bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Retirement and health benefits for Mexican migrant workers returning from the United States
Authors: Aguila Emma , Zissimopoulos Julie
Published: April 2013

In the absence of a bilateral agreement for the portability and totalization of social security contributions between the United States and Mexico, this article examines the access to pension and health insurance benefits and employment status of older Mexican return migrants. We find that return migrants who have spent less than a year in the United States have a similar level of access to social security benefits as non‐migrants. Return migrants who have spent at least a year in the United States are less likely to have public health insurance or social security benefits, and could be more vulnerable to poverty in old age. These results inform the debate on a bilateral social security agreement between the United States and Mexico to improve return migrants' social security.
Mapping Heterotic Loci for Yield and Agronomic Traits Using Chromosome Segment Introgression Lines in Cotton
Authors: Guo Xian , Guo Yuping , Ma Jun , Wang Fang , Sun Mizhen , Gui Lijuan , Zhou Jiajia , Song Xianliang , Sun Xuezhen , Zhang Tianzhen
Published: April 2013

In the present study, a set of chromosome segment introgression lines (CSILs) using Gossypium hirsutum L. TM‐1 as the recipient parent and G. barbadense Hai7124 as the donor parent were used to explore the genetic basis of heterosis for interspecific hybrids. Two sets of F1 populations individually derived from CSILs crossing with both parents were configured to investigate heterotic loci (HL) and substitution effect loci (SL). A total of 58 HL and 39 SL were identified in 3 years. One stable HL, hLP‐A4‐3, could be detected in all 3 years. Three HLs, hBS‐A8‐1, hLP‐D6‐1, and hSI‐D7‐11, could be detected in 2 years. Four SLs, sBS‐D7‐1, sLP‐A8‐1, sLP‐D7‐1, and sLP‐D12‐1, could be detected in 2 years. HL and SL tended to be distributed in some HL‐rich chromosome segments with close positions. Compared with QTL detected in a former study, HL showed little overlap with QTL, indicating that trait phenotype and heterosis might be controlled by different sets of loci. All three forms of genetic effects (partial‐, full‐, over‐dominant) were identified, while the over‐dominant effect made the main contribution to heterosis. These results may help lay the foundation for clarifying the heredity mechanism of heterosis in cotton.
N‐docosahexaenoylethanolamine is a potent neurogenic factor for neural stem cell differentiation
Authors: Rashid Mohammad A. , Katakura Masanori , Kharebava Giorgi , Kevala Karl , Kim Hee‐Yong
Published: April 2013

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been shown to promote neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) in vivo and in vitro. Previously, we found that N‐docosahexaenoylethanolamine (synaptamide), an endogenous DHA metabolite with an endocannabinoid‐like structure, promotes neurite growth, synaptogenesis, and synaptic function. In this study, we demonstrate that synaptamide potently induces neuronal differentiation of NSCs. Differentiating NSCs were capable of synthesizing synaptamide from DHA. Treatment of NSCs with synaptamide at low nanomolar concentrations significantly increased the number of MAP2 and Tuj‐1‐positive neurons with concomitant induction of protein kinase A (PKA)/cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation. Conversely, PKA inhibitors or PKA knockdown abolished the synaptamide‐induced neuronal differentiation of NSCs. URB597, a fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor, elevated the level of DHA‐derived synaptamide and further potentiated the DHA‐ or synaptamide‐induced neuronal differentiation of NSCs. Similarly, NSCs obtained from FAAH KO mice exhibited greater capacity to induce neuronal differentiation in response to DHA or synaptamide compared to the wild type NSCs. Neither synaptamide nor DHA affected NSC differentiation into GFAP‐positive glia cells. These results suggest that endogenously produced synaptamide is a potent mediator for neurogenic differentiation of NSCs acting through PKA/CREB activation.
Organizational Safety Culture and Medical Error Reporting by Israeli Nurses
Authors: Kagan Ilya , Barnoy Sivia
Published: April 2013

Purpose

To investigate the association between patient safety culture (PSC) and the incidence and reporting rate of medical errors by Israeli nurses.

Design

Self‐administered structured questionnaires were distributed to a convenience sample of 247 registered nurses enrolled in training programs at Tel Aviv University (response rate = 91%).

Methods

The questionnaire's three sections examined the incidence of medication mistakes in clinical practice, the reporting rate for these errors, and the participants’ views and perceptions of the safety culture in their workplace at three levels (organizational, departmental, and individual performance). Pearson correlation coefficients, t tests, and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data.

Findings

Most nurses encountered medical errors from a daily to a weekly basis. Six percent of the sample never reported their own errors, while half reported their own errors “rarely or sometimes.” The level of PSC was positively and significantly correlated with the error reporting rate. PSC, place of birth, error incidence, and not having an academic nursing degree were significant predictors of error reporting, together explaining 28% of variance.

Conclusions

This study confirms the influence of an organizational safety climate on readiness to report errors. Senior healthcare executives and managers can make a major impact on safety culture development by creating and promoting a vision and strategy for quality and safety and fostering their employees’ motivation to implement improvement programs at the departmental and individual level.

Clinical Relevance

A positive, carefully designed organizational safety culture can encourage error reporting by staff and so improve patient safety.
Insight into a single halobacterium using a dual‐bacteriorhodopsin system with different functionally optimized pH ranges to cope with periplasmic pH changes associated with continuous light illumination
Authors: Fu Hsu‐Yuan , Yi Hsiu‐Ping , Lu Yen‐Hsu , Yang Chii‐Shen
Published: April 2013

The light‐driven outward proton transporter assists energy production via an ATP synthase system best exemplified by the bacteriorhodopsin (BR) from Halobacterium salinarum, HsBR. As the only archaea able to survive in the resource‐limited ecosystem of the Dead Sea, Haloarcula marismortui has been reported to have a unique dual‐BR system, consisting of HmBRI and HmBRII, instead of only a single BR in a cell (solo‐BR). The contribution of this dual‐BR system to survival was investigated. First, native H. marismortui and H. salinarum cells were tested in water that had been adjusted to mimic the conditions of Dead Sea water. These archaea were shown to accumulate protons and reduce pH in their periplasmic regions, which disabled further proton transportation functionality in H. salinarum but not in H. marismortui. Then, pH‐dependent photocurrent measurements using purified BR proteins demonstrated that HsBR and HmBRI were functional at pH > 5.0 and that HmBRII was functional at pH > 4.0. Our results indicate that the dual‐HmBR system is composed of two BRs with different optimal functional pH ranges and together they maintain light‐driven proton transport activity under pH > 4.0, which might contribute the survival of H. marismortui under the acidic pH of the Dead Sea.
The HtrA protease of Borrelia burgdorferi degrades outer membrane protein BmpD and chemotaxis phosphatase CheX
Authors: Coleman James L. , Crowley Jameson T. , Toledo Alvaro M. , Benach Jorge L.
Published: April 2013

Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochaetal agent of Lyme disease, codes for a single HtrA protein, HtrABb (BB0104) that is homologous to DegP of Escherichia coli (41% amino acid identity). HtrABb shows physical and biochemical similarities to DegP in that it has the trimer as its fundamental unit and can degrade casein via its catalytic serine. Recombinant HtrABb exhibits proteolytic activity in vitro, while a mutant (HtrABbS198A) does not. However, HtrABb and DegP have some important differences as well. Native HtrABb occurs in both membrane‐bound and soluble forms. Despite its homology to DegP, HtrABb could not complement an E. coli DegP deletion mutant. Late stage Lyme disease patients, as well as infected mice and rabbits developed a robust antibody response to HtrABb, indicating that it is a B‐cell antigen. In co‐immunoprecipitation studies, a number of potential binding partners for HtrABb were identified, as well as two specific proteolytic substrates, basic membrane protein D (BmpD/BB0385) and chemotaxis signal transduction phosphatase CheX (BB0671). HtrABb may function in regulating outer membrane lipoproteins and in modulating the chemotactic response of B. burgdorferi.
Immunolesion‐induced loss of cholinergic projection neurones promotes β‐amyloidosis and tau hyperphosphorylation in the hippocampus of triple‐transgenic mice
Authors: Härtig W. , Saul A. , Kacza J. , Grosche J. , Goldhammer S. , Michalski D. , Wirths O.
Published: April 2013

Aims

Currently available animal models incompletely capture the complex pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), typically involving β‐amyloidosis, neurofibrillary tangle formation and loss of basal forebrain cholinergic projection neurones (CPN). While age‐dependent β‐amyloidosis and tau hyperphosphorylation are mimicked in triple‐transgenic mice (3xTg), experimental induction of CPN loss in these mice is still lacking. Here, we introduce a more‐complex animal model of AD by inducing cellular loss of CPN in an already existing transgenic background aiming to elucidate subsequent changes of hippocampal β‐amyloid (Aβ) and tau pathology.

Methods

Twelve‐month‐old 3xTg mice intracerebroventricularly received the rabbit‐anti‐low affinity neurotrophin receptor p75‐saporin, an immunotoxin specifically targeting forebrain CPN. After histochemical verification of immunolesion in immersion‐fixed forebrains, markers of Aβ and tau metabolism were analysed using quantitative Western blot analyses of hippocampi from these mice. In parallel, these markers and glial activation were investigated by multiple immunofluorescence labelling of perfusion‐fixed hippocampi and confocal laser‐scanning microscopy.

Results

Four months after immunolesion, the selective lesion of CPN was verified by disappearance of choline acetyltransferase and p75 immunolabelling. Biochemical analysis of hippocampi from immunolesioned mice revealed enhanced levels of Aβ, amyloid precursor protein (APP) and its fragment C99. Furthermore, immunolesion‐induced increase in levels of phospho‐tau and tau with AD‐like conformation were seen in 16‐month‐old mice. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed an age‐dependent occurrence of hippocampal Aβ‐deposits and phospho‐tau, and demonstrated drastic gliosis around Aβ‐plaques after immunolesion.

Conclusion

Overall, this extended model promises further insights into the complexity of AD and contributes to novel treatment strategies also targeting the cholinergic system.
Confessions of a Pracademic: Searching for a Virtuous Cycle of Theory Building, Teaching, and Action Research
Authors: Susskind Lawrence
Published: April 2013

In this article, I describe my career as a pracademic. Over several decades, I have been able to maintain a substantial private practice in public dispute resolution and also meet the teaching, advising, and research demands of an academic career. I have achieved this by engaging primarily in action research: I begin with “problems” in the field and work collaboratively with stakeholders to generate “solutions” that meet their interests. I then document and analyze these interventions to build prescriptive theory through systematic reflection on my own involvement.

In this article, I discuss how I have been able to achieve success as a “pracademic,” but also consider the challenges that young scholars who seek to engage in practice confront today. I further describe some possible strategies for successfully integrating a substantial practice component into an academic career in conflict resolution.
Conflict Analysis and Conflict Resolution: Divorce or Friendly Mediation?
Authors: Gopin Marc
Published: April 2013

The interests, needs, and academic practices of conflict analysis scholars are often fundamentally at odds with those of conflict resolution scholar practitioners. In this essay, I make suggestions for new academic arrangements that could allow both groups to be productive and empowered in their theory building and teaching and also have positive impacts on the development of students and on global institutions and conflict environments.
Role of duodenal mucosal nerve endings in the acid‐induced duodenogastric sensorimotor reflex: Effect of benzocaine in healthy humans
Authors: Vanuytsel T. , Karamanolis G. , Vos R. , Van Oudenhove L. , Farré R. , Tack J.
Published: April 2013

Background

Duodenal acid exposure induces a duodenogastric reflex resulting in gastric relaxation, inhibition of antral motility, and sensitization of the proximal stomach to distension. Duodenal hypersensitivity to acid has been identified as a potential pathogenic mechanism in functional dyspepsia. The nature and localization of the duodenal acid‐sensitive receptors are still elusive. We hypothesize that acid directly activates superficial afferent nerve endings in the duodenal mucosa, triggering the duodenogastric reflex.

Methods

In a double‐blind, randomized, crossover study in 13 healthy volunteers, benzocaine, a local anesthetic, vs saline was perfused in the duodenum 15 min before duodenal acid perfusion. Gastric responses were monitored by a barostat. Stepwise isobaric gastric distensions were performed before and during acid perfusion. Symptoms were evaluated by visual analogue scales for six dyspeptic symptoms and an overall perception score.

Key Results

Benzocaine perfusion caused a relaxation of the stomach prior to duodenal acidification, indicating the existence of an excitatory duodenogastric tone. Pretreatment of the duodenum with benzocaine reduced the acid‐induced gastric relaxation by 50% and abolished the inhibition of phasic motility of the proximal stomach. Finally, sensitization to distension was more pronounced in the benzocaine condition because of higher proximal gastric volumes.

Conclusions & Inferences

These findings support a model in which different neuronal subpopulations are responsible for the motor and sensory limb of the acid‐sensitive duodenogastric reflex, making benzocaine an unsuitable drug to treat duodenal hypersensitivity to acid. These data provide more insight in the contribution of duodenal neuronal input to gastric physiology in the fasting state.
Remote sensing methods to detect land‐use/cover changes inNewZealand's ‘indigenous’ grasslands
Authors: Weeks Emily S. , Ausseil Anne‐Gaelle E. , Shepherd James D. , Dymond John R.
Published: April 2013

We compared four remote sensing methods to detect changes inNewZealand's grasslands (image differencing, normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) differencing post‐classification and visual interpretation). The visual interpretation resulted in the best classification results, with a 98% overall accuracy when compared with ground‐truthed data. The tests on automatic classification (image differencing,NDVIdifferencing) and post classification had much lower accuracies, ranging from 47% to 56%. In theNewZealand grassland landscape, automatic detection methods were not able to differentiate between variations of soil moisture and vegetation phenology from variations in land‐use change. This, in combination with topographic effects, which have hampered the automated mapping of vegetation, is the main reason why visual interpretation of high‐resolution imagery is still needed.
Calving retreat and proglacial lake growth at Hooker Glacier, Southern Alps, New Zealand
Authors: Robertson Clare M. , Brook Martin S. , Holt Kat A. , Fuller Ian C. , Benn Douglas I.
Published: April 2013

Hooker Glacier in the central Southern Alps of New Zealand has undergone significant downwasting and recession (∼2.14 km) during the last two centuries. High retreat rates (51 m a−1 1986–2001, 43 m a−1 2001–2011) have produced a large (1.22 km2) proglacial lake. We present a retreat scenario for Hooker Glacier. A retreat scenario predicts that the glacier terminus will stabilise >3 km up‐valley of the current lake outlet after 2028 when ice velocity equals calving rate.
Contested and congested spaces: Exploring authenticity in New Zealand farmers' markets
Authors: Joseph Alun , Chalmers Lex , Smithers John
Published: April 2013

This paper considers issues of authenticity as they apply to the evolution of farmers' markets in New Zealand. Following a discussion of the nature of authenticity and its deployment by farmers' market organisations in several jurisdictions, a two‐part case study is presented. An analysis of the strategies adopted by Farmers' Markets New Zealand to ‘protect its brand’ nationally and an examination of the disputation of authenticity in the Marlborough Farmers' Market reveals the potential of the ‘authenticity project’ to be a lightning rod for heightened tension and the fracturing of the relationship between competing interests in New Zealand farmers' markets.
Zooarchaeological Evidence for Domestic Rituals in the Iron Age Communities of North‐Eastern Iberia (Present‐Day Catalonia) (Sixth–Second Century BC)
Authors: Belarte Maria Carme , Valenzuela‐Lamas Silvia
Published: April 2013

Many socio‐economic changes occurred in southern Europe during the first millennium BC. In north‐eastern Iberia societies evolved from the small‐scale local groups of the Late Bronze Age to the more complex societies of the Iron Age. Together with a diversity of material changes (detected in pottery, agricultural techniques, architecture, etc.), a new ritual manifestation is attested in the Ancient Iberian Period (about 550 BC), lasting until some time after the Roman conquest. This consisted of sheep and goats (among other species) being carefully deposited below the floors of some domestic buildings. In this article the characteristics of these associated bone groups are described and their significance is discussed.
Opioid‐sparing effects of perioperative paracetamol and nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in children
Authors: Wong Ivan , St John‐Green Celia , Walker Suellen M.
Published: April 2013

Background and Objectives

Perioperative pain in children can be effectively managed with systemic opioids, but addition of paracetamol or nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may reduce opioid requirements and potentially improve analgesia and/or reduce adverse effects.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted to identify trials evaluating postoperative opioid requirements in children and comparing NSAID and/or paracetamol with placebo. Studies were stratified according to design: continuous availability of intravenous opioid (PCA/NCA) vs intermittent ‘as needed’ bolus; and single vs multiple dose paracetamol/NSAIDs. Primary outcome data were extracted, and the percentage decrease in mean opioid consumption was calculated for statistically significant reductions compared with placebo. Secondary outcomes included differences in pain intensity, adverse effects (sedation, respiratory depression, postoperative nausea and vomiting, pruritus, urinary retention, bleeding), and patient/parent satisfaction.

Results

Thirty‐one randomized controlled studies, with 48 active treatment arms compared with placebo, were included. Significant opioid sparing was reported in 38 of 48 active treatment arms, across 21 of the 31 studies. Benefit was most consistently reported when multiple doses of study drug were administered, and 24 h PCA or NCA opioid requirements were assessed. The proportion of positive studies was less with paracetamol, but was influenced by dose and route of administration. Despite availability of opioid for titration, a reduction in pain intensity by NSAIDs and/or paracetamol was reported in 16 of 29 studies. Evidence for clinically significant reductions in opioid‐related adverse effects was less robust.

Conclusion

This systematic review supports addition of NSAIDs and/or paracetamol to systemic opioid for perioperative pain management in children.
Natural variation of salinity response, population structure and candidate genes associated with salinity tolerance in perennial ryegrass accessions
Authors: TANG JINCHI , YU XIAOQING , LUO NA , XIAO FANGMING , CAMBERATO JAMES J. , JIANG YIWEI
Published: April 2013

Natural variation in salinity response, effects of population structure on growth and physiological traits and gene–trait association were examined in 56 global collections of diverse perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) accessions. Three population structure groups were identified with 66 simple sequence repeat markers, which on average accounted for 9 and 11% of phenotypic variation for the control and salinity treatment at 300 mm NaCl. Group 1 (10 accessions) had greater plant height, leaf dry weight and water content, chlorophyll index, K+ concentration and K+/Na+ than group 2 (39 accessions) and group 3 (7 accessions) under salinity stress, while group 3 had higher Na+ than groups 1 and 2. Eighty‐seven single nucleotide polymorphisms were detected from four partial candidate genes encoding aquaporin and Na+/H+ antiporter in both plasma and tonoplast membranes. Overall, rapid decay of linkage disequilibrium was observed within 500 bp. Significant associations were found between the putative LpTIP1 and Na+ for the control and between the putative LpNHX1 and K+/Na+ under the control and salinity treatments after controlling population structure. These results indicate that population structure influenced phenotypic traits, and allelic variation in LpNHX1 may affect salinity tolerance of perennial ryegrass.
Risk factors for symptoms in long QT syndrome patients in a single pediatric center
Authors: Ninomiya Yumiko , Yoshinaga Masao , Kucho Yu , Tanaka Yuji
Published: April 2013

Background

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death due to arrhythmia in the pediatric population. This study aimed to determine risk factors for the presence of LQTS‐related symptoms in a single pediatric center.

Methods

Subjects were 146 consecutive LQTS patients (M:F = 72:74) who visited our hospital between April 2005 and August 2012 and during the preceding 24 months. A total of 103 subjects were discovered by the school‐based screening, 15 subjects visited because of their symptoms, and the others were 28 subjects. One subject died.

Results

Risk factors for the presence of symptoms after diagnosis were longer QTc values (P = 0.01), the presence of history of LQTS‐related symptoms (P = 0.04), and longer follow‐up periods (P = 0.03). Non‐compliance with medicine was the sole risk factor for frequent symptoms after diagnosis (P = 0.02). In subjects discovered by the school‐based screening, nine subjects (9%) had LQTS‐related symptoms after diagnosis. Longer follow‐up periods were the sole risk for the presence of symptoms (P = 0.04). The mean period until the presence of symptoms after diagnosis was 3.1 ± 2.7 years (0.1–7.1 years).

Conclusion

Good compliance with medicine is essential to prevent recurrent episodes. A new strategy is required to prevent subjects, including school‐based screened subjects, from dropping out of hospital visits.
Clinical manifestations of respiratory adenoviral infection among hospitalized children in Korea
Authors: Kwon Hyo Jin , Rhie Young Jun , Seo Won Hee , Jang Gi‐Young , Choi Byung Min , Lee Jung Hwa , Lee Chang‐Kyu , Kim Yun Kyung
Published: April 2013

Background

The objective of our study was to understand the epidemiological and clinical features of respiratory adenoviral infections among children at a single institution over the course of several years.

Methods

From January 2005 to April 2009, 1836 children (≤15 years old) who had been admitted to Korea University Ansan Hospital were tested for acute respiratory infection. The patients who were positive for an adenovirus infection were enrolled in this study, and their medical records were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

Adenoviruses were isolated from 310 patients. The male to female ratio was 1.6:1 and mean age was 32 ± 24 months. Children under 5 years of age had the highest prevalence. In 2007, adenovirus infections occurred endemically throughout the year. The clinical diagnoses were primarily upper respiratory tract infections (45.4%), lower respiratory tract infections (48.1%), and neurologic disease (5.2%). Associated symptoms, signs and laboratory findings included fever (91.9%), cough (83.9%), pharyngeal injection (62.3%), rale (32.6%) and elevated C‐reactive protein (93.9%). The most common radiologic findings were perihilar and peribronchial infiltrates (42.6%). Co‐infections were observed in 29 cases. The mean durations of hospitalization and fever were 6.2 ± 6.5 and 4.8 ± 3.1 days, respectively. The lengths of hospitalization were similar for patients admitted for upper respiratory tract infections with severe morbidity and those admitted for lower respiratory tract infections. No children in the study died.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates that respiratory adenovirus infections are an important cause of hospitalization in young children, and contribute to a significant morbidity.
Synthesis, Characterization and Photocatalytic Activity of KAl0.33W1.67O6 and Sn0.5Al0.33W1.67O6xH2O
Authors: Ravi Gundeboina , Veldurthi Naveen K. , Palla Suresh , Velchuri Radha , Pola Someshwar , Reddy Jitta Raju , Vithal Muga
Published: April 2013

Nano sized defect pyrochlore, KAl0.33W1.67O6 (KAW), is prepared through sol–gel method. Divalent tin‐doped KAW is obtained at room temperature by ion exchange method using acidified SnCl2 and parent KAW. These materials are characterized by powder X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy—energy dispersive spectra (SEM‐EDS), Raman Spectroscopy and X‐ray photo electronic spectroscopy. The composition of tin‐doped KAW is obtained from chemical analysis, SEM‐EDS and TGA methods and written as Sn0.5Al0.33W1.67O6 xH2O (x = 1.4–1.5) (SnAW). It crystallizes in cubic lattice with space group. The band gap energies are found to be 2.82 and 2.21 eV for KAW and SnAW respectively. The observed reduction in the band gap with the introduction of Sn2+ in defect pyrochlore lattice is due to mixing of 5s state of Sn2+ with O 2p states leading to an upward shift in the valence band. The Raman spectra of these materials gave more bands than the number expected for defect pyrochlores due to substitutional disorder in 16c sites and displacive disorder of A ions. The photoactivity of SnAW is higher compared to KAW.
Check your health validity and reliability of a measure of health and burden of diabetes
Authors: Wikblad Karin , Smide Bibbi , Leksell Janeth K.
Published: April 2013

Check Your Health was constructed as four‐two‐sided vertical thermometers (0–100) measuring physical and emotional health, social well‐being and quality of life today and before onset of diabetes. Burden of diabetes was calculated as the difference between the two scores (today and before onset of diabetes). The aim was to examine concurrent and discriminant validity and reliability of Check Your Health in a convenience sample of 180 people with diabetes, who visited the diabetes clinic during a 3‐month period. A randomly selected subsample of 43 of the 180 patients responded to the questionnaire twice (test–retest). Besides Check Your Health, three additional questionnaires were mailed to the patients, the EVGFP scale (EVGFP stands for Excellent–Very good–Good–Fair–Poor health) for measuring concurrent validity, the Diabetes Empowerment Scale (Swe‐DES‐23) and an attitude measure, Semantic Differential in Diabetes (SDD) for calculation of discriminant validity. There was significant agreement between Check Your Health and the five EVGFP health groups. The instrument discriminated well between patients with and without late diabetic complications. The measure on burden of diabetes showed that the higher the burden of diabetes, the lower the quality of life. The same pattern was found for both Swe‐DES 23 and SDD; the higher the burden, the lower the sense of empowerment and the lower the burden, the more positive the attitudes towards diabetes. Check Your Health showed good stability (0.88–0.68). The results indicate that Check Your Health can be used as an acceptable and sufficiently accurate method for detecting health distress in people with diabetes.
An in vivo analysis of the effect and duration of treatment with botulinum toxin type A using digital image speckle correlation
Authors: Bhatnagar Divya , Conkling Nicole , Rafailovich Miriam , Phillips Brett T. , Bui Duc T. , Khan Sami U. , Dagum Alexander B.
Published: April 2013

Background

Use of Botulinum toxin type A (BTX‐A) for facial wrinkles is well‐documented, but current methods of subjective evaluation by clinicians and patients fail to objectively quantify the magnitude and duration of facial muscle paralysis.

Objective

(a) Determine the locus of facial muscular tension; (b) Quantify and monitor muscular paralysis and subsequent return; (c) Continuously correlate the appearance of wrinkles and muscular tension using non‐invasive digital image speckle correlation (DISC) to measure treatment efficacy; (d) Corroborate objective data with existing rating scales (subject global assessment and facial lines outcome‐11).

Methods

Two sequential images of slight facial motion (frowning, raising eyebrows) are taken with a camera for n = 6 patients pre‐ and post‐treatment at different time points up to 24 weeks. DISC processes the images to produce a vector map of muscular displacement to obtain spatially resolved information regarding facial tension.

Results

We observed maximum paralysis (≥70%) at 2 weeks, and the rate of recovery varied widely ranging from 2 to 5 months, with two patients continuing to exhibit reduced contraction at 24 weeks. Vector analysis of pre‐treatment contraction correctly predicted injection site and illustrated lines of maximum tension.

Conclusions

Digital image speckle correlation can precisely track the degree of contraction of different muscle groups following BTX‐A injection. It can help predict injection site, quantify muscle paralysis, and monitor the recovery following BTX‐A injection. Results were found to be reproducible across six patients.
Endoperoxide 4 receptors play a role in evoking the exercise pressor reflex in rats with simulated peripheral artery disease
Authors: Yamauchi Katsuya , Kim Joyce S. , Stone Audrey J. , Ruiz‐Velasco Victor , Kaufman Marc P.
Published: April 2013

Key points

In decerebrated rats, the exercise pressor reflex arising from a hindlimb whose femoral artery was occluded for 72 h was significantly higher than that arising from a hindlimb whose femoral artery was freely perfused.

Blockade of endoperoxide 4 receptors, but not blockade of endoperoxide 3 receptors, prevented the exaggerated exercise pressor reflex in rats with ligated femoral arteries.

Blockade of endoperoxide 3 or 4 receptors in rats with freely perfused femoral arteries had no effect on the exercise pressor reflex.

Western immunoblots showed that ligation of the femoral artery for 72 h increased the endoperoxide 4 receptor protein in the L4 and L5 dorsal root ganglia over their freely perfused counterparts by 24% (P < 0.05).

Abstract  Ligating the femoral artery for 72 h in decerebrated rats exaggerates the exercise pressor reflex. The sensory arm of this reflex is comprised of group III and IV afferents, which can be either sensitized or stimulated by PGE2. In vitro studies showed that endoperoxide (EP) 3 and 4 receptors were responsible for the PGE2‐induced sensitization of rat dorsal root ganglion cells. This in vitro finding prompted us to test the hypothesis that blockade of EP3 and/or EP4 receptors attenuated the exaggerated exercise pressor reflex in rats with ligated femoral arteries. We measured the cardiovascular responses to static hindlimb contraction or tendon stretch before and after femoral arterial injection of L798106 (an EP3 antagonist) or L161982 (an EP4 antagonist). The pressor and cardioaccelerator responses to either contraction or tendon stretch were not attenuated by L798106 in either the ligated or freely perfused rats. Likewise in five rats whose hindlimb muscles were freely perfused, the pressor and cardioaccelerator responses to either contraction or tendon stretch were not attenuated by L161982. In the six ligated rats, however, the pressor response to contraction was attenuated by L161982, averaging 37 ± 3 mmHg before, 18 ± 2 mmHg afterward (P < 0.05). Western blotting analysis revealed that ligation of the femoral artery for 72 h increased the EP4 receptor protein in the L4 and L5 dorsal root ganglia over their freely perfused counterparts by 24% (P < 0.05). We conclude that EP4 receptors, but not EP3 receptors, play an important role in the exaggerated exercise pressor reflex found in rats with ligated femoral arteries.
Dopaminergic modulation of axonal potassium channels and action potential waveform in pyramidal neurons of prefrontal cortex
Authors: Yang Jing , Ye Mingyu , Tian Cuiping , Yang Mingpo , Wang Yonghong , Shu Yousheng
Published: April 2013

Key points

Dopamine and its receptors in prefrontal cortex (PFC) play an important role in regulating synaptic transmission and PFC‐mediated cognitive functions.

Considering that presynaptic action potential waveform can modulate postsynaptic responses, we investigated whether axonal K+ channels and action potential waveform are subjected to modulation by dopamine.

Patch‐clamp recording from the axon of PFC pyramidal neurons showed that the activation of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors decreased and enhanced axonal K+ currents, respectively. Further experiments revealed that intracellular cAMP–PKA pathway was involved in this dopaminergic modulation of axonal K+ currents.

Recording from axons disconnected from the soma revealed that the dopaminergic modulation still occurred, indicating the presence of functional dopamine receptors along the axon.

We further demonstrate that axonal action potentials were substantially prolonged by D1 receptor activation. Taken together, our results reveal a new mechanism for dopaminergic modulation of neuronal signalling in PFC.

Abstract  Voltage‐gated K+ (KV) channels play critical roles in shaping neuronal signals. KV channels distributed in the perisomatic regions and thick dendrites of cortical pyramidal neurons have been extensively studied. However, the properties and regulation of KV channels distributed in the thin axons remain unknown. In this study, by performing somatic and axonal patch‐clamp recordings from layer 5 pyramidal neurons of prefrontal cortical slices, we showed that the rapidly inactivating A‐currents mediated the transient K+ currents evoked by action potential (AP) waveform command (KAP) at the soma, whereas the rapidly activating but slowly inactivating KV1‐mediated D‐currents dominated the KAP at the axon. In addition, activation of D1‐like receptors for dopamine decreased the axonal K+ currents, as a result of an increase in the activity of cAMP–PKA pathway. In contrast, activation of D2‐like receptors showed an opposite effect on the axonal K+ currents. Further experiments demonstrated that functional D1‐like receptors were expressed at the main axon trunk and their activation could broaden the waveforms of axonal APs. Together, these results show that axonal KV channels were subjected to dopamine modulation, and this modulation could regulate the waveforms of propagating APs at the axon, suggesting an important role of dopaminergic modulation of axonal KV channels in regulating neuronal signalling.
Preboundary lengthening and preaccentual shortening across syllables in a trisyllabic word in English
Authors: Cho Taehong , Kim Jiseung , Kim Sahyang
Published: April 2013

This study demonstrates some new aspects of preboundary lengthening and preaccentual shortening on a test word banana in American English. Preboundary lengthening was found to be extended to the initial unstressed syllable beyond the main-stressed syllable, presenting more complexity than has previously been assumed. Preaccentual shortening was observed regardless of boundary strength or the stress pattern (trochaic vs iambic) of the following context word, suggesting that it operates globally at an utterance level. The locus of preaccentual shortening, however, was modulated by prosodic boundary: It is realized on the final vowel IP-finally but on the non-final stressed vowel IP-medially.
Molecular Characterization of the Carboxypeptidase B1 of Anopheles stephensi and Its Evaluation as a Target for Transmission-Blocking Vaccines
Authors: Raz Abbasali , Dinparast Djadid Navid , Zakeri Sedigheh
Published: April 2013

Malaria is one of the most important infectious diseases in the world, and it has many economic and social impacts on populations, especially in poor countries. Transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs) are valuable tools for malaria eradication. A study on
Anopheles gambiae
revealed that polyclonal antibodies to carboxypeptidase B1 of
A. gambiae
can block sexual parasite development in the mosquito midgut. Hence, it was introduced as a TBV target in regions where
A. gambiae
is the main malaria vector. However, in Iran and neighboring countries as far as China, the main malaria vector is
Anopheles stephensi
. Also, the genome of this organism has not been sequenced yet. Therefore, in this study, carboxypeptidase B1 of
A. stephensi
was characterized by genomic and proteomic approaches. Furthermore, its expression pattern after ingestion of
Plasmodium falciparum
gametocytes and the effect of anti-CPBAs1 antibodies on sexual parasite development were evaluated. Our results revealed that the
cpbAs1
expression level was increased after ingestion of the mature gametocytes of
P. falciparum
and that anti-CPBAs1 directed antibodies could significantly reduce the mosquito infection rate in the test group compared with the control group. Therefore, according to our findings and with respect to the high similarity of carboxypeptidase enzymes between the two main malaria vectors in Africa (
A. gambiae
) and Asia (
A. stephensi
) and the presence of other sympatric vectors, CPBAs1 could be introduced as a TBV candidate in regions where
A. stephensi
is the main malaria vector, and this will broaden the scope for the potential wider application of CPBAs1 antigen homologs/orthologs.
Hybridization with rainbow trout alters life history traits of native westslope cutthroat trout
Authors: Corsi Matthew P. , Eby Lisa A. , Barfoot Craig A.
Published: April 2013

Hybridization with rainbow trout is a primary threat to the conservation of westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi; hereafter cutthroat) across its native range. Cutthroat conservation policy hinges on the degree to which populations are hybridized, yet little is known about differences in the life history of individuals with varying degrees of rainbow trout ancestry. We examined differences in growth, fecundity, and migration timing between cutthroat and hybrid trout in migratory components of populations from 2006 to 2009 in the Jocko River, Montana. We detected positive linear relationships between rainbow trout ancestry and somatic growth and egg size, but a negative relationship with fecundity. US federal policy suggests a threshold of 20% rainbow ancestry for cutthroat conservation. In our study, hybrids with ≥20% rainbow trout ancestry had significantly lower fecundity and larger egg sizes and migrated earlier at lower discharges and stream temperatures than individuals with <20% rainbow trout ancestry. Our results did not indicate threshold changes but rather continuous differences associated with rainbow trout ancestry, suggesting that establishing a biologically relevant cutoff for conservation purposes will be problematic.
A perspective on steepness, reference points, and stock assessment
Authors: Mangel Marc , MacCall Alec D. , Brodziak Jon , Dick E.J. , Forrest Robyn E. , Pourzand Roxanna , Ralston Stephen
Published: April 2013

We provide a perspective on steepness, reference points for fishery management, and stock assessment. We first review published data and give new results showing that key reference points are fixed when steepness and other life history parameters are fixed in stock assessments using a Beverton–Holt stock–recruitment relationship. We use both production and age-structured models to explore these patterns. For the production model, we derive explicit relationships for steepness and life history parameters and then for steepness and major reference points. For the age-structured model, we are required to generally use numerical computation, and so we provide an example that complements the analytical results of the production model. We discuss what it means to set steepness equal to 1 and how to construct a prior for steepness. Ways out of the difficult situation raised by fixing steepness and life history parameters include not fixing them, using a more complicated stock–recruitment relationship, and being more explicit about the information content of the data and what that means for policy makers. We discuss the strengths and limitations of each approach.
Large-scale freshwater habitat features influence the degree of anadromy in eight Hood CanalOncorhynchus mykisspopulations
Authors: Berejikian Barry A. , Campbell Lance A. , Moore Megan E.
Published: April 2013

Juvenile Oncorhynchus mykiss maternity was determined from otolith strontium:calcium ratios to investigate the degree of anadromy in eight freshwater streams draining to a common fjord. The percentages of O. mykiss parr produced by anadromous females ranged from an annual average of 41.3% (Hamma Hamma River) to 100% (Dewatto River). The proportion of stream habitat available to resident O. mykiss upstream of barriers to anadromous migration explained a significant portion of the variability in maternal life history below barrier falls and was included in each of the five logistic regression models with the lowest AIC scores. Transitional hydrologic profiles, low mean annual temperatures and high mean annual stream flow, common to Olympic Peninsula streams, were each associated with greater proportions of offspring from resident females. Only 2 out of 234 parr from the lowland, rain-driven, low-flow streams of the Kitsap Peninsula were produced by resident females. Thus, large-scale habitat features, and primarily the presence or absence of resident populations above natural barriers to anadromous migration, appeared to shape the degree of anadromy among populations.
Approximate κ-state solutions to the Dirac Mobius square – Yukawa and Mobius square – quasi Yukawa problems under pseudospin and spin symmetry limits with Coulomb-like tensor interaction
Authors: Ikot Akpan N. , Maghsoodi E. , Antia Akaninyene D. , Zarrinkamar S. , Hassanabadi H.
Published: April 2013

In this paper, we present the Dirac equation for the Mobius square – Yukawa potentials including the tensor interaction term within the framework of pseudospin and spin symmetry limit with arbitrary spin–orbit quantum number, κ. We obtain the energy eigenvalues and the corresponding wave functions using the supersymmetry method. The limiting cases of the problem, which reduce to the Deng-Fan, Yukawa, and Coulomb potentials, are discussed.
THE DISCRETE FUNDAMENTAL GROUP OF THE ASSOCIAHEDRON, AND THE EXCHANGE MODULE
Authors: BARCELO HÉLÈNE , SEVERS CHRISTOPHER , WHITE JACOB A.
Published: April 2013

The associahedron is an object that has been well studied and has numerous applications, particularly in the theory of operads, the study of non-crossing partitions, lattice theory and more recently in the study of cluster algebras. We approach the associahedron from the point of view of discrete homotopy theory. We study the abelianization of the discrete fundamental group, and show that it is free abelian of rank [Formula: see text]. We also find a combinatorial description for a basis of this rank. We also introduce the exchange module of the type An cluster algebra, used to model the relations in the cluster algebra. We use the discrete fundamental group to the study of exchange module, and show that it is also free abelian of rank [Formula: see text].
GENERATION OF NODDING, HEAD TILTING AND GAZING FOR HUMAN–ROBOT SPEECH INTERACTION
Authors: LIU CHAORAN , ISHI CARLOS T. , ISHIGURO HIROSHI , HAGITA NORIHIRO
Published: April 2013

Head motion occurs naturally and in synchrony with speech during human dialogue communication, and may carry paralinguistic information, such as intentions, attitudes and emotions. Therefore, natural-looking head motion by a robot is important for smooth human–robot interaction. Based on rules inferred from analyses of the relationship between head motion and dialogue acts, this paper proposes a model for generating head tilting and nodding, and evaluates the model using three types of humanoid robot (a very human-like android, "Geminoid F", a typical humanoid robot with less facial degrees of freedom, "Robovie R2", and a robot with a 3-axis rotatable neck and movable lips, "Telenoid R2"). Analysis of subjective scores shows that the proposed model including head tilting and nodding can generate head motion with increased naturalness compared to nodding only or directly mapping people's original motions without gaze information. We also find that an upward motion of a robot's face can be used by robots which do not have a mouth in order to provide the appearance that utterance is taking place. Finally, we conduct an experiment in which participants act as visitors to an information desk attended by robots. As a consequence, we verify that our generation model performs equally to directly mapping people's original motions with gaze information in terms of perceived naturalness.
GENERATION OF HUMANOID ROBOT'S FACIAL EXPRESSIONS FOR CONTEXT-AWARE COMMUNICATION
Authors: TROVATO GABRIELE , ZECCA MASSIMILIANO , KISHI TATSUHIRO , ENDO NOBUTSUNA , HASHIMOTO KENJI , TAKANISHI ATSUO
Published: April 2013

Communication between humans and robots is a very important aspect in the field of Humanoid Robotics. For a natural interaction, robots capable of nonverbal communication must be developed. However, despite the most recent efforts, robots still can show only limited expression capabilities. The purpose of this work is to create a facial expression generator that can be applied to the 24 DoF head of the humanoid robot KOBIAN-R. In this manuscript, we present a system that based on relevant studies of human communication and facial anatomy can produce thousands of combinations of facial and neck movements. The wide range of expressions covers not only primary emotions, but also complex or blended ones, as well as communication acts that are not strictly categorized as emotions. Results showed that the recognition rate of expressions produced by this system is comparable to the rate of recognition of the most common facial expressions. Context-based recognition, which is especially important in case of more complex communication acts, was also evaluated. Results proved that produced robotic expressions can alter the meaning of a sentence in the same way as human expressions do. We conclude that our system can successfully improve the communication abilities of KOBIAN-R, making it capable of complex interaction in the future.