bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermal requirements for the embryonic development and life cycle of Meloidogyne hispanica
Authors: Maleita C. , Curtis R. , Abrantes I.
Published: January 2012

The life cycle of a Portuguese Meloidogyne hispanica isolate on susceptible cv. Easypeel and resistant (Mi‐1.2 gene) cv. Rossol tomato plants was studied in growth chambers at constant temperatures (10–35°C). The development within the egg and hatching were compared to those of a Portuguese M. arenaria isolate. The base temperature was 10·11 and 8·31°C with 179·5 and 235·3 thermal units for M. hispanica and M. arenaria, respectively, suggesting better potential adaptation to low temperatures by M. arenaria than M. hispanica. No egg development occurred at 10 or 35°C. An increase in invasion of tomato roots by M. hispanica second‐stage juveniles (J2s) was correlated with an increase in temperature on both tomato cultivars. Tomato cv. Rossol limited M. hispanica development at 20, 25 and 30°C, but not at 35°C, indicating that these high temperatures blocked the resistance mechanism provided by the Mi‐1.2 gene. At 15°C, J2s penetrated tomato cv. Rossol roots, but failed to develop and establish feeding sites. On tomato cv. Easypeel, nematode development and reproduction occurred at 20, 25 and 30°C, but at 20°C the life cycle was 1·5 and 2·0 times longer than at 25 and 30°C, respectively. No egg production was observed at 15°C. The results of this study showed that M. hispanica is most suited to soil temperatures around 25°C. Predicted climate change might favour the spread of this nematode species into southern Europe and northwards. The thermal requirements for M. hispanica development are analysed and compared with those of M. arenaria, M. hapla, M. incognita and M. javanica.
Effects of repeated treatment with MDMA on working memory and behavioural flexibility in mice
Authors: Viñals Xavier , Maldonado Rafael , Robledo Patricia
Published: January 2012

Repeated administration of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) produces dopaminergic neurotoxicity in mice. However, it is still not clear whether this exposure induces deficits in cognitive processing related to specific subsets of executive functioning. We evaluated the effects of neurotoxic and non‐neurotoxic doses of MDMA (0, 3 and 30 mg/kg, twice daily for 4 days) on working memory and attentional set‐shifting in mice, and changes in extracellular levels of dopamine (DA) in the striatum. Treatment with MDMA (30 mg/kg) disrupted performance of acquired operant alternation, and this impairment was still apparent 5 days after the last drug administration. Decreased alternation was not related to anhedonia because no differences were observed between groups in the saccharin preference test under similar experimental conditions. Correct responding on delayed alternation was increased 1 day after repeated treatment with MDMA (30 mg/kg), probably because of general behavioural quiescence. Notably, the high dose regimen of MDMA impaired attentional set‐shifting related to an increase in total perseveration errors. Finally, basal extracellular levels of DA in the striatum were not modified in mice repeatedly treated with MDMA with respect to controls. However, an acute challenge with MDMA (10 mg/kg) failed to increase DA outflow in mice receiving the highest MDMA dose (30 mg/kg), corroborating a decrease in the functionality of DA transporters. Seven days after this treatment, the effects of MDMA on DA outflow were recovered. These results suggest that repeated neurotoxic doses of MDMA produce lasting impairments in recall of alternation behaviour and reduce cognitive flexibility in mice.
Plasma membrane H+‐ATPase gene expression, protein level and activity in growing and non‐growing regions of barley (Hordeum vulgare) leaves
Authors: Visnovitz Tamás , Solti Ádám , Csikós György , Fricke Wieland
Published: January 2012

Plasma membrane proton ATPase (PM‐H+‐ATPase) is the key means through which plant cells energize nutrient uptake and acidify the apoplast. Both of these processes aid cell elongation; yet, it is not known how such a suspected role of the PM‐H+‐ATPase in growth is reflected through changes in its transcript level and activity in grass leaves. In the present study on leaf three of barley, the elongation zone and the emerged blade, which contained fully expanded cells were analyzed. Plasma membranes were isolated and used to assay the activity (ATPase assay) and abundance (western blotting) of PM‐H+‐ATPase protein. Expression of mRNA was quantified using real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). PM‐H+‐ATPase transcript and protein level and activity differed little between growing and non‐growing leaf regions when values were related to unit extracted total RNA and cell number, respectively. However, when values were related to unit surface area of plasma membrane, they were more than twice as high in growing compared with non‐growing leaf tissue. It is concluded that this higher surface density of PM‐H+‐ATPase activity in growing barley leaf tissue aids apoplast acidification and cell expansion.
The use of aortic occlusion balloon catheter without fluoroscopy for life‐threatening post‐partum haemorrhage
Authors: SØVIK E. , STOKKELAND P. , STORM B. S. , ÅSHEIM P. , BOLÅS O.
Published: January 2012

This article describes the use of a balloon catheter introduced via the femoral artery into the abdominal aorta without the use of fluoroscopy to stabilize six patients with life‐threatening post‐partum haemorrhage. The femoral artery was localized blindly or with the use of ultrasound. Immediate control of the bleeding was achieved in all patients, and the procedure was believed to be life saving for some patients. One patient with a narrow and fragile aorta had an aortic rupture necessitating surgical repair, which may have been caused by the balloon. In these six cases, the procedures were carried out by interventional radiologists. However, this procedure can also be performed by anaesthesiologists or surgeons who are trained in vascular access techniques.
Early pain after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. A qualitative systematic review
Authors: TOLVER M. A. , ROSENBERG J. , BISGAARD T.
Published: January 2012

Background

Early post‐operative pain after laparoscopic groin hernia repair may, as in other laparoscopic operations, have its own individual pain pattern and patient‐related predictors of early pain. The purpose of this review was to characterise pain within the first post‐operative week after transabdominal pre‐peritoneal repair (TAPP) and total extraperitoneal repair (TEP), and to identify patient‐related predictors of early pain.

Methods

A qualitative systematic review was conducted. Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, and the Cochrane database were searched for studies on early pain (first week) after TAPP or TEP.

Results

We included 71 eligible studies with 14,023 patients. Post‐operative pain is most severe on day 0 and mainly on a level of 13–58 mm on a visual analogue scale and decreases to low levels on day 3. There seems to be no difference in pain intensity and duration when TEP and TAPP are compared. Deep abdominal pain (i.e. groin pain/visceral pain) dominates over superficial pain (i.e. somatic pain) and shoulder pain (i.e. referred pain) after TAPP. Predictors of early pain are young age and pre‐operative high pain response to experimental heat stimulation. Furthermore, evidence supported early pain intensity as a predictive risk factor of chronic pain after laparoscopic groin hernia repair.

Conclusion

Early pain within the first week after TAPP and TEP is most severe on the first post‐operative day, and the pain pattern is dominated by deep abdominal pain. Early post‐operative pain is most intense in younger patients and can be predicted by pre‐operative high pain response to experimental heat stimulation.
Inbreeding alters volatile signalling phenotypes and influences tri‐trophic interactions in horsenettle (Solanum carolinense L.)
Authors: Kariyat Rupesh R. , Mauck Kerry E. , De Moraes Consuelo M. , Stephenson Andrew G. , Mescher Mark C.
Published: January 2012

Ecology Letters (2012) 15: 301–309

The ecological consequences of inter‐individual variation in plant volatile emissions remain largely unexplored. We examined the effects of inbreeding on constitutive and herbivore‐induced volatile emissions in horsenettle (Solanum carolinense L.) and on the composition of the insect community attracted to herbivore‐damaged and undamaged plants in the field. Inbred plants exhibited higher constitutive emissions, but weaker induction of volatiles following herbivory. Moreover, many individual compounds previously implicated in the recruitment of predators and parasitoids (e.g. terpenes) were induced relatively weakly (or not at all) in inbred plants. In trapping experiments, undamaged inbred plants attracted greater numbers of generalist insect herbivores than undamaged outcrossed plants. But inbred plants recruited fewer herbivore natural enemies (predators and parasitoids) when damaged. Taken together, these findings suggest that inbreeding depression negatively impacts the overall pattern of volatile emissions – increasing the apparency of undamaged plants to herbivores, while reducing the recruitment of predatory insects to herbivore‐damaged plants.
Sexual function with localized prostate cancer: active surveillance vs radical therapy
Authors: van den Bergh Roderick C.N. , Korfage Ida J. , Roobol Monique J. , Bangma Chris H. , de Koning Harry J. , Steyerberg Ewout W. , Essink‐Bot Marie‐Louise
Published: January 2012

Study Type – Outcomes (cohort sample)

Level of Evidence 2b

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

The study compares the sexual function of men with low‐risk prostate cancer who chose active surveillance (expectant management) with similar men who received radiation therapy or radical prostatectomy. The first group appeared to be sexually active more frequently and had less erectile dysfunction. The study was non‐randomized.

No other studies exist on the effect of active surveillance on sexual function vs other treatment methods.

OBJECTIVE

To compare sexual function of men with localized prostate cancer (PCa) on active surveillance (AS) with similar patients who received radical therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Two groups of men with screening‐detected localized PCa were compared. The first were men on AS within the prospective protocol‐based Prostate Cancer Research International: Active Surveillance study. The second were men participating in the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer study who had received radical prostatectomy (RP) or radiation therapy (RT).

Questionnaires were completed at two different timepoints after diagnosis or treatment (6 and 12–18 months). These contained 10 items on sexual function, the mental and physical component summary from the Short‐Form 12‐item health survey, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale depression measure and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory general anxiety measure.

Sexual function was compared between groups, and determinants were analysed in multivariable analysis, adjusting for baseline differences.

RESULTS

A total of 65–68% of men on AS, 35–36% of those who underwent RP, 36–37% of those who underwent RT and 36% of men in the RP and RT groups combined (combined Tx) were sexually active.

A total of 20–30% of men in the AS group, 86–91% of men in the RP group, 56–60% of men in the RT group and 71–76% of men in the combined Tx group were sexually inactive as a result of erectile dysfunction.

A total of 44–51% of men in the AS group, 96% of men in the RP group, 73–76% of men in the RT group and 84–85% of men in the combined Tx group who were sexually active had problems getting or keeping an erection.

In multivariable analysis these differences were significant, except for AS vs RT.

CONCLUSIONS

Men with localized PCa on AS were more often sexually active than similar men who received radical therapy, especially RP. If not sexually active, this was less often attributable to erectile dysfunction for those on AS. If sexually active, this was less often associated with problems getting or keeping an erection for those on AS.

The study was non‐randomized; the latest advances in RP and RT might impact results.
THE VALUE OF CONSUMER CHOICE AND THE DECLINE IN HMO ENROLLMENTS
Authors: WEDIG GERARD J.
Published: January 2012

Health insurance contracts may restrict consumers' choice of medical provider (e.g., hospital) in order to minimize moral hazard inefficiencies. In this article, I assess the economic value of this strategy by comparing the estimated “option value” that consumers assign to provider choice to the negotiated discounts that insurers can achieve by negotiating with a restricted set of providers (i.e., volume discounts). Using a panel of federal employees' health plan choices from 1999 to 2003, I show that the practice of selective contracting (SC) with a limited set of hospitals reduced health maintenance organization (HMO) plans' expected utility by $62–$118, on average, for a standard reduction in the provider choice set. I also conduct simulations which show that by 2003 health plans using SC were theoretically unable to achieve sufficiently large volume discounts from hospital providers to fully compensate for the associated utility losses. My results help to explain the flight from HMO enrollments that occurred in the early 2000s. (JEL I10, I11, L15, D83, D12)
INTERRACIAL WORKPLACE COOPERATION: EVIDENCE FROM THE NBA
Authors: PRICE JOSEPH , LEFGREN LARS , TAPPEN HENRY
Published: January 2012

Using data from the National Basketball Association (NBA), we examine whether patterns of workplace cooperation occur disproportionately among workers of the same race. We find that, holding constant the composition of teammates on the floor, basketball players are no more likely to complete an assist to a player of the same race than a player of a different race. Our confidence interval allows us to reject even small amounts of same‐race bias in passing patterns. We find some evidence of own‐race bias in situations where the outcome of a particular play is less important. Our findings suggest that high levels of interracial cooperation can occur in a setting where workers are operating in a highly visible setting with strong incentives to behave efficiently. (JEL J15, J71, L23)
THE DISTANCE PUZZLE AND LOW‐INCOME COUNTRIES: AN UPDATE
Authors: Carrère Céline , de Melo Jaime , Wilson John
Published: January 2012

The ‘distance effect' measuring the elasticity of trade flows to distance has been found to be rising since the early 1970s in a host of studies based on the gravity model, leading observers to call it the ‘distance puzzle'. However, this puzzle is regularly challenged by new developments in the specification of the gravity equation or in its estimations. We propose an original survey on the existing methods used to quantify the distance puzzle – basically the computation of an average distance of trade, a meta‐analysis on existing gravity papers and the implementation of recent econometric developments, all on a well‐specified gravity equation both in cross‐section and panel data. We apply all these methods to a unique large database (124 countries from 1970 to 2006). It appears that if all these new developments can change the amplitude of the increase in the trade elasticity to distance, none solve the distance puzzle. We confirm the existence of this puzzle and identify that it only applies to low‐income countries which exhibit a significant rising distance effect on their trade of around 18% between 1970 and 2006 while the distance ‘puzzle' for trade within richer countries disappears.
URBANIZATION, HEALTH AND HUMAN STATURE
Authors: Treme Julianne , Craig Lee A.
Published: January 2012

Economic growth has not always generated improvements in a population's health. Biological indicators of human well‐being, including stature, suggest the march to prosperity was not a steady one, and these biological indicators offer estimates of the health costs associated with modern economic growth. We employ an international data set to study the socioeconomic benefits and health costs associated with the transition to modern economic growth during the nineteenth century. We find that while the growth of GDP per capita had a positive impact on the stature of Western populations, prior to the mastery of the germ theory of disease, urbanization had a strong negative impact.
Representing and intervening: ‘doing’ good care in first trimester prenatal knowledge production and decision‐making
Authors: Schwennesen Nete , Koch Lene
Published: January 2012

This article investigates processes of knowledge production and decision‐making in the practice of the first trimester prenatal risk assessment (FTPRA) at an ultrasound clinic in Denmark. On the basis of ethnographic material and interviews with professionals facilitating FTPRAs in Denmark, we draw attention to the active engagement of health professionals in this process. Current professional and policy debate over the use of prenatal testing emphasises the need for informed choice making and for services that provide prospective parents with what is referred to as ‘non‐directive counselling’. Studies focusing on professional practice of prenatal counselling tend to deal mainly with how professionals fail to live up to such ideals in practice. In this article we extend such studies by drawing attention to practices of care in prenatal testing and counselling. In doing so, we identify three modes of ‘doing’ good care: attuning expectations and knowledge, allowing resistance and providing situated influence in the relationship between the pregnant woman and the professional. Such practices may not be seen as immediately compatible with the non‐directive ethos, but they express ways of reducing emotional suffering and supporting a pregnant woman’s ability to make meaningful choices on the basis of uncertain knowledge. As such, these practices can be seen as representing another (caring) solution to the problem of paternalism and authoritarian power. In opposition to an ethics aiming at non‐interference (non‐directiveness) such modes of doing good care express an ethics of being locally accountable for the ways in which programmes of prenatal testing intervene in pregnant women’s lives and of taking responsibility for the entities and phenomena that emerge through such knowledge production.
Beyond royal estates and monasteries: landownership in the early medieval Ardennes
Authors: DEVROEY JEAN‐PIERRE , SCHROEDER NICOLAS
Published: January 2012

Most historians who have studied the medieval Ardennes have focused exclusively on royal and monastic properties, assuming that every early reference to land in the area is either to the property of royal monasteries or to fiscal land. Actually, the evidence from the region around Bastogne (Belgium), the centre of what would later be called pagus Ardennensis, shows that as early as the seventh century ‘private’ landowners were present and active in the area. This observation leads to a new reading of the rural economy and society, the formation of monastic property and the links between local and royal power in the early medieval Ardennes.
The Billboardization of Metro Manila
Authors: GOMEZ, JR. JOSÉ EDGARDO ABAYA
Published: January 2012

Metropolitan Manila, a major Southeast‐Asian conurbation, has become increasingly unsightly due to the poorly‐regulated proliferation of billboards and other forms of outdoor advertising that threaten to distract, if not overwhelm, motorists, commuters and pedestrians. Field research however, reveals land use patterns in the seemingly wanton sprawl, as well as little‐known stakeholders whose network drives the advertising industry. With the current lack of coordination between government agencies, the situation threatens to deteriorate, unless insights from political geography and urban planning can be used by policymakers to craft rules based on a holistic understanding of the key physical, economic and sociopolitical forces described in this study.

La métropole de Manille, conurbation de premier plan du sud‐est asiatique, s'enlaidit sans cesse par la prolifération quasiment non réglementée de panneaux d'affichage ou autres formes de publicité extérieure qui menacent de distraire, voire de submerger, automobilistes, voyageurs pendulaires et piétons. Les études sur le terrain mettent pourtant en évidence des schémas d'occupation des sols dans une expansion d'apparence irresponsable, ainsi que des acteurs peu connus dont le réseau dynamise le secteur publicitaire. Étant donnée l'absence actuelle de coordination entre organes gouvernementaux, la situation risque de s'aggraver, sauf si les décideurs politiques peuvent bénéficier de l'éclairage de la géographie politique et de l'urbanisme pour concevoir des règles fondées sur une compréhension holistique des principales forces physiques, économiques et sociopolitiques qui s'exercent et que décrit cette étude.
Turkish Migrants and Native Germans Compared: The Effects of Inter‐Ethnic and Intra‐Ethnic Friendships on the Transition from Unemployment to Work
Authors: Lancee Bram , Hartung Anne
Published: January 2012

In this paper, we analyse whether having inter‐ethnic and intra‐ethnic friendships can be associated with a shorter duration of unemployment, comparing Turkish migrants and native residents in Germany. This allows us to examine the degree to which the returns from bridging and bonding social capital differ for the two groups. On the basis of the German Socio‐Economic Panel (GSOEP) data, we find that for native Germans, intra‐ethnic friendships shorten the duration of spells of unemployment, whereas inter‐ethnic friendships do not. For the Turkish migrants, inter‐ethnic friendships reduce the duration of unemployment, whereas intra‐ethnic friendships do not. In other words, only friendships with German natives facilitate the transition to employment, but in particular for Turkish migrants. This effect is largest for migrants with a low level of education.
Blindly Using Wald's Test Can Miss Rare Disease‐Causal Variants in Case‐Control Association Studies
Authors: Xing Guan , Lin Chang‐Yun , Wooding Stephen P. , Xing Chao
Published: January 2012

There are four tests – the likelihood ratio (LR) test, Wald's test, the score test and the exact test – commonly employed in genetic association studies. On comparison of the four tests, we found that Wald's test, popular in genome‐wide screens due to its low computational demands, exhibited a paradoxical behaviour in that the test statistic decreased as the effect size of the variant increased, resulting in a loss of power. The LR test always achieved the most significant P‐values, followed by the exact test. We further examined the results in a real data set composed of high‐ and low‐cholesterol subjects from the Dallas Heart Study (DHS). We also compared the single‐variant LR test with two multi‐variant analysis approaches – the burden test and the C‐alpha test – in analysing the sequencing data by simulation. Our results call for caution in using Wald's test in genome‐wide case‐control association studies and suggest that the LR test is a better alternative in spite of its computational demands.
Clutter‐adaptation of bat species predicts their use of under‐motorway passageways of contrasting sizes – a natural experiment
Authors: Abbott I. M. , Harrison S. , Butler F.
Published: January 2012

Bat populations may be vulnerable to the barrier impacts of roads, including habitat restriction and traffic mortality. Under‐road passageways may reduce these impacts, but little is known about the ecological factors influencing their use by bats. The study area provided a natural experimental design, in that adjacent under‐motorway passageways had contrasting dimensions (two long, narrow drainage pipes within <1 km of a large underpass for a minor road), and local bat species had contrasting functional and morphological adaptations. We predicted that inter‐species differences in flight capability and sensory perception would influence bat use of passageways. All‐night acoustic recordings of bat activity inside passageways (52 nights) indicated clear guild‐specific responses to passageway dimensions. Only Rhinolophus hipposideros, Myotis nattereri and Plecotus auritus flew through the narrow drainage pipes. These species are adapted for flight and foraging in cluttered airspace, in terms of wing morphology and echolocation signal design. Edge‐space species (Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Pipistrellus pygmaeus) were highly active in the area but never flew through the narrow pipes. All species, except the open‐adapted Nyctalus leisleri, flew through the large underpass. Simultaneous recordings made above and below this underpass (16 nights) also indicated that species' tendency to cross over, rather than under, the structure was inversely related to the degree of clutter‐adaptation. If motorways are built through bat habitat, trade‐offs between optimal mitigation of impacts on protected bats and cost/engineering practicality are inevitable. Large underpasses are advisable where possible as they accommodate a wider range of species, and bats are less likely to fly over them. However, their construction is costly and is dependent on landscape topology. If the target species for mitigation are clutter‐adapted bats, our findings indicate that incorporation of a greater number of suitably located small tunnels into new roads may facilitate safe passage more effectively than fewer large underpasses.
Predictors of change in participation rates following acquired brain injury: results of a longitudinal study
Authors: ANABY DANA , LAW MARY , HANNA STEVEN , DEMATTEO CAROL
Published: January 2012

Aim  The purpose of this study was (1) to examine the changes in participation rates over 1 year among children and adolescents after acquired brain injury and (2) to explore the effect of child and family factors on these changes.

Method  The participation levels of 136 children and young people (88 males; 48 females; age range 4y 11mo–17y 6mo; mean age 11y 6mo) after acquired brain injury (3≤ Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤15; mean 12.8) were assessed three times: at their return to school, and at 8 and 12 months after returning to school. The Children’s Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment measured the participants’ diversity and intensity of participation in out‐of‐school activities. At baseline, information on general family functioning and medical and demographic information was collected as possible predictors. Mixed‐effect model analyses of participation scores were performed while controlling for child’s age at injury.

Results  The severity of the injury explained rates of change across time for participation intensity in recreational, physical, and social activities. Household income influenced changes in the intensity of recreational activities, whereas family functioning predicted changes in the diversity of skill‐based activities.

Interpretation  Participation is a relevant outcome of recovery that needs to be assessed and monitored post brain injury. Special attention can be directed to severity of injury and family functioning when developing intervention plans.
Improving the textural properties of Egyptian kariesh cheese by addition of hydrocolloids
Authors: KORISH MOHAMED , ABD ELHAMID ABEER M
Published: January 2012

In this study, the effect of addition of hydrocolloids (commercial pectin, citrus pectin or carboxymethylcellulose) to Egyptian Kariesh cheese at 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6% (w/w) on chemical composition, yield, rheological and sensory characteristics was investigated. The results revealed that the addition of hydrocolloids increased moisture content and yield values of Kariesh cheeses compared with control. Protein, salt and ash content decreased with increasing hydrocolloids levels. Rheological characteristics (hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness, resilience) were significantly lower in cheeses made with hydrocolloids. Kariesh cheese made with 0.4% w/w commercial pectin and 0.6% w/w carboxymethylcellulose recorded the highest scores for sensory attributes.
Response patterns of arterial pressure and heart period to Mueller manoeuvre and their comparison to those of Valsalva manoeuvre
Authors: Carrasco‐Sosa Salvador , Guillén‐Mandujano Alejandra
Published: January 2012

Objective:  It has not been established if the Mueller manoeuvre (MM) induces characteristic arterial pressure (AP) and heart rate changes analogous to those observed during its respiratory strain opposite, the Valsalva manoeuvre (VM). Our aims were to explore, on a beat‐by‐beat basis, if MM evokes well‐defined changes in AP and heart period (HP), and to compare these responses with those of VM.

Methods:  From the ECG and AP records of 24 healthy subjects who performed VM and MM in sitting position, RR intervals and AP series were computed. The series were ensemble‐averaged, and the characteristic points that limit the phases were semi‐automatically detected from each record.

Results:  Our main findings were: (i) MM provoked consistent patterned responses in both AP and HP in the same four phases of VM; (ii) the AP and HP changes of MM were parallel to those of VM in phases II and IV, and opposite in direction in phases I and III; (iii) pooled data during the strain and poststrain and the mean characteristic points of AP and HP were smaller in MM than in VM (P<0·001); (iv) MM presented two changes absent in VM, AP and HP rise immediately after phase I and hypotension in late phase IV; (v) systolic pressure and HP presented a strong positive correlation (r = 0·87 ± 0·02) in late phase II of MM.

Conclusion:  Our study characterizes on a phase‐by‐phase basis the AP and RR interval responses to MM, documents their great similarity to those corresponding to VM and establishes that MM exerts a 50% smaller impact on the cardiovascular autonomic function than VM.
Time under tension decreased with blood flow–restricted exercise
Authors: Loenneke Jeremy P. , Wilson Jacob M. , Balapur Abhishek , Thrower Austin D. , Barnes Jeremy T. , Pujol Thomas J.
Published: January 2012

Objectives: Exercise to failure results in similar muscle protein synthesis responses, independent of intensity. However, low‐intensity exercise likely requires more time under tension and those with injuries may be incapable of sustaining the mechanical stress to reach failure. Design: The purpose was to determine whether elastic knee wraps (KW) provide a stimulus to decrease time under tension and overall volume of work while maintaining a similar level of metabolic stress. Methods: Thirteen healthy subjects participated in a randomized crossover study consisting of three trials. The first determined 1 repetition maximum (1RM) on the bilateral leg extension. Subjects were then assigned to a blood flow restriction (BFR) or control (CON) group. After trial 2, subjects crossed over to the opposite trial. KW were placed around the thigh of each leg during BFR. Leg extensions were completed at 30% 1RM until failure. Whole blood lactate (WBL) was taken pre‐, post‐, and 3 and 5 min postexercise. Heart rate (HR) was measured before, following the first and second sets, and 3 and 5 min postexercise. Results: This study found KW provide a BFR stimulus allowing failure to occur sooner with similar metabolic stress postreperfusion. There were no differences in HR at any time point. Conclusions: These results may benefit populations that cannot sustain the mechanical stress of high‐intensity exercise or low‐intensity exercise that requires a longer sustained time under tension.
Fatigue Behaviour of SiC Particulate‐Reinforced A359 Aluminium Matrix Composites
Authors: Myriounis D. P. , Matikas T. E. , Hasan S. T.
Published: January 2012

Abstract:  In this work, we describe the fatigue behaviour of silicon carbide (SiCP)‐reinforced A359 aluminium alloy matrix composite considering its microstructure and thermo‐mechanical properties. A variety of heat treatments have been performed for the 20 vol. % SiCp composite, which resulted in different strength and elongation behaviour of the material. The fatigue behaviour was monitored, and the corresponding S–N curves were experimentally derived for all heat treatments. The fatigue strength was found to depend strongly on the heat treatment. In addition, the fatigue behaviour was monitored non‐destructively via the use of lock‐in thermography. The heat wave, generated by the thermo‐mechanical coupling and the intrinsic dissipated energy during mechanical loading of the sample, is detected by a thermal camera.
Ethnocentrism as a Short‐Term Force in the 2008 American Presidential Election
Authors: Kam Cindy D. , Kinder Donald R.
Published: January 2012

Faced with a choice between John McCain and Barack Obama, voters in 2008 were swayed by the familiar play of factors—party identification, policy preferences, and economic conditions—but also, we find, by ethnocentrism, a deep‐seated psychological predisposition that partitions the world into ingroups and outgroups—into “us” and “them.” The effect of ethnocentrism was significant and substantial, and it appeared over and above the effects due to partisanship, economic conditions, policy stances, political engagement, and several varieties of conservatism. Two features of Obama were primarily responsible for triggering ethnocentrism in 2008: his race and his imagined Muslim faith. As such, we demonstrate that ethnocentrism was much more important in 2008 than in the four presidential elections immediately preceding 2008, and we show that it was much more important in the actual contest between Senator McCain and Senator Obama than in a hypothetical contest between Senator McCain and Senator Clinton.
Language and Memory for Motion Events: Origins of the Asymmetry Between Source and Goal Paths
Authors: Lakusta Laura , Landau Barbara
Published: January 2012

When people describe motion events, their path expressions are biased toward inclusion of goal paths (e.g., into the house) and omission of source paths (e.g., out of the house). In this paper, we explored whether this asymmetry has its origins in people’s non‐linguistic representations of events. In three experiments, 4‐year‐old children and adults described or remembered manner of motion events that represented animate/intentional and physical events. The results suggest that the linguistic asymmetry between goals and sources is not fully rooted in non‐linguistic event representations: linguistic descriptions showed the goal bias for both kinds of events, whereas non‐linguistic memory for events showed the goal bias only for events involving animate, goal‐directed motion. The findings are discussed in terms of the mapping between non‐linguistic representations of goals and sources in language, focusing on the role that linguistic principles play in producing a more absolute goal bias from more gradient non‐linguistic representations of paths.
Translation and measurement properties of the Swedish version of ACL‐Return to Sports after Injury questionnaire
Authors: Kvist J. , Österberg A. , Gauffin H. , Tagesson S. , Webster K. , Ardern C.
Published: January 2012

Psychological factors may be a hindrance for returning to sport after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The ACL‐Return to Sport after Injury scale (ACL‐RSI) measures athletes' emotions, confidence in performance, and risk appraisal in relation to return to sport. The aim of this study was to translate the ACL‐RSI scale from English to Swedish and to examine some of the measurement properties of the Swedish version. The ACL‐RSI was translated and culturally adapted. A professional expert group and five patients evaluated face validity. One hundred and eighty‐two patients completed the translated ACL‐RSI, a project‐specific questionnaire, the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), the Knee‐Self‐Efficacy Scale (K‐SES), the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC‐C), the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and the Anterior Cruciate Ligament‐Quality of Life (ACL‐QoL) questionnaires. Fifty‐three patients answered the ACL‐RSI twice to examine reproducibility. The ACL‐RSI showed good face validity, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.948), low floor and ceiling effects and high construct validity when evaluated against the TSK, K‐SES, MHLC‐C, KOOS, and ACL‐QoL scales. The reproducibility was also high (intra‐class correlation = 0.893). Therefore, the ACL‐RSI can be used to evaluate psychological factors relevant to returning to sport after ACL reconstruction surgery.
Turkish version of the revised nursing professional values scale: Validity and reliability assessment
Authors: GEÇKIL Emine , EGE Emel , AKIN Belgin , GÖZ Fügen
Published: January 2012

Aim:  The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of a Turkish version of the Revised Nursing Professional Values Scale (NPVS‐R).

Methods:  The sample of this methodological study consisted of 385 participants, including senior undergraduate nursing students (n = 328) and clinical nurses (n = 57). Data was collected using the NPVS‐R. For NPVS validity, content validity and construct validity were analyzed. The content validity index (CVI) was used to determine item validity.

Results:  Item CVI ranged from 0.78 to 1.0, and total CVI was 0.93. Construct validity was examined using factor analysis and the five factors were identified as original NPVS‐R. Chronbach's alpha was used to assess the internal consistency reliability. The 26‐item NPVS had a standardized alpha coefficient of 0.92. Test‐retest reliability scale was r = 0.76 (P < 0.001).

Conclusion:  Our analyses showed that the Turkish version of NPVS‐R has high validity and reliability.
Discovery of shocked H2 around OH 231.8+4.2
Authors: Forde K. P. , Gledhill T. M.
Published: January 2012

We present K-band integral field observations of the circumstellar envelope of the evolved star OH 231.8+4.2. Spatial and spectral information was simultaneously acquired using the SINFONI integral field unit, with adaptive optics, on the Very Large Telescope. The observations reveal the discovery of H2 emission (1) around the centre of the nebula and (2) located in clumps along the western side of the northern lobe, presumably associated with the strong shocks that stimulate the previously reported Hα emission at the same location. An observed H2 1→0/2→1S(1) line ratio of 8.3 ± 1.9 was calculated for the central field, a value consistent with shock excitation.
Plate tectonics and planetary habitability: current status and future challenges
Authors: Korenaga Jun
Published: January 2012

Plate tectonics is one of the major factors affecting the potential habitability of a terrestrial planet. The physics of plate tectonics is, however, still far from being complete, leading to considerable uncertainty when discussing planetary habitability. Here, I summarize recent developments on the evolution of plate tectonics on Earth, which suggest a radically new view on Earth dynamics: convection in the mantle has been speeding up despite its secular cooling, and the operation of plate tectonics has been facilitated throughout Earth's history by the gradual subduction of water into an initially dry mantle. The role of plate tectonics in planetary habitability through its influence on atmospheric evolution is still difficult to quantify, and, to this end, it will be vital to better understand a coupled core–mantle–atmosphere system in the context of solar system evolution.
Protein function and allostery: a dynamic relationship
Authors: Kalodimos Charalampos G.
Published: January 2012

Allostery is a fundamental process by which distant sites within a protein system sense each other. Allosteric regulation is such an efficient mechanism that it is used to control protein activity in most biological processes, including signal transduction, metabolism, catalysis, and gene regulation. Over recent years, our view and understanding of the fundamental principles underlying allostery have been enriched and often utterly reshaped. This has been especially so for powerful techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which offers an atomic view of the intrinsic motions of proteins. Here, I discuss recent results on the catabolite activator protein (CAP) that have drastically revised our view about how allosteric interactions are modulated. CAP has provided the first experimentally identified system showing that (i) allostery can be mediated through changes in protein motions, in the absence of changes in the mean structure of the protein, and (ii) favorable changes in protein motions may activate allosteric proteins that are otherwise structurally inactive.
Intimate partner violence and companion animal welfare
Authors: Tiplady CM , Walsh DB , Phillips CJC
Published: January 2012

Objective  To investigate the effect of intimate partner violence (IPV) on companion animal welfare.

Design  Self‐selected telephone survey of people meeting the criteria.

Methods  Members of the Australian public with experience of IPV and concurrent companion animal ownership were invited to telephone a researcher for a semi‐structured interview.

Results  In total, 26 Australian women reported one or more companion animals in the household being verbally and/or physically abused by their male partner, usually with prolonged effects on animal behaviour; 92% indicated that they had been unwilling to discuss the animal abuse with a veterinarian. Many were unaware of animal accommodation services for people fleeing violence and those who did know about these were unwilling to use them, citing their bond with the animals as the main reason. Animals targeted for abuse were most likely to be dogs and owned by women rather than men, children or both partners.

Conclusion  Animals can be severely affected by domestic violence situations and many people experiencing violence are unwilling to confide in veterinarians or seek help from animal shelters.
In this issue – January/February 2012
Authors: Jackson AE
Published: January 2012

Options for eradication of footrot in sheep · Johne's disease in Australian beef cattle herds · Digital extensor tendon transections in racehorses · Abalone viral ganglioneuritis · Haemochromatosis in a Brazilian tapir · Disseminated Scedosporium prolificans infection in a German Shepherd dog · Osteosarcoma and orthopaedic implants · Torsion of liver lobes and gallbladder · Intimate partner violence and companion animal welfare
Magnetic resonance imaging‐detected adaptation and pathology in the distal condyles of the third metacarpus, associated with lateral condylar fracture in Thoroughbred racehorses
Authors: Tranquille C. A. , Parkin T. D. H. , Murray R. C.
Published: January 2012

Reasons for performing the study:Lateral condylar (LC) fractures of the third metacarpus (McIII) are a common reason for euthanasia in racehorses, and may be the result of repetitive overloading or cumulative pathological change. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows monitoring of bone and cartilage to detect pathological and adaptive changes that may be precursors of fracture.

Objectives:To describe bone and cartilage MRI features in the distal condyles of McIII of Thoroughbred racehorses, with and without condylar fracture.

Hypotheses:1) A greater degree of bone and cartilage adaptation or pathology will be seen in fractured McIIIs compared with their respective contralateral McIIIs. 2) Contralateral McIIIs will have a greater degree of bone and cartilage adaptation or pathology than McIIIs from control horses that did not sustain a LC fracture.

Methods:The McIIIs from 96 horses subjected to euthanasia at racecourses were divided into 3 groups:Group 1: nonfractured bones from horses without LC fracture;Group 2: nonfractured bones from horses with unilateral LC fracture; andGroup 3: fractured bones from horses with unilateral LC fracture. The MR images were examined and graded for bone and cartilage changes.

Results:Nine percent ofGroup 1(n = 9) and 11% ofGroup 2bones (n = 5) had incomplete LC fractures. Focal palmar necrosis was most frequently detected in bones fromGroup 1(12%) compared withGroups 2(9%) and3(4%). The prevalence of bone and/or cartilage abnormalities tended to increase fromGroup 1toGroup 2toGroup 3.

Conclusions:Magnetic resonance imaging is able to detect cartilage and bone changes that may be associated with LC fracture. There was no significant difference in bone/cartilage changes between bones fromGroups 1and2, despite increased pathology inGroup 2bones.

Potential relevance:Periodic monitoring of bone and/or cartilage changes in distal McIII of Thoroughbred racehorses may help to prevent catastrophic LC fractures.
Investigation of Period-Doubling Islands in Milling With Simultaneously Engaged Helical Flutes
Authors: Khasawneh Firas A. , Bobrenkov Oleg A. , Mann Brian P. , Butcher Eric A.
Published: January 2012

This paper investigates the stability of a milling process with simultaneously engaged flutes using the state-space TFEA and Chebyshev collocation methods. In contrast to prior works, multiple flute engagement due to both the high depth of cut and high step-over distance are considered. A particular outcome of this study is the demonstration of a different stability behavior in comparison to prior works. To elaborate, period-doubling regions are shown to appear at relatively high radial immersions when multiple flutes with either a zero or nonzero helix angle are simultaneously cutting. We also demonstrate stability differences that arise due to the parity in the number of flutes, especially at full radial immersion. In addition, we study other features induced by helical tools such as the waviness of the Hopf lobes, the sensitivity of the period-doubling islands to the radial immersion, as along with the orientation of the islands with respect to the Hopf lobes.