bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reflexes Controlling Circulatory, Ventilatory and Airway Responses to Exercise
Authors: Kaufman Marc P. , Forster Hubert V.
Published: November 2010

The sections in this article are:

Reflex Cardiovascular Responses to Muscular Contraction in Anesthetized and Decerebrate Animals

Sensory Innervation of Skeletal Muscle

Reflex Autonomic Responses to Stimulation of Muscle Afferents in Anesthetized Animals

Discharge Properties of GroupIIIandIVMuscle Afferents

The Site of the First Synapse—The Dorsal Horn

Role of Spinal Neurotransmitters and Neuromodulators in the Exercise Pressor Reflex

Pathways Ascending from the Dorsal Horn

The Ventrolateral Medulla

Other Central Neural Structures

Final Common Pathways

Interaction Between the Arterial Baroreflex and the Exercise Pressor Reflex in Anesthetized and Decerebrate Animals

Evidence for the Exercise Pressor Reflex in Humans and Conscious Animals

Feedback from Contracting Limb Skeletal Muscle in Humans and Conscious Animals

The Nature of the Stimulus Evoking the Exercise Pressor Reflex

Contribution of Peripheral Afferents to the Exercise Hyperpnea

Afferents from the Exercising limbs

The Carotid Chemoreceptor Afferents

Role in Hyperventilation During Heavy Exercise

The Pulmonary Afferents

Cardiac Afferents

Respiratory Muscle Afferents

Mediation of the Exercise Hyperpnea by Multiple Mechanisms

Summary and Conclusions

Peripheral Afferent Contribution to Circulatory Responses to Exercise

Peripheral Afferent Contribution to Ventilatory Responses to Exercise
Vertebrate Respiratory Gas Exchange
Authors: Scheid Peter , Piiper Johannes
Published: November 2010

The sections in this article are:

General Model: Symbols and Basic Equations

External Medium: Water vs. Air Breathing

Respiratory Gas Transfer

Consequences Arising from Other Physical Properties of Water

Internal Medium: Blood

Oxygen Transport

Carbon Dioxide Transport

Four Models for Vertebrate Gas Exchange Organs

Structural Design

Models for Gas Exchange

Medium/Blood Diffusion Limitation in the Gas Exchange Models

Diffusion and Perfusion in Alveolar Lungs

Diffusing Capacity

Cutaneous Gas Exchange in Amphibia

Parabronchial Gas Exchange at High Altitude

Limitations to the Applicability of the Models

Unsteady State

Medium Flow and Composition: Dead Space

Blood Flow and Composition: Vascular Shunt

Other Problems

Diffusion in the Respired Medium

Diffusion Limitation in the Alveolar Space of Mammalian Lungs

Stratification in Air Capillaries of Bird Lungs

Stratification in Skin Breathing

Diffusion Limitation in the Interlamellar Water of Fish Gills

Ventilation, Diffusion, and Perfusion

Various Models

Diffusion‐Limited Counter‐current Exchange in Fish Gills

Unequal Distribution of Ventilation to Perfusion

Conventional Three‐Compartment Lung Model

Detection of Continuous Distributions of

Ventilation–Perfusion Heterogeneity in Nonmammalian Vertebrates

Unequal Distribution of Diffusing Capacity

Inequality of the Equilibration Coefficient

Unequal Distribution of Gas‐Phase Conductance

Special Adaptation: Fish Swimbladder

Swimbladder Architecture

Swimbladder Gas

Mechanisms for Deposition of Gas: The Classical Model

Additions to the Classical Model
Vertebrate Renal System
Authors: Braun Eldon J. , Dantzler William H.
Published: November 2010

The sections in this article are:

External and Internal Gross Morphology of Vertebrate Kidneys

Fishes

Amphibians

Reptiles

Birds

Mammals

Glomerular Ultrafiltration

Glomerular Filtration Rate: Stability and Variability

Changes in the Number of Filtering Nephrons

Regulation ofSNGFRsand the Number of Filtering Nephrons

Tubular Transport

Fine Structure of Tubule Cells

Transport of Inorganic Ions

Transport of Fluid

Transport of Organic Substances

Concentration and Dilution of the Urine

Integrative Summary of Some Renal Functions

Fishes

Amphibians

Reptiles

Birds

Mammals
Invertebrate Nervous Systems
Authors: Arbas E. A. , Levine R. B. , Strausfeld N. J.
Published: November 2010

The sections in this article are:

Overview of Invertebrate Systems

Plants and Unicellular Microbes

Parazoa: Sponges

Diploblastic Metazoa: Anemones, Jellyfish, and Comb Jellies

The First Brains: Flatworms, Flukes, and Tapeworms (Platyhelminthes)

Nemertines, Pseudocoelomates, and Others

Nematodes

Annelids, Arthropods, and Molluscs

Echinoderms

Chaetognaths

Invertebrate Chordates

Principle‐Oriented Vignettes

Voltage‐Gated Ion Channels and Membrane Biophysics

Synaptic Transmission and Neurosecretion

Selected Neuronal Circuits

Long‐Term Plasticity of Invertebrate Neuronal Circuits

Sensory Representation and Processing

Olfaction

Vision

Mechanosensation
Invertebrate Respiratory Systems
Authors: Mill Peter J.
Published: November 2010

The sections in this article are:

Terrestrial and Aquatic Environments

Interstitial Environments: Burrows and Tubes

External Gills

Annelida

Mollusca

Arthropoda

Echinodermata

Respiratory Currents

Annelida

Mollusca

Arthropoda

Echinodermata

Respiratory Chambers

Annelida

Mollusca

Arthropoda

Echinodermata

Open Tracheal Systems

Ventilatory Pumping Movements

Spiracular Movements

Autoventilation

Morphology of Gas Gills

Temporary (Compressible) Gas Gills

Permanent (Incompressible) Gas Gills

Functioning of Gas Gills

Temporary (Compressible) Gas Gills

Permanent (Incompressible) Gas Gills

Gaseous Exchange Without an Open Tracheal System

Motor Output

Abdominal Ventilation in Insects

Coupling between Spiracular Movements and Abdominal Ventilation

Gill Retraction and Protraction

Scaphognathite Depression and Levation

Molluscan Respiratory Chambers

Control of Ventilation

Command Interneurons

Local Control Centers

The Pacemaker

Coordinating Interneurons

Sensory Modulation
Invertebrate Endocrinology
Authors: Landau Matthew , Biggers William J. , Laufer Hans
Published: November 2010

The sections in this article are:

Growth and Morphogenetic Factors

Insects

Crustaceans

Molluscs

Other Invertebrates

Regenerative Factors

Crustaceans

Insects

Cnidarians

Platyhelminths

Annelids

Echinoderms

Others

Pigmentary Factors

Crustaceans

Insects

Osmoregulatory Factors

Factors that May Increase Osmotic Pressure

Factors that May Decrease Osmotic Pressure

Metabolic Factors

Biogenic Amines

JHsand Farnesylacetone

Adipokinetic Hormones andRPCH

Crustacean Hyperglycemic Hormones

Other Metabolic Factors

Reproductive Factors

Flatworms, Nemertines, and Nematodes

Molluscs

Crustaceans

Insects

Other Arthropods

Annelids

Echinoderms

Behavioral Factors

In Vitro Studies

In Vivo Studies

Pheromones
Daily and Seasonal Rhythms
Authors: Underwood Herbert A. , Wassmer Gary T. , Page Terry L.
Published: November 2010

The sections in this article are:

Daily Rhythms

Models and Mechanisms

Circadian Pacemaking Systems in Invertebrates

Pacemakers in the Arthropod Brain

Circadian Pacemakers Outside the Nervous System in Insects

Pacemakers in the Gastropod Retina

Multioscillator Organization

Identification of Output Pathways

Circadian Pacemaking Systems in Vertebrates

The MammalianSCN

Other Circadian Oscillators in Mammals

Hypothalamic Regulation of Circadian Function in Nonmammalian Vertebrates

The Pineal Organ

Eyes as Clocks

Photoreceptor Localization and Mechanisms of Entrainment in Invertebrates

Photoreceptive Input: Invertebrates

Mechanisms of Regulation of Pacemaker Phase

Photoreceptor Localization and Mechanisms of Entrainment in Vertebrates

Identification of Photoreceptors

Mechanisms of Regulation of Pacemaker Phase

Seasonality in Invertebrates

Modes of Seasonality

Timing of Seasonal Cycles

Photoperiodic Time Measurement

Mechanisms of Photoperiodic Time Measurement

The Photoperiodic Timer

The Photoperiodic Counter

Anatomical Location of Timers and Counters

Photoreceptors

Circannual Rhythms

Seasonality in Vertebrates

Photoperiodic Time Measurement: Models and Experimental Validation

Physiological Mechanisms

The Pineal and Melatonin: Mammals

Mechanisms of Pineal Action

The Pineal and Melatonin: Nonmammalian Vertebrates

Photoreceptive Inputs: Mammalian

Photoreceptive Inputs: Nonmammalian

Maternal–Fetal Transfer of Photoperiodic Information

Circannual Rhythms

Physiological Mechanisms

Concluding Comments
Epithelial Transport
Authors: Reuss Luis
Published: November 2010

The sections in this article are:

Transporting Epithelia Are Sheets of Polar Cells

Epithelial Structure Involves Specialized Cell–Cell and Cell–Matrix Junctions

Epithelial Polarity Is Essential for Vectorial Transport

Transporting Epithelia Generate and Maintain Differences in Chemical Composition Between Fluid Compartments

Transepithelial Transport Involves Active Ion Transport

Passive Transport Processes also Contribute to Transepithelial Transport

Transepithelial Transport Involves Transcellular and Paracellular Pathways

Chemical and Electrical Gradients Couple Ion Fluxes in Epithelia

The Building Blocks of Epithelial Function Are Membrane Transporters

Mechanisms of Ion Transport

The Two‐Membrane Hypothesis: A General Epithelial‐Transport Model

Mechanisms of Transepithelial NaCl Transport in Absorptive Epithelia

Mechanisms of Ion Transport in Primary Cl−‐Transporting Epithelia

Mechanisms of Ion Transport in H+— and‐Transporting Epithelia

Mechanisms of Transepithelial Water Transport

Transepithelial Water Transport Is Linked to Transepithelial Salt Transport

Epithelia Are Widely Diverse in Their Water‐Transport Characteristics

Transepithelial Water Transport in Leaky Epithelia Is Nearly Isosmotic

Transepithelial Water Transport in Leaky Epithelia Can Be Transcellular and/or Paracellular

Water Permeation across Cell Membranes of Some Leaky Epithelia Is via Constitutive Pores

Mechanisms of Transepithelial Water Transport inADH‐Sensitive Epithelia

Molecular Identity of Water Pores in Epithelial‐Cell Membranes

Mechanisms of Regulation of Transepithelial Transport

Rapid Regulation

Long‐term Regulation

Intramembrane Regulation and Cross‐Talk Mechanisms
Cilia and Related Microtubular Arrays in the Eukaryotic Cell
Authors: Satir Peter
Published: November 2010

The sections in this article are:

Cell Biology of Microtubules

Microtubules and the Cytoskeleton

Structure, Assembly, and Disassembly

Stability and Pattern Formation

Primary Cilia

Evolution of Centrioles, Cilia, and Microtubules

Motor Molecules of Cilia and Microtubule‐Based Arrays

Dynein‐ and Microtubule‐Based Motility

Axonemal Dynein

Cytoplasmic Dynein

Kinesin

The Kinesin Superfamily

Interactions Between Dynein and Kinesin

Other Putative Motors

Motile Cilia and the Mechanism of Motility

Introduction to Ciliary Structure

Experimental Analysis of Motility

Cellular Control of Ciliary Motility
The Flexible Coordination Modes of Guanidine Ligands in Zn Alkyl and Halide Complexes: Chances for Catalysis
Authors: Reinmuth Matthias , Neuhäuser Christiane , Walter Petra , Enders Markus , Kaifer Elisabeth , Himmel Hans‐Jörg
Published: November 2010

Due to their high basicity, guanidines are versatile ligand systems. In principal, they could use both their imino and amino nitrogen to establish a dative metal–N bond. However, generally only the imino N of a guanidine ligand is bound to a metal. Herein we present some examples in which both the imino and amino groups of guanidine ligands are directly engaged in the bonding to a metal ion. Under certain conditions the amino group could establish an additional link to a metal center acting as a hemilabile ligand. This result is likely to be of relevance for catalytic reactions, demonstrating the possibility to stabilize a vacancy at the metal (for instance generated by ligand dissociation).
The Effects of Operating Conditions on the Performance of a Solid Oxide Steam Electrolyser: A Model‐Based Study
Authors: Cai Q. , Luna‐Ortiz E. , Adjiman C. S. , Brandon N. P.
Published: November 2010

To support the development of hydrogen production by high temperature electrolysis using solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs), the effects of operating conditions on the performance of the SOECs were investigated using a one‐dimensional model of a cathode‐supported planar SOEC stack. Among all the operating parameters, temperature is the most influential factor on the performance of an SOEC, in terms of both cell voltage and operation mode (i.e. endothermic, thermoneutral and exothermic). Current density is another influential factor, in terms of both cell voltage and operation mode. For the conditions used in this study it is recommended that the SOEC be operated at 1,073 K and with an average current density of 10,000 A m–2, as this results in the stack operating at almost constant temperature along the cell length. Both the steam molar fraction at the inlet and the steam utilisation factor have little influence on the cell voltage of the SOEC but their influence on the temperature distribution cannot be neglected. Changes in the operating parameters of the SOEC can result in a transition between endothermic and exothermic operation modes, calling for careful temperature control. The introduction of air into the anode stream appears to be a promising approach to ensure small temperature variations along the cell.
Moderate to severe depressive symptoms and rehabilitation outcome in older adults with hip fracture
Authors: Morghen Sara , Bellelli Giuseppe , Manuele Sara , Guerini Fabio , Frisoni Giovanni B , Trabucchi Marco
Published: November 2010

Objective

To evaluate if depressive symptoms affect recovery of walking ability and 1‐year institutionalization or mortality in older adults who underwent post‐hip fracture (HF) surgery rehabilitation.

Methods

Depressive symptoms were assessed on admission using the 15‐item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), with scores ≥10/15 indicating moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Multidimensional assessment included Mini Mental State Examination, Charlson Comorbidity Index, Body Mass Index, albumin serum levels, number of drugs, antidepressants and Barthel Index (BI) on admission and at discharge. Walking ability was evaluated using the BI walking sub‐item referred to 1 month before HF, on admission, and at discharge. Patients scoring ≤3/15 BI walking sub‐item on admission (i.e. those fully dependent or requiring major supervision in walking) were included. Walking independence at discharge was defined as a score ≥12/15 at the BI walking sub‐item.

Results

In multivariate analyses, after adjustment for covariates and potential confounders, patients with moderate to severe depressive symptoms were more likely to fail walking independence at discharge (odds ratio, OR = 3.2; 95% CI = 1.3 to 7.8; p = 0.010) and to be institutionalized or died at 1 year (OR = 3.6, 95% CI = 1.4 to 9.1, p = 0.007). In further analyses, the failure to recover walking independence at discharge partly mediates the relationship between moderate to severe depressive symptoms and 1‐year adverse events.

Conclusions

Moderate to severe depressive symptoms affect the recovery of walking independence after HF rehabilitation and are associated with severe adverse outcomes at 1 year. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Type‐specific HPV geno‐typing improves detection of recurrent high‐grade cervical neoplasia after conisation
Authors: Heymans Julie , Benoy Ina H. , Poppe Willy , Depuydt Christophe E.
Published: November 2010

The aim of this case–control study was to examine if type‐specific human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA geno‐typing before and after treatment of high‐grade cervical intra‐epithelial neoplasia (CIN) improves prediction of recurring or persisting CIN 2 or 3 compared with follow‐up cytology or high‐risk (hr)HPV testing. Women with biopsy‐proven recurrence of CIN 2 or 3 (cases) in a follow‐up period of at least 24 months after treatment of high‐grade CIN were compared with women without recurrence (controls). These cohorts were identified by a database search of the Riatol Laboratoria (Antwerp, Belgium). In a cohort of 823 women treated with conisation for high‐grade CIN between January 2001 and December 2007, 21 patients with a histologically proven recurrence of CIN2+ were identified. A group of women (n = 42) from the same cohort without recurrence was randomly chosen. We found that hrHPV testing at 6 months post‐treatment is significantly more sensitive compared with follow‐up cytology (ratio: 1.31, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10–1.54), but less specific (ratio: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.81–0.90) to predict failure of treatment. When compared with hrHPV testing, HPV geno‐typing is more efficient (equal sensitivity, but higher specificity, ratio: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.280–1.62). When compared with follow‐up cytology, HPV geno‐typing is more sensitive (ratio: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.10–1.54) and more specific (ratio: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.14–1.36). All women who developed a recurrence tested positive for hrHPV. The negative predictive value in the absence of hrHPV DNA was 100%. Six months after treatment HPV geno‐typing is the most sensitive and specific method to predict recurrent or persistent CIN 2‐3 in the next 24 months.
Tumor invasion induced by oxidative stress is dependent on membrane ADAM 9 protein and its secreted form
Authors: Mongaret C. , Alexandre J. , Thomas‐Schoemann A. , Bermudez E. , Chéreau C. , Nicco C. , Goldwasser F. , Weill B. , Batteux F. , Lemare F.
Published: November 2010

Oxidative stress plays a role in the regulation of cancer cell metastasis which involves cell invasion and adhesion that could be supported by ADAM proteins through the activities of their metalloprotease and disintegrin domains. We hypothesized that oxidative stress could act through the induction of ADAM9 protein in some cancer cells. Indeed, Western blot analysis for ADAM9 performed on A549 cells exposed to H2O2 reveals a dose‐dependent induction of two proteins (80 and 68 kDa) correlated with a sharp increase of the ADAM protease activity measured in supernatant while the activity measured on the cell layer was slightly affected. The 80kDa protein corresponds to the mature form of ADAM9. Immunoprecipitation analysis performed on concentrated supernatants revealed that the 68 kDa protein is a secreted form of ADAM9. When exposed to H2O2, A549 cells cocultured with confluent endothelial vascular cells resulted in a 5.5 fold (p < 0.001) increase in the number of adherent cells. Similarly, matrigel assay revealed a 3.25 fold (p < 0.01) increase in the number of invasive cells. The suppression of ADAM9 expression by specific small interfering RNA reduced oxidative stress‐induced invasiveness and adhesiveness. These functions could be mediated by an interaction between ADAM9 and β1 integrin because each of them were inhibited when the experiment is performed in presence of mAbs targeting ADAM9 ectodomain or β1‐integrin. These results emphasize the importance of oxidative stress in the regulation of cancer cell metastasis and suggest that ADAM9 and its secreted isoform can be important determinants in the ability of cancer cells to disseminate.
Challenges to the development of bryostatin‐type anticancer drugs based on the activation mechanism of protein kinase Cδ
Authors: Irie Kazuhiro , Yanagita Ryo C. , Nakagawa Yu
Published: November 2010

Protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes are widely recognized as targets for anticancer therapy, and recent investigations demonstrated that PKC activators are potential therapeutic candidates for Alzheimer's disease and acquired immune deficiency syndrome. However, concerns exist about their therapeutic uses because most PKC activators are potent tumor promoters. Bryostatin 1 (bryo‐1) is a unique PKC activator with little tumor‐promoting activities. Bryo‐1 is currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. However, its limited availability from natural sources and difficulty in the synthesis hamper further studies on its mode of action and structural optimization. Although excellent practical methods for synthesizing several bryo‐1‐related compounds have been developed, the identification of synthetically more accessible compounds with bryo‐1‐like activity also provides a promising way to circumvent the problem of supply. The authors focused on the bryo‐1's unique mechanism of activating PKCδ that plays a tumor suppressor role, and found that a simple and less lipophilic analogue (aplog‐1) of the tumor‐promoting aplysiatoxin showed PKCδ‐activating behavior similar to bryo‐1. Aplog‐1 was easily synthesized in only 22 steps using standard reactions. Moreover, its tumor‐promoting activity in vitro was very weak, and its cell growth‐inhibitory activities were comparable to those of bryo‐1. These data suggest that aplog‐1 could become another therapeutic lead for cancer. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 32, No. 3, 518–535, 2012
Tetraoxanes: Synthetic and Medicinal Chemistry Perspective
Authors: Kumar Nitin , Singh Ram , Rawat Diwan S.
Published: November 2010

The discovery of artemisinin from Chinese medicinal plant, Artemisia annua in 1971, opened a new era in the malarial chemotherapy. This discovery was the beginning of exploring peroxides as potential replacements for the traditional antimalarial drugs such as chloroquine and mefloquine. The structurally simple class of peroxides that emerged from these studies was the 1,2,4,5‐tetraoxanes. This study describes the current status of tetraoxane‐based antimalarials that show significant promises because of their artemisinin‐like activity. Literature from 1999 has been critically reviewed and an attempt has been made to discuss various synthetic methods and structure–activity relationship study among the series of tetraoxane‐based compounds. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 32, No. 3, 581–610, 2012
Geographical origin of durum wheat studied by 1H‐NMR profiling
Authors: Lamanna Raffaele , Cattivelli Luigi , Miglietta Maria Lucia , Troccoli Antonio
Published: November 2010

1H‐Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to detect metabolic profiles of wheat flour samples of different geographical and botanical origin. The NMR profiles were analyzed by multivariate statistical techniques in order to establish the origin of the samples. A linear model, able to discriminate among three different locations, was built achieving a prediction level of about 80% of correctly assigned samples. The principal classes of compounds responsible for the geographic origin discrimination were individuated in aromatic compounds and amino acids. The statistical modeling also indicated that botanical origin information is very poor in the NMR profiles of the analyzed wheat samples. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CO2 production in the bromate‐1,4‐cyclohexanedione oscillatory reaction
Authors: Feng Jiamin , Green James R. , Johnson Samuel A , Wang Jichang
Published: November 2010

NMR and GC/MS spectroscopy of the organic extracts of the oscillatory bromate‐1,4‐cyclohexanedione reaction illustrate the presence of ring‐opening products 5‐(dibromomethylene)‐2(5H)‐furanone, (E)‐5,5,5‐tribromo‐4‐oxo‐2‐pentenoic acid, and dibromoacetic acid, particularly at elevated temperatures. The loss of a carbon atom from the six‐membered ring after ring opening led to gas formation and such a process became more vigorous at >60 °C, with the direct observation of bubbles in a stirred batch reactor. Gravimetric experiments confirm that the amount of carbon dioxide gas produced increases rapidly with reaction temperature. Parallel experiments suggest that the ring‐opening process involves the oxidation of brominated benzoquinones by bromate. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Non‐Isothermal Decomposition Kinetics, Heat Capacity, and Thermal Safety of 2‐Nitroimino‐5‐Nitro‐Hexahydro‐1,3,5‐Triazine (NNHT)
Authors: Zhang Jiao‐Qiang , Gao Hong‐Xu , Ma Hai‐Xia , Fei Jing‐Yin , Zhao Feng‐Qi , Wang Bo‐Zhou , Hu Rong‐Zu , Xu Kang‐Zhen , Song Ji‐Rong , Zhang Hai
Published: November 2010

The kinetic equation describing the thermal decomposition reaction of NNHT obtained by TG‐DTG data, integral isoconversional non‐linear method and integral method of treating TG‐DTG curves is ${{\rm{d}}\alpha /{\rm{d}}t = 10^{12.86} (1 - \alpha {\rm{)}}^{{3 \over 2}} {\rm{e}}^{ - 1.5849 \times 10^4 /T} }$. The specific heat capacity (Cp) of NNHT was determined with the continuous Cp mode of the microcalorimeter. The equation of Cp (T) was obtained. The standard molar heat capacity of NNHT was 218.41 J mol−1 K−1 at 298.15 K. With the help of the onset temperature (Te) and maximum peak temperature (Tp) from the non‐isothermal DTG curves of NNHT at different heating rates (β), the apparent activation energy (EK and EO), and the pre‐exponential constant (AK) of the thermal decomposition reaction obtained by Kissinger’s method and Ozawa’s method, Cp obtained by microcalorimetry, density (ρ) and thermal conductivity (λ), the decomposition heat (Qd, taking half‐explosion heat), Zhang‐Hu‐Xie‐Li’s formula, Smith’s equation, Friedman’s formula, Bruckman‐Guillet’s formula, and Wang‐Du’s formulas, the values (Te0 and Tp0) of Te and Tp corresponding to β→0, thermal explosion temperature (Tbe and Tbp), adiabatic time‐to‐explosion (tTIad), 50 % drop height (H50) of impact sensitivity, critical temperature of hot‐spot initiation (Tcr), thermal sensitivity probability density function [S(T)] versus temperature (T) relation curves for spheroidic NNHT with radius of 1 m surrounded with ambient temperature of 300 K, peak temperature corresponding to the maximum value of S(T) versus T relation curve (${T_{S(T){\rm{max}}} }$), safety degree (SD), and critical ambient temperature(Tacr) of thermal explosion of NNHT are calculated. The following results of evaluating the thermal safety of NNHT are obtained: TSADT=Te0=453.34 K, TSADT=Tp0=454.86 K, Tbe=462.68 K, Tbp=467.22 K, tTIad=1.03 s, H50=17.69 cm, Tα=461.4 K. SD=72.74 %, PTE=27.26 %, and Tacr=321.96 K.
Physical activity as viewed by adults with severe obesity, awaiting gastric bypass surgery
Authors: Wiklund Malin , Olsén Monika Fagevik , Willén Carin
Published: November 2010

Background and Purpose. Today, it is known that adults suffering from obesity benefit from physical activity. There is however lack of research with regard to how patients with severe obesity experience physical activity. It is important to explore this topic in order to be able to improve communication with and to tailor information and exercise programmes for patients suffering with obesity. The aim of the present qualitative study was to describe how adults with severe obesity, awaiting gastric bypass surgery experience physical activity. Methods. A qualitative method inspired by a phenomenographic approach was used to analyze the data. Data collection was performed by in‐depth semi‐structured interviews with 18 patients. All patients were aged between 18 and 65 years, suffered from severe obesity and were scheduled for laparoscopic Roux‐en Y gastric bypass surgery at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Sweden. Results. The analysis resulted in nine qualitatively different categories that were then divided into four aspects: ‘the obese body’, ‘the mind’, ‘knowledge’ and ‘the environment’. Many patients experienced well‐being after physical activity, but most patients were uncomfortable with appearing in public wearing exercise clothing. The excess weight itself was considered an obstacle, and weight loss was assumed to facilitate physical activity. Exercising together with someone at the same level of fitness increased motivation. A white lie about training was sometimes used to satisfy the need to be seen as capable. Conclusion. Physical activity is experienced positively among adults with severe obesity, but many obstacles exist that influence their capacity and their will. Support is necessary in different ways, not only to initiate physical activity, but also to maintain it. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Converting a protein into a switch for biosensing and functional regulation
Authors: Stratton Margaret M. , Loh Stewart N.
Published: November 2010

Proteins that switch conformations in response to a signaling event (e.g., ligand binding or chemical modification) present a unique solution to the design of reagent‐free biosensors as well as molecules whose biological functions are regulated in useful ways. The principal roadblock in the path to develop such molecules is that the majority of natural proteins do not change conformation upon binding their cognate ligands or becoming chemically modified. Herein, we review recent protein engineering efforts to introduce switching properties into binding proteins. By co‐opting natural allosteric coupling, joining proteins in creative ways and formulating altogether new switching mechanisms, researchers are learning how to coax conformational changes from proteins that previously had none. These studies are providing some answers to the challenging question: how can one convert a lock‐and‐key binding protein into a molecular switch?
What happens when translational energy levels are quantized?
Authors: Toutounji Mohamad
Published: November 2010

The conventional translational partition function (CTPF) that is widely used in textbooks is essentially semiclassical, whose form is found by using the particle‐in‐a‐box model to represent the particles motion of an ideal gas. This form assumes continuum translational energy levels, thereby replacing the sum over the energy levels with an integral at high temperature. This is only valid if de Broglie wavelength is much shorter than the container dimension in which the particle is placed. Additionally, de Broglie wavelength must also be much smaller than the mean separation of the constituent particles of the gas. To ensure this, one will have to assume large mass and container size and high temperature (T). This assumption is a restriction in itself. Should de Broglie wavelength be larger than the microscopic size of interest, the CTPF will be invalid to use which in turn will lead to erroneous conclusions, and a pure quantum mechanical treatment must then be employed for accurate results. A perfect example of the failure of using the CTPF would be the conduction electrons in a metal or in conjugated dienes, whereby the translational energy levels are significantly quantized. This quantization manifests itself in the quantum translational partition function (TPF) as its curve starts at zero and remains zero at lowTtill further increase inTstimulates accessible translational thermal states to be populated, at which point a rise in quantum TPF is observed, whereas the CTPF is only zero atT= 0, and then starts rising asTincreases since energy levels are continuum and their discretization is insensitive to the CTPF. Therefore this article explores quantum mechanical treatment of the TPF and its effects on thermodynamic functions using our closed‐form expression of quantum TPF developed in [M. Toutounji, Int J Quantum Chem Early View (unpublished)] (IJQC) which is valid at all Ts, sizes, and masses. Although this TPF appeared in IJQC in an abstract form before, there was not any discussion of its applicability and physical aspects therein. Also, some model calculations are presented to show the failure of the CTPF in the current literature in case of a purely quantum conditioned environment. Thermodynamic functions such as Helmholtz free energy, entropy, and heat capacity are explored using the herein closed form quantum partition function. A closer look at the quantum translational heat capacity shows a curve starts at zero at lowT, and then starts sharply rising asTincreases going through a maximum after which it levels off at its classical valuek/2, where k is Boltzmann constant. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011
Newton's method
Authors: Meza Juan C.
Published: November 2010

Newton's method is one of the most powerful techniques for solving systems of nonlinear equations and minimizing functions. It is easy to implement and has a provably fast rate of convergence under fairly mild assumptions. Because of these and other nice properties, Newton's method is at the heart of many solution techniques used to solve real‐world problems. This article gives a short introduction to this method with a brief discussion of some of the main issues in applying this algorithm for the solution of practical problems. WIREs Comp Stat 2011 3 75–78 DOI: 10.1002/wics.129

This article is categorized under:

Applications of Computational Statistics > Computational Mathematics

Algorithms and Computational Methods > Quadratic and Nonlinear Programming

Algorithms and Computational Methods > Numerical Methods
Alternative polyadenylation and gene expression regulation in plants
Authors: Xing Denghui , Li Qingshun Quinn
Published: November 2010

Functioning as an essential step of pre‐mRNA processing, polyadenylation has been realized in recent years to play an important regulatory role during eukaryotic gene expression. Such regulation occurs mostly through the use of alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites and generates different transcripts with altered coding capacity for proteins and/or RNA. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie APAs are poorly understood. Besides APA cases demonstrated in animal embryo development, cancers, and other diseases, there are a number of APA examples reported in plants. The best‐known ones are related to flowering time control pathways and stress responses. Genome‐wide studies have revealed that plants use APA extensively to generate diversity in their transcriptomes. Although each transcript produced by RNA polymerase II has a poly(A) tail, over 50% of plant genes studied possess multiple APA sites in their transcripts. The signals defining poly(A) sites in plants were mostly studied through classical genetic means. Our understanding of these poly(A) signals is enhanced by the tallies of whole plant transcriptomes. The profiles of these signals have been used to build computer models that can predict poly(A) sites in newly sequenced genomes, potential APA sites in genes of interest, and/or to identify, and then mutate, unwanted poly(A) sites in target transgenes to facilitate crop improvements. In this review, we provide readers an update on recent research advances that shed light on the understanding of polyadenylation, APA, and its role in gene expression regulation in plants. WIREs RNA 2011 2 445–458 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.59

This article is categorized under:

RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing

RNA Processing > 3' End Processing
Japan's Democratization: Miyatake Gaikotsu on Prewar Plans and Postwar Programmes
Authors: LEWIS MICHAEL
Published: November 2010

Japan's early postwar leadership and American occupiers alike asserted that democratization was a new lesson that the Japanese public would have to learn. In fact, the ideas of democratic reformers had been broadcast to a large audience as feasible programmes decades before 1945. Miyatake Gaikotsu, the editor ofDemocracyin 1919, outlined the benefits that democratic reforms might provide in a post-World War I world. Decades later, Japanese people faced a new postwar struggle, not as victors but as the vanquished. Gaikotsu, writing in 1945, reflected on democracy in these new circumstances in his study,Amerika-sama. Although the situation was vastly different, victory and defeat in world wars had opened paths to new possibilities. This paper examines Gaikotsu's prewar writings as prescient prescriptions that he revisits in his essayAmerika-sama, or ‘Honourable America,’ at the point they begin to be played out, in some instances only partially and at times for ill as well as good, in occupied Japan. These reflections strikingly demonstrate the continuity of ideas during the prewar past and postwar present.Amerika-samais a representative expression of many programmes Gaikotsu and likeminded humanistic activists attempted to put into practice from the late nineteenth century until they were suppressed during the wartime years. Mainstream political parties, prewar and postwar, often found it difficult to embrace Gaikotsu's ideas and political programmes. Nevertheless, the general public embraced them and they now find legal support in the Constitution of Japan.
The Hispanic Horizon in Yucatan:A model of Franciscan missionization
Authors: Hanson Craig A.
Published: November 2010

Following the military campaigns of conquest in sixteenth-century Yucatan, the Order of Friars Minor Observant assumed the task of controlling, by culture conversion, the indigenous Yucatec Maya. The fundamental vehicle for this program of social engineering was the built environment of the mission, composed of the chapel, atrium, and friary, and the associated village. Archaeological remains of mission sites are horizon markers for the earliest phases of permanent Hispanic presence on the peninsula, ca. 1545–1572. Mission villages specify locations where the friars reorganized pre-Hispanic Maya settlements according to Spanish sociopolitical norms. Increasing complexity in mission-chapel architecture marks the stages of this reorganization. In this article, I discuss the historical origin of the friars' policies and the context of their implementation in Yucatan; model the spatial, temporal, architectural, and behavioral variables the Franciscans employed to extend and maintain Hispanic hegemony; provide comparative data from seventeenth-century New Mexico and La Florida; and outline a general theory of Franciscan activity in the New World.
A Brief History of Underwater Archaeology in the Maya Area
Authors: Andrews Anthony P. , Corletta Robert
Published: November 2010

Underwater archaeology in the Maya area during the twentieth century has gradually evolved from a avocational activity whose primary focus was on the recovery of artifacts to a subdiscipline with more focused professional concerns. The present synthesis outlines the history of underwater research throughout the Maya area, including projects at pre-Hispanic sites in the lowlands and highlands, as well as the exploration of offshore historic wrecks. It concludes with a brief assessment of the current state of this research.
The Origin of Puuc Slate Ware: New Data from Sayil, Yucatan, Mexico
Authors: Smyth Michael P. , Dore Christopher D. , Neff Hector , Glascock Michael D.
Published: November 2010

This paper reports results of the first neutron-activation analysis (NAA) of ancient pottery wares and clays from the Puuc region of Yucatan. Based on ceramics from Sayil, this investigation seeks to expand exploration into the nature of commercialization during the Terminal Classic period (A.D. 800–1000). This research sought to: (a) establish the chemical composition of major Puuc wares, (b) begin to define potential raw materials and production loci at Sayil, and (c) explore the question of whether Sayil was a major producer and exporter of ceramic wares. Compositional analysis reveals that three of the four major Puuc wares (Puuc Slate, Puuc Unslipped, and Puuc Red) exhibit some degree of chemical distinctiveness, suggesting discrete production units. Compositional analysis of clays from Sayil and Loltun Cave indicates that Puuc Slate and Puuc Red Ware are compatible with clays locally available at Sayil, supporting local production of these wares, whereas Puuc Unslipped Ware initially appears to be closer compositionally to clays from Loltun. In addition, Puuc Slate is an important ware found throughout northern Yucatan that shows evidence of large-scale production at Sayil. This analysis represents the first steps of a comprehensive investigation into the Maya economy of Terminal Classic Yucatan.
Radiocarbon Chronology for the Late Archaic and Formative Periods on the Pacific Coast of Southeastern Mesoamerica
Authors: Blake Michael , Clark John E. , Voorhies Barbara , Michaels George , Love Michael W. , Pye Mary E. , Demarest Arthur A. , Arroyo Barbara
Published: November 2010

Archaeological excavations carried out during the past five years along the Pacific coast of Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador have recovered 79 new14C dates for the Late Archaic and Early to Middle Formative periods. We analyze these new dates along with 25 previously published dates to refine a sequence of 10 archaeological phases spanning almost three and a half millennia, from ca. 4000 to 650 B.C. The phases are summarized with a brief description of their most salient characteristics. We include illustrations of the Early Formative period ceramics and figurines from the Mazatan region. The sequence of phases reveals a trajectory of cultural evolution beginning in the Archaic period with the mobile hunting, fishing, and gathering Chantuto people. By 1550 B.C., the first ceramic-using sedentary communities appeared on the coast of Chiapas. They were hunter-fisher-gatherers who supplemented their food supply with cultivated plants, including maize and beans. We suggest that by the Locona phase (1400–1250 B.C.) in Chiapas, they began the transition from egalitarian sociopolitical organization to simple chiefdoms, leaving behind evidence of large-scale architectural constructions, long-distance imports such as obsidian and jade, and elaborately crafted prestige goods. Also in Chiapas, during the Cherla phase (1100–1000 B.C.), ceramic and figurine styles, nearly identical to those found at San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan on the Gulf Coast, made their first appearance. Many of the local artifact styles were gradually replaced by styles that became increasingly widespread in Mesoamerica. The chronology presented here shows that these changes were roughly contemporaneous with similar ones in neighboring regions of Mesoamerica.
Archaeological Investigations at Xochicalco, Morelos 1984 and 1986
Authors: Crespo Norberto González , Tarazona Silvia Garza , Nova Hortensia de Vega , Guala Pablo Mayer , Aguilar Giselle Canto
Published: November 2010

Archaeological excavations at the site of Xochicalco, Morelos, have explored several elements of public architecture important for clarifying aspects of urban organization and civic life during the Epiclassic period. Excavations confirm the presence of a ditch and terrace defensive system, strategic control of access leading into the site, and the presence of walled streets entering the site and extending throughout the city. The urban design also included systems for surface drainage that were linked to street networks. A section of the drainage system was constructed as a subterranean sewer using corbeled arch construction where it passed beneath a large platform mound. Analysis of the materials recovered from buildings throughout these excavations also provide the basis for identifying domestic activities and differentiating between residential and nonresidential structures.
Effects of a participatory agriculture and nutrition education project on child growth in northern Malawi
Authors: Bezner Kerr Rachel , Berti Peter R , Shumba Lizzie
Published: November 2010

Objective

To investigate whether children in households involved in a participatory agriculture and nutrition intervention had improved growth compared to children in matched comparable households and whether the level of involvement and length of time in the project had an effect on child growth.

Design

A prospective quasi-experimental study comparing baseline and follow-up data in ‘intervention’ villages with matched subjects in ‘comparison’ villages. Mixed model analyses were conducted on standardized child growth scores (weight- and height-for-age Z-scores), controlling for child age and testing for effects of length of time and intensity of village involvement in the intervention.

Setting

A participatory agriculture and nutrition project (the Soils, Food and Healthy Communities (SFHC) project) was initiated by Ekwendeni Hospital aimed at improving child nutritional status with smallholder farmers in a rural area in northern Malawi. Agricultural interventions involved intercropping legumes and visits from farmer researchers, while nutrition education involved home visits and group meetings.

Subjects

Participants in intervention villages were self-selected, and control participants were matched by age and household food security status of the child. Over a 6-year period, nine surveys were conducted, taking 3838 height and weight measures of children under the age of 3 years.

Results

There was an improvement over initial conditions of up to 0·6 in weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ; from −0·4 (sd 0·5) to 0·3 (sd 0·4)) for children in the longest involved villages, and an improvement over initial conditions of 0·8 in WAZ for children in the most intensely involved villages (from −0·6 (sd 0·4) to 0·2 (sd 0·4)).

Conclusions

Long-term efforts to improve child nutrition through participatory agricultural interventions had a significant effect on child growth.
The Robustness of Mini Mental State Examination Scores at Different Baseline Times of Testing in Psychogeriatric Patients upon Admission to the Hospital
Authors: Midtbø Kristiansen Kari , Dahl Fredrik A. , Lorentzen Bernhard , Tanum Lars
Published: November 2010

To investigate possible differences in MMSE scores due to the time of testing at admission to the hospital, we randomly stratified eligible patients into two groups, and tested on the first day (n = 28) or the third day (n = 26) of admission, respectively. Both groups were retested on day seven, and there was no significant difference in delta values between the groups (p = .086). Scores at admission correlated closely with day seven scores (Spearman’s ρ 0.7; p < .001). Our results might be of clinical relevance since this may enable hospitals and institutions to choose individual baseline times for MMSE testing within the first week of hospitalization and still group the data as baseline, either as part of treatment evaluation or for research purposes.
Volumetric estimation of thermal fields inferred from glider‐like and remote‐sensing measurements in undersampled coastal regions
Authors: Alvarez A. , Reyes E.
Published: November 2010

A method to estimate volumetric oceanographic conditions in a given coastal area merging information from remote sensing and gliders is investigated. The method relies on the application of a linear model that makes use of a degenerated 3‐D covariance model inferred from in situ and remote‐sensing measurements and takes into account the functional nature of glider data. The optimum weighting function results from a Fredholm integral equation of the first kind. A centroid collocation method with piecewise constant bases and a specific class of stabilizing functional are used to numerically solve the problem. The investigated methodology was validated during the oceanographic cruise TSS08 conducted by the NATO Undersea Research Center in September 2008 in a region of the Black Sea, offshore the Bosphorus Strait. Data sampled with a towed vehicle emulating a glider were merged with remote‐sensing information to estimate the 3‐D temperature field at unobserved locations. A set of the observations was only considered for validation. Estimations from the functional model are confronted with those obtained from a discrete approach. Results indicate a better performance of the functional model and raise the question of whether functional techniques are more appropriate than algebraic ones to analyze high‐resolution data obtained from new robotic platforms.
SBGN support in BIOCHAM
Authors: Jovanovska Dragana , Fages François , Soliman Sylvain
Published: November 2010

BIOCHAM - BioChemical Abstract Machine is an environment for modeling biological systems and formalizing experimental knowledge. Mainly, it is composed of:* a rule-based language for modeling biochemical systems (compatible with SBML)* several simulators (boolean, differential, stochastic)* a temporal logic based language to formalize the temporal properties of a biological system and validate models with respect to such specifications,* unique features for developing/correcting/completing/reducing/coupling models, including the inference of kinetic parameters in high dimension from temporal logic constraints.BIOCHAM is presented with a user friendly graphical interface, that is easy to use and gives the user richer experience throughout his work. The current release of its graphical user interface has a SBGN compliant Reaction Graph Editor for drawing and editing biochemical networks. It also offers export features to SBML and other formats.It is implemented by the CONTRAINTES team in INRIA ( National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control), in Paris - Rocquencourt, France.