bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Office-Level Characteristics of the Big 4 and Audit Report Timeliness
Authors: Whitworth James D. , Lambert Tamara A.
Published: January 2014

Recent changes in the audit and financial reporting environment have resulted in longer audit report lags and have increased the importance of identifying factors associated with a timely audit. We examine timeliness implications of office-specific attributes of the audit firm. Specifically, we examine whether office-specific industry expertise, office size, and the importance of the client to the local office are associated with audit delay (i.e., the time between fiscal year-end and the audit report date). We explore the sensitivity of our results to various measures and consider the impact of earnings quality. We examine two types of industry expertise and whether the aforementioned audit firm attributes are associated with a propensity to issue an early earnings announcement. We find that office-specific industry expertise is negatively associated with audit delay (for all but the largest quartile of firm offices) while office size and client importance are both positively associated with audit delay; however, the most important clients are associated with a more timely audit. Office-specific industry expertise is positively associated with the propensity to announce earnings substantially early and such expertise garnered via a product-specialist strategy is positively associated with audit delay relative to a low-cost specialist strategy. Our study provides further support for the importance of office-specific characteristics on audit and financial reporting outcomes and provides evidence of the benefit of office-specific industry expertise.
Epiphyllous fungi from the Oligocene shallowmarine deposits of the Krabbedalen Formation, Kap Brewster, central East Greenland
Authors: Worobiec Grzegorz , Worobiec Elżbieta
Published: January 2014

Fructifications of epiphyllous fungi were encountered during palynological investigation of the Lower Oligocene shallow-marine deposits of the Krabbedalen Formation at the Savoia Halvø, Kap Brewster, central East Greenland. Six fossil taxa from the family Microthyriaceae (Phragmothyrites kangukensis Kalgutkar, Phragmothyrites sp., Plochmopeltinites sp., Trichothyrites cf. ostiolatus (Cookson) Kalgutkar & Jansonius, Trichothyrites sp. 1, and Trichothyrites sp. 2) and one incertae sedis fungal remain are reported. Fungal remains from the Krabbedalen Formation represent the youngest, Oligocene occurrence of the epiphyllous fungi in the Palaeogene of the Arctic. The presence of epiphyllous, microthyriaceous fungi in low quantities and in low taxonomical diversity points to a humid and not necessarily warm climate, which is corroborated by data obtained from the analysis of microscopic plant remains.
Late quaternary Nupela taxa of Retezat Mts (S. Carpathians), with description of Nupela pocsii sp. nov. (Bacillariophyceae)
Authors: Buczkó Krisztina , Wojtal Agata Z. , Magyari Enikő K.
Published: January 2014

Nupela pocsii Buczkó & Wojtal, sp. nov., a new species from the Retezat Mountains (S. Carpathians), is described. High asymmetry (along apical and transapical axes and in raphe pattern) and small dimensions are the most characteristic features of this taxon. Nupela pocsii was found during paleolimnological research in early Holocene sediment of Lake Brazi. Seven other representatives of the genus Nupela were detected in high-resolution diatom analyses of three lake sediment sequences of the Retezat Mts: Nupela fennica (Hustedt) Lange-Bertalot, N. imperfecta (Schimanski) Lange-Bertalot, N. impexiformis (Lange-Bertalot) Lange-Bertalot, N. lapidosa (Krasske) Lange-Bertalot, N. paludigena (R. P. Scherer) Lange-Bertalot, N. vitiosa (Schimanski) Siver & Hamilton and an unidentified Nupela Vyverman & Compere species. Our results suggest high diversity of oligotraphenic species in these mountain lakes during their ontogeny, which began 17,000-15,000 years ago. In addition to the newly described species this is also the first record of N. paludigena in European lakes, although its occurrence was previously documented by SEM and LM from Lake Saint Anna without correct identification.
Multigene evidence reveals the systematic position of Pleurocladopsis simulans (C. Massal.) R. M. Schust. within Schistochila Dumort., Schistochilaceae
Authors: He Xiaolan , Sun Yu
Published: January 2014

The monotypic Pleurocladopsis, endemic to Chile, was established by Schuster in 1964 based on an earlier poorly known species Cephalozia (?) simulans C. Massal. The phylogenetic position of Pleurocladopsis simulans had been considered uncertain until it was placed in the family Schistochilaceae on account of the gynoecial and sporophytic characters. It has been assumed that Pleurocladopsis represents the starting point of evolution in Schistochilaceae. In the present study, the phylogenetic position and taxonomic status of Pleurocladopsis simulans are inferred from phylogenetic analysis of three chloroplast DNA sequence data. The result suggests that the genus was established solely based on the autapomorphic characters, thus obscuring its actual phylogenetic relationship with Schistochila and that these characters are later derived rather than ancestral. The result also confirms that the gynoecial and sporophytic characters are important in taxonomy, but they may be not sufficient at the infrafamilial level and at other lower taxonomic levels. In accordance with the results of the present study, Pleurocladopsis is synonymised with Schistochila, and the new combination Schistochila simulans (C. Massal.) Xiao L. He & Yu Sun is made.
Sporophytes of the rare liverwort Cephalozia macounii
Authors: Laaka-Lindberg Sanna , Syrjänen Kimmo
Published: January 2014

The dioicous epixylic liverwort Cephalozia macounii (Aust.) Aust. is rare over its entire distribution area in the Northern Hemisphere. It is protected under the EU Habitats Directive and classified as critically endangered in Finland and Sweden. One reason cited for its rareness and the declining trend in its distribution its poor reproductive capacity. It does not produce asexual gemmae, which in general is common among liverworts. Although female plants with perianths are quite common, the male plants of the species have rarely been seen and sporophytes have not been described until now. In this paper we describe and illustrate the sporophytes of C. macounii on the basis of an old specimen collected in Southern Finland in the 1800s.
Batrachospermum atrum (Rhodophyta) – first record in Poland
Authors: Kowalski Wojciech A. , Kwandrans Janina
Published: January 2014

The paper gives new data on the occurrence of Batrachospermum atrum (Hudson) Harvey, a freshwater Rhodophyta species rare in Poland. It was found growing on stony bottom in a small stream in northwestern Poland; at this site it was associated mainly with Potamogeton nodosus Poir., green algae Cladophora glomerata (L.) Kützing and Mougeotia sp. Its occurrence in Poland and some ecological data are discussed, and original photographs of the plant and its habitat are presented.
Contribution to the knowledge of the lichen biota of Bolivia. 5
Authors: Flakus Adam , Sipman Harrie J. M. , Bach Kerstin , Flakus Pamela Rodriguez , Knudsen Kerry , Ahti Teuvo , Schiefelbein Ulf , Palice Zdeněk , Meneses Q. Rosa I. , Jabłońska Agnieszka , Oset Magdalena , Kukwa Martin
Published: January 2014

This paper presents new records of 180 lichen species from Bolivia; 103 are new national records. Three species, Bryonora curvescens (Mudd) Poelt (also from Ecuador), Lepraria elobata Tønsberg and Pyrenula laetior Müll. Arg., are reported for the first time from the Southern Hemisphere, and five, Bathelium aff. sphaericum (C. W. Dodge) R. C. Harris, Lepraria jackii Tønsberg, Psiloparmelia arhizinosa Hale, Szczawinskia tsugae A. Funk and Trinathotrema lumbricoides (Sipman) Sipman & Aptroot, are new to South America. To complement the rather poorly recognized distribution of some species, five of the taxa reported here are also new to Ecuador. Notes on distribution and chemistry are provided for most species, and some, especially those belonging to taxonomically critical groups, are discussed in greater detail.
University Teaching Hospital and Private Clinic Collaboration to Enhance Veterinary Educational Opportunities at Mississippi State University
Authors: Tyner C. Lee , Harkness John , Hoblet Kent , Zumwalt Lauren , Templeton Karen , McLaughlin Ron
Published: January 2014

The College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University established a not-for-profit corporation (MSU-CVM-COS) to develop and manage private specialty clinics that would enhance teaching and student learning, increase caseload, and generate revenue. The corporation currently operates the Animal Emergency and Referral Center (AERC) and the Veterinary Specialty Center (VSC) as affiliates of Mississippi State University. These privately managed facilities provide access to advanced medical equipment, enhance clinical service and teaching, and promote the College's One Health initiative.
Lower-Limb Kinematics of Single-Leg Squat Performance in Young Adults
Authors: Horan Sean A. , Watson Steven L. , Carty Christopher P. , Sartori Massimo , Weeks Benjamin K.
Published: January 2014

Purpose: To determine the kinematic parameters that characterize good and poor single-leg squat (SLS) performance. Methods: A total of 22 healthy young adults free from musculoskeletal impairment were recruited for testing. For each SLS, both two-dimensional video and three-dimensional motion analysis data were collected. Pelvis, hip, and knee angles were calculated using a reliable and validated lower-limb (LL) biomechanical model. Two-dimensional video clips of SLSs were blindly assessed in random order by eight musculoskeletal physiotherapists using a 10-point ordinal scale. To facilitate between-group comparisons, SLS performances were stratified by tertiles corresponding to poor, intermediate, and good SLS performance. Results: Mean ratings of SLS performance assessed by physiotherapists were 8.3 (SD 0.5), 6.8 (SD 0.7), and 4.0 (SD 0.8) for good, intermediate, and poor squats, respectively. Three-dimensional analysis revealed that people whose SLS performance was assessed as poor exhibited increased hip adduction, reduced knee flexion, and increased medio-lateral displacement of the knee joint centre compared to those whose SLS performance was assessed as good (p≤0.05). Conclusions: Overall, poor SLS performance is characterized by inadequate knee flexion and excessive frontal plane motion of the knee and hip. Future investigations of SLS performance should consider standardizing knee flexion angle to illuminate other influential kinematic parameters.
Hydrocephalus shunt technology: 20 years of experience from the Cambridge Shunt Evaluation Laboratory
Authors: Chari Aswin , Czosnyka Marek , Richards Hugh K. , Pickard John D. , Czosnyka Zofia H.
Published: January 2014

Object

The Cambridge Shunt Evaluation Laboratory was established 20 years ago. This paper summarizes the findings of that laboratory for the clinician.

Methods

Twenty-six models of valves have been tested long-term in the shunt laboratory according to the expanded International Organization for Standardization 7197 standard protocol.

Results

The majority of the valves had a nonphysiologically low hydrodynamic resistance (from 1.5 to 3 mm Hg/[ml/min]), which may result in overdrainage related to posture and during nocturnal cerebral vasogenic waves. A long distal catheter increases the resistance of these valves by 100%–200%. Drainage through valves without a siphon-preventing mechanism is very sensitive to body posture, which may result in grossly negative intracranial pressure. Siphon-preventing accessories offer a reasonable resistance to negative outlet pressure; however, accessories with membrane devices may be blocked by raised subcutaneous pressure. In adjustable valves, the settings may be changed by external magnetic fields of intensity above 40 mT (exceptions: ProGAV, Polaris, and Certas). Most of the magnetically adjustable valves produce large distortions on MRI studies.

Conclusions

The behavior of a valve revealed during testing is of relevance to the surgeon and may not be adequately described in the manufacturer's product information. The results of shunt testing are helpful in many circumstances, such as the initial choice of shunt and the evaluation of the shunt when its dysfunction is suspected.
Male sex as a risk factor for the clinical course of skull base chordomas
Authors: Rachinger Walter , Eigenbrod Sabina , Dützmann Stephan , Simon Matthias , Feigl Guenther C. , Kremenevskaja Natalia , Kretzschmar Hans , Zausinger Stefan , Kreth Friedrich-Wilhelm , Thon Niklas , Tonn Jörg-Christian
Published: January 2014

Object

Chordomas of the skull base are rare and locally invasive and have a poor prognosis. The aim of this retrospective multicenter study was to evaluate the current pattern of care and clinical course and to identify prognostic factors.

Methods

A total of 47 patients (26 men; mean age 48.5 years) treated in 5 centers were included. Histology was centrally reviewed; additionally, semiquantitative N- and E-cadherin expression analysis was performed. Prognostic factors were obtained from multivariate regression models. For survival analysis the Kaplan-Meier method was used.

Results

The median follow-up period was 5.2 years. Complete resection, incomplete resection, and extended biopsy were performed in 14.9%, 80.9%, and 4.3% of patients, respectively. Surgical morbidity was not associated with extent of resection. Adjuvant radiation therapy was performed in 30 (63.8%) of 47 patients. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 7.3 years. Complete resection prolonged median overall survival (OS) (p = 0.04). Male patients presented with worse PFS (4.8 years vs 9.8 years; p = 0.04) and OS (8.3 years vs not reached; p = 0.03) even though complete resection was exclusively achieved in the male subpopulation. Multivariate analysis confirmed male sex as the most important risk factor for tumor progression (p = 0.04) and death (p = 0.02). Age, duration of symptoms, initial Karnofsky Performance Scale score, brainstem compression, involvement of the petrous bone, infiltration of the dura mater, modality and dose of radiation therapy, and the E- and N-cadherin expression patterns did not gain prognostic relevance.

Conclusions

In skull base chordomas, male patients bear a higher risk of progressive disease and death. Male patients might benefit from more aggressive adjuvant therapy and/or from a closer follow-up schedule.
The comparative effectiveness of ventricular shunt placement versus endoscopic third ventriculostomy for initial treatment of hydrocephalus in infants
Authors: Jernigan Sarah C. , Berry Jay G. , Graham Dionne A. , Goumnerova Liliana
Published: January 2014

Object

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of CSF diversion with endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) versus shunt therapy in infants with hydrocephalus.

Methods

The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of 5416 infants 1 year of age or younger with hydrocephalus (congenital or acquired) in whom CSF diversion was performed using either ETV or shunt placement at 41 children's hospitals between 2004 and 2009. Data were obtained from the Pediatric Health Information Systems database. Surgical failure was defined as the need for a repeat diversion operation within 1 year of initial surgery. The authors compared failure rates of ETV and shunt, as well as patient demographics and clinical characteristics, using hierarchical regression according to treatment group.

Results

During the period examined, 872 infants (16.1%) initially underwent ETV and 4544 (83.9%) underwent ventricular shunt placement. The median infant age was 37 days (IQR 11–122 days) for both ETV and shunt placement. More infants who underwent ETV rather than shunt placement were born prematurely (41.6% vs 23.9%, respectively; p < 0.01) and had intraventricular hemorrhage (45.4% vs 17.5%, respectively; p < 0.01). Higher operative failure rates at 1 year were observed in infants who underwent ETV as opposed to shunt surgery (64.5% vs 39.6%, respectively; OR 2.9 [95% CI 2.3–3.5], p < 0.01). After controlling for prematurity, intraventricular hemorrhage, and spina bifida, ETV remained associated with a higher risk of failure (OR 2.6 [95% CI 2.1–3.2]).

Conclusions

In infants with hydrocephalus, a greater 1-year CSF diversion failure rate may occur after ETV compared with shunt placement. This risk is most significant for procedures performed within the first 90 days of life. Further investigation of the need for multiple reoperations, cost, and impact of surgeon and hospital experience is necessary to distinguish which treatment is more effective in the long term.
Analysis of complications in 430 consecutive pediatric patients treated with intrathecal baclofen therapy: 14-year experience
Authors: Motta Francesco , Antonello Clara E.
Published: January 2014

Object

This single-center study investigated adverse events that occurred in children and adolescent patients treated with intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy for spasticity and/or dystonia.

Methods

In a 14-year period, 430 consecutive patients with a mean age of 13.3 ± 5.9 years received ITB over a mean follow-up period of 8.6 ± 3.8 years (range 12 months to 14 years). Eighty-nine percent of these patients had cerebral palsy. Major complications, defined as those that required a surgical intervention, were infections, CSF leaks, and device problems related to the catheter or pump. Assessing infections, the authors compared the 2 groups of patients implanted with an ITB system by either the subcutaneous or subfascial technique. The temporal distribution of events related to the catheter was also considered.

Results

At least 1 complication was present in 25% of the patients: 9.3% experienced an infection, 4.9% a CSF leak, 15.1% a problem with the catheter, and 1% a problem related to the pump. Five percent of the assessed patients suffered more than 1 complication. The rate of infections was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in patients with the pump placed subfascially compared with those with the pump placed subcutaneously. A higher rate of infection was found after pump replacement compared with the first pump implantation (10.6% vs 6%, respectively). Catheter problems were the most common complication and occurred more frequently during the 1st year after the implant.

Conclusions

While ITB is an effective treatment to manage spasticity of different origins, adverse events may occur and need to be managed. The surgical procedure should be meticulous and different techniques may have a diverse impact on the infection rate, which is the most critical complication. Despite the adverse events that occurred in this study, the majority of patients were satisfied with the treatment received.
Creation of false pedicles and a neo-pelvis for lumbopelvic reconstruction following en bloc resection of an iliosacral chondrosarcoma with lumbar spine extension
Authors: Mendel Ehud , Nathoo Narendra , Scharschmidt Thomas , Schmidt Carl , Boehmler James , Mayerson Joel L.
Published: January 2014

En bloc resection with negative tumor margins remains the principal treatment option for control or cure of primary pelvic chondrosarcomas, as current adjuvant therapies remain ineffective. Iliosacral chondrosarcomas with involvement of the sciatic notch are sufficiently challenging tumors. However, when there is concomitant lumbar extension requiring resection of the pedicles to maintain negative surgical margins, transpedicular screw fixation is not possible, making reconstruction of the lumbopelvic junction extremely challenging. A patient with an iliosacral chondrosarcoma with lumbar spine extension is presented in this report to illustrate a novel lumbopelvic spinal construct. Following combined external pelvectomy and hemisacrectomy with contralateral L3–5 hemilaminectomy and ipsilateral pediculotomy, bicortical transvertebral body screws were substituted for the missing pedicles, resulting in the creation of “false pedicles,” which were further supplemented with an autologous vascularized fibular strut graft from the amputated lower limb and applied to the lateral aspect of the vertebral bodies. The creation of false pedicles allowed for a robust reconstruction of the lumbopelvic junction, including maintaining pelvic ring integrity with a “neo-pelvis”, creating a functional load-bearing construct adequate for early mobilization and ambulation. The biomechanical dynamics of this unique construct are also discussed.
Comparative effectiveness of surgical versus nonoperative management of unilateral, nondisplaced, subaxial cervical spine facet fractures without evidence of spinal cord injury
Authors: Aarabi Bizhan , Mirvis Stuart , Shanmuganathan Kathirkamanthan , Vaccaro Alexander R. , Holmes Cassandra J. , Akhtar-Danesh Noori , Fehlings Michael G. , Dvorak Marcel F.
Published: January 2014

Object

Facet joints are major stabilizers of cervical motion allowing for effortless and pain-free multidimensional cervical spine movements without significant linear or rotational translation, thus minimizing any chance for spinal cord or nerve root impingement. Unilateral, nondisplaced subaxial facet fractures do not meet the conventional criteria for spinal instability under physiological loads. Limited evidence indicates that even with no or minimal displacement, 20%–80% of these fractures fail nonoperative management. The risk factors for instability in isolated nondisplaced subaxial facet fractures remain uncertain. In this retrospective study of prospectively collected data, the authors attempted to identify the predictors of failure in the management of isolated, nondisplaced subaxial facet fractures admitted to their Level I trauma center over a 10-year period.

Methods

Demographic, clinical, imaging, and follow-up data for 25 patients with unilateral nondisplaced subaxial facet fractures who were managed surgically (n = 10) or nonoperatively (n = 15) were statistically analyzed.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 38 years, 19 were male, and 21 of the fractures were the result of either motor vehicle accidents or falls. The mean motor score on the American Spinal Injury Association scale was 99.2, and the mean Subaxial Injury Classification (SLIC) severity score was 3 (operated 3.5, nonoperated 2.3). Allen mechanistic classification included 22 compressive-extension Stage 1 and 2 distractive-extension Stage 1 fractures. Subaxial facet fractures involved C-7 in 17 patients (68%), C-6 in 7 (28%), and C-3 in 1 (4%). The anatomical plane of fracture through the lateral mass was sagittal in 12 patients, axial in 8, and coronal in 3 patients. Nondisplaced floating lateral mass injuries were noted in 2 patients. The mean instability score, considering 7 components of the discoligamentous complex on MRI, was 3.2 (operated 3.6, nonoperated 3.0). Ten (40%) of 25 patients in this investigation did not have successful management, 9 in the nonoperated and 1 in the operated group (p = 0.018). Unsuccessful management was significantly greater in younger patients (p = 0.0008), possibly indicating selection bias (p = 0.07, Wilcoxon ranksum test). Fracture plane, instability, and SLIC scores did not play a significant role in treatment failure in this study.

Conclusions

In this study, surgery was superior to nonoperative management of isolated, nondisplaced, or minimally displaced subaxial cervical spine facet fractures.
Novel Microsatellite Loci Variation and Population Genetics within Leafy Seadragons, Phycodurus eques
Authors: Larson Shawn , Ramsey Catherine , Tinnemore Deborah , Amemiya Chris
Published: January 2014

Novel leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques) microsatellite loci were developed via standard cloning techniques and tested for use in population genetics studies. Six out of a total of twelve microsatellites tested were usable for population analysis. Seadragon samples from Western Australia (N = 6), Southern Australia (N = 11), and a captive group (N = 11) were analyzed. Here, we present leafy seadragon microsatellite primer sequences for all 12 loci and population genetics statistics for the six loci that amplified consistently and displayed adequate variability to estimate population parameters, such as diversity, population differences, and relatedness. Observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.225 to 0.926 and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.278 to 0.650. Pairwise differences among populations (FST estimates) from samples collected off the southern coast of Western and South Australia, and captive animals ranged from a low of 0.188 between Southern Australia and captive animals, to a high of 0.212 between Western Australia and captive animals. Statistical assignment analyses suggested between one and three populations. Percent first order relatives among individuals was high and ranged from 40 within Western Australia to 55 within captive animals. These loci were tested on other species including weedy seadragons (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus), as well as assorted seahorses (Hippocampus reidi, H. erectus) and pipefish (Doryrhamphus dactyliophorus, D. pessuliferus, Corythoichthys intestinalis, Syngnathus leptorhynchus) with no success.
Spruce Beetle Biology, Ecology and Management in the Rocky Mountains: An Addendum to Spruce Beetle in the Rockies
Authors: Jenkins Michael , Hebertson Elizabeth , Munson A.
Published: January 2014

Spruce beetle outbreaks have been reported in the Rocky Mountains of western North America since the late 1800s. In their classic paper, Spruce Beetle in the Rockies, Schmid and Frye reviewed the literature that emerged from the extensive outbreaks in Colorado in the 1940s. A new wave of outbreaks has affected Rocky Mountain subalpine spruce-fir forests beginning in the mid-1980s and continuing to the present. These outbreaks have spurred another surge of basic and applied research in the biology, ecology and management of spruce and spruce beetle populations. This paper is a review of literature on spruce beetle focusing on work published since the late 1970s and is intended as an addendum to Spruce Beetle in the Rockies.
Correlates of Protective Motivation Theory (PMT) to Adolescents’ Drug Use Intention
Authors: Wu Cynthia , Wong Ho , Chou Lai , To Bobby , Lee Wai , Loke Alice
Published: January 2014

Early onset and increasing proliferation of illicit adolescent drug-use poses a global health concern. This study aimed to examine the correlation between Protective Motivation Theory (PMT) measures and the intention to use drugs among adolescents. An exploratory quantitative correlation design and convenience sampling were adopted. A total of 318 students completed a self-reported questionnaire that solicited information related to their demographics and activities, measures of threat appraisal and coping appraisal, and the intention to use drugs. Logistic regression analysis showed that intrinsic and extrinsic rewards were significant predictors of intention. The odds ratios were equal to 2.90 (p < 0.05) and 8.04 (p < 0.001), respectively. The logistic regression model analysis resulted in a high Nagelkerke R2 of 0.49, which suggests that PMT related measures could be used in predicting drug use intention among adolescents. Further research should be conducted with non-school adolescents to confirm the application.
Changing Patterns of Spatial Clustering of Schistosomiasis in Southwest China between 1999–2001 and 2007–2008: Assessing Progress toward Eradication after the World Bank Loan Project
Authors: Hu Yi , Xiong Chenglong , Zhang Zhijie , Luo Can , Cohen Ted , Gao Jie , Zhang Lijuan , Jiang Qingwu
Published: January 2014

We compared changes in the spatial clustering of schistosomiasis in Southwest China at the conclusion of and six years following the end of the World Bank Loan Project (WBLP), the control strategy of which was focused on the large-scale use of chemotherapy. Parasitological data were obtained through standardized surveys conducted in 1999–2001 and again in 2007–2008. Two alternate spatial cluster methods were used to identify spatial clusters of cases: Anselin’s Local Moran’s I test and Kulldorff’s spatial scan statistic. Substantial reductions in the burden of schistosomiasis were found after the end of the WBLP, but the spatial extent of schistosomiasis was not reduced across the study area. Spatial clusters continued to occur in three regions: Chengdu Plain, Yangtze River Valley, and Lancang River Valley during the two periods, and regularly involved five counties. These findings suggest that despite impressive reductions in burden, the hilly and mountainous regions of Southwest China remain at risk of schistosome re-emergence. Our results help to highlight specific locations where integrated control programs can focus to speed the elimination of schistosomiasis in China.
A Novel Map-Based Dead-Reckoning Algorithm for Indoor Localization
Authors: Bao Haitao , Wong Wai-Choong
Published: January 2014

Step counting-based dead-reckoning has been widely accepted as a cheap and effective solution for indoor pedestrian tracking using a hand-held device equipped with motion sensors. To compensate for the accumulating error in a dead-reckoning tracking system, extra techniques are always fused together to form a hybrid system. In this paper, we first propose a map matching (MM) enhanced particle filter (PF) as a robust localization solution, in which MM utilizes the corridor information to calibrate the step direction estimation and PF is applied to filter out impossible locations. To overcome the dependency on manually input corridor information in the MM algorithm, as well as the computational complexity in combining two such algorithms, an improved PF is proposed. By better modelling of the location error, the improved PF calibrates the location estimation, as well as step direction estimation when the map information is available, while keeping the computational complexity the same as the original PF. Experimental results show that in a quite dense map constraint environment with corridors, the proposed methods have similar accuracy, but outperform the original PF in terms of accuracy. When only partial map constraints are applied to simulate a new testbed, the improved PF obtains the most robust and accurate results. Therefore, the improved PF is the recommended DR solution, which is adaptive to various indoor environments.
Study on the Carbonation Behavior of Cement Mortar by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy
Authors: Dong Biqin , Qiu Qiwen , Xiang Jiaqi , Huang Canjie , Xing Feng , Han Ningxu
Published: January 2014

A new electrochemical model has been carefully established to explain the carbonation behavior of cement mortar, and the model has been validated by the experimental results. In fact, it is shown by this study that the electrochemical impedance behavior of mortars varies in the process of carbonation. With the cement/sand ratio reduced, the carbonation rate reveals more remarkable. The carbonation process can be quantitatively accessed by a parameter, which can be obtained by means of the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)-based electrochemical model. It has been found that the parameter is a function of carbonation depth and of carbonation time. Thereby, prediction of carbonation depth can be achieved.
New Natural Diterpene-Type Abietane from Tetradenia riparia Essential Oil with Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Activities
Authors: Gazim Zilda , Rodrigues Felipe , Amorin Ana , Rezende Cláudia , Soković Marina , Tešević Vele , Vučković Ivan , Krstić Gordana , Cortez Lucia , Colauto Nelson , Linde Giani , Cortez Diógenes
Published: January 2014

Tetradenia riparia (Hochstetter) Codd belongs to the Lamiaceae family and it was introduced in Brazil as an exotic ornamental plant. A previous study showed its antimicrobial, acaricidal and analgesic activities. Two compounds were isolated from essential oil of T. riparia leaves and identified as 9β,13β-epoxy-7-abietene (1), a new one, and 6,7-dehydroroyleanone (2), already reported for another plant. The structure of these compounds was determined by spectroscopic analysis and by comparison with literature data. The cytotoxic activities of the essential oil and compounds 1 and 2 were determined by a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and by tumor cells MDA-MB-435 (human breast carcinoma), HCT-8 (human colon), SF-295 (human nervous system) and HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukemia). The essential oil and compound 1 showed high cytotoxic potential of the cell lines SF-295 (78.06% and 94.80%, respectively), HCT-8 (85.00% and 86.54%, respectively) and MDA-MB-435 (59.48% and 45.43%, respectively). Compound 2 had no cytotoxic activity. The antioxidant activity was determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), β-carotene-linoleic acid system and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays. The inhibitory concentration (IC50 in µg mL−1) for essential oil and compound 2 was, respectively 15.63 and 0.01 for DPPH; 130.1 and 109.6 for β-carotene-linoleic acid and 1524 and 1024 for ABTS. Compound 1 had no antioxidant activity. By fractioning the oil, it was possible to identify two unpublished compounds: 1 with high cytotoxic potential and 2 with high antioxidant potential.
Iron Transport through Ferroportin Is Induced by Intracellular Ascorbate and Involves IRP2 and HIF2α
Authors: Scheers Nathalie , Sandberg Ann-Sofie
Published: January 2014

A few tightly regulated transport proteins mediate iron absorption across the intestinal epithelium. At the basolateral border of intestinal cells there is one identified transporter, ferroportin, for the transfer of intracellular iron to the vascular system. Here, we investigate the effects of ascorbate (vitamin C) on the regulation of ferroportin in human intestinal Caco-2 cells using ELISA and Western Blot analyses. The results indicate that ferroportin protein levels peak at 100 μM of added ascorbate with an increase of 274% (p = 0.02). At 150 μM of ascorbate, the increase was only 28% (p = 0.04), and at 200 μM there was no significant change from the baseline control. In addition, the ascorbate-induced, (at 150 μM) up-regulated ferroportin levels were associated with increased 55Fe transport across the basolateral border (19%, p = 0.03). Ascorbate-induced up-regulation of cellular ferroportin levels (no added iron) was associated with increased levels of the iron regulatory protein IRP2 (230%, p = 0.0009), and the hypoxia-inducible factor HIF2α (69%, p = 0.03). Thus, iron transport across the basal border via ferroportin is influenced by the intracellular status of ascorbate and IRP2 and HIF2α are involved. We discuss possible reasons for the ascorbate-effects and the dependence of cellular growth conditions for iron transport-related protein expression.
Peat Mapping Associations of Airborne Radiometric Survey Data
Authors: Beamish David
Published: January 2014

This study considers recent airborne radiometric (gamma ray) survey data, obtained at high-resolution, across various regions of the UK. The datasets all display a very evident attenuation of signal in association with peat, and intra-peat variations are observed. The geophysical response variations are examined in detail using example data sets across lowland areas (raised bogs, meres, fens and afforested peat) and upland areas of blanket bog, together with associated wetland zones. The radiometric data do not map soils per se. The bedrock (the radiogenic parent) provides a specific amplitude level. Attenuation of this signal level is then controlled by moisture content in conjunction with the density and porosity of the soil cover. Both soil and bedrock variations need to be jointly assessed. The attenuation theory, reviewed here, predicts that the behaviour of wet peat is distinct from most other soil types. Theory also predicts that the attenuation levels observed across wet peatlands cannot be generally used to map variations in peat thickness. Four survey areas at various scales, across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland are used to demonstrate the ability of the airborne data to map peat zones. A 1:50 k national mapping of deep peat is used to provide control although variability in the definition of peat zones across existing databases is also demonstrated.
Eurydice at Euston?: Walter Benjamin and Marc Augé Go Underground
Authors: Gilloch Graeme
Published: January 2014

Taking as its point of departure Walter Benjamin’s repeatedly unsuccessful attempt to give spatial form to his past, this paper suggests that it is perhaps the contemporary French anthropologist, Marc Augé, who provides the most appropriate envisioning of a ‘map of memories’ in his brief writings on the Parisian métro system. For Augé, the labyrinthine subway network constitutes nothing less than a ‘memory machine’ in which lines and station names serve as mnemonics, recalling long-forgotten childhood encounters and experiences. Mirroring the cityscape above, places themselves unexplored, unknown, the serried toponyms of the métro become an incantation summoning forth the shades of the past. As Augé points out, those stations that provide opportunities to change lines are felicitously termed ‘correspondences’, a Baudelairean term that fascinated Benjamin and informed his key historiographical notion of the ‘dialectical image,’ the intersection and mutual illumination of past and present moments. For me, Augé’s highly suggestive reflections bring to mind my own memories of a London childhood around 1970. Looking at the London underground map today, I cannot but see the sites of many past meetings and partings, dots connected by lines forming complex figures, constellations of memory.
Symmetry-Breaking in a Rate Model for a Biped Locomotion Central Pattern Generator
Authors: Stewart Ian
Published: January 2014

The timing patterns of animal gaits are produced by a network of spinal neurons called a Central Pattern Generator (CPG). Pinto and Golubitsky studied a four-node CPG for biped dynamics in which each leg is associated with one flexor node and one extensor node, with Ζ2 x Ζ2 symmetry. They used symmetric bifurcation theory to predict the existence of four primary gaits and seven secondary gaits. We use methods from symmetric bifurcation theory to investigate local bifurcation, both steady-state and Hopf, for their network architecture in a rate model. Rate models incorporate parameters corresponding to the strengths of connections in the CPG: positive for excitatory connections and negative for inhibitory ones. The three-dimensional space of connection strengths is partitioned into regions that correspond to the first local bifurcation from a fully symmetric equilibrium. The partition is polyhedral, and its symmetry group is that of a tetrahedron. It comprises two concentric tetrahedra, subdivided by various symmetry planes. The tetrahedral symmetry arises from the structure of the eigenvalues of the connection matrix, which is involved in, but not equal to, the Jacobian of the rate model at bifurcation points. Some of the results apply to rate equations on more general networks.
Neurological Disorders in a Murine Model of Chronic Renal Failure
Authors: Chillon Jean-Marc , Brazier François , Bouquet Philippe , Massy Ziad
Published: January 2014

Cardiovascular disease is highly prevalent in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). However, data on the impact of CRF on the cerebral circulatory system are scarce—despite the fact that stroke is the third most common cause of cardiovascular death in people with CRF. In the present study, we examined the impact of CRF on behavior (anxiety), recognition and ischemic stroke severity in a well-defined murine model of CRF. We did not observe any significant increases between CRF mice and non-CRF mice in terms of anxiety. In contrast, CRF mice showed lower levels of anxiety in some tests. Recognition was not impaired (vs. controls) after 6 weeks of CRF but was impaired after 10 weeks of CRF. Chronic renal failure enhances the severity of ischemic stroke, as evaluated by the infarct volume size in CRF mice after 34 weeks of CRF. Furthermore, neurological test results in non-CRF mice tended to improve in the days following ischemic stroke, whereas the results in CRF mice tended to worsen. In conclusion, we showed that a murine model of CRF is suitable for evaluating uremic toxicity and the associated neurological disorders. Our data confirm the role of uremic toxicity in the genesis of neurological abnormalities (other than anxiety).
Geographic origins and patterns of radiation of Mertensia (Boraginaceae)
Authors: Nazaire Mare , Wang Xiao‐Quan , Hufford Larry
Published: January 2014

• Premise of the study: Numerous molecular phylogenetic studies have used new biogeographic tools to explain species distributions. However, questions remain about origins, timing, direction of movement, and relationships between range expansion and diversification. We investigated geographic origins and temporal and spatial diversification of Mertensia, giving particular attention to divergence between Asian and North American lineages and radiation of western North American clades.

• Methods: Divergence time estimation and biogeographic analyses were based on phylogeny reconstruction inferred from nuclear ribosomal ITS and 12 plastid DNA sequence regions and a broad sampling of Mertensia, Boraginaceae, and core eudicots.

• Key results: Mertensia split from Asperugo in the late Oligocene to mid Miocene (26.83–12.22 million years ago [Ma]), followed by the first divergence in the crown group in the late Miocene (10.36–5.19 Ma). The ancestral area is inferred to have been Asia or a widespread distribution across Asia, Beringia, and circumboreal locales. Initial range expansion of North American Mertensia occurred in Beringia and the Pacific Northwest (7.70–4.22 Ma), followed by diversification of three clades (Pacific Northwest, southern Rocky Mountains, central Rocky Mountains).

• Conclusions: The crown divergence of extant Mertensia coincides with the onset of extreme cooling and fragmentation of a once extensive mixed mesophytic forest that was subsequently replaced by a boreal coniferous forest. Early diversification likely occurred when Beringia was connected and available for floristic exchange. The north–south orientation of the Rocky Mountain Range and Pleistocene glacial–interglacial cycles appear to have been important in the North American diversification of Mertensia.
Comparative Mortality–Predictability Using Alkaline Phosphatase and Parathyroid Hormone in Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis and Hemodialysis
Authors: Rhee Connie M. , Molnar Miklos Z. , Lau Wei Ling , Ravel Vanessa , Kovesdy Csaba P. , Mehrotra Rajnish , Kalantar–Zadeh Kamyar
Published: January 2014

Background

In hemodialysis (HD) patients, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) derangements are associated with mortality, but outcome-predictability using ALP and PTH in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients remains uncertain.

Methods

In a cohort of 9244 adult PD patients from a large national dialysis organization (entry period 2001 – 2006, with follow-up through 2009), we used multivariable Cox models adjusted for case-mix and laboratory covariates to examine the associations of time-averaged ALP and PTH with all-cause mortality. We then compared mortality-predictability using ALP and PTH in 9244 PD and 99 323 HD patients.

Results

In PD patients, ALP concentrations exceeding 150 U/L were associated with increased mortality (reference ALP: 70 to <90 U/L). Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were 1.18 (1.03 to 1.36), 1.27 (1.08 to 1.50), 1.49 (1.23 to 1.79), and 1.35 (1.19 to 1.53) for ALP concentrations of 150 to <170 U/L, 170 to <190 U/L, 190 to <210 U/L, and ≥210 U/L respectively. In contrast, we observed a U-shaped association between PTH concentration and death risk in PD patients, with PTH concentrations of less than 200 pg/mL and 700 pg/mL or more associated with increased mortality (reference PTH: 200 to <300 pg/mL). Hazard ratios and 95% CIs were 1.25 (1.12 to 1.41), 1.12 (1.02 to 1.23), 1.06 (0.96 to 1.18), 1.09 (0.97 to 1.24), 1.12 (0.97 to 1.29), 1.18 (0.99 to 1.40), and 1.23 (1.09 to 1.38) for PTH concentrations of <100 pg/mL, 100 to <200 pg/mL, 300 to <400 pg/mL, 400 to <500 pg/mL, 500 to <600 pg/mL, 600 to <700 pg/mL, and ≥700 pg/mL respectively. Compared with PD patients having serum concentrations of ALP and PTH within reference ranges, patients on HD experienced increased mortality across all ALP and PTH concentrations, particularly those in the lowest and highest categories.

Conclusions

In summary, higher ALP concentrations are associated with increased mortality, and lower and higher PTH concentrations are both associated with death risk in PD patients. The utility of ALP in the management of chronic kidney disease mineral bone disorders in PD patients warrants further study.
BEYOND NATURE AND CULTURE? / ANAPUS GAMTOS IR KULTŪROS?
Authors: Scarso Davide
Published: January 2014

In this paper, we will analyze how anthropological thinking, in the last twenty years, has put the conceptual categories of Culture and Nature into radical questioning. Nature was “denaturalized” and deemed as a social construction that was specific to the history of Western world. But to avoid the alternative between nature and culture one should develop a “non-dualist” approach and, in this sense, we will then consider Tim Ingold's works. According to the British anthropologist, the nature and culture divide is usually the outcome of an assumption recurrent in anthropology, that according to which our cultural frames determine our perception of outside world. For Ingold, phenomenological thinking reversed the ontological priorities of Western rationalism. Santrauka Straipsnyje analizuojama, kaip per pastaruosius dvidešimt metų antropologinis mąstymas iš esmės sukvestionavo konceptualias kultūros ir gamtos kategorijas. Gamta buvo „denaturalizuota“ ir laikyta socialine konstrukcija, būdinga Vakarų pasaulio istorijai. Siekiant išvengti alternatyvos tarp gamtos ir kultūros, turėtų būti išplėtotas „nedualistinis“ požiūris. Todėl apžvelgiami Timo Ingoldo darbai. Remiantis britų antropologu, gamtos ir kultūros takoskyra paprastai yra antropologijoje pasikartojančios prielaidos rezultatas, pagal kurį kultūriniai rėmai apibrėžia mūsų išorinio pasaulio suvokimą. Ingoldo manymu, fenomenologinis mąstymas apvertė Vakarų racionalizmo ontologinius prioritetus.