bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effects of alterations in temperature and flow regime on organic carbon dynamics in Mediterranean river networks
Authors: ACUÑA V. , TOCKNER K.
Published: January 2010

It is only recently that freshwaters have been identified as important quantitative components of the carbon (C) cycle at global and regional scales. To date there are no studies that quantitatively predict the effects of alterations in temperature and flow regimes, individually, or in concert, on organic C dynamics in streams. To address this need, we applied a mechanistic model to simulate organic C dynamics in Mediterranean river networks under 27 different scenarios of altered temperature and flow regimes. We predict that the organic C dynamics in freshwaters in the Mediterranean, as well as in other semiarid regions, will be highly sensitive to global climate change owing to major increases in the degree of intermittency as well as in flood frequency and magnitude. Results indicate that flow regime alterations increase C export rates, whereas temperature alterations increase instream metabolism of organic C. However, flow regime alterations exhibit a much greater influence on C dynamics than do changes in the temperature regime. Reservoirs partly counteract the effects of flow extremes on C export rates, and their role in the C dynamics increases with increasing flow variability. The present study is one of the first studies to quantify the complex interactions between the flow and the temperature regime on C dynamics, emphasizing the key role of extreme events such as dry periods and floods, compared with overall trend effects. This information is pivotal in understanding the impact of future climate change on global C dynamics.
Atmospheric water vapor as driver of litter decomposition in Mediterranean shrubland and grassland during rainless seasons
Authors: DIRKS INGA , NAVON YAEL , KANAS DINA , DUMBUR RITA , GRÜNZWEIG JOSÉ M.
Published: January 2010

Litter production in many drought‐affected ecosystems coincides with the beginning of an extended season of no or limited rainfall. Because of lack of moisture litter decomposition during such periods has been largely ignored so far, despite potential importance for the overall decay process in such ecosystems. To determine drivers and extent of litter decay in rainless periods, a litterbag study was conducted in Mediterranean shrublands, dwarf shrublands and grasslands. Heterogeneous local and common straw litter was left to decompose in open and shaded patches of various field sites in two study regions. Fresh local litter lost 4–18% of its initial mass over about 4 months without rainfall, which amounted to 15–50% of total annual decomposition. Lab incubations and changes in chemical composition suggested that litter was degraded by microbial activity, enabled by absorption of water vapor from the atmosphere. High mean relative humidity of 85% was measured during 8–9 h of most nights, but the possibility of fog deposition or dew formation at the soil surface was excluded. Over 95% of the variation in mass loss and changes in litter nitrogen were explained by characteristics of water‐vapor uptake by litter. Photodegradation induced by the intense solar radiation was an additional mechanism of litter decomposition as indicated by lignin dynamics. Lignin loss from litter increased with exposure to ultraviolet radiation and with initial lignin concentration, together explaining 90%–97% of the variation in lignin mass change. Our results indicate that water vapor, solar radiation and litter quality controlled decomposition and changes in litter chemistry during rainless seasons. Many regions worldwide experience transient periods without rainfall, and more land area is expected to undergo reductions in rainfall as a consequence of climate change. Therefore, absorption of water vapor might play a role in decomposition and nutrient cycling in an increasing number of ecosystems.
Effects of experimental nitrogen additions on plant diversity in an old‐growth tropical forest
Authors: LU XIANKAI , MO JIANGMING , GILLIAM FRANK S. , ZHOU GUOYI , FANG YUNTING
Published: January 2010

Response of plant biodiversity to increased availability of nitrogen (N) has been investigated in temperate and boreal forests, which are typically N‐limited, but little is known in tropical forests. We examined the effects of artificial N additions on plant diversity (species richness, density and cover) of the understory layer in an N saturated old‐growth tropical forest in southern China to test the following hypothesis: N additions decrease plant diversity in N saturated tropical forests primarily from N‐mediated changes in soil properties. Experimental additions of N were administered at the following levels from July 2003 to July 2008: no addition (Control); 50 kg N ha−1 yr−1(Low‐N); 100 kg N ha−1 yr−1(Medium‐N), and 150 kg N ha−1 yr−1(High‐N). Results showed that no understory species exhibited positive growth response to any level of N addition during the study period. Although low‐to‐medium levels of N addition (≤100 kg N ha−1 yr−1) generally did not alter plant diversity through time, high levels of N addition significantly reduced species diversity. This decrease was most closely related to declines within tree seedling and fern functional groups, as well as to significant increases in soil acidity and Al mobility, and decreases in Ca availability and fine‐root biomass. This mechanism for loss of biodiversity provides sharp contrast to competition‐based mechanisms suggested in studies of understory communities in other forests. Our results suggest that high‐N additions can decrease plant diversity in tropical forests, but that this response may vary with rate of N addition.
Canopy seed storage is associated with sexual dimorphism in the woody dioecious genus Leucadendron
Authors: Harris Mark S. , Pannell John R.
Published: January 2010

1. Species of the dioecious South African plant genus Leucadendron vary strikingly in their degree of sexual dimorphism, with males of dimorphic species typically possessing more and thinner branches and smaller leaves than the corresponding females.

2. Many Leucadendron species are serotinous, with females of serotinous species maintaining seeds in transpiring cones for a number of years. Since cones must be kept alive, serotinous females presumably incur higher costs in terms of water loss than non‐serotinous females and, particularly, males. Given that branching architecture is known to affect water conductance, with less resistance in less highly branched plants, we predicted a positive correlation between the degree of serotiny in a species and sexual dimorphism in branching.

3. We tested the effect of serotiny and several other factors on the degree of sexual dimorphism in Leucadendron by conducting a comparative analysis of variation across 49 species using phylogenetic regression.

4. There was a strong positive association between the degree of serotiny and sexual dimorphism. This association is consistent with the idea that the costs of maintaining cones may select females to be less highly branched than males.

5. Synthesis. Serotiny is a strategy of maternal care that contributes to offspring survival after seed maturation. We found that, in Leucadendron, the evolution of increased serotiny corresponds with the evolution of more marked sexual dimorphism. This study exposes a hitherto unidentified association between sexual dimorphism and maternal care in plants and points to a possible additional reproductive burden carried by serotinous plants compared with those that release their seeds at maturity.
Social approach in pre‐school children with Williams syndrome: the role of the face
Authors: Dodd H. F. , Porter M. A. , Peters G. L. , Rapee R. M.
Published: January 2010

Background Indiscriminate social approach behaviour is a salient aspect of the Williams syndrome (WS) behavioural phenotype. The present study examines approach behaviour in pre‐schoolers with WS and evaluates the role of the face in WS social approach behaviour.

Method Ten pre‐schoolers with WS (aged 3–6 years) and two groups of typically developing children, matched to the WS group on chronological or mental age, participated in an observed play session. The play session incorporated social and non‐social components including two components that assessed approach behaviour towards strangers; one in which the stranger's face could be seen and one in which the stranger's face was covered.

Results In response to the non‐social aspects of the play session, the WS group behaved similarly to both control groups. In contrast, the pre‐schoolers with WS were significantly more willing than either control group to engage with a stranger, even when the stranger's face could not be seen.

Conclusion The findings challenge the hypothesis that an unusual attraction to the face directly motivates social approach behaviour in individuals with WS.
The value and practicality of granulocyte transfusion: a single oncology centre experience
Authors: Al‐Tanbal H. , Al Humaidan H. , Al‐Nounou R. , Roberts G. , Tesfamichael K. , Owaidah T.
Published: January 2010

There is an increased risk of infection in patients with neutropaenia, especially in those with neutrophil counts of less than 0·5 × 109/L, and neutropaenia‐associated infection remains a limiting factor in treating malignancy especially of haematopoietic origin. Transfusing donor neutrophils is a logical approach to these problems, but granulocyte transfusion (GTx), a practice first advocated in the 1960s, is underused and although now enjoying resurgence, remains controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the practical aspects of GTx and clinical responses in patients receiving them. This is an observational retrospective review of GTx in patients undergoing therapy for predominantly haematological malignancies. We reviewed blood bank records and identified patients who received therapeutic granulocytes procured by leukapheresis and linked these recipients with their granulocyte donors. We determined the reasons for GTx and their clinical and relevant haematological responses to the transfusions. We identified 22 patients receiving at least three continuous days of GTx and who had adequate clinical and haematological data. Most donors were relatives and ABO matched with their respective recipients. Mean age of the patients was 28·8 years. Severe aplastic anaemia was the most common diagnosis, occurring in 9 patients (40·9%), followed by acute myeloid leukaemia in 6 (27·3%). Disseminated fungal infection was the most common reason for GTx, occurring in 16 patients (73%), followed by febrile neutropaenia in 7 patients. Fifteen (68·2%) patients showed clinical improvement. This uncontrolled retrospective observational study provides some evidence that procurement and use of GTx is safe for both donors and recipients and is probably an effective supportive therapy for patients with febrile neutropaenia
Personal and environmental risk factors for active trachoma in children in Yobe state, north‐eastern Nigeria
Authors: Mpyet C. , Goyol M. , Ogoshi C.
Published: January 2010

Objective  To determine the personal and environmental risk factors associated with trachoma in pre‐school children in Yobe state, Nigeria.

Methods  Total of 639 children aged 1–5 from 27 villages were examined in their households for clinical signs of trachoma. Personal and environmental risk factors were independently determined by an observer while clinical examination was being performed.

Results  The prevalence of active trachoma was 35.7% (95% CI; 32.0–39.6) with prevalence of disease in boys being similar to girls. The highest prevalence was in children 2–3 years of age. The presence of flies on the face (OR 4.14; CI 2.72–6.29) and lack of a toilet in the compound (OR 2.11; CI 1.38–3.23) were independent risk factors for trachoma.

Conclusion  The prevalence of trachoma is high. Provision and use of toilets, education on personal and environmental hygiene improvements need to be emphasized as part of the Surgery Antibiotics Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvement strategy.
Linking programmes and systems: lessons from the GAVI Health Systems Strengthening window
Authors: Galichet B. , Goeman L. , Hill P. S. , Essengue M. S. , Hammami N. , Porignon D. , Kadama P. , Van Lerberghe W.
Published: January 2010

Objectives  To analyse the first four rounds of country applications to the GAVI Alliance Health Systems Strengthening (GAVI‐HSS) funding window; to provide valuable insight into how countries prioritize, articulate and propose solutions for health system constraints through the GAVI‐HSS application process and to examine the extent to which this process embodies alignment and harmonization, Principles of the Paris Declaration.

Methods  The study applied multiple criteria to analyse 48 funding applications from 40 countries, submitted in the first four rounds, focusing on the country analysis of health systems constraints, coordination mechanisms, alignment with national and sector planning processes, inclusiveness of the planning processes and stakeholder engagement.

Results  The applications showed diversity in the health systems constraints identified and the activities proposed. Requirements of GAVI for sector oversight and coordination, and the management of the application process through the Ministry of Health’s Planning Department, resulted in strong alignment with government policy and planning processes and good levels of stakeholder inclusion and local technical support (TS).

Conclusion  Health Systems Strengthening initiatives for global health partnerships (GHPs) can provide a link between the programmatic and the systemic, influencing policy alignment and harmonization of processes. The applications strengthened in‐country coordination and planning, with countries using existing health sector assessments to identify system constraints, and to propose. Analyses also produced evidence of broad stakeholder inclusiveness, a good degree of proposal alignment with national health plans and policy documents, and engagement of a largely domestic TS network. While the effectiveness of the proposed interventions cannot be determined from this data, the findings provide support for the GAVI‐HSS initiative as implementation continues and evaluation begins.
Monitoring ivermectin distributors involved in integrated health care services through community‐directed interventions – a comparison of Cameroon and Uganda experiences over a period of three years (2004–2006)
Authors: Katabarwa Moses , Habomugisha Peace , Eyamba Albert , Agunyo Stella , Mentou Catherine
Published: January 2010

Objectives  To assess and compare the effectiveness of ivermectin distributors in attaining 90% treatment coverage of the eligible population with each additional health activity they take up.

Methods  Random sampling was applied every year to select distributors for interviews in community‐directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) areas of Cameroon and Uganda. A total of 288 in 2004, 357 in 2005 and 348 in 2006 distributors were interviewed in Cameroon, and 706, 618 and 789 in Uganda, respectively. The questions included treatment coverage, involvement in additional activities, where and for how long these activities were provided, and whether they were supervised.

Results  At least 70% of the distributors in Cameroon and Uganda during the study period were involved in CDTI and additional health activities. More of the distributors involved in CDTI alone attained 90% treatment coverage than those who had CDTI with additional health activities. The more the additional activities, the less likely the distributors were to attain 90% treatment coverage. In Uganda, distributors were more likely to attain 90% coverage (P < 0.001 if they worked within 1 km of their homesteads were selected by community members, worked among kindred, and were responsible for <20 households.

Conclusion  Additional activities could potentially undermine the performance of distributors. However, being selected by their community members, working largely among kindred and serving fewer households improved their effectiveness.
Predictors of compliance with a mass drug administration programme for lymphatic filariasis in Orissa State, India 2008
Authors: Cantey P. T. , Rao G. , Rout J. , Fox L. M.
Published: January 2010

Objectives  To assess the performance of an educational campaign to increase adherence to a mass‐administered DEC regimen against lymphatic filariasis (LF) in Orissa, and to identify factors that could enhance future campaigns.

Method  Randomized cluster survey, comparing areas that did and did not receive the educational campaign, using a household coverage survey and knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) survey.

Results  LF MDA coverage for the entire population (n = 3449) was 56% (95% CI: 50.0–61.9). There was no statistical difference between the areas that did and did not receive the educational campaign. The most common barriers to adherence were fear of medication side effects (47.4%) and lack of recognition of one’s risk for LF (15.8%). Modifiable, statistically significant, multivariable predictors of adherence were knowing that DEC prevents LF (aOR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.4–5.1), knowing that mosquitoes transmit LF (aOR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.1–3.2), and knowing both about the mass drug administration (MDA) in advance and that mosquitoes transmit LF (aOR = 5.4, 95% CI: 2.8–10.4).

Conclusions  India needs to increase compliance with MDA programmes to reach its goal of interrupting LF transmission. Promoting a simple public health message before MDA distribution, which takes into account barriers to and predictors of adherence, could raise compliance with the LF MDA programme.
Mortality after failure of antiretroviral therapy in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Keiser Olivia , Tweya Hannock , Braitstein Paula , Dabis François , MacPhail Patrick , Boulle Andrew , Nash Denis , Wood Robin , Lüthi Ruedi , Brinkhof Martin W. G. , Schechter Mauro , Egger Matthias ,   on behalf of the ART‐LINC of IeDEA Study Group
Published: January 2010

Objective  To assess the outcome of patients who experienced treatment failure with antiretrovirals in sub‐Saharan Africa.

Methods  Analysis of 11 antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes in sub‐Saharan Africa. World Health Organization (WHO) criteria were used to define treatment failure. All ART‐naive patients aged ≥16 who started with a non‐nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)‐based regimen and had at least 6 months of follow‐up were eligible. For each patient who switched to a second‐line regimen, 10 matched patients who remained on a non‐failing first‐line regimen were selected. Time was measured from the time of switching, from the corresponding time in matched patients, or from the time of treatment failure in patients who remained on a failing regimen. Mortality was analysed using Kaplan–Meier curves and random‐effects Cox models.

Results  Of 16 591 adult patients starting ART, 382 patients (2.3%) switched to a second‐line regimen. Another 323 patients (1.9%) did not switch despite developing immunological or virological failure. Cumulative mortality at 1 year was 4.2% (95% CI 2.2–7.8%) in patients who switched to a second‐line regimen and 11.7% (7.3%–18.5%) in patients who remained on a failing first‐line regimen, compared to 2.2% (1.6–3.0%) in patients on a non‐failing first‐line regimen (P < 0.0001). Differences in mortality were not explained by nadir CD4 cell count, age or differential loss to follow up.

Conclusions  Many patients who meet criteria for treatment failure do not switch to a second‐line regimen and die. There is an urgent need to clarify the reasons why in sub‐Saharan Africa many patients remain on failing first‐line ART.
Use of nail and oral pigmentation to determine ART eligibility among HIV‐infected Ugandan adults
Authors: Namakoola I. , Wakeham K. , Parkes‐Ratanshi R. , Levin J. , Mugagga T. , Seymour C. , Kissa J. , Kamali A. , Lalloo D. G.
Published: January 2010

Objectives  To evaluate the use of grey/distal banded nails as an indicator of advanced immunosuppression, and thus eligibility for ART, in resource poor settings.

Methods  We tested whether grey/distal banded nails and/or oral pigmentation could be used to identify patients with low CD4 cell counts at two cut‐offs: <200 and <350 cells/μl in ART naive adults.

Results  Four hundred and three nail and oral cavities were photographed and assessed. Grey/distal banded nails and/or oral pigmentation were significantly associated with a CD4 cell count <200 cells/μl (P < 0.001), with a sensitivity of 66%, a specificity of 50% and a negative predictive value of 77%. However, there was no association when a CD4 cell count cut‐off of <350 cells/μl was used. Inter‐observer agreement (k 0.46) was fair/moderate.

Conclusions  While grey/distal banded nails and/or oral pigmentation are associated with low CD4 counts, the sensitivity and kappa score are too low for this method to be recommended as a tool to guide ART initiation; large number of individuals eligible for ART would be missed.
Small moleculeβ‐amyloid inhibitors that stabilize protofibrillar structuresin vitroimprove cognition and pathology in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Hawkes Cheryl A. , Deng Le‐Hua , Shaw James E. , Nitz Mark , McLaurin JoAnne
Published: January 2010

β‐Amyloid (Aβ) peptides are thought to play a major role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. Compounds that disrupt the kinetic pathways of Aβ aggregation may be useful in elucidating the role of oligomeric, protofibrillar and fibrillar Aβ in the etiology of the disease. We have previously reported thatscyllo‐inositol inhibits Aβ42fibril formation but the mechanism(s) by which this occurs has not been investigated in detail. Using a series ofscyllo‐inositol derivatives in which one or two hydroxyl groups were replaced with hydrogen, chlorine or methoxy substituents, we examined the role of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobicity in the structure–function relationship ofscyllo‐inositol–Aβ binding. We report here that allscyllo‐inositol derivatives demonstrated reduced effectiveness in preventing Aβ42fibrillization compared withscyllo‐inositol, suggesting thatscyllo‐inositol interacts with Aβ42via key hydrogen bonds that are formed by all hydroxyl groups. Increasing the hydrophobicity ofscyllo‐inositol by the addition of two methoxy groups (1,4‐di‐O‐methyl‐scyllo‐inositol) produced a derivative that stabilized Aβ42protofibrilsin vitro. Prophylactic administration of 1,4‐di‐O‐methyl‐scyllo‐inositol to TgCRND8 mice attenuated spatial memory impairments and significantly decreased cerebral amyloid pathology. These results suggest that Aβ aggregation can be targeted at multiple points along the kinetic pathway for the improvement of Alzheimer’s disease‐like pathology.
Accurate spike sorting for multi‐unit recordings
Authors: Takekawa Takashi , Isomura Yoshikazu , Fukai Tomoki
Published: January 2010

Simultaneous recordings with multi‐channel electrodes are widely used for studying how multiple neurons are recruited for information processing. The recorded signals contain the spike events of a number of adjacent or distant neurons and must be sorted correctly into spike trains of individual neurons. Several mathematical methods have been proposed for spike sorting but the process is difficult in practice, as extracellularly recorded signals are corrupted by biological noise. Moreover, spike sorting is often time‐consuming, as it usually requires corrections by human operators. Methods are needed to obtain reliable spike clusters without heavy manual operation. Here, we introduce several methods of spike sorting and compare the accuracy and robustness of their performance by using publicized data of simultaneous extracellular and intracellular recordings of neuronal activity. The best and excellent performance was obtained when a newly proposed filter for spike detection was combined with the wavelet transform and variational Bayes for a finite mixture of Student’st‐distributions, namely, robust variational Bayes. Wavelet transform extracts features that are characteristic of the detected spike waveforms and the robust variational Bayes categorizes the extracted features into clusters corresponding to spikes of the individual neurons. The use of Student’st‐distributions makes this categorization robust against noisy data points. Some other new methods also exhibited reasonably good performance. We implemented all of the proposed methods in a C++ code named ‘EToS’ (Efficient Technology of Spike sorting), which is freely available on the Internet.
Daily changes in synaptic innervation of VIP neurons in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus: contribution of glutamatergic afferents
Authors: Girardet Clémence , Blanchard Marie‐Pierre , Ferracci Géraldine , Lévêque Christian , Moreno Mathias , François‐Bellan Anne‐Marie , Becquet Denis , Bosler Olivier
Published: January 2010

The daily temporal organization of rhythmic functions in mammals, which requires synchronization of the circadian clock to the 24‐h light–dark cycle, is believed to involve adjustments of the mutual phasing of the cellular oscillators that comprise the time‐keeper within the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus (SCN). Following from a previous study showing that the SCN undergoes day/night rearrangements of its neuronal–glial network that may be crucial for intercellular phasing, we investigated the contribution of glutamatergic synapses, known to play major roles in SCN functioning, to such rhythmic plastic events. Neither expression levels of the vesicular glutamate transporters nor numbers of glutamatergic terminals showed nycthemeral variations in the SCN. However, using quantitative imaging after combined immunolabelling, the density of synapses on neurons expressing vasoactive intestinal peptide, known as targets of the retinal input, increased during the day and both glutamatergic and non‐glutamatergic synapses contributed to the increase (+36%). This was not the case for synapses made on vasopressin‐containing neurons, the other major source of SCN efferents in the non‐retinorecipient region. Together with electron microscope observations showing no differences in the morphometric features of glutamatergic terminals during the day and night, these data show that the light synchronization process in the SCN involves a selective remodelling of synapses at sites of photic integration. They provide a further illustration of how the adult brain may rapidly and reversibly adapt its synaptic architecture to functional needs.
Cannabinoid CB1 receptor facilitation of substance P release in the rat spinal cord, measured as neurokinin 1 receptor internalization
Authors: Zhang Guohua , Chen Wenling , Lao Lijun , Marvizón Juan Carlos G.
Published: January 2010

The contribution of CB1 receptors in the spinal cord to cannabinoid analgesia is still unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of CB1 receptors on substance P release from primary afferent terminals in the spinal cord. Substance P release was measured as neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor internalization in lamina I neurons. It was induced in spinal cord slices by dorsal root stimulation and in live rats by a noxious stimulus. In spinal cord slices, the CB1 receptor antagonists AM251, AM281 and rimonabant partially but potently inhibited NK1 receptor internalization induced by electrical stimulation of the dorsal root. This was due to an inhibition of substance P release and not of NK1 receptor internalization itself, because AM251 and AM281 did not inhibit NK1 receptor internalization induced by exogenous substance P. The CB1 receptor agonist ACEA increased NK1 receptor internalization evoked by dorsal root stimulation. The effects of AM251 and ACEA cancelled each other.In vivo, AM251 injected intrathecally decreased NK1 receptor internalization in spinal segments L5 and L6 induced by noxious hind paw clamp. Intrathecal AM251 also produced analgesia to radiant heat stimulation of the paw. The inhibition by AM251 of NK1 receptor internalization was reversed by antagonists of μ‐opioid and GABABreceptors. This indicates that CB1 receptors facilitate substance P release by inhibiting the release of GABA and opioids next to primary afferent terminals, producing disinhibition. This results in a pronociceptive effect of CB1 receptors in the spinal cord.
SOCIAL SECURITY INVESTMENT POLICY AND CAPITAL FORMATION
Authors: THORBECKE WILLEM
Published: January 2010

Large recent surpluses in the social security trust fund accounts provide the potential to increase overall national saving and capital formation. However, these surpluses instead have allowed politicians to increase the non‐social security deficit and government consumption.

This paper argues that investing the trust funds in private assets could bring into focus the magnitude of the non‐social security deficit and force Congress to cut it. Evidence presented here indicates that the trade deficit, output, and monetary policy are systematic macroeconomic variables that affect relative asset prices. The evidence also supports arguments of Nordhaus and others that a change in trust fund investment policy could lower the trade deficit, raise output, and produce looser monetary policy, thereby increasing Tobin's a and, thus, capital formation. Investing the trust funds in private assets could increase national investment and give the baby‐bust generation more capital to use in producing goods and services for themselves and for retired baby‐boomers.
NEGOTIATING A RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE: ROLE OF BIOLOGICAL EMISSIONS
Authors: DRENNEN THOMAS E. , CHAPMAN DUANE
Published: January 2010

Researchers have attributed 15 percent of global methane releases to emissions of methane from enteric fermentation in animals (wild and domestic). Bovines contribute approximately two‐thirds of this amount. Since methane is a potent greenhouse gas, this source frequently is a target for emission reductions. However, the existing literature overstates the importance of bovine methane as a greenhouse gas by as much as 800 percent. Estimates to date have focused solely on gas emissions, ignoring the biological and chemical cycling that removes carbon from the atmosphere. The analysis presented here demonstrates the importance of these cycles in assessing the overall greenhouse effect of biological methane sources such as rice production, termites, and bovine animals. Ignoring this cycling results in overemphasizing the role of developing countries' total contributions to climate change. In economic terms, the analysis shows that reducing CO2 emissions from energy use in industrialized countries is more efficient than reducing net greenhouse methane from animal sources.
ARE JAPANESE INVESTORS TAKING THEIR MONEY HOME?
Authors: MATTIONE RICHARD P.
Published: January 2010

Only recently has Japan become the world's largest investor. Yet stories of investors taking their money home already have developed. Are Japanese investors taking their money home? Would it matter? To answer these questions, one must examine the economic, regulatory, and political motivations guiding Japanese investments. So far, shifts in the flows of funds have not been sensational, but by no means should one dismiss the shifts as irrelevant. A tightening of liquidity at home and a pricking of the bubble's in Japan's equity and land markets have altered the calculus of returns on overseas investments. Tims, the annual increments to Japan's overseas holdings, which already had shrunk in 1990, should stay low in the coming years. Tlie impact on global financial markets will depend crucially on whether new flows from Japan fall faster than new demands for funds outside of Japan.
THE TAXABLE SURPLUS IN WATER RESOURCES
Authors: Gaffney MASON
Published: January 2010

Taxes or rental charges for water use are bearable and legal and would spur water economy, but the following fallacies impede acceptance of these ideas: (i) water rights are real property, (ii) a charge on water would be passed on to consumers, (iii) the cost of water is just its development cost, (iv) markets solve most problems if property rights are firm, (v) only consumptive use is a social cost, and (vi) common rights must spell tragedy. This paper dispels these fallacies while advocating taxation and/or rental charges for water use.
PROJECT EVALUATION AND RESOURCE SUSTAINABILITY
Authors: Mikesell RAYMOND F.
Published: January 2010

This paper outlines a procedure for embodying the principle of resource sustainability in evaluating projects that use significant amounts of natural resources. In this analysis, sustainability requires maintaining the productivity of the resource used over time, either by renewing the resource or by investing its depletion in other capital assets. The basis of a project's evaluation is its net present social value (NPSV), including resource depletion as a social cost. The social cost of depletion is the amount that must be saved and reinvested annually to accumulate a fund that will yield a perpetual annual income equal to the net output lost by resource depletion. By treating resource depletion as a social cost in calculating NPSV, projects causing a high rate of resource depletion receive a relatively low valuation compared with projects causing less resource depletion. Resource depletion includes environmental damage caused by constructing and operating a project, as well as the direct consumption of natural resources.

Several problems arise in reinvesting depletion to preserve the value of a resource base. One major problem relates to the substitutability of man‐made capital for natural resources. The conclusion of the analysis here is that society must invest a substantial amount of resource depletion in: (i) replenishing renewable resources, (ii) increasing product output per unit of resource used, or (Hi) increasing the end‐use efficiency of resource‐intensive products.
NATIONAL HEALTH CARE AND QUALITY OF SERVICE: LESSONS FROM MEDICAID
Authors: Bradford W. DAVID
Published: January 2010

Much recent public debate centers around failures in the U.S. health care system. Studies indicate that as many as 33 million Americans are without health insurance, while health care expenditures continue to out‐strip GNP growth. Numerous proposals for national health insurance have surfaced in response to these apparent shortcomings. The various proposed health insurance structures are not always based upon careful economic evaluation of incentive schemes and of the full range of potential effects. This paper examines results of recent Medicaid system studies so as to shed light upon the outcomes one can expect from national health insurance plans possessing similar incentive structures. The results here have potentially useful policy implications.
THE DOLLAR'S INTERNATIONAL ROLE
Authors: Hakkio CRAIG S.
Published: January 2010

The dollar was the dominant international currency following World War II. However, as the international economy has changed in dramatic ways, the dollar's international role also has changed. Although the dollar's role has declined, it remains an important international currency. Furthermore, the world does not appear to be moving toward a tripolar monetary system. The dollar and the deutsche mark, not the yen, are the most important international currencies. The dollar's role has declined due to the collapse of the Bretton Woods system in 1973, the decline in the relative importance of the United States, and deregulation of the world financial market.
UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS: IMPACTS ON LOCAL AND U.S. ECONOMIES
Authors: Parker DOUGLAS D. , Zilberman DAVID
Published: January 2010

In the past two decades, many universities have established Offices of Technology Transfer to increase the transfer rate of certain research innovations to the private sector. More recently, some of these offices have come under pressure to increase their performance and thereby stimulate local economies. This paper discusses various technology transfer methods and presents results of a survey of university Offices of Technology Transfer. Comparisons of these offices take into account size, focus, and differences in public and private universities' goals. The paper concludes by discussing potential pitfalls of technology transfer and of privatizing university research.
SOME ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF ANTICIPATING TECHNICAL ADVANCE
Authors: KAMIEN MORTON I. , SCHWARTZ NANCY L.
Published: January 2010

Using a simple model of a long run profit maximizing firm, we investigated the consequences of foreseeing future technical advance upon the adoption of new technology, scrapping of old, and for price and output of the firm's product. To simplify the analysis and highlight the conclusions, we assumed all technologies embodied in equipment and all equipment infinitely durable. It was shown that the often‐used formulas for the unit cost of using capital over a finite (rkj/(l — aT)) or infinite (rkj) life are appropriate only if the equipment does not become outmoded during its economic life and if there are no demand shifts in that time interval. Otherwise, the current cost of using capital (ex ante) must reflect future lesser or greater earning power of that capital due to outmodedness or demand shifts.

Anticipation of technical advance tends to delay scrapping of old equipment and retard installation of new, with current output smaller and price higher than if technology is stagnant. Selection among currently competing technologies is also affected by the course future technical advance is expected to follow.

The economic lifetime of capital equipment is independent of the elasticity of demand for the firm's output. On the other hand anticipation of demand expansion tends to partially or wholly offset the effect of anticipating future technical advance, while expected demand decline tends to reinforce it.

Uncertainty about when improved technology will appear tends to retard adoption of current best practice technology, to retard scrapping of outmoded technology, restrict output and elevate price, in comparison with pptimal policy when the time of availability is believed known.

The optimal policy is unaffected when it is the magnitude of the improvement rather than its timing which is unknown.
ROOFS OR STARS: THE STATED INTENTS AND ACTUAL EFFECTS OF A RENTS ORDINANCE
Authors: CHEUNG STEVEN N. S.
Published: January 2010

As a consequence of a law designed to keep roofs over the heads of resident tenants, some of these tenants were now sleeping out under the stars.
EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF CONSUMER DEMAND BEHAVIOR USING LABORATORY ANIMALS*
Authors: KAGEL JOHN H. , BATTALIO RAYMOND C. , RACHLIN HOWARD , GREEN LEONARD , BASMANN ROBERT L. , KLEMM W. R.
Published: January 2010

Using laboratory animals as subjects, two series of experimental studies of consumer demand behavior are reported. The experiments show that laboratory animals will change consumption patterns in response to changes in the budget set, consuming more of the lower priced commodities and less of the higher priced commodities. Large rotations in the budget line for essential commodities resulted in severe disruption of consumer behavior. The experiments demonstrate the feasibility of using non‐human subjects in laboratory studies of economic behavior.
Chloroplast‐derived enzyme cocktails hydrolyse lignocellulosic biomass and release fermentable sugars
Authors: Verma Dheeraj , Kanagaraj Anderson , Jin Shuangxia , Singh Nameirakpam D. , Kolattukudy Pappachan E. , Daniell Henry
Published: January 2010

It is widely recognized that biofuel production from lignocellulosic materials is limited by inadequate technology to efficiently and economically release fermentable sugars from the complex multi‐polymeric raw materials. Therefore, endoglucanases, exoglucanase, pectate lyases, cutinase, swollenin, xylanase, acetyl xylan esterase, beta glucosidase and lipase genes from bacteria or fungi were expressed in Escherichia coli or tobacco chloroplasts. A PCR‐based method was used to clone genes without introns from Trichoderma reesei genomic DNA. Homoplasmic transplastomic lines showed normal phenotype and were fertile. Based on observed expression levels, up to 49, 64 and 10, 751 million units of pectate lyases or endoglucanase can be produced annually, per acre of tobacco. Plant production cost of endoglucanase is 3100‐fold, and pectate lyase is 1057 or 1480‐fold lower than the same recombinant enzymes sold commercially, produced via fermentation. Chloroplast‐derived enzymes had higher temperature stability and wider pH optima than enzymes expressed in E. coli. Plant crude‐extracts showed higher enzyme activity than E. coli with increasing protein concentration, demonstrating their direct utility without purification. Addition of E. coli extracts to the chloroplast‐derived enzymes significantly decreased their activity. Chloroplast‐derived crude‐extract enzyme cocktails yielded more (up to 3625%) glucose from filter paper, pine wood or citrus peel than commercial cocktails. Furthermore, pectate lyase transplastomic plants showed enhanced resistance to Erwina soft rot. This is the first report of using plant‐derived enzyme cocktails for production of fermentable sugars from lignocellulosic biomass. Limitations of higher cost and lower production capacity of fermentation systems are addressed by chloroplast‐derived enzyme cocktails.
Immersion treatment of childhood and adolescent obesity: the first review of a promising intervention
Authors: Kelly K. P. , Kirschenbaum D. S.
Published: January 2010

Obese children have attended weight loss camps and residential programmes for more than 40 years. This paper provides the first systematic review of the effects of those programmes. Twenty‐two studies met inclusion criteria (targeted and assessed change in weight status, minimal stay of 10 days and nights). Similar components across programmes included controlled diet, activities, nutrition education, and therapy and/or education regarding behaviour change. Participants lost substantial amounts of weight in all 22 studies, as measured by reductions in per cent‐overweight during intervention. Eleven programmes included long‐term follow‐up evaluations. Compared with results highlighted in a recent meta‐analysis of out‐patient treatments, these immersion programmes produced an average of 191% greater reductions in per cent‐overweight at post‐treatment and 130% greater reduction at follow‐up. Furthermore, mean attrition rates were much lower when compared with standard out‐patient treatment. Inclusion of a cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) component seemed especially promising; follow‐up evaluations showed decreased per cent‐overweight at follow‐up by an average of 30% for CBT immersion programmes vs. 9% for programmes without CBT. Explanations for the potentially greater impact of immersion relative to out‐patient treatments are presented, including possibly differential effects on self‐efficacy for both children and their parents.
A rapid method to clinically assess the effect of an anti‐acne formulation
Authors: Muizzuddin N. , Maes D. H. , Mammone T.
Published: January 2010

J. Cosmet. Sci., 60, 25–29 (January/February 2009)

Synopsis

Historically, clinical evaluation of acne treatment has been based on direct visual assessment and the counting of lesions over a period of several weeks of treatment. However, with advancing technology there has been ever‐increasing speed in the effectiveness of these treatments. To successfully assess these faster treatments, acne pathology needs to be evaluated in a shorter time frame. The object of these studies was to develop techniques to evaluate individual acne lesions in a shorter time frame and to assess speedier treatment technologies. Ten healthy volunteers with acne lesions on their upper backs were recruited for the study. Two inflamed acne lesions were selected for each treatment, along with lesions to be left untreated, on each volunteer. Each lesion was marked, photographed, and visually graded. A skin surface microscope (Scopeman) was used to visualize size and to grade the lesions by two experts every day for five days. The sites were treated once a day for the course of the study. There was a remarkable reduction in the size and erythema of acne lesions after treatment with the acne formulation as compared to the untreated and vehicle‐treated lesions. Individual lesions, both treated and untreated, appeared resolved in 14 days. This resolution can be noticeably accelerated by topical treatments. We have developed a simple and faster clinical method to evaluate the effects of topical anti‐acne technology.
Dynamic mechanical study of hair viscoelasticity and softness
Authors: Gao T.
Published: January 2010

IFSCC Magazine, 12 (2009) (2) 93–98

Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) has been widely used to investigate material properties such as thermal transitions and complex modulus of polymers. Until now, only a few articles have been published to discuss applications of DMA in studying human hair and evaluating hair care products due to difficulties in handling hair samples. In DMA, a complex modulus (E*), an elastic (storage) modulus (E’) and an imaginary (loss) modulus (E’’) are determined which give a better characterization of viscoelastic properties of hair than regular tensile strength. A new DMA test methodology including a hair bundle preparation and sample clamping technique was developed and applied to study human hair samples. Effects of hair type (Caucasian vs. Asian), bleaching time, environmental relative humidity (RH), and cosmetic treatments on hair viscoelasticity and storage bending modulus/stiffness were investigated. Average complex modulus and Young's modulus of single hair fibers and storage bending modulus of hair bundles before and after cosmetic treatments at various relative humidity levels were determined. Subjective evaluations of hair soft feel by salon panelists were conducted and the results compared with those of objective measurements (changes in hair storage bending modulus).

Keywords: Dynamic mechanical analysis, hair, viscoelasticity, softness, quaternium‐91

This paper was presented at the 25th IFSCC Congress 2008, Barcelona, Spain
Sensitive skin syndrome in Portugal – A concise (social and demographic) Characterization of the Portuguese reality
Authors: Rodrigues L.M. , Diogo L.
Published: January 2010

IFSCC Magazine, 12 (2009) (2) 107–110

Reports from global markets suggest that the sensitive skin syndrome affects 50% of the population. Since there is currently no information on this condition in a small market like that in Portugal, the authors designed this descriptive cross‐sectional study to characterize this syndrome in this particular context. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire in the community pharmacies chosen for the study. A total of 333 questionnaires (n = 333) were validated, and 46% of the surveyed individuals described their skin as ‘sensitive’. Responders were predominantly women, the face was the most frequently mentioned area of the body affected, and environmental factors and contact were reported as the main causes of sensitivity. A wide variability in responses to irritation and in the relationship with previous pathological conditions was also found. Thus, the social and demographic pattern found here agrees with patient‐type profile previously reported for the sensitive skin syndrome.

Keywords:  Sensitive skin, skin susceptibility, social‐demographic features, descriptive study, Portuguese market