bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Women's Social Networks and Female Friendship in the Ancient Greek City
Authors: Taylor Claire
Published: November 2011

This paper explores how women used their social networks within the ancient Greek urban environment in two spheres: first with regard to their civic engagement, and second with regard to their social relationships. By examining the types of social networks in which women were involved, how they were used and their impact on social relations, it argues that historians should broaden their conception of women's contribution to the Greek civic environment. Such an approach shows how women negotiated social and economic status within the polis community, how they used their social capital as a resource for social and civic engagement and sheds light on their personal relationships. These relationships not only enhanced women's well‐being and allowed them to determine their own roles in community life, but also formed the basis of their engagement with the polis. Considering the social networks to which women belonged, and the differing types of social capital embedded in them, further enables an examination of female friendship. Recognising the contribution of women to the polis community is necessary in order to understand the wider social and civic relationships within the ancient city.
The Queen and the City: Royal Female Intervention and Patronage in Hellenistic Civic Communities
Authors: Ramsey Gillian
Published: November 2011

In 196 bce, Queen Laodike III issued a decree (I.Iasos 4, I) to Iasos in Caria, Asia Minor, announcing that she was giving the Iasians a ten‐year supply of grain to alleviate their penury after her husband's conquest of their city, and she specified that the grain ought to be sold and the income used to provide dowries for the daughters of poor citizens. This and other donations were part of rebuilding efforts in the wake of military violence by Laodike's husband Antiochos III. For her beneficence, Laodike was honoured by cities with foundations of festivals, priestesses and sacred areas dedicated to preserving her cult. This reciprocity of goodwill was gendered, not only in the establishment of priestesses, but in the nature of the honours given; for example Iasos celebrated Laodike III's birthday with a procession of a maiden priestess and couples who were about to wed (I.Iasos 4, II), and the people of Teos dedicated a fountain in their city centre to Laodike and required that all brides should draw from it the water for their baths (SEG 41, 1003). Laodike's patronage and the cities’ responses to her bring to light the role of female citizens within the structures, perpetuation and ceremonial of the civic body. At the heart of honours given Laodike and her own self‐promotion was the identity of sister and mother, roles shaping her own queenship and the civic participation and power of the women she assisted.
Women, Property and Urban Space in Tenth‐Century Milan
Authors: Balzaretti Ross
Published: November 2011

This paper deals with Milan, north‐west Italy, in the tenth century CE. It investigates the nature of property ownership and transfer, within the intramural circuit, in the suburbs and further afield. Its particular focus is on the property in which women dealt, both as members of religious communities and as wives and widows. The main conclusion is that women of all sorts and in many different sorts of situations owned far less property than men. The reasons for this pattern, which is common across western Europe in this period, remain obscure. It certainly has something to do with perceptions of female passivity prevalent in contemporary texts but it does not necessarily mean that some women could not have agency in other ways, notably as nuns with spiritual power.
A Compelling Trinitarian Taxonomy: Hans Urs von Balthasar's Theology of the Trinitarian Inversion and Reversion
Authors: SUTTON MATTHEW LEWIS
Published: November 2011

In trinitarian theology, the problematic place of the Holy Spirit in the taxonomy of the immanent Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) does not seem to correspond to what is revealed in the economy (Father, Holy Spirit and Son). Because of this pneumatological problem, some theologians have abandoned the traditional trinitarian taxonomy. This approach, however, does not provide a finally convincing answer that is consistent with both the biblical witness and the theological tradition. In this article, I argue that Hans Urs von Balthasar's theology of the trinitarian inversion and reversion does provide a convincing answer to the trinitarian taxonomy problem. After supporting my thesis by first referencing the traditional trinitarian taxonomy offered in Augustine's de Trinitate and then examining the possibility of abandoning the taxonomy given by Jürgen Moltmann and Leonardo Boff, I will offer von Balthasar's solution as the most compelling trinitarian taxonomy, especially in light of the ecumenical dialogue between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.
Divine Persons and Their ‘Reduction’ to Relations: A Plea for Conceptual Clarity
Authors: HILL WESLEY
Published: November 2011

Contemporary trinitarian ‘revisionist’ theologians frequently accuse ‘classical’ or ‘Western’ (e.g. Augustinian, Thomistic) trinitarian theologies of ‘reducing’ the divine Persons to their relations with and to one another. In response, many defenders of the Western tradition of trinitarian theology suggest that the alternative accounts of contemporary revisionists, likewise, ‘reduce’ the Persons to relations. Thus, the same charge (the reduction of Persons to relations) is employed in two opposing viewpoints as a way of critiquing the other. This article aims to note this (apparently hitherto unremarked) phenomenon and to explore the theological rationale for its development. In conclusion, the article suggests how a new conceptual clarity may be achieved in light of this semantic confusion and points toward the possibility of a renewed dialogue between classical forms of trinitarian theology and their contemporary critics.
Effects of human induced land‐use changes on the distribution of the Iberian hare
Authors: Farfán M. A. , Duarte J. , Vargas J. M. , Fa J. E.
Published: November 2011

Land conversion in Mediterranean Europe has substantially altered the biotic interactions and patterns of resource availability in many ecosystems with serious environmental consequences on some species. Habitat changes are thought to be the main cause of the decline in numbers of European hares, Lepus europaeus, throughout Europe. In contrast, the Iberian hare L. granatensis, in Spain has significantly increased in numbers since the early 1990s. We aimed to investigate changes in habitat favourability of the Iberian hare within municipalities in southern Spain from 1960s to the 1990s. We use predictive distribution models to assess the relationship between the species' distribution, based on hunting yields, and environmental variables by municipality. Our results show that Iberian hare habitat requirements have changed significantly in recent decades from a highly significant association with natural vegetation in the 1960s, to one with cultivated lands in the 1990s. We argue that this shift in habitat may have enabled the Iberian hare to increase in numbers. Habitat heterogeneity at the municipality scale may have benefited Iberian hares, especially within olive groves. Unlike the European hare, which has suffered the conversion from natural vegetation to highly homogeneous, intensively managed landscapes, the Iberian hare in Andalusia has benefited from dry wood crops and irrigated herbaceous crops. These anthropogenic habitats provide year‐round cover and food. However, schemes that target the regeneration of heterogeneity in a variety of landscapes in Andalusia should be encouraged.
Cofilin activation mediates Bax translocation to mitochondria during excitotoxic neuronal death
Authors: Posadas Inmaculada , Pérez‐Martínez Francisco C. , Guerra Javier , Sánchez‐Verdú Prado , Ceña Valentín
Published: November 2011

J. Neurochem. (2012) 120, 515–527.

During excitotoxic neuronal death, Bax translocates to the mitochondria where it plays an important role by contributing to the release of proapoptotic factors. However, how Bax translocates to the mitochondria during excitotoxicity remains poorly understood. Herein, our data suggest the presence of a novel signalling mechanism by which NMDA receptor stimulation promotes Bax translocation. This signalling pathway is triggered by dephosphorylation of cofilin. Once dephosphorylated, cofilin might interact physically with Bax acting as a carrier for it, translocating it to the mitochondria, where it contributes to mitochondrial membrane despolarization, permeabilization and to the release of apoptotic factors, thus leading to neuronal death. Lack‐of‐function studies indicate that only the Slingshot family of phosphatases, more specifically the enzyme Slingshot 1L phosphatase, but not cronophin participates in the cofilin activation process during excitotoxicity. Indeed, cofilin‐mediated Bax translocation seems to be a key event in excitotoxic neuronal death as knock down of either cofilin or Slingshot 1L phosphatase has a marked neuroprotective effect on NMDA‐mediated neuronal death. This novel biochemical pathway may therefore be a good target to develop future therapeutic molecules for neurodegenerative diseases.
Paradoxical roles of serine racemase and d‐serine in the G93A mSOD1 mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Thompson Misty , Marecki John C. , Marinesco Stephane , Labrie Viviane , Roder John C. , Barger Steven W. , Crow John P.
Published: November 2011

J. Neurochem. (2012) 120, 598–610.

d‐Serine is an endogenous neurotransmitter that binds to the NMDA receptor, thereby increasing the affinity for glutamate, and the potential for excitotoxicity. The primary source of d‐serine in vivo is enzymatic racemization by serine racemase (SR). Regulation of d‐serine in vivo is poorly understood, but is thought to involve a combination of controlled production, synaptic reuptake by transporters, and intracellular degradation by d‐amino acid oxidase (DAO). However, SR itself possesses a well‐characterized eliminase activity, which effectively degrades d‐serine as well. d‐Serine is increased two‐fold in spinal cords of G93A Cu,Zn‐superoxide dismutase (SOD1) mice – the standard model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS mice with SR disruption show earlier symptom onset, but survive longer (progression phase is slowed), in an SR‐dependent manner. Paradoxically, administration of d‐serine to ALS mice dramatically lowers cord levels of d‐serine, leading to changes in the onset and survival very similar to SR deletion. d‐Serine treatment also increases cord levels of the alanine–serine–cysteine transporter 1 (Asc‐1). Although the mechanism by which SOD1 mutations increases d‐serine is not known, these results strongly suggest that SR and d‐serine are fundamentally involved in both the pre‐symptomatic and progression phases of disease, and offer a direct link between mutant SOD1 and a glial‐derived toxic mediator.
The process of trying to quit smoking from the perspective of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Lundh Lena , Hylander Ingrid , Törnkvist Lena
Published: November 2011

Scand J Caring Sci; 2012; 26; 485–493

The process of trying to quit smoking from the perspective of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Aim:  To investigate why some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have difficulty quitting smoking and to develop a theoretical model that describes their perspectives on these difficulties.

Methods:  Grounded theory method was used from the selection of participants to the analyses of semi‐structured interviews with 14 patients with COPD. Four additional interviews were conducted to ensure relevance.

Results:  The analysis resulted in a theoretical model that illustrates the process of ‘Patients with COPD trying to quit smoking’. The model illuminates factors related to the decision to try to quit smoking, including pressure‐filled mental states and constructive or destructive pressure‐relief strategies. The constructive strategies lead either to success in quitting or to continuing to try to quit. The destructive strategies can lead to losing hope and becoming resigned to continuing to smoke.

Conclusion:  The theoretical model ‘Patients trying to quit smoking’ contributes to a better understanding of the pressure‐filled mental states and destructive strategies experienced by some patients with COPD in the process of trying to quit. This better understanding can help nurses individualise counselling. Moreover, patients’ own awareness of these states and strategies may facilitate their efforts to quit. The information in the model can also be used as a supplement to methods such as motivational interviewing (MI).
ON THE ROLE OF CAPITAL GAINS IN SWEDISH INCOME INEQUALITY
Authors: ROINE JESPER , WALDENSTRÖM DANIEL
Published: November 2011

Realized capital gains are typically disregarded in the study of income inequality. We show that in the case of Sweden this severely underestimates the actual increase in inequality and, in particular, top income shares during recent decades. Using micro panel data to average incomes over longer periods and re‐rank individuals according to income excluding capital gains, we show that capital gains indeed are a reoccurring addition to rather than a transitory component in top incomes. Doing the same for lower income groups, however, makes virtually no difference. We also try to find the roots of the recent surge in capital gains‐driven inequality in Sweden since the 1980s. While there are no evident changes in terms of who earns these gains (high wage earners vs. top capital income earners), the primary driver instead seems to be the drastic asset price increases on the post‐1980 deregulated financial markets.
Endothelin‐2, the forgotten isoform: emerging role in the cardiovascular system, ovarian development, immunology and cancer
Authors: Ling Lowell , Maguire Janet J , Davenport Anthony P
Published: November 2011

Endothelin‐2 [ET‐2; also known as vasoactive intestinal contractor (VIC), in rodents] differs from endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) by only two amino acids, and unlike the third isoform, endothelin‐3 (ET‐3), it has the same affinity as ET‐1 for both ETA and ETB receptors. It is often assumed that ET‐2 would mimic the actions of the more abundant ET‐1 and current pharmacological interventions used to inhibit the ET system would also block the actions of ET‐2. These assumptions have focused research on ET‐1 with ET‐2 studied in much less detail. Recent research suggests that our understanding of the ET family requires re‐evaluation. Although ET‐2 is very similar in structure as well as pharmacology to ET‐1, and may co‐exist in the same tissue compartments, there is converging evidence for an important and distinct ET‐2 pathway. Specifically is has been demonstrated that ET‐2 has a key role in ovarian physiology, with ET‐2‐mediated contraction proposed as a final signal facilitating ovulation. Furthermore, ET‐2 may also have a pathophysiological role in heart failure, immunology and cancer. Comparison of ET‐2 versus ET‐1 mRNA expression suggests this may be accomplished at the level of gene expression but differences may also exist in peptide synthesis by enzymes such as endothelin converting enzymes (ECEs) and chymase, which may allow the two pathways to be distinguished pharmacologically and become separate drug targets.

LINKED ARTICLES This article is part of a themed section on Endothelin. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2013.168.issue-2
Reading between the lines: molecular characterization of five widely used canine lymphoid tumour cell lines
Authors: Seiser E. L. , Thomas R. , Richards K. L. , Kathryn Kelley M. , Moore P. , Suter S. E. , Breen M.
Published: November 2011

Molecular characterization of tumour cell lines is increasingly regarded as a prerequisite for defining their validity as models of in vivo neoplasia. We present the first comprehensive catalogue of genomic and transcriptional characteristics of five widely used canine lymphoid tumour cell lines. High‐resolution microarray‐based comparative genomic hybridization defined their unique profiles of genomic DNA copy number imbalance. Multicolour fluorescence in situ hybridization identified aberrant gains of MYC, KIT and FLT3 and deletions of PTEN and CDKN2 in individual cell lines, and also revealed examples of extensive structural chromosome reorganization. Gene expression profiling and RT‐PCR analyses defined the relationship between genomic imbalance and transcriptional dysregulation in each cell line, clarifying their relevance as models of discrete functional pathways with biological and therapeutic significance. In combination, these data provide an extensive resource of molecular data for directing the appropriate use of these cell lines as tools for studying canine lymphoid neoplasia.
Strongly biased sex ratio in cuckoo wasp Chrysura hirsuta (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae), a parasitoid of the mason bee Osmia orientalis
Authors: YOKOI Tomoyuki , HIROOKA Takuto , TERADA Takeshi , SUGIMOTO Shusaku , TAMARU Mayumi , SATOH Sachiko , KANDORI Ikuo
Published: November 2011

We examined the rate of parasitism and sex ratio of the cuckoo wasp Chrysura hirsuta (Gerstaecker) (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae) that emerged from nests of the mason bee Osmia orientalis Benoist (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in Nara, Japan. Nests of O. orientalis were found in empty shells of two snail species, Satsuma japonica (Pfeiffer) and Euhadra amaliae (Kobelt). The percentage of parasitism by cuckoo wasps per all collected cocoons tended to be high (20–50%) even though interannual variation and the average number of cocoons per nest did not differ across snail shell species within each year. Our results from three years of observation, combined with previous reports, showed that the adult sex ratio of C. hirsuta was strongly female‐biased, which suggests that the species reproduces by thelytokous parthenogenesis.
Collaborative Design and Use of an Agency Feedback Form for Student Clinical Practicum Experience in Community/Public Health Nursing
Authors: Reilly Janet Resop , Collier Jill , Edelstein Janice , Vandenhouten Chris , Hovarter Rebecca , Hansen Judith M. , Stewart Stephanie , Turner Mary Jo
Published: November 2011

ABSTRACT Evaluation of students in community and public health (C/PH) nursing clinical practica is a challenge, especially when preceptors are expected to evaluate students from different academic nursing programs. The need for a standardized student evaluation tool was identified during federally funded collaborative meetings held between C/PH academic and practice partners in Northeastern Wisconsin. This article focuses on the development and appraisal of the standardized Agency Feedback Form (AFF) for Student Practicum Experience in Community/Public Health Nursing, which was designed to meet the identified need. Four baccalaureate nursing programs implemented the AFF for 3 purposes: (1) to provide a consistent and easy evaluation form for preceptors to complete; (2) to communicate useful information about students' individual professional behaviors observed during practicum; and (3) to increase students' and preceptors' understanding of the population‐based nursing interventions, using the Public Health Intervention Wheel. Future uses and implications of the AFF are also discussed.
Observation of Intra‐ and Inter‐Configurational Luminescence of Pr3+‐Doped Strontium Phosphate Glasses
Authors: Liu Yinyao , Ren Jing , Tong Yu , Wang Tengfei , Xu Weina , Chen Guorong
Published: November 2011

Emissions due to inter‐configurational 4f15d1‐4f2 electronic transitions of Pr3+ ions are scarcely observed in phosphate glasses. In this work, the intense UV emissions (at 311 and 327 nm) owing to the inter‐configurational f‐d transitions of Pr3+ have been reported in Pr3+‐doped strontium phosphate glasses. Characteristic blue (481, 488 nm), green (522 nm), orange (597, 610 nm), and red (638 nm) emissions are also observed due to the intra‐configurational f‐f transitions. Possible mechanisms controlling the intra‐ and inter‐configurational transitions of Pr3+ ions are discussed.
Effect of whey protein‐ and carbohydrate‐enriched diet on glycogen resynthesis during the first 48 h after a soccer game
Authors: Gunnarsson T. P. , Bendiksen M. , Bischoff R. , Christensen P. M. , Lesivig B. , Madsen K. , Stephens F. , Greenhaff P. , Krustrup P. , Bangsbo J.
Published: November 2011

The effect of a whey protein‐ and carbohydrate (CHO)‐enriched diet on the rate of muscle glycogen resynthesis after a soccer match was examined. Sixteen elite soccer players were randomly assigned to a group ingesting a diet rich in carbohydrates and whey protein [CHO, protein, and fat content was 71, 21, and 8E%, respectively; high content of carbohydrates and whey protein (HCP), n = 9] or a group ingesting a normal diet (55, 18, and 26E%; control [CON], n = 7) during a 48‐h recovery period after a soccer match. CON and three additional players carried out a 90‐ and 60‐min simulated match without body contacts (SIM90 and SIM60). Muscle glycogen was lowered (P < 0.05) by 54, 48, 53, and 38% after the matches in CON, HCP, SIM90, and SIM60, respectively. Glycogen resynthesis during the first 48 h after the match was not different between CON and HCP, whereas glycogen resynthesis was slower (P < 0.05) during the first 24 h after SIM60 than SIM90 (2.88 ± 0.84 vs 4.32 ± 0.54 mmol/kg dw/h). In HCP, glycogen content in type II muscle fibers was still lowered 48 h after the match. In conclusion, glycogen resynthesis 48 h after a soccer match is not elevated by ingestion of a HCP diet. Furthermore, glycogen resynthesis does not appear to be impaired by body contacts during a match.
The attitudes and awareness of emergency department (ED) physicians towards the management of common dentofacial emergencies
Authors: Trivedy Chetan , Kodate Naonori , Ross Alastair , Al‐Rawi Harrith , Jaiganesh Thiagarajan , Harris Tim , Anderson Janet E
Published: November 2011

Abstract –  Objective:  Dentofacial emergencies are a common presentation to the emergency department (ED) but there is little recent data on physicians’ knowledge, confidence and attitudes in handling these cases.

Method:  A questionnaire was administered to 103 ED physicians. The sample was primarily drawn from London hospitals as well a smaller contribution from around the UK and included physicians with a range of experience and at different grades.

Results:  The majority of the 102 participants (76.5%) did not receive any formal training in managing dentofacial emergencies. The percentage of participants who were happy to manage common dentofacial emergencies is as follows: dental trauma (20.4%); major facial trauma (39.8%); interpreting facial X‐rays (68.0%); and facial suturing (85.4%). When questioned 12.1% of the participants felt that ED physicians should be responsible for managing dental emergencies compared to 22.4% who felt that ED physicians should manage maxillofacial emergencies. Only 3.9% of the participants would opt to be treated by an ED doctor in the event of them presenting to the ED with a dental injury. The remaining 72.5% would prefer to be seen by a maxillofacial surgeon, 23.5% by a dentist and none of the participants opted to be seen by the emergency nurse practitioner.

Conclusion:  ED physicians do not feel confident in managing some dentofacial emergencies. This may be attributed to a lack of training in this area as well as exposure to these types of emergencies. There is a need for greater awareness, validated guidelines and training resources for ED physicians to treat dentofacial emergencies as well more research in this field of emergency medicine.
Restoration potential of the persistent soil seed bank in successional calcareous (alvar) grasslands in Estonia
Authors: Kalamees Rein , Püssa Kersti , Zobel Kristjan , Zobel Martin
Published: November 2011

Questions

What is the overall restoration potential of the persistent soil seed bank of abandoned alvar grassland sites? To what degree does the share of characteristic alvar grassland species in the soil seed bank change during secondary succession from traditionally managed pasture towards stages overgrown by Corylus avellana and Juniperus communis?

Location

Northern Estonia.

Methods

The species composition of above‐ground vegetation and the persistent soil seed bank were investigated in successional alvar grasslands. Particular attention was given to typical grassland species in the persistent soil seed bank. Soil seed bank density was also recorded. General linear models and non‐metric multidimensional scaling were used to assess successional trends and the restoration potential of the soil seed bank.

Results

The cessation of traditional management has led to a considerable decline in above‐ground plant species richness. The composition of above‐ground vegetation in different successional stages was considerably more variable than that of the seed bank. We detected large and species‐rich persistent soil seed banks in all our study sites. About 70% of species in the seed banks of overgrown sites could be classified as typical grassland species. The frequency of typical alvar grassland species, such as Arabis hirsuta, Arenaria serpyllifolia, Cerastium fontanum, Helianthemum nummularium, Poa angustifolia, Potentilla crantzii, Sedum acre and Veronica spicata in the seed bank of long‐term abandoned (25 and 50 yr) sites was unexpectedly high.

Conclusions

Abandoned semi‐natural grassland sites in northern Estonia still contain a relatively large grassland community species pool, including a large and effective soil seed bank. The soil seed bank could thus play a more important role in the restoration management of abandoned dry grassland communities than could be concluded from previous studies.
Fatigue strength: effect of welding type and joint design executed in Ti‐6Al‐4V structures
Authors: Nuñez Pantoja Juliana M.C. , Farina Ana P. , Vaz Luis G. , Consani Rafael L.X. , de Arruda Nóbilo Mauro A. , Mesquita Marcelo F.
Published: November 2011

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2011.00598.x
 
Fatigue strength: effect of welding type and joint design executed in Ti‐6Al‐4V structures

Background:  This study evaluated the fatigue strength of Ti‐6Al‐4V‐machined structures submitted to laser (L)‐welding and TIG (TIG)‐welding procedures, varying the joint designs.

Materials and methods:  Seventy dumbbell rods were machined in Ti‐6Al‐4V alloy with central diameters of 3.5 mm. The specimens were sectioned and welded using TIG or L and three joint designs {‘I’ design, varying welding distances [0.0 mm (I00) or 0.6 mm (I06)], or ‘X’ [X] design}. The combinations of variables created six groups, which, when added to the intact group, made a total of seven groups (n = 10). L was executed as follows: 360 V/8 ms (X) and 390 V/9 ms (I00 and I06), with focus and frequency regulated to zero. TIG was executed using 2:2 (X) and 3:2 (I00 and I06) as welding parameters. Joints were finished, polished and submitted to radiographic examination to be analysed visually for the presence of porosity. The specimens were then subjected to mechanical cyclic tests, and the number of cycles completed until failure was recorded. The fracture surface was examined using a scanning electron microscope.

Results:  The Kruskal–Wallis and Dunn test (α = 0.05) indicated that the number of cycles resisted for fracture was higher to X for both welding procedures. To L, I06 was as resistant as X. The Mann–Whitney U‐test (α = 0.05) indicated that L joints were more resistant than TIG to I00 and I06. Spearman’s correlation coefficient (α = 0.05) indicated a negative correlation between the number of cycles and presence of porosity.

Conclusion:  Thus, to weld Ti‐6Al‐4V structures, the best condition is X, independent of the welding method employed.
Millimetre observations of a sub-arcsecond jet from Circinus X-1
Authors: Calvelo D. E. , Fender R. P. , Tzioumis A. K. , Broderick J. W.
Published: November 2011

We present results from the first successful millimetre (combined 33 and 35 GHz) observations of the neutron star X-ray binary Circinus X-1, using the Australia Telescope Compact Array. The source was clearly detected in all three observing epochs. We see strong evidence for a periastron flare beginning at MJD 55519.9 ± 0.04 with estimated peak flux densities of up to 50 mJy and which proceeds to decline over the following 4 d. We directly resolve jet structures on sub-arcsecond scales. Flux density variability and distance from the core of nearby components suggest recent shock re-energization, though we are unable to directly connect this with the observed flare. We suggest that, if the emission is powered by an unseen outflow, then a phase delay exists between flare onset and subsequent brightening of nearby components, with flows reaching mildly relativistic velocities. Given resolved structure positions, in comparison to past observations of Cir X-1, we find evidence that jet direction may vary with distance from the core, or the source's precession parameters have changed.
Comparison of nutrition knowledge among health professionals, patients with eating disorders and the general population
Authors: HO Albert See Long , SOH Nerissa L. , WALTER Garry , TOUYZ Stephen
Published: November 2011

Aim:  To investigate and compare the level of nutrition knowledge of health professionals, patients with eating disorders and individuals without an eating disorder as controls.

Methods:  Participants were recruited online through an Australian and New Zealand professional eating disorder organisation and community eating disorder organisations and a university in Australia. Assessment was conducted online using the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire and SCOFF. Demographic data were also collected.

Results:  Dietitians had greater nutrition knowledge than all other health professionals, except medical doctors. Psychologists and dietitians had similar knowledge for choosing everyday foods. Dietitians had greater nutrition knowledge than eating disorder patients and controls in all areas of nutrition knowledge, while other health professionals had similar knowledge to patients. Patients with eating disorders had greater knowledge of sources of nutrients than controls.

Conclusions:  Australian health professionals exhibited higher levels of nutrition knowledge than health professionals in previous studies in other countries. However, non‐dietitian health professionals had similar levels of knowledge to individuals with eating disorders. Training and continuing education in nutrition is needed so health professionals can confidently identify when a patient has misleading information about nutrition and either correct the misinformation or refer the patient on to a qualified dietitian.
Perceptions of fruit and vegetable dietary guidelines among Australian young adults
Authors: KOTHE Emily J. , MULLAN Barbara A.
Published: November 2011

Aim:  Regular consumption of fruit and vegetables has been associated with a decreased risk of a number of chronic diseases. An appropriate level of knowledge is important to successfully adhere to the dietary guidelines for eating fruit and vegetables. However, there is little research about the level of knowledge that young adults have about fruit and vegetable consumption. The current study aimed to investigate the recall and understanding of Australian dietary guidelines, food product and serving size knowledge in a population of young adults.

Methods:  One hundred and six undergraduate students completed online questionnaires regarding (1) knowledge of dietary recommendations; (2) knowledge of serving size information; and (3) foods that could be included as part of fruit and vegetable intake.

Results:  The results showed that the sample had significant knowledge gaps in all three areas. Approximately half (54%) of participants correctly reported the recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables, the majority were not able to correctly report serving sizes (correct responses were 30–61%) and were not able to identify all ingredients from a recipe that counted towards fruit and vegetable intake.

Conclusions:  Past interventions have not tended to focus on the fruit and vegetable knowledge, or behaviours, of Australian young adults. On the basis of findings from this study, it appears that more work is needed to develop messages to effectively target this important group.
Mixed methods research approach to the development and review of competency standards for dietitians
Authors: ASH Susan , DOWDING Kerryn , PHILLIPS Susan
Published: November 2011

Aim:  Competency standards support a range of professional activities, including the accreditation of university courses educating health professionals. Reviewing these standards is essential to ensure universities continue to produce well‐equipped graduates, who are able to meet the challenge of changing workforce requirements. This paper has two aims: (a) to provide an overview of the methodological approaches used for compilation and review of the Competency Standards for Dietitians and (b) to evaluate the Dietitians Association of Australia's Competency Standards and capture emerging and contemporary dietetic practice.

Methods:  A literature review of the methods used to develop competency standards for dietitians in Australia, including entry‐level, Advanced level and Dieticians Association of Australia Fellow competencies and other specific areas of competency, such as public health nutrition and nutrition education, is outlined and compared with other allied health professions. The mixed methods methodology used in the most recent review is described in more detail.

Results:  The history of Dietetic Competency Standards development and review in Australia is compared with Dietetic Competency Standards internationally and within other health professions in Australia. The political context in which these standards have been developed in Australia and which has determined their format is also discussed. The results of the most recent competency standards review are reported to highlight emerging practice in Australia.

Conclusion:  The mixed methods approach used in this review provides rich data about contemporary dietetic practice. Our view supports a planned review of all competency standards to ensure practice informs education and credentialing, and we recommend the Dietitians Association of Australia consider this in the future.
Summer and winter prevalence of vitamin D deficiency of young resident doctors in North India
Authors: SINGH Surya Kumar , PRAKASH Ved , TIWARI Shalbha , DALIPARTHY Devi Pratyush , SINGH Saurabh , JAIN Pankaj
Published: November 2011

Aim:  Vitamin D deficiency is common both in children and adults all over the world. Long indoor working hours may contribute to deficiency in adult populations particularly in those not receiving vitamin D supplementation in any form. The study aimed to evaluate vitamin D status of young resident doctors working in a university hospital in North India.

Methods:  Serum 25(OH)D, calcium and alkaline phosphatase were measured in a cross‐sectional sample of young resident doctors living in Varanasi, India (latitude 25 degrees North). A total of 80 resident doctors were recruited to participate in the present study with 40 participants enrolled at the end of summer in September 2005, and the remainders were enrolled at the end of winter in March 2006.

Results:  There was a significant decrease (P < 0.001) in mean 25(OH) vitamin D concentration of the study groups from summer (29 (±21.7) nmol/L) to winter (16.5 (±11.0) nmol/L). In summer, 33 residents had 25 (OH) vitamin D < 50 nmol/L, five had between 50 and 75 nmol/L and only two had >75 nmol/L, but in winter the corresponding numbers were 38, two and none had a concentration >75 nmol/L. No difference in serum calcium and phosphorus was observed; however, alkaline phosphatase was significantly higher in participants sampled in the winter (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:  Hypovitaminosis D was common among apparently normal young resident doctors engaged in indoor work in both seasons. This may have negative short‐ and long‐term health implications. Provision of vitamin D supplementation (oral cholecalciferol) to young resident doctors and other indoor professionals should be considered.
Effects of training at mild exercise intensities on quadriceps muscle energy metabolism in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Guzun R. , Aguilaniu B. , Wuyam B. , Mezin P. , Koechlin‐Ramonatxo C. , Auffray C. , Saks V. , Pison C.
Published: November 2011

Aim:  To study the effects of physical training at mild intensities on skeletal muscle energy metabolism in eight patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and eight paired healthy sedentary subjects.

Methods:  Energy metabolism of patients and controls vastus lateralis muscle was studied before and after 3 months of cycling training at mild exercises intensities.

Results:  The total amount of work accomplished was about 4059 ± 336 kJ in patients with COPD and 7531 ± 1693 kJ in control subjects. This work corresponds to a mechanical power set at 65.2 ± 7.5% of the maximum power for patients with COPD and 52 ± 3.3% of the maximum power in control group. Despite this low level of exercise intensities, we observed an improvement in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation through the creatine kinase system revealed by the increased apparent Km for ADP (from 105.5 ± 16.1 to 176.9 ± 26.5 μm, P < 0.05 in the COPD group and from 126.9 ± 16.8 to 177.7 ± 17.0, P > 0.05 in the control group). Meanwhile, maximal mechanical and metabolic power increased significantly from 83.1 ± 7.1 to 91.3 ± 7.4 Watts (P < 0.05) and from 16 ± 0.8 to 18.7 ± 0.98 mL O2 kg−1 min−1 (P < 0.05) only in the COPD group.

Conclusion:  This study shows that physical training at mild intensity is able to induce comparable changes in skeletal muscles oxidative energy metabolism in patients with COPD and sedentary healthy subjects, but different changes of maximal mechanical and metabolic power.
Governance and regulation of urban bus transportation: Using partial privatization to achieve the better of two worlds
Authors: Albalate Daniel , Bel Germà , Calzada Joan
Published: November 2011

Mixed delivery of public services is gaining increasing attention as a way for public managers to avoid deciding between a purely public and purely private delivery system. The unusual coexistence of public and private operators in the urban bus market in Barcelona provides an interesting context in which to analyze the challenges and opportunities posed by this system. Competition for concessions among private operators and the regulation of concessionaires generate incentives to improve efficiency and quality. Furthermore, partial privatization increases the efficiency and feasibility of public operators. In fact, competitive bidding is effective in disciplining private operators and increasing the regulators' bargaining power over both public and private firms. The reform implemented in Barcelona offers an interesting insight into all metropolitan areas that are in a position to create a number of separate concessions large enough to benefit from economies of density.
Cellular delivery of PEGylated PLGA nanoparticles
Authors: Pamujula Sarala , Hazari Sidhartha , Bolden Gevoni , Graves Richard A , Chinta Dakshinamurthy Devanga , Dash Srikanta , Kishore Vimal , Mandal Tarun K
Published: November 2011

Objectives

The objective of this study was to investigate the efficiency of uptake of PEGylated polylactide-co-gycolide (PLGA) nanoparticles by breast cancer cells.

Methods

Nanoparticles of PLGA containing various amounts of polyethylene glycol (PEG, 5%–15%) were prepared using a double emulsion solvent evaporation method. The nanoparticles were loaded with coumarin-6 (C6) as a fluorescence marker. The particles were characterized for surface morphology, particle size, zeta potential, and for cellular uptake by 4T1 murine breast cancer cells.

Key findings

Irrespective of the amount of PEG, all formulations yielded smooth spherical particles. However, a comparison of the particle size of various formulations showed bimodal distribution of particles. Each formulation was later passed through a 1.2 µm filter to obtain target size particles (114–335 nm) with zeta potentials ranging from −2.8 mV to −26.2 mV. While PLGA-PEG di-block (15% PEG) formulation showed significantly higher 4T1 cellular uptake than all other formulations, there was no statistical difference in cellular uptake among PLGA, PLGA-PEG-PLGA tri-block (10% PEG), PLGA-PEG di-block (5% PEG) and PLGA-PEG di-block (10% PEG) nanoparticles.

Conclusion

These preliminary findings indicated that the nanoparticle formulation prepared with 15% PEGylated PLGA showed maximum cellular uptake due to it having the smallest particle size and lowest zeta potential.
‘You caught ’em!’…or not? Feedback affects investigators’ recollections of speech cues thought to signal honesty and deception
Authors: Boydell Carroll Anne , Barone Carmelina C. , Read J. Don
Published: November 2011

Purpose. When eyewitnesses to crime receive feedback about their choice of a suspect from a line‐up (or post‐identification feedback), such information can substantially alter their recollections of the witnessing experience. This study examined whether feedback exerts similar effects on investigators’ recollections of a suspect's behaviours.

Methods. Participant‐investigators received training on speech cues that they were told, when present in a speaker's account, signal either honesty or deception. After hearing a suspect's account of a theft, participants decided whether the suspect was lying or telling the truth. One‐third of participants subsequently received immediate confirming feedback about their performance, while another third received disconfirming feedback. The remaining one‐third of participants did not receive feedback about their decision. Finally, participants rated the frequencies of speech cues that they had been instructed to detect in the suspect's account.

Results. Disconfirming feedback significantly altered retrospective judgments about the characteristics of the suspect's account. Specifically, when told that the decision they made about the speaker's credibility was incorrect, participants judged the speaker as having exhibited fewer behaviours consistent with the credibility decision they had made, relative to those who either received no feedback or confirming feedback.

Conclusions. Biases in recollections of a suspect may have consequences in real‐world interrogations wherein investigators assess credibility on the basis of numerous behavioural cues. Results are discussed in light of findings of post‐identification feedback studies on eyewitnesses.
Patriotism in Schools
Authors: Hand Michael
Published: November 2011

In the face of rising concerns about citizenship, national identity, diversity and belonging in Britain today, politicians from all sides of the political spectrum have looked to schools to inspire and invigorate a strong, modern sense of patriotism and common purpose, which is capable of binding people together and motivating citizens to fulfil their obligations to each other and to the state.

In this timely and astute analysis, Michael Hand unpacks the claims made on both sides of the debate to assess whether love of country is a defensible aim of education. Remarking on the curious failure of engagement between defenders and opponents of patriotic education, he looks beyond the usual arguments for and against, to offer original insight into whether teaching patriotic attachment can be defended on rational grounds. Rather than looking merely to the practical difficulties of cultivating common bonds without misrepresenting or distorting the country's history, Hand's tightly argued conclusion is that reasonable disagreement about the desirability of loving one's country rules out the explicit teaching of Patriotism in schools, and therefore, it should not be actively promoted but rather taught as a controversial issue in the classroom.

Breaking new ground in the intellectual debates around teaching citizenship and promoting common patriotic purpose, Patriotism in Schools is an illuminating treatment of a pressing contemporary issue, which will animate and provoke debate amongst parents, teachers, students, academics, politicians and policy‐makers alike.
Molecular Mimicry Regulates ABA Signaling by SnRK2 Kinases and PP2C Phosphatases
Authors: Soon Fen-Fen , Ng Ley-Moy , Zhou X. Edward , West Graham M. , Kovach Amanda , Tan M. H. Eileen , Suino-Powell Kelly M. , He Yuanzheng , Xu Yong , Chalmers Michael J. , Brunzelle Joseph S. , Zhang Huiming , Yang Huaiyu , Jiang Hualiang , Li Jun , Yong Eu-Leong , Cutler Sean , Zhu Jian-Kang , Griffin Patrick R. , Melcher Karsten , Xu H. Eric
Published: November 2011

Musical Chairs

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) helps plants to respond to changes in the environment, such as drought. Physiological responses are initiated when ABA binds to its receptor. In the absence of ABA, downstream kinases are held inactive by phosphatases.

Soon
et al.

(p.
85
, published online 24 November; see the Perspective by

Leung

) now show that both the hormone-receptor complex and the downstream kinase bind to the same site on the phosphatase. Thus, in the presence of hormone, the phosphatase is occupied and unable to interfere with downstream kinase activity.
Bactericidal/Permeability-Increasing Protein (rBPI
21
) and Fluoroquinolone Mitigate Radiation-Induced Bone Marrow Aplasia and Death
Authors: Guinan Eva C. , Barbon Christine M. , Kalish Leslie A. , Parmar Kalindi , Kutok Jeff , Mancuso Christy J. , Stoler-Barak Liat , Suter Eugénie E. , Russell Janice D. , Palmer Christine D. , Gallington Leighanne C. , Voskertchian Annie , Vergilio Jo-Anne , Cole Geoffrey , Zhu Kaya , D’Andrea Alan , Soiffer Robert , Weiss Jerrold P. , Levy Ofer
Published: November 2011

Even when given 24 hours after lethal radiation, a fragment of an endotoxin-neutralizing protein plus a fluoroquinolone antibiotic improves survival and hematopoietic recovery in mice.
pH-Dependent Uptake of Fumaric Acid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae under Anaerobic Conditions
Authors: Jamalzadeh Elaheh , Verheijen Peter J. T. , Heijnen Joseph J. , van Gulik Walter M.
Published: November 2011

Microbial production of C
4
dicarboxylic acids from renewable resources has gained renewed interest. The yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
is known as a robust microorganism and is able to grow at low pH, which makes it a suitable candidate for biological production of organic acids. However, a successful metabolic engineering approach for overproduction of organic acids requires an incorporation of a proper exporter to increase the productivity. Moreover, low-pH fermentations, which are desirable for facilitating the downstream processing, may cause back diffusion of the undissociated acid into the cells with simultaneous active export, thereby creating an ATP-dissipating futile cycle. In this work, we have studied the uptake of fumaric acid in
S. cerevisiae
in carbon-limited chemostat cultures under anaerobic conditions. The effect of the presence of fumaric acid at different pH values (3 to 5) has been investigated in order to obtain more knowledge about possible uptake mechanisms. The experimental results showed that at a cultivation pH of 5.0 and an external fumaric acid concentration of approximately 0.8 mmol · liter
−1
, the fumaric acid uptake rate was unexpectedly high and could not be explained by diffusion of the undissociated form across the plasma membrane alone. This could indicate the presence of protein-mediated import. At decreasing pH levels, the fumaric acid uptake rate was found to increase asymptotically to a maximum level. Although this observation is in accordance with protein-mediated import, the presence of a metabolic bottleneck for fumaric acid conversion under anaerobic conditions could not be excluded.