bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Visualization of Metal-to-Ligand and Ligand-to-Ligand Charge Transfer in Metal-Ligand Complexes
Authors: Ding Yong , Guo Jian-xiu , Wang Xiang-si , Liu Sha-sha , Ma Feng-cai
Published: July 2009

Three methods including the atomic resolved density of state, charge difference density, and the transition density matrix are used to visualize metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT) in ruthenium(II) ammine complex. The atomic resolved density of state shows that there is density of Ru on the HOMOs. All the density is localized on the ammine, which reveals that the excited electrons in the Ru complex are delocalized over the ammine ligand. The charge difference density shows that all the holes are localized on the Ru and the electrons on the ammine. The localization explains the MLCT on excitation. The transition density matrix shows that there is electron-hole coherence between Ru and ammine. These methods are also used to examine the MLCT in Os(bpy)2(p0p)Cl (Osp0p"; bpy = 2,2-bipyridyl; p0p = 4,4-bipyridyl) and the ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LLCT) in Alq3. The calculated results show that these methods are powerful to examine MLCT and LLCT in the metal-ligand system.
Non-additivity of Methyl Group in the Single-electron Lithium Bond of H3C LiH Complex
Authors: Li Zhi-feng , Shi Xiao-ning , Liu Yan-zhi , Tang Hui-an , Zhang Jun-yan
Published: July 2009

The non-additivity of the methyl groups in the single-electron lithium bond was investigated using ab initio calculations at the B3LYP/6311++G** and UMP2/6311++G** levels. The strength of the interaction in the H3C LiH, H3CH2C LiH, (H3C)2HC LiH, and (H3C)3C LiH complexes was analyzed in term of the geometries, energies, frequency shifts, stabilization energies, charges, and topological parameters. It is shown that (H3C)3C radical with LiH forms the strongest single-electron lithium bond, followed by (H3C)2HC radical, then H3CH2C radical, and H3C radical forms the weakest single-electron lithium bond. A positive non-additivity is present among methyl groups. Natural bond orbital and atoms in molecules analyses were used to estimate such conclusions. Furthermore, there are few linear/nonlinear relationships in the system and the interaction mode of single-electron Li-bond is different from the single-electron H-bond and single-electron halogen bond.
A diagrammatic approach to categorification of quantum groups I
Authors: Khovanov Mikhail , Lauda Aaron
Published: July 2009

To each graph without loops and multiple edges we assign a family of rings. Categories of projective modules over these rings categorify

U
q
−

(

g

)

U^-_q(\mathfrak {g})

, where

g

\mathfrak {g}

is the Kac-Moody Lie algebra associated with the graph.
New insights into the haemostatic function of platelets
Authors: Wei Andrew H. , Schoenwaelder Simone M. , Andrews Robert K. , Jackson Shaun P.
Published: July 2009

Considerable progress has been made over the last two decades in delineating the key molecular events regulating the haemostatic function of platelets. Much of this new insight has been derived from the study of mouse models, in which the expression or structure of one or more platelet proteins has been genetically altered. Despite these advances on the research front, clinical progress in diagnosing patients with unexplained surgical bleeding or recurrent haemorrhage from mucocutaneous sites has been comparatively limited. There is a dearth of literature available to help physicians integrate and apply the burgeoning knowledge on platelet biology to diagnosing patients with atypical or unexplained platelet dysfunction. The purpose of this review is to summarise the major primary platelet disorders relevant to pathological bleeding in humans (excluding those primarily due to thrombocytopenia or acquired functional disorders), with a focus on lesions identified in mouse models that could represent candidate molecules for study in patients with impaired platelet function.
Origin and fate of blood cells deficient in glycosylphosphatidylinositol‐anchored protein among patients with bone marrow failure
Authors: Sugimori Chiharu , Mochizuki Kanako , Qi Zhirong , Sugimori Naomi , Ishiyama Ken , Kondo Yukio , Yamazaki Hirohito , Takami Akiyoshi , Okumura Hirokazu , Nakao Shinji
Published: July 2009

Peripheral blood from 489 recently diagnosed patients with aplastic anaemia (AA) and 316 with refractory anaemia (RA) of myelodysplastic syndrome was evaluated to characterize CD55−CD59− [paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH)]‐type blood cells associated with bone marrow (BM) failure. PNH‐type cells were detected in 57% and 20% of patients with AA and RA, respectively. The percentages of PNH‐type granulocytes ranged from 0·003% to 94·2% and the distribution was log‐normal with a median of 0·178%. Serial analyses of 75 patients with PNH‐type cells over 5 years revealed that the percentage of PNH‐type cells constantly increased in 13 (17%), persisted in 44 (59%), disappeared in the remaining 18 (24%) although even in the ‘Disappearance’ group, PNH‐type granulocytes persisted for at least 6 months. A scattergram profile of PNH‐type cells unique to each patient persisted regardless of the response to immunosuppressive therapy and only single PIGA mutations were detected in PNH‐type granulocytes sorted from four patients. These findings suggest that the PNH‐type cells in patients with BM failure are derived from single PIGA mutant haematopoietic stem cells even when their percentages are <1% and their fate depends on the proliferation and self‐maintenance properties of the individual PIGA mutants.
Influence of PI‐3K/Akt pathway on Wnt signalling in regulating myeloid progenitor cell proliferation. Evidence for a role of autocrine/paracrine Wnt regulation
Authors: Nteliopoulos Georgios , Marley Stephen B. , Gordon Myrtle Y.
Published: July 2009

The regulation of myeloid progenitor cell (granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐forming units, CFU‐GM) proliferation/differentiation by the Wnt and phosphatidylinositol‐3 kinase (PI‐3K) pathways was investigated using a colony‐replating assay. The PI‐3K pathway promoted differentiation of interleukin‐3 (IL‐3)‐stimulated myelopoiesis via Akt, because inhibition of the PI‐3K/Akt pathway with LY294002 or SH‐5 increased proliferation. The involvement of canonical and non‐canonical Wnt pathways was investigated using Wnt3a and Wnt5a respectively. Addition of the recombinant Wnts to IL‐3 increased CFU‐GM proliferation. Dkk‐1, when combined with the Wnt proteins, abrogated the effects of Wnt3a but not Wnt5a. Surprisingly, the addition of Dkk‐1 to LY294002 or SH‐5 blocked their proliferative effects. We hypothesized that increased proliferation induced by PI‐3K/Akt inhibitors was not mediated by downstream activation of the Wnt pathway but by induced endogenous production/release of Wnt proteins. The addition of SH‐5 to IL‐3 created an autocrine Wnt loop in CD34+ cells, resulting in the phosphorylation of lipoprotein‐receptor‐related‐protein 6. Furthermore, the addition of medium conditioned by CD34+ cells cultured in IL‐3 + SH‐5 to IL‐3 increased CFU‐GM proliferation. This effect was abrogated by Dkk‐1, suggesting that a Wnt in the conditioned medium increased proliferation. In summary, IL‐3 via the PI‐3K pathway promoted differentiation of myeloid progenitor cells through a decrease of endogenous Wnt production/release.
Biliary proteins and their redox status changes in gallstone patients
Authors: Grattagliano I. , Wang D. Q‐H , Di Ciaula A. , Diogo C.V. , Palasciano G. , Portincasa P.
Published: July 2009

Background  Proteins might act as pronucleating agents of cholesterol crystallization in bile. However, little is known about the redox status of biliary proteins in humans and their interaction with crystallization of biliary cholesterol.

Materials and methods  Gallbladder biles were obtained at cholecystectomy from 86 symptomatic patients with either cholesterol gallstones (32 multiple and 32 solitary stones) or pigment stones (n = 22), and studied for protein redox status [carbonyl and sulfhydryl (PSH) concentrations], total lipid and protein levels and cholesterol saturation index (CSI). First appearance of cholesterol crystals in ultrafiltered bile (crystal observation time, COT) was studied with polarizing light microscopy during 21 days.

Results  Patients with cholesterol stones had significantly shorter COT (3 days vs. >21 days, P < 0·05), higher CSI (149 ± 10% vs. 97 ± 7%, P < 0·05) and higher total biliary proteins (1·96 ± 0·1 mg mL−1 vs. 0·55 ± 0·1 mg mL−1, P < 0·05) than patients with pigment stones. Patients with cholesterol stones had significantly lower (P < 0·05) level of protein sulfhydryl concentrations (18 ± 4 nmol mg−1 protein vs. 49 ± 16 nmol mg−1 protein), while total lipid and carbonyl proteins concentrations were similar between cholesterol and pigment stone patients. Crystallization probability was influenced by the number/type of gallstones (multiple > solitary > pigment stones, P = 0·009) and total protein concentration (high > low levels, P = 0·004). COT was negatively correlated with total protein content (r = −0·45, P = 0·03).

Conclusions  Biles with cholesterol stones show high CSI and total protein concentration, and rapid COT, which is even faster in patients with multiple stones and high protein concentration. Low PSH levels in cholesterol stone patients point to a biochemical shift, potentially able to affect cholesterol crystallization.
Discovery of the causeway and the mortuary temple of the Pyramid of Amenemhat II using near‐surface magnetic investigation, Dahshour, Giza, Egypt
Authors: Abdallatif T. , El Emam A.E. , Suh M. , El Hemaly I.A. , Ghazala H.H. , Ibrahim E.H. , Odah H.H. , Deebes H.A.
Published: July 2009

The main outbuildings of the Amenemhat II pyramid complex in Dahsour were yet to be discovered due to a very long subjection of the area to the military authorities and also the demolition of the pyramid itself. We describe the discovery of some of these outbuildings using near‐surface magnetic investigations. A gradiometer survey was conducted in the area east of the pyramid to measure the vertical magnetic gradient with a high resolution instrument at 0.5 m sampling interval. The data showed some undesirable field effects such as grid discontinuities, grid slope, traverse stripe effects, spikes and high frequencies originating from recent ferrous contamination. These undesirable effects were addressed to produce an enhanced display. We have successfully detected four main structures in the area east of the pyramid; the causeway that connected the mortuary temple with the valley temple during the Middle Kingdom of the 12th Dynasty, the mortuary temple and its associated rooms, ruins of an ancient working area and an Egyptian‐style tomb structure called a Mastaba. An improved recognition for these structures was accomplished by using the analytic signal and Euler deconvolution techniques. Excavation of a small part within the study area has proven the reliability of magnetic discoveries and the shallowness and composition of the detected features.
Critical androgen‐sensitive periods of rat penis and clitoris development
Authors: Welsh Michelle , MacLeod David J. , Walker Marion , Smith Lee B. , Sharpe Richard M.
Published: July 2009

Androgen control of penis development/growth is unclear. In rats, androgen action in a foetal ‘masculinisation programming window’ (MPW; e15.5–e18.5)’ predetermines penile length and hypospadias occurrence. This has implications for humans (e.g. micropenis). Our studies aimed to establish in rats when androgen action/administration affects development/growth of the penis and if deficits in MPW androgen action were rescuable postnatally. Thus, pregnant rats were treated with flutamide during the MPW ± postnatal testosterone propionate (TP) treatment. To assess penile growth responsiveness, rats were treated with TP in various time windows (late foetal, neonatal through early puberty, puberty onset, or combinations thereof). Phallus length, weight, and morphology, hypospadias and anogenital distance (AGD) were measured in mid‐puberty (d25) or adulthood (d90) in males and females, plus serum testosterone in adult males. MPW flutamide exposure reduced adult penile length and induced hypospadias dose‐dependently; this was not rescued by postnatal TP treatment. In normal rats, foetal (e14.5–e21.5) TP exposure did not affect male penis size but increased female clitoral size. In males, TP exposure from postnatal d1–24 or at puberty (d15–24), increased penile length at d25, but not ultimately in adulthood. Foetal + postnatal TP (e14–postnatal d24) increased penile size at d25 but reduced it at d90 (due to reduced endogenous testosterone). In females, this treatment caused the biggest increase in adult clitoral size but, unlike in males, phallus size was unaffected by TP during puberty (d15–24). Postnatal TP treatment advanced penile histology at d25 to more resemble adult histology. AGD strongly correlated with final penis length. It is concluded that adult penile size depends critically on androgen action during the MPW but subsequent growth depends on later androgen exposure. Foetal and/or postnatal TP exposure does not increase adult penile size above its ‘predetermined’ length though its growth towards this maximum is advanced by peripubertal TP treatment.
Genotypic selection shapes patterns of within‐species diversity in experimental plant populations
Authors: Stuefer Josef F. , Anten Niels P. R. , De Kroon Hans , Peters Janny L. , Smit‐Tiekstra Annemiek , Vermeulen Peter J. , During Heinjo J.
Published: July 2009

1. An increasing body of evidence suggests that within‐species diversity plays an important role for community and ecosystem functioning, alters complex trophic interactions and affects patterns of species diversity and coexistence. Nonetheless, we lack a good understanding of how genotypic trait variation translates into shifts in the relative abundance of genotypes within populations.

2. In this study, we show that genotypic selection strongly alters dominance relationships among genotypes over a period of 5 years. This resulted in remarkably consistent changes in the proportional representation of genotypes, and in a concomitant decline of diversity and evenness in our experimental populations.

3. High growth rates and the production of large offspring were positively associated with genotypic performance. Vegetative abundances of genotypes translated monotonically into flowering frequencies.

4. Synthesis. We conclude that genotypic selection markedly affects patterns of diversity and consistently alters genotypic abundance and mean trait distributions in plant populations over a relatively short period of time.
A narrative review of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and implications for its use in an alcohol‐dependent population
Authors: MCPHERSON A. , MARTIN C. R.
Published: July 2009

Accessible summary

The findings from the present study reveal that the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring depression in a variety of populations. This realization should enable nurses and other health professionals to utilize the tool with added confidence and assurance.

The main finding was that the BDI would probably be a reliable and valid screening tool in an alcohol‐dependent population. This conclusion appears to echo the relationship that alcohol consumption generally has with depression. This finding is important to those practitioners using the BDI in this population in that it provides further evidence to enhance their practical experience.

A psychometric evaluation of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was carried out on contemporary studies to ascertain its suitability for use in an alcohol‐dependent population. Three criteria were used for this: factor analysis, test–retest reliability and internal consistency reliability. Factor analysis revealed that its structure is consistent with either two or three factor models, depending on the population. Test–retest results concluded that the correlation coefficient remained above the recommended threshold and internal consistency reliability highlighted alpha coefficient results consistently above suggested scores, leading to the conclusion that the BDI is probably an effective screening tool in an alcohol‐dependent population.
No persisting effect of partial sleep curtailment on cognitive performance and declarative memory recall in adolescents
Authors: KOPASZ MARTA , LOESSL BARBARA , VALERIUS GABRIELE , KOENIG EVA , MATTHAEAS NORA , HORNYAK MAGDOLNA , KLOEPFER CORINNA , NISSEN CHRISTOPH , RIEMANN DIETER , VODERHOLZER ULRICH
Published: July 2009

Growing evidence indicates that sleep facilitates learning and memory processing. Sleep curtailment is increasingly common in adolescents. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of short‐term sleep curtailment on declarative memory consolidation in adolescents. A randomized, cross‐over study design was chosen. Twenty‐two healthy subjects, aged 14–16 years, spent three consecutive nights in the sleep laboratory with a bedtime of 9 h during the first night (adaptation), 4 h during the second (partial sleep curtailment) and 9 h during the third night (recovery). The control condition consisted of three consecutive nights with bedtimes of 9 h. Both experimental conditions were separated by at least 3 weeks. The acquisition phase for the declarative tests was between 16:00 and 18:00 hours before the second night. Memory performance was examined in the morning after the recovery night. Executive function, attention and concentration were also assessed to control for any possible effects of tiredness. During the 4‐h night, we observed a curtailment of 50% of non‐rapid eye movement (non‐REM), 5% of slow wave sleep (SWS) and 70% of REM sleep compared with the control night. Partial sleep curtailment of one night did not influence declarative memory retrieval significantly. Recall in the paired‐associate word list task was correlated positively with percentage of non‐REM sleep in the recovery night. Declarative memory consolidation does not appear to be influenced by short‐term sleep curtailment in adolescents. This may be explained by the high ability of adolescents to compensate for acute sleep loss. The correlation between non‐REM sleep and declarative memory performance supports earlier findings.
Implication of normal liver enzymes in liver disease
Authors: Calvaruso Vincenza , Craxì Antonio
Published: July 2009

Summary.  Chronic liver disease is usually asymptomatic until its late stages and also significant hepatic necroinflammation and fibrosis may be present in persistently normal ALT levels HBV, HCV carriers or similarly, in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Given the large number of persons in the general population which may harbor a clinically significant liver disease behind the screen of normal alanine aminotransferase, more attention should be devoted to future research for alternative noninvasive markers of liver damage.
The bZIP‐type transcription factor FlbB regulates distinct morphogenetic stages of colony formation in Aspergillus nidulans
Authors: Etxebeste Oier , Herrero‐García Erika , Araújo‐Bazán Lidia , Rodríguez‐Urra Ana B. , Garzia Aitor , Ugalde Unai , Espeso Eduardo A.
Published: July 2009

Conidiophore formation in Aspergillus nidulans involves a developmental programme in which vegetative hyphae give rise to an ordered succession of differentiated cells: foot cell, stalk, vesicle, metulae, phialides and conidia. The developmental transition requires factors that are expressed in vegetative hyphae that activate the expression of the main regulator of conidiation, BrlA. One such element is the bZIP‐type transcription factor FlbB. We found that flbB‐ mutants show defective branching patterns and are susceptible to autolysis under high sorbitol or sucrose concentrations, revealing a role in vegetative growth. In addition, FlbB plays a role in conidiophore initiation, as its upregulation reduces conidiophore vesicle swelling and generates a reduced number of metulae. FlbB was located at the tip of growing metulae, following a similar pattern as described in vegetative hyphae. In wild‐type strains, the transition from metulae to phialides could be reversed to generate vegetative hyphae, indicating the existence of a specific control point at this stage of conidiophore formation. The combined evidence points to FlbB as a key factor in the transition to asexual development, playing a role at various control points in which the process could be reversed.
Genetic determination of essential residues of the Vibrio cholerae actin cross‐linking domain reveals functional similarity with glutamine synthetases
Authors: Geissler Brett , Bonebrake Amanda , Sheahan Kerri‐Lynn , Walker Margaret E. , Satchell Karla J. F.
Published: July 2009

Actin cross‐linking domains (ACDs) are distinct domains found in several bacterial toxins, including the Vibrio cholerae MARTX toxin. The ACD of V. cholerae (ACDVc) catalyses the formation of an irreversible iso‐peptide bond between lysine 50 and glutamic acid 270 on two actin molecules in an ATP‐ and Mg/Mn2+‐dependent manner. In vivo, cross‐linking depletes the cellular pool of G‐actin leading to actin cytoskeleton depolymerization. While the actin cross‐linking reaction performed by these effector domains has been significantly characterized, the ACDVc catalytic site has remained elusive due to lack of significant homology to known proteins. Using multiple genetic approaches, we have identified regions and amino acids of ACDVc required for full actin cross‐linking activity. Then, using these functional data and structural homology predictions, it was determined that several residues demonstrated to be important for ACDVc activity are conserved with active‐site residues of the glutamine synthetase family of enzymes. Thus, the ACDs are a family of bacterial toxin effectors that may be evolutionarily related to ligases involved in amino acid biosynthesis.
A novel genetic switch controls phase variable expression of CwpV, a Clostridium difficile cell wall protein
Authors: Emerson Jenny E. , Reynolds Catherine B. , Fagan Robert P. , Shaw Helen A. , Goulding David , Fairweather Neil F.
Published: July 2009

Clostridium difficile is a nosocomial pathogen that can cause severe gastrointestinal infections. C. difficile encodes a family of cell wall proteins, some of which are implicated in pathogenesis. Here we have characterized CwpV, the largest member of this family. CwpV is surface expressed and post‐translationally processed in a manner analogous to the major S‐layer protein SlpA. Expression of cwpV is phase variable, with approximately 5% of cells in a population expressing the protein under standard laboratory growth conditions. Upstream of cwpV, inverted repeats flank a 195 bp sequence which undergoes DNA inversion. Use of a gusA transcriptional reporter demonstrated that phase variation is mediated by DNA inversion; in one orientation cwpV is expressed while in the opposite orientation the gene is silent. The inversion region contains neither the promoter nor any of the open reading frame, therefore this system differs from previously described phase variation mechanisms. The cwpV promoter is located upstream of the inversion region and we propose a model of phase variation based on intrinsic terminator formation in the OFF transcript. A C. difficile site‐specific recombinase able to catalyse the inversion has been identified.
Functional conservation of the lipid II biosynthesis pathway in the cell wall‐less bacteria Chlamydia and Wolbachia: why is lipid II needed?
Authors: Henrichfreise Beate , Schiefer Andrea , Schneider Tanja , Nzukou Edith , Poellinger Christina , Hoffmann Theo‐Julian , Johnston Kelly L. , Moelleken Katja , Wiedemann Imke , Pfarr Kenneth , Hoerauf Achim , Sahl Hans Georg
Published: July 2009

Cell division and cell wall biosynthesis in prokaryotes are driven by partially overlapping multiprotein machineries whose activities are tightly controlled and co‐ordinated. So far, a number of protein components have been identified and acknowledged as essential for both fundamental cellular processes. Genes for enzymes of both machineries have been found in the genomes of the cell wall‐less genera Chlamydia and Wolbachia, raising questions as to the functionality of the lipid II biosynthesis pathway and reasons for its conservation. We provide evidence on three levels that the lipid II biosynthesis pathway is indeed functional and essential in both genera: (i) fosfomycin, an inhibitor of MurA, catalysing the initial reaction in lipid II biosynthesis, has a detrimental effect on growth of Wolbachia cells; (ii) isolated cytoplasmic membranes from Wolbachia synthesize lipid II ex vivo; and (iii) recombinant MraY and MurG from Chlamydia and Wolbachia exhibit in vitro activity, synthesizing lipid I and lipid II respectively. We discuss the hypothesis that the necessity for maintaining lipid II biosynthesis in cell wall‐lacking bacteria reflects an essential role of the precursor in prokaryotic cell division. Our results also indicate that the lipid II pathway may be exploited as an antibacterial target for chlamydial and filarial infections.
Do smaller adults wait longer for liver transplantation? A comparison of the UK and the USA data
Authors: Young Alastair L. , Peters Christopher J. , Pocock Philip V. , Millson Charlie E. , Prasad K. Rajendra
Published: July 2009

Young AL, Peters CJ, Pocock PV, Millson CE, Prasad KR. Do smaller adults wait longer for liver transplantation? A comparison of the UK and the USA data. Clin Transplant 2009 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399‐0012.2009.01037.x © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Abstract: Background:  The number of patients on the UK and the USA liver transplant list is increasing. As size match is an important factor in the UK organ allocation, we studied the effect of recipient size on liver transplantation in the UK and the USA.

Methods:  The UK Transplant and United Network for Organ Sharing databases were used to assess difference in access to transplantation between smaller adult patients and their larger counterparts over three time periods. Subsequently, proportions of split, NHBD and living‐donor transplants were analyzed.

Results:  There were 1576 UK and 29 150 USA patients in our analysis. The UK small patients have been significantly disadvantaged in access to transplantation particularly in early years and in adult only transplant units. This contrasts to the USA where smaller patients have never been disadvantaged and transplantation rates are steadily increasing. Split‐liver transplants are being carried out in increasing numbers in the UK but not the USA.

Conclusions:  Small adults are still less likely to be transplanted at six months in adult only units in the UK. The lack of size matched organs for smaller adults and the overall decrease in rates of transplantation in the UK may be remedied by careful consideration of allocation policy and increased use of innovative techniques.
Impulsive choice in hippocampal but not orbitofrontal cortex‐lesioned rats on a nonspatial decision‐making maze task
Authors: Mariano T. Y. , Bannerman D. M. , McHugh S. B. , Preston T. J. , Rudebeck P. H. , Rudebeck S. R. , Rawlins J. N. P. , Walton M. E. , Rushworth M. F. S. , Baxter M. G. , Campbell T. G.
Published: July 2009

Orbitofrontal cortical (OFC) and hippocampal (HPC) lesions in primates and rodents have been associated with impulsive behaviour. We showed previously that OFC‐ or HPC‐lesioned rats chose the immediate low‐reward (LR) option in preference to the delayed high‐reward (HR) option, where LR and HR were associated with different spatial responses in a uniform grey T‐maze. We now report that on a novel nonspatial T‐maze task in which the HR and LR options are associated with patterned goal arms (black‐and‐white stripes vs. gray), OFC‐lesioned rats did not show impulsive behaviour, choosing the delayed HR option, and were indistinguishable from controls. In contrast, HPC‐lesioned rats exhibited impulsive choice in the nonspatial decision‐making task, although they chose the HR option on the majority of trials when there was a 10‐s delay associated with both goal arms. The previously reported impairment in OFC‐lesioned rats on the spatial version of the intertemporal choice task is unlikely to reflect a general problem with spatial learning, because OFC lesions were without effect on acquisition of the standard reference memory water‐maze task and spatial working memory performance (nonmatching‐to‐place) on the T‐maze. The differential effect of OFC lesions on the two versions of the intertemporal choice task may be explained instead in terms of the putative role of OFC in using associative information to represent expected outcomes and generate predictions. The impulsivity in HPC‐lesioned rats may reflect impaired temporal information processing, and emphasizes a role for the hippocampus beyond the spatial domain.
Altered volume and hemispheric asymmetry of the superficial cortical layers in the schizophrenia planum temporale
Authors: Smiley John F. , Rosoklija Gorazd , Mancevski Branislav , Mann J. John , Dwork Andrew J. , Javitt Daniel C.
Published: July 2009

In vivo structural MRI studies in schizophrenia auditory cerebral cortex have reported smaller volumes and, less consistently, have reported altered hemispheric asymmetry of volumes. We used autopsy brains from 19 schizophrenia and 18 nonpsychiatric male subjects to measure the volume asymmetry of the planum temporal (PT). We then used the most recently autopsied 11 schizophrenia and 10 nonpsychiatric brains to measure the widths and fractional volumes of the upper (I–III) and lower (IV–VI) layers. Measurements of whole PT gray matter volumes did not show significant changes in schizophrenia. Nevertheless, laminar volume measurements revealed that the upper layers of the PT comprise a smaller fraction of the total cortex in schizophrenia than in nonpsychiatric brains. Subdivision of the PT showed that this change was especially prominent caudally, beyond Heschl’s gyrus, whereas similar but less pronounced changes were found in the rostral PT and Heschl’s gyrus. Complementary measures of laminar widths showed that the altered fractional volume in the caudal left PT was due mainly to ∼8% thinner upper layers. However, the caudal right PT had a different profile, with thicker lower layers and comparatively unchanged upper layers. Thus, in the present study, laminar measurements provided a more sensitive method for detecting changes than measurement of whole PT volumes. Besides findings in schizophrenia, our cortical width measurements revealed normal hemispheric asymmetries consistent with previous reports. In schizophrenia, the thinner upper layers of the caudal PT suggest disrupted corticocortical processing, possibly affecting the multisensory integration and phonetic processing of this region.
The impact of child and adolescent obesity treatment interventions on physical activity: a systematic review
Authors: Cliff D. P. , Okely A. D. , Morgan P. J. , Jones R. A. , Steele J. R.
Published: July 2009

Efforts to treat obesity in childhood and adolescence would benefit from a greater understanding of evidence‐based strategies to modify physical activity behaviour. A systematic review was conducted to examine the impact of child and adolescent obesity treatment interventions on physical activity. Studies included were randomized controlled trials or controlled trials, with overweight and obese youth (aged < 18 years), which reported statistical analysis of free‐living physical activity at pretreatment and post‐treatment. Two independent reviewers assessed each study for methodological quality. Seventeen child and three adolescent studies were retrieved, half of which were conducted in the USA. Studies were characterized by small samples of limited cultural and economic diversity. Fifteen studies reported an increase in at least one physical activity outcome at post‐test or follow‐up. Overall, study quality was rated as low (child median score = 3/10, range = 0–9; adolescent median score = 3/10, range = 2–5) with three child studies classified as high quality (≥6/10). Research evaluating the effect of child and adolescent obesity treatment trials on physical activity is limited in both quantity and quality. Studies testing innovative, theoretically driven treatment approaches that use robust methodologies are required to better understand generalizable approaches for promoting physical activity participation among obese youth.
Employee Representation and Consultative Voice in Multinational Companies Operating in Britain
Authors: Marginson Paul , Edwards Paul , Edwards Tony , Ferner Anthony , Tregaskis Olga
Published: July 2009

Multinational companies (MNCs) from different countries of origin are widely held to have distinct preferences regarding the presence of employee representative structures and the form that employee ‘voice’ over management decisions takes. Such preferences are said to derive from the national models that prevail in the different countries of origin in which MNCs are based. Findings from a large‐scale survey of the UK operations of MNCs indicate that country‐of‐origin influences on patterns of employee representation and emphasis on direct or indirect channels of employee ‘voice’ are attenuated by other factors, notably sector and method of growth. They also reveal significant recent innovation in representation and voice arrangements by this key group of employers.
Acting the Princely Style: Ethos and Pathos in Cicero's on the Ideal Orator and Machiavelli's the Prince
Authors: Kapust Daniel J.
Published: July 2009

This article explores the relationship between the prince and his subjects in Machiavelli's The Prince. Drawing on Cicero's On the Ideal Orator, I develop a reading of the prince as acting out a persuasive ethos while appealing to the pathos of his audience. Rather than viewing this relationship as one of sheer manipulation and deception, however, I suggest that the beliefs and experiences of his subjects constrain the prince, preventing him from engaging in utter dissimulation. However, whereas Cicero's orator projects good character and cultivates goodwill, Machiavelli's prince need not cultivate good character, and rather than seek his audience's love, he need only avoid their hatred.
Deliberative Democracy, the Public Interest and the Consociational Model
Authors: O'Flynn Ian
Published: July 2009

One of the most basic charges levelled at the consociational model is that, although it may provide for conflict management, it fails to provide for the longer-term goal of conflict resolution. This article seeks to respond to this charge by viewing the consociational model through a deliberative democratic lens. In particular, I argue that deliberative democracy provides normative standards that can inform the design of consociational institutions in ways that encourage political leaders to focus on the interests of everyone in society, rather than merely on the interests of their own ethnic group. In so far as consociational institutions, deliberatively conceived, can have this effect, there is in principle no reason why they might not also provide for conflict resolution.
Right or Wrong?
Authors: Van Berkum Jos J.A. , Holleman Bregje , Nieuwland Mante , Otten Marte , Murre Jaap
Published: July 2009

How does the brain respond to statements that clash with a person's value system? We recorded event-related brain potentials while respondents from contrasting political-ethical backgrounds completed an attitude survey on drugs, medical ethics, social conduct, and other issues. Our results show that value-based disagreement is unlocked by language extremely rapidly, within 200 to 250 ms after the first word that indicates a clash with the reader's value system (e.g., “I think euthanasia is an acceptable/unacceptable…”). Furthermore, strong disagreement rapidly influences the ongoing analysis of meaning, which indicates that even very early processes in language comprehension are sensitive to a person's value system. Our results testify to rapid reciprocal links between neural systems for language and for valuation.
The Relationship Between Language and the Environment
Authors: Baddeley Roland , Attewell David
Published: July 2009

The surface reflectance of objects is highly variable, ranging between 4% for, say, charcoal and 90% for fresh snow. When stimuli are presented simultaneously, people can discriminate hundreds of levels of visual intensity. Despite this, human languages possess a maximum of just three basic terms for describing lightness. In English, these are white (or light), black (or dark), and gray. Why should this be? Using information theory, combined with estimates of the distribution of reflectances in the natural world and the reliability of lightness recall over time, we show that three lightness terms is the optimal number for describing surface reflectance properties in a modern urban or indoor environment. We also show that only two lightness terms would be required in a forest or rural environment.
The feeling of tiredness among Swedish parents: a longitudinal cohort comparison
Authors: Nilsson Karina
Published: July 2009

Nilsson K. The feeling of tiredness among Swedish parents: a longitudinal cohort comparison

Int J Soc Welfare 2010: 19: 424–432 © 2009 The Author, Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.

In Europe, there is an ongoing debate on how to combine work and family life, a problem many women face today. Implicit in this debate is that women are more affected by having children compared with women in earlier generations. This article presents a cohort study on how Swedish women and men's reported feelings of tiredness is affected by having children. Longitudinal results representing three cohorts show that both men and women in general report more feelings of tiredness in the early 2000s compared with the 1980s. Being a first‐time mother or father is connected with more feelings of tiredness among the latest cohort studied. However, when control variables are included, the effect of becoming a first‐time parent weakens, especially for men. Finally, the effect of becoming a first‐time mother is no longer significant when controlling for age.
A comparative study of the relationship between pension plans and individual savings in Asian countries from an institutional point of view
Authors: Hur Mann Hyung
Published: July 2009

Hur MH. A comparative study of the relationship between pension plans and individual savings in Asian countries from an institutional point of view

Int J Soc Welfare 2010: 19: 379–389 © 2009 The Author, Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.

This study identifies various saving plans used as alternative pension plans in Asian countries and examines the extent to which these saving plans contribute to their pension schemes. Data were collected from six Asian countries: China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan. The comparison concentrates on an examination of differences and similarities in individual countries' privately managed pension schemes and saving plans. This study suggests that a pension system does not have to be a privately managed plan to encourage individual savings. A critical point for individual savings was avoiding a defined benefit plan. On the basis of these findings, a typology of relationships between second and third pillars and provident funds and incentive systems for individual savings was developed.
Metabolic acidosis at birth and suboptimal care – illustration of the gap between knowledge and clinical practice
Authors: Jonsson M , Nordén‐Lindeberg S , Östlund I , Hanson U
Published: July 2009

Objective  To evaluate the occurrence and nature of suboptimal intrapartum care in cases with metabolic acidosis in the newborn, and to estimate the degree to which this may be prevented.

Design  Case–control study. Clinical audit.

Setting  Delivery units at two university hospitals in Sweden.

Population  Out of 28 486 deliveries, 161 neonates ≥34 weeks of gestational age were born with metabolic acidosis.

Methods  Cases (n = 161): umbilical artery pH < 7.05 and base deficit ≥12 mmol/l. Controls (n = 322): pH ≥ 7.05 and Apgar score ≥7 at 5 minutes. Obstetric characteristics and oxytocin administration were recorded. The last 2 hours of electronic fetal monitoring before delivery were evaluated blinded to outcome. Intrapartum management was analysed for suboptimal care by using predefined criteria.

Main outcome measure  Suboptimal intrapartum care.

Results  Case and control comparisons displayed an occurrence of suboptimal care in 49.1% versus 13.0% (P < 0.001), oxytocin misuse in 46.6% versus 13.0% (P < 0.001), a failure to respond to a pathological cardiotocographic pattern in 19.9% versus 1.2% (P < 0.001) and suboptimal care related to vacuum deliveries in 3.1% versus 0.3% (P < 0.01) respectively.

Conclusion  Metabolic acidosis at birth is often associated with suboptimal intrapartum care. The high rate of suboptimal care with regard to oxytocin use and fetal surveillance illustrate a gap between guidelines and clinical practice. Metabolic acidosis and related neonatal morbidity could potentially be prevented in 40–50% of cases. The adherence to guidelines must be checked.
The mainstream primary classroom as a language‐learning environment for children with severe and persistent language impairment – implications of recent language intervention research
Authors: McCartney Elspeth , Ellis Sue , Boyle James
Published: July 2009

Many UK children with severe and persistent language impairment (SLI) attend local mainstream schools. Although this should provide an excellent language‐learning environment, opportunities may be limited by difficulties in sustaining time‐consuming, child‐specific learning activities; restricted co‐professional working, and the complex classroom environment.

Two language intervention studies in mainstream Scottish primary schools showed children with SLI receiving intervention from speech and language therapists (SLTs) or their assistants made more progress in expressive language than similar children receiving intervention from education staff. Potential reasons for this difference are sought in the amount of tailored language‐learning activity undertaken; how actively school staff initiated contact with SLTs; and the language demands of the classroom. Tailored language learning appears to be a differentiating factor.

A language support model, reflecting views of teachers and SLTs about encouraging language development for children with SLI within the ecology of the mainstream primary classroom, is also outlined.
Understanding disability with children's social capital
Authors: Allan Julie , Smyth Geri , I’Anson John , Mott Jane
Published: July 2009

This paper reports on a specific event which attempted to facilitate discussions with children and young people about diversity issues, including disability. The concept of social capital was operationalised and used as both a resource to stimulate discussions and as an explicit goal. The paper first reports on the processes involved and the topics identified for discussion by the children and young people and then considers their engagement with disability. Their insights on knowing disability, relationships, and provision and support illustrate a shift from an essentialising of impairment to an articulation of barriers which excluded disabled people and the lessons which teachers might take from these are discussed.
Redesigning children's services: mapping interprofessional social capital
Authors: Forbes Joan
Published: July 2009

This paper presents an analysis of the policy themes of service integration, social justice and social inclusion which underpin the integrated community schools policy initiative in Scotland. That initiative is identified as an important vehicle for the Scottish Executive Government's aim of integrating children's services with the overarching goal of creating greater inclusion and social justice. The main argument in the paper is that it is at the level of the school ‘hub’ that integrated work amongst practitioners and across children's public services needs to be effective if the policy aims of social justice and inclusion are to be achieved. The concept of social capital is applied to the issue of how practitioners from other agencies, now charged to work in schools, construct new professional ties and networks. The conclusion suggests that a mapping of types and levels of social capital offers a fruitful conceptual framework to examine changing interprofessional ties.
Conversion of sagebrush shrublands to exotic annual grasslands negatively impacts small mammal communities
Authors: Ostoja Steven M. , Schupp Eugene W.
Published: July 2009

Aim  The exotic annual cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is fast replacing sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) communities throughout the Great Basin Desert and nearby regions in the Western United States, impacting native plant communities and altering fire regimes, which contributes to the long‐term persistence of this weedy species. The effect of this conversion on native faunal communities remains largely unexamined. We assess the impact of conversion from native perennial to exotic annual plant communities on desert rodent communities.

Location  Wyoming big sagebrush shrublands and nearby sites previously converted to cheatgrass‐dominated annual grasslands in the Great Basin Desert, Utah, USA.

Methods  At two sites in Tooele County, Utah, USA, we investigated with Sherman live trapping whether intact sagebrush vegetation and nearby converted Bromus tectorum‐dominated vegetation differed in rodent abundance, diversity and community composition.

Results  Rodent abundance and species richness were considerably greater in sagebrush plots than in cheatgrass‐dominated plots. Nine species were captured in sagebrush plots; five of these were also trapped in cheatgrass plots, all at lower abundances than in the sagebrush. In contrast, cheatgrass‐dominated plots had no species that were not found in sagebrush. In addition, the site that had been converted to cheatgrass longer had lower abundances of rodents than the site more recently converted to cheatgrass‐dominated plots. Despite large differences in abundances and species richness, Simpson’s D diversity and Shannon‐Wiener diversity and Brillouin evenness indices did not differ between sagebrush and cheatgrass‐dominated plots.

Main conclusions  This survey of rodent communities in native sagebrush and in converted cheatgrass‐dominated vegetation suggests that the abundances and community composition of rodents may be shifting, potentially at the larger spatial scale of the entire Great Basin, where cheatgrass continues to invade and dominate more landscape at a rapid rate.
Biotic and abiotic controls on iron oxyhydroxide formation in the gill chamber of the hydrothermal vent shrimp Rimicaris exoculata
Authors: SCHMIDT C. , CORBARI L. , GAILL F. , LE BRIS N.
Published: July 2009

A unique feature of the shrimp, Rimicaris exoculata, from the Rainbow hydrothermal vent field is the abundance of iron oxyhydroxides in its branchial chamber. These minerals accumulate throughout the molting cycle and are intimately associated with the shrimps’ epibiotic microflora. In this study, an enhancement of the iron oxidation rate through shrimp swarms in the vicinity of vents is highlighted. This process is sustained by the high molting frequency of the shrimp, and potentially has large biogeochemical and ecological consequences for the associated hydrothermal ecosystem. The calculated rate for abiotic (homogeneous and heterogeneous) iron oxidation suggests that autocatalytic oxidation is the predominant reaction pathway leading to the accumulation of iron oxyhydroxides throughout the molting cycle. The occurrence of iron‐oxidizing bacteria is not excluded, but their growth is most probably restricted to the first molting stage when competition with the abiotic iron oxidation is low. The influence of epibiont activity on local oxygen conditions and on the surface properties of the formed mineral, combined with the position of the shrimp in the hydrothermal mixing gradient, is expected to drive the relative contribution of abiogenic and biogenic iron oxidation.