bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Self-Learning Short-Term Traffic Forecasting System
Authors: Zhu Jiasong , Yeh Anthony Gar-On
Published: July 2012

A reliable and accurate short-term traffic forecasting system is crucial for the successful deployment of any intelligent transportation system. A lot of forecasting models have been developed in recent years but none of them could consistently outperform the others. In real-world applications, traffic forecasting accuracy can be affected by a lot of factors. Impacts of long-term changes to traffic patterns to short-term traffic forecasting are profound and this can easily make an existing forecasting system outdated. Therefore, it is very important for forecasting systems to detect long-term changes in traffic patterns and make updates accordingly. This paper presents a new forecasting mechanism, in which a dynamic hybrid approach is taken and self-learning ability is enhanced. Results of a case study show the proposed approach is feasible in enhancing the adaptability of traffic forecasting systems.
A New Database for the Cities of Europe? Exploration of the Urban Morphological Zones (CLC2000) from Three National Database Comparisons (Denmark, France, Sweden)
Authors: Guerois Marianne , Bretagnolle Anne , Giraud Timothée , Mathian Hélène
Published: July 2012

Urban sprawl is one of the main factors underpinning the changes observed in European landscapes and environment. The analysis of a phenomenon of this sort is conditioned in large part by the availability of documented urban databases, validated by experts and regularly updated. From this point of view the Urban Morphological Zones (UMZs) produced by the European Environment Agency form an important prospect for the future. However, it is essential to set the results of this highly automated approach against the already well-documented national databases. In this paper we investigate the validity of the UMZs for reflecting urban entities, through comparisons with Danish, French, and Swedish national databases for year 2000. We propose a method based on a matching protocol between UMZs and national agglomerations which is based on conceptual and technical choices, in order to take account of the complexity of urban objects. Two main results are pinpointed. On a global level the UMZ database is fully adequate for comparing levels of urbanisation among states. There is no systematic bias in the delineation of urban areas by the UMZs and total urban populations differ only by 5% to 8%. Conclusions should be more cautious when the scale of observation is the town or city itself. In France, mean differences are as small as in Denmark and in Sweden, but certain large agglomerations display marked divergences that depend partly on local urbanisation patterns. We propose a typology of deviations which could be useful for the majority of states that do not have a national morphological urban database, in particular in Eastern Europe.
A System of National Tiered Housing-Market Areas and Spatial Planning
Authors: Jones Colin , Coombes Mike , Wong Cecilia
Published: July 2012

The use of housing market areas (HMAs) has become an important element of spatial planning and regional strategies in the UK. The use of HMAs also fits well within an era of market-responsive planning. In this paper we identify deficiencies in the existing planning advice for defining them in England and Scotland. The result is that the HMAs that have been produced lack consistency and are too often constrained to administrative boundaries for policy convenience. We also review existing academic studies and their theoretical underpinning. On the basis of this analysis we propose a rethink on defining HMAs, arguing for a tiered approach developed consistently on a national basis. We then develop a comprehensive tiered geography of HMAs for the whole of England. The advantages of this approach for spatial planning, and the prospects for its application, are then outlined.
Political inclusion in unstable contexts: Muqtada al-Sadr and Iraq’s Sadrist Movement
Authors: Godwin Matthew J.
Published: July 2012

Nearly all scholarship on radical political movements suggests that participation in formal politics will lead to moderation. Yet Iraq’s Sadrist Movement, the Shi’a Islamist group headed by Muqtada al-Sadr, defies the widespread assumption that political inclusion leads to moderation by giving a group a greater stake in the system. This paper will examine the Sadrist Movement to explore the impact of unstable security conditions on the calculations and actions of political movements. In late 2004, the Sadrist Movement recognized the legitimacy of the Iraqi state, ceased using violence and entered electoral politics. The literature suggests that the Sadrist Movement should have continued to moderate in response to further political and material incentives. However, in 2006 the Sadrists returned to violence and grew increasingly hostile toward democratic politics. Why did the Sadrist Movement reverse course in this manner? This work argues that unstable environments, such as that of post-2003 Iraq, can cause parties to reject the incentives of inclusion within the state political system.
Jiri Lukas: Visualizing genome integrity maintenance
Authors: Sedwick Caitlin
Published: July 2012

Lukas studies how cells detect and deal with DNA damage throughout the cell cycle.
The evolution of female ornaments and weaponry: social selection, sexual selection and ecological competition
Authors: Tobias Joseph A. , Montgomerie Robert , Lyon Bruce E.
Published: July 2012

Ornaments, weapons and aggressive behaviours may evolve in female animals by mate choice and intrasexual competition for mating opportunities—the standard forms of sexual selection in males. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that selection tends to operate in different ways in males and females, with female traits more often mediating competition for ecological resources, rather than mate acquisition. Two main solutions have been proposed to accommodate this disparity. One is to expand the concept of sexual selection to include all mechanisms related to fecundity; another is to adopt an alternative conceptual framework—the theory of social selection—in which sexual selection is one component of a more general form of selection resulting from all social interactions. In this study, we summarize the history of the debate about female ornaments and weapons, and discuss potential resolutions. We review the components of fitness driving ornamentation in a wide range of systems, and show that selection often falls outside the limits of traditional sexual selection theory, particularly in females. We conclude that the evolution of these traits in both sexes is best understood within the unifying framework of social selection.
Gene duplication, tissue-specific gene expression and sexual conflict in stalk-eyed flies (Diopsidae)
Authors: Baker Richard H. , Narechania Apurva , Johns Philip M. , Wilkinson Gerald S.
Published: July 2012

Gene duplication provides an essential source of novel genetic material to facilitate rapid morphological evolution. Traits involved in reproduction and sexual dimorphism represent some of the fastest evolving traits in nature, and gene duplication is intricately involved in the origin and evolution of these traits. Here, we review genomic research on stalk-eyed flies (Diopsidae) that has been used to examine the extent of gene duplication and its role in the genetic architecture of sexual dimorphism. Stalk-eyed flies are remarkable because of the elongation of the head into long stalks, with the eyes and antenna laterally displaced at the ends of these stalks. Many species are strongly sexually dimorphic for eyespan, and these flies have become a model system for studying sexual selection. Using both expressed sequence tag and next-generation sequencing, we have established an extensive database of gene expression in the developing eye-antennal imaginal disc, the adult head and testes. Duplicated genes exhibit narrower expression patterns than non-duplicated genes, and the testes, in particular, provide an abundant source of gene duplication. Within somatic tissue, duplicated genes are more likely to be differentially expressed between the sexes, suggesting gene duplication may provide a mechanism for resolving sexual conflict.
Sexual selection is a form of social selection
Authors: Lyon Bruce E. , Montgomerie Robert
Published: July 2012

Social selection influences the evolution of weapons, ornaments and behaviour in both males and females. Thus, social interactions in both sexual and non-sexual contexts can have a powerful influence on the evolution of traits that would otherwise appear to be detrimental to survival. Although clearly outlined by West-Eberhard in the early 1980s, the idea that social selection is a comprehensive framework for the study of ornaments and weapons has largely been ignored. In West-Eberhard's view, sexual selection is a form of social selection—a concept supported by several lines of evidence. Darwin's distinction between natural and sexual selection has been useful, but recent confusion about the limits of sexual selection suggests that some traits are not easily categorized as naturally or sexually selected. Because social selection theory has much to offer the current debates about both sexual selection and reproductive competition in females, it is sometimes viewed, narrowly, to be most useful when considering female roles. However, social selection theory encompasses much more than female reproductive competition. Our goal here was to provide that broader perspective.
Bis[3,3′-(piperazine-1,4-diyl)dipropanaminium] di-μ2-sulfido-bis[disulfidogermanate(IV)]
Authors: Wang Nian-Nian , Xu Chao , Duan Taike , Chen Qun , Zhang Qian-Feng
Published: July 2012

In the title compound, (C10H26N4)2[Ge2S6], the dimeric [Ge2S6]4−anion formed by two edge-sharing GeS4tetrahedral units lies around an inversion centre. The average terminal and bridging Ge—S bond lengths are 2.162 (7) and 2.267 (15) Å, respectively. The inorganic anions and organic cations are organized into a three-dimensional network by numerous N—H...S hydrogen bonds.
5-Bromophthalazine hemihydrate
Authors: Cai Mingjian
Published: July 2012

The title compound, C8H5BrN2·0.5H2O, is a phthalazine derivative synthesized from 3-bromobenzene-1,2-dicarbaldehyde and hydrazine. The molecule is essentially planar, the deviation from the mean plane of the phthalazine ring being 0.015 (3) Å. The O atom of the solvent water molecule is situated on a twofold rotation axis. In the crystal, O—H...N hydrogen bonds and short N...Br [2.980 (3) Å] contacts lead to the formation of a two-dimensional network parallel to (101).
4-Cyano-1-methylpyridinium bromide
Authors: Kammer Michael N. , Mague Joel T. , Koplitz Lynn V.
Published: July 2012

In the crystal of the title molecular salt, C7H7N2+·Br−, the cations form inversion dimersviaweak pairwise C—H...N hydrogen bonds; their mean planes are separated by 0.292 (6) Å. Weak C—H...Br interactions involving all of the remaining H atoms tie the cations and anions together into sets of interpenetrating sheets. The title compound is isostructural with its iodide analogue.
2-[(E)-Methoxyimino]-2-{2-[(2-methylphenoxy)methyl]phenyl}ethanoic acid
Authors: Kant Rajni , Gupta Vivek K. , Kapoor Kamini , Shripanavar Chetan S. , Banerjee Kaushik
Published: July 2012

In the title compound, C17H17NO4, the dihedral angle between the two aromatic rings is 59.64 (5)°. The (methoxyimino)ethanoic acid fragment is nearly perpendicular to the attached benzene ring [dihedral angle = 81.07 (4)°]. In the crystal, pairs of O—H...O hydrogen bonds between carboxy groups link molecules into inversion dimers. In addition, π–π stacking interactions between inversion-related benzene rings are observed [centroid–centroid distance = 3.702 (1) Å].
4-{[Bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]methyl}-6-methoxy-2H-chromen-2-one
Authors: Naik Reshma , Sankolli Ravish , Anil Kumar G. N. , Row T. N. Guru , Kulkarni Manohar V.
Published: July 2012

In the title compound, C15H19NO5, an intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bond links the hydroxyethyl side chains, forming a seven-membered ring. In the crystal, molecules are linked into chainsviaO—H...O hydrogen bonds along thebaxis. Further, molecules are linked by weak intermolecular C—H...O and π–π stacking interactions [centroid–centroid distance = 3.707 (4) Å].
N-(2,3-Dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-6-yl)-4-fluorobenzenesulfonamide
Authors: Mughal Shumaila Younas , Khan Islam Ullah , Harrison William T. A. , Khan Muneeb Hayat , Arshad Muhammad Nadeem
Published: July 2012

In the title compound, C14H12FNO4S, the dihedral angle between the aromatic rings is 50.26 (9)° and the C—S—N—C bond adopts agaucheconformation [torsion angle = −68.12 (15)°]. The dihydrodioxine ring is disordered over two orientations, which both approximate to half-chairs, in a 0.880 (7):0.120 (7) ratio. In the crystal, N—H...O hydrogen bonds link the molecules intoC(4) chains propagating in [100]. Weak C—H...O and C—H...F interactions consolidate the packing.
Subcellular targeting of an evolutionarily conserved plant defensin MtDef4.2 determines the outcome of plant–pathogen interaction in transgenic Arabidopsis
Authors: Kaur Jagdeep , Thokala Mercy , Robert‐Seilaniantz Alexandre , Zhao Patrick , Peyret Hadrien , Berg Howard , Pandey Sona , Jones Jonathan , Shah Dilip
Published: July 2012

The Medicago truncatula gene encoding an evolutionarily conserved antifungal defensin MtDef4.2 was cloned and characterized. In silico expression analysis indicated that MtDef4.2 is expressed in many tissues during the normal growth and development of M. truncatula. MtDef4.2 exhibits potent broad‐spectrum antifungal activity against various Fusarium spp. Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana lines in which MtDef4.2 was targeted to three different subcellular compartments were generated. These lines were tested for resistance to the obligate biotrophic oomycete Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis Noco2 and the hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum PH‐1. MtDef4.2 directed to the extracellular space, but not to the vacuole or retained in the endoplasmic reticulum, conferred robust resistance to H. arabidopsidis. Siliques of transgenic Arabidopsis lines expressing either extracellularly or intracellularly targeted MtDef4.2 displayed low levels of resistance to F. graminearum, but accumulated substantially reduced levels of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol. The data presented here suggest that extracellularly targeted MtDef4.2 is sufficient to provide strong resistance to the biotrophic oomycete, consistent with the extracellular lifestyle of this pathogen. However, the co‐expression of extracellular and intracellular MtDef4.2 is probably required to achieve strong resistance to the hemibiotrophic pathogen F. graminearum which grows extracellularly and intracellularly.
Dealing with the uncertain risk of variant Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease transmission by coagulation replacement products
Authors: Millar Carolyn M. , Makris Mike
Published: July 2012

The identification of variant Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease (vCJD) in the UK in 1996 led to significant concerns about the possibility of secondary transmission, however the prevalence of subclinical vCJD and risks of vCJD transmission by plasma are not known. In the UK, public health precautions have been implemented in all recipients of coagulation factor concentrates manufactured from UK plasma pools between 1980 and 2001. The recent demonstration of abnormal prion protein in a spleen sample at autopsy of a UK haemophilic patient who received coagulation factor concentrates to which a donor incubating vCJD had contributed most likely represents the first case of vCJD transmission by coagulation factor concentrates. We review the uncertainties that surround risk of vCJD transmission by coagulation factor concentrates, the challenges in dealing with undefined risks, the rationale behind current policies and the implementation of vCJD surveillance and risk management measures in bleeding disorder patients in the UK.
Endothelial function measured using flow‐mediated dilation in polycystic ovary syndrome: a meta‐analysis of the observational studies
Authors: Sprung Victoria S. , Atkinson Greg , Cuthbertson Daniel J. , Pugh Christopher J. A. , Aziz Nabil , Green Daniel J. , Cable N. Timothy , Jones Helen
Published: July 2012

Objective

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) demonstrate an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Previous researchers have compared flow‐mediated dilation (FMD), an early marker of CVD, in women with and without PCOS. Evidence for a PCOS‐mediated reduction in FMD remains equivocal, potentially because of study differences in cohort‐matching and measurement approaches. The aims of this systematic review and meta‐analysis were to examine to what extent FMD is impaired in PCOS and to explore the influence of potential moderators of FMD reduction, such as age and BMI.

Design

A systematic review and meta‐analysis of published observational studies comparing FMD in PCOS with control women.

Patients

Twenty‐one published studies were included (PCOS, n = 908; controls, n = 566). A subanalysis, using tighter inclusion criteria, involved seven studies (PCOS, n = 402; control, n = 251).

Measurements

Mean differences in FMD between PCOS and controls were synthesized. The subanalysis was delimited to the inclusion of age and BMI‐matched controls. These factors were then explored as moderators using meta‐regression.

Results

The pooled mean FMD was 3·4% (95% CI=1·9, 4·9) lower in PCOS compared with control women, with substantial heterogeneity between studies. In the subanalysis, the PCOS‐mediated reduction in FMD was 4·1% (95% CI=2·7, 5·5). Heterogeneity remained substantial (I2=81%). Subsequent meta‐regression indicated that the magnitude of FMD difference was not influenced by BMI (P = 0·17) nor age (P = 0·38).

Conclusions

This systematic research synthesis indicates that endothelial function is compromised in PCOS women, even if they are young and nonobese.
Vitamin D attenuates high fat diet–induced hepatic steatosis in rats by modulating lipid metabolism
Authors: Yin Yi , Yu Zhiwen , Xia Min , Luo Xiaoqin , Lu Xiaofei , Ling Wenhua
Published: July 2012

Eur J Clin Invest 2012; 42 (11): 1189–1196

Background  Vitamin D has been reported to be reversely associated with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome and is involved in modulation of lipid metabolism. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) has a protective effect on high fat diet (HFD)‐induced hepatic steatosis in rats and to elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms.

Materials and methods  Male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were fed with normal fat diet, HFD or HFD with intraperitoneal injection of 1, 2·5 and 5 μg/kg 1,25(OH)2D3, respectively, each 2 days for 8 weeks. Serum lipid profile and liver triglyceride were determined. Hepatic histology was examined by haematoxylin/eosin (H&E) and Oil Red O stainings. Hepatic gene expression involved in lipogenesis and lipid oxidation was analysed by quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR).

Results  The administration of 1,25(OH)2D3 prevented HFD‐induced body weight gain and reduced liver weight. 1,25(OH)2D3 attenuated hepatic steatosis in a dose‐dependent manner along with improved serum lipid profile. Furthermore, 1,25(OH)2D3 downregulated mRNA expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein‐1c (SREBP‐1c) and its target genes acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACC) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) involved in lipogenesis. Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor α (PPARα) and its target gene carnitine palmitoyltransferase‐1 (CPT‐1) involved in hepatic fatty acid (FA) oxidation were upregulated by 1,25(OH)2D3.

Conclusions  These results suggest that the preventing effect of 1,25(OH)2D3 against HFD‐induced hepatic steatosis is related to the inhibition of lipogenesis and the promotion of FA oxidation in rat liver.
The receptor activator of NF‐κB ligand‐osteoprotegerin system in pulpal and periapical disease
Authors: Belibasakis G. N. , Rechenberg D. K. , Zehnder M.
Published: July 2012

Aim

To summarize the collective in vitro, in vivo and clinical evidence of the involvement of the receptor activator of NF‐κB ligand (RANKL)‐osteoprotegerin (OPG) system, a system of two molecules controlling osteoclast differentiation and hard‐tissue resorption, in pulpal and periapical pathophysiology.

Methodology

A systematic search related to RANKL and/or OPG and pulp or periapical disease was conducted on Medline, Biosis, Cochrane, Embase and Web of Science databases using keywords and controlled vocabulary. No language restriction was applied. Two independent reviewers first screened titles and abstracts and then the full texts that were initially included. The reference lists of the identified publications were examined for additional titles.

Results

A total of 33 papers were identified. In vitro studies (N = 11) revealed that pulpal cells can be stimulated by various inflammatory agents to produce RANKL, whilst many studies did not consider the RANKL/OPG ratio. Animal studies (N = 9) mostly focused on the time course and development of periapical lesions in relation to the RANKL‐OPG system. Levels of RANKL and OPG in the necrotizing pulp were not investigated. Human studies (N = 13) showed a steady‐state expression of OPG in the odontoblast layer. Conflicting results have been reported regarding the role of RANKL in active apical periodontitis, again because the correlation of this molecule with its inhibitor (OPG) was often disregarded.

Conclusions

There is relatively little information currently available that would highlight the specific role of RANKL and OPG in pulpal and periapical disease. OPG may play a protective role against internal resorption, whilst an increased periapical RANKL/OPG ratio might indicate bone resorption.
Exploring reflection as a process embedded in experienced nurses' practice: a qualitative study
Authors: Asselin Marilyn E. , Schwartz‐Barcott Donna , Osterman Paulette A.
Published: July 2012

Aim

This article is a report of a study aimed at obtaining an in‐depth description of how experienced acute care staff nurses perceive and use reflection in clinical practice.

Background

Reflection is viewed as a critical component of professional practice. The basic assumption is that reflection involves a deliberate process of thinking about a clinical situation which leads to insight and a subsequent change in practice. Several prescriptive models for reflection exist to provide a guide for reflection, however, few are grounded from an empirical examination of reflection in practice. There is a dearth of empirical data on what is actually happening in practice.

Design

Descriptive, qualitative.

Methods

In‐depth interviews with 12 experienced acute care staff nurses in a community hospital in Northeastern USA was used to address the study aims. Data were collected between November 2009–May 2010.

Results/findings

Examples of reflection were embedded in patient situations needing immediate nursing intervention. Reflection was a process involving four phases: Framing of the Situation, Pausing, Engaging in Reflection, and Emerging Intentions.

Conclusion

Experienced nurses used a process of reflection‐on‐action in practice. They gained insight and formulated intentions for change in nursing practice. Structured facilitated reflection might assist nurses in achieving a depth of reflection necessary to move from their intentions to changes in practice.
The dissonant care management of illicit drug users in medical wards, the views of nurses and patients: a grounded theory study
Authors: Monks Rob , Topping Annie , Newell Rob
Published: July 2012

Aims

The aim of this study was to explore how registered nurses manage and deliver care to patients admitted to medical wards and Medical Assessment Units with complications of drug use and to elicit the experiences and views of those receiving that care.

Background

Illicit drug use is a major public health problem worldwide. The physical complications of problem drug use often result in admission to medical wards. Registered nurses working in these settings have been reported as possessing negative attitudes towards patients who use illicit drugs and lacking preparation to provide problem drug use–related care needs.

Design

Grounded theory.

Methods

A grounded theory approach was used to collect and analyse 41 semi‐structured interviews. Data collection and analysis were undertaken in nine medical wards in the Northwest of England in 2008. A combination of purposive and theoretical sampling was adopted to recruit registered nurses (n = 29) and medical ward patients (n = 12) admitted for physical complications of problem drug use. Data were subjected to constant comparative analysis.

Findings

Two sub‐categories emerged: ‘Lack of knowledge to care’ and ‘Distrust and detachment’ and these formed the core category ‘Dissonant care’. The combination of lack of educational preparation, negative attitudes and experience of conflict, aggression, and untrustworthiness appeared to affect negatively the nurse–patient relationship.

Conclusions

This study illuminated interplay of factors that complicated the delivery of care. The complexity of caring for patients who are pre‐judged negatively by nurses appears to engender dissonance and disparities in care delivery. Better education and training, coupled with role support about problem drug use may reduce conflict, disruption, and violence and facilitate competent care for these patients.
Shoaling as an antiparasite defence in minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to trematode cercariae
Authors: Stumbo Anthony D. , James Clayton T. , Goater Cameron P. , Wisenden Brian D.
Published: July 2012

1. Individuals that live in groups benefit from increased foraging success and decreased predation. Protection from some types of parasites may provide an additional benefit of group‐living. For fish, the extent to which shoaling can reduce an individual's risk of exposure to the infective stages of parasites is unknown.

2. We tested for antiparasite benefits of shoaling in fathead minnows exposed to larvae (cercariae) of two of their most common species of trematode, Ornithodiplostomum ptychocheilus and Posthodiplostomum minimum. As developing stages (metacercariae) of these trematodes cause reductions in minnow activity, growth and survival, natural selection should favour the evolution of cercariae‐avoidance behaviours.

3. We evaluated shoal dimensions in groups of minnows exposed to O. ptychocheilus and to other chemical/physical stimuli within aquaria. To compare risk of exposure in shoaling vs. non‐shoaling fish, we confined groups of minnows into mesh cages in outdoor mesocosms, exposed them to cercariae, then compared mean worm numbers in grouped vs. solitary fish. Lastly, we tested whether fish located within the centre of an artificial shoal reduced their risk of cercariae exposure compared with those along peripheral edges.

4. Minnows distinguished infective cercariae from other potential aquatic threats and responded with activity that reduced the 2‐dimensional area of their shoals 15‐fold compared with water‐only controls. Fish confined within artificial shoals had 3‐fold fewer worms than single fish and minnows located within the centre of artificial shoals had significantly fewer worms than those without peripheral minnows.

5. These results show that shoaling reduces a minnows' risk of exposure to cercariae, either directly via detection of cercariae in the water column followed by behavioural avoidance or indirectly via behaviour‐mediated differences in exposure between shoaling vs. non‐shoaling fish.
Real time monitoring of propofol blood concentration in ponies anaesthetized with propofol and ketamine
Authors: De VRIES A. , TAYLOR P. M. , TROUGHTON G. , LIU B. , FOWDEN A. L. , SEAR J. W.
Published: July 2012

This study examined the pharmacokinetics of propofol by infusion in ponies using an analyser for the rapid measurement of propofol concentrations. The analyser (Pelorus 1000; Sphere Medical Ltd., Cambridge, UK) has a measurement cycle of approximately five minutes. Ten Welsh‐cross ponies (weighing 135–300 kg) undergoing minor procedures were studied after premedication with acepromazine 0.03 mg/kg and detomidine 0.015 mg/kg. Anaesthesia was induced with ketamine 2 mg/kg and diazepam 0.03 mg/kg, and maintained with an infusion of propofol at an initial rate of 0.16 mg/kg/min for the first thirty minutes, after a bolus of 0.3 mg/kg; and ketamine by infusion (20–40 μg/kg/min). Blood samples (<2 mL) were collected prior to, during and after the infusion, and on assuming standing position. Anaesthesia was uneventful; with the duration of infusion 31–89 min. Blood propofol concentrations during the infusion ranged between 1.52 and 7.65 μg/mL; pseudo‐steady state concentrations 3.64–6.78 μg/mL, and concentrations on assuming standing position 0.75–1.40 μg/mL. Propofol clearance and volume of distribution were 31.4 (SD 6.1) mL/min/kg and 220.7 (132.0) mL/kg, respectively. The propofol analyser allows titration of propofol to a given concentration; and may be useful for anaesthesia in animals where kinetics are unknown; in disease states; and where intercurrent therapies affect propofol disposition.
Variation in the level of aggression, chemical and genetic distance among three supercolonies of the Argentine ant in Europe
Authors: BLIGHT O. , BERVILLE L. , VOGEL V. , HEFETZ A. , RENUCCI M. , ORGEAS J. , PROVOST E. , KELLER L.
Published: July 2012

In their invasive ranges, Argentine ant populations often form one geographically vast supercolony, genetically and chemically uniform within which there is no intraspecific aggression. Here we present regional patterns of intraspecific aggression, cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) and population genetics of 18 nesting sites across Corsica and the French mainland. Aggression tests confirm the presence of a third European supercolony, the Corsican supercolony, which exhibits moderate to high levels of aggression, depending on nesting sites, with the Main supercolony, and invariably high levels of aggression with the Catalonian supercolony. The chemical analyses corroborated the behavioural data, with workers of the Corsican supercolony showing moderate differences in CHCs compared to workers of the European Main supercolony and strong differences compared to workers of the Catalonian supercolony. Interestingly, there were also clear genetic differences between workers of the Catalonian supercolony and the two other supercolonies at both nuclear and mitochondrial markers, but only very weak genetic differentiation between nesting sites of the Corsican and Main supercolonies (FST = 0.06). A detailed comparison of the genetic composition of supercolonies also revealed that, if one of the last two supercolonies derived from the other, it is the Main supercolony that derived from the Corsican supercolony rather than the reverse. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of conducting more qualitative and quantitative analyses of the level of aggression between supercolonies, which has to be correlated with genetic and chemical data.
Negative regulation of CCaMK is essential for symbiotic infection
Authors: Liao Jinqiu , Singh Sylvia , Hossain Md S. , Andersen Stig U. , Ross Loretta , Bonetta Dario , Zhou Yonghong , Sato Shusei , Tabata Satoshi , Stougaard Jens , Szczyglowski Krzysztof , Parniske Martin
Published: July 2012

One of the earliest responses of legumes to symbiotic signalling is oscillation of the calcium concentration in the nucleoplasm of root epidermal cells. Integration and decoding of the calcium‐spiking signal involve a calcium‐ and calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase (CCaMK) and its phosphorylation substrates, such as CYCLOPS. Here we describe the Lotus japonicus ccamk‐14 mutant that originated from a har1‐1 suppressor screen. The ccamk‐14 mutation causes a serine to asparagine substitution at position 337 located within the calmodulin binding site, which we determined to be an in vitro phosphorylation site in CCaMK. We show that ccamk‐14 exerts cell‐specific effects on symbiosis. The mutant is characterized by an increased frequency of epidermal infections and significantly compromised cortical infections by Mesorhizobium loti and also the arbuscular mycorrhiza fungus Rhizophagus irregularis. The S337 residue is conserved across angiosperm CCaMKs, and testing discrete substitutions at this site showed that it participates in a negative regulation of CCaMK activity, which is required for the cell‐type‐specific integration of symbiotic signalling.
The microRNA miR171h modulates arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of Medicago truncatula by targeting NSP2
Authors: Lauressergues Dominique , Delaux Pierre‐Marc , Formey Damien , Lelandais‐Brière Christine , Fort Sébastien , Cottaz Sylvain , Bécard Guillaume , Niebel Andreas , Roux Christophe , Combier Jean‐Philippe
Published: July 2012

Most land plants live symbiotically with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Establishment of this symbiosis requires signals produced by both partners: strigolactones in root exudates stimulate pre‐symbiotic growth of the fungus, which releases lipochito‐oligosaccharides (Myc‐LCOs) that prepare the plant for symbiosis. Here, we have investigated the events downstream of this early signaling in the roots. We report that expression of miR171h, a microRNA that targets NSP2, is up‐regulated in the elongation zone of the root during colonization by Rhizophagus irregularis (formerly Glomus intraradices) and in response to Myc‐LCOs. Fungal colonization was much reduced by over‐expressing miR171h in roots, mimicking the phenotype of nsp2 mutants. Conversely, in plants expressing an NSP2 mRNA resistant to miR171h cleavage, fungal colonization was much increased and extended into the elongation zone of the roots. Finally, phylogenetic analyses revealed that miR171h regulation of NSP2 is probably conserved among mycotrophic plants. Our findings suggest a regulatory mechanism, triggered by Myc‐LCOs, that prevents over‐colonization of roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi by a mechanism involving miRNA‐mediated negative regulation of NSP2.
Large deletions and splicing‐site mutations in the STK11 gene in Peutz‐Jeghers Chilean families
Authors: Orellana P , López‐Köstner F , Heine C , Suazo C , Pinto E , Church J , Carvallo P , Alvarez K
Published: July 2012

Peutz‐Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by mucocutaneous melanocytic macules, gastrointestinal hamartomatous polyposis and an increased risk of various neoplasms. Germline mutations in the serine/threonine kinase 11 (STK11) gene have been identified as a cause for PJS. The aim of this study was to characterize the genotype of Chilean PJS patients. Mutation screening of 13 patients from eight PJS families was performed using a single strand conformation polymorphism analysis, DNA sequencing and multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification assay. The breakpoints of the genomic rearrangements were assessed by a long‐range polymerase chain reaction and sequencing. The results revealed the existence of seven different pathogenic mutations in STK11 gene in seven unrelated families, including three point mutations and four large genomic deletions. Three of these point mutations (43%, 3/7) may be considered as novel. Our results showed that a germline mutation is present in STK11 in 88% of probands fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of PJS. In this study, the combination of two different experimental approaches in the screening of the STK11 in PJS, led to a higher percentage of mutation detection.
Living kidney donor relationship in caucasian and African American populations and implications for targeted donor education programs
Authors: Cooper Matthew , Kramer Andrew , Barth Rolf , Phelan Michael
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The opportunities for living kidney donation vary greatly among socioeconomic and racial groups. We reviewed our series of living donors to evaluate donor relationships in various groups.

Materials and methods

Donor and recipient records for 1000 patients were reviewed. An additional 857 records of potential recipients presenting with a donor were analyzed. We compared the relationship of the recipient to initial donor and individual who underwent nephrectomy.

Results

There were 693 CC and 263 AA live kidney donors. In the AA population donors were first‐degree 71%, second‐degree 10%, and unrelated 19%. In the CC population donors were first‐degree 57%, second‐degree 6%, and unrelated 37% (p < 0.0001 for unrelated CC vs. AA). Spousal donation is more common in CC donors (13%) than AA donors (6%), p = 0.001. Donation from child to parent is more common in AA (33%) than CC donors (15%), p < 0.0001. AA recipients predominantly identified a child as a donor in 63% and 48% were cleared for donation. In contrast, 69% of CC recipients identified a spouse as a donor yet only 23% became donors, p < 0.001 and p < 0.001.

Conclusions

There is a higher incidence of unrelated donors in the caucasian population, vs. first degree relatives often being living donors in the AA population.
Transfusion practice and complications after laparotomy – an observational analysis of a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Nielsen K. , Meyhoff C. S. , Johansson P. I. , Jorgensen L. N. , Rasmussen L. S. ,   PROXI Trial Group
Published: July 2012

Background  Transfusion of allogeneic red blood cells (RBC) may be associated with side effects. This study aimed to assess whether an association could be detected between transfusion practice and the occurrence of complications after laparotomy.

Study design and methods  This study is an observational analysis of data from a randomized trial in 1400 patients who underwent laparotomy. A subgroup of 224 transfused patients with an intraoperative blood loss ≥200 ml were included in the analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate risk factors for postoperative complications. The ratio of intraoperative RBC transfusion to blood loss was computed, and patients grouped by the median into a liberal transfusion practice (ratio equal to or above the median) and a restrictive transfusion practice group (ratio below the median).

Results  Surgical site infection occurred in 27% of patients in the liberal group vs. 20% of patients in the restrictive group with an OR of 1·5 [95% CI: 0·8–2·9] (P = 0·18) and an OR of 1·2 [95% CI: 0·5–2·9] (P = 0·73) when adjusting for known confounding variables. Pneumonia occurred in 14% vs. 8% in the liberal and restrictive group, respectively (adjusted P = 0·07), and admission to the intensive care unit was 15% vs. 7%, respectively (adjusted P = 0·02), but no other significant differences were found.

Conclusion  A liberal transfusion practice was not significantly associated with postoperative complications, but pneumonia tended to be more common in the liberal group, which was more often admitted to the intensive care unit.
Generation of High Titre Antibodies to Pokeweed Antiviral Protein (PAP) in Rabbits Using Synthetic Peptides and their Use in Detecting PAP in Transgenic Petunia and Yeast
Authors: Li Li , Li Yu , Wang Xifeng
Published: July 2012

Antibodies are important for the study of pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP), an important antiviral agent against many plant, animal and human viruses. As PAP is expressed only at a low level in pokeweed plants (Phytolacca americana L.), it is complex and time‐consuming to extract PAP from pokeweed plants for antibody preparation. Here, we describe an antigen‐designed method according to the amino acid sequence that translated from PAP gene cleaving the C‐terminus toxic region and N‐terminus signal peptide (Genbank No. AF338910); the two peptides, DC15: DISGTERQDVETTLC and CR15: CRYPTLESKAGVKSR, were synthesized for generation of antibodies. The design strategy enabled straightforward antigen production and antibody generation. The antibodies can be used to detect PAP in transgenic petunia plants (Petunia hybrida Vilm.), pokeweed plants (P. americana) and transformed yeast (Pachia pastoris), which can express the PAP gene by western blotting. These antibodies generated against synthetic peptides will be useful for various assays such as for PAP detection, immunoprecipitation, protein purification and western blot analysis.
The firing patterns of spinal neurons: in situ patch‐clamp recordings reveal a key role for potassium currents
Authors: Winlove Crawford I. P. , Roberts Alan
Published: July 2012

Neuron firing patterns underpin the detection and processing of stimuli, influence synaptic interactions, and contribute to the function of networks. To understand how intrinsic membrane properties determine firing patterns, we investigated the biophysical basis of single and repetitive firing in spinal neurons of hatchling Xenopus laevis tadpoles, a well‐understood vertebrate model; experiments were conducted in situ. Primary sensory Rohon–Beard (RB) neurons fire singly in response to depolarising current, and dorsolateral (DL) interneurons fire repetitively. RB neurons exhibited a large tetrodotoxin‐sensitive sodium current; in DL neurons, the sodium current density was significantly lower. High‐voltage‐activated calcium currents were similar in both neuron types. There was no evidence of persistent sodium currents, low‐voltage‐activated calcium currents, or hyperpolarisation‐activated currents. In RB neurons, the potassium current was dominated by a tetraethylammonium‐sensitive slow component (IKs); a fast component (IKf), sensitive to 4‐aminopyridine, predominated in DL neurons. Sequential current‐clamp and voltage‐clamp recordings in individual neurons suggest that high densities of IKs prevent repetitive firing; where IKs is small, IKf density determines the frequency of repetitive firing. Intermediate densities of IKs and IKf allow neurons to fire a few additional spikes on strong depolarisation; this property typifies a novel subset of RB neurons, and may activate escape responses. We discuss how this ensemble of currents and firing patterns underpins the operation of the Xenopus locomotor network, and suggest how simple mechanisms might underlie the similar firing patterns seen in the neurons of diverse species.
Evidence‐based couple therapy: current status and future directions
Authors: Snyder Douglas K. , Halford W. Kim
Published: July 2012

Several approaches to couple therapy produce large and clinically significant reductions in relationship distress. However, 25 to 30 per cent of couples show no benefit from couple therapy. Adapted forms of couple therapy can effectively treat some psychological disorders and enhance adjustment to physical health problems. The specific mechanisms underlying the effects of couple therapy on relationship distress are unclear. Current attempts to enhance the efficacy of couple therapy have three foci: (1) identifying the common factors that might account for change across approaches, (2) integrating different approaches to address specific needs of particular partners and couples and (3) monitoring the progress of couples during therapy and using that information to modify couple therapy as required. Given the high prevalence of relationship distress and its association with other problems, clinicians should routinely screen for relationship distress in adults. Couple therapy needs to be considered as the focus, or part of the focus, of treatment for a wide range of adult emotional and behavioural problems.
Design‐based research on the use of a tangible user interface for geometry teaching in an inclusive classroom
Authors: Starcic Andreja Istenic , Cotic Mara , Zajc Matej
Published: July 2012

This design‐based research study was conducted to identify what importance of a tangible user interface (TUI) can add to teaching and learning. Over a 2‐year period, teachers (n = 39) and students (n = 145) participated in the study. The identified problem for investigation was how students, including those with low fine motor skills and those with learning difficulties, develop geometry concepts combining cognitive and physical activity. A didactical application was designed during the first iteration and implemented in inclusive classrooms during the second and third iterations. Qualitative research methods were applied. A relationship between diverse students’ needs and geometry concept learning in relation to computer‐supported learning by TUI was discovered. Two dimensions were identified: (1) TUIs support concept development, with physical and virtual representations based on dynamic geometry assisted by TUI; (2) TUI manipulative properties support students who have low motor skills and difficulties in their geometry learning as well as in their inclusion in classroom activities. The study outcomes contributed to the design process of the TUI didactical application and its implementation in inclusive classrooms, and to the body of knowledge in teaching and learning geometry concepts applied for computer‐assisted learning environments supported by TUI.
Computation of Aqueous Environment Contamination Parameters on the Basis of the Lagrangian Approach
Authors: Arkhipov B. , Solbakov V. , Solov’ev M. , Shapochkin D.
Published: July 2012

We present a mathematical model for a quantitative estimation of the damage to aquatic life resulting from a pollutant discharge into aqueous environment. With the use of the Lagrangian description of fluid motion, we introduce a set of hydrophysical parameters on the basis of which hydrobiologists can estimate the damage. The computation of these parameters is illustrated by the example of a problem of a pollutant spreading in a canal. The problem is solved numerically on a deformable Lagrangian grid. To ensure computational stability a special grid reconstruction procedure with the subsequent interpolation of the parameters computed is used. An original interpolation technique is proposed which ensures the preservation of the most important hydrophysical quantities.
Gendering Migrant Remittances: Evidence from Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Mizanur Rahman Md
Published: July 2012

In this study, I explore gender dimensions of remittances under conditions of temporary migration in Asia. This research argues that migrant remittances are influenced by not only gender but also the context of the remittances, and that both should be integrated and elaborated to capture the complexity of remittances and their development dynamics. On the basis of surveys of 150 migrants in the United Arab Emirates and 100 migrant households in Bangladesh, in this study I examine gender dimensions of remittances by linking both sending and receiving points and elaborating on four sites of remittances, where gender matters significantly: (i) the sending process, (ii) the receipt process, (iii) the use and control of remittances and, finally, (iv) the implications for the migrant households. The study reveals several gender‐differentiated patterns in remittance behaviour. Female migrants remit a greater share of their earnings than their male counterparts; they prefer sisters to brothers and other family members to husbands, while men prefer brothers to sisters and fathers to wives – and, interestingly, it was males, rather than females, who remitted more to females. Women have more control over remittances than men: in the migrant–spouse remittance route, more regular contact, and consultation and negotiation about management of remittances, are reported. Women show more interest in savings than men: women’s remittances tend to be invested in human capital and those of male recipients in physical capital; more females play the role of principal economic providers for the families than their male counterparts.