bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Explaining the Variation in Greenhouse Gas Emissions Between Households: Socioeconomic, Motivational, and Physical Factors
Authors: Nässén Jonas , Andersson David , Larsson Jörgen , Holmberg John
Published: September 2014

Consumption‐accounted greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (GHGEs) vary considerably between households. Research originating from different traditions, including consumption research, urban planning, and environmental psychology, have studied different types of explanatory variables and provided different insights into this matter. This study integrates explanatory variables from different fields of research in the same empirical material, including socioeconomic variables (income, household size, sex, and age), motivational variables (proenvironmental attitudes and social norms), and physical variables (dwelling types and geographical distances). A survey was distributed to 2,500 Swedish households with a response rate of 40%. GHGEs were estimated for transport, residential energy, food, and other consumption, using data from both the survey and registers, such as odometer readings of cars and electricity consumption from utility providers. The results point toward the importance of explanatory variables that have to do with circumstances rather than motivations for proenvironmental behaviors. Net income was found to be the most important variable to explain GHGEs, followed by the physical variables, dwelling type, and the geographical distance index. The results also indicate that social norms around GHG‐intensive activities, for example, transport, may have a larger impact on a subject's emission level than proenvironmental attitudes.
Outcome after conservative management for mixed urinary incontinence
Authors: Wu Sandy Pei‐Ying , Lo Tsia‐Shu , Pue Leng Boi , Cortes Eileen Feliz M. , Lu Meng‐Hsuan , Al‐Kharabsheh Ahlam M. , Lin Yi‐Hao
Published: September 2014

Aim

Recommended initial treatment for mixed urinary incontinence involves behavioral therapy, and drug and pelvic floor muscle exercises. Our objective is to evaluate the outcome of these conservative treatments in our patients with mixed urinary incontinence.

Methods

A retrospective review was conducted in patients with mixed urinary incontinence who were offered sequential conservative treatment modalities comprised of medication and physiotherapy. Outcome was defined as a score of 1 or less for questions 2 and 3 on the six‐item Urodynamic Distress Inventory (UDI‐6) and seven‐item Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, in addition to clinical symptomatic improvement with no urgency, urge incontinence and voiding frequency of less than eight times per 24 h on a 3‐day bladder diary after treatment. Treatment outcome of patients opting for medication plus physiotherapy (M + P) were analyzed against patients preferring medication only (M).

Results

Sixty‐two mixed urinary incontinent patients received an initial treatment with conservative measures with mean follow‐up of 14 months. A total of 61.2% (30/49) and 56.3% (9/13) subjects had improved symptoms in the M + P and M group, respectively. There was significant improvement in UDI‐6 total score in the M + P group after conservative treatment, despite no significant difference when compared to the M group. Only 6.45% required subsequent anti‐incontinence surgery after conservative treatment, amongst whom only half showed improvement after the surgery.

Conclusion

Combined treatment with medication and physiotherapy is highly recommended for patients with mixed urinary incontinence. Conservative measures should still precede any surgical intervention. Further studies are needed to evaluate the long‐term efficacy.
Pregnancy outcomes following different surgical approaches of myomectomy
Authors: Tian Yu‐cui , Long Teng‐fei , Dai Yin‐mei
Published: September 2014

Aim

The aim of this study was to compare the feasibility, reliability, safety and pregnancy outcomes following transabdominal myomectomy (TAM) and laparoscopic myomectomy (LM) at Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital.

Material and Methods

The study included two parts: between January 2005 and December 2010, data on 157 patients were retrospectively collected; and between January 2011 and January 2013, 111 patients were prospectively collected. All of them had fertility requirements following myomectomy. Patients' demographics, leiomyomas' characteristics, perioperative data regarding surgical complications, relapses, subsequent pregnancy outcomes and obstetric characteristics were collected.

Results

The patients' demographics and leiomyoma characteristics were comparable in the TAM and LM groups (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the average drop in hemoglobin between the two groups (P = 0.887), while the postoperative ileus duration, postoperative ambulation duration and dose of analgesia were significantly higher in the TAM group (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the overall relapse and subsequent cumulative pregnancy rates and obstetric complications between the two groups. The contraception interval after myomectomy was significantly longer (P = 0.038) after TAM, however the cesarean section rate only due to myomectomy history was higher (P = 0.034) after TAM than after LM. Four patients in the LM group were identified as having uterine scar defective repair on the site of the previous myomectomy scar during elective cesarean section, while this was not identified in any patient in the TAM group.

Conclusion

LM is a feasible treatment for women who have fertility requirements but suffer from leiomyoma. Although LM does not increase the rate of uterine rupture in the subsequent pregnancy, it is advisable for surgeons to limit the use of electrosurgery.
Improving the quality of rice straw by urea and calcium hydroxide on rumen ecology, microbial protein synthesis in beef cattle
Authors: Polyorach S. , Wanapat M.
Published: September 2014

Four rumen‐fistulated beef cattle were randomly assigned to four treatments according to a 4 × 4 Latin square design to study the influence of urea and calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2] treatment of rice straw to improve the nutritive value of rice straw. Four dietary treatments were as follows: untreated rice straw, 50 g/kg urea‐treated rice straw, 20 g/kg urea + 20 g/kg calcium hydroxide‐treated rice straw and 30 g/kg urea + 20 g/kg calcium hydroxide‐treated rice straw. All animals were kept in individual pens and fed with concentrate at 0.5 g/kg of BW (DM), rice straw was fed ad libitum. The experiment was conducted for four periods, and each period lasted for 21 days. During the first 14 days, DM feed intake measurements were made while during the last 7 days, all cattle were moved to metabolism crates for total faeces and urine collections. The results revealed that 20 g/kg urea + 20 g/kg calcium hydroxide‐treated rice straw improved the nutritive value of rice straw, in terms of dry matter intake, digestibility, ruminal volatile fatty acids, population of bacteria and fungi, nitrogen retention and microbial protein synthesis. Based on this study, it could be concluded that using urea plus calcium hydroxide was one alternative method to improve the nutritive value of rice straw, rumen ecology and fermentation and thus a reduction of treatment cost.
Nerve-Sparing Approach Reduces Sexual Dysfunction in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Radical Hysterectomy
Authors: Bogani Giorgio , Serati Maurizio , Nappi Rossella , Cromi Antonella , di Naro Edoardo , Ghezzi Fabio
Published: September 2014

Introduction

Although growing evidence suggests the beneficial effects of a nerve-sparing (NS) approach to surgery in cervical cancer patients, only limited data on NS laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH) are available, and no studies have investigated the effects of NS-LRH on sexual function.

Aim

This study aims to determine whether the implementation of NS-LRH impacts on sexual function in cervical cancer patients.

Methods

Sexually active cervical cancer patients undergoing type C (class III) LRH between 2004 and 2013 were enrolled in this prospective study.

Main Outcome Measures

Preoperative and postoperative sexual function were assessed using a validated questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). The FSFI evaluates desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain.

Results

Forty patients undergoing radical hysterectomy (20 conventional LRH vs. 20 NS-LRH) represented the study group. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups (P > 0.05). No differences in preoperative FSFI scores were recorded (P > 0.05). We observed that both LRH and NS-LRH worsened postoperative FSFI scores (P < 0.001). However, patients undergoing NS-LRH had higher postoperative FSFI scores than patients undergoing LRH (21.3 ± 9.4 vs. 14.2 ± 12.5; P = 0.04). Considering postoperative domain scores, we observed that desire, arousal, orgasm, and pain scores were similar between groups (P > 0.05), while patients undergoing NS-LRH experienced higher lubrication (3.4 ± 2.3 vs. 1.7 ± 2.2; P = 0.02) and satisfaction (4.6 ± 3.9 vs. 2.8 ± 2.2; P = 0.004) scores in comparison with patients undergoing conventional LRH. No between-group differences in survival outcomes were found.

Conclusions

Both conventional LRH and NS-LRH impact negatively on patients' sexual function. However, the NS approach impairs sexual function less, minimizing the effects of radical surgery.
Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate vs adefovir dipivoxil in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B after 48 weeks: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Hou J. L. , Gao Z. L. , Xie Q. , Zhang J. M. , Sheng J. F. , Cheng J. , Chen C. W. , Mao Q. , Zhao W. , Ren H. , Tan D. M. , Niu J. Q. , Chen S. J. , Pan C. , Tang H. , Wang H. , Mao Y. M. , Jia J. D. , Ning Q. , Xu M. , Wu S. M. , Li J. , Zhang X. X. , Ji Y. , Dong J. , Li J.
Published: September 2014

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) has demonstrated long‐term efficacy and a high barrier to resistance in multiple chronic hepatitis B (CHB) populations outside of China. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TDF compared with adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) in Chinese patients with CHB during 48 weeks of treatment (ClinicalTrial.gov number, NCT01300234). A Phase 3, multicentred, randomized, double‐blind, controlled trial compared the efficacy and safety of TDF with ADV in Chinese patients with CHB. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with HBV DNA <400 copies/mL in each treatment group at Week 48, using an unpooled Z‐test for superiority. Secondary endpoints included viral suppression, serologic response, histological improvement, normalization of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and the emergence of resistance mutations. A total of 509 patients, 202 hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)‐positive and 307 HBeAg‐negative, with HBV DNA ≥105 copies/mL received either TDF 300 mg od or ADV 10 mg od. At Week 48, TDF demonstrated superior viral suppression compared with ADV in both HBeAg‐positive (76.7% vs 18.2%, P < 0.0001) and HBeAg‐negative (96.8% vs 71.2%, P < 0.0001) patients. The majority of patients in both treatment arms achieved ALT normalization (>85%). No resistance to TDF was observed. The frequency of adverse events was comparable between treatment arms (TDF 3.9% vs ADV 4.8%). In this double‐blind, randomized, clinical trial, TDF demonstrated superiority over ADV with respect to viral suppression in Chinese patients with CHB at 48 weeks of treatment and without the development of resistance.
The influence of environmental variability of a coastal lagoon ecosystem on genetic diversity and structure of white seabream [Diplodus sargus (Linnaeus 1758)] populations
Authors: Hernández‐García Raquel , Muñoz Irene , López‐Capel Antonio , Marcos Concepción , Pérez‐Ruzafa Ángel
Published: September 2014

As coastal lagoons serve as nursery areas for some marine and estuarine fish, selective pressures of these brackish or hypersaline lagoons may influence the genetic structure of species and populations. We examined spatial and temporal genetic patterns at eight microsatellite loci in white seabream [Diplodus sargus (Linnaeus 1758)] recruits from the Mar Menor (Southeast Spain) and compared these loci with those in coastal populations from the open sea, observing a high degree of genetic diversity and spatio‐temporal genetic stability. However, the results suggest the presence of subpopulations or genetic substructures in the Mar Menor D. sargus population that could be interpreted as a homogeneous mixture of individuals from three differentiated subpopulations in the Mediterranean and evidence of the Wahlund effect. It also suggests that D. sargus adults return to their original spawning habitat, thus conserving the genetic differences among the respective populations over time. Overall, this study demonstrates the importance of the Mar Menor coastal lagoon as a nursery area for the conservation of genetic diversity of D. sargus populations.
Sexual selection and genetic colour polymorphisms in animals
Authors: Wellenreuther Maren , Svensson Erik I. , Hansson Bengt
Published: September 2014

Genetic colour polymorphisms are widespread across animals and often subjected to complex selection regimes. Traditionally, colour morphs were used as simple visual markers to measure allele frequency changes in nature, selection, population divergence and speciation. With advances in sequencing technology and analysis methods, several model systems are emerging where the molecular targets of selection are being described. Here, we discuss recent studies on the genetics of sexually selected colour polymorphisms, aiming at (i) reviewing the evidence of sexual selection on colour polymorphisms, (ii) highlighting the genetic architecture, molecular and developmental basis underlying phenotypic colour diversification and (iii) discuss how the maintenance of such polymorphisms might be facilitated or constrained by these. Studies of the genetic architecture of colour polymorphism point towards the importance of tight clustering of colour loci with other trait loci, such as in the case of inversions and supergene structures. Other interesting findings include linkage between colour loci and mate preferences or sex determination, and the role of introgression and regulatory variation in fuelling polymorphisms. We highlight that more studies are needed that explicitly integrate fitness consequences of sexual selection on colour with the underlying molecular targets of colour to gain insights into the evolutionary consequences of sexual selection on polymorphism maintenance.
The energy poverty nexus in the Middle East and North Africa
Authors: El‐Katiri Laura
Published: September 2014

Energy access remains one of the forgotten millennium development goals, despite being a key ingredient to sustained and equitable socio‐economic growth and development. This article looks at the energy poverty nexus in the Middle East and North Africa, a region frequently overlooked in the study of energy access owing to its significant hydrocarbon wealth, and the impact energy poverty has made on parts of the region. A closer look reveals the puzzling picture of a region divided between energy abundant states and states with continuingly high rates of lacking access to electricity and secure supply of modern fuels. The existence of some of the worst cases of energy poverty in the MENA in net exporters of oil and gas such as Yemen and Egypt further demonstrates that energy poverty is effectively a domestic distributive problem, rather than one caused by a country's lacking natural resources. The article explores the main causal factors and suggests short‐ and long‐term policy remedies.
Spore immobilization and its analytical performance for monitoring of aflatoxin M1 in milk
Authors: Singh V.K. , Singh N.A. , Kumar N. , Raghu H.V. , Sharma Pradeep Kumar , Singh K.P. , Yadav Avinash
Published: September 2014

Immobilization of Bacillus megaterium spores on Eppendorf tubes through physical adsorption has been used in the detection of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk within real time of 45 ± 5 min using visual observation of changes in a chromogenic substrate. The appearance of a sky-blue colour indicates the absence of AFM1 in milk, whereas no colour change indicates the presence of AFM1 in milk at a 0.5 ppb Codex maximum residue limit. The working performance of the immobilized spores was shown to persist for up to 6 months. Further, spores immobilized on 96-well black microtitre plates by physical adsorption and by entrapment on sensor disk showed a reduction in detection sensitivity to 0.25 ppb within a time period of 20 ± 5 min by measuring fluorescence using a microbiological plate reader through the addition of milk and fluorogenic substrate. A high fluorescence ratio indicated more substrate hydrolysis due to spore-germination-mediated release of marker enzymes of spores in the absence of AFM1 in milk; however, low fluorescence ratios indicated the presence of AFM1 at 0.25 ppb. Immobilized spores on 96-well microtitre plates and sensor disks have shown better reproducibility after storage at 4 °C for 6 months. Chromogenic assay showed 1.38% false-negative and 2.77% false-positive results while fluorogenic assay showed 4.16% false-positive and 2.77% false-negative results when analysed for AFM1 using 72 milk samples containing raw, pasteurized, and dried milk. Immobilization of spores makes these chromogenic and fluorogenic assays portable, selective, cost-effective for real-time detection of AFM1 in milk at the dairy farm, reception dock, and manufacturing units of the dairy industry.
Behavioral responses of the Strawberry Poison Frog (Oophaga pumilio) to herbicide olfactory cues: possible implications for habitat selection and movement in altered landscapes
Authors: Farabaugh N.F. , Nowakowski A.J.
Published: September 2014

Recent research has focused on the importance of behavior in mediating the effects of landscape change on amphibian populations and communities. Factors such as chemical contaminants may affect habitat selection and movement of amphibians in human-altered habitats and contribute to landscape-level patterns of distribution and abundance. The objective of this study was to determine if the Strawberry Poison Frog (Oophaga pumilio (Schmidt, 1857)) can use olfactory cues to detect and avoid the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup™. Fifty frogs were captured in the field in Costa Rica and tested in experimental arenas where they were given a choice between a control and an herbicide treatment. Analysis of time spent in treatment areas revealed a significant interaction between sex and treatment. Analyses of choice at the start and end of the trials indicated that sex and cardinal direction were important factors influencing orientation behavior. These results suggest that males and females differed in their behavioral responses, and that male O. pumilio may use olfactory cues to detect and avoid areas treated with glyphosate-based herbicide. However, the sampled population was male-biased, which resulted in a lower sample size and lower power to detect an effect for females. Further work is needed to better understand amphibian behavioral responses to herbicides, as well as the role of sex and individual variation in modifying these responses.
Antagonistic Interaction BetweenCordyceps sinensisand Exercise on Protection in Fulminant Hepatic Failure
Authors: Cheng Yu-Jung , Shyu Woei-Cherng , Teng Yi-Hsien , Lan Yu-Hsuan , Lee Shin-Da
Published: September 2014

Herb supplements are widely used by Asian athletes; however, there are no studies evaluated the co-effects of exercise and herb supplements on hepatic failure. In this study, D-GalN/LPS-induced fulminant hepatic failure was used to examine whether there are synergistic or antagonistic effects of exercise and Cordyceps sinensis (CS). Mice were randomly divided into eight groups: control, swimming exercise for four weeks, D-GalN/LPS challenge, swimming exercise plus D-GalN/LPS, 20 mg/kg or 40 mg/kg CS pretreated for four weeks plus D-GalN/LPS, and swimming exercise combined with 20 mg/kg or 40 mg/kg CS pretreatment plus D-GalN/LPS. Either exercise or 40 mg/kg CS pretreatment alone significantly decreased D-GalN/LPS-induced TNF-α, AST, NO, apoptotic-related proteins, and hepatocyte apoptosis. Exercise or 40 mg/kg CS alone increased the IL-10 and D-GalN/LPS-suppressed Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) level. However, no protective or worse effect was observed in the mice treated with exercise preconditioning combined 40 mg/kg CS compared to those receive exercise alone or CS alone. TNF-α, AST, NO level, caspase-3 activity, and hepatocytes apoptosis were not significantly different in the exercise combined with 40 mg/kg CS compared to mice challenged with D-GalN/LPS. The IL-10 level was significantly decreased after D-GalN/LPS stimulation in the mice received exercise combined with 40 mg/kg CS, indicating the combination strongly reduced the anti-inflammatory effect. In summary, preconditioning exercise or CS pretreatment alone can protect mice from septic liver damage, but in contrast, the combination of exercise and CS does not produce any benefit. The antagonistic interactions between exercise and CS imply taking CS is not recommended for people who undertake regular exercise.
Investigation of mechanical strength of 2D nanoscale structures using a molecular dynamics based computational intelligence approach
Authors: Garg A. , Vijayaraghavan V. , Wong C. H. , Tai K. , Singru Pravin M. , Mahapatra S. S. , Sangwan K. S.
Published: September 2014

A molecular dynamics (MD) based computational intelligence (CI) approach is proposed to investigate the Young modulus of two graphene sheets: Armchair and Zigzag. In this approach, the effect of aspect ratio, the temperature, the number of atomic planes and the vacancy defects on the Young modulus of two graphene sheets are first analyzed using the MD simulation. The data obtained using the MD simulation is then fed into the paradigm of a CI cluster comprising of genetic programming, which was specifically designed to formulate the explicit relationship of Young modulus of two graphene structures. We find that the MD-based-CI model is able to model the Young modulus of two graphene structures very well, which compiles in good agreement with that of experimental results obtained from the literature. Additionally, we also conducted sensitivity and parametric analysis and found that the number of defects has the most dominating influence on the Young modulus of two graphene structures.
High fidelity quantum teleportation assistance with quantum neural network
Authors: Huang Chunhui , Wu Bichun
Published: September 2014

In this paper, a high fidelity scheme of quantum teleportation based on quantum neural network (QNN) is proposed. The QNN is composed of multi-bit control-not gates. The quantum teleportation of a qubit state via two-qubit entangled channels is investigated by solving the master equation in Lindblad operators with a noisy environment. To ensure the security of quantum teleportation, the indirect training of QNN is employed. Only 10% of teleported information is extracted for the training of QNN parameters. Then the outputs are corrected by the other QNN at Bob's side. We build a random series of numbers ranged in [0, π] as inputs and simulate the properties of our teleportation scheme. The results show that the fidelity of quantum teleportation system is significantly improved to approach 1 by the error-correction of QNN. It illustrates that the distortion can be eliminated perfectly and the high fidelity of quantum teleportation could be implemented.
Low Velocity Penetration Mechanical Behaviors of Aluminum Foam Sandwich Plates at Elevated Temperature
Authors: Xi Huifeng , Tang Liqun , Yu Jilin , Zhang Xiaoyang , Xie Beixin , Liu Yiping , Jiang Zhenyu , Liu Zejia
Published: September 2014

This paper presents the low-velocity impact tests on the sandwich plates with aluminum foam core and aluminum skins at elevated temperatures. A furnace, attached to an Instron Dynatup 9250 HV drop hammer system, was designed to accomplish the penetration tests at temperatures up to 500°C. In order to process the experimental data accurately, the numerical vibration analysis was conducted to determine the threshold frequencies of the fast Fourier transform (FFT) filter for the original impact data. The experimental results showed that the failure modes of the sandwich, peak load and absorbed energy varied obviously with temperatures. Furthermore, the results showed that the failure modes of the top skin and metal foam core showed minor changes with respect to temperatures. Whereas the failure mode of the bottom skin and peak loads changed significantly with respect to temperatures. Also, the absorbed energy revealed a three-stage variation with the change of temperature.
High Resolution Numerical Simulation of Detonation Diffraction of Condensed Explosives
Authors: Wang Cheng , Liu Xinqiao
Published: September 2014

In this paper, the specific expression for pressure and sound speed in chemical reaction zone of condensed explosives are theoretically deduced, and a new method for deriving the partial derivative of pressure in respect of every conserved quantity is proposed. Combined with the third-order TVD Runge–Kutta method, we develop a parallel solver using the fifth-order high-resolution weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) finite difference scheme to simulate detonation diffraction for two-dimensional condensed explosives. The numerical simulation results revealed the forming reasons of the low-pressure region, the low-density region, the "vortex" region and the "dead zone" in the vicinity of the corner. Furthermore, it demonstrated that the retonation will generate along the inner wall, and it plays an important role in the process of detonation diffraction.
Chapter 16 The continental shelf of eastern India
Authors: Faruque B. M. , Vaz G. G. , Mohapatra G. P.
Published: September 2014

The eastern continental margin of India is aligned NE–SW due to the trend of the Eastern Ghat orographic belt in the northern part and almost north–south in the southern part. It is of passive type, the origin of which can be traced back to its separation from Antarctica around 127 Ma ago. The 2493 km-long shoreline of eastern India is fringed with a continental shelf with a variable width of 35 km off Tamil Nadu to 60 km off north Andhra Pradesh and 120 km around Digha. The shelf has a gentle slope in the northern sector and is moderately steep in the south. Net longshore sediment transport along the east coast is from south to north. The east continental shelf of India is characterized by four major deltas; the Ganges, Mahanadi, Krishna–Godavari and Cauvery. The interdeltaic shelves are generally sediment starved. The inner shelf is silty to clayey silt and sandy, whereas the outer shelf has carbonate sands with coral debris and shell fragments. The outer shelf is characterized by carbonate sands, lime mud and ooids in the north Andhra Pradesh sector off the Kakinada–Kalingapatnam sector. The outer shelf off Chennai–Mahabalipuram, Nagapattinam–Point Calimere is characterized by a thin veneer of authigenic sediment represented by verdine, glaucony and phosphatic sediment. In Tamil Nadu, the region between 10°N and 12°30′N is characterized by two megalineaments and associated tectonics, suggesting that the area is tectonically active.

The
14
C dating of relict corals, from water depths of 120 m, off Karaikal indicates an age of 18 390±210 years BP, establishing the low sea-level position of the Last Glacial Maximum. The large volume of sediment input from the deltaic system of two major drainages, Krishna and Godavari, has a significant influence on the morphology and sedimentation of the continental shelf. The influence of glacio-eustasy is noticeable in outer shelf sediments along almost the entire length of the shelf.
Muscovite
40
Ar/
39
Ar ages help reveal the Neogene tectonic evolution of the southern Annapurna Range, central Nepal
Authors: Martin Aaron J. , Copeland Peter , Benowitz Jeffrey A.
Published: September 2014

We present new muscovite
40
Ar/
39
Ar ages from thirteen Greater Himalayan rocks and one Lesser Himalayan rock collected from four north-trending transects across the southern Annapurna Range. Combining the new data with previously published ages leads to the following new insight into the tectonic development of the southern Annapurna. Muscovite cooling ages from Greater Himalayan rocks are
c.
16–10 Ma in the western Annapurna and
c.
6–2 Ma in the eastern Annapurna, revealing a decrease of 4–14 Ma from west to east. Similarly, the muscovite cooling age from one Lesser Himalayan rock in the west is
c.
7 Ma and ages from several samples in the east are
c.
5–2 Ma, indicating a decline of 2–5 Ma towards the east. Earlier cooling in the western Annapurna can be explained by along-strike differences in the geometry of the frontal ramp on the underlying thrust that carries these Greater and Lesser Himalayan rocks and/or by a NE-striking fault that cut these rocks. In Greater Himalayan rocks from the Modi river valley, one sample yielded muscovite
40
Ar/
39
Ar ages of 18.0±0.7 and 16.2±0.5 Ma for grain sizes of approximately 750 and 200 µm, respectively. In contrast, a sample collected 200 m structurally lower produced ages of 12.6±0.2 and 9.9±0.1 Ma for these two grain sizes. The north-dipping Bhanuwa fault has been proposed between these samples, with different authors arguing for normal or thrust-sense motion. Our newfound pattern of an older muscovite
40
Ar/
39
Ar age pair in the hanging wall supports arguments for the existence of the Bhanuwa fault and suggests normal sense motion.

Supplementary material:

Analytical methods, thin section observations, data tables, and plots of argon data for each sample are available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18774
On Maps of Period 2 on Prime and Semiprime Rings
Authors: Bell H. E. , Daif M. N.
Published: September 2014

A mapfof the ringRinto itself is of period 2 iff2x=xfor allx∈R; involutions are much studied examples. We present some commutativity results for semiprime and prime rings with involution, and we study the existence of derivations and generalized derivations of period 2 on prime and semiprime rings.
Lump on Back: A Rare Case of Parosteal Lipoma of Scapula
Authors: Balani Ankit , Sankhe Ashwini , Dedhia Tilak , Bhuta Maunil , Lakhotia Narayan , Yeshwante Jagir
Published: September 2014

Lipomas are benign tumors of mature adipose tissue which can occur in subcutaneous, intramuscular, intermuscular, parosteal, and intraosseous compartments. Parosteal lipoma is a rare type of lipoma, accounting for less than 0.1% of primary bone neoplasms and 0.3% of all lipomas. Parosteal lipomas commonly arise in the femur and extremities. Around 150 cases have been reported in English literature with scapula being a rare site of involvement. They are known to be associated with underlying bony changes like focal cortical hyperostosis, pressure erosion of the underlying bone, and bowing deformity or with underlying osteochondroma. We report a rare case of a parosteal lipoma arising in the scapula with a bony excrescence in a 38-year-old male.
Passive Broad-Spectrum Influenza Immunoprophylaxis
Authors: Berry Cassandra M. , Penhale William J. , Sangster Mark Y.
Published: September 2014

Influenza is a perennial problem affecting millions of people annually with the everpresent threat of devastating pandemics. Active prophylaxis by vaccination against influenza virus is currently the main countermeasure supplemented with antivirals. However, disadvantages of this strategy include the impact of antigenic drift, necessitating constant updating of vaccine strain composition, and emerging antiviral drug resistance. The development of other options for influenza prophylaxis, particularly with broad acting agents able to provide protection in the period between the onset of a pandemic and the development of a strain specific vaccine, is of great interest. Exploitation of broad-spectrum mediators could provide barricade protection in the early critical phase of influenza virus outbreaks. Passive immunity has the potential to provide immediate antiviral effects, inhibiting virus replication, reducing virus shedding, and thereby protecting vulnerable populations in the event of an impending influenza pandemic. Here, we review passive broad-spectrum influenza prophylaxis options with a focus on harnessing natural host defenses, including interferons and antibodies.
Influence of a Diester Glucocorticoid Spray on the Cortisol Level and the CCR4+CD4+Lymphocytes in Dogs with Atopic Dermatitis: Open Study
Authors: Fujimura Masato , Ishimaru Hironobu
Published: September 2014

This study investigated the influence of 0.00584% hydrocortisone aceponate spray (HCA; Cortavance Virbac SA, Carros, France) on blood serum cortisol levels and peripheral blood CCR4+CD4+T-lymphocyte levels in dogs with atopic dermatitis. Patients were randomly divided into group I (N=8) and group II (N=8). The dogs in group I were sprayed with HCA on the affected skin once a day for three weeks. The dogs in group II were treated once a day for 3 days followed by no treatment for 4 days for a total of three weeks. For the dogs in group I and group II the CADESI-03 scores before and after use of HCA showed significant reduction (P<0.01). The postcortisol level after the use of HCA in group I showed 36.0% decrease and showed significant suppression (P<0.01). By comparison, the use of HCA on group II did not show decrease in postcortisol levels. There was a tendency of suppression for hypothalamus—pituitary gland—adrenal gland system, but it was not serious influence. In addition, there was no influence on peripheral blood CCR4+CD4+lymphocytes percentage in dogs in group I after treatment with HCA.

Corrigendum to “Influence of a Diester Glucocorticoid Spray on the Cortisol Level and the CCR4+CD4+Lymphocytes in Dogs with Atopic Dermatitis: Open Study”
Design of Low Power and Efficient Carry Select Adder Using 3-T XOR Gate
Authors: Singh Gagandeep , Goel Chakshu
Published: September 2014

In digital systems, mostly adder lies in the critical path that affects the overall performance of the system. To perform fast addition operation at low cost, carry select adder (CSLA) is the most suitable among conventional adder structures. In this paper, a 3-T XOR gate is used to design an 8-bit CSLA as XOR gates are the essential blocks in designing higher bit adders. The proposed CSLA has reduced transistor count and has lesser power consumption as well as power-delay product (PDP) as compared to regular CSLA and modified CSLA.
Regulation of EPCs: The Gateway to Blood Vessel Formation
Authors: Parham Kate A. , Pitson Stuart M. , Bonder Claudine S.
Published: September 2014

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are primitive endothelial precursors which are known to functionally contribute to the pathogenesis of disease. To date a number of distinct subtypes of these cells have been described, with differing maturation status, cellular phenotype, and function. Although there is much debate on which subtype constitutes the true EPC population, all subtypes have endothelial characteristics and contribute to neovascularisation. Vasculogenesis, the process by which EPCs contribute to blood vessel formation, can be dysregulated in disease with overabundant vasculogenesis in the context of solid tumours, leading to tumour growth and metastasis, and conversely insufficient vasculogenesis can be present in an ischemic environment. Importantly, it is widely known that transcription factors tightly regulate cellular phenotype and function by controlling the expression of particular target genes and in turn regulating specific signalling pathways. This suggests that transcriptional regulators may be potential therapeutic targets to control EPC function. Herein, we discuss the observed EPC subtypes described in the literature and review recent studies describing the role of a number of transcriptional families in the regulation of EPC phenotype and function in normal and pathological conditions.
Anti-PD-1-Targeted Therapies Focusing on Lymphatic Malignancies: Biological Rationale, Clinical Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Kedmi Meirav , Avigdor Abraham , Nagler Arnon
Published: September 2014

Cancer immunotherapy with tumor-directed antibodies has generally been very successful, while T-cell immunotherapy has been less effective. Some lymphoid malignancies can be cured with immunochemotherapy but nevertheless many patients relapse or progress in spite of maximal therapy. Both solid tumors and lymphoid malignancies develop mechanisms in order to escape destruction by the intact immune system. One such mechanism is mediated through immune checkpoints. PD-1 (programmed cell death protein-1, which is expressed on activated T and B cells, natural killer cells and myeloid cells, is one of those checkpoints. This review focuses on the effect of PD-1 activation on lymphoid malignancies and its role as a therapeutic target. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel
Haemostasis and Safety Measures before Lumbar Puncture in the Haematology Ward: The Danish Routines
Authors: Møller Anders , Bjerrum Ole Weis , Afshari Arash
Published: September 2014

Background/Aims: Thrombocytopenia and the increasing use and variety of antithrombotic drugs is a challenge prior to lumbar puncture. This study examined the Danish haematology practice regarding drug pausation, assessment of haemostasis and whether fundoscopy is a routine safety measure. Methods: An online survey with questions pertaining to precautions of haemostasis and application of fundoscopy was sent by e-mail to all 12 haematology wards in Denmark. Results: Eleven sites participated. Five (45%) reported no pausation of antiplatelet drugs at all. The mean platelet limit prior to lumbar puncture was 50 × 109/l (range 10-50 × 109/l). Seven (64%) sites had an international normalised ratio limit of 1.5, and the remaining 4 had values between 1.0 and 2.5. Two (18%) reported occasional use of thromboelastography or platelet analysis to assess the bleeding risk. Fundoscopy is routinely performed in 4 (36%) departments. Conclusion: We report considerable variation in the routine handling of antithrombotics and thrombocytopenia in patients set for lumbar puncture in Danish haematology departments. The diversity may be explained by and related to different opinions in the literature. Common national guidelines are warranted and there is a need for studies to establish an evidence-based approach for the management of patients at risk of bleeding when lumbar puncture or another invasive procedure is indicated.
Thyroid Atypia of Undetermined Significance or Follicular Lesion of Undetermined Significance: An Indispensable Bethesda 2010 Diagnostic Category or Waste Garbage?
Authors: Kholová Ivana , Ludvíková Marie
Published: September 2014

Objective: The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (BSRTC) was introduced in thyroid cytology in 2007 and is now generally accepted. BSRTC categories include a morphologic description and risk of malignancy as well as follow-up suggestions in each group. However, the category entitled ‘atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance' (AUS/FLUS) is problematic. This category is heterogeneous and has been overused so far. Study Design: Twenty-six studies were included in a meta-analysis. In addition to AUS/FLUS percentage, we analysed repeated AUS/FLUS percentage, cytological and histological correlations, and risk of malignancy and neoplasm for AUS/FLUS. Furthermore, stratification, inter- and intra-observer variability, and the possibility of a switch to another category and its clinical consequences were reviewed. Results: Out of a total of 81,833 cases, AUS/FLUS accounted for 10.9%, with a 34% risk of malignancy. Persistent AUS/FLUS was found in 21.6% in repeated cytology. Cytohistological correlation was analysed from 16 studies (4,964 cases), revealing 10.4% as AUS/FLUS and a 21.5% risk of malignancy. Conclusions: An AUS/FLUS category seems to be currently reasonable with clearly defined cytomorphological criteria which do not correspond unequivocally with those of the other categories. An AUS/FLUS category is justified and possible means of its improvement with immunohistochemistry, molecular analysis and imaging are discussed.
The Role of Phase-locking to the Temporal Envelope of Speech in Auditory Perception and Speech Intelligibility
Authors: Millman Rebecca E. , Johnson Sam R. , Prendergast Garreth
Published: September 2014

The temporal envelope of speech is important for speech intelligibility. Entrainment of cortical oscillations to the speech temporal envelope is a putative mechanism underlying speech intelligibility. Here we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to test the hypothesis that phase-locking to the speech temporal envelope is enhanced for intelligible compared with unintelligible speech sentences. Perceptual “pop-out” was used to change the percept of physically identical tone-vocoded speech sentences from unintelligible to intelligible. The use of pop-out dissociates changes in phase-locking to the speech temporal envelope arising from acoustical differences between un/intelligible speech from changes in speech intelligibility itself. Novel and bespoke whole-head beamforming analyses, based on significant cross-correlation between the temporal envelopes of the speech stimuli and phase-locked neural activity, were used to localize neural sources that track the speech temporal envelope of both intelligible and unintelligible speech. Location-of-interest analyses were carried out in a priori defined locations to measure the representation of the speech temporal envelope for both un/intelligible speech in both the time domain (cross-correlation) and frequency domain (coherence). Whole-brain beamforming analyses identified neural sources phase-locked to the temporal envelopes of both unintelligible and intelligible speech sentences. Crucially there was no difference in phase-locking to the temporal envelope of speech in the pop-out condition in either the whole-brain or location-of-interest analyses, demonstrating that phase-locking to the speech temporal envelope is not enhanced by linguistic information.
Modality-specific Alpha Modulations Facilitate Long-term Memory Encoding in the Presence of Distracters
Authors: Jiang Haiteng , van Gerven Marcel A. J. , Jensen Ole
Published: September 2014

It has been proposed that long-term memory encoding is not only dependent on engaging task-relevant regions but also on disengaging task-irrelevant regions. In particular, oscillatory alpha activity has been shown to be involved in shaping the functional architecture of the working brain because it reflects the functional disengagement of specific regions in attention and memory tasks. We here ask if such allocation of resources by alpha oscillations generalizes to long-term memory encoding in a cross-modal setting in which we acquired the ongoing brain activity using magnetoencephalography. Participants were asked to encode pictures while ignoring simultaneously presented words and vice versa. We quantified the brain activity during rehearsal reflecting subsequent memory in the different attention conditions. The key finding was that successful long-term memory encoding is reflected by alpha power decreases in the sensory region of the to-be-attended modality and increases in the sensory region of the to-be-ignored modality to suppress distraction during rehearsal period. Our results corroborate related findings from attention studies by demonstrating that alpha activity is also important for the allocation of resources during long-term memory encoding in the presence of distracters.
Contextual Alignment of Cognitive and Neural Dynamics
Authors: Ames Daniel L. , Honey Christopher J. , Chow Michael A. , Todorov Alexander , Hasson Uri
Published: September 2014

Effective real-world communication requires the alignment of multiple individuals to a common perspective or mental framework. To study how this alignment occurs at the level of the brain, we measured BOLD response during fMRI while participants (n = 24) listened to a series of vignettes either in the presence or absence of a valid contextual cue. The valid contextual cue was necessary to understand the information in each vignette. We then examined where and to what extent the shared valid context led to greater intersubject similarity of neural processing. Regions of the default mode network including posterior cingulate cortex and medial pFC became more aligned when participants shared a valid contextual framework, whereas other regions, including primary sensory cortices, responded to the stimuli reliably regardless of contextual factors. Taken in conjunction with previous research, the present results suggest that default mode regions help the brain to organize incoming verbal information in the context of previous knowledge.
Luke, Paul, and the Law
Authors: Grindheim Sigurd
Published: September 2014

Luke’s conservative approach to the law is generally seen to be incompatible with that of the apostle Paul. But an analysis of how Luke develops his theology of the law through the characters in his story shows that he saw an antithesis between pursuing righteousness by the law and being accepted by God through faith. By focusing on Luke’s explicit statements regarding the law, previous studies have missed the significant points of overlap between Luke and Paul in their understanding of the law.
Earthworms of the 'acaecate' Pheretima group in Vietnam (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae), with description of a new species from the Mekong delta
Authors: NGUYEN TUNG T. , TRAN BINH T.T. , NGUYEN ANH D.
Published: September 2014

The 'acaecate' Pheretima group from Vietnam is revised, with description of a new species, Polypheretima mekongmontis sp. nov. A total of 18 species of three genera, Metapheretima Michaelsen, 1928, Planapheretima Michaelsen, 1934, and Polypheretima Michaelsen, 1934 has been recorded from Vietnam. Caecate species of Planapheretima are included here as well. Planapheretima arboricola (Rosa, 1890), Pl. lacertina (Chen, 1946), Pl. tenebrica (Chen, 1946), Polypheretima elongata (Perrier, 1872), and Po. taprobanae (Beddard, 1892) are originally recorded from other countries; all remaining species are native to Vietnam. The species Polypheretima tani (Thai, 1996) and Po. tiencanhensis (Pham, 1995) are transferred to the genus Metapheretima. A key to species and distribution maps are also presented.