bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FM Dye Photoconversion for Visualizing Synaptic Vesicles by Electron Microscopy: Figure 1.
Authors: Hoopmann Peer , Rizzoli Silvio O. , Betz William J.
Published: December 2011

The synaptic vesicle is the essential organelle of the synapse. Many approaches for studying synaptic vesicle recycling have been devised, one of which, the styryl (FM) dye, is well suited for this purpose. The FM dyes have a unique set of properties that allows them to selectively label recycling vesicles: They reversibly stain, but do not permeate, membranes; hence they can specifically label membrane-bound organelles. Their quantum yield is drastically higher when bound to membranes than when in aqueous solution. FM dyes can also be used as endocytic markers in electron microscopy (EM) through a procedure termed photoconversion (or photooxidation), as described here. Fluorescent dye molecules generate free radicals (reactive oxygen species) when subjected to strong illumination. These short-lived radicals readily oxidize any molecules found in the immediate vicinity of the fluorophore. When photoconversion of FM dyes is performed while the preparation is bathing in diaminobenzidine (DAB), a dark brown precipitate forms after the DAB is oxidized. Thus, illumination turns FM-labeled organelles into dark electron-dense ones. The technique results in a substantial increase in the resolution of FM dye labeling studies (with the obvious caveat that it is restricted to fixed preparations).
RooTrak: Automated Recovery of Three-Dimensional Plant Root Architecture in Soil from X-Ray Microcomputed Tomography Images Using Visual Tracking
Authors: Mairhofer Stefan , Zappala Susan , Tracy Saoirse R. , Sturrock Craig , Bennett Malcolm , Mooney Sacha J. , Pridmore Tony
Published: December 2011

X-ray microcomputed tomography (μCT) is an invaluable tool for visualizing plant root systems within their natural soil environment noninvasively. However, variations in the x-ray attenuation values of root material and the overlap in attenuation values between roots and soil caused by water and organic materials represent major challenges to data recovery. We report the development of automatic root segmentation methods and software that view μCT data as a sequence of images through which root objects appear to move as the x-y cross sections are traversed along the z axis of the image stack. Previous approaches have employed significant levels of user interaction and/or fixed criteria to distinguish root and nonroot material. RooTrak exploits multiple, local models of root appearance, each built while tracking a specific segment, to identify new root material. It requires minimal user interaction and is able to adapt to changing root density estimates. The model-guided search for root material arising from the adoption of a visual-tracking framework makes RooTrak less sensitive to the natural ambiguity of x-ray attenuation data. We demonstrate the utility of RooTrak using μCT scans of maize (Zea mays), wheat (Triticum aestivum), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) grown in a range of contrasting soil textures. Our results demonstrate that RooTrak can successfully extract a range of root architectures from the surrounding soil and promises to facilitate future root phenotyping efforts.
Management of multidrug‐resistant viruses in the immunocompromised host
Authors: Sellar Rob S. , Peggs Karl S.
Published: December 2011

Multidrug‐resistant viruses remain a clinically challenging complication in the immunocompromised host. This review discusses mechanisms of viral resistance and treatment options in this context with particular emphasis on the immunocompromised haematology patient. We also outline some of the newer agents and treatment strategies being developed to treat multidrug‐resistant viruses.
Lung damage and airway remodelling in severe asthma
Authors: Brightling C. E. , Gupta S. , Gonem S. , Siddiqui S.
Published: December 2011

Severe asthma is a heterogeneous disease with substantial unmet clinical need. Airway damage and remodelling is a consequence of complex host–environment interactions and is considered to be the cardinal feature leading onto the development and persistence of airflow obstruction. In this review, we shall bring together recent insights into the causes of airway damage and remodelling that propose key roles for pathogens and mechanical damage in addition to allergens, underlying genetic susceptibility, inflammatory and structural cell interactions, and impaired resolution of damage. We shall consider the consequences of airway remodelling in terms of airway geometry, mechanics and clinical expression of disease. Understanding the causes and consequences of airway damage and remodelling will shed light upon the structure–function relationships required to begin to unravel the complexity of severe asthma and will enable us to target current and novel therapies as we begin to move towards realizing personalized medicine.
Hard‐tissue debris accumulation created by conventional rotary versus self‐adjusting file instrumentation in mesial root canal systems of mandibular molars
Authors: Paqué F. , Al‐Jadaa A. , Kfir A.
Published: December 2011

Paqué F, Al‐Jadaa A, Kfir A. Hard‐tissue debris accumulation created by conventional rotary versus self‐adjusting file instrumentation in mesial root canal systems of mandibular molars. International Endodontic Journal, 45, 413–418, 2012.

Aim  To evaluate the accumulation of hard‐tissue debris when using the Self‐adjusting File (SAF) system in mesial roots of mandibular molars with isthmuses and to compare it with that occurring when the ProTaper file system was used.

Methodology  Forty extracted human mandibular molars with joining mesial root canals and an isthmus between the two canals were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and scanned using micro‐computed tomography. Root canals in the control group (N = 20) were instrumented using the ProTaper rotary system until F3. Irrigation with 1 mL of 3% NaOCl solution was applied after each instrument. Root canals in the experimental group (N = 20) were prepared using the SAF for 4 min, with continuous irrigation (3% NaOCl, 4 mL min−1). After rescanning, canals in both groups were further irrigated with 5 mL of 17% EDTA for 2 min. After final scanning, the per cent value of total canal system volume filled with hard‐tissue debris was calculated. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann–Whitney U‐test; the alpha‐type error was set at 1%.

Results  Instrumentation of the root canals with ProTaper left 10.1% (IQR 5.2) of the total canal system volume filled with hard‐tissue debris while preparation with the SAF left 1.7% (IQR 1.6). This difference was highly significant (P < 0.0001). After subsequent EDTA irrigation, these values were significantly reduced (P < 0.01) to 7.9% (IQR 4.1) and 1.3% (IQR 0.8) in the ProTaper and SAF groups, respectively.

Conclusion  Preparation with the SAF system resulted in less hard‐tissue debris accumulation in isthmus‐containing root canal systems compared with instrumentation with ProTaper rotary files.
Shaping ability and cleaning effectiveness of two single‐file systems in severely curved root canals of extracted teeth: Reciproc and WaveOne versus Mtwo and ProTaper
Authors: Bürklein S. , Hinschitza K. , Dammaschke T. , Schäfer E.
Published: December 2011

Bürklein S, Hinschitza K, Dammaschke T, Schäfer E. Shaping ability and cleaning effectiveness of two single‐file systems in severely curved root canals of extracted teeth: Reciproc and WaveOne versus Mtwo and ProTaper. International Endodontic Journal, 45, 449–461, 2012.

Aim  To compare shaping ability and cleaning effectiveness of two reciprocating single‐file systems with Mtwo and ProTaper rotary instruments during the preparation of curved root canals in extracted teeth.

Methodology  A total of 80 root canals with curvatures ranging between 25° and 39° were divided into four groups of 20 canals. Based on radiographs taken prior to instrumentation, the groups were balanced with respect to the angle and the radius of canal curvature. Canals were prepared to the following apical sizes: Mtwo: size 35 using the single‐length technique; ProTaper: F3, instruments were used in a modified crown‐down manner; Reciproc and WaveOne: size 25. Using pre‐ and post‐instrumentation radiographs, straightening of the canal curvatures was determined with a computer image analysis program. Preparation time and instrument failures were also recorded. These data were analysed statistically using anova and Student–Newman–Keuls test. The amounts of debris and smear layer were quantified on the basis of a numerical evaluation scale and were analysed statistically using the Kruskal–Wallis test.

Results  During preparation no file fractured. All instruments maintained the original canal curvature well with no significant differences between the different files (P = 0.382). Instrumentation with Reciproc was significantly faster than with all other instruments (P < 0.05), while WaveOne was significantly faster than Mtwo and ProTaper (P < 0.05). For debris removal, Mtwo and Reciproc instruments achieved significantly better results (P < 0.05) than the other instruments in the apical third of the canals. In the middle and coronal parts, no significant differences were obtained between Mtwo, Reciproc and WaveOne (P > 0.05), while ProTaper showed significantly more residual debris (P < 0.05). The results for remaining smear layer were similar and not significantly different for the different parts of the canals (P > 0.05).

Conclusions  Under the conditions of this study, all instruments maintained the original canal curvature well and were safe to use. The use of Mtwo and Reciproc instruments resulted in better canal cleanliness in the apical part compared with ProTaper and WaveOne.
Seasonal shifts in predator body size diversity and trophic interactions in size‐structured predator–prey systems
Authors: Rudolf Volker H. W.
Published: December 2011

1. Theory suggests that the relationship between predator diversity and prey suppression should depend on variation in predator traits such as body size, which strongly influences the type and strength of species interactions. Prey species often face a range of different sized predators, and the composition of body sizes of predators can vary between communities and within communities across seasons.

2. Here, I test how variation in size structure of predator communities influences prey survival using seasonal changes in the size structure of a cannibalistic population as a model system. Laboratory and field experiments showed that although the per‐capita consumption rates increased at higher predator–prey size ratios, mortality rates did not consistently increase with average size of cannibalistic predators. Instead, prey mortality peaked at the highest level of predator body size diversity.

3. Furthermore, observed prey mortality was significantly higher than predictions from the null model that assumed no indirect interactions between predator size classes, indicating that different sized predators were not substitutable but had more than additive effects. Higher predator body size diversity therefore increased prey mortality, despite the increased potential for behavioural interference and predation among predators demonstrated in additional laboratory experiments.

4. Thus, seasonal changes in the distribution of predator body sizes altered the strength of prey suppression not only through changes in mean predator size but also through changes in the size distribution of predators. In general, this indicates that variation (i.e. diversity) within a single trait, body size, can influence the strength of trophic interactions and emphasizes the importance of seasonal shifts in size structure of natural food webs for community dynamics.
Early Levothyroxine Treatment on Maternal Subclinical Hypothyroidism Improves Spatial Learning of Offspring in Rats
Authors: Wang S. , Teng W. , Gao Y. , Fan C. , Zhang H. , Shan Z.
Published: December 2011

Maternal hypothyroidism has adverse effects on neural development in the offspring. The present study aimed to investigate whether maternal subclinical hypothyroidism impairs spatial learning in the offspring, as well as the efficacy and optimal time of levothyroxine (L‐T4) treatment in pregnancy. Female adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 10 per group): control, hypothyroid (H), subclinical hypothyroid (SCH) and SCH treated with L‐T4, starting from the tenth, thirteenth and seventeenth gestational day (GD10, GD13 and GD17), respectively, to restore normal thyroid hormone levels. Spatial learning was assessed on progenies by a water maze test, a field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) recording, and an long‐term potentiation induction assay. Protein levels of early growth response protein 1 (Egr1), activity‐regulated cytoskeleton‐associated protein (Arc), Ras‐proximate‐1 (Rap1), p‐extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (p‐ERK) and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were determined by western blotting. Progenies from the SCH and H groups demonstrated significantly longer mean latency in the water maze test and a lower amplification percentage of the amplitude and slope of the fEPSPs compared to offspring of the control group. L‐T4 treatment for the GD10 and GD13 groups significantly shortened mean latency and increased the amplification percentage of the amplitude and slope of the fEPSPs of the progeny of rats with subclinical hypothyroidism. However, L‐T4 treatment for the GD17 group showed only minimal effects on spatial learning in the offspring. Progenies of SCH and H groups had lower levels of Egr1, Arc, p‐ERK and BDNF but higher levels of Rap1 compared to those of the controls. L‐T4 treatment ameliorated these protein expression changes in the progeny of rats with subclinical hypothyroidism. Maternal subclinical hypothyroidism impaired spatial learning in the offspring; L‐T4 treatment in early pregnancy recovered this adverse effect, and the optimal time of treatment should start from early pregnancy (GD10 and GD13).
Abnormal intestinal function related to hypocupremia in a rodent model
Authors: Greenwood‐Van Meerveld B. , Prodan C. I.
Published: December 2011

Background  Copper deficiency affects the peripheral (PNS) and central (CNS) nervous systems and can lead to neurological deficits in humans. No studies have addressed whether copper deficiency affects the enteric nervous system (ENS). We hypothesized that ENS abnormalities impair intestinal function in copper deficiency.

Methods  We induced copper deficiency in rats by nutritional deprivation. Once hypocupremia was achieved, we euthanized the animals and harvested the small and large intestine. The longitudinal smooth muscle from the jejunum and colon was suspended in organ baths and contractility in response to electrical field stimulation (EFS) was assessed. Mucosa was also isolated from each region and placed into modified Ussing chambers to determine whether the copper deficiency leads to alterations in epithelial transport measured as a change in short circuit current across the mucosa in response to EFS.

Key Results  A copper deficient diet (CDD) in normal rats for 9 weeks was sufficient to produce hypocupremia. Colonic smooth muscle contractility was significantly decreased in response to EFS in rats fed a CDD compared with controls, however, jejunal smooth muscle contractility in response to EFS in rats fed a CDD rats resembled that observed in controls. No significant changes in secretory function were observed in either region in response to CDD.

Conclusions & Inferences  Dietary copper deficiency produces significant changes in the neural regulation of colonic smooth muscle contractility in a rodent model. Thus, along with CNS and PNS effects in humans, copper deficiency results in abnormal ENS regulation of intestinal function in rats.
An assessment of enteric nervous system and estroprogestinic receptors in obstructed defecation associated with rectal intussusception
Authors: Bassotti Gabrio , Villanacci Vincenzo , Bellomi Alberto , Fante Rossella , Cadei Moris , Vicenzi Luca , Tonelli Francesco , Nesi Gabriella , Asteria Corrado R
Published: December 2011

Background  The pathophysiological basis of obstructed defecation (OD) is still incompletely understood. In particular, few or no data are available concerning the enteric nervous system (ENS) in this condition. We investigated ENS abnormalities in patients with OD, undergoing surgery, together with the presence of estrogen (α and β) and progesterone receptors, and compare the results with those obtained in controls.

Methods  Full‐thickness rectal samples were obtained from 17 patients undergoing stapled transanal rectal resection for OD associated with rectal intussusception. Samples were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for enteric neurons, enteric glial cells, interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), and for estrogen and progesterone receptors. Data were compared with those obtained in 10 controls.

Key Results  No differences between patients and controls were found for enteric neurons, whereas (compared with controls) OD patients displayed a significant decrease of enteric glial cells in both the submucous (P = 0.0006) and the myenteric (P < 0.0001) plexus. ICC were significantly increased in patients in the submucosal surface (P < 0.0001) and the myenteric area (P < 0.0001). Concerning estroprogestinic receptors, both were present on ICC in patients and controls. Estrogen receptors α and progesterone receptors were absent on enteric neurons and enteric glial cells in patients and controls, whereas estrogen receptors β were present in all controls and in 69% of patients’ enteric neurons (P = 0.18) and in 12% of patients’ glial cells (P = 0.0001).

Conclusions & Inferences  Patients with OD associated to rectal intussusception display abnormalities of the ENS and of estrogen receptors β.
Sequence‐based typing confirmed a new HLA‐A allele, A*31:53, in a liver recipient patient
Authors: Witter K. , Kutsch M. , Zahn R. , Albert T. , Dick A. , Kauke T.
Published: December 2011

In this report, we present the full‐length coding sequence of A*31:53, a novel allele with a single‐nucleotide difference in exon 3 with respect to A*31:01:02.
Improved production of doubled haploids in Brassica rapa through microspore culture
Authors: Zhang Yun , Wang Aijie , Liu Yang , Wang Yushu , Feng Hui
Published: December 2011

With 1 figure and 7 tables

The current study aims at producing doubled haploid Brassica rapa plants through isolated microspore culture. Genotypic differences in embryogenic response and regenerative ability of microspore‐derived embryos to plants were observed. Compared with the longer incubation period (72 h), heat shock treatment at 33°C for 24 or 48 h was more beneficial for microspore embryogenesis. Microspore embryogenesis was improved with the addition of 6‐benzylaminopurine and naphthalene acetic acid to the NLN medium. The highest frequency of microspore embryogenesis was achieved in ‘SH‐8’ (21.1 embryos/bud), whereas ‘SH‐6’ had the best regeneration ability (67.4%). In total, 1112 regenerated plants were produced from 2025 embryos in a series of experiments using different modifications of microspore culture technique. The average spontaneous doubling frequency of the different genotypes of B. rapa was 57.5%.
High‐intensity focused ultrasound therapy for prostate cancer
Authors: Uchida Toyoaki , Nakano Mayura , Hongo Satoko , Shoji Sunao , Nagata Yohishiro , Satoh Takefumi , Baba Shiro , Usui Yukio , Terachi Toshiro
Published: December 2011

Abstract:  Recent advances in high‐intensity focused ultrasound, which was developed in the 1940s as a viable thermal tissue ablation approach, have increased its popularity. High‐intensity focused ultrasound is currently utilized the most in Europe and Japan, but has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, USA, for this indication. The purpose of the present report is to review the scientific foundation of high‐intensity focused ultrasound technology and the clinical outcomes achieved with commercially available devices. Recently published articles were reviewed to evaluate the current status of high‐intensity focused ultrasound as a primary or salvage treatment option for localized prostate cancer. Improvements in the clinical outcome as a result of technical, imaging and technological advancements are described herein. A wide range of treatment options for organ‐confined prostate cancer is available. However, high‐intensity focused ultrasound is an attractive choice for men willing to choose less invasive options, although establishing the efficacy of high‐intensity focused ultrasound requires longer follow‐up periods. Technological advances, together with cultural and economic factors, have caused a dramatic shift from traditional open, radical prostatectomy to minimally invasive techniques. High‐intensity focused ultrasound is likely to play a significant role in the future of oncology practice.
Genome sequences of siphoviruses infecting marine Synechococcus unveil a diverse cyanophage group and extensive phage–host genetic exchanges
Authors: Huang Sijun , Wang Kui , Jiao Nianzhi , Chen Feng
Published: December 2011

Investigating the interactions between marine cyanobacteria and their viruses (phages) is important towards understanding the dynamic of ocean's primary productivity. Genome sequencing of marine cyanophages has greatly advanced our understanding about their ecology and evolution. Among 24 reported genomes of cyanophages that infect marine picocyanobacteria, 17 are from cyanomyoviruses and six from cyanopodoviruses, and only one from cyanosiphovirus (Prochlorococcus phage P‐SS2). Here we present four complete genome sequences of siphoviruses (S‐CBS1, S‐CBS2, S‐CBS3 and S‐CBS4) that infect four different marine Synechococcus strains. Three distinct subtypes were recognized among the five known marine siphoviruses (including P‐SS2) in terms of morphology, genome architecture, gene content and sequence similarity. Our study revealed that cyanosiphoviruses are genetically diverse with polyphyletic origin. No core genes were found across these five cyanosiphovirus genomes, and this is in contrast to the fact that many core genes have been found in cyanomyovirus or cyanopodovirus genomes. Interestingly, genes encoding three structural proteins and a lysozyme of S‐CBS1 and S‐CBS3 showed homology to a prophage‐like genetic element in two freshwater Synechococcus elongatus genomes. Re‐annotation of the prophage‐like genomic region suggests that S. elongatus may contain an intact prophage. Cyanosiphovirus genes involved in DNA metabolism and replication share high sequence homology with those in cyanobacteria, and further phylogenetic analysis based on these genes suggests that ancient and selective genetic exchanges occurred, possibly due to past prophage integration. Metagenomic analysis based on the Global Ocean Sampling database showed that cyanosiphoviruses are present in relatively low abundance in the ocean surface water compared to cyanomyoviruses and cyanopodoviruses.
Temperature explains global variation in biomass among humid old‐growth forests
Authors: Larjavaara Markku , Muller‐Landau Helene C.
Published: December 2011

Aim  To develop and test a simple climate‐based ecophysiological model of above‐ground biomass – an approach that can be applied directly to predicting the effects of climate change on forest carbon stores.

Location  Humid lowland forests world‐wide.

Methods  We developed a new approach to modelling the aboveground biomass of old‐growth forest (AGBmax) based on the influences of temperature on gross primary productivity (GPP) and what we call total maintenance cost (TMC), which includes autotrophic respiration as well as leaf, stem and other plant construction required to maintain biomass. We parameterized the models with measured carbon fluxes and tested them by comparing predicted AGBmax with measured AGB for another 109 old‐growth sites.

Results  Our models explained 57% of the variation in GPP across 95 sites and 79% of the variation in TMC across 17 sites. According to the best‐fit models, the ratio of GPP to maintenance cost per unit biomass (MCB) peaks at 16.5 °C, indicating that this is the air temperature leading to the highest possible AGBmax when temperatures are constant. Seasonal temperature variation generally reduces predicted AGBmax, and thus maritime temperate climates are predicted to have the highest AGBmax. The shift in temperatures from temperate maritime to tropical climates increases MCB more than GPP, and thus decreases AGBmax. Overall, our model explains exactly 50% of the variation in AGB among humid lowland old‐growth forests.

Main conclusions  Temperature plays an important role in explaining global variation in biomass among humid lowland old‐growth forests, a role that can be understood in terms of the dual effects of temperature on GPP and TMC. Our simple model captures these influences, and could be an important tool for predicting the effects of climate change on forest carbon stores.
School Attendance Problems and Youth Psychopathology: Structural Cross‐Lagged Regression Models in Three Longitudinal Data Sets
Authors: Wood Jeffrey J. , Lynne‐Landsman Sarah D. , Langer David A. , Wood Patricia A. , Clark Shaunna L. , Mark Eddy J. , Ialongo Nick
Published: December 2011

This study tests a model of reciprocal influences between absenteeism and youth psychopathology using 3 longitudinal datasets (Ns = 20,745, 2,311, and 671). Participants in 1st through 12th grades were interviewed annually or biannually. Measures of psychopathology include self‐, parent‐, and teacher‐report questionnaires. Structural cross‐lagged regression models were tested. In a nationally representative data set (Add Health), middle school students with relatively greater absenteeism at Study Year 1 tended toward increased depression and conduct problems in Study Year 2, over and above the effects of autoregressive associations and demographic covariates. The opposite direction of effects was found for both middle and high school students. Analyses with 2 regionally representative data sets were also partially supportive. Longitudinal links were more evident in adolescence than in childhood.
Predictors of Susceptibility to Peer Influence Regarding Substance Use in Adolescence
Authors: Allen Joseph P. , Chango Joanna , Szwedo David , Schad Megan , Marston Emily
Published: December 2011

The extent to which peer influences on substance use in adolescence systematically vary in strength based on qualities of the adolescent and his or her close friend was assessed in a study of 157 adolescents (age: M = 13.35, SD = 0.64), their close friends, and their parents assessed longitudinally with a combination of observational, analogue, sociometric, and self‐report measures from early to mid adolescence. The degree to which adolescents changed their levels of substance use in accord with their peers’ baseline levels of use was predicted by a range of theoretically salient factors including: observed teen lack of autonomy and social support in prior interactions with mothers, low teen refusal skills, and the level of social acceptance of their close friend. Findings suggest the importance of both internal factors (e.g., autonomy and relatedness struggles) and external factors (e.g., social status of friends) in explaining why vulnerability to peer influence processes may be much greater for some adolescents than others.
Children Are Not Like Older Adults: A Diffusion Model Analysis of Developmental Changes in Speeded Responses
Authors: Ratcliff Roger , Love Jessica , Thompson Clarissa A. , Opfer John E.
Published: December 2011

Children (n = 130; Mage = 8.51–15.68 years) and college‐aged adults (n = 72; Mage = 20.50 years) completed numerosity discrimination and lexical decision tasks. Children produced longer response times (RTs) than adults. R. Ratcliff’s (1978) diffusion model, which divides processing into components (e.g., quality of evidence, decision criteria settings, nondecision time), was fit to the accuracy and RT distribution data. Differences in all components were responsible for slowing in children in these tasks. Children extract lower quality evidence than college‐aged adults, unlike older adults who extract a similar quality of evidence as college‐aged adults. Thus, processing components responsible for changes in RTs at the beginning of the life span are somewhat different from those responsible for changes occurring with healthy aging.
Magic Memories: Young Children’s Verbal Recall After a 6‐Year Delay
Authors: Jack Fiona , Simcock Gabrielle , Hayne Harlene
Published: December 2011

This report describes the first prospective study specifically designed to assess children’s verbal memory for a unique event 6 years after it occurred. Forty‐six 27‐ to 51‐month‐old children took part in a unique event and were interviewed about it twice, after 24‐hr and 6‐year delays. During the 6‐year interview, 9 children verbally recalled the event, including 2 who were under 3 years old when the event occurred. This may be the most convincing evidence to date that such early experiences can be verbally recalled after long delays. These data have important implications for current theories of memory development and childhood amnesia and underscore some of the problems associated with evaluating the veracity of early memories under less controlled conditions.
Trade Policy Review – Malaysia 2010
Authors: Jensen Camilla , Kara Nasra
Published: December 2011

The paper reviews the recently completed Trade Policy Review for Malaysia. We find that in the case of Malaysia trade has been liberalised and subjected to structural changes to a very high extent over the last three decades. However, reform has been less effective when it comes to trade‐related policies such as investment policies and other national policies that de facto rather than de jure affect competition due to differential treatment of different firms, brands and individuals. This is also mirrored in the faltering levels of investment in Malaysia. An area where Malaysia has been successful is the reorientation towards services. A good example is the tourism industry which is mature and a major export industry in Malaysia today. Nascent service industries such as health, finance, ICT related services and education hold promise to become important export earners in the future. The paper shows that for this new phase of structural change to be truly successful Malaysia must prioritise trade negotiations and integration with her own region and especially ASEAN.
Virtue Epistemology and Epistemic Twin Earth
Authors: Kallestrup Jesper , Pritchard Duncan
Published: December 2011

A popular form of virtue epistemology—defended by such figures as Ernest Sosa, Linda Zagzebski and John Greco—holds that knowledge can be exclusively understood in virtue‐theoretic terms. In particular, it holds that there isn't any need for an additional epistemic condition to deal with the problem posed by knowledge‐undermining epistemic luck. It is argued that the sustainability of such a proposal is called into question by the possibility of epistemic twin earth cases. In particular, it is argued that such cases demonstrate the need for virtue‐theoretic accounts of knowledge to appeal to an independent epistemic condition which excludes knowledge‐undermining epistemic luck.
Epistemic Ought is a Commensurable Ought
Authors: Booth Anthony Robert
Published: December 2011

I argue that the claim that epistemic ought is incommensurable is self‐defeating. My argument, however, depends on the truth of the premise that there can be not only epistemic reasons for belief, but also non‐epistemic (e.g., moral) reasons for belief. So I also provide some support for that claim.
Path Dependence: A Political Economy Perspective
Authors: OOSTERLYNCK STIJN
Published: December 2011

In this commentary, I endorse Ron Martin's thoughtful rethinking of the concept of path dependence in a successful attempt to improve our understanding of regional economic evolution. I take issue, however, with his quick dismissal of Marxist geographical political economy as an important reference point for understanding the evolution of the economic landscape. Taking inspiration from a spatialized reading of the regulationist perspective on socioeconomic development, I argue that Marxist geographical political economy is a key reference point for any theory of regional development because it points to the importance of capital accumulation, state restructuring and collective agency in shaping economic evolution.

Ron Martin a judicieusement revisité le concept des sentiers de dépendance. Si ce commentaire souscrit à sa tentative réussie d’améliorer notre compréhension de l’évolution économique régionale, il critique néanmoins la rapide mise à l’écart de l’économie politique géographique marxiste en tant que pôle de référence important pour appréhender l’évolution du paysage économique. À partir d’une lecture spatialisée de la perspective régulationniste sur le développement socio‐économique, on peut avancer que l’économie politique géographique marxiste constitue un repère essentiel pour toute théorie du développement régional puisqu’elle met en évidence l’importance de l’accumulation du capital, de la restructuration de l’État et de l’agence collective dans la configuration de l’évolution économique.
Assessment of serum leptin, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in patients with skin tags
Authors: Shaheen M.A. , Abdel Fattah Nermeen S.A. , Sayed Y.A.A. , Saad A.A
Published: December 2011

Background  Skin tags are common cutaneous lesions with an indefinite aetiology.

Objectives  To assess serum leptin, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in different body mass index (BMI) patients with skin tags.

Methods  Three equally distributed groups of patients with multiple skin tags: 30 normal BMI, 30 overweight and 30 obese were included. Controls were age‐, gender‐ and BMI‐matched healthy subjects. Serum leptin, insulin resistance based on homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) and metabolic syndrome were assessed in all groups.

Results  Number and extent of skin tags increase with the increase in BMI. Highest leptin levels were found in obese patients, with significant differences when compared to normal BMI and overweight patients. Similar findings existed in controls. Significantly higher leptin levels were found in obese patients compared to obese controls. HOMA‐IR was significantly higher in all groups of patients compared to BMI‐counterpart controls. Seventy‐one per cent of patients fulfilled criteria of metabolic syndrome. Number of skin tags, leptin and HOMA‐IR were significantly higher in patients with metabolic syndrome compared to patients without the syndrome. Positive correlations were found between serum leptin and HOMA‐IR in obese patients and obese controls. Positive correlations were also found between number of skin tags and waist circumference in all groups of patients.

Conclusions  Serum leptin displays an association with obesity and insulin resistance. Assessment of HOMA‐IR in patients with skin tags may serve as a useful approach for diagnosis of insulin resistance. Waist circumference is the only criteria of metabolic syndrome that correlates with number of skin tags.
Emotional arousal modulates the encoding of crime‐related details and corresponding physiological responses in the Concealed Information Test
Authors: Peth Judith , Vossel Gerhard , Gamer Matthias
Published: December 2011

Previous studies demonstrated that concealed crime‐related memories can be validly identified using the Concealed Information Test (CIT). However, its field applicability is still debated, and it is specifically unknown how emotional arousal during a crime would influence CIT results. In the current study, emotional arousal during a mock crime and the time delay between mock crime and CIT examination were manipulated. At the immediate and the delayed CIT occasion, central crime details were better remembered than peripheral ones and enhanced emotional arousal further reduced memory for peripheral information. Electrodermal, respiratory, and cardiovascular responses to central crime details were strong and CIT validity was unaffected by delaying the test when arousal was induced during the mock crime. These findings indicate that emotional arousal might facilitate the detection of concealed information some time after a crime occurred.
Surgical outcome in PET‐positive, MRI‐negative patients with temporal lobe epilepsy
Authors: LoPinto‐Khoury Carla , Sperling Michael R. , Skidmore Christopher , Nei Maromi , Evans James , Sharan Ashwini , Mintzer Scott
Published: December 2011

Purpose:  Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission computed tomography (FDG‐PET) hypometabolism is important for surgical planning in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), but its significance remains unclear in patients who do not have evidence of mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We examined surgical outcomes in a group of PET‐positive, MRI‐negative patients and compared them with those of patients with MTS.

Methods:  We queried the Thomas Jefferson University Surgical Epilepsy Database for patients who underwent anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) from 1991 to 2009 and who had unilateral temporal PET hypometabolism without an epileptogenic lesion on MRI (PET+/MRI−). We compared this group to the group of patients who underwent ATL and who had MTS on MRI. Patients with discordant ictal electroencephalography (EEG) were excluded. Surgical outcomes were compared using percentages of Engel class I outcomes at 2 and 5 years as well as Kaplan‐Meier survival statistic, with time to seizure recurrence as survival time. A subgroup of PET+/MRI− patients who underwent surgical implantation prior to resection was compared to PET+/MRI− patients who went directly to resection without implantation.

Key Findings:  There were 46 PET+/MRI− patients (of whom 36 had 2‐year surgical outcome available) and 147 MTS patients. There was no difference between the two groups with regard to history of febrile convulsions, generalized tonic–clonic seizures, interictal spikes, depression, or family history. Mean age at first seizure was higher in PET+/MRI− patients (19 ± 13 vs.14 ± 13 years, Mann‐Whitney test, p = 0.008) and disease duration was shorter (14 ± 10 vs. 22 ± 13 years, student’s t‐test, p = 0.0006). Class I surgical outcomes did not differ significantly between the PET+/MRI− patients and the MTS group (2 and 5 year outcomes were 76% and 75% for the PET+/MRI− group, and 71% and 78% for the MTS group); neither did outcomes of the PET+/MRI− patients who were implanted prior to resection versus those who went directly to surgery (implanted patients had 71% and 67% class I outcomes at 2 and 5 years, whereas. nonimplanted patients had 77% and 78% class I outcomes, p = 0.66 and 0.28). Kaplan‐Meier survival statistics for both comparisons were nonsignificant at 5 years. Dentate gyrus and hilar cell counts obtained from pathology for a sample of patients also did not differ between groups.

Significance:  PET‐positive, MRI‐negative TLE patients in our study had excellent surgical outcomes after ATL, very similar to those in patients with MTS, regardless of whether or not they undergo intracranial monitoring. These patients should be considered prime candidates for ATL, and intracranial monitoring is probably unnecessary in the absence of discordant data.
Life Cycle Assessment of Medium Surge Arresters in the Context of Size‐Reduction Design
Authors: Hassanzadeh Mehrdad , Metz Renaud
Published: December 2011

Zinc oxide (ZnO) polycrystalline ceramics are the focal point of lightning arrester technology. These semiconductor materials are able to switch rapidly from high to low impedance while handling large amounts of electrical energy. Since the early 1970s, considerable efforts have been made to improve the specific energy absorption capacity and device reliability of such components. This document describes a case study carried out on the life cycle impacts of three different designs of electroceramics made of ZnO. Results show that the best design involves decreasing the diameter while maintaining the thickness of the compound. Of the production, transport, use, and end‐of‐life phases, the use phase is found to contribute by far the most to environmental impacts, with leakage currents in the 10−6 ampere range. The next‐largest impacts come in the transport and production stages. Sensitivity analysis shows that impacts associated with the production stage originate from ZnO production and are related to the by‐products (heavy metals) of zinc metallurgy.
Decomposition and Oxidation of Magnesium Diboride
Authors: Guo Yang , Zhang Wei , Yang Dong , Yao Ru‐Liang
Published: December 2011

The decomposition and oxidation behavior of magnesium diboride (MgB2) have been studied using thermogravimetry (TG), XRD and SEM‐EDS. The reactions were carried out by heating MgB2 powder in a stream of argon or air at atmospheric pressure. In the temperature range explored (298–1673 K), four successive steps were observed in the decomposition process of MgB2. The rate‐limiting steps of the decomposition process were found to be associated with the nucleation or formation of boron‐rich phases. The oxidation process of MgB2 comprised five successive phases in the temperature range explored (298–1673 K). There was close relationship between the decomposition and oxidation behavior of MgB2. Experimental results showed that the decomposition reactions occurred during the oxidation process. The acceleration shown in the weight gain curve can be ascribed to the rapid oxidation of Mg vapor released from the decomposition reactions. The microstructure and composition of the oxide scale formed in the oxidation process were investigated using XRD and SEM‐EDS. The oxide layer structure was identified based on the experimental results in this study.
Stress Development During the Co‐firing of Integrated Ferrite/Dielectric Laminates
Authors: Tung Yi‐Ling , Peng Te‐Ming , Jean Jau‐Ho , Lin Shih‐Chang
Published: December 2011

Stress development during co‐firing a multilayer dielectric material of Bi2(Zn1/3Nb2/3)2O7 (BZN) and magnetic material of (Ni0.3Cu0.1Zn0.6O)‐(Fe2O3)0.8 (NiCuZn ferrite) laminate has been investigated by measuring camber development and shrinkage rate difference. The trend of camber development follows a similar pattern to the linear shrinkage rate difference between NiCuZn ferrite and BZN. No co‐firing defects are observed in the multilayer structure of NiCuZn ferrite and BZN laminates, which is attributed to good sintering compatibility between these two ceramics, and the sintering mismatch stress generated in the laminate much less than those of sintering potentials.
Seasonal variation in pre‐fledging survival of lesser scaup Aythya affinis: hatch date effects depend on maternal body mass
Authors: Gurney Kirsty E. B. , Clark Robert G. , Slattery Stuart M.
Published: December 2011

Among temperate‐breeding birds, offspring survival and reproductive success are often inversely related to timing of breeding. The mechanisms that produce seasonal declines in offspring survival are not fully understood but may be related to temporal changes in parental quality, environmental quality, or both. We analyzed data for lesser scaup Aythya affinis to evaluate hypothesized effects of parental quality and date on pre‐fledging survival. Maternal quality, as indexed by body mass, did not have an independent effect on offspring survival in this species. Maternal body mass did not decline seasonally and did not have an independent effect on duckling survival. Although we did not detect an independent effect of hatch date on duckling survival, duckling survival declined seasonally for broods raised by lightweight females, indicating an interactive effect of maternal mass and date. We hypothesize that this interaction may be driven by seasonally declining food resources coupled with the influence of female condition on the ability to monopolize food resources or remain attentive to the brood. We also tested morphological predictions of the date hypothesis by examining physical characteristics of ducklings. When corrected for age and size, late‐hatched ducklings tended to have marginally larger digestive systems and smaller leg muscles than did early‐hatched birds. Abundances of intestinal parasites acquired through diet decreased marginally in late‐hatched ducklings. Results for digestive system and parasite infection patterns suggested that later‐hatched broods may shift diets, consistent with a contribution of environmental factors to seasonal variation in offspring survival. Taken together, our results suggest that both female attributes and environmental conditions may influence seasonal patterns of offspring survival in this species.
Female and Male Transgender Quality of Life: Socioeconomic and Medical Differences
Authors: Motmans Joz , Meier Petra , Ponnet Koen , T’Sjoen Guy
Published: December 2011

Introduction

Studies show a positive impact of gender reassignment treatment on the quality of life (QOL) of transgender persons, but little is known about the influence of their socioeconomic status.

Aim

First, to assess health-related QOL of transgender men and women and compare it with a general population sample, second, to investigate the differences between transgender men and transgender women, and third, to analyze how their levels of QOL differ according to socioeconomic and transition data.

Methods

One hundred forty-eight current and former transgender patients of a gender identity clinic participated in a large QOL study.

Main Outcomes Measures

Health-related QOL was measured using the Short Form 36-Item Questionnaire.

Results

The QOL of transgender women did not differ significantly from the general Dutch female population, although transgender men showed reduced mental health-related QOL compared with the general Dutch male sample. Transgender women had a lower QOL than transgender men for the subscales physical functioning and general health, but better QOL for bodily pain. Time since start of hormone use was positively associated for transgender women with subscales bodily pain and general health, and negatively associated for transgender men with the subscale role limitations due to physical health problems. There was no significant difference in QOL between the group who had undergone genital surgery or surgical breast augmentation and the group who did not have these surgeries. Transgender men with an erection prosthesis scored significantly better on the subscales vitality and (at trend level) on role limitations due to emotional problems. A series of univariate analyses revealed significantly lower QOL scores for transgender persons that were older, low educated, unemployed, had a low household income, and were single.

Conclusions

Specific social indicators are important in relation to health-related QOL of transgenders in a context of qualitative and adequate medical care.