bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Current position of phenobarbital in epilepsy and its future
Authors: Brodie Martin J. , Kwan Patrick
Published: December 2012

This article reviews the current position of phenobarbital using articles published since 2000 and speculates on its likely future contribution to epilepsy care. Over the last decade there have been no major double‐blind randomized placebo‐controlled or comparative trials with phenobarbital. Previous studies have suggested that phenobarbital is as effective in monotherapy as phenytoin and carbamazepine. Several observational studies undertaken in developing countries over the last decade have confirmed its efficacy and safety for the common epilepsies. This was particularly so in the substantial demonstration project undertaken in rural China under the auspices of the World Health Organization in partnership with the International League Against Epilepsy and International Bureau for Epilepsy. Phenobarbital is still widely used for neonatal and childhood seizures and for drug‐resistant convulsive and nonconvulsive status epilepticus. Recent data have confirmed in a prospective cohort of women taking phenobarbital as monotherapy that the drug can be associated with a range of congenital defects in exposed infants. Much effort has gone into exploring the apparent contradiction of higher withdrawal rates due to cognitive and behavioral side effects in studies undertaken in developed countries but not in those sited in the developing world. A raft of data over the last 10 years, including a systematic review, showed no important differences between the tolerability of phenobarbital compared to that with other antiepileptic drugs. Finally, cognitive test scores and mood ratings in 136 people with epilepsy receiving phenobarbital for a year were similar to those in 137 age‐, sex‐, and education‐matched controls in a number of Chinese villages. Indeed, there were some cognitive gains in the patients possibly due to improved seizure control. Phenobarbital is still the most cost‐effective pharmacologic treatment for epilepsy. All these data predict a healthy future for phenobarbital, particularly in helping to close the treatment gap in low‐ and middle‐income countries during its second century of clinical use.
Perspectives of stem cell therapy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Meregalli Mirella , Farini Andrea , Belicchi Marzia , Parolini Daniele , Cassinelli Letizia , Razini Paola , Sitzia Clementina , Torrente Yvan
Published: December 2012

Muscular dystrophies are heritable and heterogeneous neuromuscular disorders characterized by the primary wasting of skeletal muscle, usually caused by mutations in the proteins forming the link between the cytoskeleton and the basal lamina. As a result of mutations in the dystrophin gene, Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients suffer from progressive muscle atrophy and an exhaustion of muscular regenerative capacity. No efficient therapies are available. The evidence that adult stem cells were capable of participating in the regeneration of more than their resident organ led to the development of potential stem cell treatments for degenerative disorder. In the present review, we describe the different types of myogenic stem cells and their possible use for the progression of cell therapy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Extreme tolerance to environmental stress of sexual and parthenogenetic resting eggs of Eucypris virens (Crustacea, Ostracoda)
Authors: VANDEKERKHOVE JOCHEN , MARTENS KOEN , ROSSETTI GIAMPAOLO , MESQUITA‐JOANES FRANCESC , NAMIOTKO TADEUSZ
Published: December 2012

1. The freshwater ostracod (Ostracoda), Eucypris virens, is commonly found in European temporary pools, where its long‐term persistence completely relies on the build‐up of resting egg banks. Extreme tolerance of dormant eggs and seeds is widely assumed, but freshwater ostracod eggs are relatively poorly studied. The study of ostracod resting eggs is of particular relevance as it may yield the key to understanding the distribution of the sexes in many species capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction.

2. We assessed the tolerance of dried resting eggs produced by females originating from three populations with males and three all‐female E. virens populations. Hatching time and success was compared between control eggs and eggs exposed to one of seven ecologically relevant stressors: digestive enzymes, high salinity, deep freezing, hydration, UV‐B radiation, hypoxia and insecticide treatment.

3. None of the stressors reduced significantly the viability of either sexual or asexual eggs. When compared with the reproductive mode–specific controls, exposure to UV‐B radiation had a mild impact on the survival of sexual and asexual eggs (−16.8 and −22.4%, respectively), but this was only significant for asexual eggs. These results point to an extreme tolerance of E. virens resting eggs and have important implications for the ecology and evolution of the species.

4. The timing of hatching was not affected by the stress treatment, except for UV‐B radiation. A marginally significant delay in hatching response was observed for UV‐B‐radiated eggs when compared to the overall mean, but this treatment effect was absent when compared with the reproductive mode–specific controls.

5. The populations with males produced eggs that hatched on average earlier (−1.5 days at 17 °C) and were more successful (+26%) than asexual eggs. Due to the limited number of populations and the population‐specific origin and age of the eggs, the possibility due to the differences in age and origin of the resting eggs, or to variations in local conditions, cannot be ruled out.
Biological responses to permafrost thaw slumping in Canadian Arctic lakes
Authors: THIENPONT JOSHUA R. , RÜHLAND KATHLEEN M. , PISARIC MICHAEL F. J. , KOKELJ STEVEN V. , KIMPE LINDA E. , BLAIS JULES M. , SMOL JOHN P.
Published: December 2012

1. Rapid environmental change occurring in high‐latitude regions has the potential to cause extensive thawing of permafrost. Retrogressive thaw slumps are a particularly spectacular form of permafrost degradation that can significantly impact lake–water chemistry; however, to date, the effects on aquatic biota have received little attention.

2. We used a diatom‐based palaeolimnological approach featuring a paired lake study design to examine the impact of thaw slumping on freshwater ecosystems in the low Arctic of western Canada. We compared biological responses in six lakes affected by permafrost degradation with six undisturbed, reference lakes.

3. Slump‐affected lakes exhibited greater biological change than the paired reference systems, although all systems have undergone ecologically significant changes over the last 200 years. Four of the six reference systems showed an increase in the relative abundance of planktonic algal taxa (diatoms and scaled chrysophytes), the earliest beginning about 1900, consistent with increased temperature trends in this region.

4. The response of sedimentary diatoms to thaw slumping was understandably variable, but primarily related to the intensity of disturbance and associated changes in aquatic habitat. Five of the slump‐affected lakes recorded increases in the abundance and diversity of periphytic diatoms at the presumed time of slump initiation, consistent with increased water clarity and subsequent development of aquatic macrophyte communities. Slump‐affected lakes generally displayed lower nutrient levels; however, in one system, thaw slumping, induced by an intense fire at the site in 1968, ostensibly led to pronounced nutrient enrichment that persists today.

5. Our results demonstrate that retrogressive thaw slumping represents an important stressor to the biological communities of lakes in the western Canadian Arctic and can result in a number of limnological changes. We also show that palaeolimnological methods are effective for inferring the timing and response of aquatic ecosystems to permafrost degradation. These findings provide the first long‐term perspective on the biological response to permafrost thaw, a stressor that will become increasingly important as northern landscapes respond to climate change.
High assemblage persistence in heterogeneous habitats: an experimental test with stream benthic algae
Authors: SCHNECK FABIANA , MELO ADRIANO S.
Published: December 2012

1. The persistence of biological assemblages is positively affected by spatial heterogeneity. This influence may be indirect, through increased species richness. Another possibility is the increased availability of refuges from disturbances, which would prevent local loss.

2. We conducted a field experiment to test the hypothesis that greater roughness (a form of spatial heterogeneity) on the surface of substrata allows higher persistence of assemblages of stream benthic algae and that this relationship does not depend on species richness. Samples were taken on six occasions from smooth and rough artificial substrata used for algal colonisation. We calculated the persistence of assemblages using two analytical approaches: the mean distance to group centroid and the sum of the Euclidean distances between consecutive sampling occasions, both in a multivariate space. We also subsampled the data to take into account differences in species richness between treatments and thus to evaluate the effect of species richness on persistence.

3. Assemblages on rough substrata were more persistent than assemblages on smooth substrata. The effects detected were not due to the greater species richness on rough substrata, since a higher persistence of the assemblages on rough substrata remained after the subsampling procedures.

4. Our results indicate a strong positive relationship between substratum roughness and the persistence of stream benthic algal assemblages. We suggest that this is due to the presence of physical refuges in heterogeneous habitats.
Population genetic structure of parthenogenetic flatworm populations with occasional sex
Authors: SÁNCHEZ NAVARRO BEATRIZ , JOKELA JUKKA , MICHIELS NICO K. , D’SOUZA THOMAS G.
Published: December 2012

1. Sexual populations are expected to perform better in fluctuating environments than asexuals because recombination provides the potential to adapt to changing environments due to increased genetic variation. Nevertheless, some asexual species show comparably high levels of genotypic diversity. Such diversity might be achieved through gene flow between coexisting sexual and asexual populations or through sexual events within asexual populations.

2. Evidence for occasional sex in the flatworm Schmidtea polychroa was previously found at one specific site that is inhabited by parthenogenetic forms. There, varying rates of sex between subpopulations, reaching up to 12%, were observed. Past recurrent sexual processes left a significant genetic signature in the population genetic structure of this population. In the present study, we examined the population genetic structure of six independent metapopulations (lakes) of the freshwater planarian flatworm S. polychroa, to confirm the presence of occasional sex and that its population genetic consequences can be generalised.

3. Using microsatellites, we found varying rates of occasional sex among subpopulations. Metapopulations showed medium to high levels of genotypic diversity that correlated with the rate of sex.

4. We conclude that occasional sex has considerable consequences for population genetic structure of parthenogenetic species and promotes diversity that might allow response to the particular type of selection that is usually predicted to favour sexual reproduction. This reproductive strategy provides genetic characteristics required for selection to act on, and might, therefore, explain the success of this parthenogenetic species.
The keystone role of anostracans and copepods in European soda pans during the spring migration of waterbirds
Authors: HORVÁTH ZSÓFIA , VAD CSABA F. , VÖRÖS LAJOS , BOROS EMIL
Published: December 2012

1. The European soda pans of the Carpathian Basin provide important stopover sites for several waterbird species. We studied the effect of different invertebrate food types and other characteristics on the habitat choice and distribution of birds on 82 pans (in Hungary, Austria and Serbia) during spring migration.

2. Only three environmental variables proved to be significant determinants of the waterbird communities: pan density (spatial effect) along with the density of Arctodiaptomus spp. and anostracans (local effect). Variance partitioning of the data revealed that aquatic invertebrate food supply (Arctodiaptomus and anostracans) had a greater effect than pan density on the 10 investigated bird species, suggesting a dominant role of species sorting in structuring the communities. Pied avocets (Recurvirostra avosetta) and northern shovelers (Anas clypeata) differed from the other species in their strong association with densities of anostracans (avocet) and Arctodiaptomus (shoveler).

3. Anostracans and microcrustaceans, especially the most frequent Branchinecta orientalis, Arctodiaptomus spinosus and Arctodiaptomus bacillifer, can be regarded as keystone elements of this soda pan habitat because of their bottom‐up role in structuring waterbird assemblages during spring migration.
A comparative evaluation of a new automated assay for von Willebrand factor activity
Authors: Lawrie A. S. , Stufano F. , Canciani M. T. , Mackie I. J. , Machin S. J. , Peyvandi F.
Published: December 2012

The ristocetin cofactor assay (VWF:RCo) is the reference method for assessing von Willebrand factor (VWF) activity in the diagnosis of von Willebrand's Disease (VWD). However, the assay suffers from poor reproducibility and sensitivity at low levels of VWF and is labour intensive. We have undertaken an evaluation of a new immunoturbidimetric VWF activity (VWF:Ac) assay (INNOVANCE® VWF Ac. Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Marburg, Germany) relative to an established platelet‐based VWF:RCo method. Samples from 50 healthy normal subjects, 80 patients with VWD and 50 samples that exhibited ‘HIL’ (i.e. Haemolysis, Icterus or Lipaemia) were studied. VWF:Ac, VWF:RCo and VWF:Ag were performed on a CS–analyser (Sysmex UK Ltd, Milton Keynes, UK), all reagents were from Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. The VWF:Ac assay, gave low intra‐ and inter‐assay imprecision (over a 31‐day period, n = 200 replicate readings) using commercial normal (Mean 96.2 IU dL−1, CV < 3.0%) and pathological (Mean 36.1 IU dL−1, CV < 3.5%) control plasmas. The normal and clinical samples exhibited good correlation between VWF:RCo (range 3–753 IU dL−1) and VWF:Ac (rs = 0.97, P < 0.0001), with a mean bias of 5.6 IU dL−1. Ratios of VWF:Ac and VWF:RCo to VWF:Ag in the VWD samples were comparable, although VWF:Ac had a superior lower level of detection to that of VWF:RCo (3% and 5% respectively). A subset (n = 97) of VWD and HIL samples were analysed for VWF:Ac at two different dilutions to assess the effect on relative potency, no significant difference was observed (P = 0.111). The INNOVANCE® VWF Ac assay was shown to be reliable and precise.
Wogonin induced cytotoxicity in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells by activation of unfolded protein response and inactivation of AKT
Authors: Xu Min , Lu Na , Zhang Haiwei , Dai Qinsheng , Wei Libin , Li Zhiyu , You Qidong , Guo Qinglong
Published: December 2012

Aim

To investigate the potential anticancer effects of the natural flavonoid wogonin on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and tumor xenografts and the contribution of the unfolded protein response (UPR) and AKT pathways to the cytotoxicity of wogonin.

Methods

The HCC cell lines HepG2, SMMC‐7721 and Hep3B were treated with wogonin. 3‐(4 5‐Dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2 5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays were used to evaluate the cell viability. Flow cytometry assays were used to identify the cell death types and measure the concentrations of intracellular H2O2 and Ca2+. Western blotting assays were used to detect the protein expression levels of members in the UPR and AKT pathways. Relative quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction assays were used to analysis the mRNA expression levels of chop and trb3. Furthermore, the male BALB/c nude mice with SMMC‐7721 xenografts were treated with wogonin. The tumor volume, tumor weight and bodyweight were monitored during the tumorigenicity assays.

Results

Wogonin significantly inhibited the viability of HCC cells by inducing apoptosis and necrosis. This cytotoxicity was at least partially attributed to the activation of the UPR pathway and consequent inactivation of AKT signaling, which resulted from the production of intracellular H2O2 and causal release of endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+. Moreover, wogonin evidently repressed the growth of xenografts but slightly influenced the bodyweight of mice.

Conclusion

Wogonin is a prospect for improving the systemic chemotherapy strategy on HCC by concurrently rectifying the aberrant UPR and AKT signaling pathways, which are crucial to the biology of HCC.
16th IHIW: Report of the MICA Project
Authors: Stastny P. , Zou Y. ,   The Participating Laboratories
Published: December 2012

The MICA Project of the 16th International HLA and Immunogenetics Workshop was planned to improve the detection of specific antibodies against MICA antigens that develop in organ transplant recipients. It was organized as a serum exchange with 18 laboratories located in seven countries as participants. Each laboratory used the MICA screening reagents available to them. It was found that there were four different kits of Luminex beads conjugated with MICA antigens that could be used in these experiments. They were, kit BL, produced by Rainer Blasczyk in Hannover, Germany, containing 12 MICA antigens, the kit from Gen‐Probe (GP), which included 28 MICA antigens, the beads from One Lambda (OL), consisting of ten antigens, and the beads produced in the laboratory of the organizers (ZS) consisting of 11 MICA antigens. The sera were all from transplant recipients and represented a spectrum of MICA‐specific antibodies that are commonly found. All laboratories accurately could recognize which sera contained MICA antibodies. None failed to recognize the negative serum that was included in one of the shipments. While there were important differences in the specificities of MICA antigens recognized by the different kits, the results in laboratories using the same beads were remarkably similar. Feedback was given to the participants, and especially to the producers of the antibody detection kits, after each set of four sera was sent, and results were collected. Certain beads were replaced and results improved as can be seen in the results of the third shipment of sera. It is important for laboratories to be able to accurately determine the specificity of antibodies against MICA to know whether the antibodies are donor specific. Although complete consensus was not attained, some important errors were corrected, and a better understanding of how to accurately determine MICA allele–specific antibodies was developed.
Diseases that turn African hair silky
Authors: Ajose Frances O. A.
Published: December 2012

Background  African hair in its natural state poses tenacious grooming challenges; consequently a large portion of the African cosmetic industry is focused on means to relax the tight curls of African hair to make the hair more manageable. In malnourished and hypoproteinemic states, African hair straightens in an uncomplimentary manner. Recently, we observed that in certain diseases African hair changes to a desirable silky wavy texture.

Method  To identify the diseases that turn African hair silky and their parameters we examined 5612 dermatology patients at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. We then studied the clinical and basic laboratory parameters of those patients whose diseases were accompanied by the silky hair change.

Result  Silky hair change similar to the hair of the African neonatal child was observed in five diseases, namely AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, pulmonary tuberculosis with cachexia, and Behçet’s disease.

Conclusion  Our study identified retrogression of African hair to the neonatal structure in five diseases. Anemia of chronic illness, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and mild hypocalcemia were significant laboratory parameters. This is an important observation, which should excite and advance research into the nature and structure of African hair. The causes of structural hair changes should include these five diseases.
Les maladies qui rendent les cheveux africains soyeux
Authors: Ajose Dr. Frances O. A.
Published: December 2012

Contexte  Les cheveux africains, dans leur état naturel posent des problèmes tenaces de coiffage. En conséquence, une partie importante de l’industrie cosmétique africaine cherche le moyen de défriser les boucles serrées des cheveux africains afin de les rendre plus faciles à coiffer. Chez les personnes en état de malnutrition et dans des états hypoprotéinémiques, les cheveux africains se raidissent de façon peu flatteuse. Récemment, nous avons observé que certaines maladies entraînent un changement agréable de la texture des cheveux africains, qui devient ondulée et soyeuse.

Methode  Afin d’identifier les maladies qui rendent les cheveux africains soyeux, ainsi que leurs paramètres, nous avons examiné 5612 patients de dermatologie dans un hôpital tertiaire au Nigeria. Nous avons ensuite étudié les paramètres cliniques et biochimiques de base des patients pour lesquels les maladies étaient accompagnées de l’apparition de cette texture soyeuse des cheveux.

Résultat  Un changement de texture des cheveux donnant à ces derniers un aspect soyeux similaire à celui observé chez l’enfant africain nouveau‐né a été observé pour 5 maladies, à savoir, le SIDA, la polyarthrite rhumatoïde, le lupus systémique, la tuberculose pulmonaire avec cachexie et la maladie de Behcet.

Conclusion  Notre étude a identifié une régression de la structure des cheveux dans 5 maladies. L’anémie caractéristique d’une maladie chronique, une vitesse de sédimentation érythrocytaire élevée et une légère hypocalcémie étaient des paramètres biochimiques significatifs. Il s’agit là d’une imporante observation qui devrait stimuler et faire avancer les travaux portant sur la nature et la structure des cheveux africains. Les causes des changements structuraux au niveau des cheveux devraient inclure ces cinq maladies.
Dermatitis of the folds in black Africans in Bamako, Mali
Authors: Keita Somita , Faye Ousmane , Traoré Aboubacrine , Dicko Adama , Berthe Siritio , Traore Pierre , Coulibaly Karim
Published: December 2012

Dermatitis of the folds (intertrigo) is a frequent reason for attending consultations, particularly in Africa, where the hot and humid climate constitute an aggravating factor. It is a complex pathology with multiple and intricate etiologies. The aim of this study was to describe epidemiological and etiological aspects of dermatitis of the folds in black‐skinned subjects in Bamako (Mali). We conducted a transversal descriptive survey of cases of localized dermatitis of the folds of the skin in dermatology clinics in Bamako. In total, 141 cases of intertrigo were identified: 96 female subjects (68%) and 45 male subjects. The average age of patients was 30 ± 18 years (2–80 years). The majority of patients were seen between March and June; 52% of patients had already received treatment before the consultation. The lesions affected skin folds of the groin area and/or area between the buttocks in 95 patients (57.4%), and folds of the armpits and area under the breasts were affected in 46 cases (42.6%). Eczema, erythrasma, and fungal disease were the most frequently observed pathologies. Of interest to this study is the topographical approach that a dermatologist must adopt when diagnosing certain forms of dermatitis. In populations with specific cultural practices, apart from a thorough knowledge of these specific factors, treatment of these conditions requires certain harmful attitudes and behaviors to be abandoned.
Prévalence de la Linea Nigra chez des patients souffrant d’Hyperplasie Bénigne de la Prostate et de Cancer de la Prostate
Authors: Okeke Linus Ikechukwu , George Adekunle Olufemi , Ogunbiyi Adebola Olufunmilayo , Wachtel Mitchelle
Published: December 2012

Contexte  La linea nigra (LN) est une hyperpigmentation linéaire qui apparaît entre l’ombilic et la symphyse pubienne. Normalement associée à la grossesse, où elle prend le nom de « linea gravidarum », elle a été aussi observée chez des femmes non enceintes et des hommes appartenant en particulier à des tranches d’âges plus jeunes, chez qui il a été suggéré que les œstrogènes ou l’absence de sensibilité des récepteurs aux androgènes constituait un facteur prédisposant. Une étude antérieure a montré que l’incidence de la LN était variable en fonction du sexe, de l’âge et de certains états cliniques tels que la grossesse chez la femme, et chez l’homme l’hypertrophie bénigne de la prostate et le cancer de la prostate.

Objectif  La nécessité de disposer d’une caractéristique clinique pouvant faciliter le diagnostic du cancer de la prostate, cancer masculin le plus fréquent au Nigeria, à un coût abordable, nous a incités à examiner l’incidence de la linea nigra dans 3 populations d’hommes adultes : des hommes atteints d’hyperplasie bénigne de la prostate (HBP), des hommes souffrant de cancer de la prostate (CP) et une population témoin non atteinte par ces deux pathologies. La gynécomastie et la distribution pileuse féminine, deux caractéristiques estimées être hormonodépendantes, ont étéévaluées par ailleurs dans la population étudiée. Cette étude a été menée dans un hôpital universitaire à Ibadan, dans le sud‐ouest du Nigeria.

Résultats  Une LN a été observée chez 48% des CP, 26% des HBP et 8% des témoins. Une pilosité pubienne à distribution féminine a été observée chez 48% des CP, 26% des HBP et 12% des témoins – Une gynécomastie a été observée chez 36% des CP, 12% des HBP et 0% des témoins. Nous avons estimé que les différences entre patients atteints d’HBP, de CP et les témoins, pour ce qui est de l’incidence de la linea nigra et de la pilosité pubienne à distribution féminine pouvaient s’expliquer par le hasard (P = 0.17, test exact de Fisher). Nous avons estimé que les différences entre les patients atteints de CP et les patients atteints d’HBP, relativement à la gynécomastie, ne pouvaient pas s’expliquer par le hasard (P = 0.008, test exact de Fisher).

Conclusion  La linea nigra seule ne peut pas être utilisée pour différencier le cancer de la prostate et l’HPB. Des études supplémentaires devront être réalisées en vue de caractériser le rôle de la LN dans ces pathologies chez des hommes avant et après le traitement.
Male lower urinary tract symptoms and α1D‐adrenoceptors
Authors: Ishizuka Osamu , Imamura Tetsuya , Kurizaki Yoshiki , Nishizawa Osamu , Andersson Karl‐Erik
Published: December 2012

Historically, α1‐adrenoceptors have been classified into three subtypes (α1A, α1B and α1D) that are widely distributed in various organs. Research on the α1D‐adrenoceptors in the bladder, urethra and prostate has focused on the relationship between expression levels and symptoms of bladder outlet obstruction, and the implications and functional roles of α1D‐adrenoceptors subtypes in these organs. The α1D‐adrenoceptor messenger ribonucleic acid and protein seem to be increased in obstructed bladders or small capacity bladders. In contrast, α1D‐adrenoceptor subtype knock‐out mice have been found to have a prolonged voiding interval. Interestingly, an α1D‐adrenoceptor antagonist was found to inhibit the facilitation of afferent nerve activity for the micturition reflex induced by intravesical infusion of acetic acid. Clinically, patients who felt urgency at low filling volumes and had a small bladder capacity were found to have more α1D‐adrenoceptor messenger ribonucleic acid in their bladder mucosa than patients who felt urgency at high filling volumes and had a large bladder capacity. An α1D‐adrenoceptor antagonist was found to increase the first desired volume and the maximum desired volume while decreasing detrusor overactivity in pressure flow studies. Thus, α1D‐adrenoceptors in the lower urinary tract might play an important role in the pathophysiology of lower urinary tract disorders.
Oil palm, food security and adaptation among smallholder households in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Koczberski Gina , Curry George N. , Bue Veronica
Published: December 2012

This paper is concerned with food security and access to land for food crop gardening among first and second generation migrant oil palm producers in West New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea. We examine changes in food security due to the rapid population growth in the presence of growing demand for land for oil palm production. Despite oil palm providing the major source of income for most migrant households, food crop gardening remains a primary livelihood activity, particularly for women, and especially so, during periods of low oil palm prices. Rising population and land pressures pose a threat to household food security and have implications for the supply of food to the rapidly growing urban population in the province. The paper begins by describing how household food security and access to land have changed over the past two decades. Then the paper examines how smallholder households are responding to shortages of garden land through the intensification of land use, intercropping immature oil palm with food crops and seeking access to land beyond the oil palm block. The paper also considers the role that research, agricultural extension and the milling companies can play in supporting strategies to promote food security among smallholders.
Patronage politics as a driver of economic regionalisation: The Indonesian oil palm sector and transboundary haze
Authors: Varkkey Helena
Published: December 2012

Recent evidence has linked illegal peat and forest fires in Indonesia to commercial oil palm plantations. Fire is the most cost‐efficient way to clear land for planting, but these fires release smoke causing transboundary haze pollution. The countries worst affected by the haze are neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore. Malaysian and Singaporean investors control more than two‐thirds of the Indonesian oil palm plantation sector and they have been implicated in the fires alongside local plantations. Using information obtained from interviews with individuals linked to the sector, this paper aims to explain why these companies continue to burn despite the dire consequences of the haze. It identifies patronage politics as a common business culture in Southeast Asia, and argues that because these Malaysian and Singaporean investors are already familiar with patronage practices at home, they have easily inserted themselves into existing patronage networks in Indonesia. Hence, these companies enjoy the protection of their Indonesian patrons during their operations. Furthermore, in a business atmosphere defined by patronage politics, clients are largely motivated by material gain. This explains why Malaysian and Singaporean investors continue to clear land by fire in the interests of cost‐efficiency, despite their home countries suffering the worst effects of haze.
Group Sequential Tests for Delayed Responses (with discussion)
Authors: Hampson Lisa V. , Jennison Christopher
Published: December 2012

Group sequential methods are used routinely to monitor clinical trials and to provide early stopping when there is evidence of a treatment effect, a lack of an effect or concerns about patient safety. In many studies, the response of clinical interest is measured some time after the start of treatment and there are subjects at each interim analysis who have been treated but are yet to respond. We formulate a new form of group sequential test which gives a proper treatment of these ‘pipeline’ subjects; these tests can be applied even when the continued accrual of data after the decision to stop the trial is unexpected. We illustrate our methods through a series of examples. We define error spending versions of these new designs which handle unpredictable group sizes and provide an information monitoring framework that can accommodate nuisance parameters, such as an unknown response variance. By studying optimal versions of our new designs, we show how the benefits of lower expected sample size that are normally achieved by a group sequential test are reduced when there is a delay in response. The loss of efficiency for larger delays can be ameliorated by incorporating data on a correlated short-term end point, fitting a joint model for the two end points but still making inferences on the original, longer-term end point. We derive p-values and confidence intervals on termination of our new tests.
Countervailing Forces: Religiosity and Paranormal Belief in Italy
Authors: Bader Christopher D. , Baker Joseph O. , Molle Andrea
Published: December 2012

Due to the unique cultural niche inhabited by “paranormal” beliefs and experiences, social scientists have struggled to understand the relationship between religion and the paranormal. Complicating matters is the fact that extant research has primarily focused upon North America, leaving open the possible relationship between these two spheres of the supernatural in less religiously pluralistic contexts. Using data from a random, national survey of Italian citizens, we examine the nature of the relationship between religiosity and paranormal beliefs in a largely Catholic context. We find a curvilinear relationship between religiosity and paranormal beliefs among Italians, with those at the lowest and highest levels of religious participation holding lower average levels of “paranormal” belief than those with moderate religious participation. This pattern reflects how two influential social institutions, religion and science, simultaneously define the paranormal as outside of acceptable realms of inquiry and belief.
Religious Values and the Development of Trait Hope and Self‐Esteem in Adolescents
Authors: Ciarrochi Joseph , Heaven Patrick C. L.
Published: December 2012

Many studies have noted significant relationships between religious sentiment and psychological adjustment, but few have been able to comment on the direction of influence. We assessed the relationships between religious values, self‐esteem, and trait hope when participants were in grades 11 and 12. The variables showed moderate levels of rank‐order stability. Structural equation modeling revealed that religious values in grade 11 did not predict improvements in self‐esteem in grade 12, but they did predict improvements in hope. In contrast, hope did not lead to increase in religious values. These results held after controlling for personality (Big Five factors and Eysenck's psychoticism factor). Results are discussed with reference to the beneficial effects of religious values in adolescence.
Piety, Power, and the Purse: Religious Economies Theory and Urban Reform in the Holy Roman Empire
Authors: Pfaff Steven , Corcoran Katie E.
Published: December 2012

The religious economies model has been influential in the sociology of religion. Yet, propositions drawn from the model have been difficult to test in the comparative and historical study of religion, generally for lack of appropriate data. We develop a general theory of religious disestablishment and apply it to the Reformation in 16th‐century Europe to explain variation in the abolition of the Catholic monopoly. We suggest three principal factors—changes in demand, entry control mechanisms, and political incentives—that explain why incumbent religious firms may lose their monopoly. We then analyze the resulting hypotheses in a systematic analysis of cities in the Holy Roman Empire. Our analysis yields mixed support for demand‐side factors and entry control mechanisms, and firm support for political incentives in the institution of reform.
Foundations of Political Order in Emerging Democracies
Authors: Seeberg Michael
Published: December 2012

Political development and decay is one of the most studied topics in political science. The issue continues to occupy many political scientists and is also highly empirically relevant – not least in light of the recent uprisings in the Middle East. The question is whether democracy can and will make headway in this region, as it has been resistant thus far to the emergence of democracy. These societies are deeply ‘patrimonialised’; that is, the practice of patron–client relationships structures the interaction between state and society. This review essay discusses two recent books that cast new light on how countries can overcome such fundamental obstacles to democratisation as patrimonialism. Most recently, Fukuyama has offered a comprehensive reinterpretation of human history with The Origins of Political Order, but one that is broadly in line with the basic understanding in North, Wallis and Weingast's Violence and Social Orders: A Conceptual Framework for Interpreting Recorded Human History. However, both contributions are difficult to apply to contemporary cases of democratisation. The objective of this review article is to sketch a starting point for such a contemporary analysis, which could also help us understand the prospects for democracy in the Middle East.
Multiscale Approach to Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Susca Tiziana
Published: December 2012

The urban environment is characterized by multiple interactions between its parts, and any change can determine a modification in its metabolism. Typically life cycle assessment (LCA) takes into account only part of the interactions. The main aim of this study was to present a hybrid analysis for enhancing the spatial resolution of LCA, focusing on surface albedo evaluation.

In this article the substitution in New York City, New York, USA, of traditional roofs with a mean albedo of 0.32 with white roofs with an albedo of 0.9 has been hypothesized. A multiscale approach was used to evaluate the impact of variation in urban albedo, since it can influence the urban heat island (UHI), energy use, and atmospheric chemistry, affecting radiative forcings. The impact on global climate has been translated, through the use of a climatological model, into equivalents of carbon dioxide and added to the impact of the white roof. The effect of the summer UHI mitigation on human health has been assessed through the use of a hybrid model. Finally, the environmental burdens of a square meter of roof have been evaluated by considering the elementary flows—excluding the energy use—and added to the results deriving from the evaluation of the effects on human health and on climate change. In time horizons of 50 and 100 years, it shows that the increase in rooftop albedo plays an important role in decreasing the impact of rooftops on the climate‐change and human health impact categories.
Greenhouse Gas Emission Scenario Modeling for Cities Using the PURGE Model
Authors: Mohareb Eugene , Kennedy Christopher
Published: December 2012

Cities globally are in the midst of taking action to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. After the vital step of emissions quantification, strategies must be developed to detail how emissions reductions targets will be achieved. The Pathways to Urban Reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions (PURGE) model allows the estimation of emissions from four pertinent urban sectors: electricity generation, buildings, private transportation, and waste. Additionally, the carbon storage from urban and regional forests is modeled. An emissions scenario is examined for a case study of the greater Toronto, Ontario, Canada, area using data on current technology stocks and government projections for stock change. The scenario presented suggests that even with some aggressive targets for technological adoption (especially in the transportation sector), it will be difficult to achieve the less ambitious 2050 emissions reduction goals of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This is largely attributable to the long life of the building stock and limitations of current retrofit practices. Additionally, demand reduction (through transportation mode shifting and building occupant behavior) will be an important component of future emissions cuts.
Elevated tropomyosin expression is associated with epithelial–mesenchymal transition of lens epithelial cells
Authors: Kubo Eri , Hasanova Nailia , Fatma Nigar , Sasaki Hiroshi , Singh Dhirendra P.
Published: December 2012

Injury to lens epithelial cells (LECs) leads to epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) with resultant fibrosis. The tropomyosin (Tpm) family of cytoskeleton proteins is involved in regulating and stabilizing actin microfilaments. Aberrant expression of Tpms leads to abnormal morphological changes with disintegration of epithelial integrity. The EMT of LECs has been proposed as a major cause of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery. Using in vivo rodent PCO and human cataractous LECs, we demonstrated that the aberrant expression of rat Tpm and human Tpm1α/2β suggested their association in remodelling of the actin cytoskeleton during EMT of LECs. Expression analysis from abnormally growing LECs after lens extraction revealed elevated expression of α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA), a marker for EMT. Importantly, these cells displayed increased expression of Tpm1α/2β following EMT/PCO formation. Expression of Tpm1α/2β was up‐regulated in LECs isolated from cataractous lenses of Shumiya Cataract Rats (SCRs), compared with non‐cataractous lenses. Also, LECs from human patients with nuclear cataract and anterior subcapsular fibrosis (ASF) displayed significantly increased expression of Tpm2β mRNA, suggesting that similar signalling invokes the expression of these molecules in LECs of cataractous SCR and human lenses. EMT was observed in LECs overexpressed with Tpm1α/2β, as evidenced by increased expression of α‐SMA. These conditions were correlated with remodelling of actin filaments, possibly leading to EMT/PCO and ASF. The present findings may help clarify the condition of the actin cytoskeleton during morphogenetic EMT, and may contribute to development of Tpm‐based inhibitors for postponing PCO and cataractogenesis.
Enteric neurons show a primary cilium
Authors: Luesma Mª José , Cantarero Irene , Castiella Tomás , Soriano Mario , Garcia–Verdugo José Manuel , Junquera Concepción
Published: December 2012

The primary cilium is a non‐motile cilium whose structure is 9+0. It is involved in co‐ordinating cellular signal transduction pathways, developmental processes and tissue homeostasis. Defects in the structure or function of the primary cilium underlie numerous human diseases, collectively termed ciliopathies. The presence of single cilia in the central nervous system (CNS) is well documented, including some choroid plexus cells, neural stem cells, neurons and astrocytes, but the presence of primary cilia in differentiated neurons of the enteric nervous system (ENS) has not yet been described in mammals to the best of our knowledge. The enteric nervous system closely resembles the central nervous system. In fact, the ultrastructure of the ENS is more similar to the CNS ultrastructure than to the rest of the peripheral nervous system. This research work describes for the first time the ultrastructural characteristics of the single cilium in neurons of rat duodenum myenteric plexus, and reviews the cilium function in the CNS to propose the possible role of cilia in the ENS cells.
Predator‐mediated interactions between preferred, alternative and incidental prey in the arctic tundra
Authors: Mckinnon Laura , Berteaux Dominique , Gauthier Gilles , Bêty Joël
Published: December 2012

Apparent competition between prey is hypothesized to occur more frequently in environments with low densities of preferred prey, where predators are forced to forage for multiple prey items. In the arctic tundra, numerical and functional responses of predators to preferred prey (lemmings) affect the predation pressure on alternative prey (goose eggs) and predators aggregate in areas of high alternative prey density. Therefore, we hypothesized that predation risk on incidental prey (shorebird eggs) would increase in patches of high goose nest density when lemmings were scarce. To test this hypothesis, we measured predation risk on artificial shorebird nests in quadrats varying in goose nest density on Bylot Island (Nunavut, Canada) across three summers with variable lemming abundance. Predation risk on artificial shorebird nests was positively related to goose nest density, and this relationship was strongest at low lemming abundance when predation risk increased by 600% as goose nest density increased from 0 to 12 nests ha−1. Camera monitoring showed that activity of arctic foxes, the most important predator, increased with goose nest density. Our data support our incidental prey hypothesis; when preferred prey decrease in abundance, predator mediated apparent competition via aggregative response occurs between the alternative and incidental prey items.
Exploring oil price—exchange rate nexus for Nigeria
Authors: Muhammad Zahid , Suleiman Hassan , Kouhy Reza
Published: December 2012

This paper investigates the oil price—exchange rate nexus for Nigeria using daily data over the period 2 January 2007–31 December 2010. The generalised autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH) and exponential GARCH models are employed to examine the impact of oil price changes on nominal exchange rate. The outcome of this research indicates that a rise in oil prices leads to a depreciation of the Nigerian Naira vis‐à‐vis the US dollar over the study period.
Energy consumption in Iran with Bayesian approach1
Authors: Abbasinejad Hossein , Gudarzi Farahani Yazdan , Asghari Ghara Ehsan
Published: December 2012

Energy is one of the most important influential factors on economic growth. In recent decades, upward trend of energy consumption has caused many concerns about decrease in energy source and increase in pollution and global warming. Iran as one of the greatest oil and natural gas exporters with high consumption of gas, oil and electricity faces with pollution problems in cities and hence the necessity of a plan to decrease the energy consumption. In this paper, we study demand of energy consumption and predict consumption of diverse kinds of energy during 2010–2018. In this regard, by adopting Bayesian approach and with concern to data of 1970–2009, we forecast the trends of energy consumption. The result showed that during recent years, up to the average growth rate of energy consumption is equal to 1.8 per cent. The slower growth of energy consumption leads to a slower economic growth and in turn, causes a decline in energy consumption due to the structural changes in the Iran economy.