bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NEGOTIATING BUREAUCRATS
Authors: JOHANSSON VICKI
Published: April 2012

This article will present the argument that frontline bureaucrats fulfilling their duties within an infrastructure bureaucracy can be understood as negotiating bureaucrats, policymakers, and cousins to street‐level bureaucrats. Empirically, the argument is based on data from an exploratory case study of a major road construction project in Sweden collected through passive participatory observation, interviews, and documents; the main source of theoretical inspiration is implementation theory and the theory of street‐level bureaucracy. Working conditions, both similar to and different from street‐level bureaucrats, are discussed, and patterns of negotiating practices are identified and analyzed. The analysis indicates that a fragmented implementation structure has effects on when and how negotiating practices are applied, and on policy outcomes, bureaucratic legitimacy, and political efficacy.
Development of a work addiction scale
Authors: ANDREASSEN CECILIE SCHOU , GRIFFITHS MARK D , HETLAND JØRN , PALLESEN STÅLE
Published: April 2012

Andreassen, C. S., Griffiths, M. D., Hetland, J. & Pallesen, S. (2012). Development of a work addiction scale. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 53, 265–272.

Research into excessive work has gained increasing attention over the last 20 years. Terms such as “workaholism,”“work addiction” and “excessive work” have been used interchangeably. Given the increase in empirical research, this study presents the development of the Bergen Work Addiction Scale (BWAS), a new psychometrically validated scale for the assessment of work addiction. A pool of 14 items, with two reflecting each of seven core elements of addiction (i.e., salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, relapse, and problems) was initially constructed. The items were then administered to two samples, one recruited by a web survey following a television broadcast about workaholism (n = 11,769) and one comprising participants in the second wave of a longitudinal internet‐based survey about working life (n = 368). The items with the highest corrected item‐total correlation from within each of the seven addiction elements were retained in the final scale. The assumed one‐factor solution of the refined seven‐item scale was acceptable (root mean square error of approximation = 0.077, Comparative Fit Index = 0.96, Tucker‐Lewis Index = 0.95) and the internal reliability of the two samples were 0.84 and 0.80, respectively. The scores of the BWAS converged with scores on other workaholism scales, except for a Work Enjoyment subscale. A suggested cut‐off for categorization of workaholics showed good discriminative ability in terms of working hours, leadership position, and subjective health complaints. It is concluded that the BWAS has good psychometric properties.
STOLPER–SAMUELSON REVISITED: TRADE AND DISTRIBUTION WITH OLIGOPOLISTIC PROFITS
Authors: Blecker Robert A.
Published: April 2012

This paper investigates the distributional impact of international trade when goods markets are oligopolistic and firms partially pass‐through changes in tariffs into prices and factor costs for differentiated products. Trade liberalization raises mark‐ups and profit shares in the export industry and lowers them in the import‐competing industry, while Stolper–Samuelson effects on real prices of primary factors are attenuated or possibly reversed. An extended model shows how ‘offshoring’ (trade in intermediate goods) can potentially increase mark‐ups for oligopolistic producers of final goods. The analysis illuminates why business interests generally support trade liberalization policies today, regardless of their countries' factor abundance.
A Theoretical and Empirical Review of the EU Regulation on Credit Rating Agencies: In Search of Truth, Not Scapegoats
Authors: Staikouras Panagiotis K.
Published: April 2012

The undergoing financial turbulence has raised significant concerns over the role that credit rating agencies (CRAs) played in the inception, magnification and expansion of the crisis. In response, the EU legislature has adopted Regulation 1060/2009, which, for the first time, set out a legally binding pan‐European authorization regime for CRAs, which issue ratings that have been used by EU‐based financial institutions. As the turmoil turned into an unprecedented Eurozone debt crisis, EU politicians have been calling for tighter regulation of the credit rating industry. Drawing on the relevant empirical and theoretical research and building upon a comparative study of the corresponding US framework, the paper discusses critically the principles underlying EU Regulation 1060/2009 and the most recent suggestions for its reform. The paper argues that although, overall, the EU Regulation seems to be a well‐balanced instrument in the sense that it introduces the essential checks upon CRAs’ behavior while avoiding excessive regulatory intervention, more fine‐tuning is needed in certain fields, including, rating shopping, financial ties with rated entities, abuse of inside information, transparency and CRAs’ accountability.
Relocating Barth's Theology of Culture: Beyond the ‘True Words’ Approach of Church Dogmatics IV/3
Authors: DeCOU JESSICA
Published: April 2012

Barth's writings present two discrete approaches to culture and attempts to link the two overlook Barth's rationale for isolating them. Though interpreters of Barth's theology of culture typically turn to CD IV/3, I argue that this material is not the place to look for insights into his analyses of cultural forms (e.g. the Mozart essays), but is better understood simply as a necessary extension of his doctrine of the Word – identical in content and context to his remarks against theology of culture in CD I/1. Instead, Barth's eschatology provides us with greater insights into his theological approach to culture.
Unexpected outcomes of invasive predator control: the importance of evaluating conservation management actions
Authors: Walsh J. C. , Wilson K. A. , Benshemesh J. , Possingham H. P.
Published: April 2012

Read the Commentaries on this Feature Paper: Unexpected outcomes of invasive predator control; Evidence, models, conservation programs and limits to management

Response from the authors: Integrating research, monitoring and management into an adaptive management framework to achieve effective conservation outcomes
High cryptic diversity of endemic Indirana frogs in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot
Authors: Nair A. , Gopalan S. V. , George S. , Kumar K. S. , Teacher A. G. F. , Merilä J.
Published: April 2012

Amphibians are rapidly declining worldwide, but recent studies have shown that their diversity may be heavily underestimated, and many new species have been recently reported from biodiversity hotspots. For successful conservation and management strategies to be implemented within such hotspots, a better understanding of the species diversity and their evolutionary relationships is required. We used three mitochondrial (16S, 12S and CO1) and two nuclear (rag1 and rhodopsin) gene fragments to investigate the genetic diversity within the endemic Indirana genus from the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. The species diversity within Indirana was found to be much higher than previously anticipated. Instead of the expected six species within this region, our analyses identified 11 clades with high (4.2–17.1%) sequence divergence. Each of these clades is likely to represent a distinct species. Particularly pronounced polyphyly was found within Indirana beddomii, which consisted of four highly supported monophyletic clades with high genetic divergence. Similarly, Indirana diplosticta was divided into two highly divergent monophyletic clades. We also report a new candidate species within the genus from Vellarimala in Kerala, which we believe is yet to be described. Our results suggest the existence of multiple unrecognized cryptic lineages within Indirana, all of which are likely to have more narrow distribution ranges and lower abundances than the taxonomic units into which they are currently assigned. Hence, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List statuses of Indirana frogs are likely to be in need of substantial revision, and detailed genetic studies across the Western Ghats might uncover additional new candidate species from this poorly studied endemic genus. Together with several earlier amphibian studies describing cryptic species from tropics, our results highlight the importance of proper species identification efforts before it is possible to reliably determine the IUCN conservation status of tropical amphibians described on the basis of morphological criteria.
The influence of unburnt patches and distance from refuges on post‐fire bird communities
Authors: Watson S. J. , Taylor R. S. , Nimmo D. G. , Kelly L. T. , Clarke M. F. , Bennett A. F.
Published: April 2012

Predicting the response of faunal communities to fire presents a challenge for land managers worldwide because the post‐fire responses of species may vary between locations and fire events. Post‐fire recovery can occur via nucleated recovery fromin situsurviving populations or by colonization fromex situpopulations. Fine‐scale spatial patterns in the patchiness of fires and the proximity of burnt sites to source populations may contribute to both the variability in post‐fire responses and the processes by which populations recover. We examined the avifauna at recently burnt sites within extensive semi‐arid shrublands of south‐easternAustralia, including 72 sites < 5 years since fire and 26 sites 10 years since fire. Study sites represented a gradient of increasing distance from ‘unburnt’ vegetation (i.e. > 27 years since fire) and varied in the presence or absence of small (25–900 m2) unburnt patches of vegetation. For sites < 5 years since fire, species richness was higher at sites closer to unburnt vegetation and at sites containing unburnt patches. These patterns were no longer evident at sites of 10 years since fire. The probability of occurrence of three of seven bird species modelled decreased with increasing distance to unburnt vegetation, but this pattern was evident only at sites burnt uniformly. One species was found almost exclusively at patchily burnt sites. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that proximity to unburnt vegetation enhances post‐fire occupancy, and that colonization fromex situpopulations is an important process for post‐fire recovery of avifauna. Additionally, small unburnt patches enhance the rapid recovery of assemblages post‐fire. These patterns are important for understanding the dynamics of post‐fire population recovery. We recommend that management of fire for ecological purposes should explicitly consider the role that the spatial attributes of fires play in determining the post‐fire community.
Characteristics of autism spectrum disorder in Cornelia de Lange syndrome
Authors: Moss Jo , Howlin Patricia , Magiati Iliana , Oliver Chris
Published: April 2012

Background:  The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptomatology is comparatively high in Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS). However, the profile and developmental trajectories of these ASD characteristics are potentially different to those observed in individuals with idiopathic ASD. In this study we examine the ASD profile in CdLS in comparison to a matched group of individuals with ASD.

Method:  The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) was administered to 20 individuals with CdLS (mean age = 11.34; range = 6–13 years) and 20 individuals with idiopathic ASD (mean age = 10.42; range = 8–11 years). Participants were matched according to adaptive behaviour and receptive language skills.

Results:  Sixty‐five percent (N = 13) of individuals with CdLS met the cut‐off score for autism on the total ADOS score. Further analysis at domain and item level indicated that individuals with CdLS showed significantly less repetitive behaviour, (specifically sensory interests); more eye contact, more gestures and less stereotyped speech than the ASD group. The CdLS group also showed higher levels of anxiety.

Conclusions:  The comparison between CdLS and idiopathic ASD indicates subtle group differences in the profile of ASD symptomatology that are not accounted for by degree of intellectual disability or receptive language skills. These differences may not be evident when relying solely upon clinical and domain level scores, but may be distinguishing features of the ASD presentations in the two disorders. The findings have implications for the conceptualisation and assessment of ASD in individuals with genetic syndromes.
Do harsh and positive parenting predict parent reports of deceitful‐callous behavior in early childhood?
Authors: Waller Rebecca , Gardner Frances , Hyde Luke W. , Shaw Daniel S. , Dishion Thomas J. , Wilson Melvin N.
Published: April 2012

Background:  The relationship between parenting and the development of antisocial behavior in children is well established. However, evidence for associations between dimensions of parenting and callous‐unemotional (CU) traits is mixed. As CU traits appear critical to understanding a subgroup of youth with antisocial behavior, more research addressing the link between early parenting and CU traits is needed.

Methods:  The current study investigated longitudinal predictions between measures of harsh and positive parenting, and early CU behavior. Data from mother‐child dyads (N = 731; 49% female) were collected from a multi‐ethnic, high‐risk sample with young children, and included self‐reported and multi‐method observed parenting. CU behavior was assessed using a previously validated measure of deceitful‐callous behavior (Hyde et al., 2011).

Results:  Results suggest that dimensions of harsh parenting, but not positive parenting, contribute to the development of child deceitful‐callous behavior. Nevertheless, deceitful‐callous behavior showed strong stability over time and the effects of harsh parenting, especially observed harshness, were modest.

Conclusions:  The current findings have implications for developmental psychopathology and early interventions for antisocial behavior. The results also raise a number of issues about measuring emerging CU behavior in very young children, including the interrelation between parent perceptions and reports of child behavior, parent reactions, and the subsequent development of severe antisocial behavior.
Migration and ethnic nationalism: Anglophone exit and the ‘decolonisation’ of Québec
Authors: Pettinicchio David
Published: April 2012

This article explains the effects of ethnic nationalism on Anglophone and Francophone migration. The rise of Québec ethnic nationalism in the 1960s dismantled the cultural division of labour, which created new opportunities for Francophones but threatened Anglophones' traditional dominance over the Québec economy. This had negative consequences for Anglophones but positive outcomes for Francophones, which in turn accounts for differences in migration patterns. Drawing from the internal colony model as well as migration and exit‐voice theories, and using ecological census data, micro‐census data and election panel data, I find that the key variables that increase the likelihood of Anglophone out‐migration either do not explain Francophone out‐migration or have opposite effects. This is because ethnonationalist policies decreased the economic return particularly for well‐educated, higher‐earning, professional Anglophones in Québec, while increasing the economic position of Francophones and in particular well‐educated professionals.
Update on sumoylation: defining core components of the plant SUMO conjugation system by phylogenetic comparison
Authors: Novatchkova Maria , Tomanov Konstantin , Hofmann Kay , Stuible Hans‐Peter , Bachmair Andreas
Published: April 2012

The conjugation of the small ubiquitin‐related modifier, SUMO, to substrate proteins is a reversible and dynamic process, and an important response of plants to environmental challenges. Nevertheless, reliable data have so far been restricted largely to the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. The increasing availability of genome information for other plant species offers the possibility to identify a core set of indispensable components, and to discover species‐specific features of the sumoylation pathway. We analyzed the enzymes responsible for the conjugation of SUMO to substrates for their conservation between dicots and monocots. We thus assembled gene sets that relate the Arabidopsis SUMO conjugation system to that of the dicot species tomato, grapevine and poplar, and to four plant species from the monocot class: rice, Brachypodium distachyon, Sorghum bicolor and maize. We found that a core set of genes with clear assignment in Arabidopsis had highly conserved homologs in all tested plants. However, we also observed a variation in the copy number of homologous genes, and sequence variations that suggested monocot‐specific variants. Generally, SUMO ligases and proteases showed the most pronounced differences. Finally, we identified potential SUMO chain‐binding ubiquitin ligases, pointing to an in vivo function of SUMO chains as degradation signals in plants.
Cervical screening: primary human papillomavirus testing
Authors: Cruickshank ME , Cubie HA
Published: April 2012

Please cite this paper as: Cruickshank ME, Cubie HA. Cervical screening: primary human papillomavirus testing. BJOG 2012;119:650–652.
Maternal weight gain during the first half of pregnancy and offspring obesity at 16 years: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Laitinen J , Jääskeläinen A , Hartikainen A‐L , Sovio U , Vääräsmäki M , Pouta A , Kaakinen M , Järvelin M‐R
Published: April 2012

Please cite this paper as: Laitinen J, Jääskeläinen A, Hartikainen A, Sovio U, Vääräsmäki M, Pouta A, Kaakinen M, Järvelin M. Maternal weight gain during the first half of pregnancy and offspring obesity at 16 years: a prospective cohort study. BJOG 2012;119:716–723.

Objective  To assess the association between maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) during the first 20 weeks of gestation and overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity of offspring at the age of 16 years.

Design  A prospective cohort study.

Setting  The two northernmost provinces of Finland.

Population  Mothers and their adolescent offspring born from singleton pregnancies (3265 boys; 3372 girls) in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986.

Methods  Maternal weight at 20 weeks of gestation was measured in municipal maternity clinics. Maternal GWG was based on the difference between the measured weight and self‐reported pre‐pregnancy weight, and was classified into quartiles. Offspring weight, height and waist circumference were measured by study nurses during a clinical examination. Logistic regression analyses [with and without adjustment for maternal pre‐pregnancy body mass index (BMI), glucose metabolism, education level, haemoglobin, smoking status, parity, and gender of offspring] were performed.

Main outcome measure  Offspring overweight/obesity, based on BMI and abdominal obesity at 16 years.

Results  The highest quartile of maternal weight gain (>7.0 kg during the first 20 weeks of gestation) was independently associated with BMI‐based overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity in the 16‐year‐old offspring (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.16–1.83, and OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.10–1.72, respectively). Among all covariates, maternal pregravid obesity showed the highest odds for both overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity (OR 4.57, 95% CI 3.18–6.57, and OR 4.43, 95% CI 3.10–6.34, respectively).

Conclusions  Maternal overnutrition during the first half of gestation predicts offspring overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity in adolescence, yet a high pregravid BMI appears to be a more important determinant of both outcomes.
Assessing range‐wide conservation status change in an unmonitored widespreadAfrican bird species
Authors: Senyatso Kabelo J. , Collar Nigel J. , Dolman Paul M.
Published: April 2012

Aim

With the exception ofSouthAfrica there are no systematic, long‐term, large‐scale bird monitoring programmes inAfrica, and for much of the continent the most comprehensive available data for most species are incidental occurrence records. Can such data be used to assess range‐wide conservation status of widespread low‐density species? We examine this usingKoriBustardArdeotis kori, a large, easily identifiable species with an extensiveAfrican range.

Location

Southern andEastAfrica, 14 countries.

Methods

A comprehensive and systematic review of published and unpublished sources provided 1948 unique locality records spanning the years 1863–2009; these included 410 non‐atlas records and 97 historical (pre‐1970) records. Range‐size changes were examined by comparing minimum convex polygons to quantifyExtent ofOccurrence pre‐ and post‐1970, and by testing whether more historical records fell outside the recent (post‐1970) 95% probability kernel than expected by chance. Additionally, qualitative evidence of changes in abundance was obtained from historical published accounts and contemporary assessments by in‐country experts.

Results

Since the late 19th century, range‐size (measured asExtent ofOccurrence) has contracted, by 21% inEastAfrica and 8% in southernAfrica. There is strong qualitative evidence of considerable pre‐ and post‐1970 population declines in all range states, exceptZambia (slight increase) andAngola (trend unclear). In some countries, declines occurred from the early 1900s. Thus, while relatively modest change in range‐size has occurred in over 100 years, numbers have greatly reduced throughout the species’ range.

Main conclusions

Our methodology allowed objective appraisal of continent‐wideKori status. Despite lacking quantitative population estimates and trends, and poor understanding of the species’ autecology, common issues for manyAfrican species, incidental occurrence records can be used to assess range‐wide changes in status. We recommend that this or similar approaches be applied to other widespread low‐density species that probably also have rapidly declining populations despite apparently stable range extents.
Optimizing location and size of rural schools in Chile
Authors: Araya Fernando , Dell Robert , Donoso Pedro , Marianov Vladimir , Martínez Francisco , Weintraub Andrés
Published: April 2012

The Chilean Ministry of Education oversees preschool, primary, and secondary education in both urban and rural areas. Many parts of Chile are sparsely populated and there are currently over 4,000 rural schools (almost 38% of all schools in Chile) educating 9.5% of the students in the country. Many of the rural schools are small with only one teacher responsible for instruction of all local students (multigrade schools). The geographical distribution of the rural schools has not been coordinated and this has resulted in unequal utilization of existing schools and some unreasonably long travel distances by students. Good management of the rural schools is fundamental to meeting Chile's goal of providing quality education to its citizens. Seeking to improve the situation, the Ministry of Education ordered a study of the optimal location and size of rural schools with the general goals of reducing the number of lesser quality multigrade schools and reducing student travel distances while maintaining reasonable costs. This paper presents results of this study obtained using an integer linear program that has been embedded in a geographical information system. We present computational results for the entire country. Recommendations include where to open new rural schools as well as where to expand, reduce, close, or leave unchanged existing schools. We show how recommendations are sensitive to key parameters such as the cost of transportation.
The geographies of community‐oriented unionism: scales, targets, sites and domains of union renewal in South Africa and beyond
Authors: Jordhus‐Lier David
Published: April 2012

This article takes the increased interest in union renewal and community politics within the geography discipline as its starting point, and argues that the various cases described in the literature should be understood as socio‐spatial responses to a new geography of work. Encouraged by the literature on contentious politics, I provide a conceptualisation of how workers reconfigure political spaces through community orientation. A concrete case of municipal unionism in Cape Town, South Africa is used to explore these geographies along four dimensions: the scalar strategies of trade unions, their targets for direct action, their sites of recruitment and the domain of mobilisation these campaigns and alliances stake out for themselves. It is argued that community‐oriented unionism tends to entail a reorientation of each of these dimensions. Moreover, union strategies correspond to particular challenges faced in times when local labour markets undergo neoliberal restructuring, such as fragmentation of work and rescaling of labour relations.
Secretin family (Class B) G protein‐coupled receptors – from molecular to clinical perspectives
Authors: Poyner David R , Hay Debbie L
Published: April 2012

Family B G protein‐coupled receptors represent an important but under‐researched group of receptors. This edition of the British Journal of Pharmacology considers the roles and pharmacology of a number of these receptors. Whilst common themes emerge, it is clear that more work is needed to understand the details of each receptor in order to properly exploit them therapeutically.

LINKED ARTICLES This article is part of a themed section on Secretin Family (Class B) G Protein‐Coupled Receptors. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2012.166.issue‐1
1‐Dehydro‐[10]‐gingerdione from ginger inhibits IKKβ activity for NF‐κB activation and suppresses NF‐κB‐regulated expression of inflammatory genes
Authors: Lee Hwa Young , Park Sun Hong , Lee Misoon , Kim Hye‐Jin , Ryu Shi Yong , Kim Nam Doo , Hwang Bang Yeon , Hong Jin Tae , Han Sang‐Bae , Kim Youngsoo
Published: April 2012

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Pungent constituents of ginger (Zingiber officinale) have beneficial effects on inflammatory pain and arthritic swelling. However, the molecular basis for these pharmacological properties is only partially understood. Here, we investigated the molecular target of 1‐dehydro‐[10]‐gingerdione (D10G), one of the pungent constituents of ginger, that mediates its suppression of NF‐κB‐regulated expression of inflammatory genes linked to toll‐like receptor (TLR)‐mediated innate immunity.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

RAW 264.7 macrophages or primary macrophages‐derived from bone marrows of C57BL/6 or C3H/HeJ mice were stimulated with the TLR4 agonist LPS in the presence of D10G. Catalytic activity of inhibitory κB (IκB) kinase β (IKKβ) was determined by a kinase assay and immunoblot analysis, and the expression of inflammatory genes by RT‐PCR analysis and a promoter‐dependent reporter assay.

KEY RESULTS

D10G directly inhibited the catalytic activity of cell‐free IKKβ. Moreover, D10G irreversibly inhibited cytoplasmic IKKβ‐catalysed IκBα phosphorylation in macrophages activated by TLR agonists or TNF‐α, and also IKKβ vector‐elicited NF‐κB transcriptional activity in these cells. These effects of D10G were abolished by substitution of the Cys179 with Ala in the activation loop of IKKβ, indicating a direct interacting site of D10G. This mechanism was shown to mediate D10G‐induced disruption of NF‐κB activation in LPS‐stimulated macrophages and the suppression of NF‐κB‐regulated gene expression of inducible NOS, COX‐2 and IL‐6.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

This study demonstrates that IKKβ is a molecular target of D10G involved in the suppression of NF‐κB‐regulated gene expression in LPS‐activated macrophages; this suggests D10G has therapeutic potential in NF‐κB‐associated inflammation and autoimmune disorders.
Pregabalin‐ and topiramate‐mediated regulation of cognitive and motor impulsivity in DBA/2 mice
Authors: Navarrete Francisco , Pérez‐Ortiz José M , Manzanares Jorge
Published: April 2012

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Impulsivity is a core symptom in many neuropsychiatric disorders. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of topiramate and pregabalin on the modulation of different impulsivity dimensions in DBA/2 mice.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

The effects of acute and chronic administration of pregabalin (10, 20 and 40 mg·kg−1) and topiramate (12.5, 25 and 50 mg·kg−1) were evaluated in the light–dark box (LDB), hole board test (HBT) and delayed reinforcement task (DRT). α2A‐Adrenoceptor, D2‐receptor and TH gene expression were evaluated by real‐time PCR in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), accumbens (ACC) and ventral tegmental area (VTA), respectively.

KEY RESULTS

Acute pregabalin administration showed a clear anxiolytic‐like effect (LDB) but did not modify novelty‐seeking behaviour (HBT). In contrast, topiramate produced an anxiolytic effect only at the highest dose, whereas it reduced novelty seeking at all doses tested. In the DRT, acute pregabalin had no effect, whereas topiramate only reduced motor impulsivity. Chronically, pregabalin significantly increased motor impulsivity and topiramate diminished cognitive impulsivity. Pregabalin decreased α2A‐adrenoceptor and D2‐receptor gene expression in the PFC and ACC, respectively, and increased TH in the VTA. In contrast, chronic administration of topiramate increased α2A‐adrenoceptor and D2‐receptor gene expression in the PFC and ACC, respectively, and also increased TH in the VTA.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

These results suggest that the usefulness of pregabalin in impulsivity‐related disorders is related to its anxiolytic properties, whereas topiramate modulates impulsivity. These differences could be linked to their opposite effects on α2A‐adrenoceptor and D2‐receptor gene expression in the PFC and ACC, respectively.
Effect of Parameter Variations on the Hemodynamic Response Under Rotary Blood Pump Assistance
Authors: Lim Einly , Dokos Socrates , Salamonsen Robert F. , Rosenfeldt Franklin L. , Ayre Peter J. , Lovell Nigel H.
Published: April 2012

Numerical models, able to simulate the response of the human cardiovascular system (CVS) in the presence of an implantable rotary blood pump (IRBP), have been widely used as a predictive tool to investigate the interaction between the CVS and the IRBP under various operating conditions. The present study investigates the effect of alterations in the model parameter values, that is, cardiac contractility, systemic vascular resistance, and total blood volume on the efficiency of rotary pump assistance, using an optimized dynamic heart–pump interaction model previously developed in our laboratory based on animal experimental measurements obtained from five canines. The effect of mean pump speed and the circulatory perturbations on left and right ventricular pressure volume loops, mean aortic pressure, mean cardiac output, pump assistance ratio, and pump flow pulsatility from both the greyhound experiments and model simulations are demonstrated. Furthermore, the applicability of some of the previously proposed control parameters, that is, pulsatility index (PI), gradient of PI with respect to pump speed, pump differential pressure, and aortic pressure are discussed based on our observations from experimental and simulation results. It was found that previously proposed control strategies were not able to perform well under highly varying circulatory conditions. Among these, control algorithms which rely on the left ventricular filling pressure appear to be the most robust as they emulate the Frank–Starling mechanism of the heart.
Recreation and Participation: Testing the Political Impact of Social Interaction*
Authors: Ikeda Ken'ichi , Kobayashi Tetsuro , Richey Sean
Published: April 2012

Objectives

We research the political impact of human social interaction. Some scholars suggest that recreational or other informal interaction may promote political participation. Informal recreational interaction is proposed to be beneficial because it increases activity in more serious political participation.

Methods

To test these ideas, we use new nationally representative survey data from seven East Asian nations using Poisson regression models.

Results

We show that informal social interaction and nonpolitical voluntary activity do increase political participation.

Conclusions

Even though the recreation may begin as a nonpolitical activity, we show that it may spark later political participation.
Association between initial type of hemodialysis access used in the elderly and mortality
Authors: DeSilva Ranil N. , Sandhu Gurprataap S. , Garg Jalaj , Goldfarb‐Rumyantzev Alexander S.
Published: April 2012

We hypothesized that certain subpopulations (elderly and those with greater comorbidity) may not have significant benefit from “fistula first” initiative. A cohort of incident hemodialysis patients from 2005 to 2007, who were ≥70 years old, was derived from the United States Renal Data System. Primary variable of interest was type of vascular access used at first outpatient hemodialysis (i.e., fistula, graft, or central catheter), with primary outcome of all‐cause mortality (time to death measured from the first outpatient hemodialysis). A cohort of 82,202 patients was stratified by age (70 to ≤80, 81 to ≤90, and >90). Each group demonstrated a survival benefit with the use of an arterio‐venous fistula compared with catheter (hazard ratio [HR] 0.56 [P < 0.001], HR 0.55 [P < 0.001], and HR 0.69 [P = 0.007], respectively). Comparing graft to with a catheter, both groups, 70 to ≤80 and 81 to ≤90, had significant benefit compared with catheter (HR 0.73, P < 0.001 and HR 0.74, P < 0.001, respectively). However, significance was lost in those ≥90 (HR 0.83, P = 0.354). When substratified by comorbidity, those 81 to ≤90 years old with a history of malignancy or peripheral vascular disease also did not reach significant benefit compared with a catheter (HR 0.88, P = 0.423 and HR 0.85, P = 0.221, respectively). While specific subgroups in the hemodialysis population exist where use of fistulas and grafts at time of dialysis initiation is not of proven statistical benefit to survival, elderly hemodialysis patients with comorbidities still appear to benefit from the use of fistulas and grafts.
Fabrication and Characterization of Transparent Conductive ZnO:Al Thin Films Deposited on Polyethylene Terephthalate Substrates
Authors: Yang Wei‐Jen , Tsao Chung‐Chen , Hsu Chun‐Yoa , Chang Hung‐Chih , Chou Chang‐Ping , Kao Jin‐Yih
Published: April 2012

This article deals with the optimization of the process parameters, with regard to multiple performance characteristics, involved in the preparation of transparent conducting Al2O3‐doped (2 wt.%) zinc oxide (AZO) thin films deposited onto flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates, using radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. Experiments based on the Grey‐Taguchi method were conducted to examine the influence of deposition parameters (RF power, sputtering pressure, substrate‐to‐target distance, and coating time) on the deposition rate, electrical resistivity and structural, morphological and optical transmittance. Experimental results indicate that using the optimal parameter set selected by Grey theory prediction, it is possible to achieve an improvement of 3.8% in deposition rate, of 45.6% in resistivity, and to maintain the transmittance over 80%, compared to that achieved by using the Taguchi method. For the Grey theory prediction, films were deposited using substrate‐to‐target distance of 80, 85, and 90 mm, while maintaining constant values for the other conditions. A clear decrease in resistivity was observed, as substrate‐to‐target distance decreased, with the lowest resistivity being obtained at 80 mm, although a better optical transmittance was achieved at a distance of 85 mm. It is evident that the resistivity decreases as the Al buffer thickness increases, with the lowest resistivity 7.0 × 10−4 Ω‐cm, being found for a 15 nm thickness of Al buffer. The transmittance decreases, as the Al buffer thickness increases; transmittance values of 84.5%, 81.8%, and 79.4% correspond to an Al buffer thickness of 5, 10, and 15 nm, respectively. From the results of pull‐off testing, the adhesive strength of the AZO film on a PET substrate increases, as the buffer thickness is increased.
Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Reinforced Hydroxyapatite‐Chitosan Composite Coating on Ti Metal: Corrosion and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Rath Purna Chandra , Singh Bimal P. , Besra Laxmidhar , Bhattacharjee Sarama
Published: April 2012

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) reinforced Hydroxyapatite‐chitosan composite coating is developed on Titanium metal by single step Electrophoretic deposition (EPD). By suitably controlling EPD process parameters, it has been possible to co‐deposit MWCNT and hydroxyapatite (HAp) electrophoretically and chitosan electrochemically on Ti metal from acetic acid/water/ethanol mixed solvent containing dissolved chitosan. At optimized process parameters, the coating contains uniform incorporation of MWCNT in porous HAp‐chitosan matrix, having composition of 10–12 wt% chitosan, 10–15 wt% MWCNT, rest HAp, as determined by thermogravimetric analysis. Raman spectra of composite coating reveal almost unaffected characteristics of carbon nanotubes. Adhesion strength and microhardness of composite HAp‐chitosan‐MWCNT coating increases compared with HAp coating. Composite coating is found to be highly corrosion resistance with corrosion current at 9 nA/cm2. The apatite growth after immersion in simulated body fluid for 10 days shows that the composite HAp‐chitosan‐MWCNT coating is bioactive in nature.
The impact of plant associations onMacrosteles quadrilineatusmanagement in carrots
Authors: Szendrei Zsofia
Published: April 2012

Habitat diversification can influence the interactions of insects with plants and this can be used in agroecosystems for the management of pest populations. Plant diversification can be achieved through planting crops, such as trap crops, or by adjusting weed management. Aster leafhopper,Macrosteles quadrilineatusForbes (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), is a polyphagous species that uses cereals, vegetables, and weeds as host plants. The influence of weeds onM. quadrilineatusabundance was investigated experimentally in carrot [Daucus carotaL. cv. Canada (Apiaceae)] field plots by adjusting the level of management of two groups of weeds (broadleaf and grass) and by comparing it to weed‐free plots. The preference ofM. quadrilineatusfor different cereal and weed species relative to carrots was tested in choice test assays. Habitat context influenced the abundance ofM. quadrilineatusin the field experiments. The presence of border crops such as oat, rye, barley, wheat, and triticale did not significantly attract or repel this insect to carrot plots compared to the no‐border treatment. However, spelt‐bordered plots had 42% fewerM. quadrilineatusthan three treatments, triticale, wheat, and barley, that had the highest insect abundance. The type of weed management affectedM. quadrilineatusabundance in carrot plots, but not the frequency of herbicide application. Plots that had carrot growing with broadleaf‐weeds had about 59% fewerM. quadrilineatuscompared with those growing with crabgrass or carrot alone. In the greenhouse choice tests, grasses (e.g., cereals) attracted and broadleaf‐weeds repelledM. quadrilineatusrelative to carrots. In summary, carrot growers may be able to manage this pest by reducing the interaction of cereal cover crops with carrots and eliminating grassy weeds in commercial production fields.
Host‐associated genetic differentiation in pecan leaf phylloxera
Authors: Dickey Aaron M. , Medina Raul F.
Published: April 2012

Host‐associated differentiation (HAD) is the formation of genetically distinct host‐associated populations. One of the genotypic signatures of HAD is that populations exhibit stronger differentiation by host‐plant species than by geographic isolation. HAD, as a mechanism promoting ecological speciation, has been invoked to explain phytophagous insect diversity. Two traits proposed to promote HAD are endophagy and parthenogenesis. Using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs), we tested for the presence of HAD in pecan leaf phylloxera, Phylloxera notabilis Pergande (Hemiptera: Phylloxeridae), an endophagous, gall inducing, and cyclically parthenogenetic insect on sympatric pecan and water hickory at a geographic mesoscale. This species shows strong HAD. Whereas the effect of collecting site was significant, accounting for 7.3% of molecular variation, host‐plant species identity accounted for 63.5%. In addition, a choice test indicated that pecan leaf phylloxera originating from water hickory showed weak but significant preference for leaflets of the natal host, whereas pecan leaf phylloxera originating from pecan did not. This is the first such study of a species of arboreal Phylloxeridae, a poorly known insect group. This is also the first endophage and the second parthenogen shared by these two hickory species to show evidence of HAD. This hickory system could be a good parthenogen‐rich counterpoint to the goldenrod system in the study of HAD in insect communities.
Using Blogs in Teaching Negotiation: A Technical and Intercultural Postscript
Authors: Macduff Ian
Published: April 2012

This article reexamines an earlier experiment in the use of blogs in teaching negotiation when undertaken in a different cultural environment. I briefly examine two core factors — technical competence and cultural preferences in communication — as well as a student preference to reserve the use of social media for purely social and informal communications. Parallels are also drawn with the technical and cultural contexts of developments in online dispute resolution.
Do fertilizer subsidies crowd out organic manures? The case of Malawi
Authors: Holden Stein , Lunduka Rodney
Published: April 2012

We assess the impacts of the Malawian Farm Input Subsidy Program on manure use at the farm plot level using more than 3,000 farm plot observations from six districts in central and southern Malawi over three years (2006, 2007, and 2009). The probabilities and intensities of manure use were investigated with the correlated random effects (CRE) probit and tobit models. The endogeneity of access to fertilizer subsidies and fertilizer use intensity was controlled for with a control function approach. Both the probability of manure use and intensity of manure use were positively correlated with the intensity of fertilizer use. A 1% increase in fertilizer use intensity is associated with a 1.94%–1.96% increase in the intensity of manure use outside the subsidy program and a 0.62%–1.66% increase in manure use with the subsidy program. A 1% increase in average fertilizer price was associated with a 0.43%–0.76% increase in the probability of manure use and a 3.5%–5.3% increase in the intensity of manure use.
Post‐reproductive life span and demographic stability
Authors: Mitteldorf Josh , Goodnight Charles
Published: April 2012

Recent field studies suggest that it is common in nature for animals to outlive their reproductive viability. Post‐reproductive life span has been observed in a broad range of vertebrate and invertebrate species. But post‐reproductive life span poses a paradox for traditional theories of life history evolution. The only commonly‐cited explanation is the ‘grandmother hypothesis’, which is limited to higher, social mammals. We propose that post‐reproductive life span evolves to stabilize population dynamics, avoiding local extinctions. Predator–prey and other ecosystem interactions tend to produce volatility that can create population crashes and local extinctions. Total fertility rates that exceed the ecosystem's recovery rate contribute to population overshoot, followed by collapse. These local extinctions may constitute a potent group selection mechanism, driving evolution toward controlled rates of population growth, even when there is a significant individual cost. In this paper, we consider the question: what life history characteristics support demographic homeostasis at the least cost to individual fitness? In individual‐based evolutionary simulations, we find that reduction in fertility is sufficient to avoid population instabilities leading to extinction, but that life histories that include senescence can accomplish the same thing at a lower cost to individual fitness. Furthermore, life histories that include the potential for a post‐reproductive period are yet more efficient at stabilizing population dynamics, while minimizing the impact on individual fitness.
Daily foraging cycles create overlapping time‐scales in functional responses
Authors: Casas Jérôme , McCauley Edward
Published: April 2012

The functional response is one of the most widely measured attributes of consumers. Phenomenalistic descriptions of how predator attack rates vary with prey density are fundamental components of consumer‐resource models. The application of these functions typically assumes continuous foraging by individuals, along with stationarity in their behavioural and physiological processes. Yet most species display a diurnal cycle in foraging and resting, and the impact of this foraging pattern on the functional response is unknown.

We use a physiologically structured or ‘state–space’ approach to examine how the daily foraging cycle affects the temporal dynamics of attack rates and the functional response of parasitoids (Aphytis melinus) and predators (Mantis crassulea and fishes). The state spaces for parasitoids and predators are the number of mature eggs, the eggload, and the satiation level, respectively. The corresponding rates are those of egg maturation and oviposition on one hand, and digestion and prey capture on the other hand.

We show that the length of the foraging period alters both the shape of the functional response and the magnitude of attack rates, compared to a daily functional response proportional to the time spent foraging, as is classically done. Our models reveal how separation of time‐scales arises between behavioural or physiological and lifetime processes, and the difficulty in resolving such separation once the new time scale of a foraging cycle is introduced.

Foragers in many environments, either because of exposure to low resource density or constrained by short foraging windows, cannot achieve the behavioural or physiological stationarity assumed in classical analyses. This introduces a fundamental mixture of time‐scales that has significant effects on estimates of attack rates. Using a population‐level model of predators and prey, we show how restricted periods of daily foraging have important dynamical consequences both in terms of equilibrium levels and return times to these equilibria.