bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stress–elastic strain relation for a two-phase isotropic strain gradient plastic composite
Authors: HOANG VIET HA
Published: February 2009

The stress–elastic strain relationship is studied for a composite under a plastic deformation. The constitutive law of each component is described by a deformation theory of strain gradient plasticity which introduces an internal length scale. The conventional deformation plastic theory is obtained when the internal length scale tends to 0. The Hashin–Shtrikman upper bound for a two-phase composite governed by a power law is derived. It is predicted, by differentiating the bounds, that in most cases, the stress and the elastic strain follow a non-linear relation immediately after the elastic range. However, for some particular values of the ratio of the internal length scale and the micro-scale of the composite, this relation is linear. The prediction is illustrated by various numerical examples.
ON THE AUTHORSHIP OF THE TREATISE ON THE HARMONIZATION OF THE OPINIONS OF THE TWO SAGES ATTRIBUTED TO AL-FĀRĀBĪ
Authors: RASHED MARWAN
Published: February 2009

The present article aims to show that the treatise On the Harmonization of the Opinions of the Two Sages the Divine Plato and Aristotle cannot have been written by al-Fārābī. It considers to this end four crucial issues treated in this work, concerning (1) divine Providence and the particulars, (2) Platonic Ideas and the divine Intellect, (3) creation ex nihilo and (4) the divine attribute of ‘will’. It establishes in each case that the thesis defended by the author is contrary to al-Fārābī’s doctrine and akin to that of Yaḥyā ibn ‘Adī. This twofold result prompts us to suggest that the author should be associated with Ibn ‘Adī and his milieu; it also suggests a new periodization of 10th century Arabic philosophy. Rather than imagining a Kindian phase followed by a ‘‘school of Baghdad’’ extending from al-Fārābī’s masters to the age of Avicenna, we should postulate that some of al-Fārābī’s followers returned to al-Kindī in the field of cosmology, for theological reasons.
Transit, Transition: Excavating J641 VUJ
Authors: Bailey Greg , Newland Cassie , Nilsson Anna , Schofield John , Davis Steve , Myers Adrian
Published: February 2009

In July 2006 archaeologists from the University of Bristol and Atkins Heritage embarked on a contemporary archaeology project with a difference. We ‘excavated’ an old (1991) Ford Transit van, used by archaeologists and later by works and maintenance teams at the Ironbridge Museum. The object: to see what can be learnt from a very particular, common and characteristic type of contemporary place; to establish what archaeologists and archaeology can contribute to understanding the way society, and specifically we as archaeologists, use and inhabit these places; and to challenge and critique archaeologies of the contemporary past. In this report we describe our excavation and situate it within a wider debate about research practice in contemporary archaeology.
Revisiting the Individual in Prehistory: Idiosyncratic Engraving Variation and the Neolithic Slate Plaques of the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Thomas Jonathan T. , McCall Grant , Lillios Katina
Published: February 2009

Experiments in replicating facsimiles of Late Neolithic engraved slate plaques from southwestern Iberia suggest that variation related to fine-motor skills is greater between individual engravers than within the work of a single engraver. This implies that the work of different individuals producing certain classes of material culture may be distinguishable on the basis of repetitive, idiosyncratic traits. These studies also generate otherwise unobtainable information about the experience of plaque making. We examine past and present methodological attempts to differentiate unconscious, individual styles from intentional, culturally mediated styles, and discuss why in some cases it is extremely difficult to separate such variation. We explore the link between individual variation and theoretical notions of the individual, and its implications for understanding the organization, transmission, and shared expression of ancient social practices.
Can the Archaeology of Manual Specialization Tell Us Anything About Language Evolution? A Survey of the State of Play
Authors: Steele James , Uomini Natalie
Published: February 2009

In this review and position paper we explore the neural substrates for manual specialization and their possible connection with language and speech. We focus on two contrasting hypotheses of the origins of language and manual specialization: the language-first scenario and the tool-use-first scenario. Each one makes specific predictions about hand-use in non-human primates, as well as about the necessity of an association between speech adaptations and population-level right-handedness in the archaeological and fossil records. The concept of handedness is reformulated for archaeologists in terms of manual role specialization, using Guiard's model of asymmetric bimanual coordination. This focuses our attention on skilled bimanual tasks in which both upper limbs play complementary roles. We review work eliciting non-human primate hand preferences in co-ordinated bimanual tasks, and relevant archaeological data for estimating the presence or absence of a population-level bias to the right hand as the manipulator in extinct hominin species and in the early prehistory of our own species.
Evidence for deficits in facial affect recognition and theory of mind in multiple sclerosis
Authors: HENRY JULIE D. , PHILLIPS LOUISE H. , BEATTY WILLIAM W. , MCDONALD SKYE , LONGLEY WENDY A. , JOSCELYNE AMY , RENDELL PETER G.
Published: February 2009

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a white matter disease associated with neurocognitive difficulties. More recently the potential for white matter pathology to also disrupt important aspects of emotion understanding has been recognized. However, no study to date has assessed whether capacity for facial affect recognition and theory of mind (ToM) is disrupted in MS, or whether any observed deficits are related to more general cognitive impairment. In the present study MS participants (n = 27) and nonclinical controls (n = 30) were administered measures of facial affect recognition, ToM, and cognitive functioning. MS participants were significantly impaired on the ToM task, and also presented with specific deficits decoding facial emotions of anger and fear. Performance on the measures of facial affect recognition and ToM were related to general cognitive functioning, and in particular, measures sensitive to executive dysfunction and information processing speed. These data highlight the need for future research to more fully delineate the extent and implications of emotion understanding difficulties in this population. (JINS, 2009, 15, 277–285.)
Hippocampus volume and episodic memory in schizophrenia
Authors: THOMA ROBERT J. , MONNIG MOLLIE , HANLON FAITH M. , MILLER GREGORY A. , PETROPOULOS HELEN , MAYER ANDREW R. , YEO RON , EULER MATT , LYSNE PER , MOSES SANDRA N. , CAÑIVE JOSE M.
Published: February 2009

Previous studies of schizophrenia have suggested a linkage between neuropsychological (NP) deficits and hippocampus abnormality. The relationship between hippocampus volume and NP functioning was investigated in 24 patients with chronic schizophrenia and 24 matched healthy controls. Overall intracranial, white and gray matter, and anterior (AH) and posterior (PH) hippocampus volumes were assessed from magnetic resonance images (MRI). NP domains of IQ, attention, and executive function were also evaluated with respect to volumetric measures. It was hypothesized that AH and PH volumes and episodic memory scores would be positively associated in controls and that the schizophrenia group would depart from this normative pattern. NP functioning was impaired overall and AH volume was smaller in the schizophrenia group. In the controls, the hippocampus–memory relationships involved AH and PH, and correlations were significant for verbal memory measures. In the schizophrenia group, positive correlations were constrained to PH. Negative correlations emerged between AH and verbal and visual memory measures. For both groups, cortical volume negatively correlated with age, but a negative correlation between age and hippocampus volume was found only in the schizophrenia group. In this sample of adults with schizophrenia, atypical relationships between regional hippocampus volumes and episodic memory ability were found, as was an atypical negative association between hippocampus volume and age. (JINS, 2009, 15, 182–195.)
The effect of age and sex on clustering and switching during speeded verbal fluency tasks
Authors: LANTING SHAWNDA , HAUGRUD NICOLE , CROSSLEY MARGARET
Published: February 2009

Past research has been inconsistent with regard to the effects of normal aging and sex on strategy use during verbal fluency performance. In the present study, both Troyer et al.’s (1997) and Abwender et al.’s (2001) scoring methods were used to measure switching and clustering strategies in 60 young and 72 older adults, equated on verbal ability. Young adults produced more words overall and switched more often during both phonemic and semantic fluency tasks, but performed similarly to older adults on measures of clustering. Although there were no sex differences in total words produced on either fluency task, males produced larger clusters on both tasks, and females switched more frequently than males on the semantic but not on the phonemic fluency task. Although clustering strategies appear to be relatively age-insensitive, age-related changes in switching strategies resulted in fewer overall words produced by older adults. This study provides evidence of age and sex differences in strategy use during verbal fluency tests, and illustrates the utility of combining Troyer’s and Abwender’s scoring procedures with in-depth categorization of clustering to understand interactions between age and sex during semantic fluency tasks. (JINS, 2009, 15, 196–204.)
Diagnostic utility of sound naming in early Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: JEON HYEON-AE , LEE KYOUNG-MIN
Published: February 2009

While it is well known that picture naming (PN) is impaired in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), sound naming (SN) has not been thoroughly investigated. We postulated that SN might be impaired more severely and earlier than PN, given the early involvement of the temporal cortex by AD-related pathology. SN and PN were assessed in 21 normal participants, 40 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 27 patients in early stages of AD. Our results showed that SN accuracy and latency were more sensitive to advancing pathology in AD than PN accuracy and latency. SN was more useful and specific in distinguishing MCI patients from normal participants and therefore in potentially identifying the subset of MCI patients who already have impairment in more than one cognitive domain and may actually have incipient AD. These findings indicate a potential diagnostic utility of SN for early detection of the disease. Furthermore, even though most AD patients demonstrated more or less comparable impairment in both tasks, some were disproportionately impaired on SN and others were differentially impaired on PN. Future studies may be able to show that these discrepant groups correspond to patients with right and left hemisphere predominant AD, respectively. (JINS, 2009, 15, 231–238.)
Neurocognitive predictors of financial capacity across the dementia spectrum: Normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: SHEROD MEGAN G. , GRIFFITH H. RANDALL , COPELAND JACQUELYNN , BELUE KATHERINE , KRZYWANSKI SARA , ZAMRINI EDWARD Y. , HARRELL LINDY E. , CLARK DAVID G. , BROCKINGTON JOHN C. , POWERS RICHARD E. , MARSON DANIEL C.
Published: February 2009

Financial capacity is a complex instrumental activity of daily living critical to independent functioning of older adults and sensitive to impairment in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, little is known about the neurocognitive basis of financial impairment in dementia. We developed cognitive models of financial capacity in cognitively healthy older adults (n = 85) and patients with MCI (n = 113) and mild AD (n = 43). All participants were administered the Financial Capacity Instrument (FCI) and a neuropsychological test battery. Univariate correlation and multiple regression procedures were used to develop cognitive models of overall FCI performance across groups. The control model (R2 = .38) comprised (in order of entry) written arithmetic skills, delayed story recall, and simple visuomotor sequencing. The MCI model (R2 = .69) comprised written arithmetic skills, visuomotor sequencing and set alternation, and race. The AD model (R2 = .65) comprised written arithmetic skills, simple visuomotor sequencing, and immediate story recall. Written arithmetic skills (WRAT-3 Arithmetic) was the primary predictor across models, accounting for 27% (control model), 46% (AD model), and 55% (MCI model) of variance. Executive function and verbal memory were secondary model predictors. The results offer insight into the cognitive basis of financial capacity across the dementia spectrum of cognitive aging, MCI, and AD. (JINS, 2009, 15, 258–267.)
Executive functioning among female pathological gambling and bulimia nervosa patients: Preliminary findings
Authors: ÁLVAREZ-MOYA E.M. , JIMÉNEZ-MURCIA S. , MORAGAS L. , GÓMEZ-PEÑA M. , AYMAMÍ M.N. , OCHOA C. , SÁNCHEZ-DÍAZ I. , MENCHÓN J.M. , FERNÁNDEZ-ARANDA F.
Published: February 2009

Shared vulnerabilities have been described across disorders of impulse control, including pathological gambling (PG) and bulimia nervosa (BN). Our aim was to compare the executive functioning of PG and BN females in order to confirm their similarity at a neurocognitive level. A total of 15 BN females, 15 PG females, and 15 healthy control (HC) females were administered the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the Stroop Color and Word Test. Analysis of covariance adjusted for age and education was conducted to compare groups. PG showed the greatest impairment, that is, the highest percentage of WCST perseverative errors (p = .023), the lowest percentage of conceptual-level responses (p = .034), and the highest number of total trials administered (p = .021), while BN showed the highest percentage of WCST nonperseverative errors (p = .003). Both BN and PG females demonstrated executive dysfunction relative to HCs but different specific correlates (i.e., greater vulnerability to distraction in BN, but more cognitive inflexibility in PG). (JINS, 2009, 15, 302–306.)
Isolator and other neonatal piglet models in developmental immunology and identification of virulence factors
Authors: Butler J. E.
Published: February 2009

The postnatal period is a ‘critical window’, a time when innate and passive immunity protect the newborn mammal while its own adaptive immune system is developing. Neonatal piglets, especially those reared in isolators, provide valuable tools for studying immunological development during this period, since environmental factors that cause ambiguity in studies with conventional animals are controlled by the experimenter. However, these models have limited value unless the swine immune system is first characterized and the necessary immunological reagents developed. Characterization has revealed numerous features of the swine immune system that did not fit mouse paradigms but may be more generally true for most mammals. These include fetal class switch recombination that is uncoupled from somatic hypermutation, the relative importance of the molecular mechanisms used to develop the antibody repertoire, the role of gut lymphoid tissue in that process, and the limited heavy chain repertoire but diverse IgG subclass repertoire. Knowledge gained from studies of adaptive immunity in isolator-reared neonatal pigs suggests that isolator piglets can be valuable in identification of virulence factors that are often masked in studies using conventional animals.
Effects of inoculating dose on the kinetics of Chlamydia muridarum genital infection in female mice
Authors: Carey Alison J , Cunningham Kelly A , Hafner Louise M , Timms Peter , Beagley Kenneth W
Published: February 2009

Chlamydia trachomatis infections have been implicated in problems such as pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in females. Although there are some studies examining the kinetics of ascending infection, there is limited information on the kinetics of pathology development and cellular infiltrate into the reproductive tissues in relation to the effects of inoculating dose, and a better understanding of these is needed. The murine model of female genital tract Chlamydia muridarum infection is frequently used as a model of human C. trachomatis reproductive tract infection. To investigate the kinetics of ascending genital infection and associated pathology development, female BALB/c mice were intravaginally infected with C. muridarum at doses ranging from 5 × 102 to 2.6 × 106 inclusion forming units. We found that the inoculating dose affects the course of infection and the ascension of bacteria, with the highest dose ascending rapidly to the oviducts. By comparison, the lowest dose resulted in the greatest bacterial load in the lower reproductive tract. Interestingly, we found that the dose did not significantly affect inflammatory cell infiltrate in the various regions. Overall, this data show the effects of infectious dose on the kinetics of ascending chlamydial infection and associated inflammatory infiltration in BALB/c mice.
Formation of macromolecular complexes of carbonic anhydrases in the chloroplast of a marine diatom by the action of the C-terminal helix
Authors: Kitao Yoshiko , Matsuda Yusuke
Published: February 2009

A β-type carbonic anhydrase, PtCA1, of the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum was previously shown to be present in the chloroplast as clumped particles on the girdle lamellae. A series of deletions was carried out on the PtCA1 gene, ptca1, at regions encoding N- or C-terminal domains of the mature PtCA1. These deletion constructs were fused with the EGFP [enhanced GFP (green fluorescent protein)] gene, egfp, introduced and expressed in the cells of P. tricornutum. All three types of N-terminal deletions, Δ52–63, Δ64–75 and Δ76–87 relative to the initiation methionine, showed little interference with the particle formation of the PtCA1::GFP fusion protein. Similarly, one of the three types of C-terminal deletions, Δ253–262, was silent. However, the remaining two C-terminal deletions, Δ263–272 and Δ273–282 relative to the initiation methionine, were strongly inhibitory to the particle formation of PtCA1. The C-terminal 263–282 region comprises five hydrophobic amino acids, Met263, Leu266, Ile269, Leu272 and Leu275, which were predicted to form a hydrophobic cluster on the C-terminal α-helix. Each or all five of these hydrophobic residues were replaced with a hydrophilic residue with a side chain of similar size and structure, glutamate. Particle formations of PtCA1 were moderately inhibited by substitutions of Met263, Leu266 and Ile269 but more evidently by substitutions of Leu272 and Leu275. Finally, substitutions of all five hydrophobic residues resulted in an efficient inhibition of particle formation and the GFP signal was totally dispersed throughout the stroma area. These results strongly suggest that the amphipathic C-terminal helix of PtCA1 plays an essential role in the formation of the macromolecular protein complex.
Aging increases p16INK4a expression in vascular smooth-muscle cells
Authors: Rodriguez-Menocal Luis , Pham Si M. , Mateu Dania , St-Pierre Melissa , Wei Yuntao , Pestana Ivo , Aitouche Abdelouahab , Vazquez-Padron Roberto I.
Published: February 2009

Alteration of VSMC (vascular smooth-muscle cell) physiology is associated with the development of atherosclerosis and restenosis. We hypothesize that aging up-regulates the expression of p16INK4a in VSMCs, which may increase the susceptibility of blood vessels to vascular occlusive diseases. Aortic VSMCs were obtained from young and aged mice. Cells from aged mice grew more slowly than those from their younger counterparts. Progression of cell cycle in response to serum stimulation was significantly inhibited in those cells with aging, as determined by FACS after propidium iodide staining. A significant up-regulation of p16INK4a (2.5-fold, P=0.0012) was found in VSMC from aged animals using gene arrays. The up-regulation of this gene was further confirmed by quantitative RT–PCR (reverse transcription–PCR) and Western-blot experiments. Immunostaining for p16INK4a confirmed that aortas from aged mice contained more p16INK4a+ SMA (smooth-muscle cell actin)+ cells than aortas from young animals (26.79±2.45 versus 7.06±1.44, P=0.00027, n=4). In conclusion, we have shown that aging up-regulates the expression of p16INK4a in VSMC in both cultures and arteries. The increase in p16INK4a in the vasculature with aging may modify VSMC's response to post-injury stress and therefore accelerate the development of age-related cardiovascular diseases.
Programming of growth, insulin resistance and vascular dysfunction in offspring of late gestation diabetic rats
Authors: Segar Emily M. , Norris Andrew W. , Yao Jian-Rong , Hu Shanming , Koppenhafer Stacia L. , Roghair Robert D. , Segar Jeffrey L. , Scholz Thomas D.
Published: February 2009

ODM (offspring of diabetic mothers) have an increased risk of developing metabolic and cardiovascular dysfunction; however, few studies have focused on the susceptibility to disease in offspring of mothers developing diabetes during pregnancy. We developed an animal model of late gestation diabetic pregnancy and characterized metabolic and vascular function in the offspring. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (50 mg/kg of body weight, intraperitoneally) in pregnant rats on gestational day 13 and was partially controlled by twice-daily injections of insulin. At 2 months of age, ODM had slightly better glucose tolerance than controls (P<0.05); however, by 6 months of age this trend had reversed. A euglycaemic–hyperinsulinamic clamp revealed insulin resistance in male ODM (P<0.05). In 6–8-month-old female ODM, aortas had significantly enhanced contractility in response to KCl, ET-1 (endothelin-1) and NA (noradrenaline). No differences in responses to ET-1 and NA were apparent with co-administration of L-NNA (NG-nitro-L-arginine). Relaxation in response to ACh (acetylcholine), but not SNP (sodium nitroprusside), was significantly impaired in female ODM. In contrast, males had no between-group differences in response to vasoconstrictors, whereas relaxation to SNP and ACh was greater in ODM compared with control animals. Thus the development of diabetes during pregnancy programmes gender-specific insulin resistance and vascular dysfunction in adult offspring.
Climate forecast and prediction product dissemination for agriculture in the United States
Authors: Garbrecht Jurgen D. , Schneider Jeanne M.
Published: February 2009

A wealth of climate forecast information and related prediction products are available, but impediments to adoption of these products by ranchers and farmers in the Unites States remain to be addressed. Impediments for agricultural applications include modest forecast skill, limited climate predictability, inappropriate forecast scale for site-specific applications, difficulties in interpretation of probabilistic forecasts by farmers and integration into agricultural decision systems, uncertainty about the value and effect of forecast information in multi-variable decision system, and generally low frequency of relevant forecasts. Various research institutions have conducted case studies of climate effects on agricultural production systems, particularly effects of historical ENSO signals in the south-eastern United States. Several studies addressed risk and economic values of seasonal climate forecasts, and others bridged the gap between current forecasting software and products and agricultural applications. These studies attest to the availability and suitability of forecast and impact-prediction software, as well as derived products for agricultural applications. Yet, little attention has been given to operational and application-specific prediction products for general agricultural use, and to an effective and affordable delivery system that reaches and resonates with the agricultural end-user (a prerequisite for adoption). The two latter impediments are the focus of this paper. Two existing approaches, the top-down and the participatory end-to-end approach for development and delivery of prediction products, are reviewed. A third approach, the hybrid approach, is emphasised and uses the top-down approach for climate forecast delivery and a participatory approach for development and delivery of farm-specific prediction information for the agricultural end-user. Suitability of such prediction products for agricultural applications and constraints to successful adoption are also discussed.
From rainfall to farm incomes—transforming advice for Australian drought policy. I. Development and testing of a bioeconomic modelling system
Authors: Kokic Philip , Nelson Rohan , Meinke Holger , Potgieter Andries , Carter John
Published: February 2009

In this paper we report the development of a bioeconomic modelling system, AgFIRM, designed to help close a relevance gap between climate science and policy in Australia. We do this by making a simple econometric farm income model responsive to seasonal forecasts of crop and pasture growth for the coming season. The key quantitative innovation was the use of multiple and M-quantile regression to calibrate the farm income model, using simulated crop and pasture growth from 2 agroecological models. The results of model testing demonstrated a capability to reliably forecast the direction of movement in Australian farm incomes in July at the beginning of the financial year (July–June). The structure of the model, and the seasonal climate forecasting system used, meant that its predictive accuracy was greatest across Australia’s cropping regions. In a second paper, Nelson et al. (2007, this issue), we have demonstrated how the bioeconomic modelling system developed here could be used to enhance the value of climate science to Australian drought policy.
Making climate model forecasts more useful
Authors: Power S. B. , Plummer N. , Alford P.
Published: February 2009

There is considerable potential for seasonal to inter-annual climate forecasts derived from dynamic models of the earth’s climate to be used widely to help improve management of important real-world issues in a variety of different areas (e.g. disaster management, agriculture, water management, health, natural resource management, food security, and insurance). Unfortunately, several factors currently inhibit this potential, e.g. low skill, low awareness, mismatches in what model forecasts can provide and what users need, and the complexity and probabilistic nature of the information provided. Substantial effort around the world is currently directed towards reducing these impediments. For example, climate model development continues behind the scenes, and techniques such as multi-model ensemble forecasting are progressing rapidly. Communication strategies that enable probabilistic information to be communicated more effectively have been developed and exciting developments such as the emergence of the Argo float program have dramatically improved our ability to initialise forecast systems. We can also look forward to greater computing power in the future, which will allow us to increase the resolution of the models used to perform forecasts. Research on the integration of climate forecasts with risk-management tools more useful to managers is also occurring. The great potential for much wider use of climate model forecasting cannot be denied. However, it will only be realised if models continue to be developed further, if climatic variability continues to be closely monitored from the surface, the atmosphere, the ocean, and from space, and if these data are made readily available to the research community.
Saving 'face' and 'othering': getting to the root of barriers to condom use among Chinese female sex workers
Authors: Chapman Jenifer , Estcourt Claudia S. , Hua Zhou
Published: February 2009

Background: China has one of the most rapidly expanding HIV epidemics in the world with sexual transmission between female sex workers (FSW) and clients accounting for a rising fraction of new infections. Successful HIV prevention relies on the delivery of relevant, culturally appropriate messages to influence behaviour change. However, the cultural systems that give rise to barriers to condom use among Chinese FSW have been poorly examined. A better understanding of these barriers is fundamental to global HIV prevention efforts particularly considering increasing international migration of Chinese women who go on to engage in sex work in their migrant country. Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with 23 FSW incarcerated in a re-education and detention centre in Shenzhen, China in July to August 2004. Results: All respondents were internal economic migrants who had entered the sex industry in pursuit of greater financial reward. Respondents explained that they would ‘lose face’ if they returned from their migration penniless. Women’s distinction between commercial and non-commercial partners was very subtle; the nature of ‘boyfriend’ relationships was diverse and these were often transactional. Condom use was influenced by gender norms, familiarity, a desire to ‘save’ and ‘give’ face and, in transactional relationships, whether more money was offered. Women felt HIV was a disease of ‘others’; only two women felt personally at risk. Conclusions: The present study has highlighted the importance of unique cultural structures in Chinese FSW sexual decision-making, an understanding of which will enhance the success of HIV-prevention efforts globally.
Attitudes of men in an Australian male tolerance study towards microbicide use
Authors: Holmes Wendy R. , Maher Lisa , Rosenthal Susan L.
Published: February 2009

Background: Vaginal microbicides are in development to provide new options for the prevention of sexually transmissible infections. Although promoted as a female-initiated product, men may influence the decision to use a microbicide and the way that it is used, so it is important to explore their views. Methods: Men (n = 36) enrolled in a 7-day, phase 1 clinical safety trial of SPL7013 Gel were interviewed pre- and post-use of the gel. The trial did not include use of the gel during sex. Interviews were digitally-recorded and transcribed verbatim, and analysed using a framework approach. Results: The men (mean age 37 years) were interested in the idea of vaginal microbicides, had little knowledge about them, and varied beliefs about how they work. They tended to assess microbicide use in relation to condoms and lubricants. Many would want a microbicide to be as effective as condoms. Participants did not anticipate difficulties discussing use with their partners. Many thought that a microbicide would be less intrusive than condoms; some anticipated that the lubricating properties might enhance sexual pleasure. Some anticipated using a microbicide with a condom or with a lubricant, and a few raised questions about the timing of use and use during different types of sexual activity. Conclusions: No major barriers to microbicide use were found in this sample of Australian men, who anticipated being willing to use them if they are shown to be safe and effective. Our findings should help to inform the design of further studies as well as future information materials and anticipatory guidance.
Can the male-to-female ratio of gonorrhoea in one sexually transmissible infection treatment facility be solely used to judge its efficiency?
Authors: Smith Ruth , Bell Gill , Talbot Martin
Published: February 2009

Background: This facility has for a long time audited its efficacy in contact tracing (case finding) and found results comparable with national guidelines. In addition, we consistently measure control of the disease using three indices. A departure from the norm in one of these (the male-to-female ratio) prompted us to explore whether local case finding, and therefore control, was lacking resulting in the identification of a statistical anomaly. We have learnt a lesson, which may be of use to others who critically evaluate their work. Methods: Review of statutory clinic quarterly returns and manually-held contact tracer data, comparison of representative quarters (Wilcoxson sign rank test) and detailed inspection of sampled case-to-case contact tracing efficiency. Results: Evidence was found challenging our belief that male-to-female ratios are at face value an inevitably accurate surrogate for case finding or infection control. In our clinic, we identified recording anomalies giving rise to false concerns that case finding was less efficient than usual. Conclusions: Although the heterosexual male:female ratio for gonorrhoea is one readily available and proxy measure of disease control and tracing efficiency, its sole use should be interpreted with caution. A time lag across quarters between patient and partner attendance and other recording anomalies may mislead. Ratios should therefore be interpreted in the context of partner notification outcomes, which give a more reliable measure of efficiency. The use of the ratio in critical evaluation of a unit’s efficiency should be but one part of a package of measures.
Estimating crown fuel loading for calabrian pine and Anatolian black pine
Authors: Küçük Ömer , Bilgili Ertuğrul , Sağlam Bülent
Published: February 2009

Fuels are of great importance in fire behaviour prediction. This paper deals with the prediction of aboveground foliage and branch biomass of calabrian pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) and Anatolian black pine (P. nigra J.F. Arnold subsp. nigra var. caramanica (Loudon) Rehder). The study was based on a total of 418 destructively sampled calabrian and black pine trees and saplings. As a result of the analyses, several regression equations were developed for predicting foliage, fine branch (<0.6 cm), medium branch (0.6–1.0 cm), active fuels (foliage + fine branch), thick branch (1.0–2.5 cm), and total fuel loading. The relationships between fuel biomass and tree properties were determined by multiple linear regressions, considering tree properties as the independent variables, and foliage, branch, active fuel and total biomass as the dependent variables. Tree properties included tree height, crown length, crown width, diameter at breast height and root collar diameter. Results indicated that foliage, branch and total biomass could all be accurately predicted based on the readily measurable and/or predictable tree characteristics. Of the fuel characteristics, crown length, crown width, and height were the three most significant predictors of fuel biomass. The results of this study will not only contribute to the prediction of fire behaviour, but will also be of invaluable use in other forestry disciplines.
Long-term impacts of prescribed burns on soil thermal conductivity and soil heating at a Colorado Rocky Mountain site: a data/model fusion study
Authors: Massman W. J. , Frank J. M. , Reisch N. B.
Published: February 2009

Heating any soil during a sufficiently intense wild fire or prescribed burn can alter that soil irreversibly, resulting in many significant, and well studied, long-term biological, chemical, and hydrological effects. On the other hand, much less is known about how fire affects the thermal properties and the long-term thermal regime of soils. Such knowledge is important for understanding the nature of the soil’s post-fire recovery because plant roots and soil microbes will have to adapt to any changes in the day-to-day thermal regime. This study, which was carried out at Manitou Experimental Forest (a semiarid site in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado, USA), examines three aspects of how fire can affect the long-term (post-fire) thermal energy flow in soils. First, observational evidence is presented that prescribed burns can alter the thermal conductivity of soils to a depth of at least 0.2 m without altering its bulk density. Second, data are presented on the thermal properties of ash. (Such data are necessary for understanding and modeling the impact any remaining post-fire ash layer might have on the daily and seasonal flow of thermal energy through the soil.) Third, observational data are presented on the long-term effects that prescribed burns can have on soil surface temperatures. In an effort to quantify long-term changes in the soil temperatures and heat fluxes resulting from fire this study concludes by developing and using an analytical model of the daily and annual cycles of soil heating and cooling, which incorporates observed (linear variation of) vertical structure of the soil thermal properties and observed changes in the surface temperatures, to synthesise these fire-induced effects. Modeling results suggest that under the dry soil conditions, typical of the experimental forest, the amplitudes of the daily and seasonal cycles of soil heating/cooling in the fire-affected soils will greatly exceed those in the soils unaffected by fire for several months to years following the fire and that these effects propagate to depths exceeding one metre.
Climate drivers of regionally synchronous fires in the inland Northwest (1651 - 1900)
Authors: Heyerdahl Emily K. , McKenzie Donald , Daniels Lori D. , Hessl Amy E. , Littell Jeremy S. , Mantua Nathan J.
Published: February 2009

We inferred climate drivers of regionally synchronous surface fires from 1651 to 1900 at 15 sites with existing annually accurate fire-scar chronologies from forests dominated by ponderosa pine or Douglas-fir in the inland Northwest (interior Oregon, Washington and southern British Columbia). Years with widespread fires (35 years with fire at 7 to 11 sites) had warm spring–summers and warm-dry summers, whereas years with no fires at any site (18 years) had the opposite conditions. Spring climate likely affected the length of the fire season via the effects of snowmelt on soil and fuel moisture, whereas summer climate influenced fuel moisture during the fire season. Climate in prior years was not a significant driver of regionally synchronous surface fires, likely because fuels were generally sufficient for the ignition and spread of such fires in these forests. Fires occurred significantly more often than expected by chance when the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) were both warm phase and less often when they were both cool phase. Interactions between large-scale climate patterns influenced fire synchrony in the inland Northwest because phases of ENSO and PDO were associated with changes in the frequency of warm-dry v. cool-wet spring–summer climate.
Long-term relations among fire, fuel, and climate in the north-western US based on lake-sediment studies
Authors: Whitlock Cathy , Marlon Jennifer , Briles Christy , Brunelle Andrea , Long Colin , Bartlein Patrick
Published: February 2009

Pollen and high-resolution charcoal records from the north-western USA provide an opportunity to examine the linkages among fire, climate, and fuels on multiple temporal and spatial scales. The data suggest that general charcoal levels were low in the late-glacial period and increased steadily through the last 11 000 years with increasing fuel biomass. At local scales, fire occurrence is governed by the interaction of site controls, including vegetation, local climate and fire weather, and topography. At subregional scales, patterns in the long term fire-episode frequency data are apparent: The Coast Range had relatively few fires in the Holocene, whereas the Klamath–Siskiyou region experienced frequent fire episodes. Fire regimes in the northern Rocky Mountains have been strongly governed by millennial- and centennial-scale climate variability and regional differences in summer moisture. At regional scales, sites in present-day summer-dry areas show a period of protracted high fire activity within the early Holocene that is attributed to intensified summer drought in the summer-dry region. Sites in summer-wet areas show the opposite pattern, that fire was lower in frequency than present in the early Holocene as result of strengthened monsoonal circulation then. Higher fire-episode frequency at many sites in the last 2000 years is attributed to greater drought during the Medieval Climate Anomaly and possibly anthropogenic burning. The association between drought, increased fire occurrence, and available fuels evident on several time scales suggests that long-term fire history patterns should be considered in current assessments of historical fire regimes and fuel conditions.
Long-term fire history from alluvial fan sediments: the role of drought and climate variability, and implications for management of Rocky Mountain forests
Authors: Pierce Jennifer , Meyer Grant
Published: February 2009

Alluvial fan deposits are widespread and preserve millennial-length records of fire. We used these records to examine changes in fire regimes over the last 2000 years in Yellowstone National Park mixed-conifer forests and drier central Idaho ponderosa pine forests. In Idaho, frequent, small, fire-related erosional events occurred within the Little Ice Age (~1450–1800 AD), when greater effective moisture probably promoted grass growth and low-severity fires. This regime is consistent with tree-ring records showing generally wetter conditions and frequent fires before European settlement. At higher elevations in Yellowstone, cool conditions limited overall fire activity. Conversely, both Idaho and Yellowstone experienced a peak in fire-related debris flows between ~950 and 1150 AD. During this generally warmer time, severe multidecadal droughts were interspersed with unusually wet intervals that probably increased forest densities, producing stand-replacing fires. Thus, severe fires are clearly within the natural range of variability in Idaho ponderosa pine forests over longer timescales. Historical records indicate that large burn areas in Idaho correspond with drought intervals within the past 100 years and that burn area has increased markedly since ~1985. Recent stand-replacing fires in ponderosa pine forests are likely related to both changes in management and increasing temperatures and drought severity during the 20th century.
Variability in fire - climate relationships in ponderosa pine forests in the Colorado Front Range
Authors: Sherriff Rosemary L. , Veblen Thomas T.
Published: February 2009

Understanding the interactions of climate variability and wildfire has been a primary objective of recent fire history research. The present study examines the influence of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) on fire occurrence using fire-scar evidence from 58 sites from the lower ecotone to the upper elevational limits of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) in northern Colorado. An important finding is that at low v. high elevations within the montane zone, climatic patterns conducive to years of widespread fire are different. Differences in fire–climate relationships are manifested primarily in antecedent year climate. Below ~2100 m, fires are dependent on antecedent moister conditions that favour fine fuel accumulation 2 years before dry fire years. In the upper montane zone, fires are dependent primarily on drought rather than an increase in fine fuels. Throughout the montane zone, fire is strongly linked to variations in moisture availability that in turn is linked to climate influences of ENSO, PDO and AMO. Fire occurrence is greater than expected during the phases of each index associated with drought. Regionally widespread fire years are associated with specific phase combinations of ENSO, PDO and AMO. In particular, the combination of La Niña, negative PDO and positive AMO is highly conducive to widespread fire.
Paired charcoal and tree-ring records of high-frequency Holocene fire from two New Mexico bog sites
Authors: Allen Craig D. , Anderson R. Scott , Jass Renata B. , Toney Jaime L. , Baisan Christopher H.
Published: February 2009

Two primary methods for reconstructing paleofire occurrence include dendrochronological dating of fire scars and stand ages from live or dead trees (extending back centuries into the past) and sedimentary records of charcoal particles from lakes and bogs, providing perspectives on fire history that can extend back for many thousands of years. Studies using both proxies have become more common in regions where lakes are present and fire frequencies are low, but are rare where high-frequency surface fires dominate and sedimentary deposits are primarily bogs and wetlands. Here we investigate sedimentary and fire-scar records of fire in two small watersheds in northern New Mexico, in settings recently characterised by relatively high-frequency fire where bogs and wetlands (Chihuahueños Bog and Alamo Bog) are more common than lakes. Our research demonstrates that: (1) essential features of the sedimentary charcoal record can be reproduced between multiple cores within a bog deposit; (2) evidence from both fire-scarred trees and charcoal deposits documents an anomalous lack of fire since ~1900, compared with the remainder of the Holocene; (3) sedimentary charcoal records probably underestimate the recurrence of fire events at these high-frequency fire sites; and (4) the sedimentary records from these bogs are complicated by factors such as burning and oxidation of these organic deposits, diversity of vegetation patterns within watersheds, and potential bioturbation by ungulates. We consider a suite of particular challenges in developing and interpreting fire histories from bog and wetland settings in the Southwest. The identification of these issues and constraints with interpretation of sedimentary charcoal fire records does not diminish their essential utility in assessing millennial-scale patterns of fire activity in this dry part of North America.
Fire Climatology in the western United States: introduction to special issue
Authors: Swetnam Thomas W. , Anderson R. Scott
Published: February 2009

Advances in fire climatology have derived from recent studies of modern and paleoecological records. We convened a series of workshops and a conference session to report and review regional-scale findings, and these meetings led to the 10 papers in this special issue. Two papers focus on fire and climate patterns in the modern era using documentary records, four papers utilise tree rings to evaluate recent centuries of change, and four papers evaluate charcoal and pollen in lake, bog, and alluvial sediments over the Holocene. Here we summarise some of the key findings from these papers in the context of other recent fire climatology literature. These studies illustrate the value of long-term perspectives and spatial networks of fire and climate data in discovering the patterns and modes of past fire regime and climate variations.