adrenoceptor (α2-AR) agonist, has anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the protective effects of DEX on sepsis-induced AKI and the expression of BMP-7 and histone deacetylases (HDACs). In vitro , the effects of DEX or trichostatin A (TSA, an HDAC inhibitor) on TNF-α, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP-1), BMP-7, and HDAC mRNA expression in LPS-stimulated rat renal tubular epithelial NRK52E cells, was determined using real-time PCR. In vivo, mice were intraperitoneally injected with DEX (25 μg/kg) or saline immediately and 12 h after cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) surgery. Twenty-four hours after CLP, we examined kidney injury and renal TNF-α, MCP-1, BMP-7, and HDAC expression. Survival was monitored for 120 h. LPS increased HDAC2, HDAC5, TNF-α, and MCP-1 expression, but decreased BMP-7 expression in NRK52E cells. DEX treatment decreased the HDAC2, HDAC5, TNF-α, and MCP-1 expression, but increased BMP-7 and acetyl histone H3 expression, whose effects were blocked by yohimbine, an α2-AR antagonist. With DEX treatment, the LPS-induced TNF-α expression and cell death were attenuated in scRNAi-NRK52E but not BMP-7 RNAi-NRK52E cells. In CLP mice, DEX treatment increased survival and attenuated AKI. The expression of HDAC2, HDAC5, TNF-α, and MCP-1 mRNA in the kidneys of CLP mice was increased, but BMP-7 was decreased. However, DEX treatment reduced those changes. DEX reduces sepsis-induced AKI by decreasing TNF-α and MCP-1 and increasing BMP-7, which is associated with decreasing HDAC2 and HDAC5, as well as increasing acetyl histone H3.