bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D levels with liver dysfunction and mortality in chronic liver disease
Authors: Putz‐Bankuti Csilla , Pilz Stefan , Stojakovic Tatjana , Scharnagl Hubert , Pieber Thomas R. , Trauner Michael , Obermayer‐Pietsch Barbara , Stauber Rudolf E.
Published: January 2012

Background

Previous studies suggest that chronic liver disease may be related to vitamin D deficiency. It is, however, not known whether 25(OH)D levels are associated with incident hepatic decompensation and mortality in chronic liver failure.

Aims

We aimed to evaluate whether 25(OH)D serum levels are associated with Child–Pugh (CP) score, model for end‐stage liver disease (MELD) score, occurrence of hepatic decompensation, and survival in patients with cirrhosis.

Methods

We enrolled 75 consecutive cirrhotic patients admitted to our outpatient liver clinic (32% females; age: 58 ± 11 years; aetiology alcohol in 61%). At baseline, 25(OH)D was determined and the degree of liver dysfunction was estimated by CP and MELD score. Thereafter patients were followed‐up with respect to hepatic decompensation and mortality.

Results

25(OH)D levels averaged 16.0 ± 9.2 ng/ml and were inversely correlated with MELD score (r = −0.34, P = 0.003) and CP score (r = −0.21, P = 0.080). Thirty‐seven patients developed hepatic decompensation and 24 patients died during a median follow‐up of 3.6 years. Age‐ and gender‐adjusted relative risk (with 95% confidence interval) was 6.37 (1.75–23.2; P = 0.005) for hepatic decompensation and 4.31 (1.38–13.5; P = 0.012) for mortality within the first vs the third 25(OH)D tertile but these associations were largely attenuated towards non‐significant trends after additional adjustments for CP or MELD score.

Conclusions

Our findings show a significant association of 25(OH)D with the degree of liver dysfunction and suggest that low 25(OH)D levels may predict hepatic decompensation and mortality in patients with chronic liver failure.
Sociocultural and Dietary Practices Among Malay Subjects in the North‐Eastern Region of Peninsular Malaysia: A Region of Low Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection
Authors: Lee Yeong Yeh , Ismail Ahmad Wazi , Mustaffa Nazri , Musa Kamarul Imran , Majid Noorizan Abdul , Choo Keng Ee , Mahendra Raj S. , Derakhshan Mohammad H. , Malaty Hoda M. , Graham David Y.
Published: January 2012

Background and Aim:  The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection is exceptionally low among the Malays in the north‐eastern region of Peninsular Malaysia. The reasons are unknown. Our aim was to compare environmental factors that differed in relation to H. pylori prevalence among Malays born and residing in Kelantan.

Methods:  A case–control study was conducted among Malays in Kelantan who underwent upper endoscopy between 2000 and 2008. Helicobacter pylori status was determined by gastric histology. Sociocultural and dietary factors were assessed using a validated investigator‐directed questionnaire administered after 2008, and the data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis.

Results:  The study group consisted of 161 subjects (79 H. pylori positive and 82 controls). Univariable analysis identified five poor sanitary practices associated with an increased prevalence of H. pylori infection: use of well water, use of pit latrine, less frequent boiling of drinking water, and infrequent hand wash practice after toilet use and before meals. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified three variables inversely associated with H. pylori infection: frequent consumption of tea (OR: 0.023, 95% CI: 0.01–0.07), frequent use of “budu” or local anchovy sauce (OR: 0.09, 95% CI: 0.1–0.7), and frequent use of “pegaga” or centenella asiatica (OR: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.1–0.65).

Conclusions:  Under the assumption that sanitary, sociocultural, and dietary habits have not changed over the years, we can conclude that an increased risk of H. pylori was associated with unsanitary practices whereas protection was associated with consumption of tea and locally produced foods, “pegaga” and “budu.” These dietary factors are candidates for future study on the effects on H. pylori transmission.
Phenomenology of Bodily Integrity in Disfiguring Breast Cancer
Authors: Slatman Jenny
Published: January 2012

In this paper, I explore the meaning of bodily integrity in disfiguring breast cancer. Bodily integrity is a normative principle precisely because it does not simply refer to actual physical or functional intactness. It rather indicates what should be regarded and respected as inviolable in vulnerable and damageable bodies. I will argue that this normative inviolability or wholeness can be based upon a person's embodied experience of wholeness. This phenomenological stance differs from the liberal view that identifies respect for integrity with respect for autonomy (resulting in an invalidation of bodily integrity's proper normative meaning), as well as from the view that bodily integrity is based upon ideologies of wholeness (which runs the risk of being disadvantageous to women). I propose that bodily integrity involves a process of identification between the experience of one's body as “Leib” and the experience of one's body as “Körper.” If identification fails or is not possible, one's integrity is threatened. This idea of bodily integrity can support breast cancer patients and survivors in making decisions about possible corrective interventions. To implement this idea in oncology care, empirical‐phenomenological research needs to establish how breast cancer patients express their embodied self‐experiences.
Bodily Disorientation and Moral Change
Authors: Harbin Ami
Published: January 2012

Neglect of the moral promise of disorientation is a persistent gap in even the most sophisticated philosophies of embodiment. In this article, I begin to correct this neglect by expanding our sense of the range and nature of disoriented experience and proposing new visions of disorientation as benefiting moral agency. Disorientations are experienced through complex interactions of corporeal, affective, and cognitive processes, and are characterized by feelings of shock, surprise, unease, and discomfort; felt disorientations almost always make us unsure of how to go on. I argue that experiences of disorientation can strengthen the moral agency of individuals. I begin by clarifying experiences of felt ease and orientation. I then characterize disoriented embodiment by investigating select experiences that often involve or accompany disorientation, focusing throughout on how disorientation prompts changes in motivation and action. I conclude by charting how disoriented embodiments can help individuals become better moral agents overall, in part by challenging norms that restrict embodiment and undermining dualistic conceptions of the self.
On the Sensitivity Analysis of the IIM: A Rejoinder
Authors: Percoco Marco
Published: January 2012

In this note I reply to the comments by Haimes et al. on my paper on the sensitivity analysis of the inoperability input‐output model. I make the case for a moment‐independent sensitivity analysis.
Solid State Annealing Behavior of Aluminum Thin Films on Sapphire
Authors: Dutta Sreya , Biser Jeffrey M. , Vinci Richard P. , Chan Helen M.
Published: January 2012

High purity aluminum films were deposited on sapphire substrates by thermal evaporation. Solid state annealing of these specimens resulted in the development of several types of previously unobserved microstructural features. Through thickness drum‐like cavities covered with a thin membrane of γ‐alumina were formed in the film in the vicinity of annealing hillocks. Removal of the overlying aluminum using a KOH etch revealed sub‐surface, hollow oxide structures at the aluminum–sapphire interface. Clusters of such features were generally located underneath annealing hillocks. The influence of annealing heat treatment and gas atmosphere on the structure of the films were studied. It was determined that dewetting of the Al film (the initial stage in the formation of the interfacial cavities) occurred only if oxygen was present in the annealing atmosphere. Experiments showed that for samples annealed in air, the thickness of the surface oxide layer was similar to that of the wall thickness of the interfacial oxide structures. The amount of oxygen required for the formation of the interfacial features was estimated based on the feature density, the size and geometry of the features, and the type of alumina (γ/α) present. This quantity was used to estimate a value for an apparent interfacial diffusion coefficient. The findings strongly suggest that short‐circuit paths develop in the annealed films that facilitate oxygen transport to the interface.
The Sub‐System α‐TCPss‐Silicocarnotite Within the Binary System Ca3(PO4)2–Ca2SiO4
Authors: Martínez Isabel M. , Velásquez Pablo , De Aza Piedad N.
Published: January 2012

Silicon (Si) influences the biologic activity of calcium phosphate materials by modifying material properties and by direct effects on the physiological processes in skeletal tissue. Compositions belonging to the system dicalcium silicate (Ca2SiO4 = C2S)‐tricalcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2 = TCP), able to release that element in situ, are promising candidates for preparing new ceramic bone implants. An exact knowledge of the phase relationships in the system is required to design materials with controlled phase compositions and properties. Thus, a study of the sub‐system α‐TCPss‐Silicocarnotite within the C2S–TCP system was studied as a preliminary step toward obtaining new monophasic and/or biphasic bioceramics. Phase composition of the resulting ceramics was studied using X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy with attached wavelength dispersive spectrometer. The results showed that the sub‐system presents an invariant eutectoid point at 1158°C ± 2°C for a composition of 83 wt% Ca3(PO4)2 and 17 wt% Ca2SiO4, and typical eutectoid microstructure of lamellae morphology.
Investigation and quantification of key periodontal pathogens in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Field C. A. , Gidley M. D. , Preshaw P. M. , Jakubovics N.
Published: January 2012

Field CA, Gidley MD, Preshaw PM, Jakubovics N. Investigation and quantification of key periodontal pathogens in patients with type 2 diabetes. J Periodont Res 2012; 47: 470–478. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S

Background and Objective:  Diabetes is a recognized risk factor for periodontitis. There are conflicting data regarding whether healthy diabetic patients or diabetic patients with chronic periodontitis have an altered subgingival microbiota compared with nondiabetic individuals. The aim of the present study was to detect quantitative differences in selected periodontopathogens in the subgingival plaque of diabetic patients using TaqMan quantitative PCR.

Material and Methods:   Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with (n = 9) or without chronic periodontal disease (n = 15) were recruited and matched to nondiabetic control subjects (n = 12 periodontally healthy, n = 12 chronic periodontitis). Subgingival plaque samples were collected from deep (> 4 mm probing depth) and shallow sites (≤ 3 mm probing depth) using paper points, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas gingivalis were quantified.

Results:  Forty‐eight subjects (69 samples) were recruited. Marked differences were seen in the levels of all three bacterial species, relative to the total bacterial population, according to periodontal health status. Using real‐time quantitative PCR, bacterial counts for P. gingivalis were significantly higher in deep pockets of diabetic and nondiabetic subjects compared with periodontally healthy subjects (p < 0.05) but did not differ significantly between diabetics and nondiabetics. A. actinomycetemcomitans was detected in all groups in low quantities, and counts did not differ significantly between groups (p > 0.05). F. nucleatum was abundant in all groups, with no clear significant differences between groups. P. gingivalis was found in higher quantities in periodontitis than in periodontally healthy subjects (p < 0.05). Statistically significant positive correlations were identified between pocket depth and counts for all three species tested (p < 0.05).

Conclusion:  A. actinomycetemcomitans, F. nucleatum and P. gingivalis were present in significantly different quantities and proportions in subgingival plaque, according to periodontal disease status. No significant differences were identified between the subgingival microbiota of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients compared with nondiabetic subjects.
Combination injuries 2. The risk of pulp necrosis in permanent teeth with subluxation injuries and concomitant crown fractures
Authors: Lauridsen Eva , Hermann Nuno Vibe , Gerds Thomas Alexander , Ahrensburg Søren Steno , Kreiborg Sven , Andreasen Jens Ove
Published: January 2012

Abstract –  Background:  The reported risk of pulp necrosis (PN) is generally low in teeth with subluxation injuries. A concomitant crown fracture may increase the risk of PN in such teeth.

Aim:  To analyse the influence of a concomitant trauma‐related infraction, enamel‐, enamel–dentin‐ or enamel–dentin–pulp fracture on the risk of PN in permanent teeth with subluxation injury.

Material and Methods:  The study included 404 permanent incisors with subluxation injury from 289 patients (188 male, 101 female). Of these teeth, 137 had also suffered a concomitant crown fracture. All the teeth were examined and treated according to a standardized protocol.

Statistical Analysis:  The risk of PN was analysed separately for teeth with immature and mature root development by the Kaplan–Meier method, the log‐rank test and Cox regression analysis. The level of significance was set at 5%. Risk factors included in the analysis were gender, patient age, crown fracture type, mobility and response to an electric pulp test (EPT) at the initial examination.

Results:  Teeth with immature root development: The risk of PN was increased in teeth with a concomitant enamel fracture (log‐rank test: P = 0.002), enamel–dentin fracture (log‐rank test: P < 0.0001), enamel–dentin–pulp fracture (log‐rank test: P < 0.0001) and in teeth with no response to EPT at the initial examination [hazard ratio: 21 (95% confidence interval, CI: 2.5–172.5), P = 0.005]. Teeth with mature root development: the risk of PN was increased in teeth with an enamel–dentin fracture [hazard ratio: 12.2 (95% CI: 5.0–29.8), P < 0.0001], infraction [hazard ratio: 5.1 (95% CI: 1.2–21.4) P = 0.04] and in teeth with no response to EPT at the initial examination [hazard ratio: 8 (95% CI: 3.3–19.5), P < 0.0001].

Conclusion:  A concomitant crown fracture and no response to EPT at the initial examination may be used to identify teeth at increased risk of PN following subluxation injury.
Combination injuries 1. The risk of pulp necrosis in permanent teeth with concussion injuries and concomitant crown fractures
Authors: Lauridsen Eva , Hermann Nuno Vibe , Gerds Thomas Alexander , Ahrensburg Søren Steno , Kreiborg Sven , Andreasen Jens Ove
Published: January 2012

Abstract –  Background:  The reported risk of pulp necrosis (PN) is low in teeth with concussion injuries. A concomitant crown fracture may affect the risk of PN.

Aim:  To analyze the influence of a crown fracture (with and without pulp exposure) on the risk of PN in teeth with concussion injury.

Material:  The study included 469 permanent incisors with concussion from 358 patients (226 male, 132 female). Among these, 292 had a concomitant crown fracture (70 with and 222 without pulp exposure). All teeth were examined and treated according to standardized protocol.

Statistical analysis:  The risk of PN was analyzed by the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression. Risk factors included in the analysis: gender, age, stage of root development, type of crown fracture, and response to electric pulp test (EPT) at the initial examination. The level of significance was set at 5%.

Results:  The risk of PN was low in teeth with immature root development [1.1%, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0–3.4]. The following factors significantly increased the risk of PN in teeth with mature root development: crown fracture without pulp exposure [hazard ratio 4.1 (95% CI: 1.4–11.9), P = 0.01] and no response to EPT at the initial examination [hazard ratio 30.7 (95% CI: 7.7–121), P < 0.0001]. The overall risk of PN increased from 3.5% (95% CI: 0.2–6.8) to 11.0% (95% CI: 5.2–16.7) when a concomitant crown fracture without pulp exposure was present. If the tooth had both a crown fracture and gave no response to EPT, the risk further increased to 55.0% (95% CI: 34.3–75.8).

Conclusion:  No response to EPT at the initial examination or a concomitant crown fracture significantly increased the risk of PN in teeth with concussion injury and mature root development. If both risk factors were present there was a synergetic effect.
IL‐10 and IL‐10 receptor defects in humans
Authors: Glocker Erik‐Oliver , Kotlarz Daniel , Klein Christoph , Shah Neil , Grimbacher Bodo
Published: January 2012

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is chronic in nature and is characterized by abdominal pain, diarrhea, bleeding, and malabsorption. It is considered a complex multigenic and multifactorial disorder that results from disturbed interactions between the immune system and commensal bacteria of the gut. Recent work has demonstrated that IBD with an early‐onset within the first months of life can be monogenic: mutations in IL‐10 or its receptor lead to a loss of IL‐10 function and cause severe intractable enterocolitis in infants and small children. Both IL‐10 and IL‐10 receptor deficiency can be successfully treated by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Queer Theologies
Authors: Schneider Laurel C. , Roncolato Carolyn
Published: January 2012

This article traces the development of queer theology from its roots in liberation theology and poststructuralist gender theory. Starting with the challenges of terminology in the face of a rapidly changing social context, the authors outline the recent, interrelated histories of LGBT liberation theologies that focus on historically oppressed identity groups and of queer theologies that attempt to think theologically beyond essentialist categories of identity. Finally, they speculate on emergent challenges to queer and LGBT liberationist studies in religion.
Modern Jewish Thought and Jewish Feminist Thought: An Uncommon Conversation
Authors: Butler Deidre
Published: January 2012

Modern Jewish thought is that area of Jewish thought that emerges in response to the Jewish encounter with modernity. It spans the earliest contributions of modern Jewish philosophers and religious reformers in 19th‐century Europe to contemporary thinkers from Jewish communities around the world today. Jewish feminist thought also stands out as a vital stream within modern Jewish thought. Although most histories and anthologies of modern Jewish thought do not normatively include Jewish feminist thinkers as significant contributors to this intellectual history, selected Jewish feminist thinkers like Judith Plaskow and Rachel Adler should be integrated into modern Jewish thought’s disciplinary narrative. The following discussion of current scholarship in modern Jewish thought, modern Jewish philosophy and Jewish feminism places Jewish feminist thought firmly within the history, methods and subject of modern Jewish thought. Taking seriously the inherent inclusiveness of the term modern Jewish thought and redrawing its boundaries to explicitly include Jewish feminist thinkers exposes the shared concern of each discipline. Doing so foregrounds common themes and questions occasioned by modern Jewish life such as Israel, Jewish identity, tradition and halakha, the status and authority of sacred texts and revelation and the constitution and diversity of Jewish communities. Such a comparative approach also draws attention to dissonance–particularly around questions of gender and sexuality in Judaism that are raised around transgender, gay and lesbian Jewish life and gender and halakah.
New taxonomy and old collections: integrating DNA barcoding into the collection curation process
Authors: PUILLANDRE N. , BOUCHET P. , BOISSELIER‐DUBAYLE M.‐C. , BRISSET J. , BUGE B. , CASTELIN M. , CHAGNOUX S. , CHRISTOPHE T. , CORBARI L. , LAMBOURDIÈRE J. , LOZOUET P. , MARANI G. , RIVASSEAU A. , SILVA N. , TERRYN Y. , TILLIER S. , UTGE J. , SAMADI S.
Published: January 2012

Because they house large biodiversity collections and are also research centres with sequencing facilities, natural history museums are well placed to develop DNA barcoding best practices. The main difficulty is generally the vouchering system: it must ensure that all data produced remain attached to the corresponding specimen, from the field to publication in articles and online databases. The Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris is one of the leading laboratories in the Marine Barcode of Life (MarBOL) project, which was used as a pilot programme to include barcode collections for marine molluscs and crustaceans. The system is based on two relational databases. The first one classically records the data (locality and identification) attached to the specimens. In the second one, tissue‐clippings, DNA extractions (both preserved in 2D barcode tubes) and PCR data (including primers) are linked to the corresponding specimen. All the steps of the process [sampling event, specimen identification, molecular processing, data submission to Barcode Of Life Database (BOLD) and GenBank] are thus linked together. Furthermore, we have developed several web‐based tools to automatically upload data into the system, control the quality of the sequences produced and facilitate the submission to online databases. This work is the result of a joint effort from several teams in the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN), but also from a collaborative network of taxonomists and molecular systematists outside the museum, resulting in the vouchering so far of ∼41 000 sequences and the production of ∼11 000 COI sequences.
Fine‐grained material of 81P/Wild 2 in interaction with the Stardust aerogel
Authors: LEROUX Hugues
Published: January 2012

Abstract– The deceleration tracks in the Stardust aerogel display a wide range of morphologies, which reveal a large diversity of incoming particles from comet 81P/Wild 2. If the large and dense mineral grains survived the extreme conditions of hypervelocity capture, this was not the case for the fine‐grained material that is found strongly damaged within the aerogel. Due to their low mechanical strength, these assemblages were disaggregated, dispersed, and flash melted in the aerogel in walls of bulbous deceleration tracks. Their petrologic and mineralogical properties are found significantly modified by the flash heating of the capture. Originating from a quenched melt mixture of comet material and aerogel, the representative microstructure consists of silica‐rich glassy clumps containing Fe‐Ni‐S inclusions, vesicles and “dust‐rich” patches, the latter being remnants of individual silicate components of the impacting aggregate. The average composition of these melted particle fragments is close to the chondritic CI composition. They might originate from ultrafine‐grained primitive components comparable to those found in chondritic porous IDPs. Capture effects in aerogel and associated sample biases are discussed in terms of size, chemical and mineralogical properties of the grains. These properties are essential for the grain survival in the extremely hot environment of hypervelocity impact capture in aerogel, and thus for inferring the correct properties of Wild 2 material.
Maribo—A new CM fall from Denmark
Authors: HAACK Henning , GRAU Thomas , BISCHOFF Addi , HORSTMANN Marian , WASSON John , SØRENSEN Anton , LAUBENSTEIN Matthias , OTT Ulrich , PALME Herbert , GELLISSEN Marko , GREENWOOD Richard C. , PEARSON Victoria K. , FRANCHI Ian A. , GABELICA Zelimir , SCHMITT‐KOPPLIN Philippe
Published: January 2012

Abstract– Maribo is a new Danish CM chondrite, which fell on January 17, 2009, at 19:08:28 CET. The fall was observed by many eye witnesses and recorded by a surveillance camera, an all sky camera, a few seismic stations, and by meteor radar observatories in Germany. A single fragment of Maribo with a dry weight of 25.8 g was found on March 4, 2009. The coarse‐grained components in Maribo include chondrules, fine‐grained olivine aggregates, large isolated lithic clasts, metals, and mineral fragments (often olivine), and rare Ca,Al‐rich inclusions. The components are typically rimmed by fine‐grained dust mantles. The matrix includes abundant dust rimmed fragments of tochilinite with a layered, fishbone‐like texture, tochilinite–cronstedtite intergrowths, sulfides, metals, and carbonates often intergrown with tochilinite. The oxygen isotopic composition: (δ17O = −1.27‰; δ18O = 4.96‰; Δ17O = −3.85‰) plots at the edge of the CM field, close to the CCAM line. The very low Δ17O and the presence of unaltered components suggest that Maribo is among the least altered CM chondrites. The bulk chemistry of Maribo is typical of CM chondrites. Trapped noble gases are similar in abundance and isotopic composition to other CM chondrites, stepwise heating data indicating the presence of gas components hosted by presolar diamond and silicon carbide. The organics in Maribo include components also seen in Murchison as well as nitrogen‐rich components unique to Maribo.
The effects of disk building on the distributions of refractory materials in the solar nebula
Authors: YANG Le , CIESLA Fred J.
Published: January 2012

Abstract– Refractory materials, such as calcium‐aluminum‐rich inclusions (CAIs) and crystalline silicates, are widely found in chondritic meteorites as well as comets, taken as evidence for large‐scale mixing in the solar nebula. Most models for mixing in the solar nebula begin with a well‐formed protoplanetary disk. Here, we relax this assumption by modeling the formation and evolution of the solar nebula during and after the period when it accreted material from its parent molecular cloud. We consider how disk building impacts the long‐term evolution of the disk and the implications for grain transport and mixing within it. Our model shows that materials that formed before infall was complete could be preserved in primitive bodies, especially those that accreted in the outer disk. This potentially explains the discovery of refractory objects with low initial 26Al/27Al ratios in comets. Our model also shows that the highest fraction of refractory materials in meteorites formed around the time that infall stopped. Thus, we suggest that the calcium‐aluminum‐rich inclusions in chondrites would be dominated by the population that formed during the transition from class I to class II stage of young stellar objects. This helps us to understand the meaning of t = 0 in solar system chronology. Moreover, our model offers a possible explanation for the existence of isotopic variations observed among refractory materials—that the anomalous materials formed before the collapse of the parent molecular cloud was complete.
Sampling period, size and duration influence measures of bat species richness from acoustic surveys
Authors: Skalak Samuel L. , Sherwin Richard E. , Brigham R. Mark
Published: January 2012

1.  Understanding animal ecology depends on an ability to accurately inventory species. However, there are few quantitative data available, which allow for an assessment of the effectiveness of acoustic sampling methods for determining bat species richness.

2.  We assessed inventory efficiency, defined as the percentage of species detected per survey effort, using data from 7 to 9 Anabat bat detectors deployed concurrently between June 2008 and August 2009 at fixed locations. We examined sampling period and time of night to calculate the minimum duration of sampling effort required to detect the greatest percentage of species.

3.  In all cases, multiple survey nights at multiple sampling locations were necessary to detect higher levels of species richness using acoustic detectors. Additionally, continuous sampling throughout the night was important for detecting more species, especially during summer, fall and spring months.

4.  Species accumulation curves indicated that relatively few nights were needed to detect ‘common’ species at various sampling locations (2–5 nights on average); however, longer sample periods (>45 nights) were necessary to detect ‘rare’ species at some sampling locations. Accumulation curves indicated that the number of detector locations positively influenced the number of species detected during surveys periods.

5. A priori knowledge of sampling effort is fundamental for designing biologically robust inventories. We make recommendations for improving the efficiency of acoustic surveys using analytical methods that are broadly applicable to a range of survey methods and taxa.
Functional rarefaction for species abundance data
Authors: Ricotta Carlo , Pavoine Sandrine , Bacaro Giovanni , Acosta Alicia T. R.
Published: January 2012

1. Recently a number of rarefaction curves including information on species’ functional traits were proposed for those measures of functional diversity that monotonically increase with species richness.

2. Building on these methods, in this paper, we propose a functional rarefaction curve for species abundance data that is obtained using the classical diversity decomposition of the Rao quadratic diversity into alpha, beta and gamma diversity.

3. The proposed abundance‐based functional rarefaction is illustrated with one dedicated case study in sand dune communities in Italy.

4. Although we put emphasis on functional diversity only, because of its mathematical generality, the proposed method can be extended to virtually any abundance‐weighted concave measure for comparing diversity among habitats sampled with different effort.
Metrics for Evaluation and Design of Large-Displacement Linear-Motion Compliant Mechanisms
Authors: Mackay Allen B. , Smith David G. , Magleby Spencer P. , Jensen Brian D. , Howell Larry L.
Published: January 2012

This work introduces metrics for large-displacement linear-motion compliant mechanisms (LLCMs) that evaluate the performance tradeoff between displacement and off-axis stiffness. These metrics are nondimensionalized, consisting of relevant characteristics used to describe displacement, off-axis stiffness, actuation force, and size. Displacement is normalized by the footprint of the device, transverse stiffness by a new performance characteristic called virtual axial stiffness, and torsional stiffness by the characteristic torque. These metrics account for the variation of both axial and off-axis stiffness over the range of displacement. The metrics are demonstrated for several microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) that are sensitive to size because of high cost and off-axis stiffness because of function. The use of metrics in design is demonstrated in the design of an LLCM; the resulting design shows increased values for both the travel and transverse-stiffness metrics.
A Short Method to Compute Nusselt Numbers in Rectangular and Annular Channels With Any Ratio of Constant Heat Rate
Authors: Malon Alexandre , Muller Thierry
Published: January 2012

An analytic investigation of the thermal exchanges in channels is conducted with the prospect of building a simple method to determine the Nusselt number in steady, laminar or turbulent and monodimensional flow through rectangular and annular spaces with any ratio of constant and uniform heat rate. The study of the laminar case leads to explicit laws for the Nusselt number, while the turbulent case is solved using a Reichardt turbulent viscosity model resulting in an easy to solve one-dimensional ordinary differential equation system. This differential equation system is solved using a matlab based boundary value problems solver (bvp4c). A wide range of Reynolds, Prandtl, and radius ratios is explored with the prospect of building correlation laws allowing the computing of Nusselt numbers for any radius ratio. Those correlations are in good agreement with the literature. The correlations are also compared with a CFD analysis made on a case extracted from the Réacteur Jules Horowitz.
Science Translational Medicine
Podcast: 4 January 2012
Authors: Nicosia Alfredo , Colmone Angela
Published: January 2012

A conversation with Alfredo Nicosia about the discovery of new adenoviruses that will help to make better vaccines to treat human diseases.
Are children who play a sport or a musical instrument better at motor imagery than children who do not?: Figure 1
Authors: Dey Abhishikta , Barnsley Nadia , Mohan Rahul , McCormick Marianne , McAuley James H , Moseley G Lorimer
Published: January 2012

Objective

Playing a sport or a musical instrument is presumed to improve motor ability. One would therefore predict that children who play a sport or music are better at motor imagery tasks, which rely on an intact cortical proprioceptive representation and precise motor planning, than children who do not. The authors tested this prediction.

Methods

This study involved an online questionnaire and then a motor imagery task. The task measured the reaction time (RT) and the accuracy for left/right-hand judgements in children aged 5 to 17 years. Forty pictured hands (20 left), held in various positions and rotated zero, 90°, 180° or 270°, were displayed on a screen. Participants indicated whether the displayed hands were left or right by pressing keys on a keyboard.

Results

Fifty-seven children (30 boys; mean±SD age=10±3.3 years) participated. The mean±SD RT was 3015.4±1330.0 ms and the accuracy was 73.9±16.6%. There was no difference in RT between children who played sport, music, neither or both (four-level one-way analysis of variance, p=0.85). There was no difference in accuracy between groups either (Kruskal–Wallis, p=0.46). In a secondary analysis, participants whose parents rated them as being ‘clumsy’ were no slower (n.s.) but were about 25% less accurate than those rated coordinated or very coordinated (p<0.05).

Conclusion

The authors conclude against the intuitively sensible and widely held view that participation in a sport or music is associated with better cortical proprioceptive representation and motor planning. Secondary analyses suggest that parent-rated clumsiness is negatively related to motor imagery performance.
Renal Sinus Lipomatosis in Transplanted Kidneys: An Unusual Clinical Case
Authors: Apicella Luca , Vallone Gianfranco , Vitale Sossio , Garofalo Gianluca , Russo Luigi , Gallo Riccardo , Federico Stefano , Sabbatini Massimo
Published: January 2012

Renal sinus lipomatosis (RSL) represents an abnormal proliferation of the adipose tissue surrounding the renal pelvis of uncertain origin, associated with aging, obesity, steroid excess, infections, and calculosis. It represents a rare complication in transplanted kidneys, and, despite the accurate and prolonged radiological followup of transplanted organs, only a few cases of RSL have been described in graft recipients, with no remarkable effects on renal function. The diagnosis relies on ultrasonography (US), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and, finally, percutaneous biopsy. We describe the case of an extensive RSL in a 38-year-old renal transplant recipient, diagnosed by ultrasonography and computed tomography. The patient underwent a radiologic study because of an acute, asymptomatic renal impairment, that led to the diagnosis of a RSL of unusual dimensions, associated with a discrete hydronephrosis. Paradoxically, after a short course of steroids, the recovery of renal function and the partial resolution of calyceal dilatation were observed. The rarity of this affection, the need of a differential diagnosis with fat-containing tumors, and the possibility of parenchymal inflammation associated with RSL, potentially responsive to steroids, are also discussed.
A Pilot Study into the Effects of the CB1 Cannabinoid Receptor Agonist WIN55,212-2 or the Antagonist/Inverse Agonist AM251 on Sleep in Rats
Authors: Goonawardena Anushka V. , Plano Andrea , Robinson Lianne , Platt Bettina , Hampson Robert E. , Riedel Gernot
Published: January 2012

The plant cannabinoid Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and the endocannabinoid anandamide increase the amount of sleep via a CB1 receptor mediated mechanism. Here, we explored the use of a novel electroencephalogram (EEG) recording device based on wireless EEG microchip technology (Neurologger) in freely-moving rats, and its utility in experiments of cannabinoids-induced alterations of EEG/vigilance stages. EEG was recorded through epidural electrodes placed above pre-frontal and parietal cortex (overlaying the dorsal hippocampus). As cannabinoids, we acutely administered the full synthetic CB1 receptor agonist, WIN55,212-2 (1 mg/kg), and the antagonist/inverse agonist, AM251 (2 mg/kg), either alone or together through the intraperitoneal route. WIN55,212-2 increased the total amount of NREM sleep and the length of each NREM bout, but this was unlikely due to CB1 receptor activation since it was not prevented by AM251. However, WIN55,212-2 also lowered overall EEG spectral power especially in theta and alpha frequency bands during wakefulness and NREM sleep, and this effect was reversed by AM251. The antagonist/inverse agonist caused no sleep alterations by itself and moderately increased spectral power in Theta, alpha and beta frequency bands during NREM sleep when administered on its own. Implications of endocannabinoid modulation of the sleep-wake cycle and its possible interactions with other transmitter systems are considered.
Epididymo-Orchitis as a Presenting Feature of Relapsing Polychondritis: A Case Report
Authors: Bhamra Kuljeet , Weerasinghe Rachel , Steuer Alan
Published: January 2012

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare multisystem disease. It is characterized by recurrent inflammation of cartilaginous structures including the ears, nose, tracheo-bronchial tree and peripheral joints. Proteoglycan-rich structures such as the heart, eyes and blood vessels can also be affected. Systemic symptoms including fever, weight loss and lethargy are common. RP is difficult to diagnose as it presents in a wide variety of ways and there is no diagnostic test. Corticosteroids are the mainstay of treatment but other immunosuppressive drugs can be used in combination with steroids. We present an unusual presentation of RP.
Hepatoprotective Effects of Total Triterpenoids and Total Flavonoids fromVitis viniferaL against Immunological Liver Injury in Mice
Authors: Liu Tao , Zhao Jun , Ma Long , Ding Yusong , Su Deqi
Published: January 2012

Suosuo grape (the fruits ofVitis viniferaL) has been used for prevention and treatment of liver diseases in Uighur folk medicine in China besides its edible value. In this study, the hepatoprotective effects of total triterpenoids (VTT) and total flavonoids (VTF) from Suosuo grape were evaluated in Bacille-Calmette-Guerin- (BCG-) plus-lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced immunological liver injury (ILI) in mice. Various dose groups (50, 150, and 300 mg/kg) of VTT and VTF alleviated the degree of liver injury of ILI mice, effectively reduced the BCG/LPS-induced elevated liver index and spleen index, hepatic nitric oxide (NO), and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, increased liver homogenate alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, and restored hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in ILI mice. VTT and VTF also significantly inhibited intrahepatic expression of Th1 cytokines (IFN-γand IL-2) in ILI mice and increased intrahepatic expression of Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10). Moreover, the increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was significantly downregulated by VTT and VTF in liver tissue of ILI mice. These results are comparable to those of biphenyl dicarboxylate (DDB, the reference hepatoprotective agent) and suggest that VTT and VTF play a protective role against immunological liver injury, which may have important implications for our understanding of the immunoregulatory mechanisms of this plant.
The uncut jade: Differing views of the potential of expert users on staff training and rehabilitation programmes for service users in Hong Kong
Authors: Ng Roger M. K. , Pearson Veronica , Pang Yin Wan , Wong N. S. , Wong N. C. , Chan F. M.
Published: January 2012

Background:

Service user participation in direct service provision and evaluation has been developing in the western world in the past 20 years. However, this recovery-based care model is relatively new in Asia.

Aim:

To understand the views and perceptions of the service users and of psychiatric nurses about the recruitment of peer specialists in a regional psychiatric unit in Hong Kong.

Method:

A qualitative study using probe questions to understand the above issues in the form of focus group discussion. A total of 13 psychiatric nurses and 16 mental health service users were recruited from a regional psychiatric unit for the study.

Results:

Content analysis based loosely on grounded theory has identified several important themes. While service users are generally enthusiastic about the potential contribution of peer specialists in a service setting, they are much concerned about rejection and discrimination by the psychiatric staff. Psychiatric nurses are also sceptical about the involvement of peer specialists in the delivery of service, although for an entirely different set of reasons. In view of the divergent views of the service users and the psychiatric nurses, a second round of focus group discussion was conducted seven months later to understand whether the themes distilled were consistent with their views expressed in the first round of focus group discussion.

Conclusion:

It is encouraging is that, for those psychiatric nurses who worked with volunteer service users in the pilot scheme of ‘expert user participation’, there was a change in view towards positive acceptance about peer specialist involvement in service delivery. The study provides some insight into the potential obstacles to and opportunities in the implementation of peer specialist services in routine psychiatric services in Hong Kong.
Of Ens ’n’ Ands: Observations on the Phonetic Make-up of a Coordinator and its Uses in Talk-in-Interaction
Authors: Barth-Weingarten Dagmar
Published: January 2012

In grammar books, the various functions of and as phrasal coordinator and clausal conjunction are treated as standard knowledge. In addition, studies on the uses of and in everyday talk-in-interaction have described its discourse-organizational functions on a more global level. In the phonetic literature, in turn, a range of phonetic forms of and have been listed. Yet, so far few studies have related the phonetic features of and to its function. This contribution surveys a range of phonetic forms of and in a corpus of private American English telephone conversations. It shows that the use of forms such as [ænd], [ɛn], or [ən], among others, is not random but, in essence, correlates with the syntactic-pragmatic scope of and and the cognitive closeness of the items the and connects. This, in turn, allows the phonetic design of and to contribute to the organization of turn-taking. The findings presented are based on conversation-analytic and interactional-linguistic methodology, which includes quantitative analyses.
Examining Cultural Similarities and Differences in Responses to Advice
Authors: Feng Bo , Feng Hairong
Published: January 2012

The present study compared and contrasted American and Chinese college students’ responses to advice by examining the impact of perceived advice content features (response efficacy, feasibility, absence of limitations) and source characteristics (expertise, trustworthiness, liking) on recipient’s evaluation of advice quality and intention to implement advice in each cultural group. American ( N = 262) and Chinese college students ( N = 319) completed questionnaires reporting on a recent instance of receiving advice with regard to a personal problem. Across both cultural groups, each of the perceived content and source features was positively associated with participants’ evaluation of advice quality and intention to follow advice, and perceived content features had stronger and more direct influence on responses to advice than source characteristics did. Perceived content features had a stronger impact on Americans’ intention to implement advice than they did for Chinese, whereas perceived source characteristics had a stronger impact on Chinese’ intention to implement advice than they did for Americans.
The availability of open access journals in the humanities and social sciences in China
Authors: Hu Dehau
Published: January 2012

We identified and analysed the 147 journals offering open access (OA) among the 2960 scholarly journals indexed by the Chinese National Knowledge Information (CNKI) database in the humanities and social sciences. Data were analysed concerning each journal’s organizer, discipline, publishing cycle, areas, regions or provinces covered, and first date that content was offered free of charge, together with the journal’s website construction, the way full text was accessed, and the time delay in publication. On the basis of the survey results, we identify key challenges and problems associated with OA journals in the humanities and social sciences in China, and we outline development strategies to address these issues, including actively promoting the transition of scholarly journals from print form to OA, speeding up network construction of OA journals, and enhancing the functionality of the OA journals’ websites.
The effect of policy on end-of-life care practice within nursing care homes: A systematic review
Authors: Kinley Julie , Froggatt Katherine , Bennett Michael I
Published: January 2012

Background:

The number of older people in the UK is increasing. A significant proportion of end of life care for this population is currently provided and will increasingly be provided within nursing care homes.

Aim:

To identify the impact of implementing end of life care policy with regard to the use of the Gold Standards Framework in Care Homes programme, the Liverpool Care Pathway (or an Integrated Care Pathway) and educational/training interventions to support the provision of end of life care within nursing care homes within the UK.

Design:

Systematic literature review of published literature and reports.

Data sources:

An electronic search was undertaken of five databases-Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science and the Cochrane library and websites of government and palliative care organisations for papers and reports published between 2000 to June 2010. The reference lists of studies that were retrieved for the detailed evaluation were hand-searched for any additional relevant citations.. Only studies that included comparative outcome data were eligible for inclusion.

Results:

Eight papers/reports, incorporating information from three studies were identified. Two studies reported on the implementation of the Gold Standards Framework in Care Homes programme and one the implementation of an Integrated Care Pathway for the last days of life. Improvements occurred in resident outcomes and in relation to staff recognising, managing and meeting residents needs for end of life care.

Conclusions:

The studies provided limited evidence on improved outcomes following the implementation of these interventions. Further research is needed, both within the UK and internationally, that measures the process and impact of implementing these initiatives.
The landscape of blogging in palliative care
Authors: Lowney AC , O’Brien T
Published: January 2012

We present the case of a 30-year-old patient with pontine glioblastoma multiforme, World Health Organisation grade IV (WHO IV). This case is of particular interest in terms of the patient’s use of social media as a medium of expression. This popular form of communication raises important clinical, ethical and social issues relating to confidentiality and the nature of the physician–patient relationship in a unique context.