bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Real‐time smart surveillance using motion analysis
Authors: Leo Marco , Spagnolo P. , D'Orazio T. , Mazzeo P. L. , Distante A.
Published: October 2010

Abstract:In the last years, smart surveillance has been one of the most active research topics in computer vision because of the wide spectrum of promising applications. Its main point is about the use of automatic video analysis technologies for surveillance purposes. In general, a processing framework for smart surveillance consists of a preliminary motion detection step in combination with high‐level reasoning that allows automatic understanding of evolutions of observed scenes. In this paper, we propose a surveillance framework based on a set of reliable visual algorithms that perform different tasks: a motion analysis approach that segments foreground regions is followed by three procedures, which perform object tracking, homographic transformations and edge matching, in order to achieve the real‐time monitoring of forbidden areas and the detection of abandoned or removed objects. Several experiments have been performed on different real image sequences acquired from a Messapic museum (indoor context) and the nearby archaeological site (outdoor context) to demonstrate the effectiveness and the flexibility of the proposed approach.
A model‐driven decision support system for product risk analysis
Authors: Xie Charlene
Published: October 2010

Abstract: The paper describes a model‐driven decision support system for risk analysis in product development, based on an European Commission‐funded project. The model can be used to simulate the life cycle of a large batch of products and track products in operation and service phases with consideration of design and manufacturing phases. This provides some useful benefits – in particular, being able to generate composite results when the product life is subject to unpredictable events, which makes the system's behaviour non‐linear. A case study is conducted through a domestic appliance in the field trial from a manufacturing company, and the results indicate that the model can enable developers or manufacturers to understand the behaviour and characteristics of products or systems in the future use and to predict the cost of any changes in the pattern of their life.
Vertical Landscraping, a Big Regionalism for Dubai
Authors: WILSON MATTHEW
Published: October 2010

Dubai's ecologic and economic complications are exacerbated by six years of accelerated expansion, a fixed top‐down approach to urbanism and the construction of iconic single‐phase mega‐projects. With recent construction delays, project cancellations and growing landscape issues, Dubai's tower typologies have been unresponsive to changing environmental, socio‐cultural and economic patterns (BBC, 2009; Gillet, 2009; Lewis, 2009). In this essay, a theory of ‘Big Regionalism’ guides an argument for an economically and ecologically linked tower typology called the Condenser. This phased ‘box‐to‐tower’ typology is part of a greater Landscape Urbanist strategy called Vertical Landscraping. Within this strategy, the Condenser's role is to densify the city, facilitating the creation of ecologic voids that order the urban region. Delineating ‘Big Regional’ principles, the Condenser provides a time‐based, global–local urban growth approach that weaves Bigness into a series of urban‐regional, economic and ecological relationships, builds upon the environmental performance of the city's regional architecture and planning, promotes a continuity of Dubai's urban history, and responds to its landscape issues while condensing development. These speculations permit consideration of the overlooked opportunities embedded within Dubai's mega‐projects and their long‐term impact on the urban morphology.

À Dubaï, les complications d'ordre écologique et économique sont accentuées par six années d'expansion accélérée, une approche de l'urbanisme figée imposée d'en haut, et la construction en une seule phase de méga‐projets emblématiques. Malgré les récents retards de construction, les annulations de projet et les problèmes d'aménagement du paysage, les typologies des tours de Dubaï n'ont pas suivi l'évolution des modèles environnemental, socioculturel et économique. Une théorie de ‘Régionalisme à grande échelle’ oriente, dans ce texte, une argumentation en faveur d'une typologie de tours associant économie et écologie, appelée Condenser (Condenseur). Cette typologie par étape, ‘du cube à la tour’, fait partie d'une stratégie plus vaste d'Urbanisme du paysage baptisée Vertical Landscraping (litt. raclage vertical). Dans cette stratégie, le rôle du Condenseur est de densifier la ville, tout en facilitant la création de vides écologiques qui disciplinent la région métropolitaine. De plus, en représentant les principes du Régionalisme à grande échelle, cette typologie offre une approche de croissance urbaine glocale définie dans le temps, qui permet d'intégrer le ‘Grand’ dans un tissu de liens économiques et écologiques au sein de la région métropolitaine, d'utiliser la performance environnementale de la planification et de l'architecture régionales de la ville, de favoriser la continuité de l'histoire urbaine de Dubaï, et de répondre à ses problèmes de paysage tout en condensant l'aménagement. À partir de ces spéculations, on peut étudier les possibilités ignorées qu'incorporent les méga‐projets de Dubaï et leur impact à longue échéance sur la morphologie urbaine.
Alexander disease with periventricular calcification: a novel mutation of the GFAP gene
Authors: JEFFERSON ROSALIND J , ABSOUD MICHAEL , JAIN RAKESH , LIVINGSTON JOHN H , VAN DER KNAAP MARJO S , JAYAWANT SANDEEP
Published: October 2010

Alexander disease is a rare neurodegenerative leucoencephalopathy caused by de novo mutations in the GFAP gene. Infantile, juvenile, and adult subtypes have been described and the clinical and radiological phenotypes are broad. Here we report on a single case of juvenile‐onset Alexander disease associated with a novel frameshift mutation in the GFAP gene. The 8‐year‐old male patient had a relatively mild clinical phenotype characterized by dystonia, intermittent episodes of raised intracranial pressure, and characteristic radiological changes. He also presented with the additional and to our knowledge previously unreported, neuroimaging finding of periventricular calcification. We postulate that in children with leucoencephalopathy and periventricular calcification of undetermined aetiology, the diagnosis of Alexander disease should be considered. If the magnetic resonance imaging findings are compatible with Alexander disease, then DNA analysis of the GFAP gene should be performed even if the full criteria for a neuroradiological diagnosis are not met.
Gastrostomy feeding in cerebral palsy: enough and no more
Authors: VERNON‐ROBERTS ANGHARAD , WELLS JONATHAN , GRANT HUGH , ALDER NICOLA , VADAMALAYAN BABU , ELTUMI MUFTAH , SULLIVAN PETER B
Published: October 2010

Aim  Gastrostomy feeding children with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy (SQCP) improves weight gain but may cause excess deposition of body fat. This study was designed to investigate whether weight gain could be achieved without an adverse effect on body composition by using a low‐energy feed in gastrostomy‐fed children with SQCP.

Method  Fourteen children (seven male; seven female; median age 2y; range 10mo–11y) with SQCP were studied, 13 of whom were classified as Gross Motor Function Classification Score (GMFCS) level V and one as GMFCS level IV. Children were eligible for the study if they weighed between 8 and 30kg with a diagnosis of severe SQCP and significant feeding difficulties in whom a clinical decision had been made to insert a gastrostomy feeding tube. The feed used in the study had an energy concentration of 0.75kcal/mL (Nutrini Low Energy Multi Fibre). Assessments were performed before gastrostomy insertion (baseline) and after 6 months, and included body composition, growth, nutritional intake, and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Results  There was a significant increase in weight (median difference 1.9kg; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.85–3.03kg; p=0.012), mid‐upper arm circumference (median difference 1.45cm; 95% CI −0.36cm to 3.47cm; p=0.043), and lower leg length (median difference 1.62cm; 95% CI 0.44–3.95cm; p=0.012) over the 6 months. There was no significant increase in fat mass index (median diff 1.21, 95% CI −1.15 to 2.94, p=0.345) or fat free mass index (median diff −1.43, 95% CI −1.15 to 2.94, p=0.249). Micronutrient levels remained within reference ranges with the exception of elevated chromium. The median percentage intake of the estimated average requirements for energy (kcal) was 43% at the beginning of the study and 48.8% after 6 months on the low‐energy feed.

Interpretation  Children with SQCP who are fed a low‐energy, micronutrient‐complete, high‐fibre feed continue to grow even with energy intakes below 75% of the estimated average requirements. This was not associated with a disproportionate rise in fat mass or fat percentage, and the majority of micronutrient levels remained within the reference range.
Prevalence of autism in children of Somali origin living in Stockholm: brief report of an at‐risk population
Authors: BARNEVIK‐OLSSON MARTINA , GILLBERG CHRISTOPHER , FERNELL ELISABETH
Published: October 2010

This work was a follow‐up study (birth years 1999–2003) of the prevalence of autism in children of Somali background living in the county of Stockholm, Sweden. In a previous study (birth years 1988–98), the prevalence of autism associated with learning disability* was found to be three to four times higher among Somali children compared with other ethnicities in Stockholm. We examined all records of children of Somali background, born from 1999 to 2003, registered at the centre for schoolchildren with autism and learning disability. The census day was 31 December 2009. The prevalence of autism and PDDNOS (with learning disability) was 0.98% (18/1836) in the Somali group and 0.21% (232/111 555) in the group of children of non‐Somali origin (p<0.001). The increased prevalence remained and was now between four and five times higher in children of Somali background. A clinical observation was that more than 80%, in addition to autism and learning disability, had a profound hyperactivity. The findings accord with many other studies reporting higher prevalence rates of autism in children of immigrant mothers. We discuss the need for further research of underlying mechanisms.
The measurement and significance of ionic calcium in milk – A review
Authors: LEWIS MICHAEL J
Published: October 2010

The measurement of ionic calcium in milk and milk products is of vital importance in understanding the role of calcium in milk. This review compares the methods of measurement including ion equilibration, murexide and ion selective electrodes. Secondly the variations in milk from individual cows and goats, and in bulk milk samples are reviewed. The third section examines the differences in ionic calcium in relation to processing: addition and removal of calcium and other salts, rennet coagulation, miscellaneous influences, filtration and evaporation and drying are all reviewed. Finally the review considers why ionic calcium measurement is not more widely measured within the diary industry and argues that it could be beneficial to do so.
Doing flood risk science differently: an experiment in radical scientific method
Authors: Lane S N , Odoni N , Landström C , Whatmore S J , Ward N , Bradley S
Published: October 2010

In this paper, we describe an experiment in which the position of scientists with respect to flood risk management is fundamentally changed. Building on a review of three very different approaches to engaging the public in science, we contrast the normal way in which science is used in flood risk management in England and Wales with an experiment in which knowledge regarding flooding was co‐produced. This illustrates a way of working with experts, both certified (academic natural and social scientists) and non‐certified (local people affected by flooding), for whom flooding is a matter of concern, and where the event, flooding, is given agency in the experiment. We reveal a deep and distributed understanding of flood hydrology across all experts, certified and uncertified, involved in the experiment. This did not map onto the conventional dichotomy between ‘universal’ scientific expertise and ‘local’ lay expertise. By working with the event we harnessed, produced and negotiated a new and collective sense of knowledge, sufficient in our experiment to make a public intervention in flood risk management in our case‐study location. The manner in which the academic scientists involved in the practice of their science were repositioned was radical as compared with normal scientific method. It was also radical for a more fundamental reason: the purpose of our experiment became as much about creating a new public capable of making a political intervention in a situation of impasse, as it was about producing the solution itself. The practice of knowledge generation, the science undertaken, worked with the hybridisation of science and politics rather than trying to extract science from it.
Relational place‐making: the networked politics of place
Authors: Pierce Joseph , Martin Deborah G , Murphy James T
Published: October 2010

Place‐making – the set of social, political and material processes by which people iteratively create and recreate the experienced geographies in which they live – is an important but oft‐neglected part of political theory. Place‐making is an inherently networked process, constituted by the socio‐spatial relationships that link individuals together through a common place‐frame. While place‐oriented scholars have long acknowledged the importance of interaction and communication in place‐making, the mutual integration of network concepts, political theorisations and place conceptualisations has been relatively weak. We use case studies in Bolivia’s forests and Athens, USA to explore how integrating these concepts can guide empirical research. This article argues that a more robust and explicit notion of ‘relational place‐making’– the networked, political processes of place‐framing – positions the concept of place in a way that offers new analytical utility for political and urban geographic scholars.
Reconsideration of the Problem of Complicity between Volunteering Activities and Neo‐liberalism
Authors: NIHEI NORIHIRO
Published: October 2010

There are two opposite opinions on volunteer activities. The advocates applaud them because they could solve problems caused by the nation and the market. The critics of neo‐liberalism, on the other hand, are apprehensive that they would promote social change in line with neo‐liberalism. The aim of this paper is to reconsider the discussions comprehensively and to show theoretical points that avoid complicity with neo‐liberalism. The problems of complicity could be classified into two types. One is at the level of condition, and the other is at the level of consequence. At the level of condition, complicity would occur when volunteer activities function as a replacement for institutions of welfare states, and when volunteers become moralistic and easy to be governed. On the other hand, at the level of consequence, complicity would happen when social disparity that exists among participants in volunteers is mobilized to protect themselves by excluding others. It is then shown that this complicity doesn't always happen and there are ways to avoid it. Such methods are found by considering the “other” who has difficulty in gaining people's sympathy and is neglected in most discussions of volunteers.
Reproductive Technologies and Parent–Child Relationships: Japan's Past and Present Examined through the Lens of Donor Insemination
Authors: SHIRAI CHIAKI
Published: October 2010

This manuscript addresses the principles that underlie the creation of parent–child relationships in Japan. I argue here that the use of reproductive technologies reinforces social norms that dictate the importance of blood relationships within modern families, and these norms, in turn, drive the development of reproductive technologies to the point that their use becomes standard. Here, I will use the social positioning of donor insemination (DI) as the point from which to examine the emergence of parent–child relationships.1 The ethical implications of “third‐party reproductive technologies” like donor insemination, the use of donated eggs, fertilized embryos, and practices of surrogate birth, have come to be questioned in recent years. However, the process of questioning the very concept of an unrelated third‐party donor makes clear the tacit norms behind parent–child relationships, which drive the development and use of reproductive technologies. Here, I will discuss (1) the historical background and contemporary social positioning of DI; and (2) examine the concept of third‐party donors. In cases of male infertility, DI provides a unique opportunity for couples to produce a child who is genetically related to one of them (the woman), and with the institutionalization of DI as a medical infertility treatment, it has become possible for couples to secretly undergo treatment and thus simulate a normative, blood‐related modern family. However, there is a significant level of social resistance to the notion of DI, and with the development of treatment options that make use of the man's own sperm, DI has become only rarely utilized. This fact makes DI an excellent case study to examine the ways that blood and genetic relationships are prioritized in contemporary Japanese society.
Unintended Consequences of “Soft” Regulations: The Social Control of Human Biomedical Research in Japan
Authors: TASHIRO SHIMON
Published: October 2010

Professional socialization and training, informal peer influence, and professional norms and sanctions were once regarded as effective tools in the social control of medicine. However, these intraprofessional controls over medicine have come to be seen as ineffective and new extraprofessional controls have been considered requisite for several decades. In this paper, I focus on the historical development of governmental controls over biomedical research in Japan. A general characteristic of Japanese regulations is the existence of numerous subdivided guidelines and laws. This situation was prompted by the governmental response to bioethical issues on a case‐by‐case basis. While this response has advantages in speed and flexibility, it also has disadvantages in that it lacks consistency, and frequent revisions lead to complicated provisions that cannot be understood by researchers. Another feature of the Japanese situation is excessive reliance on non‐binding guidelines published by various administrative agencies. One reason for the government to rely on these guidelines is that they are formally non‐binding but regarded as “effective” measures because regulated parties perceive them as having binding power. Indeed, some guidelines have their own sanctions against researchers or institutions, which include public announcement of the names of violators. However, if this measure is actually taken without basis in the law, it can be illegal. In this case, Japanese experiences show that excessive reliance on “soft” regulations can lead to paradoxical situations concerning social control of biomedical research.
“Good Manner of Dying” as a Normative Concept: “Autocide,”“Granny Dumping” and Discussions on Euthanasia/Death with Dignity in Japan
Authors: OTANI IZUMI
Published: October 2010

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the two characteristics of the way the issue of euthanasia/death with dignity has been discussed in Japan, compared with the situation in Europe and the USA. The two characteristics are: (i) that the concept of “euthanasia” is sharply distinguished from that of “death with dignity” in Japan in that the former only refers to the killing of a patient by administration of a lethal drug while the latter refers to letting a patient die by withholding or withdrawing life‐prolonging medical treatments; and (ii) that the view that it is sinful to commit suicide is not as common in Japan as it is in the West. In order to clarify these characteristics, I examine the nature of suicide and murder in relation to the issue of euthanasia and death with dignity while briefly reviewing the history of the debates in Japan in order to see how the characteristic understanding of “death with dignity” has generated. I also clarify, by giving examples, the structure of those narratives with regards to the “good manner of dying,” which excludes from society the elderly and people with incurable diseases and ones with motor and intellectual disabilities. In the end, I describe how biopolitics functions in the current Japanese situation.
Flow Analysis of Ventricular Assist Device Inflow and Outflow Cannula Positioning Using a Naturally Shaped Ventricle and Aortic Branch
Authors: Laumen Marco , Kaufmann Tim , Timms Daniel , Schlanstein Peter , Jansen Sebastian , Gregory Shaun , Wong Kai Chun , Schmitz‐Rode Thomas , Steinseifer Ulrich
Published: October 2010

Tip geometry and placement of rotary blood pump inflow and outflow cannulae influence the dynamics of flow within the ventricle and aortic branch. Cannulation, therefore, directly influences the potential for thrombus formation and end‐organ perfusion during ventricular assist device (VAD) support or cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of various inflow/outflow cannula tip geometries and positions on ventricular and greater vessel flow patterns to evaluate ventricular washout and impact on cerebral perfusion. Transparent models of a dilated cardiomyopathic ventricle and an aortic branch were reconstructed from magnetic resonance imaging data to allow flow measurements using particle image velocimetry (PIV). The contractile function of the failing ventricle was reproduced pneumatically, and supported with a rotary pump. Flow patterns were visualized around VAD inflow cannulae, with various tip geometries placed in three positions in the ventricle. The outflow cannula was placed in the subclavian artery and at several positions in the aorta. Flow patterns were measured using PIV and used to validate an aortic flow computational fluid dynamic study. The PIV technique indicated that locating the inflow tip in the left ventricular outflow tract improved complete ventricular washout while the tip geometry had a smaller influence. However, side holes in the inflow cannula improved washout in all cases. The PIV results confirmed that the positioning and orientation of the outflow cannula in the aortic branch had a high impact on the flow pattern in the vessels, with a negative blood flow in the right carotid artery observed in some cases. Cannula placement within the ventricle had a high influence on chamber washout. The positioning of the outflow cannula directly influences the flow through the greater vessels, and may be responsible for the occasional reduction in cerebral perfusion seen in clinical CPB.
Nematode Assemblages in Bauxite Residue with Different Restoration Histories
Authors: Courtney Ronan , Keith Aidan M. , Harrington Tom
Published: October 2010

Bauxite residue disposal areas may be amended and re‐vegetated to facilitate the ecosystem restoration process. However, the development of the belowground system during restoration is frequently overlooked. In turn, although vegetation establishment on bauxite residue is well studied, virtually nothing is known about concurrent changes in the soil biota. In order to understand how different amendments and re‐vegetation influence the belowground community, we compared nematode assemblages from bauxite residues that differed in their treatment history (compost addition, gypsum addition, and time since re‐vegetation), and examined whether any differences were related to changes in soil properties. No nematodes were present in the unamended treatment, thus indicating a need for amelioration of substrate properties. However, there were differences in the nematode assemblage between the other amended treatments. The quantity of gypsum reduced nematode density, but had no effect on taxa richness or the Maturity Index in treatments amended in the same year. Nematode taxa richness and the Maturity Index were greatest in the treatment re‐vegetated earliest. Moreover, the Maturity Index was negatively correlated to soil pH and percentage Na. These findings indicate that sufficient amendment and re‐vegetation are crucial to address inhibitory characteristics of the residue and aid restoration of the belowground system in bauxite residues.
Response of Ants and Their Seed Removal in Rehabilitation Areas and Forests at El Cerrejón Coal Mine in Colombia
Authors: Dominguez‐Haydar Yamileth , Armbrecht Inge
Published: October 2010

Open‐pit coal mining causes strong negative impacts on biodiversity because this activity completely removes thick layers of soil. Focusing on ants as functional agents responding to mine site rehabilitation has proven useful in improving restoration practices. This study sought to evaluate the success of the 20‐year‐old ecological rehabilitation program at El Cerrejón, one of the world's largest open‐pit coal mining operation located in a vulnerable dry tropical forest region of Colombia. This study compared ant assemblages in 13 sites classified along a gradient of rehabilitation sites aged 0–14 years, as well as in three forest reference areas. Two sampling methods (pitfall traps and visual search) were conducted during three sampling periods. Seed removal by ants was also quantified at seven of the 13 sites using seed bait from native plants. Eighty‐two ant species, belonging to 29 genera, were found. The highest number of ant species were found inside the forests. Ant species richness increased with rehabilitation age of sites, along with higher canopy cover and milder soil temperature. Rehabilitation actions enhancing these ecological factors might, therefore, favor the presence of wild fauna such as ants. The oldest area (14 years) was the most similar to the forests, both in terms of functional ant groups (guilds) and dominant species. Seed movement was highest in the 14‐year‐old restored area and was similar to that of the forests, suggesting that this ecological function has been partially restored and that the movement of seed dispersal agents across the landscape would be enhanced.
Effect of Connectivity Between Restoration Meadows on Invertebrates with Contrasting Dispersal Abilities
Authors: Knop Eva , Herzog Felix , Schmid Bernhard
Published: October 2010

Schemes to restore farmland biodiversity are often implemented at field scale whereas landscape scale factors are not considered. In a grassland dominated region in Switzerland, we tested whether the landscape factor habitat connectivity could possibly increase the effectiveness of an agri‐environment scheme for meadows. We investigated two indicator groups with contrasting dispersal abilities, land snails and orthopterans (grasshoppers). We investigated 27 extensively managed meadows grouped into nine blocks. Each block consisted of three meadows differing in structural connectivity and land use history: one meadow represented long‐term, semi‐naturally managed calcareous grassland that was considered as the potential source habitat. The other two meadows were restoration meadows, created 4–6 years ago. One of these restoration meadows was adjacent to the potential source meadow, the other isolated from it. We found a significantly higher species diversity of both invertebrate groups in the potential source meadows compared to the restoration meadows. Communities of both taxa were more similar to the potential source meadows in connected than in isolated restoration meadows. The species diversity of bad dispersers was negatively affected by isolation, but the diversity of good dispersers was unaffected. With respect to individual species occurrences, however, even good dispersers were negatively affected by isolation. We conclude that structural connectivity of restoration meadows to potential source habitats is important for increasing the restoration success of invertebrate communities, particularly of those containing species with limited dispersal abilities.
Supplementing Seed Banks to Rehabilitate Disturbed Mojave Desert Shrublands: Where Do All the Seeds Go?
Authors: DeFalco Lesley A. , Esque Todd C. , Nicklas Melissa B. , Kane Jeffrey M.
Published: October 2010

Revegetation of degraded arid lands often involves supplementing impoverished seed banks and improving the seedbed, yet these approaches frequently fail. To understand these failures, we tracked the fates of seeds for six shrub species that were broadcast across two contrasting surface disturbances common to the Mojave Desert—sites compacted by concentrated vehicle use and trenched sites where topsoil and subsurface soils were mixed. We evaluated seedbed treatments that enhance soil‐seed contact (tackifier) and create surface roughness while reducing soil bulk density (harrowing). We also explored whether seed harvesting by granivores and seedling suppression by non‐native annuals influence the success of broadcast seeding in revegetating degraded shrublands. Ten weeks after treatments, seeds readily moved off of experimental plots in untreated compacted sites, but seed movements were reduced 32% by tackifier and 55% through harrowing. Harrowing promoted seedling emergence in compacted sites, particularly for the early‐colonizing species Encelia farinosa, but tackifier was largely ineffective. The inherent surface roughness of trenched sites retained three times the number of seeds than compacted sites, but soil mixing during trench development likely altered the suitability of the seedbed thus resulting in poor seedling emergence. Non‐native annuals had little influence on seed fates during our study. In contrast, the prevalence of harvester ants increased seed removal on compacted sites, whereas rodent activity influenced removal on trenched sites. Future success of broadcast seeding in arid lands depends on evaluating disturbance characteristics prior to seeding and selecting appropriate species and seasons for application.
The Influence of Time on the Soil Seed Bank and Vegetation across a Landscape‐Scale Wetland Restoration Project
Authors: Stroh Peter A. , Hughes Francine M. R. , Sparks Tim H. , Mountford J. Owen
Published: October 2010

Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve (NNR) in Cambridgeshire, U.K. is a wetland of international importance isolated in a landscape dominated by arable farming. The prospect of species extinctions within the NNR led to the creation of the Wicken Fen Vision, an ambitious project that will eventually expand the reserve boundary by the purchase and restoration of c.50 km2 of arable land. We sampled three fields from each of three distinct age‐categories of restoration land (5, 15, and 60 years post‐arable), and three fields within the adjacent, undrained NNR, to determine (1) differences in seed bank composition across age‐categories, (2) relationships between restoration age, the seed bank and standing vegetation, and (3) changes in species traits across age‐categories. Historic arable management contributed to an apparent “vertical mixing” effect in the seed bank of the youngest two age‐categories, with associated and significant differences in species functional traits across the study area. Almost all plants associated with NNR vegetation were absent from restoration area seed banks and standing vegetation. Seed bank species common to all ages‐categories exhibited a bias toward moderate to high Ellenberg F (moisture) values, persistent seed banks, and lateral vegetative spread. Relatively short (c. 6 years) periods of drainage and plowing impact heavily upon seed bank diversity and soils, resulting in a lack of predrainage vegetation, even after decades of subsequent restoration adjacent to intact, species‐rich habitat. However, the seed banks of highly degraded fields can contribute toward the creation of novel wetland vegetation assemblages over time and under suitable environmental conditions.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY OF GRACILARIA SPECIES INFERRED FROM MOLECULAR MARKERS BELONGING TO THREE DIFFERENT GENOMES1
Authors: Pareek Madhu , Mishra Avinash , Jha Bhavanath
Published: October 2010

The nucleotide sequence data of molecular markers 18S rRNA, RUBISCO spacer, and cox2‐3 intergenic spacer were integrated to infer the phylogeny of Gracilaria species, collected from the western coast of India, reducing the possibility of misidentification and providing greater phylogenetic resolution. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using cox2‐3 and RUBISCO spacer sequences, exhibiting the same clustering but differing slightly from that of the rRNA‐based phylogenetic tree. The phylogeny inferred from the combined data set confers an analogous pattern of clustering, compared with those of trees constructed from individual data sets. The combined data set resulted in a phylogeny with better resolution, which supported the clade with higher consistency index, retention index, and bootstrap values. It was observed that Gracilaria foliifera (Forssk.) Børgesen is closer to G. corticata (J. Agardh) J. Agardh varieties, while G. salicornia (C. Agardh) E. Y. Dawson and G. fergusonii J. Agardh both originated from the same clade. The position of G. textorii (Suringar) De Toni faltered and toppled between G. salicornia and G. dura (C. Agardh) J. Agardh; however, G. gracilis (Stackh.) M. Steentoft, L. M. Irvine et W. F. Farnham was evidently distant from the rest of the species.
An Update on Antiepileptic Drugs and Suicide: Are There Definitive Answers Yet?
Authors: Hesdorffer Dale C. , Berg Anne T. , Kanner Andres M.
Published: October 2010

In 2008, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that any and all antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) might increase the risk of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and completed suicide. Considerable confusion and concern followed regarding the use of these drugs, in general, and specifically for people with epilepsy. Recently, four publications examined suicidality and AED use among several databases and illustrated how biases affect the findings. None of the studies was able to control completely for the indication for which the AEDs were prescribed or to account for the varying intensities with which different specialists monitoring patients for suicidality. Though multiple analyses were conducted for many AEDs, no study controlled for the numerous comparisons made. The result is a multitude of contradictions in the findings across studies and even within studies, with no study providing clear or convincing support for the FDA conclusions. This review attempts to clarify the methodological issues in assessing potential associations between AED use and suicidality.
Predicting the Unpredictable: Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Authors: Schwartz Theodore H.
Published: October 2010

Predictors of Efficacy After Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Medial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Chang EF, Quigg M, Oh MC, Dillon WP, Ward MM, Laxer KD, Broshek DK, Barbaro NM; Epilepsy Radiosurgery Study Group. Neurology 2010;74(2):165–172. BACKGROUND: Stereotactic radiosurgery (RS) is a promising treatment for intractable medial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). However, the basis of its efficacy is not well understood. METHODS: Thirty patients with MTLE were prospectively randomized to receive 20 or 24 Gy 50% isodose RS centered at the amygdala, 2 cm of the anterior hippocampus, and the parahippocampal gyrus. Posttreatment MRI was evaluated quantitatively for abnormal T2 hyperintensity and contrast enhancement, mass effect, and qualitatively for spectroscopic and diffusion changes. MRI findings were analyzed for potential association with radiation dose and seizure remission (Engel Ib or better outcome). RESULTS: Despite highly standardized dose targeting, RS produced variable MRI alterations. In patients with multiple serial imaging, the appearance of vasogenic edema occurred approximately 9–12 months after RS and correlated with onset of seizure remission. Diffusion and spectroscopy-detected alterations were consistent with a mechanism of temporal lobe radiation injury mediated by local vascular insult and neuronal loss. The degree of these early alterations at the peak of radiographic response was dose-dependent and predicted long-term seizure remission in the third year of follow-up. Radiographic changes were not associated with neurocognitive impairments. CONCLUSIONS: Temporal lobe stereotactic radiosurgery resulted in significant seizure reduction in a delayed fashion which appeared to be well-correlated with structural and biochemical alterations observed on neuroimaging. Early detected changes may offer prognostic information for guiding management.
Neurosteroids on the Epilepsy Chessboard—Keeping Seizures in Check
Authors: Rogawski Michael A.
Published: October 2010

Endogenous Neurosteroid Synthesis Modulates Seizure Frequency. Lawrence C, Martin BS, Sun C, Williamson J, Kapur J. Ann Neurol 2010;67(5):689–693. Inhibitory neurosteroids, molecules generated in glia from circulating steroid hormones and de novo from cholesterol, keep seizures in check in epileptic animals. They can enhance inhibitory transmission mediated by γ-aminobutyric acid receptors and have anticonvulsant action.
“For Whom the Bell Tolls”: Blockade of Toll-Like Receptors May Regulate Seizure Occurrence
Authors: Barnes Gregory N.
Published: October 2010

Toll-Like Receptor 4 and High-Mobility Group Box-1 Are Involved in Ictogenesis and Can Be Targeted to Reduce Seizures. Maroso M, Balosso S, Ravizza T, Liu J, Aronica E, Iyer AM, Rossetti C, Molteni M, Casalgrandi M, Manfredi AA, Bianchi ME, Vezzani A. Nat Med 2010;16(4):413–419. Brain inflammation is a major factor in epilepsy, but the impact of specific inflammatory mediators on neuronal excitability is incompletely understood. Using models of acute and chronic seizures in C57BL/6 mice, we discovered a proconvulsant pathway involving high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) release from neurons and glia and its interaction with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a key receptor of innate immunity. Antagonists of HMGB1 and TLR4 retard seizure precipitation and decrease acute and chronic seizure recurrence. TLR4-defective C3H/HeJ mice are resistant to kainate-induced seizures. The proconvulsant effects of HMGB1, like those of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), are partly mediated by ifenprodil-sensitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Increased expression of HMGB1 and TLR4 in human epileptogenic tissue, like that observed in the mouse model of chronic seizures, suggests a role for the HMGB1-TLR4 axis in human epilepsy. Thus, HMGB1-TLR4 signaling may contribute to generating and perpetuating seizures in humans and might be targeted to attain anticonvulsant effects in epilepsies that are currently resistant to drugs.
The Case for the Development of Public Transit in an Urban Boundary Rural Area
Authors: Majumdar Sarmistha R.
Published: October 2010

Individuals' preferences for automobiles are often taken for granted in our auto centric society. This study attempts to determine if commuters in a city located beyond the fringe of a metropolitan area are willing to use public transit if it is developed and what are the socioeconomic and attitudinal factors that influence individuals' decision to use such a service. Analyses of survey data reveal that preferences exist for public transit service, which can be partly attributed to individuals' concerns regarding rising gasoline prices and air pollution, and is particularly noticeable among those who are educated and/or belong to a younger age group.
Front‐line Regulators and their Approach to Environmental Regulation in Southwest Ohio
Authors: Pautz Michelle C.
Published: October 2010

Regulatory approaches and strategies are frequently the subject of study in various literatures, but that examination focuses on practices rather than looking more deeply at the nature of regulatory interactions. Also missing is a more thorough look at what it is front‐line regulators—in this case, environmental inspectors and site coordinators—desire in their interactions and how they perceive their regulatory counterparts. Interviews with regulators in Southwest Ohio reveal that 82 percent of them think the regulated community intends to comply with regulations. Additionally, 71 percent of regulators say that their interactions are positive with the regulated community with three‐quarters indicating that trust plays a role in these interactions. Only 36 percent of interviewees prefer a clear cut and consistent approach while the rest favor a collaborative approach or some combination thereof. These findings should impact discussions concerning regulatory approaches in environmental policy, particularly conversations concerning next‐generation policies.
Inside UN Climate Change Negotiations: The Copenhagen Conference
Authors: Dimitrov Radoslav S.
Published: October 2010

UN negotiations on climate change entail a fundamental transformation of the global economy and constitute the single most important process in world politics. This is an account of the 2009 Copenhagen summit from the perspective of a government delegate. The article offers a guide to global climate negotiations, tells the story of Copenhagen from behind closed doors, and assesses the current state of global climate governance. It outlines key policy issues under negotiation, the positions and policy preferences of key countries and coalitions, the outcomes of Copenhagen, and achievements and failures in climate negotiations to date. The Copenhagen Accord is a weak agreement designed to mask the political failure of the international community to create a global climate treaty. However, climate policy around the world is making considerable progress. While the UN negotiations process is deadlocked, multilevel climate governance is thriving.
Translucent Li‐α‐Sialon Ceramics Prepared by Spark Plasma Sintering
Authors: Yang Zhangfu , Wang Hao , Min Xinmin , Wang Weimin , Fu Zhengyi , Lee Soo Wohn , Niihara Koichi
Published: October 2010

Translucent single‐phase Li‐α‐sialon ceramics were successfully prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1750°C for 5 min with a heating rate of 100°C/min. The results show that the volatilization of Li2O is prominently retarded by SPS due to the rapid consolidation process. The formation and densification of Li‐α‐sialon are efficiently promoted within a few minutes. The resultant sample possesses relatively high infrared transmittance with a maximum value of 57% at 1.4 μm, which could be attributed to the dense, homogenous, and equiaxed‐grain microstructure with little intergranular glassy phase.
Regional employment impacts of Common Agricultural Policy measures in Eastern Germany: a difference‐in‐differences approach
Authors: Petrick Martin , Zier Patrick
Published: October 2010

Politicians and farm lobbyists frequently use the argument that agricultural policy is necessary to safeguard jobs in agriculture. We explore whether this is true by conducting an econometric ex post evaluation of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the three East German States Brandenburg, Saxony, and Saxony‐Anhalt. Whereas previous studies have employed descriptive statistics or qualitative methods and have looked at single policy instruments in isolation, we apply a difference‐in‐differences estimator to analyze the employment effects of the entire portfolio of CAP measures simultaneously. Based on panel data at the county level, we find that investment aids and transfers to less‐favored areas had a zero marginal employment effect. We present evidence that full decoupling of direct payments in 2005 led to labor shedding, as it made transfer payments independent of factor allocation. Spending on modern technologies in processing and marketing and measures aimed at the development of rural areas led to job losses in agriculture. Agrienvironmental measures, on the other hand, kept labor‐intensive technologies in production or induced them. This analysis calls into question whether an expansion of existing second pillar measures is a reasonable way to use funds modulated away from the first pillar.
The Social Dilemma Perspective on Psychological Contract Fulfilment and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour
Authors: Shih Chih-Ting , Chen Shyh-Jer
Published: October 2010

Recent research suggests that employees perceive organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) as costly while OCB in the aggregate benefits organizations. Employees thus face an OCB dilemma. This study adopts the social dilemma perspective, proposing that employee OCB varies with the three types of psychological contracts (e.g., relational, balanced, and transactional) due to different degrees of perceived social dilemma and explains why employees engage in OCB in the context of varying levels of social dilemmas. We used moderated structural equation modelling to test the mediating and moderating hypotheses using data from 485 supervisor-subordinate dyads from 58 companies in a variety of industries in Taiwan. As predicted, results suggest that employee OCB has the strongest relationship with balanced psychological contract. Results also confirm the mediating role of felt obligations in both relational and balanced psychological contracts and the moderating role of empathie concerns in transactional psychological contract. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these results.
Capitalism in China: A Centrally Managed Capitalism (CMC) and Its Future
Authors: Lin Nan
Published: October 2010

While China continues to develop capitalistic capacities, the party-state has increasingly tightened control of the economy and synchronized political and economic stratification – a tendency towards acentrally managed capitalism. Under centrally managed capitalism, the party-state commands the economy by controlling personnel, organizations, and capital in both political and economic arenas. At the same time, it delegates fiscal and administrative authorities to multiple and diversely formed corporations to compete in the marketplace. I further speculate on future ideological alternatives: a western-style democracy, a mature-stage socialism, or an enlightened authoritarianism –Xiaokang(小康 moderate prosperity or well-off society). After eliminating or casting doubt on the former two, I argue that a two-step transformation towardsXiaokangis under way. In the first step, the party-state leadership gradually decouples its position from Marxist ideology of communism and socialism, and moves towards the maintenance of economic growth and social order. The second step then allows the legitimacy of party rule to be based on indigenous Confucian ideology that emphasizes enlightened leaders, moral institutions, and social relations (i.e.,Xiaokang). Finally, I explore the feasibility and paths towards an indigenous ideology of democracy (Datong: 大同 – universal harmony).