bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Note: Radio frequency inductance-capacitance band-stop filter circuit to perform contactless conductivity measurements in pulsed magnetic fields
Authors: Altarawneh M. M.
Published: September 2012

We present a new technique to perform radio frequency (rf) contactless conductivity measurements in pulsed magnetic fields to probe different ground states in condensed matter physics. The new method utilizes a simple analog band-stop filter circuit implemented in a radio frequency transmission setup to perform contactless conductivity measurements. The new method is more sensitive than the other methods (e.g., the tunnel diode oscillator and the proximity detector oscillator) due to more sensitive dependence of the circuit resonance frequency on the tank circuit inductance (not the transmission line). More important, the new method is more robust than other methods when used to perform measurements in very high magnetic fields, works for a wide range of temperatures (i.e., 300 K–1.4 K) and is less sensitive to noise and mechanical vibrations during pulse magnet operation. The new technique was successfully applied to measure the Shubnikov-de Haas effect in Bi2Se3 in pulsed magnetic fields of up to 60 T.
Orthopaedic podiatry triage: process outcomes of a skill mix initiative
Authors: Homeming Lyndon J. , Kuipers Pim , Nihal Aneel
Published: September 2012

Background. The Orthopaedic Podiatry Triage Clinic (OPodTC) is a ‘skill mix’ model of care developed in Queensland Health to address the problem of lengthy waiting times for orthopaedic surgery on foot and ankle pathologies. It is based on the recognition that many orthopaedic surgery referrals can be identified early and treated conservatively with podiatry, averting the need for more costly and invasive surgical interventions. The model is collaborative and relies on screening and triage by the podiatrist, rather than delegation by the orthopaedic surgeon. Methods. Screening and triage through OPodTC was trialled at three Queensland Health hospital facilities during 2009 and 2010 to improve service timeliness. Patients identified by the OPodTC podiatrist as suitable for conservative management were provided with non-surgical podiatry interventions and discharged if appropriate. Those identified as still requiring surgical intervention after the benefit of interim conservative treatment provided by the podiatrist (or who chose to remain on the list) were returned to their previous place on the orthopaedic waiting list. This paper presents a summary and description of waiting list changes in association with this trial. Results. The OPodTC intervention resulted in a reduction in the non-urgent category of the waiting list across the three hospitals of between 23.3% and 49.7%. Indications from wait-list service data demonstrated increased timeliness and improved patient flow, which are core goals of these skill mix initiatives. Conclusions. This study highlights the potential of screening and triage functions in the skill mix debate. In this example, conservative treatment options were considered first, suitable patients did not have to wait long periods to receive timely and appropriate interventions, and those for whom surgery was indicated, were provided with a more targeted service. What is known about the topic? Shifting and delegation of tasks is a key issue in current global debate on models of care. Discussion regarding the mix and shifting of tasks in podiatry and orthopaedic surgery has been limited in Australia, and the appropriate measurement of outcomes and processes is a point for discussion. What does this paper add? This paper describes such an initiative in podiatry and orthopaedic surgery. It describes a skill mix initiative based on triage and screening rather than delegation. It reflects benefits of including waiting lists as a process measure. What are the implications for practitioners? Support for triage-oriented skill mix collaboration in Podiatry and Orthopaedic Surgery.
Role of H+ in Polypyrrole and Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) Formation Using FeCl3·6H2O in the Room Temperature Ionic Liquid, C4mpyrTFSI
Authors: Snook Graeme A. , Bhatt Anand I. , Abdelhamid Muhammad E. , Best Adam S.
Published: September 2012

The polymerisation reaction of pyrrole and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene using the chemical oxidant FeCl3·6H2O in the room temperature ionic liquid butyl-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (C4mpyrTFSI) has been investigated using cyclic voltammetry, UV/vis and IR spectroscopy. The voltammetric data for the Fe2+/3+ reaction is complicated by the presence of H+ introduced upon dissolution of the iron salt by deprotonation of the coordinated waters. The voltammetric and chemical reaction studies show that H+ itself, introduced to solution as trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (HTFSI), can act as the chemical oxidant for the polymerisation reaction. Voltammetric data also implies that in this system the Fe2+/3+ redox couple may not actually be involved in the polymerisation reaction and that the H+ introduced upon dissolution of the FeCl3·6H2O may be the sole cause of the oxidation reaction.
Case report and evaluation of the frequency of the prozone phenomenon in syphilis serology - an infrequent but important laboratory phenomenon
Authors: Post Jeffrey J. , Khor Candice , Furner Virginia , Smith Don E. , Whybin L. Ross , Robertson Peter W.
Published: September 2012

Background Treponema pallidum specific serology generally remains reactive for life. Therefore, the diagnosis of syphilis reinfection relies on clinical assessment and nontreponemal (reagin) serologic testing. The prozone phenomenon can lead to a falsely nonreactive rapid plasma reagin (RPR) assay result. Methods: We report a case of secondary syphilis in a HIV infected patient with a previous history of syphilis infection, where a falsely nonreactive RPR assay was associated with a delayed diagnosis of reinfection and infectious syphilis. The prozone phenomenon was detected in several of the patient’s serum samples collected around this time. We subsequently undertook a prospective evaluation for the prozone phenomenon in 3222 consecutive sera, which were assayed using the RPR assay for clinical purposes over a 10-month period. Results: The overall rate of the prozone phenomenon was 2 out of 3222 samples (0.06%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.02–0.22%) and the rate per reactive sample was 2 out of 397 (0.5%; 95% CI: 0.14–1.81%). Conclusion: Clinicians should request RPR testing at dilutions of sera when syphilis is suspected clinically and the RPR assay is nonreactive.
Psychosocial aspects of anal cancer screening: a review and recommendations
Authors: Landstra J. M. B. , Ciarrochi J , Deane F. P.
Published: September 2012

Cancer screening programs have the potential to decrease psychosocial wellbeing. This review investigates the evidence that anal cancer screening has an impact on psychosocial functioning and outlines considerations for supporting participants. The review suggested that screening has no significant effect on general mental health but may increase cancer-specific worry. Having worse anal or HIV symptoms, being younger, higher baseline distress or worse histology results were predictive of greater worry. The findings suggest the need to increase education campaigns, particularly targeting those with HIV infection and men who have sex with men. There is a need to develop a consensus on measuring the psychosocial impact of screening and stepped care approaches for responding to any resulting distress.
Effects of personality and social situation on representational gesture production
Authors: Hostetter Autumn B. , Potthoff Andrea L.
Published: September 2012

The present study investigated the correlation between speakers’ self-reported Big Five personality traits (extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness to experience) and their representational gesture production. In addition, possible interactions between the speakers’ personality traits and the social situation, specifically whether the gestures could be seen by the listener or not, were examined. We found that extraversion and neuroticism both positively correlated with representational gesture production. We also found an interaction between extraversion and visibility condition. While speakers produce more gestures when their audience can see them than when their audience cannot, this difference is smaller for speakers who report high levels of extraversion than it is for other speakers. The findings suggest that both the personality of the speaker as well as aspects of the social situation are important contributors to how frequently speakers gesture.
The life of the green shoots metaphor in the Spanish media
Authors: Requejo Maria Dolores Porto
Published: September 2012

The green shoots metaphor is quite recent, but not completely new in financial language. It has been used by economists for more than a decade to refer to the first signs of economic recovery after a recession and it can easily be analysed as a specification of the more general, abstract metaphors the economy is a living organism or the economy is a plant. However, in 2009 the worldwide financial crisis made this metaphor spread fast and reach non-specialist language. This has been especially noticeable in the Spanish media (mostly television and general newspapers), where the expression was extensively used during the whole year 2009 to the point that, in only six months, the metaphor underwent important semantic and pragmatic changes and became a common referential phrase outside economic discourse. Using a corpus of occurrences of the expression in the Spanish non-specialist press throughout 2009, this paper analyses the short life of the metaphor in the Spanish media during 2009, from its ‘birth’ and first occurrences, to its ‘growth’ and evolution towards less comparative, more discursive, pragmatic functions, such as those of categorizing and of summarizing other people’s discourse. Finally, the arguable ‘death’ of the metaphor is considered, as findings indicate that context plays a crucial role in the actual survival of the expression, which has undergone some significant changes in its meaning
Une traductologie pour quelles pratiques traductionnelles?
Authors: Gambier Yves
Published: September 2012

Les trous noirs de la traductologie vont de pair avec les transformations des pratiques professionnelles en traduction. Ces transformations suscitent l’émergence de nouvelles dénominations de ces pratiques, ce qui ne facilite pas l’appréhension des marchés. Dans le même temps, la réflexion traductologique s’internationalise. Par ailleurs, le développement des technologies continue à brouiller les manières de produire, de distribuer et de recevoir les « textes ». Ces évolutions rapides répondent souvent à la seule logique économique, toujours ignorée cependant dans les travaux traductologiques.

Après l’euphorie des années 1980–1990, la traductologie, longtemps alimen tée par les textes littéraires canoniques et sacrés, semble marquer une pause : son objet se semble plus évident, sa pertinence sociale fait question, sa fragmentation apparente apparaît tantôt comme un handicap, tantôt comme un signe de vita lité. D’où les six inconnues qui concluent l’article.
The neuroscience of translation
Authors: Tymoczko Maria
Published: September 2012

The neurological mechanisms involved in translating and interpreting are one of the chief known unknowns in translation studies. Translation studies has explored many facets of the processes and products of translation and interpreting, ranging from the linguistic aspects to the textual aspects, from the politics of translation to implications from cognitive science, but little is known about the production and reception of translation at the level of the individual brain and the level of molecular biology.1Much of this terra incognita will be explored and illuminated by neuroscience in the coming quarter century, and significant discoveries pertaining to language processing in translation will be made during the coming decade, linking observable behaviors at the macro level with knowledge of what happens in the production and reception of translation at the micro level of the neuron and the neuronal pathways of the brain.

In the past two decades powerful new techniques for observing brain function in healthy living individuals have been devised. To a large extent neuroscience has become a rapidly developing field because of new technologies that make it possible to monitor the brain as it actually works, to document neural pathways, and even to track the activity of specific neurons. This article focuses on discoveries in neuroscience pertaining to perception, memory, and brain plasticity that have already achieved consensus in the field and that have durable implications for the ways we will think about translation in the future.
Unknown agents in translated political discourse
Authors: Schäffner Christina
Published: September 2012

This article investigates the role of translation and interpreting in political discourse. It illustrates discursive events in the domain of politics and the resulting discourse types, such as jointly produced texts, press conferences and speeches. It shows that methods of Critical Discourse Analysis can be used effectively to reveal translation and interpreting strategies as well as transformations that occur in recontextualisation processes across languages, cultures, and discourse domains, in particular recontextualisation in mass media. It argues that the complexity of translational activities in the field of politics has not yet seen sufficient attention within Translation Studies. The article concludes by outlining a research programme for investigating political discourse in translation.
Finding information at the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Authors: Haas Stephanie W. , Hert Carol A.
Published: September 2012

The overall question this article addresses is, “How can information providers facilitate access to and understanding of their information by the general public?” The context of this investigation is the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). We identify three kinds of barriers to finding and using statistical information: user understanding of data scope and availability, user understanding of statistical concepts, and a variety of conceptual and linguistic mismatches. We explore these barriers within three components of the BLS-user environment: communities of users, the scope of BLS information, and the relationship between the concepts and language of BLS and users. The resulting difficulties in information access and use are not unique to the BLS; they can occur any time that non-experts interact with an information-rich web site. The LABSTAT Crosswalk (LSC) is proposed as a solution to these problems, and we discuss its construction and some suggestions for its use. The paper concludes by discussing related problems and solutions, and points out the need for integrated help tools for end users.
Hierarchical refinement and representation of the causal relation
Authors: Barrière Caroline
Published: September 2012

This research looks at the complexity inherent in the causal relation and the implications for its representation in a Terminological Knowledge Base (TKB). Supported by a more general study of semantic relation hierarchies, a hierarchical refinement of the causal relation is proposed. It results from a manual search of a corpus which shows that it efficiently captures and formalizes variations expressed in text. The feasibility of determining such categorization during automatic extraction from corpora is also explored. Conceptual graphs are used as a representation formalism to which we have added certainty information to capture the degree of certainty surrounding the interaction between two terms involved in a causal relation.
Resident Crab Associations with Sedimentation on Restored Intertidal Oyster Reefs in South Carolina and the Implications for Secondary Consumers
Authors: Wilber Dara H. , Hadley Nancy H. , Clarke Douglas G.
Published: September 2012

Benthic–pelagic coupling is an important habitat function provided by oyster reefs that is potentially affected by sedimentation impacts. In this study, the distributions of three resident crab species, the flat mud crab (also known as the flatback mud crab) Eurypanopeus depressus, the common mud crab (also known as the Atlantic mud crab) Panopeus herbstii, and the invasive green porcelain crab Petrolisthes armatus, were examined with respect to sedimentation on six restored intertidal eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica sites in South Carolina. Sedimentation among sites ranged from 4% to 60% cover and was composed of silty clay and sand. Crab associations with sedimentation differed among species. Common mud crabs and green porcelain crab densities were negatively correlated with percent sediment cover, whereas flat mud crab densities were not related to sediment cover. Flat mud crabs occupy the interstices of the reef, and their densities were positively correlated with scorched mussel Brachidontes exustus densities. Total crab biomass and individual body weight were converted to annual secondary production estimates, which ranged from 6.1 to 27.2 g/m2 (ash-free dry weight) among sites. Sedimentation on oyster habitat reduced crab annual secondary production beyond a prediction made by a proportional inverse relationship between percent sediment cover and crab secondary production. As an example, at 50% sediment cover, crab annual secondary production was reduced by 68%. The discrepancy between observed and predicted (proportional) reductions in crab secondary production estimates were most pronounced when sedimentation levels were less than 60% cover. These results suggest the use of proportional loss estimates to mitigate for sedimentation impacts on oyster habitat, when quantified as percent sediment cover, do not adequately compensate for impacts to resident crabs and consequential energy loss to crustacean and fish predators that include many important recreational and commercial species.

Received November 22, 2011; accepted May 10, 2012
Effect of Copper Sulfate on Aeromonas hydrophila Infection in Channel Catfish Fingerlings
Authors: Bebak Julie , Garcia Julio C , Darwish Ahmed
Published: September 2012

Motile Aeromonas septicemia results from primary or secondary infection with bacteria from Aeromonas spp., including Aeromonas hydrophila. Since 2009, an emerging strain of A. hydrophila has been associated, as a primary pathogen, with significant morbidity and mortality in the U.S. catfish industry. Two 2 × 2 factorial experiments with five replicates were conducted to evaluate whether copper sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO4) at a concentration of 1% of total alkalinity (total alkalinity = 98 mg/L as CaCO3; total hardness = 60 mg/L as CaCO3; pH = 7.4) can reduce mortality of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus after their exposure to this emerging strain of A. hydrophila. In experiment 1, fingerling channel catfish received an 18-h continuous bath exposure to CuSO4 after A. hydrophila challenge. Survival in the treatments challenged with A. hydrophila, both when exposed or unexposed to CuSO4, was significantly lower than survival in sham-exposed controls. Fish exposed to A. hydrophila and treated with copper sulfate had the lowest percent survival, at 18% (SE, 7.0), and survival was significantly different from the treatment in which fish were exposed to A. hydrophila but not treated with copper sulfate. In experiment 2, fish received a 4-h pretreatment with CuSO4 before exposure to A. hydrophila plus a 4-h treatment the next day. In experiment 2, when fish were exposed to A. hydrophila but not CuSO4, survival was 80.0% (SE, 5.5). For fish exposed to A. hydrophila and to CuSO4, survival was 50.0% (SE, 3.2). The percent mortality in the treatment exposed to A. hydrophila and to CuSO4 was signficantly different from all of the other treatments. This study demonstrated that, under these experimental conditions, CuSO4 application reduced survival when used as a treatment for infection of fingerling channel catfish with this strain of A. hydrophila.
Property Rights Revisited: An Analytical Framework for Groundwater Permit Market under Rule of Capture
Authors: Ghosh Sanchari , Willett Keith
Published: September 2012

This paper revisits the water deeds approach first proposed by Vernon Smith to construct an agent level dynamic optimization model using a simple discrete time framework. First a model of groundwater exploitation for a depletable aquifer is examined. Next an agent level model is solved allowing the agent to trade in the stock of water available at any point in time. The paper illustrates the importance of permit trading in instilling conservation incentives within individuals within a common property framework and explores the role of permit price in encouraging efficient allocation of water among users of a depletable aquifer subject to rule of capture.
Economics of Forestry in an Evolving Society
Authors: Samuelson Paul A.
Published: September 2012

A debate that has raged for centuries is unlikely to be resolved by me in one lecture. However, I shall do my best to set forth the issues and indicate what ought to be the crucial factors that a jury should consider in rendering its verdict on the matter. The issue is one between forestry experts and the general public on the one side and professional economists and profit-conscious businessmen on the other. At first blush this would seem to suggest that economists are on the side of the interests and are not themselves members of the human race. But, as I hope to show, sound economic analysis is needed to do justice to the cases put forward by either of the adversary parties.
Seasonal and Ontogenetic Variation in the Diet and Daily Ration of Estuarine Red Drum as Derived from Field-Based Estimates of Gastric Evacuation and Consumption
Authors: Facendola Joseph J. , Scharf Frederick S.
Published: September 2012

The application of ecosystem-based approaches in fisheries management has been limited by a lack of empirical data for quantifying the ecological interactions among many common and valuable fishery species. The red drum Sciaenops ocellatus, a large, carnivorous member of estuarine communities, is experiencing population recovery throughout its range in the U.S. South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Using a field-based approach, we determined seasonal and ontogenetic variation in the contribution of valuable fishery resource species to red drum diets, estimated red drum daily ration, and quantified per capita and population-level predation by juvenile and subadult red drum in a North Carolina estuarine system. Despite seasonal, interannual, and ontogenetic variation in diet composition, red drum fed mainly on macrocrustaceans and juvenile fishes, including several economically important resource species (e.g., blue crab Callinectes sapidus, penaeid shrimp, and Atlantic menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus). Both juvenile and subadult red drum demonstrated strong diel feeding patterns, with peak feeding occurring during the hours just after dark. Gastric evacuation rates during periods of declining gut fullness were estimated on seven sampling dates and produced mean daily ration estimates between 1.2% and 3.4% of predator mass depending on age-group. Combining field-observed red drum growth rates with published laboratory estimates of gross growth efficiency suggested that our estimates of daily ration were likely biased low. During the seasonal period of rapid growth, the aggregate consumption of blue crabs, penaeid shrimp, and Atlantic menhaden by juvenile and subadult red drum in North Carolina waters was estimated at 3.4 × 106 to 5.1 × 106 kg/year.

Received October 12, 2011; accepted May 24, 2012
Reproduction of the Sandbar Shark in the Western North Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Baremore Ivy E. , Hale Loraine F.
Published: September 2012

The reproductive parameters of 1,194 sandbar sharks Carcharhinus plumbeus (701 females, 493 males) were examined for stock assessment. Size and age at 50% maturity was 151.6 cm FL (12.1 years) for males and 154.9 cm (13.1 years) for females; however, the size and age at which 50% of females were in maternal condition was 162.0 cm FL (15.5 years). Males and females showed distinct seasonal reproduction patterns, with peak mating and parturition occurring from April through July. The majority of near-term pregnant and postpartum females were observed in the Florida Keys, which is an extension of the previously reported nursery grounds for sandbar sharks in the western North Atlantic Ocean. Female fecundity averaged 8.0 pups, and there was a significant increase in fecundity with length and age. The ovarian cycle is at least biennial, although there is evidence that some females have triennial cycles.

Received November 3, 2011; accepted June 1, 2012
Ecosystem Services of Coastal Habitats and Fisheries: Multiscale Ecological and Economic Models in Support of Ecosystem-Based Management
Authors: Jordan Stephen J. , O'Higgins Timothy , Dittmar John A.
Published: September 2012

Critical habitats for fish and wildlife are often small patches in landscapes, e.g., aquatic vegetation beds, reefs, isolated ponds and wetlands, remnant old-growth forests, etc., yet the same animal populations that depend on these patches for reproduction or survival can be extensive, ranging over large regions, even continents or major ocean basins. Whereas the ecological production functions that support these populations can be measured only at fine geographic scales and over brief periods of time, the ecosystem services (benefits that ecosystems convey to humans by supporting food production, water and air purification, recreational, esthetic, and cultural amenities, etc.) are delivered over extensive scales of space and time. These scale mismatches are particularly important for quantifying the economic values of ecosystem services. Examples can be seen in fish, shellfish, game, and bird populations. Moreover, there can be wide-scale mismatches in management regimes, e.g., coastal fisheries management versus habitat management in the coastal zone. We present concepts and case studies linking the production functions (contributions to recruitment) of critical habitats to commercial and recreational fishery values by combining site-specific research data with spatial analysis and population models. We present examples illustrating various spatial scales of analysis, with indicators of economic value, for recreational Chinook Oncorhynchus tshawytscha salmon fisheries in the U.S. Pacific Northwest (Washington and Oregon) and commercial blue crab Callinectes sapidus and penaeid shrimp fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.

Received June 30, 2011; accepted June 4, 2012
Paolo Veronese’s Art of Business: Painting, Investment, and the Studio as Social Nexus*
Authors: Garton John
Published: September 2012

Despite the prominent career of Paolo (Caliari) Veronese (1528–88), much remains to be discovered about his patrons and peers. Several letters written by the artist are presented here for the first time, and their recipient is identified as the humanist Marcantonio Gandino. The letters reference artworks, visitors to Veronese’s studio, and economic data pertaining to the painter. Analyzing the correspondence from a variety of methodological viewpoints reveals how Veronese fulfilled commissions, interacted with nobility, and invested his painterly profits in land on the Venetianterraferma. In addition to promoting Veronese’s career and advising on financial matters, Gandino translated Plutarch and Xenophon, whose texts share classical subjects and content with Veronese’s paintings. The comparison of texts and images leaves open the possibility of an exchange between the writer and painter concerning matters of classical motifs.
Parasite invasion following host reintroduction: a case study of Yellowstone's wolves
Authors: Almberg Emily S. , Cross Paul C. , Dobson Andrew P. , Smith Douglas W. , Hudson Peter J.
Published: September 2012

Wildlife reintroductions select or treat individuals for good health with the expectation that these individuals will fare better than infected animals. However, these individuals, new to their environment, may also be particularly susceptible to circulating infections and this may result in high morbidity and mortality, potentially jeopardizing the goals of recovery. Here, using the reintroduction of the grey wolf (Canis lupus) into Yellowstone National Park as a case study, we address the question of how parasites invade a reintroduced population and consider the impact of these invasions on population performance. We find that several viral parasites rapidly invaded the population inside the park, likely via spillover from resident canid species, and we contrast these with the slower invasion of sarcoptic mange, caused by the miteSarcoptes scabiei. The spatio-temporal patterns of mange invasion were largely consistent with patterns of host connectivity and density, and we demonstrate that the area of highest resource quality, supporting the greatest density of wolves, is also the region that appears most susceptible to repeated disease invasion and parasite-induced declines. The success of wolf reintroduction appears not to have been jeopardized by infectious disease, but now shows signs of regulation or limitation modulated by parasites.
Biodiversity loss decreases parasite diversity: theory and patterns
Authors: Lafferty Kevin D.
Published: September 2012

Past models have suggested host–parasite coextinction could lead to linear, or concave down relationships between free-living species richness and parasite richness. I explored several models for the relationship between parasite richness and biodiversity loss. Life cycle complexity, low generality of parasites and sensitivity of hosts reduced the robustness of parasite species to the loss of free-living species diversity. Food-web complexity and the ordering of extinctions altered these relationships in unpredictable ways. Each disassembly of a food web resulted in a unique relationship between parasite richness and the richness of free-living species, because the extinction trajectory of parasites was sensitive to the order of extinctions of free-living species. However, the average of many disassemblies tended to approximate an analytical model. Parasites of specialist hosts and hosts higher on food chains were more likely to go extinct in food-web models. Furthermore, correlated extinctions between hosts and parasites (e.g. if parasites share a host with a specialist predator) led to steeper declines in parasite richness with biodiversity loss. In empirical food webs with random removals of free-living species, the relationship between free-living species richness and parasite richness was, on average, quasi-linear, suggesting biodiversity loss reduces parasite diversity more than previously thought.
Arachidonic Acid Derivatives and Their Role in Peripheral Nerve Degeneration and Regeneration
Authors: Camara-Lemarroy Carlos Rodrigo , Gonzalez-Moreno Emmanuel Irineo , Guzman-de la Garza Francisco Javier , Fernandez-Garza Nancy Esthela
Published: September 2012

After peripheral nerve injury, a process of axonal degradation, debris clearance, and subsequent regeneration is initiated by complex local signaling, called Wallerian degeneration (WD). This process is in part mediated by neuroglia as well as infiltrating inflammatory cells and regulated by inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, chemokines, and the activation of transcription factors also related to the inflammatory response. Part of this neuroimmune signaling is mediated by the innate immune system, including arachidonic acid (AA) derivatives such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes. The enzymes responsible for their production, cyclooxygenases and lipooxygenases, also participate in nerve degeneration and regeneration. The interactions between signals for nerve regeneration and neuroinflammation go all the way down to the molecular level. In this paper, we discuss the role that AA derivatives might play during WD and nerve regeneration, and the therapeutic possibilities that arise.
Gender Differences and the Trend in the Acute Myocardial Infarction: A 10-Year Nationwide Population-Based Analysis
Authors: Yang Hung-Yu , Huang Jen-Hung , Hsu Chien-Yeh , Chen Yi-Jen
Published: September 2012

It is not clear whether gender is associated with different hospitalization cost and lengths for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We identified patients hospitalized for primary diagnosis of AMI with (STEMI) or without (NSTEMI) ST elevation from 1999 to 2008 through a national database containing 1,000,000 subjects. As compared to that in 1999~2000, total (0.35‰  versus 0.06‰,P<0.001) and male (0.59‰  versus 0.07‰,P<0.001) STEMI hospitalization percentages were decreased in 2007~2008, but female STEMI hospitalization percentages were not different from 1999 to 2008. However, NSTEMI hospitalization percentages were similar over the 10-year period. The hospitalization age for AMI, STEMI, and NSTEMI was increased over the 10-year period by 14, 9, and 7 years in male, and by 18, 18, and 21 years in female. The female and male hospitalization cost and lengths were similar in the period. As compared to nonmedical center, the hospitalization cost for STEMI in medical center was higher in male patients, but not in female patients, and the hospitalization cost for NSTEMI was higher in both male and female gender. We found significant differences between male and female, medical center and non-medical center, or STEMI and NSTEMI on medical care over the 10-year period.
Decrease in the Antioxidant Capacity in Beverages Containing Tea Extracts during Storage
Authors: Nekvapil Tomas , Kopriva Vladimir , Boudny Vladimir , Hostovsky Martin , Dvorak Petr , Malota Ladislav
Published: September 2012

The aim of this work was to determine antioxidant capacity of beverages containing black, white, and green tea extracts using the photochemiluminescence method, and to monitor its changes based on the storage temperature and time. Samples were stored at two different temperatures (refrigerated at 4°C and laboratory temperature 22°C), analyzed after opening of the original package, and consequently after 4 and 7 days. Results of the antioxidant capacity are expressed as the standard equivalents, that is, ascorbic acid in mmol/L. The highest mean value of the antioxidant capacity was found after opening of the original package in fruit-juice-enriched samples and totaled 9.793 mmol/L. This group revealed significant dependence (P<0.05) not only on the storage time, but also temperature. In samples without added fruit juices containing preservatives the value was 0.428 mmol/L. This group showed significant dependence (P<0.05) on the decrease of antioxidant capacity only when based on the storage time. Samples without fruit juices or preservatives showed significant decrease in the antioxidant capacity (P<0.05) after 4 days of storage based on the storage time. The dependence on temperature was revealed only after 7 days of storage.
Estimating Elasticity for Residential Electricity Demand in China
Authors: Shi G. , Zheng X. , Song F.
Published: September 2012

Residential demand for electricity is estimated for China using a unique household level dataset. Household electricity demand is specified as a function of local electricity price, household income, and a number of social-economic variables at household level. We find that the residential demand for electricity responds rather sensitively to its own price in China, which implies that there is significant potential to use the price instrument to conserve electricity consumption. Electricity elasticities across different heterogeneous household groups (e.g., rich versus poor and rural versus urban) are also estimated. The results show that the high income group is more price elastic than the low income group, while rural families are more price elastic than urban families. These results have important policy implications for designing an increasing block tariff.
ActivatedPTHLHCoupling Feedback Phosphoinositide to G-Protein Receptor Signal-Induced Cell Adhesion Network in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Systems-Theoretic Analysis
Authors: Wang Lin , Huang Juxiang , Jiang Minghu , Lin Hong , Qi Lianxiu , Diao Haizhen
Published: September 2012

Studies were done on analysis of biological processes in the same high expression (fold change ≥2) activatedPTHLHfeedback-mediated cell adhesion gene ontology (GO) network of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) compared with the corresponding low expression activated GO network of no-tumor hepatitis/cirrhotic tissues (HBV or HCV infection). ActivatedPTHLHfeedback-mediated cell adhesion network consisted of anaphase-promoting complex-dependent proteasomal ubiquitin-dependent protein catabolism, cell adhesion, cell differentiation, cell-cell signaling, G-protein-coupled receptor protein signaling pathway, intracellular transport, metabolism, phosphoinositide-mediated signaling, positive regulation of transcription, regulation of cyclin-dependent protein kinase activity, regulation of transcription, signal transduction, transcription, and transport in HCC. We proposed activatedPTHLHcoupling feedback phosphoinositide to G-protein receptor signal-induced cell adhesion network. Our hypothesis was verified by the different activatedPTHLHfeedback-mediated cell adhesion GO network of HCC compared with the corresponding inhibited GO network of no-tumor hepatitis/cirrhotic tissues, or the same compared with the corresponding inhibited GO network of HCC. ActivatedPTHLHcoupling feedback phosphoinositide to G-protein receptor signal-induced cell adhesion network includedBUB1B, GNG10, PTHR2, GNAZ, RFC4, UBE2C, NRXN3, BAP1, PVRL2, TROAP,andVCANin HCC from GEO dataset using gene regulatory network inference method and our programming.
Cation Dependence, pH Tolerance, and Dosage Requirement of a Bioflocculant Produced byBacillusspp. UPMB13: Flocculation Performance Optimization through Kaolin Assays
Authors: Zulkeflee Zufarzaana , Aris Ahmad Zaharin , Shamsuddin Zulkifli H. , Yusoff Mohd Kamil
Published: September 2012

A bioflocculant-producing bacterial strain with highly mucoid and ropy colony morphological characteristics identified asBacillusspp. UPMB13 was found to be a potential bioflocculant-producing bacterium. The effect of cation dependency, pH tolerance and dosage requirement on flocculating ability of the strain was determined by flocculation assay with kaolin as the suspended particle. The flocculating activity was measured as optical density and by flocs formation. A synergistic effect was observed with the addition of monovalent and divalent cations, namely, Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+, while Fe2+and Al3+produced inhibiting effects on flocculating activity. Divalent cations were conclusively demonstrated as the best cation source to enhance flocculation. The bioflocculant works in a wide pH range, from 4.0 to 8.0 with significantly different performances (P<0.05), respectively. It best performs at pH 5.0 and pH 6.0 with flocculating performance of above 90%. A much lower or higher pH would inhibit flocculation. Low dosage requirements were needed for both the cation and bioflocculant, with only an input of 50 mL/L for 0.1% (w/v) CaCl2and 5 mL/L for culture broth, respectively. These results are comparable to other bioflocculants produced by various microorganisms with higher dosage requirements.
Cognitive Profile in Persons With Systolic and Diastolic Heart Failure
Authors: Athilingam Ponrathi , D’Aoust Rita F. , Miller Leslie , Chen Leway
Published: September 2012

©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Persons with heart failure (HF) have four times the risk of having cognitive impairment compared with the general population and display different patterns of cognitive impairment. This secondary analysis of a published cross‐sectional study of 90 community‐dwelling adults examined the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores and HF differentiated as systolic and diastolic HF. Mean MoCA score was 22.9 (standard deviation±2.31) in persons with systolic HF (n=69) and 24.8 (standard deviation±2.76) in persons with diastolic HF (n=21) with statistically significant mean difference between groups (t=−2.025, P=.030). Independent t test on the eight MoCA domain scores and systolic and diastolic HF indicated significance on visuo‐spatial/executive function (P=.026), attention (P=.049), abstraction (P=.014), and delayed recall (P=.048). Findings from this study support the need for including persons with systolic and diastolic HF in future researches on identifying varying cognitive profiles to plan tailored cognitive intervention.
Intra‐ and interspecific differences in nutrient recycling by European freshwater fish
Authors: VILLÉGER SÉBASTIEN , GRENOUILLET GAËL , SUC VIRGINIE , BROSSE SÉBASTIEN
Published: September 2012

1. We measured N and P excretion rates of 470 individuals belonging to 18 freshwater fish species widespread in Western Europe. We assessed the effect of body mass on excretion rates at both the intra‐ and interspecific levels.

2. The high variability in per capita N and P excretion rates was mainly determined by differences in body mass. The scaling coefficients of allometric relationships for both N and P excretion rates were significantly lower than 1 (mean ± SE, 0.95 ± 0.04 and 0.81 ± 0.05, respectively).

3. The slope of the allometric relationship between fish mass and nutrient excretion rate was significantly different among species. We did not detect any influence of phylogenetic conservatism on fish mass and on excretion rates. Further investigations are needed to understand the biological determinants of these differences.

4. This high intra‐ and interspecific variability in per capita excretion rates, coupled with differences in fish body mass, produce marked differences in biomass‐standardised excretion rates. These results thus indicate the necessity for further experimental and in situ investigations on the consequences of nutrient recycling by fish in freshwater ecosystems.
Impact of multiple joint impairments on the energetics and mechanics of walking in patients with haemophilia
Authors: Lobet S. , Detrembleur C. , Hermans C.
Published: September 2012

Few studies have assessed the changes produced by multiple joint impairments (MJI) of the lower limbs on gait in patients with haemophilia (PWH). In patients withMJI, quantifiable outcome measures are necessary if treatment benefits are to be compared. This study was aimed at observing the metabolic cost, mechanical work and efficiency of walking amongPWHwithMJIand to investigate the relationship between joint damage and any changes in mechanical and energetic variables. This study used three‐dimensional gait analysis to investigate the kinematics, cost, mechanical work and efficiency of walking in 31PWHwithMJI, with the results being compared with speed‐matched values from a database of healthy subjects. Regarding energetics, the mass‐specific net cost of transport (Cnet) was significantly higher forPWHwithMJIcompared with control and directly related to a loss in dynamic joint range of motion. Surprisingly, however, there was no substantial increase in mechanical work, withPWHbeing able to adopt a walking strategy to improve energy recovery via the pendulum mechanism. This probable compensatory mechanism to economize energy likely counterbalances the supplementary work associated with an increased vertical excursion of centre of mass (CoM) and lower muscle efficiency of locomotion. Metabolic variables were probably the most representative variables of gait disability for these subjects with complex orthopaedic degenerative disorders.
Factor VIIa‐antithrombin complexes in patients with non‐neoplastic portal vein thrombosis with and without cirrhosis
Authors: Rossetto V. , Spiezia L. , Senzolo M. , Rodriguez K. , Gavasso S. , Woodhams B. , Simioni P.
Published: September 2012

Introduction

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is caused by local and systemic prothrombotic risk factors. In this case‐control study, we evaluated the use of the Factor VIIa‐antithrombin complex (FVIIa‐AT) complex assay as a hypercoagulability marker in patients with PVT.

Methods

Two different groups of cases were considered: (i) n = 12 noncirrhotic PVT patients, (ii) n = 33 cirrhotic patients with PVT. Controls were sex and age‐matched healthy volunteers and cirrhotic subjects without PVT, respectively.

Results

Levels of the FVIIa‐AT complex were significantly higher in noncirrhotic PVT subjects (132 ± 32 pm) than in healthy volunteers (108 ± 18 pm, P = 0.04). No significant difference in FVIIa‐AT complexes was seen between cirrhotic patients with (64 ± 20 pm) or without (61 ± 24 pm) PVT. A linear correlation was seen between FVIIa‐AT and FVIIa in noncirrhotic PVT subjects. In cirrhotic patients, FVIIa‐AT complexes depended on both FVIIa and AT.

Conclusion

These results confirm the utility of the FVIIa‐AT assay in identifying the hypercoagulable state of noncirrhotic patients because of a previous thrombotic event.
The effects of invasion on parasite dynamics and communities
Authors: Telfer Sandra , Bown Kevin
Published: September 2012

Invasions can impact on parasite communities through both the introduction of exotic parasite species and effects of invading hosts on native parasite dynamics. However, our understanding of the factors that influence the invasive process and mediate impacts on native hosts and parasites is limited.

Using models of host–parasite dynamics as a framework, we explore how both the probability of spread for an exotic parasite and impacts of introduced species on native parasite dynamics depend on key parameters related to rates of encounter, transmission, mortality and recovery. We examine how invasions may interact with the diverse range of underlying biological mechanisms that can affect these rates. We specifically highlight the potential role of interactions between parasites, which has largely been ignored.

For introduced parasites, high abundance of competent hosts and vectors within native communities can greatly facilitate spread. Introduced host species can cause amplification or dilution effects for native parasite dynamics, with the direction and magnitude of the effect determined by how the invasion influences the competency and abundance or relative abundance of the host community (community capacity).

Invasions by exotic parasites and changes to endemic parasite dynamics following invasions may reflect numerical and functional processes in multihost single‐parasite systems (e.g. influence of host and vector community structure on encounter rates). However, as co‐infection can influence factors such as susceptibility and infection length, effects may also be mediated by within‐host interactions between parasites. The ultimate effect of an invasion will depend on the community‐wide summed direct and indirect impacts.

Future studies should aim to further elucidate the key processes influencing disease dynamics in multihost (and multivector) communities, thereby informing predictions of how invasive host and parasite species and changes in biodiversity will influence disease risk. Theoretical studies should incorporate host interspecific competition and relax assumptions regarding the relationship between intra‐ and interspecific contact rates and density. Empirical and experimental studies should not only quantify the relative importance of host (and vector) density and diversity, but also consider other community interactions such as those between parasites.