bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numeric Simulation on the Performance of an Undulating Fin in the Wake of a Periodic Oscillating Plate
Authors: Yong-Hua Zhang , Jian-Hui He , Kin-Huat Low
Published: October 2013

A two-dimensional unsteady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method using an unstructured, grid-based and unsteady Navier-Stokes solver with automatic adaptive re-meshing to compute the unsteady flow was adopted to study the hydrodynamic interaction between a periodic oscillating plate and a rigid undulating fin in tandem arrangement. The user-defined function (UDF) program was compiled to define the undulating and oscillating motion. First, the influence of the distance between the anterior oscillating plate and the posterior undulating fin on the non-dimensional drag coefficient of the fin was investigated. Ten different distances, D=0.2L, 0.4L, 0.6L, 0.8L, 1.0L, 1.2L, 1.4L, 1.6L, 1.8L and 2.0L, were considered. The performance of the fin for different distances (D) is different. Second, the plate oscillating angle (5.7°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 45°, 50°) and frequency (0.5 Hz, 1.0 Hz, 1.5 Hz, 2.0 Hz, 2.5 Hz, 3.0 Hz, 3.5 Hz, 4.0 Hz) effects on the non-dimensional drag coefficient of the fin were also implemented. The pressure distribution on the fin was computed and integrated to provide fin forces, which were decomposed into lift and thrust. Meanwhile, the flow field was demonstrated and analysed. Based on the flow structures, the reasons for different undulating performances were discussed. It shows that the results largely depend on the distance between the two objects. The plate oscillating angle and frequency also make a certain contribution to the performance of the posterior undulating fin. The results are similar to the interaction between two undulating objects in tandem arrangement and they may provide a physical insight into the understanding of fin interaction in fishes or bio-robotic underwater propulsors that are propelled by multi fins.
An Enhanced Intelligent Handheld Instrument with Visual Servo Control for 2-DOF Hand Motion Error Compensation
Authors: Aye Yan Naing , Zhao Su , Ang Wei Tech
Published: October 2013

The intelligent handheld instrument, ITrem2, enhances manual positioning accuracy by cancelling erroneous hand movements and, at the same time, provides automatic micromanipulation functions. Visual data is acquired from a high speed monovision camera attached to the optical surgical microscope and acceleration measurements are acquired from the inertial measurement unit (IMU) on board ITrem2. Tremor estimation and canceling is implemented via Band-limited Multiple Fourier Linear Combiner (BMFLC) filter. The piezoelectric actuated micromanipulator in ITrem2 generates the 3D motion to compensate erroneous hand motion. Preliminary bench-top 2-DOF experiments have been conducted. The error motions simulated by a motion stage is reduced by 67% for multiple frequency oscillatory motions and 56.16% for pre-conditioned recorded physiological tremor.
Interactive Industrial Robot Programming for the Ceramic Industry
Authors: Veiga Germano , Malaca Pedro , Cancela Rui
Published: October 2013

This paper presents an interactive programming method for programming industrial robots in ceramic applications. The main purpose was to develop a simple but flexible programming system that empowers the user with product driven programming without compromising flexibility. To achieve this flexibility, a two step hybrid programming model was designed: first the user sketches the desired trajectory in a spatial augmented reality programming table using the final product and then relies on an advanced 3D graphical system to tune the robot trajectory in the final workcell. The results measured by the end-user feedback show that a new level of flexibility was reached for this type of application.
Seismic slip deficit in the Kashmir Himalaya from GPS observations
Authors: Schiffman Celia , Bali Bikram Singh , Szeliga Walter , Bilham Roger
Published: October 2013

GPS measurements in Kashmir Himalaya reveal range‐normal convergence of 11 ± 1 mm/yr with dextral shear of 5 ± 1 mm/yr. The transition from a fully locked 170 km wide décollement to the unrestrained descending Indian plate occurs at ~25 km depth over an ~23 km wide transition zone. The convergence rate is consistent with the lower bounds of geological estimates for the Main Frontal Thrust, Riasi, and Balapora fault systems, on which no surface slip has been reported in the past millennium. Of the 14 damaging Kashmir earthquakes since 1123, none may have exceeded Mw = 7.6. Therefore, either a seismic moment deficit equivalent to a Mw ≈ 8.7 earthquake exists or the historical earthquake magnitudes have been underestimated. Alternatively, these earthquakes have occurred on reverse faults in the Kashmir Valley, and the décollement has been recently inactive. Although this can reconcile the inferred and theoretical moment release, it is quantitatively inconsistent with observed fault slip in Kashmir.
Source apportionment of aerosol iron in the marine environment using iron isotope analysis
Authors: Mead Chris , Herckes Pierre , Majestic Brian J. , Anbar Ariel D.
Published: October 2013

Iron (Fe) is a critical nutrient for phytoplankton. In the open ocean, this demand coupled with scarce supply often makes Fe the limiting factor in phytoplankton growth. The largest source, by mass, of Fe to the open ocean is windblown soil dust, but this Fe is much less soluble than Fe from other aerosol sources. Therefore, to fully understand how Fe reaches this ecosystem, it is necessary to understand the range of sources of aerosol Fe. To do this, we collected size‐segregated aerosol samples from Bermuda and analyzed them to determine their Fe isotope composition. From this analysis, we found clear evidence in the fine size fraction (< 2.5 µm) of an important non‐soil‐dust Fe source. Our isotope analysis of multiple oil and coal fly ashes shows that those materials cannot explain our finding. We suggest biomass burning as the most likely source.
Water retention curve for hydrate‐bearing sediments
Authors: Dai Sheng , Santamarina J. Carlos
Published: October 2013

The water retention curve plays a central role in numerical algorithms that model hydrate dissociation in sediments. The determination of the water retention curve for hydrate‐bearing sediments faces experimental difficulties, and most studies assume constant water retention curves regardless of hydrate saturation. This study employs network model simulation to investigate the water retention curve for hydrate‐bearing sediments. Results show that (1) hydrate in pores shifts the curve to higher capillary pressures and the air entry pressure increases as a power function of hydrate saturation; (2) the air entry pressure is lower in sediments with patchy rather than distributed hydrate, with higher pore size variation and pore connectivity or with lower specimen slenderness along the flow direction; and (3) smaller specimens render higher variance in computed water retention curves, especially at high water saturation Sw > 0.7. Results are relevant to other sediment pore processes such as bioclogging and mineral precipitation.
ENSO signature in botanical proxy time series extends terrestrial El Niño record into the (sub)tropics
Authors: Donders Timme H. , Punyasena Surangi W. , de Boer Hugo J. , Wagner‐Cremer Friederike
Published: October 2013

The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) exerts significant control over the amount of Florida winter precipitation. We use a local near‐annual resolved palaeobotanical proxy record from southern Florida to test for historic ENSO variability over the past 125 years. Palaeobotanical proxies from a Florida wetland, pollen counts, and a new drought‐stress proxy based on leaf epidermal cell densities are used as indicators of moisture availability during the winter growing season. Spectral analysis and band‐pass filtering of the proxy records reveal significant variability within the 2–7 year bandwidth characteristic of ENSO, as well as decadal signatures. A maximum likelihood palaeoprecipitation reconstruction of the pollen record based on modern vegetation distributions shows values and variability comparable to instrumental records. The approach shows the dominant control of ENSO on Florida vegetation and provides a powerful means to detect discrete ENSO variability in older intervals.
Generation of Pi2 pulsations by intermittent earthward propagating dipolarization fronts: An MHD case study
Authors: Ream J. B. , Walker R. J. , Ashour‐Abdalla M. , El‐Alaoui M. , Kivelson M. G. , Goldstein M. L.
Published: October 2013

Using a global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation of the magnetosphere during a disturbed interval on 14 September 2004, we have investigated fluctuations in plasma properties of the magnetotail in the Pi2 range and their relationship to dipolarization fronts (DFs). Results from the MHD simulation indicate that this event is a very active interval with variable convection and disorder in the tail on a range of scales as small as ∼1 RE. DFs are observed in the simulation at the leading edge of fast earthward flows that originate from reconnection regions that form between ∼−15 and −30 RE in the tail. Pi2 period fluctuations are identified in pressure, magnetic field, and velocity components inside −13 REfollowing each burst of DFs in the midnight sector. The fluctuations observed in the pressure appear to be generated by the successive DFs as they approach the interface between stretched tail field lines and dipolar field lines. Fluctuations in the velocity may be the result of interactions between successive DFs and are amplified directly following the passage of the DFs as they propagate earthward. Although the limited azimuthal extent of the pulsations near the plasma sheet, just inside of the braking region, makes it difficult to draw a direct comparison between the ground‐based measurements and the pulsations at −6 RE, the temporal evolution of the simulated DFs and Pi2 pulsations approximately reproduces the timing of the variations observed by satellites and ground‐based instruments. Therefore, we have been able to use the global simulation to track the bursty flows, dipolarization fronts, and associated Pi2 period fluctuations throughout the entire magnetosphere in order to understand the sources of the changes measured in the near‐Earth region.
Immunological Cytotoxic Factors
Authors: Martinez-Lostao Luis , Anel Alberto , Regner Matthias , Froelich Christopher J , Pardo Julian
Published: October 2013

The host immune system has evolved a variety of strategies to control pathogens and tumour development. The beneficial outcome is the death of the offending cell (transformed or pathogen‐infected) and consequently the demise of the invading pathogen. However, if uncontrolled, these mechanisms will also contribute to host immunopathology. Many of the mechanisms used by the immune system to eliminate intracellular and extracellular pathogens and transformed cells include not only death mediators associated with cytotoxic lymphocytes, but also soluble proteins such as the complement system and the defensins, which are designed to eliminate extracellular pathogens. Recent evidences suggest that the major cytotoxic mediators of host cell‐mediated immunity may possess noncytotoxic functions such as induction of proinflammatory cytokines or inactivation of proteins involved in the pathogen life cycle.

Key Concepts:

The host immune system can kill transformed and infected cells by apoptosis.

The pleiotropism of host immune system‐induced cell death is a consequence of evolutionary pressure of tumour/pathogens.

Host cell‐mediated immunity use cytotoxic granule exocytosis, death receptors and the release of soluble cytokines to combat cancer and infection.

Death receptors are involved in the regulation of cell homoeostasis and prevention of autoimmune disorders.

Granule exocytosis possesses noncytotoxic functions like regulation or proinflammatory processes, cardiovascular diseases or inactivation of viruses.

Cytotoxic function of granule exocytosis critically depends on perforin.

Interferons regulate cell cycle and apoptosis susceptibiltiy of pathogen‐infected or cancer cells.

Complement system induces lysis of pathogen or tumour cells and helps to clear apoptotic cells.

Antimicrobial peptides eliminate extracellular and intracellular pathogens and induce apoptosis in some tumour cells.

Selectivity of antimicrobial peptides for pathogens is based on the lipid composition of membranes.
Hoppe‐Seyler, Ernst Felix Immanuel
Authors: Brock William H
Published: October 2013

Ernst Felix Immanuel Hoppe‐Seyler (1825–1895) was a German biochemist who investigated the chemistry of haemoglobin, and who argued that biochemistry should be an independent science. Founding editor of
Zeitschrift
für Physiologischen Chemie
.
Psychoses
Authors: Moises Hans W
Published: October 2013

Psychoses are serious psychiatric disorders characterised by the inability to differentiate reality from unreality. Major symptoms are disorganised thoughts, delusions, hallucinations, and persistent profound sadness or euphoric mood without apparent reason. They are split into a group of known organic and a group of unknown causes. The latter are termed major psychoses and affect approximately 2% of the human population. The subdivision of major psychoses into schizophrenia and bipolar disorder is a matter of debate. In search of the aetiology of these disorders, different models have been applied, mainly medical, Darwinian, Mendelian, psychogenic, and genomic paradigms. These approaches, their results and the widely accepted neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia are summarised in this article. More details can be found in other articles in this encyclopedia, references and in a list for further reading.

Key Concepts:

Psychoses are caused by known or postulated brain disorders.

The classification of psychoses is based on aetiology and course.

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (manic‐depressive illness) are two major psychoses of postulated but unknown organic origin.

Major psychoses are polygenic disorders with heritability estimates of approximately 80%.

Genome research has identified several genes associated with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder which are, in part, identical.

Brain imaging revealed partly overlapping volume reductions in schizophrenia as well as in bipolar disorder.

Genes associated with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder play a role in neurodevelopment and synaptic regulation.

Dopamine hyperactivity, neurodevelopment, inflammation, neurodegeneration and synaptic dysregulation have been implicated in the aetiology of major psychoses.
Variable Drug Response: Genetic Evaluation
Authors: Madian Ashraf G , Baker Jones Richard
Published: October 2013

The field of pharmacogenomics attempts to evaluate the contribution of genetic variants to drug sensitivity and adverse effects. Over the past decade, the pharmacogenomics field has evolved from using candidate gene approaches to application of genome‐wide approaches for the identification of genetic variants associated with drug responses. Understanding the underlying biology of these associations as well as their translation into clinical practice represents a major ongoing and future challenge.

Key Concepts:

A discussion on pharmacogenomics studies on drug response and adverse drug reactions.

History of pharmacogenomics

The ethnic component of pharmacogenomics

The impact of genetics on drug response

The impact of genetics on adverse drug reactions

Clinical implementation of pharmacogenomics
Comparison of Rates and Patterns of Meiotic Recombination between Human and Chimpanzee
Authors: Freudenberg Jan
Published: October 2013

Despite the high sequence similarity between the human and chimpanzee genomes, little conservation of recombination rates exists on a kilobase scale. In contrast, recombination rates are highly conserved on a larger scale, consistent with an influence of karyotype structure. In both species, recombination mainly occurs in recombination hotspots that are marked by histone‐methylation through PRDM9. A specific sequence motif was found enriched in hotspots in humans and may direct PRDM9 to the respective regions. The fast evolutionary change of fine‐scale recombination rates is paralleled by a fast sequence evolution of the nucleotide‐binding domain of
PRDM9
. Accordingly, the human hotspot motif is not enriched in chimpanzee recombination hotspots. As hotspots are sequence‐based traits that show heritable variation in the population, their specific locations could be influenced by natural selection. Consistently, recombination hotspots are enriched at genes that are under particularly strong selective pressure, such as immune and nervous system genes.

Key Concepts

Recombination is a fundamental force in inheritance and evolution.

Large‐scale recombination rates are highly conserved between humans and chimpanzees, whereas fine‐scale recombination rates evolve extremely fast.

Karyotype structure is a major determinant of large‐scale recombination rates.

Recombination mainly occurs in recombination hotspots that are marked by histone‐methylation through PRDM9 both in humans and chimpanzees.

A sequence motif is likely to direct PRDM9 to recombination hotspot regions.

Fine‐scale recombination rate is correlated with the rate of sequence evolution.

Fine‐scale recombination rates are increased around genes with role in the nervous system or the immune system.
Evolutionary History and Impact of Human
DNA
Transposons
Authors: Feschotte Cédric , McCormick John
Published: October 2013

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
transposons are mobile elements that move via a DNA intermediate. The (haploid) human genome harbours more than 300 000 DNA transposon copies, accounting for approximately 3% of the total genomic DNA. Nearly one‐third of these elements are specific to the primate lineage, but there is no evidence for transposition activity within the past 40 million years. However, there is growing evidence that DNA transposons have contributed in shaping the current genome architecture of humans and have been a recurrent source of new regulatory and coding DNA throughout mammalian evolution. Notably, more than 50 human genes are currently known to descend from transposase sequences recycled to perform diverse cellular functions.

Key Concepts:

DNA (or class 2) transposons represent a minority of the mobile genetic elements populating mammalian genomes, but still account for more DNA in our genome than all protein‐coding sequences.

DNA transposition was once very active in mammals and has generated approximately 100 000 primate‐specific insertions in our genome.

DNA transposon germline activity suddenly ceased ∼40 million years ago in the human lineage, but has persisted in other mammalian lineages – most prominently and recently in vesper bats.

Despite the lack of current transposition activity, DNA transposons may still be promoting genomic rearrangements, including recurrent ectopic recombination events associated with pathologies.

Like many other mobile elements in the human genome, some DNA transposons have been incorporated into the regulatory apparatus of the genome through the donation of enhancers and regulatory elements modulating adjacent gene expression.

Transposases have been a source of coding sequences for the assembly of several new genes during vertebrate evolution, including at least 50 genes in the human genome. The function of most human transposase‐derived genes remains unknown or poorly understood, but some have emerged as key regulators for a variety of cellular processes.
Apraxias
Authors: Pantelyat Alexander Y , Grossman Murray
Published: October 2013

Apraxia is defined as the difficulty or inability to perform learned skilled actions. We describe the various motor impairments classified as apraxia. The neuroanatomic network thought to underlie praxis encompasses frontal and parietal cortices and the basal ganglia. As corticobasal syndrome is characterised by frontal, parietal and basal ganglia disease, we highlight the frequent occurrence of apraxia in this disorder. We also discuss several current models of praxis to explain the findings seen in apraxic patients, focussing on the neuroanatomical networks described in the literature. Understanding the alterations in the networks underlying praxis during learning and as a result of injury will help guide the development of novel rehabilitative and therapeutic interventions.

Key Concepts:

Apraxia is the difficulty in performing acquired actions.

Apraxia is not caused by a sensory or motor disorder, and is independent of other symbol‐mediated disorders such as aphasia as these have been dissociated in multiple reported patients.

There are several different forms of apraxia such as ideomotor apraxia, and each is characterised by the specific manner in which action is compromised.

The network of anatomical structures underlying praxis includes the frontal and parietal cortices, basal ganglia and white matter tracts projecting between these areas.

Interruption of this frontal–parietal–basal ganglia network results in apraxia.

Unilateral apraxia may be the first presenting sign of a neurodegenerative condition known as corticobasal syndrome, which is characterised by frontal, parietal and basal ganglia dysfunction.

Apraxia also may be due to other conditions such as stroke and head trauma.
Evolution of Avian Flight
Authors: Heers Ashley M
Published: October 2013

The origin of birds and of bird flight has drawn scientific interest since the inception of evolutionary thinking. Though early investigations were hampered by a paucity of fossils, new discoveries have filled in many gaps and provided unprecedented detail into morphological changes that attended the evolutionary appearance of birds and bird flight. Birds are now widely regarded as the descendents of theropod dinosaurs. In contrast, form–function relationships and behaviours that might have facilitated the evolutionary acquisition of flight remain widely debated. Given the versatility of extant birds, we should not expect to find only one solution to this problem. Nevertheless, much debate seems to stem not from looking for multiple plausible functions and behaviours, but rather from traditional ‘ground up’ versus ‘trees down’ assumptions and a general lack of experimental and ecological support for inferred form–function relationships. Many researchers have therefore called for more rigorous hypothesis testing, and a plethora of new techniques and perspectives are up to the challenge.

Key Concepts:

Birds are the descendents of bipedal theropod dinosaurs.

Evolutionary assembly of the avian body plan occurred gradually, with bird‐like wings evolving before bird‐like skeletons, in conjunction with a reduction in body size and then a cranial shift in centre of mass.

These changes took place via a series of transitional anatomical stages that were presumably associated with transitional functions and behaviours before becoming co‐opted for flapping flight.

Many origin‐of‐flight hypotheses have been proposed, and it is challenging to discriminate among them. Much debate seems to stem from traditional ‘ground up’ versus ‘trees down’ assumptions and a general lack of experimental and ecological support for inferred form–function relationships.

A growing number of researchers have therefore suggested that hypotheses must be consistent not only with the fossil record, but also with experimental support for form–function relationships and behaviours inferred by origin‐of‐flight scenarios.

New techniques and perspectives are meeting this challenge and providing more rigorous insight into the origin of flight in birds.

For example, recent work on developing birds with dinosaur‐like anatomies clearly demonstrates that behaviours involving the cooperative use of wings and legs (e.g. wing‐assisted incline running and steaming) act as a developmental (or evolutionary) bridge between leg‐based terrestrial locomotion and wing‐based aerial locomotion, by allowing developing birds (or evolving dinosaurs) to supplement their wings with their legs until the wings can fully support body weight during flight.
Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm
Authors: Tietz Sarah
Published: October 2013

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716) was a German philosopher, mathematician, physicist, scientist, politician, diplomat, historian and librarian. He is known as the last universal genius and as one of the most famous philosophers of his time. Leibniz invented a mechanical calculator, developed the infinitesimal calculus, anticipated modern computational science and paved the way for the discovery of the principle of the conservation of energy in physics. He was one of the first to solve mechanical problems by self‐regulating systems, anticipated modern geology in claiming that the earth has a molten core and paved the way for the distinction between conscious and subconscious states. Leibniz exchanged more than 15 000 letters with both intellectual and political persons of distinction, among them two German emperors, Tsar Peter the Great and almost all important scientists and philosophers of his time.

Key Concepts:

Monads are indivisible, mind‐like entities, which the late Leibniz considered as the fundamental building blocks of reality.

Divine machines, for Leibniz, are the bodies of living beings. The term refers to the functional organisation of the body of living beings which, contrary to that of artificial machines, Leibniz thought to be infinite.

‘Pre‐established harmony’ is Leibniz's term for the relation between substances, most notably for the relation between mind and body.

Optimism is a Leibnizian position according to which this world is the best of all possible worlds.

Corporeal substances are living beings with a body.

The Stepped Reckoner is a digital mechanical calculator designed to execute all four basic arithmetic operations.
Molecular Genetics of Hyperuricaemia and Gout
Authors: Merriman Tony R , Flynn Tanya J
Published: October 2013

Gout results from an innate immune reaction to monosodium urate crystals deposited in the joints of individuals with elevated serum urate levels (hyperuricaemia). Urate, the primary cause of gout, is a metabolite with beneficial properties. The use of genome‐wide association scanning has identified 28 loci that control serum urate levels. Predominant among these are loci containing uric acid transporter genes involved in renal and gut excretion of uric acid. The SLC2A9 (GLUT9) and ABCG2 genes have particularly strong effects on serum urate and risk of gout. In contrast to serum urate, the genetic control of inflammatory gout is very poorly understood, largely because no genome‐wide association scan has been conducted using clinically ascertained gout cases. Similarly, the full‐scope of the beneficial (or harmful) properties of urate is currently unknown; a genetic technique called Mendelian randomisation is being employed to better understand the relationship between urate and other metabolic conditions.

Key Concepts:

Urate is evolutionarily beneficial.

Urate is under genetic control.

Genetic variants in genes involved in the excretion of uric acid have the strongest effect on serum urate.

A total of 28 loci have been associated with control of serum urate.

Not all genes associated with serum urate have been associated with gout.

There are no genes associated with inflammatory gout with robust statistical evidence.
Role of the JAK‐STAT Signalling Pathway in Cancer
Authors: Dutta Pranabananda , Li Willis X
Published: October 2013

The JAK‐STAT pathway is important in cytokine‐mediated immune responses. Research in the JAK/STAT field has elucidated its roles in various cellular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis and migration, and has found frequent dysregulation of the JAK/STAT pathway in diverse types of cancer. In recent years, JAK and STAT have also been implicated in a noncanonical mode of action: the regulation of genomic stability independent of their functions in cytokine signalling. Research in
Drosophila
has shown that nuclear, unphosphorylated STAT physically interacts with heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) and stabilises its binding to heterochromatin. A similar interaction occurs in human cells, where unphosphorylated STAT5A interacts with HP1α and acts as a tumour suppressor. Nuclear JAK2, however, functions as a histone tyrosine kinase, displacing HP1α from chromatin. These data have important implications for human cancer: They suggest new drug therapies, which could target the noncanonical functions of JAK and STAT. In this article, we discuss how the canonical arm of the JAK‐STAT pathway functions in tumourigenesis, focussing on JAK and on STAT1, STAT3 and STAT5. We then discuss recent findings regarding epigenetic silencing of JAK/STAT pathway components, and the direct involvement of JAK and STAT in regulating heterochromatin integrity.

Key Concepts:

The tyrosine kinase JAK and its downstream target STAT respond to cytokine signalling in cells.

In response to cytokines, JAK itself is phosphorylated, leading to its activation. The activated JAK kinase then phosphorylates specific STATs.

STAT proteins dimerise and translocate into the nucleus upon phosphorylation by JAK, where they bind to DNA and regulate transcription.

Overactivation of the JAK‐STAT pathway can cause cancer by bypassing apoptosis and cell cycle checkpoints.

Unphosphorylated STAT is also found in the nuclei and mitochondria of cells that are not stimulated by cytokines.

Mitochondrial STAT upregulates cellular respiration and can promote oncogenic transformation.

Unphosphorylated nuclear STAT binds to HP1α and stabilises heterochromatin. STAT5A in colon cancer cells acts as a tumour suppressor via this mechanism.

Nuclear JAK2 is a histone tyrosine kinase. Phosphorylation of histone 3 tyrosine 41 displaces HP1α/CBX5 from chromatin and contributes to tumourigenicity.

In some cancers, DNA methylation suppresses the expression of inhibitory SOCS proteins, resulting in uncontrolled JAK/STAT pathway activation.
Inducing and Characterizing Liver Regeneration in Mice: Reliable Models, Essential “Readouts” and Critical Perspectives
Authors: Mastellos Dimitrios C. , DeAngelis Robert A. , Lambris John D.
Published: October 2013

Elucidating the molecular circuitry that regulates regenerative responses in mammals has recently attracted considerable attention because of its emerging impact on modern bioengineering, tissue replacement technologies, and organ transplantation. The liver is one of the few organs of the adult body that exhibits a prominent regenerative capacity in response to toxic injury, viral infection, or surgical resection. Over the years, mechanistic insights into the liver's regenerative potential have been provided by rodent models of chemical liver injury or surgical resection that faithfully recapitulate hallmarks of human pathophysiology and trigger robust hepatocyte proliferation leading to organ restoration. The advent of mouse transgenics has undeniably catalyzed the wider application of such models for researching liver pathobiology. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the most reliable and widely applied murine models of liver regeneration and also discusses helpful hints, considerations, and limitations related to the use of these models in liver regeneration studies. Curr. Protoc. Mouse Biol. 3:141‐170 © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Collocation
Authors: Warren Martin
Published: October 2013

Evidence from corpus linguistics studies shows that single words do not create meaning. Meaning comes from the co‐selections of words. The field of corpus linguistics has contributed significantly to our understanding of the extensive patterning to be found in language, by which is meant the variety of ways in which speakers and writers co‐select words which combine to make meanings. One of the patterns of co‐selection is collocation and, in terms of its role in meaning creation, it was brought to prominence by Firth in 1951 (1957, p. 194) through his notion of “collocability.” Firth's central claim is that the meaning of a word is best understood by the company it keeps, in other words by its associations. He describes these associations as “meaning by ‘collocations’”. One of his best‐known examples of collocation is
dark night
and he writes that “one of the meanings of
night
is its collocability with
dark
, and of
dark
, of course, collocation with
night
” (1957, p. 196).
Computer‐Mediated Communication and Second Language Use
Authors: Abrams Zsuzsanna I.
Published: October 2013

Since its introduction into foreign and second language (
L2
) teaching,
CMC
has been hailed for yielding lexically and grammatically richer language when compared with learners' output during face‐to‐face interactions and for increasing their motivation to interact in the
L2
. Arguably even more importantly, however,
CMC
appears not only to affect the language produced but also to revolutionize the way learners use the
L2
. Over the past two decades research on this topic has broadened in paradigmatic focus and methodological approach. Accordingly, Blyth groups studies of
CMC
into four categories: (a) technological (analyzing language development as a result of
CMC
), (b) psycholinguistic (applying interactionist theories of second language acquisition to
CMC
), (c) sociocultural (understanding learning as a socially constructed process), and (d) ecological (examining situated language learning). Studies from each category have contributed to our understanding of
L2
use
in
CMC
.
Huddleston, Rodney
Authors: Collins Peter
Published: October 2013

Rodney Desmond Huddleston was born near Manchester on April 4, 1937. He attended Manchester Grammar School and, after two years of compulsory military service, studied at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, graduating in 1960 with first class honors in modern and medieval languages. In 1963 he completed a
PhD
at Edinburgh University under the supervision of Michael Halliday entitled “A descriptive and comparative analysis of texts in French and English: an application of grammatical theory,” and was appointed to a lectureship in linguistics in the same year. In 1965 he moved to University College London, where he led a research project on the linguistic properties of scientific English. The findings were reported in his first monograph, which outlined many of the tenets that Huddleston was to subsequently develop in his major publications on descriptive English grammar. In 1967 Huddleston took up a lectureship at the University of Reading, where he worked with Frank Palmer, Peter Matthews, and David Crystal, before moving to a lectureship at University College London in 1968. In 1969 he moved to the University of Queensland (where he has stayed for the rest of his career).
Open Educational Resources (
OER
)
Authors: Blyth Carl S.
Published: October 2013

Digital technology has changed how we learn and teach languages. And nowhere has that change been more evident than in the innovative pedagogical materials referred to as open educational resources (
OER
) favored by 21st century language learners and teachers (see, for example,
http://loro.open.ac.uk/
and
http://www.khanacademy.org
,
http://oli.web.cmu.edu/openlearning
). Coined in 2002 during a
UNESCO
forum, the term was meant to emphasize knowledge construction as an ongoing process that required editable, digital materials more in keeping with the dynamics of online learning and teaching. Plotkin (2010, p. 1) refers to
OER
as “teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that permits sharing, accessing, repurposing—including for commercial purposes—and collaborating with others.” As such,
OER
represent a heterogeneous category of pedagogical materials that differ widely in scale, sophistication, and goals: online textbooks, supplementary exercises, lesson plans, language corpora, annotation tools, and so forth.
Genomic approaches for studying craniofacial disorders
Authors: Khandelwal Kriti D. , van Bokhoven Hans , Roscioli Tony , Carels Carine E.L. , Zhou Huiqing
Published: October 2013

Fast developing technologies in genomics have driven genetic studies of human diseases from classical candidate approaches toward hypothesis‐free and genome‐wide screening methods. Compared to the low‐resolution cytogenetic techniques that were the only available methods to visualize genomic changes at the chromosomal level until some 15 years ago, genome‐wide studies including analyses of copy number variation (CNV), genome‐wide association and linkage studies, and exome sequencing (ES) provide more accurate information for unraveling the genetic causes of diseases. Moreover, genome sequencing (GS) which interrogates the genome of a single individual at the nucleotide resolution has also been applied in genetic studies. Here we review genomic approaches in craniofacial disorders, with the emphasis on orofacial clefts, and discuss the applications, advantages, limitations, challenges, and future perspectives. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nonmetric cranial trait variation and population history of medieval east slavic tribes
Authors: Movsesian Alla A.
Published: October 2013

The population history of the East Slavs is complicated. There are still many unanswered questions relating to the origins and formation of the East Slavic gene pool. The aims of the current study were as follows: (1) to assess the degree of biological affinity in medieval East Slavic tribes and to test the hypothesis that East Slavic peoples have a common origin; (2) to show their genetic connections to the autochthonous populations of the northern part of Eastern Europe (Baltic and Finno‐Ugric tribes); and (3) to identify a genetic continuity between the bearers of Chernyakhov culture and medieval Eastern Slavs. In this study, nonmetric cranial trait data for medieval East Slavic tribes and comparative samples from unrelated groups were examined. Analyzes of phenotypic differentiation were based on Nei's standard genetic distance and hierarchical GSTstatistics. The results obtained suggest that the genetic affinity of the East Slavic tribes is due not only to inter‐tribal gene flow, but is, more importantly, a result of their common population history. Evidence of gene flow from the Baltic and Finno‐Ugric groups was showed in the gene pool of Eastern Slavs, as was genetic continuity between medieval East Slavic tribes and the populations of the preceding Chernyakhov culture. These findings support a “generalizing” hypothesis of East Slavic origin, in which a Slavic community was formed in some particular ancestral area, and subsequently spread throughout Eastern Europe. Am J Phys Anthropol 152:495–505, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A new method to predict optimum cure time of rubber compound using dynamic mechanical analysis
Authors: Khimi S. Raa , Pickering K. L.
Published: October 2013

The degree of vulcanization of a rubber compound has a big influence on the properties of the final product. Therefore, precisely defining the curing process including optimum cure time is important to ensure the production of final products having high performance. Typically, vulcanization is represented using vulcanization curves. The main types of equipment used for producing vulcanization curves are the oscillating disc rheometer (ODR) and the moving die rheometer (MDR). These can be used to plot graphs of torque versus time at a constant temperature to show how cure is proceeding. Based on the results obtained, optimum cure time (t90) is calculated as the time required for the torque to reach 90% of the maximum achievable torque. In this study, the use of Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) for assessment of t90 was assessed. DMA was carried out using shear mode isothermal tests to measure the changes in material properties caused by vulcanization. The results revealed that the shear storage modulus (G′), shear loss modulus (G′′), and tan δ all reflect the vulcanization process, however, tan δ gave the best representation of level of vulcanization. Indeed, the curve of tan δ was able to be used to derive the t90 for rubber compounds and showed good agreement with the results from an MDR. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2014, 131, 40008.
Increase in numbers and proportions of review articles in Tropical Medicine, Infectious Diseases, and oncology
Authors: Colebunders Robert , Kenyon Chris , Rousseau Ronald
Published: October 2013

This article examines whether the absolute and relative numbers of reviews are increasing in the following three subfields of medical sciences: Tropical Medicine, Infectious Diseases, and Oncology. It further examines if reviews are cited more frequently than are “normal” articles. All research questions are answered affirmatively: The absolute as well as the relative numbers of reviews in these three subfields are indeed increasing. In addition, reviews in these fields are cited more frequently than are normal articles: about 70% more often than are “normal” articles in Infectious Diseases and Oncology and about 50% more often in Tropical Medicine. The article discusses possible reasons for this increase and concludes that medical journals should strive to achieve an optimal balance between review papers and original articles.
Metal–Organic Frameworks as Biomimetic Catalysts
Authors: Gu Zhi‐Yuan , Park Jihye , Raiff Aaron , Wei Zhangwen , Zhou Hong‐Cai
Published: October 2013

In this Minireview, we have summarized the recent progress of biomimetic catalysis in the field of metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) with a focus on the implantation of biomimetic active sites into a stable MOF. In addition, the potential of creating highly selective catalytic pockets and diffusion‐favored hierarchical structures in MOFs has also been explored. Furthermore, we have highlighted the achievements of MOF catalysts in the applications as mimics of peroxidase, cytochromes P450, hemoglobin, and photosynthetic systems.
Ionic Liquid Propellants: Future Fuels for Space Propulsion
Authors: Zhang Qinghua , Shreeve Jean'ne M.
Published: October 2013

Use of green propellants is a trend for future space propulsion. Hypergolic ionic liquid propellants, which are environmentally‐benign while exhibiting energetic performances comparable to hydrazine, have shown great potential to meet the requirements of developing nontoxic high‐performance propellant formulations for space propulsion applications. This Concept article presents a review of recent advances in the field of ionic liquid propellants.
Retrospective 3D Modeling of RF Coils Using a 3D Tracker for EM Simulation
Authors: Kim Dong Eun , Park Yong Moon , Perez Marlon , Hernandez Daniel , Lee Juhyung , Lee Soo Yeol
Published: October 2013

The 3D geometry of the RF coil in use is often unavailable when the RF coil is a commercial one or the RF coil has been developed through ad hoc modification of the coil shape at the laboratory. Without the coil geometry information, making a 3D model of the RF coil may be necessary to simulate the RF coil performance using a finite difference time domain (FDTD) solver. We used a stylus‐type 3D tracker to measure the 3D positions of the landmarks on the coil wires. From the measured landmark positions, we built 3D models of the coil wires using a 3D design tool. We also carried out FDTD simulation of the RF coil performances after transferring the 3D model data to the FDTD solver. For demonstration, we built 3D models of a shoulder coil and a 36‐channel helmet‐style array coil, and we computed B1 field maps of the coils using the FDTD solver. We think the proposed method can be greatly used for FDTD simulation of the RF coils in use whose geometries are unknown. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part B (Magn Reson Engineering) 43B: 126–132, 2013
Radiotherapy influences local control in patients with desmoplastic melanoma
Authors: Strom Tobin , Caudell Jimmy J. , Han Dale , Zager Jonathan S. , Yu Daohai , Cruse C. Wayne , Marzban Suroosh S. , Messina Jane L. , Trotti Andy M. , Sondak Vernon K. , Rao Nikhil G.
Published: October 2013

BACKGROUND

Desmoplastic melanoma may have a high risk of local recurrence after wide excision. The authors hypothesized that adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) would improve local control in patients with desmoplastic melanoma, resulting in at least a 10% absolute decrease in local recurrence rate.

METHODS

A total of 277 patients from 1989 through 2010 who were treated for nonmetastatic desmoplastic melanoma by surgery with or without adjuvant RT were reviewed. Clinicopathologic and treatment variables were assessed with regard to their role in local control.

RESULTS

A total of 113 patients (40.8%) received adjuvant RT. After a median follow‐up of 43.1 months, adjuvant RT was found to be independently associated with improved local control on multivariable analysis (hazards ratio, 0.15; 95% confidence interval, 0.06‐0.39 [P < .001]). Among 35 patients with positive resection margins, 14% who received RT developed a local recurrence versus 54% who did not (P = .004). In patients with negative resection margins, there was a trend (P = .09) toward improved local control with RT. In patients with negative resection margins and traditionally high‐risk features, including a head and neck tumor location, a Breslow depth > 4 mm, or a Clark level V tumor, RT was found to significantly improve local control (P < .05). The data from the current study would suggest that patients who would be good candidates for omitting RT included those with negative resection margins, a Breslow depth ≤ 4 mm, and either no perineural invasion present or a non‐head and neck tumor location.

CONCLUSIONS

RT for desmoplastic melanoma was independently associated with improved local control. Patients with positive resection margins or deeper tumors appeared to benefit the most from RT, whereas selected low‐risk patients can safely omit RT. Cancer 2014;120:1369–1378. © 2013 American Cancer Society.
Cutoff for General Spin Systems with Arbitrary Boundary Conditions
Authors: Lubetzky Eyal , Sly Allan
Published: October 2013

The cutoff phenomenon describes a sharp transition in the convergence of a Markov chain to equilibrium. In recent work, the authors established cutoff and its location for the stochastic Ising model on the d‐dimensional torus (ℤ/nℤ)d for any d ≥ ;1. The proof used the symmetric structure of the torus and monotonicity in an essential way.

Here we enhance the framework and extend it to general geometries, boundary conditions, and external fields to derive a cutoff criterion that involves the growth rate of balls and the log‐Sobolev constant of the Glauber dynamics. In particular, we show there is cutoff for the stochastic Ising model on any sequence of bounded‐degree graphs with subexponential growth under arbitrary external fields provided the inverse log‐Sobolev constant is bounded. For lattices with homogenous boundary, such as all‐plus, we identify the cutoff location explicitly in terms of spectral gaps of infinite‐volume dynamics on half‐plane intersections. Analogous results establishing cutoff are obtained for nonmonotone spin systems at high temperatures, including the gas hard‐core model, the Potts model, the antiferromagnetic Potts model, and the coloring model. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.