bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
DIGITALIZING HISTORICAL CONSCIOUSNESS
Authors: FOGU CLAUDIO 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTWhat is a “historical” video game, let alone a successful one? It is difficult to answer this question because all our definitions of history have been constructed in a linear‐narrative cultural context that is currently being challenged and in large part displaced by digital media, especially video games. I therefore consider this question from the point of view of historical semantics and in relation to the impact of digital technology on all aspects of the historiographical operation, from the establishment of digital archives, to the production of e‐texts, to the digital remediation of visual modes of historical representation. Seen from this dual perspective, video games appear to participate in a process of spatialization and virtualization of historical semantics. In the first place, video games have begun to detach the notion of history from its double reference to the past and to the real—“what essentially happened”—that it had acquired at the end of the eighteenth century. Second, they also challenge the semiotic production of “historic events” that has characterized the construction of modern historical consciousness. Historical video games, in other words, replace representation with simulation and presence with virtuality, thereby marginalizing the oscillation of the modern historical imagination between historical facts and historic events, transcendence and immanence, representation and presence. Although digital reworkings of historical semantics have not produced any grammatical transformation of the signifier, history—nor does this essay propose one—I do argue that the impact of video games on our contemporary historic(al) culture is of paradigmatic proportions similar to those described by Reinhart Koselleck for the dawn of the modern age. Focusing on one of the most successful contemporary video games, Sid Meier's Civilization, I show how the remediation of cinematic genres by video games is pushing the processes of de‐temporalization and de‐referentialization of history toward the formation of a new notion of the historical that may be conceptualized as the inversion of the classic Aristotelian paradigm: history has replaced poetry and philosophy as the realm of the possible.
An International Actor Under Pressure: The Impact of the War on Terror and the Fifth Enlargement on EU Voting Cohesion at the UN General Assembly 2000–05*
Authors: JAKOBSSON ULF 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThis article examines empirically whether Iraq and the fifth enlargement affected EU voting cohesion at the UN General Assembly 2000–05. It poses the question of whether the entrants' willingness to co‐operate might have ameliorated the expected adverse effects of Iraq and an increase in the number of new members.
Momentum and Impediments: Why Europe Won't Emerge as a Full Political Actor on the World Stage Soon*
Authors: KROTZ ULRICH 
Published: May 2009

AbstractIs Europe about to rise as a full political actor on the world stage? Conventional wisdom had it that European integration in foreign policy, security and defence was unlikely to amount to much very quickly. More recently, however, a diverse group of scholars has argued that pan‐European political actorhood had gained considerable substance. Surveying the recent literature, pertinent related writings and relevant primary materials on the matter, this article identifies and systematizes the many different factors affecting European high‐politics actorhood in the early 21st century. A fully grown international actor Europe, it finds, remains a longer‐term project rather than an imminent prospect.
Dominant role of lipid rafts L‐type calcium channel in activity‐dependent potentiation of large dense‐core vesicle exocytosis
Authors: Park Yongsoo , Kim Kyong‐Tai 
Published: May 2009

AbstractCalcium influx triggers exocytosis by promoting vesicle fusion with the plasma membrane. However, different subtypes of voltage‐gated calcium channel (VGCC) have distinct roles in exocytosis. We previously reported that repetitive stimulation induces activity‐dependent potentiation (ADP) which represents the increase of neurotransmitter release. Here, we show that L‐type VGCC have a dominant role in ADP of large dense‐core vesicle (LDCV) exocytosis. Repetitive stimulation activating VGCC can induce ADP, whereas activation of bradykinin (BK) G protein‐coupled receptors or purinergic P2X cation channels can not. L‐type VGCC has the dominant role in ADP of LDCV exocytosis by regulating Protein Kinase C (PKC)‐epsilon translocation and phosphorylation of myristoylated alanine‐rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS), a target molecule of PKC‐epsilon. We provide evidence that L‐type VGCC, PKC‐epsilon, and MARCKS, but not Q‐type VGCC, are selectively located in lipid rafts. Also, PKC‐epsilon translocation induced by L‐type VGCC activation occurs in lipid rafts. Disruption of lipid rafts abolishes ADP of LDCV exocytosis and changes the fusion pore kinetics without affecting the first stimulation‐induced exocytosis, showing that lipid rafts are involved in the potentiation process. Taken together, we suggest that L‐type VGCC in lipid rafts selectively mediates ADP of LDCV exocytosis by regulating PKC‐epsilon translocation and MARCKS phosphorylation.
Companies on the Scale
Authors: Wiedmann Thomas O. , Lenzen Manfred , Barrett John R. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryA determination of the sustainability performance of a company ought to fulfill certain requirements. It has to take into account the direct impacts from on‐site processes as well as indirect impacts embodied in the supply chains of a company. This life cycle thinking is the common theme of popular footprint analyses, such as carbon, ecological, or water footprinting. All these indicators can be incorporated into one common and consistent accounting and reporting scheme based on economic input−output analysis, extended with data from all three dimensions of sustainability. We introduce such a triple‐bottom‐line accounting framework and software tool and apply it in a case study of a small company in the United Kingdom. Results include absolute impacts and relative intensities of indicators and are put into perspective by a benchmark comparison with the economic sector to which the company belongs. Production layer decomposition and structural path analysis provide further valuable detail, identifying the amount and location of triple‐bottom‐line impacts in individual upstream supply chains. The concept of shared responsibility has been applied to avoid double‐counting and noncomparability of results. Although in this work we employ a single‐region model for the sake of illustration, we discuss how to extend our ideas to international supply chains. We discuss the limitations of the approach and the implications for corporate sustainability.
Effects of diets containing alfalfa hay or barley flour mixed alfalfa silage on feeding behavior, productivity, rumen fermentation and blood metabolites in lactating cows
Authors: KHADEM Ali‐Akbar , SHARIFI Majid , AFZALZADEH Ahmad , REZAEIAN Mohammad 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTThe effects of barley flour on the fermentation parameters of alfalfa silage and on the productivity of dairy cows were investigated. Alfalfa forage was ensiled either with or without barley flour. Barley flour was soaked in water for 24 h before being mixed with alfalfa (12 kg: 100 kg dry matter bases) at ensiling. Eighteen multi‐parous cows were assigned to three equal treatment groups using a completely randomized design. Three isocaloric and isonitrogenous total mixed rations containing alfalfa hay, ordinary alfalfa silage or barley flour mixed alfalfa silage were then prepared. The concentrations of ammonia nitrogen, acetic acid and butyric acid were lower in barley flour mixed alfalfa silage compared to that in ordinary alfalfa silage but the concentration of lactic acid was lower in the ordinary alfalfa silage. Feeding behavior, milk yield and composition, ruminal fermentation and blood metabolites were measured. Although dry matter intake and milk production were not affected, the effect of preparation of alfalfa influenced feeding behavior and rumen fermentation parameters. Cows on alfalfa silage diets spent longer ruminating compared to those fed alfalfa hay. The ruminal ammonia nitrogen and blood urea were affected by ensiling (alfalfa hay versus alfalfa silages) while both parameters were lower in cows fed on barley flour mixed alfalfa silage than those fed on ordinary silage. Although similar blood glucose was recorded for cows fed on alfalfa silages, it was higher in cows fed on alfalfa hay. It is concluded that the addition of barely flour when making alfalfa silage may improve both the fermentation process during ensilage and the ruminal ammonia nitrogen utilization with no significant effects on productivity.
Nontherapeutic Male Circumcision: Tackling the Difficult Issues
Authors: Perera Caryn L. , Bridgewater Franklin H.G. , Thavaneswaran Prema , Maddern Guy J. 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Male circumcision is the most commonly performed surgical procedure in the world. Circumcision may be performed to treat an underlying pathological process (“therapeutic circumcision”). However there may be religious, cultural, and social indications.

Aim
This article addresses the religious, cultural, social, and ethical issues surrounding nontherapeutic male circumcision (NTMC).

Main Outcome Measures
Any religious, social, cultural, or ethical issues relating to NTMC.

Methods
Because of the absence of high level evidence, a concise literature review was undertaken to identify articles published between January 1990 and February 2009 summarizing current knowledge on NTMC.

Results
There are complex religious, cultural, social, and prophylactic incentives for NTMC. The procedure may have associated clinical and psychosocial adverse events and raises such ethical issues as bodily integrity and consent. Because of the strength of the incentives for NTMC, there may be important implications in denying patients the procedure. Several important issues must be considered when introducing mass circumcision as a preventative strategy for HIV/AIDS.

Conclusion
When assessing whether NTMC will benefit or harm a patient, clinicians must take his religious, cultural, and social circumstances into account. Males requiring mandatory religious or cultural NTMC are likely to suffer significant harm if they do not receive circumcision and should be considered separately to males in general.
Plant Agricultural Streptomycin Formulations Do Not Carry Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Authors: Rezzonico Fabio , Stockwell Virginia O. , Duffy Brion 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACT

Streptomycin is used in plant agriculture for bacterial disease control, particularly against fire blight in pome fruit orchards. Concerns that this may increase environmental antibiotic resistance have led to bans or restrictions on use. Experience with antibiotic use in animal feeds raises the possible influence of formulation-delivered resistance genes. We demonstrate that agricultural streptomycin formulations do not carry producer organism resistance genes. By using an optimized extraction procedure,
Streptomyces
16S rRNA genes and the streptomycin resistance gene
strA
were not detected in agricultural streptomycin formulations. This diminishes the likelihood for one potential factor in resistance development due to streptomycin use.
Reduced Susceptibility to Cefepime among
Escherichia coli
Clinical Isolates Producing Novel Variants of CMY-2 β-Lactamase
Authors: Doi Yohei , Paterson David L. , Adams-Haduch Jennifer M. , Sidjabat Hanna E. , O'Keefe Alexandra , Endimiani Andrea , Bonomo Robert A. 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACT

Here we describe three
Escherichia coli
clinical isolates with reduced susceptibility to cefepime. Sequencing of the
bla
CMY
genes revealed two novel variants (CMY-33 and -44) with two- to four-amino-acid deletions in the H-10 helix. The deletions were responsible for 12- to 24-fold increases in the MICs of cefepime.
Modeling the Autoinhibition of Clarithromycin Metabolism during Repeated Oral Administration
Authors: Abduljalil Khaled , Kinzig Martina , Bulitta Jürgen , Horkovics-Kovats Stefan , Sörgel Fritz , Rodamer Michael , Fuhr Uwe 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTClarithromycin decreases CYP3A4 activity and thus gradually inhibits its own metabolism as well as that of coadministered drugs. The aim of this study was to obtain an understanding of the time course of these changes. The plasma concentration-time profiles of clarithromycin and its active metabolite, 14(R)-hydroxy-clarithromycin, in 12 young healthy volunteers after oral administration of a clarithromycin suspension (500 mg twice a day [b.i.d.] for seven doses) were modeled by population pharmacokinetic analysis in the NONMEM program. The nonlinearity of clarithromycin metabolism was considered during model development, and the metabolite disposition kinetics were assumed to be linear. The absorption kinetics of clarithromycin were best described by a Weibull function model. The pharmacokinetics of clarithromycin and its 14(R)-hydroxyl metabolite were adequately described by a one-compartment model each for clarithromycin and its metabolite as well as an inhibition compartment that reflects the autoinhibition of clarithromycin metabolism. Up to 90% of the apparent total clarithromycin clearance (60 liters/h) was susceptible to reversible autoinhibition, depending on the concentration in the inhibition compartment. The proposed semimechanistic population pharmacokinetic model successfully described the autoinhibition of clarithromycin metabolism and may be used to adjust the doses of other drugs that are metabolized by CYP3A4 and that are coadministered with clarithromycin. Simulations showed that for the standard dose of 500 mg b.i.d., no further increase in the level of exposure occurs after approximately 48 h of treatment. For a 1,000-mg b.i.d. dose, the achievement of steady state is expected to take several days and to achieve a 3.6-fold higher level of clarithromycin exposure than the 500-mg b.i.d. dose. This evaluation provides a rationale for safer and more effective therapy with clarithromycin.
In Vivo Pharmacodynamic Characterization of a Novel Plectasin Antibiotic, NZ2114, in a Murine Infection Model
Authors: Andes D. , Craig W. , Nielsen L. A. , Kristensen H. H. 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACT

NZ2114 is a novel plectasin derivative with potent activity against gram-positive bacteria, including multiply drug-resistant strains. We used the neutropenic murine thigh infection model to characterize the time course of antimicrobial activity of NZ2114 and determine which pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) index and magnitude best correlated with efficacy. Serum drug levels following administration of three fourfold-escalating single-dose levels of NZ2114 were measured by microbiologic assay. Single-dose time-kill studies following doses of 10, 40, and 160 mg/kg of body weight demonstrated concentration-dependent killing over the dose range (0.5 to 3.7 log
10
CFU/thigh) and prolonged postantibiotic effects (3 to 15 h) against both
Staphylococcus aureus
and
Streptococcus pneumoniae
. Mice had 10
6.3
to 10
6.8
CFU/thigh of strains of
S. pneumoniae
or
S. aureus
at the start of therapy when treated for 24 h with 0.625 to 160 mg/kg/day of NZ2114 fractionated for 4-, 6-, 12-, and 24-h dosing regimens. Nonlinear regression analysis was used to determine which PK/PD index best correlated with microbiologic efficacy. Efficacies of NZ2114 were similar among the dosing intervals (
P
= 0.99 to 1.0), and regression with the 24-h area under the concentration-time curve (AUC)/MIC index was strong (
R
2
, 0.90) for both
S. aureus
and
S. pneumoniae
. The maximum concentration of drug in serum/MIC index regression was also strong for
S. pneumoniae
(
R
2
, 0.96). Studies to identify the PD target for NZ2114 utilized eight
S. pneumoniae
and six
S. aureus
isolates and an every-6-h regimen of drug (0.156 to 160 mg/kg/day). Treatment against
S. pneumoniae
required approximately twofold-less drug for efficacy in relationship to the MIC than did treatment against
S. aureus
. The free drug 24-h AUCs/MICs necessary to produce a stasis effect were 12.3 ± 6.7 and 28.5 ± 11.1 for
S. pneumoniae
and
S. aureus
, respectively. The 24-h AUC/MIC associated with a 1-log killing endpoint was only 1.6-fold greater than that needed for stasis. Resistance to other antimicrobial classes did not impact the magnitude of the PD target required for efficacy. The PD target in this model should be considered in the design of clinical trials with this novel antibiotic.
Eradication of Bacteria in Suspension and Biofilms Using Methylene Blue-Loaded Dynamic Nanoplatforms
Authors: Wu Jianfeng , Xu Hao , Tang Wei , Kopelman Raoul , Philbert Martin A. , Xi Chuanwu 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACT

The bacterial killing efficiency of a dynamic nanoplatform (DNP) was evaluated. The polyacrylamide (PAA) hydrogel matrix of the DNP was loaded with methylene blue (MB) and was previously applied successfully to killing rat C6 glioma tumor cells in culture. This series of experiments is aimed at determining the suitability of this nanoplatform for elimination of bacterial infections. Suspended cultures of
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
,
Escherichia coli
, and
Acinetobacter
sp. were exposed to activated (∼650-nm laser light) MB-PAA-DNPs. The killing efficiency of nanoparticle mass concentration, light irradiance and fluence, and dark incubation time was determined on each of the bacterial species. Moreover, the ability of activated MB-PAA-DNPs to inhibit biofilm growth and eradicate and disperse preformed biofilms, preformed on glass and polystyrene surfaces, was demonstrated. The data revealed that activated MB-PAA-DNPs eradicated all species of bacteria examined. Also, encapsulation of MB into the PAA-DNP matrix significantly diminished the observed dark toxicity of free dye. The photobactericidal efficacy of MB-PAA-DNP was found to be higher for gram-positive bacteria than for gram-negative bacteria. In addition, activated MB-PAA-DNP can inhibit biofilm growth and eradicate almost all of the early-age biofilms that are formed by all of the bacteria examined.
Isolated left ventricular non-compaction: an emerging cause of heart failure in adults
Authors: Nair S B , Khattar R S 
Published: May 2009

Abstract
Isolated left ventricular non-compaction is a rare, morphologically distinct primary genetic cardiomyopathy, which was first described in children, but is becoming increasingly recognised in adults. The most common clinical manifestations include heart failure, arrhythmias and embolic events, and in children it may be associated with facial dysmorphisms and Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome. Misdiagnosis may occur through lack of awareness of the condition, but with increased vigilance detailed cardiac imaging can reliably differentiate isolated left ventricular non-compaction from other pathological causes of left ventricular dysfunction. This is important because the condition may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and genetic counselling and echocardiographic screening of first-degree relatives is recommended to detect asymptomatic cases.
Fully Automated Detection of Cloud and Aerosol Layers in the CALIPSO Lidar Measurements
Authors: Vaughan Mark A. , Powell Kathleen A. , Winker David M. , Hostetler Chris A. , Kuehn Ralph E. , Hunt William H. , Getzewich Brian J. , Young Stuart A. , Liu Zhaoyan , McGill Matthew J. 
Published: May 2009

Abstract
Accurate knowledge of the vertical and horizontal extent of clouds and aerosols in the earth’s atmosphere is critical in assessing the planet’s radiation budget and for advancing human understanding of climate change issues. To retrieve this fundamental information from the elastic backscatter lidar data acquired during the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) mission, a selective, iterated boundary location (SIBYL) algorithm has been developed and deployed. SIBYL accomplishes its goals by integrating an adaptive context-sensitive profile scanner into an iterated multiresolution spatial averaging scheme. This paper provides an in-depth overview of the architecture and performance of the SIBYL algorithm. It begins with a brief review of the theory of target detection in noise-contaminated signals, and an enumeration of the practical constraints levied on the retrieval scheme by the design of the lidar hardware, the geometry of a space-based remote sensing platform, and the spatial variability of the measurement targets. Detailed descriptions are then provided for both the adaptive threshold algorithm used to detect features of interest within individual lidar profiles and the fully automated multiresolution averaging engine within which this profile scanner functions. The resulting fusion of profile scanner and averaging engine is specifically designed to optimize the trade-offs between the widely varying signal-to-noise ratio of the measurements and the disparate spatial resolutions of the detection targets. Throughout the paper, specific algorithm performance details are illustrated using examples drawn from the existing CALIPSO dataset. Overall performance is established by comparisons to existing layer height distributions obtained by other airborne and space-based lidars.
Biochemical characterization of bovine plasma thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI)
Authors: Valnickova Zuzana , Thaysen-Andersen Morten , Højrup Peter , Christensen Trine , Sanggaard Kristian W , Kristensen Torsten , Enghild Jan J 
Published: May 2009

Abstract

Background
TAFI is a plasma protein assumed to be an important link between coagulation and fibrinolysis. The three-dimensional crystal structures of authentic mature bovine TAFI (TAFIa) in complex with tick carboxypeptidase inhibitor, authentic full lenght bovine plasma thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), and recombinant human TAFI have recently been solved. In light of these recent advances, we have characterized authentic bovine TAFI biochemically and compared it to human TAFI.

Results
The four N-linked glycosylation sequons within the activation peptide were all occupied in bovine TAFI, similar to human TAFI, while the sequon located within the enzyme moiety of the bovine protein was non-glycosylated. The enzymatic stability and the kinetic constants of TAFIa differed somewhat between the two proteins, as did the isoelectric point of TAFI, but not TAFIa. Equivalent to human TAFI, bovine TAFI was a substrate for transglutaminases and could be proteolytically cleaved by trypsin or thrombin/solulin complex, although small differences in the fragmentation patterns were observed. Furthermore, bovine TAFI exhibited intrinsic activity and TAFIa attenuated tPA-mediated fibrinolysis similar to the human protein.

Conclusion
The findings presented here suggest that the properties of these two orthologous proteins are similar and that conclusions reached using the bovine TAFI may be extrapolated to the human protein.