bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perisynaptic GluR2-lacking AMPA receptors control the reversibility of synaptic and spines modifications
Authors: Yang Yunlei , Wang Xiao-bin , Zhou Qiang
Published: June 2010

How persistent synaptic and spine modification is achieved is essential to our understanding of developmental refinement of neural circuitry and formation of memory. Within a short period after their induction, both types of modifications can either be stabilized or reversed, but how this reversibility is controlled is largely unknown. We have shown previously that AMPA receptors (AMPARs) are delivered to perisynaptic regions after the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) but are absent from perisynaptic regions after the full expression of LTP. Here, we report that perisynaptic AMPARs are GluR2-lacking and they translocate to synapses in a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent manner. Once entering synapses, these AMPARs quickly switch to GluR2-containing in an activity-dependent manner. Absence of postinduction activity or blocking interactions between GluR2 and NSF, or GluR2 and GRIP/PICK1 results in LTP mediated by GluR2-lacking AMPARs. However, these synaptic GluR2-lacking AMPARs are not sufficient to allow reversibility of LTP. On the other hand, postsynaptic inhibition of PKC activity holds AMPARs at perisynaptic regions. As long as perisynaptic AMPARs are present, both LTP and spine expansion remain labile: they can be reverted to the baseline state together with removal of perisynaptic AMPARs, or they can enter a stabilized state of persistent increase together with synaptic incorporation of perisynaptic AMPARs. Thus, perisynaptic GluR2-lacking AMPARs play a critical role in controlling the reversibility of both synaptic and spine modifications.
ApoE4 reduces glutamate receptor function and synaptic plasticity by selectively impairing ApoE receptor recycling
Authors: Chen Ying , Durakoglugil Murat S. , Xian Xunde , Herz Joachim
Published: June 2010

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype is a powerful genetic modifier of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The ApoE4 isoform significantly reduces the mean age-of-onset of dementia through unknown mechanisms. Here, we show that ApoE4 selectively impairs synaptic plasticity and NMDA receptor phosphorylation by Reelin, a regulator of brain development and modulator of synaptic strength. ApoE4 reduces neuronal surface expression of Apoer2, a dual function receptor for ApoE and for Reelin, as well as NMDA and AMPA receptors by sequestration in intracellular compartments, thereby critically reducing the ability of Reelin to enhance synaptic glutamate receptor activity. As a result, the ability of Reelin to prevent LTP suppression by extracts from AD-afflicted human brains in hippocampal slices from knockin mice expressing the human ApoE4 isoform is severely impaired. These findings show an isoform-specific role of ApoE in the localization and intracellular trafficking of lipoprotein and glutamate receptors and thereby reveal an alternative mechanism by which ApoE4 may accelerate onset of dementia and neuronal degeneration by differentially impairing the maintenance of synaptic stability.
Crosstalk between decidual NK and CD14
+
myelomonocytic cells results in induction of Tregs and immunosuppression
Authors: Vacca Paola , Cantoni Claudia , Vitale Massimo , Prato Carola , Canegallo Francesca , Fenoglio Daniela , Ragni Nicola , Moretta Lorenzo , Mingari Maria Cristina
Published: June 2010

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are thought to play a major role in pregnancy by inhibiting the maternal immune system and preventing fetal rejection. In decidual tissues, NK cells (dNK) reside in close contact with particular myelomonocytic CD14
+
(dCD14
+
) cells. Here we show that the interaction between dNK and dCD14
+
cells results in induction of Tregs. The interaction is mediated by soluble factors as shown by transwell experiments, and the prominent role of IFN-γ is revealed by the effect of a neutralizing monoclonal antibody. Following interaction with dNK cells, dCD14
+
cells express indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), which, in turn, induces Tregs. Notably, unlike peripheral blood NK (pNK) cells, dNK cells are resistant to inhibition by the IDO metabolite
L
-kynurenine. “Conditioned” dCD14
+
cells also may induce Tregs through transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) production or CTLA-4–mediated interactions, as indicated by the effect of specific neutralizing Abs. Remarkably, only the interaction between dNK and dCD14
+
cells results in Treg induction, whereas other coculture combinations involving either NK or CD14
+
cells isolated from peripheral blood are ineffective. Our study provides interesting clues to understanding how the crosstalk between decidual NK and CD14
+
cells may initiate a process that leads to Treg induction and immunosuppression. Along this line, it is conceivable that an impaired function of these cells may result in pregnancy failure.
Climate-related changes of phytoplankton seasonality in large shallow Lake Võrtsjärv, Estonia
Authors: Nõges Peeter , Nõges Tiina , Laas Alo
Published: June 2010

Water level changes (7-year moving averages) in Lake Võrtsjärv (Estonia) during 1885–2000 were correlated with winter patterns in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index. In this shallow lake (270 km2, mean depth 2.8 m), where the annual water level amplitude is 1.4 m and the absolute range is 3.2 m, hydrology is the main driving force for the ecosystem. Control of phytoplankton growth was mediated by ice conditions in spring, and by water level in summer and autumn. Winter air temperature similarly influenced the biomass of cyanobacteria and diatoms in spring; while the effect of the ice-cover duration was more pronounced on cyanobacteria. Mean depth of the lake did not affect the phytoplankton biomass in spring, but clearly controlled it in summer and autumn. The direct impact of winter conditions on biological processes was restricted to a short post-winter period, but extended indirectly as the water level for the entire growing season depended strongly on the height of the spring flood peak.
Estimation of zooplankton abundance, distribution patterns and patchiness in a large humic lake using an Optical Plankton Counter
Authors: Rahkola-Sorsa Minna , Avinsky Valentin , Can Petra , Rasmus Kai , Waissi Greta , Viljanen Markku
Published: June 2010

Zooplankton usually behaves in complex and dynamic ways on various temporal and spatial scales and its spatial distribution is usually highly aggregated, as it possesses a large-scale spatial variability similar to that observed in the physical environment in general. We assess here the suitability of the Optical Plankton Counter for estimating zooplankton abundance, as well as the day-to-day temporal and spatial patterns in its distribution during the open water season. The influence of certain environmental variables on zooplankton abundances is also examined.

Abundances of mesozooplankton-sized particles were measured with the Optical Plankton Counter monthly at five stations in a large mesohumic lake from May to September 2005 and agreed rather well with zooplankton abundances counted using a microscope. The poorest agreement was in autumn, when the Counter overestimated the zooplankton abundance, and for some samples in July, when it underestimated the abundance. Fluorescence and chlorophyll a had a significant effect on the Counter readings. Both the intercept and the slope of chlorophyll a varied randomly between depths, because the chlorophyll a decreased much more markedly in deeper waters than did the Counter particle counts. This emphasized the stratified nature of sampling.

In addition to seasonal variations, there were also marked short-interval variations (day-to-day) in zooplankton abundances in all the sampling periods. These patterns are highly dynamic and can on some occasions change rapidly in response to fluctuations in the weather. There were no clear differences in zooplankton abundance between the sampling stations. The horizontal heterogeneity was less pronounced than the seasonal and short-interval heterogeneity, possibly because there were no trophic gradients in the basin.

While the Optical Plankton Counter provided a rapid assessment of temporal and spatial patterns of zooplankton abundances, it does have limitations. At times it either overestimated abundances due to a large contribution from non-zooplankton particles, or underestimated abundances due to coincidence.
Sputtering yields of compounds using argon ions
Authors: Seah M P , Nunney T S
Published: June 2010

An analysis is made of published sputtering yield data for compounds using argon primary ions at normal incidence to evaluate the validity of simple predictive equations. These are sputtering yields at dynamical equilibrium. First, two archetypal compounds are analysed: GaAs with constituent elements of similar atomic number and weak preferential sputtering, and Ta2O5 with constituent elements of widely separate atomic number and strong preferential sputtering. The agreements of the sputtering yields predicted by the semi-empirical linear cascade theory are excellent when the appropriate parameters are interpolated, rather than using an average atomic number. The effect of preferential sputtering is included within the framework of the simple pair-bond theory. The average ratios of the data to the initial predictions for GaAs and Ta2O5 are 1.01 ± 0.06 and 1.00 ± 0.07, respectively. Extension of this analysis to a range of oxides shows that the heat of reaction of the oxidation process needs inclusion. It is here that the effect of preferential sputtering can lead to an expansion of the uncertainties. SiO2 is often used as a reference material and so the published yield data are analysed in detail. These show an extremely broad scatter and so new experimental data are measured. These new results are in the upper range of previous data and correlate with the semi-empirical theory with a scatter of only 9%. These correlations show that the semi-empirical linear cascade theory is excellent for predicting the energy dependence of the yield and can be excellent for absolute yields where the compound heat of formation is low.
A simple physical model of hexagonal patterns in a Townsend discharge with a semiconductor cathode
Authors: Raizer Yu P , Mokrov M S
Published: June 2010

This paper explains the observed effect of self-organization in a dc driven planar gas discharge–semiconductor system resulting in a hexagonal current pattern under cryogenic conditions. It is shown that the electric field redistribution usually causing a falling current–voltage characteristic (CVC) of the Townsend discharge and the discharge instability cannot provide the formation of the hexagonal pattern. Another mechanism is proposed which gives a necessary, high negative slope of the CVC under cryogenic conditions. This is a well-known thermal mechanism. Due to Joule heat release gas is heated and expands; hence, a lower field and voltage are required to sustain the discharge at a given current. Simple approximate equations describing non-stationary spatially inhomogeneous states in the gas discharge–semiconductor system are derived from physical considerations. The numerical integration of the obtained equations with a realistic parameter set gives the hexagonal current pattern. By simplifying these equations, we found analytically the current and the discharge voltage distributions of the hexagonal type and a simple formula for the distance between adjacent current filaments. The analytical solution allows one to investigate the roles of different factors and extract from experiment the negative differential resistance of the discharge, which is the main parameter in the problem of the discharge instability and the current structure formation.
Testing multiple gene interactions by the ordered combinatorial partitioning method in case–control studies
Authors: Hua Xing , Zhang Han , Zhang Hong , Yang Yaning , Kuk Anthony Y.C.
Published: June 2010

Motivation: The multifactor-dimensionality reduction (MDR) method has been widely used in multi-locus interaction analysis. It reduces dimensionality by partitioning the multi-locus genotypes into a high-risk group and a low-risk group according to whether the genotype-specific risk ratio exceeds a fixed threshold or not. Alternatively, one can maximize the χ2 value exhaustively over all possible ways of partitioning the multi-locus genotypes into two groups, and we aim to show that this is computationally feasible.

Methods: We advocate finding the optimal MDR (OMDR) that would have resulted from an exhaustive search over all possible ways of partitioning the multi-locus genotypes into two groups. It is shown that this optimal MDR can be obtained efficiently using an ordered combinatorial partitioning (OCP) method, which differs from the existing MDR method in the use of a data-driven rather than fixed threshold. The generalized extreme value distribution (GEVD) theory is applied to find the optimal order of gene combination and assess statistical significance of interactions.

Results: The computational complexity of OCP strategy is linear in the number of multi-locus genotypes in contrast with an exponential order for the naive exhaustive search strategy. Simulation studies show that OMDR can be more powerful than MDR with substantial power gain possible when the partitioning of OMDR is different from that of MDR. The analysis results of a breast cancer dataset show that the use of GEVD accelerates the determination of interaction order and reduces the time cost for P-value calculation by more than 10-fold.

Availability: C++ program is available at http://home.ustc.edu.cn/∼zhanghan/ocp/ocp.html

Contact:  zhanghan@mail.ustc.edu.cn

Supplementary Information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
cBar: a computer program to distinguish plasmid-derived from chromosome-derived sequence fragments in metagenomics data
Authors: Zhou Fengfeng , Xu Ying
Published: June 2010

Summary: Huge amount of metagenomic sequence data have been produced as a result of the rapidly increasing efforts worldwide in studying microbial communities as a whole. Most, if not all, sequenced metagenomes are complex mixtures of chromosomal and plasmid sequence fragments from multiple organisms, possibly from different kingdoms. Computational methods for prediction of genomic elements such as genes are significantly different for chromosomes and plasmids, hence raising the need for separation of chromosomal from plasmid sequences in a metagenome. We present a program for classification of a metagenome set into chromosomal and plasmid sequences, based on their distinguishing pentamer frequencies. On a large training set consisting of all the sequenced prokaryotic chromosomes and plasmids, the program achieves ∼92% in classification accuracy. On a large set of simulated metagenomes with sequence lengths ranging from 300 bp to 100 kbp, the program has classification accuracy from 64.45% to 88.75%. On a large independent test set, the program achieves 88.29% classification accuracy.

Availability: The program has been implemented as a standalone prediction program, cBar, which is available at http://csbl.bmb.uga.edu/∼ffzhou/cBar

Contact:  xyn@bmb.uga.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Large-scale benchmark of Endeavour using MetaCore maps
Authors: Schuierer Sven , Tranchevent Léon-Charles , Dengler Uwe , Moreau Yves
Published: June 2010

Summary: Endeavour is a tool that detects the most promising genes within large lists of candidates with respect to a biological process of interest and by combining several genomic data sources. We have benchmarked Endeavour using 450 pathway maps and 826 disease marker sets from MetaCoreTM of GeneGo, Inc. containing a total of 9911 and 12 432 genes, respectively. We obtained an area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.97 for pathway and of 0.91 for disease gene sets. These results indicate that Endeavour can be used to efficiently prioritize candidate genes for pathways and diseases.

Availability: Endeavour is available at http://www.esat.kuleuven.be/endeavour

Contact:  sven.schuierer@novartis.com; leon-charles.tranchevent@esat.kuleuven.be

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Epidemiology of Uninvestigated Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Adolescents: A Population‐based Study Applying the Rome II Questionnaire
Authors: Sohrabi Sahand , Nouraie Mehdi , Khademi Hooman , Baghizadeh Somayyeh , Nasseri‐Moghaddam Siavosh , Malekzadeh Reza
Published: June 2010

Objectives:

Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders in early life contribute to a lower quality of life and more persistent GI symptoms during the rest of life. Epidemiologic data on adolescence GI disorders are scarce. We aimed to perform a population‐based study to assess the prevalence of GI symptoms in adolescents and their relation to sex, age, and socioeconomic status.

Materials and Methods:

A multistage random sample of Tehran middle and high school students (ages 14–19 years) was selected. A validated Persian version of the Rome II questionnaire was used to measure the frequency of different GI disorders as well as demographic socioeconomic variables.

Results:

A total of 1436 participants were enrolled in the study, 736 (51.3%) of whom were men. Mean (SD) age was 16.9 (1.8) years. The frequency of at least 1 GI symptom was 32.4%. The 4 most prevalent GI symptoms were bloating (16.9%), heartburn (4.9%), incontinence (4.3%), and irritable bowel syndrome (4.1%). Bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, and proctalgia fugax were significantly more common in girls (P < 0.05). Incontinence was significantly more prevalent in lower socioeconomic status levels (P = 0.01). In logistic regression, age was a risk factor for abdominal bloating and dysphagea and a protective factor for incontinence.

Conclusions:

Our study indicates that GI symptoms are common among adolescents. Girls are more prone to these disorders. Special psychological and medical interventions are necessary for high‐risk groups.
Direct and indirect climate forcing in a multi-species marine system
Authors: Stige Leif Christian , Ottersen Geir , Dalpadado Padmini , Chan Kung-Sik , Hjermann Dag Ø. , Lajus Dmitry L. , Yaragina Natalia A. , Stenseth Nils Chr.
Published: June 2010

Interactions within and between species complicate quantification of climate effects, by causing indirect, often delayed, effects of climate fluctuations and compensation of mortality. Here we identify direct and indirect climate effects by analysing unique Russian time-series data from the Norwegian Sea–Barents Sea ecosystem on the first life stages of cod, capelin, herring and haddock, their predators, competitors and zooplanktonic prey. By analysing growth and survival from one life stage to the next (eggs–larvae–juveniles–recruits), we find evidence for both bottom-up, direct and top-down effects of climate. Ambient zooplankton biomass predicts survival of all species, whereas ambient temperature mainly affects survival through effects on growth. In warm years, all species experienced improved growth and feeding conditions. Cohorts born following a warm year will, however, experience increased predation and competition because of increased densities of subadult cod and herring, leading to delayed climate effects. While climate thus affects early growth and survival through several mechanisms, only some of the identified mechanisms were found to be significant predictors of population growth. In particular, our findings exemplify that climate impacts are barely propagated to later life stages when density dependence is strong.
Characterization of community and hospital Staphylococcus aureus isolates in Southampton, UK
Authors: Green S. M. , Marsh P. , Ahmad N. , Jefferies J. M. C. , Clarke S. C.
Published: June 2010

Staphylococcus aureus infections are a burden to healthcare systems. There remains a lack of understanding on the relative contributions of S. aureus infection in the healthcare and community settings. In this study, 59 S. aureus isolates were selected for molecular analysis. The mobile variant staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec type IV was present in both healthcare-associated meticillin-resistant S. aureus (HA-MRSA) and community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA), as was the Panton–Valentine leukocidin gene. PFGE identified 24 distinct clonal groups whilst multi-locus sequence typing identified 26 different sequence types, including four with new combinations of alleles. This is the first time, to our knowledge, that a selection of CA and HA MSSA and MRSA strains have been subjected to molecular analysis and comparison in the UK. Definitions for CA-MRSA need further debate as the movement of strains between healthcare and community settings is confounding the use of epidemiological definitions.
Systematic genetic and genomic analysis of cytochrome P450 enzyme activities in human liver
Authors: Yang Xia , Zhang Bin , Molony Cliona , Chudin Eugene , Hao Ke , Zhu Jun , Gaedigk Andrea , Suver Christine , Zhong Hua , Leeder J. Steven , Guengerich F. Peter , Strom Stephen C. , Schuetz Erin , Rushmore Thomas H. , Ulrich Roger G. , Slatter J. Greg , Schadt Eric E. , Kasarskis Andrew , Lum Pek Yee
Published: June 2010

Liver cytochrome P450s (P450s) play critical roles in drug metabolism, toxicology, and metabolic processes. Despite rapid progress in the understanding of these enzymes, a systematic investigation of the full spectrum of functionality of individual P450s, the interrelationship or networks connecting them, and the genetic control of each gene/enzyme is lacking. To this end, we genotyped, expression-profiled, and measured P450 activities of 466 human liver samples and applied a systems biology approach via the integration of genetics, gene expression, and enzyme activity measurements. We found that most P450s were positively correlated among themselves and were highly correlated with known regulators as well as thousands of other genes enriched for pathways relevant to the metabolism of drugs, fatty acids, amino acids, and steroids. Genome-wide association analyses between genetic polymorphisms and P450 expression or enzyme activities revealed sets of SNPs associated with P450 traits, and suggested the existence of both cis-regulation of P450 expression (especially for CYP2D6) and more complex trans-regulation of P450 activity. Several novel SNPs associated with CYP2D6 expression and enzyme activity were validated in an independent human cohort. By constructing a weighted coexpression network and a Bayesian regulatory network, we defined the human liver transcriptional network structure, uncovered subnetworks representative of the P450 regulatory system, and identified novel candidate regulatory genes, namely, EHHADH, SLC10A1, and AKR1D1. The P450 subnetworks were then validated using gene signatures responsive to ligands of known P450 regulators in mouse and rat. This systematic survey provides a comprehensive view of the functionality, genetic control, and interactions of P450s.
Romidepsin (FK228), a potent histone deacetylase inhibitor, induces apoptosis through the generation of hydrogen peroxide
Authors: Mizutani Hideki , Hiraku Yusuke , Tada‐Oikawa Saeko , Murata Mariko , Ikemura Kenji , Iwamoto Takuya , Kagawa Yoshiyuki , Okuda Masahiro , Kawanishi Shosuke
Published: June 2010

Romidepsin (FK228) is a potent histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, which has a potent anticancer activity, but its molecular mechanism is unknown. We investigated the mechanism of FK228‐induced apoptosis in the human leukemia cell line HL‐60 and its hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)‐resistant sub‐clone, HP100, and the human colon cancer cell line Caco‐2. Cytotoxicity and DNA ladder formation induced by FK228 could be detected in HL‐60 cells after a 24‐h incubation, whereas they could not be detected in HP100 cells. Trichostatin A (TSA), an HDAC inhibitor, induced DNA ladder formation in both HL‐60 and HP100 cells. In contrast, FK228 inhibited HDAC activity in both HL‐60 and HP100 cells to a similar extent. These findings suggest that FK228‐induced apoptosis involves H2O2‐mediated pathways and that TSA‐induced apoptosis does not. Flow cytometry revealed H2O2 formation and a change in mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) in FK228‐treated cells. FK228 also induced apoptosis in Caco‐2 cells, which was prevented by N‐acetyl‐cysteine, suggesting that reactive oxygen species participate in apoptosis in various types of tumor cells. Interestingly, in a cell‐free system, FK228 generated superoxide (O2−) in the presence of glutathione, suggesting that H2O2 is derived from dismutation of O2− produced through redox‐cycle of FK228. Therefore, in addition to HDAC inhibition, H2O2 generated from FK228 may participate in its apoptotic effect. (Cancer Sci 2010;)
Evidence that CD8 T‐cell homeostasis and function remain intact during murine pregnancy
Authors: Norton Michelle T. , Fortner Karen A. , Oppenheimer Karen H. , Bonney Elizabeth A.
Published: June 2010

Evolving models of immune tolerance have challenged the view that the response of the maternal immune system to environmental or fetal antigens must be suppressed or deviated. CD8 T cells play a central role in the immune response to viruses and intracellular pathogens so the maintenance of both the number and function of these cells is critical to protect both the mother and fetus. We show that the numbers of maternal CD8 T cells in both the spleen and the uterine draining lymph nodes are transiently increased at mid‐gestation and this correlates with enhanced CD8 T‐cell proliferation and an increased relative expression of both pro‐survival and pro‐apoptotic molecules. In transgenic mice bearing T‐cell antigen receptors specific for the male HY or allo‐antigens, the transgenic CD8 T cells retain the ability to proliferate and function during pregnancy. Moreover, anti‐HY T‐cell receptor transgenic mice have normal numbers of male pups despite the presence of CD8 T cells at the maternal–fetal interface. These data suggest that pregnancy is a dynamic state in which CD8 T‐cell turnover is increased while the function and ending size of the CD8 T‐cell compartment are maintained.
Weed seedbank responses to 12 years of applications of composts, animal slurries or mineral fertilisers
Authors: DE CAUWER B , VAN DEN BERGE K , COUGNON M , BULCKE R , REHEUL D
Published: June 2010

De Cauwer B, Van Den Berge K, Cougnon M, Bulcke R & Reheul D (2010). Weed seedbank responses to 12 years of applications of composts, animal slurries or mineral fertilisers. Weed Research50, 425–435.

Fertiliser amendments can impact weed populations in a variety of ways. This study evaluated the effects of 12‐year‐long applications of different fertilisation systems on size and composition of the weed seedbank in a conventionally managed maize monoculture field. Fertilisation systems included all factorial combinations of two dairy cattle slurry rates, three vegetable, fruit and garden waste compost rates, and three synthetic N fertiliser rates. Soil samples were taken in each subplot in May 2008 after sowing and prior to herbicide application. Residues recovered from soil samples were tested for weed seedling emergence to characterise soil seedbanks. Total weed seedbank density was affected by mineral N fertilisation, but not by compost or animal slurry application. Weed seedbank composition was related to compost amendment and mineral N fertilisation. Annual compost amendments reduced seedbank density of some persistent species (e.g., Chenopodium album and Solanum nigrum) irrespective of mineral N fertilisation. Compost is a promising tool for incorporation into integrated weed control strategies aimed at reducing weed seedbank persistence.
Cardioprotective medication use after renal transplantation
Authors: Dawson Kyle L. , Patel Samir J. , Putney David , Suki Wadi N. , Osama Gaber A.
Published: June 2010

Dawson KL, Patel SJ, Putney D, Suki WN, Gaber AO. Cardioprotective medication use after renal transplantation.  Clin Transplant 2010: 24: E253–E256. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Abstract:  Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in renal transplant patients. This study compares the use of cardioprotective medications in adult kidney transplant recipients at a single center with recommendations, which have been validated in the general population. Cardioprotective medication use was retrospectively collected post‐renal transplant. Patients were defined as high risk if they had pre‐transplant coronary heart disease or equivalent risk. “Optimal” treatment was defined as a patient receiving aspirin, statin, angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blocker, and a beta‐blocker according to cardiovascular risk. The percentage of high‐risk patients optimally treated at one, three, six, and 12 months was 7.7%, 11.5%, 17.6%, and 18.8%, respectively. Although the use of cardioprotective medications was evident in transplant recipients, opportunities exist to increase the use of optimal cardioprotective regimens after renal transplantation.
Caregiver burden and coping strategies for patients with schizophrenia: Comparison between Japan and Korea
Authors: Hanzawa Setsuko , Bae Jeong‐Kyu , Tanaka Hideki , Bae Yong Jun , Tanaka Goro , Inadomi Hiroyuki , Nakane Yoshibumi , Ohta Yasuyuki
Published: June 2010

Aim:  With the current shift to community‐centered mental health services, considerable research on the family burden of caring for patients with schizophrenia has been conducted in developed countries. However, there has been no investigation of families with Japanese or Korean sociocultural backgrounds. Therefore, the present study compared the caregiver burden and coping strategies of families of patients with schizophrenia in Japan and Korea in order to elucidate similarities and differences in the sociocultural factors that affect the care experience of families in Northeast Asia.

Methods:  A total of 99 Japanese (Nagasaki) and 92 Korean (Seoul, Daegu) family members of patients with schizophrenia were surveyed in regards to caregiver burden, coping strategies, and nursing awareness of the caregiver role regarding the patient with schizophrenia.

Results:  Analysis revealed the following: (i) although no difference in caregiver burden and coping strategy was observed between the countries, the nursing awareness of families' caregiver role was significantly higher in Japan than in Korea; (ii) caregiver burden was significantly associated with the patient's social functioning and care needs in both countries; and (iii) caregiver burden was significantly associated with reduction of social interests, coercion, avoidance, resignation, and nursing awareness of caregiver role in both countries.

Conclusion:  Although the nursing awareness of families' roles in caring for patients with schizophrenia differed between Japan and Korea, similar trends were observed for the causes of caregiver burden. These findings suggest that in order to provide effective support for reducing caregiver burden, the necessity of such support must be emphasized in both countries.
Taste reactivity deficit in anorexia nervosa
Authors: Szalay Csaba , Ábrahám Ildikó , Papp Szilárd , Takács Gábor , Lukáts Balázs , Gáti Ágnes , Karádi Zoltán
Published: June 2010

Aim:  Anorexia nervosa is a complex psychiatric disorder posing a rapidly increasing burden on modern societies. Our purpose was to clarify perceptual‐motivational aspects of gustatory disturbances in the disease.

Methods:  A taste reactivity test, with the use of all five primary qualities in two concentrations, was performed in restrictive‐type anorexic patients, and their hedonic evaluations were compared to those of age‐matched healthy control subjects.

Results:  The patients gave significantly lower pleasantness scores for pleasant taste stimuli compared with controls. The differences were the greatest for the lower concentration sucrose, umami and sodium chloride. Ratings given for the aversive taste stimuli were similar in both experimental groups.

Conclusion:  Our findings contribute to a better understanding of complex symptoms of anorexia nervosa, and may also help to develop more effective cognitive‐behavioral therapies.
Production of monoclonal antibodies with a controlledN‐glycosylation pattern in seeds ofArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Loos Andreas , Van Droogenbroeck Bart , Hillmer Stefan , Grass Josephine , Kunert Renate , Cao Jingyuan , Robinson David G. , Depicker Ann , Steinkellner Herta
Published: June 2010

Seed‐specific expression is an appealing alternative technology for the production of recombinant proteins in transgenic plants. Whereas attractive yields of recombinant proteins have been achieved by this method, little attention has been paid to the intracellular deposition and the quality of such products. Here, we demonstrate a comparative study of two antiviral monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) (HA78 against Hepatitis A virus; 2G12 against HIV) expressed in seeds of Arabidopsis wild‐type (wt) plants and glycosylation mutants lacking plant specificN‐glycan residues. We demonstrate that 2G12 is produced with complexN‐glycans at great uniformity in the wt as well as in the glycosylation mutant, carrying a single dominant glycosylation species, GnGnXF and GnGn, respectively. HA78 in contrast, contains additionally to complexN‐glycans significant amounts of oligo‐mannosidic structures, which are typical for endoplasmic reticulum (ER)‐retained proteins. A detailed subcellular localization study demonstrated the deposition of both antibodies virtually exclusively in the extracellular space, illustrating their efficient secretion. In addition, although a KDEL‐tagged version of 2G12 exhibited an ER‐typicalN‐glycosylation pattern, it was surprisingly detected in protein storage vacuoles. The different antibody variants showed different levels of degradation with hardly any degradation products detectable for HA78 carrying GnGnXF glycans. Finally, we demonstrate functional integrity of the HA78 and 2G12 glycoforms using viral inhibition assays. Our data therefore demonstrate the usability of transgenic seeds for the generation of mAbs with a controlledN‐glycosylation pattern, thus expanding the possibilities for the production of optimally glycosylated proteins with enhanced biological activities for the use as human therapeutics.
HORIZONTAL MERGERS IN A DIFFERENTIATED COURNOT OLIGOPOLY
Authors: Hsu Judy , Wang X. Henry
Published: June 2010

Using a standard differentiated goods quantity competition setting, we show three facts about horizontal two‐firm mergers that are not true for a homogeneous goods Cournot market. First, merger of two firms is profitable for the merging firms provided that goods are sufficiently distant substitutes. Second, merging of two firms can lead to more two‐firm mergers. Third, an initially non‐profitable two‐firm merger can occur in anticipation of subsequent mergers. These facts imply that mergers are more likely to occur in differentiated goods markets than in homogeneous goods markets.
Questioning corporate codes of ethics
Authors: Painter‐Morland Mollie
Published: June 2010

This paper argues that corporate Codes of Ethics lose their ability to further moral responsiveness because of the narrow instrumental purposes that inform their adoption and use. It draws on Jacques Derrida's reading of Emmanuel Levinas to argue that, despite the fact that all philosophical language entails a certain violence, corporate Codes of Ethics could potentially play a more meaningful role in furthering ethical questioning within corporations. The paper argues that Derrida's reading of Levinas' notion of ‘the third’ could precipitate the emergence of a broader sense of ethical responsibility towards multiple others within corporations. Codes may also present the opportunity for corporations to engage in the reconsideration of their own purposes in the light of questions of justice towards multiple others. How these changes in the establishment and use of Codes may be accomplished is explored towards the end of the paper.
OUTLOOK ON EUROPE: THE SPATIAL VARIABLE IN THE RECENT CONFIGURATION OF THE VALUE CHAIN IN THE EUROPEAN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
Authors: BILBAO‐UBILLOS JAVIER
Published: June 2010

This paper takes the framework of the ‘economics of proximity’ to distinguish between territory‐based and agent‐based proximity approaches in dealing with the dynamic interaction between changes in the organisation of production on the one hand and the role of territory on the other. The paper sets out to determine which of these approaches works best to explain the main changes carried out in the most recent configuration of value chain in the European automotive industry.
Playing with the ‘Erbe’: Songs of the 1848 Revolution in the GDR
Authors: Robb David
Published: June 2010

After the twelve‐year rupture caused by the Nazis, in the Soviet zone after 1945 attempts were made to reconnect with the traditions of workers’ songs and critical folk songs that were viewed as the cultural heritage of the communist movement. One of these ‘repertoires’ of song was that of the 1848 Revolution. In the 1950s GDR researchers such as the Germanist Bruno Kaiser, the musicologist Inge Lammel and in particular the folklorist Wolfgang Steinitz made substantial contributions to the collecting and publishing of the 1848 songs. Their work provided an important reference point for the singers of the German folk song revival in the GDR from the late 1970s onwards. As the cases of groups such as Folkländer and Wacholder showed, theirs was a particularly creative appropriation of the revolutionary ‘Erbe’ that involved performing protest songs of the past as if they were criticising the present.

Nach dem zwölfjährigen Kulturbruch in Deutschland während des ‘Dritten Reichs’ versuchte man nach 1945 in der sowjetischen Zone, an demokratische Traditionen wie die Lieder der Arbeiterbewegung oder sozialkritische Volkslieder anzuknüpfen. Lieder der 1848er Revolution gehörten auch zu dieser Tradition. In den 1950er Jahren trugen Forscher wie der Germanist Bruno Kaiser, die Musikwissenschaftlerin Inge Lammel und vor allem der Volkskundler Wolfgang Steinitz wesentlich dazu bei, diese 1848er Lieder zu sammeln und zu veröffentlichen. Ihre Arbeiten wurden zwei Jahrzehnte später zu einem wichtigen Anknüpfungspunkt für Sänger und Gruppen des Folksong‐Revivals in der DDR. Dies war – wie beispielhaft die Gruppen Folkländer und Wacholder zeigen – eine recht kreative und spezielle Aneignung des revolutionären Erbes: der Vortrag von Liedern der Vergangenheit wurde hier zu einem Medium, in dem man sich kritisch über die Gegenwart äußern konnte.
‘Ich wollte eine Distel im sozialistischen Rosengarten sein’– Autobiographische Texte von zwei DDR‐Jugendgenerationen
Authors: Warchold Katja
Published: June 2010

Since the turn of the century many autobiographical texts have been published by authors born during the sixties and seventies in the GDR. The texts discussed here exemplify in many respects a generation‐specific view of childhood and youth in the GDR and of the ‘Wende’ in 1989. The national education system is just one part of the shared experiences in the socialisation of these writers. They share a good deal more in the way of everyday‐life experiences both culturally and as consumers, but such experiences differ depending on the year in which the authors were born. As a result the texts can be categorised into two ‘youth generation units’, as they have been called. Analysing these generations in terms of sociological constructs we see that for those born during the period between the end of the sixties and the beginning of the seventies there was a break with the political system of the GDR. In contrast, authors born from the middle of the seventies on experienced a feeling of security in the world of real existing socialism, which sometimes led to an idealisation of the former GDR after the ‘Wende’. Therefore, these texts also illustrate the authors’ feelings of being ‘at home’ or ‘homeless’ in Germany following the ‘Wende’.

Seit der Jahrhundertwende sind zahlreiche autobiographische Texte von Autoren, die in den 60er und 70er Jahren in der DDR geboren wurden, erschienen. Die exemplarisch ausgewählten Texte zeigen in vieler Hinsicht eine generationsspezifische Sicht auf Kindheit und Jugend in der DDR sowie die Wende 1989. Gemeinsame Sozialisationserfahrungen der Autoren sind nur teilweise auf das staatlich organisierte Erziehungs‐ und Bildungssystem zurückzuführen. Viel mehr teilen die Autoren konsumkulturelle Alltagserfahrungen, die abhängig vom jeweiligen Jahrgang differieren. Deswegen lassen sich die Texte zwei Jugendgenerationseinheiten zuordnen. Die soziologischen Generationskonstrukte zeigen für die Ende der 60er bis Anfang der 70er Jahre Geborenen einen Bruch mit dem politischen System der DDR auf. Die ab Mitte der 70er Jahre Geborenen hingegen erlebten die Welt des real existierenden Sozialismus als eine Geborgenheit bietende Ordnung, was nach der Wende zu einer Idyllisierung der Erinnerungsheimat DDR führen konnte. Somit veranschaulichen die Texte auch das Angekommensein bzw. die Unbehaustheit dieser Autoren im Nachwendedeutschland.
Clinical and genetic findings in a series of Italian children with pure hereditary spastic paraplegia
Authors: Battini R. , Fogli A. , Borghetti D. , Michelucci A. , Perazza S. , Baldinotti F. , Conidi M. E. , Ferreri M. I. , Simi P. , Cioni G.
Published: June 2010

Background:  Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSP) are a group of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by progressive lower extremity spastic weakness. SPG7, SPG4 and SPG3A are some of the autosomal genes recently found as mutated in recessive or dominant forms of HSP in childhood. SPG31 is more often associated with a pure spastic paraplegia phenotype, but genotype–phenotype correlation is still unclear. The aims of the current study was: (i) to verify the mutational frequency of SPG4, SPG3A, SPG31 and SPG7 genes in our very‐well‐selected childhood sample, and (ii) to improve our knowledge about the clinical and electrophysiological HSP phenotypes and their possible correlation with a specific mutation.

Methods:  A sample of 14 Italian children affected by pure HSP (mean age at diagnosis 5.9 years) was extensively investigated with electrophysiological, neuroradiological and genetic tests.

Results:  Three SPG4 mutations were identified in three patients: two novel missense mutations, both sporadic, and one multiexonic deletion already reported. A novel large deletion in SPG31 gene involving exons 2–5 was also detected in one young patient. No mutations in the SPG7 and in the SPG3A genes were found.

Conclusions:  Our data confirm that HSP represent a heterogeneous group of genetic neurodegenerative disorders, also in sporadic or autosomal recessive early onset forms. Multiplex Ligation‐dependent Probe Amplification‐based mutation screening for SPG4 and SPG31 genes would be added to sequencing‐based screening of SPG4, SPG31 and SPG3A genes in the routine diagnosis of HSP children.
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis that meets modified McDonald criteria for dissemination in space is associated with a high probability of conversion to multiple sclerosis in Taiwanese patients
Authors: Liao M. F. , Huang C. C. , Lyu R. K. , Chen C. M. , Chang H. S. , Chu C.‐C. , Hsu W. C. , Wu Y. R. , Kuo H. C. , Cheng M. Y. , Hung P. C. , Chou M. L. , Lin K. L. , Hsieh M. Y. , Ro L. S.
Published: June 2010

Background:  Patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) may relapse and some may ultimately convert to multiple sclerosis (MS); however, no criteria that can predict MS conversion are available to date. Our aim was to describe the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of patients with an initial ADEM attack and evaluate which MRI criteria can predict conversion to MS.

Methods:  We retrospectively reviewed the records of 36 patients diagnosed with ADEM. We determined clinical signs/symptoms, examined the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and performed brain MRI scans and compared the findings between patients who did and did not convert to MS.

Results:  Clinical signs/symptoms, and CSF analysis show no significant difference between the two groups. The rate of conversion to MS from ADEM in Taiwanese patients is low (11%) after a mean follow‐up period of 28.36 months. Modified McDonald criteria were fulfilled in 19/36 patients: 21% (4/19) of those patients developed MS according to Poser criteria subsequently. Of the other patients (17/36) who did not fulfill these criteria, none converted to MS. (log rank test; P = 0.027).

Conclusions:  It is difficult to predict from initial clinical presentations to address which patients with ADEM will convert to MS. Patients with ADEM whose brain MRI findings met the modified McDonald criteria may have clinically isolated syndrome because they have a significantly higher probability of conversion to MS. In contrast, patients whose brain MRI findings did not meeting these criteria may be considered as having classic ADEM because they have a lower probability of conversion to MS.
Towards a mechanistic understanding of dispersal evolution in plants: conservation implications
Authors: Travis Justin M. J. , Smith Hannah S. , Ranwala Sudheera M. W.
Published: June 2010

Aim  A species’ dispersal characteristics will play a key role in determining its likely fate during a period of environmental change. However, these characteristics are not constant within a species – instead, there is often both considerable interpopulation and interindividual variability. Also changes in selection pressures can result in the evolution of dispersal characteristics, with knock‐on consequences for a species’ population dynamics. Our aim here is to make our theoretical understanding of dispersal evolution more conservation‐relevant by moving beyond the rather abstract, phenomenological models that have dominated the literature towards a more mechanism‐based approach.

Methods  We introduce a continuous‐space, individual‐based model for wind‐dispersed plants where release height is determined by an individual’s ‘genotype’. A mechanistic wind dispersal model is used to simulate seed dispersal. Selection acts on variation in release height that is generated through mutation.

Results  We confirm that, when habitat is fragmented, both evolutionary rescue and evolutionary suicide remain possible outcomes when a mechanistic dispersal model is used. We also demonstrate the potential for what we term evolutionary entrapment. A population that under some conditions can evolve to be sufficiently dispersive that it expands rapidly across a fragmented landscape can, under different conditions, become trapped by a combination of limited dispersal and a large gap between patches.

Conclusions  While developing evolutionary models to be used as conservation tools is undoubtedly a challenge, we believe that, with a concerted collaborative effort linking the knowledge and methods of ecologists, evolutionary biologists and geneticists, it is an achievable aim.
Investigation of Non‐Linear Springback for High Strength Steel Sheets by ESPI
Authors: Dudescu C. , Naumann J. , Stockmann M. , Steger H.
Published: June 2010

Abstract:  The springback of the sheet metals after large deformations during deep drawing is not a strongly linear process with a constant Young’s modulus, but the stress–strain behaviour during the unloading phases shows considerably non‐linear and inelastic effects. Unloading of two types of steel sheets for cold forming, a cold‐rolled high‐strength microalloyed steel and a low‐carbon steel sheet, has been analysed using the method of electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI). The specimens were investigated by uniaxial tension tests, and the influences of different testing parameters upon springback were analysed. The experimental measurements showed that the stress–strain curve during unloading is non‐linear, the influence of the prestrain path upon unloading is minor, and the secant moduli of unloading curves decrease with increasing prestrain. When the prestrain value becomes high enough, a saturated value for the secant modulus is approached. An empirical relation was found to describe the changes in the unloading modulus in accordance with the prestrain value.