bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of haematology/oncology patients admitted to intensive care unit at The Canberra Hospital
Authors: Parakh S. , Piggin A. , Neeman T. , Mitchell I. , Crispin P. , Davis A.
Published: August 2014

Background

Outcomes for haematology/oncology patients have improved; however, determining their suitability for intensive care unit (ICU) admission remains challenging and controversial.

Aim

Examine outcomes of patients admitted to an Australian tertiary hospital ICU and explore potential prognostic factors.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients with haematological and solid tumour malignancies non‐electively admitted to The Canberra Hospital (TCH) ICU, between January 2008 and December 2012. Patient demographics, cancer details, reasons for ICU admission and Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores were collected, and survival rates calculated and correlated with potential prognostic factors.

Results

Of 205 patients, 113 (55%) had haematological malignancies, and 92 (45%) had solid tumours: 58% male and mean age 60.3 years (standard deviation (SD) 13.4). Eighty‐two per cent of solid tumour patients had metastatic disease and 55% received palliative chemotherapy. Primary reasons for ICU admission included sepsis (59%), respiratory distress (37%) and hypotension/shock (18%). Mean APACHE II score was 20.1(SD 0.55); mean length of stay in ICU, 4 days (SD 5.2); ICU survival was 76% with 62% and 41% alive at 30 days and 6 months respectively. Overall 1‐year survival was 36%. High APACHE II scores and ≥2 organs failing were significant risk factors for 30‐day mortality.

Conclusion

Short‐term outcomes were similar to contemporary studies from a general tertiary hospital setting and better than historical data. Sixty‐two per cent of patients were alive 30 days post‐ICU admission, with a significant minority alive at 12 months, confirming some patients achieved worthwhile outcomes. Further research is needed to ensure appropriate patient selection and to explore quality of life post ICU.
Immuno‐miRs: critical regulators of T‐cell development, function and ageing
Authors: Kroesen Bart‐Jan , Teteloshvili Nato , Smigielska‐Czepiel Katarzyna , Brouwer Elisabeth , Boots Anne Mieke H. , van den Berg Anke , Kluiver Joost
Published: August 2014

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are instrumental to many aspects of immunity, including various levels of T‐cell immunity. Over the last decade, crucial immune functions were shown to be regulated by specific miRNAs. These ‘immuno‐miRs’ regulate generic cell biological processes in T cells, such as proliferation and apoptosis, as well as a number of T‐cell‐specific features that are fundamental to the development, differentiation and function of T cells. In this review, we give an overview of the current literature with respect to the role of miRNAs at various stages of T‐cell development, maturation, differentiation, activation and ageing. Little is known about the involvement of miRNAs in thymic T‐cell development, although miR‐181a and miR‐150 have been implicated herein. In contrast, several broadly expressed miRNAs including miR‐21, miR‐155 and miR‐17~92, have now been shown to regulate T‐cell activation. Other miRNAs, including miR‐146a, show a more T‐cell‐subset‐specific expression pattern and are involved in the regulation of processes unique to that specific T‐cell subset. Importantly, differences in the miRNA target gene repertoires of different T‐cell subsets allow similar miRNAs to control different T‐cell‐subset‐specific functions. Interestingly, several of the here described immuno‐miRs have also been implicated in T‐cell ageing and there are clear indications for causal involvement of miRNAs in immunosenescence. It is concluded that immuno‐miRs have a dynamic regulatory role in many aspects of T‐cell differentiation, activation, function and ageing. An important notion when studying miRNAs in relation to T‐cell biology is that specific immuno‐miRs may have quite unrelated functions in closely related T‐cell subsets.
Older persons with dementia at risk for institutionalization in eight European countries: a cross‐sectional study on the perceptions of informal caregivers and healthcare professionals
Authors: Stephan Astrid , Afram Basema , Koskenniemi Jaana , Verbeek Hilde , Soto Maria E. , Bleijlevens Michel H.C. , Sutcliffe Caroline , Lethin Connie , Risco Ester , Saks Kai , Hamers Jan P.H. , Meyer Gabriele ,   the RightTimePlaceCare Consortium
Published: August 2014

Aims

To explore the perceptions of informal caregivers and healthcare professionals regarding potential reasons for the institutionalization of older persons with dementia in eight European countries.

Background

Healthcare professionals may have an important role in facilitating informal caregivers' decision‐making regarding institutionalization. Little is known about the perceptions of informal caregivers and healthcare professionals prior to institutionalization.

Design

Cross‐sectional survey in eight European countries (November 2010–January 2012).

Methods

Healthcare professionals reported why they clinically judged persons with dementia at risk for institutionalization. Informal caregivers reported potential reasons from their perspectives. Answers were openly coded and categorized. Variation between informal caregivers and healthcare professionals was investigated (agreement on at least one potential reason per case/proportion of maximum attainable kappa).

Results

Judgements of healthcare professionals and informal caregivers on 1160 persons with dementia were included. A total of 22 categories emerged. Approximately 90% of informal caregivers reported potential reasons. In 41% of the cases, informal caregivers and healthcare professionals agreed on at least one reason. Discrepancy was high for potential reasons related to caregiver burden. For the most frequent categories (caregiver burden, caregiver unable to provide care, neuropsychiatric symptoms, overall deterioration, care dependency), 24–41% of the attainable kappa was achieved. Differences between countries emerged indicating more favourable agreement in Finland, Sweden and Estonia and lowest agreement in England and Spain.

Conclusion

Agreement between healthcare professionals and informal caregivers on potential reasons for institutionalization was low‐to‐moderate. Healthcare professionals are challenged to develop a detailed understanding of the perspectives and perceived burden of informal caregivers.
The experiences of male sudden cardiac arrest survivors and their partners: a gender analysis
Authors: Uren Alan , Galdas Paul
Published: August 2014

Aim

To explore how masculinities shape the experiences of men and their partners after survival from out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest.

Background

Survivors of out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest report depression, dependence on others for daily functioning, decreased participation in society and significant decreases in quality of life. There is growing evidence that masculine gender identities play a central role in the recovery experiences of men and their families following other major cardiac events. However, to date, there has been no examination of how masculinities shape men's experiences of recovery following out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest.

Design

Interview study guided by an interpretive description approach. Data were subjected to thematic analysis.

Method

A purposive sample of seven male sudden cardiac arrest survivors and 6 female partners was recruited in 2010 from a secondary care centre in British Columbia, Canada.

Results

Three themes were prominent in the experiences of the participants: (1) Support and self‐reliance; (2) Dealing with emotional (in) vulnerability; and (3) No longer a ‘He‐man’.

Conclusion

Masculinities played a role in men's experiences of recovery and adaptation following out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest. Hegemonic masculinity partly explained men's experiences, notably their reluctance to seek professional support and reactions to changes in lifestyle. However, the study also suggests that the popular stereotype of men being ‘strong and silent’ in the face of ill‐health may only be a part of a more complex story. Nurses would benefit from taking into consideration the potential influence of male gender identities on men's recovery postcardiac arrest.
Reduction in dynamin‐2 is implicated in ischaemic cardiac arrhythmias
Authors: Shi Dan , Xie Duanyang , Zhang Hong , Zhao Hong , Huang Jian , Li Changming , Liu Yi , Lv Fei , The Erlinda , Liu Yuan , Yuan Tianyou , Wang Shiyi , Chen Jinjin , Pan Lei , Yu Zuoren , Liang Dandan , Zhu Weidong , Zhang Yuzhen , Li Li , Peng Luying , Li Jun , Chen Yi‐Han
Published: August 2014

Ischaemic cardiac arrhythmias cause a large proportion of sudden cardiac deaths worldwide. The ischaemic arrhythmogenesis is primarily because of the dysfunction and adverse remodelling of sarcolemma ion channels. However, the potential regulators of sarcolemma ion channel turnover and function in ischaemic cardiac arrhythmias remains unknown. Our previous studies indicate that dynamin‐2 (DNM2), a cardiac membrane‐remodelling GTPase, modulates ion channels membrane trafficking in the cardiomyocytes. Here, we have found that DNM2 plays an important role in acute ischaemic arrhythmias. In rat ventricular tissues and primary cardiomyocytes subjected to acute ischaemic stress, the DNM2 protein and transcription levels were markedly down‐regulated. This DNM2 reduction was coupled with severe ventricular arrhythmias. Moreover, we identified that the down‐regulation of DNM2 within cardiomyocytes increases the action potential amplitude and prolongs the re‐polarization duration by depressing the retrograde trafficking of Nav1.5 and Kir2.1 channels. These effects are likely to account for the DNM2 defect‐induced arrhythmogenic potentials. These results suggest that DNM2, with its multi‐ion channel targeting properties, could be a promising target for novel antiarrhythmic therapies.
From Regulatory State to a Democratic Default
Authors: Majone Giandomenico
Published: August 2014

For more than half a century Euro elites succeeded in presenting integration as a positive‐sum game, with economic benefits more than compensating for the limitations of supranational democracy. Since the beginning of the euro crisis, however, even the most inattentive citizen of the EU realizes that integration entails serious normative costs as well as some economic benefits. As the crisis intensifies, all proposed ad hoc solutions tend to aggravate the democratic deficit of the Union. It is not only the citizens that are being excluded from the debate about the future of the eurozone; most national governments are forced to accept solutions proposed by a few leaders representing the major stockholders of the European Central Bank. Thus, the risk of a total normative loss – a default rather than a simple deficit of democracy at the European level – is now quite concrete.
Constructing a Modern Society Through “Depillarization”. Understanding Post‐War History as Gradual Change
Authors: van Dam Peter
Published: August 2014

The term “depillarization” (“ontzuiling”) emerged in the Netherlands during the 1970s to proclaim the end of a society dominated by “pillarization” (“verzuiling”). In breaking away from the past, a groundbreaking renewal of religious and civic life through secularization and individualization was proclaimed or deplored. As hopes of an emancipation from the past subsided in the face of a considerable continuity, depillarization became a narrative of loss and frustration. This article shows how metaphors of disaggregation such as depillarization have produced an inability to conceptualize contemporary society, accompanied by a distortion of the past as the “other” of the present. It demonstrates how such metaphors may become dominant through their ability to incorporate competing visions of social order and the integration of scholarly and popular discourse. In conclusion, this article proposes to overcome the narratives of disaggregation by interpreting post‐war history as a gradual transformation from the ideals and practices of heavy communities to those of light communities in the domains of politics, civil society and religion.
“Radiation is Not New to Our Lives”: TheU.S.AtomicEnergyCommission, Continental Atmospheric Weapons Testing, and Discursive Hegemony in the Downwind Communities
Authors: Rice James , Rice Julie Steinkopf
Published: August 2014

Drawing from the post‐structuralist discourse theory ofLaclau andMouffe and corpus linguistics techniques, we deconstruct the discursive strategies of theU.S.AtomicEnergyCommission (AEC) during the era of continental atmospheric atomic testing in southernNevada. The data consist ofAECpamphlets distributed in the “downwind” communities in 1953, 1955, and 1957 coincident with major test series. We illustrate discursive dominance hinged on the invocation of national security and instrumental rationality as key signifiers and portrayal of radioactive fallout as natural, ubiquitous, and controllable. Further,AECdiscourse was predicated upon casting officials in a paternalistic role and residents of the rural communities downwind as best served though acquiescence toAECauthority and expertise. We conclude by highlighting the empirical evidence regarding the deleterious health effects of atmospheric atomic testing between 1951 and 1962 and argue examination ofAECdiscursive hegemony offers important lessons applicable to contemporary socio‐technical controversies.
THE GEOGRAPHY OF FRINGE BANKING*
Authors: Fowler Christopher S. , Cover Jane K. , Kleit Rachel Garshick
Published: August 2014

U.S. financial services are bifurcated into a traditional banking sector that serves wealthier individuals and a less regulated alternative financial services sector (payday lenders, check cashers, etc.) catering to lower income individuals. What determines the spatial distribution of fringe banks? First, at the county level, fringe banks do not fill a spatial void in traditional services. Second, whether fringe providers disproportionately locate in counties with more minorities depends on the service and the minority population. Finally, pawnshop prevalence is shaped by restrictions on interest and fees, but the location of payday lenders and check cashers is not sensitive to such regulation.
Compare the Effectiveness of PLISSIT and Sexual Health Models on Women's Sexual Problems in Tehran, Iran: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Farnam Farnaz , Janghorbani Mohsen , Raisi Firoozeh , Merghati-Khoei Effat
Published: August 2014

Introduction

Sexuality is an important aspect of human life and sexual problems are common, but there is limited evidence for cost-effective treatments of women's sexual dysfunctions.

Aims

The aim of this study was to assess whether group therapy such as Sexual Health Model (SHM) can be as effective as individual therapy like Permission, Limited Information, Specific Suggestions, and Intensive Therapy (PLISSIT) model in women with sexual problems.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial was conducted between May 2012 and September 2013 in five Tehran, Iran health clinics. Eighty-four consecutive married women aged 20–52 years, with sexual problems who were admitted for the first time, were recruited and randomized into two groups. The intervention included two therapeutic models: the SHM, which consisted of two sessions of 3 hours of group education, and the PLISSIT model, which required a total of 6 hours of one-on-one consultation at an interval of 1–2 weeks.

Main Outcome Measures

Sexual function and sexual distress were assessed, respectively, with the Brief Index of Sexual Function for Women and Female Sexual Distress Scale Revised questionnaires.

Results

Seven months after intervention, the mean (SD) of the sexual distress score decreased and sexual composite score increased significantly in both groups (P < 0.001). The overall analysis of repeated measure manova revealed borderline significance differences for combined outcomes between two groups (P = 0.051).

Conclusions

Due to the considerable human resource, time, and cost spent conducting the PLISSIT, it seems that group education based on SHM could be more cost-efficient and nearly as effective. This conclusion may be more applicable in communities where the treatment of sexual problems is in the beginning stages and where people have not received any sexual education or knowledge during their lifetime.
Vitamin D and Erectile Dysfunction
Authors: Barassi Alessandra , Pezzilli Raffaele , Colpi Giovanni M. , Corsi Romanelli Massimiliano M. , Melzi d'Eril Gian Vico
Published: August 2014

Introduction

Endothelial dysfunction has been demonstrated to play an important role in pathogenesis of erectile dysfunction (ED) and vitamin D deficiency is deemed to promote endothelial dysfunctions.

Aim

To evaluate the status of serum vitamin D in a group of patients with ED.

Methods

Diagnosis and severity of ED was based on the IIEF-5 and its aetiology was classified as arteriogenic (A-ED), borderline (BL-ED), and non-arteriogenic (NA-ED) with penile-echo-color-Doppler in basal condition and after intracaversous injection of prostaglandin E1. Serum vitamin D and intact PTH concentrations were measured.

Main Outcome Measures

Vitamin D levels of men with A-ED were compared with those of male with BL-ED and NA-ED.

Results

Fifty patients were classified as A-ED, 28 as ED-BL and 65 as NA-ED, for a total of 143 cases. Mean vitamin D level was 21.3 ng/mL; vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL) was present in 45.9% and only 20.2% had optimal vitamin D levels. Patients with severe/complete-ED had vitamin D level significantly lower (P = 0.02) than those with mild-ED. Vitamin level was negatively correlated with PTH and the correlation was more marked in subjects with vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency in A-ED was significantly lower (P = 0.01) than in NA-ED patients. Penile-echo-color-Doppler revealed that A-ED (PSV ≤ 25 cm/second) was more frequent in those with vitamin D deficiency as compared with those with vitamin >20 ng/dL (45% vs. 24%; P < 0.05) and in the same population median PSV values were lower (26 vs. 38; P < 0.001) in vitamin D subjects.

Conclusion

Our study shows that a significant proportion of ED patients have a vitamin D deficiency and that this condition is more frequent in patients with the arteriogenic etiology. Low levels of vitamin D might increase the ED risk by promoting endothelial dysfunction. Men with ED should be analyzed for vitamin D levels and particularly to A-ED patients with a low level a vitamin D supplementation is suggested.
RNA‐mediated regulation in Gram‐positive pathogens: an overview punctuated with examples from the group A Streptococcus
Authors: Miller Eric W. , Cao Tram N. , Pflughoeft Kathryn J. , Sumby Paul
Published: August 2014

RNA‐based mechanisms of regulation represent a ubiquitous class of regulators that are associated with diverse processes including nutrient sensing, stress response, modulation of horizontal gene transfer, and virulence factor expression. While better studied in Gram‐negative bacteria, the literature is replete with examples of the importance of RNA‐mediated regulatory mechanisms to the virulence and fitness of Gram‐positives. Regulatory RNAs are classified as cis‐acting, e.g. riboswitches, which modulate the transcription, translation, or stability of co‐transcribed RNA, or trans‐acting, e.g. small regulatory RNAs, which target separate mRNAs or proteins. The group A Streptococcus (GAS, Streptococcus pyogenes) is a Gram‐positive bacterial pathogen from which several regulatory RNA mechanisms have been characterized. The study of RNA‐mediated regulation in GAS has uncovered novel concepts with respect to how small regulatory RNAs may positively regulate target mRNA stability, and to how CRISPR RNAs are processed from longer precursors. This review provides an overview of RNA‐mediated regulation in Gram‐positive bacteria, and is highlighted with specific examples from GAS research. The key roles that these systems play in regulating bacterial virulence are discussed and future perspectives outlined.
PULLING OURSELVES UP BY OUR BOOTSTRAPS: A REJOINDER TO VAN IJZENDOORN AND BAKERMANS‐KRANENBURG (2014)
Authors: Roisman Glenn I. , Fraley R. Chris , Booth‐LaForce Cathryn
Published: August 2014

This rejoinder addresses two interrelated concerns raised by Van IJzendoorn and Bakermans‐Kranenburg (this volume): (1) the degree to which it is reasonable to expect some of the results reported here to replicate given the low rates of preoccupied and unresolved classifications in the SECCYD sample and (2) whether the results from the taxometric and factor analyses we report should be used to guide scholarly thinking about the latent structure of individual differences in AAI narratives.
Proteinuria and glomerular hypertrophy in extremely low‐birthweight children
Authors: Hayashi Asako , Santo Yoko , Satomura Kenichi
Published: August 2014

Background

Of late, there is an increased awareness of the frequent occurrence of hypertension or proteinuria in adults born at low birthweight.

Methods

We retrospectively studied five children born with extremely low birthweight (ELBW) who were first diagnosed with proteinuria in a school urinary screening program.

Results

These children were born at 23–25 weeks of gestation, and their birthweight was 532–732 g. Proteinuria was identified in all the subjects in a school urinary screening program when they were 6–15 years old. Renal biopsy showed diffuse increase in glomerular size, consistent with glomerular hypertrophy. There were no findings of mesangial proliferation or glomerular sclerosis. All the subjects had a marked decrease in proteinuria after angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) treatment.

Conclusion

Reduced number of glomeruli associated with prematurity was speculated to have caused compensatory glomerular hyperfiltration, hypertrophy, and hypertension in children born with ELBW when they developed proteinuria. ARB could have been effective for proteinuria by reducing glomerular hypertension. Physicians should be aware of proteinuria in children born with ELBW because there is an increasing number of ELBW survivors as a result of advances in medical technology.
‘Herbals she peruseth’: reading medicine in early modern England
Authors: Leong Elaine
Published: August 2014

In 1631, Richard Brathwaite penned a conduct manual for ‘English Gentlewomen’. In Brathwaite's mind, the ideal English gentlewoman was not only chaste, modest and honourable but also an avid reader. In fact, Brathwaite specifically recommends English gentlewomen to first peruse herbals and then to deepen their medical knowledge via conference. Centred on the manuscript notebooks of two late seventeenth‐century women, Margaret Boscawen (d. 1688) and Elizabeth Freke (1642–1714), this article explores women and ‘medical reading’ in early modern England. It first demonstrates that whilst both women consulted herbals by contemporary authors such as John Gerard and Nicholas Culpeper, their modes of reading could not be more different. Where Freke ruminated, digested and abstracted from Gerard's large tome, Boscawen made practical lists from Culpeper's The English Physitian. Secondly, the article shows that both supplemented their herbal reading with a range of other vernacular medical texts including printed medical recipe books, contemporary pharmacopoeia and surgical handbooks. Early modern English women's medical reading, I argue, was nuanced, sophisticated and diverse. Furthermore, I contend that well‐informed readers like Boscawen and Freke made smart medical consumers and formidable negotiators in their medical encounters.
Teaching and Learning Guide for: Towards an Emplaced, Relationally‐Focused and Action‐Orientated Social Psychology of Homelessness
Authors: Stolte Ottilie , Hodgetts Darrin
Published: August 2014

This guide accompanies the following article:

Hodgetts,
D.,

Stolte,
O., and

Groot,
S. (2014), . Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 8: 156–164. doi: 10.1111/spc3.12096
Personalizing Behavioral Interventions Through Single‐Patient (N‐of‐1) Trials
Authors: Davidson Karina W. , Peacock James , Kronish Ian M. , Edmondson Donald
Published: August 2014

Behavioral interventions are typically studied with the use of a conventional between‐subject randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. In this design, the effect of an intervention on one group of patients is compared with the effect of a control condition on another group of patients, such that a between‐subject change is tested. A between‐subject design has an underlying assumption that there is a homogenous treatment effect for a behavioral intervention, drug, or psychotherapy and that the way the intervention operates in the study will tend to operate in the same way in many other patients. We review some of the philosophical and practical problems with the use of this design when a clinician is attempting to decide on a course of behavioral treatment aimed at within‐subject change in patients who are likely to have heterogeneous or unique responses to behavioral treatment. We also review the biases inherent in our current clinical practice model, which does not use any empirical data collection or design for testing if a treatment is useful, and also in the conventional between‐subject personalized medicine RCT designs. We propose increased use of single‐patient (also known as N‐of‐1) trials that employ within‐subject designs, in cases where treatment response is heterogeneous – as is the case for most psychological and behavioral treatments. Limitations of such designs include that they can only be used when the treatment is potentially reversible, the patient can act as their own control, and the outcome can be measured repeatedly. Increased use of within‐subject trials may address in many more instances the more clinically relevant question of how a specific patient will respond to a specific treatment and could introduce a more harmonious scientific approach into the way we treat our patients. We have incorporated a case presentation that illustrates the complexities of applying evidence drawn from these different designs to selecting and evaluating treatments for the behavioral issues commonly faced by clinicians and patients.
Evaluations in Their Social Context: Distance Regulates Consistency and Context Dependence
Authors: Ledgerwood Alison
Published: August 2014

When and why do people's likes and dislikes flexibly tune to the current context, and when do they remain consistent? Ideas about flexibility and consistency have permeated the attitude literature throughout its history. Building on the notion that both flexibility and consistency in evaluative responding can be highly functional as well as highly social, this paper considers the role of distance in guiding people's evaluations to incorporate specific and individualized information that helps immerse them in their current social environment, versus broad and general information that helps them reach beyond their current context and relate to things outside of it. Next, the paper reviews research supporting this perspective, focusing on its implications for understanding how people's evaluations help them tune into different aspects of their social environment — those that tend to be specific to a particular context, and those that tend to be consistently encountered across contexts. The described studies suggest that distance regulates susceptibility to specific and general social influences, as well as the extent to which people's evaluations reflect broad and socially shared morals, values, and ideological principles.
Fruit set and the diurnal pollinators of the invasive Lantana camara and the endemic Lantana peduncularis in the Galapagos Islands
Authors: Carrión‐Tacuri Jorge , Berjano Regina , Guerrero Giovanny , Figueroa Enrique , Tye Alan , Castillo Jesus M.
Published: August 2014

Fruit set is highly relevant to a plant's reproductive success. Fruit set can vary due to predation on flowers, pollinator services and/or resource availability. Reproductive success, measured as the fruit set of the invasive Lantana camara and the endemic Lantana peduncularis in the cool–dry season and the warm–wet season of the Galapagos Islands, was studied. Also, autonomous self‐pollination ability and seed viability were probed for both species. Furthermore, flower visitors and their activity were registered for both species during the warm–wet season. Lantana peduncularis produced fewer flowers per inflorescence, but had a higher fruit set in the cool–dry season, compared to the warm–wet season. In contrast, the fruit set in L. camara did not change seasonally. The fruit set in L. camara was higher than in L. peduncularis in the warm–wet season. Moreover, ∼18% of the bagged flowers of the invasive Lantana produced fruits by autonomous self‐pollination, while for the endemic Lantana, the rate of autonomous self‐pollination was very low. More than 80% of the fruits for both species had at least one viable seed per fruit. The number of pollinators and their frequency, inflorescence‐ and flower‐visiting rates and the duration of the visit per flower were higher in the invasive Lantana than in the endemic one. The endemic Lepidoptera Urbanus galapagensis (the main pollinator of both Lantana species) and the introduced Hymenia perspectalis were observed pollinating both Lantana species. These results indicate that the alien L. camara is more attractive to pollinators and it has reproductive advantages regarding fruit set in comparison with L. peduncularis, factors that contribute to the colonization pattern of this invasive species.
Consequences of narrow crop row spacing and delayed Echinochloa colona and Trianthema portulacastrum emergence for weed growth and crop yield loss in maize
Authors: Fahad S , Hussain S , Saud S , Hassan S , Muhammad H , Shan D , Chen C , Wu C , Xiong D , Khan S B , Jan A , Cui K , Huang J
Published: August 2014

Echinochloa colona and Trianthema portulacastrum are weeds of maize that cause significant yield losses in the Indo‐Gangetic Plains. Field experiments were conducted in 2009 and 2010 to determine the influence of row spacing (15, 25 and 35 cm) and emergence time of E. colona and T. portulacastrum (0, 15, 25, 35, 45 and 55 days after maize emergence; DAME) on weed growth and productivity of maize. A season‐long weed‐free treatment and a weedy control were also used to estimate maize yield and weed seed production. Crop row spacing as well as weed emergence time had a significant influence on plant height, shoot biomass and seed production of both weed species and grain yield of maize in both years. Delay in emergence of weeds resulted in less plant height, shoot biomass and seed production. However, increase in productivity of maize was observed by delay in weed emergence. Likewise, growth of both weed species was less in narrow row spacing (15 cm) of maize, as compared with wider rows (25 and 35 cm). Maximum seed production of both weeds was observed in weedy control plots, where there was no competition with maize crop and weeds were in rows 35 cm apart. Nevertheless, maximum plant height, shoot biomass and seed production of both weed species were observed in 35 cm rows, when weeds emerged simultaneously with maize. Both weed species produced only 3–5 seeds per plant, when they were emerged at 55 DAME in crop rows spaced at 15 cm. Infestation of both weeds at every stage of crop led to significant crop yield loss in maize. Our results suggested that narrow row spacing and delay in weed emergence led to reduced weed growth and seed production and enhanced maize grain yield and therefore could be significant constituents of integrated weed management strategies in maize.
Computation of Mordell–Weil bases for ordinary elliptic curves in characteristic two
Authors: Moehlmann G.
Published: August 2014

In this paper we consider ordinary elliptic curves over global function fields of characteristic $\def \xmlpi #1{}\def \mathsfbi #1{\boldsymbol {\mathsf {#1}}}\let \le =\leqslant \let \leq =\leqslant \let \ge =\geqslant \let \geq =\geqslant \def \Pr {\mathit {Pr}}\def \Fr {\mathit {Fr}}\def \Rey {\mathit {Re}}2$. We present a method for performing a descent by using powers of the Frobenius and the Verschiebung. An examination of the local images of the descent maps together with a duality theorem yields information about the global Selmer groups. Explicit models for the homogeneous spaces representing the elements of the Selmer groups are given and used to construct independent points on the elliptic curve. As an application we use descent maps to prove an upper bound for the naive height of an $S$-integral point on $A$. To illustrate our methods, a detailed example is presented.
Approximating the densest sublattice from Rankin’s inequality
Authors: Li Jianwei , Nguyen Phong Q.
Published: August 2014

We present a higher-dimensional generalization of the Gama–Nguyen algorithm (STOC ’08) for approximating the shortest vector problem in a lattice. This generalization approximates the densest sublattice by using a subroutine solving the exact problem in low dimension, such as the Dadush–Micciancio algorithm (SODA ’13). Our approximation factor corresponds to a natural inequality on Rankin’s constant derived from Rankin’s inequality.
Investigation of a method for real time quantification of gas bubbles in pipelines
Authors: Baik K. , Leighton T. G. , Jiang J.
Published: August 2014

The need to measure the dynamic void fraction (the proportion of flowing bubbly liquid that is gas) is common across many power, processing and manufacturing industries. Many such pipelines and liquids are optically opaque, and work on margins that require a low cost solution that is not commensurate with the size of the challenge. Such a solution will therefore be a compromise, and in this paper costs are reduced by using a narrowband acoustic solution that cannot, on its own, contain enough information to characterize the void fraction in real time unambiguously. The ambiguity is reduced using likely estimates of the general shape of the bubble size distribution so that, with a single source-receiver pair attached to the outside of the pipe, the absolute gas content can be estimated. While the data that are required a priori (the general shape of the bubble size distribution) are not identical to the output of the inversion (the absolute void fraction of gas entrained as bubbles in the flow), the requirement for such a priori information could limit the usefulness of the technique in industry.
Understanding speech when wearing communication headsets and hearing protectors with subband processing
Authors: Brammer Anthony J. , Yu Gongqiang , Bernstein Eric R. , Cherniack Martin G. , Peterson Donald R. , Tufts Jennifer B.
Published: August 2014

An adaptive, delayless, subband feed-forward control structure is employed to improve the speech signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the communication channel of a circumaural headset/hearing protector (HPD) from 90 Hz to 11.3 kHz, and to provide active noise control (ANC) from 50 to 800 Hz to complement the passive attenuation of the HPD. The task involves optimizing the speech SNR for each communication channel subband, subject to limiting the maximum sound level at the ear, maintaining a speech SNR preferred by users, and reducing large inter-band gain differences to improve speech quality. The performance of a proof-of-concept device has been evaluated in a pseudo-diffuse sound field when worn by human subjects under conditions of environmental noise and speech that do not pose a risk to hearing, and by simulation for other conditions. For the environmental noises employed in this study, subband speech SNR control combined with subband ANC produced greater improvement in word scores than subband ANC alone, and improved the consistency of word scores across subjects. The simulation employed a subject-specific linear model, and predicted that word scores are maintained in excess of 90% for sound levels outside the HPD of up to ∼115 dBA.
Robust blind identification of room acoustic channels in symmetric alpha-stable distributed noise environments
Authors: He Hongsen , Lu Jing , Chen Jingdong , Qiu Xiaojun , Benesty Jacob
Published: August 2014

Blind multichannel identification is generally sensitive to background noise. Although there have been some efforts in the literature devoted to improving the robustness of blind multichannel identification with respect to noise, most of those works assume that the noise is Gaussian distributed, which is often not valid in real room acoustic environments. This paper deals with the more practical scenario where the noise is not Gaussian. To improve the robustness of blind multichannel identification to non-Gaussian noise, a robust normalized multichannel frequency-domain least-mean M-estimate algorithm is developed. Unlike the traditional approaches that use the squared error as the cost function, the proposed algorithm uses an M-estimator to form the cost function, which is shown to be immune to non-Gaussian noise with a symmetric α-stable distribution. Experiments based on the identification of a single-input/multiple-output acoustic system demonstrate the robustness of the proposed algorithm.
Pitch ranking, electrode discrimination, and physiological spread-of-excitation using Cochlear's dual-electrode mode
Authors: Goehring Jenny L. , Neff Donna L. , Baudhuin Jacquelyn L. , Hughes Michelle L.
Published: August 2014

This study compared pitch ranking, electrode discrimination, and electrically evoked compound action potential (ECAP) spatial excitation patterns for adjacent physical electrodes (PEs) and the corresponding dual electrodes (DEs) for newer-generation Cochlear devices (Cochlear Ltd., Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia). The first goal was to determine whether pitch ranking and electrode discrimination yield similar outcomes for PEs and DEs. The second goal was to determine if the amount of spatial separation among ECAP excitation patterns (separation index, Σ) between adjacent PEs and the PE-DE pairs can predict performance on the psychophysical tasks. Using non-adaptive procedures, 13 subjects completed pitch ranking and electrode discrimination for adjacent PEs and the corresponding PE-DE pairs (DE versus each flanking PE) from the basal, middle, and apical electrode regions. Analysis of d′ scores indicated that pitch-ranking and electrode-discrimination scores were not significantly different, but rather produced similar levels of performance. As expected, accuracy was significantly better for the PE-PE comparison than either PE-DE comparison. Correlations of the psychophysical versus ECAP Σ measures were positive; however, not all test/region correlations were significant across the array. Thus, the ECAP separation index is not sensitive enough to predict performance on behavioral tasks of pitch ranking or electrode discrimination for adjacent PEs or corresponding DEs.
Conservation of power of the supersonic acoustic intensity
Authors: Fernandez-Grande Efren , Jacobsen Finn
Published: August 2014

The supersonic intensity is a quantity that represents the net acoustic output that a source couples into the medium; it can be regarded as a spatially low-pass filtered version of the active intensity. This spatial filtering can lead to significant error due to spatial truncation. In this paper, based on a space-domain formulation of the problem, the finite aperture error is analyzed and examined experimentally. The results indicate that the finite aperture error can be mitigated with the appropriate processing and that the supersonic intensity provides a valid quantitative representation of the effective radiation of acoustic sources.
Modeling sound-source localization in sagittal planes for human listeners
Authors: Baumgartner Robert , Majdak Piotr , Laback Bernhard
Published: August 2014

Monaural spectral features are important for human sound-source localization in sagittal planes, including front-back discrimination and elevation perception. These directional features result from the acoustic filtering of incoming sounds by the listener's morphology and are described by listener-specific head-related transfer functions (HRTFs). This article proposes a probabilistic, functional model of sagittal-plane localization that is based on human listeners' HRTFs. The model approximates spectral auditory processing, accounts for acoustic and non-acoustic listener specificity, allows for predictions beyond the median plane, and directly predicts psychoacoustic measures of localization performance. The predictive power of the listener-specific modeling approach was verified under various experimental conditions: The model predicted effects on localization performance of band limitation, spectral warping, non-individualized HRTFs, spectral resolution, spectral ripples, and high-frequency attenuation in speech. The functionalities of vital model components were evaluated and discussed in detail. Positive spectral gradient extraction, sensorimotor mapping, and binaural weighting of monaural spatial information were addressed in particular. Potential applications of the model include predictions of psychophysical effects, for instance, in the context of virtual acoustics or hearing assistive devices.
Perception of the pitch of unresolved harmonics by 3- and 7-month-old human infants
Authors: Lau Bonnie K. , Werner Lynne A.
Published: August 2014

Three-month-olds discriminate resolved harmonic complexes on the basis of missing fundamental (MF) pitch. In view of reported difficulty in discriminating unresolved complexes at 7 months and striking changes in the organization of the auditory system during early infancy, infants' ability to discriminate unresolved complexes is of some interest. This study investigated the ability of 3-month-olds, 7-month-olds, and adults to discriminate the pitch of unresolved harmonic complexes using an observer-based method. Stimuli were MF complexes bandpass filtered with a −12 dB/octave slope, combined in random phase, presented at 70 dB sound pressure level (SPL) for 650 ms with a 50 ms rise/fall with a pink noise at 65 dB SPL. The conditions were (1) “LOW” unresolved harmonics (2500–4500 Hz) based on MFs of 160 and 200 Hz and (2) “HIGH” unresolved harmonics (4000–6000 Hz) based on MFs of 190 and 200 Hz. To demonstrate MF discrimination, participants had to ignore spectral changes in complexes with the same fundamental and respond only when the fundamental changed. Nearly all infants tested categorized complexes by MF pitch suggesting discrimination of pitch extracted from unresolved harmonics by 3 months. Adults also categorized the complexes by MF pitch, although musically trained adults were more successful than musically untrained adults.
An assessment of acoustic contrast between long and short vowels using convex hulls
Authors: Haynes Erin F. , Taylor Michael
Published: August 2014

An alternative to the spectral overlap assessment metric (SOAM), first introduced by Wassink [(2006). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 119(4), 2334–2350], is introduced. The SOAM quantifies the intra- and inter-language differences between long–short vowel pairs through a comparison of spectral (F1, F2) and temporal properties modeled with best fit ellipses (F1 × F2 space) and ellipsoids (F1 × F2 × duration). However, the SOAM ellipses and ellipsoids rely on a Gaussian distribution of vowel data and a dense dataset, neither of which can be assumed in endangered languages or languages with limited available data. The method presented in this paper, called the Vowel Overlap Assessment with Convex Hulls (VOACH) method, improves upon the earlier metric through the use of best-fit convex shapes. The VOACH method reduces the incorporation of “empty” data into calculations of vowel space. Both methods are applied to Numu (Oregon Northern Paiute), an endangered language of the western United States. Calculations from the VOACH method suggest that Numu is a primary quantity language, a result that is well aligned with impressionistic analyses of spectral and durational data from the language and with observations by field researchers.
Dimerization of the kinase ARAF promotes MAPK pathway activation and cell migration
Authors: Mooz Juliane , Oberoi-Khanuja Tripat Kaur , Harms Gregory S. , Wang Weiru , Jaiswal Bijay S. , Seshagiri Somasekar , Tikkanen Ritva , Rajalingam Krishnaraj
Published: August 2014

Targeting the RAF kinase dimerization may overcome resistance to current RAF inhibitors and prevent cancer metastasis.
Interspecies Allometric Scaling of Antimalarial Drugs and Potential Application to Pediatric Dosing
Authors: Senarathna S. M. D. K. Ganga , Batty Kevin T.
Published: August 2014

Pharmacopeial recommendations for administration of antimalarial drugs are the same weight-based (mg/kg of body weight) doses for children and adults. However, linear calculations are known to underestimate pediatric doses; therefore, interspecies allometric scaling data may have a role in predicting doses in children. We investigated the allometric scaling relationships of antimalarial drugs using data from pharmacokinetic studies in mammalian species. Simple allometry (Y=a×Wb) was utilized and compared to maximum life span potential (MLP) correction. All drugs showed a strong correlation with clearance (CL) in healthy controls. Insufficient data from malaria-infected species other than humans were available for allometric scaling. The allometric exponents (b) for CL of artesunate, dihydroartemisinin (from intravenous artesunate), artemether, artemisinin, clindamycin, piperaquine, mefloquine, and quinine were 0.71, 0.85, 0.66, 0.83, 0.62, 0.96, 0.52, and 0.40, respectively. Clearance was significantly lower in malaria infection than in healthy (adult) humans for quinine (0.07 versus 0.17 liter/h/kg;P= 0.0002) and dihydroartemisinin (0.81 versus 1.11 liters/h/kg;P= 0.04; power = 0.6). Interpolation of simple allometry provided better estimates of CL for children than MLP correction, which generally underestimated CL values. Pediatric dose calculations based on simple allometric exponents were 10 to 70% higher than pharmacopeial (mg/kg) recommendations. Interpolation of interspecies allometric scaling could provide better estimates than linear scaling of adult to pediatric doses of antimalarial drugs; however, the use of a fixed exponent for CL was not supported in the present study. The variability in allometric exponents for antimalarial drugs also has implications for scaling of fixed-dose combinations.
Structure, Activity, and Inhibition of the Carboxyltransferase β-Subunit of Acetyl Coenzyme A Carboxylase (AccD6) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Reddy Manchi C. M. , Breda Ardala , Bruning John B. , Sherekar Mukul , Valluru Spandana , Thurman Cory , Ehrenfeld Hannah , Sacchettini James C.
Published: August 2014

In
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
, the carboxylation of acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) to produce malonyl-CoA, a building block in long-chain fatty acid biosynthesis, is catalyzed by two enzymes working sequentially: a biotin carboxylase (AccA) and a carboxyltransferase (AccD). While the exact roles of the three different biotin carboxylases (AccA1 to -3) and the six carboxyltransferases (AccD1 to -6) in
M. tuberculosis
are still not clear, AccD6 in complex with AccA3 can synthesize malonyl-CoA from acetyl-CoA. A series of 10 herbicides that target plant acetyl-CoA carboxylases (ACC) were tested for inhibition of AccD6 and for whole-cell activity against
M. tuberculosis
. From the tested herbicides, haloxyfop, an arylophenoxypropionate, showed
in vitro
inhibition of
M. tuberculosis
AccD6, with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC
50
) of 21.4 ± 1 μM. Here, we report the crystal structures of
M. tuberculosis
AccD6 in the apo form (3.0 Å) and in complex with haloxyfop-
R
(2.3 Å). The structure of
M. tuberculosis
AccD6 in complex with haloxyfop-
R
shows two molecules of the inhibitor bound on each AccD6 subunit. These results indicate the potential for developing novel therapeutics for tuberculosis based on herbicides with low human toxicity.