bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diets rich inn-6 PUFA induce intestinal microbial dysbiosis in aged mice
Authors: Ghosh Sanjoy , Molcan Erin , DeCoffe Daniella , Dai Chaunbin , Gibson Deanna L.
Published: January 2013

Controversies have emerged regarding the beneficialv.detrimental effects of dietaryn-6 PUFA. The alteration of the intestinal microbiota, a phenomenon termed dysbiosis, occurs during several chronic inflammatory diseases, but has not been well studied in an aged population. With present ‘Western’ diets predominantly composed ofn-6 PUFA, we hypothesised that PUFA-rich diets cause intestinal dysbiosis in an aged population. C57BL/6 mice (aged 2 years) were fed a high-fat (40 % energy), isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diet composed of rapeseed oil, maize oil or maize oil supplemented with fish oil. We examined ileal microbiota using fluorescencein situhybridisation and stained tissues by immunofluorescence for the presence of immune cells and oxidative stress. We observed that feeding high-fat diets rich inn-6 PUFA promoted bacterial overgrowth but depleted microbes from the Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes phyla. This corresponded with increased body mass and infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils. Fish oil supplementation (rich in long-chainn-3 PUFA like DHA and EPA) restored the microbiota and inflammatory cell infiltration and promoted regulatory T-cell recruitment. However, fish oil supplementation was associated with increased oxidative stress, evident by the increased presence of 4-hydroxynonenal, a product of lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that ann-6 PUFA-rich diet can cause dysbiosis and intestinal inflammation in aged mice. However, while fish oil supplementation on ann-6 PUFA diet reverses dysbiosis, the combination ofn-6 andn-3 PUFA, like DHA/EPA, leads to increased oxidative stress, which could exacerbate gastrointestinal disorders in the elderly.
Cold-War Economics: The Use of Marshall Plan Counterpart Funds in Germany, 1948–1960
Authors: Grünbacher Armin
Published: January 2013

The originally propagated view that the Marshall Plan was an altruistic endeavor through which the U.S. saved Europe from collapse and starvation has long been dismissed and replaced with a more realistic approach to international affairs. Whereas Realpolitik and the perception of the evermore menacing Cold War made it inevitable that Marshall Plan aid and its counterpart funds would become a weapon in the ideological conflict of the two political ideologies, the overwhelming body of literature looks at the Marshall Plan either from a political and diplomatic or from an economic viewpoint. Beyond general statements that the Marshall Plan was used as a weapon in the Cold War, relatively little research has been carried out into how this weapon was wielded. This is even truer for the counterpart funds, which are usually only mentioned in passing in the literature, if at all. This is despite the fact that Marshall Aid in general and the counterpart funds in particular had actually quite a significant impact in Cold-War propaganda and economic matters in Western Europe, which most likely contributed to the declining appeal of communism. This article will look at the specific action of American and, after September 1949, German authorities in the use of counterpart funds to demonstrate their significance.
Piecework and the Sovietization of the East German Workplace
Authors: Geerling Wayne , Magee Gary B.
Published: January 2013

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the significance of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and all that it purported to stand for has been largely cast aside. Other than as a cautionary tale, the GDR has been widely seen as offering little to contemporary political discourse. By contrast, in recent years, its experience, especially in its early formative period, has attracted a lot of attention from historians. In part this burst of activity can be attributed to the opening of closed archives in eastern Europe, but it is also related to the desire to understand better how a flawed system could maintain such seeming stability for so long, and then, how all that could collapse so suddenly and ignobly in 1989. Was its demise inevitable, rooted, as it were, in the DNA of the system, or were there alternative paths that could have been taken? Much of the recent research is founded on the premise that insights and answers to such questions can be uncovered by going back to the origins of the system. This article is written in the same vein. Its aim is to shed light on how aspects of the East German workplace evolved in the period between the beginnings of Soviet occupation and the establishment of a Soviet-style planned economy by 1949–50.
West German Protestants and the Campaign against Nuclear Technology
Authors: Schüring Michael
Published: January 2013

By the early 1970s, the West German Protestant churches became involved in the increasingly bitter conflict surrounding the production and use of nuclear energy. While the nuclear issue remains as controversial and divisive as ever in Germany today, no historical analysis has yet been offered to explain the reasons that the churches especially in West Germany have become avid participants in this debate for decades.
Effect ofCSN1S1gene polymorphism and stage of lactation on milk yield and composition of extensively reared goats
Authors: Balia Filippo , Pazzola Michele , Dettori Maria Luisa , Mura Maria Consuelo , Luridiana Sebastiano , Carcangiu Vincenzo , Piras Gianpiera , Vacca Giuseppe Massimo
Published: January 2013

The effect ofCSN1S1genotype and lactation stage on milk yield and composition were investigated in 80 extensively reared goats. Milk yield was recorded in early, mid and late lactation and individual milk samples were collected to determine: fat, protein, lactose and casein content, pH, freezing point, somatic cell count (SCC) and total microbic mesophilic count (TMC). Relative casein composition and amino acid profile were quantified by HPLC. Fatty acid profile was measured by gas-chromatography. Genotype did not affect milk yield, while this trait was significantly affected by lactation stage (P < 0·01).CSN1S1BB goats produced significantly higher protein and casein percentages (P < 0·05). αs1-casein (CN) was significantly higher in BB and AB goats than AF and BF, showing intermediate values in AA goats (P < 0·01). The protein percentage and the αs1and αs2-CN fractions were not affected by lactation stage, while the casein content and the β and κ-CN significantly increased throughout lactation (P < 0·01). C4 : 0 and C6 : 0 were not affected by genotype, while C8 : 0 and C10 : 0 were higher in the AA goats than BB; most of the long chain FA were higher in BB than AA goats. MUFA and PUFA increased in late lactation. In addition, BB goats showed higher essential amino acids, resulting in an optimal composition from the nutritional point of view, when compared with AA goats. The increase of MUFA, PUFA, essential and cis-FA in late lactation indicate that the lipid composition of goat's milk, with the progress of lactation, tends to improve its nutritional value.
Identification of the Enterobacteriaceae in Montasio cheese and assessment of their amino acid decarboxylase activity
Authors: Maifreni Michela , Frigo Francesca , Bartolomeoli Ingrid , Innocente Nadia , Biasutti Marialuisa , Marino Marilena
Published: January 2013

The aim of the study was to identify the species of Enterobacteriaceae present in Montasio cheese and to assess their potential to produce biogenic amines. Plate count methods and an Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus Polymerase Chain Reaction (ERIC-PCR) approach, combined with 16S rDNA sequencing, were used to investigate the Enterobacteriaceae community present during the cheesemaking and ripening of 6 batches of Montasio cheese. Additionally, the potential decarboxylation abilities of selected bacterial isolates were qualitatively and quantitatively assessed against tyrosine, histidine, ornithine and lysine. The most predominant species detected during cheese manufacturing and ripening were Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli and Hafnia alvei. The non-limiting physico-chemical conditions (pH, NaCl% and aw) during ripening were probably the cause of the presence of detectable levels of Enterobacteriaceae up to 120 d of ripening. The HPLC test showed that cadaverine and putrescine were the amines produced in higher amounts by almost all isolates, indicating that the presence of these amines in cheese can be linked to the presence of high counts of Enterobacteriaceae. 44 isolates produced low amounts of histamine (<300 ppm), and four isolates produced more than 1000 ppm of this amine. Only 9 isolates, belonging to the species Citrobacter freundii, Esch. coli and Raoultella ornithinolytica, appeared to produce tyramine. These data provided new information regarding the decarboxylase activity of some Enterobacteriaceae species, including Pantoea agglomerans, Esch. fergusonii and R. ornithinolytica.
The surgical anatomy and clinical relevance of the neglected right lymphatic duct: review
Authors: Smith M E , Riffat F , Jani P
Published: January 2013

Background:

The major lymphatic vessels may be damaged during neck dissection or other cervical surgery, resulting in chyloma or chyle fistula. While commonly considered to be predominantly a complication of left-sided surgery, the thoracic duct may be damaged on either side of the neck due to the extreme variability in the anatomy of the central lymphatic system.

Method and results:

This paper reviews the variable anatomy and embryology of the thoracic and right lymphatic ducts, particularly aspects relevant to head and neck surgery.
The significance of Körber's “Typenherbar”, with an explanation of the locality abbreviations on his labels
Authors: LIŠKA Jiří
Published: January 2013

The article explains the current structure of Körber's herbarium, located in the Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, Leiden (L). Originally, Körber's herbarium was composed of two separate collections. One part,Koerber Typenherbar, represents well-developed samples of each species, but they are in fact often fragments of specimens from the main collection (Koerber Stammherbar). Several examples are presented which demonstrate the relationship between both parts of the collection, various origins of specimens in theKoerber Typenherbarand their importance for lectotypification. Some specimens in Körber's herbarium were labelled only with an abbreviation or a symbol instead of a locality. All abbreviations/symbols with their explanations, kept in the Leiden herbarium archive, are listed here with information on the current names of the sampling localities in Poland and the Czech Republic.
Lichens on Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris – from tree bottom to the top
Authors: MARMOR Liis , TÕRRA Tiiu , SAAG Lauri , LEPPIK Ede , RANDLANE Tiina
Published: January 2013

The vertical gradient of the community structure of epiphytic lichens in forest canopies was studied in southern Estonian coniferous forests. All lichen species on 15 Norway spruces and 15 Scots pines were recorded; age of trees ≥100 years. Species were sampled in height ranges on entire trees from the bottom to the top. The number of lichen species on pine trunks decreased with height from the ground, whereas the number of species on branches increased. There was no significant vertical change in the number of lichen species on spruce trunks; number of species on spruce branches was highest in mid canopy. The mean number of lichen species on a tree was 41 in spruces and 34 in pines; the mean number of species on the first 2 m was 14 in spruces and 12 in pines. According to the results, about two thirds of a tree's lichen species remain unrecorded if only the first 2 m near the ground are surveyed. Many lichen species were found only higher than 2 m, including several common species (e.g. Buellia griseovirens, Lecanora pulicaris, and Melanohalea exasperatula), but also some locally rather rare (Fellhanera subtilis, Micarea nitschkeana, Rinodina efflorescens) or red-listed ones (Evernia mesomorpha, Usnea barbata, U. fulvoreagens, U. substerilis, U. wasmuthii) and one new species for Estonia, Lecanora farinaria. There were also some species, such as Chaenotheca stemonea, Cladonia cenotea and C. norvegica, that were restricted to the lowest 2 m. The results indicate that canopy lichens form a significant part of lichen diversity in coniferous forests, and could add valuable information when estimating forest lichen diversity for conservation and other purposes.
In vitro culturing and resynthesis of the mycobiont Protoparmeliopsis muralis with algal bionts
Authors: GUZOW-KRZEMIŃSKA Beata , STOCKER-WÖRGÖTTER Elfie
Published: January 2013

The widespread and ubiquitous lichen-forming fungus Protoparmeliopsis muralis is able to form a thallus with Trebouxia species. In this study, several photobiont strains were isolated from different specimens of P. muralis and cultured in vitro. The compatibility of Trebouxia spp. and Asterochloris algae with P. muralis were investigated in in vitro resynthesis experiments and the re-lichenized bionts were observed with the scanning electron microscope. It was found that, in addition to compatible photobionts, also a presumably incompatible Asterochloris sp. was able to interact with the mycobiont. The life strategy that enables the mycobiont to form associations with a wider range of photobionts could be advantageous for the survival of the lichen and successful colonization of new habitats.
New morphological aspects of cephalodium formation in the lichenLobaria pulmonaria(Lecanorales, Ascomycota)
Authors: CORNEJO Carolina , SCHEIDEGGER Christoph
Published: January 2013

Cephalodia were investigated on young and mature thalli ofLobaria pulmonaria. Cephalodia originate from contact between hyphae and cyanobacteria on the upper or lower cortex or, less frequently, in the apical zone. Young thalli were found to associate with cyanobacteria even in the anchoring zone. Cephalodia formed on the young thalli or the anchoring hyphae share the same phenotypic characteristics. In spite of being composed of paraplectenchymatous hyphae, the cortex of mature thalli preserves a considerable plasticity, enabling the formation of cephalodia. The cyanobacterial incorporation process begins with cortical hyphae growing out towards adjacent cyanobacterial colonies, enveloping them and incorporating them into the thallus. The incorporation process is the same on the upper and the lower cortex. Early stages of cephalodia are usually found in young lobes, whereas in the older parts of the thallus only mature cephalodia are found.
Long-term data for endemic frog genera reveal potential conservation crisis in the Bale Mountains, Ethiopia
Authors: Gower David J. , Aberra Roman K. , Schwaller Silvia , Largen Malcolm J. , Collen Ben , Spawls Stephen , Menegon Michele , Zimkus Breda M. , de Sá Rafael , Mengistu Abebe A. , Gebresenbet Fikirte , Moore Robin D. , Saber Samy A. , Loader Simon P.
Published: January 2013

Populations of many frogs have declined alarmingly in recent years, placing nearly one third of the > 6,000 species under threat of extinction. Declines have been attributed largely to habitat loss, environmental degradation and/or infectious diseases such as chytridiomycosis. Many frogs undergo dramatic natural population fluctuations such that long-term data are required to determine population trends without undue influence of stochastic factors. We present long-term quantitative data (individuals encountered per person hour of searching) for four monotypic frog genera endemic to an Afromontane region of exceptional importance but growing conservation concern: one endemic to the Ethiopian highlands (Spinophrynoides osgoodi) and three endemic to the Bale Mountains (Altiphrynoides malcolmi, Balebreviceps hillmani, Ericabatrachus baleensis), collected during 15 field trips to the Bale Mountains between 1971 and 2009. Only a single confirmed sighting of S. osgoodi has been made since 1995. The other three species have also declined, at least locally. E. baleensis appears to have been extirpated at its type locality and at the same site B. hillmani has declined. These declines are in association with substantial habitat degradation caused by a growing human population. Chytrid fungus has been found on several frog species in Bale, although no dead or moribund frogs have been encountered. These results expose an urgent need for more amphibian surveys in the Bale Mountains. Additionally, we argue that detrimental human exploitation must be halted immediately in at least some parts of the Harenna Forest if a conservation crisis is to be averted.
Review of the distribution and conservation status of the terrestrial reptiles of the Cape Verde Islands
Authors: Vasconcelos Raquel , Brito José Carlos , Carranza Salvador , Harris D. James
Published: January 2013

Cape Verde has a higher number of reptile taxa and endemics than any of the five archipelagos in the Macaronesian region. Mapping the precise distributions and assessing the conservation status of reptiles is the first step towards effective conservation. Presence/absence and abundance data were gathered from extensive fieldwork and post-1980 literature. Evaluation of conservation status was considered at specific and subspecific levels, following IUCN Red List criteria and usingRAMAS. Fieldwork confirmed the occurrence of 34 of 37 previously recorded taxa (31 native, three exotic). One taxon continues to be considered Extinct. Three broad distribution and rarity patterns were identified: widespread and abundant taxa occurring on ≥ 2 islands/islets, widespread or abundant taxa restricted to one island, and rare or limited range taxa occurring on small areas of islands or islets. More than a third of taxa have areas of occupancy < 20 km2and extents of occurrence < 100 km2. Geckos are rarer than skinks because of their high habitat specialization, with 58% occurring on only one island/islet. About half of all taxa are potentially threatened, twice the proportion of those in the Canary Islands, a difference that could be explained by the smaller area and greater aridity of the Cape Verde islands. The criterion used for most threat categorizations is geographical range, and the most pervasive threats are natural disasters, intrinsic factors of the species and introduced species. The importance of applying conservation status at the subspecific level to island endemics is emphasized. Several conservation measures are proposed, including optimized design of protected areas.
Use of Bayesian population viability analysis to assess multiple management decisions in the recovery programme for the Endangered takahe Porphyrio hochstetteri
Authors: Hegg Danilo , MacKenzie Darryl I. , Jamieson Ian G.
Published: January 2013

Population modelling is an invaluable tool for identifying effective management strategies for threatened species whose populations are too small for experimental manipulation. Recently developed Bayesian approaches allow us to combine deterministic models with probability distributions to create stochastic models that account for uncertainty. We illustrate this approach in the case of the takahe Porphyrio hochstetteri, an Endangered flightless rail, which is supported by one of New Zealand's costliest recovery programmes. Using mark–recapture and logistic regression models implemented in a Bayesian framework we calculated demographic parameters for a fully stochastic population model based on 25 years of data collected from the last wild population of takahe in the Murchison Mountains, Fiordland. Our model results show that stoat trapping, captive rearing and cross-fostering of eggs/chicks in wild pairs all have a positive effect on takahe demography. If it were not for these management actions the Fiordland population would probably be declining (λ = 0.985; confidence interval, CI = 0.39–1.08), with a non-negligible risk of quasi-extinction (P = 16%) within 20 years. The captive rearing of eggs and chicks has been the main factor responsible for the positive growth observed during the last decade but in the future expanding stoat trapping to cover the entire Murchison Mountains would be the single most beneficial management action for the takahe population (λ = 1.038; CI = 0.86–1.10), followed by captive rearing (λ = 1.027; CI = 0.85–1.09).
Differences in stakeholder perceptions of the jaguar Panthera onca and puma Puma concolor in the tropical lowlands of Guatemala
Authors: Soto-Shoender José R. , Main Martin B.
Published: January 2013

We conducted a survey questionnaire to assess and compare public perceptions and knowledge of jaguars Panthera onca and pumas Puma concolor among two stakeholder groups likely to come into conflict with these large carnivores: cattle ranchers living near protected areas and inhabitants of two villages located within the multiple-use forest of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala. We tested whether stakeholder group (i.e. rancher or villager) or previous experience with livestock attacks by carnivores predicted a negative perception of jaguars and pumas. The odds of people fearing an attack on humans by these felids and of recognizing the ecological importance of these species was best explained by stakeholder group. Villagers exhibited a more negative perception towards these felids than did cattle ranchers. Our results highlight the importance of tailoring conservation programmes in high risk areas to the needs of specific stakeholder groups. Further research is needed to understand which factors (i.e. ecological settings, socio-economic differences) best explain these differences and whether these differences in perception vary within groups. Programmes that work with local people to assess the ecological importance of large predators and the true risks of carnivore attacks on livestock and humans along with low-cost conflict mitigation measures should be implemented to increase the level of tolerance towards these carnivores.
Effects of distance and direction on tangential tactile perception of the index finger pad
Authors: Placencia Greg , Rahimi Mansour , Khoshnevis Behrokh
Published: January 2013

Tangential motion on a finger pad is a promising method of transmitting directional tactile information to human users. This study examined the identification and discrimination of tangential force motion on an index finger pad. An experimental device was built to automatically and randomly move a small probe in eight radial directions (45° apart) and two distances (0.5 and 1.5 mm). Index fingers of 62 subjects were tested. The results showed that moving the probe at 1.5 mm was detected with more accuracy than the 0.5 mm one. And, the absolute direction was not a statistically significant variable affecting accuracy for 1.5 mm distance, but was a significant effect for 0.5 mm distance. Implications of these results are discussed and future developments are offered within the context of a proposed Braille design with tangential actuators.
SHOULD CHRONIC HEPATITIS B BE TREATED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE?
Authors: Hulstaert Frank , Schwierz Christoph , Nevens Frederik , Thiry Nancy , Gamil Mohamed , Colle Isabelle , Van de Sande Stefaan , Horsmans Yves
Published: January 2013

Objectives: We studied the cost-effectiveness of tenofovir and entecavir in e antigen positive (CHBe+) and negative (CHBe-) chronic hepatitis B.

Methods: Using a multicenter survey including 544 patients we measured patient quality of life and attributable costs by clinical disease stage. Natural disease progression was studied in 278 patients in a single center. A Markov model was constructed to follow hypothetical cohorts of treated and untreated 40-year-old CHBe+ and CHBe- patients and 50-year-old patients with compensated cirrhosis.

Results: We did not find an improvement in quality of life when viral load was reduced under treatment. Transition rates to liver cirrhosis were found to be age-dependent. Assuming equal effectiveness, tenofovir dominates the entecavir strategy because of its lower price in Belgium. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of tenofovir after 20 years is more favorable for treating Caucasian cirrhotic patients (mean ICER €29,000/quality-adjusted life-year [QALY]) compared with treating non-cirrhotic patients (mean ICER €110,000 and 131,000/QALY for CHB e+ and e-, respectively). Within the non-cirrhotic patients the ICER decreases with increasing cohort starting age from 30 to 50 years.

Conclusions: Results of long-term models for tenofovir or entecavir treatment of CHB need to be interpreted with caution as long-term trials with hard end points are lacking. Especially the effect on HCC remains highly uncertain. Based on cost-effectiveness considerations such antiviral treatment should be targeted at patients with cirrhosis or at risk of rapid progression to this disease stage.
AUTOMATED SCREENING AUDIOMETRY IN THE DIGITAL AGE: EXPLORING UHEAR™ AND ITS USE IN A RESOURCE-STRICKEN DEVELOPING COUNTRY
Authors: Khoza-Shangase Katijah , Kassner Lisa
Published: January 2013

Background: The current study aimed to determine the accuracy of UHear™, a downloadable audiometer on to an iPod Touch©, when compared with conventional audiometry.

Methods: Participants were enrolled primary school scholars. A total number of eighty-six participants (172 ears) were included. Of these eighty-six participants, forty-four were female and forty-two were male; with the age ranging from 8 years to 10 years (mean age, 9.0 years). Each participant underwent two audiological screening evaluations; one by means of conventional audiometry and the other by means of UHear™. Otoscopy and tympanometry was performed on each participant to determine status of their outer and middle ear before each participant undergoing pure tone air conduction screening by means of conventional audiometer and UHear™. The lowest audible hearing thresholds from each participant were obtained at conventional frequencies.

Results: Using the Paired t-test, it was determined that there was a significant statistical difference between hearing screening thresholds obtained from conventional audiometry and UHear™. The screening thresholds obtained from UHear™ were significantly elevated (worse) in comparison to conventional audiometry. The difference in thresholds may be attributed to differences in transducers used, ambient noise levels and lack of calibration of UHear™.

Conclusion: The UHear™ is not as accurate as conventional audiometry in determining hearing thresholds during screening of school-aged children. Caution needs to be exercised when using such measures and research evidence needs to be established before they can be endorsed and used with the general public.
Descriptive epidemiology of rotavirus infection in a community in North India
Authors: CHANDOLA T. R. , TANEJA S. , GOYAL N. , RATHORE S. S. , APPAIAHGARI M. B. , MISHRA A. , SINGH S. , VRATI S. , BHANDARI N.
Published: January 2013

In India, rotavirus infections cause the death of 98621 children each year. In urban neighbourhoods in Delhi, children were followed up for 1 year to estimate the incidence of rotavirus gastroenteritis and common genotypes. Infants aged ⩽1 week were enrolled in cohort 1 and infants aged 12 months (up to +14 days) in cohort 2. Fourteen percent (30/210) gastroenteritis episodes were positive for rotavirus. Incidence rates of rotavirus gastroenteritis episodes in the first and second year were 0·18 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0·10–0·27] and 0·14 (95% CI 0·07–0·21) episodes/child-year, respectively. The incidence rate of severe rotavirus gastroenteritis in the first year of life was 0·05 (95% CI 0·01–0·10) episodes/child-year. There were no cases in the second year. The common genotypes detected were G1P[8] (27%) and G9P[4] (23%). That severe rotavirus gastroenteritis is common in the first year of life is relevant for planning efficacy trials.
Decision Making after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Temporal Discounting Paradigm
Authors: Wood Rodger Ll. , McHugh Louise
Published: January 2013

A temporal discounting paradigm was used to examine decision making for hypothetical monetary reward following traumatic brain injury (TBI). A case-control design compared individuals following moderate or severe TBI with a healthy control group matched for age and gender. The impact of intelligence, impulsivity, and mood on temporal discounting performance was examined. A within-subjects design for the TBI group determined the influence of a range of neuropsychological tests on temporal discounting performance. Both patients and controls demonstrated temporal discounting. However, the TBI group discounted more than controls, suggesting that their decision making was more impulsive, consistent with ratings on the impulsiveness questionnaire. Discounting performance was independent of neuropsychological measures of intelligence, memory, and executive function. There was no relationship between temporal discounting and ratings of everyday executive function made by patients' relatives. Low mood did not account for discounting performance. The results of this study suggest that temporal discounting may be a useful neuropsychological paradigm to assess decision making linked to monetary reward following TBI. Performance was relatively independent of intelligence, memory and standard tests of executive ability and may therefore assist when assessing a patient's mental capacity to manage their financial affairs. (JINS, 2013,19, 1–8)
Verbal and Visuospatial Span in Logopenic Progressive Aphasia and Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Foxe David G. , Irish Muireann , Hodges John R. , Piguet Olivier
Published: January 2013

Logopenic progressive aphasia (LPA) is a form of primary progressive aphasia (PPA) characterized by hesitant speech with marked impairment in naming and repetition. LPA is associated with brain atrophy in the left temporal and inferior parietal cortices and is predominantly associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. In contrast to LPA, “typical” AD is commonly associated with episodic memory disturbance and bilateral medial temporal lobe atrophy. Recent evidence suggests verbal short-term memory is more impaired than visuospatial short-term memory in LPA. This study investigated verbal and visuospatial short-term memory in 12 LPA and 12 AD patients matched for disease severity, and in 12 age- and education-matched healthy controls. Overall, both patient groups showed significantly reduced verbal and visuospatial spans compared with controls. In addition, LPA patients performed significantly worse than AD patients on both forward and backward conditions of the Digit Span task. In contrast, no difference was present between patient groups on either version of the Spatial Span task. Importantly, LPA patients showed better visuospatial than verbal span whereas AD patients and controls did not differ across modality. This study demonstrates the specificity of the short-term memory disturbance in LPA, which arises from a breakdown of the phonological system. (JINS, 2012, 19, 1–7)
Moot point: Editing Poetry and Punctuation in Fauré's Early Songs
Authors: Kilpatrick Emily
Published: January 2013

Comparison of the various printed and manuscript sources in the early songs of Gabriel Fauré reveals considerable discrepancies between the punctuation and formatting of the poems in their original published forms and the way in which they appear on the musical page. Numerous articles of punctuation are omitted, others appear in different form to their poetic originals and new symbols occasionally appear. Despite the many source variants and lacunae (notably the absence of engraving copy and proofs), together with the composer's occasionally haphazard notation, the disparities between musical and literary sources are often sufficiently numerous and consistent as to suggest deliberate compositional intervention. While critical editions of song and opera typically allow for compositional initiative with regard to changes to the words of poems, punctuation and formatting are generally (and often tacitly) amended to match literary, rather than musical sources. This study tests that standard editorial practice – one little discussed in the critical literature – against a more nuanced methodology, viewing the demands of a grammatically and semantically coherent text within a musical rather than an exclusively poetic context. It explores the symbiosis of musical and grammatical symbols, which Fauré often seems to have used almost interchangeably, and tests the implications for performers of Fauré's text-setting practices. In seeking a balance between fidelity to the poet and the composer, it also readdresses our editorial responsibility to the performer.
Sullivan, Scott andIvanhoe: Constructing Historical Time and National Identity in Victorian Opera
Authors: Taylor Benedict
Published: January 2013

Arthur Sullivan's Walter Scott-based operaIvanhoe, despite attaining great success at its 1891 premiere, has since quickly fallen from musicological grace. Substantive criticism of this work in the twentieth century has concentrated on the static, tableau-like dramaturgy of the opera, a lack of dramatic coherence, and its undeniably conservative musical language. Taking its bearings from such criticisms this paper explores Sullivan's problematicmagnum opusfrom the perspective of its relationship with time, understood from multiple levels – his opera's musical-dramaturgical, historical, and music-historical temporalities. Starting from Michael Beckerman's insightful analysis of what he terms the ‘iconic mode’ in Sullivan's music,Ivanhoecan be viewed as an attempt at creating a different type of dramaturgical paradigm that emphasizes stasis and stability located in the past – highly apt for a work seeking both to crystallize past history and to found a new tradition for future English opera. Moreover, investigating this work and the composer's stated aesthetic concerns more closely reveal a conscious desire to opt out of continental European narratives of musical progress and build a composite, pageant-like vision of English history, therefore inevitably partaking in a process of constructing national identity. These features are teased out in the context of Scott's impact on the Victorian mind and their affinities with other historicist tendencies in the arts such as the Pre-Raphaelite movement.
The Finnish Twin Cohort Study: An Update
Authors: Kaprio Jaakko
Published: January 2013

In 2002 and 2006, review papers have described the Finnish Twin Cohort and studies conducted on these population-based, longitudinal data sets with extensive follow-up data. Three cohorts have been established: the older twin cohort in the 1970s, and the Finntwin12 and Finntwin16 studies initiated in the 1990s. The present review provides on update on the latest data collections conducted since the previous review. These cover the fourth waves of data collection in the older cohort (twins born before 1958) and Finntwin12 (twins born 1983–1987). The fifth wave of data collection in Finntwin16 (twins born 1975–1979) also included assessments of their spouses/partners. An analysis of mortality in the older cohort from 1975 to 2009 indicates that the mortality of adult twins (as individuals) does not differ from the population at large. Based on the cohorts, many sub-studies with more detailed phenotyping and collection of omics data have been conducted or are in progress. We also contribute to numerous national and international collaborations.
Immunological characteristics of human mesenchymal stem cells and multipotent adult progenitor cells
Authors: Jacobs Sandra A , Roobrouck Valerie D , Verfaillie Catherine M , Van Gool Stefaan W
Published: January 2013

Somatic, also termed adult, stem cells are highly attractive biomedical cell candidates because of their extensive replication potential and functional multilineage differentiation capacity. They can be used for drug and toxicity screenings in preclinical studies, as in vitro model to study differentiation or for regenerative medicine to aid in the repair of tissues or replace tissues that are lost upon disease, injury or ageing. Multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are two types of adult stem cells derived from bone marrow that are currently being used clinically for tissue regeneration and for their immunomodulatory and trophic effects. This review will give an overview of the phenotypic and functional differences between human MAPCs and MSCs, with a strong emphasis on their immunological characteristics. Finally, we will discuss the clinical studies in which MSCs and MAPCs are already used.
A look at the interface between mesenchymal stromal cells and the immune system
Authors: Ceredig Rhodri
Published: January 2013

The January 2013 issue contains a Special Feature Focussing on the interface between mesenchymal stromal cells and the immune system. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are known to play a fundamental role in supporting hematopoiesis and are multipotent. This knowledge has led to significant interest to determine the potential of using MSCs both to enhance hematopoietic recovery following bone marrow transplantation and also for regenerative medical purposes. Further studies showed that MSCs also had immunosuppressive activity on both the adaptive and natural immune system, thereby endorsing them as the perfect cell source for tissue repair. The Special Feature contains review articles covering topics that largely focus on the interactions of MSCs with cells of the immune system. Further background information on this important topic is available through the accompanying web focus which links to related articles from across Nature Publishing Group.
Effector T‐cell responses in non‐lymphoid tissues: insights from in vivo imaging
Authors: Mueller Scott N
Published: January 2013

T‐cell responses are initiated within secondary lymphoid organs, and effector T‐cells are released into the circulation where they home to inflamed tissues and mediate protective immune responses. Within non‐lymphoid tissues, the types of cellular interactions and the dynamics that lead to clearance of infections are still relatively poorly understood. Here I review how imaging of effector T‐cells within tissues has contributed to our understanding of immune responses, and examine some of the remaining questions that may benefit from in vivo imaging to reveal the intricacies of how immune cells function. A detailed understanding of the dynamics of T‐cell responses within non‐lymphoid tissues is important for the rational design of targeted therapies that influence key steps in disease progression.
An Oct4‐Sall4‐Nanog network controls developmental progression in the pre‐implantation mouse embryo
Authors: Tan Meng How , Au Kin Fai , Leong Denise E , Foygel Kira , Wong Wing H , Yao Mylene WM
Published: January 2013

Landmark events occur in a coordinated manner during pre‐implantation development of the mammalian embryo, yet the regulatory network that orchestrates these events remains largely unknown. Here, we present the first systematic investigation of the network in pre‐implantation mouse embryos using morpholino‐mediated gene knockdowns of key embryonic stem cell (ESC) factors followed by detailed transcriptome analysis of pooled embryos, single embryos, and individual blastomeres. We delineated the regulons of Oct4, Sall4, and Nanog and identified a set of metabolism‐ and transport‐related genes that were controlled by these transcription factors in embryos but not in ESCs. Strikingly, the knockdown embryos arrested at a range of developmental stages. We provided evidence that the DNA methyltransferase Dnmt3b has a role in determining the extent to which a knockdown embryo can develop. We further showed that the feed‐forward loop comprising Dnmt3b, the pluripotency factors, and the miR‐290‐295 cluster exemplifies a network motif that buffers embryos against gene expression noise. Our findings indicate that Oct4, Sall4, and Nanog form a robust and integrated network to govern mammalian pre‐implantation development.
Controversies in the Satisfaction of Surgeons and Orthodontists on Facial Aesthetics after Orthognathic Surgery
Authors: Faverani Leonardo , Ramalho-Ferreira Gabriel , Jardim Ellen , Goiato Marcelo , Pereira Flavia , Pastori Claudio , Junior Idelmo Garcia
Published: January 2013

Aim

Acceptable facial aesthetics is a common desire among patients presenting with dentofacial deformities planning to undergo orthognathic surgeries. Thus, professionals must be alert to their patients’ complaints as well as their desires regarding facial morphology, because this is quite subjective and personal. This research aimed at evaluating the different views of orthodontists and oral maxillofacial surgeons regarding the facial analysis of patients who undergo orthognathic surgery.

Methods

Thirty individuals were selected with a minimum postoperative period of 6 months and photographed in the frontal and profile norm. Facial morphology characteristics were recorded to observe the agreement of the assessments of four professionals (two orthodontists and two surgeons).

Results

A significant agreement was seen between the orthodontists regarding the nasolabial angle (80%). In the frontal analysis, the agreement percentage (60%) between orthodontists and surgeons was considerable regarding facial asymmetry assessment.

Conclusions

Professionals must keep alert to facial analysis, especially in terms of tegumental harmony, for the orthognathic surgery to reestablish, satisfactorily, the facial aesthetics in all parameters set.
Dimensional reduction without continuous extra dimensions
Authors: Chamseddine Ali H. , Fröhlich J. , Schubnel B. , Wyler D.
Published: January 2013

We describe a novel approach to dimensional reduction in classical field theory. Inspired by ideas from noncommutative geometry, we introduce extended algebras of differential forms over space-time, generalized exterior derivatives, and generalized connections associated with the “geometry” of space-times with discrete extra dimensions. We apply our formalism to theories of gauge- and gravitational fields and find natural geometrical origins for an axion- and a dilaton field, as well as a Higgs field.
Topological view of the thermal stability of nanotwinned copper
Authors: LaGrange Thomas , Reed Bryan W. , Wall Mark , Mason Jeremy , Barbee Troy , Kumar Mukul
Published: January 2013

Sputter deposited nanotwinned copper (nt-Cu) foils typically exhibit strong {111} fiber textures and have grain boundary networks (GBN) consisting of high-angle and a small fraction of low-angle columnar boundaries interspersed with crystallographically special boundaries. Using a transmission electron microscope based orientation mapping system with sub-nanometer resolution, we have statistically analyzed the GBN in as-deposited and annealed nt-Cu foils. From the observed grain boundary characteristics and network evolution during thermal annealing, we infer that triple junctions are ineffective pinning sites and that the microstructure readily coarsens through thermal-activated motion of incoherent twin segments followed by lateral motion of high-angle columnar boundaries.
A first principles study of the lattice stability of diamond-structure semiconductors under intense laser irradiation
Authors: Feng ShiQuan , Zhao JianLing , Cheng XinLu
Published: January 2013

Using density-functional linear-response theory, we calculated the phonon dispersion curves for the diamond structural elemental semiconductors of Ge, C and zinc-blende structure semiconductors of GaAs, InSb at different electronic temperatures. We found that the transverse-acoustic phonon frequencies of C and Ge become imaginary as the electron temperature is elevated, which means the lattices of C and Ge become unstable under intense laser irradiation. These results are very similar with previous theoretical and experimental results for Si. For GaAs and InSb, not only can be obtained the similar results for their transverse-acoustic modes, but also their LO-TO splitting gradually decreases as the electronic temperature is increased. It means that the electronic excitation weakens the strength of the ionicity of ionic crystal under intense laser irradiation.
Efficient methods and practical guidelines for simulating isotope effects
Authors: Ceriotti Michele , Markland Thomas E.
Published: January 2013

The shift in chemical equilibria due to isotope substitution is frequently exploited to obtain insight into a wide variety of chemical and physical processes. It is a purely quantum mechanical effect, which can be computed exactly using simulations based on the path integral formalism. Here we discuss how these techniques can be made dramatically more efficient, and how they ultimately outperform quasi-harmonic approximations to treat quantum liquids not only in terms of accuracy, but also in terms of computational cost. To achieve this goal we introduce path integral quantum mechanics estimators based on free energy perturbation, which enable the evaluation of isotope effects using only a single path integral molecular dynamics trajectory of the naturally abundant isotope. We use as an example the calculation of the free energy change associated with H/D and 16O/18O substitutions in liquid water, and of the fractionation of those isotopes between the liquid and the vapor phase. In doing so, we demonstrate and discuss quantitatively the relative benefits of each approach, thereby providing a set of guidelines that should facilitate the choice of the most appropriate method in different, commonly encountered scenarios. The efficiency of the estimators we introduce and the analysis that we perform should in particular facilitate accurate ab initio calculation of isotope effects in condensed phase systems.
A comparative study of transport properties in polycrystalline and epitaxial chromium nitride films
Authors: Duan X. F. , Mi W. B. , Guo Z. B. , Bai H. L.
Published: January 2013

Polycrystalline CrNx films on Si(100) and glass substrates and epitaxial CrNx films on MgO(100) substrates were fabricated by reactive sputtering with different nitrogen gas flow rates (fN2). With the increase of fN2, a lattice phase transformation from metallic Cr2N to semiconducting CrN appears in both polycrystalline and epitaxial CrNx films. At fN2= 100 sccm, the low-temperature conductance mechanism is dominated by both Mott and Efros-Shklovskii variable-range hopping in either polycrystalline or epitaxial CrN films. In all of the polycrystalline and epitaxial films, only the polycrystalline CrNx films fabricated at fN2 = 30 and 50 sccm exhibit a discontinuity in ρ(T) curves at 260–280 K, indicating that both the N-vacancy concentration and grain boundaries play important roles in the metal-insulator transition.
NiSi2 formation through annealing of nickel and dysprosium stack on Si(100) and impact on effective Schottky barrier height
Authors: Lim Phyllis S. Y. , Chi Dong Zhi , Zhou Qian , Yeo Yee-Chia
Published: January 2013

Rapid thermal annealing of nickel-dysprosium (Ni-Dy) film stacks on silicon (Si) was investigated, and formation of the nickel disilicide (NiSi2) phase was observed. The formation mechanism for the NiSi2 phase was elucidated. The nucleation, growth, and distribution of the inverted NiSi2 pyramids can be explained from both the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of the solid-state reaction. In addition, lowering of the effective electron Schottky barrier height (ΦBn,eff) of NiSi2 on Si was observed. The high electric field at the tips of the inverted NiSi2 pyramids increases the tunneling probability of electrons, and results in thermionic field emission being the dominant carrier transport mechanism at the NiSi2/Si interface. This contributes significantly to an increase in reverse bias current and gives a reduced ΦBn,eff. An analytical expression for the localized electric field is derived and it is found to be as high as ∼1.9 × 106 V/cm based on our experimental result.