bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-Level Magnetic Activity on a Low-Mass Close Binary: GSC 02038-0293
Authors: Dal H. A. , Sipahi E. , Özdarcan O.
Published: March 2012

Taking into account results obtained from light-curve analysis and out-of-eclipse analyses, we discuss the nature of GSC 02038-00293 and also its magnetic activity behaviour.We obtained light curves of the system during observing seasons 2007, 2008 and 2011. We obtained its secondary minimum clearly in I-band observations in 2008 for the first time. Analysing this light curve, we found the physical parameters of the components. The light-curve analysis indicates that the possible mass ratio of the system is 0.35. We obtained the remaining V-band light curves, extracting the eclipses. We modelled these remaining curves using the SPOTMODEL program and found possible spot configurations of the magnetically active component for each observing season. The models demonstrated that there are two active longitudes for the active component. The models reveal that both active longitudes migrate in the direction of decreasing longitude. We also examined the light curves in out-of-eclipse phases with respect to minimum and maximum brightness, amplitude, etc. The amplitude of the curves during out-of-eclipse phases varies in a sinusoidal way with a period of ∼8.9 yr; the mean brightness of the system is dramatically decreasing. The phases of the deeper minimum during out-of-eclipse periods exhibit a migration toward decreasing phase.
Single particle analysis of amines in ambient aerosol in Shanghai
Authors: Huang Yuanlong , Chen Hong , Wang Lin , Yang Xin , Chen Jianmin
Published: March 2012

Environmental contextAmines, a group of basic organic compounds, play important roles in atmospheric chemistry. We studied their distribution in ambient aerosols at the single particle level, and found that high relative humidity and strong particle acidity can attract more amines from the gas phase to particles. Amines may account for a significant part of organic mass in aerosols in areas with high emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
AbstractAn aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer was deployed in urban Shanghai to analyse amine-containing particles during two separate sampling periods, 1–9 August 2007 and 22–27 December 2009. Amine-containing particles are identified by a mass spectrometric marker at m/z 86 [NCH2(C2H5)2+] and classified into six major particle types to explore their possible origins. The number fraction of amine-containing particles in winter was much higher than in summer (23.4 v. 4.4 %), which can be explained by preferred gas-to-particle partitioning of gaseous amines at lower temperatures. Mass spectrometric patterns show the strong acidity of particles collected in December 2009, suggesting the acid–base reaction pathway might also contribute to the high concentration of amine aerosol in winter. Two fog episodes and two after-rain episodes of amine-containing particle bursts were observed in August 2007. Tightly correlated number fractions of sulfate- and amine-containing particles in all these episodes reveal that high relative humidity greatly enhances particulate amine formation based on acid–base reaction and subsequent particle growth. Our observations suggest that amines may account for significant parts of secondary organic mass in heavily polluted areas.
Fire suppression and burnt sediments: effects on the water chemistry of fire-affected wetlands
Authors: Blake David , Lu Katie , Horwitz Pierre , Boyce Mary C.
Published: March 2012

Preventing fire from entering wetland areas during seasonal or prolonged drought, or suppressing fire once it has entered a wetland, requires consideration of the consequences of the fire-management action on water quality. Two approaches can be taken to suppress such fires: chemical fire retardants or the flooding of sediments. We determine a lack of information relating to the effects of these approaches for water quality within fire-affected wetlands. The aim of this study was to gain a preliminary understanding of the effects of three treatments: two chemical treatments and saturation. Microcosms were established to test sediments from a wetland on the Swan Coastal Plain, Western Australia, which were exposed to temperatures ranging from 30 to 800°C. The results indicate that one of the fire-retardant chemicals increased the soluble nutrient load present in the water column, as predicted by the results of other research. However, the same chemical had a minor but important effect as an acidity buffer when the organic, pyritic sediment was heated but not burnt. The second chemical treatment did not increase the nutrient load but neither did it buffer the acidity generated by the heating and burning of the organic sediment. It was virtually indistinguishable from the saturation treatment in this regard.
Prediction of daily lightning- and human-caused fires in British Columbia
Authors: Magnussen S. , Taylor S. W.
Published: March 2012

Daily records of the location and timing of human- and lightning-caused fires in British Columbia from 1981 to 2000 were used to estimate the probability of fire occurrence within 950 20 × 20-km spatial units (~950 000 km2) using a binary logistic regression modelling framework. Explanatory variables included lightning strikes, forest cover, surface weather observations, atmospheric stability indices and fuel moisture codes of the Canadian Fire Weather Index System. Because the influence of the explanatory variables in the models varied from year to year, model coefficients were estimated for each year. The arithmetic mean of the model coefficients was used for making daily predictions in a future year. A confidence interval around the mean or a quantile was derived from the ensemble of 20 model predictions. A leave-1-year-out cross-validation procedure was used to assess model performance for random years. The daily number of lightning-caused fires was reasonably well predicted at the provincial level (R = 0.83) and slightly less well predicted for a smaller (75 000 km2) administrative region. The daily number of human-caused fires was less well predicted at both the provincial (R = 0.55) and the regional level. The ability to estimate confidence intervals from the ensemble of model predictions is an advantage of the year-specific approach.
Lowth’s Legacy in Teaching English to Foreigners
Authors: Rodríguez-Gil María E.
Published: March 2012

This article sheds light on the influence exerted by Robert Lowth’s (1787–1710) English grammar (1762) overseas in the teaching of English as a foreign language, and more particularly, on the work of the Irish friar Thomas Connelly (1728–1800), author of the most popular English grammar for Spaniards published in Spain in 1784. After setting the context for both the life and work of this author, it examines the similarities in content and wording between Connelly and Lowth’s English grammars through a comparison of selected passages occurring in both works. This analysis will help us determine to what extent Connelly relied on Lowth and how faithful he was to his source.
‘Lowthian’ Linguistics across the North Sea
Authors: Rutten Gijsbert
Published: March 2012

This paper focuses on Dutch grammar-writing in the 18th century so as to put the linguistic works of Robert Lowth (1710–1787) in an international, comparative perspective. It demonstrates that certain characteristics of the “Lowthian” approach to grammar and of 18th-century English linguistics in general are parallelled by similar developments in the history of Dutch linguistics. The transition from normative grammar to prescriptive grammar which characterises the English late 18th century has a counterpart in the Dutch development from ‘civil’ to national grammar. Lowth’s recognition of different stylistic levels with corresponding levels of grammatical acceptability has a Dutch counterpart as well. The transition towards prescriptivism and the relevance of different stylistic levels are closely connected, which is exemplified by a case study on the treatment of adnominal inflection in 18th-century grammars of Dutch.
The use of reformulation markers in Business Management research articles
Authors: Murillo Silvia
Published: March 2012

This paper investigates the use of reformulation markers as a common metadiscourse device in L1 English and Spanish and in L2 English research articles of a particular discipline, namely Business Management. These markers are considered procedural items, i.e. they encode information on how to process lexical meaning. The general frequency of use of the markers, the types of markers used, the functions most commonly performed and their (non-)parenthetical uses are compared in order to explore the degree of transference in their use by the L1 Spanish academics writing L2 English articles. The results are compared to similar studies on reformulation markers in general English and Spanish and also to studies in other disciplines. The results lead us to conclude that some general rhetorical L1 features are more likely to be adapted in the L2 English texts written by L1 Spanish academics than other more specific grammatical features.
Argumentation and fallacy in newspaper op / ed coverage of the prelude to the invasion of Iraq
Authors: Wilson John , Sahlane Ahmed , Somerville Ian
Published: March 2012

This study examines how the pre-war debate of the U.S. decision to invade Iraq was discursively constructed in pro- and anti-war newspaper op/ed argumentation. Drawing on insights from argumentation theory, and using these within a framework of Critical Discourse Analysis, we explore fallacious arguments within the ‘justification discourse’ used in the pro-war opinion/editorials (op/eds). We argue that the type of arguments marshalled by the pro-war op/ed commentators uncritically bolstered the set of U.S. official ‘truth claims’ and ‘presuppositions’. Conversely, anti-war op/ed debaters dismissed the Bush administration’s ‘neo-imperialistic’ reasoning and called into question the logic of militarist ‘humanitarianism’ by arguing that brute force and daylight ‘plunder,’ found in the language of a ‘noble ideal,’ were part of a long Western colonialist tradition that glorified the West as the ‘civiliser’ of distant cultural others.
Critique and argumentation
Authors: Forchtner Bernhard , Tominc Ana
Published: March 2012

At the core of critical discourse analysis lies its emancipatory agenda: arguing for social equality and against discrimination. In the case of the discourse-historical approach (DHA), this stance has been theoretically justified mainly through references to Habermas’ language-philosophy. At the same time, the analysis of actually occurring argumentative speech requires more than a theoretical underpinning of one’s critique and, here, DHA has benefitted from drawing on van Eemeren and Grootendorst’s Pragma-Dialectical argumentation theory. However, Pragma-Dialectics is not just a tool kit but rests on Popper and Albert’s critical rationalism. This results in both epistemological as well as normative conflicts at the paradigm-core of DHA between critical rationalism and Habermas’ critical theory regarding the concept of critique. In this article, we review the different epistemological and normative underpinnings of DHA and Pragma-Dialectics and discuss the consequences of implementing the latter in the former. We conclude by arguing for a coherent orientation towards Habermas’ language-philosophy in order to maintain a high degree of consistency in DHA.
Understanding contemporary Chinese political communication
Authors: Shi-xu
Published: March 2012

In the international scholarship, Chinese political communication is usually viewed from a political-economic and West-centric perspective. Consequently, it is portrayed as a product of the Chinese Communist Party(‘s ideology), deviant, totalitarian and unchanging. In this article I first argue for a historical and intercultural approach and so a view of contemporary Chinese political discourse as dynamic, critical-creative and cultural-hegemony-resistant. Then I analyze and assess accordingly the case of the Chinese discourse of human rights. It will be seen that this discourse has been evolving topically, reinforcing socially, and responding interculturally, thereby constituting a historic transformation in China’s human rights situation on the one hand and a counter-veiling force in the unbalanced international communication on human rights on the other. In conclusion I suggest that the mainstream scholarship go beyond the a-historical-and-a-intercultural approach to political communication in general and to that of non-Western societies in particular.
Fixing meaning
Authors: Angermuller Johannes
Published: March 2012

This contribution looks into a speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin after the terrorist attack against a high school in the Northern Caucasian town Beslan in September 2004, widely seen as marking the end of the liberal hegemony in the Russia of the post-soviet period. However, a closer look reveals the many possible readings that are made of the speech. According to the reactions found in a corpus of press articles, the speech activates both “internationalist” and “sovereignist” readings in media discourse. By pointing out the polyphonic organization of discourse, I make the case for a productive exchange between the French tradition of discourse analysis, interactionism and critical discourse analysis. In this view, the readers have to deal with the many different voices crisscrossing political discourse. In the light of its polyphonic organization, the meaning of discourse needs to be “fixed” by the participants of political discourse.
Nitrous oxide production and consumption: regulation of gene expression by gas-sensitive transcription factors
Authors: Spiro Stephen
Published: March 2012

Several biochemical mechanisms contribute to the biological generation of nitrous oxide (N
2
O). N
2
O generating enzymes include the respiratory nitric oxide (NO) reductase, an enzyme from the flavo-diiron family, and flavohaemoglobin. On the other hand, there is only one enzyme that is known to use N
2
O as a substrate, which is the respiratory N
2
O reductase typically found in bacteria capable of denitrification (the respiratory reduction of nitrate and nitrite to dinitrogen). This article will briefly review the properties of the enzymes that make and consume N
2
O, together with the accessory proteins that have roles in the assembly and maturation of those enzymes. The expression of the genes encoding the enzymes that produce and consume N
2
O is regulated by environmental signals (typically oxygen and NO) acting through regulatory proteins, which, either directly or indirectly, control the frequency of transcription initiation. The roles and mechanisms of these proteins, and the structures of the regulatory networks in which they participate will also be reviewed.
The role of N
2
O derived from crop-based biofuels, and from agriculture in general, in Earth's climate
Authors: Smith Keith A. , Mosier Arvin R. , Crutzen Paul J. , Winiwarter Wilfried
Published: March 2012

In earlier work, we compared the amount of newly fixed nitrogen (N, as synthetic fertilizer and biologically fixed N) entering agricultural systems globally to the total emission of nitrous oxide (N
2
O). We obtained an N
2
O emission factor (EF) of 3–5%, and applied it to biofuel production. For ‘first-generation’ biofuels, e.g. biodiesel from rapeseed and bioethanol from corn (maize), that require N fertilizer, N
2
O from biofuel production could cause (depending on N uptake efficiency) as much or more global warming as that avoided by replacement of fossil fuel by the biofuel. Our subsequent calculations in a follow-up paper, using published life cycle analysis (LCA) models, led to broadly similar conclusions. The N
2
O EF applies to agricultural crops in general, not just to biofuel crops, and has made possible a top-down estimate of global emissions from agriculture. Independent modelling by another group using bottom-up IPCC inventory methodology has shown good agreement at the global scale with our top-down estimate. Work by Davidson showed that the rate of accumulation of N
2
O in the atmosphere in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries was greater than that predicted from agricultural inputs limited to fertilizer N and biologically fixed N (Davidson, E. A. 2009
Nat. Geosci
.
2
, 659–662.). However, by also including soil organic N mineralized following land-use change and NO

x

deposited from the atmosphere in our estimates of the reactive N entering the agricultural cycle, we have now obtained a good fit between the observed atmospheric N
2
O concentrations from 1860 to 2000 and those calculated on the basis of a 4 per cent EF for the reactive N.
Impacts of nitrogen application rates on the activity and diversity of denitrifying bacteria in the Broadbalk Wheat Experiment
Authors: Clark Ian M. , Buchkina Natalya , Jhurreea Deveraj , Goulding Keith W. T. , Hirsch Penny R.
Published: March 2012

Bacterial denitrification results in the loss of fertilizer nitrogen and greenhouse gas emissions as nitrous oxides, but ecological factors in soil influencing denitrifier communities are not well understood, impeding the potential for mitigation by land management. Communities vary in the relative abundance of the alternative dissimilatory nitrite reductase genes
nirK
and
nirS
, and the nitrous oxide reductase gene
nosZ
; however, the significance for nitrous oxide emissions is unclear. We assessed the influence of different long-term fertilization and cultivation treatments in a 160-year-old field experiment, comparing the potential for denitrification by soil samples with the size and diversity of their denitrifier communities. Denitrification potential was much higher in soil from an area left to develop from arable into woodland than from a farmyard manure-fertilized arable treatment, which in turn was significantly higher than inorganic nitrogen-fertilized and unfertilized arable plots. This correlated with abundance of
nirK
but not
nirS,
the least abundant of the genes tested in all soils, showing an inverse relationship with
nirK
. Most genetic variation was seen in
nirK
, where sequences resolved into separate groups according to soil treatment. We conclude that bacteria containing
nirK
are most probably responsible for the increased denitrification potential associated with nitrogen and organic carbon in this soil.
Regulation of denitrification at the cellular level: a clue to the understanding of N
2
O emissions from soils
Authors: Bakken Lars R. , Bergaust Linda , Liu Binbin , Frostegård Åsa
Published: March 2012

Denitrifying prokaryotes use NO
x
as terminal electron acceptors in response to oxygen depletion. The process emits a mixture of NO, N
2
O and N
2
, depending on the relative activity of the enzymes catalysing the stepwise reduction of NO
3
−
to N
2
O and finally to N
2
. Cultured denitrifying prokaryotes show characteristic transient accumulation of NO
2
−
, NO and N
2
O during transition from oxic to anoxic respiration, when tested under standardized conditions, but this character appears unrelated to phylogeny. Thus, although the denitrifying community of soils may differ in their propensity to emit N
2
O, it may be difficult to predict such characteristics by analysis of the community composition. A common feature of strains tested in our laboratory is that the relative amounts of N
2
O produced (N
2
O/(N
2
+N
2
O) product ratio) is correlated with acidity, apparently owing to interference with the assembly of the enzyme N
2
O reductase. The same phenomenon was demonstrated for soils and microbial communities extracted from soils. Liming could be a way to reduce N
2
O emissions, but needs verification by field experiments. More sophisticated ways to reduce emissions may emerge in the future as we learn more about the regulation of denitrification at the cellular level.
Fungal denitrification and nitric oxide reductase cytochrome P450nor
Authors: Shoun Hirofumi , Fushinobu Shinya , Jiang Li , Kim Sang-Wan , Wakagi Takayoshi
Published: March 2012

We have shown that many fungi (eukaryotes) exhibit distinct denitrifying activities, although occurrence of denitrification was previously thought to be restricted to bacteria (prokaryotes), and have characterized the fungal denitrification system. It comprises NirK (copper-containing nitrite reductase) and P450nor (a cytochrome P450 nitric oxide (NO) reductase (Nor)) to reduce nitrite to nitrous oxide (N
2
O). The system is localized in mitochondria functioning during anaerobic respiration. Some fungal systems further contain and use dissimilatory and assimilatory nitrate reductases to denitrify nitrate. Phylogenetic analysis of
nirK
genes showed that the fungal-denitrifying system has the same ancestor as the bacterial counterpart and suggested a possibility of its proto-mitochondrial origin. By contrast, fungi that have acquired a P450 from bacteria by horizontal transfer of the gene, modulated its function to give a Nor activity replacing the original Nor with P450nor. P450nor receives electrons directly from nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide to reduce NO to N
2
O. The mechanism of this unprecedented electron transfer has been extensively studied and thoroughly elucidated. Fungal denitrification is often accompanied by a unique phenomenon, co-denitrification, in which a hybrid N
2
or N
2
O species is formed upon the combination of nitrogen atoms of nitrite with a nitrogen donor (amines and imines). Possible involvement of NirK and P450nor is suggested.
UK emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide
Authors: Skiba U. , Jones S. K. , Dragosits U. , Drewer J. , Fowler D. , Rees R. M. , Pappa V. A. , Cardenas L. , Chadwick D. , Yamulki S. , Manning A. J.
Published: March 2012

Signatories of the Kyoto Protocol are obliged to submit annual accounts of their anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, which include nitrous oxide (N
2
O). Emissions from the sectors industry (3.8 Gg), energy (14.4 Gg), agriculture (86.8 Gg), wastewater (4.4 Gg), land use, land-use change and forestry (2.1 Gg) can be calculated by multiplying activity data (i.e. amount of fertilizer applied, animal numbers) with simple emission factors (Tier 1 approach), which are generally applied across wide geographical regions. The agricultural sector is the largest anthropogenic source of N
2
O in many countries and responsible for 75 per cent of UK N
2
O emissions. Microbial N
2
O production in nitrogen-fertilized soils (27.6 Gg), nitrogen-enriched waters (24.2 Gg) and manure storage systems (6.4 Gg) dominate agricultural emission budgets. For the agricultural sector, the Tier 1 emission factor approach is too simplistic to reflect local variations in climate, ecosystems and management, and is unable to take into account some of the mitigation strategies applied. This paper reviews deviations of observed emissions from those calculated using the simple emission factor approach for all anthropogenic sectors, briefly discusses the need to adopt specific emission factors that reflect regional variability in climate, soil type and management, and explains how bottom-up emission inventories can be verified by top-down modelling.
Stratospheric ozone depletion due to nitrous oxide: influences of other gases
Authors: Portmann R. W. , Daniel J. S. , Ravishankara A. R.
Published: March 2012

The effects of anthropogenic emissions of nitrous oxide (N
2
O), carbon dioxide (CO
2
), methane (CH
4
) and the halocarbons on stratospheric ozone (O
3
) over the twentieth and twenty-first centuries are isolated using a chemical model of the stratosphere. The future evolution of ozone will depend on each of these gases, with N
2
O and CO
2
probably playing the dominant roles as halocarbons return towards pre-industrial levels. There are nonlinear interactions between these gases that preclude unambiguously separating their effect on ozone. For example, the CH
4
increase during the twentieth century reduced the ozone losses owing to halocarbon increases, and the N
2
O chemical destruction of O
3
is buffered by CO
2
thermal effects in the middle stratosphere (by approx. 20% for the IPCC A1B/WMO A1 scenario over the time period 1900–2100). Nonetheless, N
2
O is expected to continue to be the largest anthropogenic emission of an O
3
-destroying compound in the foreseeable future. Reductions in anthropogenic N
2
O emissions provide a larger opportunity for reduction in future O
3
depletion than any of the remaining uncontrolled halocarbon emissions. It is also shown that 1980 levels of O
3
were affected by halocarbons, N
2
O, CO
2
and CH
4
, and thus may not be a good choice of a benchmark of O
3
recovery.
Twists in views on RB functions in cellular signaling, metabolism and stem cells
Authors: Takahashi Chiaki , Sasaki Nobunari , Kitajima Shunsuke
Published: March 2012

One‐quarter of a century ago, identification of the human retinoblastoma gene (RB) loci proved Knudson's ‘two‐hit theory’ that tumor suppressor genes exist. Since then, numerous works delineated crucial roles for the RB protein (pRB)‐E2F transcription factor complex in G1‐S phase transition. In addition, discovering the relationship between pRB and tissue‐specific transcription factors enabled a better understanding of how cell cycle exit and terminal differentiation are coupled. Recent works provoked many exciting twists in views on pRB functions during cancer initiation and progression beyond its previously well‐appreciated roles. Various mitogenic and cytostatic cellular signals appeared to modulate pRB functions and thus affect a wide variety of effector molecules. In addition, genetic studies in mice as well as other creatures incessantly force us to revise our views on pRB functions. This review will focus particularly on the roles of pRB in regulating intracellular signaling, cell metabolism, chromatin function, stem cells and cancer stem cells. (Cancer Sci 2012; 103: 1182–1188)
Phase I study of BCX1777 (forodesine) in patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T/natural killer‐cell malignancies
Authors: Ogura Michinori , Tsukasaki Kunihiro , Nagai Hirokazu , Uchida Toshiki , Oyama Takashi , Suzuki Tatsuya , Taguchi Jun , Maruyama Dai , Hotta Tomomitsu , Tobinai Kensei
Published: March 2012

BCX1777 (forodesine), a novel purine nucleoside phosphorylase inhibitor, induces apoptosis, mainly in T cells. To evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of BCX1777, we conducted a phase I study in patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T/natural killer‐cell malignancies. Eligible patients had relapsed or refractory peripheral T/natural killer‐cell malignancies without any major organ dysfunction. BCX1777 was administered orally once daily (dose escalation: 100, 200, and 300 mg) until disease progression requiring new therapy or unacceptable adverse events occurred. A total of 13 patients were enrolled and treated in three dose cohorts (100 mg/day, five patients; 200 mg/day, three patients; 300 mg/day, five patients). Although none of the patients developed dose‐limiting toxicities, further dose escalation was not performed based on data from overseas. Therefore, the maximum tolerated dose was not determined. Adverse events of grade 3 or greater (≥2 patients) included lymphopenia (62%), anemia (15%), leukopenia (8%), and pyrexia (8%). Plasma pharmacokinetics parameter of BCX1777 (area under the plasma concentration‐time curve) at day 1 in each cohort was 1948 ± 884, 4608 ± 1030, and 4596 ± 939 ng•h/mL, respectively. Disease control was achieved in approximately half of patients. One patient with anaplastic large cell lymphoma, which was negative for anaplastic lymphoma kinase, achieved a complete response, and two patients with cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma achieved partial responses. BCX1777 was well tolerated at doses up to 300 mg once daily and showed preliminary evidence of activity in relapsed or refractory peripheral T/natural killer‐cell malignancies, warranting further investigation. (Cancer Sci 2012; 103: 1290–1295)
Randomised clinical trial: the benefit of combination therapy with adefovir and lamivudine for chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Ghany M. G. , Feld J. J. , Zhao X. , Heller T. , Doo E. , Rotman Y. , Nagabhyru P. , Koh C. , Kleiner D. E. , Wright E. C. , Liang T. J. , Hoofnagle J. H.
Published: March 2012

Background

Combination antiviral therapy holds the promise of increasing response rates while decreasing antiviral resistance, but has yet to be shown to be beneficial or necessary in chronic hepatitis B.

Aim

To evaluate the benefit of combination therapy with adefovir and lamivudine versus adefovir alone in maintaining virological, biochemical and histological responses.

Methods

Patients with chronic hepatitis B with and without previous lamivudine therapy were randomised to receive adefovir alone (10 mg/daily) or adefovir and lamivudine (100 mg/daily) for up to 192 weeks. Study endpoints were (i) maintained virological (HBV DNA <500 copies/mL), biochemical and histological response, (ii) loss of HBeAg and (iii) loss of HBsAg.

Results

A total of 41 patients were enrolled, including 31 HBeAg ‐positive and 31 treatment‐naïve subjects. 30 patients remained on assigned therapy at 192 weeks. The percentage of patients achieving a combined maintained response was higher in the combination than the monotherapy arm, both at week 48 (59% vs. 26%, P = 0.06) and 192 (68% vs. 31%, P = 0.03). At week 192, 76% of the combination vs. 36% of the monotherapy group had loss of HBeAg (P = 0.03). One patient receiving adefovir cleared HBsAg. Adefovir resistance developed in 6 of 19 (32%) monotherapy but none of 22 combination treated patients (P = 0.03).

Conclusions

Extended combination therapy with lamivudine and adefovir is associated with a high rate of long‐term virological and biochemical response. Adefovir monotherapy appears to be less effective mainly because of poor initial response and the ultimate development of antiviral resistance (www.Clinical. Trials.gov NCT00023309).
Meta‐analysis: banding ligation and medical interventions for the prevention of rebleeding from oesophageal varices
Authors: Thiele M. , Krag A. , Rohde U. , Gluud L. L.
Published: March 2012

Background

In patients with oesophageal varices, the combination of endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) and medical therapy is recommended as standard of care for prevention of rebleeding. The results of previous meta‐analyses on this topic are equivocal.

Aim

To assess the effects of EVL plus medical therapy vs. monotherapy (EVL or medical therapy alone) for secondary prevention in oesophageal varices.

Methods

Electronic and manual searches were combined. The primary outcome measures were overall rebleeding (variceal and nonvariceal) and mortality. Random‐effects meta‐analyses were performed with subgroup, sensitivity, regression and sequential analyses to identify sources of intertrial heterogeneity and the robustness of the results.

Results

Nine randomised trials were included. In total, 442 patients were randomised to combination therapy and 513 to monotherapy. Combination therapy reduced rebleeding (RR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.54–0.85; number needed to treat eight patients). The result was confirmed in sequential and regression analyses, but not when limiting the analysis to trials with adequate selection bias control. No effect on overall mortality was identified (RR = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.65–1.21). Combination therapy reduced bleeding‐related mortality (RR = 0.52; 95% CI 0.27–0.99; number needed to treat 33 patients) and the risk of rebleeding from oesophageal varices. Combination therapy increased the risk of serious adverse events in fixed, but not in random‐effects meta‐analyses.

Conclusions

The combination of endoscopic variceal ligation and medical therapy reduce the risk of rebleeding, but not overall mortality. Additional research is needed to determine why reduced rebleeding rates do not lead to reduced mortality.
Emergence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis due to enterococci – risk factors and outcome in a 12‐year retrospective study
Authors: Reuken P. A. , Pletz M. W. , Baier M. , Pfister W. , Stallmach A. , Bruns T.
Published: March 2012

Background

Third‐generation cephalosporins (TGC) constitute the empirical first‐line therapy for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). Hospitalisation, invasive procedures and use of antibiotics may challenge this concept due to an increase in enterococci and other TGC‐resistant microorganisms.

Aim

To determine prevalence, risk factors and outcome of ascitic fluid infections caused by enterococci.

Methods

All independent episodes of culture‐positive ascitic fluid between 2000 and 2011 in a German tertiary centre were analysed retrospectively.

Results

Out of 244 positive ascitic fluid cultures, 90 episodes of monomicrobial SBP and 25 episodes of monomicrobial bacterascites (BA) in patients with decompensated cirrhosis were identified. Enterococcus spp. were isolated in 32 (28%) episodes. We noticed a profound increase in the frequency of enterococcal infection over the study period from 11% to 35% (P = 0.007). Univariate risk factors for enterococcal SBP/BA included nosocomial infection (OR = 4.56; 95% CI 1.90–10.97), previous use of antibiotics (OR = 5.63; 95% CI 1.81–17.49) and recent gastrointestinal endoscopy (OR = 3.17; 95% CI 1.33–7.54). Nosocomial infection (OR = 3.29; P = 0.011) and recent antibiotic therapy (OR = 3.88; P = 0.025) remained independent risk factors for enterococcal infection in multivariate logistic regression and these factors contributed also to the model when only SBP cases were considered. In subjects with monomicrobial SBP who were treated with TGC or ciprofloxacin, the probability of 90‐day survival was 12% in enterococcal infection compared to 50% in non‐enterococcal SBP (P = 0.022 in log‐rank test).

Conclusion

Because of the increasing prevalence of enterococcal spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and its poor prognosis when treated inappropriately, clinicians should consider empirical therapy with anti‐enterococcal antibiotics for patients with risk factors.
Soil organic carbon stocks in southeast Germany (Bavaria) as affected by land use, soil type and sampling depth
Authors: Wiesmeier Martin , Spörlein Peter , Geuß Uwe , Hangen Edzard , Haug Stephan , Reischl Arthur , Schilling Bernd , von Lützow Margit , Kögel‐Knabner Ingrid
Published: March 2012

Precise estimations of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks are of decided importance for the detection of C sequestration or emission potential induced by land use changes. For Germany, a comprehensive, land use–specificSOCdata set has not yet been compiled. We evaluated a unique data set of 1460 soil profiles in southeast Germany in order to calculate representativeSOCstocks to a depth of 1 m for the main land use types. The results showed that grassland soils stored the highest amount ofSOC, with a median value of 11.8 kg m−2, whereas considerably lower stocks of 9.8 and 9.0 kg m−2were found for forest and cropland soils, respectively. However, the differences between extensively used land (grassland, forest) and cropland were much lower compared with results from other studies in central European countries. The depth distribution ofSOCshowed that despite lowSOCconcentrations in A horizons of cropland soils, their stocks were not considerably lower compared with other land uses. This was due to a deepening of the topsoil compared with grassland soils. Higher grasslandSOCstocks were caused by an accumulation ofSOCin the B horizon which was attributable to a high proportion of C‐rich Gleysols within grassland soils. This demonstrates the relevance of pedogeneticSOCinventories instead of solely land use–based approaches. Our study indicated that cultivation‐inducedSOCdepletion was probably often overestimated since most studies use fixed depth increments. Moreover, the application of modelled parameters inSOCinventories is questioned because a calculation ofSOCstocks using different pedotransfer functions revealed considerably biased results. We recommendSOCstocks be determined by horizon for the entire soil profile in order to estimate the impact of land use changes precisely and to evaluate C sequestration potentials more accurately.
Species vulnerability to climate change: impacts on spatial conservation priorities and species representation
Authors: Summers David M. , Bryan Brett A. , Crossman Neville D. , Meyer Wayne S.
Published: March 2012

Climate change may shrink and/or shift plant species ranges thereby increasing their vulnerability and requiring targeted conservation to facilitate adaptation. We quantified the vulnerability to climate change of plant species based on exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity and assessed the effects of including these components in complementarity‐based spatial conservation prioritisation. We modelled the vulnerability of 584 native plant species under three climate change scenarios in an 11.9 million hectare fragmented agricultural region in southern Australia. We represented exposure as species' geographical range under each climate change scenario as quantified using species distribution models. We calculated sensitivity as a function of the impact of climate change on species' geographical ranges. Using a dispersal kernel, we quantified adaptive capacity as species' ability to migrate to new geographical ranges under each climate change scenario. Using Zonation, we assessed the impact of individual components of vulnerability (exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity) on spatial conservation priorities and levels of species representation in priority areas under each climate change scenario. The full vulnerability framework proved an effective basis for identifying spatial conservation priorities under climate change. Including different dimensions of vulnerability had significant implications for spatial conservation priorities. Incorporating adaptive capacity increased the level of representation of most species. However, prioritising sensitive species reduced the representation of other species. We conclude that whilst taking an integrated approach to mitigating species vulnerability to climate change can ensure sensitive species are well‐represented in a conservation network, this can come at the cost of reduced representation of other species. Conservation planning decisions aimed at reducing species vulnerability to climate change need to be made in full cognisance of the sensitivity of spatial conservation priorities to individual components of vulnerability, and the trade‐offs associated with focussing on sensitive species.
BK virus nephropathy in simultaneous pancreas kidney transplant: a potentially preventable cause of kidney allograft loss
Authors: Mujtaba Muhammad , Fridell Jonathan , Sharfuddin Asif , Kandula Praveen , Yaqub Muhammad S. , Phillips Carrie L. , Mishler Dennis , Taber Tim
Published: March 2012

More than half of the simultaneous pancreas kidney transplant (SPK) patients afflicted with BK virus nephropathy (BKVN) lose their kidney allograft. Fear of pancreatic rejection limits the ability to reduce immunosuppression; this may result in inadequate treatment of BKVN.

This single‐center retrospective review included 138 SPK patients who underwent periodic BKV screening and were managed with IS reduction alone as a treatment of choice for BKVN.

All patients underwent rabbit anti‐thymocyte globulin (rATG) induction and were maintained on tacrolimus/sirolimus or mycophenolate. The incidence of BKVN was 4.4%. BKVN was diagnosed at a median of 11 months; mean serum creatinine 2.1 mg/dL and the geometric mean BK serum viral load at diagnosis 1 758 000 DNA copies/mL. Median time to BKV clearance was 5.6 months; there was 96% reduction in the mycophenolate dose, 100% reduction in sirolimus, and 40% reduction in the tacrolimus blood level at BKVN clearance. No BKVN‐related kidney failure was noted, and patients retained excellent kidney and pancreatic allograft function till last follow‐up (43 months).

BKVN in SPK is a potentially preventable cause of end‐stage kidney disease, and IS reduction alone is an acceptable treatment modality in SPK without a higher risk of kidney/pancreas allograft loss as long as close monitoring can be ensured.
Nine‐yr experience of 700 hand‐assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomies in Japan
Authors: Nakajima Ichiro , Iwadoh Kazuhiro , Koyama Ichiro , Tojimbara Tamotsu , Teraoka Satoshi , Fuchinoue Shohei
Published: March 2012

Objective

We reviewed the introduction of a new, minimally invasive, live kidney donation program in our department.

Methods

The operating times of 700 consecutive hand‐assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomies (HALDN) conducted from February 2001 to April 2010 were examined. The risk factors for prolonging operating times were analyzed and major surgical barriers in HALDN investigated.

Results

All procedures were successfully performed without the requirement for conversion to open surgery or blood transfusion. The overall prevalence of perioperative complications was 3.0%, with no mortality, in this non‐obese donor population with mean body mass index (BMI) as low as 23.2 ± 3.2 kg/m2. After the initial learning curve, a second learning plateau was detected until around case 300. Multivariate analyses showed that the significant risk factors were male sex, graft weight, number of renal arteries, right nephrectomy, and previous epigastric surgery (p < 0.05). HALDN provided direct handling of the surgical field, secure vascular control, safe manipulation of adhesive tissues, and served to maintain surgical safety. Mean values of the BMI of donors had a significant positive correlation with the prevalence of complications between large studies (p = 0.042).

Conclusions

Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy was safely introduced and established in a single institution with the help of the hand‐assistance method.
Developing best practice for fungal specimen submission – fungal audit of general practice
Authors: Lasseter G. , McNulty C. A. M. , Palmer M. , Yoxall H. , Kibbler C. ,   on behalf of the Health Protection Agency GP Microbiology Laboratory Use Group
Published: March 2012

The objective of this study was to investigate the management of suspected fungal nail infections by general practitioners (GPs) and determine whether guidance is sought when submitting specimens for investigation or treating cases. Questionnaires were sent to all GPs (n = 2420) served by five Health Protection Agency (HPA) collaborating laboratories in the South West of England. A total of 769 GPs responded – topical and oral antifungals were never used by 29% and 16% of GPs respectively. When antifungals were prescribed, topicals were normally given because of the severity of infection (32%); Amorolofine (53%) was the preferred choice. Oral antifungals were most often prescribed after receipt of a laboratory report (77%); Terbinafine was the preferred choice (86%). Seventy percent of GPs would only treat a suspected nail infection with oral antifungals after sending a sample for investigation, yet 27% never waited for a microscopy report before prescribing oral antifungal treatment. GPs routinely send specimens from suspected fungal nail infections for microbiological investigation, yet treatment is often prescribed before a result is received. With clinical signs of fungal infections often non‐specific, GPs should rely on laboratory results before prescribing expensive and lengthy antifungal treatments. Laboratories could further reduce antifungal use by including guidance on microscopy and culture reports.
Neonatal invasive candidiasis in Tunisian hospital: incidence, risk factors, distribution of species and antifungal susceptibility
Authors: Ben Abdeljelil J. , Saghrouni F. , Nouri S. , Geith S. , Khammari I. , Fathallah A. , Sboui H. , Ben Saïd M.
Published: March 2012

The aim of our study was to assess epidemiological features of neonatal invasive candidiasis in Farhat Hached hospital of Sousse, Tunisia, including incidence, risk factors, mortality, species distribution and antifungal susceptibility. Laboratory data from 1995 to 2010 and medical records of 127 invasive candidiasis cases were reviewed. We tested the susceptibility of 100 Candida sp isolates by using ATB fungus®3 and to fluconazole by using E‐test® strips. A total of 252 cases of neonatal invasive candidiasis occurred over the study period. The incidence increased 1.8‐fold from 1995 to 2006 and decreased fourfold from 2007 to 2010. Candida albicans was the predominant species up to 2006 and a shift in the species spectrum was observed with increase of the non‐albicans species mainly C. parapsilosis. The agreement between the ATB Fungus® and the E‐test® for determining fluconazole susceptibility was high. All tested isolates were susceptible to fluconazole, flucytosine, amphotéricine B and voriconazole and the itraconazole resistance rate was 5%. The mortality rate was 63%. The invasive candidiasis incidence increased from 1995 to 2006 and decreased from 2007 to 2010. The spectrum of Candida species and the lack of fluconazole‐resistant strains argue for the usefulness of fluconazole as an empiric treatment.
Retrospective analysis of factors that affect driving assessment outcomes after stroke
Authors: Chua Michelle , McCluskey Annie , Smead Janice M.
Published: March 2012

Introduction

More than 50% of people do not resume driving post‐stroke. Potential disincentives include limited knowledge about assessment, access to services, cost and fear of failure. Factors contributing to a successful return to driving have been the focus of limited research.

Aim

To determine the proportion of people with stroke who successfully pass their first on‐road occupational therapy driving assessment, and factors associated with a successful assessment outcome.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study design was used. The primary data collection method was a review of 441 consecutive occupational therapy driving assessment reports from one Australian metropolitan centre. Participants had a diagnosis of stroke, a driving licence pre‐stroke and completed a driving assessment between 1999 and 2010.

Results

Of the 441 records analysed, the mean age of drivers was 65.4 years (SD: 15.4). The majority (53.7%) passed their first assessment (pass/conditional pass); only 8.8% failed. A weak relationship was found between initial driving assessment outcome and time post‐stroke (rs = 0.19), but a fair relationship with younger age (rs = 0.31) and higher scores on three off‐road assessments (rs = −0.26 to −0.28). The strongest predictors of initial driving assessment outcome were off‐road assessment scores, age, gender and time post‐stroke (R2 = 19.7%, P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Data on stroke severity are required to confirm these preliminary predictors of driving assessment outcome. Stroke severity should be routinely documented by driving assessment services for use in future research.