bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sub‐alpine and alpine grassland communities in the northeastern Greater Caucasus of Azerbaijan
Authors: Etzold Jonathan , Münzner Franziska , Manthey Michael
Published: December 2015

Questions

Which are the main sub‐alpine and alpine grassland communities in the northeastern Greater Caucasus of Azerbaijan and what are their environmental and anthropogenic drivers?

Location

Grasslands at 1800 and 3500 m a.s.l. on northern macroslope of the Greater Caucasus in Azerbaijan near Shahdag Mt.

Methods

We established a randomized sampling design with stratification by geomorphology and altitude and validation using remote sensing data. The vegetation survey on 194 relevés in a nested plot design of up to 100 m² encompassed examiniation of various site conditions. We applied cluster and indicator species analysis for vegetation classification, and indirect multivariate ordination to assess vegetation–environment relationships.

Results

We classified 13 unranked communities in two sub‐alpine groups and one alpine group, plus the very distinct vegetation around camp sites of semi‐nomadic herders. Important drivers for vegetation differentiation are altitude as proxy for temperature, latitude as proxy for orographically founded differences in bedrock and precipitation, aspect, soil factors, such as content of organic matter and variables connected to land‐use types and intensity (e.g. pasturing vs hay meadows, browsing tracks). In consequence, also effects on species richness are detectable. Furthermore, we found only partial concordance of our communities with existing vegetation classifications in the Greater Caucasus.

Conclusions

A state‐of‐the‐art classification and ordination of regional high‐mountain grassland communities and their environmental drivers fills a gap in knowledge about this vegetation. It is widely unknown to international audience and remained almost unstudied during the last 25 yr, when severe shifts in land use remarkably changed the natural conditions. The study can help to identify problems in current grassland management and their consequences for biodiversity conservation. Desirable changes towards sustainable grassland utilization require combined socio‐ecological assessments beforehand.
Present‐day stress orientation in the Clarence‐Moreton Basin of New South Wales, Australia: a new high density dataset reveals local stress rotations
Authors: Rajabi Mojtaba , Tingay Mark , King Rosalind , Heidbach Oliver
Published: December 2015

Early phases of the Australian Stress Map project revealed that plate boundary forces acting on the Indo‐Australian Plate control the long wavelength of the maximum horizontal present‐day stress orientation in the Australian continent. However, all numerical models of the stress field to date are unable to predict the observed orientation of maximum horizontal stress in the northeast of New South Wales, Australia. Recent coal seam gas exploration in the Clarence‐Moreton Basin, eastern Australia, provides an opportunity to better evaluate the state of crustal stress in this part of the continent where only limited information was available prior to this study. Herein, we conduct the first analysis of the present‐day tectonic stress in the Clarence‐Moreton Basin, from drilling‐induced tensile fractures and borehole breakouts interpreted using 11.3 km of acoustic image logs in 27 vertical wells. A total of 2822 drilling‐induced stress indicators suggest a mean orientation of N069°E (±23°) for the maximum horizontal present‐day stress in the basin which is different from that predicted by published geomechanical‐numerical models. In addition, we find significant localised perturbations of borehole breakouts, both spatially and with depth, that are consistent with stress variations near faults, fractures and lithological contrasts, indicating that local structures are an important source of stress in the basin. The observation that structures can have a major control on the stresses in the basin suggests that, while gravity and plate boundary forces have the major role in the long wavelength (first‐order) stress pattern of the continent, local perturbations are significant and can lead to substantial changes in the orientation of the maximum horizontal present‐day stress, particularly at the basin scale. These local perturbations of stress as a result of faults and fractures have important implications in borehole stability and permeability of coal seam gas reservoirs for safe and sustainable extraction of methane in this area.
In‐Vitro Study of the Contamination Remaining on Used Healing Abutments after Cleaning and Sterilizing in Dental Practice
Authors: Wadhwani Chandur , Schonnenbaum Todd R. , Audia Franco , Chung Kwok‐Hung
Published: December 2015

Background

Reuse or “recycle” of dental implant healing abutments in clinical practice is common, primarily for economic rational.

Purpose

To determine of this practice results in reuse of components that carry with them some degree of contamination between patients, even following thorough cleaning and sterilization.

Materials and Methods

One hundred healing abutments were collected from eight clinicians following patient use. The abutments were cleaned, sterilized, and then collected. The samples were treated with a protein specific stain (Phloxine B), and photographed.

Results

Ninety‐nine percent of the abutments showed protein contamination at one or more sites following cleaning and sterilization.

Conclusion

Reuse of healing abutments between patients should be reevaluated in light of this data.
macroeco: reproducible ecological pattern analysis in Python
Authors: Kitzes Justin , Wilber Mark
Published: December 2015

macroeco is a Python package that supports the analysis of empirical macroecological patterns and the comparison of these patterns to theoretical predictions. Here we describe the use of macroeco and the various functions that it contains. We also highlight a unique high‐level interface included with the package, MacroecoDesktop, that allows non‐programmers to access the functionality of macroeco. MacroecoDesktop takes simple text‐based metadata and parameter files as inputs and generates both tabular and graphical outputs, supporting users in creating reproducible workflows that follow the principles of simplicity, provenance, and automation. Both macroeco and MacroecoDesktop provide case studies for developers of analytically‐focused scientific software packages who wish to better support the reproducible use of their tools.
Equine grass sickness, but not botulism, causes autonomic and enteric neurodegeneration and increases soluble N‐ethylmaleimide‐sensitive factor attachment receptor protein expression within neuronal perikarya
Authors: McGorum B. C. , Scholes S. , Milne E. M. , Eaton S. L. , Wishart T. M. , Poxton I. R. , Moss S. , Wernery U. , Davey T. , Harris J. B. , Pirie R. S.
Published: December 2015

Reasons for performing study

Equine grass sickness (EGS) is of unknown aetiology. Despite some evidence suggesting that it represents a toxico‐infection with Clostridium botulinum types C and/or D, the effect of EGS on the functional targets of botulinum neurotoxins, namely the soluble N‐ethylmaleimide‐sensitive factor attachment receptor (SNARE) proteins, is unknown. Further, while it is commonly stated that, unlike EGS, equine botulism is not associated with autonomic and enteric neurodegeneration, this has not been definitively assessed.

Objectives

To determine: 1) whether botulism causes autonomic and enteric neurodegeneration; and 2) the effect of EGS on the expression of SNARE proteins within cranial cervical ganglion (CCG) and enteric neuronal perikarya.

Study design

Descriptive study.

Methods

Light microscopy was used to compare the morphology of neurons in haematoxylin‐eosin stained sections of CCG and ileum from 6 EGS horses, 5 botulism horses and 6 control horses. Immunohistochemistry was used to compare the expression of synaptosomal‐associated protein‐25, synaptobrevin (Syb) and syntaxin within CCG neurons, and of Syb in enteric neurons, from horses with EGS, horses with botulism and control horses. The concentrations of these SNARE proteins in extracts of CCG from EGS and control horses were compared using quantitative fluorescent western blotting.

Results

EGS, but not botulism, was associated with autonomic and enteric neurodegeneration and with increased immunoreactivity for SNARE proteins within neuronal perikarya. Quantitative fluorescent western blotting confirmed increased concentrations of synaptosomal‐associated protein‐25, Syb and syntaxin within CCG extracts from EGS vs. control horses, with the increases in the latter 2 proteins being statistically significant.

Conclusions

The occurrence of autonomic and enteric neurodegeneration, and increased expression of SNARE proteins within neuronal perikarya, in EGS but not botulism, suggests that EGS may not be caused by botulinum neurotoxins. Further investigation of the aetiology of EGS is therefore warranted.
Cities are hotspots for threatened species
Authors: Ives Christopher D. , Lentini Pia E. , Threlfall Caragh G. , Ikin Karen , Shanahan Danielle F. , Garrard Georgia E. , Bekessy Sarah A. , Fuller Richard A. , Mumaw Laura , Rayner Laura , Rowe Ross , Valentine Leonie E. , Kendal Dave
Published: December 2015

Aim

Although urbanization impacts many species, there is little information on the patterns of occurrences of threatened species in urban relative to non‐urban areas. By assessing the extent of the distribution of threatened species across all Australian cities, we aim to investigate the currently under‐utilized opportunity that cities present for national biodiversity conservation.

Location

Australian mainland, Tasmania and offshore islands.

Methods

Distributions of Australia's 1643 legally protected terrestrial species (hereafter ‘threatened species’) were compiled. We assessed the extent to which they overlapped with 99 cities (of more than 10,000 people), with all non‐urban areas, and with simulated ‘dummy’ cities which covered the same area and bioregion as the true cities but were non‐urban. We analysed differences between animals and plants, and examined variability within these groups using species accumulation modelling. Threatened species richness of true versus dummy cities was analysed using generalized linear mixed‐effects models.

Results

Australian cities support substantially more nationally threatened animal and plant species than all other non‐urban areas on a unit‐area basis. Thirty per cent of threatened species were found to occur in cities. Distribution patterns differed between plants and animals: individual threatened plant species were generally found in fewer cities than threatened animal species, yet plants were more likely to have a greater proportion of their distribution in urban areas than animals. Individual cities tended to contain unique suites of threatened species, especially threatened plants. The analysis of true versus dummy cities demonstrated that, even after accounting for factors such as net primary productivity and distance to the coast, cities still consistently supported a greater number of threatened species.

Main conclusions

This research highlights that Australian cities are important for the conservation of threatened species, and that the species assemblages of individual cities are relatively distinct. National conservation policy should recognize that cities play an integral role when planning for and managing threatened species.
Graphical content of medicinal package inserts: an exploratory study to evaluate potential legibility issues
Authors: Pires Carla , Vigário Marina , Cavaco Afonso
Published: December 2015

Background

The graphical content of the Medicines Package Inserts (MPIs), such as illustrations and typographic features should be legible and appropriate, as required by international pharmaceutical regulations.

Objectives

To study: (1) the frequency and type of MPIs' key graphic elements, (2) their compliance with regulations and (3) how educated people understand them.

Methods

Descriptive study: characterisation of the graphical content of 651 MPIs. Usability study: illustrations and tables (purposively selected) were evaluated with questionnaires in three groups of humanities undergraduates (illustrations only, illustrations plus text and text only).

Results

Descriptive study: illustrations and tables were respectively identified in 6.3% and 11.8% of the MPIs. The illustrations were mainly related to how to take/use the medicine. Non‐recommended graphical representations were found (e.g. italic or underline). Usability test: legibility issues were identified, especially for the group of isolated illustrations.

Discussion & conclusions

The scarce use of illustrations and tables possibly affected the legibility of the MPIs. Compulsory legibility tests are needed to guarantee the MPIs' proper use, thus contributing to a safe use of medicines. Overall, this study highlighted the need to carefully revise/assess the MPIs' design and probably increase health information experts' awareness on this issue.
Transseptal Puncture Guided by CT‐Derived 3D‐Augmented Fluoroscopy
Authors: BOURIER FELIX , REENTS TILKO , AMMAR‐BUSCH SONIA , SEMMLER VERENA , TELISHEVSKA MARTA , KOTTMAIER MARC , LENNERZ CARSTEN , GREBMER CHRISTIAN , KOLB CHRISTOF , DEISENHOFER ISABEL , HESSLING GABRIELE
Published: December 2015

Transseptal Puncture Guided by 3D‐Fluoroscopy

Background

Transseptal puncture for left atrial (LA) access is still mainly performed using fluoroscopy and transesophageal or intracardiac echocardiography. We present an easily applicable approach for the guidance of transseptal puncture that uses the combination of a 3D‐mapping system and CT‐derived 3D‐overlayed anatomy.

Methods and Results

A computer tomographic (CT) LA‐angiography was performed in n = 65 patients prior to a scheduled atrial fibrillation ablation procedure. The CARTO3® (Biosense Webster, Diamond Bar, CA, USA) segmentation tool was used to create a 3D‐reconstruction of cardiac anatomy and the spine. The CARTO UNIVU® module was then used to overlay and register the segmented 3D‐anatomy onto fluoroscopy. The 3D‐reconstructed spine and cardiac anatomy were congruently aligned to their fluoroscopic counterparts in fluoroscopic views. The feasibility of the technique, its safety, and accuracy (assessed as contour offsets between 3D‐overlay and angiographic LA anatomy) were evaluated. Overlay registration accuracy was analyzed by CARTO3® registration matrices. Transseptal puncture was feasible without complications in all 65 patients using the new 3D‐overlay technique. Three‐dimensional‐overlay contour offsets were 1.6 ± 1.2 mm in left PV, 1.7 ± 1.2 mm in right PV, and 1.3 ± 1.0 mm in the LA roof region. Overlay registration accuracy was 4.9 ± 2.7 mm. The average time needed for anatomy segmentation was 204 ± 61 seconds, time needed for overlay registration was 18 ± 8 seconds.

Conclusions

Three‐dimensional‐augmented fluoroscopy is feasible, safe, and easy to apply as guidance for transseptal puncture and demonstrates a high level of accuracy.
Prognostic Impact of QRS Axis Deviation in Patients Treated With Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
Authors: PERROTTA LAURA , KANDALA JAGDESH , DI BIASE LUIGI , VALLEGGI ALESSANDRO , MICHELOTTI FEDERICA , PIERAGNOLI PAOLO , RICCIARDI GIUSEPPE , MASCIOLI GIOSUÈ , LAKKIREDDY DHANUNJAYA , PILLARISETTI JAYASREE , EMDIN MICHELE , NATALE ANDREA , SINGH JAGMEET P. , PADELETTI LUIGI
Published: December 2015

Prognosis of QRS Axis Deviation in CRT‐D

Introduction

QRS duration and morphology are currently recognized as recommended criteria for the selection of CRT candidates. It has recently been shown that patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) derive substantial clinical benefit from CRT. The aim of this study is to investigate the prognostic impact of QRS axis deviation (AD) in HF patients with LBBB undergoing CRT.

Methods and Results

We retrospectively evaluated 707 HF patients with LBBB who underwent CRT at five centers. Baseline QRS axis was defined as normal (NA: –30° to 90°), right axis deviation (RAD: 90° to 180°) and left axis deviation (LAD: <−30°). The primary endpoint was a composite of all cause death/HF hospitalization. The risk of endpoint by AD was evaluated with both Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazard analysis.

Among 707 patients (73% M, median age: 71 [62,77] years), 323 (46%) had NA, 359 (51%) LAD, and 25 (3.5%) RAD. Baseline clinical characteristics were similar between the three groups. Over a mean follow‐up of 32 ± 25 months, 141 deaths occurred (21%) and 36% (n = 255) met with the composite endpoint. A significantly higher proportion of RAD patients (52%) reached the endpoint (LAD 40%, NA 30%). KM analysis showed that RAD and LAD patients had worse event free survival and in multivariate analysis both LAD (HR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.05–1.86; P = 0.021) and RAD (HR: 2.49; 95% CI: 1.31–4.74; P = 0.005) were independently associated with worse clinical outcome.

Conclusions

Right or left axis deviation in the presence of LBBB in HF patients undergoing CRT are independent predictors of poor prognosis.
Treatment Planning Studies in Patient Data With Scanned Carbon Ion Beams for Catheter‐Free Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: CONSTANTINESCU ANNA , LEHMANN H. IMMO , PACKER DOUGLAS L. , BERT CHRISTOPH , DURANTE MARCO , GRAEFF CHRISTIAN
Published: December 2015

Noninvasive AF Ablation With Carbon Ions

Introduction

Catheter ablation with isolation of the pulmonary veins is a common treatment option for atrial fibrillation but still has insufficient success rates and carries several interventional risks. These treatment planning studies assessed if high‐dose single fraction treatment with scanned carbon ions (12C) can be reliably delivered for AF ablation, while sparing risk structures and considering respiratory and contractile target motion.

Methods and Results

Time resolved CT scans of complete respiratory and cardiac cycles of 9 and 5 patients, respectively, were obtained. Ablation lesions and organs at risk for beam delivery were contoured. Single fraction intensity‐modulated particle therapy with target doses of 25 and 40 Gy were studied and motion influences on these deliveries mitigated. Respiration had a large influence on lesion displacement (≤ 2 cm). End expiration could be exploited as a stable gating window. Smaller, but less predictable, heartbeat displacements (< 6 mm) remained to be mitigated because cardiac contraction resulted in insufficient dose coverage (V95 < 90 %) if uncompensated. Repeated irradiation (12C beam rescanning) during breath hold was used to accommodate contractile motion, resulting in good dose coverage. Dose depositions to all organs at risk were carefully examined and did not exceed values for X‐ray cancer treatment.

Conclusion

Treatment planning of 12C with delivery of physical ionizing radiation doses that have been described to induce complete block is feasible for AF ablation, considering human anatomy, dose constraints, and encasing underlying motion patterns from respiration and cardiac contraction at the LA–PV junction into treatment planning.
The value of 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography for prediction of treatment response in gastrointestinal stromal tumors: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Hassanzadeh‐Rad Arman , Yousefifard Mahmoud , Katal Sanaz , Asady Hadi , Fard‐Esfahani Armaghan , Moghadas Jafari Ali , Hosseini Mostafa
Published: December 2015

Background

Early detection of response to treatment is critically important in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). Therefore, the present systematic review and meta‐analysis assessed the value of 18f‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18FDG–PET) on prediction of therapeutic response of GIST patients to systemic treatments.

Methods

The literature search was conducted using PubMed, SCOPUS, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases, and review article references. Eligible articles were defined as studies included confirmed GIST patients who underwent 18FDG–PET as well as assessing the screening role of it.

Results

Finally, 21 relevant articles were included. The analysis showed the pooled sensitivity and specificity of 18FDG–PET in evaluation of response to treatment of GIST patient were 0.90 (95% CI: 0.85–0.94; I2 = 52.59, P = 0.001) and 0.62 (95% CI: 0.49–0.75; I2 = 69.7, P = 0.001), respectively. In addition, the pooled prognostic odds ratio of 18FDG–PET for was 14.99 (95% CI, 6.42–34.99; I2 = 100.0, P < 0.001). The Meta regression showed that sensitivity of 18FDG‐PET was higher if the sample size of study was equal or more than 30 cases (sensitivity = 0.93; 95% CI: 0.89–0.97), when using PET/CT (sensitivity = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.89–0.97), and self‐design criteria (sensitivity = 0.93; 95% CI: 0.87–1.0).

Conclusion

The present meta‐analysis showed 18FDG–PET has a significant value in predicting treatment response in GIST patients.
Pharmacokinetic investigation of sildenafil using positron emission tomography and determination of its effect on cerebrospinal fluid cGMP levels
Authors: Gómez‐Vallejo Vanessa , Ugarte Ana , García‐Barroso Carolina , Cuadrado‐Tejedor Mar , Szczupak Boguslaw , Dopeso‐Reyes Iria G. , Lanciego José L. , García‐Osta Ana , Llop Jordi , Oyarzabal Julen , Franco Rafael
Published: December 2015

Sildenafil (Viagra) is a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), which degrades cyclic guanosine monophosphate to the linear nucleotide. Sildenafil is acutely used in erectile dysfunction and chronically in pulmonary hypertension. Evidence in the last decade shows that sildenafil may have potential as a therapeutic option for Alzheimer's disease or other neurodegenerative disorders. The purpose of this work was to explore whether sildenafil crosses the blood–brain barrier. Pharmacokinetic properties of sildenafil in rodents were investigated using 11C‐radiolabeling followed by in vivo positron emission tomography (PET) and ex vivo tissue dissection and gamma counting. PET results in rats suggest penetration into the central nervous system. Ex vivo data in perfused animals suggest that trapping of [11C]sildenafil within the cerebral vascular endothelium limits accumulation in the central nervous system parenchyma. Peroral sildenafil administration to Macaca fascicularis and subsequent chemical analysis of plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry showed that drug content in the CSF was high enough to achieve PDE5 inhibition, which was also demonstrated by the significant increases in CSF cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels. Central actions of sildenafil include both relaxation of the cerebral vasculature and inhibition of PDE5 in neurons and glia. This central action of sildenafil may underlie its efficacy in neuroprotection models, and may justify the continued search for a PDE5 ligand suitable for PET imaging.

image

Sildenafil interacts with phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) expressed in the endothelium and/or smooth muscle cells of brain vessels and also crosses the blood–brain barrier to interact with PDE5 expressed in brain cells. At therapeutic doses, the concentration of sildenafil in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is high enough to inhibit PDE5 in the neural cells (neurons and glia). In turn, the concentration of cGMP likely increases in parenchymal cells and, as shown in this report, in the CSF.

Read the Editorial Highlight for this article on page 220.

Cover Image for this issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.13302.
Endemic or introduced? Phylogeography of Asparagopsis (Florideophyceae) in Australia reveals multiple introductions and a new mitochondrial lineage
Authors: Andreakis Nikos , Costello Paul , Zanolla Marianela , Saunders Gary W. , Mata Leonardo
Published: December 2015

The red seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis embodies five cryptic mitochondrial lineages (lineage 1–5) introduced worldwide as a consequence of human mediated transport and climate change. We compared globally collected mitochondrial cox2‐3 intergenic spacer sequences with sequences produced from multiple Australian locations and South Korea to identify Asparagopsis lineages and to reveal cryptic introductions. We report A. taxiformis lineage 4 from Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia, and the highly invasive Indo‐Pacific Mediterranean lineage 2 from South Korea and Lord Howe Island, Australia. Phylogeographic analysis showed a clear haplotype and geographic separation between western Australian and Great Barrier Reef (GBR) isolates belonging to the recently described lineage 5. The same lineage, however, was characterized by a substantial genetic and geographic break between the majority of Australian specimens and Asparagopsis collections from South Solitary Island, Southern GBR, Lord Howe Island, Kermadec Islands, Norfolk Island, New Caledonia and French Polynesia. The disjunct geographic distribution and sequence divergence between these two groups supports the recognition of a sixth cryptic A. taxiformis mitochondrial lineage. As climatic changes accelerate the relocation of biota and offer novel niches for colonization, periodic surveys for early detection of cryptic invasive seaweeds will be critical in determining whether eradication or effective containment of the aliens are feasible.
Do Lower Top Marginal Tax Rates Slow the Income Growth of Workers?
Authors: Malloy Liam C.
Published: December 2015

Top marginal tax rates are positively correlated with the pretax income growth of the bottom 90 per cent — those who are not subject to the top rates. To explain this correlation, this paper presents and tests a model in which executives can increase firm profitability by (i) increasing the firm's level of technology and (ii) decreasing labor costs. In the model, higher marginal tax rates may reduce pretax inequality by increasing the average income growth of workers. This hypothesis is tested by examining the effect of top marginal tax rates on (unobserved) relative bargaining power between labor and firms and, therefore, on the income growth of workers in theUSA. Bargaining power, in both the theoretical and the empirical models, is proxied by private‐sector unionization and use of offshore labor resulting in higher imports.
The Fictional Suicides of Mary Wollstonecraft
Authors: Faubert Michelle
Published: December 2015

Suicide conveyed several distinct meanings in the Romantic period – unlike today, when it is most often attributed to mental illness. This meaning also existed in the long eighteenth century, but it was understood more broadly as irrationality and popularized through the emphasis on extreme passion and emotionalism as related to suicide in the literature of sentiment. William Godwin capitalized on this widely recognized and – to some extent – culturally ameliorative significance of suicide by casting his dead wife, Mary Wollstonecraft, as a character in a novel of sensibility when he reported her two suicide attempts in the Memoirs (1798). In doing so, however, Godwin fictionalizes Wollstonecraft's suicide attempts as acts of passion, whereas she explains clearly in her letters that her suicidal desires were utterly rational. Wollstonecraft further explores the concept of rational suicide by presenting it as an act of protest in her fictional works, Mary (1788) and The Wrongs of Woman (1798). In both novellas about the marital enslavement of women, Wollstonecraft draws upon the discourse surrounding slave‐suicide as a logical response to insupportable tyranny and her protagonists' death wishes as willed acts of protest.
Suicide, Romance, and Imperial Rebellion: Sati and the Lucretia Story in Sydney Owenson'sThe Missionary: An Indian Tale
Authors: Reynolds Nicole
Published: December 2015

As Britain expanded its global interests at the turn of the 19th century, reports of ritual suicide such as sati, the Hindu custom of widow burning, registered clashes between colonizing and indigenous value systems. In the metropole, sati scandalized both secular individualist sensibilities and religious communal values, and the British public debated the extent to which East India Company administration should extend to such matters as local religious practices. Focusing on Sydney Owenson's 1811 novel,The Missionary: An Indian Tale,this essay sets the controversy over sati within the broader context of Romantic Britain's deep preoccupation with suicide. In so doing, this essay understands sati not as an isolated phenomenon, or as one unique to the problems of imperial management. Rather, it relates sati to Romantic‐era debates over the rights (and wrongs) of British women, and also to form of political and spiritual defiance associated with the French Revolution. Specifically, by examining the attempted sati of Owenson's protagonist Luxima, a Hindu “prophetess,” as an iteration of the classical Lucretia story, this essay explores the novel's posited links between female chastity, inter‐racial romance, and political community.
A Supplementary Note on Professor Hein's (2013) Version of A Kaleckian Debt Accumulation
Authors: Franke Reiner
Published: December 2015

Within the framework of the Kaleckian baseline model where firms finance investment by equities and debt, this note is concerned with a recent proposal by E. Hein to replace the common concept of a given retention rate with a given dividend rate. Considering in more detail the implications of his additional assumption of constant stock prices, it is revealed that the retained earnings of the firms will then be non‐positive in a long‐run financial equilibrium. It is furthermore shown that another and empirically more plausible assumption on the firms’ equity issuance policy overcomes this deficiency and can also imply numerically acceptable retention rates.
Macrophage Recruitment and Polarization During Collateral Vessel Remodeling in Murine Adipose Tissue
Authors: Seaman Scott A. , Cao Yiqi , Campbell Chris A. , Peirce Shayn M.
Published: December 2015

Objective

During autologous flap transplantation for reconstructive surgeries, plastic surgeons use a surgical pre‐treatment strategy called “flap delay,” which entails ligating a feeding artery into an adipose tissue flap 10–14 days prior to transfer. It is believed that this blood flow alteration leads to vascular remodeling in the flap, resulting in better flap survival following transfer; however, the structural changes in the microvascular network are poorly understood. Here, we evaluate microvascular adaptations within adipose tissue in a murine model of flap delay.

Methods and Results

We used a murine flap delay model in which we ligated an artery supplying the inguinal fat pad. Although the extent of angiogenesis appeared minimal, significant diameter expansion of pre‐existing collateral arterioles was observed. There was a 5‐fold increase in recruitment of CX3CR1+ monocytes to ligated tissue, a threefold increase in CD68+/CD206+ macrophages in ligated tissue, a 40% increase in collateral vessel diameters supplying ligated tissue, and a 6‐fold increase in the number of proliferating cells in ligated tissue.

Conclusions

Our study describes microvascular adaptations in adipose in response to altered blood flow and underscores the importance of macrophages. Our data supports the development of therapies that target macrophages in order to enhance vascular remodeling in flaps.
How fresh is maple syrup? Sugar maple trees mobilize carbon stored several years previously during early springtime sap‐ascent
Authors: Muhr Jan , Messier Christian , Delagrange Sylvain , Trumbore Susan , Xu Xiaomei , Hartmann Henrik
Published: December 2015

While trees store substantial amounts of nonstructural carbon (NSC) for later use, storage regulation and mobilization of stored NSC in long‐lived organisms like trees are still not well understood.

At two different sites with sugar maple (Acer saccharum), we investigated ascending sap (sugar concentration, δ13C, Δ14C) as the mobilized component of stored stem NSC during early springtime. Using the bomb‐spike radiocarbon approach we were able to estimate the average time elapsed since the mobilized carbon (C) was originally fixed from the atmosphere and to infer the turnover time of stem storage.

Sites differed in concentration dynamics and overall δ13C, indicating different growing conditions. The absence of temporal trends for δ13C and Δ14C indicated sugar mobilization from a well‐mixed pool with average Δ14C consistent with a mean turnover time (TT) of three to five years for this pool, with only minor differences between the sites.

Sugar maple trees hence appear well buffered against single or even several years of negative plant C balance from environmental stress such as drought or repeated defoliation by insects. Manipulative investigations (e.g. starvation via girdling) combined with Δ14C measurements of this mobilized storage pool will provide further new insights into tree storage regulation and functioning.
How much do phenotypic plasticity and local genetic variation contribute to phenotypic divergences along environmental gradients in widespread invasive plants? A meta‐analysis
Authors: Liao Huixuan , D'Antonio Carla M. , Chen Baoming , Huang Qiaoqiao , Peng Shaolin
Published: December 2015

For introduced species that have spread across a wide distributional range, phenotypic plasticity (PLA) has often been proposed as an important contributor to invasion success, because it increases the survival rate during initial colonization. In contrast, local genetic variation (LOC) has also been proposed to be important, because it could allow invaders to evolve high performance in a new habitat. While evolutionary ecologists have long been interested in understanding genetic mechanisms that allow rapid colonization and spread of species, until recently experimental tests of these concepts have been limited. As a step towards generalization in our understanding of the importance of PLA and LOC, we review the current state of the literature on this topic using meta‐analysis. Here, we focused on three fundamental questions: 1) which strategy, PLA or LOC, better explains the phenotypic divergences during invader range expansion across different environmental gradients? 2) Which species characteristics correlate with the occurrence of these different phenomena? And 3) does the detection of PLA versus LOC depend on the trait studied? Using meta‐analysis we found that plasticity explained a higher proportion of phenotypic variation regardless of the environmental gradients studied or plant growth forms. PLA predominated in clonal, self‐compatible and perennial species, while LOC predominated in annual species. The patterns were trait‐dependent: LOC was significantly more important than PLA in phenology, while opposite patterns were found in fecundity and biomass allocation. The frequent simultaneous detection of PLA and genotypic variation in PLA among invasive populations suggested that PLA might benefit from LOC to some extent. Our results also indicate that the contribution of plasticity to the competitive advantages of invasive plants may be more informative than the level of plasticity itself.

Synthesis

For invasive plants that spread across a wide distributional range, understanding the mechanisms that allow rapid colonization and spread is crucial. Phenotypic plasticity (PLA) and local genetic variation (LOC) are both believed to play important roles in promoting range expansion. However, it is not clear which mechanism, PLA or LOC, contributes more to this process. According to our meta–analysis, PLA explained a higher proportion of adaptive phenotypic variation in most cases. Nevertheless, the predominance of an expansion mechanism depends on species characteristics and the trait studied. PLA may benefit from LOC to some extent. We suggest that the contribution of PLA to range expansion may better explain plant invasion success than the level of PLA itself.
What causes conspecific plant aggregation? Disentangling the role of dispersal, habitat heterogeneity and plant–plant interactions
Authors: Lara‐Romero Carlos , de la Cruz Marcelino , Escribano‐Ávila Gema , García‐Fernández Alfredo , Iriondo Jose M.
Published: December 2015

Spatial patterns of plant species are determined by an array of ecologica factors including biotic and abiotic environmental constraints and intrinsic species traits. Thus, an observed aggregated pattern may be the result of short‐distance dispersal, the presence of habitat heterogeneity, plant–plant interactions or a combination of the above. Here, we studied the spatial pattern of Mediterranean alpine plant Silene ciliata (Caryophyllaceae) in five populations and assessed the contribution of dispersal, habitat heterogeneity and conspecific plant interactions to observed patterns. For this purpose, we used spatial point pattern analysis combined with specific a priori hypotheses linked to spatial pattern creation. The spatial pattern of S. ciliata recruits was not homogeneous and showed small‐scale aggregation. This is consistent with the species’ short‐distance seed dispersal and the heterogeneous distribution of suitable sites for germination and establishment. Furthermore, the spatial pattern of recruits was independent of the spatial pattern of adults. This suggests a low relevance of adult‐recruits interactions in the spatial pattern creation. The difference in aggregation between recruits and adults suggests that once established, recruits are subjected to self‐thinning. However, seedling mortality did not erase the spatial pattern generated by seed dispersal, as S. ciliata adults were still aggregated. Thus, the spatial aggregation of adults is probably due to seed dispersal limitation and the heterogeneous distribution of suitable sites at seedling establishment rather than the presence of positive plant–plant interactions at the adult stage. In fact, a negative density‐dependent effect of the conspecific neighbourhood was found on adult reproductive performance. Overall, results provide empirical evidence of the lack of a simple and direct relationship between the spatial structure of plant populations and the sign of plant–plant interactions and outline the importance of considering dispersal and habitat heterogeneity when performing spatial analysis assessments.
Broadening the spectrum of photosynthesis in the grass, Alloteropsis semialata
Authors: Reeves Gregory , Hibberd Julian M.
Published: December 2015

This article comments on: Evolutionary implications of C3–C4 intermediates in the grass Alloteropsis semialata
Evaluation of the genes encoding CD39/NTPDase‐1 and CD39L1/NTPDase‐2 in horses with and without abnormal hemorrhage and in horses with pathologic evidence of exercise‐induced pulmonary hemorrhage
Authors: Boudreaux Mary K. , Koehler Jennifer , Habecker Perry L. , Piero Fabio Del
Published: December 2015

Background

Exercise‐induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) is a common disorder of equine athletes. The role of polymorphisms in genes encoding hemostasis‐regulatory proteins in horses with abnormal hemorrhage is unknown.

Objectives

The goal of this study was to evaluate the genes encoding 2 ectonucleotidases, CD39/NTPDase‐1 and CD39L1/NTPDase‐2, and one ecto‐5′ nucleotidase, CD73, in horses with abnormal hemorrhage or pathologic changes consistent with EIPH.

Methods

Twenty‐three horses with histories of abnormal hemorrhage, 8 horses with gastrointestinal signs, and 45 healthy horses were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction‐based techniques. Formalin‐fixed tissues from 21 horses with pathologic changes consistent with EIPH were also evaluated.

Results

Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in the gene encoding CD39 and one SNP was identified in the gene encoding CD39L1. No SNPs were identified in the gene encoding CD73. CD39 SNPs were identified in 19 of 20 (95%) horses with unexplained hemorrhage and 20 of 21 (95%) horses with pathologic features consistent with EIPH. CD39L1 SNPs were identified in 6 of 20 (30%) horses with unexplained hemorrhage and 8 of 21 (38%) horses with pathologic features consistent with EIPH. CD39 and CD39L1 SNPs were identified in 5 of 8 (62.5%) and one of 8 (12.5%) horses, respectively, presenting with colic or weight loss. CD39 and CD39L1 SNPs were identified in 28 of 45 (62%) and 13 of 45 (28.8%) healthy horses, respectively.

Conclusions

CD39 and CD39L1 are critically important in maintaining normal hemostasis and limiting inflammation. Further studies are needed to evaluate their role in the pathogenesis of equine EIPH.
Internal Fixation of Cervical Fractures in Three Horses
Authors: Rossignol Fabrice , Brandenberger Olivier , Mespoulhes‐Rivière Céline
Published: December 2015

Objective

To describe the surgical treatment outcome of cervical fractures in 3 horses.

Study Design

Case report.

Animals

Three client‐owned horses with cervical vertebral fractures.

Methods

Three horses were refered for neck stiffness, pain, and ataxia after a cervical trauma because of a fall. Radiographic examination showed an oblique displaced fracture of the caudal aspect of the body of the second cervical vertebra (C2) in horse 1, an oblique displaced fracture of the caudal aspect of C4 involving the disc between C4 and C5 in horse 2, and a displaced transverse fracture of the body of the axis (C2) extending to the lateral arches and involving the vertebral canal in horse 3. In horse 1, the fracture was reduced and stabilized using a 14‐hole narrow DCP plate, applied ventrally, and fixed with cancellous screws. A cervical fusion was performed. In horses 2 and 3, fracture fixation was performed using a 5‐hole narrow LCP and 5 mm locking screws.

Results

All horses showed improvement and returned to full activity. The fracture healed in all horses.

Conclusion

Internal fixation of cervical fracture in these horses was associated with minimal complications, and was associated with healing and a highly functional outcome in all horses. The LCP was preferred and would be recommended for ventral stabilization of selected cases of vertebral fractures.
Classification of horizontal s
Authors: Robles Colleen
Published: December 2015

We classify the horizontal$\text{SL}(2)$s and$\mathbb{R}$-split polarized mixed Hodge structures on a Mumford–Tate domain.
Inseguridad ciudadana y la evaluación del espacio público de Montes de Oca (Costa Rica)
Authors: Ovares Fallas Verónica , Quirós Loría Jessica
Published: December 2015

El tema de la salud mental debe abordarse tanto desde factores individuales como colectivos, así que es fundamental que la Psicología se enfoque en el entorno donde se desarrollan las personas. En Costa Rica, una de las problemáticas más sobresalientes en los últimos años es la inseguridad ciudadana, la cual, según los planteamientos de este documento, está influenciada por características del espacio público, que tiene una función importante en la promoción de la salud. En el presente artículo, se muestra de manera resumida una investigación realizada con el objetivo de identificar aquellas características físicas y sociales del espacio público del Cantón de Montes de Oca que influyen en la percepción de inseguridad. Para ello se utilizó el Irvine Minnesota Inventory (Boarnet, Day, Alfonzo, Forsyth y Oakes, 2006) que fue adaptado al contexto del estudio y además la Escala de Inseguridad Percibida (Ovares y Quirós, 2013) desarrollada durante la investigación.
Ordenamiento costero metropolitano en Chile: de la expectativa de regulación a la planificación cooptada (1965-2014)
Authors: Hidalgo Rodrigo , Alvarado Voltaire , Volker Pascal , Arenas Federico , Salazar Alejandro
Published: December 2015

Para Chile, un país de amplia diversidad geográfica, los instrumentos de planificación territorial (IPT) son relevantes e imprescindibles. Sin embargo, no basta su existencia; también importan el contexto y el momento de su entrada en vigencia. Esta propuesta revisa la insuficiencia y desactualización del Plan Regulador Intercomunal y del Plan Regulador Metropolitano de Valparaíso, centrales ambos en el desarrollo urbano y su ordenamiento en el borde costero, pero que, al mismo tiempo, han producido situaciones, procesos o externalidades asociadas con la falta de consistencia en los instrumentos indicados. Este trabajo ilustra los principales problemas del área metropolitana de Valparaíso y su relación con el instrumento regulador intercomunal. Se identifican algunas dificultades que deberá abordar el nuevo instrumento de regulación metropolitana de Valparaíso, dados los intereses que convergen en la zona y las dificultades de los actuales mecanismos de participación ciudadana, incluidos los desafíos de sustentabilidad que exige el desarrollo de nuestras ciudades.
Repertorio de formas imaginarias de lidiar con la urbe
Authors: Campos Medina Luis , Rojas Moreno Paulina
Published: December 2015

Mediante el análisis temático de un conjunto de microrrelatos publicados por el concurso literario “Santiago en 100 palabras”, realizado en Santiago de Chile desde 2001, en este artículo abordamos las maneras en que los habitantes de la ciudad hacen frente a la vida urbana contemporánea. La idea de lidiar con la urbe resulta propicia para describir la relación problemática que mantienen los urbanitas con su ciudad y la noción de repertorio posibilita una comprensión de conjunto de las distintas expresiones que esta experiencia adopta. Como conclusión proponemos, primero, que las formas de lidiar con la urbe adoptan tres modos típicos en los microrrelatos. Segundo, que los microrrelatos dejan ver una secuencia causal en la manera como se experimentan subjetivamente los problemas de la vida urbana. Tercero, que la producción de representaciones e imaginarios urbanos adopta una forma agregativa que parece plausible extrapolar a otros ámbitos.
Validez y confiabilidad del instrumento de calidad de vida de Betty Ferrell en español, para personas con enfermedad crónica
Authors: Corredor Parra Lina Rocio , Carrillo González Gloria Mabel
Published: December 2015

Los instrumentos utilizados para evaluar la calidad de vida deben suministrar información real, segura y adecuada. Por ello deben seguir procesos psicométricos de validez y confiabilidad que permitan su uso en el contexto nacional y latinoamericano y evidenciar que miden cuanto pretenden medir y con un alto grado de precisión. Objetivo: Determinar la validez y confiabilidad del instrumento calidad de vida de Betty Ferrell, para personas con enfermedad crónica, en Colombia. Método: Estudio
de abordaje cuantitativo descriptivo de corte transversal metodológico. Participaron 287 personas con enfermedad crónica no transmisible. Se realizó validez de contenido por medio del índice de concordancia de kappa y el índice de validez de contenido y se realiza validez de constructo, así como confiabilidad por consistencia interna mediante
el alfa de Cronbach. Resultados: Se determinó una validez de contenido adecuada con un índice de validez de contenido (IVC) de 0,9, e índice de kappa de 0,61. La consistencia interna por medio del alfa de Cronbach fue de 0,88. Respecto a la validez de constructo, al análisis factorial exploratorio solo 22 de los 41 ítems se explican por el factor subyacente a la dimensión planteada por el autor y se observa discrepancia
en las dimensiones de bienestar psicológico y bienestar social. Conclusiones: El instrumento de calidad de vida de Betty Ferrell para personas con enfermedad crónica es confiable, pues tiene un adecuado índice de validez de contenido para su uso en el contexto local. Se requiere seguir estudiando el constructo, probablemente con la
eliminación de ítems y análisis factorial confirmatorio.