bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A SHORT ARGUMENT AGAINST ABORTION RIGHTS
Authors: Mulder Jack
Published: March 2013

In this paper I will put forward a brief argument against abortion rights. The argument concerns itself with the two main ways in which defenders of abortion rights develop their position. The first strategy through which they tend to do this is by arguing against the personhood of the fetus. The second strategy, made famous by Judith Jarvis Thomson, is to argue that, even if the fetus were a person, its right to life would not entail the right to draw upon the resources of the woman in pregnancy, and so the pregnancy can be terminated (even if the fetus loses its life in the process). My argument will provide reasons to suspect that attacks on fetal personhood are based on a questionable notion of personhood, and that the most common attempts to show that the fetus does not have the right to draw on the resources of the woman in pregnancy also have considerable problems. This will buttress the case for the view that the fetus is a person and that it has the right to draw on the resources of the woman in pregnancy.
Blowout Fracture in a 3-Year-Old
Authors: Pluijmers Britt I. , Koudstaal Maarten J. , Paridaens Dion , van der Wal Karel G.H.
Published: March 2013

A 3-year-old patient was referred to the oral and maxillofacial department with a fracture of the orbital floor. Due to the lack of clinical symptoms, a conservative approach was chosen. After 3 weeks, an enophthalmos developed. The orbital floor reconstruction was successfully performed through a transconjunctival approach. This case highlights the rarity of pure blowout fractures in young children. The specific presentation and diagnostics of orbital floor fractures in children and the related surgical planning and intervention are discussed.
Thermoreflectance imaging of sub 100 ns pulsed cooling in high-speed thermoelectric microcoolers
Authors: Vermeersch Bjorn , Bahk Je-Hyeong , Christofferson James , Shakouri Ali
Published: March 2013

Miniaturized thin film thermoelectric coolers have received considerable attention as potential means to locally address hot spots in microprocessors. Given the highly dynamic workload in complex integrated circuits, the need arises for a thorough understanding of the high-speed thermal behavior of microcoolers. Although some prior work on transient Peltier cooling in pulsed operation is available, these studies mostly focus on theoretical modeling and typically deal with relatively large modules with time constants well into the millisecond range. In this paper, we present an extensive experimental characterization of 30×30 μm2 high-speed coplanar SiGe superlattice microcoolers subjected to 300 ns wide current pulses at ≈ 300 kHz repetition rate. Using thermoreflectance imaging microscopy, we obtain 2D maps of the transient surface temperature and constituent Peltier and Joule components over the 50–750 ns time range with submicron spatial and 50 ns temporal resolutions. Net cooling of 1 K–1.5 K is achieved within 100–300 ns, well over an order of magnitude faster compared to previous reports on microcoolers in high-speed operation. We also point out ambiguities in separating Peltier and Joule signals during the device turn-off. Overall, our measurements provide substantial insight into ultrafast turn-on and turn-off dynamics in thin film thermoelectrics.
Magnetostatic spin-wave modes of an in-plane magnetized garnet-film disk
Authors: Edwards Eric R. J. , Buchmeier Matthias , Demidov Vladislav E. , Demokritov Sergej O.
Published: March 2013

Macroscopic structures based on low-loss garnet films are an ideal model system for the space-resolved investigation of spin-wave dynamics. Here we investigate the dipolar eigenmodes of an in-plane magnetized garnet-film disk by means of scanning magneto-optical Faraday microscopy in the frequency domain. Due to the macroscopic dimensions of the studied samples, we have been able to image spatial profiles of the modes up to very high order. We find that the spatial distributions of the dynamic magnetization for the eigenmodes are strongly influenced by the intrinsic anisotropy of the dipolar spin-wave spectrum in an in-plane magnetized film. These experimental results are corroborated by micromagnetic simulations, which accurately reproduce the salient features of the modes.
Scientific Visualization in Astronomy: Towards the Petascale Astronomy Era
Authors: Hassan Amr , Fluke Christopher J.
Published: March 2013

Astronomy is entering a new era of discovery, coincident with the establishment of new facilities for observation and simulation that will routinely generate petabytes of data. While an increasing reliance on automated data analysis is anticipated, a critical role will remain for visualization-based knowledge discovery. We have investigated scientific visualization applications in astronomy through an examination of the literature published during the last two decades. We identify the two most active fields for progress — visualization of large-N particle data and spectral data cubes—discuss open areas of research, and introduce a mapping between astronomical sources of data and data representations used in general-purpose visualization tools. We discuss contributions using high-performance computing architectures (e.g. distributed processing and GPUs), collaborative astronomy visualization, the use of workflow systems to store metadata about visualization parameters, and the use of advanced interaction devices. We examine a number of issues that may be limiting the spread of scientific visualization research in astronomy and identify six grand challenges for scientific visualization research in the Petascale Astronomy Era.
On the Estimation of Confidence Intervals for Binomial Population Proportions in Astronomy: The Simplicity and Superiority of the Bayesian Approach
Authors: Cameron Ewan
Published: March 2013

I present a critical review of techniques for estimating confidence intervals on binomial population proportions inferred from success counts in small to intermediate samples. Population proportions arise frequently as quantities of interest in astronomical research; for instance, in studies aiming to constrain the bar fraction, active galactic nucleus fraction, supermassive black hole fraction, merger fraction, or red sequence fraction from counts of galaxies exhibiting distinct morphological features or stellar populations. However, two of the most widely-used techniques for estimating binomial confidence intervals — the ‘normal approximation’ and the Clopper & Pearson approach — are liable to misrepresent the degree of statistical uncertainty present under sampling conditions routinely encountered in astronomical surveys, leading to an ineffective use of the experimental data (and, worse, an inefficient use of the resources expended in obtaining that data). Hence, I provide here an overview of the fundamentals of binomial statistics with two principal aims: (I) to reveal the ease with which (Bayesian) binomial confidence intervals with more satisfactory behaviour may be estimated from the quantiles of the beta distribution using modern mathematical software packages (e.g.r, matlab, mathematica, idl, python); and (ii) to demonstrate convincingly the major flaws of both the ‘normal approximation’ and the Clopper & Pearson approach for error estimation.
First Geodetic Observations Using New VLBI Stations ASKAP-29 and WARK12M
Authors: Petrov Leonid , Phillips Chris , Tzioumis Tasso , Stansby Bruce , Reynolds Cormac , Bignall Hayley E. , Gulyaev Sergei , Natusch Tim , Palmer Neville , Collett David , Reynolds John E. , Amy Shaun W. , Wayth Randall , Tingay Steven J.
Published: March 2013

We report the results of a successful 7-hour 1.4 GHz Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) experiment using two new stations, ASKAP-29 located in Western Australia and WARK12M located on the North Island of New Zealand. This was the first geodetic VLBI observing session with the participation of these new stations. We have determined the positions of ASKAP-29 and WARK12M. Random errors on position estimates are 150–200 mm for the vertical component and 40–50 mm for the horizontal component. Systematic errors caused by the unmodeled ionosphere path delay may reach 1.3 m for the vertical component.
Addenda: The h-index in Australian Astronomy
Authors: Pimbblet Kevin A.
Published: March 2013

Pimbblet (2011) published an evaluation of the Hirsch h-index in the context of the Australian astronomical community. This addenda adds treatment of changes of surname to the computation of the h-index and presents derivative data on the m-index.
Can early vigour occur in combination with drought tolerance and efficient water use in rice genotypes?
Authors: Rebolledo Maria Camila , Luquet Delphine , Courtois Brigitte , Henry Amelia , Soulié Jean-Christophe , Rouan Lauriane , Dingkuhn Michael
Published: March 2013

Selection for early vigour can improve rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings’ access to resources, weed competitiveness and yield. Little is known about the relationships between early vigour and drought tolerance. This study explored a panel of 176 rice genotypes in a controlled environment regarding a diversity of traits and trait combinations related to early vigour and water use under drought. The design excluded genotypic differences for root depth. We hypothesised that early vigour (as determined by biomass accumulation under well-watered conditions) was not independent from drought tolerance (determined by biomass accumulation maintenance under drought). Leaf size, developmental rate (DR) and tiller number contributed positively to shoot DW and leaf area, and thus vigour. Early vigour was negatively correlated with growth maintenance and water use efficiency under drought, suggesting tradeoffs. Three clusters of genotypes were identified based on the constitutive traits DR, specific leaf area, tiller number and leaf size. The less drought-tolerant cluster, mainly with lowland O. sativa indica rices, showed a sensitive transpiration response to the fraction of transpirable soil water; however, under well-watered conditions these genotypes were vigorous, with small leaves, high DR and high tillering. This experiment showed that the tradeoff between early vigour and drought tolerance was physiological and not a matter of access to water. The results are discussed with a view to identify drought adaptation strategies for crop improvement. Further improvement of multitrait phenotyping approaches is proposed.
Life-history reference points for management of an exploited tropical seahorse
Authors: Morgan Siân K. , Vincent Amanda C. J.
Published: March 2013

The present research provides the first demographic reference points for tropical seahorses, relevant to conservation of this largely tropical genus Hippocampus, which is listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix II. Findings defined the life-history and in situ vital rates of the tiger tail seahorse, H. comes, expanding previous understanding of demographic diversity in reef fishes. We quantified growth, reproduction and survival rates, drawing on mark–recapture intervals from focal observations, underwater visual census and fisheries landings data. The smallest settled individual was 2.7 cm and first benthic cohorts measured 3.0–4.0 cm. Assuming individually variable growth, the mean parameters for the von Bertalanffy growth equation were Linf = 16.7 cm, K = 2.9 year–1 and t0 = 0.03. Physical maturity occurred at 9.3 cm, reproductive activity at 11.6 cm and annual recruitment during the dry, inter-monsoon window from February to May. Size-dependent survivorship ranged from 3.5% to 45.0% year–1 and longevity was ≥2.5 years. In H. comes, characteristics governing population turnover align with opportunistic strategists, whereas reproductive traits align more closely with equilibrium strategists. Non-extractive marine reserves are one management approach that could serve such intermediate strategists, providing refugia for colonisation, while protecting important large, fecund adults.
Temporal and Regional Trends in Black Bass Release Rates in Minnesota
Authors: Isermann Daniel A. , Maxwell Joshua B. , McInerny Michael C.
Published: March 2013

Determining the prevalence of voluntary catch and release occurring in recreational fisheries for black bass Micropterus spp. is important in selecting and evaluating harvest regulations. Voluntary release rates of black bass have increased in some southern U.S. fisheries, but release rates could vary spatially. We used angler interviews from 245 open-water creel surveys conducted on 167 Minnesota bodies of water during 1984–2006 to determine whether black bass release rates differed among anglers specifically targeting black bass and anglers that were not targeting black bass, among geographic regions within the state, and among time periods. Ranked values of release rate did not significantly differ between anglers targeting black bass and anglers not targeting them for any of the four time periods. Before 1990, median black bass release rates were similar in northern and southern regions of the state and did not exceed 80% in either region. During 1990–1994 and 1995–1999, median release rates in the southern region exceeded 85% and the mean ranked release rate observed for 1995–1999 (92%) was significantly higher than during 1984–1989 (76%). Median release rates of black bass also increased in the northern region of Minnesota, but rates did not exceed 85% in any time period and were not significantly different among time periods based on ranked values. Anglers in Minnesota released most of the black bass they caught, but angler harvest of black bass was more prevalent in the northern region of Minnesota; this pattern may reflect regional differences in angler attitudes regarding black bass harvest. Changes in harvest regulations may not affect black bass populations in many waters because anglers voluntarily release most of the black bass they catch, but regulation changes may be more effective in regions where harvest of black bass is more prevalent.

Received July 9, 2012; accepted December 26, 2012
Constraints on possible age spreads within young massive clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud
Authors: Bastian N. , Silva-Villa E.
Published: March 2013

Recent studies have shown that the observed main-sequence turnoff (MSTO) in colour–magnitude diagrams of intermediate-age (1–2 Gyr) clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is broader than would be nominally expected for a simple stellar population. This has led to the suggestion that such clusters may host multiple stellar populations, with age spreads of 100–500 Myr. However, at intermediate ages, spreads of this magnitude are difficult to discern and alternative explanations have been put forward (e.g. stellar rotation, interacting binaries). A prediction of the age-spread scenario is that younger clusters in the LMC, with similar masses and radii, should also show significant age spreads. In younger clusters (i.e. 40–300 Myr), such large age spreads should be readily apparent. We present an analysis of the colour–magnitude diagrams of two massive young clusters in the LMC (NGC 1856 and NGC 1866) and show that neither have such large age spreads; in fact, both are consistent with a single burst of star formation [σ(age) < 35 Myr]. This leads us to conclude that either the intermediate-age clusters in the LMC are somehow special or the broadened MSTOs are not due to an age spread within the clusters.
Relationship Between Physicochemical Properties of Wheat Flour, Wheat Protein Composition, and Textural Properties of Cooked Chinese White Salted Noodles
Authors: Hou Gary G. , Saini Ritu , Ng Perry K. W.
Published: March 2013

Physicochemical properties and protein composition of 39 selected wheat flour samples were evaluated and correlated with the textural properties of Chinese hard‐bite white salted noodles. Flour samples were analyzed for their protein and wet gluten contents, sedimentation volume, starch pasting properties, and dough mixing properties by farinograph and extensigraph. Molecular weight distribution of wheat flour proteins was determined with size‐exclusion (SE) HPLC, SDS‐PAGE, and acid‐PAGE. Textural properties of Chinese hard‐bite white salted noodles were determined through texture profile analysis (TPA). Hardness, springiness, gumminess, and chewiness of cooked noodles were found to be related to the dough mixing properties. Both protein content and protein composition were found to be related to TPA parameters of noodles. The amount of total flour protein was positively correlated to hardness, gumminess, and chewiness of noodles. The absolute amounts of different peak proteins obtained from SE‐HPLC data showed positive correlations with the hardness, gumminess, chewiness, and springiness of noodles. The proportions of these peak proteins were, however, not significantly related to texture parameters. The proportions of low‐molecular‐weight glutenins/gliadins and albumins/globulins, as observed from SDS‐PAGE, were correlated positively and negatively, respectively, to the hardness, gumminess, and chewiness of cooked noodles. Among the alcohol‐soluble proteins (from acid‐PAGE data), β‐gliadins showed strong correlations with the texture properties of cooked noodles. For the selected flour samples, the total protein content of flour had a stronger relationship with the noodle texture properties than did the relative proportion of different protein subgroups. Prediction equations were developed for TPA parameters of cooked noodles with SE‐HPLC and rapid visco analysis data of the 30 flour samples, and it was found that about 75% of the variability in noodle hardness, gumminess, and chewiness values could be explained by protein composition and flour pasting properties combined together. About 50% of the variations in cohesiveness and springiness were accounted for by these prediction equations.
First Report of Branch Blight of Tree Peony Caused by Phoma glomerata in China
Authors: Zhao D. , Kang Y. B.
Published: March 2013

Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews) is a perennial woody deciduous shrub native to China and famous for its beautiful flowers. Starting in early autumn 2010, blighted branches of tree peony were detected in the International Peony Garden in Luoyang. The disease incidence was greater than 10% and disease symptoms included bulb atrophy and twig and branch dieback. Pycnidia were embedded within the bark of diseased branches. They were small, black, ostiolate, and measured 145 to 275 × 140 to 251 μm. Pycnoconidia were single-celled, hyaline or sandy beige, rounded to ellipsoidal, and 3.9 to 10.3 × 2.3 to 7.0 μm. Pure cultures were obtained by plating the pycnoconidia on potato dextrose agar (PDA). In culture, the fungus produced a circular, white to pink colony with pyknotic and linter shaped aerial mycelium. Numerous pycnidia, initially brown and dark at maturity, were embedded in the mycelium, especially in the center of the colony, with a few of them scattered in the edge. The morphological characteristics were consistent with Phoma (2). The ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of three isolates were PCR amplified and sequenced with primers ITS1 and ITS4. Sequences (GenBank Accession No. JX885584) showed 99% identity with reference isolates of Peyronellaea glomerata (Corda) Goid (AB470906.1 and HQ380779.1) and Phoma glomerata (Corda) Wollenw. & Hochapfel (EU098115.1). These two species are synonyms (1). To test pathogenicity, nine healthy branches of 3-year-old potted tree peony plants were wound-inoculated with a PDA disk containing pycnidia from an actively growing colony of P. glomerata. Three control branches were inoculated with sterile PDA disks. Each inoculated branch was wrapped in a plastic bag and maintained in a greenhouse at 25 to 28°C. After 3 days, brown patches appeared on inoculated branches and extended by up to 1 cm. Pycnidia identical to those observed in the field and in storage appeared on all inoculated branches 7 days after inoculation. Control branches did not show symptoms. The pathogen was reisolated from inoculated branches, fulfilling Koch's postulates. P. glomerata was reported as the causal agent of withering of flowers and young shoots of grapevines in Yugoslavia (3). To our knowledge, P. glomerata and Botryosphaeria dothidea have always been reported together, causing branch wilting or dieback. To our knowledge, this is the first report of branch blight of tree peony caused by P. glomerata in China.

References: (1) M. M. Aveskamp et al. Mycol. Soc. Am. 101:363, 2009. (2) G. H. Boerema et al. Studies in Mycology, 3, 1973. (3) A. Šaric-Sabadoš et al. Atti Ist. bot. Univ. Pavia 18:101, 1960.
Long-term evolution is surprisingly predictable in lattice proteins
Authors: Palmer Michael E. , Moudgil Arnav , Feldman Marcus W.
Published: March 2013

It has long been debated whether natural selection acts primarily upon individual organisms, or whether it also commonly acts upon higher-level entities such as lineages. Two arguments against the effectiveness of long-term selection on lineages have been (i) that long-term evolutionary outcomes will not be sufficiently predictable to support a meaningful long-term fitness and (ii) that short-term selection on organisms will almost always overpower long-term selection. Here, we use a computational model of protein folding and binding called ‘lattice proteins’. We quantify the long-term evolutionary success of lineages with two metrics called thek-fitness andk-survivability. We show that long-term outcomes aresurprisingly predictablein this model: only a small fraction of the possible outcomes are ever realized in multiple replicates. Furthermore, the long-term fitness of a lineage depends only partly on its short-term fitness; other factors are also important, including the ‘evolvability’ of a lineage—its capacity to produce adaptive variation. In a system with a distinct short-term and long-term fitness, evolution need not be ‘short-sighted’: lineages may be selected for their long-term properties, sometimes in opposition to short-term selection. Similar evolutionary basins of attraction have been observedin vivo, suggesting that natural biological lineages will also have a predictive long-term fitness.
On Hokusai's
Great wave off Kanagawa
: localization, linearity and a rogue wave in sub-Antarctic waters
Authors: Dudley J. M. , Sarano V. , Dias F.
Published: March 2013

The Hokusai woodcut entitled
The great wave off Kanagawa
has been interpreted as an unusually large storm wave, likely to be classed as a rogue wave, and possibly generated from nonlinear wave dynamics (J. H. E. Cartwright and H. Nakamura,
Notes Rec. R. Soc.
63
, 119–135 (2009)). In this paper, we present a complementary discussion of this hypothesis, discussing in particular how linear and nonlinear mechanisms can both contribute to the emergence of rogue wave events. By making reference to the
Great wave
's simultaneous transverse and longitudinal localization, we show that the purely linear mechanism of directional focusing also predicts characteristics consistent with those of the
Great wave
. In addition, we discuss the properties of a particular rogue wave photographed on the open ocean in sub-Antarctic waters, which shows two-dimensional localization and breaking dynamics remarkably similar to Hokusai's depiction in the woodcut.
Geometric evolution of bilayers under the functionalized Cahn–Hilliard equation
Authors: Dai Shibin , Promislow Keith
Published: March 2013

We use a multi-scale analysis to derive a sharp interface limit for the dynamics of bilayer structures of the functionalized Cahn–Hilliard equation. In contrast to analysis based on single-layer interfaces, we show that the Stefan and Mullins–Sekerka problems derived for the evolution of single-layer interfaces for the Cahn–Hilliard equation are trivial in this context, and the sharp interface limit yields a quenched mean-curvature-driven normal velocity at
O
(
ε
−1
), whereas on the longer
O
(
ε
−2
) time scale, it leads to a total surface area preserving Willmore flow. In particular, for space dimension
n
=2, the constrained Willmore flow drives collections of spherically symmetric vesicles to a common radius, whereas for
n
=3, the radii are constant, and for
n
≥4 the largest vesicle dominates.
Management legacies shape decadal‐scale responses of plant diversity to experimental disturbance regimes in fragmented grassy woodlands
Authors: Prober Suzanne M. , Thiele Kevin R. , Speijers Jane
Published: March 2013

Understanding multiple ecological determinants of plant diversity and composition underpins good vegetation management. In mesic ecosystems, ecological theory and empirical data predict that moderate to high disturbance promotes native plant diversity, but relationships between disturbance and other drivers of diversity are poorly understood.

We examined local determinants of native plant diversity and composition through 12‐year fire, mowing and grazing experiments in two mesic grassy woodland remnants in fragmented agricultural landscapes of south‐eastern Australia. Remnants were representative of diverse woodlands, but had contrasting management histories. We hypothesized that (1) disturbance is a dominant driver of plant diversity and composition and (2) moderate to high disturbance promotes diversity independent of other drivers or disturbance agent.

Contrary to our first hypothesis, rainfall explained an overwhelming 31–60% of variation in native plant richness and native forb cover (hereafter diversity), while aspects of disturbance regime accounted for a significant but moderate 3–8%. The magnitude of disturbance effects was often rainfall dependent, and similar to that of other local determinants such as spatial heterogeneity. Disturbance also influenced native forb composition at one site.

The direction of disturbance effects on diversity did not depend on disturbance agent, but differed markedly between sites in accordance with their management history. At the cleared site with a history of frequent burning, diversity declined significantly with time since burning or mowing. By contrast, at the long‐unburnt, wooded site, diversity declined with frequent fire and with lagomorph and macropod grazing.

These contrasting responses indicate that moderate to high disturbance is not consistently beneficial for diversity in mesic grassy ecosystems, contradicting our second hypothesis. Instead, disturbance responses are dependent on interactions with other drivers, potentially including assemblage filtering associated with historical fire regime and increased understorey productivity associated with tree clearing.

Synthesis and applications: The magnitude and direction of disturbance effects on diversity depend on interactions with other drivers, hence a single prescription for disturbance regime across different remnants of fragmented grassy ecosystems is not appropriate. Decadal‐scale responses of diversity to disturbance may be shaped by historical disturbances, suggesting instead that management be guided by historical regime.
Determining the Primary Drivers of Liking to Predict Consumers' Acceptance of Fresh Nectarines and Peaches
Authors: Delgado Claudia , Crisosto Gayle M. , Heymann Hildegarde , Crisosto Carlos H.
Published: March 2013

A generic descriptive analysis using 11 judges provided 16 sensory attributes that described the aroma, flavor, and texture characteristics of 7 nectarine and peach cultivars selected for their predominant sensory attributes. Simultaneously, the “in‐store” acceptability of these cultivars was evaluated by 120 consumers from northern California. The relationships among instrumental measurements (flesh firmness, ripe soluble solids concentration (RSSC), and ripe titratable acidity (RTA), sensory panel descriptors, and consumer hedonic responses were studied. In these cultivars, RSSC was the only instrumental measurement significantly related to overall liking. Cultivars with medium acidity and/or flavor/aroma were liked “very much,” and consumer willingness to pay more was correlated with overall liking without regard to cultivar. Cluster analysis revealed 3 segments that were associated with ethnicity and consumer preferences within each segment. Sweetness was the main driver of liking for 2 consumer clusters; however, for the 3rd cluster, the perception of fruit aromas described as grassy/green fruit and pit aromas were the main drivers of liking. There was a high correlation between instrumental measurements and their sensory perception; however, the sensory attribute measurements explained cultivar characteristics better than instrumental measurements alone. Sweetness correlated positively with overall liking and consumer acceptance.
Antimicrobial Efficacy of Poly (DL‐lactide‐co‐glycolide) (PLGA) Nanoparticles with Entrapped Cinnamon Bark Extract against Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium
Authors: Hill Laura E. , Taylor T. Matthew , Gomes Carmen
Published: March 2013

Nanoencapsulation of active compounds using poly‐(d,l‐lactide‐co‐glycolide) (PLGA) is commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry for drug delivery and may have important applications in the food industry. Control of growth of foodborne bacteria with the goals of reducing the number of foodborne illness outbreaks, assuring consumers a safer food supply remains a priority in the food industry. Natural antimicrobials are an excellent way to eliminate pathogens without introducing chemical preservatives that consumers may find undesirable. Cinnamon bark extract (CBE) is an effective pathogen inhibitor isolated from cinnamon spice. PLGA nanoparticles containing CBE were produced using an emulsion‐solvent evaporation method and characterized for size, polydispersity, morphology, entrapment efficiency, in vitro release and pathogen inhibition. PLGA with 2 different ratios of lactide to glycolide (65:35 and 50:50) were used to determine how polymer composition affected nanoparticle characteristics and antimicrobial potency. The size of the nanoparticles ranged from 144.77 to 166.65 nm and the entrapment efficiencies of CBE in 65:35 PLGA and 50:50 PLGA were 38.90% and 47.60%, respectively. The in vitro release profile at 35 °C showed an initial burst effect for both types of PLGA followed by a more gradual release of CBE from the polymer matrix. Both types of PLGA nanoparticles loaded with CBE were effective inhibitors of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes after 24 and 72 h at concentrations ranging from 224.42 to 549.23 μg/mL. The PLGA encapsulation improved delivery of hydrophobic antimicrobial to the pathogens in aqueous media.
Assessment of baseline characteristics, glycemic control and oral antidiabetic treatment in Asian patients with diabetes: The Registry for Assessing OAD Usage in Diabetes Management (REASON) Asia study (在亚洲糖尿病患者中评估基线特征、血糖控制情况以及口服降糖药物使用情况：使用登记表评估糖尿病治疗中口服药使用情况（REASON）的亚洲研究)
Authors: Vichayanrat Apichati , Matawaran Bien J. , Wibudi Aris , Ferdous Hossain S. , Aamir Azizul Hasan , Aggarwal Sanjay K. , Bajpai Shailendra
Published: March 2013

Background

To assess baseline characteristics, glycemic control, and treatment with oral antidiabetic drugs (OAD) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.

Methods

This multinational, observational study recruited patients ≥21 years of age who were newly diagnosed and/or treated with OAD monotherapy for <6 months but were inadequately controlled. In cross‐sectional phase, data on demographics, medical history, diabetic complications and comorbidities, OAD treatment, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and fasting blood glucose (FBG) were collected. In longitudinal phase evaluating 6‐month follow‐up of sulfonylurea (SU)‐treated patients, additional data on reasons for not achieving HbA1c targets were collected.

Results

Of 1487 patients (mean [±SD] age 52.0 ± 11.6 years; 46.7% men; mean BMI 25.8 ± 4.4 kg/m2) recruited, 75.9% were newly diagnosed, 73.3% had central obesity, 43.8% had hypertension, and 60.5% had dyslipidemia. The mean HbA1c was 9.8 ± 2.4%, and the mean FBG was 11.3 ± 4.3 mmol/L. At T0 (baseline) and T6 (month 6 visit), 99.8% (n = 1066) and 97.1% (n = 830) patients received SU, respectively. There was decrease from T0 to T6 in mean HbA1c (10.2% vs 7.3%, respectively; P < 0.0001) and mean FBG (12.0 vs 7.6 mmol/L, respectively; P < 0.0001). Number of patients with HbA1c <7% increased from T0 (4.5%) to T6 (46.8%). Reasons for not achieving target HbA1c included poor diabetes education (50.7%), non‐compliance to OADs (21.4%), and fear of hypoglycemia (19.7%).

Conclusion

Marked reductions in HbA1c and FBG are achievable in T2DM patients managed with OADs. However, patient education and compliance are important for achieving and maintaining treatment targets.
Quantifying arthropod contributions to wood decay
Authors: Ulyshen Michael D. , Wagner Terry L.
Published: March 2013

Wood decomposition is driven primarily by microbial activity but proceeds at greatly varying rates depending on regional or local differences in physical conditions and other determinants. Although many arthropod taxa (e.g. termites, wood‐boring beetles) are known to consume or excavate dead wood, their contributions to the decay process remain largely unmeasured.

Quantifying arthropod contributions to wood decay is fraught with challenges, but no guidelines are available to assist researchers in designing and carrying out studies of this kind. We therefore sought to provide a critical review of previous studies on this important topic and discuss methodological considerations that may benefit future researchers.

The biggest challenge inherent to such research involves excluding arthropods from dead wood (i.e. the reference treatment) without otherwise affecting the decay process. Because mesh bags are likely to alter physical conditions relative to unenclosed substrates and insecticides are likely to inhibit microbial growth, additional experimentation is needed to isolate the arthropod effect. Alternatively, partial exclusion or temporary exposure methods may produce less confounded results.

In determining the initial volume of a wood sample (e.g. to estimate the initial mass using specific gravity data), there is a trade‐off between the accuracy of this measurement and the realism of the study. A method involving image analysis is described for obtaining accurate initial volume estimates for naturally occurring woody substrates. When measuring changes in specific gravity during the decay process, initial sample volumes must be used in these calculations as opposed to the water displacement technique which fails to measure wood removed by arthropod activity.

Termites carry large amounts of soil into dead wood, and this behaviour complicates efforts to measure their contributions to wood decay. A novel method for isolating termite soil by burning the wood is described, and some preliminary results are presented.

These and other recommendations described herein should aid efforts to quantify the contributions of arthropods to wood decay. Such research is of great interest given the broad importance of dead wood to forest ecosystems–including its role in carbon storage–and the diversity and conservation concern of the species involved.
The Economic Benefits of the Biological Control of Rabbits inAustralia, 1950–2011
Authors: Cooke Brian , Chudleigh Peter , Simpson Sarah , Saunders Glen
Published: March 2013

WildEuropean rabbits are serious agricultural and environmental pests inAustralia; myxoma virus and rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus have been used as biocontrol agents to reduce impacts. We review the literature on changes in rabbit numbers together with associated reports on the economic benefits from controlling rabbits on agricultural production. By using loss–expenditure frontier models in with and without biocontrol scenarios, it is conservatively estimated that biological control of rabbits produced a benefit ofA$70 billion (2011A$ terms) for agricultural industries over the last 60 years. The consequences for ongoing rabbit control and research investment are discussed.
Work and Wages at a Melbourne Factory, the Guest Biscuit Works 1870–1921
Authors: Fahey Charles , Sammartino André
Published: March 2013

The story of wages in nineteenth‐ and early twentieth‐century Australia has largely been told through official published statistics and the experiences of skilled artisans and construction labourers. Utilising wage book data from an early successful manufacturing plant – a biscuit factory – we reveal the earning histories of several neglected groups of Australian workers. We specifically investigate the effects of the 1890s depression, the introduction of a wages board, and shifting demographics on the wages of unskilled factory hands, women, juvenile workers, and commercial clerks. We demonstrate that typical Australian wage series studies have misinterpreted the impact of these phenomena.
Long‐term outcome of chronic hepatitis C after sustained virological response to interferon‐based therapy
Authors: Koh C. , Heller T. , Haynes‐Williams V. , Hara K. , Zhao X. , Feld J. J. , Kleiner D. E. , Rotman Y. , Ghany M. G. , Liang T. J. , Hoofnagle J. H.
Published: March 2013

Background

Although the short‐term benefits of a sustained virological response (SVR) to interferon‐based therapies of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are well known, the long‐term consequences of SVR are less clear.

Aim

To assess changes in markers of disease activity and fibrosis in patients followed up to 23 years post‐SVR.

Methods

The first 103 SVR patients (from 1984 to 2003) at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center were evaluated. Serum markers before treatment and at the last visit were compared. Evaluations after 2007 included transient elastography (TE).

Results

Of 103 patients, three subsequently relapsed 0.7, 6.3 and 6.5 years post therapy. The remaining 100 patients (56 men, mean age 56 years) maintained SVR at final follow‐up. No patients developed hepatic decompensation, but one with pre‐treatment cirrhosis died 12 years post SVR of hepatocellular carcinoma. In comparison to pre‐treatment values, markers improved at follow‐up, including mean ALT (152–27 U/L), AST (87–24 U/L), alkaline phosphatase (78–69 U/L), IgG (1463–1113 mg/dL), platelet count (209 000–239 000/μL) and AST to platelet count ratio index (APRI: 1.31–0.33). TE was performed in 69 patients and was normal (<7.0 kPA) in 60%, moderately elevated (7.1–13.8) in 31% and cirrhotic range (>13.8) in 9%. TE and platelet counts at follow‐up correlated with fibrosis on pre‐treatment liver biopsy (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

In 97% of patients with CHC, SVR is durable without evidence of disease progression, although some degree of hepatic fibrosis may persist and patients with pre‐treatment cirrhosis are at continuing low risk for hepatocellular carcinoma.
Measures of participation outcomes related to hand use for 2‐ to 12‐year‐old children with disabilities: a systematic review
Authors: Chien C‐W. , Rodger S. , Copley J. , McLaren C.
Published: March 2013

Many interventions have been used to improve children's hand‐related impairments or hand skill performance in functional activities so as to promote life participation. There is thus a need to have suitable instruments assessing children's participation in life situations that specifically require hand use in order to support and evaluate such interventions. This systematic review investigated the availability of potential instruments that can be used to assess children's participation specifically in life situations requiring hand use. Clinical utility and evidence for psychometric properties were also sourced. Database searches initially identified measures that were used to evaluate participation of children aged 2–12 years, involved self‐ or proxy report or interview administration and had generic application for a range of disabilities/diagnoses. These measures were further evaluated to determine if they fulfilled the above inclusion criteria and contained at least 60% of the items involving hand use. Further searches for psychometric evidence were undertaken for the eligible measures. Fourteen measures were identified and nine met the inclusion criteria. However, none of these measures, except for the Children Helping Out: Responsibilities, Expectations, and Supports (CHORES), contained all items related to hand use. Most of the included measures had limited psychometric properties. Only the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment/Preferences for Activities of Children (CAPE/PAC), the School Function Assessment‐Participation section (SFA‐P) and the Children Participation Questionnaire (CPQ) revealed sufficient evidence of validity and reliability. The findings suggest a need for adapting existing participation measures or developing new ones that specifically assess participation in life situations requiring hand use to support interventions.
How does psychoeducation help? A review of the effects of providing information about Tourette syndrome and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Nussey C. , Pistrang N. , Murphy T.
Published: March 2013

Tourette syndrome (TS) and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are common neurodevelopmental disorders that often co‐occur. They are both stigmatized and misunderstood conditions. This review critically appraises studies examining interventions using psychoeducational approaches in TS and ADHD. Studies examining the impact of providing educational information (or diagnostic label) about TS and ADHD to parents, teachers and peers (child and adult) were identified by searching relevant electronic databases, reference lists and citations, and consulting colleagues. Twenty‐two studies were identified, 20 of which involved teachers or peers. The studies indicate that providing educational information increases knowledge, positive attitudes and behaviours towards individuals with TS and ADHD. Provision of a diagnostic label alone appears insufficient. Parental education may improve treatment enrolment and adherence. While the findings are encouraging, there are a number of gaps in the literature. These include the effects of giving information to parents, whether changes are maintained over time, or are generalizable to the population. Studies are needed to investigate the optimal way to present educational information in everyday contexts in order to improve the lives of those with TS and ADHD.
Elevated serum thioredoxin‐interacting protein in women with polycystic ovary syndrome is associated with insulin resistance
Authors: Wu Jinlin , Wu Yijia , Zhang Xuecui , Li Shu , Lu Di , Li Shengbing , Yang Gangyi , Liu Dongfang
Published: March 2013

Objective

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) mostly have profound insulin resistance (IR) and β‐cell dysfunction. Although thioredoxin‐interacting protein (TXNIP) is a major regulator in IR and insulin secretion, no data on the plasma TXNIP level in patients with PCOS are available. This study aimed to determine the plasma TXNIP level and discuss the relationship between TXNIP and β‐cell dysfunction/IR in patients with PCOS.

Patients

Eighty‐three women with PCOS and 52 controls.

Measurements

Insulin sensitivity was expressed by M value obtained from euglycaemic–hyperinsulinaemic clamp. Homoeostatic model assessment for β‐cell function (HOMA‐β), △Ins30/△Glu30 and AUCins/glu were considered as the indices of fasting state, early‐phase and total insulin secretion during oral glucose tolerance test, respectively. To evaluate β‐cell function adjusted for insulin sensitivity, disposition index (DI) was used: basal DI (DI0), early‐phase DI (DI30) and total DI (DI120). Plasma TXNIP levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Design

Case‐control study.

Results

Patients with PCOS had higher serum TXNIP, whereas lower M value, DI0, DI30 and DI120 than controls (P < 0·05); their TXNIP correlated positively with weight, waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR), body mass index (BMI), Ins0, Ins120 and HOMA‐β and correlated negatively with M value and DI120 (P < 0·05). Multiple stepwise regression analysis indicated that TXNIP remained associated with M value in PCOS subjects, after adjusting weight, BMI, WHR, HOMA‐β, Ins0, Ins120 and DI120. However, no relationship between TXNIP and impaired β‐cell function was found.

Conclusion

Serum TXNIP is elevated in women with PCOS and may be a contributing factor for IR.
BRAF mutation positive papillary thyroid carcinoma is less advanced when Hashimoto's thyroiditis lymphocytic infiltration is present
Authors: Marotta Vincenzo , Guerra Anna , Zatelli Maria C. , Uberti Ettore Degli , Di Stasi Vincenza , Faggiano Antongiulio , Colao Annamaria , Vitale Mario
Published: March 2013

Background

Concomitant papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is a frequent occurrence. Whether these two conditions are linked and whether PTC with concurrent HT has distinct clinicopathological characteristics are still debated issues. Lymphocytic infiltration is abundant in HT and might be relevant in the pathogenesis and progression of PTC. BRAFV600E mutation is associated with a more advanced PTC at diagnosis; however, its role in the clinicopathological characteristics of PTC with concurrent HT is unknown.

Design and patients

We enrolled 146 patients with histological diagnosis of PTC. Microscopic assessment of histology samples was performed to identify the presence of lymphocytic infiltration. Detection of BRAFV600E was performed on cytology samples by both direct sequencing and pyrosequencing, and results were correlated with clinical parameters.

Results

Concurrent HT lymphocytic infiltration was associated with the female gender, smaller tumour size, a less frequent extracapsular extension and a lower grade of TNM staging. BRAFV600E was more frequent in PTC with concomitant lymphocytic infiltration. In PTC harbouring BRAFV600E, concurrent lymphocytic infiltration was still associated with the female gender, a less frequent extracapsular extension and a lower TNM staging.

Conclusions

These results suggest that lymphocytic infiltration of HT is a protective factor against PTC progression, and it is independent of BRAF mutational status.
High‐Dose Donepezil (23 mg/day) for the Treatment of Moderate and Severe Alzheimer's Disease: Drug Profile and Clinical Guidelines
Authors: Cummings Jeffrey L. , Geldmacher David , Farlow Martin , Sabbagh Marwan , Christensen Daniel , Betz Peter
Published: March 2013

To provide healthcare professionals with a comprehensive assessment of donepezil 23 mg and its role in treating Alzheimer's disease (AD), the Donepezil 23 mg Expert Working Group (EWG) convened in June 2011 to critically evaluate the clinical trial database for this higher dose formulation and the members' clinical experience with its use. Discussions were based on a large, 6‐month, phase 3 clinical trial in patients with moderate to severe AD that compared continuing donepezil 10 mg/day versus switching to 23 mg/day. In this trial, donepezil 23 mg/day demonstrated significantly greater cognitive benefits (mean change in Severe Impairment Battery score, 2.11 points; P < 0.001). Prespecified analyses showed that benefits were significant irrespective of concomitant memantine use. The EWG considered integrating these new data into clinical practice approaches. Dementia severity, tolerability of the 10 mg dose, and need for additional therapy were key selection criteria, as was monitoring of gastrointestinal side effects, as consideration of titration strategies is an important aspect of implementation. The EWG concluded that donepezil 23 mg is an efficacious therapy for moderate to severe AD, with or without concomitant memantine, extending the treatment opportunities available to manage moderate to severe AD dementia. EWG guidelines offer assistance to clinicians in choosing and implementing treatment options.