bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Type III IFNs in Pteropid Bats: Differential Expression Patterns Provide Evidence for Distinct Roles in Antiviral Immunity
Authors: Zhou Peng , Cowled Chris , Todd Shawn , Crameri Gary , Virtue Elena R. , Marsh Glenn A. , Klein Reuben , Shi Zhengli , Wang Lin-Fa , Baker Michelle L.
Published: January 2011

Bats are known to harbor a number of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic viruses, many of which are highly pathogenic in other mammals but result in no clinical symptoms in bats. The ability of bats to coexist with viruses may be the result of rapid control of viral replication early in the immune response. IFNs provide the first line of defense against viral infection in vertebrates. Type III IFNs (IFN-λs) are a recently identified IFN family that share similar antiviral activities with type I IFNs. To our knowledge, we demonstrate the first functional analysis of type III IFNs from any species of bat, with the investigation of two IFN-λ genes from the pteropid bat, Pteropus alecto. Our results demonstrate that bat type III IFN has similar antiviral activity to type I and III IFNs from other mammals. In addition, the two bat type III IFNs are differentially induced relative to each other and to type I IFNs after treatment or transfection with synthetic dsRNA. Infection with the bat paramyxovirus, Tioman virus, resulted in no upregulation of type I IFN production in bat splenocytes but was capable of inducing a type III IFN response in three of the four bats tested. To our knowledge, this is the first report to describe the simultaneous suppression of type I IFN and induction of type III IFN after virus infection. These results may have important implications for the role of type III IFNs in the ability of bats to coexist with viruses.
Stromal Cell Networks Regulate Thymocyte Migration and Dendritic Cell Behavior in the Thymus
Authors: Sanos Stephanie L. , Nowak Jonathan , Fallet Mathieu , Bajenoff Marc
Published: January 2011

After entry into thymus, T cell progenitors migrate in the cortex and the medulla while completing their education. Recent reports have documented the dynamic and tortuous behavior of thymocytes. However, other than chemokines and/or segregated thymic substrates, the factors contributing to the dynamic patterns of thymocyte movement are poorly characterized. By combining confocal and dynamic two-photon microscopy, we demonstrate that thymocytes continuously migrate on thymic stromal cell networks. In addition to constituting “roads” for thymocytes, we observed that these networks also provide a scaffold on which dendritic cells attach themselves. These results highlight the central role of stromal microanatomy in orchestrating the multiple cellular interactions necessary for T cell migration/development within the thymus.
Human Serum Amyloid P Functions as a Negative Regulator of the Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses to DNA Vaccines
Authors: Wang Yue , Guo Yingjun , Wang Xiaohui , Huang Jinfeng , Shang Jingli , Sun Shuhan
Published: January 2011

The utility of DNA vaccines has been limited by their failure to elicit sufficiently potent immune responses in many human applications, whereas DNA vaccinations in mice have been very successful. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. We hypothesize that serum amyloid P component (SAP), which has a species-specific, DNA-binding ability, contributes to the differences between human and mice and then limits DNA vaccine’s efficacy in vivo. In our study, DNA vaccine-induced adaptive immune responses were also significantly decreased in the human SAP (hSAP) transgenic mice. Using human promonocytic cell line THP-1–derived macrophages as a cell model, we found that cells incubated with a hSAP–DNA complex showed significant defects in innate immune activations, whereas mouse SAP had similar, albeit very weak, activities. hSAP also significantly inhibited the functions of two identified DNA sentinels, high-mobility group B protein 1 and antimicrobial peptide LL37, and redirected DNA update to FcRs leading to endocytosis and endosomal degradation. We also found that a chemical SAP inhibitor strongly recovered the suppressed innate immune responses to DNA in the presence of human serum and enhanced the immunogenicity of DNA vaccines in vivo. Our data indicated that SAP is a key negative regulator for innate immune responses to DNA and may be partly responsible for the insufficient immune responses after DNA vaccinations in humans. SAP suppression may be a novel strategy for improving efficacy of human DNA vaccines and requires further clinical investigations.
A Nonsecosteroidal Vitamin D Receptor Modulator Ameliorates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis without Causing Hypercalcemia
Authors: Na Songqing , Ma Yanfei , Zhao Jingyong , Schmidt Clint , Zeng Qing Q. , Chandrasekhar Srinivasan , Chin William W. , Nagpal Sunil
Published: January 2011

Vitamin D receptor (VDR) agonists are currently the agents of choice for the treatment of psoriasis, a skin inflammatory indication that is believed to involve an autoimmune component. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3], the biologically active metabolite of vitamin D, has shown efficacy in animal autoimmune disease models of multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and type I diabetes. However, the side effect of 1,25-(OH)2D3and its synthetic secosteroidal analogs is hypercalcemia, which is a major impediment in their clinical development for autoimmune diseases. Hypercalcemia develops as a result of the action of VDR agonists on the intestine. Here, we describe the identification of a VDR modulator (VDRM) compound A that was transcriptionally less active in intestinal cells and as a result exhibited less calcemic activityin vivothan 1,25-(OH)2D3. Cytokine analysis indicated that the VDRM not only modulated the T-helper cell balance from Th1 to Th2 effector function but also inhibited Th17 differentiation. Finally, we demonstrate that the oral administration of compound A inhibited the induction and progress of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice without causing hypercalcemia.
Homogeneous Suslinian Continua
Authors: Daniel D. , Nikiel J. , Treybig L. B. , Tuncali H. M. , Tymchatyn E. D.
Published: January 2011

A continuumis said to be Suslinian if it does not contain uncountably many mutually exclusive non-degenerate subcontinua. Fitzpatrick and Lelek have shown that a metric Suslinian continuum X has the property that the set of points at which X is connected im kleinen is dense in X. We extend their result to Hausdorff Suslinian continua and obtain a number of corollaries. In particular, we prove that a homogeneous, non-degenerate, Suslinian continuum is a simple closed curve and that each separable, non-degenerate, homogenous, Suslinian continuum is metrizable.
Surgery on -Manifolds
Authors: Hillman J. A. , Roushon S. K.
Published: January 2011

We show that closed-manifolds are topologically rigid ifn≥ 2, and are rigid up tos-cobordism, ifn= 1.
Well Older Adults within an Urban Context: Strategies to Create and Maintain Social Participation
Authors: Andonian Lynne , MacRae Anne
Published: January 2011

Introduction:

Social participation has been found to promote health and wellbeing for older adults. In this study, well older adults participated in photovoice to explore how they create and maintain social participation while living alone in an urban community in California.

Method:

Photovoice is an action research method in which people create and discuss photographs, and then share them with legislators, policy makers and health care providers to generate personal and community change. Photographs convey the participants' points of view directly and show others what life is like for a given group of people.

Findings:

The study found that social participation is promoted through a sense of belonging, acceptance of differences and change, and healthy and active living. Barriers to social participation included access to safe transportation and costs associated with resources.

Conclusion:

The results of this study are important and inform occupational therapy intervention, such as advocating for community resources, connecting people with available resources, helping older adults to develop healthy routines, and promoting a sense of membership through participation in valued activities to support social participation for older adults living alone in urban environments.
‘It's a New Way of Life’: An Exploration of the Occupational Transition of Retirement
Authors: Pettican Anna , Prior Sarah
Published: January 2011

Introduction:

The aim of this study was to explore the work to retirement transition, from an occupational perspective. Participants' personal reports of experiences relating to the occupational transition of retirement, and its impact on health and wellbeing, were examined.

Method:

Eight participants who had recently retired were recruited purposively. They were interviewed using semi-structured interviews, focusing on the areas of previous employment, experience of the retirement transition, occupational balance and reflection on the impact on health and wellbeing. The research used interpretative phenomenological analysis to guide data collection and analysis.

Findings and conclusion:

Three superordinate themes emerged: the process of retirement; purpose, doing and wellbeing; and retirement as a new life stage. These themes suggested that the retirement transition was a period of significant readjustment and that there was a close relationship between participants' engagement in occupation and their perceived health and wellbeing.
The Routines and Rituals of Families of Typically Developing Children Compared with Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Rodger Sylvia , Umaibalan Vidya
Published: January 2011

Purpose:

The construction of routines and rituals plays a significant role in the organisation of daily activities and the health and wellbeing of families. Studies have revealed that the pervasive nature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) influences the development of functional routines and meaningful rituals. However, there is limited information on the extent of this influence on families of children with autism compared with families with typically developing (TD) children.

Procedures:

The mothers of children aged 2–6 years completed the Family Routines Inventory (FRI) and the Family Ritual Questionnaire (FRQ) to compare the role of routines and rituals in families with TD children (n = 10) and families of children with ASD (n = 12).

Findings:

The findings revealed higher mean scores across all variables for the TD group compared with the ASD group, except for ‘FRQ Planning’; however, the differences were not significant. The only significant difference between the groups was ‘FRQ vacations' which revealed a higher score (t(20) = −2.30, p = 0.032) in the TD group, suggesting that families in the ASD group may organise and participate in fewer vacations.

Conclusion:

When addressing the challenges faced by families of children with ASD, occupational therapists must consider the significant role of establishing functional family routines and rituals. These may provide structure and organisation and promote the health and wellbeing of families.
Resisting Theoretical Imperialism in the Disciplines of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
Authors: Hammell Karen Whalley
Published: January 2011

Background:

Claiming that the degree of consensus within an academic discipline is a marker of sustainability, some occupational scientists have challenged members of their discipline to work towards philosophical and conceptual consensus. However, because dominant theories of occupation reflect specific Western perspectives, proposing consensus suggests either that the global majority ought to conform to Western perspectives or that Western perspectives are assumed to be universal.

Method:

Issues confronting occupational theorists (scientists and therapists) are not unique. Accordingly, this paper employs illustrative examples from feminist theory displaying the assumption of universal perspectives and propensity to theoretical imperialism. “These examples are used to highlight the necessity and value of incorporating cultural diversity within theory.

Discussion:

Dominant feminists' theories were challenged by women of colour, third world and colonised women, lesbians, and disabled, working class, older and poor women, and their underlying universal assumptions were exposed as heterosexist, classist, ableist, racist and an inadequate basis for theory. This review suggests that knowledge is partial and situated, and that theories prevail due not to their intrinsic superiority but to superior power.

Conclusion:

Occupational scientists and occupational therapy's theorists are exhorted to draw from a diversity of cultural perspectives, such that theories are inclusive rather than exclusive.
Wheelchair Pushing Forces over a Vinyl and a New Shock-Absorbing Flooring
Authors: Minns Julian , Tracey Sue
Published: January 2011

Introduction:

A new shock-absorbing flooring has been developed for use in Institutions that provide care for the older person. This flooring aims to prevent or reduce injuries that occur on impact with the floor following a fall. There was a concern, however, that the forces required to push wheelchairs and similar heavy equipment over the shock-absorbing flooring may be much larger than over conventional vinyl flooring and could have risk implications for safe moving and handling, This study was designed to assess the push-to-start force (termed ‘stiction’ force) and the constant speed force (Vc) for the new flooring and to compare these results with those over regular vinyl flooring.

Method:

An instrumented standard wheelchair was used in the study, with different weights that would cover a range of normal usage.

Results:

The force to overcome the initial resistance and to push at a constant speed was greater over the shock-absorbing flooring than over the 2 mm vinyl. The forces increased with subject weight, the maximum stiction force being 63 N (14.2 Ibf) and 39 N (8.8 Ibf) pushing at a constant speed of 3 km/hr, for a total weight of 125 kg.

Conclusion:

This is a significant increase in force required to push a weighted 8L wheelchair over the shock-absorbing flooring. There would be similar increases in the pushing forces for other wheeled equipment, such as beds.
Visual Art in Physical Rehabilitation: Experiences of People with Neurological Conditions
Authors: Symons Jane , Clark Hannah , Williams Kerry , Hansen Emily , Orpin Peter
Published: January 2011

Aims:

The aims of this study were to understand the experience of participation in visual art from the perspective of adults undergoing outpatient physical rehabilitation and to determine whether art has a place in this context.

Method:

This qualitative study involved interviewing adults who attended a weekly art class run by a qualified art teacher and occupational therapists in an outpatient physical rehabilitation setting. Nine participants with neurological conditions discussed their experience of the programme and the goals they were working towards or had achieved through painting.

Findings:

The themes that emerged from the study show that art contributed to the participants meeting their individual rehabilitation goals. It also assisted the participants in using time, increasing enjoyment, regaining confidence and planning for engagement in future activities. All these achievements were seen by the participants to contribute to their rehabilitation or recovery. The identified themes align with the aims of rehabilitation and are similar to findings from many other studies investigating the use of art by people affected by illness or disability.

Conclusion:

The findings of this study inform clinical practice in the use of visual art with clients in rehabilitation and validate its place in a physical rehabilitation programme.
Overgeneral Memory in Binge Eating Disorder is Linked to Binge Frequency
Authors: Svaldi Jennifer , Ababneh Mounia , Trentowska Monika , Tuschen-Caffier Brunna
Published: January 2011

Research on memory biases in binge eating disorder (BED) has primarily analyzed the content of disorder specific thoughts such as memory for eating, shape and weight related words. By investigating recall of autobiographical memories (AM) in individuals with BED, this study primarily focused on recollection strategies. Such strategies include individuals' number of recalled specific and categoric AM on the autobiographical memory test (AMT) and have previously been shown to be implicated in the maintenance of emotional disorders. Thirty women with BED and 24 overweight healthy controls (HC) were compared on the AMT with six positively and six negatively valenced cues. Women with BED retrieved more categoric memories and produced more omissions to positively valenced cues than HC. There was also a significant and positive correlation of categoric memories and binge frequency, suggesting that overgenerality may function as a maintenance factor of eating pathology in BED.
Atmospheric ions and nucleation: a review of observations
Authors: Hirsikko A. , Nieminen T. , Gagné S. , Lehtipalo K. , Manninen H. E. , Ehn M. , Hõrrak U. , Kerminen V.-M. , Laakso L. , McMurry P. H. , Mirme A. , Mirme S. , Petäjä T. , Tammet H. , Vakkari V. , Vana M. , Kulmala M.
Published: January 2011

Abstract. This review is based on ca. 260 publications, 93 of which included data on the temporal and spatial variation of the concentration of small ions (<1.6 nm in diameter) especially in the lower troposphere, chemical composition, or formation and growth rates of sub-3 nm ions. This information was collected on tables and figures. The small ions exist all the time in the atmosphere, and the average concentrations of positive and negative small ions are typically 200–2500 cm−3. However, concentrations up to 5000 cm−3 have been observed. The results are in agreement with observations of ion production rates in the atmosphere. We also summarised observations on the conversion of small ions to intermediate ions, which can act as embryos for new atmospheric aerosol particles. Those observations include the formation rates (J2[ion]) of 2-nm intermediate ions, growth rates (GR[ion]) of sub-3 nm ions, and information on the chemical composition of the ions. Unfortunately, there were only a few studies which presented J2[ion] and GR[ion]. Based on the publications, the formation rates of 2-nm ions were 0–1.1 cm−3 s−1, while the total 2-nm particle formation rates varied between 0.001 and 60 cm−3 s−1. Due to small changes in J2[ion], the relative importance of ions in 2-nm particle formation was determined by the large changes in J2[tot], and, accordingly the contribution of ions increased with decreasing J2[tot]. Furthermore, small ions were observed to activate for growth earlier than neutral nanometer-sized particles and at lower saturation ratio of condensing vapours.
Detecting the influence of fossil fuel and bio-fuel black carbon aerosols on near surface temperature changes
Authors: Jones G. S. , Christidis N. , Stott P. A.
Published: January 2011

Abstract. Past research has shown that the dominant influence on recent global climate changes is from anthropogenic greenhouse gas increases with implications for future increases in global temperatures. One mitigation proposal is to reduce black carbon aerosol emissions. How much warming can be offset by controlling black carbon is unclear, especially as its influence on past climate has not been previously unambiguously detected. In this study observations of near-surface warming over the last century are compared with simulations using a climate model, HadGEM1. In the simulations black carbon, from fossil fuel and bio-fuel sources (fBC), produces a positive radiative forcing of about +0.25 Wm−2 over the 20th century, compared with +2.52 Wm−2 for well mixed greenhouse gases. A simulated warming of global mean near-surface temperatures over the twentieth century from fBC of 0.14 ± 0.1 K compares with 1.06 ± 0.07 K from greenhouse gases, −0.58 ± 0.10 K from anthropogenic aerosols, ozone and land use changes and 0.09 ± 0.09 K from natural influences. Using a detection and attribution methodology, the observed warming since 1900 has detectable influences from anthropogenic and natural factors. Fossil fuel and bio-fuel black carbon is found to have a detectable contribution to the warming over the last 50 yr of the 20th century, although the results are sensitive to the period being examined as fBC is not detected for the later fifty year period ending in 2006. The attributed warming of fBC was found to be consistent with the warming from fBC unscaled by the detection analysis. This study suggests that there is a possible significant influence from fBC on global temperatures, but its influence is small compared to that from greenhouse gas emissions.
Estimates of anthropogenic halocarbon emissions based on its measured ratios relative to CO in the Pearl River Delta
Authors: Shao M. , Huang D. K. , Gu D. S. , Lu S. H. , Chang C. C. , Wang J.-L.
Published: January 2011

Abstract. Using a GC/FID/MS system, we analyzed the mixing ratio levels of 16 halocarbon species in more than 100 air samples collected in 2004 from the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region of southern China. The results revealed elevated regional mixing ratios for most halocarbons, especially for HClC = CCl2 (trichloroethylene, TCE), CH2Cl2 (dichloromethane, DCM), CH3Br (bromomethane), HCFC-22, CHCl3 (trichloromethane), CCl4 (tetrachloromethane), Cl2C = CCl2 (perchloroethylene, PCE), CH3CCl3 (methyl chloroform, MCF), and CFC-12. Comparisons were done with the data from TRACE-P and ALE/GAGE/AGAGE experiments, we found that the large variability in concentrations (relative standard deviation ranged from 9.31% to 96.55%) of the halocarbons suggested substantial local emissions from the PRD region in 2004. Correlations between the mixing ratio of each species and carbon monoxide (CO) were examined, and then each emission of halocarbon was quantified based on scaling the optimized CO emission inventory with the slope of the regression line fitted to each species relative to CO. The calculated results revealed that mass of CH2Cl2 (7.0 Gg), CH3CCl3 (6.7 Gg), and Cl2C = CCl2 (2.3 Gg) accounted for about 62.9% of total emissions, suggesting a significant contribution to halocarbon emissions from solvent use in the PRD region. Emissions of HCFC-22 (3.5 Gg), an alternative refrigerant to chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), were about 2.3 times greater than those of CFC-12 (1.6 Gg). CFC-12 and HCFC-22 accounted for 21.5% of total emissions of halocarbons, so that the refrigerant would be the second largest source of halocarbons. However, the ratio approach found only minor emissions of other CFCs, such as CFC-11, and levels of CFC-114 and CFC-113 were close to zero. Emissions of other anthropogenic halocarbons, such as CCl4, CHCl3, CH3Br, and CH3Cl, were also estimated. Where possible, the emissions estimated from the measured ratios were compared with results from source inventory techniques, we found that both approaches gave emissions at similar magnitude for most of the halocarbons, except CFC-11. The comparison suggested that ratio method may be a useful tool for assessing regional halocarbon emissions, and emission uncertainty could be further reduced by incorporating both longer-term and higher-frequency observations, as well as improving the uncertainty of the CO inventory.
Characteristics of atmospheric ammonia over Beijing, China
Authors: Meng Z. Y. , Lin W. L. , Jiang X. M. , Yan P. , Wang Y. , Zhang Y. M. , Yu X. L. , Jia X. F.
Published: January 2011

Abstract. Continuous measurements of atmospheric ammonia (NH3) were conducted using Ogawa passive samplers from February 2008 to July 2010 at an urban site and from January 2007 to July 2010 at a rural site in Beijing, China. NH4+ in fine particles was also collected at rural site during 2008–2009. The field comparison between the Ogawa passive samplers and an active analyzer for NH3 conducted at an urban site assures the quality and accuracy of the measurements. The concentrations of NH3 at urban site ranged from 0.7 to 85.1 ppb, with the annual average of 18.5 ± 13.8 and 23.5 ± 18.0 ppb in 2008 and 2009. The NH3 concentrations at rural site were lower than those at urban site, and varied from 0.8 to 42.9 ppb, with the annual average of 4.5 ± 4.6, 6.6 ± 7.0 and 7.1 ± 3.5 ppb in 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively. The data showed marked seasonal variations at both sites. The results emphasized traffic to be a significant source of NH3 concentrations in winter in urban areas of Beijing. This was illustrated by the correlations of NH3 with the traffic related pollutants (NOx and CO) and also by the bimodal diurnal cycle of NH3 concentrations that was synchronized with traffic. These patterns were not observed during the summer, suggesting other sources became more important. At rural site, the daily NH4+ concentrations ranged from 0.10 to 36.53 μg/m3, with an average of 6.94 μg/m3 from June 2008 to December 2009. Monthly NH3 were significantly correlated with NH4+ concentrations. Average monthly NH3/NH4+ ratios varied from 0.13 to 2.28, with an average of 0.73.
Absolute accuracy and sensitivity analysis of OP-FTIR retrievals of CO2, CH4 and CO over concentrations representative of "clean air" and "polluted plumes"
Authors: Smith T. E. L. , Wooster M. J. , Tattaris M. , Griffith D. W. T.
Published: January 2011

Abstract. When compared to established point-sampling methods, Open-Path Fourier Transform Infrared (OP-FTIR) spectroscopy can provide path-integrated concentrations of multiple gases simultaneously, in situ and near-continuously. The trace gas pathlength amounts can be retrieved from the measured IR spectra using a forward model coupled to a non-linear least squares fitting procedure, without requiring "background" spectral measurements unaffected by the gases of interest. However, few studies have investigated the accuracy of such retrievals for CO2, CH4 and CO, particularly across broad concentration ranges covering those characteristic of ambient to highly polluted air (e.g. from biomass burning or industrial plumes). Here we perform such an assessment using data collected by a field-portable FTIR spectrometer. The FTIR was positioned to view a fixed IR source placed at the other end of an IR-transparent cell filled with the gases of interest, whose target concentrations were varied by more than two orders of magnitude. Retrievals made using the model are complicated by absorption line pressure broadening, the effects of temperature on absorption band shape, and by convolution of the gas absorption lines and the instrument line shape (ILS). Despite this, with careful model parameterisation (i.e. the optimum wavenumber range, ILS, and assumed gas temperature and pressure for the retrieval), concentrations for all target gases were able to be retrieved to within 5%. Sensitivity to the aforementioned model inputs was also investigated. CO retrievals were shown to be most sensitive to the ILS (a function of the assumed instrument field-of-view), which is due to the narrow nature of CO absorption lines and their consequent sensitivity to convolution with the ILS. Conversely, CO2 retrievals were most sensitive to assumed atmospheric parameters, particularly gas temperature. Our findings provide confidence that FTIR-derived trace gas retrievals of CO2, CH4 and CO based on modeling can yield results with high accuracies, even over very large (many order of magnitude) concentration ranges that can prove difficult to retrieve via standard classical least squares (CLS) techniques. With the methods employed here, we suggest that errors in the retrieved trace gas concentrations should remain well below 10%, even with the uncertainties in atmospheric pressure and temperature that might arise when studying plumes in more difficult field situations (e.g. at uncertain altitudes or temperatures).
Spatially explicit analysis of gastropod biodiversity in ancient Lake Ohrid
Authors: Hauffe T. , Albrecht C. , Schreiber K. , Birkhofer K. , Trajanovski S. , Wilke T.
Published: January 2011

Abstract. The quality of spatial analyses of biodiversity is improved by (i) utilizing study areas with well defined physiogeographical boundaries, (ii) limiting the impact of widespread species, and (iii) using taxa with heterogeneous distributions. These conditions are typically met by ecosystems such as oceanic islands or ancient lakes and their biota. While research on ancient lakes has contributed significantly to our understanding of evolutionary processes, statistically sound studies of spatial variation of extant biodiversity have been hampered by the frequently vast size of ancient lakes, their limited accessibility, and the lack of scientific infrastructure. The European ancient Lake Ohrid provides a rare opportunity for such a reliable spatial study. The comprehensive horizontal and vertical sampling of a species-rich taxon, the Gastropoda, presented here, revealed interesting patterns of biodiversity, which, in part, have not been shown before for other ancient lakes. In a total of 284 samples from 224 different locations throughout the Ohrid Basin, 68 gastropod species, with 50 of them (= 73.5%) being endemic, could be reported. The spatial distribution of these species shows the following characteristics: (i) within Lake Ohrid, the most frequent species are endemic taxa with a wide depth range, (ii) widespread species (i.e. those occurring throughout the Balkans or beyond) are rare and mainly occur in the upper layer of the lake, (iii) while the total number of species decreases with water depth, the proportion of endemics increases, and (iv) the deeper layers of Lake Ohrid appear to have a higher spatial homogeneity of biodiversity. Moreover, gastropod communities of Lake Ohrid and its feeder springs are both distinct from each other and from the surrounding waters. The analysis also shows that community similarity of Lake Ohrid is mainly driven by niche processes (e.g. environmental factors), but also by neutral processes (e.g. dispersal limitation and evolutionary histories of species). For niche-based mechanisms it is shown that large scale effects such as type of water body or water depth are mainly responsible for the similarity of gastropod communities, whereas small scale effects like environmental gradients affect gastropod compositions only marginally. In fact, neutral processes appear to be more important than the small scale environmental factors, thus emphasizing the importance of dispersal capacities and evolutionary histories of species.
Evidence for aggregation and export of cyanobacteria and nano-eukaryotes from the Sargasso Sea euphotic zone
Authors: Lomas M. W. , Moran S. B.
Published: January 2011

Abstract. Pico-plankton and nano-plankton are generally thought to represent a negligible fraction of the total particulate organic carbon (POC) export flux in oligotrophic gyres due to their small size, slow individual sinking rates, and tight grazer control that leads to high rates of recycling in the euphotic zone. Based upon recent inverse modeling and network analysis however, it has been hypothesized that pico-plankton, including the cyanobacteria Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus, and nano-plankton contribute significantly to POC export, via formation and gravitational settling of aggregates and/or consumption of those aggregates by mesozooplankton, in proportion to their contribution to net primary production. This study presents total suspended particulate (>0.7 μm) and particle size-fractionated (10–20 μm, 20–53 μm, >53 μm) pigment concentrations from within and below the euphotic zone in the oligotrophic subtropical North Atlantic, collected using Niskin bottles and large volume in-situ pumps, respectively. Results show the indicator pigments for Synechococcus, Prochlorococcus and nano-eukaryotes are; (1) found at depths down to 500 m, and; (2) essentially constant, relative to the sum of all indicator pigments, across particle size fractions ranging from 10 μm to >53 μm. Based upon the presence of chlorophyll precursor and degradation pigments, and that in situ pumps do not effectively sample fecal pellets, it is concluded that these pigments were redistributed to deeper waters on larger, more rapidly sinking aggregates likely by gravitational settling and/or convective mixing. Using available pigment and ancillary data from these cruises, these Synechococcus, Prochlorococcus and nano-plankton derived aggregates are estimated to contribute 2–13% (5 ± 4%), 1–20% (5 ± 7%), and 6–43% (23 ± 14%) of the total sediment trap POC flux measured on the same cruises, respectively. Furthermore, nano-eukaryotes contribute equally to POC export and autotrophic biomass, while cyanobacteria contributions to POC export are one-tenth of their contribution to autotrophic biomass. These field observations provide direct evidence that pico- and nano-plankton represent a significant contribution to the total POC export via formation of aggregates in this oligotrophic ocean gyre. We suggest that aggregate formation and fate should be included in ecosystem models, particularly as oligotrophic regions are hypothesized to expand in areal extent with warming and increased stratification in the future.
Experimental validation of some basic assumptions used in physically based soil erosion models
Authors: Wirtz S. , Seeger M. , Wagner J.-F. , Ries J. B.
Published: January 2011

Abstract. In spring 2009, four rill experiments were accomplished on a fallow land. Most external factors as well as discharge quantity (9 L min-1) were held constant or at least in the same range. Following most process based soil erosion models, detachment or runoff values should therefore be similar, but the experimental results show clear differences in sediment concentration, runoff and other measured and calculated values. This fact underlines the problems of process based models: concerning rill erosion, different processes take part and the process described by the models is only responsible for a part of the eroded material.
The World is One Great Hospital
Authors: Gougelet David-Olivier
Published: January 2011

This article attempts to locate the origin of Foucault’s work on biopolitics and biopower in his writings on medicine and medicalization.  Though the concept of biopower is most closely associated with Foucault’ genealogy of the dispositif of sexuality, this essay sets aside the question of sexuality and examines more closely the archeology and genealogy of the medical dispositif to which Foucault dedicated a significant portion of his work throughout the 60’s and 70’s, in order to locate therein the lineage of his thought on biopower and biopolitics.
Genetic Enhancement and the Biopolitical Horizon of Class Conflict
Authors: Roberts Wade
Published: January 2011

In this paper I argue that the widespread use of liberal eugenics  would establish a biopolitical horizon for class conflict.  In the course of my discussion, I examine Foucault’s discussion of the origins of class racism in Society Must Be Defended.  I then turn to an examination of how a widespread use of genetic engineering could aggravate class divisions and produce new forms of class racism.  I conclude the essay with an overview of the political options which are available to opponents of liberal eugenics.
Julia Kristeva’s Maternal Passions
Authors: Oliver Kelly
Published: January 2011

This article critically engages Julia Kristeva’s latest work on maternal passion as an antidote to what she calls “feminine fatigue.”  Oliver elaborates, criticizes, and expands Kristeva’s view that maternity can be a model for thinking about passion and its relation to creativity and even to ethics.  She relates Kristeva’s thinking about feminine fatigue to contemporary feminism in the United States.
Pragmatism and Existential Philosophy
Authors: Lipps Hans , Hills Jason
Published: January 2011

Hans Lipps compares pragmatism (William James and John Dewey) existentialism (Friedrich Nietzsche, Soren Kierkegaard, and Martin Heidegger) in this 1936 article translated from French.  He claims that they aim at the same goals, e.g., a return to lived experience and a rejection of the Cartesian legacy in philosophy.  While summarizing the commonalities of each, he engages in a polemic against philosophy then that remains relevant now into the next century.
Contact and Submission Information
Authors: Editors JFFP
Published: January 2011

Back materials from the print version
Safety and Efficacy of Electrospun Polycarbonate-Urethane Vascular Graft for Early Hemodialysis Access: First Clinical Results in Man
Authors: Wijeyaratne Serosha M. , Kannangara Lushanthi
Published: January 2011

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of an electrospun multilayered, self-sealing polycarbonate-urethane graft for early hemodialysis access in patients.

Method

Seventeen eligible consenting patients had a polycarbonate-urethane graft (AVflo™) implanted and followed up prospectively for 12 months or to the end of secondary patency. Performance measures included graft patency, complications, time to first cannulation, and hemostasis times after needle withdrawal.

Results

All patients were of Asian origin (mean age 57 years, range 29–78). Diabetes mellitus was the most common cause of renal failure (52.9%). There were no systemic or local reactions to the graft. Five patients (29.4%) died due to medical complications unrelated to the device. There was 1 pseudoaneurysm, 3 infected grafts that subsequently thrombosed, and 1 primary thrombosis associated with thrombophilia. One venous stenosis needed balloon angioplasty. Primary and secondary patency rates at 6 months were 72.7% and 81.8%, and at 12 months, 54.5% and 72.7%, respectively. Postimplantation vascular access needs were met entirely by the graft in every instance and prevented the need for venous catheters. Fifty-six percent were accessed within 8 days, the earliest being 48 hours. Finally, all arterial punctures and 98% of venous punctures had sealed in less than 5 minutes, with two thirds sealing off within 3 minutes of needle withdrawal.

Conclusion

The electrospun polycarbonate-urethane graft is safe in humans, permits early access obviating the need for venous catheters, and has equivalent patency to other prosthetic grafts at 1 year.
The Impact of Inbound Demand on Price Levels in Tourism Municipalities: Empirical Evidence from Catalonia
Authors: Espinet Josep-Maria , Fluvià Modest , Rigall-I-Torrent Ricard
Published: January 2011

It is usually argued that tourism exerts negative economic impacts in host jurisdictions through the increase in prices linked to increasing demand for basic services and goods from tourists. This paper surveys 149 products in 45 tourism and non-tourism jurisdictions in Catalonia (which represent a total of 18,500 prices) in order to test empirically several hypotheses related to differences in price levels in tourism and non-tourism jurisdictions. The main results show that prices in tourism jurisdictions are not significantly higher than those in non-tourism ones. The analysis suggests that tourists are likely to pay higher prices than natives for some products.
The Effect of Quality on Hotel Risk
Authors: Nicolau Juan L. , Sellers Ricardo
Published: January 2011

Analysis of the variation – increase or decrease – in the risk to a hotel chain's performance of the introduction of a new quality system is a crucial aspect of decision making. With this in mind, this paper detects changes in such risk deriving from the implementation of quality systems signalled by quality awards. The authors analyse this issue in the Spanish hotel market by employing autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity models. The results show that, in the short term, the increase in fixed costs derived from quality systems is higher than the augmentation in sales; that is, there is an increment in the operating leverage and the firm's operational risk.
Forecasting Daily Air Arrivals in Mallorca Island Using Nearest Neighbour Methods
Authors: Díaz Marcos álvarez , Mateu-Sbert Josep
Published: January 2011

This paper investigates the feasibility of using different generalizations of the nearest neighbour method in a tourism forecasting problem. The method is widely employed in different fields of research but, inexplicably, it is practically unknown in tourism forecasting. The analysis is centred not only in knowing the exact value of arrivals (point prediction), but also in anticipating the direction of the sign movement (sign prediction). Furthermore, this study also offers further evidence on a subject scarcely treated in tourism economics: the searching of predictable non-linear dynamics. The results encourage the use of this technique and reveal the existence of a non-linear seasonal effect in the analysed tourism time series.
Modelling a Decision Maker's Preferences: Testing for Relevance and Application Development
Authors: Munic Jeffery , Israeli Aviad A.
Published: January 2011

The need for developing models in the tourism and hospitality industry which identify and make use of a decision maker's preferences has been demonstrated extensively in the works of Brown et al (2002) and Israeli and Brown (2004), as well as others (Ingold and Yeoman, 1997). In this study, the authors examine historical data of Israeli hotels in order to demonstrate empirically the need for these models and to determine which model best fits the empirical data. Three preference-based pricing models are tested, built with indifference curves to analyse the two-attribute case of room rate versus occupancy. These models differ from standard ones in that the decision maker's actual choices for specific budget scenarios are built directly into them. These constrained choice points are built into a table and are used to create an entire pricing schedule based on the preference ratio thus determined. The first model uses an unconstrained desired point and assumes that managers find rate and occupancy to be perfectly substitutable at all budget constraints. The second model assumes linear fractional substitutability and alters the ratio for specific constrained choice points (Israeli and Brown, 2004). The third model assumes perfect complementarity at each constrained choice point and assumes a consistent ratio for each constrained choice segment (Brown, 2004). The heuristic nature of the models makes statistical analysis of their validity difficult, but is thus attempted in any case. The motivation behind this test is to determine which model can best be used to evaluate behaviour and performance in a future study.
Modelling the Performance of Australian Hotels: A DEA Double Bootstrap Approach
Authors: Assaf A. Georges , Agbola Frank W.
Published: January 2011

This study uses the data envelopment analysis (DEA) double bootstrap approach to assess the technical efficiency standing of Australian hotels. Two inputs and six outputs were used in the analyses for the period 2004–2007. The empirical results indicate that the DEA bootstrap approach corrects for the bias inherent in traditional DEA models. The results show that the average technical efficiency of Australian hotels has improved gradually from 76.17% in 2004 to reach its highest level of 80.84% in 2007. The results also indicate that the key determinants of the technical efficiency of Australian hotels are the number of years in business, location, star rating and physical size. The implications of the results are discussed.
Crowding-Out Effects of Cruise Tourism on Stay-Over Tourism in the Caribbean: Non-Parametric Panel Data Evidence
Authors: Bresson Georges , Logossah Kinvi
Published: January 2011

Based on a non-parametric panel data estimation, this study provides an econometric analysis of the relationship between stay-over and cruise tourism for 15 Caribbean islands over the period 1985–2004. It reveals heterogeneity of tourism flows across different destinations. It also emphasizes the crowding-out effects of cruise tourism on stay-over tourism. Using a static Cournot game framework, the authors show that, for most of the destinations, stay-over tourism and cruise tourism are strategic substitutes. Moreover, a ‘crowding-out trap’ seems to have emerged since the beginning of the 1990s and is tending to spread. Policymakers have a weak negotiating position vis-à-vis an oligopolistic cruise ship tourism industry, resulting in an uncontrolled and increasing share of cruise tourism flows. As the Caribbean authorities have managed their growth process in the belief that there is complementarity between cruise tourism and stay-over tourism, these results suggest that the strategic vision of a growth process based on tourist activity has to be revised.
Tourism and Trade in Small Island Regions: The Case of the Canary Islands
Authors: Santana-Gallego María , Ledesma-Rodríguez Francisco , Pérez-Rodríguez Jorge V.
Published: January 2011

The main objective of this paper is to study the relationship between international trade and tourism in small island regions (that is, territories that are dependent to a significant degree on the rest of the world). To that end, the authors explore the different forms this relationship can take and apply cointegration and the Granger causality test to the case of the Canary Islands. The results suggest a long-term bidirectional relationship between tourism and trade, while the short-run link lies mainly in the trade generated by tourist arrivals.
Research Note: Tourism Demand Forecasting with SARIMA Models – the Case of South Tyrol
Authors: Brida Juan Gabriel , Risso Wiston Adrián
Published: January 2011

In this study, the performance of SARIMA models is explored in the context of tourism demand forecasting by using monthly time series of the overnight stays in South Tyrol (Italy) from January 1950 to December 2005. The forecasting performance is assessed using data for January 2006 to December 2008, and the authors find evidence that the SARIMA(2,1,2)(0,1,1)–ARCH(1) outperform the alternative models.
A Non-Linear Tourism Demand Forecast Combination Model
Authors: Cang Shuang
Published: January 2011

It has been demonstrated in the tourism literature that a combination of individual tourism forecasting models can provide better performance than individual forecasting models. However, the linear combination uses only inputs that have a linear correlation to the actual outputs. This paper proposes a non-linear combination method using multilayer perceptron neural networks (MLPNN), which can map the non-linear relationship between inputs and outputs. UK inbound tourism quarterly arrivals data by purpose of visit are used for this case study. The empirical results show that the proposed non-linear MLPNN combination model is robust, powerful and can provide better performance at predicting arrivals than linear combination models.