bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
NewRinodinaspecies from the Cape Verde Islands, with notes on some additional species
Authors: GIRALT Mireia , van den BOOM Pieter P. G. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractExamination ofRinodinaspecimens from the Cape Verde Islands revealed three new species, which are described here:Rinodina capeverdeanaGiralt & van den Boom,R. inspersoparietataGiralt & van den Boom andR. polymorphaesporaGiralt & van den Boom. Additional information is given for six further species, of which five are new records for the archipelago.Rinodina punctosorediataAptroot & Sparrius was found to be conspecific withR. sticticaSheard & Tønsberg.
14C/C measurements support Andreev's internode method to determine lichen growth rates inCladonia stygia(Fr.) Ruoss
Authors: HOLT Emily A. , BENCH Graham 
Published: November 2008

AbstractGrowth rates and the ability to date an organism can greatly contribute to understanding its population biology and community dynamics. 1n 1954, V. N. Andreev proposed a method to date regularly branched members ofCladonia, a fruticose lichen, using total thallus length and number of internodes. No research, however, has demonstrated the reliability of this technique or compared its estimates to those derived by other means. In this study, we demonstrate the utility of14C/C ratios to determine lichen age and growth rate inCladonia stygia(Fr.) Ruoss collected from north-western Alaska, USA. The average growth rate using14C/C ratios was 6·5 mm yr−1, which was not significantly different from growth rates derived by Andreev's internode method (average = 6·2 mm yr−1); thus, suggesting the reliability of Andreev's simple field method for dating lichens.
On the implications of the virtual storyteller’s point of view
Authors: Ibáñez Jesús , Aylett Ruth , Delgado-Mata Carlos , Molinuevo Beatriz 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThis paper deals with the implications of showing the storyteller’s perspective when telling stories in virtual environments. The paper proposes an open and reusable architecture for the construction of virtual guides who tell stories about the worlds they inhabit from their own perspective. The system consists of two main components: the structure of a knowledge base to code the narrative knowledge about the worlds and a novel hybrid algorithm for the generation of narratives showing the storyteller’s viewpoint. The complete architecture has been developed. Furthermore, we carried out a study with users in order to both validate the implemented storytelling system and test whether the users consider it significantly better or worse (in terms of several aspects related to believability) adding the virtual guide perspective (as both text and animations showing emotions) to the guide discourse. The interesting results are discussed.
Art applications for crowds
Authors: Rudomin Isaac , Millán Erik , Hernández Benjamín , Díaz Marissa , Rivera Daniel 
Published: November 2008

AbstractWe have developed two different art applications as a way of guiding and testing of our technical work in crowd simulation and interface devices. In this paper, we describe both of them as well as the systems used to implement them. ‘Crowds’ is an immersive art installation with stereo projection based on our development of the specification of crowd behavior using XML and images, a proprietary tangible wind interface, and interactive real-time navigation. ‘UnderCrowds’ deals with large crowds, implemented in the graphics processor, and uses a crowd sensor to make the size of the virtual crowd proportional to the number of spectators crossing in front of the said sensor.
Portraiture, precedence and politics amongst the London liveries c. 1540–1640
Authors: TITTLER ROBERT 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACTPortraiture has accurately been identified as one of the many harmony-inducing, commemorative devices employed in the celebratory culture of the London liveries in the century after the Reformation. But a closer examination of the developing tradition of livery company portraiture shows its use to be considerably more complex, and sometimes more divisive, than previously recognized.
Symbols of civic pride, national history or European tradition? City halls in Scandinavian capital cities
Authors: KOLBE LAURA 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACTUsing case studies of city halls in Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo, this article contributes towards the creation of an iconographic reading of this building type. This article argues that the symbolic aim of the city hall was to express the burgher's pride and values, and to symbolize the local and national history. To understand the multifaceted architecture of a city hall in a capital city, one must also understand the ideas behind nation-building in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The second part of the article analyses how European, national and local narratives were used in the city halls.
THE OBLIGATION OF A STATE UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW TO PROTECT MEMBERS OF ITS OWN ARMED FORCES DURING ARMED CONFLICT OR OCCUPATION
Authors: Rowe Peter 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe article considers whether a state owes any obligation under international humanitarian law or under human rights law to its own soldiers killed or injured during an armed conflict or an occupation of territory. Whether a soldier's own state can beacause (in conjunction with the acts of enemy forces) of his death during combat is explored through situations such as poor training, equipment, and leadership and of specific issues such as ‘friendly fire’ incidents. It marks out a distinction between causation and the responsibility of a state. Whilst there may be political, or even national law, pressures upon a government which is at fault to some degree in causing casualties amongst its own soldiers this article suggests that, in certain limited circumstances, a duty may crystallise under customary international humanitarian law or arise under human rights law on a state to prevent it beingacause of the death or wounding of its own soldiers. It concludes that soldiers are, perhaps, the last group involved in an armed conflict to be recognised as individuals who should be owed some obligation of protection, in this case, by their own state under international law.
COMMISSION 46: ASTRONOMY EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Pasachoff Jay M. , Jones Barrie W. , Hearnshaw John B. , Gerbaldi Michèle , Christensen Lars Lindberg , Tolbert Charles R. , Percy John R. 
Published: November 2008

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) was founded in 1922 to “promote and safeguard astronomy . . . and to develop it through international co-operation”. The IAU is funded through its National Members. Almost all of the funds supplied from the dues are used for the development of astronomy.
Gene Expression Profiling of the Hepatic Transcriptome in Presence of TNF-alpha
Authors: Pandey Amit Kumar , Munjal Neha , Datta Malabika 
Published: November 2008

AbstractDiabetes mellitus, often simply termed Diabetes, is a syndrome characterized by disordered metabolism and high blood sugar. It is caused due to low levels of insulin hormone or from abnormal resistance to insulin in its target tissues. World Health Organization estimates that India will alone have 79.4 million diabetic patients in 2030. One of its major form Type 2 diabetes, is often associated with obesity, hypertension, elevated cholesterol and metabolic syndrome. Changes in life style, such as consumption of high-calorie diet and lack of exercise, have increased the global prevalence not only of diabetes but also of obesity. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance in target tissue, occurs due to several reasons and one of them being the proinflammatory cytokine, TNF-α. It is also known as the link between diabetes and obesity. High levels of TNF-α interfere with insulin signaling to cause the effect and to further investigate into the situation, gene transcription profiling was examined in control and TNF-α treated HepG2 cells. Results indicated that TNF-α could significantly alter the expression of a significant number of genes that were identified to be related to lipid and fat metabolism on one hand and to immunoglobulin receptor activity and IgE binding thereby on the other thereby indicating global dysregulation of fat metabolism and compromise in immune defense mechanism(s) within the hepatocyte by TNF-α. Pathway analysis revealed “biosynthesis of steroids” to be most effected. All these indicate TNF-α to be significantly altering the transcriptome profiling within HepG2 cells with genes involved in lipid and steroid metabolism being the most favoured and this could explain one of the underlying mechanisms of TNF-α action in the liver.
Lys‐110 is essential for targeting PCNA to replication and repair foci, and the K110A mutant activates apoptosis
Authors: Kim Byung Ju , Lee Hoyun 
Published: November 2008

Background information. PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) is required for a wide range of cellular functions, including DNA replication and damage repair. To be functional, PCNA must associate with the replication and repair foci. In addition, PCNA also mediates targeting of certain replication and repair proteins to these foci. However, the mechanism is not yet known by which PCNA is imported into the nucleus, and then localized to the replication and repair foci.Results. We have found that an NLS (nuclear localization sequence) is present within the amino acid 101–120 segment of PCNA. An NLS‐deleted PCNA was localized in the cytoplasm and showed 5‐fold lower affinity for importin‐β than wild‐type, suggesting that PCNA may be imported into the nucleus by importin‐β via its NLS. We previously reported that the functional unit of PCNA is a double trimer (as opposed to single homotrimer), and Lys‐110 is essential for the formation of the double trimer complex [Naryzhny, Zhao and Lee (2005) J. Biol. Chem. 280, 13888–13894]. The present study shows that the substitution of Lys‐110 within the NLS to an alanine residue did not affect its nuclear localization. However, the double‐trimer‐defective PCNA(K110A) was not localized at replication or repair foci. In contrast, the double‐trimer‐intact PCNA(K117A) mutant was targeted normally to replication and repair foci. Interestingly, in cells transfected with PCNA(K110A), but not PCNA(K117A), caspase‐3‐mediated chromosome fragmentation was activated.Conclusions. The present study suggests that the regulation of PCNA is intimately connected with that of DNA replication, repair and cell death signals, and raises the possibility that defects in the formation of the PCNA double‐trimer complex can cause apoptosis.
Building vocabulary knowledge and phonological awareness skills in children with specific language impairment through hybrid language intervention: a feasibility study
Authors: Munro Natalie , Lee Kerrie , Baker Elise 
Published: November 2008

Background & Aims: Preschool and early school‐aged children with specific language impairment not only have spoken language difficulties, but also are at risk of future literacy problems. Effective interventions targeting both spoken language and emergent literacy skills for this population are limited. This paper reports a feasibility study of a hybrid language intervention approach that targets vocabulary knowledge and phonological awareness skills within the context of oral narrative, storybook reading, and drill‐based games. This study also reports on two novel, experimental assessments that were developed to expand options for measuring changes in lexical skills in children.Methods & Procedures: Seventeen children with specific language impairment participated in a pilot within‐group evaluation of a hybrid intervention programme. The children's performance at pre‐ and post‐intervention was compared on a range of clinical and experimental assessment measures targeting both spoken language and phonological awareness skills. Each child received intervention for six one‐hour sessions scheduled on a weekly basis. Intervention sessions focused on training phonological awareness skills as well as lexical–semantic features of words within the context of oral and storybook narrative and drill‐based games.Outcomes & Results: The children significantly improved on clinical measures of phonological awareness, spoken vocabulary and oral narrative. Lexical–semantic and sublexical vocabulary knowledge also significantly improved on the experimental measures used in the study.Conclusions: The results of this feasibility study suggest that a larger scale experimental trial of an integrated spoken language and emergent literacy intervention approach for preschool and early school‐aged children with specific language impairment is warranted.
Basketball game‐related statistics that discriminate between teams’ season‐long success
Authors: Ibáñez Sergio J. , Sampaio Jaime , Feu Sebastian , Lorenzo Alberto , Gómez Miguel A. , Ortega Enrique 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe aim of the present study was to identify the game‐related statistics that discriminate between season‐long successful and unsuccessful basketball teams participating in the Spanish Basketball League (LEB1). The sample included all 145 average records per season from the 870 games played between the 2000–2001 and the 2005–2006 regular seasons. The following game‐related statistics were gathered from the official box scores of the Spanish Basketball Federation: 2‐ and 3‐point field‐goal attempts (both successful and unsuccessful), free‐throws (both successful and unsuccessful), defensive and offensive rebounds, assists, steals, turnovers, blocks (both made and received), and fouls (both committed and received). To control for season variability, all results were normalized to minutes played each season and then converted to z‐scores. The results allowed discrimination between best and worst teams’ performances through the following game‐related statistics: assists (SC=0.47), steals (SC=0.34), and blocks (SC=0.30). The function obtained correctly classified 82.4% of the cases. In conclusion, season‐long performance may be supported by players’ and teams’ passing skills and defensive preparation.
Assessment of ice hockey performance in real‐game conditions
Authors: Nadeau Luc , Godbout Paul , Richard Jean‐François 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe aim of this study was to adapt a performance measurement tool, the Team Sport Assessment Procedure (TSAP), to ice hockey during match‐play. In addition to the six categories included in the original observational procedure, the ice hockey TSAP contained four new categories. Twelve Pee‐Wee ice hockey matches were video‐recorded during a regional championship tournament. The game play of 103 of the 11‐ to 12‐year‐old players was then analysed on video by three trained observers, based on all 10 ice hockey TSAP categories. The observational data were thereafter used to compute, for each player, a “volume of play per minute” and an efficiency index. Finally, volume of play per minute and the efficiency index were combined to obtain a composite score, the TSAP performance score. Additional measurements for each player were playing time during the observed matches, coaches’ assessments (dominant, good, less decisive), and player tournament statistics (number of points, based on assists and goals). The mean TSAP performance score was substantially higher for players rated by their coaches as dominant and for players who accumulated more than one tournament point, findings that provide evidence of the validity of the TSAP measure. In inter‐observer reliability analyses of TSAP observational data provided by the trained observersfrom video recordings, the level of agreement between each pair of observers was 80–82%. Reliability correlations over a series of three matches (r=0.26, 0.59, and 0.16 respectively) showed that the TSAP performance score was relatively unstable. Ice hockey coaches may use this adapted Team Sport Assessment Procedure to better understand the offensive implication of each player in a given match, since the 10 observational variables provide more extensive information on performance than traditional statistical measures. Due to low performance stability of the TSAP performance score, coaches ought to use the observational assessment data for the formative rather than the summative assessment of their players unless they cumulate information over a series of several matches. Formative assessment can be conducted either during training camps or even during the regular season.
EchoLOCATION: an in silico analysis of the subcellular locations of Escherichia coli proteins and comparison with experimentally derived locations
Authors: Horler Richard S. P. , Butcher Andrew , Papangelopoulos Nikitas , Ashton Peter D. , Thomas Gavin H. 
Published: November 2008

Abstract
Summary: EchoLOCATION is a database that provides a comprehensive analysis of the subcellular locations of Escherichia coli K-12 proteins. Locations are predicted by integrating data from a range of publicly available algorithms combined with extensive curation of experimental literature. The data can be searched in a variety of ways and can generate lists of subcellular proteomes for analysis. Experimental evidence supports the locations of over 500 envelope proteins (periplasm, inner and outer membrane). From analysis of disagreements between in silico predictions and experimental data, we provide an analysis of protein types where subcellular prediction algorithms are currently not accurate.
Availability: http://www.ecoli-york.org/
Contact: ght2@york.ac.uk
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Interaction between CD14−159C>T polymorphism and Helicobacter pylori is associated with serum total immunoglobulin E
Authors: Virta M. , Pessi T. , Helminen M. , Seiskari T. , Kondrashova A. , Knip M. , Hyöty H. , Hurme M. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryBackground
Total serum IgE is regulated by both environmental and genetic factors. Association and linkage studies have suggested a role of CD14−159C>T polymorphism in the regulation of serum total IgE, but the results have been contradictory. It seems that gene–environment interactions are involved in this regulation.Objective
The aim of this study was to examine the possible gene–environment interactions among Toxoplasma gondii, Helicobacter pylori, CD14−159C>T and Toll‐like receptor (TLR) 4+896A>G polymorphism on serum total IgE. For this study, we expanded the scope of our earlier comparison of allergic sensitization and microbial load between Finland and Russian Karelia by studying the CD14−159C>T and TLR4+896A>G polymorphism in a cohort of Russian Karelian children.Methods
For this study, CD14−159C>T and TLR4+896A>G polymorphisms were analysed in 264 healthy Russian Karelian children. Serum total IgE levels and H. pylori and T. gondii antibodies were also measured.Results
We constructed a multiway anova model to analyse the gene–environment interactions among T. gondii seropositivity, H. pylori seropositivity, CD14−159C>T and TLR4+896A>G polymorphisms on serum total IgE. The model showed that there was an interaction between the CD14−159 allele T carrier status and H. pylori antibodies on serum total IgE (P=0.004). No other interactions were found.Conclusion
Our results further emphasize the role of gene–environment interaction in the regulation of serum total IgE.
Comparison of cysteinyl leukotriene concentrations between exhaled breath condensate and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
Authors: Ono E. , Mita H. , Taniguchi M. , Higashi N. , Tsuburai T. , Miyazaki E. , Kumamoto T. , Akiyama K. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryBackground
Collection of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is a simple, non‐invasive method of obtaining samples from the airways and it can be repeated in short intervals without side effects; therefore, it provides an opportunity to monitor the changes in concentration of inflammatory mediators in the airways. However, EBC analysis still has several unresolved issues.Objective
To better understand the characteristics of EBC, we compared cysteinyl leukotriene (CysLT) concentrations between bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and EBC. We also attempted to correct CysLT concentrations in BALF and EBC diluted with saline and water vapour using biological markers.Methods
EBC was collected from 14 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis before bronchoscopy. We measured CysLT concentrations and also quantified tyrosine, urea and total protein as possible biomarkers for correcting dilution.Results
(1) We have validated the quantification of CysLTs in EBC. (2) Although a significant correlation was observed among tyrosine and urea concentrations in BALF, urea and total protein concentrations were below the detection limit in EBC. (3) CysLT concentrations were higher in BALF than in EBC (median, 15.96 pg/mL vs. 5.5 pg/mL; P=0.001) and there was no correlation of CysLT concentrations in BALF with those in EBC. A significant correlation of the ratio of total CysLT concentration to tyrosine concentration (CysLT/Y) in EBC with that in BALF was observed (r=0.547, P=0.043). (4) CysLT/Y in EBC correlated with serum KL‐6 concentration and total cell count in BALF, and CysLT/Y in BALF also correlated with exhaled NO concentration and %VC.Conclusions
CysLT/Y in EBC significantly correlated with that in BALF and some clinical parameters correlated with CysLT/Y. Tyrosine concentration may be used to correct the dilution error for CysLT concentrations, and CysLT/Y in EBC can be a surrogate marker for CysLT concentrations in BALF.
Incremental build‐up food challenge – a new diagnostic approach to evaluate pseudoallergic reactions in chronic urticaria: a pilot study
Authors: Bunselmeyer B. , Laubach H. J. , Schiller M. , Stanke M. , Luger T. A. , Brehler R. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryBackground
The remission rate of patients with chronic urticaria (CU) due to elimination diets varies between 31% and 71%. However, the diagnostic value of subsequent traditional oral provocation tests with food additives in capsules remains unsatisfactory.Objectives
A newly incremental build‐up food challenge (IBUF) for patients with CU was designed and implemented in an open pilot study. Primary endpoint was the percentage of patients developing urticaria during at least one step of IBUF after an initial complete remission due to a pseudoallergen‐free elimination diet.Methods
In total, 153 patients with CU were submitted for 5 weeks to a pseudoallergen‐free diet. All patients with remission were included to the 6‐week IBUF protocol, containing pseudoallergen‐rich foods in a systematic and additive manner. The recurrence and severity of CU was evaluated by urticaria score. Subjective disturbance and quality of life were evaluated by patients' diary, visual analogue scale and quality of life questionnaire (CU‐Q2oL). Subsequently, patients were followed up for 3–24 months after IBUF by a telephone interview.Results
A total of 104 patients completed the pseudoallergen‐free diet, whereby 51% reported partial, 17% complete and 32% no remission due to the diet. All diet responders showed a decrease in subjective impairment, urticaria and quality of life score (P<0.001 each). Eighty‐six percent (12/14) of the patients reaching complete remission, showed a recurrence of urticaria symptoms during the IBUF protocol. Fifty‐eight percent (7/12) of these patients still remained free of symptoms due to avoidance of IBUF‐identified foods at telephone follow‐up. In patients with partial remission to pseudoallergen‐free diet, however, IBUF did not provide information about the cause of urticaria symptoms.Conclusions
The newly developed IBUF protocol seemed to be a promising method for identifying individually incompatible foods in some CU patients. IBUF should be verified by randomized controlled trials to gain additional evidence for its diagnostic value.