bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Denudation history of the Kiso Range, central Japan, and its tectonic implications: Constraints from low‐temperature thermochronology
Authors: SUEOKA SHIGERU , KOHN BARRY P. , TAGAMI TAKAHIRO , TSUTSUMI HIROYUKI , HASEBE NORIKO , TAMURA AKIHIRO , ARAI SHOJI
Published: February 2012

Fission‐track (FT) and (U–Th–Sm)/He (He) analyses are used to constrain the denudation pattern and history of the Kiso Range, a Japanese fault‐block mountain range which has been uplifted sinceca0.8 Ma. We obtained nine zircon FT ages ranging 59.3–42.1 Ma, 18 apatite FT ages ranging 81.9–2.3 Ma, and 13 apatite He ages ranging 36.7–2.2 Ma. The apatite FT and He ages are divided into an older group comparable to the zircon FT age range and a younger group of <18 Ma. The younger ages are interpreted as a reflection of uplift of the Kiso Range because they were obtained only to the east of the Seinaiji‐touge Fault, and the event age estimated from apatite FT data is consistent with the timing of the onset of the Kiso Range uplift. On the basis of the distribution of the younger ages, we propose westward tilting uplift of the Kiso Range between the boundary fault of the Inadani Fault Zone and Seinaiji‐touge Fault, which implies a model of bedrock uplift that is intermediate between two existing models: a pop‐up model in which the Kiso Range is squeezed upward between the two faults and a tilted uplift model which assumes that the Kiso Range is uplifted and tilted to the west by the Inadani Fault Zone. The original land surface before the onset of uplift/denudation of the Kiso Range is estimated to have been uplifted to an elevation of 2700–4900 m. We estimated denudation rates at 1.3–4.0 mm/y and maximum bedrock uplift rates at 3.4–6.1 mm/y sinceca0.8 Ma. The Seinaiji‐touge fault is interpreted as a back thrust of the west‐dipping Inadani Fault Zone. The older group of apatite FT and He ages is interpreted to reflect long‐term peneplanation with a probable denudation rate of <0.1 mm/y.
Large amount of fluid migration around shallow seismogenic depth preserved in tectonic mélange: Yokonami mélange, the Cretaceous Shimanto Belt, Kochi, Southwest Japan
Authors: HASHIMOTO YOSHITAKA , EIDA MIO , KIRIKAWA TAKAYUKI , IIDA RYOKO , TAKAGI MIE , FURUYA NORIKO , NIKAIZO AKIRA , KIKUCHI TAKETO , YOSHIMITSU TOSHIO
Published: February 2012

Studying subduction zone fluid at shallow seismogenic depths is important to understand the nature of fault rocks at the updip limit of the seismogenic zone because fluid–rock interactions affect heat and mass transfer, and fault strength. In this study, we conducted detailed analyses of distribution of shear veins, and estimation of pressure–temperature conditions for shear vein formation for the Yokonami mélange, Shikoku, Southwest Japan, which is tectonic mélange zone in an on‐land accretionary complex. We found a seismogenic fault at the upper boundary of the Yokonami mélange, indicating that the Yokonami mélange was active at seismogenic depth. The field‐transect distribution of shear veins was examined. The frequency, the total and mean thicknesses of the shear veins were about 3.7 per meter, about 10 mm per meter, and about 3 mm per shear vein, respectively. Quartz within the shear veins shows elongate‐blocky textures, suggesting precipitation from advective flow. The pressure and temperature conditions for shear vein formation were examined by fluid inclusion analysis, ranging 175–225°C and 143–215 MPa, respectively. The temperature is almost consistent with the paleotemperature determined from vitrinite reflectance, suggesting that the shear veins were formed at up to the maximum depth. The depth might be consistent with that where the seismogenic fault was formed. On the basis of the pressure and temperature conditions and the distribution of shear veins, we estimated the minimum volumetric ratio of fluid to host rocks, assuming that the shear veins had precipitated from advective flow. The estimated amount of fluid is about 106 m3 per cubic meter of host rocks. The results suggest that a large amount of fluid migrates through mélange zones at shallow seismogenic depths. This fluid possibly originates from the dehydration of clay minerals from underthrusted sediments and an altered subducting slab.
Three‐dimensional numerical modelling of the flushing process of the Kali Gandaki hydropower reservoir
Authors: Haun Stefan , Olsen Nils Reidar B.
Published: February 2012

Sediments filling reservoirs is a common problem in the world today, with an estimated 1% of the capacity of hydropower reservoirs being lost annually through sedimentation. One of the most used techniques for reducing this problem is reservoir flushing. During a flood, the water level is drawn down, causing increased velocities, therefore facilitating erosion and sediment transport. During the flushing, water from the reservoir will be lost, resulting in significant economic implications for the reservoir owner. The success of reservoir flushing depends on several parameters, including water discharge, sediment properties and reservoir geometry. This study describes the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) as a modern method to predict the reservoir flushing process. A three‐dimensional numerical model (SSIIM 2), with an adaptive, non‐orthogonal and unstructured grid has been used. Through the application of special modified algorithms (e.g., wetting/drying, free water surface), numerical modelling of sediment movement can be an alternative for planning and optimizing the flushing process for complex reservoir geometries. The numerical model was tested against data from a physical model study of the Kali Gandaki hydropower reservoir in Nepal. The total quantity of flushed out sediments, and the bed deformation in six cross‐sections, were compared, highlighting a good correspondence between the results. These include the cross‐sectional shape of a 90‐degree bend, for which secondary currents influenced the results. The study indicates that numerical models might become a useful tool for reservoir flushing predictions.
Some aspects of the biology and life‐history strategies of Oreochromis variabilis (Boulenger 1906) in the Lake Victoria Basin
Authors: Maithya J. , Njiru M. , Okeyo‐Owuor J. B. , Gichuki J.
Published: February 2012

Oreochromis variabilis (Boulenger), a fish species endemic to Lake Victoria, was abundant, forming an important component of the indigenous fisheries stocks before and up to the late‐1950s. Catches declined drastically thereafter, and only sporadic catches are currently found in Lake Victoria. Remnants population of the species, however, are found in several small waterbodies (SWBs) within the lake basin. The life‐history characteristics of O. variabilis in Lake Victoria, including, sex ratio, reproduction and length–weight relationship, were compared to those in selected three SWBs in the lake basin. Fish samples were collected by monofilament gillnets of 30–255 mm between 2001 and 2005. Males predominated over females from all the sampled sites (sex ratio 1.00:0.33). Length at first maturity (Lm50) had mean (±SE) of 18.48 ± 1.50 cm TL for males, and 16.87 ± 0.95 cm TL for females, and did not exhibit any significant differences between habitats. Fecundity ranged between 73 and 14 800 eggs for fish of 13.5–18.6 cm TL, respectively. Absolute fecundity of O. variabilis was proportional to the body weight, but nearly proportional to the cube of the fish length. Egg diameter varied from 0.3 to 5.19 mm, with a mean (±SE) of 3.44 ± 0.08 mm. Growth was allometric in both male and female, being significantly different from the expected value of 3 (P < 0.05). The life‐history strategy of O. variabilis is discussed within the context of changes in the lake and the SWBs.
Impact of obsessive–compulsive symptoms in Tourette's syndrome on neuropsychological performance
Authors: Matsuda Natsumi , Kono Toshiaki , Nonaka Maiko , Shishikura Kurie , Konno Chizue , Kuwabara Hitoshi , Shimada Takafumi , Kano Yukiko
Published: February 2012

Aim:  Although inconsistencies in neuropsychological impairments in Tourette's syndrome (TS) have been discussed with respect to comorbid disorders, such as obsessive–compulsive disorder, few studies have focused on the specific dimensions of obsessive–compulsive symptoms (OCS) related to TS, such as aggression and symmetry. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of specific TS‐related OCS on neuropsychological performance.

Methods:  A series of neuropsychological tasks examining attention and executive functioning were performed in groups of 33 TS participants and 18 healthy controls. The neuropsychological performance of TS with Aggression OCS (n = 11) were compared to TS without Aggression OCS (n = 22) and controls by using mancova controlling for age. In the same way as Aggression, we compared the performance of three groups by Symmetry: TS with Symmetry OCS (n = 14), TS without Symmetry OCS (n = 19) and controls.

Results:  TS participants with Aggression OCS tended to make more perseverative errors than those without. Global OCS severity and tic severity did not correlate with any neuropsychological performances. No significant differences were detected between TS participants with and without Symmetry OCS.

Conclusion:  Neuropsychological deficits in TS might be affected not by global OCS severity but by specific TS‐related OCS.
Biomarkers and transcriptome profiling of lung cancer
Authors: CHEN HSUAN‐YU , YU SUNG‐LIANG , LI KER‐CHAU , YANG PAN‐CHYR
Published: February 2012

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer‐related deaths worldwide. High‐throughput technologies such as microarrays provide an opportunity to explore biomarkers for cancer prevention, prognosis and treatment guidance. Recent studies have revealed many biomarkers with the potential for clinical application. However, major limitations still exist. Although useful data on cancer genomics has accumulated rapidly, there has also been a simultaneous tendency for amplification of the complex relationships among the enormous number of variables that need to be considered. Disentangling these complex gene–gene interactions requires new approaches to data analysis to reveal information that has been obscured by traditional methods. Here, we review the current findings on biomarker identification in lung cancer, address their limitations and discuss some future directions for improvements in this area of research.
Effects of various degrees of oxidative stress induced by intermittent hypoxia in rat myocardial tissues
Authors: ZHOU WEI , LI SHUO , WAN NANSHENG , ZHANG ZHEN , GUO RUN , CHEN BAOYUAN
Published: February 2012

Background and objective:  The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism by which oxidative stress induced by chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH) causes myocardial damage in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

Methods:  A total of 160 Wistar rats were divided into five experimental groups and subjected to chronic IH with different concentrations of oxygen (5%, 7.5%, 10% IH groups; 10% continuous oxygen and normoxia control groups). Eight rats from each group were sacrificed at the 2‐, 4‐, 6‐ and 8‐week time points. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and total anti‐oxidant capability (T‐AOC) were measured in supernatants of heart homogenates. Expression of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase subunits, p22phox and NOX2, and thioredoxin‐2 (Trx‐2) genes were determined by measuring messenger RNA (mRNA) levels by real‐time polymerase chain reaction.

Results:  Compared with the control groups, MDA levels increased over time in the IH groups, whereas T‐AOC and SOD activity decreased over time. MDA, T‐AOC and SOD activity peaked at 6 weeks into the IH treatment. The 5% IH group showed significantly higher expression of p22phox and thioredoxin‐2 mRNA, as compared with the other IH groups, as well as the control groups.

Conclusions:  The severity of oxidative stress induced by chronic IH in myocardial tissue was significantly correlated with the degree of IH. NADPH oxidase and Trx‐2 are important mediators of oxidative stress induced by IH.
Duration of recognized fever in febrile seizure predicts later development of epilepsy
Authors: Kanemura Hideaki , Sano Fumikazu , Mizorogi Sonoko , Aoyagi Kakuro , Sugita Kanji , Aihara Masao
Published: February 2012

Background:  The current report examines the risk of and predictors for developing epilepsy in children with febrile seizure (FS). The present study addresses two factors that were previously identified as predictors of recurrent FS in previous reports: maximum temperature and duration of fever prior to the initial FS.

Methods:  Children aged 6 months–6 years with an initial simple FS were eligible for the study. The interview included questions about the child's illness, family history of seizures, and other exposure information. In particular, they were asked about the duration of recognized fever prior to the seizure. After the initial interview, parents were called every 3–4 months to ascertain whether any further seizures had occurred and the circumstances under which such seizures occurred. Follow up ≥3 years was attempted for all children. Statistical analysis was done with χ2 test, Fisher's exact test, Mann–Whitney U‐tests and logistic regression analysis.

Results:  Five of 92 children (5.4%) experienced unprovoked seizures and were considered part of an epilepsy group. In four of these five patients, the duration of recognized fever prior to FS fell more than ±2.5 SD outside the distribution for the non‐epilepsy group. Either an unusually short or long recognized fever prior to the initial FS was associated with an increased risk of unprovoked seizures.

Conclusions:  The duration of recognized fever appears to provide useful information about the risk for the later development of epilepsy.
Status of sex reassignment surgery for gender identity disorder in Japan
Authors: Masumori Naoya
Published: February 2012

An incongruence between one's physiological sex and the gender identity that is one's basic sense of self as a man or a woman is known as gender identity disorder. In general, the conditions of physiological men having female gender identity and physiological women having male gender identity are called male‐to‐female and female‐to‐male gender identity disorder, respectively. Although the precise pathogenesis of gender identity disorder remains unclear, the prevalence of gender identity disorder is quite high, with the rates calculated for male‐to‐female to be 1:25 000 and female‐to‐male to be 1:12 000 in Hokkaido, Japan. The diagnosis and treatment of gender identity disorder in Japan are based on the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Guidelines for Patients with Gender Identity Disorder, 4th edition. Although gender identity disorder was previously thought to be a psychiatric condition, it is extremely difficult to assign gender identity to physiological sex by psychiatric and psychological treatments. To adapt the figure of the body to the native gender identity, physical treatments such as administration of cross‐sex steroids and sex reassignment surgery are considered. However, there are very few institutions that routinely carry out sex reassignment surgery in Japan, even though it is mandatory for changing sex on the census register at the present time. Sex reassignment surgery for male‐to‐female and female‐to‐male patients includes orchiectomy, penectomy, clitoroplasty, vaginoplasty and vulvoplasty, and hysterectomy, ovariectomy, metoidioplasty and phalloplasty, respectively. To provide accurate information about physical treatment for patients with gender identity disorder, even urologists who are not actively involved in the diagnosis and treatment of gender identity disorder should understand the fundamental aspects and contemporary problems of gender identity disorder.
Towards a vaccine for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Clancy R. L.
Published: February 2012

This review discusses chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as an outcome of two pathogenic pathways: the first resulting from inhalation of toxins and the second a consequence of bacterial colonisation of damaged airways. Earlier assessment of the role played by bacteria in acute exacerbations was compromised by a deficiency of quality data and the use of parameters more relevant to invasive infection. Data are reviewed to support a hypothesis that states intrabronchial inflammation reflects an excessive and inappropriate host response (largely mediated by Th17 cells derived from gut‐associated lymphoid tissues) to colonising bacteria acting as an ‘antigen sump’ (in essence, a hypersensitivity reaction). It is proposed that both viral and bacterial infections exacerbate inflammation through a common pathway that involves colonising bacteria. An oral vaccine containing inactivated non‐typeable Haemophilus influenzae augments a protective loop that involves the aspiration of bronchus content into the gut and reduces the severity of acute exacerbations including the need for hospital admission by reducing the ‘load’ of bacteria comprising this final common path. The positive clinical results from trials using oral NTHi support both the concept that bacterial colonisation of damaged airways is a potent second pathogenic pathway and that oral immunotherapy provides a significant therapeutic advance in limiting damage in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Improved survival trend of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma at an Australian tertiary hospital between 1995–2009
Authors: Wong N. , Haydon A. , Kemp W. , Wijeratne P. , Roberts S.
Published: February 2012

Aim

To evaluate trends in survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at The Alfred over a 15‐year period from 1995–2009

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of patients with HCC comparing epidemiology, clinical presentation, treatment parameters and overall survival of those diagnosed between 1995–2001 and 2002–2009. Overall survival of patients with primary liver cancer.

Results

The study population consisted of 215 patients; 110 diagnosed between 1995–2001 (Cohort A) and 105 between 2002–2009 (Cohort B). Overall survival increased significantly between 1995–2010 (P = 0.016); median survival was 365 days in Cohort A compared with 665 in Cohort B. The improvement in survival was associated with an increase in the proportion of cases detected at an asymptomatic stage (P = 0.012), a decline in the severity of liver disease at diagnosis (P = 0.002) and increased utilisation of loco‐regional therapy (P = 0.001) over the same period. Survival of patients detected through screening was significantly higher than those detected through non‐screening methods (1309 vs 233 days, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The survival of patients with HCC managed at a tertiary referral centre has improved over the period 1995–2009. This improvement may relate to the increased detection of the disease at an asymptomatic stage (e.g. through screening) as well as increased utilisation of effective loco‐regional therapies for HCC.
Gastroenterology training in Australia: how much is enough?
Authors: Leung C. , De Cruz P. , Jones A. , Sliwka G. , Bell S. J. , Hebbard G. S.
Published: February 2012

Background

Advanced training in gastroenterology currently consists of 2 years of core training and 1 elective (non‐core) year. We surveyed gastroenterologists 2–7 years following completion of training to determine the strengths and weaknesses of their training.

Methods

All gastroenterologists were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey.

Results

There was a 46% response rate (49/110). Eighty‐one per cent were male with most aged 36–45. Respondents felt that the current training programme prepared them well for public practice and endoscopy but less well for private practice, ambulatory care, surgical aspects of gastroenterology and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Most had faced challenges transitioning to consultant practice. The majority (53%) spent more than the standard 3 years to complete training in gastroenterology. The top three subspecialty Fellowships were in endoscopy (45%), inflammatory bowel disease (29%) and hepatology (23%). In their elective year, 42% undertook a predominantly clinical year (registrar‐type position in general or subspecialty gastroenterology), 28% engaged in research while 24% trained in another specialty. Seventy‐eight per cent were in full‐time work, and 36% were supervising trainees. Ninety‐eight per cent felt that it was beneficial for trainees to move between hospitals during the core years of their advanced training.

Conclusions

The current Australian gastroenterology training programme is generally adequate in preparing trainees for consultant practice but could be improved by increased emphasis on areas such as private practice, ambulatory gastroenterology and functional gastrointestinal diseases. Exposure to a variety of experiences by training in several different hospitals during core training was universally viewed as being important.
Cumulative model of very high cycle fatigue
Authors: STEPANSKIY L. G.
Published: February 2012

To predict very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) from data of standard monotonic tests the cumulative model of VHCF was elaborated. The model bases on the following assumptions: (1) Fatigue cracks are initiated, if the fraction of plastically dissipated energy corresponding to tensile stresses reaches the threshold; (2) This threshold is the constant for the given initial mechanical properties of alloys, if influence of the phase transformations on these properties is not significant, and the absolute temperatures of deformation are not above of temperatures of beginning recrystallization. The predicted values of VHCF for typical bearing, spring, stainless steels, and typical Ti‐ and Al‐alloys are in satisfied agreements with published values.
Efficacy and tolerability of vildagliptin as add‐on therapy to metformin in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Pan C. , Xing X. , Han P. , Zheng S. , Ma J. , Liu J. , Lv X. , Lu J. , Bader G. ,   on behalf of all investigators
Published: February 2012

Aim: To investigate the efficacy and tolerability of vildagliptin as add‐on therapy to metformin in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) inadequately controlled with metformin.

Methods: This was a 24‐week, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study. Patients with T2DM (N = 438) with haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of 7.0–10.0% and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) <15 mmol/l (<270 mg/dl) were randomized (1 : 1 : 1) to vildagliptin 50 mg bid, vildagliptin 50 mg qd or placebo in addition to metformin.

Results: The treatment groups were well balanced at baseline [mean HbA1c, 8.0%, FPG, 8.8 mmol/l (158 mg/dl); body mass index, 25.5 kg/m2]. The adjusted mean change (AMΔ) in HbA1c at endpoint was −1.05 ± 0.08%, −0.92 ± 0.08% and −0.54 ± 0.08% in patients receiving vildagliptin 50 mg bid, 50 mg qd and placebo, respectively. The between‐treatment difference (vildagliptin 50 mg bid–placebo) was −0.51 ± 0.11%, p < 0.001. A greater proportion of vildagliptin‐treated patients met at least one responder criterion (82.1 and 70.7%) compared to placebo‐treated patients (60.4%). The AMΔ at endpoint for FPG with vildagliptin 50 mg bid, −0.95 mmol/l (−17.1 mg/dl); 50 mg qd, −0.84 mmol/l (−15.1 mg/dl) was significantly different compared with the placebo −0.26 mmol/l (−4.68 mg/dl) (p ≤ 0.001). Adverse events (AEs) were reported as 34.2, 36.5 and 37.5% for patients receiving vildagliptin 50 mg bid, 50 mg qd or placebo, respectively. Two patients in the vildagliptin 50 mg qd and one in the placebo group reported serious AEs, which were not considered to be related to the study drug; one incidence of hypoglycaemic event was reported in the vildagliptin 50 mg bid group.

Conclusion: Vildagliptin as add‐on therapy to metformin improved glycaemic control and was well tolerated in Chinese patients who were inadequately controlled by metformin only.
A 970 Hounsfield units (HU) threshold of kidney stone density on non‐contrast computed tomography (NCCT) improves patients' selection for extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL): evidence from a prospective study
Authors: Ouzaid Idir , Al‐qahtani Said , Dominique Sébastien , Hupertan Vincent , Fernandez Pédro , Hermieu Jean‐François , Delmas Vincent , Ravery Vincent
Published: February 2012

Study Type – Therapy (prospective cohort)

Level of Evidence 2b

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

Stone density on non‐contrast computed tomography (NCCT) is reported to be a prognosis factor for extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL). In this prospective study, we determined that a 970 HU threshold of stone density is a very specific and sensitive threshold beyond which the likelihood to be rendered stone free is poor. Thus, NCCT evaluation of stone density before ESWL may useful to identify which patients should be offered alternative treatment to optimise their outcome.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the usefulness of measuring urinary calculi attenuation values by non‐contrast computed tomography (NCCT) for predicting the outcome of treatment by extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We prospectively evaluated 50 patients with urinary calculi of 5–22 mm undergoing ESWL.

All patients had NCCT at 120 kV and 100 mA on a spiral CT scanner. Patient age, sex, body mass index, stone laterality, stone size, stone attenuation values (Hounsfield units [HU]), stone location, and presence of JJ stent were studied as potential predictors.

The outcome was evaluated 4 weeks after the ESWL session by NCCT.

ESWL success was defined as patients being stone‐free (SF) or with remaining stone fragments of <4 mm, which were considered as clinically insignificant residual fragments (CIRF).

RESULTS

Our survey concluded that 26 patients (52%) were SF, 12 (24%) had CIRF and 12 (24%) had residual fragment on NCCT after a one ESWL treatment.

Stones of patients who became SF or had CIRF had a lower density compared with stones in patients with residual fragments [mean (sd) 715 (260) vs 1196 (171) HU, P < 0.001].

The Youden Index showed that a stone density of 970 HU represented the most sensitive (100%) and specific (81%) point on the receiver‐operating characteristic curve.

The stone‐free rate for stones of <970 HU was 96% vs 38% for stones of ≥970 HU (P < 0.001). A linear relationship between the calculus density and the success rate of ESWL was identified.

CONCLUSION

The use of NCCT to determine the attenuation values of urinary calculi before ESWL helps to predict treatment outcome, and, consequently, could be helpful in planning alternative treatment for patients with a likelihood of a poor outcome from ESWL.
Inhibition of stretching‐evoked ATP release from bladder mucosa by anticholinergic agents
Authors: Young John S. , Matharu Rajinder , Carew Mark A. , Fry Christopher H.
Published: February 2012

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

ATP and acetylcholine (ACh) are released from the urothelium or from cultured urothelial cells in response to mechanical stretching or perturbations that mimic stretching, such as exposure to hypotonic solutions. Limited evidence suggests that ATP and ACh may interact, as the muscarinic agonist carbachol evokes ATP release from cultured urothelial cells. Our aim was to determine whether antimuscarinics, shown previously to reduce sensory nerve firing during bladder filling, might function by reducing mucosal ATP release.

By stretching mucosa strips and measuring superfusate ATP using a luciferin–luciferase assay, we showed that muscarinic receptor antagonism (4‐DAMP, 10 nM or methoctramine, 1 µM) inhibits stretching‐evoked ATP release, suggesting anticholinergic agents used to treat human lower urinary tract pathologies act on urothelial muscarinic receptors. We also showed that alteration of resting mucosal tension is the key determinant of ATP release, as ATP is released from the mucosa in response to relaxation, as well to stretching.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether muscarinic receptor antagonism affects stretching‐induced release of ATP.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mucosal strips, dissected from guinea pig (male, 450g; n= 10) urinary bladders, were placed in horizontal organ baths and superfused with Ca2+‐free Tyrode's solution.

Superfusate samples were taken pre‐ and post‐ intervention (rapid stretching or relaxation) and ATP concentration was quantified using a luciferin–luciferase assay.

The effect of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonism on ATP release was assessed by addition of methoctramine (1 µM) and 4‐DAMP (10 nM).

RESULTS

Rapid stretching (0 to 13.3 ± 1.2 mN; no. strips = 20) increased ATP in the superfusate to a median threefold increase over basal levels.

After a period of equilibration, tension in the mucosal strips relaxed until it had reached a new steady‐state after 60 min and stretching was repeated. In the presence of 4‐DAMP (10 nM) or methoctramine (1 µM), ATP concentrations after stretching reduced to 61% or 20%, respectively. By contrast, ATP concentrations in mucosa‐matched controls, perfused with vehicle, increased in response to stretching by 391% and 1500%, respectively.

Rapid relaxation also stimulated ATP release. This release did not appear to be sensitive to 4‐DAMP or methoctramine.

CONCLUSIONS

An alteration of resting mucosal tension is the key determinant of ATP release, as ATP is released from the mucosa in response to both stretching and relaxation.

Muscarinic receptor antagonism inhibits stretching‐evoked ATP release from bladder mucosa, suggesting that anticholinergic agents used to treat human lower urinary tract pathologies act on urothelial muscarinic receptors.
Evolving practice patterns for the management of small renal masses in the USA
Authors: Yang Glen , Villalta Jacqueline D. , Meng Maxwell V. , Whitson Jared M.
Published: February 2012

Study Type – Therapy (trend analysis)

Level of Evidence 2b

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

Treatment options for small renal masses include radical nephrectomy (RN), partial nephrectomy (PN), ablation, and surveillance. PN provides equivalent oncological as RN for small tumours, but long‐term outcomes for ablation and surveillance are poorly defined. Due to changing techniques and technology, treatment patterns for small renal masses are rapidly developing. Prior studies had analysed utilisation trends for PN and RN to 2006, revealing a relative rise in the rate of PN. However, overall treatment trends including surveillance and ablation had not been studied using a population‐based cohort.

It has become increasingly clear that RN is associated with greater renal and cardiovascular deterioration than nephron‐sparing treatments. Thus, it is important to understand current population‐based practice patterns for the treatment of small renal masses to assess whether practitioners are adhering to ever‐changing principles in this field. The present study provides up‐to‐date treatment trends in the USA using a large population‐based cohort.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the changing practice patterns in the management of small renal masses, including the use of surveillance and ablative techniques.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All patients in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry treated for renal masses of ≤7 cm in diameter, from 1998 to 2008, were included for analysis.

Annual trends in the use of surveillance, ablation, partial nephrectomy (PN), and radical nephrectomy (RN) were calculated.

Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the association of demographic and clinical characteristics with treatment method.

RESULTS

In all, 48 148 patients from 17 registry sites with a mean age of 63.4 years were included for analysis.

Between 1998 and 2008, for masses of <2 cm and 2.1–4 cm, there was a dramatic increase in the proportion of patients undergoing PN (31% vs 50%, 16% vs 33%, respectively) and ablation (1% vs 11%, 2% vs 9%, respectively).

In multivariable analysis, later year of diagnosis, male gender, being married, clinically localised disease, and smaller tumours were associated with increased use of PN vs RN. Later year of diagnosis, male gender, being unmarried, smaller tumour, and the presence of bilateral masses were associated with increased use of ablation and surveillance vs RN.

CONCLUSIONS

PN is now used in half of all patients with the smallest renal masses, and its use continues to increase over time.

Ablation and surveillance are less common overall, but there is increased usage over time in select populations.
Modelling angler behaviour as a part of the management system: synthesizing a multi‐disciplinary literature
Authors: Fenichel Eli P , Abbott Joshua K , Huang Biao
Published: February 2012

It is often said that managing fisheries is managing people. This truism implies that fisheries science inherently involves disciplines that focus on fish and their population dynamics, humans and their behaviour, and policy and decision making. This is particularly true for recreational fisheries, where the human behavioural motivation and human response to management actions may be more difficult to predict than in commercial fisheries. We provide a synthesis of the multi‐disciplinary literature on modelling recreational angler behaviour to inform management of recreational fisheries. We begin by defining the recreational fisheries system in an interdisciplinary manner. We then assess the literature for empirical evidence of disciplinary crossover. Using bibliometric data, we provide evidence that there is little disciplinary crossover, particularly between fisheries biology, including applied ecology, and quantitative social science, including economics. We identify critical barriers to disciplinary crossover, such as database indexing issues and nomenclature. Next, we provide a review of critical contributions to the literature, and locate these contributions within our interdisciplinary conceptualization of the recreational fisheries system. This synthesis is intended to be a cross‐disciplinary bridge to facilitate access to the broader literature on modelling angler behaviour, with the ultimate goal of improving recreational fisheries management.
Enhanced polyhydroxybutyrate production in transgenic sugarcane
Authors: Petrasovits Lars A. , Zhao Lihan , McQualter Richard B. , Snell Kristi D. , Somleva Maria N. , Patterson Nii A. , Nielsen Lars K. , Brumbley Stevens M.
Published: February 2012

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a bacterial polyester that has properties similar to some petrochemically produced plastics. Plant‐based production has the potential to make this biorenewable plastic highly competitive with petrochemical‐based plastics. We previously reported that transgenic sugarcane produced PHB at levels as high as 1.8% leaf dry weight without penalty to biomass accumulation, suggesting scope for improving PHB production in this species. In this study, we used different plant and viral promoters, in combination with multigene or single‐gene constructs to increase PHB levels. Promoters tested included the maize and rice polyubiquitin promoters, the maize chlorophyll A/B‐binding protein promoter and a Cavendish banana streak badnavirus promoter. At the seedling stage, the highest levels of polymer were produced in sugarcane plants when the Cavendish banana streak badnavirus promoter was used. However, in all cases, this promoter underwent silencing as the plants matured. The rice Ubi promoter enabled the production of PHB at levels similar to the maize Ubi promoter. The maize chlorophyll A/B‐binding protein promoter enabled the production of PHB to levels as high as 4.8% of the leaf dry weight, which is approximately 2.5 times higher than previously reported levels in sugarcane. This is the first time that this promoter has been tested in sugarcane. The highest PHB‐producing lines showed phenotypic differences to the wild‐type parent, including reduced biomass and slight chlorosis.
In‐depth molecular and phenotypic characterization in a rice insertion line library facilitates gene identification through reverse and forward genetics approaches
Authors: Lorieux Mathias , Blein Mélisande , Lozano Jaime , Bouniol Mathieu , Droc Gaétan , Diévart Anne , Périn Christophe , Mieulet Delphine , Lanau Nadège , Bès Martine , Rouvière Claire , Gay Céline , Piffanelli Pietro , Larmande Pierre , Michel Corinne , Barnola Isabelle , Biderre‐Petit Corinne , Sallaud Christophe , Perez Pascual , Bourgis Fabienne , Ghesquière Alain , Gantet Pascal , Tohme Joe , Morel Jean Benoit , Guiderdoni Emmanuel
Published: February 2012

We report here the molecular and phenotypic features of a library of 31 562 insertion lines generated in the model japonica cultivar Nipponbare of rice (Oryza sativa L.), called Oryza Tag Line (OTL). Sixteen thousand eight hundred and fourteen T‐DNA and 12 410 Tos17 discrete insertion sites have been characterized in these lines. We estimate that 8686 predicted gene intervals—i.e. one‐fourth to one‐fifth of the estimated rice nontransposable element gene complement—are interrupted by sequence‐indexed T‐DNA (6563 genes) and/or Tos17 (2755 genes) inserts. Six hundred and forty‐three genes are interrupted by both T‐DNA and Tos17 inserts. High quality of the sequence indexation of the T2 seed samples was ascertained by several approaches. Field evaluation under agronomic conditions of 27 832 OTL has revealed that 18.2% exhibit at least one morphophysiological alteration in the T1 progeny plants. Screening 10 000 lines for altered response to inoculation by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae allowed to observe 71 lines (0.7%) developing spontaneous lesions simulating disease mutants and 43 lines (0.4%) exhibiting an enhanced disease resistance or susceptibility. We show here that at least 3.5% (four of 114) of these alterations are tagged by the mutagens. The presence of allelic series of sequence‐indexed mutations in a gene among OTL that exhibit a convergent phenotype clearly increases the chance of establishing a linkage between alterations and inserts. This convergence approach is illustrated by the identification of the rice ortholog of AtPHO2, the disruption of which causes a lesion‐mimic phenotype owing to an over‐accumulation of phosphate, in nine lines bearing allelic insertions.
Electrophysiological evidence for late maturation of strategic episodic retrieval processes
Authors: Sprondel Volker , Kipp Kerstin H. , Mecklinger Axel
Published: February 2012

Improvement in source memory performance throughout development is thought to be mediated by strategic processes that facilitate the retrieval of task‐relevant information. Using event‐related potentials (ERPs), we examined developmental changes in these processes during adolescence. Adolescents (13–14 years) and adults (19–29 years) completed a memory exclusion task which required the discrimination between words studied in one color (‘targets’) and words studied in the alternative color (‘non‐targets’) under two conditions that put different demands on strategic control. Memory accuracy improved with age and also increased with decreasing control demands in both age groups. The parietal old/new effect, an ERP correlate of recollection, was reliable for targets across conditions in both age groups. By contrast, ERP correlates of non‐target recollection were present in adolescents across conditions but not in adults. This suggests that adults implemented a strategy to prioritize recollection of target information with greater success than adolescents regardless of control demands, presumably reflecting maturational differences in cognitive control. In support of this view, the ERP amplitude difference between targets and non‐targets was positively correlated with a measure of working memory capacity (WMC) in adults but not in adolescents. A further age‐related difference was that ERP correlates of post‐retrieval processing, including late right‐frontal old/new effects and late posterior negativities, were observed in adults only. Together, our data suggest protracted maturation in the strategic processes that underlie selective recollection and post‐retrieval control.
Managing Performance in a Volatile Environment: Contrasting Perspectives on Luck and Causality
Authors: Parnell John A. , Dent Eric B. , O'Regan Nicholas , Hughes Tim
Published: February 2012

Performance management is an increasingly perilous and challenging activity for many firms, and involves understanding the drivers of performance as well as its measurement. Academics tend to see performance in terms of rationality, whereas business leaders tend to interpret drivers of overall performance in a broader context. When global crises and high uncertainty confound causal links to performance, practitioners often invoke the notion of ‘luck’ as a prospective explanation. Academics are less inclined to do so because they tend to conceptualize luck differently. This paper considers the academic/business gap and how Mode 2 research into luck and causality could produce findings that are more meaningful to practising managers in both understanding and affecting performance. It concludes by identifying ways to encourage greater academia‐practitioner congruence to meet the challenges of a volatile operating environment.
Sociocultural Input Facilitates Children’s Developing Understanding of Extraordinary Minds
Authors: Lane Jonathan D. , Wellman Henry M. , Evans E. Margaret
Published: February 2012

Three‐ to 5‐year‐old (N = 61) religiously schooled preschoolers received theory‐of‐mind (ToM) tasks about the mental states of ordinary humans and agents with exceptional perceptual or mental capacities. Consistent with an anthropomorphism hypothesis, children beginning to appreciate limitations of human minds (e.g., ignorance) attributed those limits to God. Only 5‐year‐olds differentiated between humans’ fallible minds and God’s less fallible mind. Unlike secularly schooled children, religiously schooled 4‐year‐olds did appreciate another agent’s less fallible mental abilities when instructed and reminded about those abilities. Among children who understood ordinary humans’ mental fallibilities, knowledge of God predicted attributions of correct epistemic states to extraordinary agents. Results suggest that, at a certain point in ToM development, sociocultural input can facilitate an appreciation for extraordinary minds.
Acoustic Rendering and Auditory–Visual Cross‐Modal Perception and Interaction
Authors: Hulusic Vedad , Harvey Carlo , Debattista Kurt , Tsingos Nicolas , Walker Steve , Howard David , Chalmers Alan
Published: February 2012

In recent years research in the three‐dimensional sound generation field has been primarily focussed upon new applications of spatialized sound. In the computer graphics community the use of such techniques is most commonly found being applied to virtual, immersive environments. However, the field is more varied and diverse than this and other research tackles the problem in a more complete, and computationally expensive manner. Furthermore, the simulation of light and sound wave propagation is still unachievable at a physically accurate spatio‐temporal quality in real time. Although the Human Visual System (HVS) and the Human Auditory System (HAS) are exceptionally sophisticated, they also contain certain perceptional and attentional limitations. Researchers, in fields such as psychology, have been investigating these limitations for several years and have come up with findings which may be exploited in other fields. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the major techniques for generating spatialized sound and, in addition, discusses perceptual and cross‐modal influences to consider. We also describe current limitations and provide an in‐depth look at the emerging topics in the field.
Performance Evaluation of TMD under Typhoon Using System Identification and Inverse Wind Load Estimation
Authors: Kang Namcheol , Kim Hongjin , Choi & Seongwoo Jo Sunyoung , Hwang Jae‐Seung , Yu Eunjong
Published: February 2012

Abstract:  The typhoon behavior and performance of a tuned mass damper (TMD) are presented based on the system identification and the inverse modal wind load estimation. The TMD was installed on a 39‐story, 184.6‐m steel building located in Incheon, Korea with a monitoring system consisting of an anemometer, accelerometers, and internet‐based data logging system. On September 2, 2010, the building experienced the Kompasu Typhoon, in which the peak wind speed, measured by an anemometer installed on the roof floor, was 49.7 m/s. To analyze the behavior of the building during the typhoon, the dynamic properties of building and TMD are identified from the measured responses. The modal wind load is then inversely estimated from the TMD and building accelerations using a Kalman filter, and the vibration reduction performance of the TMD is evaluated. The analysis results show that the typhoon‐induced vibration was reduced significantly due to the installation of TMD.
Clustering Gene Expression Data using a Posterior Split‐Merge‐Birth Procedure
Authors: SARAIVA ERLANDSON F. , MILAN LUIS A.
Published: February 2012

Abstract. DNA array technology is an important tool for genomic research due to its capa‐city of measuring simultaneously the expression levels of a great number of genes or fragments of genes in different experimental conditions. An important point in gene expression data analysis is to identify clusters of genes which present similar expression levels. We propose a new procedure for estimating the mixture model for clustering of gene expression data. The proposed method is a posterior split‐merge‐birth MCMC procedure which does not require the specification of the number of components, since it is estimated jointly with component parameters. The strategy for splitting is based on data and on posterior distribution from the previously allocated observations. This procedure defines a quick split proposal in contrary to other split procedures, which require substantial computational effort. The performance of the method is verified using real and simulated datasets.
Hierarchical clustering of spatially correlated functional data
Authors: Giraldo R. , Delicado P. , Mateu J.
Published: February 2012

Classification problems of functional data arise naturally in many applications. Several approaches have been considered for solving the problem of finding groups based on functional data. In this paper, we are interested in detecting groups when the functional data are spatially correlated. Our methodology allows to find spatially homogeneous groups of sites when the observations at each sampling location consist of samples of random functions. In univariable and multivariable geostatistics, various methods of incorporating spatial information into the clustering analysis have been considered. Here, we extend these methods to the functional context to fulfil the task of clustering spatially correlated curves. In our approach, we initially use basis functions to smooth the observed data, and then, we weight the dissimilarity matrix among curves by either the trace‐variogram or the multivariable variogram calculated with the coefficients of the basis functions. This paper contains a simulation study as well as the analysis of a real data set corresponding to average daily temperatures measured at 35 Canadian weather stations.