bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parabolic trough concentrators for hot water generation: Comparison of the levelized cost of production
Authors: Jaramillo O. A. , Aguilar J. O. , Castrejón-García R. , Venegas-Reyes E. , Sosa-Montemayor F.
Published: March 2013

With the objective of demonstrating the technical and economic viabilities of a hybrid solar energy system applied to hot water generation, a simulation of a parabolic trough power plant with an auxiliary electrical heater system is presented. This article reports the procedure to obtain the characteristic equation of the useful heat value when N parabolic troughs are operated in series; the equation takes into account the heat loss through the pipes and the use of a heat exchanger. Additionally, this work reports a theoretical case study of a hybrid system that supplies hot water via solar energy and an auxiliary electrical system. The solar fraction and the global efficiency of the hybrid solar power plant are calculated. Using the results from the simulation, a cost analysis of the hybrid solar power plant was done where the levelized cost of thermal power generated is obtained; this in turn shows that the levelized cost of a conventional electrical heater system is one and a half times more than that of the hybrid system.
Capacitive infrared photodetector for room temperature operation
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Saumil , Anderson John
Published: March 2013

We report a self-assembled semiconductor nanowire photodetector that detects infrared light at room temperature by registering a change in capacitance upon illumination. Its light-to-dark capacitance ratio exceeds 2.5 at a signal frequency of 75 kHz and gradually decays to 1 beyond 200 kHz. This detector also exhibits “frequency-selectivity” since it is more responsive to photons with energies close to the nanowire's effective bandgap than to higher energy photons. Such a light-sensitive capacitor, unlike a light-sensitive resistor, can be used in a resonant parallel inductor-capacitor circuit to yield giant light-to-dark contrast ratio even when the light-to-dark capacitance ratio is relatively small.
Injection locking at zero field in two free layer spin-valves
Authors: Carpentieri Mario , Moriyama Takahiro , Azzerboni Bruno , Finocchio Giovanni
Published: March 2013

This paper predicts the possibility to achieve synchronization (via injection locking to a microwave current) of spin-transfer torque oscillators based on hybrid spin-valves composed by two free layers and two perpendicular polarizers at zero bias field. The locking regions are attained for microwave frequency near 0.5f0, f0, and 2f0, where f0 is the input oscillator frequency. Those properties make this system promising for applications, such as high-speed frequency dividers and multipliers, and phase-locked-loop demodulators.
Accumulated destructive effect of nanosecond repetitive voltage pulses on the insulated coatings of Fe-based nanocrystalline ribbon
Authors: Zhang Yu , Liu Jinliang
Published: March 2013

Fe-based nanocrystalline ribbon is widely employed in pulsed power devices and accelerators. A temperature accumulation model is put forward to explain the accumulated destructive effect of discharge plasma bombardment on the TiO2 coatings of nanocrystalline ribbon under 50 Hz/100 ns voltage pulses. Experimental results revealed that the plasma channel expansion caused by air breakdown in the coating crack heated the coating repetitively, and the coating temperature was increased and accumulated around the crack. The fact that repetitive voltage pulses were more destructive than a single pulse with the same amplitude was caused by the intensified coating ablation under the temperature accumulation effect.
Sub-picowatt resolution calorimetry with a bi-material microcantilever sensor
Authors: Canetta Carlo , Narayanaswamy Arvind
Published: March 2013

We have designed and fabricated bi-material microcantilevers with low conductance by minimizing the width and thickness of the cantilevers while keeping them suitable for detection with an optical deflection technique. The conductance of a cantilever is determined experimentally to be 330 ± 20 nWK−1. Using this cantilever, we have measured less than 1 pW of heat flow through the cantilever. The thermal noise-limited resolution of the cantilever is expected to be ≈50 fW. Such cantilevers give us additional tools to probe thermal transport through nanostructures, especially through single molecules where picowatt-level sensitivity is necessary.
Shear waves in vegetal tissues at ultrasonic frequencies
Authors: Fariñas M. D. , Sancho-Knapik D. , Peguero-Pina J. J. , Gil-Pelegrín E. , Gómez Álvarez-Arenas T. E.
Published: March 2013

Shear waves are investigated in leaves of two plant species using air-coupled ultrasound. Magnitude and phase spectra of the transmission coefficient around the first two orders of the thickness resonances (normal and oblique incidence) have been measured. A bilayer acoustic model for plant leaves (comprising the palisade parenchyma and the spongy mesophyll) is proposed to extract, from measured spectra, properties of these tissues like: velocity and attenuation of longitudinal and shear waves and hence Young modulus, rigidity modulus, and Poisson's ratio. Elastic moduli values are typical of cellular solids and both, shear and longitudinal waves exhibit classical viscoelastic losses. Influence of leaf water content is also analyzed.
Non-Hermitian β-ensemble with real eigenvalues
Authors: Bohigas O. , Pato M. P.
Published: March 2013

By removing the Hermitian condition of the so-called β-ensemble of tridiagonal matrices, an ensemble of non-Hermitian random matrices is constructed whose eigenvalues are all real. It is shown that they belong to the class of pseudo-Hermitian operators. Its statistical properties are investigated.
The role of social isolation in frequent and/or avoidable hospitalisation: rural community-based service providers’ perspectives
Authors: Longman Jo , Passey Megan , Singer Judy , Morgan Geoff
Published: March 2013

Background.
Research on frequent or avoidable hospital admission has not focussed on the perspectives of service providers or rural settings. The link between social isolation and admission is not well explored, although social isolation is known to have negative health effects.

Objective.
This paper reports further analysis from a study investigating service providers’ perspectives on factors influencing frequent hospital admission in older patients with chronic disease, and explores the perceived role of social isolation.

Methods.
Semi-structured interviews with 15 purposively sampled community-based service providers in rural New South Wales, Australia were thematically analysed.

Results.
Social isolation was repeatedly identified as an important contributory factor in frequent and/or avoidable admission. Patients were described as socially isolated in three broad and interrelating ways: living alone, not socialising and being isolated from family. Social isolation was perceived to contribute to admission by limiting opportunities offered by social interaction, including opportunities for: improving mental health, pain tolerance and nutritional status; facilitating access to services; reinforcing healthful behaviours; and providing a monitoring role.

Conclusions.
Social isolation is perceived to contribute to admission in ways that may be amenable to intervention. Further research is needed to understand patients’ perspectives on the role of social isolation in admission, in order to inform policy and programs aimed at reducing hospitalisation among older people with chronic disease.

What is known about the topic?
Social isolation has been shown to adversely affect physical health and mental health and wellbeing across a range of populations. However, less is known about the influence of social isolation on hospital admission among older people with chronic disease, and in particular in instances where admission might have been avoided.

What does this paper add?
This paper adds to our understanding of the ways in which social isolation might link to hospital admission among older people with chronic conditions. It does this by reporting the perspectives of community-based service providers with many years’ experience of working with this patient group.

What are the implications for practitioners?
Practitioners need to consider the wider determinants of hospital admission among older patients with chronic disease, including social structures and support. For policy makers the implications are to review support for such patients and explore the possible impact of reducing social isolation on hospital admission.
An inland population of the common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) at Black Rock Ridge, New South Wales: a preliminary ecological assessment
Authors: Kerle J. A. , Kimmorley C. , Old J. M.
Published: March 2013

The common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) is considered abundant throughout its distribution in eastern Australia but appears to be declining at a regional level in inland New South Wales. Previous studies of the common ringtail possum in south-eastern Australia have focussed on coastal populations and little is known about the ecology of inland populations. In south-western Australia studies of the closely related western ringtail possum (Pseudocherius occidentalis) have found that coastal populations differ from inland populations, particularly in their nesting behaviour. In this preliminary study of an inland population of the common ringtail possum at Black Rock Ridge in central west New South Wales population density has been estimated and the habitat and nesting preference assessed. Up to one ringtail per hectare and 4.5 ringtails per spotlight hour were recorded. Tree hollows appeared to be the preferred nest site, with possums seen entering hollows during spotlighting and no dreys being located. Threats to common ringtail possums at Black Rock Ridge include the isolation of the remnant ridge vegetation within an extensively cleared landscape and the associated change in fire regimes. Within this landscape there has been an extensive reduction in available habitat, and an overall lack of habitat connectivity has placed ringtail possums at an increased risk of predation.
Halophytes as sources of metals in estuarine systems with low levels of contamination
Authors: Couto Thiago , Duarte Bernardo , Barroso Dimitri , Caçador Isabel , Marques João C.
Published: March 2013

Heavy metal concentrations present in the above- and beowground tissues of Scirpus maritimus L., Spartina maritima (Curtis) Fernald and Zostera noltii Hornem were analysed seasonally in the Mondego Estuary, Portugal. The sediments of the estuary were confirmed to contain only low concentrations of heavy metals. The belowground tissues of all three species showed higher heavy metal concentrations than the aboveground tissues. Although the sediments only contained low levels of contamination, because the area occupied by S. maritimus and Z. noltii was large, significant quantities of heavy metals were accumulated and exported to the surrounding water bodies. In contrast with observations of highly contaminated estuaries, it was found that in spite of the low level of contaminants in the sediments of the Mondego Estuary, aquatic vegetation functioned as a source of metals for nearby systems.
Atomic-level description of ubiquitin folding
Authors: Piana Stefano , Lindorff-Larsen Kresten , Shaw David E.
Published: March 2013

Equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations, in which proteins spontaneously and repeatedly fold and unfold, have recently been used to help elucidate the mechanistic principles that underlie the folding of fast-folding proteins. The extent to which the conclusions drawn from the analysis of such proteins, which fold on the microsecond timescale, apply to the millisecond or slower folding of naturally occurring proteins is, however, unclear. As a first attempt to address this outstanding issue, we examine here the folding of ubiquitin, a 76-residue-long protein found in all eukaryotes that is known experimentally to fold on a millisecond timescale. Ubiquitin folding has been the subject of many experimental studies, but its slow folding rate has made it difficult to observe and characterize the folding process through all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. Here we determine the mechanism, thermodynamics, and kinetics of ubiquitin folding through equilibrium atomistic simulations. The picture emerging from the simulations is in agreement with a view of ubiquitin folding suggested from previous experiments. Our findings related to the folding of ubiquitin are also consistent, for the most part, with the folding principles derived from the simulation of fast-folding proteins, suggesting that these principles may be applicable to a wider range of proteins.
Genome structure and metabolic features in the red seaweed
Chondrus crispus
shed light on evolution of the Archaeplastida
Authors: Collén Jonas , Porcel Betina , Carré Wilfrid , Ball Steven G. , Chaparro Cristian , Tonon Thierry , Barbeyron Tristan , Michel Gurvan , Noel Benjamin , Valentin Klaus , Elias Marek , Artiguenave François , Arun Alok , Aury Jean-Marc , Barbosa-Neto José F. , Bothwell John H. , Bouget François-Yves , Brillet Loraine , Cabello-Hurtado Francisco , Capella-Gutiérrez Salvador , Charrier Bénédicte , Cladière Lionel , Cock J. Mark , Coelho Susana M. , Colleoni Christophe , Czjzek Mirjam , Da Silva Corinne , Delage Ludovic , Denoeud France , Deschamps Philippe , Dittami Simon M. , Gabaldón Toni , Gachon Claire M. M. , Groisillier Agnès , Hervé Cécile , Jabbari Kamel , Katinka Michael , Kloareg Bernard , Kowalczyk Nathalie , Labadie Karine , Leblanc Catherine , Lopez Pascal J. , McLachlan Deirdre H. , Meslet-Cladiere Laurence , Moustafa Ahmed , Nehr Zofia , Nyvall Collén Pi , Panaud Olivier , Partensky Frédéric , Poulain Julie , Rensing Stefan A. , Rousvoal Sylvie , Samson Gaelle , Symeonidi Aikaterini , Weissenbach Jean , Zambounis Antonios , Wincker Patrick , Boyen Catherine
Published: March 2013

Red seaweeds are key components of coastal ecosystems and are economically important as food and as a source of gelling agents, but their genes and genomes have received little attention. Here we report the sequencing of the 105-Mbp genome of the florideophyte
Chondrus crispus
(Irish moss) and the annotation of the 9,606 genes. The genome features an unusual structure characterized by gene-dense regions surrounded by repeat-rich regions dominated by transposable elements. Despite its fairly large size, this genome shows features typical of compact genomes, e.g., on average only 0.3 introns per gene, short introns, low median distance between genes, small gene families, and no indication of large-scale genome duplication. The genome also gives insights into the metabolism of marine red algae and adaptations to the marine environment, including genes related to halogen metabolism, oxylipins, and multicellularity (microRNA processing and transcription factors). Particularly interesting are features related to carbohydrate metabolism, which include a minimalistic gene set for starch biosynthesis, the presence of cellulose synthases acquired before the primary endosymbiosis showing the polyphyly of cellulose synthesis in Archaeplastida, and cellulases absent in terrestrial plants as well as the occurrence of a mannosylglycerate synthase potentially originating from a marine bacterium. To explain the observations on genome structure and gene content, we propose an evolutionary scenario involving an ancestral red alga that was driven by early ecological forces to lose genes, introns, and intergenetic DNA; this loss was followed by an expansion of genome size as a consequence of activity of transposable elements.
The Influence of Dimensional Overlap on Location-Related Priming in the Simon Task
Authors: Lehle Carola , Stürmer Birgit , Sommer Werner
Published: March 2013

Choice reaction times are shorter when stimulus and response locations are compatible than when they are incompatible as in the Simon effect. Recent studies revealed that Simon effects are strongly attenuated when there is temporal overlap with a different high-priority task, accompanied by a decrease of early location-related response priming as reflected in the lateralized readiness potential (LRP). The latter result was obtained in a study excluding overlap of stimulus location with any other dimension in the tasks. Independent evidence suggests that location-related priming might be present in conditions with dimensional overlap. Here we tested this prediction in a dual-task experiment supplemented with recording LRPs. The secondary task was either a standard Simon task where irrelevant stimulus location overlapped with dimensions of the primary task or a Stroop-like Simon task including additional overlap of irrelevant and relevant stimulus attributes. At high temporal overlap, there was no Simon effect nor was there stimulus-related response priming in either condition. Therefore stimulus-triggered response priming seems to be abolished in conditions of limited capacity even if the likelihood of an S–R compatibility effect is maximized.
ChemoPy: freely available python package for computational biology and chemoinformatics
Authors: Cao Dong-Sheng , Xu Qing-Song , Hu Qian-Nan , Liang Yi-Zeng
Published: March 2013

Motivation: Molecular representation for small molecules has been routinely used in QSAR/SAR, virtual screening, database search, ranking, drug ADME/T prediction and other drug discovery processes. To facilitate extensive studies of drug molecules, we developed a freely available, open-source python package called chemoinformatics in python (ChemoPy) for calculating the commonly used structural and physicochemical features. It computes 16 drug feature groups composed of 19 descriptors that include 1135 descriptor values. In addition, it provides seven types of molecular fingerprint systems for drug molecules, including topological fingerprints, electro-topological state (E-state) fingerprints, MACCS keys, FP4 keys, atom pairs fingerprints, topological torsion fingerprints and Morgan/circular fingerprints. By applying a semi-empirical quantum chemistry program MOPAC, ChemoPy can also compute a large number of 3D molecular descriptors conveniently.

Availability: The python package, ChemoPy, is freely available via http://code.google.com/p/pychem/downloads/list, and it runs on Linux and MS-Windows.

Contact:  yizeng_liang@263.net

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Virgibacillus

halotolerans sp. nov., isolated from a dairy product
Authors: Seiler Herbert , Wenning Mareike
Published: March 2013

A Gram-stain-positive, strictly aerobic, rod-shaped and weakly motile bacterium, designated WS 4627T, was isolated from a dairy product sample collected in southern Germany. Spherical to slightly ellipsoidal endospores were formed centrally or subterminally in sometimes slightly swollen sporangia. The isolate was able to grow at 8–35 °C, at pH 6.5–8.5 and with 0.5–16.5 % (w/v) NaCl. The diamino acid of the cell wall was meso-diaminopimelic acid (peptidoglycan type A1γ) and the genomic DNA G+C content was 39.1 mol%. The major menaquinone was MK-7, the cellular fatty acid profile contained major amounts of anteiso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0 and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol. Strain WS 4627T was most closely related to ‘

Virgibacillus

natachei’ FarD (96.5 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and ‘

Virgibacillus

zhanjiangensis’ JSM 079157 (96.0 %). Based on the data presented, strain WS 4627T represents a novel species of the genus

Virgibacillus

, for which the name

Virgibacillus

halotolerans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WS 4627T ( = DSM 25060T = LMG 26644T).
DNA-methylation effect on cotranscriptional splicing is dependent on GC architecture of the exon–intron structure
Authors: Gelfman Sahar , Cohen Noa , Yearim Ahuvi , Ast Gil
Published: March 2013

DNA methylation is known to regulate transcription and was recently found to be involved in exon recognition via cotranscriptional splicing. We recently observed that exon–intron architectures can be grouped into two classes: one with higher GC content in exons compared to the flanking introns, and the other with similar GC content in exons and introns. The first group has higher nucleosome occupancy on exons than introns, whereas the second group exhibits weak nucleosome marking of exons, suggesting another type of epigenetic marker distinguishes exons from introns when GC content is similar. We find different and specific patterns of DNA methylation in each of the GC architectures; yet in both groups, DNA methylation clearly marks the exons. Exons of the leveled GC architecture exhibit a significantly stronger DNA methylation signal in relation to their flanking introns compared to exons of the differential GC architecture. This is accentuated by a reduction of the DNA methylation level in the intronic sequences in proximity to the splice sites and shows that different epigenetic modifications mark the location of exons already at the DNA level. Also, lower levels of methylated CpGs on alternative exons can successfully distinguish alternative exons from constitutive ones. Three positions at the splice sites show high CpG abundance and accompany elevated nucleosome occupancy in a leveled GC architecture. Overall, these results suggest that DNA methylation affects exon recognition and is influenced by the GC architecture of the exon and flanking introns.
Expression of9-cis-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE4Is Essential for Thermoinhibition of Lettuce Seed Germination but Not for Seed Development or Stress Tolerance
Authors: Huo Heqiang , Dahal Peetambar , Kunusoth Keshavulu , McCallum Claire M. , Bradford Kent J.
Published: March 2013

Thermoinhibition, or failure of seeds to germinate at warm temperatures, is common in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) cultivars. Using a recombinant inbred line population developed from a lettuce cultivar (Salinas) and thermotolerant Lactuca serriola accession UC96US23 (UC), we previously mapped a quantitative trait locus associated with thermoinhibition of germination to a genomic region containing a gene encoding a key regulated enzyme in abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis, 9-cis-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE4 (NCED4). NCED4 from either Salinas or UC complements seeds of the Arabidopsis thaliana nced6-1 nced9-1 double mutant by restoring germination thermosensitivity, indicating that both NCED4 genes encode functional proteins. Transgenic expression of Salinas NCED4 in UC seeds resulted in thermoinhibition, whereas silencing of NCED4 in Salinas seeds led to loss of thermoinhibition. Mutations in NCED4 also alleviated thermoinhibition. NCED4 expression was elevated during late seed development but was not required for seed maturation. Heat but not water stress elevated NCED4 expression in leaves, while NCED2 and NCED3 exhibited the opposite responses. Silencing of NCED4 altered the expression of genes involved in ABA, gibberellin, and ethylene biosynthesis and signaling pathways. Together, these data demonstrate that NCED4 expression is required for thermoinhibition of lettuce seeds and that it may play additional roles in plant responses to elevated temperature.
Phosphorus content in detritus controls life‐history traits of a detritivore
Authors: Danger Michael , Arce Funck Julio , Devin Simon , Heberle Julie , Felten Vincent
Published: March 2013

Ecological stoichiometry, that is, the study of mass balance of multiple key chemical elements during ecological interactions, has recently been generalized to most ecosystems. Yet, effects of stoichiometric constraints on the life‐history traits of detritivores, one of the most important trophic level through its importance in nutrient cycling, are still poorly documented.

Forested headwater streams constitute representative detritus‐based ecosystems, relying on leaf litter inputs as the main energy and nutrient source for their functioning. Leaf litter is quickly colonized by aquatic hyphomycetes, which are known to improve the quality of detritus, enabling nutrient and energy transfer to higher trophic levels.

In this study, we manipulated leaf litter nutrient content of two common riparian tree species, differing in their initial biochemical composition, by short‐term phosphorus addition to leaf litter precolonized by aquatic hyphomycetes. Then, we tested the impact of leaf litter phosphorus content on some key life‐history traits, homeostasis and growth, of a common detritivorous invertebrate,Gammarus fossarum(Crustacea Amphipoda).

G. fossarumfed individually for 5 weeks with P‐enriched leaf litter showed higher survival and growth rates than organisms fed with leaf litter colonized by fungi without P addition. Phosphorus content of resources did not alterG. fossarumelemental composition, suggesting that these detritivores are able to maintain their elemental homeostasis.

This study sheds new light on the importance of phosphorus content of detritus for detritivores and paves the way for further studies aimed at transferring ecological stoichiometry concepts to detritus‐based ecosystems.
Unsuitable habitat patches lead to severe underestimation of dynamics and gene flow in a zooplankton metapopulation
Authors: Ebert Dieter , Hottinger Jürgen W. , Pajunen V. Ilmari
Published: March 2013

Migration and re‐colonization enable organisms to persist in metapopulations. Re‐colonization success may be limited by the number of arriving migrants or by patch quality. In a well‐studied rock poolDaphniametapopulation, it is frequently assumed that re‐colonization is limited by the number of arriving migrants, and that all patches are equally suitable for colonization. This assumption strongly influences how observations about dynamics, epidemiology and population genetics for the entire metapopulation are interpreted. Here we test this assumption.

In 627 rock pools, we found that highpH, highCa++and high water conductivity were positively correlated with the presence ofD. magna. The experimental release ofD. magnainto randomly chosen natural pools revealed the highest colonization success in pools with highpH. Next, we elevatedpHandCa++concentrations in natural pools by adding a system‐specific natural source of calcium carbonate (either from crushed oyster shells or from eider duck droppings, which contain blue mussel shells). These treatments led to a rapid increase inpHandCa++and strongly raised the likelihood that introducedD. magnawould establish persistent populations. Therefore, we conclude that lowpHandCa++result in unsuitable colonization conditions in two‐thirds of the untreated pools.

A further experiment revealed that natural colonization rates were about five times higher in calcium‐treated pools than in untreated pools. Finally, we observed that eider droppings are more frequently found in the catchment area of occupied pools, than they are in those of unoccupied pools, suggesting that the blue mussel shells contained in the eider droppings play an important role in making pools suitable for colonization and in enablingD. magnato persist. Thus, eider ducks are ecosystem engineers in this system.

We recalculate typical metapopulation parameters to account for the unsuitable pools, resulting in a much more dynamic picture of this metapopulation than previously believed, with colonization rates and gene flow three to five times higher. These results have strong implications for metapopulation persistence, local and global genetic diversity, genetic rescue, gene flow and local adaptation. Our results emphasize that without verifying patch suitability, estimated rates of metapopulation dynamics can severely underestimate the true rates.
The relationship between phenotypic variation among offspring and mother body mass in wild boar: evidence of coin‐flipping?
Authors: Gamelon Marlène , Gaillard Jean‐Michel , Baubet Eric , Devillard Sébastien , Say Ludovic , Brandt Serge , Gimenez Olivier
Published: March 2013

In highly variable environments, the optimal reproductive tactics of iteroparous organisms should minimize variance in yearly reproductive success to maximize the long‐term average reproductive success. To minimize among‐year variation in reproductive success, individuals can either minimize the variance in the number of offspring produced at each reproductive attempt (classical bet‐hedging) or maximize the phenotypic diversity of offspring produced within or among reproductive attempts (coin‐flipping).

From a long‐term detailed study of an intensively exploited population facing a highly unpredictable environment, we identify a continuum of reproductive tactics in wild boar females depending on their body mass.

At one end, light females adjusted litter size to their body mass and produced highly similar‐sized offspring within a litter. These females fitted the hypothesis of individual optimization commonly reported in warm‐blooded species, which involves both an optimal mass and an optimal number of offspring for a given mother. At the other end of the continuum, heavy females produced litters of variable size including a mixture of heavy and light offspring within litters.

Prolific heavy wild boar females diversify the phenotype of their offspring, providing a first evidence for coin‐flipping in a warm‐blooded species.
RobOff: software for analysis of alternative land‐use options and conservation actions
Authors: Pouzols Federico Montesino , Moilanen Atte
Published: March 2013

Habitat restoration is increasing in importance as a conservation action, compared with more traditional establishment of conservation areas. It is applied, for example, in the context of biodiversity offsetting, in which environmental impacts of economic activity are offset by additional compensating conservation efforts.

We present a publicly available decision support software tool for the comparison of ecological impacts of alternative land‐use options.

Methods implemented account for uncertain consequences of alternative land‐use options, including conservation actions. These actions have different costs and effects on different biodiversity features, including species, guilds or habitat types, in different environments. Consequences of actions are uncertain through time, and time discounting is allowed in the investigation of temporal preferences.

This tool facilitates analyses relevant for planning of habitat restoration or management, environmental impact avoidance, biodiversity offsetting and scenario development for systematic conservation planning. RobOff derives its name from Robust Offsetting.
Stress ulcer prophylaxis in the intensive care unit: is it indicated? A topical systematic review
Authors: KRAG M. , PERNER A. , WETTERSLEV J. , MØLLER M. H.
Published: March 2013

Stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) is regarded as standard of care in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, recent randomized, clinical trials (RCTs) and meta‐analyses have questioned the rationale and level of evidence for this recommendation. The aim of the present systematic review was to evaluate if SUP in the critically ill patients is indicated. Data sources: MEDLINE including MeSH, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. Participants: patients in the ICU. Interventions: pharmacological and non‐pharmacological SUP. Study appraisal and synthesis methods: Risk of bias was assessed according to Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation, and risk of random errors in cumulative meta‐analyses was assessed with trial sequential analysis. A total of 57 studies were included in the review. The literature on SUP in the ICU includes limited trial data and methodological weak studies. The reported incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding varies considerably. Data on the incidence and severity of GI bleeding in general ICUs in the developed world as of today are lacking. The best intervention for SUP is yet to be settled by balancing efficacy and harm. In essence, it is unresolved if intensive care patients benefit overall from SUP. The following clinically research questions are unanswered: (1) What is the incidence of GI bleeding, and which interventions are used for SUP in general ICUs today?; (2) Which criteria are used to prescribe SUP?; (3) What is the best SUP intervention?; (4) Do intensive care patients benefit from SUP with proton pump inhibitors as compared with other SUP interventions? Systematic reviews of possible interventions and well‐powered observational studies and RCTs are needed.
Identification of a metabolic signature for multidimensional impairment and mortality risk in hospitalized older patients
Authors: Fontana Luigi , Addante Filomena , Copetti Massimiliano , Paroni Giulia , Fontana Andrea , Sancarlo Daniele , Pellegrini Fabio , Ferrucci Luigi , Pilotto Alberto
Published: March 2013

A combination of several metabolic and hormonal adaptations has been proposed to control aging. Little is known regarding the effects of multiple deregulations of these metabolic and hormonal systems in modulating frailty and mortality in hospitalized elderly patients. We measured 17 biological serum parameters from different metabolic/hormonal pathways in 594 hospitalized elderly patients followed up to 1 year who were stratified into three groups according to their multidimensional impairment, evaluated by a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA)‐based Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI). The mortality incidence rates were 7% at 1 month and 21% at 1 year. Our data show that frailty and mortality rate were positively associated with chronic inflammation and with a down‐regulation of multiple endocrine factors. Of the 17 biomarkers examined, blood levels of IGF‐1, triiodothyronine, C‐reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, white blood cell and lymphocyte counts, iron, albumin, total cholesterol, and LDL‐c were significantly associated with both MPI severity grade and mortality. In multivariate Cox proportional hazard model, the following biomarkers most strongly predicted the risk of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) per 1 quintile increment in predictor distribution): IGF‐1 HR = 0.71 (95% CI: 0.63–0.80), CRP HR = 1.48 (95% CI: 1.32–1.65), hemoglobin HR = 0.82 (95% CI: 0.73–0.92), and glucose HR = 1.17 (95% CI: 1.04–1.30). Multidimensional impairment assessed by MPI is associated with a distinctive metabolic ‘signature’. The concomitant elevation of markers of inflammation, associated with a simultaneous reduction in multiple metabolic and hormonal factors, predicts mortality in hospitalized elderly patients.
Arterial Stiffness Depends on Serum Ionized Calcium Levels During Dialysis With Regional Citrate Anticoagulation
Authors: Moor Matthias B. , Kruse Anja , Uehlinger Dominik E. , Eisenberger Ute
Published: March 2013

Hemodynamic effects related to changes in serum ionized calcium (iCa) are difficult to determine during conventional hemodialysis (HD) using a fixed dialysate concentration of calcium. Regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) allows the study of the effects of predefined iCa changes on arterial stiffness and blood pressure (BP) during a single dialysis session. In a crossover study, 15 patients with end‐stage renal disease underwent two HD sessions with RCA. Each session was divided into two study phases in which iCa was titrated either to 0.8–1.0 mm or to 1.1–1.4 mm. The sequence of phases was randomly chosen and alternated for the second session. After reaching a stable iCa level, pulse wave velocity (PWV), arterial BP, and heart rate were measured. iCa levels were modified during sequence 1 (iCa low‐high) from a predialysis baseline value of 1.15 ± 0.09 mm, first to 0.92 ± 0.05 mm (time point 1; P < 0.001 vs. baseline) and then to 1.18 ± 0.05 (time point 2; ns). During sequence 2 (iCa high‐low), iCa levels were modified from 1.15 ± 0.12 mm first to 1.20 ± 0.05 mm (time point 1; ns vs. baseline) and then to 0.93 ± 0.03 (time point 2; P < 0.001). Assuming a basic linear repeated measures model, PWV was positively related to iCa levels (P < 0.03) independent of systolic or diastolic BP, heart rate, or ultrafiltration rate. PWV is closely related to acute changes in serum iCa levels in HD patients using RCA. RCA provides an interesting opportunity to study the effects of acute iCa changes during one dialysis procedure.
Girls who masturbate in early infancy: diagnostics, natural course and a long‐term follow‐up
Authors: Rödöö Peo , Hellberg Dan
Published: March 2013

Aim

To evaluate the natural course, onset, diagnostics and long‐term follow‐up masturbation in infant girls, which up to now has only been described in case reports.

Methods

Nineteen consecutive healthy, masturbating girls, diagnosed in early infancy between three and 15 months, were followed up for an average of 8 years. All were diagnosed in the same Swedish hospital between May 1996 and June 2010. Ten girls were videotaped and/or directly observed while masturbating.

Results

Mean age at onset of masturbation was 10.4 months. The diagnosis was based on history taking and clinical observation. Parents reported that masturbation ranged from a few times a week to two‐to‐fifty episodes a day. Twelve girls had stopped masturbating when this study was written, after a mean duration of 66 months. Their symptoms and diagnostics are described in detail.

Conclusion

This is the first follow‐up study of girls who started masturbating in early infancy, with a mean duration of five‐and‐a‐half years. Diagnosis may be difficult, but with awareness and knowledge of the condition, a normal physical and neurological examination, a detailed history from the parents and, in particular, video documentation, it can be settled without extensive investigations and the parents reassured.
Pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation: pharmacological principles and clinical practice
Authors: Aubin Henri‐Jean , Luquiens Amandine , Berlin Ivan
Published: March 2013

Strategies for assisting smoking cessation include behavioural counselling to enhance motivation and to support attempts to quit and pharmacological intervention to reduce nicotine reinforcement and withdrawal from nicotine. Three drugs are currently used as first line pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation, nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion and varenicline. Compared with placebo, the drug effect varies from 2.27 (95% CI 2.02, 2.55) for varenicline, 1.69 (95% CI 1.53, 1.85) for bupropion and 1.60 (95% CI 1.53, 1.68) for any form of nicotine replacement therapy. Despite some controversy regarding the safety of bupropion and varenicline, regulatory agencies consider these drugs as having a favourable benefit/risk profile. However, given the high rate of psychiatric comorbidity in dependent smokers, practitioners should closely monitor patients for neuropsychiatric symptoms. Second‐line pharmacotherapies include nortriptyline and clonidine. This review also offers an overview of pipeline developments and issues related to smoking cessation in special populations such as persons with psychiatric comorbidity and pregnant and adolescent smokers.
Validation of serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) as an independent prognostic factor for disease‐free survival in patients with localised renal cell carcinoma (RCC)
Authors: de Martino Michela , Klatte Tobias , Seemann Christoph , Waldert Matthias , Haitel Andrea , Schatzl Georg , Remzi Mesut , Weibl Peter
Published: March 2013

Objective

To validate high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) serum levels as an independent marker for disease‐free survival (DFS) in clinically localised clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

Patients and Methods

In all, 403 consecutive patients with clinically localised (T1–3N0M0) ccRCC treated by radical or partial nephrectomy were enrolled.

Preoperative serum levels of hs‐CRP were evaluated as both a continuous and categorical variables.

Associations with clinical (age, gender) and pathological variables (T classification, grade, tumour necrosis) were assessed with the chi‐square and Kruskal–Wallis tests.

Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were fitted. The prognostic accuracy (PA) was assessed with Harrell's C‐index.

Results

The mean hs‐CRP level was 1.32 mg/dL. The hs‐CRP levels were associated with T classification (P = 0.05), high‐grade disease (P < 0.001) and tumour necrosis (P = 0.003).

After a median follow‐up of 43 months, 41 patients (10.1%) had developed disease recurrence. With each unit increase in hs‐CRP levels, the risk of recurrence increased by 10% (hazard ratio 1.10, P = 0.015).

The thresholds of 0.5 and 0.75 mg/dL showed the best discrimination for stratification of patients according to the probability of recurrence.

These categorically coded hs‐CRP levels were identified as independent prognostic factors in multivariable analyses (P < 0.001) and led to a significant increase in the PA of a multivariable base model containing the variables of the ‘Stage, Size, Grade and Necrosis’ (SSIGN) score.

Conclusions

This study validates preoperative serum hs‐CRP levels as independent prognostic factor after surgery for localised ccRCC.

Hs‐CRP may be included in standard prognostic modelling after surgery and may guide surveillance and inclusion in adjuvant clinical trials.
Morbidly obese paediatric patients are not adequately screened for comorbidities
Authors: Hsia D. S. , Gwilliam N. R. , Ferrell L. B. , Haymond M. W. , Brandt M. L.
Published: March 2013

Although childhood obesity is common, many paediatric practitioners are not familiar with screening for its associated, serious comorbidities. We aimed to determine the adequacy of screening for nine well‐recognized comorbidities in outpatients with severe morbid obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥50 kg m−2) seen in a large tertiary paediatric hospital. Patients with a BMI of ≥50 kg m−2 seen at Texas Children's Hospital during calendar year 2009 were identified. Their medical records were reviewed for any documentation where hypertension, cardiac dysfunction, sleep apnoea, hepatosteatosis, diabetes, pseudotumour cerebri, dyslipidemia, orthopaedic issues and depression were noted and/or addressed as evidence of clinician awareness of these problems. We identified 123 patients seen at least once in 2009, with an average of 3.4 physician visits per patient and by an average of 2 different specialists. Hypertension screening was the most documented (91% of patients) and depression screening was the least documented (41%) in this patient cohort. Twelve patients (10%) had documented screening for all nine comorbidities. Overall, 55 patients (45%) had five or fewer of the nine comorbidities noted and/or addressed in the medical record. Adequate screening for comorbidities occurs in approximately half of children with severe morbid obesity, which means that many of these comorbidities are not being identified or treated. Educational programmes and new methodologies are needed to ensure comprehensive care of children with morbid obesity.
The use of insulin analogues in pregnancy
Authors: Lambert K. , Holt R. I. G.
Published: March 2013

Excellent glycaemic control is essential in pregnancy to optimise maternal and foetal outcomes. The aim of this review is to assess the efficacy and safety of insulin analogues in pregnancy. Insulin lispro and insulin aspart are safe in pregnancy and may improve post‐prandial glycaemic control in women with type 1 diabetes. However, a lack of data indicating improved foetal outcomes would suggest that there is no imperative to switch to a short‐acting analogue where the woman's diabetes is well controlled with human insulin. There are no reports of the use of insulin glulisine in pregnancy and so its use cannot be recommended. Most studies of insulin glargine in pregnancy are small, retrospective and include women with pre‐existing diabetes and gestational diabetes. There appear to be no major safety concerns and so it seems reasonable to continue insulin glargine if required to achieve excellent glycaemic control. A head‐to‐head comparison between insulin detemir and NPH insulin in women with type 1 diabetes showed that while foetal outcomes did not differ, fasting plasma glucose improved with insulin detemir without an increased incidence of hypoglycaemia. The greater evidence base supports the use of insulin detemir as the first line long‐acting analogue in pregnancy but the lack of definitive foetal benefits means that there is no strong need to switch a woman who is well controlled on NPH insulin. There seems little justification in using long acting insulin analogues in women with gestational diabetes or type 2 diabetes where the risk of hypoglycaemia is low.
Does competition influence bank failures?
Authors: Fungáčová Zuzana , Weill Laurent
Published: March 2013

There has been a notable debate in the banking literature on the impact of bank competition on financial stability. The aim of this article is to provide the first investigation of the role of bank competition on the occurrence of bank failures. We analyse this issue on a large sample of Russian banks for the period 2001–2007, as the Russian banking industry is a unique example of an emerging market which has undergone a large number of bank failures during the last decade. Our findings support the view that tighter bank competition enhances the occurrence of bank failures. Thus, measures that increase bank competition could undermine financial stability.
Neural correlates of dual‐task practice benefit on motor learning: a repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation study
Authors: Goh Hui‐Ting , Lee Ya‐Yun , Fisher Beth E.
Published: March 2013

Dual‐task practice has been previously shown to enhance motor learning when both primary and secondary tasks engage similar cognitive processes. In the present study, participants practiced a finger sequence task with the non‐dominant hand under a single‐task condition (i.e. without a probe task) or a dual‐task condition in which a probe choice reaction time (CRT) task was presented during the preparation phase (before movement onset) of the finger task. It was hypothesised that by engaging similar ‘planning’ processes, the dual‐task condition may facilitate the activation of shared ‘planning’ circuitry that includes dorsal premotor cortex (dPM), an important neural substrate for CRT task performance and movement preparation. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS; 1 Hz) was applied to the contralateral dPM immediately following practice. Motor learning was assessed by a retention test conducted ~ 24 h after practice. Consistent with our previous results, the dual‐task condition enhanced learning compared with the single‐task condition. rTMS applied to dPM attenuated the dual‐task practice benefit on motor learning. In contrast, rTMS to M1 did not attenuate the dual‐task practice benefit, suggesting the rTMS effect was specific to dPM. Our findings suggest a unique role of dPM in mediating the dual‐task practice effect on motor learning.