bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Faculty members’ perceptions towards institutional repository at a medium-sized university
Authors: Oguz Fatih , Assefa Shimelis
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The study aimed to investigate the perceptions of faculty members at a medium-sized university towards self-archiving and participation in institutional repositories (IRs).

Design/methodology/approach

– The research participants were from a medium-sized university. An online survey was distributed and a total of 217 responses were received which yielded a 40 per cent overall response rate. Faculty perceptions of the IR were measured through nine dimensions, the results of which were later summarised using principal component factor analysis.

Findings

– Faculty members’ perception of IRs and willingness to contribute to the IRs were closely associated with scholarly productivity rather than prior knowledge of and experience with IRs. Those who possessed scholarly materials were significantly more likely to have a positive perception of IRs and, therefore, were more likely to contribute to IRs than those who did not. Seniority in faculty rank contributed negatively to faculty members’ perception of the repository.

Research limitations/implications

– The study used a non-probability sampling technique to collect data about the faculty’s perception of IRs at a single institution of higher education. Variables for faculty background were limited to rank and academic discipline.

Originality/value

– In three ways: First, the study contributed to research on faculty perception of IRs in academia and approached the issue from the perspective of a teaching-oriented institution. Second, the relationship between faculty's willingness to participate in and their perception of IRs was measured. Third, a binary logistic regression model was used to estimate factors that influence faculty's perception of the institution's IRs.
Geographic clustering, network relationships and competitive advantage
Authors: Lei Han-Sheng , Huang Chin-Hua
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– There are contradicted perspectives on relationship between geographic cluster and competitive advantage of firms in previous research. Extant research has paid extremely attention to the effect of both geographic cluster and industrial network on firms’ performance; however, little studies have delineated the relationship between geographic cluster, industrial network, and competitive advantage. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that firms within the same cluster that have established idiosyncratic network resources have stronger competitive advantages than firms that have not.

Design/methodology/approach

– An empirical study of two prominent geographic clusters from Taiwan is analyzed by structural equation modeling.

Findings

– The results indicate that the degree of networking does play a mediating role between geographic cluster and competitive advantage, which may help resolve the conflicting results obtained by researchers on the influence of clusters on competitive advantage. The results also find that both degree of networking and betweenness position are conducive to the pursuit of competitive advantage.

Practical implications

– The research shows that firms merely locate themselves in the right cluster does not guarantee they can outperform their rivals. Rather, developing of network relationship with other firms proximate to the same cluster will strengthen a firm's competitive advantages.

Originality/value

– In the theoretical perspective, this paper attempts to fill the gap in the links between clusters, networks, and competitive advantage by providing that the networking as a mechanism for firms in a cluster to improve their competitive advantage.
CEO reputation and top management team compensation
Authors: Sanchez-Marin Gregorio , Samuel Baixauli-Soler J.
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to clarify the influence of chief executive officer (CEO) reputation on top management team (TMT) compensation, proposing corporate governance characteristics as a moderator of the relationships between the power of top managers to extract rents and the importance of external signals. The study aims to expand the domain of executive compensation literature by including the role of CEO reputation in the context of non-Anglo-Saxon corporate governance systems.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper opted for a panel methodology for the period 2004-2009, including 534 observations from Spanish listed companies. Data were obtained from several sources. Compensation and governance information was obtained from the Spanish Stock Exchange National Commission; data regarding CEO reputation were obtained from Spanish Corporate Reputation Monitor, and, finally, financial statement was obtained from the OSIRIS database.

Findings

– The paper provides empirical insights on the CEO reputation diffusion on TMT compensation, showing different scenarios depending on effectiveness of corporate governance. CEO reputation diffusion on TMT pay is strengthened or weakened by the organizational governance effectiveness. General evidence supports the notion that in countries characterized by an incomplete corporate governance system, boards – and also indirectly the structure of ownership – act as a catalyst for external signs of legitimacy, rather than for the organization's and stakeholders’ interests.

Research limitations/implications

– Because of the difficulty in pooling information for a long period from three different sources of data, the number of observations is not very large. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further using other context of corporate governance.

Practical implications

– The paper includes implications for the development of effective governance mechanisms which promote an adequate link between the CEO reputation and the TMT compensation, avoiding rent extractions.

Originality/value

– The paper contributes to new international evidences regarding relations between top managers’ reputations and compensation. Specifically, it allows reinforcement of the importance of institutional arguments in the understanding of the effectiveness of governance mechanisms in large listed companies.
Supply chain sustainability: evidence on conflict minerals
Authors: A. Griffin Paul , H. Lont David , Sun Yuan
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– This study aims to examine the economic cost imposed by capital markets of section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 on conflict minerals (CM). The authors analyse a sample of first-time CM disclosures made by US companies in 2010-2012.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors measure the market response to these disclosures and compare it to the response of a matched control sample of non-disclosers. An overall negative response could arise from regulatory costs, changes in management decision making, or customers' social concerns about CM. An overall positive response could reflect the benefits of disclosure transparency.

Findings

– The authors find that the negative effects of the disclosures outweigh any positive effects. The authors also find more limited negative effects for the control sample, since they are likely to be future CM disclosers.

Research limitations/implications

– Because companies' balance sheets do not report these negative effects, the results imply that investors price supply chain activities related to CM as an off-balance sheet liability.

Practical implications

– The results agree with companies' assertions of a substantial cost to implement the CM provision. The authors estimate an aggregate loss of shareholder value for the sample of $6.5 to $13.1 billion.

Social implications

– These results show that regulators' and stakeholders' demands for increased transparency can be costly to shareholders when the disclosures induce changes in management decision making and raise customers' social concerns about supply chain sustainability.

Originality/value

– The study is the first to examine the economic effects of companies' initial disclosures about CM under the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010.
Sexual violence and mode of delivery: a population‐based cohort study
Authors: Henriksen L , Schei B , Vangen S , Lukasse M
Published: June 2014

Objective

This study aimed to explore the association between sexual violence and mode of delivery.

Design

National cohort study.

Setting

Women presenting for routine ultrasound examinations were recruited to the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study between 1999 and 2008.

Population

A total of 74 059 pregnant women.

Methods

Sexual violence was self‐reported during pregnancy using postal questionnaires. Mode of delivery, other maternal birth outcomes and covariates were retrieved from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Risk estimations were performed using multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Main outcome measures

Mode of delivery and selected maternal birth outcomes.

Results

Of 74 059 women, 18.4% reported a history of sexual violence. A total of 10% had an operative vaginal birth, 4.9% had elective caesarean section and 8.6% had an emergency caesarean section. Severe sexual violence (rape) was associated with elective caesarean section, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.56 (95% CI 1.18–2.05) for nulliparous women and 1.37 (1.06–1.76) for multiparous women. Those exposed to moderate sexual violence had a higher risk of emergency caesarean section, AOR 1.31 (1.07–1.60) and 1.41 (1.08–1.84) for nulliparous and multiparous women, respectively. No association was found between sexual violence and operative vaginal birth, except for a lower risk among multiparous women reporting mild sexual violence, AOR 0.73 (0.60–0.89). Analysis of other maternal outcomes showed a reduced risk of episiotomy for women reporting rape and a higher frequency of induced labour.

Conclusions

Women with a history of rape had higher odds of elective caesarean section and induction and significantly fewer episiotomies.
Efficacy, safety and feasibility of ultrasound‐guided percutaneous microwave ablation for large hepatic hemangioma
Authors: Tang Xiao Yin , Wang Zhi , Wang Tao , Cui Dan , Zhai Bo
Published: June 2014

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy, safety and feasibility of microwave ablation (MWA) for large (5–10 cm in diameter) hepatic hemangioma.

Methods

In all, 46 patients with 47 large hepatic hemangiomas were treated with ultrasound‐guided percutaneous MWA. The effect of MWA for all patients was evaluated by enhanced magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography within two months after ablation.

Results

A total of 27 male and 19 female patients were enrolled, with an average age of 46 ± 11 years. The average size of hemangiomas was 6.3 ± 1.4 cm (range 5.0–9.6 cm). The initial complete ablation rate was 91.5% (43/47) and the volume of ablated lesions was significantly reduced. The rate of complete necrosis was not associated with the tumor size or location (P = 0.899 and 0.758, respectively). The total complete ablation rate was 95.7% (45/47). Major complications included acute renal dysfunction, hyperbilirubinemia and pleural effusion. No procedure‐related death occurred. The average hospitalization stay was 5.7 ± 2.5 days (range 3–17 days). During a follow‐up period of 18.2 months (range 4–40 months), one patient developed local tumor progression at the radiofrequency ablation site. Three patients had new hemangiomas in other sites of the liver. At the end of the study all patients were alive and no severe complications occurred.

Conclusion

Image‐guided MWA is an effective and safe treatment for large hepatic hemangiomas, and can potentially be regarded as the first‐line therapy.
Severe pulmonary arterial hypertension secondary to lupus in the emergency department: proactive intense care associated with a better short‐term survival
Authors: Chen Yi , Guo Li , Li Yuzhen , Chen Guang‐Liang , Chen Xiao‐Xiang , Ye Shuang
Published: June 2014

Objective

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and could be an acute critical condition presenting to the emergency department (ED). Our previous retrospective study revealed that the ED‐related mortality of such patients was over 50%. The aim of the current prospective study is to initiate a proactive intense care strategy on severe SLE‐PAH patients in the emergency setting and evaluate its impact on the short‐term survival.

Methods

The proactive intense care strategy was applied, which includes: (i) an education and training course on the topic of SLE‐PAH for ED physicians; (ii) a SLE‐PAH patient triage protocol with prompt specialist consultation and admission; and (iii) intensive care with prompt initiation of combination PAH‐targeted therapy, that is, at least two drugs from the three categories as represented by iloprost, bosentan and sildenafil. Consecutive SLE‐PAH patients with WHO functional class III or IV who attended the ED were enrolled following the aforementioned protocol. A historical group of SLE‐PAH patients in the ED (n = 11) was set up as a comparison, and 3‐month short‐term survival was calculated.

Results

During October 2010 to December 2012, a total of 11 consecutive severe SLE‐PAH patients were included in the present study. Compared with the historical group, an improved short‐term survival can be appreciated over time (historical group vs. proactive group, 27.3% vs. 72.7%, P = 0.033). The application of PAH‐targeted combination therapy apparently contributed to the better outcome (P = 0.0099).

Conclusions

Proactive care and combination PAH‐targeted treatment can improve short‐term survival of severe SLE‐PAH in the emergency setting.
Vitamin D deficiency induces Th2 skewing and eosinophilia in neonatal allergic airways disease
Authors: Vasiliou J. E. , Lui S. , Walker S. A. , Chohan V. , Xystrakis E. , Bush A. , Hawrylowicz C. M. , Saglani S. , Lloyd C. M.
Published: June 2014

Background

Associations between vitamin D status and childhood asthma are increasingly reported, but direct causation and mechanisms underlying an effect remain unknown. We investigated the effect of early‐life vitamin D deficiency on the development of murine neonatal allergic airways disease (AAD).

Methods

In utero and early‐life vitamin D deficiency was achieved using a vitamin D‐deficient diet for female mice during the third trimester of pregnancy and lactation. Offspring were weaned onto a vitamin D‐deficient or vitamin D‐replete diet, and exposure to intranasal house dust mite (HDM) or saline was commenced from day 3 of life for up to 6 weeks, when airway hyper‐responsiveness (AHR), airway inflammation and remodelling were assessed.

Results

Neonatal mice that had in utero and early‐life vitamin D deficiency had significantly increased pulmonary CD3+CD4+T1ST2+ cells and reduced CD4+IL‐10+ cells. This effect was enhanced following HDM exposure. AHR in HDM‐exposed mice was unaffected by vitamin D status. Introduction of vitamin D into the diet at weaning resulted in a significant reduction in serum IgE levels, reduced pulmonary eosinophilia and peri‐bronchiolar collagen deposition.

Conclusion

Peri‐natal vitamin D deficiency alone has immunomodulatory effects including Th2 skewing and reduced IL‐10‐secreting T regulatory cells, exaggerated with additional allergen exposure. Vitamin D deficiency in early life does not affect AHR, but contributes to disease severity with worse eosinophilic inflammation and airway remodelling. Importantly, supplementation with vitamin D improves both of these pathological abnormalities.
Design‐Based Inference in a Mixture Model for Ordinal Variables for a Two Stage Stratified Design
Authors: Gambacorta R. , Iannario M. , Valliant R.
Published: June 2014

In this paper we present methods for inference on data selected by a complex sampling design for a class of statistical models for the analysis of ordinal variables. Specifically, assuming that the sampling scheme is not ignorable, we derive for the class ofcubmodels (Combination of discrete Uniform and shifted Binomial distributions) variance estimates for a complex two stage stratified sample. Both Taylor linearization and repeated replication variance estimators are presented. We also provide design‐based test diagnostics and goodness‐of‐fit measures. We illustrate by means of real data analysis the differences between survey‐weighted and unweighted point estimates and inferences forcubmodel parameters.
Small intestinal permeability is increased in diarrhoea predominant IBS, while alterations in gastroduodenal permeability in all IBS subtypes are largely attributable to confounders
Authors: Mujagic Z. , Ludidi S. , Keszthelyi D. , Hesselink M. A. M. , Kruimel J. W. , Lenaerts K. , Hanssen N. M. J. , Conchillo J. M. , Jonkers D. M. A. E. , Masclee A. A. M.
Published: June 2014

Background

Intestinal permeability has been studied in small groups of IBS patients with contrasting findings.

Aims

To assess intestinal permeability at different sites of the GI tract in different subtypes of well‐characterised IBS patients and healthy controls (HC), and to assess potential confounding factors.

Methods

IBS patients and HC underwent a multi‐sugar test to assess site‐specific intestinal permeability. Sucrose excretion and lactulose/rhamnose ratio in 0–5 h urine indicated gastroduodenal and small intestinal permeability, respectively. Sucralose/erythritol ratio in 0–24 h and 5–24 h urine indicated whole gut and colonic permeability, respectively. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the association between IBS groups and intestinal permeability and to adjust for age, sex, BMI, anxiety or depression, smoking, alcohol intake and use of medication.

Results

Ninety‐one IBS patients, i.e. 37% IBS‐D, 23% IBS‐C, 33% IBS‐M and 7% IBS‐U and 94 HC were enrolled. Urinary sucrose excretion was significantly increased in the total IBS group [μmol, median (Q1;Q3): 5.26 (1.82;11.03) vs. 2.44 (0.91;5.85), P < 0.05], as well as in IBS‐C and IBS‐D vs. HC. However, differences attenuated when adjusting for confounders. The lactulose/rhamnose ratio was increased in IBS‐D vs. HC [0.023 (0.013;0.038) vs. 0.014 (0.008;0.025), P < 0.05], which remained significant after adjustment for confounders. No difference was found in 0–24 and 5–24 h sucralose/erythritol ratio between groups.

Conclusions

Small intestinal permeability is increased in patients with IBS‐D compared to healthy controls, irrespective of confounding factors. Adjustment for confounders is necessary when studying intestinal permeability, especially in a heterogeneous disorder such as IBS.
An improved nonparametric lower bound of species richness via a modified good–turing frequency formula
Authors: Chiu Chun‐Huo , Wang Yi‐Ting , Walther Bruno A. , Chao Anne
Published: June 2014

It is difficult to accurately estimate species richness if there are many almost undetectable species in a hyper‐diverse community. Practically, an accurate lower bound for species richness is preferable to an inaccurate point estimator. The traditional nonparametric lower bound developed by Chao (1984, Scandinavian Journal of Statistics 11, 265–270) for individual‐based abundance data uses only the information on the rarest species (the numbers of singletons and doubletons) to estimate the number of undetected species in samples. Applying a modified Good–Turing frequency formula, we derive an approximate formula for the first‐order bias of this traditional lower bound. The approximate bias is estimated by using additional information (namely, the numbers of tripletons and quadrupletons). This approximate bias can be corrected, and an improved lower bound is thus obtained. The proposed lower bound is nonparametric in the sense that it is universally valid for any species abundance distribution. A similar type of improved lower bound can be derived for incidence data. We test our proposed lower bounds on simulated data sets generated from various species abundance models. Simulation results show that the proposed lower bounds always reduce bias over the traditional lower bounds and improve accuracy (as measured by mean squared error) when the heterogeneity of species abundances is relatively high. We also apply the proposed new lower bounds to real data for illustration and for comparisons with previously developed estimators.
Individual prediction regions for multivariate longitudinal data with small samples
Authors: Concordet D. , Servien R.
Published: June 2014

Follow‐up is more and more used in medicine/doping control to identify abnormal results in an individual. Currently, follow‐ups are mostly carried out variable by variable using “reference intervals” that contain the values observable in% of healthy/undoped individuals. Observations of the evolution of the variables over time in a sample ofNhealthy/undoped individuals, allows these reference intervals to be individualized by taking into account the possible effect of covariables and some previous observations of these variables obtained when the individual was healthy/undoped. For each variable these individualized intervals should contain% of observable values compatible with previous observed values in this individual. General methods to build these intervals are available, but they allow only a variable by variable follow‐up whatever the possible correlations over time between them. In this article, we propose a general method to jointly follow‐up several correlated variables over time. This methodology relies on a multivariate linear mixed effects model. We first provide a method to estimate the model's parameters. In an asymptotic framework (Nlarge enough), we then derive aindividualized prediction region. Sometimes, the sample sizeNis not large enough for the asymptotic framework to give a reasonable prediction region. It is for this reason, we propose and compare three different prediction regions that should behave better for smallN. Finally, the whole methodology is illustrated by the follow‐up of kidney insufficiency in cats.
Scaffolding strategies for wiki‐based collaboration: Action research in a multicultural Japanese language program
Authors: Jung Insung , Suzuki Yoko
Published: June 2014

Wikis can be used to encourage and support collaborative constructivist learning. However, their effectiveness depends upon the use of scaffolding strategies to guide the students in their use. This action research investigated three scaffolding strategies for wiki‐based multicultural Japanese language learning: worked examples, grouping and peer assessment. It was found that the use of a template explaining the learning objectives and expected learning process was more effective than detailed worked examples. It was also found that heterogeneous grouping and internal and external peer review were important factors and that wiki‐based collaborative learning can be culture laden and in conflict with traditional teaching and learning.
SL‐401 and SL‐501, targeted therapeutics directed at the interleukin‐3 receptor, inhibit the growth of leukaemic cells and stem cells in advanced phase chronic myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Frolova Olga , Benito Juliana , Brooks Chris , Wang Rui‐Yu , Korchin Borys , Rowinsky Eric K. , Cortes Jorge , Kantarjian Hagop , Andreeff Michael , Frankel Arthur E. , Konopleva Marina
Published: June 2014

While imatinib and other tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are highly efficacious in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), some patients become refractory to these therapies. After confirming that interleukin‐3 receptor (IL3R, CD123) is highly expressed on CD34+/CD38− BCR‐ABL1+ CML stem cells, we investigated whether targeting IL3R with diphtheria toxin (DT)‐IL3 fusion proteins SL‐401 (DT388‐IL3) and SL‐501 (DT388‐IL3[K116W]) could eradicate these stem cells. SL‐401 and SL‐501 inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in the KBM5 cell line and its TKI‐resistant KBM5‐STI subline. Combinations of imatinib with these agents increased apoptosis in KBM5 and in primary CML cells. In six primary CML samples, including CML cells harbouring the ABL1 T315I mutation, SL‐401 and SL‐501 decreased the absolute numbers of viable CD34+/CD38−/CD123+ CML progenitor cells by inducing apoptosis. IL3‐targeting agents reduced clonogenic growth and diminished the fraction of primitive long‐term culture‐initiating cells in samples from patients with advanced phase CML that were resistant to TKIs or harboured an ABL1 mutation. Survival was also extended in a mouse model of primary TKI‐resistant CML blast crisis. These data suggest that the DT‐IL3 fusion proteins, SL‐401 and SL‐501, deplete CML stem cells and may increase the effectiveness of current CML treatment, which principally targets tumour bulk.
The Fibrotic Scar in Neurological Disorders
Authors: Fernández‐Klett Francisco , Priller Josef
Published: June 2014

Tissue fibrosis, or scar formation, is a common response to damage in most organs of the body. The central nervous system (CNS) is special in that fibrogenic cells are restricted to vascular and meningeal niches. However, disruption of the blood–brain barrier and inflammation can unleash stromal cells and trigger scar formation. Astroglia segregate from the inflammatory lesion core, and the so‐called “glial scar” composed of hypertrophic astrocytes seals off the intact neural tissue from damage. In the lesion core, a second type of “fibrotic scar” develops, which is sensitive to inflammatory mediators. Genetic fate mapping studies suggest that pericytes and perivascular fibroblasts are activated, but other precursor cells may also be involved in generating a transient fibrous extracellular matrix in the CNS. The stromal cells sense inflammation and attract immune cells, which in turn drive myofibroblast transdifferentiation. We believe that the fibrotic scar represents a major barrier to CNS regeneration. Targeting of fibrosis may therefore prove to be a valuable therapeutic strategy for neurological disorders such as stroke, spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis.
Phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency in Mexico: genotype–phenotype correlations, BH4 responsiveness and evidence of a founder effect
Authors: Vela‐Amieva M. , Abreu‐González M. , González‐del Angel A. , Ibarra‐González I. , Fernández‐Lainez C. , Barrientos‐Ríos R. , Monroy‐Santoyo S. , Guillén‐López S. , Alcántara‐Ortigoza M.A.
Published: June 2014

The mutational spectrum of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene (PAH) in Mexico is unknown, although it has been suggested that PKU variants could have a differential geographical distribution. Genotype–phenotype correlations and genotype‐based predictions of responsiveness to tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) have never been performed. We sequenced the PAH gene and determined the geographic origin of each allele, mini‐haplotype associated, genotype–phenotype correlations and genotype‐based prediction of BH4 responsiveness in 48 Mexican patients. The mutational spectrum included 34 variants with c.60+5G>T being the most frequent (20.8%) and linked to haplotype 4.3 possibly because of a founder effect and/or genetic drift. Two new variants were found c.1A>T and c.969+6T>C. The genotype–phenotype correlation was concordant in 70.8%. The genotype‐based prediction to BH4‐responsiveness was 41.7%, this information could be useful for the rational selection of candidates for BH4 testing and therapy.
Callosal alterations in pyridoxine‐dependent epilepsy
Authors: Friedman Seth D , Ishak Gisele E , Poliachik Sandra L , Poliakov Andrew V , Otto Randolph K , Shaw Dennis W W , Willemsen Michèl A , Bok Levinus A , Gospe Sidney M
Published: June 2014

Aim

While there have been isolated reports of callosal morphology differences in pyridoxine‐dependent epilepsy (PDE), a rare autosomal disorder caused by ALDH7A1 gene mutations, no study has systematically evaluated callosal features in a large sample of patients. This study sought to overcome this knowledge gap.

Method

Spanning a wide age range from birth to 48 years, corpus callosum morphology and cross‐sectional cerebral area were measured in 30 individuals with PDE (12 males, 18 females, median age 3.92y; 25th centile 0.27, 75th centile 15.25) compared to 30 age‐matched comparison individuals (11 males, 19 females, median age 3.85y; 25th centile 0.26, 75th centile 16.00). Individuals with PDE were also divided into age groups to evaluate findings across development. As delay to treatment may modulate clinical severity, groups were stratified by treatment delay (less than or greater than 2wks from birth).

Results

Markedly reduced callosal area expressed as a ratio of mid‐sagittal cerebral area was observed for the entire group with PDE (p<0.001). Stratifying by age (<1y, 1–10y, >10y) demonstrated posterior abnormalities to be a consistent feature, with anterior regions increasingly involved across the developmental trajectory. Splitting the PDE group by treatment lag did not reveal overall or sub‐region callosal differences.

Interpretation

Callosal abnormalities are a common feature of PDE not explained by treatment lag. Future work utilizing tract‐based approaches to understand inter‐ and intra‐hemispheric connectivity patterns will help in the better understanding the structural aspects of this disease.
Induced tree response to herbivory influences the foraging preference and performance of a conifer‐defoliating sawfly
Authors: Johns Rob C. , Leggo Jonathan J.
Published: June 2014

Herbivory often alters the growth and development of woody plants and can thereby render hosts less susceptible to subsequent herbivores. We carried out field surveys and experiments to investigate how previous herbivory influences adult egg lay, larval feeding preference, and associated survival of the yellowheaded spruce sawfly, Pikonema alaskensis (Rohwer) (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), within crowns of black spruce, Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton et al. (Pinaceae). Pikonema alaskensis females laid nearly twice as many eggs, and late‐instar larvae consumed nearly twice as much foliar biomass, on undefoliated vs. defoliated branches. The major factor driving the lower incidence of egg lay on defoliated branches was a significant reduction in the availability of preferred size classes of shoots. In general, adult females preferred medium‐sized shoots, whereas late instars preferred large shoots; previous defoliation generally decreased the availability of medium and large shoots. In a field bioassay, late‐instar survival generally declined with increasing defoliation, which again corresponded to significant reductions in shoot length on defoliated branches. The tendency of P. alaskensis to avoid shoots on severely defoliated branches is likely to increase the time lag between herbivory and the feedback effects of induction and could thus contribute to fluctuations in sawfly population density during outbreak. Our results differ from numerous past studies of closely related diprionid sawflies in conifers, most of which have reported weak or positive effects of previous herbivory on host susceptibility; we attribute the observed responses of spruce to the unusual sawfly feeding preference of P. alaskensis for developing conifer foliage.
Vestibular compensation in cerebellar stroke patients
Authors: Baier B. , Müller N. , Rhode F. , Dieterich M.
Published: June 2014

Background and purpose

There is little evidence about the site where compensatory vestibular mechanisms in patients with cerebellar strokes take place.

Methods

To determine whether the location of a cerebellar lesion might be a crucial variable in vestibular compensation a sample of 22 patients with cerebellar stroke were tested for graviceptive function in the acute and chronic stage.

Results

Our statistical anatomical lesion analysis indicated that mainly lesions of the cerebellar hemispheres (lobule V, VI, VIIa) hinder vestibular compensation and might lead to an overcompensation.

Conclusions

Overcompensation‐induced dysfunction can be explained by the absence of cerebellar inhibitory signals.
Statistical characterization of the geometric properties of particles in 7075‐T6 aluminium alloy
Authors: Haden C. V. , Harlow D. G.
Published: June 2014

Corrosion in aluminium alloys is initiated and sustained at constituent particles within the metal matrix via a localized galvanic process. These particles are also known to play a critical role in fatigue crack initiation and growth. Consequently, statistical characterization of particle geometrical features is critical when modelling corrosion and fatigue. A key statistic is particle size distribution, which was extensively modelled here via imaging of unstressed and fatigued 7075‐T6 aluminium alloys. Fatigued samples were obtained from the outer wing panels of teardown specimens from retired military aircraft. The purpose of this effort was therefore to analyse extensive sets of particle geometry data obtained via microscopy using advanced multimodal statistical modelling and to appropriately characterize the properties of constituent particles and fatigue cracks found in these specimens. The resulting distribution functions for the underlying modes are assumed to be three‐parameter Weibull distribution functions.
Ecological consequences of amphibian larvae and their native and alien predators on the community structure of temporary ponds
Authors: Arribas Rosa , Díaz‐Paniagua Carmen , Gomez‐Mestre Ivan
Published: June 2014

Connections between consumers and resources in food webs are complex and affect the structure and functioning of ecosystems. We assessed the influence of amphibians as consumers on the structure and functioning of temporary ponds, determining their impact on macrophyte abundance, zooplankton diversity and water chemistry.

The effect of amphibians may be modulated by interactions with predators or competitors that alter tadpole density or behaviour. Therefore, we also investigated the consumptive and non‐consumptive effects of native and invasive predators on amphibian larvae and pond ecosystems.

High amphibian density decreased macrophyte biomass and zooplankton diversity and increased water turbidity and nutrient content. These effects were largely attributable to tadpoles of the largest herbivorous species, spadefoot toads (Pelobates cultripes). In the absence of spadefoot toads, amphibians unexpectedly affected plant biomass positively.

Invasive crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) altered community structure in similar ways to high densities of amphibians and caused greater mortality of amphibian larvae than did native predators.

The high herbivorous impact of spadefoot toads and invasive crayfish carried over to the following hydrological cycle.
Temporal evolution of biochar's impact on soil nitrogen processes – a15N tracing study
Authors: Nelissen Victoria , Rütting Tobias , Huygens Dries , Ruysschaert Greet , Boeckx Pascal
Published: June 2014

Biochar addition to soils has been proposed as a means to increase soil fertility and carbon sequestration. However, its effect on soil nitrogen (N) cycling and N availability is poorly understood. To gain better insight into the temporal variability of the impact of biochar on gross soil N dynamics, two15N tracing experiments, in combination with numerical data analysis, were conducted with soil from a biochar field trial, 1 day and 1 year after application of a woody biochar type. The results showed accelerated soil N cycling immediately following biochar addition, with increased gross N mineralization (+34%), nitrification (+13%) and ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3−) immobilization rates (+4500% and +511%, respectively). One year after biochar application, the biochar acted as an inert substance with respect to N cycling. In the short term, biochar's labile C fraction and a pH increase can explain stimulated microbial activity, while in the longer term, when the labile C fraction has been mineralized and the pH effect has faded, the accelerating effect of biochar on N cycling ceases. In conclusion, biochar accelerates soil N transformations in the short‐term through stimulating soil microbial activity, thereby increasing N bio‐availability. This effect is, however, temporary.
Selected elements of cultural landscape structure in Wielkopolska region of Poland as habitats for the parasitoid hymenoptera Pimplinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae)
Authors: Piekarska‐Boniecka Hanna , Mazur Robert , Wagner Aleksandra , Trzciński PaweŁ
Published: June 2014

The studies included cultural landscapes of simple (agricultural land) and complex (forest) structure in Wielkopolska.

The goal of the studies was to define biocoenotic function of marginal habitats such as – shrubs, field border, road borders, and forest edges – structural elements of agricultural landscape making suitable habitats for parasitoid hymenoptera of subfamily Pimplinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae)

The authors wanted to establish:

which of marginal habitats are most attractive for Pimplinae;

which of these habitats are similar to forest habitats, due to the qualitative and quantitative structure of parasitoid hymenoptera communities living there; and

whether linear marginal habitats (like road sides) can fulfil the function of ecological corridors for parasitoid hymenoptera, between agricultural and forest habitats.

The species diversity of Pimplinae in all the habitats of agricultural landscape and forest environment (national park) was similar.

On the forest edges (high heterogeneity landscape), the communities of Pimplinae were most numerous. In the low heterogeneity landscape, the greatest species diversity occurred in shrubs. The majority of Pimplinae populations living in agricultural landscape and forest showed great similarity in their qualitative structure and less similarity in their quantitative structure.

The conclusion can be made that marginal habitats of agricultural landscape make attractive environment for parasitoids of Pimplinae and that vegetation alongside roads can make function as ecological corridors.
Use of a dissolved oxygen microsensor for assessing the viability and thickness of microbial biofilm on root surfaces
Authors: Tomazinho F. S. F. , Sousa‐Neto M. D. , Pécora J. D. , Lamon A. W. , Gonzalez B. C. , Silva‐Sousa Y. T. C.
Published: June 2014

Aim

To evaluate the use of a dissolved oxygen microsensor (DOMS) for assessing the viability and thickness of microbial biofilms on the apical external surface of contaminated human tooth roots.

Methodology

Apical biofilm formation was evaluated in 15 roots contaminated in vitro with a polymicrobial mixture of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans for 7, 21 and 60 days and in three freshly extracted roots with associated radiographically visible periapical lesions. In each root, the thickness and viability (measured by the amount of dissolved oxygen) of biofilm formed on the apical 2 mm were examined with the DOMS. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used as an auxiliary analysis to confirm the existence of the biofilms detected by the DOMS.

Results

The DOMS detected dissolved oxygen on the biofilms formed on the three residual roots up to thickness of 375 μm, 480 μm and 1650 μm. In the 15 roots contaminated in vitro, the DOMS detected dissolved oxygen in six specimens up to thicknesses from 75 to 250 μm, and the intensity of the metabolic activity (biofilm thickness) was directly proportional to the contamination time. SEM confirmed the presence of biofilm in all roots.

Conclusion

The dissolved oxygen microsensor allowed the measurement of the amount of dissolved oxygen in the biofilm, which is indicative of the intensity of the microbial metabolic activity (viability), correlating the results with biofilm thickness. The DOMS was effective in freshly extracted roots, but had limitations in roots contaminated in vitro after short periods (7 and 21 days) of contamination.
Core lower urinary tract symptom score questionnaire: A psychometric analysis
Authors: Okamura Kikuo , Kimura Kyosuke , Mizuno Hideki , Okamoto Noriko , Aota Yasuhiro
Published: June 2014

Objectives

To analyze the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the core lower urinary symptom score questionnaire with psychometric methods.

Method

The present study included 140 women and 125 men who filled in a core lower urinary symptom score questionnaire while attending two lectures on lower urinary tract symptoms. Missing response rates to individual questions were 1.5–5.3%. After the descriptive analyses including box plot, Cronbach's α coefficients and Spearman's ρ were calculated for reliability and validity assessment, respectively. Factor analysis was also carried out to explore the underlying structure.

Results

Of the scores for 10 core symptoms, the interquartile range for pain in the bladder and urethra was 0 in both sexes, and that for stress incontinence was 0 in men. Cronbach's α of the core lower urinary symptom score was 0.733 in women and 0.721 in men. Questions regarding daytime frequency, nocturia, urgency and urgency urinary incontinence, and those on slow stream, straining and feeling of incomplete emptying were significantly correlated with each other in both sexes. Pain in the urethra and bladder showed more extensive associations in women than in men. Factor analysis showed four components in both sexes: the first was storage symptoms, second was voiding symptoms, third was pain and the fourth was urinary incontinence.

Conclusions

The core lower urinary symptom score questionnaire shows good reliability and validity for both sexes, and it could be used as screening tool for lower urinary tract symptoms in any clinical setting or epidemiological investigation.
Management and outcomes of single subsegmental pulmonary embolus: a retrospective audit at North Shore Hospital, New Zealand
Authors: Mehta D. , Barnett M. , Zhou L. , Woulfe T. , Rolfe‐Vyson V. , Rowland V. , Simpson D. , Merriman E.
Published: June 2014

Background

It is unknown whether filling defects in subsegmental arteries on multidetector computed tomography pulmonary angiography correlate with clinically relevant subsegmental pulmonary embolism (PE) on pulmonary angiography. Current guidelines do not differentiate between PE in segmental and subsegmental vessels, and many patients receive at least 3 months anticoagulation. The strategy employed at North Shore Hospital in haemodynamically stable patients with single subsegmental PE is to perform bilateral lower leg compression ultrasound (CUS). Anticoagulation is withheld if CUS is negative; a bilateral CUS is repeated in 7–10 days.

Aim

The aim of this retrospective audit was to ensure our current management strategy is safe.

Methods

All diagnoses of single subsegmental PE between June 2005 and June 2013 were included. The primary outcome was the rate of venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence within 3 months of single subsegmental PE diagnosis. Secondary outcomes were rates of major/minor bleeding and all‐cause mortality.

Results

Thirty‐two patients were included – 20 were treated with anticoagulation; 12 were managed with observation/serial bilateral lower limb CUS. None of the patients in either group had VTE recurrence by 3 months. No bleeding episodes were observed in the observation group; there was a 10% major bleeding rate (n = 2) in the treatment group. One death occurred in each group, neither of which was attributed to VTE.

Conclusion

Withholding anticoagulation in patients with single subsegmental PE and negative serial bilateral CUS appears to be a safe and effective management strategy, with a low risk of VTE recurrence.
Innate immunity in the lung regulates the development of asthma
Authors: DeKruyff Rosemarie H. , Yu Sanhong , Kim Hye Young , Umetsu Dale T.
Published: June 2014

The lung, while functioning as a gas exchange organ, encounters a large array of environmental factors, including particulate matter, toxins, reactive oxygen species, chemicals, allergens, and infectious microbes. To rapidly respond to and counteract these elements, a number of innate immune mechanisms have evolved that can lead to lung inflammation and asthma, which is the focus of this review. These innate mechanisms include a role for two incompletely understood cell types, invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells and innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), which together produce a wide range of cytokines, including interleukin‐4 (IL‐4), IL‐5, IL‐13, interferon‐γ, IL‐17, and IL‐22, independently of adaptive immunity and conventional antigens. The specific roles of iNKT cells and ILCs in immunity are still being defined, but both cell types appear to play important roles in the lungs, particularly in asthma. As we gain a better understanding of these innate cell types, we will acquire great insight into the mechanisms by which allergic and non‐allergic asthma phenotypes develop.
Macrophages in intestinal homeostasis and inflammation
Authors: Bain Calum C. , Mowat Allan McI.
Published: June 2014

The intestine contains the largest pool of macrophages in the body which are essential for maintaining mucosal homeostasis in the face of the microbiota and the constant need for epithelial renewal but are also important components of protective immunity and are involved in the pathology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, defining the biological roles of intestinal macrophages has been impeded by problems in defining the phenotype and origins of different populations of myeloid cells in the mucosa. Here, we discuss how multiple parameters can be used in combination to discriminate between functionally distinct myeloid cells and discuss the roles of macrophages during homeostasis and how these may change when inflammation ensues. We also discuss the evidence that intestinal macrophages do not fit the current paradigm that tissue‐resident macrophages are derived from embryonic precursors that self‐renew in situ, but require constant replenishment by blood monocytes. We describe our recent work demonstrating that classical monocytes constantly enter the intestinal mucosa and how the environment dictates their subsequent fate. We believe that understanding the factors that drive intestinal macrophage development in the steady state and how these may change in response to pathogens or inflammation could provide important insights into the treatment of IBD.
Breeding programs for smallholder sheep farming systems: I. Evaluation of alternative designs of breeding schemes
Authors: Gizaw S. , Rischkowsky B. , Valle‐Zárate A. , Haile A. , van Arendonk J.A.M. , Mwai A.O. , Dessie T.
Published: June 2014

Village‐ and central nucleus‐based schemes were simulated and evaluated for their relative bio‐economic efficiencies, using Ethiopia's Menz sheep as example. The schemes were: village‐based 2‐tier (Scheme‐1) and 1‐tier (Scheme‐2) cooperative village breeding schemes, dispersed village‐based nuclei scheme (Scheme‐3), conventional 2‐tier central nucleus‐based scheme (Scheme‐4), and schemes linking a central nucleus and village multiplier nuclei with selection in central nucleus (Scheme‐5) or in both central and village nuclei (Scheme‐6). Among village‐based schemes, Scheme‐1 gave the highest genetic progress, while Scheme‐2 was economically the most efficient with genetic gain in the breeding objective of Birr 5.6 and a profit of Birr 37.2/ewe/year. The central nucleus schemes were more efficient than the village schemes. Scheme‐4 was the most efficient with genetic gain in the breeding objective of Birr 13.5 and a profit of Birr 71.2, but is operationally more difficult as it requires a very large central nucleus. The choice between village and central nucleus‐based schemes would depend on local conditions (availability of infrastructure, logistics and technical knowhow and support). Linking central nucleus with village‐based nuclei (Scheme‐6) would be a feasible option to overcome the operational difficulties of the conventional central nucleus scheme. If a village‐based breeding program is envisaged as should be the 1st step in most low‐input systems, then Scheme‐2 is the most efficient. To scale out to an entire Menz breed level, Scheme‐3 would be recommended.