bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding the survival strategies of nematodes.
Authors: Perry R. N.
Published: April 2012

Nematodes are a remarkable group of invertebrates with enormous economic and social importance. Free-living nematodes are found in a wide variety of habitats, from the Antarctic to the hot springs in New Zealand. Parasitic species of nematodes parasitize almost every species of plants and animals, including humans. The success of nematodes depends partly on sophisticated adaptations to withstand environmental extremes and, for parasitic forms, to overcome the switch between the external environment and the internal environment of the host, and the ensuing antagonistic response of the host. This review briefly outlines the astonishing abilities of some species of nematodes to survive environmental extremes, including desiccation, and to withstand host responses. Understanding the mechanisms for survival has relevance to many other biological fields and the importance of molecular approaches to unravel the mechanisms is discussed.
Psychological needs, purpose in life, and problem video game playing among Chinese young adults
Authors: Wu Anise M. S. , Lei Lamis L. M. , Ku Lisbeth
Published: April 2012

The negative impacts of excessive and problematic video game playing on both children and adults are attracting increasing concern. Based on self‐determination theory (SDT; Ryan & Deci, 2000), this study hypothesized that the three basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness are positively associated with purpose in life, which in turn acts as a protective factor against problem video game playing among Chinese young adult players. Through a questionnaire survey with a sample of 165 Chinese adults aged between 18 and 30 years (mean age = 22.7 years), we found that perceived autonomy, competence, relatedness, and purpose in life were all negatively correlated with problem game playing. The demographic and psychological factors explained 38% of the variances of problem game playing. Specifically, gender, perceived relatedness, and purpose in life emerged as the three most salient predictors of problem game playing among the Chinese young adults. The mediating role of purpose in life was evidenced and it was found that purpose in life mediated the influences of the psychological needs proposed by SDT on problem game playing. Moreover, young men were significantly more susceptible to problem game playing than their female counterparts. To conclude, psychological needs and purpose in life influenced Chinese young adults’ vulnerability to problem game playing directly or indirectly. Intervention programs that encourage social involvement and voluntary work, as well as counseling service that helps clients to search for life purpose, are suggested for intervening in problem game playing among Chinese young adults.
Aging of theory of mind: The influence of educational level and cognitive processing
Authors: Li Xiaoming , Wang Kai , Wang Fan , Tao Qian , Xie Yu , Cheng Qi
Published: April 2012

Previous studies of theory of mind (ToM) in old age have provided mixed results. We predicted that educational level and cognitive processing are two factors influencing the pattern of the aging of ToM. To test this hypothesis, a younger group who received higher education (mean age 20.46 years), an older group with an education level equal to that of the young group (mean age 76.29 years), and an older group with less education (mean age 73.52 years) were recruited. ToM tasks included the following tests: the second‐order false‐belief task, the faux‐pas task, the eyes test, and tests of fundamental aspects of cognitive function that included two background tests (memory span and processing speed) and three subcomponents of executive function (inhibition, updating, and shifting). We found that the younger group and the older group with equally high education outperformed the older group with less education in false‐belief and faux‐pas tasks. However, there was no significant difference between the two former groups. The three groups of participants performed equivalently in the eyes test as well as in control tasks (false‐belief control question, faux‐pas control question, faux‐pas control story, and Eyes Test control task). The younger group outperformed the other two groups in the cognitive processing tasks. Mediation analyses showed that difficulties in inhibition, memory span, and processing speed mediated the age differences in false‐belief reasoning. Also, the variables of inhibition, updating, memory span, and processing speed mediated age‐related variance in faux‐pas. Discussion focused on the links between ToM aging, educational level, and cognitive processing.
How preview space/time translates into preview cost/benefit for fixation durations during reading
Authors: Kliegl Reinhold , Hohenstein Sven , Yan Ming , McDonald Scott A.
Published: April 2012

Eye-movement control during reading depends on foveal and parafoveal information. If the parafoveal preview of the next word is suppressed, reading is less efficient. A linear mixed model (LMM) reanalysis of McDonald (2006) confirmed his observation that preview benefit may be limited to parafoveal words that have been selected as the saccade target. Going beyond the original analyses, in the same LMM, we examined how the preview effect (i.e., the difference in single-fixation duration, SFD, between random-letter and identical preview) depends on the gaze duration on the pretarget word and on the amplitude of the saccade moving the eye onto the target word. There were two key results: (a) The shorter the saccade amplitude (i.e., the larger preview space), the shorter a subsequent SFD with an identical preview; this association was not observed with a random-letter preview. (b) However, the longer the gaze duration on the pretarget word, the longer the subsequent SFD on the target, with the difference between random-letter string and identical previews increasing with preview time. A third pattern—increasing cost of a random-letter string in the parafovea associated with shorter saccade amplitudes—was observed for target gaze durations. Thus, LMMs revealed that preview effects, which are typically summarized under “preview benefit”, are a complex mixture of preview cost and preview benefit and vary with preview space and preview time. The consequence for reading is that parafoveal preview may not only facilitate, but also interfere with lexical access.
An essential role for the DNA breakage-repair protein Ku80 in programmed DNA rearrangements in Tetrahymena thermophila
Authors: Lin I-Ting , Chao Ju-Lan , Yao Meng-Chao
Published: April 2012

Programmed DNA rearrangements are important processes present in many organisms. In the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila, DNA rearrangements occur during the sexual conjugation process and lead to the deletion of thousands of specific DNA segments and fragmentation of the chromosomes. In this study, we found that the Ku80 homologue, a conserved component of the nonhomologous end-joining process of DNA repair, was essential for these two processes. During conjugation, TKU80 was highly expressed and localized to the new macronucleus, where DNA rearrangements occur. Homokaryon TKU80-knockout mutants are unable to complete conjugation and produce progeny and are arrested at the two-micronuclei/two-macronuclei stage. Analysis of their DNA revealed failure to complete DNA deletion. However, the DNA-cutting step appeared to have occurred, as evidenced by the presence of circularized excised DNA. Moreover, chromosome breakage or de novo telomere addition was affected. The mutant appears to accumulate free DNA ends detectable by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assays that led to the degradation of most DNA in the developing macronucleus. These findings suggest that Tku80p may serve an end-protective role after DNA cleavage has occurred. Unexpectedly, the large heterochromatin structures that normally associate with DNA rearrangements failed to form without TKU80. Together the results suggest multiple roles for Tku80p and indicate that a Ku-dependent DNA-repair pathway is involved in programmed DNA rearrangements in Tetrahymena.
Multiple repeat elements within the FAM21 tail link the WASH actin regulatory complex to the retromer
Authors: Jia Da , Gomez Timothy S. , Billadeau Daniel D. , Rosen Michael K.
Published: April 2012

Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein (WASPs) control actin dynamics in cellular processes, including cell motility, receptor-mediated endocytosis, bacterial invasion, and vesicular trafficking. We demonstrated that WASH, a recently identified WASP family protein, colocalizes on endosomal subdomains with the cargo-selective complex (CSC) of the retromer, where it regulates retrograde sorting from endosomes in an actin-dependent manner. However, the mechanism of WASH recruitment to these retromer-enriched endosomal subdomains is unclear. Here we show that a component of the WASH regulatory complex (SHRC), FAM21, which contains 21 copies of a novel L-F-[D/E]3-10-L-F motif, directly interacts with the retromer CSC protein VPS35. Endosomal localization of FAM21 is VPS35 dependent and relies on multivalency of FAM21 repeat elements. Using a combination of pull-down assays and isothermal calorimetry, we demonstrate that individual repeats can bind CSC, and binding affinity varies among different FAM21 repeats. A high-affinity repeat can be converted into a low-affinity one by mutation of a hydrophobic residue within the motif. These in vitro data mirror the localization of FAM21 to retromer-coated vesicles in cells. We propose that multivalency enables FAM21 to sense the density of retromer on membranes, allowing coordination of SHRC recruitment, and consequent actin polymerization, with retromer sorting domain organization/maturation.
TSSi—an R package for transcription start site identification from 5′ mRNA tag data
Authors: Kreutz C. , Gehring J. S. , Lang D. , Reski R. , Timmer J. , Rensing S. A.
Published: April 2012

Summary: High-throughput sequencing has become an essential experimental approach for the investigation of transcriptional mechanisms. For some applications like ChIP-seq, several approaches for the prediction of peak locations exist. However, these methods are not designed for the identification of transcription start sites (TSSs) because such datasets contain qualitatively different noise.

In this application note, the R package TSSi is presented which provides a heuristic framework for the identification of TSSs based on 5′ mRNA tag data. Probabilistic assumptions for the distribution of the data, i.e. for the observed positions of the mapped reads, as well as for systematic errors, i.e. for reads which map closely but not exactly to a real TSS, are made and can be adapted by the user. The framework also comprises a regularization procedure which can be applied as a preprocessing step to decrease the noise and thereby reduce the number of false predictions.

Availability: The R package TSSi is available from the Bioconductor web site: www.bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/TSSi.html.

Contact:  ckreutz@fdm.uni-freiburg.de

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
INRICH: interval-based enrichment analysis for genome-wide association studies
Authors: Lee Phil H. , O'Dushlaine Colm , Thomas Brett , Purcell Shaun M.
Published: April 2012

Summary: Here we present INRICH (INterval enRICHment analysis), a pathway-based genome-wide association analysis tool that tests for enriched association signals of predefined gene-sets across independent genomic intervals. INRICH has wide applicability, fast running time and, most importantly, robustness to potential genomic biases and confounding factors. Such factors, including varying gene size and single-nucleotide polymorphism density, linkage disequilibrium within and between genes and overlapping genes with similar annotations, are often not accounted for by existing gene-set enrichment methods. By using a genomic permutation procedure, we generate experiment-wide empirical significance values, corrected for the total number of sets tested, implicitly taking overlap of sets into account. By simulation we confirm a properly controlled type I error rate and reasonable power of INRICH under diverse parameter settings. As a proof of principle, we describe the application of INRICH on the NHGRI GWAS catalog.

Availability: A standalone C++ program, user manual and datasets can be freely downloaded from: http://atgu.mgh.harvard.edu/inrich/.

Contact:  shaun@atgu.mgh.harvard.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Stability of gene rankings from RNAi screens
Authors: Siebourg Juliane , Merdes Gunter , Misselwitz Benjamin , Hardt Wolf-Dietrich , Beerenwinkel Niko
Published: April 2012

Motivation: Genome-wide RNA interference (RNAi) experiments are becoming a widely used approach for identifying intracellular molecular pathways of specific functions. However, detecting all relevant genes involved in a biological process is challenging, because typically only few samples per gene knock-down are available and readouts tend to be very noisy. We investigate the reliability of top scoring hit lists obtained from RNAi screens, compare the performance of different ranking methods, and propose a new ranking method to improve the reproducibility of gene selection.

Results: The performance of different ranking methods is assessed by the size of the stable sets they produce, i.e. the subsets of genes which are estimated to be re-selected with high probability in independent validation experiments. Using stability selection, we also define a new ranking method, called stability ranking, to improve the stability of any given base ranking method. Ranking methods based on mean, median, t-test and rank-sum test, and their stability-augmented counterparts are compared in simulation studies and on three microscopy image RNAi datasets. We find that the rank-sum test offers the most favorable trade-off between ranking stability and accuracy and that stability ranking improves the reproducibility of all and the accuracy of several ranking methods.

Availability: Stability ranking is freely available as the R/Bioconductor package staRank at http://www.cbg.ethz.ch/software/staRank.

Contact:  niko.beerenwinkel@bsse.ethz.ch

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Reconsidering the Measurement of Political Knowledge
Authors: Mondak Jeffery J.
Published: April 2012

Political knowledge has emerged as one of the central variables in political behavior research, with numerous scholars devoting considerable effort to explaining variance in citizens' levels of knowledge and to understanding the consequences of this variance for representation. Although such substantive matters continue to receive exhaustive study, questions of measurement also warrant attention. I demonstrate that conventional measures of political knowledge—constructed by summing a respondent's correct answers on a battery of factual items—are of uncertain validity. Rather than collapsing incorrect and “don't know” responses into a single absence-of-knowledge category, I introduce estimation procedures that allow these effects to vary. Grouped-data multinomial logistic regression results demonstrate that incorrect answers and don't knows perform dissimilarly, a finding that suggests deficiencies in the construct validity of conventional knowledge measures. The likely cause of the problem is traced to two sources: knowledge may not be discrete, meaning that a simple count of correct answers provides an imprecise measure; and, as demonstrated by the wealth of research conducted in the field of educational testing and psychology since the 1930s, measurement procedures used in political science potentially result in “knowledge” scales contaminated by systematic personality effects.
Testing for Cointegrating Relationships with Near-Integrated Data
Authors: de Boef Suzanna , Granato Jim
Published: April 2012

Testing theories about political change requires analysts to make assumptions about the memory of their time series. Applied analyses are often based on inferences that time series are integrated and cointegrated. Typically analyses rest on Dickey—Fuller pretests for unit roots and a test for cointegration based on the Engle—Granger two-step method. We argue that this approach is not a good one and use Monte Carlo analysis to show that these tests can lead analysts to conclude falsely that the data are cointegrated (or nearly cointegrated) when the data are near-integrated and not cointegrating. Further, analysts are likely to conclude falsely that the relationship is not cointegrated when it is. We show how inferences are highly sensitive to sample size and the signal-to-noise ratio in the data. We suggest three things. First, analysts should use the single equation error correction test for cointegrating relationships; second, caution is in order in all cases where near-integration is a reasonable alternative to unit roots; and third, analysts should drop the language of cointegration in many cases and adopt single-equation error correction models when the theory of error correction is relevant.
Implicit Substantive Assumptions Underlying the Generalized Event Count Estimator
Authors: Achen Christopher H.
Published: April 2012

The Generalized Event Count (GEC) estimator (King 1989a) is a statistical model for event counts. Its great attraction is that it provides a general likelihood function for count data, regardless of whether the data come from a Poisson, binomial, or negative binomial distribution. In consequence, it has been used in several recent statistical studies of event counts in the social sciences.

Underlying the GEC, however, are unorthodox substantive assumptions about how the event counts have been generated (Amato, this volume). This paper gives some simple examples in which the GEC logic is clearly visible, and it shows how failures of the implicit assumptions can lead to erroneous GEC coefficient estimates and standard errors.
Iff the Assumption Fits…: A Comment on the King Ecological Inference Solution
Authors: Tam Cho Wendy K.
Published: April 2012

I examine a recently proposed solution to the ecological inference problem (King 1997). It is asserted that the proposed model is able to reconstruct individual-level behavior from aggregate data. I discuss in detail both the benefits and limitations of this model. The assumptions of the basic model are often inappropriate for instances of aggregate data. The extended version of the model is able to correct for some of these limitations. However, it is difficult in most cases to apply the extended model properly.
Recantation or Any old ω-sequence would do after all
Authors: BENACERRAF PAUL
Published: April 2012

I once argued (in ‘What Numbers Could Not Be’) that an adequate account of the numbers and our arithmetic practice must satisfy not only the conditions usually recognized to be necessary: (a) identify some w-sequence as the numbers, and (b) correctly characterize the cardinality relation that relates a set to a member of that sequence as its cardinal number—it must also satisfy a third condition: the ‘<’ of the sequence must be recursive. This paper argues that adding this further condition was a mistake—any ω-sequence would do, no matter how undecidable its ‘<’ relation.
A remarkable identity involving Bessel functions
Authors: Dominici Diego E. , Gill Peter M. W. , Limpanuparb Taweetham
Published: April 2012

We consider a new identity involving integrals and sums of Bessel functions. The identity provides new ways to evaluate integrals of products of two Bessel functions. The identity is remarkably simple and powerful since the summand and the integrand are of exactly the same form and the sum converges to the integral relatively fast for most cases. A proof and numerical examples of the identity are discussed.
Identification and characterization of two novel genomic RNA segments of fig mosaic virus, RNA5 and RNA6
Authors: Ishikawa Kazuya , Maejima Kensaku , Komatsu Ken , Kitazawa Yugo , Hashimoto Masayoshi , Takata Daisuke , Yamaji Yasuyuki , Namba Shigetou
Published: April 2012

Fig mosaic virus (FMV), a negative-strand RNA virus, is recognized as a causal agent of fig mosaic disease. We performed RT-PCR for 14 FMV isolates collected from symptomatic fig plants in Japan and Serbia using primers corresponding to the conserved 13 nt stretches found at the termini of FMV genomic segments. The resulting simultaneous amplification of all FMV genomic segments yielded four previously identified segments of FMV and two novel segments. These novel FMV genomic RNA segments were found in each of the 14 FMV isolates analysed. In Northern blot studies, both the sense and antisense strands of these novel RNA molecules accumulated in FMV-infected fig leaves but not in uninfected fig leaves, confirming that they replicate as FMV genomic segments. Sequence analysis showed that the novel RNA segments are similar, in their structural organization and molecular evolutionary patterns, to those of known FMV genomic RNA segments. Our findings thus indicate that these newly discovered RNA segments are previously unidentified FMV genomic segments, which we have designated RNA5 and RNA6.
Esophageal Foreign Bodies in Pediatric Patients: A Thirteen-Year Retrospective Study
Authors: Rybojad Beata , Niedzielska Grazyna , Niedzielski Artur , Rudnicka-Drozak Ewa , Rybojad Pawel
Published: April 2012

We discuss clinical symptoms and radiological findings of variable esophageal foreign bodies as well as therapeutic procedures in Caucasian pediatric patients. A retrospective study of 192 cases of suspected esophageal foreign bodies between 1998 and 2010 was conducted. Data were statistically analyzed by chi-square test. A foreign body was removed from a digestive tract of 163 children aged 6 months to 15 years (mean age 4.9). Most objects were located within cricopharyngeal sphincter. Dysphagia occurred in 43%, followed by vomiting (29%) and drooling (28%). The most common objects were coins. Plain chest X-rays demonstrated aberrations in 132 cases, and in doubtful situations an esophagram test was ordered. In the group of thirty-seven patients whose radiograms were normal, esophagoscopy revealed fifteen more objects, which were eventually successfully removed. No major complications occurred. Esophagram should be a second X-ray examination if an object is not detected in plain chest X-ray. We recommend a rigid esophagoscopy under general anesthesia in doubtful cases as a safe treatment for pediatric patients.
Treatment of Horizontal Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: A New Rehabilitation Technique
Authors: Testa D. , Castaldo G. , De Santis C. , Trusio A. , Motta G.
Published: April 2012

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a new technical variant applied to the Gufoni's manoeuvre, in the treatment of horizontal canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (HSC-BPPV). 87 patients with BPPV of HSC (55 women and 32 men), aged between 21 and 80 years, were randomized either to modified Gufoni's manoeuvre or to the Gufoni's manoeuvre. 93% of patients treated with modified Gufoni's manoeuvre was cured after the first treatment session, of which only 2% had a conversion into PSC-BPPV, while the Gufoni's manoeuvre led to a symptoms resolution in 88% of cases, of which 16% had a conversion into PSC-BPPV. Therefore, the modified Gufoni's manoeuvre shows the same effectiveness in the resolution of symptoms of Gufoni's manoeuvre, but it appears more effective than the latter to reduce the percentage of conversion of the HSC-BPPV into PSC-BPPV (χ2=6.13,P=0.047).
Effect of Dietary Supplements in Reducing Probability of Death for Uremic Crises in Dogs Affected by Chronic Kidney Disease (Masked RCCT)
Authors: Zatelli Andrea , Pierantozzi Marco , D'Ippolito Paola , Bigliati Mauro , Zini Eric
Published: April 2012

Chitosan and alkalinizing agents can decrease morbidity and mortality in humans with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Whether this holds true in dog is not known. Objective of the study was to determine whether a commercial dietary supplement containing chitosan, phosphate binders, and alkalinizing agents (Renal), compared to placebo, reduces mortality rate due to uremic crises in dogs with spontaneous CKD, fed a renal diet (RD). A masked RCCT was performed including 31 azotemic dogs with spontaneous CKD. Dogs enrolled in the study were randomly allocated to receive RD plus placebo (group A; 15 dogs) or RD plus Renal (group B; 16 dogs). During a first 4-week period, all dogs were fed an RD and then randomized and clinically evaluated up to 44 weeks. The effects of dietary supplements on mortality rate due to uremic crises were assessed. At 44 weeks, compared to group A, dogs in group B had approximately 50% lower mortality rate due to uremic crises (P=0.015). Dietary supplementation with chitosan, phosphate binders, and alkalinizing agents, along with an RD, is beneficial in reducing mortality rate in dogs with spontaneous CKD.
Impact of Environmental Thermal Stimulation on Activation of Hypothalamic Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase during the Prenatal Ontogenesis in Muscovy Ducks
Authors: Dunai Valery , Tzschentke Barbara
Published: April 2012

The aim of the study is to investigate the influence of prenatal temperature stimulation on neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) expression in the anterior hypothalamus of Muscovy duck embryos. Experiments were performed on embryonic day (E) E20, E23, E28, and E33 using histochemistry for identification of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) as marker of NOS-containing neurons. Until the experiments, all duck embryos were incubated under standard temperature conditions (37.5∘C). During 3 hours before the start of the experiments, one group was incubated at37.5∘C(control group), the second was warm-experienced at39∘C,and the third was cold-experienced at34∘C. In normal and warm-incubated duck embryos, nNOS activity could be first detected on E23. Particularly, after cold stimulation, a significant increase in nNOS activity was found in all embryos investigated even on day 20. Warm stimulation obviously induces the opposite effect, but at later embryonic age (E33). It can be concluded that probably in late-term bird embryos NO acts as a mediator of the neuronal cold pathway in the anterior hypothalamus, which might be improved by prenatal cold stimulation.
An Innovative Hyperbaric Hypothermic Machine Perfusion Protects the Liver from Experimental Preservation Injury
Authors: Giannone Ferdinando A. , Treré Davide , Domenicali Marco , Grattagliano Ignazio , Baracca Alessandra , Sgarbi Gianluca , Maggioli Caterina , Longobardi Pasquale , Solaini Giancarlo , Derenzini Massimo , Bernardi Mauro , Caraceni Paolo
Published: April 2012

Purpose. Hypothermic machine perfusion systems seem more effective than the current static storage to prevent cold ischemic liver injury. Thus, we test an innovative hyperbaric hypothermic machine perfusion (HHMP), which combines hyperbaric oxygenation of the preservation solution and continuous perfusion of the graft.Methods. Rat livers were preserved with Celsior solution according to 4 different modalities:normobaric static preservation;hyperbaric static preservationat 2 atmosphere absolute (ATA);normobaric dynamic preservation, with continuous perfusion;hyperbaric dynamic preservation, with continuous perfusion at 2 ATA. After 24 h cold preservation, we assessed different parameters.Results. Compared to baseline, livers preserved with the current static storage showed severe ultrastructural damage, glycogen depletion and an increased oxidative stress. Normobaric perfused livers showed improved hepatocyte ultrastructure and ameliorated glycogen stores, but they still suffered a significant oxidative damage. The addition of hyperbaric oxygen produces an extra benefit by improving oxidative injury and by inducing endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) gene expression.Conclusions.Preservation by means of the present innovative HHMP reduced the liver injury occurring after the current static cold storage by lowering glycogen depletion and oxidative damage. Interestingly, only the use of hyperbaric oxygen was associated to a blunted oxidative stress and an increased eNOS gene expression.
Ill, Itinerant, and Insured: The Top 20 Users of Emergency Departments in Baltimore City
Authors: DiPietro Barbara Y. , Kindermann Dana , Schenkel Stephen M.
Published: April 2012

The purpose of this study was to document the clinical and demographic characteristics of the 20 most frequent users of emergency departments (EDs) in one urban area. We reviewed administrative records from three EDs and two agencies providing services to homeless people in Baltimore City. The top 20 users accounted for 2,079 visits at the three EDs. Their mean age was 48, and median age was 51. Nineteen patients visited at least 2 EDs, 18 were homeless, and 13 had some form of public insurance. The vast majority of visits (86%) were triaged as moderate or high acuity. The five most frequent diagnoses were limb pain (n=9), lack of housing (n=6), alteration of consciousness (n=6), infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (n=5), and nausea/vomiting (n=5). Hypertension, HIV infection, diabetes, substance abuse, and alcohol abuse were the most common chronic illnesses. The most frequent ED users were relatively young, accounted for a high number of visits, used multiple EDs, and often received high triage scores. Homelessness was the most common characteristic of this patient group, suggesting a relationship between this social factor and frequent ED use.
Review Analysis of the Association between the Prevalence of Activated Brown Adipose Tissue and Outdoor Temperature
Authors: Huang Yung-Cheng , Hsu Chien-Chin , Wang Pei-Wen , Chang Yen-Hsiang , Chen Tai-Been , Lee Bi-Fang , Chiu Nan-Tsing
Published: April 2012

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is important for regulating body weight. Environmental temperature influences BAT activation. Activated BAT is identifiable usingF18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F18-FDG PET/CT).F18-FDG PET/CT scans done between June 2005 and May 2009 in our institution in tropical southern Taiwan and BAT studies from PubMed (2002–2011) were reviewed, and the average outdoor temperatures during the study periods were obtained. A simple linear regression was used to analyze the association between the prevalence of activated BAT (P) and the average outdoor temperature (T). The review analysis for 9 BAT studies (n=16,765) showed a significant negative correlation (r=-0.741,P=0.022) between the prevalence of activated BAT and the average outdoor temperature. The equation of the regression line isP(%)=6.99−0.20×T  (C∘). The prevalence of activated BAT decreased by 1% for each5C∘increase in average outdoor temperature. In a neutral ambient temperature, the prevalence of activated BAT is low and especially rare in the tropics. There is a significant linear negative correlation between the prevalence of activated BAT and the average outdoor temperature.
(2RS,4RS)-7-Fluoro-2-(2-phenylethyl)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-1,4-epoxy-1-benzazepine and (2RS,4RS)-7-chloro-2-(2-phenylethyl)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-1,4-epoxy-1-benzazepine are isomorphous but not strictly isostructural
Authors: Blanco Maria C. , Palma Alirio , Cobo Justo , Glidewell Christopher
Published: April 2012

(2RS,4RS)-7-Fluoro-2-(2-phenylethyl)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-1,4-epoxy-1-benzazepine, C18H18FNO, (I), and (2RS,4RS)-7-chloro-2-(2-phenylethyl)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-1,4-epoxy-1-benzazepine, C18H18ClNO, (II), are isomorphous but not strictly isostructural, as the slight differences in the unit-cell dimensions and molecular conformations are sufficient to preclude, in the structure of (I), the direction-specific intermolecular interactions present in the structure of (II), where the molecules are linked into sheets by a combination of C—H...N and C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bonds.
Other Voices, Other Rooms: Reflections on Talking to Young Men with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Their Families About Transition to Adulthood
Authors: Abbott David
Published: April 2012

Research which involves disabled children and young people now constitutes a fairly well‐established body of work in the social sciences. However, discussion on the role of the (normally adult) researcher has arguably been marginalised in the much‐needed exploration of disabled children's ‘voices’. Drawing on a qualitative study of the transition to adulthood for young men with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, this paper reflects on the interview ‘encounter’ between the interviewer, young men and their families. It suggests that we may learn more about the experiences of disabled children and young people if we can find ways of describing the co‐production of responses, non‐responses and meaning within research interviews.
New protocols to assess the environmental impact of pests in the EPPO decision‐support scheme for pest risk analysis*
Authors: Kenis M. , Bacher S. , Baker R. H. A. , Branquart E. , Brunel S. , Holt J. , Hulme P. E. , MacLeod A. , Pergl J. , Petter F. , Pyšek P. , Schrader G. , Sissons A. , Starfinger U. , Schaffner U.
Published: April 2012

Assessing the potential environmental impact of alien plants and plant pests is notoriously difficult. New protocols have been developed in the framework of the EC project PRATIQUE to provide guidance on environmental impact assessment in the EPPO pest risk analysis (PRA) decision‐support scheme and enhance consistency between risk assessors and risk ratings for different pests. A set of questions with rating guidance and examples is provided, and individual scores are summarized into final scores, using a hierarchy of risk matrices, to assess current and potential environmental impacts. Two separate protocols are available: for alien plants and for other pests. These protocols could also be used to assess environmental impact in other PRA schemes as well as to assign alien species to regional black lists or to prioritize species for management decisions.
Root‐knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.), a growing problem in French vegetable crops
Authors: Djian‐Caporalino C.
Published: April 2012

Root‐knot nematode infestations have become an increasing source of concern in French vegetable production due to recent restrictions on the use of chemical nematicides and the banning of some of the most active compounds. This problem is likely to become particularly severe in the next few years. A survey, based on questionnaires to farmers, was carried out by INRA Sophia Antipolis (PACA centre) between 2007 and 2010 in collaboration with more than 30 research institutes and technical centres, groups of producers and chambers of agriculture. It showed that in the Provence–Alpes–Côte d’Azur (PACA) region, more than 40% of horticultural holdings are infested by Meloidogyne species. It is no longer possible to produce cucurbits on certain plots. Other regions are also affected. Other genera of nematodes that are more difficult for farmers to diagnose (Globodera, Heterodera, Pratylenchus, Ditylenchus) were sometimes detected. Alternatives to chemical control have been tested on several farms and have been found to be highly variable in efficiency. There is therefore a need for researchers and professionals (producers, technical advisers, etc.) to combine forces to monitor this plant health problem and to develop and test new, economically viable and sustainable control methods.
Surveillance techniques for non‐native insect pest detection*
Authors: Quilici S. , Donner P. , Battisti A.
Published: April 2012

The risk of introduction of new insect pest species is growing with the increase in passenger travel and the trade in plant products worldwide. Though effective detection methods exist in a number of cases, only some of them are applied in practice through organized networks. This paper reviews the detection tools available for insect pests, based on commonly available attractants and trapping systems. Chemical attractants are divided into powerful attractants (such as pheromones and para‐pheromones), attractants of lower intensity (such as kairomones and food attractants), and their combinations. Physical attractants are also considered, such as visual cues, which are generally used in combination with olfactory attractants, and light traps. Finally, the diversity of trapping systems is also presented in relation to attractants, trap design and target species.
Rating and mapping the suitability of the climate for pest risk analysis*
Authors: Eyre D. , Baker R. H. A. , Brunel S. , Dupin M. , Jarošik V. , Kriticos D. J. , Makowski D. , Pergl J. , Reynaud P. , Robinet C. , Worner S.
Published: April 2012

The assessment of the suitability of the climate for pest establishment is an important part of pest risk analysis (PRA). This paper describes the work undertaken by the EU 7th Framework project PRATIQUE (Enhancements of Pest Risk Analysis Techniques) to develop guidance for this component of PRA. Firstly, there is a guide to rating the suitability of the climate in the PRA area using qualitative methods. Secondly, a Decision‐support scheme (DSS) has been created to assist analysts in deciding whether to map climatic suitability, and to guide the selection of the most appropriate method from the large number available. The process of selecting a climatic mapping method is based on a review of the pest’s climatic responses and distribution. A spreadsheet provides a comparison of the potential problems that can arise, depending on the mapping method and on the amount and quality of available data. Diagrams are provided to help choose the location data category that best represents the possible biases in the known distribution of the pest. A second spreadsheet provides general information on the differences and similarities of each method in terms of categories such as functionality, ease of use and quality assurance. A variety of data, tools and supporting documents are available as appendices to the DSS. All of the tools and guides are freely available online.
Quantitative analysis of soil nitrogen and carbon at a farm scale using visible and near infrared spectroscopy coupled with wavelength reduction
Authors: Yang H. , Kuang B. , Mouazen A. M.
Published: April 2012

Reducing large spectral datasets to parsimonious representations of wavelengths is of value for efficient storage and easing analysis, in addition to the potential to use a simpler and cheaper spectrophotometer. This study evaluated the potential of calibrating visible and near infrared (vis‐NIR) spectra to total nitrogen (N), total carbon (C), organic C and inorganic C in soil on a 15‐ha farm, with the aim of comparing several wavelength reduction algorithms and rates in terms of model prediction accuracy. We explored the uninformative variables elimination (UVE), UVE coupled with successive projections algorithm (SPA) and two uniform‐interval wavelength reduction approaches (UWR‐I and UWR‐II) with successive wavelength reduction rates (WRRs) of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000. The standard normal variate (SNV)‐transformed absorbance spectra of soil samples recorded from 400 to 2499 nm at 1‐nm intervals were used. The calibration sets were subjected to a partial least squares regression (PLSR) with leave‐one‐out cross‐validation. Prediction results showed that UVE can reduce wavelength variables significantly while retaining good model prediction accuracy. The UVE‐SPA produced only three or four wavelengths, with which PLSR models achieved competitive prediction performance, compared with those based on all 2100 wavelengths, with coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.91, 0.89, 0.91 and 0.53 and residual prediction deviation (RPD) of 3.53, 2.95, 3.27 and 1.53 for soil total N, total C, organic C and inorganic C, respectively. The UWR tests showed that PLSR models responded insensitively to various WRRs from 2 to 100. The models calibrated for the 100‐nm interval spectra (21 remaining wavelengths) performed almost as well as those for the 1‐nm interval spectra. Although these findings might be valid only at the farm scale, it is recommended that the proposed wavelength reduction algorithms for more soil types and soils originated from larger areas should be examined.
Sorption of copper (II) and sulphate to different biochars before and after composting with farmyard manure
Authors: Borchard N. , Prost K. , Kautz T. , Moeller A. , Siemens J.
Published: April 2012

Biochar application has been suggested for reducing toxic levels of metals in contaminated soils and enhancing nutrient retention in agro‐ecosystems. We studied sorption of copper (Cu(II)) and sulphate‐sulphur (SO4‐S) to charcoal, gasification coke and flash‐pyrolysis biochar in order to relate sorption to char properties. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of composting of charcoal and gasification coke on sorptive properties. Langmuir sorption affinity coefficients for Cu(II) for non‐composted biochars increased in the order flash‐pyrolysis char < charcoal < gasification coke. The sorption capacity for Cu(II) of the chars decreased in the order gasification coke (629 mg kg−1) > flash‐pyrolysis char (196 mg kg−1) > charcoal (56 mg kg−1). Composting significantly increased the sorption affinity coefficient approximately by a factor of 5 for charcoal (up to 1.1 l mg−1) and by a factor of 3–4 for gasification coke (up to 3.2 l mg−1). Whereas Cu(II) sorption to gasification coke (composted or not) was largely irreversible, sorption to flash‐pyrolysis char and charcoal showed higher reversibility. Relationships between Cu(II) sorption and biochar properties such as cation exchange capacity, specific surface area or aromaticity suggest that sorption was largely determined by complexation with organic matter. Sorption of SO4‐S was negligible by non‐composted and composted biochars. Composted gasification coke might be suited to reducing toxic Cu(II) concentrations in contaminated soils. Composted charcoal can potentially improve Cu(II) retention in a plant available form in acidic, sandy soils with small organic matter contents. Transient effects of biochars on soil pH can over‐ride the influence of sorption to biochars on concentrations of trace elements in soil solution and their availability to plants.
A novel and conserved protein AHO‐3 is required for thermotactic plasticity associated with feeding states in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Nishio Nana , Mohri‐Shiomi Akiko , Nishida Yukuo , Hiramatsu Naoya , Kodama‐Namba Eiji , Kimura Kotaro D. , Kuhara Atsushi , Mori Ikue
Published: April 2012

Although a large proportion of molecules expressed in the nervous system are conserved from invertebrate to vertebrate, functional properties of such molecules are less characterized. Here, we show that highly conserved hydrolase AHO‐3 acts as a novel regulator of starvation‐induced thermotactic plasticity in Caenorhabditis elegans. As wild‐type animals, aho‐3 mutants migrated to the cultivation temperature on a linear thermal gradient after cultivation at a particular temperature with food. Whereas wild‐type animals cultivated under food‐deprived condition showed dispersed distribution on the gradient, aho‐3 mutants exhibited tendency to migrate toward higher temperature. Such an abnormal behavior was completely rescued by the expression of human homologue of AHO‐3, indicating that the molecular function of AHO‐3 is highly conserved between nematode and human. The behavioral regulation by AHO‐3 requires the N‐terminal cysteine cluster, which ensures the proper subcellular localization of AHO‐3 to sensory endings. Double‐mutant analysis suggested that AHO‐3 acts in the same pathway with ODR‐3, a heterotrimeric G protein alpha subunit. Our results unveiled a novel neural protein in C. elegans, confirming its conserved role in behavioral regulation.
Inhibition of lipid oxidation in anchovy oil (Engraulis encrasicholus) enriched emulsions during refrigerated storage
Authors: Gokoglu Nalan , Topuz Osman Kadir , Buyukbenli Hanife Aydan , Yerlikaya Pinar
Published: April 2012

The aim of this study was to produce a functional emulsion product enriched with anchovy (Engraulis encrasicholus) oil. Tomato and garlic extracts were added to perform oxidative stability. Tomato and garlic extracts were added to avoid oxidative degradation in such a product. The plant extracts delayed the formation of primary and secondary oxidation products. The value of conjugated diens (3.07 ± 0.15) was markedly low in the emulsions containing garlic extract at the end of the storage period. The p–Av values of the emulsions treated with the extracts were significantly (P < 0.01) lower than untreated samples. TBARS formation increased slightly, therewithal statistical difference was not observed in the samples treated with garlic extract during the storage. Strong odour and flavour of the garlic suppressed the odour of fish oil. The panellists preferred the flavour, odour and aroma characteristics of the samples treated with the extracts.
‘Being in it together’: living with a partner receiving deep brain stimulation for advanced Parkinson’s disease – a hermeneutic phenomenological study
Authors: Haahr Anita , Kirkevold Marit , Hall Elisabeth O.C. , Østergaard Karen
Published: April 2012

haahr a., kirkevold m., hall e.o.c. & østergaard k. (2012) ‘Being in it together’: living with a partner receiving deep brain stimulation for advanced Parkinson’s disease – a hermeneutic phenomenological study. Journal of Advanced Nursing69(2), 338–347. doi: 10.1111/j.1365‐2648.2012.06012.x

Aim.  This article is a report of an exploration of the lived experience of being a spouse to a person living with advanced Parkinson’s disease, before and during the first year of deep brain stimulation.

Background.  Parkinson’s disease is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative disease. It has a profound impact on the everyday life for patients and spouses. Deep brain stimulation is offered with the aim of reducing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The treatment is known to improve quality of life for patients, but little is known of how spouses experience life following their partners’ treatment.

Design.  A longitudinal interview study with a hermeneutic phenomenological approach.

Method.  Ten spouses were included in the study. Data were gathered in 2007–2008, through qualitative in‐depth interviews with spouses once before and three times during the first year of their partners’ treatment with Deep Brain Stimulation. Data collection and data analysis were influenced by the hermeneutic phenomenological methodology of van Manen.

Findings.  The uniting theme ‘Solidarity – the base for joined responsibility and concern’ was the foundation for the relationship between spouses and their partners. Before treatment, the theme ‘Living in partnership’ was dominant. After treatment two dichotomous courses were described ‘A sense of freedom embracing life’ and ‘The challenge of changes and constraint’.

Conclusion.  Spouses are deeply involved in their partners’ illness and their experience of life is highly affected by their partners’ illness, both before and after deep brain stimulation. The relationship is founded on solidarity and responsibility, which emphasizes spouses’ need to be informed and involved in the process following Deep Brain Stimulation.