bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the impact of link layer retransmission schemes on TCP over 4G satellite links
Authors: Kuhn N. , Lochin E. , Lacan J. , Boreli R. , Clarac L.
Published: January 2014

We study the impact of reliability mechanisms introduced at the link layer on the performance of transport protocols in the context of 4G satellite links. Specifically, we design a software module that performs realistic analysis of the network performance, by utilizing real physical layer traces of a 4G satellite service. Based on these traces, our software module produces equivalent link layer traces, as a function of the chosen link layer reliability mechanism. We further utilize the link layer traces within the ns‐2 network simulator to evaluate the impact of link layer schemes on the performance of selected Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) variants. We consider erasure coding, selective‐repeat automatic request (ARQ) and hybrid‐ARQ link layer mechanisms, and TCP Cubic, Compound, Hybla, New Reno and Westwood. We show that, for all target TCP variants, when the throughput of the transport protocol is close to the channel capacity, using the ARQ mechanism is most beneficial for TCP performance improvement. In conditions where the physical channel error rate is high, hybrid‐ARQ results in the best performance for all TCP variants considered, with up to 22% improvements compared to other schemes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Large‐scale correlation of rainfall rate based on data from Spanish sites
Authors: Garcia‐del‐Pino Pedro , Benarroch Ana , Riera Jose M.
Published: January 2014

Modern and future satellite systems working in the Ka and Q/V bands often require the application of site diversity to mitigate the degradations caused by rain. Satellite systems operating in these bands may make use of multi‐beam techniques to provide high‐capacity services. To achieve an efficient performance in both techniques, precise information is necessary on the occurrence of simultaneous rain fades in various links under a given satellite coverage. This is attained through the knowledge of the spatial characteristics of rainfall rate over the area of interest.

The availability of a large database of rain gauge data from about 50 sites in Spain has allowed the undertaking of a study on the large‐scale spatial distribution of rainfall rate. Joint distributions and correlation parameters have been investigated for pairs of sites, and experimental results have been compared with predictions based on the ITU‐R site diversity model, obtaining the best results when stratiform rainfall is dominant in both sites. Some statistical dependence has been found even for distances above 700 km. The values obtained from the statistical analysis have been represented taking a given site as reference in maps of contour lines using standard mapping procedures. Correlation parameters are expected to decrease with distance; however, the contour maps reveal a significant influence of climatic and geographic factors such as weather fronts, orography or the proximity to the sea. The statistics and maps obtained are useful to optimise both power sharing in multi‐beam satellite systems and the application of site diversity. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Application of Community Psychology Practice Competencies to Reduce Health Disparities
Authors: Wolfe Susan M.
Published: January 2014

This article demonstrates the application of community psychology practice competencies to health disparities reduction. It begins with a discussion of changes and evolution of the maternal child health field over nearly three decades, then describes implications for community psychology practice and the application of practice competencies.
Student personality traits predicting individuation in relation to mothers and fathers
Authors: Zupančič Maja , Kavčič Tina
Published: January 2014

The role of personality traits in 674 emerging adult students' (aged 18 to 28; 80% female) individuation in relation to parents was investigated cross‐sectionally. Self‐reports were obtained by the Big Five Inventory and the Individuation Test for Emerging Adults. Personality was predictive of measures of individuation, over and above the students' background characteristics, suggesting that personality can be viewed as an inner resource shaping experiences of individuation. Agreeableness contributed to support seeking, and connectedness with both parents, and Extraversion predicted connectedness with mothers. Conscientiousness was related negatively to both perceptions of parental intrusiveness and fear of disappointing the mother, whereas Neuroticism was predictive of perceptions of maternal intrusiveness, and fear of disappointing the parents. Openness was associated with self‐reliance in relationships with both parents, and demonstrated negative links with support seeking and connectedness with mothers. Few moderating effects of age and gender on Extraversion–individuation associations were revealed.
Are “Smart Pressure Monitored Suits” “Smarter” than Conventional Garments in Clinical Applications?*
Authors: Feng Beibei , Pao Wing Yi , Wu Anna , Li Hercy Chi Kong , Li-Tsang Cecilia Wai Ping
Published: January 2014

Objective/Background

There is still no standardized regime to prescribe pressure garments with quantifiable pressure dosage to patients with different medical conditions. This study aimed to examine the efficacy of a newly developed system [a smart pressure monitored suit (SPMS)] for pressure intervention when compared with the conventional method of pressure garment production (conventional garment or CG). The SPMS is designed with a set of standard methods of measurements and computerized pattern drafting software (YUKA) to adjust the pressure range through computation of the percentage of strain directly on the drafted pattern. The CG was fabricated by occupational therapists in clinical settings.

Methods

A selected group of patients who required pressure therapy intervention was recruited through convenience sampling. They were provided with both a SPMS and a CG, each to be worn for 1 month. The interface pressure levels of both garments were measured before the implementation. Patients’ feedback was collected using a standardized questionnaire on the comfort of wear, elasticity, and durability of the garments.

Results

There was a significant difference in the deterioration of pressure between the SPMSs and the CGs (p < .05) before and after 1 month of wear. The satisfaction on overall efficacy of the SPMSs was significantly higher than that of CGs (p < .05).

Conclusion

This standardized system using a SPMS appeared to provide a more accurate and consistent pressure range and long-lasting effect to the patients. It also appeared to be more efficient and effective in terms of production and fabrication.
Heat transport properties of plates with smooth and rough surfaces in turbulent thermal convection
Authors: Wei Ping , Chan Tak-Shing , Ni Rui , Zhao Xiao-Zheng , Xia Ke-Qing
Published: January 2014

We present an experimental study of turbulent thermal convection with smooth and rough surface plates in various combinations. A total of five cells were used in the experiments. Both the global$\mathit{Nu}$and the$\mathit{Nu}$for each plate (or the associated boundary layer) are measured. The results reveal that the smooth plates are insensitive to the surface (rough or smooth) and boundary conditions (i.e. nominally constant temperature or constant flux) of the other plate of the same cell. The heat transport properties of the rough plates, on the other hand, depend not only on the nature of the plate at the opposite side of the cell, but also on the boundary condition of that plate. It thus appears that, at the present level of experimental resolution, the smooth plate can influence the rough plate, but cannot be influenced by either the rough or the smooth plates. It is further found that the scaling of$\mathit{Nu}$with$\mathit{Ra}$for all of the smooth plates is consistent with the classical$1/ 3$exponent. But the scaling exponent for the global$\mathit{Nu}$for the cell with both plates being smooth is definitely less than$1/ 3$(this result itself is consistent with all previous studies at comparable parameter range). The discrepancy between the$\mathit{Nu}$behaviour at the whole-cell and individual-plate levels is not understood and deserves further investigation.
Signature of gyro-phase drift
Authors: KOEPKE MARK E. , WALKER J. J. , ZIMMERMAN M. I. , FARRELL W. M. , DEMIDOV V. I.
Published: January 2014

Gyro-phase drift is a guiding center drift that is directly dependent on the charging rate limit of dust grains. The effect of introducing a gyro-phase-dependence on the grain charge leads to two orthogonal components of guiding-center drift. One component, referred to here as grad-q drift, results from the time-varying, gyro-phase angle dependent, in-situ-equilibrium grain charge, assuming that the grain charging is instantaneous. For this component, the grain is assumed to be always in its in-situ-equilibrium charge state and this state gyro-synchronously varies with respect to the grain's average charge state. The other component, referred to here as the gyro-phase drift, arises from any non-instantaneous-charging-induced modification of the diamagnetic drift and points in the direction of -∇RLd (where RLd is the grain gyro-radius), i.e. the direction associated with increasing magnitude of in-situ-equilibrium charge state. For this component, the grain gyro-synchronously undercharges and overcharges with respect to its gyro-synchronously varying, in-situ-equilibrium charge state. These characteristics are illustrated with a single-particle code for predicting grain trajectory that demonstrates how gyro-phase drift magnitude and direction could be exploited, using an extended version of the presented model, as sensitive indicators of the charging time of dust grains because of the cumulative effect of the ever-changing charge state of a grain making repeated excursions in inhomogeneous plasma over many gyro-periods.
Microfluidic chip for rapid analysis of cerebrospinal fluid infected with Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Yuan Hao , Liu Yingchao , Jiang Xiran , Xu Shangchen , Sui Guodong
Published: January 2014

A microfluidic assay based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification was successfully developed to analyseStaphylococcus aureusin clinical cerebrospinal fluid samples.
A simple spectrophotometric method for the determination of trace levels of molybdenum in industrial, environmental, biological and soil samples using benzoylacetone-benzoylhydrazone
Authors: Ahmed M. Jamaluddin , Uddin M. Nasir , Zannat Tasnima , Sultana Salma
Published: January 2014

A simple, ultra-sensitive and highly selective direct spectrophotometric method for the determination of trace amounts of molybdenum(vi) with benzoylacetone-benzoylhydrazone (Bzac-BH) has been developed.
A sensitive and selective “turn-on” fluorescent probe for Hg2+ based on thymine–Hg2+–thymine complex with an aggregation-induced emission feature
Authors: Ma Ke , Li Xing , Xu Bin , Tian Wenjing
Published: January 2014

A turn-on fluorescent probe was developed for the sensitive and selective sensing of Hg2+ based on an aggregation-induced emission fluorescent molecule
Antimicrobial effects of copper(ii) bis(thiosemicarbazonato) complexes provide new insight into their biochemical mode of action
Authors: Djoko Karrera Y. , Paterson Brett M. , Donnelly Paul S. , McEwan Alastair G.
Published: January 2014

The copper(ii) complexes of bis-thiosemicarbazones such as Cu(atsm) and Cu(gtsm) display potent antimicrobial properties via inhibition of respiratory dehydrogenases.
Instant gelation synthesis of 3D porous MoS2@C nanocomposites for lithium ion batteries
Authors: Fei Ling , Xu Yun , Wu Xiaofei , Chen Gen , Li Yuling , Li Binsong , Deng Shuguang , Smirnov Sergei , Fan Hongyou , Luo Hongmei
Published: January 2014

Instant gelation prepared porous MoS2@C nanocomposites show excellent electrochemical properties due to their excellent stability and fast electron and ion transport kinetics.
Carbon nanocoating: an effective nanoreactor towards well-defined carbon-coated GaN hollow nanospindles
Authors: Yang Wenlong , Wang Yanrong , Etogo Atangana , Ning Jiqiang , Xie Yunlong , Hu Yong
Published: January 2014

Carbon-coated GaN hollow nanospindles with uniform morphology and good structural stability are facilely prepared by nitridizing solid carbon-coated GaOOH nanospindles in an ammonia atmosphere at 800 °C for 2 h.
Sequential stereodivergent organocatalysis and programmed organocascades
Authors: Sohtome Yoshihiro , Nagasawa Kazuo
Published: January 2014

We introduce sequential dynamic asymmetric organocatalysis, focusing on diastereodivergent and enantiodivergent organocatalysis and programmed organocascades.
Twiddle factor neutralization method for heterodyne velocimetry
Authors: Tao Tianjiong , Liu Shenggang , Ma Heli , Li Mu , Zhou Xianming , Wang Xiang , Weng Jidong
Published: January 2014

Twiddle factor is considered to be the dominant error source of frequency estimate by Fourier transformation (FT), and thus impacts the accuracy in FT-based heterodyne velocimetry. Here we report a novel data analysis method for heterodyne velocimetry, which utilizes the change law of frequency errors with signals' phases to develop twiddle factor neutralization method, improving the performance of heterodyne velocimetry. Numerical simulations show that this method can improve velocity resolution by many times as compared to the boxcar, Hamming, and Hann window functions under different noise conditions. A 90° optical hybrid is used to generate four phase shifted signals for this method, and 1 m/s level velocity resolution and 100 ps level time resolution are simultaneously achieved in laser-shock experiments.
Cortical brightness adaptation when darkness and brightness produce different dynamical states in the visual cortex
Authors: Xing Dajun , Yeh Chun-I , Gordon James , Shapley Robert M.
Published: January 2014

Significance

Darkness and brightness are very different perceptually. To understand the neural basis for the perceptual difference, we studied populations of neurons in macaque primary visual cortex (V1) when a visual field alternated between black and white. Darkness but not brightness evoked sustained nerve-impulse spiking in V1 neurons. The sustained response to a white field in the local field potential, which is the sum of membrane currents in neurons near the recording microelectrode, was larger than for black. Taken together, these results imply that bright fields evoked strong intracortical synaptic inhibition, and this inhibition is the basis for cortical brightness adaptation. Such cortical brightness adaptation can explain many perceptual phenomena: interocular speeding up of dark adaptation, tonic interocular suppression, and interocular masking.
Up by Upwest: Is Slope like North?
Authors: Weisberg Steven M. , Nardi Daniele , Newcombe Nora S. , Shipley Thomas F.
Published: January 2014

Terrain slope can be used to encode the location of a goal. However, this directional information may be encoded using a conceptual north (i.e., invariantly with respect to the environment), or in an observer-relative fashion (i.e., varying depending on the direction one faces when learning the goal). This study examines which representation is used, whether the sensory modality in which slope is encoded (visual, kinaesthetic, or both) influences representations, and whether use of slope varies for men and women. In a square room, with a sloped floor explicitly pointed out as the only useful cue, participants encoded the corner in which a goal was hidden. Without direct sensory access to slope cues, participants used a dial to point to the goal. For each trial, the goal was hidden uphill or downhill, and the participants were informed whether they faced uphill or downhill when pointing. In support of observer-relative representations, participants pointed more accurately and quickly when facing concordantly with the hiding position. There was no effect of sensory modality, providing support for functional equivalence. Sex did not interact with the findings on modality or reference frame, but spatial measures correlated with success on the slope task differently for each sex.
The Value of Cognitive Values
Authors: Douglas Heather
Published: January 2014

Traditionally, cognitive values have been thought of as a collective pool of considerations in science that frequently trade against each other. I argue here that a finer-grained account of the value of cognitive values can help reduce such tensions. I separate the values into groups, minimal epistemic criteria, pragmatic considerations, and genuine epistemic assurance, based in part on the distinction between values that describe theories per se and values that describe theory-evidence relationships. This allows us to clarify why these values are central to science and what role they should play, while reducing the tensions among them.
Values in Science beyond Underdetermination and Inductive Risk
Authors: Brown Matthew J.
Published: January 2014

Proponents of the value ladenness of science rely primarily on arguments from underdetermination or inductive risk, which share the premise that we should only consider values where the evidence runs out or leaves uncertainty; they adopt a criterion of lexical priority of evidence over values. The motivation behind lexical priority is to avoid reaching conclusions on the basis of wishful thinking rather than good evidence. This is a real concern, however, that giving lexical priority to evidential considerations over values is a mistake and unnecessary for avoiding the wishful thinking. Values have a deeper role to play in science.
Testing a Precise Null Hypothesis: The Case of Lindley’s Paradox
Authors: Sprenger Jan
Published: January 2014

Testing a point null hypothesis is a classical but controversial issue in statistical methodology. A prominent illustration is Lindley’s Paradox, which emerges in hypothesis tests with large sample size and exposes a salient divergence between Bayesian and frequentist inference. A close analysis of the paradox reveals that both Bayesians and frequentists fail to satisfactorily resolve it. As an alternative, I suggest Bernardo’s Bayesian Reference Criterion: (i) it targets the predictive performance of the null hypothesis in future experiments; (ii) it provides a proper decision-theoretic model for testing a point null hypothesis; (iii) it convincingly addresses Lindley’s Paradox.
Do We Need a Device to Acquire Ethnic Concepts?
Authors: Hochman Adam
Published: January 2014

Francisco Gil-White argues that the ubiquity of racialism—the view that so-called races have biological essences—can be explained as a by-product of a shared mental module dedicated to ethnic cognition. Gil-White’s theory has been endorsed, with some revisions, by Edouard Machery and Luc Faucher. In this skeptical response I argue that our developmental environments contain a wealth, rather than a poverty of racialist stimulus, rendering a nativist explanation of racialism redundant. I also argue that we should not theorize racialism in isolation from racism, as value judgments may play a role in essentialist thinking about the ‘other’.
The Confirmational Significance of Agreeing Measurements
Authors: Helgeson Casey
Published: January 2014

Agreement between “independent” measurements of a theoretically posited quantity is intuitively compelling evidence that a theory is, loosely speaking, on the right track. But exactly what conclusion is warranted by such agreement? I propose a new account of the phenomenon’s epistemic significance within the framework of Bayesian epistemology. I contrast my proposal with the standard Bayesian treatment, which lumps the phenomenon under the heading of “evidential diversity.”
Pragmatic Interests and Imprecise Belief
Authors: Armendt Brad
Published: January 2014

Does the strength of a particular belief depend upon the significance we attach to it? Do we move from one context to another, remaining in the same doxastic state concerning p yet holding a stronger belief that p in one context than in the other? For that to be so, a doxastic state must have a certain sort of context-sensitive complexity. So the question is about the nature of belief states, as we understand them, or as we think a theory should model them. I explore the idea and how it relates to work on imprecise probabilities and second-order confidence.
Adaptation of Lettuce mosaic virus to Catharanthus roseus Involves Mutations in the Central Domain of the VPg
Authors: Svanella-Dumas Laurence , Verdin Eric , Faure Chantal , German-Retana Sylvie , Gognalons Patrick , Danet Jean Luc , Marais Armelle , Candresse Thierry
Published: January 2014

An isolate of Lettuce mosaic virus (LMV, a Potyvirus) infecting Madagascar periwinckle (Catharanthus roseus) was identified and characterized by Illumina deep sequencing. LMV-Cr has no close affinities to previously sequenced LMV isolates and represents a novel, divergent LMV clade. Inoculation experiments with other representative LMV isolates showed that they are unable to infect C. roseus, which was not known to be a host for LMV. However, three C. roseus variants of one of these isolates, LMV-AF199, could be selected and partially or completely sequenced. These variants are characterized by the accumulation of mutations affecting the C-terminal part of the cylindrical inclusion (CI) helicase and the central part of the VPg. In particular, a serine to proline mutation at amino acid 143 of the VPg was observed in all three independently selected variants and is also present in the LMV-Cr isolate, making it a prime candidate as a host-range determinant. Other mutations at VPg positions 65 and 144 could also contribute to the ability to infect C. roseus. Inoculation experiments involving a recombinant LMV expressing a permissive lettuce eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) suggest that eIF4E does not contribute to the interaction of most LMV isolates with C. roseus.
The evolution of continuous learning of the structure of the environment
Authors: Kolodny Oren , Edelman Shimon , Lotem Arnon
Published: January 2014

Continuous, ‘always on’, learning of structure from a stream of data is studied mainly in the fields of machine learning or language acquisition, but its evolutionary roots may go back to the first organisms that were internally motivated to learn and represent their environment. Here, we study under what conditions such continuous learning (CL) may be more adaptive than simple reinforcement learning and examine how it could have evolved from the same basic associative elements. We use agent-based computer simulations to compare three learning strategies: simple reinforcement learning; reinforcement learning with chaining (RL-chain) and CL that applies the same associative mechanisms used by the other strategies, but also seeks statistical regularities in the relations among all items in the environment, regardless of the initial association with food. We show that a sufficiently structured environment favours the evolution of both RL-chain and CL and that CL outperforms the other strategies when food is relatively rare and the time for learning is limited. This advantage of internally motivated CL stems from its ability to capture statistical patterns in the environment even before they are associated with food, at which point they immediately become useful for planning.
Multiple steadily translating bubbles in a Hele-Shaw channel
Authors: Green Christopher C. , Vasconcelos Giovani L.
Published: January 2014

Analytical solutions are constructed for an assembly of any finite number of bubbles in steady motion in a Hele-Shaw channel. The solutions are given in the form of a conformal mapping from a bounded multiply connected circular domain to the flow region exterior to the bubbles. The mapping is written as the sum of two analytic functions—corresponding to the complex potentials in the laboratory and co-moving frames—that map the circular domain onto respective degenerate polygonal domains. These functions are obtained using the generalized Schwarz–Christoffel formula for multiply connected domains in terms of the Schottky–Klein prime function. Our solutions are very general in that no symmetry assumption concerning the geometrical disposition of the bubbles is made. Several examples for various bubble configurations are discussed.
Island tameness: living on islands reduces flight initiation distance
Authors: Cooper William E. , Pyron R. Alexander , Garland Theodore
Published: January 2014

One of Darwin's most widely known conjectures is that prey are tame on remote islands, where mammalian predators are absent. Many species appear to permit close approach on such islands, but no comparative studies have demonstrated reduced wariness quantified as flight initiation distance (FID; i.e. predator–prey distance when the prey begins to flee) in comparison with mainland relatives. We used the phylogenetic comparative method to assess influence of distance from the mainland and island area on FID of 66 lizard species. Because body size and predator approach speed affect predation risk, we included these as independent variables. Multiple regression showed that FID decreases as distance from mainland increases and is shorter in island than mainland populations. Although FID increased as area increased in some models, collinearity made it difficult to separate effects of area from distance and island occupancy. FID increases as SVL increases and approach speed increases; these effects are statistically independent of effects of distance to mainland and island occupancy. Ordinary least-squares models fit the data better than phylogenetic regressions, indicating little or no phylogenetic signal in residual FID after accounting for the independent variables. Our results demonstrate that island tameness is a real phenomenon in lizards.
When is birthweight at term abnormally low? A systematic review and meta‐analysis of the association and predictive ability of current birthweight standards for neonatal outcomes
Authors: Malin GL , Morris RK , Riley R , Teune MJ , Khan KS
Published: January 2014

Background

Intrauterine growth restriction is a cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. A variety of definitions of low birthweight are used in clinical practice, with a lack of consensus regarding which definitions best predict adverse outcomes.

Objectives

To evaluate the relationship between birthweight standards and neonatal outcome in term‐born infants (at ≥ 37 weeks of gestation).

Search strategy

MEDLINE (1966–January 2011), EMBASE (1980–January 2011), and the Cochrane Library (2011:1) and MEDION were included in our search.

Selection criteria

Studies comprising live term‐born infants (gestation ≥ 37 completed weeks), with weight or other anthropometric measurements recorded at birth along with neonatal outcomes.

Data collection and analysis

Data were extracted to populate 2 × 2 tables relating birthweight standard with outcome, and meta‐analysis was performed where possible.

Main results

Twenty‐nine studies including 21 034 114 neonates were selected. Absolute birthweight was strongly associated with mortality, with birthweight < 1.5 kg giving the largest association (OR 48.6, 95% CI 28.62–82.53). When using centile charts, regardless of threshold, the summary odds ratios were significant but closer to 1 than when using absolute birthweight. For all tests, summary predictive ability comprised high specificity and positive likelihood ratio for neonatal death, but low sensitivity and a negative likelihood ratio close to 1.

Author's conclusions

Absolute birthweight is a prognostic factor for neonatal mortality. The indirect evidence suggests that centile charts or other definitions of low birthweight are not as strongly associated with mortality as the absolute birthweight. Further research is required to improve predictive accuracy.
A comparison of perinatal outcomes in singletons and multiples born after in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection stratified for neonatal risk criteria
Authors: van Heesch Mirjam M.J. , Evers Johannes L.H. , Dumoulin John C.M. , van der Hoeven Mark A.H.B.M. , van Beijsterveldt Catharina E.M. , Bonsel Gouke J. , Dykgraaf Ramon H.M. , van Goudoever Johannes B. , Koopman‐Esseboom Corine , Nelen Willianne L.D.M. , Steiner Katerina , Tamminga Pieter , Tonch Nino , van Zonneveld Piet , Dirksen Carmen D.
Published: January 2014

Objective

To compare perinatal singleton and multiple outcomes in a large Dutch in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) population and within risk subgroups. Newborns were assigned to a risk category based on gestational age, birthweight, Apgar score and congenital malformation.

Design

Register‐based retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Netherlands Perinatal Registry data.

Sample

A total of 3041 singletons and 1788 multiple children born from IVF/ICSI in 2003–2005.

Methods

Student's t‐test or Mann–Whitney U‐test was used to analyze continuous data, chi‐squared analyses were used for categorical data. Multivariate logistic and linear regression analysis was performed to analyze whether the risk stratification criteria were associated with neonatal hospital admission and length of stay.

Main outcome measures

Start of labor, mode of delivery, gestational age, birthweight, 5‐min Apgar score, congenital malformation, neonatal hospital admission, neonatal intensive care unit admission and mortality.

Results

IVF/ICSI‐conceived multiples had considerably poorer outcomes than singletons in terms of cesarean section rate, preterm birth, birthweight, being small‐for‐gestational‐age, Apgar score, neonatal hospital admission, neonatal intensive care unit admission and neonatal mortality. As opposed to the results found in the total study population and the low‐risk and moderate‐risk populations, high‐risk multiples showed better outcomes than high‐risk singletons regarding cesarean section rate, birthweight and Apgar score. All risk stratification variables were associated with being hospitalized after birth. Length of stay was associated with all risk stratification criteria except Apgar score.

Conclusions

Perinatal outcomes in IVF/ICSI‐conceived multiples are considerably poorer than in singletons. This finding mainly pertains to low‐risk children. High‐risk multiples had significantly better perinatal outcomes than high‐risk singletons.
Reoxygenation from chronic hypoxia promotes metastatic processes in pancreatic cancer through the Hedgehog signaling
Authors: Morifuji Yoshihiro , Onishi Hideya , Iwasaki Hironori , Imaizumi Akira , Nakano Kenji , Tanaka Masao , Katano Mitsuo
Published: January 2014

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the most deadly types of malignancies because of its high ability to metastasize. PDAC is thought to be under hypoxic condition. Therefore, to investigate the mechanism of metastatic processes, chronic‐hypoxia‐resistant PDAC cells were newly generated under hypoxic condition for 3–6 months and reoxygenation experiments were performed using these chronic‐hypoxia‐resistant PDAC cells in in vivo‐mimicking conditions. Proliferation, invasiveness and tumorigenicity in PDAC cells were significantly increased by reoxygenation. A Hedgehog (Hh) signaling component, Gli1, was significantly increased by reoxygenation. Gli1 knockdown inhibited reoxygenation‐induced increases in proliferation and tumorigenicity and decreased invasiveness through suppression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 and MMP9. Moreover, inhibition of Sonic Hh and Smoothened abrogated reoxygenation induced increases in proliferation and invasiveness. These results suggest that metastatic processes in PDAC are induced through activation of the Hh signaling pathway. Therefore, the Hh signaling pathway may be a therapeutic target for refractory PDAC in metastatic processes induced by reoxygenation.
Dynamic expression of N‐myc in mouse embryonic development using an enhanced green fluorescent protein reporter gene in the N‐myc locus
Authors: Ma Ming , Zhao Kai , Wu Wenting , Sun Ruilin , Fei Jian
Published: January 2014

N‐myc belongs to the Myc oncogene family and plays an essential role in mammalian embryonic development. The expression of N‐myc is dynamically regulated during embryonic development; however, its expression pattern has not been well characterized due to the lack of a suitable animal model. In this paper, a genetically modified mouse model was generated in which the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) coding sequence was inserted into the N‐myc locus, so that endogenous N‐myc expression could be traced by the signal of EGFP. The EGFP signal in the transgenic mouse was confirmed to be consistent with the expression pattern of endogenous N‐myc by fluorescence microscopy and immunohistochemical staining. Furthermore, the spatial and temporal expression of EGFP was observed in the central and peripheral nervous system, heart, lung and kidney, given the known indispensable role of N‐myc in their formation. EGFP was also strongly detected in the liver, paranephros and the epithelium of the intestine. The EGFP signal can be used to trace N‐myc expression in this transgenic mouse model. N‐myc expression was observed in specific locations and cell lineages, and dynamically changed during embryonic development. The changing N‐myc expression pattern seen in mouse embryonic development and the animal model described in this paper provide important insights and a new tool to research N‐myc function.
Conscientious Consumerism Project in an Undergraduate Quality Management Class
Authors: Helms Marilyn M.
Published: January 2014

This article describes a “conscientious consumerism” project that involves the student as the consumer to either commend or complain to a company about a recent product or service experience. This activity and presentation helps students develop an understanding of the commendation/complaint management process within organizations while adding realism with the student as the customer. Students initiate communication with an organization and maintain a timeline of all contacts, calls, e‐mails, letters, and visits to the company as they work to resolve or report their issue. The project begins early in the semester and concludes with a final registered, certified letter to the company CEO where students summarize the class project and praise processes or recommend any needed changes. When the project is presented, students learn how organizations manage and process customer feedback and complaints. Students have insightful comparisons of the implementation and execution of such processes within organizations. The project contributes to student learning and understanding of numerous key objectives of quality management including: how quality is managed in organizations, the strategic focus customer feedback can play in organizations, process management, voice of the customer, and benchmarking best compliment/complaint management practices.
Norming of Student Evaluations of Instruction: Impact of Noninstructional Factors
Authors: Nargundkar Satish , Shrikhande Milind
Published: January 2014

Student Evaluations of Instruction (SEIs) from about 6,000 sections over 4 years representing over 100,000 students at the college of business at a large public university are analyzed, to study the impact of noninstructional factors on student ratings. Administrative factors like semester, time of day, location, and instructor attributes like gender and rank are studied. The combined impact of all the noninstructional factors studied is statistically significant. Our study has practical implications for administrators who use SEIs to evaluate faculty performance. SEI scores reflect some inherent biases due to noninstructional factors. Appropriate norming procedures can compensate for such biases, ensuring fair evaluations.
Theoretical and empirical perspectives on the scaling of supply and demand in social insect colonies
Authors: Waters James S.
Published: January 2014

One of the central questions in physiological ecology is how energetic constraints affect organismal performance and the dynamics of ecological systems. Social insect colonies integrate the balance of supply and demand across levels of biological organization such that the individual components are simultaneously serving as the supply transport network and also the source of energetic demand. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that the per‐capita metabolic rates of individuals within social insect colonies decrease with increasing colony size, a metabolic hypometry much like the pattern exhibited by individual organisms. An important question is thus, whether this scaling pattern is a result of an energetic supply constraint or evidence for an emergent economy of scale. This review synthesizes theoretical models and results from empirical studies on the scaling of resource supply and demand in social insect colonies. Scaling in biology is a powerful tool to unify the study of diverse concepts and organisms; increased integration of mechanistic realism into metabolic models will improve our understanding of the evolution of complex biological systems.
First clinical experiences with perampanel—The Kork experience in 74 patients
Authors: Steinhoff Bernhard J. , Bacher Matthias , Bast Thomas , Kornmeier Reinhold , Kurth Christoph , Scholly Julia , Staack Anke M. , Wisniewski Ilona
Published: January 2014

Perampanel (PER) has been approved for adjunctive treatment of partial‐onset seizures in patients age 12 years and older. In Germany, PER was licensed and marketed in September of 2012. At our tertiary referral epilepsy center, a couple of difficult‐to‐treat patients were awaiting this introduction of PER; therefore, we were able to initiate treatment in many patients within a short period of time. For this report we collected and analyzed the data of the first patients who had been started on add‐on PER between September and December of 2012, so that we were able to evaluate at least 6 months of treatment when we made this analysis. At cutoff in June of 2013, 74 patients could be analyzed. Mean age was 38.4 years (range 15–71 years). PER doses ranged from 4 to 14 mg (mean 8.8 mg). All patients took PER once daily at bedtime. Seventy‐one patients had focal epileptic seizures; the remaining four patients had Lennox‐Gastaut syndrome. Considering the last 3 months of observation compared with baseline, 34 patients (46%) were responders with a reduction of seizure frequency of at least 50%. Ten patients of these (14% of all) were seizure‐free. Adverse events were reported in 40 patients (54%). Leading side effects were somnolence (n = 31, 42%) and dizziness (n = 13, 18%), followed by ataxia, irritability, falls, cognitive slowing, and depression in single cases. Six‐month retention rate was 70%. Our first clinical experiences with add‐on PER in a highly selected group of difficult‐to‐treat epilepsies are promising.
Tribute to Tinbergen: Putting Niko Tinbergen's ‘Four Questions’ in Historical Context
Authors: Burkhardt Richard W.
Published: January 2014

Niko Tinbergen's (Zeit. Tier. 20, 1963, 410) paper ‘On aims and methods of ethology’ is appropriately remembered as the paper in which Tinbergen characterized ethology as ‘the biological study of behavior’ and went on to explain that to study behavior biologically is to ask four distinct questions about it: (1) How is it caused physiologically? (2) What is its survival value? (3) How has it evolved? and (4) How does it develop in the individual? Here, we consider Tinbergen's paper in its historical context by looking at it from three different perspectives: (1) a comparison of Tinbergen's formulation of ‘ethology's four questions’ with similar, but different formulations of biology's basic problems offered by Julian Huxley, Konrad Lorenz, and Ernst Mayr; (2) a survey of the roles that the four questions played in Tinbergen's own work over the course of his career; and (3) a consideration of the two explicit goals of Tinbergen's (Zeit. Tier., 20, 1963, 410) paper, namely (a.) to honor Tinbergen's friend and colleague Konrad Lorenz (as part of a Festschrift for Lorenz on the occasion of his sixtieth birthday) and (b.) to provide a sketch of ethology's scope and an evaluation of the ways the field needed to develop in the future. We suggest that just as the work of Tinbergen's Oxford research team revealed how the behavior of gulls reflected compromises worked out in the face of the diverse selective pressures of particular environments, we can identify certain conflicts that arose for Tinbergen in trying to write something that his friend Lorenz would like while also assessing ethology's current state and future prospects. That said, however, Tinbergen's enduring concern was to do all he could to ensure that ethology thrive as a field and develop a scientific understanding of animal (and human) behavior. For this to happen, he insisted, the four questions of ethology needed to be pursued in a balanced, comprehensive, and integrated fashion.
Quasi‐Isometric Points for the Technique of Lateral Suture Placement in the Feline Stifle Joint
Authors: De Sousa Ricardo J.R. , Knudsen Christina S. , Holmes Mark A. , Langley‐Hobbs Sorrel J.
Published: January 2014

Objective

To evaluate the quasi‐isometric points (nearest isometric points) between the distal aspect of the femur and fabella and the proximal aspect of the tibia for placement of a lateral suture in cats.

Study Design

Radiographic study.

Animals

Cadaveric cat stifles (n = 7 cats; 14 stifles).

Methods

Specimens were secured in a mounting frame to maintain rigid fixation of the femur and allow free range of motion of the stifle joint and proximal tibia. Two anatomic landmarks were identified: the center of the lateral fabella (Ff) and a point 4 mm proximal to the insertion of the patellar tendon adjacent to the tibial cortex (Tt). Radiopaque spheres were placed at predefined landmarks in the femur (caudal aspect of the lateral femoral condyle distal [F1] and proximal [F2] to the lateral fabella) and in the tibia (caudal to the proximal aspect of the extensor groove [T1]; cranial to the proximal aspect of the extensor groove [T2]; 2 mm proximal and caudal to the insertion of the patellar tibial tendon [T3] and 3 mm caudal to the insertion of the patellar tibial tendon [T4]. For each stifle, 4 radiographic projections were made: in extension (166°), in flexion (45°), and 2 intermediate stance phases (90°, 130°). ANOVA was used to compare means of the distance between the point pairs and means of the percent change in variation of distance (VOD%) using the 45° measurement as a reference.

Results

Mean VOD% nearest to zero, over all the different angles tested, was produced by Ff‐Tt, which was statistically significantly different from each of the other point pairs.

Conclusion

Ff‐Tt provides the best quasi‐isometric points for placement of lateral sutures in cats, compared with all combinations tested. Further assessments with biomechanical studies are needed to evaluate the reproducibility of these landmarks for stabilization of CCL rupture in cats.
Population structure and genetic differentiation of livestock guard dog breeds from the Western Balkans
Authors: Ceh E. , Dovc P.
Published: January 2014

Livestock guard dog (LGD) breeds from the Western Balkans are a good example of how complex genetic diversity pattern observed in dog breeds has been shaped by transition in dog breeding practices. Despite their common geographical origin and relatively recent formal recognition as separate breeds, the Karst Shepherd, Sarplaninac and Tornjak show distinct population dynamics, assessed by pedigree, microsatellite and mtDNA data. We genotyped 493 dogs belonging to five dog breeds using a set of 18 microsatellite markers and sequenced mtDNA from 94 dogs from these breeds. Different demographic histories of the Karst Shepherd and Tornjak breeds are reflected in the pedigree data with the former breed having more unbalanced contributions of major ancestors and a realized effective population size of less than 20 animals. The highest allelic richness was found in Sarplaninac (5.94), followed by Tornjak (5.72), whereas Karst Shepherd dogs exhibited the lowest allelic richness (3.33). Similarly, the highest mtDNA haplotype diversity was found in Sarplaninac, followed by Tornjak and Karst Shepherd, where only one haplotype was found. Based on FST differentiation values and high percentages of animals correctly assigned, all breeds can be considered genetically distinct. However, using microsatellite data, common ancestry between the Karst Shepherd and Sarplaninac could not be reconstructed, despite pedigree and mtDNA evidence of their historical admixture. Using neighbour‐joining, STRUCTURE or DAPC methods, Sarplaninac and Caucasian Shepherd breeds could not be separated and additionally showed close proximity in the NeighborNet tree. STRUCTURE analysis of the Tornjak breed demonstrated substructuring, which needs further investigation. Altogether, results of this study show that the official separation of these dog breeds strongly affected the resolution of genetic differentiation and thus suggest that the relationships between breeds are not only determined by breed relatedness, but in small populations even more importantly by stochastic effects.
Definite familial multiple system atrophy with unknown genetics
Authors: Itoh Kyoko , Kasai Takashi , Tsuji Yukiko , Saito Kozo , Mizuta Ikuko , Harada Yoshinori , Sudoh Shinji , Mizuno Toshiki , Nakagawa Masanori , Fushiki Shinji
Published: January 2014

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is an oligodendrogliopathy of presumably sporadic origin, characterized by prominent α‐synuclein inclusions with neuronal multisystem degeneration, although a few Mendelian pedigrees have been reported. Here we report two familial cases of MSA of unknown genetic background. One patient was diagnosed as a possible MSA‐C (cerebellar dysfuntion) case, and the other as clinically possible MSA‐P (parkinsonism), which turned out to be definite MSA, based on a detailed autopsy. The neuropathology showed extensive deposition of α‐synuclein in the glia as well as in the neurons located in the cerebral cortices and hippocampal systems, although neither multiplication of the SNCA gene or mutations in COQ2 gene were identified in the family concerned.
Building Communities in Ancient Samnium: Cult, Ethnicity and Nested Identities
Authors: Scopacasa Rafael
Published: January 2014

This article addresses the meaning of community in an area of the ancient world that is normally seen to diverge from the paradigm of theClassical city‐state, by examining the role of sanctuaries in the articulation of identity and belonging. The focus is onSamnium (centralItaly) in the last four centuriesBC, where archaeological and historical evidence, including a wealth of recent discoveries, supports a dynamic view of a region that is traditionally associated with a cohesive ethnic group. Whilst it is true that the major sanctuary atPietrabbondante fostered the construction ofSamnite ethnic identity, this article highlights the importance of other types and levels of belonging in light of a broader range of cult sites. The concept of ‘nested identities’ (a scenario where individuals identify simultaneously with overlapping groups) can bring about a more nuanced view of how cult was used as a means to negotiate belonging on ethnic and non‐ethnic levels. I hope to show that local communities, and particularly the local elites, were able to function independently rather than simply as the building blocks of theSamnite ethnos.