bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE WHITEHALL PROGRAMME AND AFTER: RESEARCHING GOVERNMENT IN TIME OF GOVERNANCE
Authors: BELLAMY CHRISTINE
Published: March 2011

This article revisits the Whitehall Programme and Rod Rhodes' crucial role in setting it up. It examines the research commissioned for the Programme and how research in this field has changed since the mid 1990s. It confirms that research on Whitehall has become more diverse and specialist – reflecting its apparent hollowing‐out – but that research employing a longer historical perspective does not support an interpretation that government in the UK was ever strongly filled‐in. It also suggests that the study of Whitehall now demonstrates more theoretical ambition than hitherto, and, in the light of the dominance of qualitative research in this field, calls for a more sophisticated methodological debate about qualitative approaches to the study of government and especially their potential contribution to theory‐building.
Successive cyclicity, phases, and CED effects*
Authors: Gallego Ángel J.
Published: March 2011

Abstract. This paper discussesChomsky’s (2008)phase‐based analysis of theSubject Condition(where islandhood is regarded as a locality constraint on phaseedges), paying particular attention to the claim that successive cyclic A‐movement can be used to circumvent islandhood in ϕ‐defective environments. Both hypotheses are considered in the context of Romance, where subextraction from (post‐verbal) subjects of transitive verbs has been reported to be possible sinceUriagereka (1988). The paper puts forward an analysis that recastsActivity Conditionaccounts of CED effects (seeBoeckx 2003) within the framework of phases (seeChomsky 2000through the present). As will be shown, such an approach is superior to previous ones in that it covers not only the standard cases (where subjects undergo local movement to SPEC‐T), but also those where islandhood is avoided through A‐movement.
SELF‐FORGIVENESS AND FORGIVENESS
Authors: SZABLOWINSKI ZENON
Published: March 2011

If the notion of a victim's forgiveness encounters scepticism in today's world, more so the notion of self‐forgiveness by the offender. However, a failure to forgive oneself, when self‐forgiveness is appropriate, may be detrimental to one's moral and psychological well‐being. Self‐forgiveness is called for when guilt, self‐hatred and shame reach high levels. Further, a third party's assurance that the offence is forgivable may contribute considerably to the completion of the self‐forgiveness process. This article explores the notion of forgiveness of self and compares it with the notion of forgiveness of others. In addition, guilt and shame, right and wrong, repentance and dealing with the consequences of harmful actions are examined in the context of self‐forgiveness.
Exploring Social and Geographical Trajectories of Latin Americans in Sweden
Authors: Andersson Roger
Published: March 2011

Close to 20 percent of the Swedish population are of immigrant origin; one in eight is foreign‐born. About 45 percent of all immigrants originate from outside Europe and most of these have entered the country as refugees or relatives of refugees. Issues connected to immigration, including the number of immigrants, settlement patterns and level of social integration of ethnic minorities, have been much discussed in Sweden in recent decades.

This paper focuses on the integration of Latin American immigrants in Sweden. It compares the level of integration – measured as educational achievement, labour market participation, income and housing – experienced by first and second generation migrants. I use register information allowing me to include all 1st and 2nd generation Latin Americans that have lived in Sweden between 1990 and 2006 (in total 127,000 individuals). Data are longitudinal, which means that individuals can be followed over time. I make use of the longitudinal material in order to study changes in residential patterns and in attempts to explain educational and employment outcomes for second generation Latin Americans.

The general conclusion of the paper is that in terms of integration, LAC immigrants have an intermediate position compared to other immigrant categories; they are often better off than people from Africa and the Middle East but clearly below the level experienced by some other migrants, especially those from Western Europe. This cannot be explained by level of education. The average level of education is high for first generation immigrants from LA countries. For many people, the level of labour market participation and income increase over time but one important result of this analysis is that second generation Latin Americans seem to do less well in Sweden compared to many other second generation migrants.
The burrow systems and burrowing dynamics of the mole‐rats Bathyergus suillus and Cryptomys hottentotus in the fynbos of the south‐western Cape, South Africa
Authors: Davies Katherine C. , Jarvis Jennifer U. M.
Published: March 2011

The configuration and dynamics of six Bathyergus suillus and one Cryptomys hottentotus burrow systems in coastal fynbos vegetation was studied for a year by monitoring mound production and excavating burrows. Bathyergus suillus is a large solitary mole‐rat and C. hottentotus is smaller and social. Our results are compared with those for other subterranean rodents.

Most B. suillus burrows (15–22 cm in diameter) were 40–65 cm below ground to prevent their collapse in the seasonally softer and drier surface sand; the burrows were consequently situated deeper than most food plants. Cryptomus hottentotus burrows were narrower (5–7 cm) and shallower (<35 cm), facilitating food location but restricting these mole‐rats to more consolidated soils. Bathyergus suillus and C. hottentotus burrows were of similar length (up to 400 m) but in terms of biomass per metre, C. hottentotus and other small social mole‐rats have relatively longer systems. The mean home range of B. suillus (0.27 ha) was higher than most subterranean rodents, including C. hottentotus (0.16 ha), but their mean density (0.9 ha−1) and biomass (≏ 500 g ha−1) was low. Bathyergus suillus appear to remain resident in an area and to have an optimum burrow length, maintained by blocking old burrows with newly‐excavated soil. This blocking may promote rapid regeneration of food plants within the home range. Daily burrow extension (estimated from mound production alone) averaged 0.7 m for both mole‐rats. The maximum monthly burrow extension was 141 m for B. suillus and 47 m for C. hottentotus. All mole‐rats have a characteristically clumped and patchy distribution, reasons for this are discussed.

Bathyergus suillus cats and uses as nesting a wide range of roots, leaves and stems but preferentially selects some plant species. It rarely stores food. Cryptomys hottentotus eats and stores geophytes. Reasons for these dietary differences and the possibility that mole‐rats act as agents of dispersal of geophytes are discussed.
Do best practice guidelines improve the legibility of pharmacy labels for the visually impaired?
Authors: Latham Keziah , Waller Sam , Schaitel James
Published: March 2011

Citation information: Latham K, Waller S & Schaitel J. Do best practice guidelines improve the legibility of pharmacy labels for the visually impaired? Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011, 31, 275–282. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2010.00816.x

Purpose:  Reading pharmacy labels on medications is a challenging task for visually impaired people. Design for Patient Safety (DfPS) best practice guidelines exist on the presentation of information on pharmacy labels, but it is unclear to what extent current labels follow the guidance. It is also unclear whether labels produced to DfPS guidelines are more accessible to patients with impaired vision.

Methods:  Twenty‐four sample labels were obtained from six different pharmacy chains. Experimental labels were constructed reflecting a typical pharmacy label, an ideal label constructed to DfPS guidelines, and a large print label. 20 normally‐sighted subjects read labels under habitual conditions (mean VA −0.14 log MAR, Snellen equivalent 6/4.4), and under two conditions of simulated visual impairment (mean VA +0.41 and +0.69 logMAR, Snellen equivalents 6/15.4 and 6/29.4). Outcome measures were speed and accuracy of label reading.

Results:  Median font size for the primary directions on the sample labels was 9.5 point (range 8–10 point), rather than the recommended minimum size of 12 point. In the mild visual impairment condition, using the ideal label improved accurate reading speed by 58% over the typical label, and using the large print label improved accurate reading speed by about 100%. In the moderate visual impairment condition, 65% of subjects were able to see sufficient of the directions to be able to take the medication appropriately with the ideal label, and 80% with the large print label, as compared to 20% with the typical label.

Conclusions:  DfPS best practice guidelines were not fully met by any of the pharmacy labels in this sample. With unimpaired vision, label design had little impact on legibility. However, the results provide evidence that preparing pharmacy labels according to DfPS guidelines improves their relative legibility in simulated visual impairment. These findings need extending to those with actual visual impairment, but the current results strengthen the argument for conformance to DfPS guidelines.
How does the presence and duration of central visual impairment affect reaching and grasping movements?
Authors: Pardhan Shahina , Gonzalez‐Alvarez Carmen , Subramanian Ahayla
Published: March 2011

Citation information: Pardhan S, Gonzalez‐Alvarez C & Subramanian A. How does the presence and duration of central visual impairment affect reaching and grasping movements? Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011, 31, 233–239. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2010.00819.x

Purpose:  To examine how subjects with central visual impairment (CVI) due to macular degeneration conduct reaching and grasping movements compared to those with normal vision and to determine whether these are influenced by the duration of the impairment.

Methods:  Eighteen subjects with CVI and 9 subjects of a similar age but with normal vision were recruited. Subjects were required to pick up a cylindrical object and a motion analysis system recorded and reconstructed the reaching and grasping movements in 3‐D. Subjects were also divided into two groups based on the duration of their vision loss: subjects with CVI of less/greater than 10 years duration.

Results:  Subjects with CVI showed significant differences in some transport and grasping indices compared to age matched normal subjects (p < 0.05) but not in all. More indices were correlated to contrast sensitivity (5) than to visual acuity results (2).

Conclusions:  Subjects with CVI required extra time prior to starting the movement (as shown by longer onset time) and this was probably needed to localise the object and to perceive its dimensions. They spent more time after maximum grip aperture, indicating a need for a longer time to grasp the object. A possible reason is that visually impaired patients need to use more tactile information than normal subjects in order to fully execute grasping of the object. CVI that was of <10 years in duration affected more indices compared to CVI that was of long standing and may suggest adaptation to the visual impairment for this task.
Understanding ethnic differences in the migration of young adults within Britain from a lifecourse perspective
Authors: Finney Nissa
Published: March 2011

This paper is situated at the confluence of two emerging areas of research: a lifecourse approach in internal migration studies and in geography more broadly and studies of sub‐populations within lifecourse research. The paper aims to better understand the complexities of ethnic group migration in Britain, in particular why young adults of some ethnic groups are more residentially mobile than others. The paper draws on theories of norms of transition to adulthood. UK Census microdata of migration within Britain by age and ethnic group are used. The paper shows ethnic similarities: internal migration patterns that are distinct in young adulthood compared with other ages and many common characteristics of residential mobility. However, there are also differences between ethnic groups in levels of internal migration and in how young adult life events are associated with migration. In particular, partnership brings increased residential mobility for White British young adults but reduced mobility for South Asian young adults with females in both cases being the ‘partnership movers’. Being a student increases residential mobility for White British and Chinese young adults but reduces mobility for young adults from Black and South Asian ethnic groups (particularly for females in the Pakistani ethnic group). This raises issues of access to higher education. The paper concludes that a lifecourse perspective provides an understanding of ethnic differences in internal migration that were previously lacking from ‘segregation’ perspectives.
Myocardial pharmacokinetics of ebastine, a substrate for cytochrome P450 2J, in rat isolated heart
Authors: Kang W , Elitzer S , Noh K , Bednarek T , Weiss M
Published: March 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE It is well established that cytochrome P450 2J (CYP2J) enzymes are expressed preferentially in the heart, and that ebastine is a substrate for CYP2J, but it is not known whether ebastine is metabolized in myocardium. Therefore, we investigated its pharmacokinetics in the rat isolated perfused heart.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Rat isolated hearts were perfused in the recirculating mode with ebastine for 130 min. The concentrations of ebastine and its metabolites, hydroxyebastine and carebastine, were measured using liquid chromatography with a tandem mass spectrometry. The data were analysed by a compartmental model. The time course of negative inotropic response was linked to ebastine concentration to determine the concentration–effect relationship.

KEY RESULTS Ebastine was metabolized to an intermediate compound, hydroxyebastine, which was subsequently further metabolized to carebastine. No desalkylebastine was found. The kinetics of the sequential metabolism of ebastine was well described by the compartmental model. The EC50 of the negative inotropic effect of ebastine in rat isolated heart was much higher than free plasma concentrations in humans after clinical doses.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The kinetics of ebastine conversion to carebastine via hydroxyebastine resembled that observed in human liver microsomes. The results may be of interest for functional characterization of CYP2J activity in rat heart.
The Significance of Community to Business Social Responsibility1
Authors: Besser Terry L.
Published: March 2011

Abstract In this paper, I focus attention on one aspect of business social responsibility, the relationship between businesses and community. Specifically, I explore the impact of business operators' perceptions about norms of collective action in their communities on the level of their support for and commitment to their communities. This relationship was elaborated using data from interviews with 1,008 business owners and managers randomly selected from 30 small Iowa communities (500 to 10,000 in population). Findings indicate the majority of small business operators report that they are committed to and provide support for their community. Also, it is concluded that operators' educational levels and lengths of residence, the success and age of their businesses, and their perceptions of community levels of collective action are significantly associated with levels of business social responsibility.
The Importance of Context in Explaining Human Capital Formation and Labor Force Participation of American Indians in Rosebud County, Montana
Authors: Ward Carol
Published: March 2011

Abstract In response to recent recommendations to incorporate social, political, and cultural contexts into employment and poverty analyses for minority populations, this paper draws on several sources and types of data to examine the human capital and labor force participation patterns of Northern Cheyenne Indians and non‐Indians in Rosebud County, Montana. Discussions utilizing human capital and economic organization data contribute to clarifying differences in poverty levels of the two populations. However, the "embeddedness" approach utilizes ethnographic data and recent analyses of schooling to illuminate the social and cultural relations affecting Northern Cheyenne employment patterns as well as the methods by which individuals, families, and communities adapt to the recent declines in economic opportunity and wages on the reservation. Such discussions suggest the need to reconsider policies designed to address American Indian human capital formation and economic development needs.
Interleukin‐1β and Interleukin‐6 Expression and Gene Polymorphisms in Subjects with Peri‐Implant Disease
Authors: Melo Rafaela F. , Lopes Beatriz M. V. , Shibli Jamil A. , Marcantonio Junior Elcio , Marcantonio Rosemary Adriana C. , Galli Glória M. Thompson
Published: March 2011

Background: Polymorphisms found in the IL‐1 family genes have been associated with susceptibility of periodontal disease. However, very little is known about the relationship between polymorphisms on inflammatory mediators' genes and peri‐implant disease.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to evaluate interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) concentration in the crevicular fluid, and the impact of gene polymorphisms on healthy and diseased implants in comparison with healthy teeth.

Materials and Methods: We examined 47 implants and teeth in 47 patients grouped as: 31 healthy implants, 16 implants with peri‐implantitis, 31 healthy teeth from patients with healthy implants, and 16 healthy teeth from patients with peri‐implantitis. Clinical parameters were recorded from all implants and teeth. Gingival crevicular fluid was collected to evaluate the concentration of IL‐1β and IL‐6. Cells from buccal mucosa were collected and their genomic DNA extracted for identification of the following polymorphisms: IL1B+3954, IL1B‐511, and IL6‐174.

Results: Clinical evaluation demonstrated that implants with peri‐implantitis had less favorable indexes for probing depth (PD), relative clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing, and suppuration when compared with healthy implants and, for PD and CAL when compared with healthy teeth. There was no significant difference in the concentration of IL‐1β and IL‐6 detected between groups. There were no statistically significant differences between alleles and polymorphisms distribution on the studied population.

Conclusions: There was no correlation between the concentration of IL‐1β and IL‐6 in the crevicular sulcular fluid present in healthy or diseased osseointegrated implants in comparison with healthy teeth. The studied gene polymorphisms had no influence on peri‐implant disease.
Influence of inflammation‐related changes on conformational characteristics of HLA‐B27 subtypes as detected by IR spectroscopy
Authors: Fabian Heinz , Loll Bernhard , Huser Hans , Naumann Dieter , Uchanska‐Ziegler Barbara , Ziegler Andreas
Published: March 2011

Inflammatory processes are accompanied by the post‐translational modification of certain arginine residues to yield citrulline, and a pH decrease in the affected tissue, which might influence the protonation of histidine residues within proteins. We employed isotope‐edited IR spectroscopy to investigate whether conformational features of two human major histocompatibility antigen class I subtypes, HLA‐B*2705 and HLA‐B*2709, are affected by these changes. Both differ only in residue 116 (Asp vs. His) within the peptide‐binding grooves, but are differentially associated with inflammatory rheumatic disorders. Our analyses of the two HLA‐B27 subtypes in complex with a modified self‐peptide containing a citrulline RRKWURWHL (U = citrulline) revealed that the heavy chain is more flexible in the HLA‐B*2705 subtype than in the HLA‐B*2709 subtype. Together with our previous studies of HLA‐B27 subtypes complexed with the unmodified self‐peptide RRKWRRWHL, these findings support the existence of subtype‐specific conformational features of the heavy chains under physiological conditions, which are undetectable by X‐ray crystallography and exist irrespective of the sequence of the bound peptide and its binding mode. They might thus influence antigenic properties of the respective HLA‐B27 subtype. Furthermore, a decrease in the pH from 7.5 to 5.6 during the analyses had an influence only on HLA‐B*2709 complexed with the unmodified self‐peptide, where His116 is not contacted by any peptide side chain. This permits us to conclude that histidines, and in particular His116, influence the stability of MHC:peptide complexes. The conditions prevailing in inflammatory environments in vivo might thus also exert an impact on selected conformational features of HLA‐B27:peptide complexes.

Structured digital abstract

B*27
 and VIPR bind by biophysical (View interaction).
Comparative Study on Dry Sliding Wear Behavior of Various Railroad Steels
Authors: Shariff S. M. , Pal T. K. , Padmanabham G. , Joshi S. V.
Published: March 2011

Understanding the wear behavior of various railroad steels used in different components such as rails, wheels, crossings, and curves has a direct impact on the performance of the rail-wheel system in railroad technology. In the present investigation, the wear behavior of steels having varying microstructures (pearlite, ferrite-pearlite, austenite, and bainite) and different chemical compositions has been studied, utilizing a ball-on-disk sliding tribometer under prototypic load and dry conditions. Results indicate that the wear performance of the steel and the mechanism responsible for its wear are significantly governed by the microstructure as well as changes that occur in the contact region during sliding. The formation of tribo-particles comprising oxides of Fe and their possible smearing resulted in high wear resistance in pearlitic steels with considerable plastic deformation of ferrite lamellae compared with austenitic and bainitic steels. In the case of bainitic steel, the absence of any significant smearing of oxide debris, combined with the presence of some distributed tungsten from the ball, contributed to severe wear. On the other hand, in the case of austenitic steel, third-body abrasion by debris particles, comprising a mix of hard metallic and oxide particles, contributed to severe wear despite its high work-hardening ability. On the whole, the pearlitic steel exhibited superior wear resistance with a lower friction coefficient compared with the bainitic and austenitic steels.
Regeneration of Ammonia Borane Spent Fuel by Direct Reaction with Hydrazine and Liquid Ammonia
Authors: Sutton Andrew D. , Burrell Anthony K. , Dixon David A. , Garner Edward B. , Gordon John C. , Nakagawa Tessui , Ott Kevin C. , Robinson J. Pierce , Vasiliu Monica
Published: March 2011

A method to regenerate lightweight, hydrogen-rich ammonia borane improves its prospects as a vehicular fuel source.
Cardiac Myosin Activation: A Potential Therapeutic Approach for Systolic Heart Failure
Authors: Malik Fady I. , Hartman James J. , Elias Kathleen A. , Morgan Bradley P. , Rodriguez Hector , Brejc Katjuša , Anderson Robert L. , Sueoka Sandra H. , Lee Kenneth H. , Finer Jeffrey T. , Sakowicz Roman , Baliga Ramesh , Cox David R. , Garard Marc , Godinez Guillermo , Kawas Raja , Kraynack Erica , Lenzi David , Lu Pu Ping , Muci Alexander , Niu Congrong , Qian Xiangping , Pierce Daniel W. , Pokrovskii Maria , Suehiro Ion , Sylvester Sheila , Tochimoto Todd , Valdez Corey , Wang Wenyue , Katori Tatsuo , Kass David A. , Shen You-Tang , Vatner Stephen F. , Morgans David J.
Published: March 2011

A small molecule improves cardiac function by accelerating the transition of myosin into a force-producing state.
Rapid and Extensive Surface Changes Near Titan’s Equator: Evidence of April Showers
Authors: Turtle E. P. , Perry J. E. , Hayes A. G. , Lorenz R. D. , Barnes J. W. , McEwen A. S. , West R. A. , Del Genio A. D. , Barbara J. M. , Lunine J. I. , Schaller E. L. , Ray T. L. , Lopes R. M. C. , Stofan E. R.
Published: March 2011

The Cassini spacecraft detected signs of recent methane rainfall on Titan’s arid equatorial surface.
Attack on Climate Studies Would Shutter Entire DOE Biology Program
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: March 2011

The Department of Energy's office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) would be shut down if a 2011 spending bill passed last month by the House of Representatives holds sway. Researchers say the assault on BER reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the office's role in generating data for global climate models.
Lost Causes Get New Hope
Authors: Bird Winifred
Published: March 2011

A commitment to “zero extinction” shines a spotlight on the world's most endangered species.
Application of a Peptide-Mediated Magnetic Separation-Phage Assay for Detection of Viable Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis to Bovine Bulk Tank Milk and Feces Samples
Authors: Foddai Antonio , Strain Samuel , Whitlock Robert H. , Elliott Christopher T. , Grant Irene R.
Published: March 2011

Naturally contaminated bovine bulk tank milk (
n
= 44) and feces (
n
= 39) were tested for the presence of viable
Mycobacterium avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
by a novel peptide-mediated magnetic separation-phage (PMS-phage) assay. Counts of viable
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
cells ranging from 1 to 110 PFU/50 ml of milk and 6 to 41,111 PFU/g of feces were indicated by the PMS-phage assay.
Discrimination of Major Capsular Types of Campylobacter jejuni by Multiplex PCR
Authors: Poly Frédéric , Serichatalergs Oralak , Schulman Marc , Ju Jennifer , Cates Cory N. , Kanipes Margaret , Mason Carl , Guerry Patricia
Published: March 2011

The polysaccharide capsule (CPS) of
Campylobacter jejuni
is the major serodeterminant of the Penner serotyping scheme. There are 47 Penner serotypes of
C. jejuni
, 22 of which fall into complexes of related serotypes. A multiplex PCR method for determination of capsule types of
Campylobacter jejuni
which is simpler and more affordable than classical Penner typing was developed. Primers specific for each capsule type were designed on the basis of a database of gene sequences from the variable capsule loci of 8 strains of major serotypes sequenced in this study and 10 published sequences of other serotypes. DNA sequence analysis revealed a mosaic nature of the capsule loci, suggesting reassortment of genes by horizontal transfer, and demonstrated a high degree of conservation of genes within Penner complexes. The multiplex PCR can distinguish 17 individual serotypes in two PCRs with sensitivities and specificities ranging from 90 to 100% using 244 strains of known Penner type.
Comparison of Capsular Genes of Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotype 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D Isolates
Authors: Song Jae-Hoon , Baek Jin Yang , Ko Kwan Soo
Published: March 2011

Recently,
Streptococcus pneumoniae
serotypes 6C and 6D have been identified. It is thought that they emerged by the replacement of
wciN
β
in the capsular loci of serotypes 6A and 6B, respectively. However, their evolution has not been unveiled yet. To investigate the evolution of four serotypes of
S. pneumoniae
serogroup 6, four genes of the capsular polysaccharide synthesis (
cps
) locus,
wchA
,
wciN
,
wciO
, and
wciP
, of isolates of
S. pneumoniae
serotypes 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D were sequenced. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed to investigate their genetic backgrounds. The
wchA
gene of serotype 6C and 6D isolates was distinct from that of serotype 6A and 6B isolates, which may suggest cotransfer of
wchA
with
wciN
β
. Otherwise, serotypes 6C and 6D displayed different genetic backgrounds from serotypes 6A and 6B, which was suggested by MLST analysis. In addition, serotype 6C isolates showed distinct
wciP
polymorphisms from other serotypes, which also indicated that serotype 6C had not recently originated from serotype 6A. Although serotype 6D shared the same amino acid polymorphisms of
wciO
with serotype 6B,
wciP
of serotype 6D differed from that of serotype 6B. The data indicate the implausibility of the scenario of a recent emergence of the
cps
locus of serotype 6D by genetic recombination between serotypes 6B and 6C. In addition, five serotype 6A and 6B isolates (6X group) displayed
cps
loci distinct from those of other isolates. The
cps
locus homogeneity and similar sequence types in MLST analysis suggest that most of the 6X group of isolates originated from the same ancestor and that the entire
cps
locus might have recently been transferred from an unknown origin. Serotype 6B isolates showed two or more
cps
locus subtypes, indicating a recombination-mediated mosaic structure of the
cps
locus of serotype 6B. The collective data favor the emergence of
cps
loci of serotypes 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D by complicated recombination.
Fatal Cerebral Phaeohyphomycosis in an Immunocompetent Individual Due to Thielavia subthermophila
Authors: Badali Hamid , Chander Jagdish , Gupta Ashish , Rani Hena , Punia Rajpal Singh , De Hoog G. Sybren , Meis Jacques F.
Published: March 2011

We report the first case of fatal brain infection in an Indian farmer caused by
Thielavia subthermophila
, a dematiaceous thermophilic fungus in the order
Sordariales
, and present a review of previous infections from this order. The patient failed amphotericin B therapy combined with surgical excision despite the drug's low MICs
in vitro
.
Nonconserved Lysine Residues Attenuate the Biological Function of the Low-Risk Human Papillomavirus E7 Protein
Authors: Genovese Nicholas J. , Broker Thomas R. , Chow Louise T.
Published: March 2011

The mucosotrophic human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are classified as high-risk (HR) or low-risk (LR) genotypes based on their neoplastic properties. We have demonstrated previously that the E7 protein destabilizes p130, a pRb-related pocket protein, thereby promoting S-phase reentry in postmitotic, differentiated keratinocytes of squamous epithelia, and that HR HPV E7 does so more efficiently than LR HPV E7. The E7 proteins of LR HPV-11 and -6b uniquely possess lysine residues following a casein kinase II phosphorylation motif which is critical for the biological function of E7. We now show that mutations of these lysine residues elevated the efficiency of S-phase reentry, independent of their charge. An 11E7 K39,42R mutation moderately increased the association with and the destabilization of p130. Unexpectedly, polyubiquitination on these lysine residues did not attenuate E7 activity, as their mutation caused elevated proteasomal degradation and decreased protein stability. In this regard, the biologically more potent HR HPV E7 proteins were also less stable than the LR HPV E7 proteins. We infer that these lysine residues impede functional protein-protein interactions. A G22D mutation of 11E7 at the pocket protein binding motif possessed augmented efficiency in promoting S-phase reentry and strongly enhanced association with p130 and pRb. The combined effects of these two classes of 11E7 mutations exhibited an efficiency of S-phase reentry comparable to that of HR HPV E7. Thus, these nonconserved residues are primarily responsible for the differential abilities of LR and HR HPV E7 proteins to promote unscheduled DNA replication in organotypic raft cultures.
Interaction of Calpactin Light Chain (S100A10/p11) and a Viral NS Protein Is Essential for Intracellular Trafficking of Nonenveloped Bluetongue Virus
Authors: Celma Cristina C. P. , Roy Polly
Published: March 2011

Bluetongue virus (BTV), a member of the
Reoviridae
family, is an insect-borne animal pathogen. Virus release from infected cells is predominantly by cell lysis, but some BTV particles are also released from the plasma membrane. The nonstructural protein NS3 has been implicated in this process. Using alternate initiator methionine residues, NS3 is expressed as a full-length protein and as a truncated variant that lacks the initial 13 residues, which, by yeast-two hybrid analyses, have been shown to interact with a cellular trafficking protein S100A10/p11. To understand the physiological significance of this interaction in virus-infected cells, we have used reverse genetics to investigate the roles of NS3 and NS3A in virus replication and localization in both mammalian and insect vector-derived cells. A virus expressing NS3 but not NS3A was able to propagate in and release from mammalian cells efficiently. However, growth of a mutant virus expressing only NS3A was severely attenuated, although protein expression, replication, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) synthesis, and particle assembly in the cytoplasm were observed. Two of three single-amino-acid substitutions in the N-terminal 13 residues of NS3 showed phenotypically similar effects. Pulldown assay and confocal microscopy demonstrated a lack of interaction between NS3 and S100A10/p11 in mutants with poor replication. The role of NS3/NS3A was also assessed in insect cells where virus grew, albeit with a reduced titer. Notably, however, while wild-type particles were found within cytoplasmic vesicles in insect cells, mutant viruses were scattered throughout the cytoplasm and not confined to vesicles. These results provide support for a role for the extreme amino terminus of NS3 in the late stages of virus growth in mammalian cells, plausibly in egress. However, both NS3 and NS3A were required for efficient BTV growth in insect cells.
Histiocytoid breast carcinoma: an enigmatic lobular entity
Authors: Tan Puay Hoon , Harada Oi , Thike Aye Aye , Tse Gary Man-Kit
Published: March 2011

Histiocytoid breast carcinoma is an uncommon entity that is mostly regarded as a variant of lobular carcinoma. Its occurrence with apocrine lobular carcinoma in situ and consistent expression of gross cystic disease fluid protein 15 suggest apocrine differentiation. Its recognition is often challenging, particularly when histiocytoid tumour cells occur in a metastatic site before the primary diagnosis of breast carcinoma, or in limited core biopsy or cytology material. In the breast, its bland histological appearances can lead to a benign diagnosis. Clues to the correct conclusion include finding tumour cells with more cytological atypia, the presence of cytoplasmic vacuoles and secretions, coexistence with more traditional invasive lobular carcinoma patterns and/or lobular neoplasia, and the use of immuohistochemistry to confirm their epithelial nature. Close clinicoradiological correlation and awareness of histological mimics are needed to achieve an accurate diagnosis of this enigmatic condition that should be appropriately subsumed within the invasive lobular histological subtype.
School-sponsored work programs: a first look at differences in work and injury outcomes of teens enrolled in school-to-work programs compared to other-working teens
Authors: Zierold Kristina M , Appana Savi , Anderson Henry A
Published: March 2011

Objectives

To evaluate work experiences among teens enrolled in school-sponsored work (SSW) programs and compare the findings to other-working teens. This study, the first to assess work-related safety and health for teens in SSW programs, includes teens working one job and teens working multiple jobs.

Methods

A survey was conducted among 6810 teens in school districts in five public health regions in Wisconsin. Information on demographics, work characteristics, injury and school performance was collected.

Results

Of 3411 high school teens (14–18 years old) working during the school year, 461 were enrolled in SSW programs. SSW teens were more likely to hold multiple jobs, work over 40 h per week, and work 2 or more days per week before 8:00 h compared with other-working teens. SSW teens working only one job were no more likely to be injured than other-working teens. However, SSW teens working multiple jobs were significantly more likely to be severely injured compared to other-working teens (AOR 3.49; 95% CI 1.52 to 8.02).

Conclusions

SSW programs were created to prepare youth for transition into the workforce after high school. This first study suggests that students in SSW programs working only one job are no more likely to be injured at work compared with other-working teens. However, being enrolled in SSW programs is not protective against work injury, which would have been expected based on the philosophy of these programs. Furthermore, when students work multiple jobs, those enrolled in SSW programs are more likely to be severely injured. Possible explanations are provided.
Urinary DAP metabolite levels in Thai farmers and their families and exposure to pesticides from agricultural pesticide spraying: Figure 1
Authors: Hanchenlaksh Chalalai , Povey Andrew , O'Brien Sarah , de Vocht Frank
Published: March 2011

Introduction

We conducted a biomarker study to characterise exposure to pesticides among farmers and their families in Thailand to assess the relative importance of the dermal exposure route and to identify important factors that determine exposure levels within farmers' families.

Methods

Sixteen farmers' families (eight vegetable and eight fruit farmers) participated in the study. Three morning spot urine samples were collected during a pesticide spraying week. Spot samples were grouped by individual and analysed for dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites and creatinine. Additional information on exposure and lifestyle was collected by means of questionnaires. Dermal exposure was assessed using a semi-quantitative observational method (DREAM).

Results

Urinary DAP levels varied 20-fold between farmers, with average (geometric mean) levels of 51.1 μg/g for vegetable and 122.2 μg/g for fruit farmers. A moderate correlation (rs∼0.45) was found between loge-transformed DREAM scores and DAP levels. Farmers' urinary metabolite levels were not correlated with those of their spouses (rs∼−0.30) or children (rs∼−0.00) collected on the same days. Detectable spouses' DAP levels were on average (geometric mean) 13.0 μg/g and those of children 7.6 μg/g.

Discussion

Farmers in Thailand as well as their families are exposed to pesticides in the spraying season and dermal exposure is an important route. The main route of exposure for farmers' families seems to be through transfer from the farmer to family members or contamination of the home environment, rather than family members helping or playing on the farm. Showering or washing immediately after pesticide spraying greatly reduces the potential exposure of family members to pesticide residues.
UML in action
Authors: Aichernig Bernhard K. , Brandl Harald , Jöbstl Elisabeth , Krenn Willibald
Published: March 2011

This paper presents a novel model-based test case generation approach that automatically derives test cases from UML state machines. UML is given a two-layered formal semantics by (1) mapping UML class diagrams and state charts to Back's Action Systems, (2) by interpreting these action systems as labeled transition systems. The first semantics provides a formal framework to capture the object-oriented machinery: classes, objects, inheritance, transitions, time-outs, signals, nested and parallel regions. The second mapping represents the tester's view on the interface in terms of input and output actions. Tretman's input-output conformance relation (ioco) forms the basis of our fault models. Mutation analysis on the models is used to generate test cases. A car alarm system serves as a running example
Using structural information in XML keyword search effectively
Authors: Termehchy Arash , Winslett Marianne
Published: March 2011

The popularity of XML has exacerbated the need for an easy-to-use, high precision query interface for XML data. When traditional document-oriented keyword search techniques do not suffice, natural language interfaces and keyword search techniques that take advantage of XML structure make it very easy for ordinary users to query XML databases. Unfortunately, current approaches to processing these queries rely heavily on heuristics that are intuitively appealing but ultimately ad hoc. These approaches often retrieve false positive answers, overlook correct answers, and cannot rank answers appropriately. To address these problems for data-centric XML, we propose
coherency ranking
(CR), a domain- and database design-independent ranking method for XML keyword queries that is based on an extension of the concepts of data dependencies and mutual information. With coherency ranking, the results of a keyword query are invariant under a class of equivalency-preserving schema reorganizations. We analyze the way in which previous approaches to XML keyword search approximate coherency ranking, and present efficient algorithms to process queries and rank their answers using coherency ranking. Our empirical evaluation with two real-world XML data sets shows that coherency ranking has better precision and recall and provides better ranking than all previous approaches.
Particle capture into the lung made simple?
Authors: de Vasconcelos Talita Felipe , Sapoval Bernard , Andrade José S. , Grotberg James B. , Hu Yingying , Filoche Marcel
Published: March 2011

Understanding the impact distribution of particles entering the human respiratory system is of primary importance as it concerns not only atmospheric pollutants or dusts of various kinds but also the efficiency of aerosol therapy and drug delivery. To model this process, current approaches consist of increasingly complex computations of the aerodynamics and particle capture phenomena, performed in geometries trying to mimic lungs in a more and more realistic manner for as many airway generations as possible. Their capture results from the complex interplay between the details of the aerodynamic streamlines and the particle drag mechanics in the resulting flow. In contrast, the present work proposes a major simplification valid for most airway generations at quiet breathing. Within this context, focusing on particle escape rather than capture reveals a simpler structure in the entire process. When gravity can be neglected, we show by computing the escape rates in various model geometries that, although still complicated, the escape process can be depicted as a multiplicative escape cascade in which each elementary step is associated with a single bifurcation. As a net result, understanding of the particle capture may not require computing particle deposition in the entire lung structure but can be abbreviated in some regions using our simpler approach of successive computations in single realistic bifurcations. Introducing gravity back into our model, we show that this multiplicative model can still be successfully applied on up to nine generations, depending on particle type and breathing conditions.
Dendritic Spines and Development: Towards a Unifying Model of Spinogenesis—A Present Day Review of Cajal's Histological Slides and Drawings
Authors: García-López Pablo , García-Marín Virginia , Freire Miguel
Published: March 2011

Dendritic spines receive the majority of excitatory connections in the central nervous system, and, thus, they are key structures in the regulation of neural activity. Hence, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying their generation and plasticity, both during development and in adulthood, are a matter of fundamental and practical interest. Indeed, a better understanding of these mechanisms should provide clues to the development of novel clinical therapies. Here, we present original results obtained from high-quality images of Cajal's histological preparations, stored at the Cajal Museum (Instituto Cajal, CSIC), obtained using extended focus imaging, three-dimensional reconstruction, and rendering. Based on the data available in the literature regarding the formation of dendritic spines during development and our results, we propose a unifying model for dendritic spine development.
Memory and Spin Injection Devices Involving Half Metals
Authors: Shaughnessy M. , Snow Ryan , Damewood L. , Fong C. Y.
Published: March 2011

We suggest memory and spin injection devices fabricated with half-metallic materials and based on the anomalous Hall effect. Schematic diagrams of the memory chips, in thin film and bulk crystal form, are presented. Spin injection devices made in thin film form are also suggested. These devices do not need any external magnetic field but make use of their own magnetization. Only a gate voltage is needed. The carriers are 100% spin polarized. Memory devices may potentially be smaller, faster, and less volatile than existing ones, and the injection devices may be much smaller and more efficient than existing spin injection devices.
Gait and Equilibrium in Subcortical Vascular Dementia
Authors: Moretti Rita , Torre Paola , Antonello Rodolfo M. , Esposito Francesca , Bellini Giuseppe
Published: March 2011

Subcortical vascular dementia is a clinical entity, widespread, even challenging to diagnose and correctly treat. Patients with this diagnosis are old, frail, often with concomitant pathologies, and therefore, with many drugs in therapy. We tried to diagnose and follow up for three years more than 600 patients. Study subjects were men and women, not bedridden, aged 68–94 years, outpatients, recruited from June, 1st 2007 to June, 1st 2010. We examined them clinically, neurologically, with specific consideration on drug therapies. Our aim has been to define gait and imbalance problem, if eventually coexistent with the pathology of white matter and/or with the worsening of the deterioration. Drug intake interference has been detected and considered.
Guidance Navigation and Control for Autonomous Multiple Spacecraft Assembly: Analysis and Experimentation
Authors: Bevilacqua Riccardo , Romano Marcello , Curti Fabio , Caprari Andrew P. , Pellegrini Veronica
Published: March 2011

This work introduces theoretical developments and experimental verification for Guidance, Navigation, and Control of autonomous multiple spacecraft assembly. We here address the in-plane orbital assembly case, where two translational and one rotational degrees of freedom are considered. Each spacecraft involved in the assembly is both chaser and target at the same time. The guidance and control strategies are LQR-based, designed to take into account the evolving shape and mass properties of the assembling spacecraft. Each spacecraft runs symmetric algorithms. The relative navigation is based on augmenting the target's state vector by introducing, as extra state components, the target's control inputs. By using the proposed navigation method, a chaser spacecraft can estimate the relative position, the attitude and the control inputs of a target spacecraft, flying in its proximity. The proposed approaches are successfully validated via hardware-in-the-loop experimentation, using four autonomous three-degree-of-freedom robotic spacecraft simulators, floating on a flat floor.
Photoionization Processes of the Single-Ionized Boron
Authors: Hsiao Ju-Tang , Sun Hsiao-Ling , Lin Sheng-Fang , Huang Keh-Ning
Published: March 2011

The relativistic calculations of the cross-section σ, the angular-distribution parameter β, and spin-polarization parameters {ξ,η,ζ} of photoelectrons using the multiconfiguration relativistic random-phase approximation theory for the photoionization
of the B+ ion are presented. Precise energies and widths of all five Rydberg series of
doublyexcited states (2pns)1P1o, (2pns)3P1o, (2pnd)1P1o, (2pnd)3P1o, and (2pnd)3D1o are determined. Our predictions are in very close agreement with experiments and
are consistent with other calculations.