bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of 30 % nutrient restriction in the first half of gestation on maternal and fetal baboon serum amino acid concentrations
Authors: McDonald Thomas J. , Wu Guoyao , Nijland Mark J. , Jenkins Susan L. , Nathanielsz Peter W. , Jansson Thomas
Published: October 2012

Mechanisms linking maternal nutrient restriction (MNR) to intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR) and programming of adult disease remain to be established. The impact of controlled MNR on maternal and fetal amino acid metabolism has not been studied in non-human primates. We hypothesised that MNR in pregnant baboons decreases fetal amino acid availability by mid-gestation. We determined maternal and fetal circulating amino acid concentrations at 90 d gestation (90dG, term 184dG) in control baboons fed ad libitum (C, n 8) or 70 % of C (MNR, n 6). Before pregnancy, C and MNR body weights and circulating amino acids were similar. At 90dG, MNR mothers had lower body weight than C mothers (P< 0·05). Fetal and placental weights were similar between the groups. MNR reduced maternal blood urea N (BUN), fetal BUN and fetal BUN:creatinine. Except for histidine and lysine in the C and MNR groups and glutamine in the MNR group, circulating concentrations of all amino acids were lower at 90dG compared with pre-pregnancy. Maternal circulating amino acids at 90dG were similar in the MNR and C groups. In contrast, MNR fetal β-alanine, glycine and taurine all increased. In conclusion, maternal circulating amino acids were maintained at normal levels and fetal amino acid availability was not impaired in response to 30 % global MNR in pregnant baboons. However, MNR weight gain was reduced, suggesting adaptation in maternal–fetal resource allocation in an attempt to maintain normal fetal growth. We speculate that these adaptive mechanisms may fail later in gestation when fetal nutrient demands increase rapidly, resulting in IUGR.
The preventive effect of β-carotene on denervation-induced soleus muscle atrophy in mice
Authors: Ogawa Masahiro , Kariya Yoshihiro , Kitakaze Tomoya , Yamaji Ryoichi , Harada Naoki , Sakamoto Tatsuji , Hosotani Keisuke , Nakano Yoshihisa , Inui Hiroshi
Published: October 2012

Muscle atrophy increases the production of reactive oxygen species and the expression of atrophy-related genes, which are involved in the ubiquitin–proteasome system. In the present study, we investigated the effects of β-carotene on oxidative stress (100 μm-H2O2)-induced muscle atrophy in murine C2C12 myotubes. β-Carotene (10 μm) restored the H2O2-induced decreased levels of myosin heavy chain and tropomyosin (P< 0·05,n3) and decreased the H2O2-induced increased levels of ubiquitin conjugates. β-Carotene reduced the H2O2-induced increased expression levels of E3 ubiquitin ligases (Atrogin-1 and MuRF1) and deubiquitinating enzymes (USP14 and USP19) (P< 0·05,n3) and attenuated the H2O2-induced nuclear localisation of FOXO3a. Furthermore, we determined the effects of β-carotene on denervation-induced muscle atrophy. Male ddY mice (8 weeks old,n30) were divided into two groups and orally pre-administered micelle with or without β-carotene (0·5 mg once daily) for 2 weeks, followed by denervation in the right hindlimb. β-Carotene was further administered once daily until the end of the experiment. At day 3 after denervation, the ratio of soleus muscle mass in the denervated leg to that in the sham leg was significantly higher in β-carotene-administered mice than in control vehicle-administered ones (P< 0·05,n5). In the denervated soleus muscle, β-carotene administration significantly decreased the expression levels of Atrogin-1, MuRF1, USP14 and USP19 (P< 0·05,n5) and the levels of ubiquitin conjugates. These results indicate that β-carotene attenuates soleus muscle loss, perhaps by repressing the expressions of Atrogin-1, MuRF1, USP14 and USP19, at the early stage of soleus muscle atrophy.
Phaseolus vulgaris extract affects glycometabolic and appetite control in healthy human subjects
Authors: Spadafranca Angela , Rinelli Samuele , Riva Antonella , Morazzoni Paolo , Magni Paolo , Bertoli Simona , Battezzati Alberto
Published: October 2012

Extracts of Phaseolus vulgaris (beans) are known to reduce glycaemia and food intake in rodents and humans. The present study evaluated the effects of a new, standardised and purified P. vulgaris extract (PVE), when employed as a supplement in a mixed balanced meal (60 % carbohydrates, 25 % lipids and 15 % protein), on glycometabolic and appetite control. To this end, a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed in twelve volunteers. Plasma glucose, insulin, C-peptide, ghrelin and satiety sensation ratings were assessed at baseline and during 3 h after meal consumption associated with PVE (100 mg) or placebo. Compared with placebo, PVE consumption resulted in lower increments in glucose (+15·4 (sem 5·4) v. 26·1 (sem 7·3) %, P= 0·04 at 30 min), insulin (+981 (sem 115) v. 1325 (sem 240) %, P= 0·04 between 45 and 120 min) and C-peptide (+350 (sem 27) v. 439 (sem 30) %, P= 0·04 between 30 and 90 min). In the first 2 h, plasma ghrelin decreased similarly in both groups but did not rebound as in placebo thereafter (P= 0·04). Correspondingly, satiety sensation in the third hour was significantly reduced in the placebo but not in the PVE condition. PVE induced a lower desire to eat than placebo (P= 0·02) over the 3 h. In conclusion, PVE supplementation reduced postprandial glucose, insulin and C-peptide excursions, suppressed ghrelin secretion and affected satiety sensations, inducing a lower desire to eat. These results support that further studies are needed to prove the concept of employing PVE as a supplement in mixed balanced meals in obese, glucose-intolerant and diabetic subjects.
Folic acid supplementation in pregnancy: are there devils in the detail?
Authors: Burdge Graham C. , Lillycrop Karen A.
Published: October 2012

Maternal folic acid (FA) supplementation is well recognised to protect against neural tube defects. Folate is a critical cofactor in one-carbon metabolism involved in the epigenetic regulation of transcription that underpins development. Thus, it is possible that maternal FA supplementation may have additional, unforeseen persistent effects in the offspring. This is supported by the modification by maternal supplementation with one-carbon donors and FA of the epigenetic regulation of offspring phenotype in mutant mice. The present article reviews studies in human subjects and experimental animals of the effect of maternal FA intake and phenotypic outcomes in the offspring. Maternal FA intake was associated with a short-term increased incidence of allergy-related respiratory impairment in children and multigenerational respiratory impairment in rats. Higher maternal folate status during pregnancy was associated positively with insulin resistance in 6-year-olds. In rats, maternal FA supplementation modified hepatic metabolism and vascular function through altered transcription, in some cases underpinned by epigenetic changes. FA supplementation in pregnant rats increased mammary tumorigenesis, but decreased colorectal cancer in the offspring. Maternal FA supplementation decreased a range of congenital cardiac defects in children. These findings support the view that maternal FA supplementation induces persistent changes in a number of phenotypic outcomes in the offspring. However, the number of studies is limited and insufficient to indicate a need to change current recommendations for FA intake in pregnancy. Nevertheless, such effects should be investigated thoroughly in order to support firm conclusions about the risk of unanticipated long-term negative effects of maternal FA supplementation in humans.
Blueberry intervention improves vascular reactivity and lowers blood pressure in high-fat-, high-cholesterol-fed rats
Authors: Rodriguez-Mateos Ana , Ishisaka Akari , Mawatari Kazuaki , Vidal-Diez Alberto , Spencer Jeremy P. E. , Terao Junji
Published: October 2012

Growing evidence suggests that intake of flavonoid-containing foods may exert cardiovascular benefits in human subjects. We have investigated the effects of a 10-week blueberry (BB) supplementation on blood pressure (BP) and vascular reactivity in rats fed a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet, known to induce endothelial dysfunction. Rats were randomly assigned to follow a control chow diet, a chow diet supplemented with 2 % (w/w) BB, a high-fat diet (10 % lard; 0·5 % cholesterol) or the high fat plus BB for 10 weeks. Rats supplemented with BB showed significant reductions in systolic BP (SBP) of 11 and 14 %, at weeks 8 and 10, respectively, relative to rats fed the control chow diet (week 8 SBP: 107·5 (sem 4·7) v. 122·2 (sem 2·1) mmHg, P= 0·018; week 10 SBP: 115·0 (sem 3·1) v. 132·7 (sem 1·5) mmHg, P< 0·0001). Furthermore, SBP was reduced by 14 % in rats fed with the high fat plus 2 % BB diet at week 10, compared to those on the high-fat diet only (SBP: 118·2 (sem 3·6) v. 139·5 (sem 4·5) mmHg, P< 0·0001). Aortas harvested from BB-fed animals exhibited significantly reduced contractile responses (to l-phenylephrine) compared to those fed the control chow or high-fat diets. Furthermore, in rats fed with high fat supplemented with BB, aorta relaxation was significantly greater in response to acetylcholine compared to animals fed with the fat diet. These data suggest that BB consumption can lower BP and improve endothelial dysfunction induced by a high fat, high cholesterol containing diet.
On the Interpretability of Law: Lessons from the Decoding of National Constitutions
Authors: Melton James , Elkins Zachary , Ginsburg Tom , Leetaru Kalev
Published: October 2012

An implicit element of many theories of constitutional enforcement is the degree to which those subject to constitutional law can agree on what its provisions mean (call this constitutionalinterpretability). Unfortunately, there is little evidence on baseline levels of constitutional interpretability or the variance therein. This article seeks to fill this gap in the literature, by assessing the effect of contextual, textual and interpreter characteristics on the interpretability of constitutional documents. Constitutions are found to vary in their degree of interpretability. Surprisingly, however, the most important determinants of variance arenotcontextual (for example, era, language or culture), but textual. This result emphasizes the important role that constitutional drafters play in the implementation of their product.
Negative interaction between twospotted spider mites and aphids mediated by feeding damage and honeydew
Authors: Cédola C.V. , Ottaviano M.F. Gugole , Brentassi M.E. , Cingolani M.F. , Greco N.M.
Published: October 2012

Among the herbivorous arthropods that feed on strawberry, the most important are the two-spotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae Koch, and several species of aphids. Mites and aphids belong to different guilds that coexist in the field and feed on the undersides of strawberry leaflets. However, the occurrence of large numbers of individuals of both species on the same leaflet is rarely recorded. We hypothesize that negative interactions between TSSM and aphids explain the intraplant distribution of these herbivores. We first examined the spatial coincidence of both herbivores in the field. Under experimental conditions, we then analyzed: (i) the rate of increase of TSSM and the aphid Chaetosiphon fragaefolii (Cockerell), growing individually and together; (ii) the effect of honeydew on TSSM preference; and (iii) the effect of previous strawberry leaflet damage by TSSM on C. fragaefolii preference. The proportion of TSSM that coincided with at least one aphid decreased as the percentage of leaflets with TSSM increased. The spatial coincidence index between aphids and TSSM increased together with the percentage of TSSM-infested leaflets. TSSM showed both a lower rate of increase when they shared the same leaflet with C. fragaefolii and lower fecundity on strawberry discs with honeydew. The rate of increase of C. fragaefolii did not change on co-occupied leaves, but the aphid species moved to the other side of leaflets shared with TSSM. Negative interactions resulting in a tendency for species to avoid each other, such as demonstrated herein, can affect distribution and performance of herbivorous arthropods.
Sensitivities of crop models to extreme weather conditions during flowering period demonstrated for maize and winter wheat in Austria
Authors: EITZINGER J. , THALER S. , SCHMID E. , STRAUSS F. , FERRISE R. , MORIONDO M. , BINDI M. , PALOSUO T. , RÖTTER R. , KERSEBAUM K. C. , OLESEN J. E. , PATIL R. H. , ŞAYLAN L. , ÇALDAĞ B. , ÇAYLAK O.
Published: October 2012

The objective of the present study was to compare the performance of seven different, widely applied crop models in predicting heat and drought stress effects. The study was part of a recent suite of model inter-comparisons initiated at European level and constitutes a component that has been lacking in the analysis of sources of uncertainties in crop models used to study the impacts of climate change. There was a specific focus on the sensitivity of models for winter wheat and maize to extreme weather conditions (heat and drought) during the short but critical period of 2 weeks after the start of flowering. Two locations in Austria, representing different agro-climatic zones and soil conditions, were included in the simulations over 2 years, 2003 and 2004, exhibiting contrasting weather conditions. In addition, soil management was modified at both sites by following either ploughing or minimum tillage. Since no comprehensive field experimental data sets were available, a relative comparison of simulated grain yields and soil moisture contents under defined weather scenarios with modified temperatures and precipitation was performed for a 2-week period after flowering. The results may help to reduce the uncertainty of simulated crop yields to extreme weather conditions through better understanding of the models’ behaviour. Although the crop models considered (DSSAT, EPIC, WOFOST, AQUACROP, FASSET, HERMES and CROPSYST) mostly showed similar trends in simulated grain yields for the different weather scenarios, it was obvious that heat and drought stress caused by changes in temperature and/or precipitation for a short period of 2 weeks resulted in different grain yields simulated by different models. The present study also revealed that the models responded differently to changes in soil tillage practices, which affected soil water storage capacity.
VARIATION IN HEIGHT AND KNEE HEIGHT IN ADOLESCENTS IN MERIDA, MEXICO, BY HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD EMPLOYMENT LEVEL AND FAMILY INCOME
Authors: VÁZQUEZ-VÁZQUEZ ADRIANA , AZCORRA HUGO , FALFÁN INA , DICKINSON FEDERICO
Published: October 2012

Variation in height among young adults has been linked to the living conditions of different social groups. The aim of this study was to measure variation in the height and knee height of young adults by head of household employment level and family income. The sample comprised 180 individuals (90 girls) aged 16 and 17 years living in the city of Merida, Mexico. Height and knee height were measured by anthropometry, and individuals' family social and economic data collected from their mothers. Variation in these measurements was analysed by three categories of employment and family income terciles. One-way ANOVAs were done by sex to compare mean height and knee height by employment and family income. Coefficients of variation were calculated and a Bartlett test applied. Significant differences in height and knee height were observed only between family income terciles. Both sexes were taller at the highest levels of family income (p<0.05) and men had the highest (p<0.05) knee height. Highest family income individuals exhibited the least variation in height and knee height. Similarity in socioeconomic conditions for families in the lowest family income tercile and with employee heads of household was not associated with lower variation of height and knee height.
In patients with metastatic cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to cervical lymph nodes, the extent of neck dissection does not influence outcome
Authors: Wang J T , Palme C E , Wang A Y , Morgan G J , Gebski V , Veness M J
Published: October 2012

Background:

This study aimed to compare recurrence and survival in patients undergoing either selective neck dissection or modified radical neck dissection to treat metastatic cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to the cervical lymph nodes (levels I–V) only.

Methods:

Twenty-eight year, retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database from a tertiary referral hospital, with a minimum follow up of two years.

Results:

There were 122 eligible patients: 96 males (79 per cent) and 26 (21 per cent) females (median age, 66 years). Sixty-six patients (54 per cent) underwent selective neck dissection and 56 (46 per cent) modified radical neck dissection. The former patients had a lower rate of regional recurrence compared with the latter (17 vs 23 per cent, respectively). There was no significant difference in five-year overall survival (61 vs 57 per cent, respectively) or five-year disease-free survival (74 vs 60 per cent, respectively), comparing the two groups. Overall survival and disease-free survival were significantly improved by the addition of adjuvant radiotherapy.

Conclusion:

We found no difference in outcome in patients undergoing selective versus modified radical neck dissection. Adjuvant radiotherapy significantly improved outcome.
Simulation study of collisional effects on the propagation of a hot electron beam and generation of Langmuir turbulence for application in type III radio bursts
Authors: KHALILPOUR H. , FOROUTAN G.
Published: October 2012

The propagation of a localized beam (cloud) of hot electrons and generation of Langmuir waves are investigated using numerical simulation of the quasi-linear equations in the presence of collisional effects for electrons and beam-driven Langmuir waves. It is found that inclusion of the collisional damping of Langmuir waves has remarkable effects on the evolution of the electron distribution function and the spectral density of Langmuir waves, while the effect of collision term for electrons is almost negligible. It is also found that in the presence of collisional damping of Langmuir waves, the relaxation of the beam distribution function in velocity space is retarded and the Langmuir waves are strongly suppressed. The average propagation velocity of the beam is not constant and is larger when collisional damping of Langmuir waves is considered. The collisional damping for electrons does not affect the upper boundary of the plateau but the collisional damping of Langmuir waves pushes it towards small velocities. It is also found that the local velocity of the beam and its width decrease when the collisional damping of Langmuir waves is included.
The microclimate of Mawson's Hut based on snow and ice core analysis
Authors: Donoghue Shavawn , Jacka Tim H. , Morgan Vin , Lazer Estelle
Published: October 2012

We report the oxygen isotope ratio (δ18O) and structural analysis of four 2m long firn cores collected in 1997 from inside Mawson's Hut (consisting of a Main Hut and a Workshop), Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica, and 25 snow samples collected in 2001 in the vicinity of the huts. Our aim is to examine the microclimate within the huts. Structural analyses of the cores and snow samples indicate there were no significant melt and refreeze events, however there is evidence of water seepage into the huts from the roof. Oxygen isotope data from the two cores from the Main Hut indicate that the hut filled slowly after being abandoned in 1914. Two cores adjacent to the Workshop suggest comparatively rapid snow filling after it was cleared of snow in 1978. Oxygen isotope analysis of individual samples collected outside Mawson's Hut suggests snow, accumulated south of Cape Denison, is deposited by katabatic winds.
The Many and the Few: On Machiavelli's “Democratic Moment”
Authors: Balot Ryan , Trochimchuk Stephen
Published: October 2012

Through an extended critical engagement with John P. McCormick'sMachiavellian Democracy, this paper aims to shed light on Machiavelli's account of relations among the many and the few in theDiscourses on Livy. While we agree with McCormick that Machiavelli should not be too quickly subsumed within the republican tradition, as interpreted by the “Cambridge School,” we reject the idea that Machiavelli's central thrust is prodemocratic. By focusing on the structure and logic of Machiavelli's arguments, we show that Machiavelli was critical of the capacities of ordinary citizens to govern themselves. As a result, Machiavelli emphasized and endorsed continuous elite intervention in the political life of the mixed regime, even as he paid due attention to the people's participation in a political regime with appropriate laws and institutions. Machiavelli's political theory, as embodied in theDiscourses on Livy, challenges the transparency and equality that contemporary egalitarians and democrats embrace.
Schmitt and Tocqueville on the Future of the Political in Democratic Times
Authors: Camus Anaïs , Storme Tristan
Published: October 2012

Tocqueville can easily be seen as the symbol of the French liberal thought whereas Schmitt is considered as the brightest opponent of the liberal doctrine. Trying to reconcile their theories might thus seem counterintuitive. However, delving into Schmitt's work reveals that the German thinker admired his French counterpart. As the question of their potential intellectual proximity becomes relevant, this article offers a first glance into what appears as a somehow connected interpretation of the democratic phenomenon in relation to their fear of possible depoliticizations. While they elaborate on distinct and almost contradictory questions which develop along diverging architectonics, the historian and the jurist show a deep problématique convergence. Furthermore, their reservations concerning the enlargement of national borders, individualism, and popular sovereignty reinforce this intuition with one notable exception: Schmitt keeps on ousting the variable “liberty” from Tocqueville's democratic equation.
Imagining the Kingdom: Mission and Theology in Early Christianity
Authors: Wright N. T.
Published: October 2012

The four gospels rightly stand at the head of the New Testament canon. They have, however, routinely been misread or misunderstood. They tell the story of the launch of theocracy – ‘the kingdom of God’ – in terms of the story of Jesus; but they tell that story as (a) the narrative climax of the story of Israel (presupposing the continuous story envisaged by many second-temple Jews in terms of Daniel 9's prophecy of an extended exile), (b) the story of Israel's God returning in glory as always promised, and (c) as the rival to the powerful first-century narrative of Rome, as told by e.g. Livy and Virgil in terms of Rome's history reaching its climax in Augustus, the ‘son of God’, and his empire. The stories meet on the cross, and the purpose of the gospels is then to awaken the readers’ imagination: suppose, they say, that ultimate power looks like this, not like that of Alexander the Great or Augustus. Ironically, much gospel scholarship since the rise of the critical movement has appeared eager to silence this kind of reflection; this has been due to (a) a desire to avoid continuity of narrative, (b) the implicit Epicureanism of modern western culture, with its eagerness to keep God and the world at arm's length, (c) the ‘two kingdoms’ theology implicit in much Lutheranism, and hence much New Testament scholarship, and (d) the triumph in modernism of what has been described by Ian McGilchrist as ‘left-brain’ over ‘right-brain’ thinking. Microscopic analysis has replaced the world of intuition, metaphor, narrative and imagination, leading to readings entirely against the grain of the gospels themselves (though understandable in an academic world where the doctoral process rewards left-brain work). If we are to take the gospels’ narratives seriously, however, we are projected forwards into a fresh vision of what the early church understood as its ‘mission’, focused on the εὐαγγέλιον which, for the first Christians, trumped that of Caesar. Because the early church was no longer marked by the cultural symbols of ethnic Judaism, it was the freshly imagined vision of the identity of the one God that sustained them in this mission, and the ecclesial life it demanded. This was the birth of ‘Christian theology’; and today's task must include the imaginative recapturing of that vision of God's kingdom, as a key element in a refreshed and gospel-grounded missiology.
Nature and Grace in the Theology of John Maclaurin
Authors: Yeager Jonathan
Published: October 2012

The important, but unexplored, John Maclaurin of Glasgow (1693–1754) represents the branch of enlightened evangelicals in the Church of Scotland who defended aspects of supernaturalism as compatible with reason. Evangelicals like Maclaurin endorsed the transatlantic evangelical revivals while still maintaining that such pervasive and multifarious spiritual awakenings were not a chaotic display of enthusiasm. Maclaurin supposed that God had created humanity with the ability to reason and could influence one's thinking to adopt epistemological assumptions about religion which some saw as irrational and superstitious. In order to prove this point, Maclaurin turned the tables on the opponents of the revivals by arguing that in order to be truly natural, in the sense of being a complete human, onemustembrace the inner workings of the Holy Spirit. The corruption of our nature which occurred as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve left mankind in an incomplete state. Therefore, the purpose of God's supernatural grace is to restore mankind to its authentic natural state. Without such divine aid to form knowledge, he argued, one would never be able to gain a full understanding of spiritual truth. Similar to Thomas Aquinas, Maclaurin assumed that humans can know many things about God and his work in the world using reason. Sin has not corrupted our intellect to the extent that we cannot ascertain any truth about God from observing the world around us. Nevertheless, in order to have a thorough understanding of God, divine grace is needed. Following Aquinas, Maclaurin claimed that God uses secondary causes like preaching to motivate people to seek grace. Such secondary causes cannot produce any real change in a person unless accompanied by the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. As opposed to many of the more liberal ministers of the day, Maclaurin, although not entirely comfortable with the fainting and weeping which sometimes appeared at the revivals, was willing to admit that emotional displays could be a natural response by a person whose heart had been moved by the spirit of God. While defending extreme emotions, Maclaurin's main point in his sermons was that evangelicalism was entirely reasonable.
David Kelsey, Eccentric Existence: A Theological Anthropology (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009), pp. 1092. $79.95.
Authors: Greggs Tom
Published: October 2012

Without doubt, David Kelsey's Eccentric Existence: A Theological Anthropology (henceforth, EE) is one of the most significant and important contributions to the field of theology from this generation of theologians. The two-volume work of over a thousand pages (really one volume bound into two books because of its size) is Kelsey's magnum opus, and arises from more than three decades of study and thought. It addresses directly and (properly) theologically central issues relating to humanity in relation to God and to creation (‘all that is not God’). This book has arisen within a theological setting of conversations with other members of the ‘Yale school’ (Hans Frei and George Lindbeck). Yet, there is a sense in which this book surpasses what that school of thought has offered thus far, not by beginning on an altogether different theological path, but by journeying further, and bringing what that theological approach has to offer to bear on one doctrinal locus in a way which the other key proponents of post-liberal theology have not yet done: Kelsey moves from discussing a theological method to using that theological method more fully and directly than has previously been the case in relation to the theological content of a single theological issue.
Assessing the distributional impact of reforms to disability benefits for older people in the UK: implications of alternative measures of income and disability costs
Authors: HANCOCK RUTH , PUDNEY STEPHEN
Published: October 2012

The UK Attendance Allowance (AA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) are non-means-tested benefits paid to many disabled people aged 65 + . They may also increase entitlements to means-tested benefits through the Severe Disability Premium (SDP). We investigate proposed reforms involving withdrawal of AA/DLA. Despite their present non-means-tested nature, we show that withdrawal would affect mainly low-income people, whose losses could be mitigated if SDP were retained at its current or a higher level. We also show the importance of the method of describing distributional impacts and that use of inappropriate income definitions in official reports has overstated recipients' capacity to absorb the loss of these benefits.
Is multilingualism linked to a higher tolerance of ambiguity?
Authors: DEWAELE JEAN-MARC , WEI LI
Published: October 2012

The present study investigates the link between multilingualism and the personality trait Tolerance of Ambiguity (TA) among 2158 mono-, bi- and multilinguals. Monolinguals and bilinguals scored significantly lower on TA compared to multilinguals. A high level of global proficiency of various languages was linked to higher TA scores. A stay abroad of more than three months was also linked to higher TA although the effect levelled off after one year. Growing up in a multilingual family had no effect on TA. These findings show that a high level of multilingualism makes individuals more at ease in dealing with ambiguity, but we acknowledge that a higher level of TA can also strengthen an individual's inclination to become multilingual.
At the crossroads: new paradigms of food security, public health nutrition and school food
Authors: Ashe Leah M , Sonnino Roberta
Published: October 2012

Public health nutrition sits at the nexus of a global crisis in food, environmental and health systems that has generated – along with numerous other problems – an urgent and changing problem of food insecurity. The ‘new’ food insecurity, however, is different from the old: it is bimodal, encompassing issues of both under- and over-consumption, hunger and obesity, quantity and quality; it has assumed a decidedly urban dimension; and it implicates rich and poor countries alike. The complexity of the expressions of this challenge requires new approaches to public health nutrition and food policy that privilege systemic, structural and environmental factors over individual and mechanistic ones. In this context, the current paper argues that school food systems rise with buoyant potential as promising intervention sites: they are poised to address both modes of the food security crisis; integrate systemic, structural and environmental with behavioural approaches; and comprise far-reaching, system-wide efforts that influence the wider functioning of the food system. Based on a discussion of Bogotá and other pioneering policies that explicitly aim to create a broader food system with long-term foundations for good public health and food security, the paper suggests a new research and action agenda that gives special attention to school food in urban contexts.
Dietary intakes of women during pregnancy in low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Lee Sun Eun , Talegawkar Sameera A , Merialdi Mario , Caulfield Laura E
Published: October 2012

Objective

To provide a better understanding of dietary intakes of pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries.

Design

Systematic review was performed to identify relevant studies which reported nutrient intakes or food consumption of pregnant women in developing countries. Macronutrient and micronutrient intakes were compared by region and the FAO/WHO Estimated Average Requirements. Food consumption was summarized by region.

Setting

Developing countries in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean and Central/South America.

Subjects

Pregnant women in the second or third trimester of their pregnancies.

Results

From a total of 1499 retrieved articles, sixty-two relevant studies were analysed. The ranges of mean/median intakes of energy, fat, protein and carbohydrate were relatively higher in women residing in the Caribbean and Central/South America than in Africa and Asia. Percentages of energy from carbohydrate and fat varied inversely across studies in all regions, whereas percentage of energy from protein was relatively stable. Among selected micronutrients, folate and Fe intakes were most frequently below the Estimated Average Requirements, followed by Ca and Zn. Usual dietary patterns were heavily cereal based across regions.

Conclusions

Imbalanced macronutrients, inadequate micronutrient intakes and predominantly plant-based diets were common features of the diet of pregnant women in developing countries. Cohesive public health efforts involving improving access to nutrient-rich local foods, micronutrient supplementation and fortification are needed to improve the nutrition of pregnant women in developing countries.
Refining Spatial Distribution Maps for Atom Probe Tomography via Data Dimensionality Reduction Methods
Authors: Suram Santosh K. , Rajan Krishna
Published: October 2012

A mathematical framework based on singular value decomposition is used to analyze the covariance among interatomic frequency distributions in spatial distribution maps (SDMs). Using this approach, singular vectors that capture the covariance within the SDM data are obtained. The structurally relevant singular vectors (SRSVs) are identified. Using the SRSVs, we extract information from z-SDMs that not only captures the offset between the atomic planes but also captures the covariance in the atomic structure among the neighborhood atomic planes. These refined z-SDMs classify the Δ(Δz) slices in the SDMs into structurally relevant information, noise, and aberrations. The SRSVs are used to construct refined xy-SDMs that provide enhanced structural information for three-dimensional atom probe tomography.
Atom-Probe Tomography of Nickel-Based Superalloys with Green or Ultraviolet Lasers: A Comparative Study
Authors: Amouyal Yaron , Seidman David N.
Published: October 2012

Recent developments in the technology of laser-pulsed local-electrode atom-probe (LEAP) tomography include a picosecond ultraviolet (UV) laser system having a 355 nm wavelength and both external and in-vacuum optics. This approach ensures focusing of the laser beam to a smaller spot diameter than has heretofore been obtained using a green (532 nm wavelength) picosecond laser. We compare the mass spectra acquired, using either green or UV laser pulsing, from nickel-based superalloy specimens prepared either electrochemically or by lifting-out from bulk material using ion-beam milling in a dual-beam focused ion beam microscope. The utilization of picosecond UV laser pulsing yields improved mass spectra, which manifests itself in higher signal-to-noise ratios and mass-resolving power (m/Δm) in comparison to green laser pulsing. We employ LEAP tomography to investigate the formation of misoriented defects in nickel-based superalloys and demonstrate that UV laser pulsing yields better accuracy in compositional quantification than does green laser pulsing. Furthermore, we show that using a green laser the quality of mass spectra collected from specimens that were lifted-out by ion milling is usually poorer than for electrochemically-sharpened specimens. Employing UV laser pulsing yields, however, improved mass spectra in comparison to green laser pulsing even for ion-milled microtips.
DNA Base Identification by Electron Microscopy
Authors: Bell David C. , Thomas W. Kelley , Murtagh Katelyn M. , Dionne Cheryl A. , Graham Adam C. , Anderson Jobriah E. , Glover William R.
Published: October 2012

Advances in DNA sequencing, based on fluorescent microscopy, have transformed many areas of biological research. However, only relatively short molecules can be sequenced by these technologies. Dramatic improvements in genomic research will require accurate sequencing of long (>10,000 base-pairs), intact DNA molecules. Our approach directly visualizes the sequence of DNA molecules using electron microscopy. This report represents the first identification of DNA base pairs within intact DNA molecules by electron microscopy. By enzymatically incorporating modified bases, which contain atoms of increased atomic number, direct visualization and identification of individually labeled bases within a synthetic 3,272 base-pair DNA molecule and a 7,249 base-pair viral genome have been accomplished. This proof of principle is made possible by the use of a dUTP nucleotide, substituted with a single mercury atom attached to the nitrogenous base. One of these contrast-enhanced, heavy-atom-labeled bases is paired with each adenosine base in the template molecule and then built into a double-stranded DNA molecule by a template-directed DNA polymerase enzyme. This modification is small enough to allow very long molecules with labels at each A-U position. Image contrast is further enhanced by using annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF-STEM). Further refinements to identify additional base types and more precisely determine the location of identified bases would allow full sequencing of long, intact DNA molecules, significantly improving the pace of complex genomic discoveries.
The Nixon shock after forty years: the import surcharge revisited
Authors: IRWIN DOUGLAS A.
Published: October 2012

On 15 August 1971, President Richard Nixon closed the gold window and imposed a 10% surcharge on all dutiable imports in an effort to force other countries to revalue their currencies against the dollar. The import surcharge was lifted four months later after the Smithsonian agreement led to new exchange rate parities. This paper examines the political, economic, and legal issues surrounding this use of trade sanctions to achieve exchange rate adjustments.
Economic institutions: explanations for conformity and room for deviation
Authors: DEQUECH DAVID
Published: October 2012

Why do economic agents conform with existing institutions? Drawing on economics and organizational institutionalism, this article identifies existing explanations, extends or refines some of them, suggests new ones, classifies these various explanations, and integrates them into an organized framework. One set of explanations focuses on conformity out of habit. The other refers to more conscious thought and behavior and considers coordination and increasing returns to adoption, social sanctions, informational differences, uncertainty, legitimacy, naturality, and lack of power/resources to deviate.
Measuring institutions: how to be precise though vague
Authors: SHIRLEY MARY M.
Published: October 2012

In his article on measuring institutions, Stephan Voigt (2012) proposes a pragmatic approach to develop more concrete, objective institutional variables than the broad abstractions used in most cross-country growth regressions. Voigt's approach has important strengths, but cross-country growth regressions, even with precisely measured institutions, are less likely to yield new insights than other methodologies.
Study of Dementia in Swedish Twins
Authors: Gatz Margaret , Pedersen Nancy L.
Published: October 2012

The Study of Dementia in Swedish Twins is a study of dementia in a defined population of twins. The goals included estimating heritability of Alzheimer's disease and identifying risk and protective factors in twin pairs discordant for the disease. The data, including not only diagnoses and age of onset but also extensive information about potential environmental risk factors, are now archived as Study ICPSR 25963 at National Archive for Computerized Data on Aging, Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research, at the University of Michigan, and available for researchers to use. Up to the time of archiving, 215 cases of dementia have been identified from a base sample of 2,394 individuals.
Flow fields, bed shear stresses, and suspended bed sediment dynamics in bifurcations of a large river
Authors: Szupiany R. N. , Amsler M. L. , Hernandez J. , Parsons D. R. , Best J. L. , Fornari E. , Trento A.
Published: October 2012

Channel bifurcations associated with bars and islands are important nodes in braided rivers and may control flow partitioning and thus affect downstream confluences, as well as the formation and dynamics of bars. However, the morphodynamic processes associated with bar formation are poorly understood, and previous studies have largely concerned laboratory experiments, small natural streams, or numerical analyses with large Froude numbers, high slopes, and low Shields stresses. In these cases, the morphologic changes at bifurcations are relatively rapid, with predominant bed load transport and the suspended load playing a minor role. In this paper, the evolution of the flow structure and suspended bed sediment transport along four expansion‐diffluence units in the Rio Paraná, Argentina, are described. The Rio Paraná is a large multichannel river with a bed composed of medium and fine sands and possesses low Froude numbers and high suspended bed material transport. Primary and secondary flow velocity components were measured with an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) along the expansion‐diffluence units, and the backscatter signal of the ADCP was calibrated to allow simultaneous measurements of suspended bed sediment concentrations. The interactions between these variables show that the cores of primary flow velocity and suspended bed sediment concentration do not necessarily follow the thalweg at the bifurcation and that inertial effects on the suspended bed sediment may influence the morphodynamics of bar formation. It is suggested that changes in flow stage, as well as the presence of vegetation, may further increase the deposition of suspended bed sediment at the bar head. This study suggests that the ratio of suspended bed material to bed load is an important factor controlling the morphodynamics of bifurcations in large sand bed braided rivers.
Relationships between Δ14C and the molecular quality of dissolved organic carbon in rivers draining to the coast from the conterminous United States
Authors: Butman David , Raymond Peter A. , Butler Kenna , Aiken George
Published: October 2012

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in natural waters possesses chemical and molecular qualities indicative of its source and age. The apportionment of DOC by age into millennial and decadal pools is necessary to understand the temporal connection between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the global carbon cycle. We measured Δ14C‐DOC and chemical composition indices (specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA254), fluorescence index (FI), hydrophobic organic acid fraction (HPOA) content) for 15 large river basins in the conterminous United States. Across all rivers the average proportion of HPOA in DOC correlated strongly with SUVA254 (r2 = 0.93 p < 0.001). Individual Δ14C‐DOC ranged from a low of −92.9‰ (726 y.b.p.) in the Colorado River to 73.4‰ (>Modern) in the Altamaha River for the year 2009. When adjusted by total discharge, these U.S. Rivers export modern carbon at between 34 and 46‰, a signal dominated by the Mississippi River. The variation in Δ14C correlates to indices of the aromaticity of the DOC measured by the SUVA254 (r2 = 0.87, p < 0.001), and FI (r2 = 0.6; p < 0.001) as well as differences in annual river discharge (r2 = 0.46, p < 0.006). SUVA254 was further correlated to broad scale vegetation phenology estimated from the Enhanced Vegetation Index derived from the NASA Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS). We show that basins with high discharge, high proportions of vegetation cover, and low human population densities export DOC enriched in aromatic material that corresponds to recently fixed atmospheric CO2. Conversely old DOC is exported from low discharge watersheds draining arid regions, and watersheds more strongly impacted by humans. The potential influence from fossil carbon from human inputs to aquatic systems may be important and requires more research.
Formation of recurring slope lineae by liquid brines on present‐day Mars
Authors: Chevrier Vincent F. , Rivera‐Valentin Edgard G.
Published: October 2012

Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) are small scale seasonal flow features identified by Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter that present several interesting characteristics such as an albedo contrast, seasonal dependence, and a strong preference for equator‐facing slopes. All of these characteristics strongly suggest a thermally driven mechanism such as a liquid triggered or dominated flow. Here we investigate the possibility that these features are formed by melting of brines of various compositions via a combination of thermodynamic and kinetic numerical models. Results suggest that a solution with a freezing temperature of ∼223 K can best reproduce the observed seasonality. Relatively high surface evaporation rates at the RSL locations make the flows quickly disappear over a single season. Our model reproduces well the seasonality of RSL and can explain the preference for equator‐facing slopes suggesting that brine flows, and therefore liquids, are possible on a small time and space scale today on Mars. However, if the RSL are indeed formed by brines, it may indicate that a recharge mechanism is active in order to maintain a source of brine over even short geological timescales, which would have important implications for the Martian water cycle.
Terdiurnal migrating‐tide signature in ionospheric total electron content
Authors: Luan Xiaoli , Dou Xiankang , Lei Jiuhou , Jiang Guoying
Published: October 2012

We report the latitudinal, seasonal and solar cycle variations of terdiurnal migrating tide (i.e., terdiurnal westward wave number 3, TW3) signature in ionospheric total electron content (TEC). Our investigations are based on the JPL global ionospheric maps (GIMs) during 1999–2011. The absolute amplitude of TW3 exhibits maximum values in the magnetic equatorial region, which reaches about 8 TECu under high solar activity and 1.5 TECu under low solar activity. The relative amplitude of zonal mean TEC in equatorial region, however, shows persistent patterns from 1999 to 2011 with little solar activity dependence. The relative amplitude of TW3 has a peak of ∼10% in the magnetic equatorial region and a second one of ∼7% at magnetic middle latitudes (30°–50°). At high latitudes in local winter seasons, the maximum relative amplitude occurs, which varies between 8 and 15% with slightly larger amplitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. The global structure of TW3 signature in TEC should shed some light on the coupling between the ionosphere‐thermosphere and the lower atmosphere.