bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acute kidney injury as defined by the RIFLE criteria is a risk factor for kidney transplant graft failure
Authors: Nakamura Motonobu , Seki George , Iwadoh Kazuhiro , Nakajima Ichiro , Fuchinoue Shohei , Fujita Toshiro , Teraoka Satoshi
Published: November 2011

Nakamura M, Seki G, Iwadoh K, Nakajima I, Fuchinoue S, Fujita T, Teraoka S. Acute kidney injury as defined by the RIFLE criteria is a risk factor for kidney transplant graft failure.

Abstract:  Acute kidney injury (AKI) is not recognized as a major complication at the maintenance phase after kidney transplantation (KTx). Moreover, it is not clear whether the onset of AKI leads to graft failure. We examined the incidence of AKI that developed three months or later after KTx at our institute. We examined whether the incidence of AKI defined by the Risk of renal dysfunction, Injury to the kidney, Failure of kidney function, Loss of kidney function and End‐stage kidney disease criteria associates with graft failure by matched‐pair Cox regression analysis. A total of 289 patients were available for the final analysis. The overall incidence of AKI was 20.4%, and the common etiology of AKI was bacterial infectious diseases. The group that developed AKI had significantly lower graft survival than non‐AKI group independently of acute rejection. AKI Risk represented a high risk for graft failure and AKI Injury/Failure represented a higher risk for graft failure. The analysis by the AKIN classification yielded the similar results. These results indicate that AKI is a relatively common complication of KTx and represents the major risk for graft failure. We should make every effort in the prevention and early detection to avoid the occurrence of AKI and the subsequent graft failure after KTx.
Outcomes of liver transplantation for glycogen storage disease: a matched‐control study and a review of literature
Authors: Maheshwari Anurag , Rankin Rebecca , Segev Dorry L. , Thuluvath Paul J.
Published: November 2011

Maheshwari A, Rankin R, Segev DL, Thuluvath PJ. Outcomes of liver transplantation for glycogen storage disease: a matched‐control study and a review of literature.  Clin Transplant 2011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399‐0012.2011.01549.x.  © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Abstract:  Background:  The clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with glycogen storage disease (GSD) who undergo liver transplantation (LT) have not been well defined. In this study, our objective was to determine the outcome of LT in patients with GSD and compare it with a comparable group of patients without GSD (matched controls).

Methods:  UNOS data from 1986 to 2007 were used for this study. For each GSD patient (n = 95; men 62%) who was transplanted, three patients (n = 285, men 60%) without GSD (case controls) matched for age ± five yr, year of transplantation and donor risk index (DRI) ± 0.2 were identified from the UNOS database in a random manner. Unadjusted patient survival was determined by Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and significance determined by log‐rank test.

Results:  The mean age of the group was 17.9 yr. GSD patients had lower BMI (22 vs. 24, p = 0.002), lower serum bilirubin (2.7 vs. 13.5 mg/dL, p < 0.0001), higher serum albumin (3.7 vs. 3.1 g/dL, p < 0.0001), and higher wait‐list time (239 vs. 74 d, p < 0.0001) compared to case controls. Recipient age and DRI were similar between the groups. Tumors were more common in GSD group (13.7% vs. 5%). Patient survival was significantly better (p = 0.024) in GSD group at one, five, and 10 yr (82%, 76%, and 64%) than non‐GSD (73%, 65%, and 59%) group.

Conclusions:  In this matched‐control study, patients who underwent LT for GSD had a better long‐term survival than a comparable group of patients without GSD.
Speciation within genomic networks: a case study based onSteatocranuscichlids of the lower Congo rapids
Authors: SCHWARZER J. , MISOF B. , SCHLIEWEN U. K.
Published: November 2011

Hybridization in animals is a much more common phenomenon as previously thought and may have profound implications for speciation research. The cichlid genusSteatocranus(Teleostei: Cichlidae), a close relative to members of the East African cichlid radiations, radiated under riverine conditions in the lower Congo rapids and produced a small species flock. Previous phylogenetic analyses suggested that hybridization occurred and contributed to speciation in this genus. A re‐analysis of an already published 2000 loci‐AFLP data set explicitly testing for patterns of ancient gene flow provided strong evidence for a highly reticulate phylogenetic history of the genus. We provide, to our knowledge, the first example of a complex reticulate network in vertebrates, including multiple closely related species connected through ancient as well as recent gene flow. In this context, the limited validity of strictly bifurcating tree hypotheses as a phylogenetic basis for hypothesis testing in evolutionary biology is discussed.
Developmental plasticity, morphological variation and evolvability: a multilevel analysis of morphometric integration in the shape of compound leaves
Authors: KLINGENBERG C. P. , DUTTKE S. , WHELAN S. , KIM M.
Published: November 2011

The structure of compound leaves provides flexibility for morphological change by variation in the shapes, sizes and arrangement of leaflets. Here, we conduct a multilevel analysis of shape variation in compound leaves to explore the developmental plasticity and evolutionary potential that are the basis of diversification in leaf shape. We use the methods of geometric morphometrics to study the shapes of individual leaflets and whole leaves in 20 taxa ofPotentilla(sensu lato). A newly developed test based on the bootstrap approach suggests that uncertainty in the molecular phylogeny precludes firm conclusions whether there is a phylogenetic signal in the data on leaf shape. For variation among taxa, variation within taxa, as well as fluctuating asymmetry, there is evidence of strong morphological integration. The patterns of variation are similar across all three levels, suggesting that integration within taxa may act as a constraint on evolutionary change.
Nephrotoxicity of recreational party drugs
Authors: BERNEY‐MEYER LINDA , PUTT TRACEY , SCHOLLUM JOHN , WALKER ROBERT
Published: November 2011

N‐benzylpiperazine (BZP) is the active ingredient in recreational ‘party’ pills with a stimulant, euphoric mechanism of action akin to that of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ecstasy). Many people (ab)use BZP‐based party pills usually without any significant toxic effects. However, nephrotoxicity secondary to hyperthermia and rhabdomyolysis has been reported. Another serious renal‐related side‐effect is hyponatraemia with acute cerebral oedema. There is also evidence that these agents may have a specific toxic effect producing acute kidney injury. Thus, acute kidney injury either direct or secondary to the effects of BZP or MDMA need to be considered when any individual presents with symptoms of a recreational party drug overdose.
Active surveillance criteria for prostate cancer: Can they be applied to Japanese patients?
Authors: Goto Yusuke , Nozumi Kazuyoshi , Miyazaki Kanetaka , Matsumoto Akihiro , Inoue Atsushi , Kito Hiroki , Hasegawa Naoki , Nagata Maki , Kakuta Yukio , Suzuki Hiroyoshi , Yamaguchi Kunio
Published: November 2011

Prostate‐specific antigen screening has significantly increased the percentage of men who are diagnosed with low‐risk prostate cancer. All men undergoing retropubic radical prostatectomy for primary treatment of prostate cancer from April 2004 to September 2010 in our hospital were examined in order to determine whether active surveillance criteria could be applied to Japanese men. From pathological data of prostate biopsies, whether these men met five published criteria for active surveillance (Johns Hopkins Medical Institution, Prostate Cancer Research International: Active Surveillance Study, University of California, San Francisco, Toronto and Kakehi criteria) was evaluated. Men who met any of the criteria had a statistically significant lower extracapsular extension rate and organ‐confinement rate. From the view of the possibility of Gleason upgrading and organ‐confinement rate, the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution and Prostate Cancer Research International: Active Surveillance Study criteria showed to be appropriate for Japanese patients. However, the present study had limitations of selection bias and a limited number of cases.
Association of 29C>T polymorphism in the transforming growth factor‐β1 gene with lean body mass in community‐dwelling Japanese population
Authors: Fuku Noriyuki , Mori Seijiro , Murakami Haruka , Gando Yuko , Zhou Heying , Ito Hideki , Tanaka Masashi , Miyachi Motohiko
Published: November 2011

Aim:  Sarcopenia is the significant degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength associated with aging, and it is one of the components of frailty. We previously reported an association between the 29C>T polymorphism in the transforming growth factor‐β1 gene (rs1800470) and the prevalence of vertebral fractures in subjects with postmenopausal osteoporosis. The association was not attributable to bone mineral density, which suggests that polymorphism influences some aspects of bone quality that affects strength and/or frailty rather than bone strength itself. Thus, we examined the relationship between genetic polymorphism and lean body mass in a Japanese population.

Methods:  A total of 479 adults comprising 143 men and 336 women, age 23 to 85 years, participated in the present study. Fat‐free mass was measured by dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry, and the relative skeletal muscle index was calculated as the ratio of appendicular (sum of arms and legs) fat‐free mass to the square of height.

Results:  Total, leg, and appendicular fat‐free mass as well as the relative skeletal muscle index were significantly lower in male subjects with CT/TT genotypes compared to those with CC genotype. Female subjects did not show any genotype‐dependent differences when analyzed as a group, but when those without menstruation (postmenopausal women) were analyzed, arm fat‐free mass was significantly lower in the CT/TT genotypes than in the CC genotype.

Conclusions:  T allele of the 29C>T polymorphism in the transforming growth factor‐β1 gene might be a risk factor of sarcopenia in a Japanese population. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2012; 12: 292–297.
Towards continuous improvement of endoscopy standards: validation of a colonoscopy assessment form
Authors: Boyle E. , Al‐Akash M. , Patchett S. , Traynor O. , McNamara D.
Published: November 2011

Aim  The assessment of procedural colonoscopy skills is important and topical. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a competency‐based colonoscopy assessment form that would be easy to use, suitable for the assessment of junior and senior endoscopists and potentially a useful instrument to detect differences in performance standards following different training interventions.

Method  A standardized assessment form was developed incorporating a checklist with dichotomous yes/no responses and a global assessment section incorporating several different elements. This form was used prospectively to evaluate colonoscopy cases during the period of the study in several university teaching hospitals. Results were analysed using ANOVA with Bonferroni corrections for post hoc analysis.

Results  Eighty‐one procedures were assessed, performed by eight consultant and 19 trainee endoscopists. There were no serious errors. When divided into three groups based on previous experience (novice, intermediate and expert) the assessment form demonstrated statistically significant differences between all three groups (P < 0.05). When separate elements were taken into account, the global assessment section was a better discriminator of skill level than the checklist.

Conclusion  This form is a valid, easy‐to‐use assessment method. We intend to use it to assess the value of simulator training in trainee endoscopists. It also has the potential to be a useful training tool when feedback is given to the trainee.
Harrington's Empire of Law
Authors: Lovett Frank
Published: November 2011

Nearly every reader of James Harrington has taken his theory that property is the foundation of government to be his central and most enduring contribution to political thought. Operating within this standard reading, most of the extensive literature on Harrington has focused on derivative issues, such as the accuracy and depth of his economic reading of English history, or the extent to which his mechanistic account of political institutions displaced more traditional republican accounts of civic virtue. But the standard reading is incomplete. For example, it is puzzling on this reading why Harrington should single out Thomas Hobbes as his chief opponent. To demonstrate the incompleteness of the standard reading, this article will examine a relatively neglected aspect of Oceana: namely, the sharp contrast drawn throughout the work between those communities organized as an ‘empire of laws' and those organized as an ‘empire of men’. As it turns out, Harrington strikes upon a deep problem, not noticed by previous authors in the classical republican tradition, but nevertheless lying at the very conceptual core of republican theory. Examining this problem in detail is both interesting in its own right, in so far as it sheds light on some central issues in republican theory, and in the renewed historical appreciation it brings to our reading of Harrington as well.
Rousseau's Rediscovered Communion des Coeurs: Cosmopolitanism in the Reveries of the Solitary Walker
Authors: Neidleman Jason
Published: November 2011

Among his various interventions into the debate between patriotism and cosmopolitanism, Jean-Jacques Rousseau's most direct and forceful statements expressed a preference for patriotism. As a result, there has long been a sense among his interpreters that Rousseau opposed cosmopolitanism. This interpretation, I argue in this article, is too narrow to accommodate the breadth of Rousseau's writings on patriotism and cosmopolitanism. From the Discourses, to Emile, to the Reveries, Rousseau's reflections on patriotism and cosmopolitanism were ambivalent. Rousseau defended patriotism not on its own merits but on the basis of its relative superiority to abstract cosmopolitanism, which Rousseau dismissed as powerless to motivate moral action. This leaves open the possibility of another kind of cosmopolitanism – an authentic, heartfelt cosmopolitanism – which, if it could be realized, would be preferable even to patriotism. In the Reveries, I argue, Rousseau discovered just such a heartfelt cosmopolitanism, one that points toward an inclusive model of civic affect.
DEFENDING DOUBLE EFFECT
Authors: Wedgwood Ralph
Published: November 2011

This essay defends a version of the Doctrine of Double Effect (DDE) – the doctrine that there is normally a stronger reason against an act that has a bad state of affairs as one of its intended effects than against an otherwise similar act that has that bad state of affairs as an unintended effect. First, a precise account of this version of the DDE is given. Secondly, some suggestions are made about why we should believe the DDE, and about why it is true. Finally, a solution is developed to the so‐called ‘closeness problem’ that any version of the DDE must face.
THE POSSIBILITY OF CONSENT
Authors: Owens David
Published: November 2011

Worries about the possibility of consent recall a more familiar problem about promising raised by Hume. To see the parallel here we must distinguish the power of consent from the normative significance of choice. I'll argue that we have normative interests, interests in being able to control the rights and obligations of ourselves and those around us, interests distinct from our interest in controlling the non‐normative situation. Choice gets its normative significance from our non‐normative control interests. By contrast, the possibility of consent depends on a species of normative interest that I'll call a permissive interest, an interest in its being the case that certain acts wrong us unless we declare otherwise. In the final section, I'll show how our permissive interests underwrite the possibility of consent.
How Not to Lie with Ethnography
Authors: Duneier Mitchell
Published: November 2011

This paper describes a simple strategy for doing more reliable ethnography: after fieldwork has commenced, investigators can use thought experiments to recognize inconvenient phenomena. Two examples are discussed: “the ethnographic trial” and the “inconvenience sample.” The paper uses Clifford Geertz's classic “Notes on the Balinese Cockfight” as a case of how work could be made more reliable with such strategies. It highlights the value of systematically identifying aspects of the situation under study that have been excluded from the analysis.
Beyond terroir: territorial construction, hegemonic discourses, and French wine culture
Authors: DEMOSSIER MARION
Published: November 2011

Starting from the anthropological investigation of Burgundian viticulture, my article examines the major issues attached to the territorial construction of the French wine industry around the concept of terroir. It discusses the diverse strategic deployments of terroir encountered in Burgundian viticulture since the 1990s by arguing that a paradigm shift has occurred from the geological argument to the recognition of the wine‐grower as the mediator in the expression of terroir. Moreover, there is a tendency to use terroir as a local governance tool leading to homogeneity and rootedness, while supplying a means for individuals in localities to respond to globalization.

À partir de l'étude anthropologique de la viticulture en Bourgogne, l'auteure examine les principales questions liées à la construction territoriale de l'industrie viticole française autour de la notion de terroir. Elle présente les différents déploiements stratégiques de cette notion rencontrés dans la viticulture bourguignonne depuis les années 1990, et avance l'idée d'un changement paradigmatique avec le passage de l'argument géologique à la reconnaissance du viticulteur comme médiateur de l'expression du terroir. On observe en outre une tendance à utiliser le terroir comme outil de gouvernance locale, aboutissant à une homogénéité et à un enracinement tout en donnant aux villageois locaux les moyens de répliquer à la mondialisation.
The cause of human rights: doubts about torture, law, and ethics at the United Nations
Authors: KELLY TOBIAS
Published: November 2011

Although human rights practitioners are often seen as being distinguished by their dogmatic claims or their technical fixations, there is a danger of ignoring the hesitations and confusions that also mark much human rights work. The article focuses on human rights NGOs as they engage with the UN Committee Against Torture. In doing so it examines their doubts about the causal connections that would link their legal interventions with their ethical commitments. However, doubt should not be confused with cynicism or despair. To doubt means to be in two minds. Instead of bringing the whole edifice tumbling down, a sense of doubt means that new avenues are always sought out, as practitioners move between an emphasis on the legal and the ethical. Rather than a source of crippling anxiety, doubt can keep the human rights project moving.

Les défenseurs des droits de l'homme sont souvent perçus comme dogmatiques ou crispés sur des aspects techniques, au risque de méconnaître les hésitations et les confusions qui marquent souvent leur action. Le présent article se concentre sur les interactions des ONG œuvrant pour les droits de l'homme avec le Comité contre la torture des Nations Unis. Il examine les doutes de ces organisations sur les relations de causalité qui pourraient faire le lien entre leurs interventions judiciaires et leur engagement éthique. Il ne faut pas pour autant confondre le doute avec le cynisme ou le désespoir. Douter, c'est être partagé dans son opinion. Au lieu de faire crouler tout l'édifice, le doute conduit à rechercher sans cesse de nouvelles perspectives, dans un mouvement de va‐et‐vient entre droit et éthique. Au lieu d'être une source d'anxiété paralysante, il peut être un moteur des projets pour les droits de l'homme.
Exchange and resilience in Timor‐Leste
Authors: MCWILLIAM ANDREW
Published: November 2011

The collapse of the market economy and most employment opportunities that accompanied the withdrawal of Indonesia from East Timor in 1999 prompted the re‐emergence of customary exchange practices that were heavily attenuated during Indonesian rule (1975‐99). For many Fataluku‐speaking Timorese communities, the strict internal security regime that accompanied military occupation curtailed opportunities for enacting vital exchanges that inform and reproduce social relations between kin, affines, and ancestors. As they rebuild their lives in a now independent Timor‐Leste, a renewed attention to exchange and the reciprocal flow of gifts, goods, labour, and blessings is again engaging Fataluku households. In this context, ideas of obligation and mutual exchange become constitutive elements of socio‐economic and religious activity that is fundamental to the resilience of the community. The article considers the role of gift economies as expressions of human security from below and as strategies designed to mitigate economic uncertainty through ritual exchange and religious action.

L'effondrement de l'économie de marché et de la plupart des possibilités d'emploi qui a accompagné le retrait de l'Indonésie du Timor‐Oriental en 1999 a suscité la réapparition de pratiques d'échange coutumières qui s'étaient fortement estompées sous la domination indonésienne (1975‐99). Dans de nombreux villages fataluku au Timor‐Leste, le régime sévère de sûreté intérieure accompagnant l'occupation militaire empêchait les populations de réaliser des échanges vitaux, informant et reproduisant les relations sociales entre parents, affins et ancêtres. À présent que le pays est indépendant et que les Fataluku reconstruisent leur vie, l'attention se porte à nouveau vers les échanges et la circulation à double sens des dons, des marchandises, du travail et des bénédictions. Dans ce contexte, les notions d'obligation et d'échange mutuel deviennent des éléments constitutifs d'activités socioéconomiques et religieuses indispensables à la résilience de la communauté. L'auteur examine ici le rôle des économies du don en tant qu'expressions d'une sécurité humaine « au ras du sol » et comme stratégies pour atténuer l'incertitude économique par le biais des échanges rituels et des actes religieux.
On the nature of empiricism in archaeology
Authors: JOHNSON MATTHEW H.
Published: November 2011

‘Empiricism’ can mean many things; I discuss it here as the belief that the data speak for themselves, without the need for intervening theory. Empiricism in this sense would be considered by most to be simply naïve, but I argue that it remains one of the most widespread implicit theoretical positions in archaeology as a whole. This article examines the intellectual origins and cultural context of empiricism, and asks why it endures. I discuss two case studies: the archaeology of castles; and the origins of the medieval village. I argue that empiricism should be understood rather than simply dismissed, and propose some therapeutic practices for archaeological interpretation.

« Empirisme » peut revêtir de nombreux sens. L'auteur l'envisage ici comme la conviction que les données parlent d'elles‐mêmes, sans qu'il faille faire intervenir la théorie. Dans ce sens, l'empirisme passerait aux yeux de la plupart des gens pour de la naïveté, mais l'auteur avance qu'il reste l'une des positions théoriques implicites les plus répandues dans l'archéologie, au sens large. Le présent article examine les origines intellectuelles et le contexte culturel de l'empirisme et s'interroge sur sa longévité. Il expose deux études de case : l'archéologie des châteaux‐forts et les origines du village médiéval. L'auteur propose de comprendre l'empirisme au lieu de simplement le rejeter et avance quelques idées de pratiques thérapeutiques pour l'interprétation archéologique.
Creating medicine on a swing: the effectiveness of mirroring, mimetic sensoriality, and embodiment to facilitate childbirth among the Sakais of Riau (Sumatra)
Authors: PORATH NATHAN
Published: November 2011

This article focuses on a healing technique to facilitate childbirth performed by the Orang Sakai, a Malayan‐speaking indigenous people of Sumatra (Indonesia). It explores the sensoriality of mimesis, mirroring, and embodiment through the works of Taussig, Girard, and others. It further makes a comparison between recent mimetic phantom‐limb somatic therapy and shamanic ritual, focusing on the idea of mirroring and mimetic touching without making direct physical contact. It concludes that the process of mirroring‐mimesis and embodiment is a universal in therapy and endorses the argument that clinical therapy and clinical experiments are also mimesis‐inducing rituals.

L'article est consacréà une technique de guérison visant à faciliter les accouchements chez les Orang Sakai, un peuple autochtone de langue malaise de Sumatra (Indonésie). Il explore la sensorialité de la mimesis, du travail en miroir et de l'incorporation à travers les œuvres de Taussig, de Girard et d'autres. Il compare en outre les récentes thérapies des membres fantômes au moyen de miroirs et le rituel chamanique, en se concentrant sur l'idée du travail en miroir et du toucher mimétique sans contact physique direct. Il conclut que le processus de mimesis en miroir et d'incorporation est un universel thérapeutique et avance l'argument que le traitement et les expérimentations cliniques sont eux aussi des rituels induisant une mimesis.
Humanity between gods and beasts? Ontologies in question*
Authors: LLOYD G.E.R.
Published: November 2011

Wherein lies the humanity of human beings? Many conflicting answers have been attempted in ancient and in modern times, with many focusing on the triadic relationship between humans, gods, and beasts. This article will review a wide range of suggestions, from those of ancient Greeks and Chinese, to recent anthropological proposals (by Viveiros de Castro and Descola in particular) of alternative ontologies. We have every reason to take rival human understandings seriously, but that should not be thought to lead to radical relativism, let alone to a breakdown of mutual intelligibility. Rather, they offer resources for exploring the substantive questions and for reflecting on the propensity of human beings to entertain or presuppose strong views on, precisely, what makes humans human. While evolutionary biology, ethology, cognitive science, and anthropology itself have all contributed to an increased recognition of the complexities of the question, we need the input not just of those disciplines, but also of philosophy and of history, to evaluate potential answers. In that spirit, the article offers an interdisciplinary commentary on the problems.

Où se situe l'humanité des êtres humains ? On a donnéà cette question beaucoup de réponses contradictoires, depuis les temps les plus anciens. Ces réponses se concentrent souvent sur une relation triadique entre humains, dieux et bêtes. L'auteur fait ici un tour d'horizon de multiples propositions, des Grecs et Chinois de l'Antiquité aux récentes approches anthropologiques (en particulier celles de Viveiros de Castro et Descola) des ontologies alternatives. Il y a tout lieu de prendre au sérieux ces perceptions concurrentes de l'humanité, mais cela ne doit pas conduire à un relativisme radical ni même à l'abandon de toute possibilité d'intelligibilité mutuelle. Ces approches offrent, au contraire, des ressources pour explorer les questions substantives et réfléchir à la propension des êtres humains à exprimer ou présupposer des opinions vigoureuses sur ce que les rend, justement, humains. Bien que la biologie évolutionniste, l'éthologie, les sciences cognitives et l'anthropologie elle‐même aient contribuéà une meilleure reconnaissance de la complexité de cette question, nous avons besoin non seulement de ces disciplines mais aussi des travaux de la philosophie et de l'histoire pour peser les réponses potentielles. C'est dans cet esprit que l'auteur propose ici un commentaire interdisciplinaire de ces problèmes.
Expanding in a Different Direction: Reclaiming the Twofold Nature of the Moral Object
Authors: Dillon Dana L.
Published: November 2011

This paper argues that the impasse in Catholic moral theology around the role of the object in determining the moral species of the act was rooted in shared misunderstandings of Thomas Aquinas's analysis of human action. The paper describes Thomas's account of moral action centering upon his claim in ST I‐II.18.6 that the object is twofold. This distinction was often missed on both sides of the proportionalist debates. The paper argues that understanding the moral object as twofold upholds the essential elements of both sides of the proportionalist debates, holding them in their rightful balance. Moreover such an understanding offers an essential framework for Catholic theologians attending to the essential connection between acts and agents in accounts of morality.
Optimizing individual identification and survey effort for photographic capture–recapture sampling of species with temporally variable morphological traits
Authors: Goswami V. R. , Lauretta M. V. , Madhusudan M. D. , Karanth K. U.
Published: November 2011

Endangered, wide‐ranging megafauna have many threats to contend with during their struggle for survival in an ever‐increasing human dominance of the environment. Reliable monitoring of endangered large mammal populations is therefore a critical conservation requirement. Photographic capture–recapture (CR) techniques have opened up avenues for population monitoring of individually recognizable large mammal species. The efficient application of these techniques, however, can be constrained by challenges in reliably identifying individuals arising from the use of multiple, and potentially variable traits, as well as issues of temporal sampling of populations in the field. We address these key problems by describing an automated process of rapidly identifying individualAsian elephants (Elephas maximus) from photographs, and comparing resultantCR‐based population parameter estimates with those obtained using supervised visual identification of individuals. In addition, we assess the temporal effort necessary for robust estimation of demographic parameters in our study population. Morphological traits that maintain constancy over time, including variations in tusk characteristics, and ear fold and lobe shape, proved the most reliable for individual identification and subsequent estimation of population parameters. The use of temporally variable traits contributed to high probabilities of misidentification and biased estimates of population size. We found a minimum of seven sampling occasions necessary for reliable population estimation. Our study contributes to design issues forCRstudies by providing insights into optimality of sampling effort such that precision of parameter estimates are not compromised while minimizing survey costs. We demonstrate the importance of accurate individual identification in the context of such studies and recommend the use of fixed morphological traits as the optimal individual identification strategy for species where animals are distinguished on the basis of multiple attributes, including some that may be variable over time.
Denervation affects regenerative responses in MRL/MpJ and repair in C57BL/6 ear wounds
Authors: Buckley Gemma , Wong Jason , Metcalfe Anthony D. , Ferguson Mark W. J.
Published: November 2011

The MRL/MpJ mouse displays the rare ability amongst mammals to heal injured ear tissue without scarring. Numerous studies have shown that the formation of a blastema‐like structure leads to subsequent tissue regeneration in this model, indicating many parallels with amphibian limb regeneration and mammalian embryogenesis. We have recently shown that the MRL/MpJ mouse also possesses an enhanced capacity for peripheral nerve regeneration within the ear wound. Indeed, nerves are vital for the initial phase of blastema formation in the amphibian limb. In this study we investigated the capacity for wound regeneration in a denervated ear. The left ears of MRL/MpJ mice and C57BL/6 (a control strain known to have a poorer regenerative capacity) were surgically denervated at the base via an incision and nerve transection, immediately followed by a 2‐mm ear punch wound. Immunohistochemical analysis showed a lack of neurofilament expression in the denervated ear wound. Histology revealed that denervation prevented blastema formation and chrondrogenesis, and also severely hindered normal healing, with disrupted re‐epithelialisation, increasing wound size and progressive necrosis towards the ear tip. Denervation of the ear obliterated the regenerative capacity of the MRL/MpJ mouse, and also had a severe negative effect on the ear wound repair mechanisms of the C57BL/6 strain. These data suggest that innervation may be important not only for regeneration but also for normal wound repair processes.
Who are you looking at? Hadeda ibises use direction of gaze, head orientation and approach speed in their risk assessment of a potential predator
Authors: Bateman P. W. , Fleming P. A.
Published: November 2011

Animals may update their assessment of predation risk according to how a potential predator approaches them. For example, the predator's head and gaze orientation (direction of attention) may reveal its intentions, and faster‐approaching predators are likely to represent greater risk. We examined the reactions of hadeda ibises Bostrychia hagedash. These large birds demonstrate a wide repertoire of responses to being approached (e.g. continuing to forage, slow walking, rapid escape walking, flight and alarm calling). Birds were approached tangentially 112 times by a human who either had the head and eyes directed towards (65 approaches) or directed away from (47 approaches) the birds to test the hypothesis that the direction of the observer's attention informs alert distance (AD) and flight initiation distance (FID) in these birds. Direction of attention had a significant effect on AD and FID as well as the likelihood of taking flight and alarm calling by hadedas, with birds appearing to associate attention directed towards them as an indication of increased risk. Hadedas were able to differentiate between the direction of attention of an approaching human, whether or not there were multiple other humans in the near vicinity. We also examined whether the observer's approach speed altered the birds' responses. Approach speed affected the birds' FID, suggesting that they perceive greater danger in a faster‐approaching intruder compared with a slower‐walking one. These results support the predictions of optimal escape theory and emphasize the high resolution of anti‐predatory awareness in these birds. The marked success of hadeda ibises in urban environments may be due to their ability to become habituated to human presence and to modify their antipredator behaviour in response to subtle cues. These may be common traits of bird species that successfully adapt to urban environments.
Effects of Quaternary climatic changes on the phylogeography and historical demography of the subterranean rodent Ctenomys porteousi
Authors: Mapelli F. J. , Mora M. S. , Mirol P. M. , Kittlein M. J.
Published: November 2011

The contemporary distribution of organisms cannot be understood without knowing how species have responded to the geologic and climatic history of their environments. Genetic studies related to the demographic history of wildlife species can help us to elucidate the role of climate changes and other environmental forces in shaping patterns of distribution and population structure of the species. In this work we investigated the phylogeographic pattern and historical demography of the subterranean rodent Ctenomys porteousi. We examined mitochondrial DNA control region sequences of 101 individuals collected from 7 localities that cover the complete distributional range of this species. Haplotype frequencies showed a significant population differentiation whereas the spatial distribution of haplotypes suggests moderate geographical structure. Genetic differentiation was not consistent with a simple model of isolation by distance and several independent estimates suggest that the observed phylogeographical pattern is the consequence of a complex demographic scenario. Our data suggest both reduction and population expansion events. Both kinds of demographic events were associated to major climatic changes that affected the study area during the Late Pleistocene and the Holocene. In particular, a relationship between historical changes in the degree of vegetation cover and population size for this rodent was inferred. We propose that the decrease in aridity of the Pampean region that started in the Pleistocene–Holocene boundary could have promoted a major decline in the effective population size of this species.
The catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism moderates the effect of antenatal stress on childhood behavioural problems: longitudinal evidence across multiple ages
Authors: THOMPSON JOHN M D , SONUGA‐BARKE EDMUND J , MORGAN ANGHARAD R , CORNFORTH CHRISTINE M , TURIC DARKO , FERGUSON LYNNETTE R , MITCHELL EDWIN A , WALDIE KAREN E
Published: November 2011

Aim  The functional polymorphism Val158Met in the catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT) gene was analysed to determine its association with maternal stress and childhood total difficulties.

Method  Data were collected at birth from a group of infants who were born small for gestational age and a group who were born at an appropriate size for gestational age and had been enrolled in the Auckland Birthweight Collaborative Study. Children were followed up at the ages of 1 year, 3 years 6 months, 7 years, and 11 years. At the age of 11 years, DNA samples were collected from 546 children (270 females, 276 males): 227 children born small for gestational age and 319 children born at an appropriate size for gestational age. The main independent variable was perceived maternal stress at birth and at 7 and 11 years of age, assessed using the total difficulties scale of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. IQ was assessed at the age of 7 years.

Results  Met/Met homozygotes were at a significantly increased risk of behavioural and emotional problems at the ages of 7 (p=0.002) and 11 years (p=0.003), relative to either heterozygous or homozygous carriers of the Val158Met polymorphism, but only when they were exposed to maternal stress in utero. Met/Met homozygotes had, on average, IQ scores that were four points higher than those of Val/Val homozygotes (p=0.010).

Interpretation  These findings emphasize the potential long‐term consequences of prenatal stress for genetically susceptible individuals during neurodevelopment in utero. Our findings add to the general understanding of the aetiology and developmental nature of childhood emotional and behavioural problems.
A new automated method for analysis of rCBF‐SPECT images based on the active‐shape algorithm: normal values
Authors: Hägerström Douglas , Jakobsson David , Stomrud Erik , Andersson Ann‐Margret , Ryding Erik , Londos Elisabet , Minthon Lennart , Rosén Ingmar , Edenbrandt Lars
Published: November 2011

Most nuclear medicine clinicians use only visual assessment when interpreting regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) from single‐photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images in clinical practice. The aims of this study were to develop a new, easy to use, automated method for quantification of rCBF‐SPECT and to create normal values by using the method on a normal population. We developed a 3‐dimensional method based on a brain‐shaped model and the active‐shape algorithm. The method defines the surface shape of the brain and then projects the maximum counts 0–1·5 cm deep for designated surface points. These surface projection values are divided into cortical regions representing the different lobes and presented relative to the whole cortex, cerebellum or cerebellar maximum. 99mTc‐hexa methyl propylene amine oxime (HMPAO) SPECT was performed on 30 healthy volunteers with a mean age of 74 years (range 64–98). The ability of the active‐shape algorithm to define the shape of the brain was satisfactory when visually scrutinized. The results of the quantification show rCBF values in the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes of 87–88% using cerebellum as the reference. There were no significant differences in normal rCBF values between male and female subjects and only a weak relation between rCBF and age. In conclusion, our new automated method was able to quantify rCBF‐SPECT images and create normal values in ranges as expected. Further studies are needed to assess the clinical value of this method and the normal values.
Resisting gentrification‐induced displacement: Advantages and disadvantages to ‘staying put’ among non‐profit social services in London and Los Angeles
Authors: DeVerteuil Geoffrey
Published: November 2011

This paper focuses on resistance to gentrification‐induced displacement among non‐profit social services in London and Los Angeles. I identify three key strategies for ‘staying put’: private, voluntary sector embeddedness, and public sector support. Results suggested both advantages and disadvantages to resisting displacement, which also varied by city.
Feminism, bodily difference and non‐representational geographies
Authors: Colls Rachel
Published: November 2011

Over the past 10 years, a body of work, collectively known as non‐representational geographies, has emerged within human geography. Broad in its empirical and theoretical emphasis, its main ethos is to develop a mode of engaging with and presenting the world that emphasises the taking‐place of practices and what humans and non‐humans do. However, there have been a number of critiques of this work. Some of these have been made by feminist geographers who are particularly concerned with non‐representational geographies’ reproduction of an undifferentiated body‐subject. This article engages explicitly with this critique by suggesting the possibility of useful engagements between feminism and non‐representational geographies. This is done first by suggesting that feminist geographers might adopt a ‘nomadic consciousness’ that both remains critical of the gender‐blindness of much poststructuralist theory while also being open to the potential that it offers for feminist accounts of the subject. This is demonstrated by drawing on feminist theoretical work that seeks to rethink corporeal specificity. Second, the article presents an account of sexual difference as force in order to demonstrate how difference can be conceptualised drawing on some of the tenets and theoretical underpinnings of non‐representational geographies. The article concludes by reflecting on how to harbour generous and generative relationships between feminist geographies, sexual difference theories and non‐representational geographies.
The Role of Social Scientists in Accelerating Innovation in Regenerative Medicine
Authors: Lavoie Marie
Published: November 2011

The expertise of social scientists is vital in the field of regenerative medicine. By providing a comprehensive framework to include both technology and market conditions, as well as considering social, economic, and ethical values, they can inform policy decisions and influence the rate and direction of progress in new medical research. This paper deals with four potential conditions to which social science should pay special attention and assess: market conditions, technological opportunities, mechanisms of appropriability, and risk regulation of products and practices. The interplay of these factors must be understood as providing the right environment for this paradigm to progress. More empirical evidence is necessary to validate these factors in their international context, and this assigns a pivotal role to these experts.
The influence of host and non‐host companion plants on the behaviour of pest insects in field crops
Authors: Finch S. , Collier Rosemary H.
Published: November 2011

Companion plants grown as ‘trap crops’ or ‘intercrops’ can be used to reduce insect infestations in field crops. The ways in which such reductions are achieved are being described currently using either a chemical approach, based on the ‘push‐pull strategy’, or a biological approach, based on the ‘appropriate/inappropriate landing theory’. The chemical approach suggests that insect numbers are reduced by chemicals from the intercrop ‘repelling’ insects from the main crop, and by chemicals from the trap‐crop ‘attracting’ insects away from the main crop. This approach is based on the assumptions that (1) plants release detectable amounts of volatile chemicals, and (2) insects ‘respond’ while still some distance away from the emitting plant. We discuss whether the above assumptions can be justified using the ‘appropriate/inappropriate landing theory’. Our tenet is that specialist insects respond only to the volatile chemicals released by their host plants and that these are released in such small quantities that, even with a heightened response to such chemicals, specialist insects can only detect them when a few metres from the emitting plant. We can find no robust evidence in the literature that plant chemicals ‘attract’ insects from more than 5 m and believe that ‘trap crops’ function simply as ‘interception barriers’. We can also find no evidence that insects are ‘repelled’ from landing on non‐host plants. Instead, we believe that ‘intercrops’ disrupt host‐plant finding by providing insects with a choice of host (appropriate) and non‐host (inappropriate) plant leaves on which to land, as our research has shown that, for intercropping to be effective, insects must land on the non‐host plants. Work is needed to determine whether non‐host plants are repellent (chemical approach) or ‘non‐stimulating’ (biological approach) to insects.