bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of forest residues in the accounting for the global warming potential of bioenergy
Authors: Guest Geoffrey , Cherubini Francesco , Strømman Anders Hammer
Published: October 2012

Bioenergy makes up a significant portion of the global primary energy pie, and its production from modernized technology is foreseen to substantially increase. The climate neutrality of biogenic CO2 emissions from bioenergy grown from sustainably managed biomass resource pools has recently been questioned. The temporary change caused in atmospheric CO2 concentration from biogenic carbon fluxes was found to be largely dependent on the length of biomass rotation period. In this work, we also show the importance of accounting for the unutilized biomass that is left to decompose in the resource pool and how the characterization factor for the climate impact of biogenic CO2 emissions changes whether residues are removed for bioenergy or not. With the case of Norwegian Spruce biomass grown in Norway, we found that significantly more biogenic CO2 emissions should be accounted towards contributing to global warming potential when residues are left in the forest. For a 100‐year time horizon, the global warming potential bio factors suggest that between 44 and 62% of carbon‐flux, neutral biogenic CO2 emissions at the energy conversion plant should be attributed to causing equivalent climate change potential as fossil‐based CO2 emissions. For a given forest residue extraction scenario, the same factor should be applied to the combustion of any combination of stem and forest residues. Life cycle analysis practitioners should take these impacts into account and similar region/species specific factors should be developed.
Effects of ecological, landscape and management factors on plant species composition, biodiversity and forage value in Alpine meadows
Authors: Gusmeroli F. , Della Marianna G. , Fava F. , Monteiro A. , Bocchi S. , Parolo G.
Published: October 2012

Due to decades of loss of grassland diversity across Europe, there is a need to identify factors affecting species composition and diversity in managed meadows. The aim of the current study was to assess how ecological, landscape and management factors may affect plant species composition, biodiversity and forage value in Alpine hay meadows. Species composition, Shannon index and forage value were obtained from phytosociological relevés. Twenty explanatory variables were selected from a set of ecological, landscape and management factors. Their effects on plant species composition, Shannon index and forage value were analysed by applying the variation partitioning approach. Plant species composition was related to sixteen factors, explaining 35·6% of the variability. Shannon index and forage value were related to eleven factors, explaining 47·8 and 40·8% of their total variation respectively. Ecological factors were the main set explaining species composition and diversity, whereas none of the three individual groups of factors (ecological, landscape, management) significantly explained variability within forage value. Overall, the effects of the three groups of factors accounted for 70% of the total variability in plant species composition, but less than half that of Shannon index and of forage value.
Involving service users in the development of the Support at Home: Interventions to Enhance Life in Dementia Carer Supporter Programme for family carers of people with dementia
Authors: Burnell Karen J. , Selwood Amber , Sullivan Theresa , Charlesworth Georgina M. , Poland Fiona , Orrell Martin
Published: October 2012

Background

Involving service users in research can be an effective way of improving the practicalities and acceptability of interventions for target end users.

Objectives

The current paper presented two consensus methods, not commonly used in consultation with service users, to develop a peer support intervention for family carers of people with dementia (SHIELD Carer Supporter Programme).

Design

Study 1 was a modified Delphi process combined with a consensus conference to explore details of the intervention from the carer and volunteer perspective. Study 2 was an anonymous reader consultation to develop informed consent documents for the intervention trial. Median scores were used to measure and establish consensus. Open‐ended responses were thematically analysed.

Setting and participants

Study 1: twenty‐five delegates participated (eight were current/former carers) in the first round Delphi questionnaire, with 21 attending the conference. Five completed the Round 2 questionnaire. Study 2: six family carers and 11 people with dementia took part in the consultation.

Results

Study 1: the role of the peer supporters was developed in terms of relational and practical aspects of the intervention. Study 2: changes were made to the documents, reflecting service user input, but the effectiveness of this less discursive type of service user involvement was unclear.

Discussion and conclusions

Study 1 methods allowed for service users to contribute significantly and meaningfully, but maybe limiting some design innovation. Study 2 took a more traditional and less collaborative approach. This has implications for balancing the needs of the research with meaningful service user involvement in research.
Promoter hypermethylation contributes to TIMP3 down‐regulation in high stage endometrioid endometrial carcinomas
Authors: Catasus Lluis , Pons Cristina , Muñoz Josefina , Espinosa Iñigo , Prat Jaime
Published: October 2012

Aims

Expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases‐3 (TIMP‐3) has been found to be decreased in several types of cancer by promoter gene hypermethylation. However, little is known regarding the silencing effect of TIMP3 promoter hypermethylation on gene and protein expression in endometrial carcinomas and its prognostic significance.

Methods and results

TIMP3 promoter hypermethylation and gene copy number variations were evaluated using a methylation‐specific multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification approach in 60 cases of endometrioid endometrial carcinomas. TIMP3 expression was also evaluated at the transcript and protein levels. Loss of TIMP‐3 protein expression was found in 44 (73%) of 60 carcinomas. Promoter hypermethylation was identified in 25% (15 of 60); was more frequent in stages II–IV (55%, six of 11) than in stage I (18%, nine of 49; P = 0.021); and was found more commonly in tumours with deep myometrial invasion. MLH1 and TIMP3 promoters were hypermethylated simultaneously in the same group of tumours (P < 0.001). A correlation between TIMP3 methylation and microsatellite instability (MSI) was found (P = 0.005). TIMP3 copy number changes were frequently a loss (35%), whereas a gain was detected in only 5%.

Conclusions

TIMP3 promoter hypermethylation was associated with high stage endometrioid endometrial tumours with extrauterine spread. Nevertheless, promoter hypermethylation and loss of heterozygosity are not the only mechanisms for TIMP3 inactivation.
A unified concept for comparison of seismograms using transfer functions
Authors: Kennett Brian L. N. , Fichtner Andreas
Published: October 2012

The comparison of seismograms plays a central role in seismology in diverse ways such as relative time-shifts, propagation effects between stations for a common source, and inversion for source or structural studies. Different measures for comparison have been used in the various situations, but all can be linked by the use of the concept of a transfer operator between a reference seismogram and a comparator trace. Transfer operators are implicit in various methods of phase velocity estimation, receiver functions and anisotropy studies, and measures for estimating arrival times and amplitude variations.

Such transfer operators have a number of important roles; first they allow a visual assessment of the similarities of seismograms, secondly they provide a useful description of propagation effects for a common source in terms of the evolution from a reference station, and thirdly the transfer operator provides a means of representing seismogram differences in inversion without dominance by the largest amplitude arrivals.

Whereas many time-domain measures of the degree of fit between an observed seismogram and the corresponding synthetic seismogram depend on the difference between the traces, which can be readily disturbed by minor misalignment, the transfer operator can readily represent a time offset while retaining a suitable measure of the similarities between the traces.

The transfer operator concept can be applied with weighting or windowing of seismograms, and can be expressed in the time and frequency domains, or even in frequency time. This approach provides a means of representing and quantifying differences in the character of two seismograms that are visually apparent, in the time or frequency domain, but which get suppressed in any single measure of fit.

We show how transfer operators can be usefully employed in many aspects of seismology with emphasis on frequency-domain representations at low frequency, and the time domain for higher frequency applications. We can express the general goal of inversion as the reduction of the transfer operator between observed and synthetic seismograms to the identity, thereby avoiding dominance by the largest arrivals and enhancing the influence of the full range of propagation processes. Broad classes of measures for comparison of times of arrival and amplitudes with quasi-linear properties can be constructed from the transfer operators through the use of a simple weighting function. This versatility highlights the unifying character of the transfer operator; and greatly simplifies the design of measurements targeted at specific aspects of the Earth's structure.
The effect of consumption of inulin‐enriched Turrón upon blood serum lipids over a 5‐week period
Authors: Garcia‐Garcia Elena , Narbona Elena , Carbonell‐Barrachina Ángel A. , Sanchez‐Soriano Joaquin , Roche Enrique
Published: October 2012

This study analysed the effects of consuming 30 g per day of ‘Jijona turrón’, a traditional Spanish Christmas nougat‐type confection, on the circulating lipid parameters. Turrón is made of toasted almonds, honey and sugar. To make this product more appealing to consumers who need to control their lipid or glucose levels, a new product containing inulin was developed. Macro‐ and micronutrient contents were similar in both turrón with (JTI) or without (JT) inulin. A study with thirty‐two volunteers was conducted, with a daily consumption of 30 g of either inulin‐containing or not‐inulin‐containing turrón for a total of 5 weeks. At the beginning and at the end of the study, the circulating lipid parameters were quantified. The volunteers consuming both types of products maintained their circulating cholesterol within normal levels; however, consumers of JT presented a slightly but significant 8% decrease in LDL cholesterol level. On the other hand, the group consuming JTI maintained the levels of glycosylated haemoglobin, while volunteers consuming JT presented low but significantly higher levels of glycosylated haemoglobin.
Effect of roasting on colour and volatile composition of pistachios (Pistacia vera L.)
Authors: Hojjati Mohammad , Calín‐Sánchez Ángel , Razavi Seyed Hadi , Carbonell‐Barrachina Ángel A.
Published: October 2012

Pistachios have been roasted following the Iranian traditional method (soaking in salty water, drying and roasting at 135 °C). Three Iranian pistachio cultivars (Ahmad Aghaei, Akbari and Kaleghouchi) were compared for their volatile compositions, colour and odour intensity. Lightness decreased in the course of roasting, which resulted from Maillard reaction. Raw pistachios had lower concentrations of most volatiles than roasted. A total of twenty‐six compounds were detected in roasted pistachios; these included aldehydes, terpenes, alcohols and only two pyrazines and one furan. These mixtures of volatiles implied that the Iranian roasting system is very soft, and samples retained most of the vegetable notes from fresh pistachios and some roasted notes were generated as well (from 2‐ethyl‐5‐methylpyrazine and 2,6‐dimethyl‐3‐ethylpyrazine). Sample from cultivar Akbari presented higher odour intensity than those by the other two cultivars, due mainly to higher concentrations of pyrazines developed during the roasting step.
Preventing constipation: a review of the laxative potential of food ingredients
Authors: Gélinas Pierre
Published: October 2012

Constipation is a highly prevalent and difficult‐to‐cure health problem, forcing 10–20% of the worldwide population to seek medical care. Efficacy of treatments varies greatly among individuals, and problems are becoming more frequent despite higher consumption of fibre‐rich foods, the most popular solution for preventing such gastrointestinal disorders. The evidence that consumption of fibre prevents and relieves constipation is unconvincing or uncertain. The food industry has made great efforts to develop fibre‐rich ingredients, especially those from food by‐products and wastes. Except for psyllium and wheat bran, most of these ingredients have intermediate or low laxative potential and their efficacy needs to be confirmed by more clinical studies. This review suggests that there are major discrepancies between the proposed fibre‐enriched ingredients and the consumers' needs. As a lasting solution to prevent constipation, the true impact of dietary fibre and potent food‐grade laxatives might also be limited by overeating.
Potential hypoglycaemic effects of insoluble fibres isolated from foxtail millets [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauvois]
Authors: Bangoura Mohamed Lamine , Nsor‐Atindana John , Zhu Kexue , Tolno Michel Bono , Zhou Huiming , Wei Peng
Published: October 2012

Insoluble fibres were isolated from the two varieties of foxtail millet (white and yellow) grains and evaluated for their hypoglycaemic effects by in vitro studies. The hypoglycaemic effects of these fibres were compared with those of commercial soy insoluble fibre. The results revealed that minimum and maximum amounts of glucose were adsorbed on each sample at 10 and 200 μmol g−1 glucose concentrations respectively, indicating that the glucose adsorption capacity (GAC) of the fibre materials was proportional to glucose concentration for all samples. There was significant (P < 0.05) difference among all the fibre materials in relation to their GAC values. In the case of the effects of the fibres on glucose diffusion, the millets' insoluble fibres performed better than that of the commercial soy insoluble fibres. The glucose dialysis retardation indexes at the end of the maximum dialysis time were 1.1%, 27.4% and 22.6% for soy bean insoluble fibre, white foxtail millet insoluble fibre and yellow foxtail millet insoluble fibre in that order. The study showed that hypoglycaemic effects of yellow and white foxtail millet fibres were comparable to the commercial soy insoluble fibre.
Characterisation of soy extract processed under different drying methods and extraction conditions
Authors: Fasolin Luiz H. , Cunha Rosiane L.
Published: October 2012

Soybean extract (SE), enriched in soy soluble polysaccharide (SSPS), was evaluated in three different conditions varying in extraction temperature and drying process: SE‐A −80 °C, freeze‐dried, SE‐B −80 °C, spray‐dried, SE‐C −95 °C, spray‐dried. Spray‐dried SE presented lower moisture content, smaller and more uniform particles. In addition, zeta potential showed the same negative surface charge for all extracts showing the prevailing behaviour of SSPS. Moreover, all biopolymers were composed of three main molecular weight (Mw) fractions, but the Mw distribution was different between the three ingredients, reflecting their rheological behaviour in aqueous solution. Higher mean Mw led to enhanced apparent viscosity observed in neutral and acid pH for SE‐A, followed by ‐B and ‐C, respectively. The inverse behaviour was observed for intrinsic viscosity at neutral pH. However, SE‐C showed lower intrinsic viscosity at acid pH, which was attributed to protein–polysaccharide interaction presents in the solution.
Proof of concept for a novel insecticide bioassay based on sugar feeding by adult Aedes aegypti (Stegomyia aegypti)
Authors: STELL F. M. , ROE R. M. , ARELLANO C. , KENNEDY L. , THORNTON H. , SAAVEDRA‐RODRIGUEZ K. , WESSON D. M. , BLACK W. C. , APPERSON C. S.
Published: October 2012

Aedes aegypti L. (Stegomyia aegypti) (Diptera: Culicidae) is the principal vector of dengue and yellow fever viruses in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Disease management is largely based on mosquito control achieved by insecticides applied to interior resting surfaces and through space sprays. Population monitoring to detect insecticide resistance is a significant component of integrated disease management programmes. We developed a bioassay method for assessing insecticide susceptibility based on the feeding activity of mosquitoes on plant sugars. Our prototype sugar‐insecticide feeding bioassay system was composed of inexpensive, disposable components, contained minimal volumes of insecticide, and was compact and highly transportable. Individual mosquitoes were assayed in a plastic cup that contained a sucrose‐permethrin solution. Trypan blue dye was added to create a visual marker in the mosquito's abdomen for ingested sucrose‐permethrin solution. Blue faecal spots provided further evidence of solution ingestion. With the sugar‐insecticide feeding bioassay, the permethrin susceptibility of Ae. aegypti females from two field‐collected strains was characterized by probit analysis of dosage‐response data. The field strains were also tested by forced contact of females with permethrin residues on filter paper. Dosage‐response patterns were similar, indicating that the sugar‐insecticide feeding bioassay had appropriately characterized the permethrin susceptibility of the two strains.
Medicago truncatula as a model host for studying legume infecting Rhizoctonia solani and identification of a locus affecting resistance to root canker
Authors: Anderson J. P. , Lichtenzveig J. , Oliver R. P. , Singh K. B.
Published: October 2012

The broad‐host‐range necrotizing fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani is responsible for economically significant diseases to crops as diverse as wheat, maize, barley, canola, sugar beet, potato, soyabean, bean, lupin and alfalfa. Germplasm screens in many of the crop hosts have not identified strong genetic resistance which, together with the lack of effective control, mean the pathogen remains a substantial problem for agriculture in many parts of the world. Following the establishment of a robust inoculation assay, a germplasm collection of the model legume Medicago truncatula was screened with various legume‐infecting isolates of R. solani. While some significant differences in susceptibility/resistance were detected between some lines, in the majority of cases M. truncatula was susceptible to R. solani. Comparison of a legume‐ and cereal‐infecting AG8 isolate with a legume‐specific AG11 isolate revealed no difference in pathogenicity between the two isolates when infecting M. truncatula. The most significant differences in susceptibility occurred with an AG6 isolate, which caused root canker. This included significant differences between the moderate resistance of the M. truncatula reference genotype A17 and the high susceptibility of line A20. The analysis of a recombinant inbred line population derived from A17 and A20 revealed a single locus contributing to the resistance in A17. Interestingly, the locus only affected the development of post‐emergent (late) symptoms, such as necrosis of cotyledons at 11 days after inoculation and root‐ and above‐ground‐weights, but not pre‐emergent seedling damping off. These findings pave the way for further studies to dissect the genetic and molecular mechanisms of resistance.
Familial facial papules
Authors: Fuller Erin N. , Garcia Miki S. , Fung Maxwell A. , Eisen Daniel B.
Published: October 2012

What is your diagnosis?
Allium fistulosum as a novel system to investigate mechanisms of freezing resistance
Authors: Tanino Karen K. , Kobayashi Shion , Hyett Craig , Hamilton Kaila , Liu Jun , Li Bin , Borondics Ferenc , Pedersen Tor , Tse John , Ellis Tom , Kawamura Yukio , Uemura Matsuo
Published: October 2012

Allium fistulosum was investigated as a novel model system to examine the mechanism of freezing resistance in cold hardy plants. The 250 × 50 × 90 µm average cell size and single epidermal cell layer system allowed direct observation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER), functional group localization during acclimation, freezing and thawing on an individual cell basis in live intact tissues. Cells increased freezing resistance from an LT50 of −11°C (non‐acclimated) to −25°C under 2 weeks of cold acclimation. Samples were processed using Fourier transform infrared technology (FTIR) on a synchrotron light source and a focal plane array detector. In addition, confocal fluorescent microscopy combined with a cryostage using ER selective dye of ER‐Tracker allowed more detailed examination of membrane responses during freezing. Cold acclimation increased the ER volume per cell, and the freeze‐induced cell deformation stopped ER streaming and ER vesiculation subsequently occurred through the breakdown in the ER network. Freeze‐induced ER vesicles in cold‐acclimated cells were larger and more abundant than those in non‐acclimated cells. According to FTIR, the carbohydrate/ester fraction and α‐helical/β‐sheet secondary structure localized in the apoplast/plasma membrane region were most visibly increased during cold acclimation. Results suggest the mechanism of cold acclimation and freezing resistance in very hardy cells may be associated with both alterations in the apoplast/plasma membrane region and the ER cryodynamics. Allium fistulosum appears to be a useful system to obtain direct evidence at both intra and extracellular levels during cold acclimation and the freezing process.
Effects of psychosocial program for preparing long‐term hospitalized patients with schizophrenia for discharge from hospital: Randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sato Sayaka , Ikebuchi Emi , Anzai Nobuo , Inoue Shimpei
Published: October 2012

Aim

The aims of the present study were to revise the Community Re‐entry Program–Japanese version and to review the effectiveness of the revised Program, named the Discharge Preparation Program.

Methods

This study was a randomized controlled trial. The Discharge Preparation Program (DPP) was the intervention condition (n = 26), and the usual rehabilitation program was the control condition (n = 23). Outcome indicators included factors that make patient discharge difficult (which nurses evaluated), psychiatric symptom, knowledge about the illness or medication, and the number of patients who were discharged within 6 months after the end of a program.

Results

Significant improvements were found in the score of the ‘Issues on treatment compliance’ factor and the score of the ‘Autistic life’ factor, which are subscales of the Discharge Difficulty Scale, for the DPP group, on two‐way ANOVA (‘Issues on treatment compliance’: F = 3.818, P < 0.10; ‘Autistic life’: F = 4.155, P < 0.05) These factors affected discharge outcome. Thus, the program may be capable of promoting discharge of long‐term hospitalized psychiatric patients. With regard to the number of patients discharged in 6 months after the end of a program, there was no significant difference between both groups.

Conclusion

The present result is in agreement with past studies, and the DPP is useful in discharge support for patients with schizophrenia in Japan.
Health care‐associated pneumonia in haemodialysis patients: Clinical outcomes in patients treated with narrow versus broad spectrum antibiotic therapy
Authors: TAYLOR STEPHANIE PARKS , TAYLOR BRICE T.
Published: October 2012

Background and objective:  Although the 2005 American Thoracic Society/Infectious Disease Society of America antibiotic guidelines classify pneumonia occurring in patients receiving chronic haemodialysis as health care‐associated pneumonia (HCAP), and thus recommend treatment with broad‐spectrum antibiotics for these patients, little data support this classification. We compared clinical outcomes in haemodialysis patients hospitalized with pneumonia, who were treated with broad‐spectrum antibiotics versus narrow‐spectrum antibiotics.

Methods:  One hundred twenty‐five haemodialysis patients with pneumonia met eligibility criteria. Categorization into the community‐acquired pneumonia (CAP) group or HCAP group was based on antibiotic therapy patients received. Time to oral therapy, time to clinical stability, length of stay and mortality were compared.

Results:  CAP and HCAP patients did not differ in Pneumonia Severity Index and Charlson Comorbidity index scores, but HCAP patients were more likely to meet criteria for severe pneumonia. Patients treated with HCAP therapy had a significantly longer time to oral therapy than CAP patients (9.2 vs 3.2 days, P < 0.001) and a significantly longer length of stay (11.9 vs 5.1 days, P < 0.001). Time to clinical stability was marginally longer in the HCAP group (3.1 vs 2.4 days, P = 0.07). Patients treated with HCAP therapy had longer continuation of intravenous antibiotics after reaching clinical stability (5.5 vs 0.78 days, P < 0.001).

Conclusions:  This study is the first to our knowledge to describe clinical outcomes in patients with haemodialysis as their only HCAP risk factor. Narrow‐spectrum antibiotics may be safe in haemodialysis patients with no other HCAP risk factors. HCAP therapy delayed de‐escalation to oral antibiotics was associated with increased duration of intravenous antibiotics and length of stay.
Clinical profile of people referred to mental health nurses under the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program
Authors: Meehan Tom , Robertson Samantha
Published: October 2012

The Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program (MHNIP) was established in Australia during 2007. The program enables mental health nurses to work in partnership with general practitioners (GPs) in the assessment and treatment of people with severe mental health problems. This paper provides insights into the demographic and clinical profile of 403 people enrolled in the MHNIP in the Ipswich area of Queensland. The clinical presentation (illness severity and symptoms) of those referred to the MHNIP is compared to that of: (i) people referred to a related program known as Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS); and (ii) to clients admitted to acute inpatient care in Queensland. While people referred to the MHNIP presented with more severe problems than those referred to ATAPS, they had less severe problems than those admitted to acute inpatient care. The findings indicate that the MHNIP is meeting the needs of people with complex mental and physical health problems. Further evaluation work is required to determine if the findings from this study can be generalized more broadly. At the national level, consideration should be given to the routine collection of clinical, cost, and demographic data to enable the ongoing monitoring of the program.
Spatio‐temporal dynamics of anIps acuminatusoutbreak and implications for management
Authors: Colombari Fernanda , Schroeder Martin L. , Battisti Andrea , Faccoli Massimo
Published: October 2012

Understanding spatio‐temporal processes of bark beetle infestations is crucial for predicting beetle behaviour and aiding management decisions aiming to prevent or mitigate tree mortality. We recorded the spatial and temporal distribution of killed trees during the 5‐year period of anIps acuminatusoutbreak.

Killed trees were always grouped in well‐defined patches (infestation spots). In years of high population density, infestation spots were large and aggregated, whereas, in years of low density, infestation spots were small and weakly aggregated or randomly distributed within the study area.

Most trees were killed in the spring by beetles that had hibernated but, in some years, trees were also killed in the summer by new‐generation beetles originating from spring attacks. Spring‐killed trees always formed new infestation spots at new locations (i.e. spot proliferation). By contrast, summer‐killed trees always occurred at the edge of active spots established in the spring, thus resulting in spot growth.

With regard to management strategies, the results obtained in the present study suggest that areas located in close proximity to infestations of the previous year should be prioritized for risk assessment. Because large spots account for most of the observed tree mortality, the cut‐and‐remove method should be focused on these spots as soon as crown discoloration appears in the summer. If applied timely, this strategy will remove the new‐generation beetles originating from the spring attacks before they emerge and also reduce the risk of spot growth.
Cultivation of corneal epithelial cell sheets on canine amniotic membrane
Authors: Nam Eunryel , Takahashi Ayaka , Fujita Naoki , Tsuzuki Keiko , Nishimura Ryohei
Published: October 2012

Objective  To develop and assess canine corneal epithelial cell sheets cultivated from limbal stem cells on amniotic membrane.

Procedures  Canine corneal limbal segments were obtained from six beagle dogs. Cryopreserved denuded amniotic membranes (obtained from Miniature Dachshund and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breeds) from which the epithelial cells were removed were used as scaffolds. The limbal segments were cultured on these amniotic membranes with 3T3 feeder cells for 2 weeks. The harvested corneal epithelial cell sheets were stained with H&E for histologic analysis. The harvested sheets were analyzed immunohistochemically using a corneal epithelium‐specific marker keratin 3(K3) and putative stem cell markers ABCG2, p63, and vimentin.

Results  Cultivated cells from the corneal limbal tissues reached confluency in 7–8 days. The cultivated cells adhered to the denuded amniotic membrane and formed a sheet. The cultivated cell sheet was transparent and consisted of five to eight layers. K3 was observed in all layers and ABCG2, p63, and vimentin were notably present in the basal layer of the cultivated canine epithelium by immunofluorescence.

Conclusions  Canine corneal epithelial cells were successfully cultivated on the canine amniotic membrane. The cultivated epithelial sheets contained putative stem cells in the basal layer and had a stratified epithelium.
Characterization of ocular gland morphology and tear composition of pinnipeds
Authors: Davis Robin Kelleher , Doane Marshall G. , Knop Erich , Knop Nadja , Dubielzig Richard R. , Colitz Carmen M. H. , Argüeso Pablo , Sullivan David A.
Published: October 2012

Objective  The importance of tear film integrity to ocular health in terrestrial mammals is well established, however, in marine mammals, the role of the tear film in protection of the ocular surface is not known. In an effort to better understand the function of tears in maintaining health of the marine mammal eye surface, we examined ocular glands of the California sea lion and began to characterize the biochemical nature of the tear film of pinnipeds.

Procedures  Glands dissected from California sea lion eyelids and adnexa were examined for gross morphology, sectioned for microscopic analysis, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The tear film was examined using interferometry. Tears were collected from humans and pinnipeds for the analysis of protein and carbohydrate content.

Results  The sea lion has sebaceous glands in the lid, but these glands are different in size and orientation compared with typical meibomian glands of terrestrial mammals. Two other accessory ocular glands located dorsotemporally and medially appeared to be identical in morphology, with tubulo‐acinar morphology. An outer lipid layer on the ocular surface of the sea lion was not detected using interferometry, consistent with the absence of typical meibomian glands. Similar to human tears, the tears of pinnipeds contain several proteins but the ratio of carbohydrate to protein was greater than that in human tears.

Conclusions  Our findings indicate that the ocular gland architecture and biochemical nature of the tear film of pinnipeds have evolved to adapt to the challenges of an aquatic environment.
Canine ocular thelaziosis caused by Thelazia callipaeda in Portugal
Authors: Pimenta Paulo , Cardoso Luís , Pereira Maria J. , Maltez Luís , Coutinho Teresa , Alves Maria S. , Otranto Domenico
Published: October 2012

Ocular thelaziosis caused by Thelazia callipaeda is a vector‐borne disease affecting dogs and humans. We report a case of thelaziosis in a 10‐year‐old German Shepherd dog from Vila Real city (Portugal). Ophthalmological examination revealed bulbar and nictitating membrane conjunctival hyperemia with serous discharge noted at the left medial canthus and blepharitis. Schirmer tear test value and intraocular pressure were within the reference ranges in both eyes, and biomicroscopy showed a transparent cornea without lesions or edema and no inflammatory reaction in the anterior chamber. No funduscopic alterations were detected by direct and indirect ophthalmoscopic examination. When testing the nasolacrimal patency, two white worms were observed on the caruncle conjunctival surface with undulating movements that increased with light intensity. In total, eight worms were collected and morphologically identified as T. callipaeda (seven mature females and one male). PCR amplification of a 689 sequence of partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 target gene confirmed the nematodes were T. callipaeda, haplotype 1. The dog was treated with a single subcutaneous injection of ivermectin combined with additional topical application of ophthalmic fusidic acid drops and oral milbemycin oxime. One week after treatment, no worms were detected and the ocular clinical signs resolved. The most recent reports of canine thelaziosis in the Iberian Peninsula should alert local health authorities to the zoonotic potential of infestation with T. callipaeda, which should be included in the differential diagnosis of conjunctivitis in dogs and humans.
A facemask for gaseous anesthesia in laboratory rodents and chicks that allows easy access to the eyes for ophthalmic procedures
Authors: Bacellar Marianna , Querubin Janice , Petersen‐Jones Simon M.
Published: October 2012

Purpose  The purpose of this study is to report a method for making a cheap and effective anesthesia facemask for laboratory rodents and chicks that allows access to the eyes for ophthalmic procedures such as electroretinography (ERG) and optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods  The facemask is fabricated from a bulb syringe and a medicine dropper (Luvs®, Jamaica, NY) both intended for use in infants. The tip of the bulb syringe is removed to make a plastic cone (1.5 cm in length) to fit over the animal’s nose. The bulb is removed from the medicine dropper and a small hole on the side of bulb near the closed end made into which the narrow end of the plastic cone is fitted and the joint glued with a hot glue gun. The facemask is then attached over the anesthetic tubing.

Results  Following induction of anesthesia, the facemask and a nonrebreathing circuit (Baines system) are suitable to maintain anesthesia in laboratory rodents and chicks while allowing ready access to the eyes for ERG and OCT. The mask fits snuggly, reducing leakage of anesthetic gasses and it has a minimum of deadspace.

Conclusions  The materials required for making the facemask are cheap and readily available and it is easy to fabricate. We found it excellent for use with mice and chicks, and it allows easy access to the eyes for techniques such as ERG and OCT.
The accuracy of plant assemblage prediction from species distribution models varies along environmental gradients
Authors: Pottier Julien , Dubuis Anne , Pellissier Loïc , Maiorano Luigi , Rossier Leila , Randin Christophe F. , Vittoz Pascal , Guisan Antoine
Published: October 2012

Aim

Climatic niche modelling of species and community distributions implicitly assumes strong and constant climatic determinism across geographical space. We tested this assumption by assessing how stacked‐species distribution models (S‐SDMs) perform for predicting plant species assemblages along elevation gradients.

Location

The western Swiss Alps.

Methods

Using robust presence–absence data, we first assessed the ability of topo‐climatic S‐SDMs to predict plant assemblages in a study area encompassing a 2800‐m wide elevation gradient. We then assessed the relationships among several evaluation metrics and trait‐based tests of community assembly rules.

Results

The standard errors of individual SDMs decreased significantly towards higher elevations. Overall, the S‐SDM overpredicted far more than they underpredicted richness and could not reproduce the humpback curve along elevation. Overprediction was greater at low and mid‐range elevations in absolute values but greater at high elevations when standardized by the actual richness. Looking at species composition, overall prediction success, kappa and specificity increased with increasing elevation, while the Jaccard index and sensitivity decreased. The best overall evaluation – as driven by specificity – occurred at high elevation where species assemblages were shown to be subject to significant environmental filtering of small plants. In contrast, the decreased overall accuracy in the lowlands was associated with functional patterns representing any type of assembly rule (environmental filtering, limiting similarity or null assembly).

Main conclusions

We provide a thorough evaluation of S‐SDM emphasizing the need to carefully interpret standard evaluation metrics, which reflect different aspects of assemblage predictions. We further reported interesting patterns of change in S‐SDM errors with changes in assembly rules along elevation. Yet, significant levels of assemblage prediction errors occurred throughout the gradient, calling for further improvement of SDMs, e.g. by adding key environmental filters that act at fine scales and developing approaches to account for variations in the influence of predictors along environmental gradients.
Disaster management and the critical thinking skills of local emergency managers: correlations with age, gender, education, and years in occupation
Authors: Peerbolte Stacy L. , Collins Matthew Lloyd
Published: October 2012

Emergency managers must be able to think critically in order to identify and anticipate situations, solve problems, make judgements and decisions effectively and efficiently, and assume and manage risk. Heretofore, a critical thinking skills assessment of local emergency managers had yet to be conducted that tested for correlations among age, gender, education, and years in occupation. An exploratory descriptive research design, using the Watson–Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal‐Short Form (WGCTA‐S), was employed to determine the extent to which a sample of 54 local emergency managers demonstrated the critical thinking skills associated with the ability to assume and manage risk as compared to the critical thinking scores of a group of 4,790 peer‐level managers drawn from an archival WGCTA‐S database. This exploratory design suggests that the local emergency managers, surveyed in this study, had lower WGCTA‐S critical thinking scores than their equivalents in the archival database with the exception of those in the high education and high experience group.
‘The Ethiopian famine’ revisited: Band Aid and the antipolitics of celebrity humanitarian action
Authors: Müller Tanja R.
Published: October 2012

In many ways the Ethiopian famine of 1983–85 has served as a watershed with respect to humanitarian action. One of its lasting legacies has been the emergence of Band Aid and the subsequent increase in celebrity humanitarianism. A revisiting of the events of 1983–85 occurred in 2010 during a dispute in which it was alleged that a portion of the donations of Band Aid were spent on arms purchases. This paper takes this controversy as its starting point. It goes on to use the theoretical reflections of Giorgio Agamben to consider the dynamics that unfolded during the Ethiopian famine of 1983–85 and to analyse the underlying conceptualisation behind the emergence of Band Aid‐type celebrity humanitarianism. The paper concludes with some wider thoughts on how the in essence antipolitical agenda of celebrity humanitarian action is transported into the everyday understanding of ‘African disaster’, resulting ultimately in the perpetuation of hegemonic control by the global North.
L'Aquila's reconstruction challenges: has Italy learned from its previous earthquake disasters?
Authors: Özerdem Alpaslan , Rufini Gianni
Published: October 2012

Italy is an earthquake‐prone country and its disaster emergency response experiences over the past few decades have varied greatly, with some being much more successful than others. Overall, however, its reconstruction efforts have been criticised for being ad hoc, delayed, ineffective, and untargeted. In addition, while the emergency relief response to the L'Aquila earthquake of 6 April 2009—the primary case study in this evaluation—seems to have been successful, the reconstruction initiative got off to a very problematic start. To explore the root causes of this phenomenon, the paper argues that, owing to the way in which Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has politicised the process, the L'Aquila reconstruction endeavour is likely to suffer problems with local ownership, national/regional/municipal coordination, and corruption. It concludes with a set of recommendations aimed at addressing the pitfalls that may confront the L'Aquila reconstruction process over the next few years.
Infant Gaze Following During Parent–Infant Coviewing of Baby Videos
Authors: Demers Lindsay B. , Hanson Katherine G. , Kirkorian Heather L. , Pempek Tiffany A. , Anderson Daniel R.
Published: October 2012

A total of 122 parent–infant dyads were observed as they watched a familiar or novel infant‐directed video in a laboratory setting. Infants were between 12–15 and 18–21 months old. Infants were more likely to look toward the TV immediately following their parents' look toward the TV. This apparent social influence on infant looking at television was not solely due to the common influence of the television program on looking behavior. Moreover, infant looks that were preceded by parent looks tended to be longer in length than those that were not preceded by parent looks, suggesting that infants assign greater value to media content attended to by their parents. Thus, parental patterns of attention to television may influence early viewing behavior.
The Effects of Need for Cognition and Need for Affect on Partisan Evaluations
Authors: Arceneaux Kevin , Vander Wielen Ryan J.
Published: October 2012

The voting behavior literature has advanced two prominent theoretical models of partisanship: the social psychological and rational models. Implicit to both stylized models is the assumption that all partisans process information similarly. Yet, growing research in psychology suggests that individuals possess different motivations when evaluating information. We propose that the applicability of the stylized models of partisanship is conditioned on individuals' need for cognition (NFC) and need for affect (NFA), with the social psychological model being most applicable to individuals who have a high NFA and the rational model most applicable to those with a high NFC. To test this proposition, we fielded a survey in which respondents who identified with the two major political parties in the United States (Democrat or Republican) were randomly assigned factual information that depicted either their party or their opposing party in a negative light. Respondents were then asked to assess the actions of that party and subsequently evaluate both political parties. We find evidence that is generally consistent with the proposition that the stylized models of partisanship are conditionally dependent on the extent to which individuals possess a need to engage in effortful thinking or a need to seek out emotions.
Heaven's Talent Scout: Prime Ministerial Power, Ecclesiastical Patronage and the Governance of Britain
Authors: FLINDERS MATTHEW
Published: October 2012

In the last decade the role of the Prime Minister in the process for making senior Church appointments has changed significantly. The man who replaces Dr Rowan Williams—and it will be a man—will be appointed through a procedure in which the Prime Minister is expected to enjoy no choice but to simply confirm the Church of England's preferred candidate. The aim of this article is to draw upon fresh empirical research in order to explore why and how the politics and governance of ecclesiastical patronage has been recalibrated in this way. More importantly this article seeks to embed the study of ecclesiastical patronage within a much broader appreciation of how other forms of ministerial patronage have also become tightly constrained. This, in itself, forges a connection between the role of politicians in senior Church appointments, on the one hand, and a much richer and broader seam of research and writing that poses distinct questions about the nature of modern governance, the benefits of depoliticisation, the accountability of appointment commissions, the capacity of politicians and the future of democracy.
A NEW POLITICS OF GOVERNANCE OR AN OLD POLITICS OF CENTRAL–LOCAL RELATIONS? LABOUR'S REFORM OF SOCIAL HOUSING TENANCIES IN ENGLAND
Authors: LAFFIN MARTIN
Published: October 2012

This article questions the orthoxody that government has been eclipsed by governance and uses the reform of English social housing tenancies as a critical test of governance theory. The preconditions for governance exist in social housing as its delivery has been largely removed from local authorities and disaggregated into a multiplicity of non‐profit housing associations. Yet, contrary to the implications of governance theory, central policymakers have maintained their ascendancy over central‐local relations in the service delivery chain. Moreover, the political party, rather than any policy network, was the key source of policy change and its role is crucial in understanding how why and how the service delivery chain was reformed and the implications for social housing tenants as a dependent social group.
HEALTH SPENDING, OUT‐OF‐POCKET CONTRIBUTIONS, AND MORTALITY RATES
Authors: PLÜMPER THOMAS , NEUMAYER ERIC
Published: October 2012

Health policies seek to achieve conflicting objectives. We argue that the objective of saving lives is best served by a careful balancing of fairness and efficiency considerations. Open, fair, and equitable access to health care for all citizens will lower overall mortality rates by enabling the very poor and chronically ill to satisfy their demand for necessary health care. But it will also result in higher costs, not least by also increasing demand for irrelevant, unnecessary, and inefficient health care. This undesirable demand and its associated costs can be reduced by increasing out‐of‐pocket contributions paid for by patients. Such payments are unpopular, though, as they are regarded as regressive and damaging to health of the relatively poor. We argue that properly enacted, no such apparent trade‐offs exist. If the freed‐up resources are used for more life‐saving measures, then higher out‐of‐pocket contributions will lower overall mortality rates. However, this beneficial effect is conditional on what happens to total health spending. Ironically, out‐of‐pocket payments are most effective as health policies if they are not or only hardly used as a means of reducing total health expenditures. Our theoretical arguments are confirmed by an econometric analysis of aggregate mortality rates in OECD countries over the period 1984 to 2007.