bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcome of malleo-stapedotomy using the malleus relocation technique during revision stapes surgery
Authors: Ghonim M R , Shabana Y K , Elkotb M Y
Published: November 2010

Objective:

This study aimed to use a new otological technique, malleus relocation, to solve the problems of ossicular reconstruction undertaken during revision stapes surgery for incus necrosis.

Study design:

Prospective study of 12 patients undergoing revision stapedectomy for incus necrosis, in the otolaryngology department of Mansoura University, Egypt.

Patients and methods:

Twelve patients underwent ossiculoplasty between June 2004 and June 2007, as part of revision surgery for otosclerosis with incus necrosis. All patients underwent ossiculoplasty using the malleus relocation technique. Ossiculoplasty used the patient's own, necrosed incus between the relocated malleus and the footplate.

Results:

Post-operative air–bone gap closure to within 10 dB was achieved in seven patients (58.3 per cent). An air–bone gap of less than 20 dB was obtained in 10 patients (83.3 per cent). Deterioration of bone conduction by 10 dB occurred in one case. No patients were left with a ‘dead ear’. Patients’ hearing was stable throughout the follow-up period (range six to 40 months; mean ± standard deviation 23.5 ± 12.8 months).

Conclusion:

These findings indicate that malleus relocation, performed during revision stapes surgery, is a safe and efficient technique for the treatment of incus necrosis.
Histological effects of intratympanic gentamicin on the vestibular organ of guinea pigs
Authors: Demarco R C , Rossato M , de Oliveira J A A , Hyppolito M A
Published: November 2010

Background:

Transtympanic administration of gentamicin may be suitable to achieve unilateral vestibular ablation, in order to control unilateral Ménière's disease. In low doses, gentamicin appears to affect selectively the vestibular system, with relative sparing of the cochlea. An experimental study on guinea pigs was conducted to determine what single dose of gentamicin would produce a unilateral vestibular organ lesion when applied to the middle ear.

Study design:

Experimental and prospective.

Methods:

Four groups of guinea pigs received different gentamicin doses (1, 5, 10 and 25 mg) administered to the middle ear. The animals' vestibular organs were then assessed by scanning electron microscopy, in order to quantify the level of vestibular damage.

Results:

Study of the utricular macula and the ampullar crista of the lateral semicircular canal revealed vestibular neuroepithelial lesions in all infused ears.

Conclusions:

The severity of the vestibular neuroepithelial lesions was dose-dependent. Lower gentamicin doses were observed to damage vestibular structures more than cochlear structures.
Space-charge waves in a relativistic electron beam with ion-channel guiding
Authors: MIRZANEJHAD SAEED , MARAGHECHI BEHROUZ , SOHBATZADEH FARSHAD , KAMEL-JAHROMI IMAN
Published: November 2010

Space-charge waves in a relativistic electron beam that completely fills a cylindrical metallic waveguide and is guided by an ion channel are analyzed numerically. Equilibrium consists of a uniform and rigid rotation without betatron oscillations. Using cold fluid equations a differential equation and boundary conditions are derived that constitute an eigenvalue problem. This eigenvalue problem is solved, numerically, with the finite difference scheme using shooting method. Dispersion characteristics and electrostatic potential structures of azimuthally symmetric and nonsymmetric space-charge waves are studied. Perfect agreement with analytical results at asymptotic limit of zero axial velocity is found. It was found that relativistic effects modify the dispersion characteristics of the space-charge waves considerably and can concentrate the electric field energy of the wave into a thin and small shell around the axis.
THE AGE OF PROTHERO: BRITISH HISTORIOGRAPHY IN THE LONG FIN DE SIÈCLE, 1870–1920
Authors: Bentley Michael
Published: November 2010

This paper revisits two generations of highly talented and significant historians who flourished in Britain between c. 1870 and 1920. George Prothero stood high among them and he, with his brother Roland, receives a good deal of attention at the centre of the argument here. But others stood still higher: Tout, Firth, Poole, Acton, the incomparable Maitland; and the purpose of the piece is to present a portrait of the British historical profession as a whole during a crucial period of its formation by using the Protheros’ experience as a platform from which to depart. The journey inevitably begins with that Prothero experience seen as a microcosm of greater tendencies; but it soon winds away toward Germany and Scotland and France; we pause to admire fresh perspectives yielded in what had become an age of edition and what would become an age of economic and social history. Of course the track leads also to Sarajevo and the implications of European war for a fledgling profession. All this itinerary lends an opportunity, therefore, to think through some of the themes and characteristics which made this period of development distinctive; but it also warns and guards against reducing these years to a time of ‘transition’, remarkable only for what would follow it. The personalities and achievements discussed here deserve better of us and recommend that we devote more energy to considering the features of the age of Prothero, for their own sake and in their own terms.
The Soul's Conquest of Evil
Authors: Bartley W. W.
Published: November 2010

In his autobiography, Mr Leonard Woolf very forcibly protests Lord Keynes's familiar account of the kind of influence G. E. Moore had exerted over those who were later to become members of the Bloomsbury Group. You will remember that Keynes, writing in 1938 about his early beliefs as an undergraduate at Cambridge, maintained of himself and his companions: ‘We accepted Moore's religion … and discarded his morals … meaning by “religion” one's attitude towards oneself and the ultimate and by “morals” one's attitude towards the outside world and the intermediate.
Guilt, Ethics and Religion
Authors: Ricoeur Paul
Published: November 2010

At the outset, I would like to thank the Royal Institute of Philosophy for inviting me to add my contribution to the general theme of the present session. Mr Vesey suggested that I speak on the notion of guilt from the twofold perspective of Ethics and of the Philosophy of Religion. I was very happy to accept his proposal, for it gave me the opportunity to gather together my own reflections on this difficult topic, which up to now have been somewhat scattered. My principal task will be to determine the distinction between ethical discourse and religious discourse on the question of guilt. These will be the two main divisions of my analysis.
Hell
Authors: Ramsey Ian
Published: November 2010

In this paper I would like to consider Hell as a concept around which there cluster various different difficulties, and to see how and on what conditions some of these difficulties could be overcome, the whole paper illustrating, albeit by reference to a particular topic, and so with obvious restrictions, the character of theological argument, the nature of theological assertions, and the kind of empirical grounding that must be given to them.
The Translation Theory of Understanding
Authors: Parkinson G. H. R.
Published: November 2010

The theme of this paper is a philosophical theory of communication; more specifically, a theory about the understanding of language. It is an old theory, whose classical exponent was John Locke, and in the form that Locke expounded it the theory is now generally rejected by philosophers. But it is far from being a mere museum piece. The view about language that Locke put forward was a plausible one, and it has continued to be put forward in various forms. My main concern here is with a very recent version of the theory, contained in a book published early in 1975; however, it will be helpful to begin with a brief account of Locke's version. This is not only classical, but is also simple and clear, and as such it may serve as a useful stepping-stone towards an understanding of the more modern version.
The Simulation of Verbal Communication Activities
Authors: Sparkes J. J.
Published: November 2010

One lesson the Open University teaches its academic staff is to be wary of misjudging the level and character of the conceptual development of others. This lesson, coupled with previous encounters I have had with philosophers and psychologists, has taught me with great clarity that I, an electronic engineer-cumphysicist with, I must admit, philosophical leanings, am likely to make errors about your preconceptions, your use of words and the meanings you attach to them, particularly such words as memory, concept, recognition etc. There are many strategies I could adopt to meet this difficulty, but I will tell you only of the one I have chosen. It is simply this.
The Problem of Language Variety: an example from religious language
Authors: Crystal David
Published: November 2010

One of the most significant trends within linguistics in the 1970s has been the move away from the formalised models of language introduced by Chomsky towards an account of language that incorporates functional premises. As Charles Fillmore put it, in a 1972 paper, the emphasis on formalisation needs to be balanced by a consideration of what exactly it is that linguists want to formalise. Putting this another way, a contrast can be drawn between the stress laid in the 1960s on the specification in formal terms of the common factors that underlie utterances (on the similarities – deep or surface – between the sentences of a language, and on the similarities – the formal and substantive universals – between different languages) and the stress laid in the 1970s on the specification in functional terms of the differences between language forms, as captured by such notions as dialect, style, level, etc.
On Not Knowing Too Much About God
Authors: Armstrong A. H.
Published: November 2010

Christianity stands out among the three great Abrahamic religions in its willingness to make extremely precise dogmatic statements about God. The Christians who make these statements have generally regarded them as universally and absolutely true, since they are divinely revealed, or divinely guaranteed interpretations of revealed texts. Of course from the beginning there has not been universal agreement (to put it mildly) among Christians about what statements should be so regarded and how they should be worded: and the seriousness with which this need for dogmatic precision has been taken is shown by the way in which the inevitable disputes did not only involve theologians but the general body of Christians, and have led to divisions of churches, long continuing and flourishing mutual hatreds, and an overwhelming amount of theoretical and, where opportunity offered (i.e. where a Church party could get a secular power on its side), practical intolerance. Two areas of Church history which seem to me to provide particularly clear evidence of the incompatible verbal precisions demanded in dogmatic statements and the serious consequences of these demands are the Christological controversies of the fifth and sixth centuries and the Filioque dispute between East and West (though there is plenty of choice, and others may have other preferences). In both of these, theologians with a real and deep sense of the mystery of God often seem to an outside observer, in spite of their passionate assertions that this is not at all what they are doing and the rhetorical reverence of their language, to be arguing as if the God-Man or the Trinity were small finite objects which they had pinned down firmly in their theological laboratories and were examining under the microscope.
Self-consistent simulation of multi-walled CNT nanotransistors
Authors: Mencarelli Davide , Pierantoni Luca , Donato Andrea D. , Rozzi Tullio
Published: November 2010

We present detailed results of the self-consistent analysis of carbon nanotube (CNT) field-effect transistors (FET), previously extended by us to the case of multi-walled/multi-band coherent carrier transport. The contribution to charge transport, due to different walls and sub-bands of a multi-walled CNT, is shown to be generally non-negligible. In order to prove the effectiveness of our simulation tool, we provide interesting examples about current–voltage characteristics of four-walled semi-conducting nanotubes, including details of numerical convergence and contribution of sub-bands to the calculation.
Constraining MODIS snow albedo at large solar zenith angles: Implications for the surface energy budget in Greenland
Authors: Wang Xianwei , Zender Charles S.
Published: November 2010

An understanding of the surface albedo of high latitudes is crucial for climate change studies. MODIS albedo retrievals flagged as high‐quality compare well with in situ Greenland Climate Network (GC‐Net) measurements but cover too small an area to fully characterize Greenland's albedo in nonsummer months. In contrast, poor quality MODIS retrievals provide adequate spatiotemporal coverage, but are not recommended for use at large solar zenith angles (SZAs) where they have a systematic low bias. We introduce an empirical adjustment to the poor quality data based on high‐quality reference albedos and constrained by GC‐Net data and theory, and use the adjusted data to improve estimates and fill in gaps of the year‐round, Greenland‐wide, albedo and surface energy budget. For observations made with SZAs between 55° and 75°, the mean differences (MODIS minus GC‐Net) between our adjusted MODIS albedo and GC‐Net measurements are −0.02 and −0.03 at Saddle and Summit, respectively, compared to −0.05 and −0.08 between the unadjusted MODIS albedo and GC‐Net measurements. The adjusted MODIS snow albedos are usually between 0.75 and 0.87 over dry snow when SZA is larger than 55°, and they reduce unrealistic seasonal and meridional trends associated with MODIS retrievals at large SZA, defined as SZA > 55° and 70°, respectively, for low‐ and high‐quality retrievals. The impact of the adjusted albedo on the surface energy budget, relative to the unadjusted albedo from all MODIS data, is smallest (−0.7 ± 0.1W/m2) in June, and largest (−6.2 ± 0.9 W/m2) in September for the black‐sky albedo (BSA). The mean annual absorbed solar radiation (ASR) reduction by the adjusted MODIS albedo in Greenland from 2003 to 2005 is 3.1 ± 0.2 and 4.3 ± 0.2 W/m2 for BSA and white‐sky albedo (WSA), respectively, about 8.0 ± 0.5% and 10.8 ± 0.4% of ASR based on the raw BSA and WSA. The ASR reduction by the adjusted blue‐sky (actual) albedo is between 2.9 and 4.5 W/m2, enough to annually melt 27.1 to 41.7 cm snow water equivalent (SWE), or to sublimate 3.2 to 4.9 cm SWE. The ASR difference between the adjusted MODIS BSA and CERES albedo in March from 2003 to 2005 is only −0.1 ± 0.9 W/m2, much less than the difference (4.9 ± 1.4 W/m2) between the unadjusted MODIS BSA and CERES. The albedo adjustments exceed the likely direct anthropogenic radiative forcing experienced by Greenland due to greenhouse gases or aerosols. The proposed adjustment preserves most of the zonal and meridional structure of raw MODIS albedo, and extends its usefulness as a cryospheric climate record in times and regions of Greenland with large SZA.
Hydro‐biogeochemical coupling beneath a large polythermal Arctic glacier: Implications for subice sheet biogeochemistry
Authors: Wadham J. L. , Tranter M. , Hodson A. J. , Hodgkins R. , Bottrell S. , Cooper R. , Raiswell R.
Published: November 2010

We analyze the interannual chemical and isotopic composition of runoff from a large, high Arctic valley glacier over a 5 year period, during which drainage evolved from a long‐residence‐time drainage system feeding an artesian subglacial upwelling (SGU) at the glacier terminus to a shorter‐residence‐time drainage system feeding an ice‐marginal channel (IMC). Increased icemelt inputs to the SGU are thought to have triggered this evolution. This sequence of events provides a unique opportunity to identify coupling between subglacial hydrology and biogeochemical processes within drainage systems of differing residence time. The biogeochemistry of the SGU is consistent with prolonged contact between meltwaters and subglacial sediments, in which silicate dissolution is enhanced, anoxic processes (e.g., sulphate reduction) prevail, and microbially generated CO2 and sulphide oxidation drive mineral dissolution. Solute in the IMC was mainly derived from moraine pore waters which are added to the channel via extraglacial streams. These pore waters acquire solute predominantly via sulphide oxidation coupled to carbonate/silicate dissolution. We present the first evidence that microbially mediated processes may contribute a substantial proportion (80% in this case) of the total glacial solute flux, which includes coupling between microbial CO2‐generation and silicate/carbonate dissolution. The latter suggests the presence of biofilms in subglacial/ice‐marginal sediments, where local perturbation of the geochemical environment by release of protons, organic acids, and ligands stimulates mineral dissolution. These data enable inferences to be made regarding biogeochemical processes in longer‐residence‐time glacial systems, with implications for the future exploration of Antarctic subglacial lakes and other wet‐based ice sheet environments.
Evidence for changes in stratospheric transport and mixing over the past three decades based on multiple data sets and tropical leaky pipe analysis
Authors: Ray Eric A. , Moore Fred L. , Rosenlof Karen H. , Davis Sean M. , Boenisch Harald , Morgenstern Olaf , Smale Dan , Rozanov Eugene , Hegglin Michaela , Pitari Gianni , Mancini Eva , Braesicke Peter , Butchart Neal , Hardiman Steven , Li Feng , Shibata Kiyotaka , Plummer David A.
Published: November 2010

Variability in the strength of the stratospheric Lagrangian mean meridional or Brewer‐Dobson circulation and horizontal mixing into the tropics over the past three decades are examined using observations of stratospheric mean age of air and ozone. We use a simple representation of the stratosphere, the tropical leaky pipe (TLP) model, guided by mean meridional circulation and horizontal mixing changes in several reanalyses data sets and chemistry climate model (CCM) simulations, to help elucidate reasons for the observed changes in stratospheric mean age and ozone. We find that the TLP model is able to accurately simulate multiyear variability in ozone following recent major volcanic eruptions and the early 2000s sea surface temperature changes, as well as the lasting impact on mean age of relatively short‐term circulation perturbations. We also find that the best quantitative agreement with the observed mean age and ozone trends over the past three decades is found assuming a small strengthening of the mean circulation in the lower stratosphere, a moderate weakening of the mean circulation in the middle and upper stratosphere, and a moderate increase in the horizontal mixing into the tropics. The mean age trends are strongly sensitive to trends in the horizontal mixing into the tropics, and the uncertainty in the mixing trends causes uncertainty in the mean circulation trends. Comparisons of the mean circulation and mixing changes suggested by the measurements with those from a recent suite of CCM runs reveal significant differences that may have important implications on the accurate simulation of future stratospheric climate.
A microwave land data assimilation system: Scheme and preliminary evaluation over China
Authors: Tian Xiangjun , Xie Zhenghui , Dai Aiguo , Jia Binghao , Shi Chunxiang
Published: November 2010

To make use of satellite microwave observations for estimating soil moisture, a dual‐pass land data assimilation system (DLDAS) is developed in this paper by incorporating a dual‐pass assimilation framework into the Community Land Model version 3 (CLM3). In the DLDAS, the model state (volumetric soil moisture content) and model parameters are jointly optimized using the gridded Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer–EOS (AMSR‐E) satellite brightness temperature (Tb) data through a radiative transfer model (RTM), which acts as an observation operator to provide a link between the model states and the observational variable (i.e., Tb). The DLDAS embeds a state assimilation pass and a parameter calibration pass. In the assimilation pass, the whole soil moisture profiles are assimilated from the Tb data using an ensemble‐based four‐dimensional variational assimilation method (En4DVar). Simultaneously, several key parameters in the RTM are also optimized using the ensemble Proper Orthogonal Decomposition‐based parameter calibration approach (EnPOD_P) in the parameter optimization pass to account for their high variability or uncertainty. To quantify the impacts of the Tb assimilation on CLM3‐calculated soil moisture, the original CLM3 (Sim) and the DLDAS (Ass) were run separately over China on a 0.5° grid forced with identical, observation‐based atmospheric forcing from 2004 to 2008. Soil moisture data from 226 stations over China are averaged over seven different climate divisions and compared with the soil moisture from the Sim and Ass runs. It is found that the assimilation of the AMSR‐E Tb data through the DLDAS greatly improves the soil moisture content within the top 10 cm with reduced mean biases and enhanced correlations with the station data in all divisions except for southwest China, where the current satellite sensors may have difficulties in measuring soil moisture due to the dense vegetation and complex terrain over this region. The results suggest that the AMSR‐E Tb data can be used to improve soil moisture simulations over many regions and the DLDAS is a promising new tool for estimating soil moisture content from satellite Tb data.
Primary and secondary organic aerosols in urban air masses intercepted at a rural site
Authors: Liggio John , Li Shao‐Meng , Vlasenko Alexander , Sjostedt Steve , Chang Rachel , Shantz Nicole , Abbatt Jonathan , Slowik J. G. , Bottenheim J. W. , Brickell P. C. , Stroud C. , Leaitch W. Richard
Published: November 2010

Measurements made at a rural site in central Ontario during May–June 2007 are used to investigate the composition of organic aerosol (OA) downwind of an urban region. Observations of aerosol organic carbon and oxygen containing fragments from a high‐resolution time‐of‐flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR‐ToF‐AMS) are combined with toluene to benzene ratios to estimate the relative importance of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and primary organic aerosol (POA) to the total OA at the site during periods of significant urban influence. We estimate that SOA formed within 1–2 days of the anthropogenic source regions was 40–50% of the measured OA and that POA was 5–16% of the OA. The remaining 35–45% of the OA is assumed to have been present in the aerosol upwind of the source regions prior to entering the study domain as defined by trajectories and estimates of the potential photochemical aging time. The apportionment results were also compared to that of positive matrix factorization analysis. In addition, the measurements of the molar oxygen to carbon ratio (O/C) in the OA demonstrates that SOA becomes progressively more oxygenated with increasing photochemical age and at low total OA mass.
A new RNase sheds light on the RNase/angiogenin subfamily from zebrafish
Authors: Pizzo Elio , Merlino Antonello , Turano Mimmo , Russo Krauss Irene , Coscia Francesca , Zanfardino Anna , Varcamonti Mario , Furia Adriana , Giancola Concetta , Mazzarella Lelio , Sica Filomena , D'Alessio Giuseppe
Published: November 2010

Recently, extracellular RNases of the RNase A superfamily, with the characteristic CKxxNTF sequence signature, have been identified in fish. This has led to the recognition that these RNases are present in the whole vertebrate subphylum. In fact, they comprise the only enzyme family unique to vertebrates. Four RNases from zebrafish (Danio rerio) have been previously reported and have a very low RNase activity; some of these are endowed, like human angiogenin, with powerful angiogenic and bactericidal activities. In the present paper, we report the three-dimensional structure, the thermodynamic behaviour and the biological properties of a novel zebrafish RNase, ZF-RNase-5. The investigation of its structural and functional properties, extended to all other subfamily members, provides an inclusive description of the whole zebrafish RNase subfamily.
The plastid transcription kinase from mustard (Sinapis albaL.)
Authors: Ogrzewalla Karsten , Piotrowski Markus , Reinbothe Steffen , Link Gerhard
Published: November 2010

The plastid transcription kinase (PTK), a component of the major RNA polymerase complex from mustard chloroplasts, has been implicated in redox‐mediated regulation of plastid gene expression. A cloning strategy to define the PTK gene(s) resulted in the isolation of a full‐length cDNA for a protein with overall high homology with the α subunit of cytosolic casein kinase (CK2) that contained an N‐terminal extension for a putative plastid transit peptide. Usingin organellochloroplast import studies, immunodetection and MS, we found that the corresponding protein, termed cpCK2α, is targeted to the chloroplast and is associated with the plastid RNA polymerase PEP‐A. The bacterially overexpressed protein shows CK2 kinase activity and is subject to glutathione inhibition in the same way as authentic chloroplast PTK. Furthermore, it readily phosphorylates components of the plastid transcription apparatusin vitrowith a substrate specificity similar to that of PTK.
Firebrands and spotting ignition in large-scale fires
Authors: Koo Eunmo , Pagni Patrick J. , Weise David R. , Woycheese John P.
Published: November 2010

Spotting ignition by lofted firebrands is a significant mechanism of fire spread, as observed in many large-scale fires. The role of firebrands in fire propagation and the important parameters involved in spot fire development are studied. Historical large-scale fires, including wind-driven urban and wildland conflagrations and post-earthquake fires are given as examples. In addition, research on firebrand behaviour is reviewed. The phenomenon of spotting fires comprises three sequential mechanisms: generation, transport and ignition of recipient fuel. In order to understand these mechanisms, many experiments have been performed, such as measuring drag on firebrands, analysing the flow fields of flame and plume structures, collecting firebrands from burning materials, houses and wildfires, and observing firebrand burning characteristics in wind tunnels under the terminal velocity condition and ignition characteristics of fuel beds. The knowledge obtained from the experiments was used to develop firebrand models. Since Tarifa developed a firebrand model based on the terminal velocity approximation, many firebrand transport models have been developed to predict maximum spot fire distance. Combustion models of a firebrand were developed empirically and the maximum spot fire distance was found at the burnout limit. Recommendations for future research and development are provided.
Using fuzzy C-means and local autocorrelation to cluster satellite-inferred burn severity classes
Authors: Holden Zachary A. , Evans Jeffrey S.
Published: November 2010

Burn severity classifications derived from multitemporal Landsat Thematic Mapper images and the Normalised Burn Ratio (NBR) are commonly used to assess the post-fire ecological effects of wildfires. Ongoing efforts to retrospectively map historical burn severity require defensible, objective methods of classifying continuous differenced Normalised Burn Ratio (dNBR) data where field data are often unavailable. For three fires, we compare three methods of classifying pre- and post-fire Landsat data: (1) dNBR classification using Composite Burn Index (CBI) field data to assign severity classes; (2) fuzzy C-means classification of a dNBR image; (3) local Getis–Ord statistic (Gi*) output applied to a dNBR image, classified using fuzzy C-means clustering. We then use a Kappa statistic to evaluate the agreement of severity classes assigned to a pixel with its corresponding CBI plot. For two of the three fires, the C-means clustering of the dNBR and the Gi* output performed as well or better than dNBR images classified using CBI data, with strong agreement for moderate- and high-severity classes. These results suggest that clustering of dNBR data may be a suitable approach for classifying burn severity data without field data. This method may also be useful as a tool for rapid post-fire assessments (e.g. Burned Area Emergency Response and Burned Area Reflectance Classification maps), where images must often be classified quickly and subjectively. Further analysis using additional field data and across different vegetation types will be necessary to better understand the importance of localised spatial variability in classifying burn severity data or other remote sensing change-detection analyses.
The effect of fire on birds of mulga woodland in arid central Australia
Authors: Leavesley Adam J. , Cary Geoffrey J. , Edwards Glenn P. , Gill A. Malcolm
Published: November 2010

The principal ecosystem driver in arid Australia is unpredictable rainfall, but it is hypothesised that fire also plays an important role in determining the distribution of animals. We investigated the effect of fire on birds in mulga (Acacia aneura) woodland in the central Australian arid zone. The study was conducted at Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park using 63 sites classified into one of three time-since-fire classes: burnt 2002; burnt 1976; and long-unburnt. Birds were sampled in the winter and spring of 2005 and 2006 and vegetation structure was measured at all sites. Vegetation structure varied with time-since-fire. The burnt 2002 treatment was an early seral stage of mulga woodland and effectively a grassland. The burnt 1976 and long-unburnt treatments were both woodland, but the long-unburnt treatment had greater canopy cover and height. The bird community in the burnt 2002 treatment was characterised by granivores, whereas that in the burnt 1976 and long-unburnt treatments was characterised by foliar insectivores. All species showed monotonic responses to time-since-fire (i.e. none were at significantly highest density in the burnt 1976 treatment). Fire in mulga woodland changed the vegetation structure and consequently also changed the composition of the bird communities.
The economic cost of adverse health effects from wildfire-smoke exposure: a review
Authors: Kochi Ikuho , Donovan Geoffrey H. , Champ Patricia A. , Loomis John B.
Published: November 2010

The economic costs of adverse health effects associated with exposure to wildfire smoke should be given serious consideration in determining the optimal wildfire management policy. Unfortunately, the literature in this research area is thin. In an effort to better understand the nature of these economic costs, we review and synthesise the relevant literature in three areas: studies that estimated the health-related economic costs of wildfire-smoke exposure; epidemiology studies related to the health risk of wildfire smoke; and general economic studies that estimated the monetary value of preventing the specific adverse health outcomes. Based on the findings from this literature review, we identify the need for a better understanding of the effect of wildfire smoke on major and minor adverse health outcomes. It would also be useful to know more about averting behaviours among residents exposed to smoke during a wildfire event. Finally, we suggest investigating the unique health effects of wildfire smoke compared with conventional air pollution to determine whether it is appropriate to extrapolate from previously estimated conventional pollution dose–response functions.
Southern African fire regimes as revealed by remote sensing
Authors: Archibald S. , Scholes R. J. , Roy D. P. , Roberts G. , Boschetti L.
Published: November 2010

Here we integrate spatial information on annual burnt area, fire frequency, fire seasonality, fire radiative power and fire size distributions to produce an integrated picture of fire regimes in southern Africa. The regional patterns are related to gradients of environmental and human controls of fire, and compared with findings from other grass-fuelled fire systems on the globe. The fire regime differs across a gradient of human land use intensity, and can be explained by the differential effect of humans on ignition frequencies and fire spread. Contrary to findings in the savannas of Australia, there is no obvious increase in fire size or fire intensity from the early to the late fire season in southern Africa, presumably because patterns of fire ignition are very different. Similarly, the importance of very large fires in driving the total annual area burnt is not obvious in southern Africa. These results point to the substantial effect that human activities can have on fire in a system with high rural population densities and active fire management. Not all aspects of a fire regime are equally impacted by people: fire-return time and fire radiative power show less response to human activities than fire size and annual burned area.
Biophysical analysis of membrane-targeting antimicrobial peptides: membrane properties and the design of peptides specifically targeting Gram-negative bacteria.
Authors: Epand R. M. , Epand R. F.
Published: November 2010

Gram-negative bacteria are more resistant to many antimicrobial agents than Gram-positive bacteria. This is because drugs must pass through an additional barrier of the outer membrane in order to access the cytoplasmic membrane or the interior of the cell. In spite of this fact, the presence of the outer membrane also provides an alternative target for the action of antimicrobial agents. In addition, the cytoplasmic membranes of Gram-negative bacteria are generally more enriched with the phospholipid phosphatidylethanolamine than those of Gram-positive bacteria. In this chapter, we outline novel strategies for using the interaction of antimicrobial agents with components of the membranes of Gramnegative bacteria in order to design agents that have a higher toxicity for these bacteria.
Flexible Al-doped ZnO films grown on PET substrates using linear facing target sputtering for flexible OLEDs
Authors: Jeong Jin-A , Shin Hyun-Su , Choi Kwang-Hyuk , Kim Han-Ki
Published: November 2010

We report the characteristics of flexible Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films prepared by a plasma damage-free linear facing target sputtering (LFTS) system on PET substrates for use as a flexible transparent conducting electrode in flexible organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The electrical, optical and structural properties of LFTS-grown flexible AZO electrodes were investigated as a function of dc power. We obtained a flexible AZO film with a sheet resistance of 39 Ω/□ and an average transmittance of 84.86% in the visible range although it was sputtered at room temperature without activation of the Al dopant. Due to the effective confinement of the high-density plasma between the facing AZO targets, the AZO film was deposited on the PET substrate without plasma damage and substrate heating caused by bombardment of energy particles. Moreover, the flexible OLED fabricated on the AZO/PET substrate showed performance similar to the OLED fabricated on a ITO/PET substrate in spite of a lower work function. This indicates that LFTS is a promising plasma damage-free and low-temperature sputtering technique for deposition of flexible and indium-free AZO electrodes for use in cost-efficient flexible OLEDs.
ZnS nanorods with tripod-like and tetrapod-like legs
Authors: Wu Xiang , Zheng Yufeng , Qu Fengyu
Published: November 2010

Single-crystal ZnS nanorods with tripod-like and tetrapod-like legs were synthesized by a simple thermal evaporation process on the Si substrate. The microstructures and properties of the as-synthesized products were analyzed by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The results show that the as-grown tripod-like nanorods have average diameters of 600 nm and the tetrapod-like nanorods have average diameters of 800 nm. The as-grown ZnS nanorods were perfectly single crystalline. A photoluminescence study shows a 429 nm emission peak from ZnS nanorods due to the self-activated luminescence.
The synthesis of novel hybrid thiol-functionalized nano-structured SBA-15
Authors: Hoang Van Duc , Dang Tuyet Phuong , Dinh Quang Khieu , Nguyen Huu Phu , Vu Anh Tuan
Published: November 2010

Mesoporous thiol-functionalized SBA-15 has been directly synthesized by co-condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) with triblock copolymer P123 as-structure-directing agent under hydrothermal conditions. Surfactant removal was performed by Soxhlet ethanol extraction. These materials have been characterized by powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption/desorption (BET model), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermal analysis, infrared spectroscopy (IR) and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The main parameters, such as the initial molar ratio of MPTMS to TEOS, the time of adding MPTMS to synthesized gel and the Soxhlet ethanol extraction on the thiol functionalized SBA-15 with high thiol content and highly ordered hexagonal mesostructure, were investigated and evaluated. The adsorption capacity of the thiol-functionalized and non-functionalized SBA-15 materials for Pb
2+ ion from aqueous solution was tested. It was found that the Pb
2+ adsorption capacity of the thiol functionalized SBA-15 is three times higher than that of non-functionalized SBA-15.
Mycobacterium conceptionense infection complicating face rejuvenation with fat grafting
Authors: Yang Ho Jik , Yim Hyung Woo , Lee Mi Young , Ko Kwan Soo , Yoon Hee Jung
Published: November 2010

We report a third case of Mycobacterium conceptionense infection, which was found in a 50-year-old female following face rejuvenation surgery with fat grafting. The pathogen was identified using 16S rRNA gene and rpoB gene sequences. The growing diversity of non-tuberculosis mycobacterial species causing human infections emphasizes that early and precise identification is imperative for successful treatment.
Evaluation of a line probe assay for the rapid detection of gyrA mutations associated with fluoroquinolone resistance in multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Ando Hiroki , Mitarai Satoshi , Kondo Yuji , Suetake Toshinori , Kato Seiya , Mori Toru , Kirikae Teruo
Published: November 2010

The aim of this study was to establish the importance of detecting fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance in multidrug resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and to show the usefulness of a hybridization-based line probe assay (LiPA) for detecting gyrA mutations. Thirty-three MDR M. tuberculosis isolates were collected from a total of sixty MDR isolates identified in Japan over 6 months during a national surveillance study in 2002. Seventeen MDR isolates were collected by the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Japan over 6 years from 2003 to 2008. These 50 isolates were examined for FQ susceptibility, and analysed by LiPA and gyrA sequencing. Among them, 22 (44 %) showed FQ resistance. All FQ-resistant isolates had at least one mutation in gyrA. The results of the LiPA were fully consistent with the DNA sequencing results. Given that on the basis of our results almost half of the MDR M. tuberculosis isolates in Japan might have resistance to FQ, it is important to monitor FQ resistance in patients with MDR tuberculosis (TB), as well as with drug-susceptible TB, prior to commencing treatment. For the detection of FQ resistance, LiPA is useful and can rapidly and efficiently assess FQ resistance.
Transcriptional response of Mycoplasma genitalium to osmotic stress
Authors: Zhang Wenbo , Baseman Joel B.
Published: November 2010

Mycoplasma genitalium is the causative agent of non-gonococcal, chlamydia-negative urethritis in men and has been linked to reproductive tract disease syndromes in women. As with other mycoplasmas, M. genitalium lacks many regulatory genes because of its streamlined genome and total dependence on a parasitic existence. Therefore, it is important to understand how gene regulation occurs in M. genitalium, particularly in response to environmental signals likely to be encountered in vivo. In this study, we developed an oligonucleotide-based microarray to investigate transcriptional changes in M. genitalium following osmotic shock. Using a physiologically relevant osmolarity condition (0.3 M sodium chloride), we identified 39 upregulated and 72 downregulated genes. Of the upregulated genes, 21 were of unknown function and 15 encoded membrane-associated proteins. The majority of downregulated genes encoded enzymes involved in energy metabolism and components of the protein translation process. These data provide insights into the in vivo response of M. genitalium to hyperosmolarity conditions and identify candidate genes that may contribute to mycoplasma survival in the urogenital tract.
Differential proteome analysis of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis grown in vitro and isolated from cases of clinical Johne's disease
Authors: Weigoldt Mathias , Meens Jochen , Doll Klaus , Fritsch Isabel , Möbius Petra , Goethe Ralph , Gerlach Gerald. F.
Published: November 2010

Bovine Johne's disease (paratuberculosis), caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, poses a significant economic problem to the beef and dairy industry worldwide. Despite its relevance, however, pathogenesis of Johne's disease is still only partially resolved. Since mycobacterial membrane proteins expressed during infection are likely to play an important role in pathogenesis, membrane-enriched fractions, namely mucosa-derived membranes (MDM) and culture-derived membranes (CDM), of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis from three cows with clinical paratuberculosis were investigated. An initial analysis by 2D difference gel electrophoresis (2D DIGE) and MALDI-TOF-MS analysis revealed four differentially expressed proteins with only one predicted membrane protein. Due to this limited outcome, membrane preparations were subjected to a tube–gel trypsin digestion and investigated by using nanoflow-liquid-chromatography-coupled tandem MS. Based on this approach a total of 212 proteins were detected in MDM including 32 proteins of bovine origin; 275 proteins were detected in CDM; 59 % of MDM and CDM proteins were predicted to be membrane-associated. A total of 130 of the proteins were detected in both MDM and CDM and 48 predicted membrane proteins were detected in MDM from at least two cows. Four of these proteins were not detected in CDM, implying differential expression in the host. All membrane-associated proteins, especially the four identified as being differentially expressed, might be relevant targets for further analyses into the pathogenesis of bovine paratuberculosis.
Downregulation of Mus81 as a novel prognostic biomarker for patients with colorectal carcinoma
Authors: Wu Fan , Shirahata Atsushi , Sakuraba Kazuma , Kitamura Yohei , Goto Tetsuhiro , Saito Mitsuo , Ishibashi Kazuyoshi , Kigawa Gaku , Nemoto Hiroshi , Sanada Yutaka , Hibi Kenji
Published: November 2010

The Mus81 gene encodes a critical endonuclease involved in DNA repair and tumor suppression. Our previous study has shown reduced expression of Mus81 in hepatocellular carcinoma and its association with the metastastic potential and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the role of Mus81 in colorectal carcinoma is currently unknown. We therefore carried out the present study to explore the correlation between Mus81 expression and the progression of colorectal carcinoma. Mus81 expression in 92 cases of colorectal carcinoma and matched normal tissues was determined by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Our results showed that Mus81 expression in colorectal carcinoma tissues was significantly reduced compared with the corresponding normal tissues (P < 0.001) and the downregulation of Mus81 (decreased by more than 50%) was found in 60.9% (56/92) of colorectal carcinoma. Moreover, Mus81 downregulation correlated significantly to hepatic metastasis (P = 0.019) and a high TNM stage (P = 0.025) of colorectal carcinoma. In addition, the decrease of Mus81 was also detected in 10 cases of hepatic metastasis tissues compared with the corresponding primary colorectal carcinoma tissues (P = 0.016). More importantly, colorectal carcinoma patients with apparent Mus81 downregulation have shown significantly poorer overall survival than those with little Mus81 downregulation (P = 0.0374). Also, multivariable Cox regression analysis identified Mus81 downregulation as an independent prognostic factor for colorectal carcinoma (hazard ratio, 1.678; P = 0.040). In conclusion, the reduced expression of Mus81 is closely related to hepatic metastasis and poor prognosis of colorectal carcinoma, indicating Mus81 as a novel prognostic marker for colorectal carcinoma. (Cancer Sci 2011; 102: 472–477)
An update in the diagnosis of coeliac disease
Authors: Walker Marjorie M , Murray Joseph A
Published: November 2010

Walker M M & Murray J A (2011) Histopathology59, 166–179

An update in the diagnosis of coeliac disease

Coeliac disease is increasing in prevalence, which is currently estimated at one in 100 of the population and may occur de novo in adults. The diagnosis requires a joint clinicopathological approach; the recommended first‐line test is serology with immunoglobulin A (IgA) tissue transglutaminase and IgA endomysial antibodies. These serological tests show high levels of sensitivity and specificity, but biopsy is the gold standard to confirm the diagnosis. It is important that both tests are performed before the introduction of a gluten‐free diet. Although the classical histopathology changes of coeliac disease with partial or total villous atrophy are well recognized, the pathology classification of coeliac disease is changing, with recognition that coeliac disease may show minimal pathology (normal architecture and an intraepithelial lymphocyte count/100 enterocytes ≥ 25). This entity is also described as lymphocytic duodenosis, and recommendation of follow‐up serology testing is paramount in this condition. Follow‐up of patients with coeliac disease is warranted, as normal serology does not predict mucosal recovery. Failure to heal predicts risk of progression to refractory coeliac disease and malignancies. Refractory coeliac disease occurs in 1–2% of patients and this diagnosis requires a combined clinical and histopathology approach with immunocytochemistry.