bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Labour Market Institutions and the Personal Distribution of Income in the OECD
Authors: CHECCHI DANIELE , GARCÍA‐PEÑALOSA CECILIA
Published: March 2009

A large literature has studied the impact of labour market institutions on wage inequality, but their effect on income inequality has received little attention. This paper argues that personal income inequality depends on the wage differential, the labour share and the unemployment rate. Labour market institutions affect income inequality through these three channels, and their overall effect is theoretically ambiguous. We use a panel of OECD countries for the period 1960–2000 to examine these effects. We find that greater unionization and greater wage bargaining coordination have opposite effects on inequality, implying conflicting effects of greater union presence on income inequality.
DIVINE NECESSITY AND CREATED CONTINGENCE IN AQUINAS
Authors: LAUGHLIN PETER
Published: March 2009

It is becoming increasingly more common in Christian theism to conclude that the classical predication of a necessary God who interacts with contingent creation is logical inconsistency. This criticism is especially made by Process theists, but joining with them have been proponents of Open theism as well as others who seek to more closely unite God with the contingency in creation. It is feared that a God who is the transcendent cause of all that exists is unable to relate to creation without necessarily determining it. Yet Thomas Aquinas was not unaware of the potential difficulty in maintaining both a necessary God and created contingency and postulated a solution to the dialectic that fits comfortably within the classical synthesis. This paper examines Aquinas' solution against the charge of incoherence and finds that far from being inconsistent, it coherently succeeds in reconciling the dialectic.
GENEROSITY: VARIATIONS ON A THEME FROM ARISTOTLE TO LEVINAS
Authors: SANCHEZ CARLOS ALBERTO
Published: March 2009

This paper traces the concept and phenomenon of generosity from Aristotle to Emannuel Levinas and beyond. The question motivating this investigation is: must the generous act be restricted by a rational calculation of correct, or prudent, giving? Answers to this question vary. Aristotle and Kant would answer in the affirmative, while Emerson and Levinas would (apparently) not. The bulk of this paper is dedicated to Levinas's characterization of excessive generosity as a condition for the fundamental ethical relation, namely, the generous welcome of the Other. I end by considering the phenomenon of generosity from the point of view of the mid‐20th century Mexican philosopher, Emilio Uranga.
The Retreat of Deposit  Dollarization*
Authors: Honohan Patrick
Published: March 2009

After growing rapidly during the 1990s, the scale of deposit dollarization has slowed or even reversed since 2001. This paper employs an expanded cross‐country data set on the share of bank deposits denominated in foreign currency. It documents the break in trend and seeks to explain this apparent reversal in this aspect of global financial integration. Valuation changes related to dollar weakness from 2002 do not seem to be the cause. But lower inflation in many countries has reduced the attractions of foreign currency as a hedge. Also, the Argentine crisis of 2001–02 may have heightened investor awareness of the risk of forced conversion of foreign currency deposits. A return to higher inflation and fading memories of forced conversions could lead to a resumption in the growth of deposit dollarization, with the banking risks that this can entail.
Why the United Kingdom Should Not Join the Eurozone
Authors: Minford Patrick
Published: March 2009

Some years ago I did a fair amount of work on whether Britain should join the euro, in the context of the debate on the ‘five tests’ set out by HM Treasury. Five years on it is an interesting issue to revisit, particularly in the light of the recent banking crisis. In what follows I discuss the potential benefits and costs for the United Kingdom of joining the euro or Economic and Monetary Union, EMU, in much the terms that I did five years ago, because the essential figures and arguments have not changed. This discussion carries no particular implications for other countries: the calculations are highly specific to the United Kingdom. I end up with an effort to put this discussion in the context of the recent crisis.
Comparison of adults with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems admitted to specialist and generic inpatient units
Authors: Hemmings C. P. , O'Hara J. , McCarthy J. , Holt G. , Eoster F. , Costello H. , Hammond R. , Xenitidis K. , Bouras N.
Published: March 2009

Accessible summary

This research was about people with learning disabilities who went into hospital when they had mental health problems.

We looked at when they went into ordinary mental health units and also into a special unit for people who also have learning disabilities.

We looked at what their mental health problems were and how long they stayed for. We looked at what types of places they were living in before they went to hospital and where they went to live afterwards. We found some differences in what happened to the people depending on where they stayed.

This research will help to find out where people with learning disabilities who also have mental health problems should be treated if they need to go to hospital.

This study aimed to compare the characteristics of service users with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems admitted to either a specialist or a generic inpatient unit in an area of South London. Socio‐demographic and clinical characteristics of consecutive admissions over a 5.5‐year period were recorded using a questionnaire. Key differences in psychiatric diagnosis, residence type and discharge destination were found between individuals using generic and specialist provision. Length of stay was significantly longer for specialist unit admissions. Admissions to the specialist unit were significantly more likely to reside with family prior to admission and admissions to generic units were significantly more likely to come from ‘other’ forms of residence such as hostels, prison and ‘no fixed abode’. At discharge the proportion of those admitted to the specialist unit who resided with their families reduced. At the same time the proportion of those living in supported accommodation increased although compared with those admitted to generic units they were still significantly more likely to return to the family home. Significantly, more adults admitted to generic units were diagnosed with an affective disorder. Specialist inpatient provision may be crucial in helping mainstream services meet the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems.
Christine Noble’s story
Authors: Hames Annette , Noble Christine
Published: March 2009

Accessible summary

Christine and her family have had intensive support into their home since February 2004.

Initially it did not work because there were too many different people doing too many different things.

Support was much better once the support team was smaller.

With the additional support of her family and advocate, Christine has been able to successfully look after her children at home.

Christine lives with her three children, Elizabeth, George and Louise. Following the unexpected death of her husband in December 2001, she has been offered practical support into the home, so that she can continue to look after her children. It has been a long struggle, getting the right support package into the home, and here, we tell Christine’s story.

Christine’s story identifies how communication is vital, particularly when so many organisations are involved. She has been able to express her needs through the help of her advocate and her extended family. Looking back on the service, difficulties have occurred at times when there is communication breakdown. In order to foster good communication within the home, the immediate support group works best with as few people as possible. Everyone’s roles and responsibilities need to be clear, and as members of the group change, group members and their managers need to be reminded of these. As Christine has felt that she is more valued, so her skills have grown and improved.

This story ends with a list of what seem to have been the vital ingredients of this support package. We hope that this information will be helpful to other families and service providers.
Ecology and taxonomy‐driven deviations in the frog call–body size relationship across the diverse Australian frog fauna
Authors: Hoskin C. J. , James S. , Grigg G. C.
Published: March 2009

Relationships between some properties of frog calls and body size are widely recognized. However, generality across call components and diverse faunas, and sources of deviation, remain poorly tested. Using 116 east Australian frog species, we tested the relationship between three call traits and body size, and the effects of taxonomic family and calling habitat. Call dominant frequency (DF) has a highly significant negative relationship with size, whereas call duration and pulse rate do not. Frog families show the same slope of relationship between DF and size, but hylids call at significantly higher frequency relative to size. Within hylids, stream breeders call at significantly lower DF than pool breeders of comparable size – below the DF of stream noise in typical breeding habitat – a shift likely to enhance signal detection against background environmental noise. This contrasts with all previous observations from other regions that frogs call at high (even ultrasonic) frequency to avoid masking by stream noise.
Regulation of catecholamine release and tyrosine hydroxylase in human adrenal chromaffin cells by interleukin‐1β: role of neuropeptide Y and nitric oxide
Authors: Rosmaninho‐Salgado Joana , Araújo Inês M. , Álvaro Ana Rita , Mendes Alexandrina F. , Ferreira Lígia , Grouzmann Eric , Mota Alfredo , Duarte Emília. P. , Cavadas Cláudia
Published: March 2009

J. Neurochem. (2009)109, 911–922.

Adrenal chromaffin cells synthesize and secrete catecholamines and neuropeptides that may regulate hormonal and paracrine signaling in stress and also during inflammation. The aim of our work was to study the role of the cytokine interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) on catecholamine release and synthesis from primary cell cultures of human adrenal chromaffin cells. The effect of IL‐1β on neuropeptide Y (NPY) release and the intracellular pathways involved in catecholamine release evoked by IL‐1β and NPY were also investigated. We observed that IL‐1β increases the release of NPY, norepinephrine (NE), and epinephrine (EP) from human chromaffin cells. Moreover, the immunoneutralization of released NPY inhibits catecholamine release evoked by IL‐1β. Moreover, IL‐1β regulates catecholamine synthesis as the inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase decreases IL‐1β‐evoked catecholamine release and the cytokine induces tyrosine hydroxylase Ser40 phosphorylation. Moreover, IL‐1β induces catecholamine release by a mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK)‐dependent mechanism, and by nitric oxide synthase activation. Furthermore, MAPK, protein kinase C (PKC), protein kinase A (PKA), and nitric oxide (NO) production are involved in catecholamine release evoked by NPY. Using human chromaffin cells, our data suggest that IL‐1β, NPY, and nitric oxide (NO) may contribute to a regulatory loop between the immune and the adrenal systems, and this is relevant in pathological conditions such as infection, trauma, stress, or in hypertension.
Differences in myocardial velocities during supine and upright exercise stress echocardiography in healthy adults
Authors: Bjällmark Anna , Larsson Matilda , Shahgaldi Kambiz , Lind Britta , Winter Reidar , Brodin Lars‐Åke
Published: March 2009

Background:  Tissue Velocity Imaging (TVI) is a method for quantitative analysis of longitudinal myocardial velocities, which can be used during exercise and pharmacological stress echocardiography. It is of interest to evaluate cardiac response to different types of stress tests and the differences between upright and supine bicycle exercise tests have not been fully investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare cardiac response during supine and upright exercise stress tests.

Method:  Twenty young healthy individuals underwent supine and upright stress test. The initial workload was set to 30 W and was increased every minute by a further 30 W until physical exhaustion. Tissue Doppler data from the left ventricle were acquired at the end of every workload level using a GE Vivid7 Dimension system (>200 frames s−1). In the off‐line processing, isovolumic contraction velocity (IVCV), peak systolic velocity (PSV), isovolumic relaxation velocity (IVRV), peak early diastolic velocity (E’) and peak late diastolic velocity (A’) were identified at every workload level.

Result:  No significant difference between the tests was found in PSV. On the contrary, E’ was shown to be significantly higher (P<0·001) during supine exercise than during upright exercise and IVRV was significantly lower (P<0·001) during supine exercise compared to upright exercise.

Conclusion:  Upright and supine exercise stress echocardiography give a comparable increase in measured systolic velocities and significant differences in early diastolic velocities.
Pseudo‐Kaposi’s sarcoma because of suction‐socket lower limb prosthesis
Authors: Trindade Felicidade , Requena Luis
Published: March 2009

Pseudo‐Kaposi sarcoma is a benign reactive vascular proliferation mainly involving the lower legs, which can be related to acquired chronic venous insufficiency or congenital arteriovenous malformations. In its most common presentation, acroangiodermatitis is seen in patients with chronic venous insufficiency of the lower limbs as an exaggeration of the stasis dermatitis. However, rare reports of acroangiodermatitis include descriptions in amputees (especially in those with poorly fitting suction‐type devices), in patients undergoing hemodialysis (with lesions developing distally to arteriovenous shunts) and in patients with paralyzed legs. We report on a 28 year‐old‐male who presented pseudo‐Kaposi’s sarcoma in an amputation stump because of suction‐socket lower limb prosthesis.
Clinically unapparent melanocytic nevi on the prepuce
Authors: Val‐Bernal J. Fernando , Val Daniel , Garijo M. Francisca
Published: March 2009

Background:  Melanocytic nevi from the genitalia are uncommon. Nevi on the vulva are much better described than nevi on male genitalia. To our knowledge, a systematic study of preputial melanocytic nevi has not been reported.

Objective:  To investigate the frequency of clinically unapparent melanocytic nevi on a series of preputial excisions.

Materials and Methods:  We undertook a prospective histologic study of the prepuce obtained in a series of 372 consecutive circumcisions for phimosis performed during the period between January 2000 and December 2002.

Results:  Incidental preputial melanocytic nevi were detected in four (1.1%) patients. Lesions were dermal in nature, most of them showed pigment in superficial dermal nests and had pseudovascular spaces. There were no cytologic atypia, mitotic figures, architectural disorder or inflammatory infiltrate. The mean (standard deviation, SD) of the maximum diameter was 1.08 (0.85) mm (range 0.34–1.79 mm). The mean age (SD) of the patients was 41.5 (4.95) years (range 29–58).

Conclusions:  Incidental melanocytic nevi, although uncommonly, can be observed in the prepuce. They are detected in adults and may pose a diagnostic challenge when they are detected in the setting of concurrent malignant melanoma.
Fibroblast apoptosis in a patient affected by lamellar ichthyosis
Authors: Tavian Daniela , Colombo Roberto , Misiti Francesco , Ena Pasquale , Ena Luca , Sampaolese Beatrice , Giardina Bruno , Clementi Maria E.
Published: March 2009

Background:  Lamellar ichthyosis (LI) is a congenital recessive skin disorder characterized by generalized scaling and hyperkeratosis. The pathology may be caused by mutations in transglutaminase 1 (TGM1) gene that encodes an enzyme critical for terminally differentiating keratinocytes. Because of evidences that transglutaminase enzymes are involved in programmed cell death, we investigated morphological and biochemical apoptotic parameters in cultured skin fibroblasts from a patient with a severe LI and homozygous for the TGM1 R142H mutation.

Method:  The principle apoptotic signals (mitochondrial membrane potential, analysis of oxygen consumption, DNA fragmentation and Bax/Bcl‐2 gene expression) were analyzed in cultured fibroblasts from a LI patient, his mother (TGM1 mutation carrier) and a control subject.

Results:  LI fibroblasts showing a reduction of fibronectin expression evidenced a strong inhibition of oxygen consumption, a dramatic drop in the mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm), and a higher apoptotic index.

Conclusion:  The present results suggest a possible connection between the alterations in the keratinization process leading to LI and the observed increased fibroblast apoptosis.
Adenosquamous carcinoma: a report of nine cases with p63 and cytokeratin 5/6 staining
Authors: Ko Christine J. , Leffell David J. , McNiff Jennifer M.
Published: March 2009

Adenosquamous carcinoma, a rare tumor of the skin with few reported cases in the literature, has not been studied with p63, cytokeratin 5/6 and cytokeratin 7. We stained nine such tumors with these markers. Histologically, the tumors showed superficial, atypical islands of keratinocytes in close association with islands displaying glandular differentiation. Clinically, lesions favored the head and trunk, and a subset of cases showed aggressive behavior. All tumors marked with p63 and cytokeratin 5/6, substantiating that diffuse positivity with these stains is supportive of a primary cutaneous origin. Six tumors stained focally in luminal areas with cytokeratin 7. Recognition of adenosquamous carcinoma is important for appropriate therapy, and stains for p63 and cytokeratin 5/6 may be helpful in ruling out metastatic adenocarcinoma.
Effect of quetiapine on cognitive function in schizophrenia: a mismatch negativity potentials study
Authors: Yuan Guo-zhen , Zhou Zhen-he , Yao Jian-jun
Published: March 2009

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the effects of quetiapine on abnormalities of early auditory processing in patients with schizophrenia were reflected by mismatch negativity (MMN).

Methods:

Subjects were 23 patients with schizophrenia and 23 controls. Psychopathology was rated in patients with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) at baseline and after 4-week and after 8-week treatments with quetiapine. Auditory stimuli for event-related potentials consisted of 100 ms/1000 Hz standards, intermixed with 100 ms/1500 Hz frequency deviants and 250 ms/ 1000 Hz duration deviants. A stimulus onset asynchrony of each was 300 ms. Electroencephalograph was recorded at Fz. BESA 5.1.8 was used to perform data analysis. MMN waveforms were obtained by subtracting waveforms elicited by standards from those elicited by frequency- or duration-deviant stimuli.

Results:

Quetiapine decreased all PANSS scores. Patients showed smaller mean amplitudes of frequency and duration MMN at baseline than did controls. A repeated measure analysis of variance with sessions (i.e. baseline and 4- and 8-week treatments) and MMN type (frequency versus duration) as within-subject factors revealed no significant MMN type or MMN type × session main effect for MMN amplitudes (for MMN type:F= 0.704, df = 1,p= 0.403; for MMN type × session:F= 0.299, df = 2,p= 0.796). Session main effect was significant (F= 3.576, df = 2,p= 0.031). Least square difference tests showed significant differences between MMN amplitudes at 8 weeks and those at both baseline (p= 0.025) and 4 weeks (p= 0.020). MMN amplitudes at 8 weeks were higher than those at baseline.

Conclusions:

Quetiapine improved the amplitudes of MMN after the 8-week treatment. MMN offers objective evidence that treatment with the quetiapine may ameliorate preattentive deficits in schizophrenia.
Battery for assessment of neuropsychological status (RBANS) in schizophrenia: a pilot study in the Spanish population
Authors: Sanz Juan C. , Vargas Martín L. , Marín Juan J.
Published: March 2009

Objectives:

The aims of this study were to research the following issues in a Spanish population of patients with schizophrenia. (a) The sensitivity and reliability of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) to detect cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. (b) The convergent validity of RBANS on a larger battery of neuropsychological tests sensitive to the cognition disorders typically observed in schizophrenia. (c) The correlates of poor performance in RBANS with clinical features and illness severity.

Method:

Thirty schizophrenia patients, 30 non-psychotic patients and 30 healthy participants were assessed using RBANS (form A). We administered a battery of neuropsychological tests and four scales to evaluate patient’s clinical status.

Results:

Schizophrenia patients and non-psychotic patients performed significantly worse than healthy controls on RBANS, and schizophrenia patients performed slightly worse than non-psychiatric controls, but this difference was not significant. Good inter-test reliability and concurrent validity were found. Only a moderate correlation between RBANS performance and illness severity was observed.

Conclusions:

RBANS revealed coherence in identifying cognitive impairment in schizophrenia patients of a different cultural background, and it is shown to be a sensitive, valid and easy-to-perform tool for the neuropsychological assessment of Spanish patients with schizophrenia.
Maternal knowledge of infant feeding guidelines and label reading behaviours in a population of new mothers in San Francisco, California
Authors: Wojcicki Janet M. , Gugig Roberto , Kathiravan Suganya , Holbrook Kate , Heyman Melvin B.
Published: March 2009

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between maternal nutrition knowledge and maternal socio‐demographics including participation in the Special Supplemental Women, Infants and Children's (WIC) Program. A cross‐sectional study of new mothers at two San Francisco hospitals was conducted using some of the American Academy of Pediatrics' guidelines in a structured questionnaire to assess maternal nutritional knowledge. Maternal nutritional attitudes towards product nutrient labels were also assessed in a questionnaire format. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the odds of having high maternal nutrition knowledge and of infrequently reading nutrition labels. In multivariate logistic regression models, higher maternal nutrition knowledge (defined as answering all four nutrition questions correctly) was associated with higher income levels defined as ≥$25 000/year, odds ratio (OR) 10.03 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.51–66.74), and in linear models, higher nutritional knowledge was associated with having more children (P < 0.01), a higher income (P = 0.01) and not being a WIC participant (P < 0.01). Mothers with higher incomes were also more likely to read product nutritional labels OR 4.24, 95% CI (1.24–14.51), compared with mothers with lower incomes as were mothers with higher education levels OR 3.32, 95% CI (1.28–8.63). In San Francisco, lower income mothers are at greatest risk for low maternal nutrition knowledge and not reading product nutritional labels. Higher household income was independently associated with increased maternal nutrition knowledge and likelihood of reading nutritional labels. More comprehensive interventions need to target low‐income mothers including current WIC participants to help close the nutritional advantages gap conferred by income and education.
Incorporating nutrition into delivery care: delivery care practices that affect child nutrition and maternal health
Authors: Chaparro Camila M. , Lutter Chessa K.
Published: March 2009

Delayed umbilical cord clamping, early skin‐to‐skin contact and early initiation of exclusive breastfeeding are three simple and inexpensive delivery care practices which have the potential to improve short‐term and long‐term nutrition and health outcomes in mothers and infants. In preterm infants, delayed clamping prevents intraventricular haemorrhage and improves haematological status, and in full‐term infants, delayed clamping improves iron status through 6 months of age. Early skin‐to‐skin contact, in addition to regulating neonatal temperature, improves early breastfeeding behaviours, which has important implications for long‐term infant nutrition and health. Finally, early exclusive breastfeeding prevents neonatal mortality and morbidity and provides numerous health and nutritional benefits to the infant, throughout infancy and beyond, as well as to the mother. Though each practice has been the subject of controlled trials and systematic reviews, with evidence of benefit from their implementation, these practices are not common in many delivery settings, nor are their long‐term effects on infant and maternal nutrition and health status adequately recognized. We discuss the immediate and long‐term health and nutrition benefits of each practice, and identify the policy and programme changes needed for integration and implementation of these practices into standard delivery care.
Reconnecting Sacrament and Virtue: Penance in Thomas'sSumma Theologiae
Authors: Morrow Maria C.
Published: March 2009

Catholic moral theology today, especially virtue ethics, often bears little connection to the sacraments; Catholic ethicists largely do not discuss the sacramental life when they address issues of morality or concepts of virtue. Given this disconnect, Thomas Aquinas's consideration of penance in theSumma Theologiaeprovides an important way to reconnect virtue to sacrament, as well as to emphasize virtue in relation to God. Penance is both a virtue and a sacrament inasmuch as it involves acts of the will. As a virtue, penance is a species of justice, an act of the will choosing according to right reason in aiming to amend for offenses against God. The acts of the virtue of penance, especially contrition, confession and satisfaction, constitute the matter of the sacrament of penance. Hence the sacrament presupposes the virtue even though the sacrament is a cause of grace whereas the virtue is an effect of grace. Penance as sacrament and virtue are virtually inseparable. A reclamation of penance as virtue and sacrament in the field of Catholic moral theology highlights the role of grace and hence connection of virtue to God, while also re-grounding virtue ethics in the sacramental life, especially through the sacrament of penance.
Beyond the ‘Awkward Embrace’: Disability Rights, Dialogue and ‘Law, Love and Language’ Revisited
Authors: O'Brien Nick
Published: March 2009

Despite the perceived ‘human rights revolution’ within Church teaching since Vatican II, a measure of dissonance survives between secular rights theory and practice on the one hand and, on the other, ethical thinking informed by the natural law tradition. This article examines some recent developments in that secular theory and practice for signs of possible rapprochement. In particular, it considers the way in which the emergence of ‘disability’ as a rights issue, for example in the recently ratified United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, has contributed to the transformation of equality and human rights law and so has helped shape a broader transformation of rights theory and practice. Central to that transformation has been the ambition of establishing human rights as the basis of a progressive political programme, as witnessed for example by the work of Sandra Fredman and by the Hamlyn Lectures of Conor Gearty, whose Catholic provenance makes his approach especially salient. The article concludes by considering Herbert McCabe's interpretation of Aquinas’ ethics, especially in his Law, Love and Language, and proposes some potentially fruitful points of contact between McCabe's approach and the identified developments in secular rights theory.
Pistil traits and flower fate in apricot (Prunus armeniaca)
Authors: Rodrigo J. , Herrero M. , Hormaza J.I.
Published: March 2009

Although pollination is essential for both seed and fruit set in most angiosperms, even after an adequate pollination, only a fraction of the flowers develop into fruits. The role played by floral traits on reproductive success is well known, but the possible influence of pistil traits has been overlooked, probably because of the difficulty of non‐destructive pistil examination. The aim of this work was to examine the influence of several pistil traits on reproductive success in apricot (Prunus armeniaca). For this purpose, in a population of individually labelled flowers, the styles were cut off once the pollen tubes had reached the ovary but prior to the achievement of fertilisation. This approach allowed relating several morphological and physiological pistil parameters in the dissected styles and stigmas to the subsequent set or abscission of the corresponding ovary that remained in the plant. Under the same pollination conditions, the flowers that finally set a fruit show a larger stigmatic area and a higher number of pollen grains, pollen tubes growing along the style and xylem vessels surrounding the transmitting tissue than flowers that abscise before the establishment of fruit set. Furthermore, starch is present in the transmitting tissue of the style in all the flowers that develop into fruits but only in half of the flowers that abscise. The examined pistil traits established prior to fertilisation are related to flower fate, suggesting that the capacity of a flower to become a fruit could be preconditioned at anthesis.
Long‐term changes of aphid vectors of Barley yellow dwarf viruses in north‐eastern Italy (Friuli‐Venezia Giulia)
Authors: Coceano P.G. , Peressini S. , Bianchi G.L. , Caciagli P.
Published: March 2009

Migrations of aphid vectors of Barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDV) were monitored using a Rothamsted Insect Survey suction trap in Friuli‐Venezia Giulia (north‐eastern Italy). Catches from 1983 to 2002 were studied for trends, correlations of total catches of each year with those of previous years, correlations between the autumn and the spring + summer catches of the same year and between spring + summer catches of one year with catches of the previous autumn. Infectivity of autumn alates was studied using biological tests, and infectivity indexes were calculated for all vector species and for Rhopalosiphum padi alone. Colonisation of barley and proportion of infected plants were checked in a field close to the suction trap from 1992 to 2002 and related to trap catches. Catches were also correlated to acreage dedicated to cereal and fodder crops in the region. During the 20 years, 15 BYDV vector species were caught in the trap, but only five species were found consistently colonising barley plants during autumn. R. padi was the most numerous species in catches, while Sitobion avenae was the predominant colonising species in the barley field. Relatively to R. padi, S. avenae colonies were about six times more numerous than expected from catches. The yearly abundance of catches of most species did not change significantly during the 20 years, with a few exceptions, significantly correlated to changes in the acreage dedicated to cereal and fodder crops. There was a significant decrease of the autumn catches of both R. padi and the total of BYDV vectors.
Ultrastructure of the Mature Egg and Fertilization in the Fern Ceratopteris thalictroides
Authors: Cao Jian‐Guo , Yang Nai‐Ying , Wang Quan‐Xi
Published: March 2009

The ultrastructure of the mature egg and fertilization in the fern Ceratopteris thalictroides (L.) Brongn. were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The results revealed that the mature egg possesses an obvious egg membrane at the periphery of the egg. Furthermore, a fertilization pore was identified in the upper egg membrane of the mature egg. The structure of the pore is described for the first time. The fertilization experiment indicated that spermatozoids crowd into the cavity above the egg through the neck canal of the archegonium; however, only one of these can penetrate into the egg through the fertilization pore. Immediately on penetration of the spermatozoid, the egg begins to shrink. The volume of the fertilized egg decreases to almost one‐half that of the unfertilized egg. As a result, the protoplasm of the fertilized egg becomes dense and opaque, which may lead to a situation where the organelles of both the egg and the fertilizing spermatozoid become indistinguishable. Simultaneously, abundant vesicles containing concentric membranes or opaque materials appear near the fertilization pore in the cytoplasm of the fertilized egg. These vesicles are considered to act as a barrier that prevents polyspermy. The present study provides a new insight into the ultrastructure of the mature egg and the cytological mechanism of fertilization in ferns.
Growth and Contaminant Removal Effect of Several Plants in Constructed Wetlands
Authors: Cheng Xiu‐Yun , Liang Ming‐Qiu , Chen Wen‐Yin , Liu Xu‐Cheng , Chen Zhang‐He
Published: March 2009

The aim of the present study is to probe the relation between plant growth and its decontamination effect in constructed wetlands. Four species were studied in the small‐scale mono‐cultured constructed wetlands, which were fed with domestic wastewater. Plant growth indexes were correlated with contaminant removal performance of the constructed wetlands. Wetlands planted with Cyperus flabelliformis Rottb. showed the highest growth indexes such as shoot growth, biomass, root activity, root biomass increment, and the highest contaminant removal rates, whereas wetlands planted with Vetiveria zizanioides L. Nash had the lowest growth indexes and the lowest removal rates. Above‐ground biomass and total biomass were significantly correlated with ammonia nitrogen removal, and below‐ground biomass with soluble reactive phosphorus removal. Photosynthetic rate had higher correlation with nitrogen removal in these species. Root activity and root biomass increment was more correlated with 5 d biochemical oxygen demand removal. Chemical oxygen demand removal had lower correlations with plant growth indexes. All four species had higher removal rates in summer and autumn. The results suggest that the effect of plant growth on contaminant removal in constructed wetlands were different specifically in plants and contaminants.
ENUMERATING CHROMOGENIC AGAR PLATES USING THE COLOR QCOUNT AUTOMATED COLONY COUNTER
Authors: GARRY EILEEN , OUATTARA GRACE , WILLIAMS PATRICK , PESTA MEREDITH
Published: March 2009

This study compared colony counts of mixed bacterial cultures on chromogenic spread plates using manual and Color QCount (Spiral Biotech, Inc., Norwood, MA) automated methods. Inoculum levels spanned 30–300 cfu/mL, 26 agar types were used and 581 plates were analyzed. Plates were prepared according to manufacturers' instructions, manually counted once by two scientists and counted in duplicate automatically. The correlation coefficient comparing automated and manual counts for the pooled population of data was 0.987. The slope and intercept for the linear regression line were 1.0067 and 0.031, respectively. The mean log value difference between automated and manual counts for pooled data was−0.042. The mean log value differences between manual and automated counts demonstrated that 83.8% of plates analyzed were within 0.1 log, and 98.2% were within 0.2 log. These results demonstrate that the Color QCount automatic counter is a suitable alternative to the standard method of manually counting colored colonies on chromogenic agar plates.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

A variety of microbiology applications require users to count bacterial colonies on agar plates. Colonies are counted to 1) assess levels of contamination in the environment, water, food and dairy products; 2) conduct preservative and efficacy studies; and 3) determine the quality of pharmaceutical and medical products with microbial limits testing. There are several sources of variability in plating including inoculating errors, sampling errors, incubation errors, and counting errors. Errors in counting may worsen with user fatigue.

Using an automated colony counter to complete the tedious job of manually counting bacterial colonies on agar plates will not only improve efficiency in microbiology laboratories by saving valuable time for alternative tasks but also may improve the accuracy and consistency of the counts.
RAPID DETECTION OF GERMINATING BACILLUS CEREUS CELLS USING FLUORESCENT IN SITU HYBRIDIZATION
Authors: LAFLAMME CHRISTIAN , GENDRON LOUIS , TURGEON NATHALIE , FILION GENEVIEVE , HO JIM , DUCHAINE CAROLINE
Published: March 2009

Methods for the specific detection of Bacillus spores are needed in many situations such as the recognition of food poisoning. This study presents an experimental design in order to find the best combination of germination conditions leading to a rapid and detectable fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) signal from Bacillus cereus spores present in pure cultures and milk samples.

B. cereus ATCC 14579 and HER 1414 were incubated in 20 different growth media by using a combination of various germinants such as sugars, amino acids and dipicolinic acid. Also, three different germination factors were tested: incubation temperature, inoculum concentration and a heat shock treatment. Permeabilization procedure and hybridization time were optimized on the best germination condition found. B. cereus‐specific FISH probes were validated under the optimized condition and in detection of spiked B. cereus spores in 1% ultra heat‐treated milk samples. FISH‐labeled cells were detected by using flow cytometry, and the results were confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. The optimal condition allows the detection of B. cereus spores in less than 2 h. Overall, a ninefold reduction in total time for detection was achieved when comparing with previous works. Therefore, the permeabilization and hybridization optimizations mentioned in this study are major improvements for the detection time of B. cereus spores.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

By using the optimized conditions of germination/outgrowth, permeabilization and hybridization, the detection of 103 cfu/mL of Bacillus cereus spores using fluorescent in situ hybridization is possible within 2 h in milk sample.
THE IMPACT OF BRITISH COUNTERTERRORIST STRATEGIES ON POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN NORTHERN IRELAND: COMPARING DETERRENCE AND BACKLASH MODELS*
Authors: LAFREE GARY , DUGAN LAURA , KORTE RAVEN
Published: March 2009

Since philosophers Beccaria and Bentham, criminologists have been concerned with predicting how governmental attempts to maintain lawful behavior affect subsequent rates of criminal violence. In this article, we build on prior research to argue that governmental responses to a specific form of criminal violence—terrorism—may produce both a positive deterrence effect (i.e., reducing future incidence of prohibited behavior) and a negative backlash effect (i.e., increasing future incidence of prohibited behavior). Deterrence‐based models have long dominated both criminal justice and counterterrorist policies on responding to violence. The models maintain that an individual's prohibited behavior can be altered by the threat and imposition of punishment. Backlash models are more theoretically scattered but receive mixed support from several sources, which include research on counterterrorism; the criminology literature on labeling, legitimacy, and defiance; and the psychological literature on social power and decision making. In this article, we identify six major British strategies aimed at reducing political violence in Northern Ireland from 1969 to 1992 and then use a Cox proportional hazard model to estimate the impact of these interventions on the risk of new attacks. In general, we find the strongest support for backlash models. The only support for deterrence models was a military surge called Operation Motorman, which was followed by significant declines in the risk of new attacks. The results underscore the importance of considering the possibility that antiterrorist interventions might both increase and decrease subsequent violence.
DOES DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL MEAN DROPPING INTO DELINQUENCY?*
Authors: SWEETEN GARY , BUSHWAY SHAWN D. , PATERNOSTER RAYMOND
Published: March 2009

Approximately one third of U.S. high‐school freshmen do not earn their high‐school diploma on time. For African‐American and Hispanic students, this figure nearly reaches one half. The long‐term economic consequences of dropping out of school for both the student and the larger community have been well documented. It has also been argued that school dropouts put themselves at a higher risk for delinquent and criminal behavior when they leave school. Although it seems plausible that dropping out might increase the potential for delinquent conduct, another view states that dropping out is simply the final event in a long, gradual process of disenchantment and disengagement from school. Dropouts show evidence of school failure and developmental problems years in advance. It has been argued, therefore, that the actual event of finally leaving school has no causal effect on criminal or delinquent behavior because it has been so long in coming. In this article, we examine the effect of leaving school early, and the reason for dropping out, on delinquent behavior with the use of panel data models from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 Cohort (NLSY97). Through an appeal to identity theory, we hypothesize that the effect of dropping out is not uniform but varies by the reason for leaving school, gender, and time. This conjecture receives only partial empirical support. Implications for future work in the area are discussed.
DIFFERENTIAL COERCION, STREET YOUTH, AND VIOLENT CRIME*
Authors: BARON STEPHEN W.
Published: March 2009

Using a sample of 300 homeless street youths, this study examines differential coercion theory and the role that coercion and the socialpsychological deficits of anger, low self‐control, coercive modeling, coercive ideation, and control imbalances play in the generation of violent crime. Results from cross‐sectional and prospective offending models that examine the individual mediators reveal that coercion has a direct relationship with violent offending as well as a relationship that is mediated by low self‐control, anger, coercive modeling, and coercive ideation. Although control imbalances have a direct relationship with crime, they do not mediate the relationship between coercion and crime. In the cross‐sectional model that contains all the mediators, coercion, low self‐control, anger, coercive modeling, and coercive ideation are associated with crime. In the prospective model that contains all the mediators, only anger, coercive modeling, and coercive ideation remain associated with crime. Results are discussed regarding future theory development and policy implications.
The Path to Asylum in the US and the Determinants for who Gets in and Why
Authors: Rottman Andy J. , Fariss Christopher J. , Poe Steven C.
Published: March 2009

The migration of political asylum seekers into the United States has long been a salient political topic; however, social scientists have yet to examine this process in its entirety and in the context of political changes since September 11, 2001. Previous research shows that humanitarian and strategic interests are important for decisions made by asylum officers but that research overlooks the decisions made by immigration judges. Here we examine decisions made by both asylum officers and immigration judges using data from a global set of countries, from 1999 to 2004. We find that the waning importance of human rights is more pronounced for asylum officers than for immigration judges after the attack on the World Trade Center. We also find that language heritage, specifically for asylum seekers from English-, Spanish-, and Arabic-speaking countries, substantially affects acceptance rates made by both decision-makers between the two time periods of our study.
The Gradient of Immigrant Age-at-Arrival Effects on Socioeconomic Outcomes in the U.S.
Authors: Myers Dowell , Gao Xin , Emeka Amon
Published: March 2009

A young age at arrival is believed to be an important predictor of adult immigrant achievement, but there is no consensus on what age(s) at arrival is pivotal/crucial/critical. The 2000 census reports exact years of arrival and age providing us the opportunity to test different formulations for age-at-arrival effects for several different socioeconomic outcomes. We focus on the experiences of Mexican immigrants to the U.S. in this study. Our results indicate that the effect of early arrival is much greater for English proficiency than other outcomes and bears significantly on most, not all, attainments. There is little evidence at any age of a sharp discontinuity demarcating a 1.5 generation from older immigrants and, in fact, a series of classifications or a continuous measurement of age at arrival may be preferred in some cases. Guidelines are offered for the most appropriate formulation of age at arrival under different contexts.
Long‐term results of transarticular pinning for surgical stabilisation of coxofemoral luxation in 20 cats
Authors: Sissener T. R. , Whitelock R. G. , Langley‐Hobbs S. J.
Published: March 2009

Objectives:The objective of this study was to describe initial and long‐term results of open reduction and transarticular pinning for treatment of coxofemoral luxations in cats.

Methods:Cats were treated by open reduction and transarticular pinning for coxofemoral luxation over a five year period at two institutions. Follow‐up assessment included orthopaedic examination, radiography and owner questionnaires.

Results:Twenty cats were included in the study (14 males and six females). One cat was affected bilaterally. Mean time to follow‐up was 21 months. Seventeen joints were stabilised with a 1·6 mm pin, three with 2·0 mm pins and a 1·2 mm pin was used in the remaining joint. An Ehmer sling was not utilised in any case. All transarticular pins except one were removed (mean 3·5 weeks), with all hips still in reduction The overall success rate was 77 per cent, with two reluxations and one resorbed femoral head noted on radiographs of 13 joints followed long term. All 20 owners reported good to excellent long‐term functional outcome for their cats.

ClinicalSignificance:Results from this study indicate that transarticular pinning for stabilisation of coxofemoral luxation in cats can provide a good long‐term outcome without sacrificing the integrity of the coxofemoral joint.