bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acquired nasopharyngeal stenosis in a patient with sarcoidosis
Authors: Brodsky J R , Tatum S A , Kelley R T
Published: August 2012

Introduction:

Acquired nasopharyngeal stenosis typically occurs as a result of surgery or irradiation of the nasopharynx. Sarcoidosis has numerous manifestations in the head and neck region, although an association with nasopharyngeal stenosis has not previously been reported.

Case report:

A 40-year-old man with sarcoidosis developed severe acquired nasopharyngeal stenosis. This was successfully managed with balloon dilatation, followed by pharyngoplasty with local pharyngeal flap reconstruction.

Conclusion:

This report is intended to prompt consideration of nasopharyngeal stenosis as a potential cause of nasal obstruction in patients with sarcoidosis, and to draw attention to the need to consider sarcoidosis in the differential diagnosis of patients with acquired nasopharyngeal stenosis. We also demonstrate the viability of pharyngoplasty in the management of nasopharyngeal stenosis in the setting of sarcoidosis.
The receptive function of hypothalamic and brainstem centres to hormonal and nutrient signals affecting energy balance
Authors: Riediger Thomas
Published: August 2012

The hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) and the area postrema (AP) represent targets for hormonal and metabolic signals involved in energy homoeostasis, e.g. glucose, amylin, insulin, leptin, peptide YY (PYY), glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and ghrelin. Orexigenic neuropeptide Y expressing ARC neurons are activated by food deprivation and inhibited by feeding in a nutrient-dependent manner. PYY and leptin also reverse or prevent fasting-induced activation of the ARC. Interestingly, hypothalamic responses to fasting are blunted in different models of obesity (e.g. diet-induced obesity (DIO) or late-onset obesity). The AP also responds to feeding-related signals. The pancreatic hormone amylin acts via the AP to control energy intake. Amylin-sensitive AP neurons are also glucose-responsive. Furthermore, diet-derived protein attenuates amylin responsiveness suggesting a modulation of AP sensitivity by macronutrient supply. This review gives an overview of the receptive function of the ARC and the AP to hormonal and nutritional stimuli involved in the control of energy balance and the possible implications in the context of obesity. Collectively, there is consistency between the neurophysiological actions of these stimuli and their effects on energy homoeostasis under experimental conditions. However, surprisingly little progress has been made in the development of effective pharmacological approaches against obesity. A promising way to improve effectiveness involves combination treatments (e.g. amylin/leptin agonists). Hormonal alterations (e.g. GLP-1 and PYY) are also considered to mediate body weight loss observed in obese patients receiving bariatric surgery. The effects of hormonal and nutritional signals and their interactions might hold the potential to develop poly-mechanistic therapeutic strategies against obesity.
Integrative molecular phylogeography in the context of infectious diseases on the human-animal interface
Authors: GRAY REBECCA R. , SALEMI MARCO
Published: August 2012

The rate of new emerging infectious diseases entering the human population has increased over the past century, with pathogens originating from animals or from products of animal origin accounting for the vast majority. Primary risk factors for the emergence and spread of emerging zoonoses include expansion and intensification of animal agriculture and long-distance live animal transport, live animal markets, bushmeat consumption and habitat destruction. Developing effective control strategies is contingent upon the ability to test causative hypotheses of disease transmission within a statistical framework. Broadly speaking, molecular phylogeography offers a framework in which specific hypotheses regarding pathogen gene flow and dispersal within an ecological context can be compared. A number of different methods has been developed for this application. Here, our intent is firstly to discuss the application of a wide variety of statistically based methods (including Bayesian reconstruction, network parsimony analysis and regression) to specific viruses (influenza, salmon anaemia virus, foot and mouth disease and Rift Valley Fever) that have been associated with animal farming/movements; and secondly to place them in the larger framework of the threat of potential zoonotic events as well as the economic and biosecurity implications of pathogen outbreaks among our animal food sources.
Cellular and biochemical characterization of two closely related triosephosphate isomerases fromTrichomonas vaginalis
Authors: FIGUEROA-ANGULO ELISA E. , ESTRELLA-HERNÁNDEZ PRISCILA , SALGADO-LUGO HOLJES , OCHOA-LEYVA ADRIÁN , GÓMEZ PUYOU ARMANDO , CAMPOS SILVIA S. , MONTERO-MORAN GABRIELA , ORTEGA-LÓPEZ JAIME , SAAB-RINCÓN GLORIA , ARROYO ROSSANA , BENÍTEZ-CARDOZA CLAUDIA G. , BRIEBA LUIS G.
Published: August 2012

The glycolytic enzyme triosephosphate isomerase catalyses the isomerization between glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate. Here we report thatTrichomonas vaginaliscontains 2 fully functionaltpigenes. Both genes are located in separated chromosomal context with different promoter regulatory elements and encode ORFs of 254 amino acids; the only differences between them are the character of 4 amino acids located inα-helices 1, 2 and 8. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR assays showed thattpi2transcript is approximately 3·3-fold more abundant thantpi1. Using an anti-TvTIM2 polyclonal antibody it was demonstrated that TIM proteins have a cytoplasmic localization and both enzymes are able to complement anEscherichia colistrain carrying a deletion of its endogenoustpigene. Both TIM proteins assemble as dimers and their secondary structure assessment is essentially identical to TIM fromSaccharomyces cerevisiae. The kinetic catalytic constants of the recombinant enzymes using glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate as substrate are similar to the catalytic constants of TIMs from other organisms including parasitic protozoa. AsT. vaginalisdepends on glycolysis for ATP production, we speculate 2 possible reasons to maintain a duplicatedtpicopy on its genome: an increase in gene dosage or an early event of neofunctionalization of TIM as a moonlighting protein.
Parasite burden and the insect immune response: interpopulation comparison
Authors: KAUNISTO KARI M. , SUHONEN JUKKA
Published: August 2012

The immune response affects host's survival and reproductive success. Insurmountable immune function has not evolved because it is costly and there is a trade-off between other life-history traits. In previous studies several factors such as diet and temperature have been proposed to cause interpopulation differences in immune response. Moreover, the insect immune system may be functionally more protective upon secondary exposure, thus infection history may associate with the immune response. Here we measured how geographical location and parasite burden is related to variation in immune response between populations. We included 13 populations of the Northern DamselflyCoenagrion hastulatum(Odonata: Coenagrionidae) in Finland over a latitudinal range of 880 km to this study. We found that water mites associated strongly with the immune response at interpopulation level: the more the mites, the higher the immune response. Also, in an alternative model based on AIC, latitude and individual size associated with the immune response. In turn, endoparasitic gregarines did not affect the immune response. To conclude, a positive interpopulation association between the immune response and the rate of water mite infection may indicate (i) local adaptation to chronic parasite stress, (ii) effective ‘induced’ immune response against parasites, or (iii) a combined effect of both of these.
Does Widespread Lack Undermine the Socially Perceived Necessities Approach to Defining Poverty? Evidence from South Africa
Authors: WRIGHT GEMMA , NOBLE MICHAEL
Published: August 2012

The socially perceived necessities or ‘consensual’ approach to defining and measuring poverty is based on an assumption that it is possible to obtain a collective view from society on the necessities for an acceptable standard of living. The enforced lack of the necessities due – typically – to lack of resources can be regarded as poverty. The validity of the approach has been questioned on a number of grounds including the argument that people's socio-economic circumstances may influence what they define as a necessity. Widespread lack of material possessions and access to services could result in these items being regarded as ‘less necessary’, which in turn could artificially deflate the definition of poverty using this approach. Informed by the adaptive preferences literature and drawing on a nationally representative South African Socially Attitudes Survey this paper explores whether there is evidence in South Africa of an association between people's patterns of possession and their definition of items as essential. Notwithstanding the fact that possession of an item is strongly associated with people's preferences, the evidence on balance suggests that widespread lack does not undermine the validity of the approach.
Can evolution provide perfectly optimal solutions for a universal model of reading?
Authors: Behme Christina
Published: August 2012

Frost has given us good reason to question the universality of existing computational models of reading. Yet, he has not provided arguments showing that all languages share fundamental and invariant reading universals. His goal of outlining the blueprint principles for a universal model of reading is premature. Further, it is questionable whether natural evolution can provide the optimal solutions that Frost invokes.
The study of orthographic processing has broadened research in visual word recognition
Authors: Whitney Carol
Published: August 2012

Interest in orthographic processing reflects an expansion, not constriction, of the scope of research in visual word recognition (VWR). Transposition effects are merely one aspect of investigations into orthographic encoding, while open bigrams can accommodate differences across languages. The target article's inaccurate characterization of the study of orthographic processing is not conducive to the advancement of VWR research.
An even more universal model of reading: Various effects of orthography on dyslexias
Authors: Friedmann Naama , Gvion Aviah
Published: August 2012

The properties of a specific orthography dictate the way people read it. We bring considerations from dyslexia to suggest that the claim can be extended further. First, the effect of orthographic neighborhood density can be extended beyond letter-position encoding and beyond the orthographic lexicon. Second, Hebrew and Arabic differ with respect to letter forms, and hence, in letter-position encoding.
Flexible letter-position coding is unlikely to hold for morphologically rich languages
Authors: Hyönä Jukka , Bertram Raymond
Published: August 2012

We agree with Frost that flexible letter-position coding is unlikely to be a universal property of word recognition across different orthographies. We argue that it is particularly unlikely in morphologically rich languages like Finnish. We also argue that dual-route models are not overly flexible and that they are well equipped to adapt to the linguistic environment at hand.
Orthographic consistency and parafoveal preview benefit: A resource-sharing account of language differences in processing of phonological and semantic codes
Authors: Laubrock Jochen , Hohenstein Sven
Published: August 2012

Parafoveal preview benefit (PB) is an implicit measure of lexical activation in reading. PB has been demonstrated for orthographic and phonological but not for semantically related information in English. In contrast, semantic PB is obtained in German and Chinese. We propose that these language differences reveal differential resource demands and timing of phonological and semantic decoding in different orthographic systems.
Visual perceptual limitations on letter position uncertainty in reading
Authors: Martelli Marialuisa , Burani Cristina , Zoccolotti Pierluigi
Published: August 2012

Frost presents an explanatory theory of reading that generalizes across several languages, based on a revised role of orthographic coding. Perceptual and psychophysical evidence indicates a decay of letter position encoding as a function of the eccentricity of letters (crowding); this factor may account for some of the differences in the languages considered by Frost.
Thru but not wisht: Language, writing, and universal reading theory
Authors: Perfetti Charles
Published: August 2012

Languages may get the writing system they deserve or merely a writing system they can live with – adaption without optimization. A universal theory of reading reflects the general dependence of writing on language and the adaptations required by the demands of specific languages and their written forms. The theory also can be informed by research that addresses a specific language and orthography, gaining universality through demonstrating adaptations to language and writing input.
Rethinking phonological theories of reading
Authors: Rastle Kathleen
Published: August 2012

One key insight of Frost's target article is that morphology has priority over phonology in writing and in cognitive processing. I argue that this insight raises challenges for theories that put phonology at the heart of the reading process. Instead, it highlights the potential importance of a morphemically based visual pathway to meaning in this process.
Phono-morpho-orthographic construal: The view from spelling
Authors: Ravid Dorit
Published: August 2012

A spelling model which has evolved in the parallel universe of spelling research resonates with Frost's reading model. Like reading, spelling cannot be based solely on phonology or orthography, but should accommodate all linguistic facets. The cognitive domain of spelling does not take place at the level of single grapheme or phoneme or syllable, but rather, at the lexical level.
Does a focus on universals represent a new trend in word recognition?
Authors: Feldman Laurie Beth , Moscoso del Prado Martín Fermín
Published: August 2012

Comparisons across languages have long been a means to investigate universal properties of the cognitive system. Although differences between languages may be salient, it is the underlying similarities that have advanced our understanding of language processing. Frost is not unique in emphasizing that the interaction among linguistic codes reinforces the inadequacy of constructing a model of word recognition where orthographic processes operate in isolation.
The case of the neglected alphasyllabary: Orthographic processing in Devanagari
Authors: Rao Chaitra , Soni Shweta , Chatterjee Singh Nandini
Published: August 2012

We applaud Ram Frost for highlighting the need for multicultural perspectives while developing universal models of visual word recognition. We second Frost's proposal that factors like lexical morphology should be incorporated besides purely orthographic features in modeling word recognition. In support, we provide fresh evidence from Hindi (written in Devanagari), an example of hitherto under-represented alphasyllabic orthographies, in which flexible encoding of akṣara (character) position is constrained by the morphological structure of words.
(Un)Covering Artistic Thought Unfolding
Authors: Bleeker Maaike A.
Published: August 2012

“What does it mean to reconstruct a dance?” wonders Martin Nachbar in his text “Training Remembering.” Following Henri Bergson, he proposes an explanation in terms of images that are actualized in ways that involve not only the visual sense, but also hearing, touch, and proprioception. Remembering something is actualizing it through the senses. Such sensory actualization is instrumental not only to literally remember moments from our own past, but also to our modes of engaging with the thoughts, ideas, experiences, and creations of others. In this process, Nachbar observes, our own body, with its movement knowledge and experiences, becomes the frame through which remembering takes shape, while at the same time this frame may be questioned and trained anew within the process.
Proleptic Steps: Rethinking Historical Period in the Fifteenth-Century Dance Manual
Authors: Chaganti Seeta
Published: August 2012

For some time now, scholarly medieval studies have been preoccupied with questions about the relationship between the modern and the premodern, and even about the very meanings of these terms. Medievalists in different fields have thoughtfully re-examined the critical paradigms that rely on a break between the medieval as premodernity, on the one hand, and the early modern as an initiation of modernity, on the other. Such new perspectives on periodization and the Middle Ages have tended to originate in studies of literature, theater, history, and art. The discipline of medieval studies has not, for the most part, considered what dance might contribute to our understanding of the constitution of historical periods such as “medieval” and “early modern.” And yet, basse danse and bassadanza, due to their placement in a fifteenth-century moment variously claimed by both the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, potentially offer much to such discussions of periodization. As a performance, this fifteenth-century dance situates itself in a dynamic transition between the medieval and the early modern, raising questions about the nature, location, and even existence of this periodization boundary. At the same time, however, the instructional and codifying techniques associated with basse danse and bassadanza reinforce a more traditional periodization dynamic, whereby a culture looks back mainly in order to look forward, organizing its ideas about time and history around the mechanism of anticipation. I shall argue in this essay that basse danse and bassadanza reveal a suggestively conflicted perspective on time through the distinction they establish between the temporality of execution and that of instruction. Furthermore, in their espousal of anticipatory strategies, the instruction manuals in particular show how representations of early dance can construct perspectives on historical periodization. Casting into relief thus an occluded narrative about how period borders form and solidify, basse danse and bassadanza additionally offer early period scholarship some new ways to reconsider and dissolve such borders.
Citational Poetics in Dance: … of a faun (fragments) by the Albrecht Knust Quartet, before and after 2000
Authors: Launay Isabelle
Published: August 2012

How does one come to terms with the “already said” or the “already danced”? I ask this in light of the many instances where contemporary dance has insistently undertaken—as a condition of its own renewal—a critique of past works that have been transmitted through the oral tradition. This undoing of the oral tradition's dominance has instantiated a new relation to the past in contemporary dance. Hannah Arendt throws some light on this process when she quotes Walter Benjamin, for whom modernity required that we find a different way of connecting with the past—one that would replace transmission with citationality. To cite, in speech act theory, as in dance, presupposes that the authority of the past be replaced with that disquieting ability of the past to infiltrate the present in a disembodied way (Arendt 1974, 291). The challenge of citation to the prestige of oral person-to-person transmission of a dance has introduced a new way for contemporary artists to relate to and re-embody past works.
ON SEVERAL APPROACHES TO EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY
Authors: Roemer John E.
Published: August 2012

The formal theory of equality of opportunity emerged as a response – a friendly amendment – to Ronald Dworkin's (1981) characterization of resource egalitarianism, as defined by the allocation that would emerge from insurance contracts arrived at behind a thin veil of ignorance. This article compares several of the prominent versions of this response, put forth in the period 1993–2008. I argue that a generalization of Roemer's (1998) proposal is the most satisfactory approach. Inherent in that generalization is an indeterminism, which reflects a philosophical problem: that we do not know what comprise the ethically correct rewards to effort. The indeterminism should be resolved, I propose, by an ancillary theory which limits the degree of inequality which is acceptable.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, REWARD AND RESPECT FOR PREFERENCES: REPLY TO ROEMER
Authors: Fleurbaey Marc
Published: August 2012

This rejoinder to Roemer (this issue) examines Roemer's amendment to his EOp criterion, explains the similarities and differences between Roemer's approach to equality of opportunity and the economic literature inspired by the fair allocation theory, and proposes some clarifications on the compensation principle and the role of the reward principle in the definition of a responsibility-sensitive social criterion. It highlights the power of the ideal of respect for individual preferences with respect to the reward issue and the concern for potential harshness of the social criterion toward the individuals who fail to make good use of their opportunities. It discusses Roemer's objection against holding individuals responsible for their preferences.
Ants accelerate litter decomposition in a Costa Rican lowland tropical rain forest
Authors: McGlynn Terrence P. , Poirson Evan K.
Published: August 2012

The decomposition of leaf litter is governed, in part, by litter invertebrates. In tropical rain forests, ants are dominant predators in the leaf litter and may alter litter decomposition through the action of a top-down control of food web structure. The role of ants in litter decomposition was investigated in a Costa Rican lowland rain forest with two experiments. In a mesocosm experiment, we manipulated ant presence in 50 ambient leaf-litter mesocosms. In a litterbag gradient experiment,Cecropia obtusifolialitter was used to measure decomposition rate constants across gradients in nutrients, ant density and richness, with 27 separate litterbag treatments for total arthropod exclusion or partial arthropod exclusion. After 2 mo, mass loss in mesocosms containing ants was 30.9%, significantly greater than the 23.5% mass loss in mesocosms without ants. In the litter bags with all arthropods excluded, decomposition was best accounted by the carbon: phosphorus content of soil (r2= 0.41). In litter bags permitting smaller arthropods but excluding ants, decomposition was best explained by the local biomass of ants in the vicinity of the litter bags (r2= 0.50). Once the microarthropod prey of ants are permitted to enter litterbags, the biomass of ants near the litterbags overtakes soil chemistry as the regulator of decomposition. In concert, these results support a working hypothesis that litter-dwelling ants are responsible for accelerating litter decomposition in lowland tropical rain forests.
Patterns of mistletoe infection in four Acacia species in a semi-arid southern African savanna
Authors: Ndagurwa Hilton G. T. , Mundy Peter J. , Dube John S. , Mlambo Donald
Published: August 2012

In a range of systems, studies on mistletoe distribution on the host plant have documented a number of factors that affect their occurrence and spread (Aukema & Martinez del Rio 2002a, Bowie & Ward 2004, Overton 1996, Reid et al. 1995). These patterns can be determined by host specificity, environmental conditions, host plant characteristics (Martinez del Rio et al. 1995) and the movement patterns of dispersal agents (Aukema & Martinez del Rio 2002a, 2002b). In mistletoe plants, host choice can be considerably influenced by the advantages of interacting with relatively abundant hosts (Norton & Carpenter 1998, Norton & De Lange 1999). Besides the relative abundance of host species, characteristics such as branch size, age and height can have a strong effect on mistletoe attachment resulting in size-related mistletoe infection patterns (Overton 1994). Generally positive relationships between mistletoe infection and host size have been demonstrated worldwide (Donohue 1995, Martinez del Rio et al. 1996, Norton et al. 1997, Reid & Stafford Smith 2000) and they have been interpreted in terms of the preferences by dispersing birds to perch and feed in taller trees (Aukema & Martinez del Rio 2002a) and trees accumulating infections as they age (Overton 1994). Aukema & Martinez del Rio (2002a) reported more frequent perching in taller-than-average trees by the phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens), which is the principal disperser of the desert mistletoe Phoradendron californicum. Thus, visits by mistletoe-seed-dispersing birds, and therefore mistletoe seeds received, tend to increase with tree height (Aukema & Martinez del Rio 2002a). Using a simple metapopulation model, Overton (1994) predicted the frequency of parasitized trees to increase with host age. Therefore, assuming that size is a good proxy for age, large trees are likely to be more infected than smaller trees. Reid & Stafford Smith (2000), using experimentally disinfected trees, found that larger trees were disproportionately re-infected with mistletoes. This size–intensity relationship may be used to describe mistletoe infection patterns. However, several previous studies have shown size–intensity relationships to be weak (Aukema & Martinez del Rio 2002a, Donohue 1995, Overton 1994, Reid & Stafford Smith 2000). This indicates that other factors may be important in determining mistletoe infection intensity, including that already parasitized hosts of a specific height are more likely to receive seeds than non-parasitized hosts of the same height or dispersers are likely to be attracted to trees for reasons other than size (Aukema & Martinez del Rio 2002a).
Leaf tissue water relations in tree species from contrasting habitats within the upper Rio Negro forests of the Amazon region
Authors: Sobrado M. A.
Published: August 2012

The landscape of the upper Rio Negro basin (North Amazon) exhibits distinctive habitats that are associated with differential soil characteristics and topographical conditions as well as species composition (Herrera et al. 1978). The mixed forests thrive on well-structured oxisols on slightly more elevated areas. The valleys with sandy podzols are occupied by the ‘Amazon caatinga’ complex with three distinct zones: the bottom valley and the gentle slopes, both of which have closed forests, and the sandy domes with open forests (‘bana’ or sclerophyllous forest; Breimer 1985). From the mixed forest towards the caatinga valley-slope-dome habitats, the leaf δ15N signatures become increasingly negative, suggesting a trend in N limitation in the same direction (Sobrado 2010). Thus, negative leaf δ15N signatures depleted in 15N compared with the soil indicate a very tight N cycle in all of the habitats. Water availability follows a similar pattern from the top of the oxisol towards the flooded valley bottom of the caatinga, with extreme water-table fluctuations in the sandy domes (Klinge 1978). Thus, parallel variation in nutrient and water availabilities exist in this area that are associated with soil characteristics and topography. Under such contrasting habitats, species-specific responses would be linked to particular conditions of the habitat at a local scale (Comita & Engelbrecht 2009, Engelbrecht et al. 2007). A number of studies in these habitats have shown that this is the case for soil fertility (Coomes 1997, Medina et al. 1990, Sobrado 2010, Sobrado & Medina 1980). Similarly, the hydraulic characteristics and long-term water use are species specific and related to particular conditions of the habitat at the local scale (Sobrado 2010). In this report, it was hypothesized that the leaf tissue water relations of species thriving in different habitats may reflect the water availability at the particular sites as well. The leaf tissue water relations of species thriving in the extreme nutrient and water-supply conditions of the sandy domes from the caatinga complex have been previously studied in detail (Sobrado 2009a). However, these data are currently not available for the species that thrive in the surrounding area of the closed forests, and importantly, such information would allow for a comparison across habitats. Therefore, the present study assessed the minimum leaf water potential (midday) under field conditions as well as the leaf tissue water relations by using pressure-volume analysis of dominant tree species in the top canopy of these high-stature forests.
Dung beetles are critical in preventing post-dispersal seed removal by rodents in Congo rain forest
Authors: Beaune David , Bollache Loïc , Bretagnolle François , Fruth Barbara
Published: August 2012

Dung beetles (Scarabaeidae subfamily Scarabaeinae) are ubiquitous and play an important role in the removal of animal dung and the dispersal of seeds embedded therein. They exhibit a range of dung-acquisition and burying behaviours, from burying dung directly beneath the dung deposit to rolling dung balls up to several metres. Dung beetles act as important agents for secondary seed dispersal and seed survival: the burial of seeds is said to be of advantage against predators and desiccation (Andresen & Feer 2005, Culot et al. 2009, Feer 1999). In addition, burial of seeds by dung beetles is considered beneficial as seeds are not only deposited within the range of depths that are favourable for seedling establishment but also among organic fertilizer that is said to increase seedling growth rates (Andresen 1999, 2002; Estrada & Coates-Estrada 1991, Shepherd & Chapman 1998).
Litter as a filter of emergence for herbaceous seedlings and sporophytes in central Amazonia
Authors: Rodrigues Flávio Rogério de Oliveira , Costa Flávia Regina Capellotto
Published: August 2012

We conducted a study in 30 plots distributed uniformly in an area of 25 km2 at Ducke Reserve, Manaus, to test the hypothesis that understorey herb richness and abundance are mediated by litter, manipulating experimentally the amount of litter in the field. Over 10 mo, we followed the emergence of herbaceous seedlings and sporophytes in control, litter-addition and litter-exclusion treatments, covering an area of 1.2 m2 per plot in each treatment. We also assessed the relationship between topography and litter depth and frequency of bare-soil patches; and the influence of density of reproductive individuals on the emergence of herbs. Litter depth decreased, and the frequency of bare-soil patches increased with terrain slope in the wet season, but were not related with the soil clay content. Neither was related to the topography in the dry season. Emergence of pteridophytes was four times higher in the litter-exclusion treatment (3.7 ± 1.1 individuals m−2) than in the litter-addition treatment (0.9 ± 0.28 indiv. m−2) and increased with soil clay content. Seedlings from monocot herbs emerged twice more frequently in the litter exclusion (0.71 ± 0.25 indiv. m−2) than in the litter-addition treatment (0.33 ± 0.11 indiv. m−2), and also more in sites with high density of fruiting plants. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that regeneration of herbs with very small propagules is strongly affected by the physical barrier imposed by litter. Given that litter is shallower on slopes during the wet season, this creates a pattern of higher density and richness of pteridophytes in these areas. Monocot herbs, although also limited by litter, were more highly limited by availability of propagules, and their distribution patterns are at least in part explained by dispersal limitation. We conclude that litter is an important causal factor behind the herb distribution patterns along topographical gradients.
Spatial association between floral resources and hummingbird activity in a Mexican tropical montane cloud forest
Authors: Jiménez Leonor , Negrete-Yankelevich Simoneta , Macías-Ordóñez Rogelio
Published: August 2012

Spatial distribution of resources is known to govern animal distribution and behaviour. However, few empirical studies have formally evaluated this relationship. Unlike previous studies in which a patch or gap of floral resources is defined a priori by the observer at a subjective perception scale, we used the Spatial Analysis by Distance IndicEs (SADIE) to assess the location, length and spatial co-occurrence of patches and gaps of Palicourea padifolia inflorescences and hummingbird activity (feeding, perching, vocalizing, flying past and agonistic behaviour) in a tropical montane cloud forest of central Veracruz, Mexico. Along a 1010-m transect, both resource and hummingbird activity had a distribution approximately 200% more aggregated than expected by chance, at a scale of tens to hundreds of metres in length. In addition, aggregation patterns of resource and overall and agonistic hummingbird activity were found to be positively associated in 2009 but negatively in 2010. Campylopterus curvipennis and Amazilia cyanocephala were the most frequent species involved in vocal and agonistic activity. The difference observed between the two years may be due to changes in the composition and dominance of hummingbird species with different foraging strategies. In both years, hummingbird overall activity was positively correlated to size of resource patches.
Responses of leaf-litter ant communities to tropical forest wildfires vary with season
Authors: Silveira Juliana M. , Barlow Jos , Andrade Rafael B. , Mestre Luiz A. M. , Lacau Sébastien , Cochrane Mark A.
Published: August 2012

Fire is an important land-management tool in tropical forest landscapes. However, these fires sometimes escape into surrounding forests (Uhl & Buschbacker 1985), and are one of the most severe disturbances threatening tropical forest biodiversity (Barlowet al2006). These forest fires have become more frequent over the last decades due to the combined effect of selective logging, fragmentation and abnormal droughts that increase the flammability of forests, and agriculture expansion that brings the ignition sources (Aragão & Shimabukuro 2010).
A Ground Fine Alignment of Strapdown INS under a Vibrating Base
Authors: Li Qian , Ben Yueyang , Zhu Zhongjun , Yang Jiaolong
Published: August 2012

In order to solve the problem of a strapdown Inertial Navigation System (INS) under a vibrating base, a ground fine alignment method is proposed in this paper, and it is about reconstructing the error equations of a strapdown INS. In this method, the effects aroused by the linear and angular vibration are considered as system and measurement noise; in addition, they are also regarded as the components of a system matrix. This setting avoids the effects of linear and angular vibration under a vibrating base. The results of simulation and experiment show that our method is suitable for a ground fine alignment of a strapdown INS under a vibrating base.
Suitability of Low-Frequency Navigation Systems for Artillery Positioning in a GNSS Denied Environment
Authors: Griffioen J. W. , Oonincx P. J.
Published: August 2012

In an environment where Global Positioning System (GPS) jamming is present, the Dutch army faces all sorts of challenges in such a deployment area, e.g., for the determination of gun locations. Nowadays, an Inertial Navigation System (INS) is used as back-up positioning system. However, to use this back-up tool within specified accuracy limits, additional procedures are needed that limit deployment. An alternative positioning method such as a low-frequency navigation system could be a solution to these problems. An example of a low-frequency navigation system that is currently operational in certain regions is eLORAN (enhanced LOng RAnge Navigation). Hypothetically, a system like this could be realised in a similar way for positioning, navigation and timing solutions for large scale military operations. That is if the performance of eLORAN meets the accuracy requirements. In this paper, eLORAN performances are examined using experiments conducted at a military heath land area in the Netherlands. Moreover, eLORAN Additional Secondary Factor (ASF) correction maps have been computed for that particular area, based on differences in position between Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS and eLORAN measurements at a fixed number of points in that area. Different interpolation methods are used to create these ASF maps. The maps, obtained from static measurements, are used to enhance eLORAN's performance in dynamic measurements using a military platform. The content of this paper has been presented during the European Navigation Conference 2011 in London.
It Is the Outcome that Counts! Damage to the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Disrupts the Integration of Outcome and Belief Information for Moral Judgment
Authors: Ciaramelli Elisa , Braghittoni Davide , di Pellegrino Giuseppe
Published: August 2012

Moral judgment involves considering not only the outcome of an action but also the intention with which it was pursued. Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research has shown that integrating outcome and belief information for moral judgment relies on a brain network including temporo-parietal, precuneus, and medial prefrontal regions. Here, we investigated whether the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) plays a crucial role in this process. Patients with lesions in vmPFC (vmPFC patients), and brain-damaged and healthy controls considered scenarios in which the protagonist caused intentional harm (negative-outcome, negative-belief), accidental harm (negative-outcome, neutral-belief), attempted harm (neutral-outcome, negative-belief), or no harm (neutral-outcome, neutral-belief), and rated the moral permissibility of the protagonists’ behavior. All groups responded similarly to scenarios involving intentional harm and no harm. vmPFC patients, however, judged attempted harm as more permissible, and accidental harm as less permissible, than the control groups. For vmPFC patients, outcome information, rather than belief information, shaped moral judgment. The results indicate that vmPFC is necessary for integrating outcome and belief information during moral reasoning. During moral judgment vmPFC may mediate intentions’ understanding, and overriding of prepotent responses to salient outcomes. (JINS, 2012, 18, 1–10)
The potent M1 receptor allosteric agonist GSK1034702 improves episodic memory in humans in the nicotine abstinence model of cognitive dysfunction
Authors: Nathan Pradeep J. , Watson Jeannette , Lund Jesper , Davies Ceri H. , Peters Gary , Dodds Chris M. , Swirski Bridget , Lawrence Philip , Bentley Graham D. , O'Neill Barry V. , Robertson Jon , Watson Stephen , Jones Gareth A. , Maruff Paul , Croft Rodney J. , Laruelle Marc , Bullmore Edward T.
Published: August 2012

Episodic memory deficits are a core feature of neurodegenerative disorders. Muscarinic M1 receptors play a critical role in modulating learning and memory and are highly expressed in the hippocampus. We examined the effect of GSK1034702, a potent M1 receptor allosteric agonist, on cognitive function, and in particular episodic memory, in healthy smokers using the nicotine abstinence model of cognitive dysfunction. The study utilized a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design in which 20 male nicotine abstained smokers were tested following single doses of placebo, 4 and 8 mg GSK1034702. Compared to the baseline (nicotine on-state), nicotine abstinence showed statistical significance in reducing immediate (p=0.019) and delayed (p=0.02) recall. GSK1034702 (8 mg) significantly attenuated (i.e. improved) immediate recall (p=0.014) but not delayed recall. None of the other cognitive domains was modulated by either nicotine abstinence or GSK1034702. These findings suggest that stimulating M1 receptor mediated neurotransmission in humans with GSK1034702 improves memory encoding potentially by modulating hippocampal function. Hence, selective M1 receptor allosteric agonists may have therapeutic benefits in disorders of impaired learning including Alzheimer's disease.
A new diagnostic approach for Turkish speaking populations DAWBA Turkish Version
Authors: Dursun O. B. , Guvenir T. , Aras S. , Ergin C. , Mutlu C. , Baydur H. , Ozbek A. , Ozek H. , Alsen S. , Iscanli L. , Karaman B. I. , Goodman R.
Published: August 2012

Aims.

Turkey has the youngest population in Europe with about 25 million people aged below 19 years and Turkish-speaking people comprise the biggest migrant group in Europe with 2.5 million people dispersed in different countries, but conducting epidemiologic surveys on Turkish people is challenging due to the lack of a suitable diagnostic tool. The Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) is one of the most widely used diagnostic interviews in child and adolescent psychiatry. In this study, we aimed at translating the DAWBA into Turkish and then examined its validity and reliability.

Methods.

The validity of the Turkish version was examined in clinical (n = 50) and community (n = 104) samples. The interrater reliability was also evaluated on 20 cases.

Results.

The translation method used in the study achieved semantic, conceptual, content, technical, item and criterion equivalence between the Turkish and original forms. The validity of the Turkish DAWBA was good or excellent for different diagnostic categories (κ: 0.43–0.84); the interrater reliability was also excellent (κ: 0.85–1).

Conclusions.

The Turkish DAWBA may be useful for future prevalence studies in Turkey. European clinicians and researchers who work with Turkish-speaking families can use the online Turkish DAWBA to gather structured information from Turkish-speaking informants and review the answers in their own language.
Exogenous, TAP‐independent lysosomal presentation of a respiratory syncytial virus CTL epitope
Authors: Johnstone Carolina , Ramos Manuel , García‐Barreno Blanca , López Daniel , Melero José A , Del Val Margarita
Published: August 2012

Respiratory syncytial virus causes lower respiratory tract infections in infancy and old age, affecting also immunocompromised patients. The viral fusion protein is an important vaccine candidate eliciting antibody and cell‐mediated immune responses. CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are known to have a role in both lung pathology and viral clearance. In BALB/c mice, the fusion protein epitope F249‐258 is presented to CTLs by the murine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecule Kd. In cells infected with recombinant vaccinia viruses encoding the fusion protein, F249‐258 is presented by MHC class I molecules through pathways that are independent of the transporters associated with antigen processing (TAP). We have now found that F249‐258 can be generated from non‐infectious virus from an exogenous source. Antigen processing follows a lysosomal pathway that appears to require autophagy. As a practical consequence, inactivated virus suffices for in vivo priming of virus‐specific CTLs.
Energy Demand of Synaptic Transmission at the Hippocampal Schaffer-Collateral Synapse
Authors: Liotta Agustin , Rösner Jörg , Huchzermeyer Christine , Wojtowicz Anna , Kann Oliver , Schmitz Dietmar , Heinemann Uwe , Kovács Richard
Published: August 2012

Neuroenergetic models of synaptic transmission predicted that energy demand is highest for action potentials (APs) and postsynaptic ion fluxes, whereas the presynaptic contribution is rather small. Here, we addressed the question of energy consumption at Schaffer-collateral synapses. We monitored stimulus-induced changes in extracellular potassium, sodium, and calcium concentration while recording partial oxygen pressure (pO2) and NAD(P)H fluorescence. Blockade of postsynaptic receptors reduced ion fluxes as well as pO2 and NAD(P)H transients by ~50%. Additional blockade of transmitter release further reduced Na+, K+, and pO2 transients by ~30% without altering presynaptic APs, indicating considerable contribution of Ca2+-removal, transmitter and vesicle turnover to energy consumption.
Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Decreases Intracerebral Glucose Content by Activating Hexokinase and Changing Glucose Clearance during Hyperglycemia
Authors: Gejl Michael , Egefjord Lærke , Lerche Susanne , Vang Kim , Bibby Bo Martin , Holst Jens Juul , Mengel Annette , Møller Niels , Rungby Jørgen , Brock Birgitte , Gjedde Albert
Published: August 2012

Type 2 diabetes and hyperglycemia with the resulting increase of glucose concentrations in the brain impair the outcome of ischemic stroke, and may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Reports indicate that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) may be neuroprotective in models of AD and stroke: Although the mechanism is unclear, glucose homeostasis appears to be important. We conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study in nine healthy males. Positron emission tomography was used to determine the effect of GLP-1 on cerebral glucose transport and metabolism during a hyperglycemic clamp with 18fluoro-deoxy-glucose as tracer. Glucagon-like peptide-1 lowered brain glucose ( P = 0.023) in all regions. The cerebral metabolic rate for glucose was increased everywhere ( P = 0.039) but not to the same extent in all regions ( P = 0.022). The unidirectional glucose transfer across the blood-brain barrier remained unchanged ( P = 0.099) in all regions, while the unidirectional clearance and the phosphorylation rate increased ( P = 0.013 and 0.017), leading to increased net clearance of the glucose tracer ( P = 0.006). We show that GLP-1 plays a role in a regulatory mechanism involved in the actions of GLUT1 and glucose metabolism: GLP-1 ensures less fluctuation of brain glucose levels in response to alterations in plasma glucose, which may prove to be neuroprotective during hyperglycemia.
In-vivo Measurement of LDOPA Uptake, Dopamine Reserve and Turnover in the Rat Brain Using [18F]FDOPA PET
Authors: Walker Matthew D , Dinelle Katherine , Kornelsen Rick , McCormick Siobhan , Mah Chenoa , Holden James E , Farrer Matthew J , Stoessl A Jon , Sossi Vesna
Published: August 2012

Longitudinal measurements of dopamine (DA) uptake and turnover in transgenic rodents may be critical when developing disease-modifying therapies for Parkinson's disease (PD). We demonstrate methodology for such measurements using [18F]fluoro-3,4-dihydroxyphenyl- L-alanine ([18F]FDOPA) positron emission tomography (PET). The method was applied to 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats, providing the first PET-derived estimates of DA turnover for this species. Control ( n = 4) and unilaterally lesioned ( n = 11) rats were imaged multiple times. Kinetic modeling was performed using extended Patlak, incorporating a kloss term for metabolite washout, and modified Logan methods. Dopaminergic terminal loss was measured via [11C]-(+)-dihydrotetrabenazine (DTBZ) PET. Clear striatal [18F]FDOPA uptake was observed. In the lesioned striatum the effective DA turnover increased, shown by a reduced effective distribution volume ratio ( EDVR) for [18F]FDOPA. Effective distribution volume ratio correlated ( r > 0.9) with the [11C]DTBZ binding potential ( BPND). The uptake and trapping rate ( kref) decreased after lesioning, but relatively less so than [11C]DTBZ BPND. For normal controls, striatal estimates were kref = 0.037 ± 0.005 per minute, EDVR = 1.07 ± 0.22 and kloss = 0.024 ± 0.003 per minute (30 minutes turnover half-time), with repeatability (coefficient of variation) ≤11%. [18F]fluoro-3,4-dihydroxyphenyl- L-alanine PET enables measurements of DA turnover in the rat, which is useful for developing novel therapies for PD.