bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Shift in Microglial β‐Amyloid Binding in Alzheimer's Disease Is Associated with Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy
Authors: Zabel Matthew , Schrag Matthew , Crofton Andrew , Tung Spencer , Beaufond Pierre , Van Ornam Jon , DiNinni Angielee , Vinters Harry V. , Coppola Giovanni , Kirsch Wolff M.
Published: November 2012

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) are two common pathologies associated with β‐amyloid (Aβ) accumulation and inflammation in the brain; neither is well understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate human post‐mortem brains from AD subjects with purely parenchymal pathology, and those with concomitant CAA (and age‐matched controls) for differential expression of microglia‐associated Aβ ligands thought to mediate Aβ clearance and the association of these receptors with complement activation. Homogenates of brain parenchyma and enriched microvessel fractions from occipital cortex were probed for levels of C3b, membrane attack complex (MAC), CD11b and α‐2‐macroglobulin and immunoprecipitation was used to immunoprecipitate (IP) CD11b complexed with C3b and Aβ. Both C3b and MAC were significantly increased in CAA compared to AD‐only and controls and IP showed significantly increased CD11b/C3b complexes with Aβ in AD/CAA subjects. Confocal microscopy was used to visualize these interactions. MAC was remarkably associated with CAA‐affected blood vessels compared to AD‐only and control vessels. These findings are consistent with an Aβ clearance mechanism via microglial CD11b that delivers Aβ and C3b to blood vessels in AD/CAA, which leads to Aβ deposition and propagation of complement to the cytolytic MAC, possibly leading to vascular fragility.
Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 as an emerging metabolic regulator: clinical perspectives
Authors: Woo Y. C. , Xu Aimin , Wang Yu , Lam Karen S. L.
Published: November 2012

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a metabolic hormone predominantly produced by the liver, is also expressed in adipocytes and the pancreas. It regulates glucose and lipid metabolism through pleiotropic actions in these tissues and the brain. In mice, fasting leads to increased PPAR‐α mediated expression of FGF21 in the liver where it stimulates gluconeogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, and ketogenesis, as an adaptive response to fasting and starvation. In the fed state, FGF21 acts as an autocrine factor in adipocytes, regulating the activity of PPAR‐γ through a feed‐forward loop mechanism. Administration of recombinant FGF21 has been shown to confer multiple metabolic benefits on insulin sensitivity, blood glucose, lipid profile and body weight in obese mice and diabetic monkeys, without mitogenic or other side effects. Such findings highlight the potential role of FGF21 as a therapeutic agent for obesity‐related medical conditions. However, in human studies, high circulating FGF21 levels are found in obesity and its related cardiometabolic disorders including the metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease and coronary artery disease. These findings may indicate the presence of FGF21 resistance or compensatory responses to the underlying metabolic stress, and imply the need for supraphysiological doses of FGF21 to achieve therapeutic efficacy. On the other hand, serum FGF21 has been implicated as a potential biomarker for the early detection of these cardiometabolic disorders. This review summarizes recent developments in the understanding of FGF21, from physiological and clinical perspectives.
BclI polymorphism of the glucocorticoid receptor gene is associated with increased bone resorption in patients on glucocorticoid replacement therapy
Authors: Koetz Kathrin R. , van Rossum Elisabeth F. C. , Ventz Manfred , Diederich Sven , Quinkler Marcus
Published: November 2012

Context

Patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) and patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) receive weight‐adapted standard glucocorticoid replacement therapy. Clinically, some patients appear more sensitive to therapeutic administration of glucocorticoids than others. Glucocorticoid sensitivity is at least partially genetically determined by polymorphisms of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and might influence bone mineral density (BMD).

Objectives

To determine if bone turnover markers and BMD are associated with the GR gene polymorphism BclI in patients with PAI and CAH.

Design and Patients

A prospective, cross‐sectional study including 74 PAI and 38 CAH patients. BMD was evaluated by DXA. Serum levels of bone turnover markers, minerals, vitamins and hormones, and urinary crosslinks were measured.

Results

Patients carrying the homozygous BclI polymorphism (GG) had significantly higher serum β‐CrossLaps (0·37 ± 0·34 μg/l; P < 0·05) and urinary collagen crosslinks (NTX, 68·1 ± 32·4 nmol/g; P < 0·005) despite receiving the lowest average daily hydrocortisone dose of 9·9 ± 3·7 mg/m2 (P < 0·05). The GG genotype occurred significantly more frequently in patients with increased NTX (OR=6·7, 95% CI = 1·78–25·38) than in patients with normal NTX. However, BMD was not significantly different between different allelic variants. No significant differences in associations of the genotypes with outcomes (or in clinical characteristics) were found between the sexes.

Conclusions

Although the sample sizes were relatively small and the results should be interpreted with caution, this study suggests that the homozygous (GG) genotype may be associated with higher bone resorption in adult PAI and CAH patients. GG‐carriers needed a lower hydrocortisone dose on average supporting the concept that this GR variant is associated with increased cortisol sensitivity.
Protein expression studies of desmoplakin mutations in cardiomyopathy patients reveal different molecular disease mechanisms
Authors: Rasmussen TB , Hansen J , Nissen PH , Palmfeldt J , Dalager S , Jensen UB , Kim WY , Heickendorff L , Mølgaard H , Jensen HK , Sørensen KE , Baandrup UT , Bross P , Mogensen J
Published: November 2012

Mutations in the gene for desmoplakin (DSP) may cause arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) and Carvajal syndrome (CS). Desmoplakin is part of all desmosomes, which are abundantly expressed in both myocardial and epidermal tissue and serve as intercellular mechanical junctions. This study aimed to investigate protein expression in myocardial and epidermal tissue of ARVC and CS patients carrying DSP mutations in order to elucidate potential molecular disease mechanisms. Genetic investigations identified three ARVC patients carrying different heterozygous DSP mutations in addition to a homozygous DSP mutation in a CS patient. The protein expression of DSP in mutation carriers was evaluated in biopsies from myocardial and epidermal tissue by immunohistochemistry. Keratinocyte cultures were established from skin biopsies of mutation carriers and characterized by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and protein mass spectrometry. The results showed that the mutation carriers had abnormal DSP expression in both myocardial and epidermal tissue. The investigations revealed that the disease mechanisms varied accordingly to the specific types of DSP mutation identified and included haploinsufficiency, dominant‐negative effects, or a combination hereof. Furthermore, the results suggest that the keratinocytes cultured from patients are a valuable and easily accessible resource to elucidate the effects of desmosomal gene mutations in humans.
Dorsal aorta formation: Separate origins, lateral‐to‐medial migration, and remodeling
Authors: Sato Yuki
Published: November 2012

Blood vessel formation is a highly dynamic tissue‐remodeling event that can be observed from early development in vertebrate embryos. Dorsal aortae, the first functional intra‐embryonic blood vessels, arise as two separate bilateral vessels in the trunk and undergo lateral‐to‐medial translocation, eventually fusing into a single large vessel at the midline. After this dramatic remodeling, the dorsal aorta generates hematopoietic stem cells. The dorsal aorta is a good model to use to increase our understanding of the mechanisms controlling the establishment and remodeling of larger blood vessels in vivo. Because of the easy accessibility to the developing circulatory system, quail and chick embryos have been widely used for studies on blood vessel formation. In particular, the mapping of endothelial cell origins has been performed using quail‐chick chimera analysis, revealing endothelial, vascular smooth muscle, and hematopoietic cell progenitors of the dorsal aorta. The avian embryo model also allows conditional gene activation/inactivation and direct observation of cell behaviors during dorsal aorta formation. This allows a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying specific morphogenetic events during dynamic dorsal aorta formation from a cell behavior perspective.
A Novel Noninvasive Method to Assess Left Ventricular −dP/dt Using Diastolic Blood Pressure and Isovolumic Relaxation Time
Authors: Parekh Rupal , Kolias Theodore J.
Published: November 2012

Background: Left ventricular Doppler‐derived −dP/dt determined from the continuous‐wave Doppler spectrum of the mitral regurgitation (MR) jet has been shown to be a valuable marker of diastolic function, but requires the presence of MR for its assessment. We sought to determine if a novel method of determining −dP/dt using the diastolic blood pressure and isovolumic relaxation time (DBP‐IVRT method) correlates with Doppler‐derived −dP/dt using the MR method (Doppler‐MR method). Methods: Thirty‐three patients with less than severe MR were enrolled. −dP/dt was determined using the Doppler‐MR method from the continuous‐wave Doppler spectrum of the MR jet (32 mmHg/time from 3 to 1 m/sec). −dP/dt was also determined using the DBP‐IVRT method using the following equation: −dP/dt = (DBP − LVEDP)/IVRT, where left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was estimated based on tissue Doppler and mitral inflow patterns. Results: Twenty‐five patients had adequate Doppler waveforms for analysis. The average amount of MR was mild‐to‐moderate severity. The mean −dP/dt was 680 ± 201 mmHg by the Doppler‐MR method and 681 ± 237 mmHg by the DBP‐IVRT method. There was a significant correlation between the 2 methods of determining −dP/dt (Pearson r = 0.574, P = 0.003). The Bland–Altman plot revealed almost no bias between the 2 methods; the difference in −dP/dt between the 2 techniques was noted to be greater for patients with higher −dP/dt, however. Conclusion: Diastolic blood pressure and isovolumic relaxation time may be used to noninvasively assess diastolic function in patients who do not have MR, especially in those with reduced diastolic function.
Quantification of ontogenetic allometry in ammonoids
Authors: Korn Dieter
Published: November 2012

Ammonoids are well‐known objects used for studies on ontogeny and phylogeny, but a quantification of ontogenetic change has not yet been carried out. Their planispirally coiled conchs allow for a study of “longitudinal” ontogenetic data, that is data of ontogenetic trajectories that can be obtained from a single specimen. Therefore, they provide a good model for ontogenetic studies of geometry in other shelled organisms. Using modifications of three cardinal conch dimensions, computer simulations can model artificial conchs. The trajectories of ontogenetic allometry of these simulations can be analyzed in great detail in a theoretical morphospace. A method for the classification of conch ontogeny and quantification of the degree of allometry is proposed. Using high‐precision cross‐sections, the allometric conch growth of real ammonoids can be documented and compared. The members of the Ammonoidea show a wide variety of allometric growth, ranging from near isometry to monophasic, biphasic, or polyphasic allometry. Selected examples of Palaeozoic and Mesozoic ammonoids are shown with respect to their degree of change during ontogeny of the conch.
Development of the venom ducts in the centipede Scolopendra: an example of recapitulation
Authors: Dugon Michel M. , Hayden Luke , Black Alexander , Arthur Wallace
Published: November 2012

In contrast to previous claims that (a) there is a law of recapitulation and, conversely, (b) recapitulation never happens, the evolutionary repatterning of development can take many forms, of which recapitulation is one. Here, we add another example to the list of case studies of recapitulation. This example involves the development of the venom claws (forcipules) in the centipede Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans, and in particular the development of the duct through which venom flows from the gland that produces it (proximal) to the opening called the meatus (distal) through which it is injected into prey. Most of the information we present is from early postembryonic stages—these have been neglected in previous work on centipede development. We show that the venom ducts arise from sutures that are invaginations of the cuticle. In S. s. mutilans, the invagination in each forcipule forms into a tubular structure that detaches itself from the exoskeleton and moves toward the center of the forcipule. This is in contrast to extant Scutigera, and also, probably, Scolopendra's extinct Scutigera‐like ancestors, where the duct remains attached to the cuticle of throughout development. Thus, S. s. mutilans exhibits a recapitulatory repatterning of development.
Evolution of the chelicera: a dachshund domain is retained in the deutocerebral appendage of Opiliones (Arthropoda, Chelicerata)
Authors: Sharma Prashant P. , Schwager Evelyn E. , Extavour Cassandra G. , Giribet Gonzalo
Published: November 2012

The proximo‐distal axis of the arthropod leg is patterned by mutually antagonistic developmental expression domains of the genes extradenticle, homothorax, dachshund, and Distal‐less. In the deutocerebral appendages (the antennae) of insects and crustaceans, the expression domain of dachshund is frequently either absent or, if present, is not required to pattern medial segments. By contrast, the dachshund domain is entirely absent in the deutocerebral appendages of spiders, the chelicerae. It is unknown whether absence of dachshund expression in the spider chelicera is associated with the two‐segmented morphology of this appendage, or whether all chelicerates lack the dachshund domain in their chelicerae. We investigated gene expression in the harvestman Phalangium opilio, which bears the plesiomorphic three‐segmented chelicera observed in “primitive” chelicerate orders. Consistent with patterns reported in spiders, in the harvestman chelicera homothorax, extradenticle, and Distal‐less have broadly overlapping developmental domains, in contrast with mutually exclusive domains in the legs and pedipalps. However, unlike in spiders, the harvestman chelicera bears a distinct expression domain of dachshund in the proximal segment, the podomere that is putatively lost in derived arachnids. These data suggest that a tripartite proximo‐distal domain structure is ancestral to all arthropod appendages, including deutocerebral appendages. As a corollary, these data also provide an intriguing putative genetic mechanism for the diversity of arachnid chelicerae: loss of developmental domains along the proximo‐distal axis.
Immunohistological and electrophysiological evidence that N‐acetylaspartylglutamate is a co‐transmitter at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction
Authors: Walder Kathryn K. , Ryan Steve B. , Bzdega Tomasz , Olszewski Rafal T. , Neale Joseph H. , Lindgren Clark A.
Published: November 2012

Immunohistochemical studies previously revealed the presence of the peptide transmitter N‐acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) in spinal motor neurons, axons and presumptive neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). At synapses in the central nervous system, NAAG has been shown to activate the type 3 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR3) and is inactivated by an extracellular peptidase, glutamate carboxypeptidase II. The present study tested the hypothesis that NAAG meets the criteria for classification as a co‐transmitter at the vertebrate NMJ. Confocal microscopy confirmed the presence of NAAG immunoreactivity and extended the resolution of the peptide's location in the lizard (Anolis carolinensis) NMJ. NAAG was localised to a presynaptic region immediately adjacent to postsynaptic acetylcholine receptors. NAAG was depleted by potassium‐induced depolarisation and by electrical stimulation of motor axons. The NAAG receptor, mGluR3, was localised to the presynaptic terminal consistent with NAAG's demonstrated role as a regulator of synaptic release at central synapses. In contrast, glutamate receptors, type 2 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR2) and N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate, were closely associated with acetylcholine receptors in the postsynaptic membrane. Glutamate carboxypeptidase II, the NAAG‐inactivating enzyme, was identified exclusively in perisynaptic glial cells. This localisation was confirmed by the loss of immunoreactivity when these cells were selectively eliminated. Finally, electrophysiological studies showed that exogenous NAAG inhibited evoked neurotransmitter release by activating a group II metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR2 or mGluR3). Collectively, these data support the conclusion that NAAG is a co‐transmitter at the vertebrate NMJ.
Can garlic‐intake reduce the risk of cancer? A systematic review of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Ernst Edzard , Posadzki Paul
Published: November 2012

Background

Many authors have explored the intriguing possibility that the regular intake of Allium sativum (garlic) might reduce cancer risk. Most of this evidence is based on epidemiological data which, by its very nature, may not be fully convincing in establishing causality.

Objective

To critically evaluate the evidence of effectiveness of garlic extract for reducing cancer risk.

Methods

Five electronic databases and the authors' own departmental files were searched for relevant studies. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included if they tested the effectiveness of garlic extracts or garlic compounds on cancer risk or related variables. The quality of included trials was determined using the Jadad score.

Results

Four eligible RCTs were identified. The quality of studies was mixed. The findings from these trials were not uniformly positive.

Conclusions

Evidence from RCTs lends little support to the notion that garlic reduces the risk of cancer.
Nuisance growth of Juncus bulbosus: the roles of genetics and environmental drivers tested in a large‐scale survey
Authors: MOE THERESE F. , BRYSTING ANNE K. , ANDERSEN TOM , SCHNEIDER SUSANNE C. , KASTE ØYVIND , HESSEN DAG O.
Published: November 2012

1. Invasive species can transform aquatic ecosystems, and the nuisance growth of the freshwater macrophyte Juncus bulbosus has become a problem in many lakes and rivers in northern Europe. It affects biodiversity strongly and conflicts with human uses, not least compromising the generation of hydroelectricity. The causes of the proliferation of these massive stands of J. bulbosus are not finally resolved, however.

2. In this study, a wide range of catchment, lake and sediment parameters (n = 34) were assessed for 139 lakes in Southern Norway, with the aim of explaining the presence or absence of J. bulbosus and to assess potential drivers behind its prolific growth.

3. Juncus bulbosus was more often present in lakes with lower pH and phosphate concentrations, and a higher element ratio of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) to total phosphorus (DIN : TotP).

4. Despite the many parameters measured across substantial environmental gradients, none explained nuisance growth. Genetic screening (amplified fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting) of plants from a subset of lakes and additional river sites also showed no genetic differences between the various growth forms. A macrophyte trophic index, however, suggested that the most problematic growth occurred in the most oligotrophic lakes.

5. The lack of consistent patterns may reflect either factors not assessed in our survey, or that the current extension of stands represents a gradual cumulative response over time, not characterised effectively in our snapshot survey. Nevertheless, we can now exclude some putative causes of nuisance growth, including in particular genetics and N‐deposition.
Relationship between community prevalence of obesity and associated behavioral factors and community rates of influenza‐related hospitalizations in the United States
Authors: Charland Katia M. , Buckeridge David L. , Hoen Anne G. , Berry Jay G. , Elixhauser Anne , Melton Forrest , Brownstein John S.
Published: November 2012

Please cite this paper as: Charland et al.(2012) Relationship between community prevalence of obesity and associated behavioral factors and community rates of influenza‐related hospitalizations in the United States. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses DOI: 10.1111/irv.12019.

Background  Findings from studies examining the association between obesity and acute respiratory infection are inconsistent. Few studies have assessed the relationship between obesity‐related behavioral factors, such as diet and exercise, and risk of acute respiratory infection.

Objective  To determine whether community prevalence of obesity, low fruit/vegetable consumption, and physical inactivity are associated with influenza‐related hospitalization rates.

Methods  Using data from 274 US counties, from 2002 to 2008, we regressed county influenza‐related hospitalization rates on county prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 30), low fruit/vegetable consumption (<5 servings/day), and physical inactivity (<30 minutes/month recreational exercise), while adjusting for community‐level confounders such as insurance coverage and the number of primary care physicians per 100 000 population.

Results  A 5% increase in obesity prevalence was associated with a 12% increase in influenza‐related hospitalization rates [adjusted rate ratio (ARR) 1·12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·07, 1·17]. Similarly, a 5% increase in the prevalence of low fruit/vegetable consumption and physical inactivity was associated with an increase of 12% (ARR 1·12, 95% CI 1·08, 1·17) and 11% (ARR 1·11, 95% CI 1·07, 1·16), respectively. When all three variables were included in the same model, a 5% increase in prevalence of obesity, low fruit/vegetable consumption, and physical inactivity was associated with 6%, 8%, and 7% increases in influenza‐related hospitalization rates, respectively.

Conclusions  Communities with a greater prevalence of obesity were more likely to have high influenza‐related hospitalization rates. Similarly, less physically active populations, with lower fruit/vegetable consumption, tended to have higher influenza‐related hospitalization rates, even after accounting for obesity.
Implications of dominant technological frames over a longitudinal period
Authors: Olesen Karin
Published: November 2012

Successful adoption and use of information systems is an area of continued research in the field of information systems. This prior research has shown that how we adopt and use an information system depends on how we make sense of it. The sense‐making activity is carried out through our cognitive structures of knowledge that relate to technology (our technological frames). The sense‐making activity changes over time, as use and exposure to differing technologies occur. Most research into information systems in organisations has focused on a specific information system; this preoccupation with studying discrete projects at one point in time may be limiting. In an attempt to fill this research gap, we use the socio‐cognitive perspective of Orlikowski & Gash to analyse technological frames in one organisation over a longitudinal period to evaluate sensemaking in relation to multiple systems. The interpretive case study looks at the technological frames of senior management, faculty teaching staff, information technology (IT) mediating staff and IT groups over a 10‐year period in a university and finds that there were incongruent frames between senior management and other groups within the organisation with senior management holding a dominant frame. The consequences of these frames were demonstrated when they were linked to the use of the four major information systems in the organisation, showing repeated historical patterns of use that caused inefficiencies due to the incongruent frames of the various groups. The unchanging dominant technological frame contributed to this pattern.
Component pathogen inactivation: a critical review
Authors: Prowse C. V.
Published: November 2012

Background and Objectives  Pathogen inactivation (PI)‐treated plasma and platelets are increasingly becoming the products of choice, where licensed. This review summarizes the clinical evidence available for licensed component PI technologies and red cell PI under development.

Materials and Methods  Available literature on licensed technologies was reviewed.

Results  For the plasma and platelets technologies available, evidence for the inactivation of most pathogens is good, except for certain nonenveloped viruses. Clinical trials and haemovigilance programmes suggest the observed loss of potency is of little clinical significance, with some technology‐specific exceptions. Concerns over adverse toxicological effects or neoantigen formation have not been confirmed for currently licensed products.

Conclusion  While platelet PI has been adopted to reduce bacterial contamination, the ability of PI methods to replace testing for emerging bloodborne infections, or as a substitute for selective pathogen testing, gamma‐irradiation or even leucodepletion, make adoption of PI for components increasingly attractive.
Long‐term outcomes of endoscopic papillary balloon dilation and endoscopic sphincterotomy for bile duct stones
Authors: Natsui Masaaki , Saito Yu , Abe Satoshi , Iwanaga Akito , Ikarashi Satoshi , Nozawa Yujiro , Nakadaira Hiroto
Published: November 2012

Aim

We recently reported that endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD) might suppress biliary bacterial contamination better than endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) in patients with small bile duct stones (diameter ≤8 mm). In the present study, we evaluated immediate and long‐term outcomes of endoscopic papillary balloon dilation with regard to stone size.

Methods

We allocated 474 patients alternately to the two procedures. The patients were classified according to stone diameter (≤8 mm or >8 mm) and outcomes (i.e. complete stone removal, early complications, and late complications) were compared. The predictive risk factors for late complications were also investigated.

Results

In patients with small stones, complete stone removal rate and early complication rate were similar between the two procedures; the incidence of pancreatitis was higher after EPBD, although the difference was not significant. Late complication rate and stone recurrence rate were significantly lower after EPBD than after EST (5.3% vs 17.3%, P = 0.009; 4.4% vs 12.7%; P = 0.048, respectively). In patients with large stones who underwent EPBD complete stone removal rate and late complication rate were lower, but the incidence of pancreatitis was higher. However, these differences were not statistically significant. Multivariate analysis showed that the increased risk of bactobilia following EPBD for large stones or EST, and the gallbladder with stones in situ were independent risk factors for late complications.

Conclusions

EPBD produced significantly better long‐term outcomes than EST in patients with small bile duct stones.
The effect of recommendation systems on Internet‐based learning for different learners: A data mining analysis
Authors: Liu Chen‐Chung , Chang Chia‐Jung , Tseng Jui‐Min
Published: November 2012

A general challenge facing Internet‐based learners is how to identify information objects which are helpful in expanding their understanding of important information in a domain. Recommendation systems may assist learners in identifying potentially helpful information objects. However, the recent literature mainly focuses on the technical performance, rather than on how recommendations support searching in educational contexts. This study thus investigates how recommendation systems may influence the searching behaviors and strategies of different learners, when they are used with a mind map. The results suggested two main different searching behavioral patterns, namely focused searchers and broad searchers. It is found that the recommendations may influence the searching behaviors of the two types of searchers in different ways. For the focused searchers, the recommendations may support these searchers to expand their keywords to explore the domain. Regarding the broad searchers, they did not rely on the computer recommendations. However, the mind map interface applied along with the recommendations may support them in monitoring their searching processes. Online Information Searching Strategies Inventory (OISSI) was applied to examine the participants' perceptions of how students applied information searching strategies. The results of OISSI support that both types of searchers perceived a higher level of searching strategies when they search with the recommendation system and mind maps.
Comparative genomics in the Amoebozoa clade
Authors: Glöckner Gernot , Noegel Angelika A.
Published: November 2012

Amoeboid life forms can be found throughout the evolutionary tree. The greatest proportion of these life forms is found in the Amoebozoa clade, one of the six major eukaryote evolutionary branches. Despite its common origin this clade exhibits a wide diversity of lifestyles including free‐living and parasitic species and species with multicellular and multinucleate life stages. In this group, development, cooperation, and social behaviour can be studied in addition to traits common to unicellular organisms. To date, only a few Amoebozoa genomes have been sequenced completely, however a number of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and complete and draft genomes have become available recently for several species that represent some of the major evolutionary lineages in this clade. This resource allows us to compare and analyse the evolutionary history and fate of branch‐specific genes if properly exploited. Despite the large evolutionary time scale since the emergence of the major groups the genomic organization in Amoebozoa has retained common features. The number of Amoebozoa‐specific genetic inventions seems to be rather small. The emergence of subgroups is accompanied by gene and domain losses and acquisitions of bacterial gene material. The sophisticated developmental cycles of Myxogastria and Dictyosteliida likely have a common origin and are deeply rooted in amoebozoan evolution. In this review we describe initial approaches to comparative genomics in Amoebozoa, summarize recent findings, and identify goals for further studies.
Drinking Before Going to Licensed Premises: An Event‐Level Analysis of Predrinking, Alcohol Consumption, and Adverse Outcomes
Authors: Labhart Florian , Graham Kathryn , Wells Samantha , Kuntsche Emmanuel
Published: November 2012

Background

Research in the United States and the United Kingdom indicates that drinking before going out (commonly called “predrinking”) is common among young people and associated with increased harm. On the basis of Swiss data, this study investigates differences in alcohol consumption and adverse or risky outcomes for evenings when persons consumed alcohol before going to a licensed premise (i.e., predrinking), drank on‐premise only, or drank off‐premise only.

Methods

Using the recently developed Internet‐based cell phone‐optimized assessment technique (ICAT), alcohol consumption and drinking location were assessed at 6 time points (5 pm to the next morning) on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays over 5 consecutive weeks by means of participants' cell phones. Overall, 7,828 assessments provided by 183 young adults (53.0% women, mean age [SD] = 23.1 [3.1]) on 1,441 evenings were analyzed by means of cluster‐adjusted means and proportion tests and of multilevel structural equation models. The extent to which alcohol consumption mediated the association between predrinking and adverse outcomes was also examined.

Results

Higher alcohol consumption occurred on evenings with predrinking (7.1 drinks on average) compared with on‐premise only (4.2 drinks) and off‐premise only (4.3 drinks) evenings. Adverse outcomes occurred more often on evenings with predrinking (with 23.8% of predrinking nights involving at least 1 outcome) than on evenings with on‐premise drinking only (13.9%) and off‐premise drinking only (12.0%). Predrinking was indirectly associated with adverse outcomes, mediated by larger amounts of alcohol consumed in the evening.

Conclusions

Because of its association with heavier consumption and related adverse outcomes, predrinking, especially combined with on‐premise drinking, represents a major target for prevention. Educational interventions as well as structural measures, such as reduction in late‐night off‐sale opening hours, and staff training in responsible beverage service, are needed to prevent high total consumption and related adverse consequences among young people.
Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Urban Metabolism
Authors: Broto Vanesa Castán , Allen Adriana , Rapoport Elizabeth
Published: November 2012

The concept of urban metabolism, referring to the exchange processes that produce the urban environment, has inspired new ways of thinking about how cities can be made sustainable and has also raised criticisms about the specific social and economic arrangements in which some forms of flow are prioritized or marginalized within the city. This article explores how the concept of urban metabolism travels across disciplines, using a comparative analysis of different approaches to urban metabolism within industrial ecology, urban ecology, ecological economics, political economy and political ecology. The analysis reveals six main themes emerging within interdisciplinary boundaries in relation to urban metabolism, and how this concept enables new understandings of (1) the city as an ecosystem, (2) material and energy flows within the city, (3) economic–material relations within the city, (4) economic drivers of rural–urban relationships, (5) the reproduction of urban inequality, and (6) attempts at resignifying the city through new visions of socioecological relationships. The article suggests potential areas for cross‐disciplinary synergies around the concept of urban metabolism and opens up avenues for industrial ecology to engage with the politics and the governance of urban development by examining the city and its metabolism.
Should Cities Invest in Sheltering‐in‐Place Measures Against Chlorine Truck Attacks by Terrorists?
Authors: Barrett Anthony Michael , Casman Elizabeth A.
Published: November 2012

After an intentional release of chlorine in an office district, public responses such as sheltering‐in‐place could save many lives if rapid enough. However, previous work does not estimate how fast and effective such responses would be for several possible investments in attack detection, public alert, and building ventilation, nor whether such measures would be cost effective. We estimate public response times with investment options in place, and resulting changes in fatalities as well as system costs, including false alarm costs, and cost effectiveness in terms of cost per net death avoided. The measures do have life‐saving potential, especially if all response times are at or near the lower limits of the ranges assumed in this article. However, due to uncertainties, it is not clear that responses would be rapid enough to save many people. In some cases total fatalities would increase, since sheltering after chlorine vapor has already entered buildings can increase occupants’ chlorine exposure. None of the options considered have median cost per statistical life saved meeting a cost‐effectiveness threshold of $6.5 million across all of the chlorine exposure dose‐response and ingress‐delay models considered here, even if there were one attack per year in the area covered by the system. Given these and other issues discussed in this article, at this point investments to improve sheltering‐in‐place capability appear not to be robust strategies for reducing fatalities from chlorine attack in an office district.
Parental care and UV coloration in blue tits: opposite correlations in males and females between provisioning rate and mate’s coloration
Authors: Limbourg Tobias , Mateman A. Christa , Lessells C. M.
Published: November 2012

Parental investment and sexually‐selected signals can be intimately related, either because the signals indicate the amount of investment that an individual is prepared to make, and hence its value as a mate (the ‘good parent process’), or because individuals are selected to vary their own investment in relation to their mate’s signals (‘differential allocation’ or ‘reproductive compensation’). Correlations between parental investment and the sexually selected signals of both an individual and its mate are therefore of central interest in sexual selection. Blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus are an ideal study species to investigate such correlations because they provide substantial amounts of biparental care and possess sexually‐selected structural UV coloration that seems to signal attractiveness in both sexes. We investigated whether feeding rates of male and female blue tits were correlated with either their own or their mate’s UV coloration, and whether any such correlation was affected by the sex ratio of the brood. We also investigated whether any such correlations were reflected in offspring phenotype. Feeding rates were not correlated with either sex of parent’s own UV coloration. However, they were correlated with the mate’s UV coloration, but in opposite directions in males and females: females had higher feeding rates when mated to bright UV males, implying differential allocation, while males had lower feeding rates when mated to bright UV females, implying reproductive compensation. These relationships were unaffected by the sex ratio of the brood. In addition, fledgling tarsus length, but not mass, was related to male UV coloration, and to female UV coloration in interaction with male age. These results suggest that both male and female attractiveness influence parental investment of the mate, and that this in turn affects offspring phenotype. We found no evidence for differential sex allocation.
Why Do Multinational Firms Exist? A Theory Note About The Effect of Multinational Expansion on Performance and Recent Methodological Critiques
Authors: Contractor Farok J.
Published: November 2012

This theory note offers a detailed microanalysis of the benefits, costs, and limits to international expansion to explain why multinational firms exist, in response to critiques which ask whether any generalizable theory relationship exists between firm performance and its degree of multinationality. Some even question the validity of the entire multinationality‐performance field. These critiques fly in the face of the fact that multinational firms exist, thrive, increase in number, and are generally regarded as earning superior profits versus their purely domestic counterparts. This note proposes alternative methodological reasons for the seemingly contradictory and confusing results of past empirical studies over 30 years, indicates directions for future research, and calls for a contingent variable approach to empirical studies in the field.
Co‐morbidities in psoriasis: a hospital‐based case‐control study
Authors: Tseng H.W. , Lin H.S. , Lam H.C.
Published: November 2012

Background  Recent researches show that psoriasis is frequently associated with systemic co‐morbidities.

Objectives  This study aimed to identify possible associated co‐morbidities in psoriatic patients stratified by age and sex.

Methods  In this retrospective hospital‐based case‐control study, patients diagnosed as psoriasis at the Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan between January 2008 and December 2009 were enrolled as cases and classified into severe and mild based on their use of systemic therapy. The controls were the patients without psoriasis matched the cases in 1 : 1 ratio with same birth year, sex and calendar date. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from the conditional logistic regression method were used to assess the risk of co‐morbidities between psoriatic and non‐psoriatic patients.

Results  A total of 447 cases and 447 matched controls, with mean age of 51.3 ± 18.3 years and male‐to‐female ratio of 2.17 : 1 were enrolled. The ratio of mild‐to‐severe was 3.5 : 1. Compared with non‐psoriatic patients, psoriatic patients had significantly higher OR of hypertension (1.85), diabetes mellitus (2.88) and obesity (1.66). Among those aged ≥51 years old, there was significant risk in male psoriatic patients with ischaemic and hypertensive heart disease (IHHD) (OR = 2.167) after eliminating female IHHD psoriatic patients (OR = 0.125). Psoriasis was significantly negatively associated with cancers (OR = 0.267). Psoriasis patients often had the usual drinking habit (OR = 2.23) and seldom had an occasional drinking habit (OR = 0.25).

Conclusions  Psoriasis is strongly associated with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity. The association between psoriasis and IHHD, stroke, cancers, smoking and alcohol habits warrant more investigation.
Factors related to quality of life for patients with type 2 diabetes with or without depressive symptoms – results from a community‐based study in China
Authors: Liu Yu , Maier Manfred , Hao Yufang , Chen Yan , Qin Yuelan , Huo Ran
Published: November 2012

Aims and objectives

To explore the factors related to quality of life for patients with type 2 diabetes with or without depressive symptoms in China.

Background

In patients with type 2 diabetes with or without depressive symptoms, different factors such as gender, social context or regional setting may affect their quality of life.

Design

This was a cross‐sectional study.

Methods

Of 791 registered patients with type 2 diabetes from four communities in Beijing, cluster sampling was used to recruit patients for participation. Self‐rating depression scale was used to screen for depressive symptoms; demographic and clinical data were collected, and quality of life and social support were assessed using appropriate tools. The factors associated with quality of life were tested using multivariate linear regression.

Results

The prevalence of depressive symptoms in 667 patients with diabetes was 44·2%. Quality of life of patients with depressive symptoms was worse than that of patients without depressive symptoms, and this was associated negatively with history of diabetic complications, usage of hypoglycaemic agents or insulin and self‐rating depression scale scores and positively with salary and subjective social support.

Conclusions

The factors related to quality of life for patients with or without depressive symptoms are different. For patients with depressive symptoms, better salary and subjective social support are associated positively with their quality of life, while the presence of diabetic complications, a higher score for depressive symptoms and need for hypoglycaemic agents or insulin are negatively associated with quality of life.

Relevance to clinical practice

It is suggested that the nurse should screen depression for patients with diabetes, especially for those with diabetic complications or low social support. This should be done in the community regularly in order to find diabetic patients with depression in time. In addition, the results can provide a reference to clinical nursing care for patients with diabetes in hospitals.
Early maladaptive schemas in relation to facets of psychopathy and institutional violence in offenders with personality disorders
Authors: Chakhssi Farid , Bernstein David , de Ruiter Corine
Published: November 2012

Purpose

Current knowledge suggests that the psychopathy construct is multifaceted in nature, and reflects different underlying pathological mechanisms, including neurobiological dysfunction and maladaptive cognitions. Although many contemporary studies focus on neurobiological aspects of psychopathy, few have addressed the maladaptive cognitions.

Method

In this study, we examined facets of Hare's psychopathy construct in terms of their associations with maladaptive cognitions, as defined by Young's cognitive theory of Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS). Personality disordered offenders (N = 124) were assessed with the PCL‐R and the Young Schema Questionnaire.

Results

The PCL‐R Lifestyle and Antisocial Facets were significantly related to EMS Mistrust/Abuse and Insufficient Self‐Control, consistent with our hypotheses, and were significantly, but negatively, related to EMS Subjugation. Also as hypothesized, EMS showed no associations with the PCL‐R Affective and Interpersonal facets. Contrary to our expectation, EMS did not predict institutional violence.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that schemas relating to mistrust, inadequate self‐control/low frustration tolerance, and autonomy/dominance, play a role in the impulsive lifestyle and antisocial behaviour features of psychopathy. Treatments that focus on ameliorating these schemas may lead to better outcomes in psychopathic offenders.
Two Decades of Molecular Ecology: where are we and where are we heading?
Authors: Diepeveen Eveline T. , Salzburger Walter
Published: November 2012

The twentieth anniversary of the journal Molecular Ecology was celebrated with a symposium on the current state and the future directions of the field. The event, organized by Tim Vines and Loren Rieseberg, took place on the opening day of the First Joint Congress on Evolutionary Biology organized by the American Society of Naturalists (ASN), the Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution (CSEE), the European Society for Evolutionary Biology (ESEB), the Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE) and the Society of Systematic Biologists (SSB) in Ottawa (Canada) from 6–10 July 2012. The get together of these five societies created a truly international and exciting “Evolution conference” and the ideal framework for the Molecular Ecology symposium. Its thirteen talks were grouped into the five different subject areas of the journal: Speciation and Hybridization; Landscape Genetics, Phylogeography and Conservation; Ecological Genomics and Molecular Adaptation; Kinship, Parentage and Behaviour; Ecological Interactions. Each session was followed by a panel discussion on the future direction of the subfield. That more than 300 colleagues registered for this special symposium illustrates the broad interest in, and appreciation of, molecular ecology – both the field and the journal.
Postrelease movement of rehabilitated harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardii) pups compared with cohort‐matched wild seal pups
Authors: Gaydos Joseph K. , Ignacio Vilchis L. , Lance Monique M. , Jeffries Steven J. , Thomas Austen , Greenwood Vanessa , Harner Penny , Ziccardi Michael H.
Published: November 2012

Harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardii) populations in the inland waters of Washington and British Columbia are at or near carrying capacity. Stranded pups often are collected and admitted to rehabilitation centers, and then released when they reach a weight of 22 kg and meet a variety of preestablished health and release conditions. While rehabilitation is common practice, it is unclear if rehabilitated seal pups behave like wild weaned pups. Using satellite transmitters, we compared movement patterns of 10 rehabilitated pups with 10 wild weaned pups. When released, rehabilitated seals were longer and heavier than wild pups, while wild pups had a larger mean axillary girth. No clinically different blood parameters were detected. On average, rehabilitated harbor seal pups traveled nearly twice as far cumulatively, almost three times as far daily, and dispersed over three times as far from the release site compared to wild weaned seals. Additionally, wild harbor seals transmitted nearly twice as long as did rehabilitated seals. These patterns suggest that learned behavior during the brief 3–4 wk nursing period likely enables wild harbor seal pups to move less daily and remain closer to their weaning site than rehabilitated pups.