bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of pancreatoduodenectomy with robotic surgery versus open surgery
Authors: Zhou Ning‐xin , Chen Jun‐zhou , Liu Quanda , Zhang Xiaodong , Wang Zhifei , Ren Shiyan , Chen Xiong‐fei
Published: March 2011

Background

Pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for pancreatic cancer is very challenging to many surgeons. Information regarding the advantage of using the Da Vinci robotic system over conventional open surgery for PD is rare. Therefore, a comparison of the outcomes of PD performed using the Da Vinci robotic system with outcomes using open surgery was conducted.

Methods

Between January 2009 and December 2009 sixteen patients underwent PD, eight patients receiving robot‐assisted surgery using the Da Vinci surgical robotic system (Group I) and eight being treated using conventional open surgery (Group II).

Results

There was no significant difference in radical resection (R0) rate between the two groups, 87.5% vs 100%, P = 0.05. The operative time in group I was longer than in group II, 718 ± 186 vs 420 ± 127 min, P = 0.011, while the surgical blood loss in group I was less than in group II, 153 ± 43 vs 210 ± 53 mL, P = 0.045. The length of bed time and hospital stay after surgery in group I were shorter than in group II, 27.5 ± 7.1 vs 96 ± 18.1 h, P = 0.000; 16.4 ± 4.1 vs 24.3 ± 7.1 days, P = 0.04, respectively). Complication rate of group I was lower than that of group II, 25% vs 75%, P = 0.05.

Conclusion

It is feasible and safe to perform PD using the Da Vinci robot‐assisted surgical system; patients recovered faster postoperatively with less blood loss during surgery. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Autonomous navigation for mobile service robots in urban pedestrian environments
Authors: Trulls E. , Corominas Murtra A. , Pérez‐Ibarz J. , Ferrer G. , Vasquez D. , Mirats‐Tur Josep M. , Sanfeliu A.
Published: March 2011

This paper presents a fully autonomous navigation solution for urban, pedestrian environments. The task at hand, undertaken within the context of the European project URUS, was to enable two urban service robots, based on Segway RMP200 platforms and using planar lasers as primary sensors, to navigate around a known, large (10,000 m2), pedestrian‐only environment with poor global positioning system coverage. Special consideration is given to the nature of our robots, highly mobile but two‐wheeled, self‐balancing, and inherently unstable. Our approach allows us to tackle locations with large variations in height, featuring ramps and staircases, thanks to a three‐dimensional, map‐based particle filter for localization and to surface traversability inference for low‐level navigation. This solution was tested in two different urban settings, the experimental zone devised for the project, a university campus, and a very crowded public avenue, both located in the city of Barcelona, Spain. Our results total more than 6 km of autonomous navigation, with a success rate on go‐to requests of nearly 99%. The paper presents our system, examines its overall performance, and discusses the lessons learned throughout development. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dielectric breakdown properties of polylactic acid with β‐crystalline chitin
Authors: Oi Toru , Shinyama Katsuyoshi , Fujita Shigetaka
Published: March 2011

β‐Crystalline chitin was added to polylactic acid (PLA), and this PLA was then heat treated at 100 °C for 1 min. The crystallinity of the heat‐treated PLA increased to more than 40%, and its crystallization speed also increased significantly. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the dielectric breakdown strength (EB) was checked, and it was found that at a temperature of 80 °C, the EB value of the PLA with chitin was around 1.8 times greater than that of the PLA without chitin. © 2011 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The trouble with disciplining disciplines
Authors: Longstreet C. Shaun
Published: March 2011

The author advocates for greater attention to the unspoken, and potentially repressive, dynamics that faculty may rely upon to cultivate a disciplinary identity in the classroom. Being transparent and critically reflective about the language, ideas, and practices employed in class will empower students and augment their cognitive abilities in new ways.
The writers and the detectives: Cultural difference, identity, and pedagogical disciplines in an integrated classroom
Authors: DiGrazia Jennifer , Stassinos Elizabeth
Published: March 2011

Two instructors, one from the English department and one from the Criminal Justice department, describe how, using intersectional analysis as a model, they moved from a “linked” to an “integrated” design for a co‐taught Criminal Justice course for first‐year students. They describe the evolution of the struggle with and strategies for addressing issues of culture, power, and identity within the courses.
Using an intersectional approach to deepen collaborative teaching
Authors: Pliner Susan M. , Iuzzini Jonathan , Banks Cerri A.
Published: March 2011

The authors use a case study and the theory of intersectionality to expand strategies for collaborative teaching.
Refugees, veterans, and continuing pedagogies of PTSD in Asian American studies
Authors: Tang Shirley Suet‐ling , Kiang Peter Nien‐chu
Published: March 2011

The authors present specific challenges, possibilities, and critical intersections that have emerged in their teaching and learning with both refugees and veterans in Asian American studies courses.
From difficult dialogues to critical conversations: Intersectionality in our teaching and professional lives
Authors: Alejano‐Steele AnnJanette , Hamington Maurice , MacDonald Lunden , Potter Mark , Schafer Shaun , Sgoutas Arlene , Tull Tara
Published: March 2011

The authors describe a faculty learning community that used intersectional analysis to facilitate critical conversations on the teaching of multicultural content.
Re‐seeing race in a post‐Obama age: Asian American studies, comparative ethnic studies, and intersectional pedagogies
Authors: Schlund‐Vials Cathy J.
Published: March 2011

Focused on comparative ethnic studies and intersectionality, the author commences with a discussion about Barack Obama's historic inauguration and the Asian American literature classroom. Such historical and educational frames foreground a deeper discussion about the possibilities and challenges associated with cross‐cultural, cross‐racial pedagogies within Asian American studies and ethnic studies.
Diagnosis of tetrahydrobiopterin deficiency using filter paper blood spots: further development of the method and 5 years experience
Authors: Opladen Thomas , Abu Seda Bettina , Rassi Anahita , Thöny Beat , Hoffmann Georg F. , Blau Nenad
Published: March 2011

In every newborn with even mild hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA) tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) deficiencies need to be excluded as soon as possible. Differential diagnosis is most commonly performed by analysis of urinary neopterin and biopterin. In 2005 a new method for the measurement of neopterin, biopterin and other pterins in dried blood spot (DBS) on filter paper was introduced. In order to evaluate the usefulness of this method as a standard tool for differential diagnosis of HPAs we analyzed neopterin, biopterin, pterin and dihydropteridine reductase activity in DBS from 362 patients with HPA over the period of five years. Age‐dependent reference values were established for the HPA population. Sixty‐four patients with BH4 deficiency (27 patients with 6‐pyruvoyl‐tetrahydropterin synthase deficiency, seven with GTP cyclohydrolase I deficiency, and 30 with dihydropteridine reductase) were identified. Reference values for neopterin and biopterin in DBS were calculated for each of the variants. 6‐pyruvoyl‐tetrahydropterin synthase and GTP cyclohydrolase I deficiency can be diagnosed by neopterin and biopterin analysis alone, while for diagnosis of dihydropteridine reductase deficiency additional determination of enzyme activity from the same DBS is essential. Regarding test sensitivity, the interpretation of neopterin and biopterin concentration per hemoglobin is more valid than the interpretation of neopterin and biopterin per liter. Percentage of biopterin, of the sum of neopterin and biopterin should always be calculated. In addition, determination of hemoglobin concentration is essential as a measure for efficient extraction of neopterin and biopterin. Although the measurement of neopterin and biopterin in urine is more sensitive due to the higher concentrations present, our data prove the usefulness of their measurement from DBS for the routine diagnosis of BH4 deficiencies.
Orthopaedic management of Hurler's disease after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a systematic review
Authors: van der Linden Marleen H. , Kruyt Moyo C. , Sakkers Ralph J. B. , de Koning Tom J. , Öner F. Cumhur , Castelein René M.
Published: March 2011

Objective

The introduction of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has significantly improved the life‐span of Hurler patients (mucopolysaccharidosis type I‐H, MPS I‐H). Yet, the musculoskeletal manifestations seem largely unresponsive to HSCT. In order to facilitate evidence based management, the aim of the current study was to give a systematic overview of the orthopaedic complications and motor functioning of Hurler's patients after HSCT.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted of the medical literature published from January 1981 to June 2010. Two reviewers independently assessed all eligible citations, as identified from the Pubmed and Embase databases. A pre‐developed data extraction form was used to systematically collect information on the prevalence of radiological and clinical signs, and on the orthopaedic treatments and outcomes.

Results

A total of 32 studies, including 399 patient reports were identified. The most frequent musculoskeletal abnormalities were odontoid hypoplasia (72%), thoracolumbar kyphosis (81%), genu valgum (70%), hip dysplasia (90%) and carpal tunnel syndrome (63%), which were often treated surgically during the first decade of life. The overall complication rate of surgical interventions was 13.5%. Motor functioning was further hampered due to reduced joint mobility, hand dexterity, motor development and longitudinal growth.

Conclusion

Stem cell transplantation does not halt the progression of a large range of disabling musculoskeletal abnormalities in Hurler's disease. Although prospective data on the quantification, progression and treatment of these deformities were very limited, early surgical intervention is often advocated. Prospective data collection will be mandatory to achieve better evidence on the effect of treatment strategies.
The craniocervical junction following successful haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for mucopolysaccharidosis type I H (Hurler syndrome)
Authors: Miebach Elke , Church Heather , Cooper Alan , Mercer Jean , Tylee Karen , Wynn Robert F. , Wraith J. Edmond
Published: March 2011

Mucopolysaccharidosis I Hurler (MPS IH) is a progressive multisystemic disorder caused by alpha‐L‐iduronidase deficiency. First choice of treatment in MPS IH children is haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The effect of HSCT has been shown to have limited influence on skeletal manifestations by poor penetration of musculoskeletal tissues by the enzyme derived from donor leucocytes. Aim of this study was to investigate the effect of HSCT on the craniocervical junction (CCJ) in Hurler patients. We analysed retrospectively sequential magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 30 patients with Hurler disease treated by HSCT since 1982 at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, UK, in order to determine whether the patients suffer from dens hypoplasia. Results were compared with biochemical and clinical characteristics: Enzyme activity (EA), chimerism, urinary glycosaminoglycan (GAG) excretion and neurological status. Investigations were part of standard clinical procedures. Results are descriptive in presentation. In 26/30 patients a determination of odontoid hypoplasia was feasible. The majority showed a normal dens length and an increase with age. Only 3/26 revealed a dens hypoplasia. One of them had only partial donor engraftment (DE) with reduced EA, one of them suffered from chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD). One patient with only partial DE and reduced EA presented with initial dens hypoplasia until preadolescence but normalized later on. There may be a trend towards lower EA and the occurrence of DH in transplanted MPS patients ‐ perhaps the dosage of enzyme plays a role in the correction of skeletal complications in this patient group. HSCT patients with incomplete DE and therefore lower EAs may require special attention and care.
Three-Way Tucker2 Component Analysis Solutions of Stimuli × Responses × Individuals Data with Simple Structure and the Fewest Core Differences
Authors: Adachi Kohei
Published: March 2011

Multivariate stimulus-response designs can be described by a three-way array of stimuli by responses by individuals. Its underlying structure can be represented by a network based on the Tucker2 component model in which stimulus components are connected with response components by means of the links that differ between individuals. For each individual such links are represented in a slice of the extended core array. For a proper understanding of these links, it is desirable that [1] the individual core slices as well as the component matrices have simple structures and [2] the differences of core slices between individuals are as few as possible. For attaining [1] and [2] we propose a method in which both the component matrices and the core slices of a Tucker2 solution are transformed simultaneously in order that the component matrices match simple target matrices and the core slices are summarized by a simple target slice. The proposed method is evaluated in a simulation study and illustrated with a three-way data array of semantic differential ratings.
Dietary Glucosylceramide Enhances Cornified Envelope Formation via Transglutaminase Expression and Involucrin Production
Authors: Hasegawa Tatsuya , Shimada Haruo , Uchiyama Taro , Ueda Osamu , Nakashima Masaya , Matsuoka Yasuhiro
Published: March 2011

In this study, we investigated whether dietary glucosylceramide (GlcCer) and its metabolite sphingoid bases, sphingosine (SS), phytosphingosine (PS), sphingadienine (SD) and 4‐hydroxysphingenine (4HS), influence cornified envelope (CE) formation. CE is formed during terminal differentiation of the epidermis through crosslinking of specific precursor proteins by transglutaminases (TGases), and is essential for the skin's barrier function. Oral administration of GlcCer (0.25 mg/day) for 14 consecutive days dramatically reduced transepidermal water loss, an indicator of the skin barrier condition, in hairless mice with barrier perturbation induced by single‐dose ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation. The GlcCer treatment also increased the level of TGase‐1 mRNA in UVB‐irradiated murine epidermis approximately 1.6‐fold compared with the control. Further, all four sphingoid bases at 1 μM concentration enhanced CE formation of cultured normal human keratinocyte cells. Among them, SS, PS and SD, but not 4HS, stimulated production of involucrin, one of the CE major precursor proteins. SD increased the expression of TGase‐1 mRNA, while SS increased the expression of TGase‐3 mRNA. These results indicate that the skin barrier improvement induced by oral GlcCer treatment might be at least partly due to a reinforcement of CE formation in the epidermis mediated by sphingoid bases metabolically derived from GlcCer.
Intra- and interrater agreement of pressure pain thresholds in children with orthopedic disorders
Authors: Nikolajsen Lone , Kristensen Anders D. , Pedersen Line K. , Rahbek Ole , Jensen Troels S. , Møller-Madsen Bjarne
Published: March 2011

Purpose

Pressure algometry is widely used to obtain measures of mechanical pain sensitivity in adults, both in experimental and clinical pain conditions. Only very few studies describe the use of pressure algometry in children. The purpose of this study was to produce reference values of pressure pain thresholds and to determine the intra- and interrater agreement, in order to introduce pressure algometry as a standardized method for the assessment of pain thresholds in children with orthopedic disorders.

Methods

Pressure pain thresholds were determined at the leg and at the thenar in 50 children aged 4–12 years. All were scheduled for physical examination at the outpatient Orthopedic Clinic at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, because of various orthopedic disorders such as clubfoot and Baker's cyst. Pressure pain thresholds were determined by two different raters: 20 children were examined twice by rater 1 (intrarater agreement), and another 20 children were examined by both rater 1 and rater 2 (interrater agreement). An additional ten children were examined once by rater 1 to increase the number of children used to determine the reference values.

Results

The pressure pain threshold was 183.1 kPa (mean, SD: 90.7) at the leg and 179.1 kPa (mean, SD: 97.4 kPa) at the thenar ( n = 50). Pressure pain thresholds were similar in boys ( n = 27) and girls ( n = 23). Also, pressure pain thresholds were not affected by age. Bland–Altman plots showed excellent intrarater agreement and satisfactory interrater agreement.

Conclusion

Pressure algometry has excellent intrarater agreement and satisfactory interrater agreement. Pressure algometry was well-tolerated even by very young children. The method deserves more widespread use both in clinical and experimental settings.
Factors Influencing Post-Operative Short-Term Outcomes of Vesicovaginal Fistula Repairs in a Community Hospital in Liberia
Authors: Munoz Oxana , Bowling C. Bryce , Gerten Kimberly A. , Taryor Rebecca , Norman Andy M. , Szychowski Jeff M. , Richter Holly E.
Published: March 2011

Objectives:

To assess factors influencing short-term outcomes of vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) repairs in community-dwelling women of Liberia, Africa.

Methods:

Forty patients who underwent VVF repairs were analyzed. Primary outcome was continence status at 14 days post repair. Factors influencing continence status were characterized.

Results:

The mean duration of leakage was 9.6 ±8.3 years, (3 months–28 years). Thirteen (33%) had previous repairs, and 6 (15%) had multiple fistula sites. Twenty-eight (70%) were continent at catheter removal. First time repairs had a higher continence rate compared to women with previous repairs, 78% and 54% respectively ( p = 0.15). Seven (47%) juxtaurethral repairs were considered failures, while only one (9%) juxtacervical fistula remained incontinent ( p =0.069). Controlling for duration of leakage, women with previous repairs were significantly less likely to be continent ( p = 0.04; adjusted OR = 0.07; 95% CI: 0.005, 0.83).

Conclusions:

Patients with previous VVF repairs and juxtaurethral fistulae experience lower success rates; surgery remains an effective treatment for many VVF patients.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants. 2. John Blandy Based on an Interview 5/9/2009
Authors: Hodgson Dominic , Thompson Peter
Published: March 2011

A quarter of a century after his retirement, Professor John Peter Blandy's influence, perhaps more than any other, is still very strongly felt by our specialty as a consequence of his drive to innovate and introduce new techniques, as a result of his efforts to rationalise and reorganise training, and from his still relevant and important textbooks. This profile of the professor is based on an interview with him in September 2009.
Hysteroscopic metroplasty in patients with a uterine septum and otherwise unexplained infertility
Authors: Tonguc Esra A. , Var Turgut , Batioglu Sertac
Published: March 2011

Objective

To evaluate the reproductive outcomes of patients with a uterine septum and otherwise unexplained infertility who underwent hysteroscopic metroplasty, and to compare them with those of patients with the same diagnosis who did not have hysteroscopic metroplasty.

Methods

The present retrospective study included 127 patients with diagnosis of a uterine septum and otherwise unexplained infertility. The reproductive outcomes of 102 patients who underwent hysteroscopic metroplasty (group 1) and 25 patients who rejected the operation (group 2) were compared.

Results

Of the 102 patients who underwent hysteroscopic metroplasty, 44 (43.1%) were able to achieve pregnancy, as compared with 5 (20%) of the 25 patients who did not undergo the operation (P = 0.03). The abortion rate was 11.4% (5/44) in group 1, compared with 60% (3/5) in group 2 (P = 0.02). The live birth rate was 35.3% (36/102) in group 1, as compared with 8% (2/25) in group 2 (P = 0.008).

Conclusions

The results indicate that hysteroscopic metroplasty improves reproductive outcome for patients with a uterine septum and otherwise unexplained infertility.
2011 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures
Authors:   Alzheimer's Association
Published: March 2011

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the sixth leading cause of all deaths in the United States and is the fifth leading cause of death in Americans aged ≥65 years. Although other major causes of death have been on the decrease, deaths because of AD have been rising dramatically. Between 2000 and 2008 (preliminary data), heart disease deaths decreased by 13%, stroke deaths by 20%, and prostate cancer‐related deaths by 8%, whereas deaths because of AD increased by 66%.

An estimated 5.4 million Americans have AD; approximately 200,000 people aged <65 years with AD comprise the younger‐onset AD population. Every 69 seconds, someone in America develops AD; by 2050, the time is expected to accelerate to every 33 seconds. Over the coming decades, the baby boom population is projected to add 10 million people to these numbers. In 2050, the incidence of AD is expected to approach nearly a million people per year, with a total estimated prevalence of 11 to 16 million people. Dramatic increases in the numbers of “oldest‐old” (those aged ≥85 years) across all racial and ethnic groups will also significantly affect the numbers of people living with AD.

In 2010, nearly 15 million family and other unpaid caregivers provided an estimated 17 billion hours of care to people with AD and other dementias, a contribution valued at more than $202 billion. Medicare payments for services to beneficiaries aged ≥65 years with AD and other dementias are almost 3 times higher than for beneficiaries without these conditions. Total payments in 2011 for health care, long‐term care, and hospice services for people aged ≥65years with AD and other dementias are expected to be $183 billion (not including the contributions of unpaid caregivers).

This report provides information to increase understanding of the public health effect of AD, including incidence and prevalence, mortality, health expenditures and costs of care, and effect on caregivers and society in general. The report also examines the current state of AD detection and diagnosis, focusing on the benefits of early detection and the factors that present challenges to accurate diagnosis.
Avoiding the risk of responsibility by seeking uncertainty: Responsibility aversion and preference for indirect agency when choosing for others
Authors: Leonhardt James M. , Keller L. Robin , Pechmann Cornelia
Published: March 2011

Uncertainty‐seeking behavior is currently understood as the result of loss aversion which motivates a preference for the possibility to avoid or lessen an otherwise sure loss. However, when choosing among negative options on behalf of others, we offer responsibility aversion as another possible motive for uncertainty‐seeking behavior. Within our conceptual model, responsibility aversion is defined as the preference to minimize one's causal role in outcome generation. Compared to certain options, uncertain options lessen the decision maker's causal role in outcome generation because the outcomes are partially determined by chance. The presence of chance increases indirect agency on behalf of the decision maker and lessens his or her perceived risk of responsibility. The results of five studies support a responsibility aversion motivation behind uncertainty‐seeking behavior.
Psychological ownership and affective reaction: Emotional attachment process variables and the endowment effect
Authors: Shu Suzanne B. , Peck Joann
Published: March 2011

This research proposes that the concept of emotional attachment, and specifically the independent constructs of psychological ownership and affective reaction, can help explain many of the endowment effect findings documented in the literature. We define these constructs and then test them across a set of nine studies in which we both replicate previous and generate new endowment effect findings, and then show that psychological ownership and affective reaction can mediate the effects. In doing so, we offer direct empirical support for the idea of emotional attachment as a driver of loss aversion while also providing practitioners and future endowment effect researchers with new insights about the psychological processes that underlie the endowment effect.
Minimal change glomerulopathy in a cat
Authors: Backlund Brianna , Cianciolo Rachel E. , Cook Audrey K. , Clubb Fred J. , Lees George E.
Published: March 2011

A 6-year-old domestic shorthair male castrated cat was evaluated for sudden onset of vomiting and anorexia. A diagnosis of hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) was made, and the cat was treated with imatinib mesylate. The cat had an initial clinical improvement with the normalization of the peripheral eosinophil count. After approximately 8 weeks of treatment, lethargy and anorexia recurred despite the normal eosinophil count and a significant proteinuric nephropathy was identified. Treatment with imatinib was discontinued. Ultrasound guided renal biopsies exhibited histologic, ultrastructural, and immunostaining changes indicative of a minimal change glomerulopathy (MCG) which has not previously been reported in the literature in a cat. The proteinuria and HES initially improved while the cat was treated with more traditional medications; however, both the problems persisted for 30 months that the cat was followed subsequently. Previous studies demonstrating the safety and efficacy of imatinib in cats do not report any glomerular injury or significant adverse drug reactions, and the exact cause of this cat's proteinuric nephropathy is uncertain. Nonetheless, the possibility of an adverse drug reaction causing proteinuria should be considered when initiating treatment with imatinib in a cat.
Three Generations of Comparative Sociologies
Authors: Arjomand Saïd Amir
Published: March 2011

Surveying three generations of comparative sociologists, separated by abrupt discontinuities, the study reaches the conclusion that the original promise of comparative sociology set in motion a century ago remains largely unfulfilled. It will then be argued that the work of the third generation of comparative sociologists on civilizational analysis and multiple modernities can redeem the promise of comparative sociology by rectifying the neglect of developmental patterns in other civilizations and recovering the fundamental relevance of the periphery. The third generation is thus seeking to undo the erasure of the historical experience of a very sizeable portion of humankind from the foundation of social theory. This argument is illustrated by selective reference to the concept of the nation-state, and comparisons of civilizational processes and developmental patterns that stem from different religions and traditions and generate varieties of nationalism, alternative modernities and patterns of secularization.
Establishing Distinctions: Unemployment versus Vagrancy in Austria from the Late Nineteenth Century to 1938
Authors: Wadauer Sigrid
Published: March 2011

This paper deals with the making of vagrancy in the context of early state welfare policy. Vagrancy is neither understood as an anachronism nor as deviance or marginality. Rather, it raises central questions concerning social policy and the history of labour. Starting from the problems of definition in the context of contemporary transnational debates, I will then focus on the practical implementation of distinctions in Austria from the late nineteenth century to the Anschluss in 1938. Different practices of varying efficacy will be accounted for, starting with the first attempts to formalize unemployment emerging in the late nineteenth century, when, based on a new understanding of unemployment as an effect of the labour market, new forms of supporting and regulating those wayfarers in search of employment were established. Such practices also aimed at outlawing vagrancy, with consistent penalties under the law. In addition, vagrancy will be discussed with respect to changing political regimes. Focusing on the 1920s and 1930s, the paper analyses crime statistics and crime records, and last but not least, the perspective of those who were “on the tramp”.
Trypanosome infections and survival in tsetse
Authors: Maudlin I. , Welburn S. C. , Milligan P. J. M.
Published: March 2011

The effect of trypanosome infection on vector survival was observed in a line ofGlossina morsitans morsitansselected for susceptibility to trypanosome infection. The differential effects of midgut and salivary gland infections on survival were examined by exposing flies to infection with eitherTrypanosoma congolensewhich colonizes midgut and mouthparts orTrypanosoma brucei rhodesiensewhich colonizes midgut and salivary glands. A comparison of the survival distributions of uninfected flies with those exposed to infection showed that salivary gland infection significantly reduces tsetse survival; midgut infection had little or no effect on the survival of tsetse. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the vectorial capacity of wild flies.
Coevolutionary interactions between host life histories and parasite life cycles
Authors: Koella J. C. , Agnew P. , Michalakis Y.
Published: March 2011

Several recent studies have discussed the interaction of host life-history traits and parasite life cycles. It has been observed that the life-history of a host often changes after infection by a parasite. In some cases, changes of host life-history traits reduce the costs of parasitism and can be interpreted as a form of resistance against the parasite. In other cases, changes of host life-history traits increase the parasite's transmission and can be interpreted as manipulation by the parasite. Alternatively, changes of host's life-history traits can also induce responses in the parasite's life cycle traits. After a brief review of recent studies, we treat in more detail the interaction between the microsporidian parasite Edhazardia aedis and its host, the mosquito Aedes aegypti. We consider the interactions between the host's life-history and parasite's life cycle that help shape the evolutionary ecology of their relationship. In particular, these interactions determine whether the parasite is benign and transmits vertically or is virulent and transmits horizontally.

Key words: host-parasite interaction, life-history, life cycle, coevolution.
The biology ofPlasmodium falciparumtransmission stages
Authors: Day K. P. , Hayward R. E. , Dyer M.
Published: March 2011

The most important function of any parasite is to secure transmission to new hosts. The gametocyte, the stage which has become developmentally committed to the sexual cycle, provides a critical link in the transmission ofPlasmodium falciparumfrom the human host to the anopheline mosquito vector. It is therefore imperative that our determination to understand the biology of the gametocyte is greater than the technical obstacles which have resulted in the gametocyte being left very much out of the limelight by the intensive investigation of the asexual bloodstream parasite. Here we explore the areas of gametocyte biology which by nature of their relevance to control and pathology as well as basic biology, are the subjects of investigation in our laboratory. We also point out areas in need of particular attention.
Wolbachiaas a possible means of driving genes into populations
Authors: Curtis C. F. , Sinkins S. P.
Published: March 2011

Cytoplasmic incompatibility consists of sterility in cross matings, the crossing type being maternally inherited. It can be explained by the action ofWolbachiasymbionts which are transmitted through the egg cytoplasm and leave an imprint on the sperm which prevents it fertilizing unless it is ‘rescued’ by the action of the same type ofWolbachiain the egg. Thus matings between infected males and uninfected females are sterile, but the reciprocal matings are fertile. Hence uninfected females are at risk of failing to transmit their uninfected cytoplasm if they cross mate, but infected females are at no such risk. Therefore natural selection favours the infected state and in two wild insect populations the infection has been observed spreading. If a gene for inability to transmit malaria could be introduced intoWolbachiaand if this could be introduced intoAnopheles(where these symbionts appear not to occur naturally), release of a limited number of such insects should trigger a process of displacement of malaria vectors, by the non-vector type. A simple model is used to demonstrate the limitations to this process which would be introduced by immigration.
Behaviours in trematode cercariae that enhance parasite transmission: patterns and processes
Authors: Combes C. , Fournier A. , Moné H. , Théron A.
Published: March 2011

Cercariae, like miracidia, are non-parasitic larval stages implicated in the life cycle of all trematodes for the host-to-host parasite transmission. Almost all cercariae are free-living in the external environment. With a few exceptions (cercariae of Halipegus occidualis (Halipegidae) can live several months, Shostak & Esch, 1990a), cercariae have a short active life during which they do not feed, living on accumulated reserves. Most cercariae encyst as metacercariae in second intermediate hosts which are prey of the definitive host; in certain species, the interruption of the active life is achieved by an encystment in the external environment (or a simple immobile waiting strategy in a few species). In some two-host life cycles, the cercariae develop into adults after penetration (this is the case for various species causing human schistosomiasis). Some cercariae do not leave the mollusc which must then be ingested by the definitive host.
Optimal habitat selection by helminths within the host environment
Authors: Sukhdeo M. V. K. , Sukhdeo S. C.
Published: March 2011

Helminth parasites of vertebrates usually select very specific regions or habitats in their hosts, and this is often preceded by a tortuous migration through various host organs. However, the proximate mechanisms of migration and habitat selection have remained enigmatic despite considerable effort by parasitologists. In this paper, a new approach to studying helminth behaviour in the host is proposed. The core idea is that behaviour strategies must be considered from the perspective of the parasites and their perceptions of their environment. A guiding principle is that the environmental features to which an animal responds, and the actions which are required for responding to the environment, form a fundamental unit of behaviour. Thus, we can deduce an animal's behavioural strategy from the details of its response to environmental signals and from its sensory capabilities. The evidence presented suggests that helminth behaviours in the host often occur as fixed (or modal) action patterns which are usually seen in response to constant, or predictable environmental features. Thus, a working hypothesis is that the mechanisms of physiological and biochemical homeostasis within the host provide an extremely predictable environment for the parasite. Under these conditions, a parasite needs to perceive only small subsets of the total information available from the environment to respond appropriately. Studies on sensory and nervous systems of these organisms are critical to understanding parasite perception, but there are formidable technical obstacles that prevent easy access to parasite nervous systems. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach, using ideas from parasitology, ecology, evolutionary biology and neuroethology, is considered requisite for reconstructing the parasites' behaviour strategies. It is suggested that future directions should pursue integration of studies on sensory physiology with the behavioural ecology of these organisms.
Evolutionary factors influencing the nature of parasite specificity
Authors: Adamson M. L. , Caira J. N.
Published: March 2011

This article considers how specificity patterns are shaped during the course of parasite evolution. Parasites are first and foremost specific to site, or microhabitat; host ranges are far more subject to change than is microhabitat. Specificity results from a number of convergent phenomena starting with habits (microhabitat and feeding styles) of free-living progenitors and the way in which the parasitic association arises (e.g., passive oral contamination as opposed to intrusive entry). These bias the types of interaction parasites have with the host, and, through this, the way specificity develops. Host ecology acts as an external factor affecting specificity and predominates in parasites that interact minimally with the hosts physiological and immune systems. Coevolutionary factors are more important in parasites that feed on host tissues or occur in extraintestinal sites. Here, parasites must present the right cues, and respond appropriately to the host defense system. The ability to generalize these cues and responses across host boundaries may act as a constraint on host range. The functional role of the host in the parasite life history also affects the degree of specificity; thus, parasites may act as host generalists in hosts that act as trophic channels to the final host. The role of competition in determining specificity is difficult to assess. However, competition has been reported to influence microhabitat and host distribution through interactive site selection and/or competitive seclusion.
Physiological bases for parasite-induced alterations of host behaviour
Authors: Thompson S. N. , Kavaliers M.
Published: March 2011

Parasitism is defined in various ways as an intimate relationship in which one partner, the parasite, lives on or in another, the host, generally at the expense of the latter. Parasitism commonly results in a unique array of host physiological responses and adaptations. Most studies of the physiological effects of parasitism have focused on the pathological consequence of infection and disease. While many physiological changes contribute to pathogenesis, it is now recognized that parasitic infections at sub-clinical levels also produce physiological effects that either ameliorate or may not contribute to the disease process. Moreover, these physiological changes are often manifested by altered host behaviour. Behavioural studies have enabled an ecological- and evolutionary-oriented evaluation of host responses. In this fashion, physiological effects may be assessed as to whether they affect fitness and confer benefit or harm to one or both of the symbionts involved. We briefly examine how these physiological responses, specifically neural, endocrine, neuromodulatory, and immunomodulatory components, may interact to modify host behaviours. We consider the adaptiveness of these responses and how the behavioural patterns elicited may simultaneously appear adaptive for the parasite as well as the host. In addition, we address how parasite-host physiological and behavioural interactions may be altered during the course of parasitism.
Special Issue Dedicated to ICFP 2008 Editorial
Authors: THIEMANN PETER , NILSSON HENRIK
Published: March 2011

The 13th ACM SIGPLAN International Conference on Functional Programming (ICFP) was held in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, in September 2008. Peter Thiemann chaired the program committee. After the conference, the authors of a selection of the presented papers were invited to submit extended versions of their work for this special issue of Journal of Functional Programming dedicated to ICFP 2008. All submitted papers were reviewed by at least three referees, including at least one expert, following the standard JFP procedures. In the end, four papers were accepted. These cover a broad range of topics and, taken together, we think they represent well the scope of ICFP 2008.
Effects of different cryopreservation methods on post-thaw culture conditions of in vitro produced bovine embryos
Authors: Nicacio Alessandra Corallo , Simões Renata , de Paula-Lopes Fabiola Freitas , de Barros Flavia Regina Oliveira , Peres Maria Angelica , Assumpção Mayra Elena Ortiz D'Avila , Visintin Jose Antonio
Published: March 2011

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of cryopreservation protocols on subsequent development of in vitro produced bovine embryos under different culture conditions. Expanded in vitro produced blastocysts (n = 600) harvested on days 7–9 were submitted to controlled freezing [slow freezing group: 10% ethylene glycol (EG) for 10 min and 1.2°C/min cryopreservation]; quick-freezing [rapid freezing group: 10% EG for 10 min, 20% EG + 20% glycerol (Gly) for 30 s]; or vitrification [vitrification group: 10% EG for 10 min, 25% EG + 25% Gly for 30 s] protocols. Control group embryos were not exposed to cryoprotectant or cryopreservation protocols and the hatching rate was evaluated on day 12 post-insemination. In order to evaluate development, frozen–thawed embryos were subjected to granulosa cell co-culture in TCM199 or SOFaa for 4 days. Data were analyzed by PROC MIXED model using SAS Systems for Windows®. Values were significant at p < 0.05. The hatching rate of the control group was 46.09%. In embryos cultured in TCM199, slow freezing and vitrification group hatching rates were 44.65 ± 5.94% and 9.43 ± 6.77%, respectively. In embryos cultured in SOFaa, slow freezing and vitrification groups showed hatching rates of 11.65 ± 3.37 and 8.67 ± 4.47%, respectively. In contrast, the rapid freezing group embryos did not hatch, regardless of culture medium. The slow freezing group showed higher hatching rates than other cryopreservation groups. Under such conditions, controlled freezing (1.2°C/min) can be an alternative to cryopreservation of in vitro produced bovine embryos.
A novel genetic framework for studying response to artificial selection
Authors: Wisser Randall J. , Balint-Kurti Peter J. , Holland James B.
Published: March 2011

Response to selection is fundamental to plant breeding. To gain insight into the genetic basis of response to selection, we propose a new experimental genetic framework allowing for the identification of trait-specific genomic loci underlying population improvement and the characterization of allelic frequency responses at those loci. This is achieved by employing a sampling scheme for recurrently selected populations that allows for the simultaneous application of genetic association mapping and analysis of allelic frequency change across generations of selection. The combined method unites advantages of the two approaches, permitting the estimation of trait-specific allelic effects by association mapping and the detection of rare favourable alleles by their significant enrichment over generations of selection. Our aim is to develop a framework applicable for many crop species in order to gain a broader and deeper understanding of the genetic architecture of response to artificial selection.
Molecular adaptation of the chloroplastmatKgene inNymphaea tetragona,a critically rare and endangered plant of India
Authors: Dkhar Jeremy , Kumaria Suman , Tandon Pramod
Published: March 2011

Sustainable utilization of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture has been increasingly discussed at both national and international forums. Besides exploitation, conservation of plant genetic resources has become an integral part of these discussions. Conservation aims at maintaining the diversity of living organisms, their habitat and the interrelationship between organisms and their environment. For achieving such goals, appropriate conservation strategies have to be adopted. Determining the genetic makeup of a particular plant species is of critical importance when planning a suitable conservation strategy. In this study, we sequenced the chloroplasttrnKintron,matKandrbcLgene aimed at understanding the rarity ofNymphaea tetragona, a critically rare and endangered plant of India found at only one location. We extended our investigation to otherNymphaeaspecies such asN. nouchali,N. pubescensandN. rubrathat are commonly available throughout India. Interestingly,matKgene ofN. tetragonarevealed high number of non-synonymous substitutions. Molecular evolutionary analysis indicated that three of these sites may be under mild selective pressures. Such adaptive changes at the DNA and protein sequence level ofmatKgene may have been associated with the colonization ofN. tetragona, suggesting that it could have migrated from China.
Genetic diversity in woad (Isatis tinctoria L.) accessions detected by ISSR markers
Authors: Rocha Luís , Martins Sandra , Carnide Valdemar , Braga Fernando , Carvalho Carlos
Published: March 2011

Woad (Isatis tinctoria L.) was introduced in Europe in ancient times to produce indigo, a natural blue pigment used mainly for dyestuff. This species was cultivated in Portugal until the beginning of the 20th century, especially in the inner North and South. A set of nine inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers generated 177 reproducible fragments, of which 171 were polymorphic. The mean number of fragments/accession was 111, ranging between 100 (Portugal-Coimbra) and 124 (Poland). The total polymorphism observed was 0.3272, the average polymorphism was 0.1784 and the gene differentiation between accessions was 0.4546. Polymorphism ranged between 53.8% (Austria) and 73.1% (Belgium). The genetic relationship among woad accessions was obtained with unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean dendrogram based on a molecular marker, clearly clustering the woad accessions according to their geographic origin. The genetic diversity observed in this collection shows that there is a considerable potential for its improvement and that ISSR could be used to evaluate intra- and inter-accession similarities in I. tinctoria species.
Genetic variation at flowering time loci in wild and cultivated barley
Authors: Cockram James , Hones Huw , O'Sullivan Donal M.
Published: March 2011

The worldwide spread of barley cultivation required adaptation to agricultural environments far distant from those found in its centre of domestication. An important component of this adaptation is the timing of flowering, achieved predominantly in response to day length and temperature. Here, we use a collection of cultivars, landraces and wild barley accessions to investigate the origins and distribution of allelic diversity at four major flowering time loci, mutations at which have been under selection during the spread of barley cultivation into Europe. Our findings suggest that while mutant alleles at the PPD-H1 and PPD-H2 photoperiod loci occurred pre-domestication, the mutant vernalization non-responsive alleles utilized in landraces and cultivars at the VRN-H1 and VRN-H2 loci occurred post-domestication. The transition from wild to cultivated barley is associated with a doubling in the number of observed multi-locus flowering-time haplotypes, suggesting that the resulting phenotypic variation has aided adaptation to cultivation in the diverse ecogeographic locations encountered. Despite the importance of early-flowering alleles during the domestication of barley in Europe, we show that novel VRN alleles associated with early flowering in wild barley have been lost in domesticates, highlighting the potential of wild germplasm as a source of novel allelic variation for agronomic traits.