bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biochemical characterisation and application of lipases produced by Aspergillus sp. on solid‐state fermentation using three substrates
Authors: Fleuri Luciana F. , Novelli Paula K. , Delgado Clarissa H. O. , Pivetta Mayara R. , Pereira Milene S. , Arcuri Mariana de L. C. , Capoville Bruna L.
Published: June 2014

Lipase from Aspergillus sp. obtained by solid‐state fermentation (SSF) on wheat bran (LWB), soybean bran (LSB) and soybean bran combined with sugarcane bagasse (LSBBC) were 67.5, 58 and 57.3 U of crude lipase per gram substrate, respectively. The optimum pH of activity and stability of the LWB was between 8 and 9, and the optimum temperature of activity and stability was 50 °C and up to 60 °C, respectively. The LSB and LSBBC showed two peaks of optimum pH (4 and 6) and optimal values of temperature and stability at 50 °C. The LSB was stable in the pH range of 6–7, while LSBBC in the range of pH 4–7. All the enzymes show activities on p‐nitrophenyl esters (butyrate, laurate and palmitate). LWB stood out either on the hydrolysis of sunflower oil, presenting 66.1% of the activity over commercial lipase and on the esterification of oleic acid and ethanol, surpassing the activities of the commercial lipases studied. The thin layer chromatography showed that LWB and LSB have produced ethyl esters from corn oil, while LWB produced it from sunflower oil.
DO WE STILL NEED MANAGERS?
Authors: Birkinshaw Julian
Published: June 2014

Traditional workplace hierarchies could become a thing of the past. Julian Birkinshaw reports
OFFICE SPACE
Authors: Perry Chris
Published: June 2014

Chris Perry Talks about his working environment at Wild Wadi Waterpark, where screams from excited customers are all part of the daily backdrop
TRUTH & EYES
Authors: Crainer Stuart
Published: June 2014

Eye tracking meets big data at Lumen Research. The result? Unique insights into how consumers behave
IS THE INSURANCE SECTOR AT RISK?
Authors: Koijen Ralph SJ , Yogo Motohiro
Published: June 2014

In the wake of the financial crisis, the insurance sector has been overlooked. Ralph SI Koijen and Motohiro Yogo shed new light on the rise of shadow insurance and increasing risk levels in American life insurance markets
GENERATION ENTREPRENEUR
Authors: Crainer Stuart
Published: June 2014

The early days of entrepreneurial ventures are often recorded in rose‐tinted retrospect. In this special section, we feature the ideas, hopes, dreams and fears of entrepreneurs in the early stages of their journeys. Enjoy the ride!
BUILDING ON FIRM FOUNDATIONS
Authors: Coomber Steve
Published: June 2014

Running two ventures in tandem, Gus Zogolovitch is a new breed of parallel entrepreneur
TELL ME WHY
Authors: Mullins John
Published: June 2014

Successful entrepreneurs insistently ask why their idea will or won't work. John Mullins explains
FOR THE GREATER GOOD
Authors: Coomber Steve
Published: June 2014

Take a fascination with wide open spaces and business as a force for good, add in an unlikely raw material, and the unique result is Kora. Steve Coomber takes the high road
THIRSTY WORK
Authors: Coomber Steve
Published: June 2014

Tron Haakenstad's BoozEye app hooks up indecisive punters with local bars and clubs offering drink deals
FINE PRINTS
Authors: Coomber Steve
Published: June 2014

Banneya is an online platform devised by Nimesh Thakrar that harnesses 3D technology to create bespoke jewellery pieces
KEEPING IT REAL
Authors: Coomber Steve
Published: June 2014

Don't know your plonk from your Pinot? AuthentiQ is a new app that scans your wine bottle to detect whether it's the real thing
WORDS OF COMFORT AND SUPPORT
Authors: Coomber Steve
Published: June 2014

To support victimised minorities, don't commiserate – demand social change, suggests new research
THE BIG IDEA MAGNIFICENT SEVEN S
Authors: Peters Georgina
Published: June 2014

The Seven S framework distills the key elements that make up an organisation's personality. But what were its origins? Georgina Peters reports
IS YOUR COMPANY FAILING ITS LEADERS?
Authors: Ready Douglas A
Published: June 2014

Ask not why leaders fail their companies; why do organisations repeatedly fail their leaders? Douglas A Ready questions the conventional wisdom on executive derailment in this article from our Winter 2005 archive
MY DAY
Authors: Groenvynck Joren
Published: June 2014

An alumnus of the Emerging Leaders Programme, Joren Groenvynck is a Project Manager at Coca‐Cola Enterprises Belgium. She opens her diary for Business Strategy Review
Preparation of Lipid‐Free Human Hemoglobin by Dialysis and Ultrafiltration
Authors: Sheffield CL , Spates GE , Droleskey RE , Green R. , DeLoach JR
Published: June 2014

Dialysis of human red blood cells using a hypotonic solution and a commercial kidney dialysis unit followed by ultrafiltration through 0.1 micron pore hollow fibers provides an easily managed method for isolation of lipid‐free hemoglobin. High pressure liquid chromatography analysis of lipid‐free hemoglobin (LFHB) indicates 99–100% protein purity. Sodium dodecyl sulfate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis demonstrated that LFHB migrates as a single band. The process requires hypoosmotic dialysis of human RBC to a final 119–139 (av 132) mosmol/kg osmotic pressure. Additional reduction in osmotic pressure results in irreversible cell lysis which results in lipid contamination of the hemoglobin. Processing one‐half liter of packed red blood cells requires 10 h, resulting in an average of 90% hemoglobin recovery.
Antibody‐conjugated magnetoliposomes for targeting cancer cells and their application in hyperthermia
Authors: Shinkai M. , Suzuki M. , Iijima S. , Kobayashi T.
Published: June 2014

Magnetoliposomes for hyperthermia treatment of cancer were prepared by coating phospholipid on to magnetite particles. The optimum phospholipid composition for dispersibility was a phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine ratio of 2:1. The average size of the magnetoliposomes, which were aggregates of 10 nm core magnetite particles, was about 80 nm. The magnetoliposomes were coated with hydrazide pullulan to stabilize the phospholipid capsules and provide an anchor for the immobilization of antibodies. By this method, 90‐180 molecules of a monoclonal antibody were immobilized on to a magnetoliposome particle. When the antibody‐conjugated magnetoliposomes were incubated with cancer cells, they were adsorbed on to the cell surface and incorporated by the cells about 12 times more effectively than the control after 4 h. The amount of incorporated magnetite was 0.61‐3.6 pg/cell, depending on the antigen‐antibody system. The heating properties of the magnetoliposomes were also measured and found to vary with the size of the core magnetite.
Immobilization of Aspergillus niger xylanase on magnetic latex beads
Authors: Tyagi R. , MN Gupta
Published: June 2014

Xylanase from Pectinex 3XL was purified 70‐fold by precipitation with an enteric polymer, Eudragit S‐100. The purified xylanase was immobilized on magnetic latex beads via carbodi‐imide coupling. The immobilized preparation showed 80% of the total activity bound to the beads. The pH optimum remained unchanged at 6.0 and the Km increased from 0.25 g/100 ml (free enzyme) to 0.39 g/100 ml on immobilization. Immobilization resulted in significant thermal stability at 60 degrees C. The time course of hydrolysis of xylan at 60 degrees C by free enzyme as well as immobilized enzyme was also studied.
THE GEOGRAPHY OF REBELLION: STRATEGY AND SUPPLY IN THE TWO ‘SICILIAN SLAVE WARS’
Authors: MORTON PETER
Published: June 2014

The two Sicilian ‘Slave Wars’ of the second century BC have rarely been studied in terms of their strategic complexities. Previous efforts to do so have started from the assumption that each conflict was a priori the same or similar. In addition, both wars have been placed into a separate category of analysis from other wars, leading to analyses that have characterised the wars together as disorganized guerrilla campaigns or examples of ancient marronage. In this paper I argue, by contrast, that we must consider the two conflicts as separate entities, and that we must approach their study as we would any other wars. By studying the rebel strategies of each war in terms of their relationships with the geography of Sicily and the logistics of warfare I contend that the two wars were fought in contrasting manners, with the method used in the first being highly strategic, and in the second confused and ineffectual.
THE AEOLUS OF EURIPIDES: CONCEPTS AND MOTIFS
Authors: XANTHAKI-KARAMANOU G. , MIMIDOU E.
Published: June 2014

The paper deals with the reconstruction and the basic concepts and themes of E. Aeolus. The play is distinct of its purely tragic action with exploitation of pathetic and rhetorical motifs, and, particularly, of an admired agon logon as an ‘artificial speech’. The fragmentary evidence reveals a conjunction of tradition and innovation, of the earlier competitive excellencies, identifying the agathos with the noble and the rich, as against the new co-operative excellencies which do not presuppose high social status, but moral virtues, such as wisdom, self-control, and good social behaviour. The play displays typically Euripidean beliefs on wealth and poverty, prudent political decisions as a prime quality of a ruler, bravery in battle and rhetorical skill, nobility and virtue, the harmony of opposites, good marriage, the ingenuity of the human mind, all reflecting democratic concepts which form the moral background of the fifth-century Athenian City-State.
Irruptive movements and breeding dispersal of snowy owls: a specialized predator exploiting a pulsed resource
Authors: Therrien J.‐F. , Gauthier G. , Pinaud D. , Bêty J.
Published: June 2014

Mobility and irruptive movements have been proposed as mechanisms that could allow some diet specialists to inhabit and breed in environments with highly unpredictable resources, like the arctic tundra. The snowy owl, one of the main avian predators of the tundra, is known to specialize on lemmings during the breeding season. These small mammals are also well known for their tremendous spatial and temporal variations in abundance. We examined the spring (pre‐breeding, from March to June) movements of snowy owls by tracking 9 breeding females in the Canadian Arctic for up to 3 yr with satellite transmitters. We used state‐space modeling to assess searching behavior and measure breeding dispersal distances. We also ascertain lemming abundance at some of the sites used by the marked owls. Tracked owls displayed searching movements for extended periods (up to 108 d) and traveled over large distances (up to 4093 km) each spring. The distance between furthest apart searching areas in a given year averaged 828 km (range 220 to 2433 km). Settlement date, distance between searching areas, traveled distance and the duration of prospecting movements were longer in the year where density of lemmings recorded in the eastern High‐Arctic (Bylot Island) was lowest. Nonetheless, snowy owls settled in areas where local lemming abundance was relatively high. Individual breeding dispersal distance between consecutive years averaged 725 km (range 18 to 2224). Overall, the high mobility of female snowy owls allowed these diet specialists to behave as irruptive migrants and to sustain their reproductive activities during consecutive years even under highly fluctuating resources.
The petaltail dragonflies (Odonata: Petaluridae): Mesozoic habitat specialists that survive to the modern day
Authors: Ware Jessica L. , Beatty Christopher D. , Sánchez Herrera Melissa , Valley Steve , Johnson Jim , Kerst Cary , May Michael L. , Theischinger Gunther
Published: June 2014

Aim

To explore the phylogenetics and historical biogeography of the dragonfly family Petaluridae (known as ‘petaltails’), a relict dragonfly group with unique habitat and life history attributes.

Location

Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Chile and North America.

Methods

Using five mitochondrial and three nuclear gene fragments we recovered garli‐part maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic hypotheses for 10 of the 11 extant petaltail species. Biogeographical patterns were analysed using Lagrange and interpreted through beast relaxed clock dating analysis.

Results

Petaluridae is monophyletic with an origin in the mid‐Jurassic, c. 157 Ma. The family consists of two major clades: one with a Laurasian distribution containing the genera Tachopteryx and Tanypteryx, and another containing the genera Petalura, Phenes and Uropetala, distributed in Gondwanan remnants. Based on our beast molecular clock, these two clades separated c. 146 Ma. Species ages in Petaluridae range from c. 100 to c. 30 million years, with the majority of the species persisting for 70–75 million years. Analysis with Lagrange points to an origin for the family associated with New Zealand, with subsequent dispersal to other Gondwanan remnants (Australia and Chile) as well as Laurasia (eastern and western North America) and subsequent dispersal from western North America to Japan.

Main conclusions

The extant species of Petaluridae are extremely old, with most species persisting as independent lineages since the Jurassic. Our results suggest that New Zealand was close to the origin point in the Jurassic; one possibility is that Antarctica was at the centre of the petalurid distribution, based on Permian fossil evidence. Such long persistence for species is surprising, especially considering the specialized habitat required by petalurid larvae; unlike the majority of modern dragonflies, which spend their larval stage in ponds or streams, petaltails live in fen habitats. Petaltails also take multiple years to develop from egg to adult, another trait uncommon in modern dragonflies. Specialization in a species is normally associated with higher extinction rates; the petaltails appear to be an exception to this rule.
Prospective European Survey on Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: Clinical Characteristics of Patients and Ablation Strategies Used in Different Countries
Authors: THEMISTOCLAKIS SAKIS , RAVIELE ANTONIO , CHINA PAOLO , PAPPONE CARLO , PONTI ROBERTO DE , REVISHVILI AMIRAN , ALIOT ETIENNE , KUCK KARL‐HEINZ , HOFF PER IVAR , SHAH DIPEN , ALMENDRAL JESÚS , MANOLIS ANTONIS S. , CHIERCHIA GIAN‐BATTISTA , OTO ALI , VATASESCU RADU G. , SINKOVEC MATJAZ , CAPPATO RICCARDO
Published: June 2014

Survey on Atrial Fibrillation Ablation

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation is widely adopted. Our aim was to conduct a prospective multicenter survey to verify patients’ characteristics, approaches, and technologies adopted across Europe.

Methods and Results

A total of 35 centers in 12 countries actively participated in the study and 940 patients (median age 60 years) were enrolled. AF was paroxysmal, persistent, and long‐lasting persistent in 52.4%, 36%, and 11.6% of patients, respectively; 95.5% of patients were symptomatic and 91.4% were refractory to antiarrhythmic therapy. Redo procedures were performed in 20.9%. Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) emerged as the cornerstone of ablative therapy and has been performed in 98.7% of procedures, with confirmation of PVI in 92.9% of cases. The ablation of nonparoxysmal AF was not generally limited to isolating the PVs and several adjunctive approaches are adopted, particularly in the case of long‐lasting persistent AF. Linear lesions or elimination of complex fractionated atrial electrograms were more frequently added. Circular mapping catheters and imaging techniques were seen to be used in about two‐thirds of cases. Radiofrequency energy was delivered through open irrigated catheters in 68% of cases.

Conclusions

European centers are largely following the recommendations of the guidelines and the expert consensus documents for AF ablation. AF ablation is mainly performed in relatively young patients with symptomatic drug refractory AF and no or minimal heart disease. Patients with paroxysmal AF are the most frequently treated with a quite uniform ablative approach across Europe. A less standardized approach was observed in nonparoxysmal AF patients.
Gender distribution, sexual size dimorphism and morphometric sexing in ballan wrasse Labrus bergylta
Authors: Leclercq E. , Grant B. , Davie A. , Migaud H.
Published: June 2014

In wild ballan wrasse Labrus bergylta, mass–length relationships were not different between genders, and positive allometry was found in the mixed‐gender population. Male‐biased sexual size dimorphism was significant and the most effective morphometric method for sexing L. bergylta outside of the species spawning window used body mass (MB in g), total body length (LT in mm) and Fulton's condition factor (K) as discriminant variables to predict gender with 91% accuracy. The discriminant score (SD) of a specimen can be calculated as SD = 0·01 MB − 0·016 LT − 3·835 K + 6·252 to predict its gender as female or male if SD is < 1·459 or SD is > 1·504, respectively. There was a potential trend towards earlier sexual inversion compared to previous studies at comparable latitudes. Sex change is a phenotypically plastic trait under social control in haremic fishes and should be monitored in increasingly exploited L. bergylta.
Cultivating the Family Studies Terrain: A Synthesis of Qualitative Conceptual Articles
Authors: Sharp Elizabeth , Zvonkovic Anisa , Humble Áine M. , Elise Radina M.
Published: June 2014

With the intent of cultivating the family studies field, we review and synthesize conceptual discussions of qualitative work published since 1985 in the field of family studies. We critically examine the extent to which conditions in the field offer richness and sustainability for qualitative scholarship. We classify discussions by 3 overarching patterns: (a) appreciating, (b) expanding, and (c) improving qualitative research. Using these patterns as a framework, we encourage scholars to spend less attention appreciating qualitative research and calling for expansion. We recommend instead more critical engagement, greater synthesis, and contemplation of fertile issues accompanying the vast (existing and potential) territory of qualitative research in family studies.
Can Performance on Daily Activities Discriminate Between Older Adults with Normal Cognitive Function and Those with Mild Cognitive Impairment?
Authors: Rodakowski Juleen , Skidmore Elizabeth R. , Reynolds Charles F. , Dew Mary Amanda , Butters Meryl A. , Holm Margo B. , Lopez Oscar L. , Rogers Joan C.
Published: June 2014

Objectives

To examine whether preclinical disability in performance of cognitively focused instrumental activity of daily living (C‐IADL) tasks can discriminate between older adults with normal cognitive function and those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and, secondarily, to determine the two tasks with the strongest psychometric properties and assess their discriminative ability so as to generate diagnosis‐relevant information about cognitive changes associated with MCI and mild neurocognitive disorder according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, criteria.

Design

Secondary analyses of cross‐sectional data from a cohort of individuals diagnosed with normal cognitive function or MCI.

Setting

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Participants

Older adults with remitted major depression (N = 157).

Measurements

Diagnosis of cognitive status was made at the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Pittsburgh. Performance on eight C‐IADLs was measured using the criterion‐referenced, observation‐based Performance Assessment of Self‐Care Skills (PASS).

Results

Ninety‐six older adults with normal cognitive function (mean age 72.5 ± 5.9) and 61 with MCI (mean age 75.5 ± 6.3) participated. The eight C‐IADLs demonstrated 81% accuracy in discriminating cognitive status (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.81, P < .001). Two tasks (shopping and checkbook balancing) were the most discriminating (AUC = 0.80, P < .001); they demonstrated similar ability as all eight C‐IADLs in determining cognitive status. Assessing performance on these two C‐IADLs takes 10 to 15 minutes.

Conclusion

This is the first demonstration of the discriminative ability of preclinical disability to distinguish older adults with MCI from cognitively normal older adults. These findings highlight potential tasks that, when measured using the observation‐based PASS, demonstrate greater effort for individuals with MCI. These tasks may be considered when attempting to diagnose MCI or mild neurocognitive disorder in clinical practice and research.
Duration of Postoperative Delirium Is an Independent Predictor of 6‐Month Mortality in Older Adults After Hip Fracture
Authors: Bellelli Giuseppe , Mazzola Paolo , Morandi Alessandro , Bruni Adriana , Carnevali Lucio , Corsi Maurizio , Zatti Giovanni , Zambon Antonella , Corrao Giovanni , Olofsson Birgitta , Gustafson Yngve , Annoni Giorgio
Published: June 2014

Objectives

To evaluate the association between number of days with delirium and 6‐month mortality in elderly adults after hip fracture surgery.

Design

Prospective cohort study with 6‐month follow‐up.

Setting

Orthogeriatric Unit (OGU).

Participants

Individuals (mean age = 84.3 ± 6.4) admitted to the OGU between October 2011 and April 2013 with hip fracture (N = 199).

Measurements

Postoperative delirium (POD) was assessed daily using the Confusion Assessment Method algorithm and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, criteria. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to evaluate the association between POD of and 6‐month mortality after surgery, after adjustment for covariates including age, prefracture residence, Katz activity of daily living score, New Mobility score, diagnosis of prefracture dementia, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, albumin serum levels, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and length of OGU stay.

Results

Fifty‐seven participants (28.6%) developed POD. In the 6‐month period after surgery, 35 (17.6%) participants died: 16 of 57 (28.1%) with POD and 19/ of 142 (13.4%) with no POD. The average duration of POD was 2.0 ± 3.2 days for participants who died and 0.7 ± 1.8 days for those who survived (P < .001). After adjusting for covariates, each day of POD in the OGU increased the hazard of dying at 6 months by 17% (hazard ratio = 1.17, 95% confidence interval = 1.07–1.28).

Conclusion

In older adults undergoing hip fracture surgery, duration of POD is an important prognostic factor for 6‐month mortality. Efforts to reduce duration of POD are therefore crucial for these individuals.
Optimal Decisions on Pension Plans in the Presence of Information Costs and Financial Literacy
Authors: CORSINI LORENZO , SPATARO LUCA
Published: June 2014

Pension reforms are on the political agenda of many countries. Such reforms imply an increasing responsibility on individuals’ side in building an efficient portfolio for retirement. In this paper, we provide a model describing workers’ choices on the allocation of retirement savings in presence of (1) mandatory pension contribution; (2) different pension plans; and (3) information costs and financial literacy investment decisions. In particular, we characterize the results from both a positive and normative standpoint, by highlighting the determinants of individuals’ choice, with special focus on information costs, on the role of income and preferences, and by characterizing the optimal contribution rate to mandatory complementary pension plans. We also introduce endogenous financial literacy and analyze how its optimal level is determined and how it affects the decisions on pension plans.
Sleep quality and the risk of work injury: a Swiss case–control study
Authors: Uehli Katrin , Miedinger David , Bingisser Roland , Dürr Selina , Holsboer‐Trachsler Edith , Maier Sabrina , Mehta Amar J. , Müller Roland , Schindler Christian , Zogg Stefanie , Künzli Nino , Leuppi Jörg D.
Published: June 2014

Sleep problems are a well‐known risk factor for work injuries, but less is known about which vulnerable populations are most at risk. The aims of this study were to investigate the association between sleep quality and the risk of work injury and to identify factors that may modify the association. A case–control study including 180 cases and 551 controls was conducted at the University Hospital in Basel, Switzerland, from 1 December 2009 to 30 June 2011. Data on work injuries and sleep quality were collected. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of the association between sleep quality and work injury were estimated in multivariable logistic regression analyses and were stratified by hypothesized effect modifiers (age, gender, job risk, shift work, sleep duration and working hours). Poor sleep quality was associated significantly with work injury of any type (P < 0.05) and with being caught in particular (P < 0.05). The association between poor sleep quality and work injury was significantly higher for workers older than 30 years (odds ratio>30 1.30 versus odds ratio≤30 0.91, P < 0.01), sleeping 7 h or less per night (odds ratio≤7 1.17 versus odds ratio>7 0.79, P < 0.05) and working 50 h or more per week (odds ratio≥50 1.79 versus odd ratio<50 1.10, P < 0.01). Work injury risk increased with increasing severity of sleep problems (P < 0.05). Prior work injury frequency increased with decreasing sleep quality (P < 0.05). Older age, short sleep duration and long working hours may enhance the risk of work injuries associated with sleep quality.
Decline in intrahepatic cccDNA and increase in immune cell reactivity after 12 weeks of antiviral treatment were associated with HBeAg loss
Authors: Zheng Q. , Zhu Y. Y. , Chen J. , Liu Y. R. , You J. , Dong J. , Zeng D. W. , Gao L. Y. , Chen L. H. , Jiang J. J.
Published: June 2014

Viral load reduction facilitates recovery of antiviral T‐cell responses. Dynamic alterations in intrahepatic viraemia clearance and immune cell reactivity during the early phase of nucleoside analogue (NA) therapy and the impact of these changes on HBeAg seroconversion are unknown. Fifteen HBeAg‐positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients were treated with adefovir dipivoxil. T‐cell reactivity to HBV core and surface antigens were tested using ELISPOT assay from baseline to week 48 post‐treatment (at 4‐week intervals). Before and at week 12 of treatment, paired liver biopsies were analysed for intrahepatic HBV‐DNA and cccDNA via real‐time fluorescent PCR. In situ detection of CD4+, CD8+ T cells and NK cells was analysed by immunohistochemistry. With viral load reduction, HBV‐specific IFN‐γ‐producing CD4+ T cells in patients with HBeAg loss were greatly enhanced and reached the highest level at week 12, with further increase observed between week 36 and week 48. After 12 weeks of treatment, total intrahepatic HBV‐DNA and cccDNA had significantly decreased; however, there was no difference in the viral loads or extent of reduction between patients with and without HBeAg loss. Paralleling reduction in viral load, intrahepatic CD8+T lymphocytes increased in patients with HBeAg loss compared with baseline values. Only one patient without HBeAg loss exhibited similar results. Increased immune cells were observed in certain patients along with reduced hepatic viral loads during the second phase of HBV‐DNA decline, which could promote the recovery of antiviral immunity and facilitate HBeAg loss.
Do groundwater dynamics drive spatial patterns of tree density and diversity in Neotropical savannas?
Authors: Villalobos‐Vega Randol , Salazar Ana , Miralles‐Wilhelm Fernando , Haridasan Mundayatan , Franco Augusto C. , Goldstein Guillermo
Published: June 2014

Questions

What are the temporal and spatial variations of groundwater depth along topographic gradients in Neotropical savannas? Are patterns of tree density and species diversity along topographic gradients in Neotropical savannas controlled by water table depth? Do soil and groundwater nutrient concentrations differ along topographic gradients in Neotropical savannas?

Location

Fire‐protected savannas of central Brazil.

Methods

Over 16 mo, we monitored temporal and spatial variations in groundwater levels using automated submersible pressure transducers installed in ten wells located along two topographic gradients (five wells per gradient) of 950 m and 1703 m in length, representing elevations of 47 and 37 m a.s.l., respectively. We located the wells according to changes in vegetation physiognomies from woody savannas at high elevations, to open shrubby grasslands at low elevations. Along each topographic gradient we determined soil and groundwater nutrient concentrations as well as richness, density, basal diameter and height of trees within two plots of 14 × 14 m (392 m2) adjacent to each well.

Results

Along the two gradients, groundwater levels exhibited larger fluctuations at lower than at higher elevations where the water table was deeper. Richness, density and diversity of trees decreased significantly at lower elevations where soils were waterlogged during the wet season. Soil pH and soil concentrations of carbon, nitrogen and manganese decreased significantly as elevation increased along the topographic gradients, but soil nutrient concentrations of phosphorus, aluminium and iron did not change with elevation. Groundwater samples contained only trace amounts of nutrients and were poorly correlated with elevation along the topographic gradients.

Conclusions

In Neotropical savannas, the minimum distance between the soil surface and water table depth (reached during the wet season) and the relatively large fluctuations in groundwater limit tree density and diversity at low elevations as savanna trees cannot cope with extended waterlogging during the wet season and with low soil water availability during the dry season. Thus, variations of tree density and diversity along topographic gradients are more related to spatial and temporal variations in water table depth than to soil and groundwater nutrient variations in Neotropical savannas.
Decline of dry grassland specialists in Mediterranean high‐mountain communities influenced by recent climate warming
Authors: Jiménez‐Alfaro Borja , Gavilán Rosario G. , Escudero Adrián , Iriondo José María , Fernández‐González Federico
Published: June 2014

Questions

What changes have occurred in Mediterranean high‐mountain communities during the last 50 yr? Do these changes reflect upward shifts and decline in dry grassland specialists due to climate warming?

Location

Upper belt (1900–2400 m a.s.l.) in Sierra de Guadarrama, Spain.

Methods

We re‐surveyed dry grassland communities in 50 summits that were previously sampled between the 1960s and 1980s. New plots were placed in the same localities and the same conditions as the original surveys. Changes at the species level were evaluated by comparing, between the two survey periods, species frequencies and optimal altitude estimated by local distribution models done with Maxent. Changes at the community level were assessed by comparing species richness and composition of the two surveys in relation to altitude, plot size and time between surveys. We evaluated observed changes in the whole data set and species groups by structuring the species into dry grassland specialists, other alpine species and generalists occurring at wider altitudinal ranges.

Results

There was a general decline in the frequency of dry grassland specialists, an increase in frequency of generalists and no clear trends in the other species. Upward shifts were mainly detected in generalists, with significant increases in frequency. At the community level, we found a general increase in species richness that was mainly determined by the increase in generalists; coupled with a decline in number of dry grassland specialists. The structure of the communities evidenced changes between the historical surveys and the re‐survey, which were mainly correlated with the number of years and the increasing dominance of generalists.

Conclusions

In contrast with trends observed in other Mediterranean high‐mountain communities, our study reports a general increase in species richness, although this effect is concurrent with a decline in dry grassland specialists. The observed trends support on‐going replacement of endemic species by low‐altitude species, and associated changes in community assemblages. Despite the limitations of re‐visitation studies for assessing climate‐driven changes, our results highlight the necessity of developing more studies for assessing the effects of drought in Mediterranean high‐mountain communities.
Seeing pedestrians at night: effect of driver age and visual abilities
Authors: Wood Joanne M. , Lacherez Philippe , Tyrrell Richard A.
Published: June 2014

Purpose

To quantify the effects of driver age on night‐time pedestrian conspicuity, and to determine whether individual differences in visual performance can predict drivers' ability to recognise pedestrians at night.

Methods

Participants were 32 visually normal drivers (20 younger: M = 24.4 years ± 6.4 years; 12 older: M = 72.0 years ± 5.0 years). Visual performance was measured in a laboratory‐based testing session including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, motion sensitivity and the useful field of view. Night‐time pedestrian recognition distances were recorded while participants drove an instrumented vehicle along a closed road course at night; to increase the workload of drivers, auditory and visual distracter tasks were presented for some of the laps. Pedestrians walked in place, sideways to the oncoming vehicles, and wore either a standard high visibility reflective vest or reflective tape positioned on the movable joints (biological motion).

Results

Driver age and pedestrian clothing significantly (p < 0.05) affected the distance at which the drivers first responded to the pedestrians. Older drivers recognised pedestrians at approximately half the distance of the younger drivers and pedestrians were recognised more often and at longer distances when they wore a biological motion reflective clothing configuration than when they wore a reflective vest. Motion sensitivity was an independent predictor of pedestrian recognition distance, even when controlling for driver age.

Conclusions

The night‐time pedestrian recognition capacity of older drivers was significantly worse than that of younger drivers. The distance at which drivers first recognised pedestrians at night was best predicted by a test of motion sensitivity.
“It's Not Broke, So Let's Not Try to Fix It”: Why Patients Decline a Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device
Authors: OTTENBERG ABIGALE L. , MUELLER PAUL S. , TOPAZIAN RACHEL J. , KAUFMAN SHARON , SWETZ KEITH M.
Published: June 2014

Background

Few patients decline therapy of a cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED), and little is known about the characteristics or reasoning of those who do. Our objective was to describe the reasons why patients decline CIED implantation using qualitative methods.

Methods

Qualitative, engaging thematic analysis. Three patient focus groups led by two trained facilitators and one semi‐structured interview guide.

Results

Of the 13 patients, two were women and all were white (median age [range], 65 [44–88] years). Five themes emerged: (1) don't mess with a good thing; (2) my health is good enough; (3) independent decision making; (4) it's your job, but it's my choice; and (5) gaps in learning. Most patients who decline CIEDs are asymptomatic. Other reasons to decline included feeling well, enjoying life, acceptance of the future, desire to try to improve health through diet and exercise, hearing of negative CIED experiences, and unwillingness to take on associated risks of CIED implantation. A medical record review showed that clinicians understand patients’ reasons for declining CIED treatment. However, focus group data suggest that gaps in patients’ knowledge around the purpose and function of CIEDs exist and patients may benefit from targeted education.

Conclusions

Patients decline implantation of CIEDs for various reasons. Most patients who decline therapy are asymptomatic at the time of their device consult. Focus group information show data suggestive that device consultations should be enhanced to address gaps in patient learning and confirm knowledge transfer. Clinicians should revisit treatment options iteratively.
Arabidopsis cytosolic alpha‐glycan phosphorylase, PHS2, is important during carbohydrate imbalanced conditions
Authors: Schopper S. , Mühlenbock P. , Sörensson C. , Hellborg L. , Lenman M. , Widell S. , Fettke J. , Andreasson E.
Published: June 2014

Arabidopsis thaliana has two isoforms of alpha‐glycan phosphorylase (EC 2.4.1.1), one residing in the plastid and the other in the cytosol. The cytosolic phosphorylase, PHS2, acts on soluble heteroglycans that constitute a part of the carbohydrate pool in a plant. This study aimed to define a physiological role for PHS2. Under standard growth conditions phs2 knock‐out mutants do not show any clear growth phenotype, and we hypothesised that during low‐light conditions where carbohydrate imbalance is perturbed, this enzyme is important. Soil‐grown phs2 mutant plants developed leaf lesions when placed in very low light. Analysis of soluble heteroglycan (SHG) levels showed that the amount of glucose residues in SHG was higher in the phs2 mutant compared to wild‐type plants. Furthermore, a standard senescence assay from soil‐grown phs2 mutant plants showed that leaves senesced significantly faster in darkness than the wild‐type leaves. We also found decreased hypocotyl extension in in vitro‐grown phs2 mutant seedlings when grown for long time in darkness at 6 °C. We conclude that PHS2 activity is important in the adult stage during low‐light conditions and senescence, as well as during prolonged seedling development when carbohydrate levels are unbalanced.
Is the timing of scent emission correlated with insect visitor activity and pollination in long‐spurred Satyrium species?
Authors: van der Niet T. , Jürgens A. , Johnson S. D.
Published: June 2014

Plants are expected to emit floral scent when their pollinators are most active. In the case of long‐tubed flowers specialised for pollination by crepuscular or nocturnal moths, scent emissions would be expected to peak during dawn. Although this classic idea has existed for decades, it has rarely been tested quantitatively. We investigated the timing of flower visitation, pollination and floral scent emissions in six long‐spurred Satyrium species (Orchidaceae). We observed multiple evening visits by pollinaria‐bearing moths on flowers of all study species, but rarely any diurnal visits. The assemblages of moth pollinators differed among Satyrium species, even those that co‐flowered, and the lengths of moth tongues and floral nectar spurs were strongly correlated, suggesting that the available moth pollinator fauna is partitioned by floral traits. Pollinarium removal occurred more frequently during the night than during the day in four of the six species. Scent emission, however, was only significantly higher at dusk than midday in two species. Analysis of floral volatiles using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry yielded 168 scent compounds, of which 112 were species‐specific. The scent blends emitted by each species occupy discrete clusters in two‐dimensional phenotype space, based on multivariate analysis. We conclude that these long‐spurred Satyrium species are ecologically specialised for moth pollination, yet the timing of their scent emission is not closely correlated with moth pollination activity. Scent composition was also more variable than expected from a group of closely related plants sharing the same pollinator functional group. These findings reveal a need for greater understanding of mechanisms of scent production and their constraints, as well as the underlying reasons for divergent scent chemistry among closely related plants.
Pregnancy‐Associated Glycoprotein (PAG) Profile of Holstein–Friesian Cows as Compared to Dual‐Purpose and Beef Cows
Authors: Shahin M , Friedrich M , Gauly M , Holtz W
Published: June 2014

Contents

Pregnancy‐associated glycoproteins (PAGs) are produced by mono‐ and binucleate trophoblast cells in the ruminant placenta. PAG appears in maternal blood and, from approximately 4 weeks after fertilization onward, may serve as a reliable means of diagnosing pregnancy. A range of factors are said to affect plasma PAG concentrations, such as number and sex of foetus, mass of calf and placenta, level of milk production and genetic constitution. In this study, PAG pregnancy profiles of a dual‐purpose (Simmental) and two beef breeds (Uckermark and Aubrac) are compared with the profile of the specialized dairy breed Holstein–Friesian. Holstein–Friesian cows were sampled weekly; the levels of the other breeds were presented at 3‐week intervals. The overall significant breed difference (p = 0.013) was founded on deviations during the initial 3 weeks of pregnancy and from 23 weeks onward. During the period critical for the detection of pregnancy, between four and 22 weeks, agreement between PAG levels of various breeds was close (p > 0.05). No significant effect of body mass of cow or calf (relative to mass of dam) was detected. These findings imply that the PAG pregnancy test may be executed uniformly irrespective of breed or type of cow, affirming the suitability of the test as a valuable asset for the cattle industry.
A Non‐parametric ANOVA‐type Test for Regression Curves Based on Characteristic Functions
Authors: Pardo‐Fernández Juan Carlos , Jiménez‐Gamero María Dolores , Ghouch Anouar El
Published: June 2014

This article studies a new procedure to test for the equality of k regression curves in a fully non‐parametric context. The test is based on the comparison of empirical estimators of the characteristic functions of the regression residuals in each population. The asymptotic behaviour of the test statistic is studied in detail. It is shown that under the null hypothesis, the distribution of the test statistic converges to a finite combination of independent chi‐squared random variables with one degree of freedom. The coefficients in this linear combination can be consistently estimated. The proposed test is able to detect contiguous alternatives converging to the null at the rate n − 1 ∕ 2. The practical performance of the test based on the asymptotic null distribution is investigated by means of simulations.
Guided Censored Regression
Authors: Talamakrouni Majda , Ghouch Anouar El , Van Keilegom Ingrid
Published: June 2014

Parametrically guided non‐parametric regression is an appealing method that can reduce the bias of a non‐parametric regression function estimator without increasing the variance. In this paper, we adapt this method to the censored data case using an unbiased transformation of the data and a local linear fit. The asymptotic properties of the proposed estimator are established, and its performance is evaluated via finite sample simulations.
Constructing Victims: The Erasure of Women's Resistance to Sexual Assault
Authors: Hollander Jocelyn A. , Rodgers Katie
Published: June 2014

How do the news media portray women's resistance to sexual assault? We analyze articles from a systematic sample of 16 U.S. newspapers across 1 full calendar year to assess whether and how newspapers describe women's resistance. We find that in most cases, newspaper reports reinforce the belief that women are incapable of effectively defending themselves. Most articles fail to mention women's resistance or do so only to note its failure; the longer the article, the more likely it is to follow these patterns. Headlines exaggerate these patterns, presenting virtually no evidence that the articles that follow, or that assaults themselves, contain any female resistance or agency. In only a very small minority of cases are women described as strong, competent actors with the ability to defend themselves against violence. We conclude with a discussion of the potential individual and societal consequences of these patterns.
Checkbooks in the Heartland: Change over Time in Voluntary Association Membership
Authors: Painter Matthew A. , Paxton Pamela
Published: June 2014

Numerous scholars documented declines in America's social capital through the mid‐1990s but we do not know whether the trend has continued. Further, despite warnings by Robert Putnam and Theda Skocpol that the quality of Americans' voluntary association memberships has also deteriorated—moving from active, “face‐to‐face” memberships to passive, “checkbook” memberships—data have not been available to test this claim. In this article, we use both the Iowa Community Survey and the General Social Survey to explore the changing nature of voluntary association membership between 1994 and 2004. We demonstrate that not only are declines in voluntary association memberships continuing in the new century but there has been a shift in the intensity of voluntary association participation over time. We observe a decline in active membership over time and an increase in checkbook membership over time. These findings provide support for Putnam's claim that checkbook membership is increasing at the expense of more active types of memberships.
Consumer Racial Profiling in U.S. Restaurants: Exploring Subtle Forms of Service Discrimination against Black Diners
Authors: Brewster Zachary W. , Lynn Michael , Cocroft Shelytia
Published: June 2014

In this article we advance scholarship on consumer racial profiling (CRP), in general, and the practice as it occurs in restaurant establishments, in particular, by presenting findings from a survey of restaurant consumers that was designed to ascertain the degree to which discriminate service is evident in black and white customers' perceptions and evaluations of their servers' behaviors. We found no evidence of interracial differences in subjects' perceptions of being the recipients of subtle server behaviors that are discretionally conveyed (e.g., recommend entrée, compliment food choice, joke with, etc.) or those that constitute standard markers of service quality (e.g., eye contact, smiling, expressing appreciation, etc.). We did, however, find some evidence of CRP in customers' perceptions of their servers' attentiveness/promptness. Additionally, we found that African Americans tend to subjectively appraise their servers' performance less favorably than their white counterparts and this is the case even when other indicators of service discrimination are held constant. Findings taken as a whole suggest that servers' extend similar cues of hospitality but do so in qualitatively different ways (e.g., less sincere) across racial groups. We discuss the implications of these findings and conclude by encouraging additional scholarship on the subtle nature of racial discrimination in consumer settings.
Public and Academic Questions on Race: The Problem with Racial Controversies
Authors: Dowd Jeffrey
Published: June 2014

This essay offers an in‐depth look at how some national discussions of race serve to heighten divisions and to distort Americans' understandings of racism. First, I contend that these controversies produce questions that create racial and partisan divisions. In other words, they focus on who or which group is guilty of racism. Second, I argue that such questions about racism depart from the kinds of questions that sociologists seek to answer. As such, racial controversies move the public away from applying a sociological imagination to the problem of racism.