bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of growth factors and steroid hormones on heme oxygenase and cyclin D1 expression in primary astroglial cell cultures
Authors: Bramanti V. , Grasso S. , Tomassoni D. , Traini E. , Raciti G. , Viola M. , Li Volti G. , Campisi A. , Amenta F. , Avola R.
Published: November 2014

Astrocyte activity may be modulated by steroid hormones and GFs. This study investigates the interaction between glucocorticoids or estrogens and GFs on the expression of heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) and cyclin D1 in astrocyte cultures at 14 days treated for 48 or 60 hr with dexamethasone (DEX) or 48 hr with 17β‐estradiol (E2) alone or with GFs added only in the last 12 or 24 hr. Twelve‐ or twenty‐four‐hour epidermal growth factor (EGF) treatment significantly enhanced HO‐1 expression in astrocyte cultures pretreated for 48 hr with DEX. A highly significant increase in HO‐1 expression was obtained after the last‐12‐hr EGF treatment in 48‐hr E2‐pretreated astrocyte cultures; this enhancement was particularly significant in 48‐hr E2‐pretreated cultures as well as in the last‐12‐hr insulin‐treated ones pretreated for 48 hr with E2. Sixty‐hour DEX‐alone pretreatment as well as the last‐12‐hr EGF treatment in 60‐hr DEX‐pretreated astrocyte cultures showed a significant increase of cyclin D1 expression. A significant decrease of cyclin D1 expression in the last‐12‐hr insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐1)‐treated cultures pretreated for 60 hr with DEX was observed. A highly significant enhancement in cyclin D1 expression in 14 days in vitro astrocyte cultures pretreated with E2 alone for 48 hr and treated in the last 12 hr with IGF‐1 in 48‐hr E2‐pretreated cultures was found. Finally, the data highlight an interactive dialogue between the growth factors and glucocorticoids or estrogens during the maturation of astroglial cells in culture that may control the HO‐1 and cyclin D1 expression as well as proliferating astroglial cells during the cell cycle. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of coloured shade‐nets on plant leaf parameters and tomato fruit quality
Authors: Ilić Zoran S , Milenković Lidija , Šunić Ljubomir , Fallik Elazar
Published: November 2014

BACKGROUND

The concept of photo‐selective netting using commercial cultivation practices was studied in a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum ‘Vedetta’) summer cultivation in south Serbia (under high solar radiation 910 W m−2, with a photosynthetic photon flux density of 1661 µmol m−2 s−1), under four different coloured shade‐nets (pearl, red, blue and black) with 40% relative shading. The aim of the study was to determine how different environmental control technologies (coloured shade‐nets as screen house or plastic‐house integrated with coloured shade‐nets) could influence plant parameters, production and quality traits in tomato fruits cultivated in south Serbia (Balkan region).

RESULTS

The leaf area index (LAI) ranged from 4.6 to 5.8 in open field and plastic tunnels plants (control) with maximum LAI values of 7.9–8.2 in net houses with red colour nets. Shade‐grown leaves generally have higher total chlorophyll and carotenoids content than do control leaves. Pericarp thickness was significantly higher tomatoes grown under pearl (7.215.82 µm), red (7099.00 µm) and blue nets (6802.29 µm) compared to other treatments and to control (6202.48 µm). The highest concentration of lycopene was detected in tomatoes grown in plastic houses integrated with red colour nets (64.9 µg g−1 fresh weight). The plastic house and open field (control) tomato production had a taste index mean value of 1.09–1.10. This is significantly higher than the values determined for the treatments with different coloured shade‐nets.

CONCLUSION

These results show that red and pearl photo‐selective nets create optimal growing conditions for the growth of the plant and produce fruits with thicker pericarp, the highest lycopene content, a satisfactory level of taste index and can be further implemented within protected cultivation practices. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Deep neck infections in cervical injection drug users
Authors: Tamir Sharon O. , Marom Tal , Len Assaf , Gluck Ofer , Goldfarb Abraham , Roth Yehudah
Published: November 2014

Objectives/Hypothesis

To characterize deep neck infections (DNI) in adult intravenous drug users (IDUs) who injected illicit substances to their neck, in comparison to DNI in non‐IDUs.

Study Design

Retrospective, cohort study.

Methods

Data were retrieved from medical charts of adult DNI patients in a secondary hospital during 2000–2013. Clinical, radiologic, and microbial data were extracted and tabulated following categorization into 2 patient groups: IDUs and non‐IDUs.

Results

Of the 136 patients identified with DNI, 20 (15%) were IDUs; of them 80% were males. IDUs were significantly younger than non‐IDUs (mean age, 35 ± 10 vs. 44 ± 16 years, P = .01). All IDUs had multiple comorbidities. IDUs presented for medical examination and hospitalization later in the course of their disease, and the most common involved neck spaces were consistent with areas where cervical injections are commonly performed. Abscess formation was more common in IDUs than non‐IDUs (16 [80%] vs. 79 [68%], respectively, P = .04). Despite later presentation of IDUs and their higher rate of comorbidities, laboratory data, microbiology cultures, and disease course were similar to non‐IDUs.

Conclusions

Although IDU and non‐IDU differ in DNI presentation, both groups had good outcomes. DNI in IDUs frequently evolved into abscesses, and most were found in the anterior triangle deep to sternocleidomastoid (SCM), posterior triangle, and anterior triangle superficial to SCM, in concordance with the injection sites.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 125:1336–1339, 2015
Cholesteatoma risk in 8,593 orofacial cleft cases and 6,989 siblings: A nationwide study
Authors: Djurhuus Bjarki D. , Skytthe Axel , Faber Christian E. , Christensen Kaare
Published: November 2014

Objectives/Hypothesis

To estimate the risk of surgically treated middle ear cholesteatoma in individuals with a nonsyndromic orofacial cleft and in their siblings compared with the general population.

Study Design

Historical cohort study.

Methods

Using the unique civil registration number for linkage, data from three national registers were used for the Danish 1936–2009 birth cohorts. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated with Cox regression analyses using age as the underlying time variable. Individuals were followed from January 1, 1977 until time of surgically treated cholesteatoma, and censored at emigration, death, or end of follow‐up (December 31, 2010).

Results

A total of 8,593 individuals with nonsyndromic orofacial cleft and 6,989 siblings were identified, undergoing 201 and 21 first‐time cholesteatoma surgeries, respectively. A 5% random sample of the Danish population comprising 249,708 persons without an orofacial cleft was created, and 175,724 siblings to these persons were identified. These controls underwent 485 and 332 first‐time cholesteatoma surgeries, respectively. For individuals with cleft lip and palate the HR for cholesteatoma surgery was 14 (95% confidence interval [CI], 12–18) and for individuals with cleft palate the HR was 20 (95% CI, 16–24) when compared with the random sample. In siblings of individuals with cleft palate, the HR for cholesteatoma surgery was 2.1 (95% CI, 1.1–4.1) when compared with siblings of the random sample.

Conclusions

A 20‐fold increase in the risk of cholesteatoma was found in individuals with cleft palate, whereas cleft lip did not pose a risk of cholesteatoma. Furthermore, the study indicates an increased risk of cholesteatoma in unaffected siblings of individuals with cleft palate.

Level of Evidence

2bLaryngoscope, 125:1225–1229, 2015
Ultrasound‐based diagnosis for the cervical lymph nodes in a tuberculosis‐endemic area
Authors: Moon In S. , Kim Dong W. , Baek Hye J.
Published: November 2014

Objectives/Hypothesis

No previous ultrasound (US) studies have investigated the diagnostic accuracy of specific US‐based diagnostic protocol for cervical lymph node (LN) lesions in a tuberculosis‐endemic area. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of US‐based diagnosis of cervical LNs in a tuberculosis‐endemic area.

Study Design

This was a retrospective cohort study.

Methods

We enrolled 495 consecutive patients who underwent US examination of the LNs in the neck. A single radiologist carried out the US examination, and established a US‐based diagnosis at the time of the examination in each of the patients. We calculated the diagnostic accuracy of US for LNs in the neck by using the final results as a reference standard.

Results

Of 476 study cases, the number of tuberculous, nontuberculous benign, malignant, and indeterminate US category cases was 74, 224, 152, and 26, respectively. Confirmed diagnoses in these cases were as follow: tuberculous LN (n = 69), nontuberculous benign LN (n = 249), and malignant LN (n = 158). The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of tuberculous, malignant, and nontuberculous benign US categories were 90.9%, 96.4%, 81.1%, 98.4%, and 95.6%; 92.8%, 96.6%, 93.4%, 96.3%, and 95.3%; and 92.2%, 95.0%, 95.1%, 92.0%, and 93.6%, respectively. All US categories showed a high sensitivity and specificity.

Conclusions

The present US‐based diagnostic protocol for cervical LNs in a tuberculosis‐endemic area may be useful.

Level of Evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 125:1113–1117, 2015
How is Desertification Research Addressed in Spain? Land Versus Soil Approaches
Authors: Barbero‐Sierra Celia , Marques Maria Jose , Ruiz‐Pérez Manuel , Escadafal Richard , Exbrayat Williams
Published: November 2014

This study intends to understand how desertification research is organised in Spain. We assume that a strong communication between scientific knowledge and stakeholders is needed to slow down and reverse the impacts of land degradation on drylands. With this purpose, we conducted an in‐depth study at a national level in Spain. The work focused on a sample of published references on desertification in scientific journals indexed in the Web of Science (WoS). The keywords were related to ‘desertification’, ‘drylands’, ‘land’, ‘soil’, ‘development’ and ‘Spain’. Multivariate analysis, bibliometric techniques and network analysis were used in order to (i) identify research categories and their temporal evolution throughout the period under consideration (1989–2012), (ii) determine if there were different approaches amongst different regions affected by desertification in Spain, (iii) establish the relationships between research categories, (iv) characterise types of co‐authorship and (v) map out the Spanish network on the science of desertification. Erosion‐soil degradation and soil analysis are the most important research categories, whereas climatic issues are subsidiary and quite isolated from the rest of topics. Very few articles consider ‘desertification’ as the main theme. Socio‐economic issues have scant links with the core of biophysical science. The Spanish network on the science of desertification shows a low density. Moreover, the relationships between universities/research centres with other stakeholders are marginal. This is not the best scenario for transforming scientific knowledge into practical tools for policy makers and land users. Knowledge transfer should be a priority for national desertification programmes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Clinical markers for identifying cholinergic deficits in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Müller Martijn L.T.M. , Bohnen Nicolaas I. , Kotagal Vikas , Scott Peter J.H. , Koeppe Robert A. , Frey Kirk A. , Albin Roger L.
Published: November 2014

Background

Cholinergic projection systems degeneration is associated with dopamine nonresponsive features of Parkinson's disease (PD). Cholinergic deficits are variable in nondemented PD. Identification of cholinergic deficits in PD may help with selection of suitable patients for targeted cholinergic drug treatment in PD. The objective of this retrospective multivariate predictor analysis study was to identify clinical markers indicative of cholinergic deficits in PD patients, as assessed by acetylcholinesterase ([11C]PMP) positron emission tomography.

Methods

One hundred thirty‐seven PD patients (34 female) participated; median modified Hoehn and Yahr score was 2.5 (range, 1‐4), average age 65.6 ± 7.4 years, and average duration of motor disease symptoms of 6.0 ± 4.2 years. Subjects were dichotomized as “normocholinergic” or “hypocholinergic” based on a 5th percentile cutoff from normal for the basal forebrain‐cortical and pedunculopontine nucleus‐thalamic cholinergic projection systems. Previously identified clinical indices of cholinergic denervation were used for statistical prediction of cholinergic deficits. Logistic regression determined which risk factors predicted cholinergic deficits. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were determined for the (combinations of) significant predictor variables.

Results

Forty‐nine (35.8%) hypocholinergic PD subjects were identified. The combination of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) symptoms and fall history showed highest diagnostic accuracy (81.1%) for predicting combined thalamic and cortical cholinergic deficits. A combined assessment of 8.5 m walk time and lower score on the Montreal cognitive assessment scale provided diagnostic accuracy of 80.7% for predicting isolated cortical cholinergic denervation.

Conclusion

Assessment of clinical indices of cholinergic denervation may be useful for identifying suitable subjects for trials of targeted cholinergic drug treatments in PD. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
DNAJC13 genetic variants in parkinsonism
Authors: Gustavsson Emil K. , Trinh Joanne , Guella Ilaria , Vilariño‐Güell Carles , Appel‐Cresswell Silke , Stoessl A. Jon , Tsui Joseph K , McKeown Martin , Rajput Alex , Rajput Ali H. , Aasly Jan O. , Farrer Matthew J.
Published: November 2014

Background

A novel mutation (p.N855S) in DNAJC13 has been linked to familial, late‐onset Lewy body parkinsonism in a Dutch–German–Russian Mennonite multi‐incident kindred.

Methods

DNAJC13 was sequenced in 201 patients with parkinsonism and 194 controls from Canada. Rare (minor allele frequency < 0.01) missense variants identified in patients were genotyped in two Parkinson's disease case–controls cohorts.

Results

Eighteen rare missense mutations were identified; four were observed in controls, three were observed in both patients and controls, and eleven were identified only in patients. Subsequent genotyping showed p.E1740Q and p.L2170W to be more frequent in patients, and p.R1516H being more frequent in controls. Additionally, p.P336A, p.V722L, p.N855S, p.R1266Q were seen in one patient each, and p.T1895M was found in two patients.

Conclusion

Although the contribution of rare genetic variation in DNAJC13 to parkinsonisms remains to be further elucidated, this study suggests that, in addition to p.N855S, other rare variants might affect disease susceptibility. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
The relationship between obsessive‐compulsive symptoms and PARKIN genotype: The CORE‐PD study
Authors: Sharp Madeleine E. , Caccappolo Elise , Mejia‐Santana Helen , Tang Ming‐X. , Rosado Llency , Orbe Reilly Martha , Ruiz Diana , Louis Elan D. , Comella Cynthia , Nance Martha , Bressman Susan , Scott William K. , Tanner Caroline , Waters Cheryl , Fahn Stanley , Cote Lucien , Ford Blair , Rezak Michael , Novak Kevin , Friedman Joseph H. , Pfeiffer Ronald , Payami Haydeh , Molho Eric , Factor Stuart A. , Nutt John , Serrano Carmen , Arroyo Maritza , Pauciulo Michael W. , Nichols William C. , Clark Lorraine N. , Alcalay Roy N. , Marder Karen S.
Published: November 2014

Background

Few studies have systematically investigated the association between PARKIN genotype and psychiatric co‐morbidities of Parkison's disease (PD). PARKIN‐associated PD is characterized by severe nigral dopaminergic neuronal loss, a finding that may have implications for behaviors rooted in dopaminergic circuits such as obsessive‐compulsive symptoms (OCS).

Methods

The Schedule of Compulsions and Obsessions Patient Inventory (SCOPI) was administered to 104 patients with early‐onset PD and 257 asymptomatic first‐degree relatives. Carriers of one and two PARKIN mutations were compared with noncarriers.

Results

Among patients, carriers scored lower than noncarriers in adjusted models (one‐mutation: 13.9 point difference, P = 0.03; two‐mutation: 24.1, P = 0.001), where lower scores indicate less OCS. Among asymptomatic relatives, a trend toward the opposite was seen: mutation carriers scored higher than noncarriers (one mutation, P = 0.05; two mutations, P = 0.13).

Conclusions

First, a significant association was found between PARKIN mutation status and obsessive‐compulsive symptom level in both PD and asymptomatic patients, suggesting that OCS might represent an early non‐motor dopamine‐dependent feature. Second, irrespective of disease status, heterozygotes were significantly different from noncarriers, suggesting that PARKIN heterozygosity may contribute to phenotype. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Halogen and Hydrogen Bonding Benzothiophene Diol Derivatives: A Study Using ab initio Calculations and X‐Ray Crystal Structure Measurements
Authors: Cadoni Enzo , Ferino Giulio , Pitzanti Patrizia , Secci Francesco , Fattuoni Claudia , Nicolò Francesco , Bruno Giuseppe
Published: November 2014

The aim of this study is to describe and compare the supramolecular interactions, in the solid state, of chloro‐, bromo‐, and iodobenzothiophene diols. The compounds were obtained through organo‐catalyzed reactions starting from 3‐substituted halobenzothiophene carbaldehydes. Energies of the noncovalent interactions were obtained by density functional theory calculations. Bond distances and angles were found to be in accordance with those determined by X‐ray structure analysis. anti‐Bromobenzothiophene derivatives showed strong halogen⋅⋅⋅π interactions between bromine and the heterocyclic phenyl ring, corresponding to an energy of 7.5 kcal mol−1. syn‐Bromo and syn‐iodo derivatives appeared to be isostructural, showing X⋅⋅⋅O (carbonyl) interactions, π stacking, and formation of extended hydrogen bonding networks. In contrast, the chloro derivatives displayed no halogen bonding interactions.
Comparative effectiveness of [18F]‐fluorocholine PET‐CT and pelvic MRI with diffusion‐weighted imaging for staging in patients with high‐risk prostate cancer
Authors: Pinaquy Jean‐Baptiste , De Clermont‐Galleran Henri , Pasticier Gilles , Rigou Gerald , Alberti Nicolas , Hindie Elif , Mokrane Yacoub , Fernandez Philippe
Published: November 2014

BACKGROUND

Accurate staging is important before surgical decision in patients with high‐risk prostate cancer (PCa). The purpose of this study was to prospectively compare the diagnostic performance of 18F‐FCholine and MRI with diffusion weighted imaging (DWIMRI) for local and regional lymph node (LN) staging before radical prostatectomy (RP) with extended pelvic lymphadenectomy (PLND).

METHODS

We identified 47 patients who underwent 18F‐FCholine and DWIMRI followed by surgical treatment (either prostatectomy or LN dissection or an association of prostatectomy and LN dissection) between May 2010 and December 2012 at Bordeaux University Hospital. These patients were part of a prospective study (EudraCT number 2009‐014839‐21) evaluating the interest of 18F‐FCholine in staging of high‐risk PCa. Diagnostic performances were retrospectively determined for each of 18F‐FCholine and DWIMRI considering LN invasion, each of prostate sextants, capsular invasion and extension to seminal vesicles. 18F‐FCholine and MR findings were correlated with histological findings.

RESULTS

In a region‐based LN analysis, the sensitivity and positive predictive value specificity were respectively, 56% and 98% for 18F‐Choline, and 17% and 97% for DWIMRI. In a patient‐based analysis the sensitivity and positive predictive value were respectively 78% and 94% for 18F‐Choline and 33% and 84% for DWIMRI (P = 0.015). For tumor staging, DWIMRI showed better performances with a better specificity (69%) for sextants analysis and sensitivity to detect seminal vesicle invasion (73% vs. 36%).

CONCLUSIONS

18F‐FCholine imaging appears to provide helpful additional information in the staging of high‐risk PCa. It appears essential for predicting LN status due to its higher sensitivity and specificity for LN involvement. However, despite excellent performance, it cannot replace MRI that remains better for tumoral localization and local evaluation, especially for seminal vesicle invasion.

PATIENT SUMMARY

This study highlights the interest of 18F‐Choline in the staging of high risk prostate cancer in addition with DWI MRI, especially so in the evaluation of lymph node involvement due to its high sensitivity and excellent specificity. Prostate 75:323–331, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Human α‐amino‐β‐carboxymuconate‐ε‐semialdehyde decarboxylase (ACMSD): A structural and mechanistic unveiling
Authors: Huo Lu , Liu Fange , Iwaki Hiroaki , Li Tingfeng , Hasegawa Yoshie , Liu Aimin
Published: November 2014

Human α‐amino‐β‐carboxymuconate‐ε‐semialdehyde decarboxylase determines the fate of tryptophan metabolites in the kynurenine pathway by controlling the quinolinate levels for de novo nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide biosynthesis. The unstable nature of its substrate has made gaining insight into its reaction mechanism difficult. Our electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic study on the Cu‐substituted human enzyme suggests that the native substrate does not directly ligate to the metal ion. Substrate binding did not result in a change of either the hyperfine structure or the super‐hyperfine structure of the EPR spectrum. We also determined the crystal structure of the human enzyme in its native catalytically active state (at 1.99 Å resolution), a substrate analogue‐bound form (2.50 Å resolution), and a selected active site mutant form with one of the putative substrate binding residues altered (2.32 Å resolution). These structures illustrate that each asymmetric unit contains three pairs of dimers. Consistent with the EPR findings, the ligand‐bound complex structure shows that the substrate analogue does not directly coordinate to the metal ion but is bound to the active site by two arginine residues through noncovalent interactions. Proteins 2015; 83:178–187. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Resistance changes of carbon nanotubes decorated with platinum nanoparticles in the presence of hydrogen at different and constant concentrations
Authors: Dobrzańska‐Danikiewicz Anna D. , Łukowiec Dariusz , Pawlyta Mirosława , Gaweł Tomasz , Procek Marcin
Published: November 2014

This work presents the outcome of research into the structure and resistance changes of composites containing carbon nanotubes (CNT) coated with platinum nanoparticles. High‐quality CNTs obtained in the chemical vapor deposition process (100–200 μm long, 10–20 nm in diameter) were employed in the research. Raw CNTs did not contain metallic impurities or amorphous carbon deposits. An indirect method of bonding the earlier produced platinum nanoparticles to the surface of functionalized CNTs was applied to deposit platinum nanoparticles onto the surface of CNTs. A surface of CNTs with uniformly distributed platinum nanoparticles was achieved as a result of the experiments undertaken. Investigations into the structure and morphology of the materials obtained were carried out with transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy methods, and the X‐ray structure analysis was used to identify the phase composition of the fabricated nanocomposites. The studies of changes in resistance were carried out with a constant and variable concentration of H2 in the atmosphere of synthetic air. The goal of the research was the multifaceted characterization of the nanomaterials produced and to identify the response of the CNTs–platinum system to hydrogen in the atmosphere of synthetic air.
The effect of different dopants on the performance of SnO2‐based dye‐sensitized solar cells
Authors: Jim Wai Yan , Liu Xiang , Yiu Wai Kin , Leung Yu Hang , Djurišić Aleksandra B. , Chan Wai Kin , Liao Changzhong , Shih Kaimin , Surya Charles
Published: November 2014

Tin oxide is a promising candidate for the replacement of titanium dioxide in dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), due to its excellent electron transport properties. The performance of TiO2‐based DSSCs can be improved either by modifying the morphology of SnO2 nanostructures, or by doping. Here, we investigate the influence of different dopants (Mg, Zn, and Ag) to SnO2 anode on the DSSC performance. We found that the addition of the dopant affects not only the electron lifetime, but also the dye adsorption as well. The best performance was obtained for zinc doped SnO2 anodes, with the power conversion efficiency of 3.4%.
Application of the Mössbauer effect to the study of opto‐acoustic phenomena
Authors: Vagizov F. , Shakhmuratov R. , Sadykov E.
Published: November 2014

We present the results of the proof of principle experiment on the observation of the acoustic oscillations induced by the pulsed laser excitation. Time domain spectra agree well with the model of the frequency modulation of Mössbauer radiation passing through a vibrating resonance medium. The ratio of the fourth and second Fourier harmonics of the modulated radiation is suggested to measure the modulation index since this ratio is very sensitive to the amplitude of nuclear vibrations. The proposed methodology may be used for the study of opto‐acoustic phenomena.
Natural Flow Regimes of the Ozark–Ouachita Interior Highlands Region
Authors: Leasure D. R. , Magoulick D. D. , Longing S. D.
Published: November 2014

Natural flow regimes represent the hydrologic conditions to which native aquatic organisms are best adapted. We completed a regional river classification and quantitative descriptions of each natural flow regime for the Ozark–Ouachita Interior Highlands region of Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. On the basis of daily flow records from 64 reference streams, seven natural flow regimes were identified with mixture model cluster analysis: Groundwater Stable, Groundwater, Groundwater Flashy, Perennial Runoff, Runoff Flashy, Intermittent Runoff and Intermittent Flashy. Sets of flow metrics were selected that best quantified nine ecologically important components of these natural flow regimes. An uncertainty analysis was performed to avoid selecting metrics strongly affected by measurement uncertainty that can result from short periods of record. Measurement uncertainties (bias, precision and accuracy) were assessed for 170 commonly used flow metrics. The ranges of variability expected for select flow metrics under natural conditions were quantified for each flow regime to provide a reference for future assessments of hydrologic alteration. A random forest model was used to predict the natural flow regimes of all stream segments in the study area based on climate and catchment characteristics, and a map was produced. The geographic distribution of flow regimes suggested distinct ecohydrological regions that may be useful for conservation planning. This project provides a hydrologic foundation for future examination of flow–ecology relationships in the region. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
An omnibus test for several hazard alternatives in prevention randomized controlled clinical trials
Authors: Garès Valérie , Andrieu Sandrine , Dupuy Jean‐François , Savy Nicolas
Published: November 2014

The logrank test is optimal for testing the equality of survival distributions against a proportional hazards alternative. Under a late effects alternative, it is no longer appropriate, and one may turn to Fleming–Harrington's class of weighted logrank tests instead. In some settings, such as in preventive clinical trials where the statistical analysis has to be designed before the trial begins, it can be difficult to choosea prioribetween the logrank and Fleming–Harrington tests. A solution to this issue is provided. A decision rule is constructed for the problem of testing the equality of two survival distributions when the expected alternative may be one of the proportional hazards and late effects. A formula for computing the necessary sample size is obtained for this decision rule. A comprehensive simulation study is conducted to assess finite sample properties of the proposed test statistic. The proposed test improves both the logrank test and Fleming–Harrington's test for late effects. Finally, the methodology is illustrated on a data set in the field of prevention of Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
International trends in public perceptions of climate change over the past quarter century
Authors: Capstick Stuart , Whitmarsh Lorraine , Poortinga Wouter , Pidgeon Nick , Upham Paul
Published: November 2014

Public perceptions of climate change are known to differ between nations and to have fluctuated over time. Numerous plausible characterizations of these variations, and explanations for them, are to be found in the literature. However, a clear picture has not yet emerged as to the principal trends and patterns that have occurred over the past quarter‐century or the factors behind these changes. This systematic review considers previous empirical research that has addressed the temporal aspects to public perceptions. We address findings that have been obtained since the 1980s and using a range of methodologies. In this review, we consider early, seminal work examining public perceptions; survey studies carried out over long timescales and at an international scale; detailed statistical analyses of the drivers of changing perceptions; and qualitative research featuring a longitudinal component. Studies point to growing skepticism in the latter 2000s in some developed countries, underpinned by economic and sociopolitical factors. Even so, in many parts of the world, there has been growing concern about climate change in recent years. We conclude that the imbalance in the literature toward polling data, and toward studies of public perceptions in Western nations (particularly the United States), leaves much unknown about the progression of public understanding of climate change worldwide. More research is required that uses inferential statistical procedures to understand the reasons behind trends in public perceptions. The application of qualitative longitudinal methodologies also offers the potential for better appreciation of the cultural contexts in which climate change perceptions are evolving. WIREs Clim Change 2015, 6:35–61. doi: 10.1002/wcc.321

This article is categorized under:

Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Communication

Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Knowledge and Practice
The sociology of global climate change
Authors: Zehr Stephen
Published: November 2014

Sociological research on global climate change (GCC) can be found in several subfields, but it has primarily emerged within the theoretical and substantive domain of sociology of the environment. This review provides an overview of sociological literature on climate change and identifies key areas for further research and development. The review focuses on four broad areas: social causes, construction of the problem, relationship between GCC and social inequality, and social dimensions of mitigation and adaptation. WIREs Clim Change 2015, 6:129–150. doi: 10.1002/wcc.328

This article is categorized under:

Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Sociology/Anthropology of Climate Knowledge
Endoscopic Transphenoidal Surgery for Acromegaly Improves Quality of Life
Authors: Fathalla Hussein , Cusimano Michael D. , Alsharif Omar M. , Jing Rowan
Published: November 2014

Background

Acromegaly has important effects on quality of life (QOL). This is the first study to measure QOL in acromegalic patients after endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (ETSS).

Methods

We prospectively collected the RAND-36, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D), and Pituitary QOL validated questionnaires and patients’ demographics, clinical presentation, endocrine laboratory results, radiological studies, development of complications and remission rates from 20 consecutive acromegalic patients who had undergone endoscopic transphenoidal surgery.

Results

The eleven females and nine males had an average age of 42 years; 90 percent had macroadenomas and 70% had cavernous sinus invasion on their preoperative imaging. Ninety percent had improved symptoms post-operatively and 80% stated that treatment improved their QOL. Biochemically, 35% were cured, 35% had discordant results and 30% were not cured, while pan-hypopituitarism occurred in 4 patients. Physical health subscales and pituitary-related symptoms were similar to norms. “Social,” “emotional health,” and “energy levels” were significantly lower than norms. Seventy percent stated that their relationship with their physician “very much so” affected their quality of life. Pan hypopituitarism and adjuvant therapy were the most significant predictors of lower QOL subscale scores.

Conclusion

Transsphenoidal surgery improves QOL in acromegaly. Attempts to achieve a cure, avoidance of surgically induced pan-hypotpituitarism and adjuvant therapy, will improve quality of life. Our study demonstrates the important role of the patient-physician relationship to QOL and the need to measure QOL in addition to the traditional measures of outcome.
Ergodic currents dual to a real tree
Authors: COULBOIS THIERRY , HILION ARNAUD
Published: November 2014

Let $T$ be an $\mathbb{R}$-tree with dense orbits in the boundary of outer space. When the free group $\mathbb{F}_{N}$ acts freely on $T$, we prove that the number of projective classes of ergodic currents dual to $T$ is bounded above by $3N-5$. We combine Rips induction and splitting induction to define unfolding induction for such an $\mathbb{R}$-tree $T$. Given a current ${\it\mu}$ dual to $T$, the unfolding induction produces a sequence of approximations converging towards ${\it\mu}$. We also give a unique ergodicity criterion.
Stabilizing action of pressure in homogeneous compressible shear flows: effect of Mach number and perturbation obliqueness
Authors: Kumar G. , Bertsch Rebecca L. , Girimaji Sharath S.
Published: November 2014

Compressibility exerts a stabilizing influence on a variety of high-speed shear flows such as turbulent mixing layers, transitioning boundary layers and homogeneously sheared turbulence. An important stabilizing feature that is common amongst all shear flows is the velocity–pressure interaction dynamics. In this study, velocity–pressure interactions of individual perturbation or fluctuation modes are investigated using direct numerical simulations and linear analysis in high-Mach-number homogeneous shear flow. For a given perturbation wave mode, the action of pressure is shown to depend on two important factors: the orientation of the perturbation wavevector with respect to the shear plane and the Mach number. It is shown that the streamwise perturbation wave mode rapidly develops a high level of kinetic energy but is self-limiting owing to the action of pressure. On the other hand, the energy of spanwise perturbation wave modes grows unaffected by pressure or Mach number. Oblique modes combine spanwise and streamwise characteristics and are shown to be chiefly responsible for stabilizing effects seen in shear flows. Three regimes of obliqueness of different linear stability characteristics are identified. The critical role of perturbation obliqueness on stabilization is established.
CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL ECONOMY AND THE PROBLEM OF COLONIAL SLAVERY, 1823–1833
Authors: TAYLOR MICHAEL
Published: November 2014

Anna Gambles'sProtection and politics(1999) established the existence of a sophisticated and pervasive conservative economic discourse in Britain in the decades before Repeal. This article argues that the imperial aspect of that discourse – comprising ideals of imperial economic integration, imperial preference, and British navigational prowess – has been mistakenly understood as a response to ‘the imperialism of free trade'. In fact, these ideals were evolved primarily as the intellectual response of the West Indian lobby to the Anti-Slavery Society's campaign for the emancipation of British colonial slaves. Emancipation was regarded as a prospective economic disaster for the British plantation system and so the years after 1823 witnessed the vigorous and sophisticated defence of West Indian slavery by rhetorical and discursive means traditionally ascribed the label of ‘conservative economics'. This article argues that the imperial economic discourse hitherto considered ‘conservative’ should more properly be recognized as ‘pro-slavery’, something underscored by the pro-slavery sympathies of the writers credited with the articulation of this discourse, and by the almost exclusive relevance of its arguments to West Indian, as opposed to other colonial possessions.
THE MAKING OF THE EARLY MODERN BRITISH FAIRY TRADITION
Authors: HUTTON RONALD
Published: November 2014

This review is intended to examine the development of representations of elves and fairies in British culture between the twelfth and the seventeenth centuries. It will argue that a very clear two-stage evolution in those representations can be found in literary sources, from an inchoate range found in different kinds of text, with no apparent collective identity, to a coherent sense of a kingdom, to which the common word ‘fairy’ could be applied, to an intense interest in, and discussion of, the nature of fairies. The first development occurred in the late middle ages, and the second after the Reformation, and both were pan-British phenomena. These literary changes were, moreover, paralleled at each stage, and perhaps responsible for, changes in perception in culture at large. The alterations in representations of these non-human beings, with no clear status in Christian theology, may have wider implications for an understanding of late medieval and early modern cultural history.
TEN RILLINGTON PLACE AND THE CHANGING POLITICS OF ABORTION IN MODERN BRITAIN
Authors: JONES EMMA L. , PEMBERTON NEIL
Published: November 2014

This article addresses the social, cultural, and political history of backstreet abortion in post-war Britain, focusing on the murders of Beryl Evans and her daughter Geraldine, at Ten Rillington Place in 1949. It shows how the commonplace connection of John Christie to abortion and Beryl Evan's death was not a given in the wider public, legal, political, and forensic imagination of the time, reflecting the multi-layered and shifting meanings of abortion from the date of the original trials in the late 1940s and 1950s, through the subsequent judicial and literary reinvestigations of the case in the 1960s, to its cinematic interpretation in the 1970s. Exploring the language of abortion used in these different contexts, the article reveals changes in the gendering of abortionists, the increasing power and presence of abortion activists and other social reformers, the changing representation of working-class women and men, and the increasing critique of the practice of backstreet abortion. The case is also made for a kind of societal blind spot on abortion at the time of both the Evans and Christie trials; in particular, a reluctance to come to terms with the concept of the male abortionist, which distorted the criminal investigations and the trials themselves. Only when public acceptance for legalizing abortion grew in the more liberal climate of the 1960s and beyond did a revisionist understanding of the murder of Beryl Evans, in which abortion came to be positioned as a central element, gain a sustained hearing.
Role of virtual bronchoscopy in children with a vegetable foreign body in the tracheobronchial tree
Authors: Behera G , Tripathy N , Maru Y K , Mundra R K , Gupta Y , Lodha M
Published: November 2014

Objectives:

Multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy is a non-invasive diagnostic tool which provides a three-dimensional view of the tracheobronchial airway. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of virtual bronchoscopy in cases of vegetable foreign body aspiration in children.

Methods:

The medical records of patients with a history of foreign body aspiration from August 2006 to August 2010 were reviewed. Data were collected regarding their clinical presentation and chest X-ray, virtual bronchoscopy and rigid bronchoscopy findings. Cases of metallic and other non-vegetable foreign bodies were excluded from the analysis. Patients with multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy showing features of vegetable foreign body were included in the analysis. For each patient, virtual bronchoscopy findings were reviewed and compared with those of rigid bronchoscopy.

Results:

A total of 60 patients; all children ranging from 1 month to 8 years of age, were included. The mean age at presentation was 2.01 years. Rigid bronchoscopy confirmed the results of multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy (i.e. presence of foreign body, site of lodgement, and size and shape) in 59 patients. In the remaining case, a vegetable foreign body identified by virtual bronchoscopy was revealed by rigid bronchoscopy to be a thick mucus plug. Thus, the positive predictive value of virtual bronchoscopy was 98.3 per cent.

Conclusion:

Multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy is a sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for identifying radiolucent vegetable foreign bodies in the tracheobronchial tree. It can also provide a useful pre-operative road map for rigid bronchoscopy. Patients suspected of having an airway foreign body or chronic unexplained respiratory symptoms should undergo multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy to rule out a vegetable foreign body in the tracheobronchial tree and avoid general anaesthesia and invasive rigid bronchoscopy.
Evaluation of the effect of nasal dorsal skin cooling on nasal mucosa by acoustic rhinometry
Authors: Ozturk M , Mutlu F , Kara A , Derin S , Topdag M
Published: November 2014

Background:

The use of cold nasal packs on the nose and nape of the neck is currently recommended for patients with epistaxis as this is thought to induce reflex nasal vasoconstriction, which decreases the bleeding. There have been a few investigations on the effect of cold compress application to the nose, but none of these focused specifically on nasal cooling of the skin of the nose.

Methods:

Acoustic rhinometry was performed to obtain baseline measurements. Nasal dorsal skin was then cooled with two ice packs that were held on the left and right side of the nose for a total of 10 minutes by the subjects. The rhinometry measurements were taken at the time of initial application (baseline), and after 5 and 10 minutes of ice pack application.

Results:

Comparisons of the first and second minimal cross-sectional area values, and total nasal cavity volume measurements revealed no statistical differences.

Conclusion:

The results of this study indicate that one should be sceptical about the efficiency of cold compress application, which is frequently used in clinical practice in cases with epistaxis.
Association between phthalates and externalizing behaviors and cortical thickness in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Park S. , Lee J.-M. , Kim J.-W. , Cheong J. H. , Yun H. J. , Hong Y.-C. , Kim Y. , Han D. H. , Yoo H.J. , Shin M.-S. , Cho S.-C. , Kim B.-N.
Published: November 2014

Background.

Previous studies have implicated the relationship between environmental phthalate exposure and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms of childhood, but no studies have been conducted in children who have a confirmed diagnosis of ADHD obtained through meticulous diagnostic testing. We aimed to determine whether phthalate metabolites in urine would be higher in children with ADHD than in those without ADHD and would correlate with symptom severity and cortical thickness in ADHD children.

Method.

A cross-sectional examination of urine phthalate metabolite concentrations was performed; scores for ADHD symptoms, externalizing problems, and continuous performance tests were obtained from 180 children with ADHD, and brain-imaging data were obtained from 115 participants. For the control group, children without ADHD (N = 438) were recruited. Correlations between phthalate metabolite concentrations and clinical measures and brain cortical thickness were investigated.

Results.

Concentrations of phthalate metabolites, particularly the di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) metabolite, were significantly higher in boys with ADHD than in boys without ADHD. Concentrations of the di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) metabolite were significantly higher in the combined or hyperactive-impulsive subtypes compared to the inattentive subtype, and the metabolite was positively correlated with the severity of externalizing symptoms. Concentrations of the DEHP metabolite were negatively correlated with cortical thickness in the right middle and superior temporal gyri.

Conclusions.

The results of this study suggest an association between phthalate concentrations and both the diagnosis and symptom severity of ADHD. Imaging findings suggest a negative impact of phthalates on regional cortical maturation in children with ADHD.
PREACHERS AND HEARERS IN REVOLUTIONARY LONDON: CONTEXTUALISING PARLIAMENTARY FAST SERMONS
Authors: Hughes Ann
Published: November 2014

Studies of preaching in England during the 1640s and 1650 have focused on the high-profile sermons, preached before the parliament on fast days and other special days of thanksgiving, relying in particular on analysis of preachers’ texts as published in print. This paper explores ways of placing the fast sermons in broader contexts, drawing on the lively scholarship on early modern sermons that presents them as events as well as texts, dynamic encounters between preachers and hearers. This paper thus explores the responses of conscientious hearers to sermons in London in the 1640s and 1650s, through a variety of notes kept by pious Puritans, broadly sympathetic to the parliament's cause, including the artisan Nehemiah Wallington, John and Katherine Gell from the provincial gentry and John Harper, a city fishmonger. For these hearers, sermon note-taking had enduring purposes, for reflection, meditation and discussion, sometimes across generations; recording the immediate political context or the polemical arguments of the fast sermons was not necessarily their priority. Hearers’ notebooks place the fast sermons within a broader context of attendance at more ‘routine’ pastoral and didactic preaching in London parishes, revealing also that a preacher like Stephen Marshall, best known for his dynamic sermons before the parliament, spent most of his time on less controversial series of sermons on central issues of Protestant faith. Note-taking practices suggest that too sharp a contrast between polemical and routine preaching would be misleading; the fast sermons could be apprehended in a variety of ways by conscientious Puritan hearers, while sermons with a more pastoral focus nonetheless exhibited clear signs of the tensions and dilemmas provoked by the religious conflicts of the period.