bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laboratory study on the properties of plastering mortar modified by feather fibers
Authors: Cao Lintao , Shi Xianming , Liu Xuran , Wu Jianlin
Published: March 2013

This laboratory study explores the development of plastering mortar modified by feather fibers, so as to lay the groundwork for utilizing poultry feathers in thermal-insulation materials and removing them from waste streams. The laboratory testing measured the consistency value, porosity, compressive strength and thermal conductivity of various cement mortar mixes as a function of feather fiber dosage. The experimental data were used to determine the appropriate weight fraction of feather fibers in the mortars for thermal insulation. The results indicate that the incorporation of feather fibers decreased the consistency value of fresh mortar and increased the surface roughness and porosity of hardened mortar. Under the investigated conditions, as the content of admixed fiber increased, both the compressive strength and thermal conductivity of hardened mortar decreased remarkably before leveling off. The desirable dosage of feather fibers falls in the range of 0.2–0.7% by mass of dry mixture.
Effect of mixing water types on the time-dependent zeta potential of Portland cement paste
Authors: Ersoy Bahri , Dikmen Sedef , Uygunoğlu Tayfun , İçduygu Mehmet Galip , Kavas Taner , Olgun Asım
Published: March 2013

The measurement of zeta potential (ZP) has important applications in a wide range of industries including ceramics, pharmaceuticals, medicine, mineral processing, electronics, cement industry and water treatment. It provides new information on cement hydration, gel structure formation and the effects of chemical and mineral admixtures. In this study, ZP and pH measurements of Portland cement suspension prepared at wt% 1 cement/water ratio in the presence of four different types of waters, i.e., pure water, tap water, and salted (NaCl and CaCl2) water, were carried out depending on the time. Also, vicat tests of Portland cement pastes prepared at a water-to-cement ratio of 0.34 were performed. After the vicat tests, X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy investigations were performed on the samples. The most important result obtained from this study is that setting time and time-dependent ZP values of Portland cement paste have different values depending on the used mixing water type. Among the water types, water with CaCl2 gives the lowest ZP as absolute value, so this leads to minimum initial and final setting times for the cement paste prepared with this type of water.
PXD101 potentiates hormonal therapy and prevents the onset of castration-resistant phenotype modulating androgen receptor, HSP90, and CRM1 in preclinical models of prostate cancer
Authors: Gravina Giovanni Luca , Marampon Francesco , Muzi Paola , Mancini Andrea , Piccolella Margherita , Negri-Cesi Paola , Motta Marcella , Lenzi Andrea , Di Cesare Ernesto , Tombolini Vincenzo , Jannini Emmanuele A , Festuccia Claudio
Published: March 2013

Aberrant activation or ‘reactivation’ of androgen receptor (AR) during androgen ablation therapy shows a potential cause for the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer. This study tested the hypothesis that PXD101, a potent pan histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, may prevent onset of castration-resistant phenotype and potentiate hormonal therapy. A panel of human prostate cancer cells with graded castration-resistant phenotype andin vivomodels were used to verify this hypothesis. In this report, we demonstrated that hormonal manipulation favors the onset of castration-resistant phenotype increasing HDAC expression and activity as well as modulating expression and activity of AR, EGFR, HER2, and Akt. Consistent with these observations, the functional knockdown of HDACs by PXD101 prevented the onset of castration-resistant phenotype with a significant downregulation of AR, EGFR, HER2, and Akt expression/activity. The dysregulation of functional cooperation between HDAC6 with hsp90, on the one hand, and between GSK-3β with CRM1, on the other hand, may explain the biological effects of PXD101. In this regard, theHDAC6silencing or the functional knockdown of hsp90 by 17AAG resulted in the selective downregulation of AR, EGFR, HER2, and Akt expression/activity, while the decreased phosphorylation of GSK-3β mediated by PXD101 increased the nuclear expression of CRM1, which in turn modified the AR and survivin recycling with increased caspase 3 activity. HDAC inhibitors retain the ability to prevent the onset of castration-resistant phenotype and, therefore, merit clinical investigation in this setting. However, additional data are needed to develop clinical treatment strategies for this disease stage.
Glycopyrrolate and Theophylline for the Treatment of Severe Pallid Breath-holding Spells
Authors: Carano Nicola , Bo Ilaria , Zanetti Elena , Tchana Bertrand , Barbato Giulia , Agnetti Aldo
Published: March 2013

Severe pallid breath-holding spells (BHSs) are based on parasympathetic hyperactivity, leading to cardiac asystole, pallor, brain ischemia, loss of consciousness, and reflex anoxic seizures. In recent years, an increasing number of patients with severe pallid BHSs have been successfully treated with pacemaker implantation. We present the case of a 13-month-old girl suffering from repeated severe pallid BHSs, causing asystole, loss of consciousness, and generalized anoxic seizures. She underwent treatment with oral glycopyrrolate, an anticholinergic drug, and an oral retard preparation of theophylline. The aim of the treatment was to decrease cardiac inhibition with glycopyrrolate and to bring about a positive chronotropic effect with theophylline. In our case, the combined therapy was effective in suppressing syncope and reflex anoxic seizures associated with BHSs This avoided the need for ventricular pacemaker implantation.
The Impact of Parental Incarceration on the Physical and Mental Health of Young Adults
Authors: Lee Rosalyn D. , Fang Xiangming , Luo Feijun
Published: March 2013

OBJECTIVES:

We investigated the relationship between parental incarceration history and young adult physical and mental health outcomes using Wave 1 and Wave 4 data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.

METHODS:

Dependent variables included self-reported fair/poor health and health diagnoses. The independent variable was parental incarceration history. Cross-tabulations and logistic regression models were run.

RESULTS:

Positive, significant associations were found between parental incarceration and 8 of 16 health problems (depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, cholesterol, asthma, migraines, HIV/AIDS, and fair/poor health) in adjusted logistic regression models. Those who reported paternal incarceration had increased odds of 8 mental and physical health problems, whereas those who reported maternal incarceration had increased odds of depression. For paternal incarceration, with the exception of HIV/AIDS, larger associations were found for mental health (odds ratios range 1.43–1.72) as compared with physical health (odds ratios range 1.26–1.31) problems. The association between paternal incarceration and HIV/AIDs should be interpreted with caution because of the low sample prevalence of HIV/AIDs.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study suggests exposure to parental incarceration in childhood is associated with health problems in young adulthood. Extant literature suggests underlying mechanisms that link parental incarceration history to poor outcomes in offspring may include the lack of safe, stable, nurturing relationships and exposure to violence. To prevent poor health in offspring of the incarcerated, additional studies are needed to (1) confirm the aforementioned associations and (2) assess whether adverse experiences and violence exposure in childhood mediate the relationship between parental incarceration history and offspring health problems.
Pacifier Restriction and Exclusive Breastfeeding
Authors: Kair Laura R. , Kenron Daniel , Etheredge Konnette , Jaffe Arthur C. , Phillipi Carrie A.
Published: March 2013

OBJECTIVE:

We tested the hypothesis that removing pacifiers from routine distribution in our mother-baby unit (MBU) would be associated with greater breastfeeding initiation or exclusivity during the birth hospitalization.

METHODS:

We retrospectively compared exclusive breastfeeding, breastfeeding plus supplemental formula feeding, and exclusive formula feeding rates for 2249 infants admitted to the MBU at our university teaching hospital during the 5 months before and 8 months after restriction of routine pacifier distribution. Formula supplementation, if not medically indicated, was discouraged per standard practice, but access to formula was not restricted.

RESULTS:

Of the 2249 infants, 79% were exclusively breastfed from July through November 2010, when pacifiers were routinely distributed. During the 8-month period after pacifier restriction, this proportion decreased significantly to 68% (P < .001). A corresponding increase from 18% to 28% was observed in the number of breastfed infants receiving supplemental formula feeds in the same period (P < .001). During the study period, the proportion of exclusively formula-fed infants increased from 1.8% to 3.4% (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS:

Restricting pacifier distribution during the newborn hospitalization without also restricting access to formula was associated with decreased exclusive breastfeeding, increased supplemental formula feeding, and increased exclusive formula feeding. Because high-quality, prospective medical literature addressing pacifier use and breastfeeding does not conclusively show an adverse relationship in women who are motivated to breastfeed, more studies are needed to help determine what effect, if any, pacifiers have on breastfeeding initiation and exclusivity in the immediate newborn period.
Racial Differences in Antibiotic Prescribing by Primary Care Pediatricians
Authors: Gerber Jeffrey S. , Prasad Priya A. , Localio A. Russell , Fiks Alexander G. , Grundmeier Robert W. , Bell Louis M. , Wasserman Richard C. , Rubin David M. , Keren Ron , Zaoutis Theoklis E.
Published: March 2013

OBJECTIVE:

To determine whether racial differences exist in antibiotic prescribing among children treated by the same clinician.

METHODS:

Retrospective cohort study of 1 296 517 encounters by 208 015 children to 222 clinicians in 25 practices in 2009. Clinical, antibiotic prescribing, and demographic data were obtained from a shared electronic health record. We estimated within-clinician associations between patient race (black versus nonblack) and (1) antibiotic prescribing or (2) acute respiratory tract infection diagnosis after adjusting for potential patient-level confounders.

RESULTS:

Black children were less likely to receive an antibiotic prescription from the same clinician per acute visit (23.5% vs 29.0%, odds ratio [OR] 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.72–0.77) or per population (0.43 vs 0.67 prescriptions/child/year, incidence rate ratio 0.64; 95% CI 0.63–0.66), despite adjustment for age, gender, comorbid conditions, insurance, and stratification by practice. Black children were also less likely to receive diagnoses that justified antibiotic treatment, including acute otitis media (8.7% vs 10.7%, OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.75–0.82), acute sinusitis (3.6% vs 4.4%, OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.73–0.86), and group A streptococcal pharyngitis (2.3% vs 3.7%, OR 0.60; 95% CI 0.55–0.66). When an antibiotic was prescribed, black children were less likely to receive broad-spectrum antibiotics at any visit (34.0% vs 36.9%, OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.82–0.93) and for acute otitis media (31.7% vs 37.8%, OR 0.75; 95% CI 0.68–0.83).

CONCLUSIONS:

When treated by the same clinician, black children received fewer antibiotic prescriptions, fewer acute respiratory tract infection diagnoses, and a lower proportion of broad-spectrum antibiotic prescriptions than nonblack children. Reasons for these differences warrant further study.
Chlorhexidine Cleansing of the Umbilical Cord and Separation Time: A Cluster-Randomized Trial
Authors: Mullany Luke C. , Shah Rasheduzzaman , El Arifeen Shams , Mannan Ishtiaq , Winch Peter J. , Hill Amber , Darmstadt Gary L. , Baqui Abdullah H.
Published: March 2013

OBJECTIVE:

Cord cleansing with chlorhexidine reduces neonatal mortality. We aimed to quantify the impact of this intervention on cord separation time and the implications of such an increase on maternal and other caretaker’s acceptance of chlorhexidine in future scaled up programs.

METHODS:

Between June 2007 and September 2009, 29 760 newborns were randomly assigned within communities in Bangladesh to receive 1 of 3 cord regimens: dry and clean cord care (comparison), single-cleansing, or multiple-cleansing with 4.0% chlorhexidine. Workers recorded separation status during home visits. Mothers of 380 infants in randomly selected clusters reported age at separation and satisfaction with cord regimen.

RESULTS:

Compared with dry and clean care (mean 4.78 days), separation time was longer in the single (mean 6.90 days, difference = 2.10; 95% confidence interval: 1.85–2.35) and multiple (mean 7.49 days, difference = 2.69; 95% confidence interval: 2.44–2.95) cleansing groups. Increased separation time was not associated with omphalitis. Mothers in these groups more frequently reported “longer than usual” separation times and dissatisfaction with the separation time (11.1% and 17.6%, respectively) versus the comparison group (2.5%). Overall satisfaction with the received cord care regimen was high (96.2%).

CONCLUSIONS:

Topical chlorhexidine increased cord separation time by ∼50%. Caretakers are likely to detect this increase and might express dissatisfaction but still accept the intervention overall. When scaling up chlorhexidine cord cleansing, inclusion of appropriate messaging on expectation and nonrisks of increased cord separation time, in addition to the benefits of reduced infection and improved survival, might improve compliance.
Minimally Invasive Treatment of Soft Tissue Deficiency Around an Implant-Supported Restoration in the Esthetic Zone: Modified VISTA Technique Case Report
Authors: Lee Chun-Teh , Hamalian Techkouhie , Schulze-Späte Ulrike
Published: March 2013

The horizontal and vertical soft tissue dimension around an implant-supported restoration in the maxillary anterior is one of the determining factors for achieving an esthetic result. In this case report, the patient presented with a deficiency in both dimensions around a single-tooth implanted-supported restoration in the anterior maxilla. The soft tissue defects were augmented with a connective tissue graft that was placed underneath the buccal peri-implant tissue using a frenum access incision and a supraperiosteal tunneling approach (modified vestibular Incision supraperiosteal tunnel access [VISTA] technique). This novel technique resulted in an increase in tissue height and width, which suggests its potential use around implant-supported restorations.
General results for the Marshall and Olkin's family of distributions
Authors: BARRETO-SOUZA WAGNER , LEMONTE ARTUR J. , CORDEIRO GAUSS M.
Published: March 2013

Abstract Marshall and Olkin (1997) introduced an interesting method of adding a parameter to a well-established distribution. However, they did not investigate general mathematical properties of their family of distributions. We provide for this family of distributions general expansions for the density function, explicit expressions for the moments and moments of the order statistics. Several especial models are investigated. We discuss estimation of the model parameters. An application to a real data set is presented for illustrative purposes.
New turtle egg fossil from the Upper Cretaceous of the Laiyang Basin, Shandong Province, China
Authors: WANG QIANG , WANG XIAOLIN , ZHAO ZIKUI , ZHANG JIALIANG , JIANG SHUNXING
Published: March 2013

A new type of turtle egg fossil was established: Emydoolithus laiyangensis oogen. et oosp. nov.. Based on its elliptical morphological shape, rigid eggshells, and eggshell characteristics, it is different from other types of round chelonian egg fossils. It is the second chelonian egg fossil found in Cretaceous in China. This discovery shows the Laiyang ecosystem in Late Cretaceous is more diversified than previously thought.
Immature stages of Spodoptera albula (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Developmental parameters and host plants
Authors: MONTEZANO DÉBORA G. , SPECHT ALEXANDRE , BORTOLIN TARCISO M. , FRONZA EDEGAR , SOSA-GÓMEZ DANIEL R. , ROQUE-SPECHT VÂNIA F. , PEZZI PATRÍCIA , LUZ PRISCILA C. , BARROS NEIVA M.
Published: March 2013

This study aimed to detail the temporal and morphological parameters of the immature stages of Spodoptera albula (Walker 1857) under controlled conditions (25 ± 1°C, 70 ± 10% RH and 14 hour photophase) and to gather information about their larval host plants. For this purpose, a new rearing method and artificial diet was employed and validated. The viability of the egg, larval, pupal and pre-pupal stages was 94.54, 97.33, 93.84 and 92.34%, respectively. The average duration of the egg, larval, pupal and pre-pupal stages was 4.14, 16.37, 1.69, and 9.34 days, respectively. During the larval stage, 80.85% of females and 93.99% of males passed through six and remaining through seven instars, with significant larval protandry. The larvae that developed through six and seven instars exhibited a mean growth rate of 1.58 and 1.48, respectively. Fifty five host plant species belonging to 29 families are listed. The female pupae were significantly larger, exhibiting protogyny. Both the rearing methods as well as the larval diet proved adequate, providing more detailled observations of the biological cycle, especially the larval stage, and resulting in an overall survival of almost 80%.
Construction of yellow fever virus subgenomic replicons by yeast-based homologous recombination cloning technique
Authors: Queiroz Sabrina R.A. , Silva Andréa N.M.R. , Santos Jefferson J.S. , Marques Jr Ernesto T.A. , Bertani Giovani R. , Gil Laura H.V.G.
Published: March 2013

RNA replicon derived from Flavivirus genome is a valuable tool for studying viral replication independent of virion assembly and maturation, besides being a great potencial for heterologous gene expression. In this study we described the construction of subgenomic replicons of yellow fever virus by yeast-based homologous recombination technique. The plasmid containing the yellow fever 17D strain replicon (pBSC-repYFV-17D), previously characterized, was handled to heterologous expression of the green fluorescent protein (repYFV-17D-GFP) and firefly luciferase (repYFV-17D-Luc) reporter genes. Both replicons were constructed by homologous recombination between the linearized vector pBSC-repYFV-17D and the PCR product containing homologous 25 nucleotides ends incorporated into PCR primers. The genomic organization of these constructs is similar to repYFV-17D, but with insertion of the reporter gene between the remaining 63 N-terminal nucleotides of the capsid protein and 72 C-terminal nucleotides of the E protein. The replicons repYFV-17D-GFP and repYFV-17D-Luc showed efficient replication and expression of the reporter genes. The yeast-based homologous recombination technique used in this study proved to be applicable for manipulation of the yellow fever virus genome in order to construct subgenomic replicons.
The low academic profile of Brazilian economists
Authors: Meneghini Rogerio
Published: March 2013

The worldwide prestige of economists in the lay media lies significantly higher than scientists and academics from other fields of expertise. Brazil is not an exception as well. A point that calls attention to this fact is that the most prestigious international economists, who are frequently present in the lay media, are also distinguished in the academic environment. The lay prestige may be measured by their presence in the media and by surveys of public opinion, whereas academic prestige may be evaluated using database indicators of publications and citations of academic articles. One indicator that became frequently used is the h-index, measuring publications and citations simultaneously. A relevant finding regarding international economists is that both lay prestige and academic prestige are high and, apparently, mutually dependent. Among Brazilian economists, lay prestige is not accompanied by academic prestige. This last one is significantly low, even though doctorate studies in international universities of excellence are commonplace in these economists' curricula. The data point to a low intensity of academic life in Brazilian economics schools.
The relationship between sandy beach nematodes and environmental characteristics in two Brazilian sandy beaches (Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro)
Authors: MARIA TATIANA F. , PAIVA PAULO , VANREUSEL ANN , ESTEVES ANDRÉ M.
Published: March 2013

We investigated if the differences in density and nematode communities of intertidal sediments from two Brazilian sheltered sandy beaches were related to environmental characteristics. The upper tide level (UTL) and the low tide level (LTL) of both beaches were surveyed in January (austral summer) and June 2001 (austral winter) during low-spring tides, by collecting samples of nematodes and sediments. Differences in density between beaches, tidal level and seasons, and nematode community structure were investigated. Sediments from both beaches were composed of medium to very coarse sand. The highest nematode densities were found at the UTL, and significant differences between beaches, tidal levels and months were found. A total of 54 genera were found and the genera composition on both sheltered beaches was similar to other exposed worldwide sandy beaches. The density and structure of the nematode community at both beaches clearly varied along the spatial and temporal scales. Gravel percentage was the most important variable explaining the spatial distribution of the nematodes, determining the four sub-communities; this suggests that the sediment characteristics influence the nematode community, rather than physical hydrodynamic forces. Temperature and salinity were suggested to be important variables affecting the temporal variation.
Morphological deformities in the osseous structure in spotted sorubim Pseudoplatystoma coruscans (agassiz & spix, 1829) with vitamin c deficiency
Authors: FUJIMOTO RODRIGO Y. , SANTOS RUDÃ F.B. , CARNEIRO DALTON J.
Published: March 2013

Vitamin C is essential for fish diets because many species cannot syntethize it. This vitamin is needed for bone and cartilage formation. Moreover, it acts as antioxidant and improve the immunological system. The present work investigated the effects of vitamin C diet supplementation to spotted sorubim (Pseudoplatystoma coruscans) fingerlings by frequency of bone and cartilage deformation. Ascorbyl poliphosphate (AP) was used as source of vitamin C in the diets for spotted sorubim fingerlings during three months. Six diets were formulated: one diet control (0 mg/kg of vitamin C) and 500, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 and 2,500 mg AP/kg diets. Fishes fed without vitamin C supplementation presented bone deformation in head and jaws, and fin fragilities. Thus, 500 mg AP/kg diet was enough to prevent deformation and the lack of vitamin C supplementation worsening the development of fingerlings.
Camerate crinoids from the Nunn Member (Tournaisian, Osagean) of the Lower Mississippian Lake Valley Formation, New Mexico
Authors: Rhenberg Elizabeth C. , Kammer Thomas W.
Published: March 2013

The Nunn Member (early Osagean) of the Lake Valley Formation of New Mexico is known for its abundance and diversity of crinoids. Although crinoids were first reported in the late 1800s, no comprehensive study of the crinoids has been conducted and a complete list of the crinoid taxa does not exist. All subclasses of crinoids occur in the Lake Valley, but the camerates are by far the dominant group. Study of the Macurda collection from the University of Michigan, the Laudon collection from the University of New Mexico, and new collections provided more than 7000 specimens, 4,500 of which were identifiable camerates. Sixty-one species of camerates are recognized in the Nunn Member, including five new species:Blairocrinus macurdai, Iotacrinus novamexicanus, Agaricocrinus alamogordoensis, Uperocrinus kuesi, andCollicrinus laudoni. This camerate fauna is very similar to that of the lower Burlington Limestone of the Mississippi Valley. An update of the crinoid taxa in the Lake Valley Formation allows for a better understanding of the temporal and geographic relationships of crinoid faunas across North American during the Early Mississippian when camerates were at their global diversity maximum. The majority of the camerates come from the western New Mexico outcrops where the Nunn Member is thicker and the marine shelf was shallower, but several also occur in association with the deep-water Waulsortian mounds.
A new survivor species ofDicoelosia(Brachiopoda) from Rhuddanian (Silurian) shallower-water biofacies in South China
Authors: Huang Bing , Rong Jia-Yu , Harper David A. T.
Published: March 2013

The brachiopod genusDicoelosiais generally considered a typical deep-water taxon. New data suggest that some species of the genus may have invaded relatively shallow-water habitats during its geological history. However, there is scant evidence for its invasion of shallow-water environments after the terminal Ordovician mass extinction.Dicoelosiaoccurs in the shallower-water benthic shelly assemblages of the lower Niuchang Formation (upper Rhuddanian, Llandovery) of Meitan County, northern Guizhou Province, South China. Evidence of a move to shallow water includes its morphology and population structure, regional paleogeography, sedimentology, together with the abundance and diversity of its shallow-water associates. Following the biotic crisis, deep-water environments were barely habitable, and may have drivenDicoelosiainto shallower-water niches. The taxon endured the less suitable shallow-water environments until the deep-water benthic zones ameliorated after the recovery, implying a shallow-water refugium existed after the biotic crisis. A new speciesDicoelosia cathaysiensisis erected herein. There is only one record of this genus in South China and this unique occurrence may reflect the distinctive paleobiogeography and environments of this region.
Basilotritus uheni, a new cetacean (Cetacea, Basilosauridae) from the late middle Eocene of eastern Europe
Authors: Gol'din Pavel , Zvonok Evgenij
Published: March 2013

A new basal basilosaurid cetacean,Basilotritus uhenin. gen. n. sp., comes from the late middle Eocene (Bartonian) of Ukraine. It is the earliest dated record of a cetacean from Eastern Europe. The tympanic bulla ofBasilotritus uhenishares basilosaurid synapomorphies but possesses unusual traits inherited from protocetids. Cetaceans related toBasilotritus uheniand referred to asEocetusor“Eocetus”have been recorded from Africa, Europe, North America and South America.“Eocetus” wardiifrom North America is recombined asBasilotritus wardii.Platyosphys paulsoniiandPlatyosphys einorifrom Ukraine are considered as nomina dubia; specimens prior referred to asPlatyosphyssp. are similar or related toBasilotritus. Other records of the Eocene cetaceans from Ukraine and south Russia are identified asBasilotritusor related genera. Early basilosaurids are demonstrated to be a paraphyletic, morphologically and geographically diverse group of the genera that colonized the world ocean as late as in Bartonian age and were probably the ancestors of Neoceti, as well as of more derived basilosaurids.
Molecular phylogeny of rhynchonellide articulate brachiopods (Brachiopoda, Rhynchonellida)
Authors: Cohen Bernard L. , Bitner Maria Aleksandra
Published: March 2013

We present here the first report based on phylogenetic analyses of small subunit (SSU/18S) and large subunit (LSU/28S) ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences from a wider-than-token sample of rhynchonellide articulate brachiopods, with data from 11 of ∼20 extant genera (12 species) belonging to all four extant superfamilies. Data exploration by network and saturation analyses shows that the molecular sequence data are free from major aberrations and are suitable for phylogenetic reconstruction despite the presence of large deletions in four SSU rDNA sequences. Although molecular sequence analyses cannot directly illuminate the systematics of fossils, the independent, genealogical evidence and phylogenetic inferences about extant forms that they make possible are highly relevant to paleontological systematics because they highlight the limitations of evolutionary inference from morphology. Parsimony, distance, maximum likelihood (no clock) and Bayesian (relaxed-clock) analyses all find a tree topology that disagrees strongly with the existing superfamily classification. All tested phylogenetic reconstructions agree that the taxa analyzed fall into three clades designated A1, A2, and B that reflect two major divergence events. The relaxed-clock analysis indicates that clades A and B diverged in the Paleozoic, while clades A1 and A2 reflect Permo-Triassic (and later) events. Morphological homoplasy and possible gene co-option are suggested as the main sources for the discord between the morpho-classification, the results of cladistic analyses of morphology, and the relationships reconstructed from molecular sequences. The origin, function and evolutionary implications of the deletion-bearing rhynchonellide SSU rDNA sequences are briefly discussed in relation to pseudogenes and concerted evolution in the rDNA genomic region.
The weight of the past: land‐use legacies and recolonization of pine plantations by oak trees
Authors: Navarro-González Irene , Pérez-Luque Antonio J. , Bonet Francisco J. , Zamora Regino
Published: March 2013

Most of the world's plantations were established on previously disturbed sites with an intensive land‐use history. Our general hypothesis was that native forest regeneration within forest plantations depends largely on in situ biological legacies as a source of propagules. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed native oak regeneration in 168 pine plantation plots in southern Spain in relation to land use in 1956, oak patch proximity, and pine tree density. Historical land‐use patterns were determined from aerial photography from 1956, and these were compared with inventory data from 2004–2005 and additional orthophoto images. Our results indicate that oak forest regeneration in pine plantations depends largely on land‐use legacies, although nearby, well‐conserved areas can provide propagules for colonization from outside the plantation, and pine tree density also affected oak recruit density. More intense land uses in the past meant fewer biological legacies and, therefore, lower likelihood of regenerating native forest. That is, oak recruit density was lower when land use in 1956 was croplands (0.004 ± 0.002 recruits/m2[mean ± SE]) or pasture (0.081 ± 0.054 recruits/m2) instead of shrubland (0.098 ± 0.031 recruits/m2) or oak formations (0.314 ± 0.080 recruits/m2). Our study shows that land use in the past was more important than propagule source distance or pine tree density in explaining levels of native forest regeneration in plantations. Thus, strategies for restoring native oak forests in pine plantations may benefit from considering land‐use legacies as well as distance to propagule sources and pine density.
Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterization of Escherichia coli Isolated from Untreated Surface Waters
Authors: Janezic Kristopher J , Ferry Blake , Hendricks Eric W , Janiga Brian A , Johnson Tiffany , Murphy Samantha , Roberts Morgan E , Scott Sarah M , Theisen Alexandra N , Hung Kai F , Daniel Steven L
Published: March 2013

A common member of the intestinal microbiota in humans and animals isEscherichia coli. Based on the presence of virulence factors,E. colican be potentially pathogenic. The focus of this study was to isolateE. colifrom untreated surface waters (37 sites) in Illinois and Missouri and determine phenotypic and genotypic diversity among isolates. Water samples positive for fecal coliforms based on the Colisure®test were streaked directly onto Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) agar (37°C) or transferred to EC broth (44.5°C). EC broth cultures producing gas were then streaked onto EMB agar. Forty-five isolates were identified asE. coliusing API 20E and Enterotube II identification systems, and some phenotypic variation was observed in metabolism and fermentation. Antibiotic susceptibility of each isolate was also determined using the Kirby-Bauer Method. Differential responses to 10 antimicrobial agents were seen with 7, 16, 2, and 9 of the isolates resistant to ampicillin, cephalothin, tetracycline, and triple sulfonamide, respectively. All of the isolates were susceptible or intermediate to amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, polymyxin B, gentamicin, imipenem, and nalidixic acid. Genotypic variation was assessed through multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction for four virulence genes (stx1andstx2[shiga toxin],eaeA[intimin]; andhlyA[enterohemolysin]) and one housekeeping gene (uidA[β-D-glucuronidase]). Genotypic variation was observed with two of the isolates possessing the virulence gene (eaeA) for intimin. These findings increase our understanding of the diversity ofE. coliin the environment which will ultimately help in the assessment of this organism and its role in public health.
A New Approach for Mammogram Image Classification Using Fractal Properties
Authors: Don S. , Chung Duckwon , Revathy K. , Choi Eunmi , Min Dugki
Published: March 2013

Accurate classification of images is essential for the analysis of mammograms in computer aided diagnosis of breast cancer. We propose a new approach to classify mammogram images based on fractal features. Given a mammogram image, we first eliminate all the artifacts and extract the salient features such as Fractal Dimension (FD) and Fractal Signature (FS). These features provide good descriptive values of the region. Second, a trainable multilayer feed forward neural network has been designed for the classification purposes and we compared the classification test results with K-Means. The result reveals that the proposed approach can classify with a good performance rate of 98%.
Alleviation of drought stress by silicon supplementation in pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) plants
Authors: Habibi Ghader , Hajiboland Roghieh
Published: March 2013

The effect of silicon (Si) supplementation (0.35 g Na2SiO3 kg-1 soil, 2.73 mmol Si kg-1 soil) was studied in drought-stressed pistachio (Pistacia vera L. ‘Ahmadaghaii’) plants under field conditions. Silicon treatment significantly increased plant dry weight and relative water content under drought stress. The application of Si for drought-stressed plants improved the maximum quantum yield of PSII. A reduction in the net assimilation rate due to drought stress was alleviated by Si application, accompanied by an increase in stomatal conductance. Silicon treatment resulted in higher catalase and superoxide dismutase activities and lower lipid peroxidation in the leaves of drought-stressed plants. The results suggest that supplementation of water-deficient pistachio plants with Si alleviates the adverse effects of drought due to its enhancement of photochemical efficiency and photosynthetic gas exchange, as well as an activation of the antioxidant defence capacity in this species.
Current conditions and forecasts of natural gas application in the production of electricity
Authors: Rychlicki Stanisław , Siemek Jakub
Published: March 2013

In times of global crisis, there is a dynamic change in the European gas market. This leads to:

- decline or stagnation in demand for gas in the industrial sector;

- growing importance of unconventional natural gas;

- LNGmarket development especially in terminal condensing due to the availability of rawmaterials derived from unconventional gas deposits (USA, Canada);

- development of regasification terminals in Europe due to the possibility of receiving additionalmaterial;

- development of gas exchanges;

- development of cross-border gas pipeline connections leading to a progressive increase in the integration and linkages between markets;

- emergence of unconventional gas in particular shale gas and coal bed methane; in Poland the potential benefits from shale gas exploitation offering opportunities for its wider use in the energy sector;

- attention drawn to the role of unconventional gas, particularly shale gas;

- periodic surplus raw materials for the European market;

- renegotiation of long-term contracts for European customers;

- changes in contracts, which include the introduction of partial indexation to the exchange of gas markets, modification of TorP clauses, contract volume shift to later years;

- stronger bargaining position for the buyer of raw materials;

- possible long-term changes in the valuation of raw material in Europe;

- growing importance of short and medium-term contracts;

- changes in distributor relations - [client on national markets (meaning unclear)];

- activity of new entrants to the gas markets.

This paper presents the existing situation in the energy market in Poland in terms of the types of fuels used especially natural gas in the generation of electricity. It references Poland’s current energy relations with European countries, particularly with respect to the European Union. The analysis includes the size of unit energy consumption in selected EU countries. In addition, it reviews plans to build a major gas plant in Poland.
Optimal site selection for heap leaching structures by the analytic hierarchy process (case study: taft heap leaching structure, Iran)
Authors: Soltani-Mohammadi Saeed , Amini Mehdi
Published: March 2013

Streszczenie

Lokalizacja składowiska odpadów z procesów hydrometalurgicznych ma bardzo duży wpływ na koszty jego budowy i ryzyka związane ze środowiskiem. Wybór miejsc ługowania hałdy zależy od różnych parametrów technicznych (topograficznych, hydrologicznych, hydrogeologicznych i innych) oraz od uwarunkowań ekono­micznych i ekologicznych. W wielu przypadkach wybór optymalnych miejsc ługowania hałdy dokonywany jest z uwzględnieniem szeregu kryteriów za pomocą metod ELECTRE, TOPSIS i AHP. W artykule, w pierwszej kolejności określono kryteria do lokalizacji miejsc ługowania (o charakterze technicznym, finansowym i środo­ wiskowym) i zbadano ich wpływ na wybór lokalizacji miejsc ługowania. Następnie korzystając z metody AHP problem decyzyjny rozpatrywano na trzech poziomach, wykorzystując oprogramowanie „Expert Choice". W celu sprawdzenia metody wybrano hałdę w okolicy Taft, prowincji Yazd w Iranie. Analiza wrażliwości, która bada reakcję całego przedsięwzięcia została przeprowadzona dla głównych kryteriów technicznych, ekono­micznych i środowiskowych.
The role of corporate bonds in financing mining sector companies during an economic downturn
Authors: Sierpińska Maria , Bąk Patrycja
Published: March 2013

Streszczenie

W artykule zawarte zostały problemy emisji obligacji w Polsce jako źródła finansowania działalności przedsiębiorstw górniczych. Poziom emisji nie jest imponujący ani w relacji do nakładów inwestycyjnych ani do PKB. Kraje wysoko rozwinięte znacznie szerzej korzystają z tej formy długu. Emisja obligacji wykazuje wiele zalet w relacji do pozyskania kapitału z emisji akcji czy z kredytów banków. Koszty pozyskania kapitału z emisji mogą być niższe niż z kredytów bankowych i emisji akcji. Jednak ciągle wiele barier utrudnia pozyskanie kapitału z tej formy długu. Największą barierą wydaje się być niedobór rodzimego kapitału na rynku długu w Polsce.

Poszukując źródeł finansowania inwestycji rozwojowych spółki coraz częściej wykorzystują emisję obligacji korporacyjnych. W krajach wysoko rozwiniętych zakres korzystania z emisji obligacji jest znacznie szerszy niż w Polsce. Wskazują na to zamieszczone w artykule relacje emisji obligacji do PKB, do nakładów inwestycyjnych czy do kredytów. Szeroko z emisji obligacji korzystają duże firmy górnicze ze względu na elastyczność tej formy długu i relatywnie niższe koszty pozyskania kapitału niż z emisji akcji czy z kredytów. W Polsce z emisji obligacji skorzystał dotychczas Katowicki Holding Węglowy. Kolejne spółki węglowe (JSW, Kompania Węglowa) przy­gotowują programy emisji obligacji korporacyjnych, zamierzając pozyskane środki przeznaczyć na inwestycje. Jednak wiele barier utrudnia pozyskanie kapitału z tej formy długu. Największą barierą wydaje się być niedobór rodzimego kapitału na rynku długu w Polsce.
Solid State Physics. Nitrogen Adsorption by Thermoexfoliated Graphite / Slāpekļa Adsorbcija Uz Termoeksfoliētā Grafīta
Authors: Grehov V. , Kalnacs J. , Matzui L. , Knite M. , Murashov A. , Vilken A.
Published: March 2013

Adsorption by thermochemically exfoliated graphite (TEG) is studied and compared with that by other carbon structures under the same conditions. In BET determination of the specific surface area (SBET) for the TEG samples it was found that good approximation could be observed in two different pressure ranges. Such ranges of BET approximation are also visible in the isotherms of aquadag and milled graphite. The experimental results are discussed and their interpretation proposed
Rationale of screening for early kidney damage in patients with high cardiovascular risk: nephrologist’s point of view
Authors: Rimševičius Laurynas , Aksionova Diana , Miglinas Marius , Badarienė Jolita , Ryliškytė Ligita , Čypienė Alma , Kasiulevičius Vytautas , Barzdenytė Mantė , Tracevičiūtė Justina , Laucevičius Aleksandras
Published: March 2013

Increased awareness of chronic kidney disease stimulates an interest towards early detection and prevention. The true prevalence of kidney injury varies from 10 to 40%, mostly depending on the methodology of the study and the population enrolled. A screening strategy targeting the highest risk groups, those with diabetes or hypertension, family history of diabetes, hypertension, or kidney disease, is likely to be most efficient and cost effective. Quantification for albuminuria should be performed using laboratorymethods or albumin to creatinine ratio and should be monitored at regular intervals. The most correct equations calculating glomerular filtration rate differ in separate populations, and the most accurate equations in patients with high cardiovascular risk are MDRD and CKD-EPI. Markers of early kidney damage have association with other target organs damage, even in subclinical or preclinical mode. Individuals at stage 4 and 5 chronic kidney disease, with higher levels of proteinuria, proteinuria together with haematuria, rapidly declining glomerular filtration rate, or poorly controlled hypertension should be referred to a nephrologist in order to identify the cause, provide recommendations, slow progression, or treat complications.
Determinants of badger Meles meles sett location in Białowieża Primeval Forest, northeastern Poland
Authors: Obidziński Artur , Pabjanek Piotr , Mędrzycki Piotr
Published: March 2013

The aim of our research was to investigate the relative importance of food supply, geological conditions, human activity and neighbouring badger Meles meles territories for location of badger setts in Białowieża Primeval Forest (BPF) within the boundaries of Poland (595 km2). In our study, we included 67 badger setts surveyed in the field as well as 7,563 pseudo‐absence points located randomly in each subcompartment of the forest. For each point, 18 habitat and landscape variables were assessed. The data were analysed using the Random Forest model in two stages, i.e. feature selection and variable importance assessment. Our results indicate that the human‐related variables for location of badger setts in BPF (strong avoidance of main roads, bimodal reaction to open and built‐up areas) were of highest importance. The second most important variable was the distance to neighbouring active main setts (preference of the distance of 2 km from the nearest active main sett). The least important variables were habitat conditions affecting digging possibility and food availability, such as the presence of cambisols or fresh entic podzols made of loamy sands on ablation moraine or aeolian dunes with potential vegetation of thermophilous oak Quercus robur‐hornbeam Carpinus begulus forest of fresh pine Pinus sylvestris‐oak mixed forest. We conclude that large intact forest complexes function as refuge areas for badger populations if badger mortality is high in open areas relative to the benefits of wide food availability in open areas.
Identifying bobcat Lynx rufus kill sites using a global positioning system
Authors: Svoboda Nathan J. , Belant Jerrold L. , Beyer Dean E. , Duquette Jared F. , Martin James A.
Published: March 2013

The role of predation in ecological systems has received considerable attention in scientific literature and is one of the most important, yet least understood aspects of carnivore ecology. Knowledge of factors that improve our ability to detect predation events using animal telemetry data could be used to develop strategies to reduce time and resources required to obtain reliable kill estimates. Using Global Positioning System telemetry‐collars, we investigated 246 bobcat Lynx rufus location clusters to identify white‐tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus kill sites in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA, during May‐August, 2009‐2011. We documented kills of white‐tailed deer at 42 location clusters. We used logistic regression and Akaike Information Criterion for small samples to identify factors (i.e. number of locations in cluster, time from cluster formation to investigation, time of day and land cover) that may influence bobcat behaviour and our ability to detect white‐tailed deer kill sites. Clusters with more locations and the search of clusters within 14 days after cluster formation increased odds of detecting bobcat kill sites. The best‐performing model was 67% accurate overall and identified 34% of kill sites and 75% of non‐kill sites. Applying our best‐performing model with the optimal cut‐off value would result in a twofold increase in the identification of white‐tailed deer kill sites reducing time and effort to find a similar number of kill sites without models by half. Identifying factors that improve our ability to identify bobcat kill sites can reduce field effort and search time.
Seasonal and daily activity patterns of free‐living Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx in relation to availability of kills
Authors: Podolski Iris , Belotti Elisa , Bufka Luděk , Reulen Holger , Heurich Marco
Published: March 2013

Activity patterns of predators are influenced by several factors including season and temperature as well as the availability of prey species. We investigated the activity of six free‐living Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx (four males and two females without kittens) in the Bohemian Forest along the border between Germany and the Czech Republic. The lynx were tagged with GPS‐collars with acceleration sensors in 2005, 2010 and 2011. Activity was measured every 5 minutes on 1,360 days (403,467 measurements) to detect circadian activity patterns. All lynx were predominantly crepuscular, with an average activity of 8.9 hours/day and with the lowest activity at midday. The activity patterns of male and female lynx did not differ significantly. With each 10°C increase in the mean air temperature per day, the lynx decreased their daily activity by 30 minutes. In winter, activity was concentrated at dusk. We also investigated whether lynx activity was influenced by the availability of freshly killed roe deer Capreolus capreolus, red deer Cervus elaphus or European hare Lepus europaeus. We compared the activity data of 357 days with a kill (109 recorded kills) and 316 days without a kill and calculated generalised additive mixed models. On days with a kill, the lynx were 3.3 hours/ day less active than on days without a kill. The activity on consecutive days with a killed prey did not differ. The pattern of activity on days with a kill differed little from the pattern of activity on days without a kill.