bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Urban sustainability and the LEED rating system: case studies on the role of regional characteristics and adaptive reuse in green building in Denver and Boulder, Colorado
Authors: Boschmann E Eric , Gabriel Jessica N
Published: January 2013

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the most widely recognised green building assessment system in the United States but is increasingly criticised for only rewarding incremental solutions towards sustainability. With differing perceptions of how green building is best achieved, here we focus on how geographical context and reuse of existing buildings are rewarded. The conceptual framework for our analysis draws upon a light green/deep green dichotomy in sustainability and architectural design. While a light green perspective achieves reduced energy consumption and pollution through technology and green gadgetry, a deep green approach focuses on local geographic conditions to work with natural climate systems through design informed by vernacular architecture, as well as the benefits of adaptive reuse. This study uses a descriptive case study analysis of LEED credit points earned in six certified buildings in Denver and Boulder, Colorado. Our analysis confirms that LEED rewards more light green approaches. There is limited motivation in pursuing sustainability through deep green methods, as recognition of them in LEED is quite minimal. We conclude that the balance against rewarding deep green design limits more transformative paradigm‐shifting advances in sustainability. Recommendations for improvements to LEED are given, as well as a discussion on emerging local governance in regulating green building. This paper contributes to the emerging body of literature focusing on green building as a mechanism of urban sustainability, and draws up the geographic perspectives of scale, place, and the political and economic linkages between humans and the environment in cities.
A unified model of species immigration, extinction and abundance on islands
Authors: Rosindell James , Harmon Luke J.
Published: January 2013

Aim

MacArthur and Wilson's theory of island biogeography was revolutionary, and also inspired the more recent unified neutral theory of biodiversity and biogeography. The unified neutral theory has the potential to make predictions about island biogeography that are not well studied. Here we aim to unify the two theories by using an ecological neutral model to study immigration and extinction rates on islands – the cornerstone of MacArthur and Wilson's theory.

Methods

We conduct simulations of a spatially implicit neutral model and measure species abundances, immigration rates and extinction rates. We study the behaviour of the model at dynamic equilibrium and on approach to dynamic equilibrium both from volcanic origin (low initial diversity) and from land bridge origin (high initial diversity). We extend the model to study the effects of clustered immigration and to explicitly account for the distinction between immigration and colonization.

Results

Our model, in accord with the simplest version of MacArthur and Wilson's theory, predicts linear immigration and extinction rates as functions of species richness at dynamic equilibrium. In contrast, the approach to dynamic equilibrium produces rich and unexpected behaviour where immigration and extinction rates are non‐monotonic functions of species richness, at odds with other theory. Once examined, however, this behaviour makes biological sense and results from the influence of the species abundance distribution over immigration and extinction rates. The turnover predicted by our first model appears high, but can be lowered to realistic levels with an alternative model of clustered immigration or by accounting for the difference between the immigration of a new species and its true colonization of the island.

Main conclusions

MacArthur and Wilson's theory of island biogeography and ecological neutral theory are different, but there are strong similarities in their assumptions and predictions that should not be overlooked when evaluating them. Our results highlight the importance of species abundances as indicators of immigration and extinction rates; species richness alone is insufficient. In particular, extinction rate and species abundances are unavoidably linked, as rarity usually precedes extinction.
Visual Hallucinations Related to Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme Inhibitor Use: Case Reports and Review
Authors: Doane John , Stults Barry
Published: January 2013

Four patients experienced visual hallucinations that appear to have been precipitated by lisinopril. Other cases of visual hallucinations have been reported with other angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Older patients, particularly those with a history of either dementia or mild cognitive impairment, may be at higher risk. Hallucinations resolved within 1 to 30 days after cessation of ACE inhibitors. Development of visual hallucinations after initiation of ACE inhibitors should prompt discontinuation of therapy. Visual hallucinations have been reported in one case involving an ARB. Visual hallucinations have not been associated with direct renin inhibitors. Consideration should be given to use of alternative, unrelated antihypertensive drug classes.
The Effect of NaCl Reduction and Replacement on the Growth of Listeria Monocytogenes in Broth, Cooked Ham and White Sauce
Authors: Samapundo Simbarashe , Anthierens Tom , Ampofo‐Asiama Jerry , Xhaferi Ramize , Van Bree Ilse , Szczepaniak Slawomir , Goemaere Olivier , Steen Liselot , Dhooge Marieke , Paelinck Hubert , Devlieghere F.
Published: January 2013

The growth‐inhibiting effects of simple and commercial salt replacers on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes were determined in broth at 7C. The divalent chlorides, CaCl2 and MgCl2, had the largest antilisterial activities at equivalent water phase concentrations or molalities followed by NaCl ≈ KCl and MgSO4 in decreasing order of antilisterial effect. Additional antilisterial activities other than their water activity depressing effects were observed for CaCl2 and MgCl2. Challenge tests performed on cooked ham and white sauce showed that reduction of NaCl levels by ≤28 and 33%, respectively, did not affect the stability of these products to L. monocytogenes. It can be concluded from the study that changes in the stability to L. monocytogenes are most likely to occur when NaCl is fully reduced and/or replaced or partially replaced by either CaCl2 (increased stability) or MgSO4 (reduced stability).

Practical Applications

The association of high dietary NaCl levels to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases has led to concerted efforts in the food industry to reduce NaCl levels. To date, several studies have been performed, which have focused primarily on addressing the sensorial, technological and shelf life aspects, with far less emphasis being placed on the food safety aspects. The results of this study provide much needed insight into the potential food safety consequences of reduction and/or replacement of NaCl in food products.
Antimicrobial Activities of Acetic Acid, Citric Acid and Lactic Acid against Shigella Species
Authors: In Ye‐Won , Kim Jung‐Ji , Kim Hyun‐Jung , Oh Se‐Wook
Published: January 2013

This study determined the antimicrobial activities of acetic acid, citric acid and lactic acid against four Shigella species: S. sonnei, S. flexneri, S. boydii and S. dysenteriae. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of acetic acid and citric acid against Shigella were 200 and 300 ppm, respectively. But S. sonnei was 400 ppm. Lactic acid (0.5%) in tryptic soya broth inhibited the growth of all Shigella species. Citric acid weakly inhibited the growth of S. flexneri, but it strongly inhibited the growth of S. dysenteriae, resulting in a 5‐log reduction. Acetic acid exhibited the weakest antimicrobial activity among the tested organic acids but produced the highest ratios of injured cells. When artificially inoculated lettuce was dipped in 1% organic acid solutions, the growth of S. flexneri, S. dysenteriae and S. boydii were reduced by 2 logs. And the growth was further reduced by lactic acid as the dipping time increased. The antimicrobial activities of organic acids against Shigella species differed. Acetic acid exhibited the greatest antimicrobial activity in the paper disk diffusion experiment, but lactic acid was the most effective antimicrobial agent against Shigella species artificially inoculated on lettuce.

Practical Applications

Shigellosis induced by Shigella species results in at least 600,000 deaths worldwide each year. And in the U.S.A., it is a major bacteria involved in food poisoning, reported in 10,000–20,000 patients. In the present study, organic acids were used as basic materials for controlling Shigella species, and there are potential for organic acids, which are natural antimicrobials, to be used in the development of eco‐friendly reduction technology on Shigella species.
Advance Care Planning and the Quality of End‐of‐Life Care in Older Adults
Authors: Bischoff Kara E. , Sudore Rebecca , Miao Yinghui , Boscardin Walter John , Smith Alexander K.
Published: January 2013

Objectives

To determine whether advance care planning influences quality of end‐of‐life care.

Design

In this observational cohort study, Medicare data and survey data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) were combined to determine whether advance care planning was associated with quality metrics.

Setting

The nationally representative HRS.

Participants

Four thousand three hundred ninety‐nine decedent subjects (mean age 82.6 at death, 55% women).

Measurements

Advance care planning (ACP) was defined as having an advance directive (AD), durable power of attorney (DPOA) or having discussed preferences for end‐of‐life care with a next of kin. Outcomes included previously reported quality metrics observed during the last month of life (rates of hospital admission, in‐hospital death, >14 days in the hospital, intensive care unit admission, >1 emergency department visit, hospice admission, and length of hospice ≤3 days).

Results

Seventy‐six percent of subjects engaged in ACP. Ninety‐two percent of ADs stated a preference to prioritize comfort. After adjustment, subjects who engaged in ACP were less likely to die in a hospital (adjusted relative risk (aRR) = 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.80–0.94), more likely to be enrolled in hospice (aRR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.43–1.97), and less likely to receive hospice for 3 days or less before death (aRR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.85–0.91). Having an AD, a DPOA or an ACP discussion were each independently associated with a significant increase in hospice use (P < .01 for all).

Conclusion

ACP was associated with improved quality of care at the end of life, including less in‐hospital death and increased use of hospice. Having an AD, assigning a DPOA and conducting ACP discussions are all important elements of ACP.
The efficacy of passion fruit juice as an endodontic irrigant compared with sodium hypochlorite solution: an in vitro study
Authors: Jayahari Nidhin Kumar , Niranjan Nandini T. , Kanaparthy Aruna
Published: January 2013

Aim

To assess the effectiveness of several concentrations of two forms of passion fruit juice (PFJ) in the elimination of Enterococcus faecalis and to compare the antibacterial property of PFJ with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) as an intracanal irrigant.

Methods

Two types of PFJs, aqueous and alcohol extracts, were prepared and a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test was performed with both the extracts against E. faecalis. Two concentrations of each extract were selected from the results given by the MIC test and subjected to a broth dilution test (BDT) for nine different time periods. After each time period, samples were inoculated in brain–heart infusion agar plates for 24 h at 37°C and results were compared statistically.

Results

The MIC test showed that E. faecalis was sensitive to PFJ extracts at various concentrations. The results of the BDT showed a negative growth of E. faecalis by PFJ alcohol 20% at 30 min, PFJ aqueous 20% at 1 h, NaOCl 2.5% at 10 min and NaOCl 5.25% at 1 min. NaOCl showed a much better antibacterial efficacy than PFJ.

Conclusions

The PFJ alcoholic and aqueous extracts had an antibacterial effect against E. faecalis. As PFJ shows promising results, further research in this field could lead to much better results as compared to NaOCl.
The Global Circulation of the Literatures of Decadence
Authors: Gagnier Regenia
Published: January 2013

This article for the Global Circulation Projecthttp://literature‐compass.com/global‐circulation‐project/begins to test whether the author’s previous characterization of British and European Decadence – as textual and social strategies used to critique the relation of part to whole, especially the individual in relation to the State, or subordinate States in relation to dominant – might also be relevant outside Britain, Europe and North America. By offering a survey of diverse literatures from the late‐nineteenth to the late‐twentieth centuries, I hypothesize that the factors contributing to the rise of the Decadent Movement in France and England – the decline of economic, social, religious, political, ethnic, and gendered traditions under the forces of modernization that disrupted numerous relations of part to whole – have had similar effects elsewhere, giving rise to similar literary strategies. Literary decadence did not simply spread from Europe to other countries as a cultural movement, but it arose repeatedly and distinctly in response to changes or crises within various nations and cultures.
Low root reserve accumulation during drought may lead to winter mortality in poplar seedlings
Authors: Galvez David A. , Landhäusser S. M. , Tyree M. T.
Published: January 2013

Climate models suggest that more frequent drought events of greater severity and length, associated with climate change, can be expected in the coming decades. Although drought‐induced tree mortality has been recognized as an important factor modulating forest demography at the global scale, the mechanisms underlying drought‐induced tree mortality remain contentious.

Above‐ and below‐ground growth, gas exchange, water relations and carbon reserve accumulation dynamics at the organ and whole‐plant scale were quantified in Populus tremuloides and P. balsamifera seedlings in response to severe drought. Seedlings were maintained in drought conditions over one growing and one dormant winter season.

Our experiment presents a detailed description of the effect of severe drought on growth and physiological variables, leading to seedling mortality after an extended period of drought and dormancy. After re‐watering following the dormant period, drought‐exposed seedlings did not re‐flush, showing that the root system had died off.

The results of this study suggest a complex series of physiological feedbacks between the measured variables in both Populus species. Further, they reveal that reduced reserve accumulation in the root system during drought decreases the conversion of starch to soluble sugars in roots, which may contribute to the root death of drought‐exposed seedlings during the dormant season by compromising the frost tolerance of the root system.
Mitochondrial haplogroup B4 may be a protective factor to oral lichen planus susceptibility in Chinese
Authors: Wu D , Cheng S , Chen X , Sun M , Wang G , Fu S , Dong G , Wang L , Wu Y
Published: January 2013

Objective

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a common inflammatory disorder with a higher prevalence among women than men. The pathogenesis of OLP is still unclear, and its heredity is not well characterized. Maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) indicates its importance in human ethnic group classification as well disease susceptibility. So, this study was conducted to find whether mtDNA haplogroup associates with OLP susceptibility in Chinese, and determine the influence of C‐stretch structure of mtDNA on OLP susceptibility.

Subjects and methods

We sequenced three hypervariable regions of mtDNA from 242 patients with OLP and 237 healthy controls. The association between mtDNA haplogroups and OLP is tested by chi‐square test.

Results

Seventeen kinds of haplogroups were identified, and the frequency of haplogroup B4 was significantly higher in control group than that of the OLP group (P = 0.013, OR=0.429). In female samples, B4 declared even more significance (P = 0.003, OR=0.296). Meanwhile, the haplotypes of C‐stretch in mtDNA did not have any significant difference between case‐control groups.

Conclusions

Mitochondrial DNA haplogroup B4 might have a protective effect to OLP, and its protective effect resides predominantly in women. However, the association between C‐stretch haplotype and OLP susceptibility still needs more patients for evaluation.
Category‐based inhibition of focused attention across consecutive trials
Authors: Shin Eunsam , Bartholow Bruce D.
Published: January 2013

The distractor previewing effect (DPE) refers to the behavioral phenomenon that search times increase for oddball targets containing features recently associated with the absence of a target. Previous work using a color‐oddball search task showed that the DPE covaried with the N2pc component of the event‐related potential (an index of attention allocation) but not with other components, suggesting that the DPE reflects shifts in attentional sets. We sought to determine whether the previous results could generalize to a category‐oddball search task. Results showed that the DPE co‐occurred with N2pc effects in about 60% of the participants, and the DPE occurred with no N2pc effects in the rest of the participants. These results support a domain‐general, attention‐based account of the DPE, but also suggest that the attention‐based DPE account requires some modifications.
Identification of Polymorphisms in the Osteopontin Gene and Their Associations with Certain Semen Production Traits of Water Buffaloes in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Rolim Filho ST , Ribeiro HFL , de Camargo GMF , Cardoso DF , Aspilcueta‐Borquis RR , Tonhati H , Nunes KB , Vale WG , Barbosa EM , de Sousa KC
Published: January 2013

Contents

The osteopontin gene may influence the fertility of water buffaloes because it is a protein present in sperm. The aim of this work was to identify polymorphisms in this gene and associate them with fertility parameters of animals kept under extensive grazing. A total of 306 male buffaloes older than 18 months, from two farms, one in the state of Amapá and the other in the state of Pará, Brazil were used in the study. Seven SNPs were identified in the regions studied. The polymorphisms were in gene positions 1478, 1513 and 1611 in the region 5′upstrem and positions 6690, 6737, 6925 and 6952 in the region amplified in intron 5. The SNPs were associated with the traits, namely scrotal circumference, scrotal volume, sperm motility, sperm concentration and sperm pathology. There were significant SNPs (p < 0.05) for all the traits. The SNP 6690 was significant for scrotal circumference, sperm concentration, sperm motility and sperm pathology and the SNP 6737 for scrotal volume. The genotype AA of SNP 6690 presented the highest averages for scrotal circumference, sperm concentration and motility and the lowest total number of sperm pathologies. For the scrotal volume trait, the animals with the largest volume were correlated with the presence of the genotype GG of SNP 6737. These results indicate a significance of the osteopontin gene as it seems to exert a substantial influence on the semen production traits of male buffaloes.
Acid suppression does not reduce symptoms from vocal cord dysfunction, where gastro‐laryngeal reflux is a known trigger
Authors: Woolnough Kerry , Blakey John , Pargeter Nicola , Mansur Adel
Published: January 2013

Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) is characterized by paradoxical inspiratory abduction of the vocal cords. Gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a known trigger. We studied 77 patients referred to a tertiary VCD clinic. VCD was diagnosed in 62, of which 83.9% had proven GORD. Following 8 weeks of acid suppression, 24.2% reported improvement in the severity and frequency of VCD attacks. This study suggests that empirical treatment of GORD in VCD marginally improves symptom control.
Importance of distribution function selection for hydrothermal time models of seed germination
Authors: Mesgaran M B , Mashhadi H R , Alizadeh H , Hunt J , Young K R , Cousens R D
Published: January 2013

The germination of a population of seeds was modelled using the concept of hydrotime or hydrothermal time. Typically, a Normal distribution for base water potential (Ψb(g)) was used within these models to relate variation in Ψb(g) to the variation in time to germination of a given fraction of seeds. We sought to examine empirically the validity of this assumption, to compare the fit of alternative distributions and make recommendations for improved germination modelling procedures. Eight statistical distributions (Gumbel, Weibull, Normal, Log‐Normal, Logistic, Loglogistic, Inverse Normal and Gamma) were fitted to data for four weed species Hordeum spontaneum, Phalaris minor, Heliotropium europaeum and Raphanus raphanistrum. Methods for incorporating each of these distributions into hydrotime are presented. For three species (H. spontaneum, P. minor and H. europaeum), the Normal distribution gave the worst fit (with AIC values: −124.2, −296.9 and −264.5, respectively) and would lead to biased predictions, whereas the Loglogistic distribution consistently provided the best explanation of Ψb(g) variation in these species (with AIC values: −188.6, −326.2 and −272.1 respectively). All distributions failed to provide an unbiased description of the observed distribution of Ψb(g) in R. raphanistrum. The Normal distribution is not necessarily the best function for base water potential in hydrothermal models and, indeed, may give much more biased predictions than alternative functions. The ‘best’ distribution may vary with species. The distribution of Ψb(g) within a seed sample should therefore be examined and an appropriate equation selected, before using a model to make predictions.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Streptococcus suis Temperate Bacteriophage ϕNJ2
Authors: Tang Fang , Bossers Alex , Harders Frank , Lu Chengping , Smith Hilde
Published: January 2013

Streptococcus suis
is an important cause of meningitis, arthritis, and sudden death in young piglets and of meningitis in humans. A novel temperate
S. suis
-specific bacteriophage (ϕNJ2) was identified. The phage was induced from the
S. suis
strain NJ2 by using mitomycin C, and the whole genome sequence was determined. The ϕNJ2 genome is 37,282 bp in length and contains 56 open reading frames (ORFs). While 31 ORFs (55%) encoded hypothetical proteins, other ORFs were predicted to be functional, clearly indicating the novelty of ϕNJ2.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Opportunistic Human Pathogen Morganella morganii SC01
Authors: Khatri Indu , Dureja Chetna , Raychaudhuri Saumya , Subramanian Srikrishna
Published: January 2013

We report the 4.1-Mb draft genome sequence of
Morganella morganii
SC01, a gammaproteobacterium, isolated from an Indian human fecal sample.
Genome Sequence of the Sulfate-Reducing Bacterium Desulfotomaculum hydrothermale Lam5T
Authors: Amin Oulfat , Fardeau Marie-Laure , Valette Odile , Hirschler-Réa Agnès , Barbe Valérie , Médigue Claudine , Vacherie Benoit , Ollivier Bernard , Bertin Philippe N. , Dolla Alain
Published: January 2013

Here, we report the draft genome sequence ofDesulfotomaculum hydrothermale, a sulfate-reducing, spore-forming bacterium isolated from a Tunisian hot spring. The genome is composed of 2.7 Mb, with aG+Ccontent of 49.48%, and it contains 2,643 protein-coding sequences.
A crossed brain stem syndrome without crossed sensory symptomatology
Authors: Vrettos Apostolos , Fiotaki Kyriaki , Galati Elpida , Plachouras Diamantis
Published: January 2013

Lateral medullary infarction (LMI) or Wallenberg syndrome is a type of brain stem stroke, more specifically, a type of crossed brain stem syndrome. LMI is a well-described entity with several documented typical characteristics including pain and temperature impairment in the ipsilateral to the lesion side of the face and the contralateral side of the trunk and limbs. We present a case of LMI which describes a patient who presented with atypical features of analgesia and thermanaesthesia on the contralateral side of the face and absence of sensory deficit on the ipsilateral side. We attributed this pattern of involvement to a lesion that affects the ventral trigeminothalamic tract and spares the dorsolateral part of the medulla where the spinal trigeminal tract and its nucleus lie. This case report highlights the presence of atypical presentations of LMI that may initially challenge the physician's diagnostic reasoning.
Atypical giant haemangioma of liver with systemic inflammatory manifestations
Authors: Khalid Mohd , Ahmad Mehtab , Jain Amit , Rizvi Imran
Published: January 2013

Haemangioma is the most common benign tumour of the liver. Most of them are small in size (less than 4 cm) and are often asymptomatic and discovered incidentally on modern diagnostic imaging. Lesions with a diameter larger than 4 cm are called giant haemangiomas, and these are usually located in the right hepatic lobe. Although haemangioma is the most frequent benign tumour of the liver, ‘giant’ haemangiomas are rare. Such lesions may give rise to symptoms requiring treatment. In this case report, we describe the case of a 50-year-old Indian man who presented with giant liver haemangioma and systemic inflammatory manifestations.
Cerebral multicystic lesions in a child with neurofibromatosis
Authors: İsikay Sedat , Yilmaz Kutluhan
Published: January 2013

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) is an autosomal dominant neurocutaneous syndrome, with frequent involvement of the central nervous system (CNS). As well as abnormal cellular differentiation, disordered cell migration during development is the most common cause of the various brain lesions. Cystic lesions are rarely observed in neurocutaneous diseases, and the origin of the cysts is not known. This paper presents a rare case, a child at the age of 3, who was diagnosed as NF-1 and was observed to have asymptomatic cystic lesions in right temporal lobe in radiological examination of CNS. This study draws attention to the relationship between these rare cystic lesions of unknown origin and neurocutaneous diseases.
Alveolar bone exostoses subsequent to orthodontic implant placement
Authors: Agrawal Neeraj , Kallury Amitabh , Agrawal Kavita , Nair Preeti P
Published: January 2013

Alveolar bone exostoses (ABE), also known as a buttress bone formation, are not uncommon to the literature. Although, exostoses in response to the trauma from occlusion are a popular concept proposed more than 45 years ago, still the aetiological factors behind this development are unclear. Various risks and complications associated with orthodontic implants have been published, but buttress bone formation subsequent to this procedure has not been reported till date. This article describes a case of ABE, subsequent to the placement of orthodontic mini implants, where after careful evaluation, resective osseous surgery was performed.
Isolated B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the parotid gland presenting as an ulcerating facial mass and sepsis during an acute medical take
Authors: Anthony Victoria Angharad , Rees David Owen , Stephens Jeffrey W
Published: January 2013

Lymphoma presenting as a parotid gland tumour without systemic involvement is rare, especially with respect to a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Furthermore, when such cases present there is often a low degree of clinical suspicion as there may be few clinical features to suggest the diagnosis. We describe an unexpected case that presented during an acute medical intake. The case was an 84-year-old man presenting acutely unwell with an ulcerating mass over the right side of the face, septicaemia and acute kidney injury. Following aggressive initial management the patient improved. Later cytological examination of a fine needle aspiration from the mass confirmed a B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He had no evidence of other systemic involvement or of B-symptoms. We report on the case and briefly review the available literature relating to the prevalence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the parotid gland.
Innovative endovascular technique for treatment of rare cause of haemoptysis in young
Authors: Chadha Davinder , Handa Ajay , Chandra Subash
Published: January 2013

A 17-year-old boy reported for evaluation of two episodes of massive haemoptysis. His clinical examination was unremarkable and investigations (haemogram, coagulogram, serological tests for connective tissue disorders) were normal. A 64-slice CT angiography revealed a saccular aneurysm of 3.8×3.7×3.3 cm arising from the right lower lobe pulmonary artery which was confirmed by cardiac catheterisation. The aneurysm was successfully blocked with a 16–14 Amplatzer duct occluder. A repeat CT angiogram performed after 15 days revealed the device in situ obliterating the aneurysm. Pulmonary artery aneurysm is an extremely rare cause of massive haemoptysis and indicates imminent rupture of the aneurysm which can be rapidly fatal. This case highlights the importance of using an innovative endovascular technique for treatment of a rare cause of haemoptysis.
Does a full bladder assist insertion of intrauterine contraception? A randomised trial
Authors: Cameron Sharon T , Glasier Anna , Cooper Amy , Johnstone Anne
Published: January 2013

Background

Bladder distension is thought to cause the uterine axis to become more aligned with the cervical canal. Among women undergoing assisted conception it has been demonstrated that having a full bladder facilitates the passage of an intrauterine catheter for embryo transfer.

Objective

To determine if insertion of intrauterine contraceptive devices is easier in women who have a full bladder at the time of insertion.

Methods

200 women requesting intrauterine contraception with a pre-filled bladder were randomised to delayed emptying (after insertion;n=100) or immediate emptying (before insertion;n=100). Comparisons were made between doctors’ reported ease of insertion and women's pain scores.

Results

There was no significant difference with reported ease of insertion between the groups. Doctors reported that insertions were either ‘very easy’ or ‘quite easy’ in 82% and 83% of women in the immediate and delayed emptying groups, respectively (95% CIs for difference −10% to +11%). There was no significant difference in reported pain scores, with mean pain scores (out of 10) of 3.8 and 4.4 in the delayed and immediate emptying groups, respectively.

Conclusions

Bladder filling does not have a significant effect on ease of insertion of an intrauterine method of contraception. Insertion is mostly associated with low levels of discomfort, even in the presence of a full bladder.
Identifying the patient in George W Lambert'sChesham Street
Authors: Hammerschlag Keren Rosa
Published: January 2013

This paper takes as its focus one of the Edwardian period's most dramatic and little-understood paintings of a medical examination: George Washington Lambert'sChesham Street(1910). The painting shows an upper-class male patient lifting his shirt to reveal a muscular torso for examination by the doctor in the scene and the viewers outside it. The subject of a medical examination, I argue, legitimised the scrutiny of exposed male flesh and offered an opportunity for sensual pleasure between men.

By way of a comparison with other portraits of the artist from around the same period, I interpretChesham Streetas a patient self-portrait, which reveals the artist's dual personalities of bohemian artist and Australian boxer: two personae that did not combine seamlessly, as revealed by the composite nature of the patient inChesham Street. From a discussion of the artist as patient, I move to an analysis of other self-portraits by Lambert in which the artist is shown flexing his muscles, especially in the context of his passion for boxing. I consider how these portraits serve as complex inscriptions of illness and health and how this relates to the experience of living and working as an Australian expatriate artist in London in the early twentieth century.
Lameness in dairy cows: the developing story
Authors: Sibley R. J.
Published: January 2013

With 35 years' experience as a cattle vet, Dick Sibley gives a personal view of how approaches to lameness in dairy cows in the UK have changed over the years and where the challenges remain
Trends in cetacean abundance in the Gully submarine canyon, 1988–2011, highlight a 21% per year increase in Sowerby’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon bidens)
Authors: Whitehead Hal
Published: January 2013

Long time series of abundance data have advanced ecological understanding. I examined trends in incidental sightings of cetaceans in the Gully and neighbouring submarine canyons on the edge of the Scotian Shelf during summers between 1988 and 2011. There were a total of 2938 h of sighting effort in good conditions. I fit Poisson models to the sighting count data, and examined the support for models that included parameters representing monthly variations in abundance, trends over years, and different sighting rates in the different canyons. Sowerby’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon bidens (Sowerby, 1804)) were sighted 3.5 times more often in the Shortland and Haldimand canyons, compared with the Gully. For all other species, the best-supported models did not include differential sighting rates between canyons. The sighting rates of four species decreased over the 23 years of the study, while three species increased. Some of these trends may be related to changes in overall population size or variation in food resources, but a remarkable 21%/year increase in Sowerby’s beaked whale is perhaps most plausibly explained by a reduction in anthropogenic disturbance.
BEHAVIOR OF RC BUILDING COLUMNS UNDER CYCLIC LOADING: EXPERIMENTAL STUDY
Authors: RODRIGUES HUGO , ARÊDE ANTONIO , VARUM HUMBERTO , COSTA ANIBAL
Published: January 2013

An experimental campaign is underway in order to understand the behavior of rectangular columns under uniaxial and biaxial flexure. The present paper addresses the initial part of that campaign, by reporting on two columns tested under uniaxial bending in one horizontal direction and then submitted to another uniaxial test in the other direction. The test result analysis focuses on the contributions of flexure, shear and slip components to the global deformation. The experimental results were compared with a simplified method for column response. The Park and Ang damage index is calculated and compared with the physical damage observed.
Living benthic foraminifera: biogeographical distributions and the significance of rare morphospecies
Authors: Murray John W.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. Previous studies have investigated regional distribution but this is the first attempt to investigate the global biogeographical distribution of individual morphospecies of living/stained smaller benthic foraminifera. From 8032 samples collected between 1952 and 2011 data have been gathered on the relative abundance of >120 species in five major environments ranging from marsh to deep sea. There is a spectrum of six groups of species with abundance ranging from very high (Group 1) to extremely low (Group 6). In the latter species abundance never reaches 10% of an assemblage and, in many cases, it is only 1–2%. Individual species are shown to occupy a range of environments with very few being confined to a single environment (usually either marsh or deep sea). Some species occur in several oceans while others are confined to just one. There is no correlation between species abundance and being either widely or narrowly distributed. Propagules are the most likely mechanism of dispersal but some narrowly distributed species may not produce them. Generalists may be widely or narrowly distributed but opportunists are likely to be widely distributed. The rare species of Group 6 contribute to high diversity in shelf and deep-sea assemblages. These species may be adapted to minor differences in microhabitats induced by disturbance and patchy food supply. Patterns of biogeography have application to ecology, palaeoecology and taxonomy.
40
Ar/
39
Ar Thermochronology on Central China Orogen: Cooling, uplift and implications for orogeny dynamics
Authors: Wang Fei , Zhu Rixiang , Hou Quanlin , Zheng Dewen , Yang Liekun , Wu Lin , Shi Wenbei , Feng Huile , Sang Haiqing , Zhang Hongyuan , Liu Qing
Published: January 2013

40
Ar/
39
Ar geochronology was carried out on the non-deformed synorogenic granitoid plutons from the Qinling–Dabie Orogen. The new model cooling history (MCH) method is applied to K-feldspar to obtain information about its cooling history. MCH is a quicker and easier method of calculating cooling histories compared with the multi-domain diffusion (MDD) model. Cooling histories indicate that Qinling–Dabie suffered differential uplift and denudation processes since the collision in the Late Triassic. East Qinling uplifted and denuded rapidly from
c.
181–187 to
c.
150 Ma at a rate of
c.
20 °C Ma
−1
, three times as fast as west Qinling which was exhumed at a rate of
c.
6.6 °C Ma
−1
from
c.
195–190 to
c.
100 Ma. Although west and east Qinling started uplift and denudation at the same time, east Qinling reached the 150 °C geothermal line (
c.
7.5 km deep) at
c.
150 Ma, earlier than west Qinling by
c.
50 myr, suggesting that earliest collision and strongest compression occurred in east Qinling. Dabie is characterized with a polyphased process of uplift and denudation, implying that the subduction of south China block in this region was multi-staged. The emplacement of the granitoids and uplift pattern along Qinling–Dabie may be due to delamination of the root of the mountains or the slab break-off. Cooling histories suggest that more mass had been removed from the root of east Qinling than west Qinling and Dabie; the final delamination occurred in Dabie at
c.
100 Ma but affected the whole Qinling–Dabie orogen.
40
Ar/
39
Ar ages of crystallization and recrystallization of rock-forming polyhalite in Alpine rocksalt deposits
Authors: Leitner C. , Neubauer F. , Genser J. , Borojević-Šoštarić S. , Rantitsch G.
Published: January 2013

Polyhalite rocks of the evaporitic Haselgebirge Formation are emplaced within a rocksalt–mudrock tectonite. The rheologically weak series served as a major detachment level during nappe stacking of the Northern Calcareous Alps (Eastern Alps). To test the mineral polyhalite [K
2
Ca
2
Mg(SO
4
)
4
·2H
2
O] as a useful geochronometer for various diagenetic and deformation fabric types,
40
Ar/
39
Ar age dating was combined with microstructural analysis. Vein infills, polyhalite intergrown with anhydrite and polyhalite within mudrock, crystallized in several stages between
c.
235 and 210 Ma. Mylonites of fine-grained polyhalite rock indicate subsequent stages of tectonothermal overprint between
c.
155 and 105 Ma, which is roughly consistent with previously measured feldspar and muscovite
40
Ar/
39
Ar data from the region. Illite crystallinity points to temperatures of
c.
200 °C. The peak temperature of overprint was at
c.
180 °C in the Berchtesgaden mine (vitrinite reflectance, fluid inclusions) and >240 °C in the Altaussee mine (fluid inclusions). These temperatures are below the value of 255 °C, where polyhalite starts to dehydrate. Disturbed age spectra patterns result from multiphase polyhalite growth; however, single phases and completely recrystallized fabrics yield good results. As in the Alpine test case, polyhalite may characteristically serve as a geochronometer for diagenetic and very-low-grade metamorphic processes.

Supplementary material:

A table of used materials and methods and the detailed
40
Ar/
39
Ar step-heating data for polyhalite are available at:
www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18574
.
Morphology and diversity of the mandibular symphysis of archosauriforms
Authors: Holliday Casey M. , Nesbitt Sterling J.
Published: January 2013

Archosauromorphs radiated into numerous trophic niches during the Mesozoic, many of which were accommodated by particular suites of cranial adaptations and feeding behaviours. The mandibular symphysis, the joint linking the mandibles, is a poorly understood craniomandibular joint that may offer significant insight into skull function and feeding ecology. Using comparative data from extant amniotes, we investigated the skeletal anatomy and osteological correlates of relevant soft tissues in a survey of archosauromorph mandibular symphyses. Characters were identified and their evolution mapped using a current phylogeny of archosauriforms with the addition of non-archosauriform archosauromorphs. Extinct taxa with the simple Class I condition (e.g. proterochampsids, ‘rauisuchians’), rugose Class II (aetosaurs, protosuchians, silesaurids) and interdigitating Class III symphyses (e.g. phytosaurs, crocodyliforms) and finally fused Class IV (avians) build the joints in expected ways, although they differ in the contributions of bony elements and Meckel’s cartilage. Optimization of the different classes of symphyses across archosauromorph clades indicates that major iterative transitions from plesiomorphic Class I to derived, rigid Class II–IV symphyses occurred along the lines to phytosaurs, aetosaurs, a subset of poposauroids, crocodyliformes, pterosaurs and birds. These transitions in symphyseal morphology also appear to track changes in dentition and potentially diet.
The Immunobiology and Pathophysiology of Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
Authors: Hirschfield Gideon M. , Gershwin M. Eric
Published: January 2013

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is an autoimmune disease characterized by clinical homogeneity among patients, an overwhelming female predominance, production of a multilineage immune response to mitochondrial autoantigens, inflammation of small bile ducts, and in some patients the development of fibrosis and cirrhosis. The targets in this disease are small bile ducts, and the prototypic serologic response includes antimitochondrial antibodies (AMAs). Several key observations have greatly advanced our understanding of PBC. First, the multilineage immune response, including AMAs, is directed at the E2 component of the 2-oxo-dehydrogenase pathway, particularly PDC-E2. Second, such autoantibodies may be identified years before the clinical diagnosis of disease. Third, the autoreactive T cell precursor frequency for both CD4 and CD8 cells is significantly higher in liver and regional lymph node than in blood, so the multilineage antimitochondrial response may be required for the development of this disease. Fourth, the apotope of biliary cells contains intact PDC-E2; this apotope, in a setting that includes granulocyte macrophage colony–stimulating factor–stimulated macrophages and AMAs, produces an intense proinflammatory response. Fifth, several mouse models of PBC highlight the importance of loss of tolerance to PDC-E2 as well as a critical role for the interleukin (IL)-12 signaling pathway. Finally, genome-wide association studies suggest an important role for the IL-12 pathway in disease susceptibility. Taken together, these findings have resulted in a better understanding of the mechanism for selective biliary cell destruction and have also suggested unique pathways for therapeutic intervention.
Muscle metaboreflex-induced coronary vasoconstriction limits ventricular contractility during dynamic exercise in heart failure
Authors: Coutsos Matthew , Sala-Mercado Javier A. , Ichinose Masashi , Li ZhenHua , Dawe Elizabeth J. , O'Leary Donal S.
Published: January 2013

Muscle metaboreflex activation (MMA) during dynamic exercise increases cardiac work and myocardial O2 demand via increases in heart rate, ventricular contractility, and afterload. This increase in cardiac work should lead to metabolic coronary vasodilation; however, no change in coronary vascular conductance occurs. This indicates that the MMA-induced increase in sympathetic activity to the heart, which raises heart rate, ventricular contractility, and cardiac output, also elicits coronary vasoconstriction. In heart failure, cardiac output does not increase with MMA presumably due to impaired ability to improve left ventricular contractility. In this setting actual coronary vasoconstriction is observed. We tested whether this coronary vasoconstriction could explain, in part, the reduced ability to increase cardiac performance during MMA. In conscious, chronically instrumented dogs before and after pacing-induced heart failure, MMA responses during mild exercise were observed before and after α1-adrenergic blockade (prazosin 20–50 μg/kg). During MMA, the increases in coronary vascular conductance, coronary blood flow, maximal rate of left ventricular pressure change, and cardiac output were significantly greater after α1-adrenergic blockade. We conclude that in subjects with heart failure, coronary vasoconstriction during MMA limits the ability to increase left ventricular contractility.
Do Patients with Non-Arteritic Ischemic Optic Neuritis Have Increased Risk for Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Events?
Authors: Hasanreisoglu Murat , Robenshtok Eyal , Ezrahi David , Stiebel-Kalish Hadas
Published: January 2013

Objectives: To compare the incidence of cardiac and cerebrovascular events following non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) compared to published control data using the Framingham, United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) and the National Vascular Disease Prevention Alliance (NVDPA) data. Methods: A retrospective study of all consecutive cases of NAION between 1990 and 2005. Patients were stratified into those with or without prior ischemic events and into diabetics and non-diabetics. Outcome measures included cardiovascular morbidity, cerebrovascular events and the Framingham, UKPDS and NVDPA scores for each patient. Results: According to the NVDPA, the average absolute 5-year risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) was 8.98, compared to 9 CVD events in our study. In the diabetic patients, 5 (17%) had a cardiac event and 2 (8%) had a cerebral vascular accident (CVA). Based on the UKPDS risk calculator, the average 10-year risk for cardiac events is 21.6%, CVA –6.8%. In the non-diabetics, there were 3 cases (7.5%) of myocardial infarction, compared to the average 10-year Framingham risk for myocardial infarction or coronary death of 11% (±8 SD). Conclusions: Following NAION, the incidence of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events in patients taking aspirin is not in major excess from that expected in risk-factor age-matched controls.