bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Depression after minor stroke: prevalence and predictors
Authors: Altieri M. , Maestrini I. , Mercurio A. , Troisi P. , Sgarlata E. , Rea V. , Di Piero V. , Lenzi G. L.
Published: December 2011

Background and purpose:  Post‐stroke depression (PSD) is one of the most frequent complications of stroke, with a prevalence ranging 20–60%. As PSD seems to be related to stroke severity, we hypothesized that the prevalence of PSD would be lower in patients with minor stroke.

Methods:  We investigated the prevalence and predictors of PSD over a 30‐month follow‐up period in a cohort of patients with minor ischaemic stroke (NIHSS ≤ 5).

Results:  We enrolled 105 patients (mean age 64.38 ± 11.2 years, M/F 69/36). PSD was diagnosed in 43 (41%) patients, 40 (93%) of whom had dysthymia; 22% of patients were already depressed at 1 month. The most frequent depressive symptoms (DSs) were working inhibition, indecisiveness, and fatigability. Patients who developed PSD were less educated (P = 0.044) and diabetic (P = 0.006). After excluding patients that were already depressed at 1 month, we performed a logistic regression model to detect predictors of PSD. Crying (P = 0.012, OR 1.067, CI 0.269–4.553) and guilt (P = 0.007, OR 0.037, CI 0.02ì03–0.401) at baseline were two DSs found to be significantly correlated with PSD. Higher educational level (P = 0.022, OR 0.084, CI 0.010–0.698) and diabetes (P = 0.007, OR 14.361, CI 2.040–101.108) were the risk factors significantly correlated with PSD.

Conclusion:  Post‐stroke depression is frequent even in patients with minor stroke. Early detection of DSs might help to predict long‐term development of PSD. No correlation was observed between lesion site or side and the development of PSD.
IV Valproate in generalized convulsive status epilepticus: a systematic review
Authors: Brigo F. , Storti M. , Del Felice A. , Fiaschi A. , Bongiovanni L. G.
Published: December 2011

Aim of this review was to evaluate efficacy and safety of intravenous valproate (IV VPA) in the treatment of generalized convulsive status epilepticus (GCSE) in patients of any age, synthesizing available evidences from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). RCTs on IV VPA administered in patients (no age restriction) for GCSE at any stage were searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Studies were selected and data independently extracted. Following outcomes were considered: clinical seizure cessation after drug administration, seizure freedom at 24 h, and adverse effects. Outcomes were assessed using standard methods to calculate risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals. Five trials met inclusion criteria. Two different comparisons were available (IV VPA versus phenytoin (PHT), IV VPA versus IV Diazepam), but only the former included more than one study with enough information to permit a meta‐analysis. Compared with PHT, VPA had statistically lower risk of adverse effects (RR 0.31, 95% CI 0.12–0.85), with no differences in GCSE cessation after drug administration (RR 1.31, 95% CI 0.93–1.84) and in seizure freedom at 24 h (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.88–1.06). This review suggests that IV VPA has a better tolerability than PHT in treatment of GCSE, without any statistically significant differences in terms of efficacy. More rigorous RCTs of VPA versus an appropriate comparator, in a well‐defined population with a systematic definition of SE, are however required to conclude about efficacy and tolerability of VPA in clinical practice.
Association of psoriasis with the VEGF gene polymorphism in the northern Polish population
Authors: Zablotna M. , Sobjanek M. , Nedoszytko B. , Lange M. , Kozicka D. , Glen J. , Roszkiewicz J.
Published: December 2011

Background  Neovascularization plays an important role in pathogenesis of psoriasis and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) seems to be the main angiogenic factor involved in this disease. Published studies which analysed the role of VEGF gene polymorphism in psoriasis were limited and they received controversial results.

Objective The aim of our study was to evaluate the association between −1154 G/A, −460 T/C and +405 G/C polymorphisms and the psoriasis susceptibility and to determine whether this genetic variation influence levels of VEGF protein expression.

Materials and methods  One hundred and eighty‐nine patients with psoriasis and 215 ethnically matched controls were genotyped using ARMS‐PCR and PCR‐RFLP methods. VEGF serum levels were assessed in 47 patients and 40 controls using ELISA test.

Results  We noted that an increased risk of Type I psoriasis is associated with −1154 G allele (OR = 1.9; P = 0.04), +405 CC (OR = 2.86; P = 0.03) and −460 TT (OR = 1.56; P = 0.05) genotypes and demonstrated that a significantly increased risk of developing disease is related to presence of haplotype GTC among all patients (OR = 1.97; P = 0.001), patients with Type I (OR = 1.87; P = 0.005) and Type II psoriasis (OR = 2.37, P = 0.01).

We have found significantly increased serum levels of VEGF in patients with psoriasis compared with those in healthy controls (P = 0.008). Serum levels of VEGF significantly correlated with PASI: r = 0.72, P < 0.00001. Patients with elevated levels of VEGF in the serum showed more frequently: GC genotype (P = 0.04), C allele (P = 0.02) at the locus +405 and TT genotype (P = 0.03) at the locus −460.

Conclusion  Our results strongly support the role of VEGF gene polymorphism in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
Towards optimizing wood development in bioenergy trees
Authors: Nieminen Kaisa , Robischon Marcel , Immanen Juha , Helariutta Ykä
Published: December 2011

To secure a sustainable energy source for the future, we need to develop an alternative to fossil fuels. Cellulose‐based biofuel production has great potential for development into a sustainable and renewable energy source. The thick secondary walls of xylem cells provide a natural source of cellulose. As a result of the extensive production of wood through cambial activity, massive amounts of xylem cells can be harvested from trees. How can we obtain a maximal cellulose biomass yield from these trees? Thus far, tree breeding has been very challenging because of the long generation time. Currently, new breeding possibilities are emerging through the development of high‐throughput technologies in molecular genetics. What potential does our current knowledge on the regulation of cambial activity provide for the domestication of optimal bioenergy trees? We examine the hormonal and molecular regulation of wood development with the aim of identifying the key regulatory aspects. We describe traits, including stem morphology and xylem cell dimensions, that could be modified to enhance wood production. Finally, we discuss the potential of novel marker‐assisted tree breeding technologies.
Assessing Internet access and use in a medically underserved population: implications for providing enhanced health information services
Authors: Zach Lisl , Dalrymple Prudence W. , Rogers Michelle L. , Williver‐Farr Heather
Published: December 2011

Background:  The relationship between health information seeking, patient engagement and health literacy is not well understood. This is especially true in medically underserved populations, which are often viewed as having limited access to health information.

Objective:  To improve communication between an urban health centre and the community it serves, a team of library and information science researchers undertook an assessment of patients’ level and methods of access to and use of the Internet.

Methods:  Data were collected in 53 face‐to‐face anonymous interviews with patients at the centre. Interviews were tape‐recorded for referential accuracy, and data were analysed to identify patterns of access and use.

Results:  Seventy‐two percentage of study participants reported having access to the Internet through either computers or cell phones. Barriers to Internet access were predominantly lack of equipment or training rather than lack of interest. Only 21% of those with Internet access reported using the Internet to look for health information.

Conclusion:  The findings suggest that lack of access to the Internet in itself is not the primary barrier to seeking health information in this population and that the digital divide exists not at the level of information access but rather at the level of information use.
Sex differences in microglial colonization of the developing rat brain
Authors: Schwarz Jaclyn M. , Sholar Paige W. , Bilbo Staci D.
Published: December 2011

J. Neurochem. (2012) 120, 948–963.

Microglia are the resident immune cells within the brain and their production of immune molecules such as cytokines and chemokines is critical for the processes of normal brain development including neurogenesis, axonal migration, synapse formation, and programmed cell death. Notably, sex differences exist in many of these processes throughout brain development; however, it is unknown whether a sex difference concurrently exists in the colonization, number, or morphology of microglia within the developing brain. We demonstrate for the first time that the number and morphology of microglia throughout development is dependent upon the sex and age of the individual, as well as the brain region of interest. Males have overall more microglia early in postnatal development [postnatal day (P) 4], whereas females have more microglia with an activated/amoeboid morphology later in development, as juveniles and adults (P30–60). Finally, gene expression of a large number of cytokines, chemokines and their receptors shifts dramatically over development, and is highly dependent upon sex. Taken together, these data warrant further research into the role that sex‐dependent mechanisms may play in microglial colonization, number, and function, and their potential contribution to neural development, function, or potential dysfunction.
A neuroprotective role for the DNA damage checkpoint in tauopathy
Authors: Khurana Vikram , Merlo Paola , DuBoff Brian , Fulga Tudor A. , Sharp Katherine A. , Campbell Shelagh D. , Götz Jürgen , Feany Mel B.
Published: December 2011

ATM and p53, effectors of the DNA damage checkpoint, are generally considered pro‐apoptotic in neurons. We show that DNA damage and checkpoint activation occurs in postmitotic neurons in animal models of tauopathy, neurodegenerative disorders that include Alzheimer’s disease. Surprisingly, checkpoint attenuation potently increases neurodegeneration through aberrant cell cycle re‐entry of postmitotic neurons. These data suggest an unexpected neuroprotective role for the DNA damage checkpoint in tauopathies.
An Econometric Assessment of Pricing Sydney’s Residential Water Use*
Authors: ABRAMS BARRY , KUMARADEVAN SANTHARAJAH , SARAFIDIS VASILIS , SPANINKS FRANK
Published: December 2011

There is currently a high level of interest among policy review agencies in using water usage prices to balance the supply and demand for water (scarcity pricing). The potential effectiveness of scarcity pricing depends upon the price elasticity of demand. This study applies panel data analysis to household level data to obtain short‐ and long‐run estimates of the price elasticity of demand in Sydney. The period of the analysis spans June 2004 to June 2009, during which water usage prices increased in real terms by over 45 per cent. The data are disaggregated into residential user groups of owner‐occupied and tenanted houses that did and did not participate in a subsidised water appliance efficiency programme, and housing units. Owner‐occupied and tenanted houses are further disaggregated through clustering analysis based on property size. The estimated real price elasticities vary both across and within user groups. The weighted average real price elasticities are small, particularly in the short run. As well as overall price elasticities, the grouping and clustering of households provides insights into the way different households respond to changes in water usage prices, weather conditions and participation in water appliance efficiency programmes. The heterogeneity in responses is found to generate statistically different results compared with an aggregate model of all residential households.
New findings regarding the epidemic history and population dynamics of Japan‐indigenous genotype 3 hepatitis E virus inferred by molecular evolution
Authors: Nakano Tatsunori , Takahashi Kazuaki , Pybus Oliver G. , Hashimoto Naoaki , Kato Hideaki , Okano Hiroshi , Kobayashi Makoto , Fujita Naoki , Shiraki Katsuya , Takei Yoshiyuki , Ayada Minoru , Arai Masahiro , Okamoto Hiroaki , Mishiro Shunji
Published: December 2011

Background

Since previous studies have investigated the population dynamics of Japan‐indigenous genotype 3 hepatitis E virus (HEV) using virus sequences, more nucleotide sequences have been determined, and new techniques have been developed for such analysis.

Aims

To prevent future hepatitis E epidemic in Japan, this study aimed to elucidate the cause of past HEV expansion.

Methods

The epidemic history of Japan‐indigenous genotype 3 HEV was determined using the coalescent analysis framework. Bayesian skyline plot (BSP) and Bayesian estimate of phylogeny with relaxed molecular clock models were calculated using Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling.

Results

Japan‐indigenous strains consist of New World strains (subtype 3a), Japanese strains (3b) and European strains (3e). The oldest lineage, 3b, appeared around 1929. Lineages 3a and 3e appeared around 1960. BSPs indicated similar radical population growth of the 3a and 3b lineages from 1960 to 1980.

Conclusions

Population dynamics of the three lineages shared some common characteristics, but had distinguishing features. The appearance of 3a and 3e lineages coincides with the increase of large‐race pig importation from Europe and the USA after 1960. The epidemic phase of 3a and 3b strains from 1960 to 1980 could be related to increased opportunity for HEV infection arising from large‐scale pig breeding since 1960. Our observations revealed new findings concerning the close relationship between the epidemic history of Japan‐indigenous genotype 3 HEV and the improvement of the Japanese pig industry. Infection control in pig farms should be an effective method of preventing HEV infection in humans.
Treatment effects of the multikinase inhibitor sorafenib on hepatoblastoma cell lines and xenografts in NMRI‐Foxn1nu mice
Authors: Eicher Carmen , Dewerth Alexander , Kirchner Bettina , Warmann Steven W. , Fuchs Joerg , Armeanu‐Ebinger Sorin
Published: December 2011

Background

Multidrug resistance is a major reason for poor treatment results in advanced hepatoblastoma (HB). Several alternative treatment options are currently under investigation to improve the prognosis of affected patients

Aims

This study aimed to analyse the impact of sorafenib on the viability of HB cells and xenotransplanted HB tumours.

Methods

Cell viability and apoptosis were evaluated in two HB cell lines (HUH6 and HepT1) after treatment with sorafenib using MTT and Caspase 3 activation assay. Extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation was investigated using Western blot. In addition, sorafenib (30 mg/kg) was administered orally to NMRI mice bearing subcutaneous HUH6 derived tumours. Tumour progression and viability were monitored by tumour volume and α‐fetoprotein (AFP) levels, and apoptosis was assessed using TUNEL assay. Tumour angiogenesis and mean vascular density (MVD) was determined using CD31 staining, ERK phosphorylation was detected using indirect immunofluorescence.

Results

Treatment with sorafenib led to decreased ERK phosphorylation, reduced cell viability and induction of apoptosis in HepT1 and HUH6 cells. In HB xenografts, sorafenib significantly reduced tumour growth compared with control (P < 0.05). AFP levels were lower in the sorafenib group (P = 0.07). Relative apoptotic areas detected using TUNEL assay were increased (P = 0.003). CD31 staining revealed inhibition of angiogenesis, and mean vascular density was lower in the sorafenib group (P = 0.02). ERK phosphorylation was reduced in tumours tissues after sorafenib treatment.

Conclusion

Treatment with sorafenib led to a potent inhibition of cell viability, tumour progression and angiogenesis. Sorafenib might therefore also be a promising treatment option for high risk or recurrent HB.
Liberal Daddy Quotas: Why Men Should Take Care of the Children, and How Liberals Can Get Them to Do It
Authors: Barclay Linda
Published: December 2011

The gendered division of labor is the major cause of gender inequality with respect to the broad spectrum of resources, occupations, and roles. Although many feminists aspire to an equality of outcome where there are no significant patterns of gender difference across these dimensions, many have also argued that liberal theories of social justice do not have the conceptual tools to justify a direct attack on the gendered division of labor. Indeed, many critics argue that liberalism positively condones it, presuming that it arises from the free choices of individuals, which must be respected. In this paper I will accept the feminist goal of equality of outcome across roles, occupations, income, and wealth, but will argue that liberal theories of justice are consistent with strong measures aimed at promoting such equality. I will show that liberalism has the conceptual resources to justify a concrete policy measure that goes considerably beyond the measures usually championed by feminists. The example I focus on is “daddy quotas,” which refers to the tagging of a significant part of parental leave for the exclusive use of fathers.
“Nothing Short of a Horror Show”: Triggering Abjection of Street Workers in Western Canadian Newspapers
Authors: Janzen Caitlin , Strega Susan , Brown Leslie , Morgan Jeannie , Carrière Jeannine
Published: December 2011

Over the past decade, Canadian media coverage of street sex work has steadily increased. The majority of this interest pertains to graphic violence against street sex workers, most notably from Vancouver, British Columbia. In this article, the authors analyze newspaper coverage that appeared in western Canadian publications between 2006 and 2009. In theorizing the violence both depicted and perpetrated by newspapers, the authors propose an analytic framework capable of attending to the process of othering in all of its complexity. To this end, the authors supplement a Foucauldian analysis of abjection by considering the work of Judith Butler along with Julia Kristeva's conceptualization of abjection. Using excerpts from western Canadian newspapers, the authors illustrate how the media's discursive practices function as triggers for the process of cultural abjection by inscribing street sex workers with images of defilement. The authors argue that newspaper coverage of street sex workers reinforces the inviolability of normalized life by constantly reiterating the horror reserved for abjected bodies.
Congress, Lawmaking, and the Fair Labor Standards Act, 1971–2000
Authors: Clinton Joshua D.
Published: December 2011

Lawmaking studies and evaluations of competing accounts of policy change cannot easily assess the nature of policy change due to the difficulty of locating the status quo and proposals relative to the preferences of critical political actors. Focusing on activity involving the Fair Labor Standards Act, I investigate how the attempted and successful policy change between the 92nd Congress (1971–72) and the 106th Congress (1999–2000) compares to the predicted lawmaking activity according to dominant lawmaking models. Characterizing the incidence and magnitude of policy change over nearly 30 years reveals that policy change is rarer and smaller than current theories predict. Change occurs when the status quo is more extreme than the preferences of the pivot most supportive of the status quo according to supermajoritarian models, but there are many instances where similarly extreme status quos are left unchanged. Moreover, when change occurs, it exhibits a strong status quo bias and the outcome is often indistinguishable from the preferences of the pivot who most prefers the status quo.
Postretrenchment Politics: Policy Feedback in Chile's Health and Pension Reforms
Authors: Ewig Christina , Kay Stephen J.
Published: December 2011

Through a comparison of three periods of health and pension reform in Chile, this article develops an explanation for the incremental form of social policy change that some Latin American nations have witnessed in recent years, despite the dramatic rise of left governments. It describes “postretrenchment politics,” which constitutes a realignment in the way politics plays out in countries that have undergone social policy retrenchment. In postretrenchment politics, the strengthened position of private business interests, combined with political learning legacies and lock-in effects generated by reforms, results in incremental political change, despite renewed efforts by left parties to address inequality. Global capital also plays an important contextual role, and may influence postretrenchment politics. In postretrenchment politics, newly reformed systems may achieve greater equity, but they do so in fragmented form.
The Link Between Voting and Life Satisfaction in Latin America
Authors: Weitz-Shapiro Rebecca , Winters Matthew S.
Published: December 2011

What is the relationship between voting and individual life satisfaction in Latin America? While studies of Western Europe suggest that voters are happier than nonvoters, this relationship has not been explored in the younger democracies of the developing world, including those of Latin America. Using multilevel regression models to examine individual-level survey data, this study shows a positive correlation between voting and happiness in the region, noting, however, that the relationship is attenuated in those countries that have enforced compulsory voting. We then explore the causal direction of this relationship: while the existing literature points to voting as a possible determinant of individual happiness, it is also possible that happier individuals are more likely to vote. Three different strategies are used to disentangle this relationship. On balance, the evidence suggests that individual happiness is more likely to be a cause rather than an effect of voting in Latin America.
Localization of selected pathogens of cotton within the southern green stink bug
Authors: Esquivel J. F. , Medrano E. G.
Published: December 2011

Southern green stink bugs, Nezara viridula (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), are pests of cotton recently shown to ingest, retain, and introduce some pathogens of cotton into bolls. The objective of this study was to determine where pathogen colonization occurs in N. viridula after ingestion. Laboratory‐reared adult N. viridula were fed sterile green beans soaked in water (control) or beans previously soaked in a suspension of one of three opportunistic bacterial pathogens [Pantoea agglomerans (Ewing & Fife), Pantoea ananatis (Serrano) Truper & De’Clari, or Klebsiella pneumoniae (Schroeter)] or a yeast [Nematospora coryli (Peglion)]. The insect rostrum, head, and alimentary canal were subsequently processed to determine the presence of pathogenic organisms. Overall, the alimentary canal exhibited significantly more bacterial colony forming units per g tissue (mean ± SEM = 4 806.3 ± 397.2) than the head (443.4 ± 397.2) and rostrum (46.0 ± 397.2); concentrations in the head and rostrum did not differ significantly. All four pathogens were detected in the alimentary canal, but only P. agglomerans and N. coryli were detected in the rostrum and head. Although P. ananatis and K. pneumoniae were only detected in the alimentary canal, their ranges of concentrations were similar to those of P. agglomerans and N. coryli in this tissue. Non‐selective media indicated that other bacterial fauna was also detected in all study insects. Thus, N. viridula does not discriminate with regard to ingestion of pathogens. The observed distribution pattern of tested bacteria and yeast in certain tissues of N. viridula clarifies the propensity for transmission of P. agglomerans and N. coryli. Results are discussed in relation to future research avenues examining selective colonization of certain pathogens and frequency of host infection by adults harboring the pathogenic organisms.
SPS and TBT agreements and international agricultural trade: retaliation or cooperation?
Authors: de Almeida Fernanda Maria , da Cruz Vieira Wilson , da Silva Orlando Monteiro
Published: December 2011

In this article, we investigate whether the Brazilian notifications to the TBT and SPS agreements are characterized as retaliation or as cooperation in international agricultural trade in the period 1996–2008. A Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) model is used to estimate game models of bilateral trade between Brazil and its major partners (United States, European Union, and Japan). From the viewpoint of strategic games, the results suggest that the Brazilian notifications are forms of retaliation against the United States, and, regarding the European Union, the best result for Brazil was conciliation. On the other hand, if the results are interpreted as equilibria of bargaining games, they suggest that Brazil has great bargaining power in trade with the United States and that cooperation characterized agricultural trade between Brazil and the European Union in the period analyzed. In the case of agricultural trade between Brazil and Japan, only Japan has characteristics of a country with significant bargaining power.
The contribution of genetics to milk composition: evidence from Spain
Authors: Roibas David , Alvarez Antonio
Published: December 2011

This article focuses on the role that genetic progress may play in improving milk quality. Despite important genetic advances in dairy production, the absence of genetic records in farm management databases has precluded empirical production models from explicitly accounting for differences in genetics across herds. The influence of genetics on milk composition is analyzed by splitting milk production into protein, fat, and other components. The article explores some modeling issues associated with the specification of the effect of genetics in this multi‐output technology framework. In particular, genetic indexes are considered as allocable inputs and the remaining inputs as nonallocable. Our results show that genetics have a significant impact on milk composition. In particular, we find that farmers’ income increases by 6.6% when genetic indexes are augmented by one sample standard deviation.
Risks and farmers’ investment in productive assets in Nigeria
Authors: Takeshima Hiroyuki , Yamauchi Futoshi
Published: December 2011

The majority of farmers in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) lack the means to mitigate the impact of risks associated with rainfall and commodity prices due to capital constraints and the imperfect insurance market in these countries. Because most SSA farmers are risk averse, they may be willing to invest in productive assets that can mitigate the impacts of such risks if their capital constraints are relaxed through external financial assistance. We test this hypothesis by using panel data on investment behavior of Nigerian farmers who received financial assistance on productive assets. The empirical results show that farmers facing higher rainfall risks are more likely to invest in irrigation pumps that can mitigate the impact of rainfall risks, while those facing higher risks of white gari price are more likely to invest in milling machines that enable them to process cassava into flour instead of gari, which supports our hypothesis.
Evaluating the economic impacts of crop yield change and sea level rise induced by climate change on Taiwan's agricultural sector
Authors: Chang Ching‐Cheng , Chen Chi‐Chung , McCarl Bruce
Published: December 2011

This article investigates the effects of sea level rise and climate change induced crop yield alterations on Taiwan as well as possible adaptation strategies. For sea level rise of up to 5 meters, as much as 4.9% of total acreage and 16% of rice acreage would be lost. The empirical findings show that the sea level damages range from NT$ 0.84 to 4.10 billion while crop yield losses range from NT$ 1.79 to 2.55 billion. We investigate alternative adaptation strategies finding crop yield technological progress and tariff reduction could significantly mitigate these effects.
TRQ‐complications: who gets the benefits when the EU liberalizes Mercosur's access to the beef markets?
Authors: Junker Franziska , Heckelei Thomas
Published: December 2011

The European Union (EU) and the Mercosur countries resumed negotiations on trade liberalization in May 2010 after several years of interruption. The article analyzes who stands to benefit and who is likely to lose if the EU liberalizes Mercosur's access to domestic beef markets. This economic assessment is performed using a partial equilibrium model for beef operating at a low level of product aggregation, paying specific attention to the role of Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs). Consultations with experts from the meat sector allowed us to identify the allocation of the quota rents to different stakeholders. Under an agreement based on the EU's negotiation proposal, trade impacts are projected to be small due to the present quota overfill. As expected, impacts are more pronounced under the conditions set out in Mercosur's proposal. The results confirm that the distribution of quota rents can be decisive in determining welfare effects.
Randomized clinical trials underestimate the efficacy of antidepressants in less severe depression
Authors: Isacsson G. , Adler M.
Published: December 2011

Isacsson G, Adler M. Randomized clinical trials underestimate the efficacy of antidepressants in less severe depression.

Objective:  Demonstrating the superiority of antidepressants over placebo in randomized clinical trials of antidepressants (RCT‐ADs) has been difficult. A recent meta‐analysis of six RCT‐ADs concluded that the efficacy of antidepressants was ‘non‐existent to negligible’ in mild and moderate depression. The aim of this study was to reanalyze the same data in order to investigate whether the meta‐analysis could be biased from the shortcomings of the rating scale used, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS).

Method:  We got access to the primary data on item and individual level from five of the six meta‐analyzed RCT‐ADs (597 individuals). We reanalyzed these data by means of item response theory.

Results:  Each study showed rapidly decreasing reliability of measurement with diminishing depression; 38% of the combined sample at endpoint was measured with less than half the maximal reliability.

Conclusion:  The HDRS Scale provides unreliable primary data. Low effect sizes can be expected because of the scale’s low precision and low sensitivity to change, particularly in mild and moderate depression. The conclusion of the meta‐analysis by Fournier et al. is therefore unfounded. The clinical value of antidepressants cannot be evaluated from unreliable data. It is urgent that better measurement techniques for depression severity are developed.
Dietary breadth of frugivorous birds in relation to their feeding strategies in the lowland forests of central Honshu, Japan
Authors: Yoshikawa Tetsuro , Isagi Yuji
Published: December 2011

Variation in the dietary breadth of frugivorous birds, i.e. variation in the degree of dietary specialization, is a key factor for understanding the construction of the architecture of diffused fruit–bird interactions. However, little information is available on the dietary breadth of frugivorous birds in a community and the avian attributes influencing it. In this study, we evaluated and compared the dietary breadth of 23 frugivorous birds (including both seed dispersers and seed predators) in relation to their feeding strategies (depending on which the birds were categorized into four types as gulpers, grinders, crushers and peckers) and other avian attributes. In particular, we hypothesized that feeding types with long fruit‐handling time (i.e. crushers and peckers) have a narrow dietary breadth. Our analysis was based on the data obtained through long‐term volunteer monitoring in the lowland forests of Kanagawa prefecture, Japan. We evaluated the dietary breadth of the birds while controlling for differences in sampling efforts and seasonal variation in the available fruit assemblages among the birds. Our analysis revealed that there was a large variation in dietary breadth among the birds, even after controlling for differences in sampling efforts and seasonal variation in the available fruit assemblages. Feeding strategies of the birds defined their dietary breadth to some degree, but we found little support for the hypothesis that fruit handling determines dietary breadth. We also observed a large variation in dietary breadth among the gulpers, which act mainly as seed dispersers for plants, and this variation could not be explained fully by other avian attributes. Our results showed that variation in the dietary breadth of frugivorous birds is partly determined by their feeding strategies and suggested that other unknown factors may play a role in determining dietary breadth variation and in structuring fruit–bird interaction networks.
Time‐to‐kill: measuring attack rates in a heterogenous landscape with multiple prey types
Authors: McPhee Heather M. , Webb Nathan F. , Merrill Evelyn H.
Published: December 2011

Although spatial heterogeneity of prey and landscapes are known to contribute to variation around predator‐prey functional response models, few studies have quantified these effects. We illustrate a new approach using data from winter movement paths of GPS‐collared wolves in the Rocky Mountains of Canada and time‐to‐event models with competing risks for measuring the effect of prey and landscape characteristics on the time‐to‐kill, which is the reciprocal of attack rate (aN) in a Holling's functional response. We evaluated 13 a priori models representing hypothesized mechanisms influencing attack rates in a heterogeneous landscape with two prey types. Models ranged from variants on Holling's disc equation, including search rate and prey density, to a full model including prey density and patchiness, search rates, satiation, and landscape features, which were measured along the wolf's movement path. Movement rates of wolves while searching explained more of the variation in time‐to‐kill than prey densities. Wolves did not compensate for low prey density by increasing movement rates and there was little evidence that spatial aggregation of prey influenced attack rates in this multi‐prey system. The top model for predicting time‐to‐kill included only search rate and landscape features. Wolves killed prey more quickly in flat terrain, likely due to increased vulnerability from accumulated snow, whereas attack rates were lower when wolves hunted near human‐made features presumably due to human disturbance. Understanding the sources of variation in attack rates provides refinements to functional response models that can lead to more effective predator–prey management in human‐dominated landscapes.
NIR and skin impedance spectroscopic measurements for studying the effect of coffee and alcohol on skin, and dysplastic naevi
Authors: Bodén Ida , Nyström Josefina , Geladi Paul , Naredi Peter , Lindholm‐Sethson Britta
Published: December 2011

Background/purpose

Near infrared and impedance spectroscopy can be used for clinical skin measurements and need to be evaluated for possible confounding factors; (i) are skin conditions of the patient and the subsequent skin measurements influenced by alcohol and/or coffee consumption and (ii) are measurements of dysplastic naevi (DN) reproducible over time and significantly different compared to reference skin.

Methods

Near infrared and skin impedance spectroscopic data were analysed multivariately. In the first study, the skin characteristics of 15 healthy individuals were examined related to body location, gender, individual differences, and consumption of coffee or alcohol. The second study included five patients diagnosed with dysplastic naevi syndrome. Measurements were taken on DN and reference skin over time.

Results

In the first study, body location and gender had a major influence on measurement scores. Inter‐individual skin characteristics and coffee or alcohol effects on skin characteristics were of minor importance. In the second study, it was shown that DN can be differentiated from reference skin and the measurements are stable over time.

Conclusions

Moderate consumption of alcohol and coffee did not influence the results of the measurements. It is possible to follow, stable or changed, characteristics of DN over time.
A novel method to investigate the relationship between facial movements and wrinkle formation using particle image velocimetry
Authors: Fujimura Tsutomu , Hotta Mitsuyuki
Published: December 2011

Background

The possible relationship between the direction of wrinkles and the movement of facial skin has not previously been reported. Therefore, we characterized that relationship using particle image velocimetry (PIV) analysis.

Method

Twenty‐one healthy Japanese women aged in their 20s (n = 7) or 50s (n = 14) were recruited for this study. Moving images of facial skin motions (closing the eyes tightly, raising the eyebrows) were captured using a single infrared camera under infrared ray irradiation of the skin. PIV analysis was then carried out using Flow‐Vec32™ software to determine the velocity and the direction of skin surface movements.

Results

All skin movements caused by those motions were finished within 0.20 s. During the motion of closing the eyes, skin at the eye periphery did not move in a superior–inferior direction, but did move toward the center of the eye (pupilla) with complex flows. There was no significant difference between either age group of subjects. During the motion of raising the eyebrows, the forehead skin moved upwards (direction to parietal) with relatively uniform flows. The velocity of movement at the top was lower than at the bottom, and that difference is likely to cause a deformation on the skin surface. A significant difference between the two age groups in the velocity was observed.

Conclusion

The results show that the deformation of older skin on the forehead is greater than that in younger skin. The PIV analysis method is a useful tool to investigate some aspects of the relationship between facial skin movements and wrinkle formation.
Regulation of cellular protein quality control networks in a multicellular organism
Authors: Bar‐Lavan Yael , Kosolapov Libby , Frumkin Anna , Ben‐Zvi Anat
Published: December 2011

The long‐term health of all metazoan cells is linked to protein quality control, which is achieved by proteostasis, a complex network of molecular interactions that determines the health of the proteome under physiological or stress conditions. Studying the regulation of cellular proteostasis in the context of the whole organism has unraveled multiple layers of cell‐nonautonomous regulation, including neuronal regulation, cell‐to‐cell stress signals and endocrine signaling that affect growth, development and aging. Here, we discuss emerging concepts in cell‐nonautonomous regulation of protein quality control networks. The identification of organismal modulators of cellular proteostasis may present novel, yet general targets for misfolding disease intervention.
What distinguishes GroEL substrates from other Escherichia coli proteins?
Authors: Azia Ariel , Unger Ron , Horovitz Amnon
Published: December 2011

Experimental studies and theoretical considerations have shown that only a small subset of Escherichia coli proteins fold in vivo with the help of the GroE chaperone system. These proteins, termed GroE substrates, have been divided into three classes: (a) proteins that can fold independently, but are found to associate with GroEL; (b) proteins that require GroE when the cell is under stress; and (c) ‘obligatory’ proteins that require GroE assistance even under normal conditions. It remains unclear, however, why some proteins need GroE and others do not. Here, we review experimental and computational studies that addressed this question by comparing the sequences and structural, biophysical and evolutionary properties of GroE substrates with those of nonsubstrates. In general, obligatory substrates are found to have lower folding propensities and be more aggregation prone. GroE substrates are also more conserved than other proteins and tend to utilize more optimal codons, but this latter feature is less apparent for obligatory substrates. There is no evidence, however, for any specific sequence signatures although there is a tendency for sequence periodicity. Our review shows that reliable sequence‐ or structure‐based predictions of GroE dependency remain a challenge. We suggest that the different classes of GroE substrates be studied separately and that proper control test sets (e.g. TIM barrel proteins that need GroE for folding versus TIM barrels that fold independently) be used more extensively in such studies.
Root colonisation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain UPMP3 and induction of defence‐related genes in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis)
Authors: Sathyapriya H. , Sariah M. , Siti Nor Akmar A. , Wong M.
Published: December 2011

Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain UPMP3 labelled with β‐glucuronidase (gusA) and green fluorescent protein (gfp) by electrotransformation yielded ca 1 × 107 transformants µg−1 DNA. The data obtained from the dilution plate count showed that over 28 days both epiphytic and endophytic populations of P. aeruginosa strain UPMP3 increased from 5.76 log10 [colony forming unit (CFU) + 1] g−1 fresh weight (FW) to 8.19 log10 (CFU + 1) g−1 FW and 4.10 log10 (CFU + 1) g−1 FW to 6.23 (CFU + 1) g−1 FW, respectively. Confocal laser scanning microscopic analysis of oil palm roots treated with gusA:gfp‐tagged P. aeruginosa strain UPMP3 showed intense root colonisation over the sampling period. The root surface colonisation by P. aeruginosa strain UPMP3 was followed by a second stage, characterised by cortical infection, and a third stage, which involves xylem ingression. The colonisation of oil palm roots by the gusA:gfp‐tagged strain was concentrated on root areas potentially rich in nutrients such as the elongation zones, ridges between epidermal cells and points of secondary adventitious root emergence. Different expression levels of defence‐related genes, namely, chitinase and β‐1,3‐glucanase in the strain UPMP3–host interaction recorded over 28 days, suggested the potential role of P. aeruginosa strain UPMP3 in triggering the defence mechanism in oil palm. This is the first report on root colonisation and upregulation of defence‐related genes on oil palm roots by P. aeruginosa strain UPMP3 and shows the potential of this strain to be used as a biocontrol agent in oil palm.
Effect of host‐cocoon mass on adult size in the secondary hyperparasitoid wasp, Pteromalus semotus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)
Authors: Harvey Jeffrey A. , Gumovsky Alex , Gols Rieta
Published: December 2011

Abstract  Parasitoids have long proven to be model organisms in studying resource‐related constraints on immature development. Here we examine the relationship between host cocoon (= pupal) size in the gregarious endoparasitoid wasp, Cotesia glomerata, and development time and adult size in the solitary idiobiont hyperparasitoid, Pteromalus semotus. Little is known about the biology or ecology of this ecto‐hyperparasitoid species, although it is one of the major secondary hyperparasitoids of C. glomerata. The size of the adult wasp covaried with the size of the host cocoon at parasitism. Moreover, female wasps were larger than male wasps for a given cocoon size. Adult wasps have remarkably long life‐spans, 3 months on average. Longevity did not significantly differ with sex. We also examined how larvae of P. semotus exclude other potential competitors. P. semotus is protandrous, with females taking significantly longer to complete their development than males. In experiments where several eggs of P. semotus were placed on individual pupae of C. glomerata, newly hatched hyperparasitoid larvae moved rapidly over the surface of the host and destroyed the eggs of any conspecifics by biting them before they would initiate feeding on host tissues. Our results are discussed in relation to those with other studies with solitary ichneumonid idiobiont hyperparasitoids of C. glomerata.
Differential effects of short term winter thermal stress on diapausing tiger swallowtail butterflies (Papilio spp.)
Authors: Scriber J. Mark , Maher Emily , Aardema Matthew L.
Published: December 2011

Abstract  It is generally thought that insects inhabiting lower latitudes are more severely impacted by changes in their thermal environment than are high latitude species. This is attributed to the wider range of temperatures to which high‐latitude species are exposed. By contrast, low‐latitude species have typically evolved in more thermally stable environments with a narrower range of temperature variation. However, deviation from this pattern can occur and here we report that under variable winter conditions a higher latitude species may be more sensitive to thermal variation than its lower latitude sister species. Using split broods, we examined the survival and adult emergence success of diapausing pupae of Papilio canadensis and P. glaucus, as well as a unique, recombinant hybrid population (“late‐flight”) to short periods of mid‐winter cold and heat stress. Our results indicate that the higher latitude, univoltine populations (P. canadensis and late‐flights) exhibit lower pupal survival than the lower latitude, facultative diapauser (P. glaucus) for all mid‐winter thermal stress treatments, both high and low. Size differences alone do not appear to account for the observed differences in survival or metabolic costs in these three phenotypes, as late‐flight individuals are similar in size to P. glaucus. We attribute the observed differences in survival and weight loss to potential metabolic differences and variation in the intensity of diapause, in addition to divergent adaptation to winter precipitation levels (e.g. snow cover) and the influences this may have on microhabitat temperature moderation.
Financing Shipping Companies and Shipping Operations: A Risk‐Management Perspective
Authors: Albertijn Stefan , Bessler Wolfgang , Drobetz Wolfgang
Published: December 2011

Shipping has always been a volatile and cyclical business. The extreme changes in revenues, operating cash flows, and asset values during the recent financial crises have upset the usual means of financing shipping companies. While bank debt will remain important in the future, the new regulatory environment has been forcing shipping banks to shift these risks from their balance sheets to capital markets through instruments such as loan securitization. As a result, the shipping industry will increasingly look to capital markets for external funds. And shipping banks are likely to change from being commercial bank lending institutions to becoming more like investment banks that arrange a variety of financing solutions, including high yield bonds or public equity.

Risk management will be central to shipping companies in this new environment. Shipping companies can manage their own risks by modifying operations, employing freight and vessel price derivatives, or adjusting their capital structures. To arrive at the value‐maximizing combination of these three basic methods, they must decide which risks to bear, which to manage internally, and which to transfer to the capital markets. These decisions require shipping financial managers to assess the effect of each risk on firm value, understand how each contributes to total risk, and determine the most cost‐effective way to limit that risk to an acceptable level.