bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shape‐Up: Shaping Discrete Geometry with Projections
Authors: Bouaziz Sofien , Deuss Mario , Schwartzburg Yuliy , Weise Thibaut , Pauly Mark
Published: August 2012

We introduce a unified optimization framework for geometry processing based on shape constraints. These constraints preserve or prescribe the shape of subsets of the points of a geometric data set, such as polygons, one‐ring cells, volume elements, or feature curves. Our method is based on two key concepts: a shape proximity function and shape projection operators. The proximity function encodes the distance of a desired least‐squares fitted elementary target shape to the corresponding vertices of the 3D model. Projection operators are employed to minimize the proximity function by relocating vertices in a minimal way to match the imposed shape constraints. We demonstrate that this approach leads to a simple, robust, and efficient algorithm that allows implementing a variety of geometry processing applications, simply by combining suitable projection operators. We show examples for computing planar and circular meshes, shape space exploration, mesh quality improvement, shape‐preserving deformation, and conformal parametrization. Our optimization framework provides a systematic way of building new solvers for geometry processing and produces similar or better results than state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Radial Symmetry Detection and Shape Characterization with the Multiscale Area Projection Transform
Authors: Giachetti A. , Lovato C.
Published: August 2012

We present a novel method to characterize 3D surfaces through the computation of a function called (multiscale) area projection transform, measuring the likelihood of points in the 3D space to be center of radial symmetry at selected scales (radii). The function is derived through a simple geometric framework based on parallel surfaces and can be easily computed on triangulated meshes. It measures locally the area of the surface well approximated by a sphere of radius R centered in the point and can be normalized in order to obtain a scale invariant radial symmetry enhancement transform. This transform can therefore be used to detect and characterize salient regions like approximately spherical and approximately cylindrical surface parts and, being robust against holes and missing parts, it is suitable for real world applications e.g. anatomical features detection. Furthermore, its histograms can be effectively used to build a global shape descriptor that provides very good results in shape retrieval experiments.
Co‐Segmentation of 3D Shapes via Subspace Clustering
Authors: Hu Ruizhen , Fan Lubin , Liu Ligang
Published: August 2012

We present a novel algorithm for automatically co‐segmenting a set of shapes from a common family into consistent parts. Starting from over‐segmentations of shapes, our approach generates the segmentations by grouping the primitive patches of the shapes directly and obtains their correspondences simultaneously. The core of the algorithm is to compute an affinity matrix where each entry encodes the similarity between two patches, which is measured based on the geometric features of patches. Instead of concatenating the different features into one feature descriptor, we formulate co‐segmentation into a subspace clustering problem in multiple feature spaces. Specifically, to fuse multiple features, we propose a new formulation of optimization with a consistent penalty, which facilitates both the identification of most similar patches and selection of master features for two similar patches. Therefore the affinity matrices for various features are sparsity‐consistent and the similarity between a pair of patches may be determined by part of (instead of all) features. Experimental results have shown how our algorithm jointly extracts consistent parts across the collection in a good manner.
Mean Curvature Skeletons
Authors: Tagliasacchi Andrea , Alhashim Ibraheem , Olson Matt , Zhang Hao
Published: August 2012

Inspired by recent developments in contraction‐based curve skeleton extraction, we formulate the skeletonization problem via mean curvature flow (MCF). While the classical application of MCF is surface fairing, we take advantage of its area‐minimizing characteristic to drive the curvature flow towards the extreme so as to collapse the input mesh geometry and obtain a skeletal structure. By analyzing the differential characteristics of the flow, we reveal that MCF locally increases shape anisotropy. This justifies the use of curvature motion for skeleton computation, and leads to the generation of what we call “mean curvature skeletons”. To obtain a stable and efficient discretization, we regularize the surface mesh by performing local remeshing via edge splits and collapses. Simplifying mesh connectivity throughout the motion leads to more efficient computation and avoids numerical instability arising from degeneracies in the triangulation. In addition, the detection of collapsed geometry is facilitated by working with simplified mesh connectivity and monitoring potential non‐manifold edge collapses. With topology simplified throughout the flow, minimal post‐processing is required to convert the collapsed geometry to a curve. Formulating skeletonization via MCF allows us to incorporate external energy terms easily, resulting in a constrained flow. We define one such energy term using the Voronoi medial skeleton and obtain a medially centred curve skeleton. We call the intermediate results of our skeletonization motion meso‐skeletons; these consist of a mixture of curves and surface sheets as appropriate to the local 3D geometry they capture.
Can Mean‐Curvature Flow be Modified to be Non‐singular?
Authors: Kazhdan Michael , Solomon Jake , Ben‐Chen Mirela
Published: August 2012

This work considers the question of whether mean‐curvature flow can be modified to avoid the formation of singularities. We analyze the finite‐elements discretization and demonstrate why the original flow can result in numerical instability due to division by zero. We propose a variation on the flow that removes the numerical instability in the discretization and show that this modification results in a simpler expression for both the discretized and continuous formulations. We discuss the properties of the modified flow and present empirical evidence that not only does it define a stable surface evolution for genus‐zero surfaces, but that the evolution converges to a conformal parameterization of the surface onto the sphere.
Time‐Discrete Geodesics in the Space of Shells
Authors: Heeren B. , Rumpf M. , Wardetzky M. , Wirth B.
Published: August 2012

Building on concepts from continuum mechanics, we offer a computational model for geodesics in the space of thin shells, with a metric that reflects viscous dissipation required to physically deform a thin shell. Different from previous work, we incorporate bending contributions into our deformation energy on top of membrane distortion terms in order to obtain a physically sound notion of distance between shells, which does not require additional smoothing. Our bending energy formulation depends on the so‐called relative Weingarten map, for which we provide a discrete analogue based on principles of discrete differential geometry. Our computational results emphasize the strong impact of physical parameters on the evolution of a shell shape along a geodesic path.
Parallel Blue‐noise Sampling by Constrained Farthest Point Optimization
Authors: Chen Renjie , Gotsman Craig
Published: August 2012

We describe a fast sampling algorithm for generating uniformly‐distributed point patterns with good blue noise characteristics. The method, based on constrained farthest point optimization, is provably optimal and may be easily parallelized, resulting in an algorithm whose performance/quality tradeoff is superior to other state‐of‐the‐art approaches.
Feature‐Preserving Reconstruction of Singular Surfaces
Authors: Dey T. K. , Ge X. , Que Q. , Safa I. , Wang L. , Wang Y.
Published: August 2012

Reconstructing a surface mesh from a set of discrete point samples is a fundamental problem in geometric modeling. It becomes challenging in presence of ‘singularities’ such as boundaries, sharp features, and non‐manifolds. A few of the current research in reconstruction have addressed handling some of these singularities, but a unified approach to handle them all is missing. In this paper we allow the presence of various singularities by requiring that the sampled object is a collection of smooth surface patches with boundaries that can meet or intersect.

Our algorithm first identifies and reconstructs the features where singularities occur. Next, it reconstructs the surface patches containing these feature curves. The identification and reconstruction of feature curves are achieved by a novel combination of the Gaussian weighted graph Laplacian and the Reeb graphs. The global reconstruction is achieved by a method akin to the well known Cocone reconstruction, but with weighted Delaunay triangulation that allows protecting the feature samples with balls. We provide various experimental results to demonstrate the effectiveness of our feature‐preserving singular surface reconstruction algorithm.
Empathy and values as predictors of care development
Authors: JUUJÄRVI SOILE , MYYRY LIISA , PESSO KAIJA
Published: August 2012

Juujärvi, S., Myyry, L. & Pesso, K. (2012). Empathy and values as predictors of care development. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 53, 413–420.

This study investigates values and affective empathy as predictors for care‐based moral development. Fifty‐three students from a university of applied sciences were interviewed with Skoe’s Ethic of Care Interview at the beginning of their studies and two years later. Value priorities were measured by Schwartz et al.’s Portrait Value Questionnaire, empathy variables by Davis’ Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and feelings of sympathy were rated using a real‐life moral conflict. The results showed that students in care‐oriented fields progressed in care reasoning. Real‐life sympathy and the value of self‐direction positively predicted development in care reasoning, whereas personal distress was a negative predictor. The results indicate that care‐based moral development is more closely connected with affective empathy than personal values. Individuals who feel empathy for others, and who prefer independent thinking and action, achieve the greatest gains in care development. In conclusion, educators should encourage students’ empathy and moral reasoning in authentic moral conflicts.
The relationship between the FFM and personality disorders in a personnel selection sample
Authors: NEDERSTRÖM MIKAEL , FURNHAM ADRIAN
Published: August 2012

Nederström, M. & Furnham A. (2012). The relationship between the FFM and personality disorders in a personnel selection sample.Scandinavian Journal of Psychology53, 421–429.

The relationships between the Five Factor Model (FFM) personality and personality disorders were investigated. A sample of real‐life job applicants completed two personality questionnaires with different theoretical backgrounds in a psychological assessment center. The job applicants provided self‐descriptions both on the FFM inventory and on a personality disorder trait inventory. A subsample of these candidates was interviewed by expert psychologists upon entrance to the assessment center. The psychologists assessed the same disorder traits of each target in job interviews. Both self‐descriptions were used to predict the expert assessments. The results demonstrated considerable overlap between the FFM measures of normal and measures of abnormal personality in both samples and regardless of assessment method.
Peasantry and Entrepreneurship As Frames for Farming: Reflections on Farmers' Values and Agricultural Policy Discourses
Authors: Niska Miira , Vesala Hannu T. , Vesala Kari Mikko
Published: August 2012

This article takes a frame analytic approach to the popular peasant–entrepreneur typology and focuses on the much‐studied topic of farmers' values. Peasantry is often thought to represent traditional or ‘indigenous’ style of farming, while entrepreneurship is associated with values injected and promoted by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In this article, peasantry and entrepreneurship are approached as frames for farming, i.e., social constructions that can be used to make sense of farming. The aim is to study whether farmers themselves frame farming in line with the peasant ethos and whether one can detect the impact of the policy discourses in farmers' framings. The study utilises value survey data from Finland and concludes that even though Finnish farmers' framings do not straightforwardly reflect the peasant–entrepreneur typology, they are highly compatible with the multifunctionality policy discourse. The results call for further attention to the novel framings new peasantry and ecological entrepreneurship that are compatible with the multifunctionality discourse.
Closing the regulatory regress: GMP accreditation in stem cell laboratories
Authors: Stephens Neil , Lewis Jamie , Atkinson Paul
Published: August 2012

Contemporary biomedical research is conducted amidst regimes of national and transnational regulation. Regulation, like rules generally, cannot specify all the practicalities of their application. Regulations for biomedical research impose considerable constraints on laboratories and others. In principle, there is a never‐ending regress whereby scientists have to provide increasingly more guarantees that protocols have been followed, standards reached and maintained, and rules adhered to. In practice, regulatory regress is not the actual outcome, as actors find ways of establishing closure for all practical purposes. Based on ethnographic case studies of two sites of biomedical work – the UK Stem Cell Bank and an anonymous laboratory working with primary human foetal material – this article documents the possibility of regulatory regress and strategies aimed at its closure.
Constructing denial as a disease object: accounts by medical students meeting dying patients
Authors: Borgstrom Erica , Barclay Stephen , Cohn Simon
Published: August 2012

As part of the general shift in contemporary healthcare from a focus on specific diseases to treating the whole person, doctors are now expected to be reflective and engage empathetically with patients. Yet, the context of end of life potentially confounds this commitment. Here we draw on the written submissions of UK medical students confronting dying patients to offer insight into a range of entangled issues. Although the exercise is designed to highlight the value of listening to patients and to encourage reflective practice, the experience of ultimately not being able to treat or cure frequently challenges the students’ understanding of the central purpose of clinical care and their future role as doctors. Because they invariably draw on the notion of ‘good death’, whenever they have to make sense of patient behaviour deemed as irrational or obstructive the students employ the concept of ‘denial’ as a strategic category. In this context denial is referred to as a disease‐like object that the students feel they can, and should, diagnose and treat. Such conceptual operations consequently illustrate a tension arising from trying to acknowledge the value of a whole‐patient approach while simultaneously reproducing the emphasis placed on identifying those discrete elements that determine legitimate medical intervention.
‘If you have a soul, you will volunteer at once’: gendered expectations of duty to care during pandemics
Authors: Godderis Rebecca , Rossiter Kate
Published: August 2012

Duty to care has been identified as a pressing ethical issue in contemporary discussions of pandemic preparedness; however, nuanced discussions of this complicated issue are relatively limited. This article presents historical data from the experience of the 1918 influenza pandemic in Brantford, Ontario in Canada, demonstrating that, in the face of an actual pandemic, the particular construction of duty to care as both moral and gendered meant that women were placed at a greater personal risk during this time. Given that women still dominate the front lines of healthcare work, we argue that it is critical for current stakeholders to reflect on how these historical patterns may be replicated in contemporary pandemic planning and response.
Key Findings of the NTM‐IMPACT Project
Authors: Orden David , Beghin John , Henry Guy
Published: August 2012

This Introduction summarises some of the key research findings of the papers in this special issue of The World Economy drawn from a European Commission co‐funded project on non‐tariff measures (NTMs) affecting agri‐food trade of the EU and its trade partners. The project created a large symmetric international database of regulations and standards, constructed measures of their heterogeneity and evaluated the effects of heterogeneity on trade. Cases studies for selected dairy, meat, and fruit and vegetable products complement the aggregate analysis. The findings suggest that at least for some import standards, the harmonisation of regulations will increase trade. Additional findings address the potential protectionist leaning of some NTMs, their welfare impact, third‐country consequences of their imposition, interface of NTMs with tariffs and other border measures, negotiation strategies, North–South dimensions of NTM impacts and the value added from the application of diverse and novel models to the assessment of their effects.
The Impact of Regulatory Heterogeneity on Agri‐food Trade
Authors: Winchester Niven , Rau Marie‐Luise , Goetz Christian , Larue Bruno , Otsuki Tsunehiro , Shutes Karl , Wieck Christine , Burnquist Heloisa L. , Pinto de Souza Maurício J. , Nunes de Faria Rosane
Published: August 2012

We estimate the impact of regulatory heterogeneity on agri‐food trade using a gravity analysis that relies on detailed data on non‐tariff measures (NTMs) collected by the NTM‐Impact project. The data cover a broad range of import requirements for agricultural and food products for the EU and nine of its major trade partners. We find that trade is significantly reduced when importing countries have stricter maximum residue limits (MRLs) for plant products than exporting countries. For most other measures, due to their qualitative nature, we were unable to infer whether the importer has stricter standards relative to the exporter, and we do not find a robust relationship between these measures and trade. Our findings suggest that, at least for some import standards, harmonising regulations will increase trade. We also conclude that tariff reductions remain an effective means to increase trade even when NTMs abound.
Convergence of US and EU Production Practices Under the New FDA Food Safety Modernization Act
Authors: Humphrey John
Published: August 2012

Private standards relating to food safety have become an important element in trade in fresh fruit and vegetables, particularly in Europe. Discussions of the positive and negative impacts of such standards on farmers in developing countries are associated with the way they are implemented and enforced, with particular emphasis being placed on how these standards introduce prescriptive controls at the farm level backed up by audit and third‐party certification. Enactment in the United States of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in January 2011 adds a new element to the discussion of private standards. The Act mandates the introduction of risk‐based controls on domestic farms for fruits and vegetables deemed high risk. It also places an obligation on food importers to ensure that their suppliers observe equivalent levels of safety controls. The FSMA is likely to lead to farm‐level controls and certification as seen with private food safety standards as they have developed in Europe.
The Relationship between Exchange Rates and Interest Rate Differentials: A Wavelet Approach
Authors: Scott Hacker R. , Karlsson Hyunjoo Kim , Månsson Kristofer
Published: August 2012

This paper uses wavelet analysis to investigate the relationship between the spot exchange rate and interest rate differential for seven pairs of countries, with a small country, Sweden, included in each case. The key empirical results show that there tends to be a negative relationship between the spot exchange rate (domestic‐currency price of foreign currency) and nominal interest rate differential (approximately the domestic interest rate minus the foreign interest rate) at the shortest timescales, while a positive relationship is more frequently found at the longest timescales. This indicates that among models of exchange rate determination using the asset approach, the sticky‐price models are supported in the short run and flexible‐price models in the long run.
Taxation of Foreign Profits with Heterogeneous Multinational Firms
Authors: Becker Johannes
Published: August 2012

This paper analyses optimal taxation of foreign profits using a model with heterogeneous multinational firms that serve a foreign market through exports or foreign direct investment (FDI). If a firm switches from exporting to FDI, domestic activity and tax payments may decrease, stay constant or even rise because of intra‐firm trade. It turns out that, in contrast to recent claims, in all three cases, the optimal tax system implies full taxation after deduction of foreign tax payments. If the country accounts for the effects of its policy on the foreign price level, the case for taxing foreign income becomes even stronger. However, the globally optimal tax system may require exemption of foreign income from tax.
The European Redistributive State and a European Law of Struggle
Authors: Chalmers Damian
Published: August 2012

Its more central involvement in the government of economic and fiscal policy requires a new public law for the EU. This must be alive to the positive, negative and intractable qualities of conflicts associated with these fields. Such a law would internalise conflicts within the political process so that their irresolution and ongoing struggle become the dynamo endowing the Union with qualities of political engagement, imagination and justice. The recent reforms make mediation of conflicts a central mission of the Union but still use the public law structures of the regulatory state which lack these three qualities.
Transnational Solidarity and the Mediation of Conflicts of Justice in Europe
Authors: de Witte Floris
Published: August 2012

This contribution analyses the conflicts of justice that are becoming increasingly visible in Europe. It argues that while European Union (EU) law can be understood as an instrument for the incorporation of the demands of justice and the articulation of ‘the good’ beyond the nation state, it also potentially skews the distributive criteria and assumptions of justice that underlie the national welfare state. In light of the absence of a transnational political system that can bound such conflicts of justice, this article suggests that the capacity of the EU to contribute to, rather than detract from, the attainment of justice depends on the careful articulation and institutionalisation of the different types of transnational solidarity that exist in Europe.
Genetic variants associated with myocardial infarction in the PSMA6 gene and Chr9p21 are also associated with ischaemic stroke
Authors: Heckman M. G. , Soto‐Ortolaza A. I. , Diehl N. N. , Rayaprolu S. , Brott T. G. , Wszolek Z. K. , Meschia J. F. , Ross O. A.
Published: August 2012

Background

Ischaemic stroke shares common traditional risk factors with coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarction (MI). This study evaluated whether genetic risk factors for CAD and MI also affect susceptibility to ischaemic stroke in Caucasians and African Americans.

Methods

Included in the study were a Caucasian series (713 ischaemic stroke patients, 708 controls) and a small African American series (166 ischaemic stroke patients, 117 controls). Twenty single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously shown to be associated with CAD or MI were genotyped and assessed for association with ischaemic stroke and ischaemic stroke subtypes using odds ratios (ORs) from multivariable logistic regression models.

Results

In Caucasians, four SNPs on chromosome 9p21 were significantly associated with risk of cardioembolic stroke, the strongest of which was rs1333040 (OR 1.55, P = 0.0007); similar but weaker trends were observed for small vessel stroke, with no associations observed regarding large vessel stroke. Chromosome 9p21 SNPs were also associated with risk of ischaemic stroke in African Americans (rs1333040, OR 0.65, P = 0.023; rs1333042, OR 0.55, P = 0.070; rs2383207, OR 0.55, P = 0.070). The PSMA6 SNP rs1048990 on chromosome 14q13 was associated with overall ischaemic stroke in both Caucasians (OR 0.80, P = 0.036) and African Americans (OR 0.31, P = 0.020).

Conclusions

Our results provide evidence that chromosome 9p21 variants are associated with cardioembolic ischaemic stroke in Caucasians and with overall ischaemic stroke in African Americans. The PSMA6 variant rs1048990 also appears to affect susceptibility to ischaemic stroke in both populations. These findings require validation, particularly the preliminary findings regarding African Americans given the small size of that series.
Could the poor outcome of cerebral hemorrhage be improved by more aggressive first‐line treatment?
Authors: Hillbom M.
Published: August 2012

Click here to view the accompanying paper in this issue.
Hereditary angioedema: first report of the Brazilian registry and challenges
Authors: Grumach A.S. , Valle S.O.R. , Toledo E. , de Moraes Vasconcelos D. , Villela M.M.S. , Mansour E. , Pinto J.A. , Campos R.A. , França A.T. ,   On behalf of group interested on HAE (GINHA)
Published: August 2012

Background  Hereditary Angio‐oedema (HAE) is a serious medical condition caused by a rare autosomal dominant genetic disorder, in which C1 inhibitor (C1‐INH) function is reduced. There is no organized information on the HAE patient population in Brazil.

Objective  The Brazilian Registry was established to disseminate diagnostic access, and to better understand the main features of the disease in our country and its clinical impact.

Methods  A questionnaire was prepared and sent to specialists. The completed questionnaires were forwarded to the coordinating site and then entered into the Registry. Samples from patients with an unconfirmed diagnosis were tested for C1 inhibitor and C4 levels.

Results  From 2006 to 2010, 210 patients (133 females; mean age, 30 ±17 years) were included. The median age of onset of symptoms and age at diagnosis were 6.5 and 21 years, respectively; 80.9% of the patients had subcutaneous oedema, 54% gastrointestinal and 35.7% respiratory symptoms (21% had laryngeal oedema). Laparotomy due to the disease was performed in 6.2% of the patients. The majority of patients had Type I HAE of moderate severity. Twenty‐seven per cent did not receive treatment; 53% were treated with danazol alone.

Conclusion  A paucity of patients with Type II HAE and a high frequency of laparotomy were observed, highlighting the need for better diagnosis in Brazil. HAE related educational activities, improved diagnosis and access to available therapy are needed in Brazil.
c‐myc in Kaposi’s sarcoma: analyses by fluorescent in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry
Authors: Feller K. , Yang S. , Tung N. , Lee J. , Mahalingam M.
Published: August 2012

Background  The c‐myc proto‐oncogene plays a central role in the regulation of cellular transcription, differentiation, and apoptosis, and has been shown to be deregulated in many types of human cancer. Recent findings have demonstrated its amplification in select vascular neoplasms, such as secondary angiosarcomas, suggesting a role in angiogenesis as well. In vitro studies have shown that the c‐Myc protein is an important regulatory molecule of spindle cell proliferation and migration in Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS).

Objectives  In light of these findings, our primary aim was to ascertain whether c‐myc, by promoting proliferation and angiogenesis, is an essential co‐factor in the aetiopathogenesis of KS. We also attempted to determine a correlation between immunohistochemical expression of the c‐Myc protein and c‐myc gene copy amplification using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH).

Methods  Samples analyzed included archival tissue of KS (n = 24). PCR for detection of Kaposi’s sarcoma‐associated herpesvirus DNA was performed on all samples of KS. For FISH analyses, a dual‐labelled technique was employed and probes for the c‐myc gene and chromosome 8 were used. The monoclonal anti‐c‐myc antibody, 9E10, was used for immunohistochemical analyses.

Results  While FISH analyses revealed no amplification of c‐myc in any of the cases of KS, immunohistochemical analyses revealed positive staining for c‐Myc in 13/24 cases (54%).

Conclusions  Amplification of the c‐myc gene was not witnessed in this preliminary study of 24 cases and thus cannot be correlated with the expression of the c‐Myc protein.
Preliminary exploration of the clinical features of Chinese patients with skin malignancies and premalignancies: a retrospective study of 1420 cases from Peking University First Hospital
Authors: Huang Y.S. , Chen X.X. , Yang S.X. , Wu L.S. , Zhao J.Y. , Li X.Y. , Tu P. , Li H.
Published: August 2012

Background  The epidemiological and clinical characterization data of skin malignancies and premalignancies in Chinese population is scarce and inadequate.

Objective  To systematically investigate the clinical features and the trend of skin malignancies and premalignancies in 1420 Chinese cases.

Methods  A total of 1398 patients (presenting 1420 skin tumours) were included. Clinical and demographic information for every individual was collected, including age, age of onset, sex, lesion location, disease duration and tumour histology, which was analyzed for each type of skin tumours.

Results  The number of skin malignancies and premalignancies increased over time, with Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) as the most common type (30.5%). The majority of the patients were above 60 years of age both at onset and at diagnosis (52.8% and 62.9%, respectively), yet around one‐third of patients were between 35–59 years (35.3% and 31.2%, respectively). Skin malignancies and premalignancies were mainly located in the head and neck (58.6%), followed by the trunk (18.3%) and the extremities (15.0%). Of all BCCs, nodular BCC was the most common histologic subtype (62.8%), while 15.8% were classified as aggressive subtypes. Malignant melanoma (MM) comprised the lowest proportion of 3.7%, with 75% located on extremities. The diagnostic accordance rates varied from 49.5% to 90.4%, with BCC being 67.9%.

Conclusions  The clinical features of skin malignancies and premalignancies in this study showed some similarities with those observed in Caucasian and other Asian populations, with several distinguished features in Chinese patients also being recognized. Closer attention to suspicious lesions in young and middle‐aged people is needed.
Teaching emotion recognition skills to young children with autism: a randomised controlled trial of an emotion training programme
Authors: Williams Beth T. , Gray Kylie M. , Tonge Bruce J.
Published: August 2012

Background:  Children with autism have difficulties in emotion recognition and a number of interventions have been designed to target these problems. However, few emotion training interventions have been trialled with young children with autism and co‐morbid ID. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an emotion training programme for a group of young children with autism with a range of intellectual ability.

Methods:  Participants were 55 children with autistic disorder, aged 4–7 years (FSIQ 42–107). Children were randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 28) or control group (n = 27). Participants in the intervention group watched a DVD designed to teach emotion recognition skills to children with autism (the Transporters), whereas the control group watched a DVD of Thomas the Tank Engine. Participants were assessed on their ability to complete basic emotion recognition tasks, mindreading and theory of mind (TOM) tasks before and after the 4‐week intervention period, and at 3‐month follow‐up.

Results:  Analyses controlled for the effect of chronological age, verbal intelligence, gender and DVD viewing time on outcomes. Children in the intervention group showed improved performance in the recognition of anger compared with the control group, with few improvements maintained at 3‐month follow‐up. There was no generalisation of skills to TOM or social skills.

Conclusions:  The Transporters programme showed limited efficacy in teaching basic emotion recognition skills to young children with autism with a lower range of cognitive ability. Improvements were limited to the recognition of expressions of anger, with poor maintenance of these skills at follow‐up. These findings provide limited support for the efficacy of the Transporters programme for young children with autism of a lower cognitive range.
LateDevonian marine anoxia challenged by benthic cyanobacterial mats
Authors: Kazmierczak J. , Kremer B. , Racki G.
Published: August 2012

Mass occurrence of benthic cyanobacterial mats in a sequence ofLateDevonian black shales and bituminous limestones of theHolyCrossMts. (centralPoland), enclosing the famousKellwasser andHangenberg extinction horizons, is reported. The microbiota forming the mats is compared with some modern benthic chroococcalean cyanobacteria. Similarly to their extant counterparts, theDevonian cyanobacteria must had been phototrophic and oxygenic aerobes which could, however, tolerate slightly sulfidic conditions characterizing the near‐bottom waters of theLateDevonian epicontinental sea. The cyanobacterial mats successfully colonized the oxygen‐deficient and H2S‐enriched seabed otherwise unfavorable for most other benthic biota. The redox state of this sluggishLateDevonian sea, ascribed previously mostly to anoxic or euxinic conditions, is reassessed as probably pulsating between anoxic, dysoxic, and weakly oxic conditions. The redox state was dependent on the rate of oxygen production by the cyanobacterial mats, the intensity ofH2Semissions from the decaying mat biomass, and the rate of planktonic production.
Avian life history traits influence eggshell bacterial loads: a comparative analysis
Authors: Peralta‐Sánchez Juan Manuel , Martín‐Vivaldi Manuel , Martín‐Platero Antonio Manuel , Martínez‐Bueno Manuel , Oñate Marta , Ruiz‐Rodríguez Magdalena , Soler Juan José
Published: August 2012

Selection pressures due to parasitism play an important role in driving the evolution of life history traits of birds in general and of behaviour at the nest in particular. Eggshell bacterial load has been shown to predict hatching failure (i.e. the probability of embryo infection) but the relationships between the bacterial environment of the nest and life history characteristics of birds remain poorly investigated. We explored interspecific variation in eggshell bacterial load of mesophilic bacteria,Enterococcusspp.,Staphylococcusspp. andEnterobacteriaceaegroups across 24 bird species and assessed whether bacterial load is associated with breeding traits. Interspecific variation was much higher than intraspecific variation for all measures of bacterial load even after controlling for annual variation. Thus, we were able to assess the correlation between bacterial community characteristics and life history traits. After correcting for phylogenetic effects, we found that nest type, the use of feathers or plants as lining material, and incubation behaviour explained a significant proportion of the variance in bacterial communities on eggshells. The strength of these associations depended on study year, suggesting an important role of environmental conditions for eggshell bacterial load or community. Overall, these results suggest that bacteria on eggshells are associated with bird species traits, probably because birds are mediating the deleterious effect of eggshell microbes through behavioural traits that modify bacterial load.
Using auto‐photography to understand place: reflections from research in urban informal settlements in Mexico
Authors: Lombard Melanie
Published: August 2012

Suggestions of a ‘visual turn’ in human geography imply that visual methods are becoming increasingly prevalent in geographical research. However, auto‐photography remains relatively unexplored as a research method, empirically and theoretically. In this paper, I reflect on my use of this method in urban informal neighbourhoods in Mexico to explore some of the opportunities and challenges it gives rise to. During research into the spatial and social construction of place in colonias populares in Mexico, I used auto‐photography as a way of accessing residents’ perspectives of place meaning. As part of a mixed methods framework within a broadly phenomenological approach to place, auto‐photography offers rich potential to explore participants’ perceptual observations that may be harder to access through more conventional techniques such as interviews. It is particularly suitable for use with marginalised groups, given its capacity to emphasise how the less powerful see their place in the world. However, despite some work on analysing visual material as part of geographic research, the relatively novel nature of this technique means guidance is still evolving on ethical and analytical issues such as anonymity and representation.
Urban Structure and Housing Prices: Some Evidence from Australian Cities*
Authors: KULISH MARIANO , RICHARDS ANTHONY , GILLITZER CHRISTIAN
Published: August 2012

This article studies determinants of some aspects of the structure of cities, including density and the price of land and housing. We use a version of the Alonso‐Muth‐Mills model, calibrated to broadly match some of the features of a representative large city. Although the calibrated model omits many real‐world features, it can nonetheless be used to explore the impact of factors such as: (i) the provision of transport infrastructure; (ii) zoning policies that limit housing density; (iii) frictions on the production of housing; and (iv) population size. The empirical section of the article shows that the model is consistent with some empirical regularities for large Australian cities. The results of the article draw attention to structural factors that may have contributed to developments in the Australian housing market in recent years.
European consensus document on mast cell tumours in dogs and cats
Authors: Blackwood L. , Murphy S. , Buracco P. , De Vos J. P. , De Fornel‐Thibaud P. , Hirschberger J. , Kessler M. , Pastor J. , Ponce F. , Savary-Bataille K. , Argyle D. J.
Published: August 2012

Statement from the Authors

In preparing this document the Authors aimed to pool current information on canine and feline mast cell disease. The information was gathered from international studies and a emphasis was placed on material and opinion with a strong evidence base. We intend it to form the basis of our understanding in this disease at the current time and we anticipate that it will be particularly useful for the general practitioner. It should be emphasized that the authors are presenting this work from a European perspective.
Complexity Theory in Political Science and Public Policy
Authors: Cairney Paul
Published: August 2012

Advocates of complexity theory describe it as a new scientific paradigm. Complexity theory identifies instability and disorder in politics and policy making, and links them to the behaviour of complex systems. It suggests that we shift our analysis from individual parts of a political system to the system as a whole; as a network of elements that interact and combine to produce systemic behaviour. This article explores the use of complexity theory in public policy, highlighting a small literature using the language of complexity directly to describe complex policy-making systems, and a larger literature identifying complexity themes. It then highlights the main problems to be overcome before complexity theory can become truly valuable in politics and policy making.
‘Let there be a Balance’: Women in African Parliaments
Authors: Bauer Gretchen
Published: August 2012

It has been 25 years since the National Resistance Movement took power in Uganda and ushered in an era of women's increased presence in African legislatures – at first in east and southern Africa and eventually beyond. In 2008, Uganda's neighbor Rwanda became the first country in the world to have more women than men in a chamber of parliament. In mid-2012, eight African countries were among the top 30 countries worldwide in terms of women's presence in a single or lower house of parliament. Across the continent one country after another has taken measures to increase women's presence in the national legislature. This article provides an update on these developments within sub-Saharan Africa. In particular, the article seeks to evaluate women's descriptive, substantive and symbolic representation in African parliaments in the last quarter-century by reviewing a growing literature. Despite the remarkable gains that have been made by women in national legislatures across the continent, Africa's accomplishments in this arena are little known – in contrast to those from other parts of the world. This article, in surveying and synthesizing the literature, seeks also to make those accomplishments better known.
‘Well, what is the Feminist Perspective on Iraq?’
Authors: McLeod Laura
Published: August 2012

The three volumes reviewed in this article offer a range of feminist explorations of the Iraq War. Through their gendered lenses, I argue that these books offer alternative ways of thinking about experiences, daily life and temporalities in war and post-war contexts. The books reviewed here can be loosely described as emphasising a standpoint feminist perspective, highlighting how gendered processes, practices, myths, images and expectations shape the day-to-day lives of men and women concerned with the Iraq War in both Iraq and the US. These insights can offer a challenge to the construction and reinforcement of the temporal division crafted between war and peace, making us think again about how we conceptualise violence in international politics.
Two new species ofCicadatra(Hemiptera:Cicadoidea) fromGreece
Authors: Simões Paula Cristina , Sanborn Allen , Quartau José Alberto
Published: August 2012

The present study is the description of two new species ofCicadatraKolenati, 1857 found in some Greek islands during the summers of 1998 and 2001.Cicadatra icarisp. n.is described fromIkaria andSamos andCicadatra karpathosensissp. n.fromKarpathos. Description of the external morphology is provided. The male genitalia were dissected for close examination and illustration. Acoustic signals produced by males were recorded and analyzed and a description of the calling songs is provided. Discrimination from the closely allied species is also provided.
Chapter 9: The MGH‐HMS Lung Cancer Policy Model: Tobacco Control Versus Screening
Authors: McMahon Pamela M. , Kong Chung Yin , Johnson Bruce E. , Weinstein Milton C. , Weeks Jane C. , Tramontano Angela C. , Cipriano Lauren E. , Bouzan Colleen , Gazelle G. Scott
Published: August 2012

The natural history model underlying the MGH Lung Cancer Policy Model (LCPM) does not include the two‐stage clonal expansion model employed in other CISNET lung models. We used the LCPM to predict numbers of U.S. lung cancer deaths for ages 30–84 between 1975 and 2000 under four scenarios as part of the comparative modeling analysis described in this issue. The LCPM is a comprehensive microsimulation model of lung cancer development, progression, detection, treatment, and survival. Individual‐level patient histories are aggregated to estimate cohort or population‐level outcomes. Lung cancer states are defined according to underlying disease variables, test results, and clinical events. By simulating detailed clinical procedures, the LCPM can predict benefits and harms attributable to a variety of patient management practices, including annual screening programs. Under the scenario of observed smoking patterns, predicted numbers of deaths from the calibrated LCPM were within 2% of observed over all years (1975–2000). The LCPM estimated that historical tobacco control policies achieved 28.6% (25.2% in men, 30.5% in women) of the potential reduction in U.S. lung cancer deaths had smoking had been eliminated entirely. The hypothetical adoption in 1975 of annual helical CT screening of all persons aged 55–74 with at least 30 pack‐years of cigarette exposure to historical tobacco control would have yielded a proportion realized of 39.0% (42.0% in men, 33.3% in women). The adoption of annual screening would have prevented less than half as many lung cancer deaths as the elimination of cigarette smoking.
Chapter 8: The FHCRC Lung Cancer Model
Authors: Hazelton William D. , Jeon Jihyoun , Meza Rafael , Moolgavkar Suresh H.
Published: August 2012

As a member of the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET), the lung cancer (LC) group at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) developed a model for evaluating U.S. lung cancer mortality trends and the impact of changing tobacco consumption. Model components include a biologically based two‐stage clonal expansion (TSCE) model; a smoking simulator to generate smoking histories and other cause mortality; and adjustments for period and birth cohort to improve calibration to U.S. LC mortality. The TSCE model was first calibrated to five substantial cohorts: British doctors, American Cancer Society CPS‐I and CPS‐II, Health Professionals’ Follow‐Up Study (HPFS), and Nurses’ Health Study (NHS). The NHS and HPFS cohorts included the most detailed smoking histories and were chosen to represent the effects of smoking on U.S. LC mortality. The calibrated TSCE model and smoking simulator were used to simulate U.S. LC mortality. Further adjustments were necessary to account for unknown factors. This provided excellent fits between simulated and observed U.S. LC mortality for ages 30–84 and calendar years 1975–2000. The FHCRC LC model may be used to study the effects of public health information on U.S. LC trends and the impact of tobacco control policy. For example, we estimated that over 500,000 males and 200,000 females avoided LC death between 1975 and 2000 due to increasing awareness since the mid 1950s of the harmful effects of smoking. We estimated that 1.1 million male and 0.6 million female LC deaths were avoidable if smokers quit smoking in 1965.
Chapter 13: CISNET Lung Models: Comparison of Model Assumptions and Model Structures
Authors: McMahon Pamela M. , Hazelton William D. , Kimmel Marek , Clarke Lauren D.
Published: August 2012

Sophisticated modeling techniques can be powerful tools to help us understand the effects of cancer control interventions on population trends in cancer incidence and mortality. Readers of journal articles are, however, rarely supplied with modeling details. Six modeling groups collaborated as part of the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) to investigate the contribution of U.S. tobacco‐control efforts toward reducing lung cancer deaths over the period 1975–2000. The six models included in this monograph were developed independently and use distinct, complementary approaches toward modeling the natural history of lung cancer. The models used the same data for inputs, and agreed on the design of the analysis and the outcome measures. This article highlights aspects of the models that are most relevant to similarities of or differences between the results. Structured comparisons can increase the transparency of these complex models.