bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evidence from the real world: 15N natural abundances reveal enhanced nitrogen use at high plant diversity in Central European grasslands
Authors: Kleinebecker Till , Hölzel Norbert , Prati Daniel , Schmitt Barbara , Fischer Markus , Klaus Valentin H.
Published: December 2013

Complementarity that leads to more efficient resource use is presumed to be a key mechanism explaining positive biodiversity–productivity relationships but has been described solely for experimental set‐ups with controlled environmental settings or for very short gradients of abiotic conditions, land‐use intensity and biodiversity. Therefore, we analysed plant diversity effects on nitrogen dynamics across a broad range of Central European grasslands.

The 15N natural abundance in soil and plant biomass reflects the net effect of processes affecting ecosystem N dynamics. This includes the mechanism of complementary resource utilization that causes a decrease in the 15N isotopic signal. We measured plant species richness, natural abundance of 15N in soil and plants, above‐ground biomass of the community and three single species (an herb, grass and legume) and a variety of additional environmental variables in 150 grassland plots in three regions of Germany. To explore the drivers of the nitrogen dynamics, we performed several analyses of covariance treating the 15N isotopic signals as a function of plant diversity and a large set of covariates.

Increasing plant diversity was consistently linked to decreased δ15N isotopic signals in soil, above‐ground community biomass and the three single species. Even after accounting for multiple covariates, plant diversity remained the strongest predictor of δ15N isotopic signals suggesting that higher plant diversity leads to a more closed nitrogen cycle due to more efficient nitrogen use.

Factors linked to increased δ15N values included the amount of nitrogen taken up, soil moisture and land‐use intensity (particularly fertilization), all indicators of the openness of the nitrogen cycle due to enhanced N‐turnover and subsequent losses. Study region was significantly related to the δ15N isotopic signals indicating that regional peculiarities such as former intensive land use could strongly affect nitrogen dynamics.

Synthesis. Our results provide strong evidence that the mechanism of complementary resource utilization operates in real‐world grasslands where multiple external factors affect nitrogen dynamics. Although single species may differ in effect size, actively increasing total plant diversity in grasslands could be an option to more effectively use nitrogen resources and to reduce the negative environmental impacts of nitrogen losses.
The Sound of Silence. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Discrimination in ‘Inclusive Organizations’
Authors: Priola Vincenza , Lasio Diego , De Simone Silvia , Serri Francesco
Published: December 2013

Most studies on diversity and discrimination in the workplace have focused on ‘visible’ minorities such as gender or race, often neglecting the experiences of invisible minorities such as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers. In this paper we explore the practices of inclusion/exclusion of LGBTs in the workplace in Italian social cooperatives, which are specifically founded to create employment for people who are disadvantaged in the labour market. The study examines how organizations, which have an ethos focused on inclusion and mainly employ workers from specific social minority groups, manage the inclusion of LGBT workers. We also explore the experience of LGBT workers within these organizations. The paper reports that the culture of silence existing in the five organizations studied prevents LGBT employees from constructing a work identity which encompasses their sexual identity and prevents the organizations from achieving their aim of being fully inclusive workplaces.
Combination of pulse cyclophosphamide and azathioprine in ocular manifestations of Behcet's disease: longitudinal study of up to 10 years
Authors: Davatchi Fereydoun , Sadeghi Abdollahi Bahar , Shams Hormoz , Shahram Farhad , Nadji Abdolhadi , Chams‐Davatchi Cheyda , Faezi Tahereh , Akhlaghi Massoomeh , Ghodsi Zahra , Ashofteh Farimah , Mohtasham Negin
Published: December 2013

Aim

Ocular lesions of Behcet's disease (BD) need aggressive treatment to prevent severe loss of vision or blindness. Cytotoxic drugs are the main therapeutic agents and the first line treatment. Retinal vasculitis is the most aggressive lesion of ocular manifestations and predicts a worse systemic outcome. We present here the outcome with a combination of pulse cyclophosphamide, azathioprine and prednisolone, on long‐term usage, up to 10 years, on 295 patients (18 493 eye‐months of follow‐up).

Methods

Cyclophosphamide was used as a 1‐g monthly pulse for 6 months and then every 2–3 months as necessary. Azathioprine was used at 2–3 mg/kg daily. Prednisolone was initiated at 0.5 mg/kg daily. Upon the suppression of the inflammatory reaction, prednisolone was tapered gradually. Patients fulfilled the International Criteria Behcet's Disease (ICBD) and had active posterior uveitis (PU) and/or retinal vasculitis (RV). Visual acuity (VA), PU, RV and TADAI (Total Adjusted Disease Activity Index) were calculated.

Results

Overall results: mean VA improved from 3.5 to 4.3 (P < 0.0001), 44% of eyes improved (95% CI = 40–50). Mean PU improved from 2.1 to 0.8 (P < 0.0001), 73% of eyes improved (95% CI = 69–78). Mean RV improved from 3.0 to 1.4 P < 0.0001), 70% of eyes improved (95% CI = 65–74). Mean TADAI improved from 29 to 18 (P < 0.0001), 72% of patients improved (95% CI = 66–77). The details of the longitudinal studies are given in the main article.

Conclusion

All parameters significantly improved. VA improvement was the least, mainly due to cataracts. This combination is the best treatment choice for retinal vasculitis before opting for biologic agents.
The International Network of Obstetric Survey Systems (INOSS): benefits of multi‐country studies of severe and uncommon maternal morbidities
Authors: Knight Marian ,   INOSS
Published: December 2013

The International Network of Obstetric Survey Systems (INOSS) is a multi‐country collaboration formed to facilitate studies of uncommon and severe complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Collaborations such as INOSS offer many benefits in the study of rare complications. The use of uniform case definitions, common datasets, specifically collected detailed data and prospectively agreed comparative and combined analyses all add to the validity of studies and their utility to guide policy and clinical practice and hence improve the quality of care. Such multi‐national collaborations allow for the conduct of robust studies less subject to many of the biases attributed to typical observational studies. For very rare conditions such collaborations may provide the only route to providing high quality evidence to guide practice. Clinicians and researchers conducting studies into rare and severe complications should consider working through a network such as INOSS to maximize the value of their research.
The nitric oxide pathway and possible therapeutic options in pre‐eclampsia
Authors: Johal Tamanrit , Lees Christoph C. , Everett Thomas R. , Wilkinson Ian B.
Published: December 2013

Pre‐eclampsia is a serious multisystem disorder with diverse clinical manifestations. Although not causal, endothelial dysfunction and reduced nitric oxide bioavailability are likely to play an important role in the maternal and fetal pathophysiology of this condition. Lack of treatment modalities that can target the underlying pathophysiological changes and reverse the endothelial dysfunction frequently leads to iatrogenic preterm delivery of the fetus, causing neonatal morbidity and mortality, and the condition itself is associated with short‐ and longer term maternal morbidity and mortality. Drugs that target various components of the nitric oxide–soluble guanylyl cyclase pathway can help to increase NO bioavailability. The purpose of this review is to outline the current status of clinical research involving these therapeutic modalities in the context of pre‐eclampsia, with the focus being on the following: nitric oxide donors, including organic nitrates and S‐nitrosothiols; l‐arginine, the endogenous precursor of NO; inhibitors of cyclic guanosine 3′,5′‐monophosphate breakdown, including sildenafil; and other novel inhibitors of NO donor metabolism. The advantages and limitations of each modality are outlined, and scope for development into established therapeutic options for pre‐eclampsia is explored.
Improved survival in myeloma patients: starting to close in on the gap between elderly patients and a matched normal population
Authors: Liwing Johan , Uttervall Katarina , Lund Johan , Aldrin Anders , Blimark Cecilie , Carlson Kristina , Enestig Jon , Flogegård Max , Forsberg Karin , Gruber Astrid , Haglöf Kviele Helene , Johansson Peter , Lauri Birgitta , Mellqvist Ulf‐Henrik , Swedin Agneta , Svensson Magnus , Näsman Per , Alici Evren , Gahrton Gösta , Aschan Johan , Nahi Hareth
Published: December 2013

The outcome for multiple myeloma patients has improved since the introduction of bortezomib, thalidomide and lenalidomide. However, studies comparing new and conventional treatment include selected patient groups. We investigated consecutive patients (n = 1638) diagnosed in a defined period and compared survival with a gender‐ and age‐matched cohort Swedish population (n = 9 340 682). Median overall survival for non‐high‐dose treated patients was 2·8 years. The use of bortezomib, thalidomide or lenalidomide in first line therapy predicted a significantly longer overall survival (median 4·9 years) compared to conventional treatment (2·3 years). Among non‐high‐dose treated patients receiving at least 2 lines with bortezomib, thalidomide or lenalidomide, 69% and 63% have survived at 3 and 5 years as compared to 48% and 22% with conventional drugs and 88% and 79% in the matched cohort populations, respectively. The median overall survival in high‐dose treated patients was 6·9 years. Of these patients, 84% survived at 3 years and 70% at 5 years as compared to 98% and 95% in the matched cohort population. Overall survival in the best non‐high‐dose treated outcome group is closing the gap with the matched cohort. Upfront use of new drugs is clearly better than waiting until later lines of treatment.
Low‐dose oral desmopressin for treatment of nocturia and nocturnal enuresis in patients after radical cystectomy and orthotopic urinary diversion
Authors: Goldberg Hanan , Baniel Jack , Mano Roy , Gillon Gabriel , Kedar Daniel , Yossepowitch Ofer
Published: December 2013

Objectives

To assess the effect of oral desmopressin on nocturia and nocturnal enuresis in patients after orthotopic neobladder reconstruction.

Patients and Methods

Of 55 patients who underwent radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder reconstruction at our medical centre in the period 2004–2011, 34 patients were deemed eligible for the present study. Inclusion criteria were estimated glomerular filtration rate >50 mL/min/1.73 m2, normal baseline sodium serum level, intact daytime urinary continence, and any degree of nocturia or nocturnal enuresis. Patients were treated daily with oral desmopressin 0.1 mg at bedtime for 30 days and completed the Nocturia, Nocturnal Enuresis and Sleep Interruption Questionnaire at trial enrolment and closure. Sodium serum levels were monitored throughout.

Results

Three patients withdrew from the trial because of headaches or anxiety. The mean (sd) number of nocturnal voids decreased from 2.5 (1.4)/night at baseline to 1.5 (1.3)/night at trial closure (P = 0.015). The number of patients with one or no episodes of nocturnal enuresis per week increased from six to 12 (19 to 39%; P = 0.065). Thirteen patients (42%) reported an increase of a minimum 1–2 h of sleep until the first nocturnal void; all of them asked to continue the drug. No significant adverse events or changes in sodium level were observed.

Conclusions

Bedtime treatment with low‐dose oral desmopressin appears to decrease episodes of nocturia and nocturnal enuresis effectively and safely in ∼50% of the patients with neobladder, allowing longer undisrupted sleep time and improved quality of life. Further investigation is warranted to determine if higher doses would result in a more meaningful clinical response.
I Know Who My Friends Are, but Do You? Predictors of Self‐Reported and Peer‐Inferred Relationships
Authors: Neal Jennifer Watling , Neal Zachary P. , Cappella Elise
Published: December 2013

Using social network data, this study examines which features of social and spatial proximity predict self‐reported, or “real,” and peer‐reported, or “inferred,” relationships among 2,695 pairwise combinations of African American second‐ through fourth‐grade students (aged 7–11). Relationships were more likely to exist, and more likely to be inferred to exist by peers, between pairs of children who were the same sex, sat near one another, shared a positive academic orientation, or shared athletic ability. Sex similarity had a dramatically larger effect on peers' inferences about relationships than on self‐reported real relationships, suggesting that children overestimate the importance of gender in their inferences about relationships. Results were stable across different grade levels in middle childhood and for boys and girls.
Protein kinase inhibitors in the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases
Authors: Patterson H , Nibbs R , McInnes I , Siebert S
Published: December 2013

Protein kinases mediate protein phosphorylation, which is a fundamental component of cell signalling, with crucial roles in most signal transduction cascades: from controlling cell growth and proliferation to the initiation and regulation of immunological responses. Aberrant kinase activity is implicated in an increasing number of diseases, with more than 400 human diseases now linked either directly or indirectly to protein kinases. Protein kinases are therefore regarded as highly important drug targets, and are the subject of intensive research activity. The success of small molecule kinase inhibitors in the treatment of cancer, coupled with a greater understanding of inflammatory signalling cascades, has led to kinase inhibitors taking centre stage in the pursuit for new anti-inflammatory agents for the treatment of immune-mediated diseases. Herein we discuss the main classes of kinase inhibitors; namely Janus kinase (JAK), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) inhibitors. We provide a mechanistic insight into how these inhibitors interfere with kinase signalling pathways and discuss the clinical successes and failures in the implementation of kinase-directed therapeutics in the context of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.
A digital evaluation of alveolar ridge preservation at implants placed immediately into extraction sockets: an experimental study in the dog
Authors: Favero Giacomo , Lang Niklaus P. , Romanelli Piero , Pantani Fabio , Caneva Marco , Botticelli Daniele
Published: December 2013

Objective

To compare with pristine sites bone resorption and soft tissue adaptation at implants placed immediately into extraction sockets (IPIES) in conjunction with deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) particles and a collagen membrane.

Material and methods

The mesial root of the third premolar in the left side of the mandible was endodontically treated (Test). Flaps were elevated, the tooth hemi‐sectioned, and the distal root removed to allow the immediate installation of an implant into the extraction socket in a lingual position. DBBM particles were placed into the defect and on the outer contour of the buccal bony ridge, concomitantly with the placement of a collagen membrane. A non‐submerged healing was allowed. The premolar on the right side of the mandible was left in situ (control). Ground sections from the center of the implant as well as from the center of the distal root of the third premolar of the opposite side of the mandible were obtained. The histological image from the implant site was superimposed to that of the contralateral pristine distal alveolus, and dimensional variation evaluated for the hard tissue and the alveolar ridge.

Results

After 3 months of healing, both histological and photographic evaluation revealed a reduction of hard and soft tissue dimensions.

Conclusion

The contour augmentation performed with DBBM particles and a collagen membrane at the buccal aspects of implants placed IPIES was not able to maintain the tissue volume.
Dysfunctional and compensatory synaptic plasticity in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Schroll Henning , Vitay Julien , Hamker Fred H.
Published: December 2013

In Parkinson's disease, a loss of dopamine neurons causes severe motor impairments. These motor impairments have long been thought to result exclusively from immediate effects of dopamine loss on neuronal firing in basal ganglia, causing imbalances of basal ganglia pathways. However, motor impairments and pathway imbalances may also result from dysfunctional synaptic plasticity – a novel concept of how Parkinsonian symptoms evolve. Here we built a neuro‐computational model that allows us to simulate the effects of dopamine loss on synaptic plasticity in basal ganglia. Our simulations confirm that dysfunctional synaptic plasticity can indeed explain the emergence of both motor impairments and pathway imbalances in Parkinson's disease, thus corroborating the novel concept. By predicting that dysfunctional plasticity results not only in reduced activation of desired responses, but also in their active inhibition, our simulations provide novel testable predictions. When simulating dopamine replacement therapy (which is a standard treatment in clinical practice), we observe a new balance of pathway outputs, rather than a simple restoration of non‐Parkinsonian states. In addition, high doses of replacement are shown to result in overshooting motor activity, in line with empirical evidence. Finally, our simulations provide an explanation for the intensely debated paradox that focused basal ganglia lesions alleviate Parkinsonian symptoms, but do not impair performance in healthy animals. Overall, our simulations suggest that the effects of dopamine loss on synaptic plasticity play an essential role in the development of Parkinsonian symptoms, thus arguing for a re‐conceptualisation of Parkinsonian pathophysiology.
Overview of presurgical assessment and surgical treatment of epilepsy from the Italian League Against Epilepsy
Authors: Guerrini Renzo , Scerrati Massimo , Rubboli Guido , Esposito Vincenzo , Colicchio Gabriella , Cossu Massimo , Marras Carlo Efisio , Tassi Laura , Tinuper Paolo , Paola Canevini Maria , Quarato Pierpaolo , Giordano Flavio , Granata Tiziana , Villani Flavio , Giulioni Marco , Scarpa Pina , Barbieri Valentina , Bottini Gabriella , Del Sole Angelo , Vatti Giampaolo , Spreafico Roberto , Lo Russo Giorgio ,   the Commission for Epilepsy Surgery of the Italian League Against Epilepsy
Published: December 2013

The Commission for Epilepsy Surgery of the Italian League Against Epilepsy (LICE) presents an overview of the techniques and methodologies of presurgical evaluation and of the surgical treatment of epilepsies. This overview is the result of the experience developed in the past years in the major Italian centers where programs of epilepsy surgery have been established, and it has the aim of offering a quick and easy reference tool for those involved in the treatment of patients with epilepsy. The sharing of different experiences has the additional aim of conforming and disseminating the employed techniques as well as the methods of selection and evaluation of patients. The synthetic coverage of the main issues concerning the presurgical workup and the available surgical options will hopefully provide a framework that may integrate and develop the contributions of every single center, in one of the more complex, challenging, and dynamic areas of neurological sciences.
Health Technology Assessment report on the presurgical evaluation and surgical treatment of drug‐resistant epilepsy
Authors: Marras Carlo Efisio , Canevini Maria Paola , Colicchio Gabriella , Guerrini Renzo , Rubboli Guido , Scerrati Massimo , Spreafico Roberto , Tassi Laura , LoRusso Giorgio , Tinuper Paolo ,   the Commission on Epilepsy Surgery of the Italian League Against Epilepsy
Published: December 2013

Purpose

Epilepsy is a neurologic disorder with major social impact. Surgery is a valuable option in patients who are not responding to antiepileptic drugs. The literature reports demonstrate that a proportion ranging from 40 to 100% of patients with epilepsy achieve seizure remission after surgery. A presurgical evaluation (clinical and instrumental) must be performed in all patients with drug‐resistant epilepsy to assess their suitability for surgical intervention.HealthTechnologyAssessment (HTA) represents a modern approach to the analysis of technologies used for health care.HTAcould be considered a bridge between science that produces evidence and the decisions that can be taken on the basis of that evidence at different levels of the health care system. The aim of this study is theHTAof epilepsy surgery including clinical, ethical, social, and economic features.

Methods

The present study includes an analysis of the diagnostic and surgical workup performed at theItaliancenters for the diagnosis and treatment of drug‐resistant epilepsy (DRE). The study includes the following issues: (1) social, ethical impact, and costs of the disease; (2) clinical results, efficacy, and safety of surgery; (3) ethics and quality of life after surgery; and (4) economic impact and productivity regained after surgery. The cost of managing a patient with DRE included in the presurgical study was estimated by the bottom‐up microcosting technique that starts from a detailed collection of data on consumption of resources and full costing. The phases analyzed were (1) noninvasive diagnostic workup; (2) neurosurgical intervention; and (3) follow‐up.

Key Findings

The literature reports indicate epilepsy surgery as an effective treatment both on clinical results and on ethical, social, and quality of life aspects. The workup including the noninvasive presurgical study followed by surgery has a total cost of €20,827. Management of short‐term follow‐up increases the overhead to €22,291 at the first year, and then to €23,571 after 5 years. According to the estimates made in this survey, funding based on diagnosis‐related group (DRG) tariff for the noninvasive diagnostic stage involving hospital admission is not remunerative in Italy either at regional or national levels. Effectively the difference between full cost andDRGhas a delta of €3,402 and €2,537 respectively. The total cost of the presurgical, surgical, and follow‐up evaluation is not remunerative for €10,554 (national data).

Significance

Economic surveys in Italy have shown that surgery for DRE is an advantageous treatment from the standpoint of third‐party payers and is cost‐effective for society.DREpresurgical evaluation and surgery are not remunerative either at regional or national levels.
The spectrum of epileptic syndromes with fixation off sensitivity persisting in adult life
Authors: Fattouch Jinane , Casciato Sara , Lapenta Leonardo , Morano Alessandra , Fanella Martina , Lombardi Laura , Manfredi Mario , Giallonardo Anna Teresa , Di Bonaventura Carlo
Published: December 2013

Purpose

The term “fixation off sensitivity” (FOS) was proposed by Panayiotopoulos to describe epilepsy/electroencephalography (EEG) changes evoked by the suppression of central vision and fixation. The EEG pattern usually consists of spike/polyspike and waves localized in occipital regions. FOS occurs mainly in children with idiopathic occipital partial epilepsies and rarely in adults. In this retrospective study we evaluated the clinical data, EEG, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of patients with epilepsy and FOS persisting in adult life to better define the spectrum of syndromes.

Methods

We selected 15 consecutive patients (12 female/3 male; age range 19–59 years). The main inclusion criterion was the diagnosis of epilepsy with FOS persisting in adult life. We retrospectively analyzed clinical EEG and neuroimaging data.

Key Findings

We observed a female prevalence (F/M = 12/3). Eight patients presented both simple and complex partial seizures, whereas seven had only complex partial seizures. Partial seizures evolved into generalized seizures/hemiconvulsions in nine cases. The FOS pattern consisted of spike‐and‐wave and slow‐wave abnormalities with posterior localization (bilateral in eight/monolateral in seven). We recorded seizures in 10/15 patients. All showed a posterior onset (bilateral in 2/left in 2/right in 6). FOS was prevalent in symptomatic epilepsy (cortical malformations in 7; celiac disease in 3; calcified vascular malformation in 1). One patient presented cryptogenic epilepsy and only three idiopathic epilepsy (Gastaut syndrome).

Significance

FOS can be observed in adult life in idiopathic epilepsy, representing the “prolongation” of the same phenomenon arisen during childhood. Nevertheless, it often represents the EEG expression of symptomatic epilepsies (cortical malformations/celiac disease).
Epilepsy in primary cerebral tumors: The characteristics of epilepsy at the onset (results from the PERNO study – Project of Emilia Romagna Region on Neuro‐Oncology)
Authors: Michelucci Roberto , Pasini Elena , Meletti Stefano , Fallica Elisa , Rizzi Romana , Florindo Irene , Chiari Annalisa , Monetti Cinzia , Cremonini Anna Maria , Forlivesi Stefano , Albani Fiorenzo , Baruzzi Agostino ,   the PERNO Study Group
Published: December 2013

Purpose

To present new information on the semiology and short‐term evolution of seizures associated with primary brain tumors (PBTs) in a prospective study.

Methods

This study is a section of the PERNO study – Project of Emilia Romagna Region on Neuro‐Oncology, the main aim of which is to collect prospectively all cases of PBTs occurring in the Emilia‐Romagna region, northeast Italy (3,983,346 population) from January 2009 to December 2011, to allow epidemiologic, clinical, and biomolecular studies.

The epilepsy section of the PERNO study included all the patients who experienced seizures, either as first symptom of the tumor or appearing during the course of the disease. Each patient was interviewed by the referring neurologist with a specific interest in epilepsy. The patients who entered the study were followed up with visits on a quarterly basis.

Key Findings

We collected 100 cases with full clinical, neuroradiologic, and pathologic data. The majority (79%) had high grade PBTs (glioblastoma in 50 cases), whereas the remaining patients had low‐grade gliomas, mostly localized in the frontal (60%), temporal (38%), and parietal (28%) lobes. Seizures were the first symptom of the tumor in 72 cases. Overall, the initial seizures were tonic–clonic (48%) (without clear initial focal signs in more than half of the patients), focal motor (26%), complex partial (10%), and somatosensitive (8%). The majority of cases (60%) had isolated seizures or a low seizure frequency at the onset of the disease, whereas a high seizure frequency or status epilepticus was observed in 18% and 12% of cases, respectively. Ninety‐two patients underwent surgical removal of the tumor, which was either radical (38%) or partial (53%). Seven patients underwent only cerebral biopsy. In the 72 patients in whom seizures were the first symptom, the mean time to the surgical treatment was 174 days, with a significant difference between high grade (95 days) and low grade (481 days) gliomas.

At the time of our first observation, the majority of patients (69%) had already undergone surgical removal, with a mean follow‐up of 3 months after the procedure. Overall, 39 patients (56%) were seizure free after tumor removal. The good outcome did not depend on presurgical seizure frequency or tumor type, although there was a trend for better results with low‐grade PBTs.

Significance

These data provide evidence that seizures are strictly linked to the tumoral lesion: They are the initial symptom of the tumor, reflect the tumor location and type, are usually resistant to antiepileptic treatment, and may disappear after the treatment of the lesion.
Different responses of soil respiration and its components to nitrogen addition among biomes: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Zhou Lingyan , Zhou Xuhui , Zhang Baocheng , Lu Meng , Luo Yiqi , Liu Lingli , Li Bo
Published: December 2013

Anthropogenic activities have increased nitrogen (N) deposition by threefold to fivefold over the last century, which may considerably affect soil respiration (Rs). Although numerous individual studies and a few meta‐analyses have been conducted, it remains controversial as to how N addition affects Rs and its components [i.e., autotrophic (Ra) and heterotrophic respiration (Rh)]. To reconcile the difference, we conducted a comprehensive meta‐analysis of 295 published studies to examine the responses of Rs and its components to N addition in terrestrial ecosystems. We also assessed variations in their responses in relation to ecosystem types, environmental conditions, and experimental duration (DUR). Our results show that N addition significantly increased Rs by 2.0% across all biomes but decreased by 1.44% in forests and increased by 7.84% and 12.4% in grasslands and croplands, respectively (P < 0.05). The differences may largely result from diverse responses of Ra to N addition among biomes with more stimulation of Ra in croplands and grasslands compared with no significant change in forests. Rh exhibited a similar negative response to N addition among biomes except that in croplands, tropical and boreal forests. Methods of partitioning Rs did not induce significant differences in the responses of Ra or Rh to N addition, except that Ra from root exclusion and component integration methods exhibited the opposite responses in temperate forests. The response ratios (RR) of Rs to N addition were positively correlated with mean annual temperature (MAT), with being more significant when MAT was less than 15 °C, but negatively with DUR. In addition, the responses of Rs and its components to N addition largely resulted from the changes in root and microbial biomass and soil C content as indicated by correlation analysis. The response patterns of Rs to N addition as revealed in this study can be benchmarks for future modeling and experimental studies.
Heat and Solute Tracers: How Do They Compare in Heterogeneous Aquifers?
Authors: Irvine Dylan J. , Simmons Craig T. , Werner Adrian D. , Graf Thomas
Published: December 2013

A comparison of groundwater velocity in heterogeneous aquifers estimated from hydraulic methods, heat and solute tracers was made using numerical simulations. Aquifer heterogeneity was described by geostatistical properties of the Borden, Cape Cod, North Bay, and MADE aquifers. Both heat and solute tracers displayed little systematic under‐ or over‐estimation in velocity relative to a hydraulic control. The worst cases were under‐estimates of 6.63% for solute and 2.13% for the heat tracer. Both under‐ and over‐estimation of velocity from the heat tracer relative to the solute tracer occurred. Differences between the estimates from the tracer methods increased as the mean velocity decreased, owing to differences in rates of molecular diffusion and thermal conduction. The variance in estimated velocity using all methods increased as the variance in log‐hydraulic conductivity (K) and correlation length scales increased. The variance in velocity for each scenario was remarkably small when compared to σ2ln(K) for all methods tested. The largest variability identified was for the solute tracer where 95% of velocity estimates ranged by a factor of 19 in simulations where 95% of the K values varied by almost four orders of magnitude. For the same K‐fields, this range was a factor of 11 for the heat tracer. The variance in estimated velocity was always lowest when using heat as a tracer. The study results suggest that a solute tracer will provide more understanding about the variance in velocity caused by aquifer heterogeneity and a heat tracer provides a better approximation of the mean velocity.
Occupation, Dignity, and Space: The Rise of Dalit Studies
Authors: Rawat Ramnarayan S
Published: December 2013

Dalit Studies has emerged as a new field of study in South Asia since the 1990s, helping to reorient scholarship's interest away from the study of untouchability as a phenomenon toward a recognition and recovery of Dalit actors. This review essay identifies three broad themes‐occupation, dignity, and space, and uses them to survey the literature on Dalit society over the last hundred years. It suggests that occupation was a prominent organizing category in colonial and early post‐colonial ethnographic writing that was used to catalogue and define Dalit religious traditions and socio‐economic practices. Struggles for dignity and efforts to eradicate caste inequality have become central concerns in more recent writings. This essay also draws attention to a less recognized theme by focusing on the role of space, particularly the role of jati mohallas, in mediating the experience of caste and shaping Dalit political consciousness.
Italian Liberal Imperialism in China: A Review of the State of the Field
Authors: Urosevic Uros
Published: December 2013

The story of Italian imperialism in China is an almost forgotten one. Few know that the Kingdom of Italy was on the verge of war with the Qing Empire in 1899 and that, following its participation in the Boxer War a year later, it acquired a concession in Tianjin, which it kept until 1947. This nearly forgotten episode is important, however, for understanding Italian imperialism as a whole. For a number of years, research of Italian imperialist past has tended to pay more attention to fascist imperialism at the expense of liberal imperialism, at times making Italian imperialism in general appear as an outgrowth of fascism. This is dangerously misleading, as it was imperialism of the liberal era that first revealed expansionistic tendencies that would characterise Italian fascism half a century later. The historical importance of Italian liberal imperialism as a precursor of fascist imperialism and an important early signal of totalitarian proclivities of Italian political elites needs, therefore, to be critically reappraised.
As Historical Subjects: The African Diaspora in Colonial Latin American History
Authors: O'Toole Rachel Sarah
Published: December 2013

This article celebrates and explores the current historiography on colonial Afro‐Latin Americans in the Spanish Americas to illuminate how scholars can continue to develop their methodological approaches to recuperating enslaved and free agency. Drawing on Michel‐Rolph Trouillot's distinction between historical actors and purposeful subjects, the essay suggests that even within slavery, men and women of African descent were able to contest slaveholding, develop their own standards within racial hierarchies, claim subject positions as Catholics, and lay claim to freedom. By asking questions regarding African‐descent defined objectives, scholars have begun to allow Africans and their descendants to articulate interior selves.
The Albigensian Crusade in Anglo‐American Historiography, 1888–2013
Authors: Marvin Laurence W.
Published: December 2013

Of all the crusades which occurred in the crusade era, the Albigensian Crusade stands as one of the most infamous, although the Cathar religion and the Inquisition have drawn more academic and popular attention. Older scholarship treated the Albigensian Crusade as ancillary to the development of the Inquisition. Assigning the relative importance of the Albigensian Crusade within wider crusade historiography remains problematic for historians. An important historiographical development began in the 1970s as Anglo‐American scholars chose to treat the Albigensian Crusade not simply as precursor of the Inquisition but as a standalone event. Besides this advancement, Anglo‐American scholars have done valuable work on regions and towns affected by the crusade and Catharism. Since 9/11 and the on‐going ‘War on Terror’, crusades to the Eastern Mediterranean still drive the historiography, but more remains to be done on the Albigensian Crusade. The local church, regional studies, biographical treatments, and prosopographical work have barely been touched on in English.
FROM SECRET AGENTS TO INTERAGENCY
Authors: DESPRET VINCIANE
Published: December 2013

Some scientists who study animals have emphasized the need to focus on the “point of view” of the animals they are studying. This methodological shift has led to animals being credited with much more agency than is warranted. However, as critics suggest, on the one hand, the “perspective” of another being rests mostly upon “sympathetic projection,” and may be difficult to apply to unfamiliar beings, such as bees or even flowers. On the other hand, the very notion of agency still conveys its classic understanding as intentional, rational, and premeditated, and is still embedded in humanist and Christian conceptions of human exceptionalism. This paper seeks, in the first part, to investigate the practical link between these two notions and the problems they raise. In the second part, following the work of two historians of science who have revisited Darwin's studies of orchids and their pollinators, it will observe a shift in the meaning of the concept of agency. Indeed, creatures may appear as “secret agents” as long as we adopt a conventional definition of agency based on subjective experience and autonomous intention. However, when reframed in the terms of “agencement” — an assemblage that produces “agentivity” — agency seems to be much more extensively shared in the living world. We will then explore some of the concrete situations in which these agencements are manifested, and through which creatures of different species become, one for another and one with another, companion‐agents.
ANIMAL INDIVIDUALS: A PLEA FOR A NOMINALISTIC TURN IN ANIMAL STUDIES?
Authors: HOQUET THIERRY
Published: December 2013

This paper focuses on the concept of “animal individuals” and puts forward a nominalistic approach. Nominalism is an ontological thesis (only individuals exist), but also an epistemological claim: that our “nouns” are practical tools for a quick dispatch of things, but do not correspond to anything real. Hence for a consistent nominalist, “animals” do not exist, except as a powerful fiction. First, we show that the word “animal” commits what we call (after Plato) the “fallacy of the crane”: it encompasses a huge range of living entities that have only one thing in common: they are not humans. Differences between our term “animal” and the ancient Greek “zoon” also show the fluctuating boundaries of “animality.” Besides, our ways of speaking systematically deny individuality to nonhuman animals.

The philosophical meaning of the term “individual” implies a genuine dimension of artistic singularity and a political claim for emancipation. Portraits of apes are striking instances of such individuality, captured by photography, as is art produced by particular animals. Methodologically, this leads also to the collection of anecdotes and a focus on animal biographies. The eighteenth‐century controversy between Buffon and Condillac helps us understand what is at stake in the tension between species and individuals. Buffon claims that each nonhuman animal species can be represented by a “specimen,” whereas Condillac shows that animal individuals feel like us and that their nature is impenetrable to us. Finally, a focus on individuals is not only a way to renew or extend historical methods. Biologists are also increasingly concerned with individuals. They develop tools to distinguish individuals from one another: “animal bertillonage” for morphology. They question standard norms of behavior and preferences. This emphasis on animal individuality has not only theoretical but also ethical and legal consequences.
Prevalence of and risk factors for pulmonary abnormalities in HIV‐infected patients treated with antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Sampériz G , Guerrero D , López M , Valera JL , Iglesias A , Ríos Á , Campins A , Sala E , Murillas J , Togores B , Palmer J , Rodriguez M , Soriano JB , Sauleda J , Riera M , Agusti A
Published: December 2013

Background

Pulmonary abnormalities are often present in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Objectives

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of, and risk factors for, pulmonary abnormalities in HIV‐positive patients.

Methods

A total of 275 HIV‐positive patients [mean (± standard deviation) age 48.5 ± 6.6 years] were included in the study, of whom 95.6% had been receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for a mean (± standard deviation) duration of 11.9 ± 5.4 years. The median (interquartile range) CD4 lymphocyte count was 541 (392–813) cells/μL, and 92% of the patients had an undetectable viral load. We determined: (1) spirometry, static lung volumes, lung diffusing capacity, pulmonary gas exchange and exercise tolerance, and (2) the amount of emphysema via a computed tomography (CT) scan.

Results

Chronic cough and expectoration (47%) and breathlessness during exercise (33.9%) were commonly reported. Airflow limitation (AL) was present in 17.2%, low pulmonary diffusing capacity in 52.2% and emphysema in 10.5−37.7% of patients, depending on the method used for quantification. Most of these abnormalities had not been diagnosed or treated previously. Smoking exposure and previous tuberculosis were the main risk factors for AL, whereas smoking exposure and several variables related to HIV infection appeared to contribute to the risk of emphysema and low diffusing capacity.

Conclusions

Despite HAART, pulmonary structural and functional abnormalities are frequent in HIV‐positive patients. They are probably attributable to both environmental (smoking and tuberculosis) and HIV‐related factors. Most of these abnormalities remain unnoticed and untreated. Given the relatively young age of these patients, these results anticipate a significant health problem in the next few years as, thanks to the efficacy of HAART, patients survive longer and experience the effects of aging.
Zataria multiflora Boiss essential oil and sodium acetate: how they affect shelf life of vacuum‐packaged trout burgers
Authors: Ehsani Ali , Jasour Mohammad Sedigh , Hashemi Mohammad , Mehryar Laleh , Khodayari Mina
Published: December 2013

The preservative effects of Zataria multiflora Boiss essential oil (ZEO) at 0.025%, 0.05% and 0.1%, sodium acetate (SA) at 2% and their combination on the quality changes of vacuum‐packaged trout burgers during 21‐day refrigerated storage (4 ± 1°C) were investigated. Results showed that control and ZEO‐treated samples reached undesirable levels of rancidity (P < 0.05) at 15th day, whereas samples with the combined effect of SA and ZEOs, especially at higher concentrations, proved to be more stable in sensory, biochemical (PV, TBA, FFA and pH) and microbiological analyses (P < 0.05). Therefore, ZEO+SA‐treated samples showed good overall acceptability even until 21st day. Regarding the results obtained from ZEO‐treated samples, it becomes apparent that combined application of SA and ZEO extended the shelf life of fish burgers during cold storage to 21 days, 1.4‐fold longer than other treatments, which indicates the potential application of synergistic activity of these agents in vacuum‐packaged fishburgers.
Foreign Ownership Restriction and Momentum – Evidence from Emerging Markets
Authors: Qin Yafeng , Bai Min
Published: December 2013

This study investigates the impact of foreign investors on stock price efficiency and return predictability in emerging markets. It finds that stocks fully investible for foreign investors exhibit stronger price momentum than non‐investible stocks. The difference in momentum effects between stocks with different levels of investibility cannot be fully explained by world market risk, size, turnover, or country‐specific factors. Further tests show that fully investible stocks have no post‐earnings‐announcement drift (PEAD), and their short‐term momentum reverses over a longer horizon. These results show that the stronger momentum of highly investible stocks does not appear to be driven by foreign investors' underreaction to firm‐specific information, but is more likely to be generated by their positive feedback trading.
Berlusconi, Boehner and the Brink: Lessons for Political Reform in Britain
Authors: WARE ALAN
Published: December 2013

In the early autumn of 2013 large minorities in Italy and the United States fermented crises that badly disrupted the government of the two countries. These cases were widely understood as instances of dysfunction in established democracies that would rarely be replicated elsewhere. However, while all the conditions that generated the crises are unlikely to be evident in other established democracies three important factors that caused the disruptions in the American and Italian political processes are also sources of political conflict in Britain. They are the powers of the second legislative chamber, the weakening links between parties and social groups, and the redrawing of electoral boundaries. All of them present problems for political reform in Britain, and understanding the role they played in the two political crises of 2013 is important for future reform in Britain.
Ethiopia: An Emerging Family Planning Success Story
Authors: Olson David J. , Piller Andrew
Published: December 2013

From 1990 to 2011, contraceptive use in Ethiopia increased ninefold and the total fertility rate fell from 7.0 to 4.8. These are two dramatic illustrations of a family planning success story that has emerged over the last two decades and is still emerging. What are the main elements of this success? We posit that the four most significant factors are: political will, generous donor support, nongovernmental and public–private partnerships, and the government's establishment of a network of health extension workers. In this study, we look at these factors and how their interaction increased the proportion of women having both the desire to use and ability to access contraceptives. Also highlighted are some of the key lessons learned in Ethiopia that are relevant to other African countries interested in emulating the country's success.
Meiotic chromosome number and behavior of Matthiola shehbazii sp. nov. (Brassicaceae, Anchonieae) from central Iran
Authors: Ranjbar Massoud , Karami Somayeh
Published: December 2013

Matthiola shehbazii Ranjbar & Karami (Brassicaceae) from Markazi Province, central Iran is described as a new species. Diagnostic characters, description, and taxonomic comments on the species are given. The geographical distribution of the new species is also mapped. The IUCN threat category and observations on its population are noted. Its morphological characteristics are compared with M. ovatifolia Boiss. as the most closely related species. Matthiola shehbazii is an allotetraploid plant and possesses 2n = 4x = 24 chromosomes, consistent with the proposed dibasic numbers of x = 6 and x = 7. The general meiotic behavior in the new species was nearly regular, with bivalent pairing and normal chromosome segregation at meiosis. However, some meiotic abnormalities were observed in the species including bridges and laggards. Results from morphology and chromosome count supported the separation of M. shehbazii as a new distinctive species.