bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Retrospective study of oral lichen planus and allergy to spearmint oil
Authors: Gunatheesan Shyamalar , Tam Mei Mui , Tate Bruce , Tversky Jonathan , Nixon Rosemary
Published: June 2012

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disorder with significant morbidity, associated with symptoms of pain and local discomfort. The concept of contact allergy aggravating or inducing OLP is recognised, and reported allergens include amalgam, metals used in dental restoration and flavourings. To date there has been only one case report of a contact allergy to spearmint oil in a patient with a 3‐year history of OLP. We retrospectively reviewed our positive spearmint oil patch test data at the Skin and Cancer Foundation Victoria over a period of 11 years. In total 73 patients of the 1467 tested for allergy to spearmint oil had positive patch tests. The total number of patches tested during this time was 6134. Of the 73 positive reactions, 19 (26%) were classified as relevant, in that the patients had a history of using spearmint oil‐containing products. Coexisting OLP and a spearmint allergy were found in 14 of these 19 patients. All patients had erosive OLP and were female. Patients, especially women, with OLP recalcitrant to treatment should be patch tested to flavourings, especially spearmint oil. We believe that spearmint allergy should be considered a cause of OLP, or at least, of oral lichenoid reactions.
Do clinical characteristics and outcome in nonagenarians with a hip fracture differ from younger patients?
Authors: Vochteloo Anne JH , Borger van der Burg Boudewijn LS , Tuinebreijer Wim E , de Vries Mark R , Niggebrugge Arthur HP , Bloem Rolf M , Maier Andrea B , Nelissen Rob GHH , Pilot Peter
Published: June 2012

Aim:  To compare clinical characteristics and outcome of nonagenarian hip fracture patients with younger patients aged 65–89 years.

Methods:  This was a cohort follow‐up study of admissions for a hip fracture between 2005–2010 (mean follow up of 3.5 years) in two teaching hospitals in the Netherlands; 230 nonagenarians and 1014 patients aged 65–89 years were included. Clinical characteristics, adverse events, mobility and mortality were compared.

Results:  Nonagenarians were more likely to be female and anemic (both P < 0.001), and had more trochanteric fractures (P = 0.005). The number of American Society of Anesthesiologists III/VI classified patients did not differ between the two groups. During the hospital stay, adverse events were more frequently observed in nonagenarians compared with younger patients (P < 0.001). The length of stay was significantly longer in nonagenarians (P < 0.001), and the 90‐day readmission rate was similar. Absolute mortality was higher in nonagenarians (P < 0.001), excess mortality, however, was comparable. Before admission, 40.0% of the nonagenarians lived in their own home, and 40.9% had returned 3 months postfracture. The rate of returning to their own home was lower compared with younger patients (P < 0.001). Prefracture mobility was worse in nonagenarians compared with the younger group, but 3 months after discharge, the number of patients that regained prefracture mobility was comparable in both age groups.

Conclusions:  Nonagenarian hip fracture patients differ significantly from younger patients aged 65–89 years with respect to clinical characteristics and long‐term outcome. However, almost half of the nonagenarians returned to their own home and more than half regained their prefracture level of mobility. Given these findings, prevention strategies for hip fracture and adverse events during hospital stay that focus particularly on frail nonagenarians are highly recommended. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2013; 13: 190–197.
Cerebral regional oxygen saturation (crSO2): are different sensors comparable?
Authors: Morris Nicholas , Pichler Gerhard , Pocivalnik Mirjam , Brandner Anna , Müller Wilhelm , Urlesberger Berndt
Published: June 2012

Background:  For measurement of cerebral regional oxygen saturation (crSO2) in neonates, one of the frequently used near‐infrared spectroscopy devices is the INVOS 5100 with either the neonatal or pediatric sensor. Measurements between adult and pediatric sensors use different algorithms and differ by 10%. There are no published data comparing neonatal and pediatric sensors.

Objective:  Aim of this study was to compare the neonatal sensor with the pediatric sensor of the INVOS 5100 device in a mixed cohort of neonates to recognize possible differences and enable interpretation of data.

Methods:  In 40 neonates, crSO2 was measured in identical positions using both the neonatal and the pediatric sensor under identical conditions. Each sensor was reapplied five times to calculate mean values and standard deviations.

Results:  Cerebral regional oxygen saturation measurements using the neonatal sensor (mean, 76.1 ± 7.9) and crSO2 measurements using the pediatric sensor (mean, 76.4 ± 8.1) were not different. Reproducibility was not significantly different with similar means of standard deviations (neonatal, 3.7 ± 1.6; pediatric, 3.1 ± 1.3).

Conclusion:  In a mixed cohort of neonates, crSO2 measurements were identical when using the INVOS 5100 neonatal sensor and the pediatric sensor. We conclude that studies using the INVOS 5100 neonatal or pediatric sensor are well comparable.
Molecular characterization of atypical Chlamydia and evidence of their dissemination in different European and Asian chicken flocks by specific real‐time PCR
Authors: Zocevic Aleksandar , Vorimore Fabien , Marhold Cvetka , Horvatek Danijela , Wang Dongying , Slavec Brigita , Prentza Zoi , Stavianis Grigorios , Prukner‐Radovcic Estella , Dovc Alenka , Siarkou Victoria I. , Laroucau Karine
Published: June 2012

Chlamydia psittaci is a zoonotic pathogen associated primarily with avian chlamydiosis. New chlamydial agents with suspected zoonotic potential were recently detected from domestic poultry in Germany and France indicating that the spectrum of Chlamydiaceae encountered in birds is not confined to a single chlamydial species. For further characterization, a specific real‐time PCR targeting the conserved 16S rRNA gene was developed and validated for a specific detection of these atypical Chlamydiaceae. In order to address the epidemiological importance of the new chlamydial agents and their distribution, Chlamydiaceae‐positive chicken samples collected from flocks from five different countries were examined. The results confirmed that C. psittaci is not the predominant chlamydial species among chickens examined and suggested that the new chlamydial agents could putatively be widespread in poultry flocks (France, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia and China at least) justifying their systematic investigation when poultry samples are submitted to laboratories for avian chlamydiosis diagnosis. Besides, 16S rRNA‐based dendrogram, including sequences from both isolates of the new chlamydial agents or positive samples as well as representative sequences from species belonging to the order Chlamydiales, showed the new chlamydial agents to form a distinct line of descent separated from those of other chlamydial species, but clearly grouped within the family Chlamydiaceae. Finally, the phylogenetic tree inferred from the multi‐locus sequence typing based on four housekeeping fragments (gatA, gidA, enoA and hflX) and the ompA‐based dendrogram showed an almost identical topology of the new chlamydial agents with that recovered by 16S rRNA‐based dendrogram. Interestingly, partial ompA gene sequences displayed considerable diversity among isolates.
Ecological niche separation in the Polynucleobacter subclusters linked to quality of dissolved organic matter: a demonstration using a high sensitivity cultivation‐based approach
Authors: Watanabe Keiji , Komatsu Nobuyuki , Kitamura Tatsumi , Ishii Yuichi , Park Ho‐Dong , Miyata Ryo , Noda Naohiro , Sekiguchi Yuji , Satou Takayuki , Watanabe Mirai , Yamamura Shigeki , Imai Akio , Hayashi Seiji
Published: June 2012

The free‐living, cosmopolitan, freshwater betaproteobacterial bacterioplankton genus Polynucleobacter was detected in different years in 11 lakes of varying types and a river using the size‐exclusion assay method (SEAM). Of the 350 strains isolated, 228 (65.1%) were affiliated with the Polynucleobacter subclusters PnecC (30.0%) and PnecD (35.1%). Significant positive correlations between fluorescence in situ hybridization and SEAM data were observed in the relative abundance of PnecC and PnecD bacteria to Polynucleobacter communities (PnecC + PnecD). Isolates were mainly PnecC bacteria in the samples with a high specific UV absorbance at 254 nm (SUVA254), and a low total hydrolysable neutral carbohydrate and amino acid (THneutralCH + THAA) content of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) fraction, which is known to be correlated with a high humic content. In contrast, the PnecD bacteria were abundant in samples with high chlorophyll a and/or THneutralCH + THAA concentrations, indicative of primary productivity. With few exceptions, differences in the relative abundance of PnecC and PnecD in each sample, determined using a high‐sensitivity cultivation‐based approach, were due to DOM quality. These results suggest that the major DOM component in the field, which is allochthonously or autochthonously derived, is a key factor for ecological niche separation between PnecC and PnecD subclusters.
Les déterminants de la signature des contrats de travail et de l’affiliation à la sécurité sociale au Cameroun
Authors: Fomba Kamga Benjamin
Published: June 2012

Résumé:  L’objectif de ce travail est d’évaluer et d’analyser les déterminants de la signature d’un contrat de travail particulier au recrutement ainsi que l’affiliation de l’employéà la sécurité sociale. Les caractères écrit ou verbal et la durée déterminée ou indéterminée des contrats de travail sont pris en compte. Ces caractéristiques des contrats de travail sont considérées simultanément avec l’affiliation de l’employéà la sécurité sociale pour construire les différents états du marché. L’analyse des données est faite à l’aide d’une matrice de transition et d’un modèle logit multinomial. Les résultats obtenus montrent que: partir d’un contrat à durée indéterminée (CDI) avec affiliation à la sécurité sociale (SS), la probabilité pour l’employé d’être recruté sous CDI avec SS est de 62% alors que celle d’y être sous contrat verbal sans SS est de 4%. Sur le plan économétrique, le fait d’avoir été sous CDI avec SS augmente de 37,53% la probabilité d’être recruté sous CDI avec SS alors que celle d’être recruté sous contrat verbal avec SS diminue de 18,16%.
Access to Improved Water Sources and Rural Productivity: Analytical Framework and Cross‐country Evidence
Authors: Kiendrebeogo Youssouf
Published: June 2012

Abstract:  In this study we address the issue of access to drinking water in rural areas related to agricultural productivity performance. Considering an agricultural household model as our basic conceptual framework, we analyze the theoretical aspects of increasing the access rate to drinking water on agricultural productivity. First, we show that the increased access rate to drinking water is conducive to agricultural productivity due to increased intrinsic productivity of individuals and additional gain in time for agricultural production. Second, it transpires that the constraints on the access to drinking water may be costly in terms of decreased productivity and well‐being of rural people. Furthermore, based on a sample of 27 African countries over the period 1990–2010, estimation results do not reject the assumption that increasing access to drinking water has a positive effect on rural productivity growth. This positive effect is reinforced by the presence of a better sanitation system, even after controlling for country‐specific effects and for the characteristics of rural areas.
Implicit Taxation of Agriculture: The Cause of Development Failure  in Egypt
Authors: Grabowski Richard
Published: June 2012

Abstract:  Egypt has been unable to sustain rapid economic growth in the past, nor has it been able to generate employment opportunities at a fast enough rate to keep unemployment from rising. It will be argued in this paper that this has been the result of significant implicit taxation of the agricultural sector. The latter has slowed the structural transformation of the Egyptian economy, increased the capital intensity of production in the urban sector, and slowed overall economic growth. The Egyptian experience is contrasted with that of South Korea and Taiwan. The results indicate that indeed structural change in Egypt has been slowed by the implicit taxation of agriculture.
Veto Players, the Policy-Making Environment and the Expression of Authoritarian Attitudes
Authors: Singh Shane P. , Dunn Kris P.
Published: June 2012

The number of veto players – actors with the ability to halt a change to the status quo – is consistently linked to the fluidity of the policy-making process across countries. Building upon previous work on authoritarianism, we theorize that the nature of the policy-making process, as influenced by the number of veto players, serves to shape attitudes among the public. Specifically, we argue that fractionalization of powerful political actors leads to a conflictual policy-making process, which in turn exacerbates the expression of authoritarian attitudes among those predisposed to such by portraying an image of a heterogeneous and divided society. To test this, we gather data on thousands of individuals and several countries from the World Values Survey and other sources. Results indicate that those with authoritarian predispositions are much more likely to express authoritarian attitudes where the number of veto players is high, where the preferences of these players are diverse and where the overall capacity for political change is diminished.
NEW URBAN CENTRES IN THE NETHERLANDS
Authors: VAN DER HEIJDE PIETER
Published: June 2012

Over the last 50 years, intense urbanisation has taken place in the Netherlands. This has resulted in the development of many polycentric urban regions, which consist of historic core centres, other historic centres as well as new urban centres (NUCs). Focusing on NUCs in Dutch city regions, this paper presents the results of a research project analysing the number and spatial structure of NUCs, examines their functional composition and explains the different types of centres that exist. The paper also analyses the level of centrality of the NUCs. The main finding is that functional composition is related to the type of area in which NUCs are built: district centres, villages, new towns, transition areas or university areas. With a character that is much narrower than that of core centres, the NUCs house a lower diversity of functions, fewer facilities serving an area larger than central districts, and a limited number of public transport modes.
THE PROBLEM OF SHAME IN CHRISTA WOLF'S STADT DER ENGEL ODER THE OVERCOAT OF DR. FREUD
Authors: Gallagher Kaleen
Published: June 2012

This article examines Christa Wolf's final novel, Stadt der Engel oder The Overcoat of Dr. Freud, in the context of the rest of her œuvre. It argues that the central crisis faced by the narrator is one of shame, brought on by the revelation that she briefly served as an ‘Informeller Mitarbeiter’ of the Stasi in her youth. The fact that she had managed to ‘forget’ this embarrassing experience for decades only makes her eventual humiliation all the greater, since she is a famous novelist who had used her writing to construct an identity for herself as a moral authority and memory expert – both qualities which are now radically called into question. As the narrator struggles to confront her past from a self‐imposed Californian exile, the text comes to resemble a ‘writing cure’. Yet it is one which does not quite succeed, for the novel remains structured by a disavowal which is rooted in shame. The fact that the text does not achieve ‘Vergangenheitsbewältigung’, however, should not be seen as an artistic failure; instead, this article contends that it should be read as a labyrinthine work whose power derives precisely from the fact that the conflict it depicts remains unresolved.

Der vorliegende Artikel liest Christa Wolfs letzten Roman Stadt der Engel oder The Overcoat of Dr. Freud im Kontext ihres Gesamtwerks. Er arbeitet die zentrale Krise der Erzählerin als eine der Scham heraus, ausgelöst durch das Bekanntwerden der Tatsache, dass sie als junge Frau vorübergehend ‘Informelle Mitarbeiterin’ der Stasi war. Dass sie dies jahrzehntelang ‘vergessen’ konnte, macht ihre schließliche Demütigung umso größer, da sie eine bekannte Schriftstellerin ist, die sich durch ihre Arbeit eine Identität als moralische Instanz sowie Erinnerungsexpertin konstruiert hat – beides Qualitäten, die nun radikal in Frage gestellt werden. Infolge ihrer Anstrengungen, sich im selbstauferlegten kalifornischen Exil ihrer Vergangenheit zu stellen, beginnt der Text einer ‘Schreibkur’ zu ähneln. Diese ist jedoch von begrenztem Erfolg: der Roman wird durch eine in der Scham verankerte Verleugnung strukturiert. Trotzdem sollte die Tatsache, dass der Text persönliche wie auch politische Vergangenheit unbewältigt lässt, nicht als künstlerisches Scheitern gewertet werden. Stattdessen plädiert der Artikel dafür, dass Stadt der Engel als ein labyrinthisches Werk interpretiert werden sollte, dessen Kraft gerade darauf beruht, dass der Konflikt, den er darstellt, ungelöst bleibt.
Urban Population Development in Europe, 1991–2008: The Examples of Poland and the UK
Authors: KABISCH NADJA , HAASE DAGMAR , HAASE ANNEGRET
Published: June 2012

Across Europe, there is a complex mosaic of urban population development. Characterized by great diversity and heterogeneity, this development does not follow a common pattern and cannot be attributed to specific regional trends (e.g. Eastern or Western European geographic location, or post‐socialist, old industrial or developed capitalist economic models). In this article, we show how this mosaic can be explained, relating it to various driving forces and overarching processes. Using a multilevel approach and looking at the period 1991–2008, we identified various European city population growth or decline clusters; these indicated that urban population development does not necessarily follow strictly national lines. Further, we argue that similar clusters of growing and declining cities may occur within European countries as diverse as Poland and the UK. Overarching driving forces such as demographic change interfere with national specificity and the peculiarities of local settings. The most significant finding of this article is that overlapping driving forces currently lead in their interplay to diverging courses of urban population development on different spatial scales (and will probably continue to do so in future).

L'évolution de la population urbaine en Europe se présente comme une mosaïque complexe. Caractérisée par une diversité et une hétérogénéitéélevées, elle n'obéit à aucun schéma commun et ne peut être attribuée à aucune tendance régionale précise (comme la situation géographique en Europe de l'Est ou de l'Ouest, ou bien les modèles économiques post‐socialistes, industriels anciens ou capitalistes développés). Il est possible d'expliquer cette mosaïque en la reliant à divers facteurs moteurs et processus dominants. Une approche à plusieurs niveaux et l'étude de la période 1991–2008 permettent d'identifier différents pôles de croissance et de déclin de la population dans les villes européennes. Ceux‐ci indiquent que la population urbaine ne suit pas forcément les tendances nationales. En outre, des pôles similaires de villes en croissance et en déclin peuvent exister dans des pays aussi distincts que la Pologne et le Royaume‐Uni. Les dynamiques dominantes, telles que les changements démographiques, interfèrent avec la spécificité nationale et les particularités des contextes locaux. La conclusion la plus importante de ce travail est que ces dynamiques superposées viennent se conjuguer pour créer, selon l'échelon spatial, des trajectoires distinctes d'évolution de la population urbaine (ce qu'elles continueront sans doute de faire à l'avenir).
The role of botulinum toxin A and abduction bracing in the management of hip development in children with cerebral palsy
Authors: THEOLOGIS TIM
Published: June 2012

This commentary is on the original article by Willoughby et al. on pages 743‐747 of this issue
Relationship Between Vitamin B12 and Sensory and Motor Peripheral Nerve Function in Older Adults
Authors: Leishear Kira , Boudreau Robert M. , Studenski Stephanie A. , Ferrucci Luigi , Rosano Caterina , de Rekeneire Nathalie , Houston Denise K. , Kritchevsky Stephen B. , Schwartz Ann V. , Vinik Aaron I. , Hogervorst Eva , Yaffe Kristine , Harris Tamara B. , Newman Anne B. , Strotmeyer Elsa S. ,   for the Health,  Aging and Body Composition Study
Published: June 2012

Objectives

To examine whether deficient B12 status or low serum B12 levels are associated with worse sensory and motor peripheral nerve function in older adults.

Design

Cross‐sectional.

Setting

Health, Aging and Body Composition Study.

Participants

Two thousand two hundred and eighty‐seven adults aged 72 to 83 (mean 76.5 ± 2.9; 51.4% female; 38.3% black).

Measurements

Low serum B12 was defined as serum B12 less than 260 pmol/L, and deficient B12 status was defined as B12 less than 260 pmol/L, methylmalonic acid (MMA) greater than 271 nmol/L, and MMA greater than 2‐methylcitrate. Peripheral nerve function was assessed according to peroneal nerve conduction amplitude and velocity (NCV) (motor), 1.4 g/10 g monofilament detection, average vibration threshold detection, and peripheral neuropathy symptoms (numbness, aching or burning pain, or both) (sensory).

Results

B12‐deficient status was found in 7.0% of participants, and an additional 10.1% had low serum B12 levels. B12 deficient status was associated with greater insensitivity to light (1.4 g) touch (odds ratio = 1.50, 95% confidence interval = 1.06–2.13) and worse NCV (42.3 vs 43.5 m/s) (β = −1.16, P = .01) after multivariable adjustment for demographics, lifestyle factors, and health conditions. Associations were consistent for the alternative definition using low serum B12 only. No significant associations were found for deficient B12 status or the alternative low serum B12 definition and vibration detection, nerve conduction amplitude, or peripheral neuropathy symptoms.

Conclusion

Poor B12 (deficient B12 status and low serum B12) is associated with worse sensory and motor peripheral nerve function. Nerve function impairments may lead to physical function declines and disability in older adults, suggesting that prevention and treatment of low B12 levels may be important to evaluate.
Natural and Synthetic Tyrosinase Inhibitors as Antibrowning Agents: An Update
Authors: Loizzo M. R. , Tundis R. , Menichini F.
Published: June 2012

Abstract:  Tyrosinase (EC 1.14.18.1), a copper‐containing enzyme, can cause enzymatic browning in raw fruits, vegetables, and beverages. Browning is an undesirable reaction that is responsible for less attractive appearance and loss in nutritional quality. These phenomena have encouraged researchers to seek new potent tyrosinase inhibitors for use in the food industry. This article reviews recent studies on tyrosinase inhibitors of natural and synthetic origins. The information offered here should help food industry in developing and using potential tyrosinase inhibitors desirable efficacy and safety, and for improving food quality.
Dreaming Sexed Identities and Althusser
Authors: MAGEO JEANETTE‐MARIE
Published: June 2012

Dreams, this article argues, are imaginative experiments in which people think and feel through culturally prescribed identities. Dreams often dramatize the scene of what Althusser calls “interpellation”: they depict how others in a culture “hail” the person and thus position her in power relations. Yet, dreamers also explore potential transgressive identities and dream plots play out the probable consequences of assuming these identities in the waking world.
Boasian Legacies in Linguistic Anthropology: A Centenary Review of 2011
Authors: Ball Christopher
Published: June 2012

ABSTRACT  I review scholarship in linguistic anthropology produced in 2011 with attention to the continuing influence of Franz Boas' program for the anthropology of language laid out in his 1911 “Introduction” to the Handbook of American Indian Languages. Although the aims of linguistics and cultural anthropology have changed, many of the tenets of the Boas plan remain central to the subdiscipline of linguistic anthropology. The scope of linguistic anthropological inquiry today includes more than language as denotational code, covering practices of signification and communication in their social and cultural contexts. This expansion has brought new perspectives to the questions pursued by Boas and his students, and this review considers the current place of topics such as indigenous language change, language and race, linguistic relativity, and secondary rationalization alongside approaches to performativity, intertextuality, circulation, and semiotic mediation with an eye to the Americanist legacy of the subdiscipline. [Franz Boas, intertextuality, relativity, ritual performativity, race].
The Madness of Mothers: Agape Love and the Maternal Myth in Northeast Brazil
Authors: Mayblin Maya
Published: June 2012

ABSTRACT  In Northeast Brazil, the question of whether motherhood predisposes a woman to love her children, and whether children can be socialized effectively even in the absence of love, is a source of debate. I explore how motherhood references different configurations of the essential nature of things by charting how concepts of mother love map onto the Christian concept of agape. The analogical link between mother love and agape, I argue, offers people a set of conceptual tools for reflecting on a range of problems emerging from contrasting ontologies implicit within local forms of Christianity. Problems include the nature of the human‐divine relation, the concept of primal animation, and the profound imbalance of power that a creature‐Creator relationship entails. Debates about motherhood can thus be understood in terms of “ontopraxis,” whereby social agents situate themselves in relation to shared ontological categories and negotiate ambiguous and even contradictory cosmological schemes. [motherhood, love, Christianity, ontopraxis, agape]

RESUMO  Do Nordeste rural do Brasil, a questão se a maternidade predispõe uma mulher para amar seus filhos e, se as crianças podem ser socializados de forma eficaz, mesmo na ausência de amor, é uma fonte de incerteza e debate. Neste artigo, exploro como a maternidade referencia diferentes configurações da natureza essencial das coisas, traçando como o amor de mãe, para a população local, se aproxima do conceito cristão de amor ágape. A ligação analógica entre amor de mãe e amor ágape, em minha opinião, oferece às pessoas um conjunto de ferramentas conceituais para refletir sobre uma série de problemas que emergem no contraste entre ontologias implícitas nas formas locais do cristianismo. Tais problemas incluem a natureza da relação humano–divino, o conceito de animação primal, e o profundo desequilíbrio de poder que um relacionamento criatura–criador implica. Debates sobre a maternidade, em minha opinião, falam para além das mães. Eles também podem ser entendidas em termos de “ontopraxis,” pelo qual os agentes sociais situam‐se em relação a categorias ontológicas compartilhadas, e negociam, ambíguos e, às vezes, até mesmo contraditórios, esquemas cosmológicos.
Limitations of Language for Conveying Navigational Knowledge: Way‐Finding in the Southeastern Solomon Islands
Authors: Feinberg and Richard , Genz Joseph
Published: June 2012

ABSTRACT Investigators have tended to view navigation either through the lens of cognition or of experience and embodiment. The cognitive approach assumes that perceptually salient aspects of the environment are mapped and retrieved in the mind (so‐called cognitive mapping). The alternative is that navigators “feel” their way by ongoing sensations of movement, assessing their position through the sequential, temporal order in which salient environmental information is perceived. Recently, others have challenged models of knowledge that analytically separate cognitive and experiential modalities of knowing, suggesting that the navigator combines cognitive with visual, auditory, and kinesthetic information into an integrated whole. Such a holistic approach to spatial orientation and way‐finding raises an important methodological challenge to cognitive anthropology, as certain forms of knowledge are not easily expressed in words. This is particularly true of kinesthetic knowledge of a canoe's motion, which provides navigators with an indirect assessment of wave patterns. Here, we explore one of the authors’ observations during a voyage with a demonstrably accomplished navigator from the Solomon Islands’ Temotu Province who, nonetheless, appeared to provide inconsistent and self‐contradictory accounts of his surroundings and performance. [Polynesia, navigation, spatial orientation, cognition]
Overexpression of HIF Prolyl‐Hydoxylase‐2 transgene in the renal medulla induced a salt sensitive hypertension
Authors: Zhu Qing , Liu Miao , Han Wei‐Qing , Li Pin‐Lan , Wang Zhengchao , Li Ningjun
Published: June 2012

Renal medullary hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF)‐1α and its target genes, such as haem oxygenase and nitric oxide synthase, have been indicated to play an important role in the regulation of sodium excretion and blood pressure. HIF prolyl hydroxylase domain‐containing proteins (PHDs) are major enzymes to promote the degradation of HIF‐1α. We recently reported that high salt intake suppressed the renal medullary PHD2 expression and thereby activated HIF‐1α‐mediated gene regulation in the renal medulla in response to high salt. To further define the functional role of renal medullary PHD2 in the regulation of renal adaptation to high salt intake and the longer term control of blood pressure, we transfected PHD2 expression plasmids into the renal medulla in uninephrectomized rats and determined its effects on pressure natriuresis, sodium excretion after salt overloading and the long‐term control of arterial pressure after high salt challenge. It was shown that overexpression of PHD2 transgene increased PHD2 levels and decreased HIF‐1α levels in the renal medulla, which blunted pressure natriuresis, attenuated sodium excretion, promoted sodium retention and produced salt sensitive hypertension after high salt challenge compared with rats treated with control plasmids. There was no blood pressure change in PHD2‐treated rats that were maintained in low salt diet. These results suggested that renal medullary PHD2 is an important regulator in renal adaptation to high salt intake and a deficiency in PHD2‐mediated molecular adaptation in response to high salt intake in the renal medulla may represent a pathogenic mechanism producing salt sensitive hypertension.
Validation of the Swedish version of the incontinence impact questionnaire and the urogenital distress inventory
Authors: Franzén Karin , Johansson Jan‐Erik , Karlsson Jan , Nilsson Kerstin
Published: June 2012

Objective. To validate the Swedish versions of the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ‐7) and Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI‐6). Design and setting. Prospective study, university hospital. Population and method. We analyzed reliability, validity, and responsiveness in a clinical sample of 96 women with urinary incontinence. Main outcome measures. Construct and criterion validity, reliability via test–retest and internal consistency. Responsiveness via calculation of effect size. Result. Test–retest reliability ranged from moderate to almost perfect. Cronbach's alpha was 0.39 (UDI‐6) and 0.83 (IIQ‐7). Effect size calculation of change after treatment demonstrated good responsiveness. The effect size at six months was moderate in the Stress Urinary Incontinence group and small in the Urge Urinary Incontinence + Mixed Urinary Incontinence group. There was a moderate to strong correlation between UDI‐6 and IIQ‐7 and treatment satisfaction at six, 12, and 24 months for both groups. Conclusion. The UDI‐6 scale did not produce the same solid result in the psychometric analysis as the IIQ‐7 scale, but these newly translated Swedish forms of UDI‐6 and IIQ‐7 show good responsiveness and are easy to administer and to fill out.
Pleistocene climate changes shaped the divergence and demography of Asian populations of the great tit Parus major: evidence from phylogeographic analysis and ecological niche models
Authors: Zhao Na , Dai Chuanyin , Wang Wenjuan , Zhang Ruiying , Qu Yanhua , Song Gang , Chen Kai , Yang Xiaojun , Zou Fasheng , Lei Fumin
Published: June 2012

Different scales and frequencies of glaciations developed in Europe and Asia during the Pleistocene. Because species’ responses to climate change are influenced by interactive factors including ecology and local topography, the pattern and tempo of species diversification may vary significantly across regions. The great tit Parus major is a widespread Eurasian passerine with a range that encircles the central Asian desert and high‐altitude areas of the Tibetan Plateau. A number of genetic studies have assessed the effect of paleo‐climate changes on the distribution of the European population. However, none have comprehensively addressed how paleo‐climate change affected the distribution of the great tit in China, an apparent hotspot of P. major subspecific diversity. Here, we describe likely paleo‐climatic effects on P. major populations in China based on a combination of phylogeography and ecological niche models (ENMs). We sequenced three mitochondrial DNA markers from 28 populations (213 individuals), and downloaded 112 sequences from outside its Chinese range. As the first step in clarifying the intra‐specific relationships among haplotypes, we attempted to clarify the divergence and demography of populations in China. Phylogeographic analysis revealed that P. major is comprised of five highly divergent clades with geographic breaks corresponding to steep mountains and dry deserts. A previously undescribed monophyletic clade with high genetic diversity, stable niches and a long and independent evolutionary history was detected in the mountainous areas of southwest China. The estimated times at which these clades diverged was traced back to the Early‐Middle Pleistocene (2.19–0.61 mya). Contrary to the post‐LGM (the Last Glacial Maximum) expansion of European populations, demographic history indicates that Asian populations expanded before the LGM after which they remained relatively stable or grew slowly through the LGM. ENMs support this conclusion and predict a similar distribution in the present and the LGM. Our genetic and ecological results demonstrate that Pleistocene climate changes shaped the divergence and demography of P. major in China.
Juvenile survival in common loonsGavia immer: effects of natal lake size and pH
Authors: Piper Walter H. , Grear Jason S. , Meyer Michael W.
Published: June 2012

Survival is a vexing parameter to measure in many young birds because of dispersal and delayed impacts of natal rearing conditions on fitness. Drawing upon marking and resighting records from an 18‐yr study of territorial behavior, we used Cormack–Jolly–Seber analysis with Program MARK to estimate juvenile survival and its predictors in a population of common loonsGavia immer. In addition, we investigated predictors of chick mass, survival and inter‐sibling size disparity in two‐chick broods. Both small size and low pH of natal lakes predicted poor survival among chicks and juveniles; thus, features of the natal environment have both immediate and lasting effects on fitness. The pH × stage interaction retained in our MARK models indicates that the detrimental impact of lake chemistry on fitness diminishes with time; the retention of pH × lake size as a predictor of chick mass and condition pinpoints small lakes as those where acidity impacts chicks most severely. Our adjusted estimate of 0.53 probability of for survival to age 3 suggests that loon populations are healthier than often supposed.
Evidence for strong assortative mating, limited gene flow, and strong differentiation across the blue‐footed/Peruvian booby hybrid zone in northern Peru
Authors: Taylor Scott A. , Anderson David J. , Zavalaga and Carlos B. , Friesen Vicki L.
Published: June 2012

Hybrid zones represent natural laboratories in which the processes of divergence and genetic isolation can be examined. The generation and maintenance of a hybrid zone requires mispairing and successful reproduction between organisms that differ in one or more heritable traits. Understanding the dynamics of hybridization between two species requires an understanding of the extent to which they have diverged genetically, the frequency of misparing and hybrid production, and the extent of introgression. Three hundred and twenty one blue‐footedSula nebouxiiand PeruvianS. variegataboobies from the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean were analyzed using 19 putatively neutral genetic markers to evaluate interspecific differentiation, to classify morphological hybrids using Bayesian assignments, and to characterize hybridization using cline theory and Bayesian assignments. The species were well differentiated at mitochondrial and nuclear microsatellites, the hybrid zone was bimodal (contained a high frequency of each parental species but a low frequency of hybrids), and morphologically intermediate individuals were most likely F1 hybrids resulting from mating between female Peruvian boobies and male blue‐footed boobies. Clines in allele frequency could be constrained to share a common geographic centre but could not be constrained to share a common width. Peruvian and blue‐footed boobies hybridize infrequently, potentially due to strong premating reproductive isolation; however, backcrossing appears to facilitate introgression from blue‐footed to Peruvian boobies in this hybrid system.
Habitat distribution of migratory and sedentary blackcapsSylvia atricapillawintering in southern Iberia: a morphological and biogeochemical approach
Authors: Hera Iván de la , Pérez‐Tris Javier , Tellería José Luis
Published: June 2012

In migratory species, the way in which conspecifics from different breeding populations are distributed during the non‐breeding period is important from and ecological, evolutionary and conservation perspective, but such knowledge is still limited for most species. Migratory and sedentary blackcapsSylvia atricapillawintering in southern Spain can occupy two habitat types: forests and shrublands. According to earlier studies, blackcaps prefer forests over shrublands, and residents remain nearly restricted to forests. However, whether migrants with different breeding origin occupy the two habitats differently is unknown. We used morphological and biogeochemical data (hydrogen isotope ratios measured on feathers: δ2Hf), which show variation along the breeding range of the species, to answer this question. Isotope analyses supported the reliability of morphology as a method for distinguishing between migratory and sedentary blackcaps in sympatry, showing that sedentary individuals are rare in shrublands while migratory ones are abundant in both habitat types. However, migratory blackcaps scored similar δ2Hfvalues in forests and shrublands, and neither did vary in structural size or flight morphology between habitats. Our study suggests that migrants from a wide range of breeding origins end up mixing between forests and shrublands, which may explain the patterns of variation in space and time in the abundance of blackcaps in this area, and supports the view that inequalities may arise among migrants with the same origin but wintering in different habitats. Such inequalities might carry over into other stages of blackcaps’ life cycle contributing to the regulation of its migratory populations.
Serum lipids modify periodontal infection ‐ C‐reactive protein association
Authors: Haro Anniina , Saxlin Tuomas , Suominen Anna‐Liisa , Ylöstalo Pekka , Leiviskä Jaana , Tervonen Tellervo , Knuuttila Matti
Published: June 2012

Aim

To investigate whether low‐grade inflammation‐related factors such as serum low‐density (LDL‐C) and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) modify the association between periodontal infection and C‐reactive protein.

Material and Methods

This study was based on a subpopulation of the Health 2000 Survey, which consisted of dentate, non‐diabetic, non‐rheumatic subjects who were 30–49 years old (n = 2710). The extent of periodontal infection was measured by means of the number of teeth with periodontal pocket ≥4 mm and teeth with periodontal pocket ≥6 mm and systemic inflammation using high sensitive C‐reactive protein.

Results

The extent of periodontal infection was associated with elevated levels of C‐reactive protein among those subjects whose HDL‐C value was below the median value of 1.3 mmol/l or LDL‐C above the median value of 3.4 mmol/l. Among those with HDL‐C ≥ 1.3 mmol/l or LDL‐C ≤ 3.4 mmol/l, the association between periodontal infection and serum concentrations of C‐reactive protein was practically non‐existent.

Conclusion

This study suggests that the relation of periodontal infection to the systemic inflammatory condition is more complicated than previously presumed. The findings of this study suggest that the possible systemic effect of periodontal infection is dependent on serum lipid composition.
PredictingEllenberg's soil moisture indicator value in theBavarianAlps using additive georegression
Authors: Häring Tim , Reger Birgit , Ewald Jörg , Hothorn Torsten , Schröder Boris
Published: June 2012

Questions

Can forest site characteristics be used to predictEllenberg indicator values for soil moisture? Which is the best averaged mean value for modelling? Does the distribution of soil moisture depend on spatial information?

Location

BavarianAlps,Germany.

Methods

We used topographic, climatic and edaphic variables to model the mean soil moisture value as found on 1505 forest plots from the databaseWINALPecobase. All predictor variables were taken from area‐wide geodata layers so that the model can be applied to some 250 000 ha of forest in the target region. We adopted methods developed in species distribution modelling to regionalizeEllenberg indicator values. Therefore, we use the additive georegression framework for spatial prediction ofEllenberg values with theR‐library mboost, which is a feasible way to consider environmental effects, spatial autocorrelation, predictor interactions and non‐stationarity simultaneously in our data. The framework is much more flexible than established statistical and machine‐learning models in species distribution modelling. We estimated five different mboost models reflecting different model structures on 50 bootstrap samples in each case.

Results

MedianR2values calculated on independent test samples ranged from 0.28 to 0.45. Our results show a significant influence of interactions and non‐stationarity in addition to environmental covariates. Unweighted mean indicator values can be modelled better than abundance‐weighted values, and the consideration of bryophytes did not improve model performance. Partial response curves indicate meaningful dependencies between moisture indicator values and environmental covariates. However, mean indicator values <4.5 and >6.0 could not be modelled correctly, since they were poorly represented in our calibration sample. The final map represents high‐resolution information of site hydrological conditions.

Conclusions

Indicator values offer an effect‐oriented alternative to physically‐based hydrological models to predict water‐related site conditions, even at landscape scale. The presented approach is applicable to all kinds ofEllenberg indicator values. Therefore, it is a significant step towards a new generation of models of forest site types and potential natural vegetation.
In Vitro Assessment of Primary Stability of Straumann® Implant Designs
Authors: Romanos Georgios E. , Ciornei Gabriela , Jucan Adina , Malmstrom Hans , Gupta Bhumija
Published: June 2012

Background: Primary implant stability (PS) is one of the main factors influencing implant survival rate. Several methods to determine the PS have been used, such as Periotest values (PVs) and resonance frequency analysis (RFA) with implant stability quotient (ISQ) values.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare different implant designs in regard to PS assessed by Periotest and RFA in vitro.

Materials and Methods: A total of 90 implants were placed in freshly slaughtered cow ribs. The implants (Straumann®, Institute Straumann AG, Basel, Switzerland; length 10 mm, ø3.3 mm) had the following three designs: Bone Level (BL, 30 implants), Standard Plus (SP, 30 implants), and Tapered Effect (TE, 30 implants). Before implant placement, the investigator was calibrated for every design according to the manufacturer's instructions. An independent observer, blinded to the study, assessed the accuracy of placement. RFA based on the Osstell device and PVs were performed after abutment connection. One‐way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test were used for statistical evaluation.

Results: All implants were mechanically stable. The mean PV for BL was −4.67(± 1.18), for SP, −6.07(± 0.94), and for TE, −6.57(± 0.57). The mean ISQ values were 75.02(± 3.65), 75.98(± 3.00), and 79.83(± 1.85), respectively. The one‐way ANOVA showed significant difference among three implant designs in PV (p < .0001) and for the ISQ between BL/TE or SP/TE implants (p < .0001). In addition, the Tukey's (pair‐wise comparison) test showed significant differences in PV and RFA between the BL/TE (p < .0001).

Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, higher implant stability was found for tapered designed implants.
Prenatal diagnosis of parasitic conjoined twins with three‐dimensional ultrasound
Authors: Terata Miyuki , Kikuchi Akihiko , Kanasugi Tomonobu , Oyama Rie , Fukushima Akimune , Sugiyama Toru
Published: June 2012

Asymmetric and parasitic conjoined twins are extremely rare anomalies of monochorionic monoamniotic twins, consisting of an incomplete twin attached to the fully developed body of the co‐twin. Sonographic examination is essential for prenatal diagnosis as early detection of fetal anomalies with poor prognosis provides a chance to deliver the infant vaginally for the mother. We herein describe a case with a prenatal diagnosis of a parasitic twin using three‐dimensional (3‐D) ultrasound. The clear images obtained with 3‐D ultrasound helped in counseling the parents. Making an early prenatal diagnosis of severe fetal anomalies with careful and sophisticated sonographic examinations should be warranted.
Ultrasonographic diagnosis of a fibrinonecrotic colonic cast in a kitten with feline panleukopenia virus
Authors: Lee H. , Lee M. , Lee J. , Kim H. , Yoon J. , Choi J.
Published: June 2012

Ultrasonography of a cat with diarrhoea and vomiting revealed a multi‐layered, discrete linear structure within the large intestine with retention of the intestinal layers which could potentially be confused with an intestinal intussusception. The structure was ultimately expelled from the large intestine during defecation, and confirmed as a fibrinonecrotic cast. The origin of the fibrinonecrotic cast was assumed to be an intestinal pseudo‐membrane formed in enteritis caused by immune suppression due to the panleukopenia virus. To our knowledge, this is the first ultrasonographic description of a fibrinonecrotic cast and spontaneous passage of the colonic cast in the veterinary field.