bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of heterogeneous metabolic profile in an orthotopic human glioblastoma xenograft model using compressed sensing hyperpolarized 3D 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging
Authors: Park Ilwoo , Hu Simon , Bok Robert , Ozawa Tomoko , Ito Motokazu , Mukherjee Joydeep , Phillips Joanna J. , James C. David , Pieper Russell O. , Ronen Sabrina M. , Vigneron Daniel B. , Nelson Sarah J.
Published: July 2012

High resolution compressed sensing hyperpolarized 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging was applied in orthotopic human glioblastoma xenografts for quantitative assessment of spatial variations in 13C metabolic profiles and comparison with histopathology. A new compressed sensing sampling design with a factor of 3.72 acceleration was implemented to enable a factor of 4 increase in spatial resolution. Compressed sensing 3D 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging data were acquired from a phantom and 10 tumor‐bearing rats following injection of hyperpolarized [1‐13C]‐pyruvate using a 3T scanner. The 13C metabolic profiles were compared with hematoxylin and eosin staining and carbonic anhydrase 9 staining. The high‐resolution compressed sensing 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging data enabled the differentiation of distinct 13C metabolite patterns within abnormal tissues with high specificity in similar scan times compared to the fully sampled method. The results from pathology confirmed the different characteristics of 13C metabolic profiles between viable, non‐necrotic, nonhypoxic tumor, and necrotic, hypoxic tissue. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Skeletal age assessment in children using an open compact MRI system
Authors: Terada Yasuhiko , Kono Saki , Tamada Daiki , Uchiumi Tomomi , Kose Katsumi , Miyagi Ryo , Yamabe Eiko , Yoshioka Hiroshi
Published: July 2012

MRI may be a noninvasive and alternative tool for skeletal age assessment in children, although few studies have reported on this topic. In this article, skeletal age was assessed over a wide range of ages using an open, compact MRI optimized for the imaging of a child's hand and wrist, and its validity was evaluated. MR images and their three‐dimensional segmentation visualized detailed skeletal features of each bone in the hand and wrist. Skeletal age was then independently scored from the MR images by two raters, according to the Tanner–Whitehouse Japan system. The skeletal age assessed by MR rating demonstrated a strong positive correlation with chronological age. The intrarater and inter‐rater reproducibilities were significantly high. These results demonstrate the validity and reliability of skeletal age assessment using MRI. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Analysis of the motivations, generativity and demographics of the food bank volunteer
Authors: Agostinho Denise , Paço Arminda
Published: July 2012

The increasing attention received by the topic ‘volunteering’ is not surprising because it is an activity involving a great number of individuals across all age categories; it includes a considerable number of activities and is fundamental to the effective functioning of many organizations. Thus, the social value of volunteers is unquestionable to civil society. Understanding volunteer's motivations has been regularly recognized by researchers as a valuable asset of volunteer's management. However, why people volunteer themselves remains an unsettled question, despite all the research carried out. ‘To analyse the profile of Food Bank volunteers, mostly regarding their motivation, generativity level and demographic characteristics’ was defined as the key objective for this research. For that purpose, the profile of volunteers belonging to two regional food banks was analysed. The motivational scale ‘Volunteer Functions Inventory’ and the ‘Loyola Generativity Scale’, were adopted for this research by means of a survey applied to 193 volunteers. According to the results achieved, the greater involved volunteers in the organization tend to be more orientated by social and altruistic motivations, the volunteer's generativity level is clearly related to the parenthood status of the volunteer and finally, the statistical analysis states that there is no relationship between the volunteers' level of education and his or her permanence in collaborating with the organization.

Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surface modification of polyethylene by diffuse barrier discharge plasma
Authors: Novák Igor , Števiar Marian , Popelka Anton , Chodák Ivan , Mosnáček Jaroslav , Špírková Milena , Janigová Ivica , Kleinová Angela , Sedliačik Ján , Šlouf Miroslav
Published: July 2012

Low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) modified by atmospheric dielectric surface barrier discharge plasma in oxygen was investigated to improve surface properties and adhesion of LDPE to more polar polymers. The process of plasma modification was investigated using several methods—surface energy measurements, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy with Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR‐ATR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The surface energy of LDPE increased significantly after activation by oxygen barrier plasma even at very short time of modification. The FTIR‐ATR spectra manifested the presence of carbonyl functional groups on the surface of polymer pre‐treated by oxygen barrier plasma. It was shown by SEM, and AFM, that the topography of modified LDPE was significantly changed and the surface of modified polymer exhibited higher roughness in comparison with unmodified polymer. The surface energy of treated LDPE diminished in the course of ageing especially during the first 10 days after modification by barrier plasma. Hydrophilicity of the modified LDPE surface was stabilized by photochemical post‐functionalization with 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐4‐yl‐diazoacetate. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Serum zinc and prostate cancer risk in a nested case–control study: The multiethnic cohort
Authors: Park Song‐Yi , Wilkens Lynne R. , Morris J. Steven , Henderson Brian E. , Kolonel Laurence N.
Published: July 2012

BACKGROUND

Experimental studies have provided evidence that zinc has a protective effect against development and progression of prostate cancer. However, epidemiological studies have reported inconsistent findings. We evaluated the association between prediagnostic serum zinc and prostate cancer risk in a cohort of multiethnic population.

METHODS

This case–control study is nested within the Multiethnic Cohort of African Americans, Native Hawaiians, Japanese Americans, Latinos, and whites in Hawaii and California. The analysis included 392 prostate cancer cases and 783 controls matched on age, race/ethnicity, date/time of blood draw and fasting status. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

The mean serum zinc concentrations did not significantly differ between cases (94.9 µg/dl) and controls (93.9 µg/dl). No association was found between serum zinc levels and prostate cancer either overall or by tumor stage/grade. In ethnic‐specific analyses, positive associations were found in Japanese Americans (OR for the highest vs. the lowest tertile = 2.59, 95% CI: 1.09–6.17) and Latinos (OR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.05–7.10), whereas no association was observed in African Americans and whites.

CONCLUSIONS

We found no evidence to support an inverse relationship between serum zinc and prostate cancer risk, and, to the contrary, found a suggestion in the ethnic‐specific results of a possible increase in risk; however, blood concentrations of zinc may not adequately reflect the levels in prostate tissue. Further study with a larger sample size, and if possible, with assessment of zinc tissue levels, is warranted to confirm these findings. Prostate 73: 261–266, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Occupational Characteristics, Occupational Sex Segregation, and Family Migration Decisions
Authors: Perales Francisco , Vidal Sergi
Published: July 2012

This paper examines the effects of occupational characteristics on family migration within Britain. For the first time in the literature, we explicitly theorise and later test the impact of the sex composition of husbands' and wives' occupations on mobility decisions. The empirical analysis consists of panel regression models estimated on dyadic couple‐level information from the British Household Panel Survey combined with occupational‐level data from the UK Labour Force Survey. Results suggest that some occupational characteristics are significantly associated with family migration, whereas occupational sex segregation has limited impact. Although working in female‐dominated occupations is related to a lower propensity to become a lead mover and a higher propensity to become a tied mover, these associations are mediated by the socio‐economic and occupational characteristics of the spouses. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Colloidal TiO2 nanoparticles as substrates for M(S)ALDI mass spectrometry of transition metal complexes
Authors: Radisavljević Maja , Kamčeva Tina , Vukićević Iva , Radoičić Marija , Šaponjić Zoran , Petković Marijana
Published: July 2012

RATIONALE

Nanoparticles as substrates for matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) have advantages over organic matrices, since they enable acquisition of spectra in the low‐mass range. It has been previously shown that TiO2 nanoparticles can be used as substrate for MALDI‐TOF MS analysis of phospholipids and for other types of molecules, but none of them was applied to the analysis of transition metal complexes.

METHODS

The MALDI‐TOF mass spectra of potential anti‐tumor drugs [AuCl2(bipy)]Cl, [PtCl4(bipy)], and [RuCl2(bipy)2]Cl acquired with organic matrices have been compared with spectra acquired with colloidal titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Colloidal TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) with average diameter of 5 nm were synthesized and characterized by microscopy. For some experiments, the TiO2 NPs were treated at 60 °C. Suspensions of matrix and the analyte were premixed, applied to the MALDI target and left at room temperature. Mass spectra were acquired with a 50‐Hz pulsed nitrogen laser emitting at a wavelength of 337 nm.

RESULTS

The MALDI spectra of transition metal complexes acquired with TiO2 NPs exhibited somewhat lower sensitivity than those with organic matrices; on the other hand, they are characterized by significantly lower number of signals arising from the tested complexes than the organic matrices. Whereas adducts between organic matrices and the analytes were detectable in the spectra, this was not the case for the TiO2‐assisted mass spectra.

CONCLUSIONS

We have shown that colloidal TiO2 NPs can be used as substrates for MALDI‐TOF MS of transition metal complexes. Although the sensitivity of this approach in comparison with the use of organic matrices might still be a problem, the potential of the applications of NPs for the mass spectrometric characterization of transition metal complexes is clearly demonstrated. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
New stability criterion for linear switched systems with time‐varying delay
Authors: Zhu Xun‐Lin , Yang Hongyong , Wang Youyi , Wang Yu‐Long
Published: July 2012

This paper studies the stability problem of a class of linear switched systems with time‐varying delay in the sense of Hurwitz convex combination. By designing a parameter‐dependent switching law and using a new convex combination technique to deal with delay terms, a new stability criterion is established in terms of LMIs, which is dependent on the parameters of Hurwitz convex combination. The advantage of the new criterion lies in its less conservatism and simplicity. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness and the less conservatism of the proposed method. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ginga‐NCL architecture for plug‐ins
Authors: Soares Luiz Fernando G. , Moreno Marcio F. , Marinho Rafael S.
Published: July 2012

Ginga is the middleware of the Japanese‐Brazilian terrestrial digital TV (DTV) system, ISDB‐T B, and also the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU‐T) Recommendation for Internet Protocol television services. Ginga supports NCL (Nested Context Language) applications in its declarative environment (Ginga‐NCL) for which we devise an architecture for plug‐in integration. This paper focuses on this plug‐in architecture and its innovative solutions, detailing the plug‐in API, life‐cycle and control model, besides discussing how the architecture can be extended to other software systems, in particular to other DTV middleware systems. In the paper, we show how Ginga‐NCL can embed other declarative language engines. On the other hand, we also extend an HTML browser to allow it to embed Ginga‐NCL. This proof‐of‐ concept is important because NCL and HTML players are not only the most common players found in DTV middleware systems but also because they are ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector Recommendations for terrestrial and Internet Protocol television services (NCL and Broadcast Markup Language (BML)/Lightweight Interactive Multimedia Environment (LIME)). Therefore, this proof‐of‐concept also provides a contribution to DTV middleware interoperability. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diary of a Dabbler: Ecological Influences on an EFL Teacher's Efforts to Study Japanese Informally
Authors: Casanave Christine Pearson
Published: July 2012

In this diary study, the author draws from journals written over the course of 8 years working as an English instructor at a Japanese university, with the aim of documenting the influences on her desire to invest effort in the self‐study of Japanese (what she refers to as the ecology of effort). An ecological perspective reveals the idiosyncratic and fluctuating nature of motivation due to daily contextual, personal, and emotional factors that interacted in unpredictable ways. One point of interest to researchers is that important ecological and relational influences on and emotional reactions to language learning cannot be uncovered with traditional motivation research. A second point of interest to adult language learners is that when full‐time language study is not possible or desired, dabbling is an excellent way to stay connected to active but low‐pressure language learning and to maintain a sense of wonder at the miracle of language.
Routine Chest X‐Ray Prior to Thyroid Surgery: Is It Always Necessary?
Authors: Hong Brian W. , Mazeh Haggi , Chen Herbert , Sippel Rebecca S.
Published: July 2012

Background

Despite lack of evidence‐based support, chest X‐ray (CXR) prior to thyroid surgery is often used to identify tracheal deviation that may predict difficulty with intubation. The aim of this study is to establish the utility of preoperative CXR to assess tracheal deviation in this group of patients.

Methods

We analyzed a prospective database of 1,000 consecutive patients who underwent thyroid surgery. Patients’ charts were reviewed for demographic data, CXR readings, other imaging findings, anesthesia records, and pathology findings. Patients with tracheal deviation (TD) on CXR were compared to patients without (no TD).

Results

Six hundred eighty‐nine (69 %) patients had a CXR performed prior to surgery. TD was identified in 252 (37 %) patients while 437 (63 %) did not have TD. The two groups did not significantly differ in mean age, BMI, or gender. Patients with TD on CXR had larger thyroid glands (51 ± 4 vs. 28 ± 2 g, p < 0.001) and reported a higher rate of tracheal compressive symptoms (19 vs. 12 %, p = 0.005). However, this did not translate into more difficult intubations as reported by the anesthesiologist (5 vs. 7 %, p = 0.31) or more intubation attempts (1.2 ± 0 vs. 1.1 ± 0, p = 0.1). Lung findings on CXR that resulted in further workup were identified in 32 (5 %) patients, with additional pathology found in only 6 (1 %) patients.

Conclusion

There is no correlation between a finding of tracheal deviation on preoperative CXR and difficult intubation in thyroid patients. Therefore, CXR for the sole purpose of identifying tracheal deviation in thyroid surgery candidates is not warranted.
Long‐term Outcomes Following Aggressive Management of Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Upfront Liver Resection
Authors: Tranchart Hadrien , Chirica Mircea , Sepulveda Ailton , Massault Pierre‐Philippe , Conti Filomena , Scatton Olivier , Soubrane Olivier
Published: July 2012

Background

Long‐term outcomes of patients who experience recurrence after liver resection (LR) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are uncertain.

Methods

The characteristics of 58 patients were obtained from a retrospective database at two time points: primary resection and recurrence. Patterns of recurrence, treatment strategies, and long‐term survival rates were analyzed.

Results

The recurrence was inside the Milan criteria (Milan+) in 19 patients (32.7 %), 11 of whom were already eligible for a liver transplant (LT) at the time of primary liver resection (LR). Treatment of the recurrence included the following procedures: salvage LT (n = 6; 10.3 %), repeat LR (n = 7; 12.1 %), percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and/or transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) (n = 24; 41.3 %), systemic chemotherapy (n = 15; 25.8 %), and best supportive care (n = 12; 20.7 %). With a mean follow‐up of 26.9 ± 27.9 months, the overall 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year survival rates of the 58 patients with HCC recurrence after primary LR were 57.3, 42.5, and 35.3 %, respectively. In the multivariate analysis the presence of esophageal varices (p = 0.001), an AFP level >200 μg/L (p = 0.03) and a Milan− recurrence pattern (p = 0.05) were independent predictors of decreased survival. The overall 5‐year survival of patients who experienced Milan+ recurrence was comparable to that of Milan+ patients who underwent primary LR (62.5 % vs. 66.3 %, p = 0.48).

Conclusions

Aggressive management of recurrent HCC after upfront LR improves patient survival. The pattern of recurrence is an independent predictor of survival which can be used as a selection criterion for salvage LT.
Relationship between enzyme properties and disease progression in Canavan disease
Authors: Zano Stephen , Wijayasinghe Yasanandana S. , Malik Radhika , Smith Joshua , Viola Ronald E.
Published: July 2012

Canavan disease (CD) is a fatal neurological disorder caused by defects in the gene that encodes for a critical metabolic enzyme. The enzyme aspartoacylase catalyzes the deacetylation of N‐acetylaspartate to produce acetate required for fatty acid biosynthesis in the brain. The loss of aspartoacylase activity leads to the demyelination and disrupted brain development that is found in CD patients. Sixteen different clinical mutants of aspartoacylase have been cloned, expressed and purified to examine their properties and the relationship between enzyme properties and disease phenotype. In contrast to numerous cell culture studies that reported virtually complete loss of function, each of these purified mutant enzymes was found to have measureable catalytic activity. However, the activities of these mutants are diminished, by as little as three‐fold to greater than 100‐fold when compared to the native enzyme. Many of these mutated enzyme forms show decreased thermal stability and an increased propensity for denaturation upon exposure to urea, but only four of the 16 mutants examined showed both diminished thermal and diminished conformational stability. Significantly, each of these lower stability mutants are responsible for the more severe phenotypes of CD, while patients with milder forms of CD have aspartoacylase mutants with generally high catalytic activity and with either good thermal or good conformational stability. These results suggest that the loss of catalytic function and the accumulation of N‐acetylaspartate in Canavan disease is at least partially a consequence of the decreased protein stability caused by these mutations.
Monitoring vegetation recovery after China's May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake using Landsat TM time‐series data: a case study in Mao County
Authors: Lu Tao , Zeng Hongcheng , Luo Yan , Wang Qian , Shi Fusun , Sun Geng , Wu Yan , Wu Ning
Published: July 2012

The Wenchuan earthquake (Richter scale 8) on 12 May 2008 in southwestern China caused widespread ecosystem damage in the Longmenshan area. It is important to evaluate natural vegetation recovery processes and provide basic information on ecological aspects of the recovering environment after the earthquake. To circumvent the weather limits of remote sensing in the Wenchuan earthquake‐hit areas, and to meet the need for regional observation analyses, three Landsat TM images pre‐ and post‐earthquake in Mao County were used for analysis. Post‐earthquake normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values were compared to pre‐earthquake values with an NDVI‐based index differencing method to determine the extent to which the vegetation was damaged in relation to the pre‐earthquake pattern, and the rate of recovery was evaluated. The spatial characteristics of vegetation loss and natural recovery patterns were analyzed in relation to elevation, slope and aspect. The results indicated that severely damaged sites occurred mainly in river valleys, within a range of 1,500–2,500 m elevation and on slopes of 25–55°. The distance from rivers, rather than the distance from active faults, controls the damage patterns. After 1 year of natural regeneration, 36 % of the destroyed areas showed a decrease in NDVI value, 28.8 % showed very little change, 19.1 % showed an increase, and 16.1 % also increased with a recovery rate greater than 100 %. Moreover, there is a good correlation between recovery rate and both slope and elevation, but recovery patterns in the damaged area are complicated. Our results indicate that natural recovery in this arid valley is a slow process.
Neurodevelopmental anomalies of the hippocampus in rats exposed to weak intensity complex magnetic fields throughout gestation
Authors: Fournier Neil M. , Mach Quoc Hao , Whissell Paul D. , Persinger Michael A.
Published: July 2012

There has been increasing interest on the possible harmful effects of prenatal exposure to magnetic fields. To investigate the effect of weak intensity magnetic fields on the prenatal brain, pregnant Wistar rats were continuously exposed to one of four intensities (reference: 5–20 nT; low 30–50 nT; medium 90–580 nT; high 590–1200 nT) of a complex magnetic field sequence designed to interfere with brain development. As adults, rats exposed to the low‐intensity (30–50 nT) complex magnetic field displayed impairments in contextual fear learning and showed anomalies in the cytological and morphological development of the hippocampus. In particular, low‐intensity exposures resulted in a reduction in overall hippocampal size and promoted subtle dysgenesis of the CA1 and CA3 regions. In contrast, exposure to weaker or stronger intensities of the same complex magnetic field pattern did not interfere with hippocampal development or fear behavior. These findings suggest that prenatal exposure to complex magnetic fields of a narrow intensity window during development can result in subtle but permanent alterations in hippocampal microstructure and function that can have lasting effects on behavior.
Advocacy beyond litigation: Examining Russian NGO efforts on implementation of European Court of Human Rights judgments
Authors: Sundstrom Lisa McIntosh
Published: July 2012

This article examines the ways in which various Russian NGOs, involved in litigation at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), have worked to advocate for improved domestic implementation of rulings made by the Court. The paper traces these advocacy activities in four key problem areas for Russia’s implementation of the Convention: (1) domestic judges’ knowledge and citation of the European Convention or ECtHR case law; (2) the execution of domestic court judgments by Russian state bureaucratic bodies; (3) extrajudicial disappearances and killings in anti-terrorist military operations in the North Caucasus; and (4) torture or inhumane treatment in police detention. The author finds that the impact Russian NGOs can have upon domestic implementation depends greatly upon the professional cultures and incentives of the actors involved as well as whether or not prevention of violations is compatible with other high-level Russian government agendas.
A New Method to Obtain a Consensus Ranking of a Region's Vintages’ Quality
Authors: Borges José , Real António C. , Cabral J. Sarsfield , Jones Gregory V.
Published: July 2012

An impartial assessment of the quality of the wine produced over the years in a region (vintage quality) is an essential tool for producers, consumers, investors, and wine researchers to understand factors influencing quality and make purchasing or investing decisions. However, scoring the overall wine quality over the years does not necessarily produce a consensus of which year or years are best. Several critics, magazines, and organizations publish vintage charts that assign a score to each vintage, representing the corresponding perception of the wine quality. Often, the scores given by different institutions reveal little consensus with respect to the relative quality of the vintages.

In this work, we propose the utilization of a rank aggregation method to combine a collection of vintage charts for a region into a ranking of the vintages that represents the consensus of the input vintage charts. As a result, we obtain an impartial ranking of the vintages that represents the consensus of an arbitrary number of independent vintage charts. We illustrate the method with the scores from three wine regions.

The proposed method produces a ranking of vintage-to-vintage quality that represents an impartial consensus of a collection of independent sources, each using a different rating format, scale, or classification. Such a ranking has the potential to be useful for the research community, which needs a relative measure of wine production quality over the years. Therefore, we make publicly available a software tool that implements the method (Borges, 2011). (JEL Classification: C38, C61, C88)
n-3 Fatty acids inhibit transcription of human IL-13: implications for development of T helper type 2 immune responses
Authors: MacLean Emily , Madsen Norman , Vliagoftis Harissios , Field Catherine , Cameron Lisa
Published: July 2012

Fish oil supplementation during pregnancy has been associated with lower levels of cord blood IL-13, suggesting that the administration ofn-3 fatty acids may attenuate the development of allergic disease. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism by whichn-3 fatty acid administration influences the production of IL-13. Pregnant BALB/c mice were fed nutritionally complete high-fat diets (15 %, w/w) with ann-3 fatty acid-enriched (DHA 1 %, w/w) or control diet (0 % DHA) immediately following delivery. Pups were exposed during suckling and weaned to the maternal diet for the remainder of the study. The production of IL-13, IL-4, IL-10 and interferon-γ from the splenocytes of ovalbumin (ova)-sensitised animals was assessed followingin vitroova stimulation or unstimulated conditions. Human T helper type 2 (Th2) cells were mitogen-stimulated in the presence or absence of DHA (10 μm) and assessed for IL-13 and IL-4 expression using intracellular flow cytometry. The influence on transcriptional activation was studied using a human IL-13 promoter reporter construct and electromobility shift assay. Ova-activated splenocytes from DHA-fed mice produced less IL-13 (57·2 (se21·7) pg/ml) and IL-4 (7·33 (se3·4) pg/ml) compared with cells from the animals fed the control diet (161·5 (se45·0),P< 0·05; 33·2 (se11·8),P< 0·05).In vitro, DHA inhibited the expression of IL-13 protein from human Th2 cells as well as transcriptional activation and binding of the transcription factors cyclic AMP response element binding and activating transcription factor 2 to the human IL-13 promoter. These data indicate the potential ofn-3 fatty acids to attenuate IL-13 expression, and suggest that they may subsequently reduce allergic sensitisation and the development of allergic disease.
Comparison of single and split-dose flubendazole treatment for the nematode parasiteTrichostrongylus tenuisin experimentally infected grey partridgesPerdix perdix
Authors: PURDY D. , AEBISCHER N. J. , DAVIS C.
Published: July 2012

Different therapeutic regimes using flubendazole for the treatment ofTrichostrongylus tenuisinfection in experimentally infected grey partridgesPerdix perdixwere examined. Flubendazole dosages of 4, 8 and 20 mg/kg were administered orally as a single dose or split into 3 or 9 parts given over 9 days. The efficacy against adult worms in the caeca improved with dose rate. Split doses were at least as effective as single doses, which removed up to 83% of adultT. tenuis. A dose of 20 mg/kg administered on a daily basis over 3 or 9 days gave the best clearance ofT. tenuis, resulting in a reduction of at least 95% in worm burden.
Bullied no more: when and how DNA shoves proteins around
Authors: Fogg Jonathan M. , Randall Graham L. , Pettitt B. Montgomery , Sumners De Witt L. , Harris Sarah A. , Zechiedrich Lynn
Published: July 2012

The predominant protein-centric perspective in protein–DNA-binding studies assumes that the protein drives the interaction. Research focuses on protein structural motifs, electrostatic surfaces and contact potentials, while DNA is often ignored as a passive polymer to be manipulated. Recent studies of DNA topology, the supercoiling, knotting, and linking of the helices, have shown that DNA has the capability to be an active participant in its transactions. DNA topology-induced structural and geometric changes can drive, or at least strongly influence, the interactions between protein and DNA. Deformations of the B-form structure arise from both the considerable elastic energy arising from supercoiling and from the electrostatic energy. Here, we discuss how these energies are harnessed for topology-driven, sequence-specific deformations that can allow DNA to direct its own metabolism.
The processing of lexical tones by young Chinese children
Authors: LIN CANDISE Y. , WANG MIN , SHU HUA
Published: July 2012

The current study examined five- and seven-year-old Mandarin-speaking children's processing of lexical tones in relation to speech segments by varying onset and rime in an oddity task (onset±rime±). Results showed that children experienced more difficulty in lexical tone oddity judgment when rimes differed across monosyllables (e.g. onset+rime−) than when onsets differed (e.g. onset−rime+). This finding suggests that vowels interfere more than consonants in lexical tone processing. Seven-year-olds consistently outperformed five-year-olds, suggesting that the growth of metalinguistic awareness and literacy exposure may play a joint role in the development of lexical tone processing skills.
Placental transport in response to altered maternal nutrition
Authors: Gaccioli F. , Lager S. , Powell T. L. , Jansson T.
Published: July 2012

The mechanisms linking maternal nutrition to fetal growth and programming of adult disease remain to be fully established. We review data on changes in placental transport in response to altered maternal nutrition, including compromized utero-placental blood flow. In human intrauterine growth restriction and in most animal models involving maternal undernutrition or restricted placental blood flow, the activity of placental transporters, in particular for amino acids, is decreased in late pregnancy. The effect of maternal overnutrition on placental transport remains largely unexplored. However, some, but not all, studies in women with diabetes giving birth to large babies indicate an upregulation of placental transporters for amino acids, glucose and fatty acids. These data support the concept that the placenta responds to maternal nutritional cues by altering placental function to match fetal growth to the ability of the maternal supply line to allocate resources to the fetus. On the other hand, some findings in humans and mice suggest that placental transporters are regulated in response to fetal demand signals. These observations are consistent with the idea that fetal signals regulate placental function to compensate for changes in nutrient availability. We propose that the placenta integrates maternal and fetal nutritional cues with information from intrinsic nutrient sensors. Together, these signals regulate placental growth and nutrient transport to balance fetal demand with the ability of the mother to support pregnancy. Thus, the placenta plays a critical role in modulating maternal–fetal resource allocation, thereby affecting fetal growth and the long-term health of the offspring.
Suicidal Ideation, Risk Factors, and Communication With Parents
Authors: Mark Lauraliisa , Samm Algi , Tooding Liina-Mai , Sisask Merike , Aasvee Katrin , Zaborskis Apolinaras , Zemaitiene Nida , Värnik Airi
Published: July 2012

Background: Suicide is a leading cause of death among youth. In the year 2002, Lithuania had the 2nd, Luxembourg the 5th, and Estonia the 9th highest suicide rates among 15- to 19-year-olds across 90 countries worldwide. Suicidal ideation is a significant precursor to suicide. Aims: To report on the prevalence of and associations between suicidal ideation, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical fighting, bullying, and communication with parents among 15-year-old schoolchildren. Methods: The survey analyzes data from the 2005/2006 HBSC study from Estonia, Lithuania, and Luxembourg (N = 4,954). The risk factors were calculated through multinomial logistic regression analyses. Results: The overall prevalence of suicidal ideation in the preceding year was 17%. Suicidal thoughts were associated with communication difficulties with parents (OR from 2.0 to 4.6) and other risk factors, especially multiple risks (OR for 4–5 concurrent risk factors from 4.5 to 13.6). Parent-child communication had a significant mediating effect by decreasing the odds for suicidality and multiple risks. Limitations: The prevalence estimates were obtained by self-reports. The causal relationships need further investigation. Conclusion: The risk factors studied, particularly multiple risks, were associated with higher odds for suicidal ideation. Good parent-child communication is a significant resource for decreasing suicidal ideation among adolescents.
The Stigma of Suicide Scale
Authors: Batterham Philip J. , Calear Alison L. , Christensen Helen
Published: July 2012

Background: There are presently no validated scales to adequately measure the stigma of suicide in the community. The Stigma of Suicide Scale (SOSS) is a new scale containing 58 descriptors of a “typical” person who completes suicide. Aims: To validate the SOSS as a tool for assessing stigma toward suicide, to examine the scale’s factor structure, and to assess correlates of stigmatizing attitudes. Method: In March 2010, 676 staff and students at the Australian National University completed the scale in an online survey. The construct validity of the SOSS was assessed by comparing its factors with factors extracted from the Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ). Results: Three factors were identified: stigma, isolation/depression, and glorification/normalization. Each factor had high internal consistency and strong concurrent validity with the Suicide Opinion Questionnaire. More than 25% of respondents agreed that people who suicided were “weak,” “reckless,” or “selfish.” Respondents who were female, who had a psychology degree, or who spoke only English at home were less stigmatizing. A 16-item version of the scale also demonstrated robust psychometric properties. Conclusions: The SOSS is the first attitudes scale designed to directly measure the stigma of suicide in the community. Results suggest that psychoeducation may successfully reduce stigma.
Structural evolution of the La Trocha fault zone: Oblique collision and strike‐slip basins in the Cuban Orogen
Authors: Cruz‐Orosa Israel , Sàbat Francesc , Ramos Emilio , Rivero Lluís , Vázquez‐Taset Yaniel M.
Published: July 2012

The La Trocha fault zone acted as a major left‐lateral transfer zone and is bounded by the La Trocha (LTF), Zaza‐Tuinicú (ZTF), Cristales (CTF) and Taguasco (TGF) faults. These faults were consistent with the clockwise rotation of convergence and shortening in central Cuba. From the Paleocene to the Early Eocene (65–48 Ma), a SSW‐NNE shortening produced transtension in the LTF and transpression in the ZTF. Subsequently, during the Middle Eocene (48–37 Ma), shortening shifted to a SW‐NE direction, resulting in the normal component of the LTF and transpression in the ZTF and CTF. Since the Late Eocene (37 Ma), central Cuba has been welded to the North American Plate. The post‐welding deformation gave rise to transtension of the LTF and TGF. This deformation is consistent with a WSW‐ENE shortening and reflects activity in the transform boundary of the Cayman Trough. Both the normal and thrust displacements of these previous faults are corroborated by structural data whereas left‐lateral displacement is deduced from the concordance between oblique collision and structural features. Plate‐kinematics and the structural evolution of the La Trocha fault zone indicate that the related Central Basin is a strike‐slip polygenetic basin and that the formation of this system (i.e., fault zone – strike‐slip basin) was a consequence of the Paleogene oblique collision between the Caribbean Volcanic Arc and the Bahamas Borderland (North American plate).
An established numerical method applied to geophysics
Authors: Simpson Jamesina J.
Published: July 2012

Electromagnetic fields and waves play an important role in many geophysical applications. Lightning, sprites, whistler waves, auroras, space weather, geomagnetically induced currents, remote sensing, radar, solar energy harvesting, and satellite communications are all grounded in electromagnetic theory. Maxwell's equations, formulated approximately 150 years ago, represent a fundamental unification of electric and magnetic fields, predicting electromagnetic wave phenomena from ultralow frequencies (ULF) through visible light. But for 130 years after Maxwell formulated his equations, that is until about 1990, solutions of Maxwell's equations for electromagnetic wave interactions with material structures were invariably in the Fourier (frequency) domain, i.e., the sinusoidal steady state. Principal techniques involved closed form and infinite series analytical solutions, high‐frequency asymptotic methods, integral equations, and finite elements.
Ice loss from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, South America, between 2000 and 2012
Authors: Willis Michael J. , Melkonian Andrew K. , Pritchard Matthew E. , Rivera Andrés
Published: July 2012

A time‐series composed of 156 ASTER derived Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and a radar‐penetration‐bias corrected version of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM is used to derive ice surface height and volume changes at the Southern Patagonian Ice Field (SPI) in southern South America. The observations, made between February 2000 and March 2012, indicate that the ice field is rapidly losing volume at many of the largest outlet glaciers, and in most cases thinning extends to the highest elevations of the ice field. Mass loss is occurring at a rate of −20.0 ± 1.2 Gt a−1, which, when summed with mass‐loss at the adjacent Northern Patagonian Ice Field results in a combined rate of −24.4 ± 1.4 Gt a−1, equivalent to +0.067 ± 0.004 mm a−1of sea level rise. Our decade‐long mass loss rates are substantially higher than those derived during the last three decades of the 20th century, but are in good agreement with recent GRACE observations. Our volume loss estimate is sensitive to constraints applied to the amount of thickening in the accumulation zone. New field measurements and a continued DEM time‐series will be required to refine our estimates.
α‐HCH enantiomer fraction (EF): A novel approach to calculate the ventilation age of water in the Arctic Ocean?
Authors: Pućko Monika , Macdonald Robie W. , Barber David G. , Rosenberg Bruno , Gratton Yves , Stern Gary A.
Published: July 2012

α‐HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane) and the enantiomeric fraction (EF) of its mirror‐image isomers have been determined for water column profiles in the southern Beaufort Sea in 2004 and 2007. Using estimated rates of metabolic degradation, we have applied a simple kinetic model to convert the observed EFs to apparent ventilation ages of the water masses in the study region. We found an age of 1.7 ± 0.1 years for the Polar Mixed Layer (PML), 6.6 ± 0.6 for the core of the Pacific Layer centered at salinity 33.1, and 21.7 ± 0.5 years for the core of the Atlantic Layer identified by a Tmax of ∼0.5°C. These ages are in reasonable accord with other methods used to date water masses in the Arctic Ocean suggesting that α‐HCH has an unexploited potential as a dating tool.
An analysis of AERONET aerosol absorption properties and classifications representative of aerosol source regions
Authors: Giles D. M. , Holben B. N. , Eck T. F. , Sinyuk A. , Smirnov A. , Slutsker I. , Dickerson R. R. , Thompson A. M. , Schafer J. S.
Published: July 2012

Partitioning of mineral dust, pollution, smoke, and mixtures using remote sensing techniques can help improve accuracy of satellite retrievals and assessments of the aerosol radiative impact on climate. Spectral aerosol optical depth (τ) and single scattering albedo (ωo) from Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) measurements are used to form absorption (i.e., ωo and absorption Ångström exponent (αabs)) and size (i.e., extinction Ångström exponent (αext) and fine mode fraction of τ) relationships to infer dominant aerosol types. Using the long‐term AERONET data set (1999–2010), 19 sites are grouped by aerosol type based on known source regions to (1) determine the averageωo and αabs at each site (expanding upon previous work), (2) perform a sensitivity study on αabs by varying the spectral ωo, and (3) test the ability of each absorption and size relationship to distinguish aerosol types. The spectral ωo averages indicate slightly more aerosol absorption (i.e., a 0.0 < δωo ≤ 0.02 decrease) than in previous work, and optical mixtures of pollution and smoke with dust show stronger absorption than dust alone. Frequency distributions of αabs show significant overlap among aerosol type categories, and at least 10% of the αabs retrievals in each category are below 1.0. Perturbing the spectral ωo by ±0.03 induces significant αabs changes from the unperturbed value by at least ∼±0.6 for Dust, ∼±0.2 for Mixed, and ∼±0.1 for Urban/Industrial and Biomass Burning. The ωo440nm and αext440–870nmrelationship shows the best separation among aerosol type clusters, providing a simple technique for determining aerosol type from surface‐ and future space‐based instrumentation.
Aging of human short-wave cone pathways
Authors: Shinomori Keizo , Werner John S.
Published: July 2012

The retinal image is sampled concurrently, and largely independently, by three physiologically and anatomically distinct pathways, each with separate ON and OFF subdivisions. The retinal circuitry giving rise to an ON pathway receiving input from the short-wave-sensitive (S) cones is well understood, but the S-cone OFF circuitry is more controversial. Here, we characterize the temporal properties of putative S-cone ON and OFF pathways in younger and older observers by measuring thresholds for stimuli that produce increases or decreases in S-cone stimulation, while the middle- and long-wave-sensitive cones are unmodulated. We characterize the data in terms of an impulse response function, the theoretical response to a flash of infinitely short duration, from which the response to any temporally varying stimulus may be predicted. Results show that the S-cone response to increments is faster than to decrements, but this difference is significantly greater for older individuals. The impulse response function amplitudes for increment and decrement responses are highly correlated across individuals, whereas the timing is not. This strongly suggests that the amplitude is controlled by neural circuitry that is common to S-cone ON and OFF responses (photoreceptors), whereas the timing is controlled by separate postreceptoral pathways. The slower response of the putative OFF pathway is ascribed to different retinal circuitry, possibly attributable to a sign-inverting amacrine cell not present in the ON pathway. It is significant that this pathway is affected selectively in the elderly by becoming slower, whereas the temporal properties of the S-cone ON response are stable across the life span of an individual.
Scaling metagenome sequence assembly with probabilistic de Bruijn graphs
Authors: Pell Jason , Hintze Arend , Canino-Koning Rosangela , Howe Adina , Tiedje James M. , Brown C. Titus
Published: July 2012

Deep sequencing has enabled the investigation of a wide range of environmental microbial ecosystems, but the high memory requirements for de novo assembly of short-read shotgun sequencing data from these complex populations are an increasingly large practical barrier. Here we introduce a memory-efficient graph representation with which we can analyze the
k
-mer connectivity of metagenomic samples. The graph representation is based on a probabilistic data structure, a Bloom filter, that allows us to efficiently store assembly graphs in as little as 4 bits per
k
-mer, albeit inexactly. We show that this data structure accurately represents DNA assembly graphs in low memory. We apply this data structure to the problem of partitioning assembly graphs into components as a prelude to assembly, and show that this reduces the overall memory requirements for de novo assembly of metagenomes. On one soil metagenome assembly, this approach achieves a nearly 40-fold decrease in the maximum memory requirements for assembly. This probabilistic graph representation is a significant theoretical advance in storing assembly graphs and also yields immediate leverage on metagenomic assembly.
Nonnative interactions regulate folding and switching of myristoylated protein
Authors: Shental-Bechor Dalit , Smith Martin T.J. , MacKenzie Duncan , Broom Aron , Marcovitz Amir , Ghashut Fadila , Go Chris , Bralha Fernando , Meiering Elizabeth M. , Levy Yaakov
Published: July 2012

We present an integrated experimental and computational study of the molecular mechanisms by which myristoylation affects protein folding and function, which has been little characterized to date. Myristoylation, the covalent linkage of a hydrophobic C14 fatty acyl chain to the N-terminal glycine in a protein, is a common modification that plays a critical role in vital regulated cellular processes by undergoing reversible energetic and conformational switching. Coarse-grained folding simulations for the model pH-dependent actin- and membrane-binding protein hisactophilin reveal that nonnative hydrophobic interactions of the myristoyl with the protein as well as nonnative electrostatic interactions have a pronounced effect on folding rates and thermodynamic stability. Folding measurements for hydrophobic residue mutations of hisactophilin and atomistic simulations indicate that the nonnative interactions of the myristoyl group in the folding transition state are nonspecific and robust, and so smooth the energy landscape for folding. In contrast, myristoyl interactions in the native state are highly specific and tuned for sensitive control of switching functionality. Simulations and amide hydrogen exchange measurements provide evidence for increases as well as decreases in stability localized on one side of the myristoyl binding pocket in the protein, implicating strain and altered dynamics in switching. The effects of folding and function arising from myristoylation are profoundly different from the effects of other post-translational modifications.