bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Screening for hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis suppression in asthmatic children remains problematic: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Zöllner Ekkehard Werner , Lombard Carl J , Galal Ushma , Hough Stephen , Irusen Elvis M , Weinberg Eugene
Published: August 2013

Objective

To determine which parameter is the most useful screening test for hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal suppression in asthmatic children.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Paediatric allergy clinics in Cape Town, South Africa.

Participants

143 asthmatic children of mostly mixed ancestry, aged 5–12 years.

Outcome measures

Primary outcome measures included Spearman correlation coefficients (r) calculated between the postmetyrapone (PMTP) serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), 11-deoxycortisol (11DOC), 11DOC+ cortisol (C) and height, weight, height velocity, weight velocity, change in systolic blood pressure from supine to standing, early morning urinary free cortisol (UFC), morning C, ACTH and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). Secondary outcome measures were the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve and the diagnostic statistics for the most promising test.

Results

All screening variables were weakly correlated with the three PMTP outcomes. Only DHEAS and UFC (nmol/m2) were statistically significant—DHEAS for PMTP ACTH and 11DOC (r=0.20, p=0.025 and r=0.21, p=0.017); UFC (nmol/m2) for PMTP 11DOC and 11DOC+C (r=0.19, p=0.033 and r=0.20, p=0.022). The area under ROC curve for DHEAS in the 5-year to 9-year age group was 0.69 (95% CI 0.47 to 0.92). At DHEAS cut-off of 0.2 µmol/L: sensitivity=0.88 (CI 0.47 to 1.00), specificity=0.61 (CI 0.42 to 0.78), positive predictive value=0.37 (CI 0.16 to 0.62), negative predictive value=0.95 (CI 0.75 to 1.00), accuracy=0.67 (CI 0.50 to 0.81), positive likelihood ratio=2.26 (CI 1.35 to 3.78), negative likelihood ratio=0.20 (CI 0.03 to 1.30).

Conclusions

No parameter is useful as a universal screening test. DHEAS may be suitable to exclude HPAS before adrenarche. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and identify factors, for example, genetic that may predict or protect against HPAS.
Predictors of fracture from falls reported in hospital and residential care facilities: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Chari Satyan , McRae Prue , Varghese Paul , Ferrar Kaye , Haines Terry P
Published: August 2013

Objectives

Fall-related fractures are associated with substantial human and economic costs. An improved understanding of the predictors of fall-related fractures in healthcare settings would be useful in developing future interventions. The objective of this study was to identify such predictors by exploring associations between fall-related factors and fracture outcomes through logistic regression analysis of routinely collected fall incident data.

Design

Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Setting

197 public healthcare facilities in Queensland, Australia.

Participants

We included data from incident reports completed after falls among admitted adult hospital patients (n=24 218 falls, 229 fractures) and aged-care residents (n=8980 falls, 74 fractures) between January 2007 and November 2009.

Primary and secondary outcomes

The outcomes of interest were fall-related predictors of fracture.

Results

Hospital patients who reported to have been screened for their risk of falling at admission were less likely to fracture after a fall (OR: 0.60, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.89) than those who had not been screened. Further, falls from standing (OR: 2.08, 95% CI 1.22 to 3.55) and falls while walking (OR: 1.86, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.62) were associated with higher fracture odds than falls during other activities. In line with these results, falls while reaching in standing (OR: 3.51, 95% CI 1.44 to 8.56) and falls while walking (OR: 2.11, 95% CI 1.24 to 3.58) were also predictive of fracture in the adjusted residential care model.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that screening of hospital patients for their risk of falling may contribute towards the prevention of fall-related injury. Falls from upright postures appear to be more likely to result in fractures than other falls in healthcare settings. Further prospective research is warranted.
Identifying future ‘unexpected’ survivors: a retrospective cohort study of fatal injury patterns in victims of improvised explosive devices
Authors: Singleton James A G , Gibb Iain E , Hunt Nicholas C A , Bull Anthony M J , Clasper Jonathan C
Published: August 2013

Objectives

To identify potentially fatal injury patterns in explosive blast fatalities in order to focus research and mitigation strategies, to further improve survival rates from blast trauma.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Participants

UK military personnel killed by improvised explosive device (IED) blasts in Afghanistan, November 2007–August 2010.

Setting

UK military deployment, through NATO, in support of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan.

Data sources

UK military postmortem CT records, UK Joint Theatre Trauma Registry and associated incident data.

Main outcome measures

Potentially fatal injuries attributable to IEDs.

Results

We identified 121 cases, 42 mounted (in-vehicle) and 79 dismounted (on foot), at a point of wounding. There were 354 potentially fatal injuries in total. Leading causes of death were traumatic brain injury (50%, 62/124 fatal injuries), followed by intracavity haemorrhage (20.2%, 25/124) in the mounted group, and extremity haemorrhage (42.6%, 98/230 fatal injuries), junctional haemorrhage (22.2%, 51/230 fatal injuries) and traumatic brain injury (18.7%, 43/230 fatal injuries) in the dismounted group.

Conclusions

Head trauma severity in both mounted and dismounted IED fatalities indicated prevention and mitigation as the most effective strategies to decrease resultant mortality. Two-thirds of dismounted fatalities had haemorrhage implicated as a cause of death that may have been anatomically amenable to prehospital intervention. One-fifth of the mounted fatalities had haemorrhagic trauma which currently could only be addressed surgically. Maintaining the drive to improve all haemostatic techniques for blast casualties, from point of wounding to definitive surgical proximal vascular control, alongside the development and application of novel haemostatic interventions could yield a significant survival benefit. Prospective studies in this field are indicated.
The International Federation for Emergency Medicine framework for quality and safety in the emergency department
Authors: Lecky Fiona , Benger Jonathan , Mason Suzanne , Cameron Peter , Walsh Chris
Published: August 2013

All emergency departments (EDs) have an obligation to deliver care that is demonstrably safe and of the highest possible quality. Emergency medicine is a unique and rapidly developing specialty, which forms the hub of the emergency care system and strives to provide a consistent and effective service 24 h a day, 7 days a week. The International Federation of Emergency Medicine, representing more than 70 countries, has prepared a document to define a framework for quality and safety in the ED. Following a consensus conference and with subsequent development, a series of quality indicators have been proposed. These are tabulated in the form of measures designed to answer nine quality questions presented according to the domains of structure, process and outcome. There is an urgent need to improve the evidence base to determine which quality indicators have the potential to successfully improve clinical outcomes, staff and patient experience in a cost-efficient manner—with lessons for implementation.
Adrenocortical tumours: high CT attenuation value correlates with eosinophilia but does not discriminate lipid-poor adenomas from malignancy
Authors: Pennanen Mirkka , Raade Merja , Louhimo Johanna , Sane Timo , Heiskanen Ilkka , Arola Johanna , Haglund Caj
Published: August 2013

Background

Characterisation of adrenal tumours is an important clinical problem. Unenhanced CT is the primary imaging modality to assess the nature of these lesions.

Aims

To study the correlation between unenhanced CT attenuation value and the specific histopathology, as well as the proportion of lipid-poor eosinophilic cells in adrenocortical tumours.

Methods

We studied retrospectively primary adrenocortical tumours that had been operated on at Helsinki University Central Hospital between 2002 and 2008. Of 171 tumours, 79 had appropriate preoperative CT scans and were included in the study. We evaluated the unenhanced CT attenuation values (Hounsfield units, HU) of these tumours and determined their histopathological diagnosis by the Weiss scoring system. We also assessed the proportion of lipid-poor eosinophilic cells for each tumour.

Results

Unenhanced CT attenuation value (HU) in adrenocortical tumours correlated well with the proportion of lipid-poor eosinophilic cells (rs=0.750, p<0.001). HU and Weiss score also had a correlation (rs=0.582, p<0.001).

Conclusions

Unenhanced CT attenuation value correlates well with the percentage of lipid-poor eosinophilic cells, but unenhanced CT attenuation value fails to differentiate between benign lipid-poor adenomas and malignant adrenocortical tumours. All adrenocortical tumours with unenhanced CT attenuation value ≤10 HU are histologically benign lipid-rich tumours.
Vascular invasion and other invasive features in granular cell tumours of the skin: a multicentre study of 119 cases
Authors: Battistella Maxime , Cribier Bernard , Feugeas Jean-Paul , Roux Jennifer , Le Pelletier François , Pinquier Laure , Plantier Françoise ,   for the Cutaneous Histopathology Section of the French Society of Dermatology
Published: August 2013

Background

Incidental finding of vascular invasion has been described in some benign granular cell tumours. Malignancy in granular cell tumours is excessively rare and its assessment relies on necrosis and cytological criteria.

Aims

To assess histopathological invasive features, particularly vascular invasion, in a large series of granular cell tumours of the skin.

Methods

119 granular cell tumours of the skin were collected in 114 patients between 2001 and 2011. Histopathological and epidemiological data were collected. Five step sections and one orcein staining were performed in all cases.

Results

Mean age of the patients was 43.7±18 years. Granular cell tumours were multiple in 7% of patients. They were classified as benign in 111 cases, and atypical in eight cases. No malignant granular cell tumour was present. Tumours had 1.48±1.3 cm mean diameter, showed peripheral invasive growth pattern in 71% of cases, had a mean depth of 8.8±4.7 mm, and reached the subcutis in 66% of cases. Infiltration of arrector pili muscle occurred in 23% (95% CI 16% to 32%), and perineural spread in 66% (95% CI 56% to 74%) of cases. Vascular invasion occurred in 23% (95% CI 16% to 32%) of cases, with subendothelial layers infiltration or vascular obliteration. No intraluminal embolus was found. No association was found between vascular invasion and clinical outcome.

Conclusions

Histopathological features of local invasion are frequent in otherwise benign granular cell tumours. Vascular invasion consists of an infiltration of the subendothelial layers, without intraluminal cells, and may not be considered as a marker of adverse prognosis.
Does income inequality get under the skin? A multilevel analysis of depression, anxiety and mental disorders in São Paulo, Brazil
Authors: Chiavegatto Filho Alexandre Dias Porto , Kawachi Ichiro , Wang Yuan Pang , Viana Maria Carmen , Andrade Laura Helena Silveira Guerra
Published: August 2013

Objective

Test the original income inequality theory, by analysing its association with depression, anxiety and any mental disorders.

Methods

We analysed a sample of 3542 individuals aged 18 years and older selected through a stratified, multistage area probability sample of households from the São Paulo Metropolitan Area. Mental disorder symptoms were assessed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria. Bayesian multilevel logistic models were performed.

Results

Living in areas with medium and high-income inequality was statistically associated with increased risk of depression, relative to low-inequality areas (OR 1.76; 95% CI 1.21 to 2.55, and 1.53; 95% CI 1.07 to 2.19, respectively). The same was not true for anxiety (OR 1.25; 95% CI 0.90 to 1.73, and OR 1.07; 95% CI 0.79 to 1.46). In the case of any mental disorder, results were mixed.

Conclusions

In general, our findings were consistent with the income inequality theory, that is, people living in places with higher income inequality had an overall higher odd of mental disorders, albeit not always statistically significant. The fact that depression, but not anxiety, was statistically significant could indicate a pathway by which inequality influences health.
Alcohol intake and death from cancer in a prospective Chinese elderly cohort study in Hong Kong
Authors: Shen Chen , Schooling C Mary , Chan Wai Man , Xu Lin , Lee Siu Yin , Lam Tai Hing
Published: August 2013

Background

In observational studies of Western populations, moderate alcohol use is usually associated with lower cancer mortality rates. However, moderate alcohol use (regular drinking of moderate amounts) is socially patterned. Evidence from other contexts can clarify such observations. We examined the association of moderate alcohol use with death from cancer in older Chinese adults from a developed non-Western setting, where occasional alcohol drinking (less than once per week of small amounts) is typical.

Methods

Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to assess the adjusted associations of alcohol use with death from cancer using a population-based prospective cohort of 66 820 Chinese aged ≥65 years enrolled from July 1998 to December 2001 at all the 18 Elderly Health Centres of the Hong Kong Government Department of Health, and followed till 30 May 2012.

Results

After follow-up for about 10.5 years, 6335 cancer deaths were identified. Most current alcohol users were social drinkers (<1/week). Moderate drinkers had a similar risk of death from non-oesophageal cancer as never drinkers, but a higher risk of oesophageal cancer, adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic position, lifestyle and health status. Social drinking (<1/week) was associated with a lower risk of death from non-oesophageal cancer, but not from oesophageal cancer.

Conclusions

In a non-Western setting, no association of moderate alcohol use with death from cancer was found. Occasional social drinking (<1/week) was associated with a lower risk of cancer, suggesting that moderate alcohol use is not protective, but in any setting the attributes of being a typical drinker may be.
The role of peritoneal dialysis in modern renal replacement therapy
Authors: Goodlad Catriona , Brown Edwina
Published: August 2013

Most patients starting dialysis can choose between peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis. There is little evidence proving that one form of dialysis is better than the other; although there may be an early advantage to peritoneal dialysis (PD) in young patients with residual function this effect is short-lived. Technique failure develops after years on PD so dialysis modality will often change during a long dialysis career. Quality of life studies, which must be interpreted carefully, indicate that patients require information about the impact of dialysis on their lifestyle as well as health-related outcomes so that they can choose the most suitable dialysis modality. Increasing numbers of frail elderly patients are starting dialysis; support in the home by nursing staff may facilitate the use of PD in this group. In the UK guidelines prioritise the patient's choice of dialysis modality (where feasible) based on good quality predialysis education. Cost of treatment is generally lower on PD, which is particularly recommended for patients with residual renal function and few comorbidities.
Thermal performance of self-compacting concrete: destructive and nondestructive evaluation
Authors: Haddad Rami H. , Odeh Ruba A. , Amawi Hala A. , Ababneh Ayman N.
Published: August 2013

Recently, self-compacting concrete (SCC) has been increasingly used in high-rise buildings and industrial units, susceptible to accidental fires. The probable degradation of these structures necessitates understanding SCC behavior under elevated temperatures. For this, an extensive experimental investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of elevated temperature (300–600 °C) on the mechanical compressive properties of SCC; considering the effect of water-to-cement ratio (0.40–0.50), type of mineral aggregate and filler (limestone and basalt), and internal humidity. Standard cylinder (150 mm × 300 mm) and prism (100 mm × 100 mm × 300 mm) specimens were prepared from various SCC mixtures, cured for 28 d in limewater, and then stored at different environments for an additional 90 d to create varying internal humidity levels; ranging from 28 to 95%. Later, specimens were subjected to elevated temperatures in an electrical furnace, then cooled and tested for compressive mechanical response or non-destructively using resonance frequency, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and rebound hammer evaluation techniques. The results showed significant reduction in residual compressive strength, and elastic modulus, and an increase in compressive strain at peak stress and toughness as elevated temperature was increased. The SCC mixtures at upper water-to-cement ratios with basalt aggregate showed higher resistance to elevated temperatures than corresponding ones with limestone. Internal humidity in SCC had a detrimental impact on compressive strength and elastic modulus; especially at exposure temperatures below 400 °C. The statistical correlations between residuals for compressive strength or elastic modulus and nondestructive damage indices can be classified as very good. Furthermore, the nonlinear empirical models, developed to predict residuals for compressive strength and elastic modulus in terms of the study parameters, showed relatively high prediction potential, hence are recommended to be used in designing SCC mixtures for best resistance against possible fire attack.
Induced energy polarization of the vacuum and the Coma cluster
Authors: Penner A. Raymond
Published: August 2013

The theory of an induced energy polarized vacuum is applied to the Coma cluster. The theoretical virial mass distribution of the cluster is determined and found to be in good agreement with previous virial mass estimates. A more concentrated intracluster gas profile than one based on the assumption that the gas is in hydrostatic equilibrium and isothermal does, however, lead to better agreement with measured shear values in the inner regions. The theory also leads to good agreement with measured velocity dispersion values in the case of the galaxies of the cluster being in radial orbits.
ASSUME-GUARANTEE REASONING WITH LOCAL SPECIFICATIONS
Authors: LOMUSCIO ALESSIO , STRULO BEN , WALKER NIGEL , WU PENG
Published: August 2013

We investigate assume-guarantee reasoning for global specifications consisting of conjunctions of local specifications. We present a sound and complete assume-guarantee methodology that enables us to establish properties of a composite system by checking local specifications of its individual modules. We illustrate our approach with an example from the field of network congestion control, where different agents are responsible for controlling packet flow across a shared infrastructure. In this context we derive an assume-guarantee system for network stability and show its efficiency to reason about any number of agents, any initial flow configuration, and any topology of bounded degree.
A BRIDGE BETWEEN SELF–ORGANIZING NETWORKS AND GRAMMAR SYSTEMS THEORY
Authors: LÁZÁR KATALIN ANNA
Published: August 2013

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how formal language theoretic models can be used to describe self–organizing networks. In particular, we deal with peer–to–peer networks, Internet crawlers seeking novel information on the World Wide Web and network cluster formation. We summarize the results obtained in the past few years and propose some further research directions.
COMPARISON OF LEADING AND NEXT-TO-LEADING LOGARITHMIC ELECTROWEAK CORRECTIONS TO HIGGS PRODUCTION
Authors: SIRINGO FABIO
Published: August 2013

Using soft-collinear effective theory, the leading-log radiative electroweak corrections are written in a closed and analytical form for the hadronic cross-section of Higgs production through vector boson fusion, qq → qqH, one of the most promising channels for studying the Higgs boson at Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The simple leading-log resummation is compared with a full next-to-leading-log calculation, and its accuracy is found to be of order 1% up to 10 TeV, i.e. better than the accuracy of parton distribution functions. Corrections are found to be larger than predicted by one-loop fixed-order approximations at LHC energies. The method provides a simple way of incorporating the electroweak corrections in software packages, improving the accuracy of simulations.
A NUMERICAL EVALUATION OF VACUUM POLARIZATION TENSOR IN CONSTANT EXTERNAL MAGNETIC FIELDS
Authors: ISHIKAWA KEN-ICHI , KIMURA DAIJI , SHIGAKI KENTA , TSUJI ASAKO
Published: August 2013

Hattori–Itakura have recently derived the full Landau-level summation form for the photon vacuum polarization tensor in constant external magnetic fields at the one-loop level. The Landau-level summation form is essential when the photon momentum exceeds the threshold of the pair creation of charged particles in a magnetic field stronger than the squared mass of the charged particle. The tensor has three different form factors depending on the tensor direction with respect to the external magnetic field. The renormalization is nontrivial because these form factors are expressed in terms of double or triple summation forms. We give a numerical UV subtraction method which can be applied to numerically evaluate the form factors in constant external magnetic fields. We numerically investigate the photon vacuum polarization tensor in the form of the Landau-level summation and estimate the systematic errors coming from truncation of the Landau-level summation in a parameter region realized in heavy ion collision experiments. We find that the error is practically controllable at an O(10-2) level for electrons and muons in strong magnetic fields expected in heavy ion collisions in the experimentally feasible kinematic parameter regions.
WIGNER FUNCTION EVOLUTION OF EXCITED EVEN AND ODD COHERENT STATE IN THERMAL ENVIRONMENT VIA THERMO ENTANGLED APPROACH
Authors: YUAN HONG-CHUN , XU YE-JUN , CHEN LEI , XU XUE-FEN
Published: August 2013

We adopt a new approach, thermo entangled representation, to study time evolution of density operator in thermal environment. We then investigate the analytical expressions of Wigner function (WF) evolution of arbitrary number excited coherent states (ECSs) and excited even (odd) coherent states (EECSs, EOCSs) in thermal environment, respectively. In addition, their nonclassicality is numerically discussed by exploring the negativity of WF with decay time in thermal channel, respectively. It is found that WF loses its non-Gaussian nature and becomes Gaussian after long times.
Using soil mineral signatures to confirm sources of industrial contaminant trespass
Authors: Isphording Wayne C.
Published: August 2013

An accompanying consequence of new industrial operations, or the expansion and enlargement of existing facilities, is contaminant encroachment from these operations onto adjacent residential properties. This often results in a favourable jury decision for the plaintiffs, providing the case can be proven. While smokestack emissions or wind-blown debris from some manufacturing operations can be readily identified in samples obtained from nearby properties (e.g. coal fly ash and mine wastes), obtaining proof that a site, or individuals, have been impacted by emissions from other processes may pose a challenge for the expert witness. As an example of the former, a mineral phase universally present in electric arc furnace smokestack discharges by mini steel mills (now widespread throughout the United States) is magnetite (FeO · Fe
2
O
3
). When this mineral is present as non-detrital anthropogenic grains in dust and soil samples (and further identified by a manganese content three or more orders of magnitude greater than in detrital magnetite) its presence is conclusive evidence that airborne contamination from an anthropogenic source has taken place.

A problem arises, however, when contaminants are emitted as a mixed gas–particulate phase whose particles are <2.5 µm in size. Emissions from paper mills may fall into this category, and invariably will contain hydrogen sulphide (H
2
S), sulphur dioxide (SO
2
) and sulphur trioxide (SO
3
) as gas phases. These rapidly combine with water vapour to form sulphuric acid. Dispersal can occur over a wide area as a toxic plume, and can cause a variety of acutely or chronically harmful medical problems, especially in young children and the elderly. Although acknowledged as present in stack emissions by the paper companies, evidence of the vapour phase is often difficult to find on surrounding residential properties (although its corrosive effects are invariably present). An associated particulate phase (calcite), which is used as a whitener in paper production, however, is emitted from a facility’s lime kiln and can often be used to show that contamination from a paper-manufacturing source has taken place.
Anthropologizing Afghanistan: Colonial and Postcolonial Encounters
Authors: Monsutti Alessandro
Published: August 2013

Afghanistan is a key region in and from which scholars can reflect on the potentials and challenges of anthropology. Structured chronologically and analytically, this review analyzes the persistence up to present day of the colonial image of an inward-looking society without, however, equating the current interplay of states and nonstate actors to the international context of the nineteenth century or the Cold War. The 1960s and 1970s were a productive period for research on the country focusing on pastoral nomadism, ethnicity, state, and tribe. When the opportunity for long-term fieldwork in Afghanistan was temporary interrupted in the 1980s with the Soviet occupation, anthropologists were forced to shift focus. Many worked among Afghan refugees in Pakistan as well as on the diaspora, including on the transnational networks of migrants. The international intervention in late 2001 incited an academic scramble for Afghanistan. The article reflects on the deontological challenges of research in an environment characterized by the demand for immediate policy-relevant knowledge while arguing that the study of the overlapping sovereignties linked to the interplay of international and nongovernmental organizations with the state and military forces in Afghanistan contribute to larger current debates in anthropology.
Borders and the Relocation of Europe
Authors: Green Sarah
Published: August 2013

The current financial and fiscal crisis within the Eurozone is the latest in a series of events to have occurred in recent decades that have been altering the meaning, purpose, and form of European borders. These events include the multiple border-altering experiments of the European Union (EU), the end of the Cold War, and the conflicts in former Yugoslavia. Cumulatively, the position of Europe, as a place and as an idea, has been undergoing considerable relocation as a result. This large-scale political reorganization of spatial location has led to a shift in focus within European border studies: The way the ground underneath people's feet can be shifted turns out to be as important as the way people themselves move from one place to another, or the way people form politically inflected identities in relation to territories.
Language Management/Labor
Authors: Urciuoli Bonnie , LaDousa Chaise
Published: August 2013

How language is conceptualized as labor is a function of the economy within which profits are made and businesses are structured. Under capitalist regimes, language practices have been conceptualized as apart from labor, as part of the means of production, and as the product. Under neoliberal regimes and conditions of globalization, and depending on the language worker's job description and status as managed or managing, ethnicity/race, gender, and affiliation with national or nonnational language practices are conceptualized as skills subject to Taylorization, as natural abilities for employers' occasional use, or as indexes of authenticity. What ties all this together is how language workers are imagined in relation to the organizations for which they work, a key element being the degree to which language labor represents an internalization of the organization. In this way, language labor is conceptualized in relation to agency as a technology of self.
Significance of Neandertal and Denisovan Genomes in Human Evolution
Authors: Hawks John
Published: August 2013

DNA evidence is changing the field of paleoanthropology. Genomes have been recovered from Neandertals and from a previously unknown archaic human population represented at Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains. Both populations contributed to the ancestry of living human populations; Neandertals account for between 1% and 4% of the ancestry of people outside sub-Saharan Africa, and Denisovans contribute from 1% to 6% of the ancestry of people in island Southeast Asia and Oceania. These genomes lend new detail about the dynamics of Neandertal populations and help us to understand the diversity of the Middle Pleistocene ancestors of late archaic and modern humans worldwide. Further analyses have begun to uncover details about the phenotypes of archaic peoples and their contribution to the biology of recent humans. These insights have included new information about pigmentation, immunity, and the brain.
The Great Trade Collapse
Authors: Bems Rudolfs , Johnson Robert C. , Yi Kei-Mu
Published: August 2013

We survey recent literature on the causes of the collapse in international trade during the 2008–2009 global recession. We argue that the evidence points to the collapse in aggregate expenditure, concentrated on trade-intensive durable goods, as the main driver of the trade collapse. Inventory adjustment likely amplified the impact of these expenditure changes on trade. In addition, shocks to credit supply constrained export supply, further exacerbating the decline in trade. Most evidence suggests that changes in trade policy did not play a large role. We conclude that one benefit of the trade collapse is that it has stimulated research in neglected areas at the intersection of trade and macroeconomics.
Humans and Nature: How Knowing and Experiencing Nature Affect Well-Being
Authors: Russell Roly , Guerry Anne D. , Balvanera Patricia , Gould Rachelle K. , Basurto Xavier , Chan Kai M.A. , Klain Sarah , Levine Jordan , Tam Jordan
Published: August 2013

Ecosystems provide many of the material building blocks for human well-being. Although quantification and appreciation of such contributions have rapidly grown, our dependence upon cultural connections to nature deserves more attention. We synthesize multidisciplinary peer-reviewed research on contributions of nature or ecosystems to human well-being mediated through nontangible connections (such as culture). We characterize these connections on the basis of the channels through which such connections arise (i.e., knowing, perceiving, interacting with, and living within) and the components of human well-being they affect (e.g., physical, mental and spiritual health, inspiration, identity). We found enormous variation in the methods used, quantity of research, and generalizability of the literature. The effects of nature on mental and physical health have been rigorously demonstrated, whereas other effects (e.g., on learning) are theorized but seldom demonstrated. The balance of evidence indicates conclusively that knowing and experiencing nature makes us generally happier, healthier people. More fully characterizing our intangible connections with nature will help shape decisions that benefit people and the ecosystems on which we depend.
Actionable Knowledge for Environmental Decision Making: Broadening the Usability of Climate Science
Authors: Kirchhoff Christine J. , Carmen Lemos Maria , Dessai Suraje
Published: August 2013

Despite the rapid evolution and growing complexity in models of science-society interaction, the rate and breadth of use of scientific knowledge in environmental decision making, especially related to climate variability and change, remain below expectations. This suggests a persistent gap between production and use that, to date, efforts to rethink and restructure science production have not been able to surmount. We review different models of science-policy interfaces to understand how they have influenced the organization of knowledge production and application. We then explore how new approaches to the creation of knowledge have emerged, involving both growing integration across disciplines and greater interaction with users. Finally, we review climate information use in the United States and United Kingdom to explore how the structure of knowledge production and the characteristics of users and their decision environments expose the challenges of broadening usable climate science.
Smart Grids
Authors: Palensky Peter , Kupzog Friederich
Published: August 2013

This review covers the current state of “smart” grid research and demonstration projects. At present, smart elements are making their way into traditional electricity grid systems at every level, from transmission down to distribution. The vast size of the power grid makes the extension of digitally enabled electric infrastructure a question of cost. Drivers for this development are the growing security requirements and sustainability of supply in the face of rising demand and aging infrastructure. Information technology (IT) is one of the key elements of smart grids because it enables cooperation of distributed energy resources, local control, and globalized energy markets. Smart grids are expected to make our power system more resilient, “green,” and efficient; a challenge that the automotive industry could only manage by introducing digital controls in engines. We now witness the same development in electric energy systems. This article provides an introduction to the topic, a snapshot of current activities, and a general outlook on what still is needed.
Stably Stratified Atmospheric Boundary Layers
Authors: Mahrt L.
Published: August 2013

Atmospheric boundary layers with weak stratification are relatively well described by similarity theory and numerical models for stationary horizontally homogeneous conditions. With common strong stratification, similarity theory becomes unreliable. The turbulence structure and interactions with the mean flow and small-scale nonturbulent motions assume a variety of scenarios. The turbulence is intermittent and may no longer fully satisfy the usual conditions for the definition of turbulence. Nonturbulent motions include wave-like motions and solitary modes, two-dimensional vortical modes, microfronts, intermittent drainage flows, and a host of more complex structures. The main source of turbulence may not be at the surface, but rather may result from shear above the surface inversion. The turbulence is typically not in equilibrium with the nonturbulent motions, sometimes preventing the formation of an inertial subrange. New observational and analysis techniques are expected to advance our understanding of the very stable boundary layer.
Turbulence in the Upper-Ocean Mixed Layer
Authors: D'Asaro Eric A.
Published: August 2013

Nearly all operational models of upper-ocean mixing assume that the turbulence responsible for this mixing is driven by the atmospheric fluxes of momentum, heat, and moisture and the shear imposed by the ocean circulation. This idealization is supported by historical measurements of dissipation rate within the boundary layer. Detailed measurements made recently by many investigators and supported by theoretical and numerical results have found significant deviations from this classical view attributable to the influence of surface waves. Although a review of these measurements finds strong support for the influence of waves—and, in particular, for the predictions of large-eddy simulations, including the Craik-Leibovich vortex force—there are insufficient data to give definitive support to a new paradigm.
Photodetectors in Particle Physics Experiments
Authors: Križan Peter , Korpar Samo
Published: August 2013

We review the techniques used to detect photons in particle physics experiments. In particular, we describe the principles of operation, the current state of development, and progress made with vacuum photodetectors, semiconductor and hybrid sensors, and gaseous photon detectors. We also discuss applications in ongoing and planned future experiments.
The Legacy of the Tevatron in the Area of Accelerator Science
Authors: Holmes Stephen D. , Shiltsev Vladimir D.
Published: August 2013

For more than 25 years, the Tevatron was the highest-energy accelerator in the world. It provided the first access to particle collisions beyond 1 TeV and achieved an ultimate performance that was a factor of 400 beyond the original design goals. This article reviews the many formidable challenges that were overcome, and the knowledge gained, in building, operating, and improving the Tevatron during its lifetime. These challenges included the first operation of an accelerator based on superconducting magnets; production of antiprotons in sufficient numbers to support a usable luminosity; management of beam–beam, intrabeam, and other collective effects; novel manipulations of the beam longitudinal phase space; and development and application of a wide variety of innovative technologies. These achievements established the legacy of the Tevatron as the progenitor of all subsequently constructed high-energy hadron colliders.
Na+/Ca2+exchangers regulate the migration and proliferation of human gastric myofibroblasts
Authors: Kemény Lajos V. , Schnúr Andrea , Czepán Mátyás , Rakonczay Zoltán , Gál Eleonóra , Lonovics János , Lázár György , Simonka Zsolt , Venglovecz Viktória , Maléth József , Judák Linda , Németh István B. , Szabó Kornélia , Almássy János , Virág László , Geisz Andrea , Tiszlavicz László , Yule David I. , Wittmann Tibor , Varró Andrea , Hegyi Péter
Published: August 2013

Gastrointestinal myofibroblasts are contractile, electrically nonexcitable, transitional cells that play a role in extracellular matrix production, in ulcer healing, and in pathophysiological conditions they contribute to chronic inflammation and tumor development. Na+/Ca2+exchangers (NCX) are known to have a crucial role in Ca2+homeostasis of contractile cells, however, no information is available concerning the role of NCX in the proliferation and migration of gastrointestinal myofibroblasts. In this study, our aim was to investigate the role of NCX in the Ca2+homeostasis, migration, and proliferation of human gastrointestinal myofibroblasts, focusing on human gastric myofibroblasts (HGMs). We used microfluorometric measurements to investigate the intracellular Ca2+and Na+concentrations, PCR analysis and immunostaining to show the presence of the NCX, patch clamp for measuring NCX activity, and proliferation and migration assays to investigate the functional role of the exchanger. We showed that 53.0 ± 8.1% of the HGMs present Ca2+oscillations, which depend on extracellular Ca2+and Na+, and can be inhibited by NCX inhibitors. NCX1, NCX2, and NCX3 were expressed at both mRNA and protein levels in HGMs, and they contribute to the intracellular Ca2+and Na+homeostasis as well, regardless of the oscillatory activity. NCX inhibitors significantly blocked the basal and insulin-like growth factor II-stimulated migration and proliferation rates of HGMs. In conclusion, we showed that NCX plays a pivotal role in regulating the Ca2+homeostasis, migration, and proliferation of HGMs. The inhibition of NCX activity may be a potential therapeutic target in hyperproliferative gastric diseases.
A novel system of electrodes transparent to ultrasound for simultaneous detection of myoelectric activity and B-mode ultrasound images of skeletal muscles
Authors: Botter A. , Vieira T. M. M. , Loram I. D. , Merletti R. , Hodson-Tole E. F.
Published: August 2013

Application of two-dimensional surface electrode arrays can provide a means of mapping motor unit action potentials on the skin surface above a muscle. The resulting muscle tissue displacement can be quantified, in a single plane, using ultrasound (US) imaging. Currently, however, it is not possible to simultaneously map spatio-temporal propagation of activation and resulting tissue strain. In this paper, we developed and tested a material that will enable concurrent measurement of two-dimensional surface electromyograms (EMGs) with US images. Specific protocols were designed to test the compatibility of this new electrode material, both with EMG recording and with US analysis. Key results indicate that, for this new electrode material, 1) the electrode-skin impedance is similar to that of arrays of electrodes reported in literature; 2) the reflection of US at the electrode-skin interface is negligible; 3) the likelihood of observing missing contacts, short-circuits, and artifacts in EMGs is not affected by the US probe; 4) movement of tissues sampled by US can be tracked accurately. We, therefore, conclude this approach will facilitate multimodal imaging of muscle to provide new spatio-temporal information regarding electromechanical function of muscle. This is relevant to basic physiology-biomechanics of active and passive force transmission through and between muscles, of motor unit spatio-temporal activity patterns, of their variation with architecture and task-related function, and of their adaptation with aging, training-exercise-disuse, neurological disease, and injury.
Exposure to hypergravity during the preweaning but not postweaning period reduces vestibular-related stress responses in rats
Authors: Abe Chikara , Ueta Yoichi , Morita Hironobu
Published: August 2013

Gravitational forces, including hypergravity or microgravity, induce plasticity of vestibular-related functions. These functions are not easily reversed if exposure to the gravitational forces occurs during vestibular development. In the present study, we hypothesized that vestibular-related stress responses might be suppressed in rats exposed to hypergravity during the vestibular development period. We exposed the rats to 2 g (hypergravity) during the preweaning (BW-HG; embryonic day 14 to postnatal week 3) or postweaning (AW-HG; postnatal weeks 4–6) periods. After recovery for 4 wk at 1 g, we conducted rotarod tests and then exposed the rats to 2 g for 90 min. In BW-HG rats, vestibular-related motor coordination on the rotarod test was partially, but not fully, restored to the level of AW-HG rats or rats raised at 1 g (1-G group). Loading-induced plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticosterone levels were significantly suppressed in BW-HG and in rats with a vestibular lesion compared with AW-HG and 1-G rats. Arginine vasopressin and Fos expression levels in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus were also significantly lower in BW-HG and vestibular lesion rats than in AW-HG and 1-G rats. By contrast, there was no difference in the electrical foot shock-induced increase in plasma corticosterone among the experimental groups, suggesting that the nonvestibular-related stress response was not suppressed by exposure to 2 g during preweaning. These results indicated that exposure to hypergravity during preweaning specifically suppressed the vestibular-related stress response, and this suppression did not recover after 4 wk at 1 g.
Alterations in exhaled breath metabolite-mixtures in two rat models of lipopolysaccharide-induced lung injury
Authors: Bos Lieuwe D. J. , van Walree Inez C. , Kolk Arend H. J. , Janssen Hans-Gerd , Sterk Peter J. , Schultz Marcus J.
Published: August 2013

Exhaled breath contains information on systemic and pulmonary metabolism, which may provide a monitoring tool for the development of lung injury. We aimed to determine the effect of intravenous (iv) and intratracheal (IT) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge on the exhaled mixture of volatile metabolites and to assess the similarities between these two models. Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized, tracheotomized, and ventilated for 6 h. Lung injury was induced by iv or IT administration of LPS. Exhaled breath was monitored continuously using an electronic nose (eNose), and hourly using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). GC-MS analysis identified 34 and 14 potential biological markers for lung injury in the iv and IT LPS models, respectively. These volatile biomarkers could be used to discriminate between LPS-challenged rats and control animals within 1 h after LPS administration. Electronic nose analysis resulted in a good separation 3 h after the LPS challenge. Hexanal, pentadecane and 6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-one concentrations decreased after both iv and IT LPS administration. Nonanoic acid was found in a higher concentration in exhaled breath after LPS inoculation into the trachea but in a lower concentration after iv infusion. LPS-induced lung injury rapidly changes exhaled breath metabolite mixtures in two animal models of lung injury. Changes partly overlap between an iv and an IT LPS challenge. This warrants testing the diagnostic accuracy of exhaled breath analysis for acute respiratory distress syndrome in clinical trials, possibly focusing on biological markers described in this study.
β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB)-free acid attenuates circulating TNF-α and TNFR1 expression postresistance exercise
Authors: Townsend Jeremy R. , Fragala Maren S. , Jajtner Adam R. , Gonzalez Adam M. , Wells Adam J. , Mangine Gerald T. , Robinson Edward H. , McCormack William P. , Beyer Kyle S. , Pruna Gabriel J. , Boone Carleigh H. , Scanlon Tyler M. , Bohner Jonathan D. , Stout Jeffrey R. , Hoffman Jay R.
Published: August 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate-free acid (HMB-FA) and cold-water immersion (CWI) on circulating concentrations of TNF-α and monocyte TNF-α receptor 1 (TNFR1) expression. Forty resistance-trained men (22.3 ± 2.4 yr) were randomized into four groups [placebo (PL), HMB-FA, CWI, and HMB-FA-CWI] and performed an acute, intense exercise protocol (four sets of up to 10 repetitions of the squat, dead lift, and split squat). Participants also performed four sets of up to 10 repetitions of the squat at 24 and 48 h following the initial exercise bout. Blood was sampled before exercise (PRE), immediately postexercise (IP), and 30 min, 24 h, and 48 h postexercise (30P, 24P, and 48P, respectively). Circulating TNF-α was assayed, and TNFR1 expression on CD14+ monocytes was measured by flow cytometry. The exercise protocol significantly elevated TNF-α in only PL ( P = 0.006) and CWI ( P = 0.045) IP. Mean percent changes show that TNF-α significantly increased from PRE to IP for only PL and CWI groups ( P < 0.05), whereas the percent change of TNF-α for HMB-FA and HMB-FA-CWI was not significant. TNFR1 expression was elevated in PL ( P = 0.023) and CWI ( P = 0.02) at 30P compared with PRE, whereas both HMB-FA-treated groups did not increase significantly. In conclusion, HMB-FA attenuated circulating TNF-α IP and TNFR1 expression during recovery compared with PL and CWI. HMB-FA supplementation may attenuate the initial immune response to intense exercise, which may reduce recovery time following intense exercise.