bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A systematic review of duloxetine and venlafaxine in major depression, including unpublished data
Authors: Schueler Y.‐B. , Koesters M. , Wieseler B. , Grouven U. , Kromp M. , Kerekes M. F. , Kreis J. , Kaiser T. , Becker T. , Weinmann S.
Published: September 2010

Schueler Y‐B, Koesters M, Wieseler B, Grouven U, Kromp M, Kerekes MF, Kreis J, Kaiser T, Becker T, Weinmann S. A systematic review of duloxetine and venlafaxine in major depression, including unpublished data.

Objective:  To determine the short‐term antidepressant efficacy and tolerability of duloxetine and venlafaxine vs. each other, placebo, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and tri‐ and tetracyclic antidepressants (TCAs) in adults with major depression.

Method:  Meta‐analysis of randomised controlled trials identified through bibliographical databases and other sources, including unpublished manufacturer reports.

Results:  Fifty‐four studies including venlafaxine arms (n = 12 816), 14 including duloxetine arms (n = 4528), and two direct comparisons (n = 836) were analysed. Twenty‐three studies were previously unpublished. In the meta‐analysis, both duloxetine and venlafaxine showed superior efficacy (higher remission and response rates) and inferior tolerability (higher discontinuation rates due to adverse events) to placebo. Venlafaxine had superior efficacy in response rates but inferior tolerability to SSRIs (OR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.07–1.35 and 1.38, 95% CI 1.15–1.66, respectively), and no differences in efficacy and tolerability to TCAs. Duloxetine did not show any advantages over other antidepressants and was less well tolerated than SSRIs and venlafaxine (OR = 1.53, 95% CI 1.10–2.13 and OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.16–2.78, respectively).

Conclusion:  Rather than being a first‐line option, venlafaxine appears to be a valid alternative in patients who do not tolerate or respond to SSRIs or TCAs. Duloxetine does not seem to be indicated as a first‐line treatment.
Of fleas and geese: the impact of an increasing nest ectoparasite on reproductive success
Authors: Harriman Vanessa B. , Alisauskas Ray T.
Published: September 2010

Past studies on the relationship between nest ectoparasites and avian fitness have been primarily limited to altricial hosts. Life history strategies of precocial and altricial birds vary considerably, limiting our ability to infer the effect of nest parasites on fitness of precocial species. Ross'sChen rossiiand lesser snow gooseChen caerulescens caerulescenspopulations have been growing at unprecedented high rates. New limiting factors on vital rates of these precocial birds may arise after populations have been released from previously regulating factors. The fleaCeratophyllus vagabundus vagabundusis an apparently newly emerging nest parasite in the arctic goose colony at Karrak Lake, Nunavut, Canada. We examined the relationship between flea abundance (measured by the proportion of goose eggs covered by blood in each nest) and goose reproductive success from 2001–2004. In three of four years of study, nest success was inversely related to flea abundance in nests. Despite the potential for high costs to individuals, the overall effects of fleas on goose nesting success have thus far been small. We demonstrated that nest parasites negatively influence reproductive success of precocial bird hosts despite host life history strategy of leaving the nest quickly after hatch, which results in minimal exposure to nest parasites compared to altricial birds that raise their young in the nest.
Joy for morphology: dermatopathology and art
Authors: Kerl Helmut , Wolf Ingrid H. , Kerl Katrin , Smolle‐Jüttner Freya , Cerroni Lorenzo , Stieber Werner
Published: September 2010

This work displays the bridging of two fields – namely dermatopathology and art. What is astonishing is that structures one sees through the microscope reveal aesthetic and artistic aspects and sometimes resemble in a startling way the designs of certain artists. Specific examples are illustrated to enhance the joy and appreciation of morphologic images.
JOB SATISFACTION, ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT, TURNOVER INTENTION, AND TURNOVER: PATH ANALYSES BASED ON META‐ANALYTIC FINDINGS
Authors: TETT ROBERT P. , MEYER JOHN P.
Published: September 2010

Cross‐study differences in the contributions of work attitudes to the turnover process led us to (a) estimate the six relations among job satisfaction, organizational commitment, turnover intention/withdrawal cognitions, and turnover using meta‐analysis; (b) assess the effects of several psychometric moderators on those relations; and (c) compare the influences of satisfaction and commitment in the turnover process by applying path analysis to the meta‐analytic correlations. Based on aggregations involving a total of 178 independent samples from 155 studies, results showed that (a) satisfaction and commitment each contribute independently to the prediction of intention/cognitions; (b) intention/cognitions are predicted more strongly by satisfaction than by commitment; (c) intention/cognitions mediate nearly all of the attitu‐dinal linkage with turnover; and (d) attitudinal contributions to the turnover process vary with the use of single‐ versus multi‐item scales, the 9‐ versus 15‐item version of the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, and turnover intention versus withdrawal cognition scales.
Determination of Fluorine and Chlorine by Pyrohydrolysis and Ion Chromatography: Comparison with Alkaline Fusion Digestion and Ion Chromatography
Authors: Wang Qiaoyun , Makishima Akio , Nakamura Eizo
Published: September 2010

A method to determine F and Cl in silicate materials by employing pyrohydrolysis and ion chromatography (IC) is described. Pyrohydrolysis involved mixing a pulverised sample (∼ 40 mg) with V2O5 (∼ 160 mg) and heating to 1100 °C under a wet oxygen flow in a quartz tube. Recovery yields of F and Cl were ∼ 97% using a NaF + NaCl standard solution. Detection limits of the pyrohydrolysis‐IC method for silicate samples were 0.36 and 0.69 μg g‐1 for F and Cl, respectively. Fluorine and Cl concentrations were determined in the reference materials JB‐2, JB‐3 and JA‐1 from the GSJ; BCR‐2, BHVO‐1, BHVO‐2, AGV‐1 and AGV‐2 from the USGS; and NIST SRM 610, 612 and 614 glasses. Precisions (RSD) for determinations of F were 1–13% (except NIST SRM 614) and 2–19% for Cl, and were dependent on the concentration and blank correction. Most results obtained in this study were in good agreement with those of previous studies. In comparison, the Na2CO3 + ZnO fusion method at 900 °C showed that the yields of F and Cl by alkaline fusion systematically decreased with fusion duration time. The yields were 84% and 83% for JB‐3, inferring that F and Cl were lost in this alkaline fusion.
CorrSieve: software for summarizing and evaluating Structure output
Authors: CAMPANA M.G. , HUNT H.V. , JONES H. , WHITE J.
Published: September 2010

The clustering software Structure has been used extensively to infer population structure in natural populations from multilocus genotype data. Determining meaningful values of K, the assumed number of subpopulations is one of the primary challenges of making biological inferences from Structure data. The package CorrSieve summarizes Structure output and performs a number of tests, including both previously reported methods and novel ones, to help determine meaningful values of K.
A genome‐wide set of SNPs detects population substructure and long range linkage disequilibrium in wild sheep
Authors: MILLER J.M. , POISSANT J. , KIJAS J.W. , COLTMAN D.W. ,   the International Sheep Genomics Consortium
Published: September 2010

The development of genomic resources for wild species is still in its infancy. However, cross‐species utilization of technologies developed for their domestic counterparts has the potential to unlock the genomes of organisms that currently lack genomic resources. Here, we apply the OvineSNP50 BeadChip, developed for domestic sheep, to two related wild ungulate species: the bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) and the thinhorn sheep (Ovis dalli). Over 95% of the domestic sheep markers were successfully genotyped in a sample of fifty‐two bighorn sheep while over 90% were genotyped in two thinhorn sheep. Pooling the results from both species identified 868 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 570 were detected in bighorn sheep, while 330 SNPs were identified in thinhorn sheep. The total panel of SNPs was able to discriminate between the two species, assign population of origin for bighorn sheep and detect known relationship classes within one population of bighorn sheep. Using an informative subset of these SNPs (n = 308), we examined the extent of genome‐wide linkage disequilibrium (LD) within one population of bighorn sheep and found that high levels of LD persist over 4 Mb.
Reconstruction of Obliterated Vesicourethral Junction: Use of the Bulbar Urethra as a Continent Valve
Authors: YOKOYAMA Hitoshi , KATO Haruaki , KOBAYASHI Shinya , TANABE Tomoaki , OGAWA Teruyuki , NISHIZAWA Osamu
Published: September 2010

Reconstruction of the obliterated vesicourethral junction is both complex and difficult. Here, we report an innovative method using a mobilized bulbar urethra as a continent valve. Three patients with major problems at the vesicourethral junction underwent continent valve reconstruction. In cases 1 and 2, in which there were problems at the anastomosing site after radical prostatectomy, the bladder wall was closed, wedge resection of the midline pubic bone was performed, and a fully mobilized bulbar urethra was implanted submucosally into the anterior bladder wall. In case 2, augmentation cystoplasty using an ileal segment was required due to the small capacity of the bladder. In case 3, in which there was posterior urethra disruption associated with pelvic fracture, the bulbar urethra was implanted into the bladder wall in the same manner as in cases 1 and 2 without pubectomy. The postoperative follow‐up periods were 48, 36, and 12 months, respectively. In all patients, urinary management was achieved by self‐catheterization postoperatively, and the patients were satisfied with their status. This newly devised continent valve construction using a bulbar urethra is effective for reconstruction of the obliterated vesicourethral junction, which markedly improves patients' quality of life.
Case-Based Reasoning for Evolutionary MEMS Design
Authors: Cobb Corie L. , Agogino Alice M.
Published: September 2010

A knowledge-based computer-aided design tool for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) design synthesis called case-based synthesis of MEMS (CaSyn-MEMS) has been developed. MEMS-based technologies have the potential to revolutionize many consumer products and to create new market opportunities in areas such as biotechnology, aerospace, and data communications. However, the commercialization of MEMS still faces many challenges due to a lack of efficient computer-aided design tools that can assist designers during the early conceptual phases of the design process. CaSyn-MEMS combines a case-based reasoning (CBR) algorithm and a MEMS case library with parametric optimization and a multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) to synthesize new MEMS design topologies that meet or improve upon a designer’s specifications. CBR is an artificial intelligence methodology that uses past design solutions and adapts them to solve current problems. Having the ability to draw upon past design knowledge is advantageous to MEMS designers, allowing reuse and modification of previously successful designs to accelerate the design process. To enable knowledge reuse, a hierarchical MEMS case library has been created. A reasoning algorithm retrieves cases with solved problems similar to the current design problem. Focusing on resonators as a case study, case retrieval demonstrated an 82% success rate. Using the retrieved cases, approximate design solutions were proposed by first adapting cases with parametric optimization, resulting in a 25% reduction in design area on average while bringing designs within 2% of the frequency goal. In situations where parametric optimization was not sufficient, a more radical design adaptation was performed through the use of MOGA. CBR provided MOGA with good starting points for optimization, allowing efficient convergence to higher quantities of Pareto optimal design concepts while reducing design area by up to 43% and meeting frequency goals within 5%.
A Semantic Information Model for Capturing and Communicating Design Decisions
Authors: Rockwell Justin A. , Grosse Ian R. , Krishnamurty Sundar , Wileden Jack C.
Published: September 2010

A semantic information model to improve reuse and communication of engineering design knowledge is presented in this paper. We consider design to be a process involving a sequence of decisions informed by the current state of information. As such, the information model developed is structured to reflect the conceptualizations of engineering design decisions with a particular emphasis on semantically capturing design rationale. Through the approach presented, knowledge reuse is achieved by communicating design rationale. A case study is presented to illustrate two key features of the approach: (1) seamless integration of separate modular domain ontologies and instance knowledge related to engineering design that are needed to support decision making and (2) the explicit documentation of design rationale through design decisions.
Function Semantic Representation (FSR): A Rule-Based Ontology for Product Functions
Authors: Yang Seung-Cheol , Patil Lalit , Dutta Debasish
Published: September 2010

Defining or understanding a product in terms of its functions facilitates a wide variety of tasks such as design synthesis, modeling, and analysis. However, the lack of a semantically correct formal representation of product functions creates a barrier to their effective capture, exchange, and reuse. This paper presents Function Semantics Representation, a rule-based ontological formalism that is consistent with the Semantic Web standards to capture different components of a product function. In particular, the Semantic Web Rule Language is used to overcome limitations in using the basic Web Ontology Language ontology to explicitly capture advanced semantics essential to completely represent product functions. This enables support for an effective reasoning mechanism to develop and validate the product function (or functional model). We present examples that demonstrate consistency checking and the ability to retrieve functionally similar products from a repository.
Impacting Designer Creativity Through IT-Enabled Concept Generation
Authors: English Ken , Naim Aziz , Lewis Kemper , Schmidt Susanne , Viswanathan Vimal , Linsey Julie , McAdams Daniel A. , Bishop Bryan , Campbell Matthew I. , Poppa Kerry , Stone Robert B. , Orsborn Seth
Published: September 2010

One of the innovation’s fundamental mechanisms, designer creativity, is both unsupported by rigorous information-technology-enabled tools and uncharacterized as a scientific phenomenon. In this paper, we present VISUALIZEIT—a project seeking to identify a scientific basis and develop the supporting cyberinfrastructure needed to facilitate, evaluate, and disseminate information-technology-enabled innovation methodologies that augment designer creativity. This particular research paper describes a method of synthesizing concept representations through the development and expansion of platforms focused on computational concept generation, clustering of design concepts, a repository of archived design knowledge, and an information integration and representation interface. We also present the initial results from implementing VISUALIZEIT using two populations of students.
Numerical Solution by the CESE Method of a First-Order Hyperbolic Form of the Equations of Dynamic Nonlinear Elasticity
Authors: Yang Lixiang , Lowe Robert L. , Yu Sheng-Tao John , Bechtel Stephen E.
Published: September 2010

This paper reports the application of the space-time conservation element and solution element (CESE) method to the numerical solution of nonlinear waves in elastic solids. The governing equations consist of a pair of coupled first-order nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations, formulated in the Eulerian frame. We report their derivations and present conservative, nonconservative, and diagonal forms. The conservative form is solved numerically by the CESE method; the other forms are used to study the eigenstructure of the hyperbolic system (which reveals the underlying wave physics) and deduce the Riemann invariants. The proposed theoretical/numerical approach is demonstrated by directly solving two benchmark elastic wave problems: one involving linear propagating extensional waves, the other involving nonlinear resonant standing waves. For the extensional wave problem, the CESE method accurately captures the sharp propagating wavefront without excessive numerical diffusion or spurious oscillations, and predicts correct reflection characteristics at the boundaries. For the resonant vibrations problem, the CESE method captures the linear-to-nonlinear evolution of the resonant waves and the distribution of wave energy among multiple modes in the nonlinear regime.
Structural-Acoustic Vibration Reduction Using Switched Shunt Piezoelectric Patches: A Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Larbi Walid , Deü Jean-François , Ciminello Monica , Ohayon Roger
Published: September 2010

In this paper, we present a finite element formulation for vibration reduction in structural-acoustic systems using passive or semipassive shunt techniques. The coupled system consists of an elastic structure (with surface-mounted piezoelectric patches) filled with an inviscid linear acoustic fluid. An appropriate finite element formulation is derived. Numerical results for an elastic plate coupled to a parallelipedic air-filled interior acoustic cavity are presented, showing the performances of both the inductive shunt and the synchronized switch shunt techniques.
Thermoelastic Coupling Vibration Characteristics of the Axially Moving Beam With Frictional Contact
Authors: Xu-Xia Guo , Zhong-Min Wang
Published: September 2010

The thermoelastic coupling vibration characteristics of the axially moving beam with frictional contact are investigated. The piecewise differential equation of motion for the axially moving beam in the thermoelastic coupling case and the continuous conditions at the contact point are established. The eigenequation is derived by the differential quadrature method, and the first order dimensionless complex frequencies of the simply supported axially moving beam under the coupled thermoelastic case are calculated. The effects of the dimensionless thermoelastic coupling factor, the dimensionless moving speed, the spring stiffness, the friction coefficient, and the normal pressure on the thermoelastic coupling vibration characteristics of the axially moving beam with frictional contact are discussed.
Optimal Design of Multichamber Mufflers Hybridized With Perforated Intruding Inlets and Resonating Tubes Using Simulated Annealing
Authors: Chiu Min-Chie
Published: September 2010

Recently, research on new techniques for single-chamber mufflers equipped with perforated resonating tubes has been addressed. However, the acoustical performance of mufflers having a narrow-band sound transmission loss (STL) is insufficient in reducing a broadband venting noise. To improve the acoustical efficiency, a hybrid muffler with chambers composed of perforated intruding inlets is presented. Here, we will not only analyze the STL of three kinds of mufflers (A: a one-chamber muffler hybridized with a perforated resonating tube; B: a two-chamber muffler hybridized with a perforated intruding tube and a resonating tube; and C: a three-chamber muffler hybridized with two perforated intruding tubes and a resonating tube), but also optimize the best design shape within a space-constrained situation. In this paper, both the numerical decoupling technique and simulated annealing (SA) for solving the coupled acoustical problem of perforated tubes are used. A numerical case for eliminating a broadband air compressor noise is also introduced. To verify the reliability of SA optimization, optimal noise abatements for the pure tones (400 Hz and 800 Hz) are exemplified. Before the SA operation can be carried out, the accuracy of the mathematical model is checked using the experimental data. Results indicate that the maximal STL is precisely located at the desired target tones. The optimal result of case studies for eliminating broadband noise also reveals that the overall noise reduction with respect to the mufflers can be reduced from 131.6 dB(A) to 102.1 dB(A), 89.5 dB(A), and 82.1 dB(A). As can be seen, the acoustical performance will increase when the diameters (at the inlet tubes as well as perforated holes) decrease. Moreover, it is obvious that the acoustical performance will be improved when the chambers equipped with perforated intruding inlets are increased. Consequently, a successful approach used for the optimal design of the multichamber mufflers equipped with perforated intruding tubes and a resonating tube within a space-constrained condition has been demonstrated.
Theoretical and Finite Element Modeling of Fine Kirschner Wires in Ilizarov External Fixator
Authors: Zamani A. R. , Oyadiji S. O.
Published: September 2010

The mechanical behavior of the transosseous elements is a defining factor in the overall stiffness, stability, and reliability of an external fixation system. Mechanics involving the application of thin Kirschner wires in Ilizarov apparatus is yet to be fully explained. To address this problem, load-deflection behavior of the pretensioned thin wires laterally loaded by the bone is necessary to be studied. In this paper, the lateral deflections of thin Kirschner wires are studied both theoretically and computationally. Fully three dimensional finite element (FE) modeling and analyses were performed in which the bone was modeled as a hollow cylinder, and the wire-bone interaction was assumed to be frictionless. The mathematical solution resulted in new exact solutions for the deflection as well as final tension in the wires subjected to the lateral loading under a cylinder representing the bone. Results from the FE analyses turned out to be very close to those from the mathematical solution. The results obtained from theory and FE method are comparable to published experimental findings. Some aspects of the pretensioned thin wire behavior in ring fixation systems, e.g., stiffness-tension proportionality, were revealed in the results. The current study adds to the existing knowledge on the general behavior of tensile elements.
A Study on Holographic Reconstruction of Cyclostationary Sound Field Based on Boundary Element Method
Authors: Zhang H. B. , Wan Q. , Jiang W. K. , Liao C. J.
Published: September 2010

The cyclostationary vibrational signal modulated by other signals can be considered as a special kind of nonstationary signal, which is found frequently in some rotating machinery. The modulation frequency component can be extracted from the total signal using second-order cyclic statistics at the appropriate cyclic frequency. By using the cyclic spectral density functions instead of power spectrum or spectrum as the variables, the cyclostationary nearfield acoustic holography (CYNAH) technique is used to reconstruct acoustic physical quantities in the cyclostationary sound field. In this presented work the CYNAH method is combined with the boundary element method (BEM) to overcome the limitations on the geometries of the planar CYNAH method. The methods used in the conventional BEM-based NAH to overcome nonuniqueness and the ill-posed nature should be also implemented here. The results of a simulation show satisfactory agreement between the computed values and the analytical ones.
Performance Testing of Huber Needles for Coring of Port Septa
Authors: Vesnovsky Oleg , Casamento Jon P. , Brooks Mary E. , Schwerin Matthew R. , Herman William A. , Pollack Steven K. , Flack Marilyn N. , Collins Betty W. , Grossman Laurence W.
Published: September 2010

The Food and Drug Administration received complaints of Huber needles creating cores in the septa of ports of gastric banding devices. One of these complaints represented a cluster of similar events, even though no deviations from design specifications or recommended practices were subsequently identified by the manufacturer. The authors conducted this comparative investigation of off-the-shelf Huber needles and ports from several manufacturers to determine if engineering parameters could be identified that could account for the coring complaints. Huber needles from ten manufacturers were evaluated for coring using intravascular access ports from five manufacturers. A detailed optical analysis was also performed to identify needle features that would possibly account for coring. The majority of the tested needles performed as they should, i.e., they perforated the port septa without creating cores. However, needles that did produce cores were found to have sharp edges at the heel edge of the needle lumen, the edge of the ground bevel opposite from the needle tip that opens to the inner surface of the cannula tube. Manufacturing processes, which dulled or rounded the sharp heel of the bevel after bevel grinding, prevented coring. As a result of this investigation one manufacturer voluntarily recalled their product and another manufacturer implemented coring testing as part of their quality control. To prevent coring needles from entering the market as a result of manufacturing flaws, optical inspection of the heel edge and coring testing should be performed as part of routine quality control.
Damage Identification in Frame Structures Based on FE Model Updating
Authors: Yu Ling , Yin Tao
Published: September 2010

This paper proposed a practical damage detection method for frame structures based on finite element model-updating techniques. An objective function is defined as minimizing the discrepancies between the experimental and analytical modal parameters (namely, natural frequencies and mode shapes), which is set as a nonlinear least-squares problem with bound constraints. Unlike the commonly used line-search methods, the trust-region approach, a simple yet very powerful concept for minimization, is employed in order to make the optimization process more robust and reliable. Noting the objective function may sometimes be underdetermined for complex structures due to a relatively larger number of potential damaged elements, this paper attempts to propose a simple and convenient solution by expanding the original objective function. Moreover, the relative weighting scheme between different parts in the objective function is also investigated. One numerical two-story portal frame structure and two laboratory-tested frame structures, including a simple three-story steel frame structure and a more complex frame structure with bolted joints, are all adopted to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed technique. Some important issues about the application of the proposed method are also discussed in this paper.
Using an Optical Proximity Sensor to Measure Foot Clearance During Gait: Agreement With Motion Analysis
Authors: Kerr Andy , Rafferty Danny , Dall Philippa , Smit Philip , Barrie Peter
Published: September 2010

Foot clearance is an important measurement variable in understanding trip falls. Current methods for measuring foot clearance are limited by their inability to capture multiple steps and confinement to a laboratory. Given that variation in this parameter is considered a factor in trip falling, it’s measurement in the field over multiple steps would be valuable. The development of an optical proximity sensor (OPS) has created the opportunity to collect this type of data. This study aimed to test the validity of an OPS through comparison with a motion capture system. Twenty subjects aged 33(+/−10) years, with a height of 174(+/−6) cm and a weight of 75(+/−12) kg, walked at three self selected velocities (preferred, slow, and fast). The OPS was mounted on the shoe of each subject. The motion of the shoe was recorded with a motion analysis system which tracked three markers attached to the shoe and outer casing of the OPS. Both systems were sampled at 50 Hz. The lowest point of the foot during the swing phase was recorded from each system and compared using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). There was excellent agreement between the two systems. ICCs of 0.925 (all speeds), 0.931 (preferred), 0.966 (slow), and 0.889 (fast) were recorded. These results represent a strong agreement between the two systems in measuring the lowest point during swing. The OPS could thus be used instead of a camera system to record foot clearance, opening up opportunities for data collection over long periods of time, in natural settings. These results should be interpreted in context of the young healthy sample.
Cellodextrin Transport in Yeast for Improved Biofuel Production
Authors: Galazka Jonathan M. , Tian Chaoguang , Beeson William T. , Martinez Bruno , Glass N. Louise , Cate Jamie H. D.
Published: September 2010

Improving Yeast for Biofuel Production

The biofuels industry uses the yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
to produce ethanol from sugars derived from cornstarch or sugar cane. Plant cell walls are an attractive sugar source; however, yeast does not grow efficiently on cellulose–derived sugars (cellodextrins).

Galazka
et al.

(p.
84
, published online 9 September) now show that a model cellolytic fungus
Neurospora crassa
relies on a cellodextrin transport system to facilitate growth on cellulose. Yeast reconstituted with this transport system grew efficiently on cellodextrins, which could potentially improve the efficiency of cellulosic biofuel production.
Greater Neural Pattern Similarity Across Repetitions Is Associated with Better Memory
Authors: Xue Gui , Dong Qi , Chen Chuansheng , Lu Zhonglin , Mumford Jeanette A. , Poldrack Russell A.
Published: September 2010

One, Two, Three, Remember Me

When a stimulus (such as a word or a face) is presented for the second, third, or fourth time, do the neural representations differ? And, if they do, are multiply represented stimuli remembered better? These questions and related ones have fascinated psychologists for decades, but only recently has it become feasible to begin tackling them using neuroimaging.

Xue
et al.

(p.
97
, published online 9 September) provide evidence that the greater the similarity in the patterns of neural activity during encoding of the item, the greater the likelihood that the item will be remembered.
Neutrino Spectroscopy Can Probe the Dark Matter Content in the Sun
Authors: Lopes Ilídio , Silk Joseph
Published: September 2010

Dark matter in the center of the Sun would affect its internal structure and lead to a distinctive neutrino emission pattern.
An ichthyosaur forefin from the Triassic of British Columbia exemplifying Jurassic features
Authors: McGowan C.
Published: September 2010

New ichthyosaur material is reported from an Upper Triassic locality on Williston Lake, northeastern British Columbia. The paucity of ichthyosaurs from the Triassic of North America make this a potentially important site. An isolated forefin is described, which is unlike that of any Triassic species from North America but which compares closely with certain Lower Jurassic species from England and Germany. The new material suggests that the transition in the ichthyosaurian fauna at the close of the Triassic may have been less abrupt than was previously supposed.
A postglacial history of vegetation and bog formation at Point Escuminac, New Brunswick
Authors: Warner Barry G. , Tolonen Kimmo , Tolonen Mirjami
Published: September 2010

Radiocarbon dating and analyses of fossils contained in peat cliffs establish the history of peatland formation and development at the northern edge of Point Escuminac, New Brunswick. A 532 cm radiocarbon-dated mineral sediment and peat sequence, the oldest of four sections studied, yielded pollen and macrofossils that record bog development from 11 000 BP. The earliest landscape was open Juniperus shrubland. Picea was the first tree to move into the area, forming woodland communities by 10 200 BP and closed coniferous forests with Abies by 9200 BP. An early counterpart of the modern Acadian forests was in place by 6500 BP and was fully developed by 2900 BP when Fagus spread through the area. Shallow freshwater, open wetland communities acted as nuclei for the development of fen near the centre of the peninsula. Transformation into an ombrotrophic bog started around 6500 BP and was completed by 4700 BP, after which time the bog spread laterally by paludification onto higher parts of the peninsula.
Holocene debris flows and environmental history, Hazelton area, British Columbia
Authors: Gottesfeld Allen S. , Mathewes Rolf W. , Johnson Gottesfeld Leslie M.
Published: September 2010

Debris flow deposits of Chicago Creek and the sediment, pollen, and macrofossil records of Seeley Lake were studied to elucidate the Holocene history of the northwest flank of the Rocher Déboulé Range near Hazelton, British Columbia.The Chicago Creek drainage has experienced numerous rockfalls, debris slides, and debris flows. A large debris flow covering approximately 300 ha occurred about 3580 ± 150 BP. This flow was two to three orders of magnitude larger than historic debris flows in this drainage. It traveled about 3 km down Chicago Creek and dammed the outlet stream of Seeley Lake. A debris deposit along lower Chicago Creek is interpreted as the product of debris torrents that formed during or soon after the damming of Seeley Lake. Its surface exhibits soil development (rubification and profile development) comparable to that on the large debris flow, suggesting equivalent age.Pollen and plant macrofossils are described from a core taken in Seeley Lake. This core spans the period from ca. 9200 BP to the present. A disturbance event in 3380 ± 110 BP, correlative with the large Chicago Creek debris flow, is recorded by a clastic sediment layer and changes in the microfossil and macrofossil assemblages.The Chicago Creek debris flow and debris torrent ca. 3500 BP may be the catastrophic event recorded in the story of the Medeek, an oral history or "ada'ok" of the Gitksan people of Hazelton.
Petrology of alkaline lamprophyres from the Coldwell alkaline complex, northwestern Ontario
Authors: Mitchell Roger H. , Platt R. Garth , Downey Maureen , Laderoute David G.
Published: September 2010

A suite of alkaline lamprophyre dikes emplaced in centers I and II rocks of the Coldwell alkaline complex is composed of camptonites with calcite ocelli, camptonites with quartz macrocrysts, amphibole camptonites, monchiquites, and sannaites. The camptonites are characterized by phenocrysts of olivine, aluminian pyroxene, kaersutite, and titanian ferropargasite set in a matrix of magnesian hastingsite, augite, plagioclase, biotite, magnetite, sphene, and minor nepheline. Quartz macrocrysts occur as corroded euhedral single crystals. Monchiquites are petrographically similar to the camptonites but are characterized by the presence of an isotropic groundmass. Sannaites contain aluminian and chromian diopside phenocrysts set in a matrix of ferroan pargasite, aluminian diopside, biotite, albitized plagioclase, and epidotized alkali feldspar.Major-element compositions indicate the ocellar camptonites, amphibole camptonites, and monchiquites have affinities with alkali olivine basalt and that monchiquites and camptonites are heteromorphs. None of the dikes represent primitive liquids. Poor correlations between incompatible trace elements (Sr, Ba, Nb, Zr, rare earths), together with the presence of reversely zoned and corroded phenocrysts, suggest that none of the lamprophyres represent single batches of magma. The lamprophyres are considered to be hybrid magmas, formed by the mixing of fragmented cumulates, several generations of phenocrysts, and batches of magma extracted from a continuously replenished evolving magma chamber located within the infrastructure of the complex. Quartz-bearing camptonites are considered to form by contamination of camptonites, although the source of the quartz cannot be determined.
Crude quantitative estimates of the original northwest–southeast dimension of the Sudbury Structure, south-central Canadian Shield
Authors: Shanks W. S. , Schwerdtner W. M.
Published: September 2010

The Sudbury Structure, central Ontario, is the remnant of a large cryptoexplosion structure whose oval map pattern (diameter ratio 2.2) differs markedly from the circular outline of many meteorite impact craters. Finite-element modelling shows that (i) the original northwest–southeast dimension could have been 2–3 times larger than at present and (ii) the vertical dimension of the Sudbury Structure was > 10 km before tectonic deformation. Although our structural analyses furnish data that govern the geometric modelling, large uncertainties remain where the state of tectonic deformation is poorly constrained. A series of two-dimensional models was made to cope with kinematic uncertainties and to assess their effect on the estimates of the geometry of the original Sudbury Structure.
Phosphorylated HSP20 modulates the association of thin-filament binding proteins: caldesmon with tropomyosin in colonic smooth muscle
Authors: Somara Sita , Gilmont Robert R. , Varadarajan Saranyaraajan , Bitar Khalil N.
Published: September 2010

Small heat shock proteins HSP27 and HSP20 have been implicated in regulation of contraction and relaxation in smooth muscle. Activation of PKC-α promotes contraction by phosphorylation of HSP27 whereas activation of PKA promotes relaxation by phosphorylation of HSP20 in colonic smooth muscle cells (CSMC). We propose that the balance between the phosphorylation states of HSP27 and HSP20 represents a molecular signaling switch for contraction and relaxation. This molecular signaling switch acts downstream on a molecular mechanical switch [tropomyosin (TM)] regulating thin-filament dynamics. We have examined the role of phosphorylation state(s) of HSP20 on HSP27-mediated thin-filament regulation in CSMC. CSMC were transfected with different HSP20 phosphomutants. These transfections had no effect on the integrity of actin cytoskeleton. Cells transfected with 16D-HSP20 (phosphomimic) exhibited inhibition of acetylcholine (ACh)-induced contraction whereas cells transfected with 16A-HSP20 (nonphosphorylatable) had no effect on ACh-induced contraction. CSMC transfected with 16D-HSP20 cDNA showed significant decreases in 1) phosphorylation of HSP27 (ser78); 2) phosphorylation of PKC-α (ser657); 3) phosphorylation of TM and CaD (ser789); 4) ACh-induced phosphorylation of myosin light chain; 5) ACh-induced association of TM with HSP27; and 6) ACh-induced dissociation of TM from caldesmon (CaD). We thus propose the crucial physiological relevance of molecular signaling switch (phosphorylation state of HSP27 and HSP20), which dictates 1) the phosphorylation states of TM and CaD and 2) their dissociations from each other.
Delayed activation of caspase-independent apoptosis during heart failure in transgenic mice overexpressing caspase inhibitor CrmA
Authors: Bae Soochan , Siu Parco M. , Choudhury Sangita , Ke Qingen , Choi Jun H. , Koh Young Y. , Kang Peter M.
Published: September 2010

Although caspase activation is generally thought to be necessary to induce apoptosis, recent evidence suggests that apoptosis can be activated in the setting of caspase inhibition. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that caspase-independent apoptotic pathways contribute to the development of heart failure in the absence of caspase activation. Acute cardiomyopathy was induced using a single dose of doxorubicin (Dox, 20 mg/kg) injected into male wild-type (WT) and transgenic (Tg) mice with a cardiac-specific expression of cytokine response modifier A (CrmA), a known caspase inhibitor. Early (6 day) survival was significantly better in CrmA Tg (81%) than WT (38%) mice. Twelve days after Dox injection, however, the mortality benefit had dissipated, and increased cardiac apoptosis was observed in both groups. There was, however, a significantly greater release of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) from mitochondria to cytosol in CrmA Tg compared with WT mice, which suggests that an enhancement of activation in caspase-independent apoptotic pathways had occurred. The administration of a poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 inhibitor, 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide (4-AN), to Dox-treated mice resulted in significantly improved cardiac function, a significant blockade of AIF released from mitochondria, and decreased cardiac apoptosis. There were also significantly improved survival in WT (18% without 4-AN vs. 89% with 4-AN) and CrmA Tg (13% without 4-AN vs. 93% with 4-AN) mice 12 days after Dox injection. In conclusion, these findings suggest that apoptosis can be induced in the heart lacking caspase activation via caspase-independent pathways and that enabling the inhibition of AIF activation may provide a significant cardiac benefit.
Inhibition of O-GlcNAcase in perfused rat hearts by NAG-thiazolines at the time of reperfusion is cardioprotective in an O-GlcNAc-dependent manner
Authors: Laczy Boglarka , Marsh Susan A. , Brocks Charlye A. , Wittmann Istvan , Chatham John C.
Published: September 2010

Acute increases in O-linked β- N-acetylglucosamine ( O-GlcNAc) levels of cardiac proteins exert protective effects against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. One strategy to rapidly increase cellular O-GlcNAc levels is inhibition of O-GlcNAcase (OGA), which catalyzes O-GlcNAc removal. Here we tested the cardioprotective efficacy of two novel and highly selective OGA inhibitors, the NAG-thiazoline derivatives NAG-Bt and NAG-Ae. Isolated perfused rat hearts were subjected to 20 min global ischemia followed by 60 min reperfusion. At the time of reperfusion, hearts were assigned to the following four groups: 1) untreated control; 2) 50 μM NAG-Bt; 3) 100 μM NAG-Bt; or 4) 50 μM NAG-Ae. All treatment groups significantly increased total O-GlcNAc levels ( P < 0.05 vs. control), and this was significantly correlated with improved contractile function and reduced cardiac troponin I release ( P < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry of normoxic hearts showed intense nuclear O-GlcNAc staining and higher intensity at Z-lines with colocalization of O-GlcNAc and the Z-line proteins desmin and vinculin. After I/R, there was a marked loss of both cytosolic and nuclear O-GlcNAcylation and disruption of normal striated Z-line structures. OGA inhibition largely preserved structural integrity and attenuated the loss of O-GlcNAcylation; however, nuclear O-GlcNAc levels remained low. Immunoblot analysis confirmed ∼50% loss in both nuclear and cytosolic O-GlcNAcylation following I/R, which was significantly attenuated by OGA inhibition ( P < 0.05). These data provide further support for the notion that increasing cardiac O-GlcNAc levels by inhibiting OGA may be a clinically relevant approach for ischemic cardioprotection, in part, by preserving the integrity of O-GlcNAc-associated Z-line protein structures.
Pore mutants of HERG and KvLQT1 downregulate the reciprocal currents in stable cell lines
Authors: Ren Xiao-Qin , Liu Gong Xin , Organ-Darling Louise E. , Zheng Renjian , Roder Karim , Jindal Hitesh K. , Centracchio Jason , McDonald Thomas V. , Koren Gideon
Published: September 2010

We previously reported a transgenic rabbit model of long QT syndrome based on overexpression of pore mutants of repolarizing K+ channels KvLQT1 (LQT1) and HERG (LQT2).The transgenes in these rabbits eliminated the slow and fast components of the delayed rectifier K+ current ( IKs and IKr, respectively), as expected. Interestingly, the expressed pore mutants of HERG and KvLQT1 downregulated the remaining reciprocal repolarizing currents, IKs and IKr, without affecting the steady-state levels of the native polypeptides. Here, we sought to further explore the functional interactions between HERG and KvLQT1 in heterologous expression systems. Stable Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines expressing KvLQT1-minK or HERG were transiently transfected with expression vectors coding for mutant or wild-type HERG or KvLQT1. Transiently expressed pore mutant or wild-type KvLQT1 downregulated IKr in HERG stable CHO cell lines by 70% and 44%, respectively. Immunostaining revealed a severalfold lower surface expression of HERG, which could account for the reduction in IKr upon KvLQT1 expression. Deletion of the KvLQT1 NH2-terminus did not abolish the downregulation, suggesting that the interactions between the two channels are mediated through their COOH-termini. Similarly, transiently expressed HERG reduced IKs in KvLQT1-minK stable cells. Coimmunoprecipitations indicated a direct interaction between HERG and KvLQT1, and surface plasmon resonance analysis demonstrated a specific, physical association between the COOH-termini of KvLQT1 and HERG. Here, we present an in vitro model system consistent with the in vivo reciprocal downregulation of repolarizing currents seen in transgenic rabbit models, illustrating the importance of the transfection method when studying heterologous ion channel expression and trafficking. Moreover, our data suggest that interactions between KvLQT1 and HERG are mediated through COOH-termini.
ATP and the purine type 2 X7 receptor affect sleep
Authors: Krueger James M. , Taishi Ping , De Alok , Davis Christopher J. , Winters Bradley D. , Clinton James , Szentirmai Éva , Zielinski Mark R.
Published: September 2010

Sleep is dependent upon prior brain activities, e.g., after prolonged wakefulness sleep rebound occurs. These effects are mediated, in part, by humoral sleep regulatory substances such as cytokines. However, the property of wakefulness activity that initiates production and release of such substances and thereby provides a signal for indexing prior waking activity is unknown. We propose that extracellular ATP, released during neuro- and gliotransmission and acting via purine type 2 (P2) receptors, is such a signal. ATP induces cytokine release from glia. Cytokines in turn affect sleep. We show here that a P2 receptor agonist, 2′(3′)- O-(4-benzoylbenzoyl)adenosine 5′-triphosphate (BzATP), increased non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) and electroencephalographic (EEG) delta power while two different P2 receptor antagonists, acting by different inhibitory mechanisms, reduced spontaneous NREMS in rats. Rat P2X7 receptor protein varied in the somatosensory cortex with time of day, and P2X7 mRNA was altered by interleukin-1 treatment, by sleep deprivation, and with time of day in the hypothalamus and somatosensory cortex. Mice lacking functional P2X7 receptors had attenuated NREMS and EEG delta power responses to sleep deprivation but not to interleukin-1 treatment compared with wild-type mice. Data are consistent with the hypothesis that extracellular ATP, released as a consequence of cell activity and acting via P2 receptors to release cytokines and other sleep regulatory substances, provides a mechanism by which the brain could monitor prior activity and translate it into sleep.