bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Auditory middle latency response in children with learning difficulties
Authors: Frizzo Ana Claudia Figueiredo , Issac Myriam Lima , Pontes-Fernandes Angela Cristina , Menezes Pedro de Lemos , Funayama Carolina Araújo Rodrigues
Published: July 2012

Introduction: This is an objective laboratory assessment of the central auditory systems of children with learning disabilities.

Aim: To examine and determine the properties of the components of the Auditory Middle Latency Response in a sample of children with learning disabilities.

Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional cohort study with quantitative, descriptive, and exploratory outcomes. We included 50 children aged 8–13 years of both genders with and without learning disorders. Those with disorders of known organic, environmental, or genetic causes were excluded.

Results and Conclusions: The Na, Pa, and Nb waves were identified in all subjects. The ranges of the latency component values were as follows: Na = 9.8–32.3 ms, Pa = 19.0–51.4 ms, Nb = 30.0–64.3 ms (learning disorders group) and Na = 13.2–29.6 ms, Pa = 21.8–42.8 ms, Nb = 28.4–65.8 ms (healthy group). The values of the Na-Pa amplitude ranged from 0.3 to 6.8 ìV (learning disorders group) or 0.2–3.6 ìV (learning disorders group). Upon analysis, the functional characteristics of the groups were distinct: the left hemisphere Nb latency was longer in the study group than in the control group. Peculiarities of the electrophysiological measures were observed in the children with learning disorders. This study has provided information on the Auditory Middle Latency Response and can serve as a reference for other clinical and experimental studies in children with these disorders.
Rehabilitation of oropharyngeal dysphagia in children with cerebral palsy: A systematic review of the speech therapy approach
Authors: Santos Rosane Sampaio , Hirata Gisela Carmona
Published: July 2012

Introduction: There are an estimated 30,000–40,000 new cases of cerebral palsy per year in Brazil. Motor disorders caused by cerebral palsy can lead to dysphagia as they may alter the preparatory, oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal phases.

Aim: To identify existing rehabilitation methods of swallowing disorders in cerebral palsy, with emphasis on the pursuit of research using the Bobath concept, the Castillo Morales concept, oral sensorimotor therapy, and continuing education.

Summary of the findings: We performed a systematic review of the medical and speech therapy literature on the rehabilitation of oropharyngeal dysphagia in children with cerebral palsy spanning 1977–2010 and from all languages and nations. Among the 310 articles retrieved, only 22 (7.09%) addressed therapeutic rehabilitation of oropharyngeal dysphagia in children with cerebral palsy. Of the 22 reports, 12 (54.5%) were from Canada, 3 (13.6%) were from Japan, 2 (9%) were from Brazil, 2 (9%) were from Germany, 1 (4.5%) was from the USA, 1 (4.5%) was from the United Kingdom, and 1 (4.5%) was from Poland. Of these reports, 63.6% used oral sensorimotor therapy as a therapeutic method, 36.3% reported continuing education as a therapeutic approach, and only 18.1% and 9% used the Bobath concept and Castillo Morales concept, respectively.

Conclusion: Even with a constantly increasing cerebral palsy population, few studies include (re)habilitation in the treatment of oropharyngeal dysphagia in these children.
Partial glossectomy as an auxiliary method to orthodontic treatment of dentofacial deformity
Authors: Dedivitis Rogério Aparecido , Salmen Fued Samir
Published: July 2012

Introduction: macroglossia is a condition which influences the size and shape of the teeth employed due to the forces on teeth.

Objective: To establish bases for the indication of partial glossectomy associated with orthodontic treatment and surgical dento-facial deformity in patients without tumors and Down syndrome as a cause of macroglossia.

Case reports: Three patients underwent orthognathic surgery associated with partial glossectomy under general anesthesia. All patients had macroglossia relative and underwent clinical assessment taking into account the respiratory function, swallowing and speech deficits and radiological evaluation. The technique used consist of segmental resection along the median raphe of the tongue and suture by planes. We used rigid skeletal fixation with titanium plates and screws so that patients could stay without intermaxillary block in the immediate postoperative period. Were followed over five years. The symptoms regressed completely and all skeletal segments remained stable.

Discussion: The decision to refer the patient to partial glossectomy should be based on the volume of the language, mobility, position, function, symptoms, speech intelligibility, skeletal anterior open bite, interference in orthodontic treatment, drooling, swallowing and tongue trauma applicant.
Croissance, redistribution et lutte contre la pauvreté : l’évolution non linéaire de l’approche de la Banque mondiale
Authors: Ehrhart Christophe
Published: July 2012

Cet article passe en revue 60 années d’activités de la Banque mondiale, en mettant l’accent sur les variations dans le temps de son attitude face au combat contre la pauvreté. Durant les années cinquante et soixante, la Banque mondiale considérait que le meilleur moyen de lutter contre la pauvreté consistait à créer les conditions d’une croissance la plus forte possible en procédant à des investissements lourds dans les infrastructures physiques. Toutefois, devant la persistance de la pauvreté de masse et de fortes inégalités dans bon nombre de pays en développement malgré des performances assez satisfaisantes en termes de croissance, la Banque mondiale plaça, dès la fin des années soixante, et pour la première fois, « la guerre contre la pauvreté » au centre de son agenda puis elle s’efforça d’élaborer, pendant les années soixante-dix, de nouvelles stratégies de croissance qui soient plus favorables pour les pauvres. Sous l’ère de l’ajustement structurel, la vision de la Banque mondiale a connu également de nombreuses modifications. Durant la première moitié des années quatre-vingt, dans un contexte de crise de la dette, la Banque mondiale a été conduite à reléguer l’objectif de réduction de la pauvreté au second plan, au profit de la restauration des équilibres macroéconomiques et du potentiel de croissance des pays en difficulté. Cependant, en réponse à la critique des coûts sociaux de ses programmes d’ajustement, l’institution financière internationale a réaffirmé son engagement à lutter contre la pauvreté en accordant, dès la fin des années quatre-vingt, une plus grande importance aux conséquences sociales de l’ajustement à court terme et surtout en proposant par la suite de nouvelles stratégies de lutte contre la pauvreté à long terme.
L’apport du NATREX à la modélisation des taux de change d’équilibre : théorie et application au dollar canadien
Authors: Rey Serge
Published: July 2012

L’analyse des mésalignements des taux de change, sur/sous-évaluations des monnaies, reste au coeur des débats de la finance internationale. Or, ces mésalignements ne peuvent être définis et mesurés qu’en référence à un taux de change d’équilibre. On considère que le modèle pertinent doit répondre à certaines exigences, qui relèvent à la fois du contenu théorique et du caractère opérationnel. Au niveau théorique ce modèle devra s’attacher d’une part à expliquer la dynamique des taux de change réels, en distinguant notamment les équilibres de moyen et long terme; d’autre part à rendre compte de l’interaction taux de change-dette externe. On montre que les modèles standard de la littérature que sont la PPA, le modèle FEER et le modèle BEER, ne répondent que partiellement à ces exigences, et qu’a contrario, le NATREX constitue à ce jour l’approche la plus élaborée. On procède à une application empirique au cas du dollar canadien à partir des trois modèles de référence, le FEER, le BEER et le NATREX, sur la période débutant au 1er trimestre de 1970 et se terminant au 3e trimestre de 2008. On en déduit les valeurs correspondantes pour le taux de change nominal d’équilibre du dollar canadien contre dollar américain. On conclut que le NATREX constitue un guide utile pour les autorités monétaires, comme pour les opérateurs privés.
Abacavir alters the transcription of inflammatory cytokines in virologically suppressed, HIV‐infected women
Authors: MacLeod Iain J , Rowley Christopher F , Lockman Shahin , Ogwu Anthony , Moyo Sikhulile , van Widenfelt Erik , Mmalane Mompati , Makhema Joseph , Essex M , Shapiro Roger L
Published: July 2012

Background

Abacavir (ABC) may be associated with a small, increased risk of myocardial infarction in HIV‐infected adults, possibly related to cytokine‐mediated inflammation.

Methods

To evaluate the induction of inflammatory cytokine transcription by ABC, we used samples from women randomized to receive zidovudine/lamivudine/ABC (Trizivir) or lopinavir/ritonavir and zidovudine/lamividine (Kaletra/Combivir) from the third trimester through six‐months postpartum for the prevention of mother‐to‐child transmission (PMTCT). Women were matched by CD4 count and baseline HIV RNA. All women attained viral suppression (<50 copies/ml) by the time of sampling.

Results

Four cytokines showed a difference in expression between the treatment arms, all in a proinflammatory direction for the ABC arm: CD40LG 1.82‐fold, (p=.027); IL‐8 3.16‐fold (p=.020); LTA 2.82‐fold, (p=.008); and CCL5 −1.67‐fold, (p=.035). At 12‐months postpartum, 6‐months after antiretroviral discontinuation, cytokine expression was similar by treatment arm.

Conclusions

We conclude that ABC may upregulate proinflammatory cytokines at the transcriptional level in this population.
Immobilization/stabilization of acid urease on Eupergit® supports
Authors: Bortone Nadia , Fidaleo Marcello , Moresi Mauro
Published: July 2012

The adsorption capacity and immobilization rate of two Eupergit® supports for acid urease was studied by varying the ionic strength and enzyme preparation concentration in the immobilizing solution at pH 7. Eupergit® C250 L yielded a series of derivatives with enzyme loadings (YP/B) ranging from 48 to 171 mg of bovine serum albumin equivalent (BSAE) per gram of dry support (ds). Use of drastic postimmobilization conditions at pH 9 for 3–9 days yielded a slight decrease (8–14%) in the initial activity of immobilized enzymes and a limited increase in the stabilization factor (1.1–1.5), as assessed by accelerated aging tests at 65°C. Further storage tests at 4°C in the wet state showed that the activity of several derivatives either stabilized or not was practically constant for as long as 547 days. Both free enzyme and immobilized acid urease derivatives exhibited a kinetic pattern of the Michaelis–Menten type. Using the Eadie–Hofstee diagram, the specific ammonia formation rate constant for free (kcat) or immobilized (k′cat) enzyme resulted to be little affected by immobilization (kcat ≈ k′cat ≈ 18.86 ± 0.34 IU/mg BSAE), whereas the apparent Michaelis constant for immobilized enzymes exhibited a statistically significant increase at P < 0.05 from the intrinsic value (2.55 ± 0.14 mM) for free enzyme to 5.38 ± 0.87 mM as YP/B increased to 171 mg BSAE/g ds. By estimating the observable Thiele modulus (ϕobs), the activity of the biocatalyst with the greatest enzyme loading at the lowest urea concentrations tested (0.833 mM) was reduced by a factor of about 2 due to internal diffusional limitations. By operating in the pseudofirst‐order regime with immobilized derivatives at YP/B about 126 mg BSAE/g ds, their activity after grinding was no more limited by intraparticle diffusion and approached the value for free enzyme. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2012
Novel Dual‐Site‐Binding Neuraminidase Inhibitor from Virtual Screening by Pharmacophore and Molecular Dynamics Methods
Authors: Huang Kun , Wu Xiaowen , Jiang Zhengyu , Sun Haopeng , You Qidong
Published: July 2012

Neuraminidase is a significant anti‐influenza target that plays crucial role in virus replication cycle. The discovery of 150‐cavity in Group‐1 neuraminidase provides us a novel mentality of designing inhibitor which can bind with both conserved site and 150‐cavity. In order to discover novel dual‐site‐binding inhibitors, a 3D chemical‐feature‐based pharmacophore model was established to cover dual‐site in neuraminidase. The dual‐site‐binding model was consistent in predicting the binding conformation of Group‐1 neuraminidase inhibitor and applied for virtual screening of Specs database. Compound 4 (ZINC05790048) that aligned well to the model was selected after multiple filtrations for molecular dynamics simulations, indicating improved binding energy with neuraminidase. It can sever as the lead compound for a novel series of inhibitors.
Discrete ephrin‐B1 expression by specific layers of the primate retinogeniculostriate system continues throughout postnatal and adult life
Authors: Teo Leon , Homman‐Ludiye Jihane , Rodger Jennifer , Bourne James A.
Published: July 2012

The molecular guidance cue ephrin‐B1 has traditionally been associated with the early development of the visual system, encompassing retinocollicular mapping as well as development and maturation of synapses. Although little is known about its role in the visual system during the postnatal period and in adulthood, recent studies have demonstrated the expression of ephrin‐B1 in the adult mouse brain, indicating a sustained role beyond early development. Therefore, we explored the spatiotemporal expression of ephrin‐B1 in the postnatal and adult nonhuman primate visual system and demonstrated that a modulated expression continued following birth into adulthood in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and primary visual cortex (V1, striate cortex). This occurred in the layers involved in bidirectional geniculostriate communication: layers 3Bβ, 4, and 6 of V1 and the parvocellular (P) and magnocellular (M) layers of the LGN. Furthermore, discrete gradients between the ipsi‐ and contralateral inputs of the P and M layers of the LGN evolved between 1 month following birth and the start of the critical period (3 months), and continued into adulthood. We also detected the postsynaptic expression of ephrin‐B1 by excitatory cells in adult LGN and V1 and a subset of interneurons in adult V1, suggestive of a more global rather than subtype‐specific role. Together these results suggest a possible role for ephrin‐B1 in the maturation of the primate retinogeniculostriate pathway throughout postnatal life, extending into adulthood. J. Comp. Neurol. 520:2941–2956, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Long‐term interaction between microglial cells and cochlear nucleus neurons after bilateral cochlear ablation
Authors: Fuentes‐Santamaría Verónica , Alvarado Juan Carlos , Juiz José Manuel
Published: July 2012

The removal of afferent activity has been reported to modify neuronal activity in the cochlear nucleus of adult rats. After cell damage, microglial cells are rapidly activated, initiating a series of cellular responses that influences neuronal function and survival. To investigate how this glial response occurs and how it might influence injured neurons, bilateral cochlear ablations were performed on adult rats to examine the short‐term (16 and 24 hours and 4 and 7 days) and long‐term (15, 30, and 100 days) changes in the distribution and morphology of microglial cells (immunostained with the ionized calcium‐binding adaptor molecule 1; Iba‐1) and the interaction of microglial cells with deafferented neurons in the ventral cochlear nucleus. A significant increase in the mean cross‐sectional area and Iba‐1 immunostaining of microglial cells in the cochlear nucleus was observed at all survival times after the ablation compared with control animals. These increases were concomitant with an increase in the area of Iba‐1 immunostaining at 24 hours and 4, 7, and 15 days postablation. Additionally, microglial cells were frequently seen apposing the cell bodies and dendrites of auditory neurons at 7, 15, and 30 days postablation. In summary, these results provide evidence for persistent glial activation in the ventral cochlear nucleus and suggest that long‐term interaction occurs between microglial cells and deafferented cochlear nucleus neurons following bilateral cochlear ablation, which could facilitate the remodeling of the affected neuronal circuits. J. Comp. Neurol. 520:2974–2990, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Doublecortin and doublecortin‐like are expressed in overlapping and non‐overlapping neuronal cell population: Implications for neurogenesis
Authors: Saaltink Dirk‐Jan , Håvik Bjarte , Verissimo Carla S. , Lucassen P.J. , Vreugdenhil Erno
Published: July 2012

We have characterized the expression of doublecortin‐like (DCL), a microtubule‐associated protein involved in embryonic neurogenesis that is highly homologous to doublecortin (DCX), in the adult mouse brain. To this end, we developed a DCL‐specific antibody and used this to compare DCL expression with DCX. In the neurogenic regions of the adult brain like the subventricular zone (SVZ), the rostral migratory stream (RMS), the olfactory bulb (OB), and the hippocampus, DCL colocalizes with DCX in immature neuronal cell populations. In contrast to DCX, we also found high DCL expression in three other brain regions with suspected neurogenesis or neuronal plasticity. First, the radial glia‐like, hypothalamic tanycytes show high DCL expression that partly colocalizes with the neural stem cell marker vimentin. Second, DCL expression is found in cells of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which lacks expression of the adult neuron marker NeuN. Third, a novel region exhibiting DCL expression is part of the olfactory tubercle where DCL is found in the neuropil of the islands of Calleja (ICj). Our findings define DCL as a novel marker for specific aspects of adult neurogenesis, which partly overlap with DCX. In addition, we propose unique roles for DCL in adult neurogenesis and we suggest high levels of neuronal plasticity in tanycytes, SCN, and ICj. J. Comp. Neurol. 520:2805–2823, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Age‐related changes in learning across early childhood: A new imitation task
Authors: Dickerson Kelly , Gerhardstein Peter , Zack Elizabeth , Barr Rachel
Published: July 2012

Imitation plays a critical role in social and cognitive development, but the social learning mechanisms contributing to the development of imitation are not well understood. We developed a new imitation task designed to examine social learning mechanisms across the early childhood period. The new task involves assembly of abstract‐shaped puzzle pieces in an arbitrary sequence on a magnet board. Additionally, we introduce a new scoring system that extends traditional goal‐directed imitation scoring to include measures of both children's success at copying gestures (sliding the puzzle pieces) and goals (connecting the puzzle pieces). In Experiment 1, we demonstrated an age‐invariant baseline from 1.5 to 3.5 years of age, accompanied by age‐related changes in success at copying goals and gestures from a live demonstrator. In Experiment 2, we applied our new task to learning following a video demonstration. Imitation performance in the video demonstration group lagged behind that of the live demonstration group, showing a protracted video deficit effect. Across both experiments, children were more likely to copy gestures at earlier ages, suggesting mimicry, and only later copy both goals and gestures, suggesting imitation. Taken together, the findings suggest that different social learning strategies may predominate in imitation learning dependent upon the degree of object affordance, task novelty, and task complexity.© 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 55: 719–732, 2013.
Costs explained by function rather than diagnosis—results from the SNAC Nordanstig elderly cohort in Sweden
Authors: Lindholm C. , Gustavsson A. , Jönsson L. , Wimo A.
Published: July 2012

Background

Because the prevalence of many brain disorders rises with age, and brain disorders are costly, the economic burden of brain disorders will increase markedly during the next decades.

Aim

The purpose of this study is to analyze how the costs to society vary with different levels of functioning and with the presence of a brain disorder.

Methods

Resource utilization and costs from a societal viewpoint were analyzed versus cognition, activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), brain disorder diagnosis and age in a population‐based cohort of people aged 65 years and older in Nordanstig in Northern Sweden. Descriptive statistics, non‐parametric bootstrapping and a generalized linear model (GLM) were used for the statistical analyses.

Results

Most people were zero users of care. Societal costs of dementia were by far the highest, ranging from SEK 262 000 (mild) to SEK 519 000 per year (severe dementia). In univariate analysis, all measures of functioning were significantly related to costs. When controlling for ADL and IADL in the multivariate GLM, cognition did not have a statistically significant effect on total cost. The presence of a brain disorder did not impact total cost when controlling for function. The greatest shift in costs was seen when comparing no dependency in ADL and dependency in one basic ADL function.

Conclusion

It is the level of functioning, rather than the presence of a brain disorder diagnosis, which predicts costs. ADLs are better explanatory variables of costs than Mini mental state examination. Most people in a population‐based cohort are zero users of care. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Potential metabolomic biomarkers for evaluation of adriamycin efficacy using a urinary 1H‐NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Kim Kyu‐Bong , Yang Ji‐Young , Kwack Seung Jun , Kim Hyung Sik , Ryu Do Hyun , Kim Yeon‐Joo , Bae Jung Yun , Lim Duck Soo , Choi Seul Min , Kwon Mi Jung , Bang Du Yeon , Lim Seong Kwang , Kim Young Woo , Hwang Geum‐Sook , Lee Byung‐Mu
Published: July 2012

A metabolomics approach using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was applied to investigate metabolic alterations following adriamycin (ADR) treatment for gastric adenocarcinoma. After BALB/c‐nu/nu mice were implanted with human gastric adenocarcinoma, ADR (1 or 3 mg kg−1 per day) was intraperitoneally administered for 5 days. Urine was collected on days 2 and 5 and analyzed by NMR. The levels of trimethylamine oxide (TMAO, ×0.3), hippurate (×0.3) and taurine (×0.6) decreased significantly (P < 0.05), whereas the levels of 3‐indoxylsulfate (×12.6), trigonelline (×1.5), citrate (×2.5), trimethylamine (TMA, ×2.0) and 2‐oxoglutarate (×2.3) increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the tumor model. After ADR treatment, TMAO, hippuarte and taurine were increased significantly on day 5 compared with those of the tumor model. The levels of 2‐oxoglutarate, 3‐indoxylsulfate, trigonelline, TMA and citrate, which increased in the tumor model, significantly decreased to those of normal control by ADR treatment. Furthermore, the ratio between TMA and TMAO was dramatically altered in both tumor and ADR‐treated groups. Overall, metabolites such as TMAO, TMA, 3‐indoxylsulfate, hippurate, trigonelline, citrate and 2‐oxoglutarate related to the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle might be considered as therapeutic targets to potentiate the efficacy of ADR. Thus, these results suggest that the metabolomics analysis of tumor response to ADR treatment may be applicable for demonstrating the efficacy of anticancer agent, ADR and treatment adaptation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Patient Registries in Primary Care: Essential Element for Quality Improvement
Authors: Molina‐Ortiz Elizabeth I. , Vega Aida C. , Calman Neil S.
Published: July 2012

Primary care in the United States has been in the midst of a transformation from a system based solely on individual office interactions to one that includes managing health at a population level. The chronic care model provides a robust framework for health systems to transform and restructure their delivery of care to one that is committed to delivering multidisciplinary quality care with a proactive approach. Patient and disease registries are the essential tools necessary to inform all elements of the chronic care model and guide practices though this transformation. Nationally as well as internationally, when used as part of a robust continuous quality‐improvement program, registries have demonstrated to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Despite challenges practices may confront when initially developing a patient registry, it is evident that population management is now an important and integral component of a successful primary‐care practice whose aim is to improve quality of patient care. Mt Sinai J Med 79:475–480, 2012 © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
The 39 steps: evading error and deciphering the secrets for accurate dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI
Authors: Willats Lisa , Calamante Fernando
Published: July 2012

Dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI is the most commonly used MRI method to assess cerebral perfusion and other related haemodynamic parameters. Although the technique is well established and used routinely in clinical centres, there are still many problems that impede accurate perfusion quantification. In this review article, we present 39 steps which guide the reader through the theoretical principles, practical decisions, potential problems, current limitations and latest advances in DSC‐MRI. The 39 steps span the collection, analysis and interpretation of DSC‐MRI data, expounding issues and possibilities relating to the contrast agent, the acquisition of DSC‐MRI data, data pre‐processing, the contrast concentration–time course, the arterial input function, deconvolution, common perfusion parameters, post‐processing possibilities, patient studies, absolute versus relative quantification and automated analysis methods. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Finite‐time stability of switched positive linear systems
Authors: Chen Guopei , Yang Ying
Published: July 2012

This brief paper addresses the finite‐time stability problem of switched positive linear systems. First, the concept of finite‐time stability is extended to positive linear systems and switched positive linear systems. Then, by using the state transition matrix of the system and copositive Lyapunov function, we present a necessary and sufficient condition and a sufficient condition for finite‐time stability of positive linear systems. Furthermore, two sufficient conditions for finite‐time stability of switched positive linear systems are given by using the common copositive Lyapunov function and multiple copositive Lyapunov functions, a class of switching signals with average dwell time is designed to stabilize the system, and a computational method for vector functions used to construct the Lyapunov function of systems is proposed. Finally, a concrete application is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hybrid intelligent systems for detecting network intrusions
Authors: Panda Mrutyunjaya , Abraham Ajith , Patra Manas Ranjan
Published: July 2012

This paper intends to develop some novel hybrid intelligent systems by combining naïve Bayes with decision trees (NBDT) and by combining non‐nested generalized exemplar (NNge) and extended repeated incremental pruning (JRip) rule‐based classifiers (NNJR) to construct a multiple classifier system to efficiently detect network intrusions. We also use ensemble design using AdaBoost to enhance the detection rate of the proposed hybrid system. Further, to have a better overall detection, we propose to combine farthest first traversal (FFT) clustering with classification techniques to obtain another two hybrid methods such as DTFF (DT + FFT) and FFNN (NNge + FFT). Finally, we use Bayesian belief network with Tabu search combined with NNge for better detection rate. Because most of the anomaly detection uses binary labels, that is, anomaly or normal, without discussing more details about the attack types, we perform two‐class classification for our proposed methodologies in this paper. Substantial experiments are conducted using NSL‐KDD dataset, which is a modified version of KDD99 intrusion dataset. Finally, empirical results with a detailed analysis for all the approaches show that hybrid classification with clustering DTFF provides the best anomaly detection rate among all others. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Subleading Nc improved parton showers
Authors: Plätzer Simon , Sjödahl Malin
Published: July 2012

Abstract

We describe an algorithm for improving subsequent parton shower emissions by full SU(3) color correlations in the framework of a dipole-type shower. As a proof of concept, we present results from the first implementation of such an algorithm for a final state shower. The corrections are found to be small for event shapes and jet rates but can be more significant for tailored observables.
Intraguild dietary overlap and its possible relationship to the coexistence of mesocarnivores in intensive agricultural habitats
Authors: Remonti Luigi , Balestrieri Alessandro , Ruiz‐González Aritz , Gómez‐Moliner Benjamín J. , Capelli Enrica , Prigioni Claudio
Published: July 2012

The stone marten (Martes foina) and the pine marten (M. martes) are closely related mammalian carnivores potentially subject to exploitative competition. The recent expansion of the pine marten into the intensively cultivated plain of the River Po (NW Italy), where previously only stone marten occurred, offered an interesting opportunity to analyse their relationships. We studied the distribution and diet of Martes species and trophic niche overlap between martens and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in two study areas, each with two pseudoreplicates, by analysing genotyped faeces. Our results seem to confirm the displacement of the stone marten from one study area, the pine marten being the only Martes species occurring where previously the stone marten had been reported. We found a large food niche overlap between red fox and both stone and pine martens, but with evidence of size‐related differences in the consumption of some food items. We hypothesised that, due to the poor prey‐base of the environment, highly altered by intensive crop cultivation, intense interspecific competition originally occurred between the red fox and stone marten. The heightening of interspecific competition caused by the entry of the pine marten in the predator guild may have caused the displacement of the stone marten, at least temporarily. The mechanism of such displacement needs to be clarified through further surveys in areas where the three species occur sympatrically.
Warming leads to divergent responses but similarly improved performance of two invasive thistles
Authors: Zhang Rui , Post Eric , Shea Katriona
Published: July 2012

Plants’ responses to climate change are complex. Even the same net performance changes may involve different responses of multiple life history traits. Here we show that two congeneric thistles, Carduus nutans and Carduus acanthoides, both grew taller under increased temperature, albeit following divergent response patterns. For C. nutans, warming advanced bolting more than flowering, leading to a longer growing period before flowering and ultimately taller plant height at the end of the growing season. Carduus acanthoides maintained the same length of growing period because of equally shifted events in the phenological sequence, however, post‐flowering growth rate was increased, which also led to enhanced final plant height. As seeds from taller plants disperse farther, their responses imply that future invasion spread rates of these two species will increase. Similar consequences due to divergent responses in life history traits, as demonstrated in this study, suggest that considering only ultimate performance outcomes, and not the underlying processes generating such outcomes, is not enough to understand the impacts of climate change.
Assessment of genotyping accuracy in a non‐invasive DNA‐based population survey of Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus): lessons from a large‐scale pilot study in Iwate prefecture, northern Japan
Authors: Uno Reina , Kondo Mami , Yuasa Takashi , Yamauchi Kiyoshi , Tsuruga Hihumi , Tamate Hidetoshi B. , Yoneda Masaaki
Published: July 2012

Non‐invasive DNA genotyping using hair samples has become a common method in population surveys of Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) in Japan; however, the accuracy of the genotyping data has rarely been discussed in empirical studies. Therefore, we conducted a large‐scale pilot study to examine genotyping accuracy and sought an efficient way of error‐checking hair‐trapping data. We collected 2,067 hair samples, successfully determined the genotypes of 1,245 samples, and identified 295 individuals. The genotyping data were further divided into 3 subsets of data according to the number of hairs used for DNA extraction in each sample (1–4, 5–9, and ≥10 hairs), and the error rates of allelic dropout and false alleles were estimated for each subset using a maximum likelihood method. The genotyping error rates in the samples with ≥10 hairs were found to be lower than those in the samples with 1–4 and 5–9 hairs. The presence of erroneous genotypes among the identified individuals was further checked using a post hoc goodness‐of‐fit test that determined the match between the expected and observed frequencies of individual homozygotes at 0–6 loci. The results indicated the presence of erroneous genotypes, possibly as a result of allelic dropout, in the samples. Therefore, for improved accuracy, it is recommended that samples containing ≥10 hairs should be used for genotyping and a post hoc goodness‐of‐fit test should be performed to exclude erroneous genotypes before proceeding with downstream analysis such as capture‐mark‐recapture estimation.
Landscape heterogeneity at multiple spatial scales enhances spider species richness in an agricultural landscape
Authors: Miyashita Tadashi , Chishiki Yuki , Takagi Shun R.
Published: July 2012

Landscape supplementation, which enhances densities of organisms by combination of different landscape elements, is likely common in heterogeneous landscapes, but its prevalence and effects on species richness have been little explored. Using grassland‐dwelling spiders in an agricultural landscape, we postulated that richness and abundances of major constituent species are both highest in intermediate mixtures of forests and paddy fields, and that this effect derives from multi‐scale landscape heterogeneity. We collected spiders in 35 grasslands in an agricultural landscape in Japan and determined how species richness and abundances of major species related to local and landscape factors across different spatial scales. We used a generalized linear model to fit data, created all possible combinations of variables at 15 spatial scales, and then explored the best models using Akaike's information criterion. Species richness showed a hump‐shaped pattern in relation to surrounding forest cover, and the spatial scale determining this relationship was a 300–500‐m radius around the study sites. Local variables were of minor importance for species richness. Abundances of major species also exhibited a hump‐shaped pattern when plotted against forest cover. Thus, a combination of paddy fields and forests is important for enhancement of grassland spider species richness and abundance, suggesting habitat supplementation. The effective spatial scales determining abundances varied, ranging from 200 to >1000 m, probably representing different dispersal abilities. Landscape compositional heterogeneity at multiple spatial scales may be thus crucial for the maintenance of species diversity.
Macrophages Alter the Differentiation‐Dependent Decreases in Fibronectin and Collagen I/III Protein Levels in Human Preadipocytes
Authors: Gagnon AnneMarie , Yarmo Michelle N. , Landry Anne , Sorisky Alexander
Published: July 2012

Adipose tissue of obese individuals is characterized by increased fibrosis and macrophage infiltration. Extensive remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) that occurs during adipogenesis can be influenced by macrophages, but it remains unclear how macrophage‐secreted factors alter preadipocyte ECM protein expression under non‐adipogenic versus adipogenic conditions. Confluent human subcutaneous abdominal preadipocytes were cultured for 14 days, with or without adipogenic inducers, in either control medium, medium conditioned by THP‐1 monocytes (THP‐1‐MonCM), or medium conditioned by THP‐1 macrophages (THP‐1‐MacCM). Under non‐adipogenic conditions in THP‐1‐MacCM, collagen I/III and fibronectin protein levels rose by 40 and 70 %, respectively (p < 0.05, n = 3; compared to control non‐adipogenic medium). When preadipocytes were exposed to adipogenic inducers in THP‐1‐MacCM, collagen I/III levels increased by 50 %, but those of fibronectin fell by 48 %, both compared to non‐adipogenic THP‐1‐MacCM conditions. The rise in collagen I/III levels contrasts with the 51 % decrease in collagen I/III that occurs with induction of differentiation in control medium, whereas, the decrease in fibronectin is more modest, but consistent in THP‐1‐MacCM (48 %) and control medium (92 %). A similar effect on fibronectin levels occurred using medium conditioned by LPS‐treated human monocyte‐derived macrophages (MD‐MacCM). Our data indicate macrophage‐derived factors regulate levels of collagen I/III and fibronectin in preadipocytes under non‐adipogenic and adipogenic conditions. Further studies are needed to determine if these changes in these ECM proteins contribute to the anti‐adipogenic action of MacCM.
PsychTable.org: The Taxonomy of Human Evolved Psychological Adaptations
Authors: Balachandran Niruban , Glass Daniel J.
Published: July 2012

We announce the launch of PsychTable.org, a collaborative web-based project devoted to classifying and evaluating evolved psychological adaptations (EPAs), geared toward researchers, educators, students, and the general public. The website works by aggregating citations which support or challenge the existence of each purported EPA, using a mathematical algorithm to assign an evidentiary strength score to each, and generating a table which represents the current but ever-changing state of the empirical evidence. Citations are added and assigned evaluative ratings by both general users and an international community of expert contributors; as such, the content of the site will represent the consensus of the scientific community and new research opportunities. PsychTable has features for achieving empirical meta-goals such as quality control, hypothesis testing, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and didactic utility. Additionally, PsychTable will help adjudicate arguments within the field by providing a one-stop resource to display which proposed EPAs have strong empirical support and which others are relatively lacking in evidence.
Finite Element Modeling of the Cyclic Wetting Mechanism in the Active Part of Wheat Awns
Authors: Zickler Gerald A. , Ruffoni Davide , Dunlop John W. C. , Elbaum Rivka , Weinkamer Richard , Fratzl Peter , Antretter Thomas
Published: July 2012

Many plant tissues and organs are capable of moving due to changes in the humidity of the environment, such as the opening of the seed capsule of the ice plant and the opening of the pine cone. These are fascinating examples for the materials engineer, as these tissues are non-living and move solely through the differential swelling of anisotropic tissues and in principle may serve as examples for the bio-inspired design of artificial actuators. In this paper, we model the microstructure of the wild wheat awn (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides) by finite elements, especially focusing on the specific microscopic features of the active part of the awn. Based on earlier experimental findings, cell walls are modeled as multilayered cylindrical tubes with alternating cellulose fiber orientation in successive layers. It is shown that swelling upon hydration of this system leads to the formation of gaps between the layers, which could act as valves, thus enabling the entry of water into the cell wall. This supports the hypothesis that this plywood-like arrangement of cellulose fibrils enhances the effect of ambient humidity by accelerated water or vapor diffusion along the gaps. The finite element model shows that a certain distribution of axially and tangentially oriented fibers is necessary to generate sufficient tensile stresses within the cell wall to open nanometer-sized gaps between cell wall layers.
Elderly and long‐term care trends and policy in Taiwan: Challenges and opportunities for health care professionals
Authors: Wang Hsiu‐Hung , Tsay Shwn‐Feng
Published: July 2012

The purpose of this article is to address the trends and policy of elderly and long‐term care in Taiwan. In response to the increasing demand of an aging society, healthcare professionals play crucial roles in elderly and long‐term care and quality assurance of services. This article focuses on the current situation of elderly health care, demands of long‐term care, long‐term care policy in Taiwan, draft of the Long‐term Care Services Act, and draft of the Long‐term Care Insurance Act. After the 10‐year long‐term care project was proposed by the Taiwan government, the supply of health care services and demand for long‐term care have created many challenges and opportunities for innovative health professional development. Challenges consist of low old dependency ratio caused by low birth rate, lack of elderly and long‐term care related manpower, services and education reform related to long‐term care for the future society, and interprofessional collaboration and team work of long‐term care. Opportunities include expanding the roles and the career pathways of healthcare professionals, promoting the concepts of active aging and good quality of life, and developing industrial cooperation related to long‐term care services. Under these circumstances, healthcare professonals are actively involved in practice, education and research of long‐term care services that ensure elderly and disabled people can live a healthier and better life.
The Fetish and Intercultural Commerce in Seventeenth-century West Africa
Authors: Mitchell Matthew David
Published: July 2012

Fetish. Perhaps few words are more redolent of the negative outlook of “enlightened” Europeans in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries towards the “superstitions” embraced by the supposedly benighted inhabitants of the Dark Continent of Africa. This intellectual snobbery on the part of such European intellectual luminaries as Hume, Voltaire, Kant, and Marx led to fundamental misunderstandings of the nature of African religious beliefs and practices. In particular, it obscured the ways in which European visitors to the African coast made use of the concept of the fetish for their commercial purposes. In the process, they introduced European ideas about physical objects of supernatural power into the complex of beliefs that Enlightenment thinkers later came to deride as uniquely emblematic of African backwardness. The conception of the fetish as both a European and an African invention re-emerges in reading the documentary evidence left behind by European travellers and traders of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. These sources present the fetish—and in particular the practice of sealing agreements by swearing oaths on fetish objects—as an intermediary between European and African systems of economic and spiritual value, thus fostering the modicum of trust necessary for trade to proceed.
Religion or Culture? Change among the Papuans in the Upper-Digul Area, 1956–1967
Authors: de Graaf Gerrit R.
Published: July 2012

In August 1958, Meeuwis Drost (1923-86) was the first missionary for the Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland (Vrijgemaakt), or Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) to start proselytising among the Papuans of the Upper-Digul area in Netherlands New Guinea. He later recalled how that day: “I simply started with Genesis one. And they listened!” Drost finished teaching the entire Old Testament within one year. To start at the beginning seems logical and is in fact the approach used by most missionaries of the Liberated churches. Transfer of religious and cultural knowledge was seen as an important aspect of their work, especially with an illiterate audience. The Protestant religious landscape in the Netherlands had fragmented heavily during the nineteenth century. Two secessions from the Dutch Reformed Church in 1834 and 1886 led to the formation of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands in 1892. Its tendency to depose those who refused to adhere to its theological views resulted in the Vrijmaking (Liberation) in 1944. Although the Liberated churches were one of many Protestant branches, they were very secure in their own theological views. Consisting of exclusive political, religious, educational and even recreational organisations they formed a mini-pillar in Dutch society.
Ionogram signatures of large‐scale wave structure and their relation to equatorial spread F
Authors: Thampi Smitha V. , Tsunoda Roland T. , Jose Lijo , Pant Tarun Kumar
Published: July 2012

Observations of signatures of the large‐scale wave structure (LSWS) and subsequent development of equatorial spread F (ESF) by using data from a newly installed digital ionosonde at Trivandrum (8.5°N; 77°E; 0.5°N magnetic dip latitude) are presented. The LSWS signatures are observed using the ionograms with echo directions. The ‘satellite’ traces are shown as echoes from oblique directions, when an upwelling (associated with LSWS) is not directly over the ionosonde location. When an upwelling is centered overhead, and the radius of curvature of the isodensity contours matches the height of reflection, signals from various directions can add in phase to enhance the ionospheric reflection coefficient, and produce another ionogram signature, referred to as multireflected echoes (MREs). It is also shown that the generation of ESF is related to the presence of LSWS. The skymaps also show the presence of small‐scale wave structures in the bottomsideFregion. The investigation also indicates that the range spread F (RSF) occurs because of the reflections from the embedded smaller‐scale structures within the large‐scale upwelling.
Ion drift meter calibration and photoemission correction for the C/NOFS satellite
Authors: Stoneback R. A. , Davidson R. L. , Heelis R. A.
Published: July 2012

The Ion Drift Meter (IDM) onboard the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) measures ion arrival angles transverse to the satellite path and requires precise attitude determination for proper conversion to ambient ion drift. Low ionospheric densities during the 2008/9 solar minimum restricted quality measurements to altitudes near perigee, limiting the daily local time coverage of the satellite. As the primary ionospheric boundary condition available to calibrate the IDM requires that the integral of meridional (vertical) ion drifts be zero over all local times and longitudes, the limited daily local time coverage necessitated a new calibration procedure. A procedure is presented that utilizes the median meridional drift over all local times determined over a 67 day perigee precession period to calibrate the instrument. Offsets are isolated for both measurement directions by exploiting the different symmetry relationships that the spacecraft orientation has with respect to the meridional direction as a function of magnetic latitude. The low ionospheric densities along with the equatorial orbit of C/NOFS also allowed photoemission currents within the instrument to be detected. A numerical model of photoemission within the drift meter is presented in detail and used to generate a first order software correction to remove a large portion of this error from measurements. Both the photoemission correction and the drift meter calibration procedure are supported by a comparison to vertical ion drifts measured by the Jicamarca Radar Observatory.