bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Whose Land is it Anyway?
Authors: Empson Rebecca , Webb Tristan
Published: December 2014

This paper looks at the roles and interests that motivate different kinds of ‘trusting partnerships’ in Mongolia. Such partnerships are not only in marketing slogans that herald new private investment agreements, they also underlie the relationship between the Mongolian government and other governments (in the form of ‘strategic partnerships’) and even between the Mongolian State and its people. The concept serves as a framework for partners to achieve mutual ambitions, but is ambiguous and its content evolves through negotiation and cumulative articulation. We offer certain observations about the form of relationship between the Mongolian State and its people, drawing from fieldwork in 2012 on how loans are used and perceived, and suggest that this relationship is a fruitful lens through which we can observe vernacular attitudes to the economy and the State, and to the different kinds of relationships the Mongolian State maintains with outsiders. We conclude with an observation on the inter-related and at times conflicting ‘trusting partnerships’ to which the Mongolia government is party.
ECOLOGICAL WOOD ANATOMY OF OCOTEA CURUCUTUENSIS
Authors: Longui Eduardo L. , Assad Amanda , Arzolla Frederico A.R.D.P. , Vilela Francisco E.S.P. , Baitello João B. , de Lima Israel L. , Florsheim Sandra M.B.
Published: December 2014

We studied wood anatomy and specific gravity in a total of 18 trees of Ocotea curucutuensis, a recently described species, lacking wood anatomical information. Nine sample trees were obtained in each of two areas, Pico do Itapeva (PI) and Núcleo Curucutu (NC), both in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. These areas have marked differences in precipitation, altitude, and temperature. Anatomical differences between the two populations appeared related to tree size, and possibly indirectly to climate. Higher wood specific gravity related with the smaller diameter in NC trees is hypothesized to contribute to mechanical support of the epiphyte-laden trees and to resistance against the prevailing strong winds.
Anatomical properties in Thuja occidentalis:Variation and relationship to biological processes
Authors: Bouslimi Besma , Koubaa Ahmed , Bergeron Yves
Published: December 2014

The variability in wood properties of eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) is relatively poorly known. Here we report the axial and the radial variation in selected anatomical properties, namely, ring width, wood density, and tracheid length and width. Forty-five trees were randomly sampled and felled from three selected sites in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region, Quebec, Canada. Disks were systematically sampled at 0.5, 1.3, and 3 m stem height and at every 2 meters thereafter up to the tree top. Average ring density at breast height was 355 kg/m3 with a small difference between earlywood and latewood. The latewood proportion was uniform and constant within the tree at about 32%. The tracheids were fine and long, averaging 25.3 μm in width and 2.07 mm in length. The variation in wood density components between trees was highly significant. The cambial age effect on all measured properties was highly significant. Ring density decreased from a maximum near the pith to a minimum in the juvenile–mature wood transition zone and remained constant or decreased slightly thereafter. Annual ring width decreased from a maximum near the pith to a minimum at the 10th ring and increased thereafter. Tracheid length and width showed typical radial variation characterized by a steady increase from pith to bark. Within-tree axial variation was highly significant, but ring width showed more substantial changes. Changes in wood properties with height depend on cambial age and thus are implied since the proportion of juvenile wood in the stem increases from the base to the top.
Distributional variation of lignin and non-cellulosic polysaccharide epitopes in different pit membranes of Scots pine and Norway spruce seedlings
Authors: Kim Jong Sik , Daniel Geoffrey
Published: December 2014

Microdistribution of non-cellulosic polysaccharides in pit membranes of bordered pits (intertracheid pits between adjacent tracheids), cross-field pits (half bordered pits between tracheids and ray parenchyma cells) and ray pits (simple pits in nodular end walls of ray parenchyma cells) was investigated in mature earlywood of juvenile Scots pine and Norway spruce seedlings using immunocytochemistry combined with monoclonal antibodies specific to (1→4)-β-galactan (LM5), (1→5)-α-arabinan (LM6), homogalacturonan (HG, LM19, LM20), xyloglucan (LM15), xylan (LM10, LM11) and mannan (LM21, LM22) epitopes. Using phloroglucinol-HCl and KMnO4 staining, lignin distribution in pit membranes was also examined. Apart from cross-field pit membranes in Scots pine, all pit membranes observed showed a positive reaction for lignin with differences in staining intensity. Ray pit membranes showed strongest reaction with lignin staining in both species. Intensity of lignin staining in bordered pit membranes was stronger in Norway spruce than in Scots pine. With localization of non-cellulosic polysaccharide epitopes, Scots pine showed differences in cross-field pit membranes (rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I), HG and xyloglucan epitopes) from bordered and ray pit membranes (RG-I and HG epitopes). In contrast, Norway spruce showed significant differences in ray pit membranes (RG-I, HG, xyloglucan, xylan and mannan epitopes) from bordered and cross-field pit membranes (HG and no/trace amount of RG-I epitopes). Distributional differences in HG epitopes depending on antibody type/ membrane regions were also observed in cross-field pit membranes between the two species. Together, the results suggest that distribution patterns of lignin and non-cellulosic polysaccharides in pit membranes differ significantly between pit types and between Scots pine and Norway spruce. Compared with the same types of pit membranes in hardwoods, the results for Scots pine and Norway spruce (softwoods) differed significantly.
Phyllosticta species from banana (Musa sp.) in Chongqing and Guizhou Provinces, China
Authors: WU SHI-PING , LIU YONG-XIANG , YUAN JIE , WANG YONG , HYDE KEVIN D. , LIU ZUO-YI
Published: December 2014

Six Phyllosticta strains were isolated from diseased leaves of Musa species in Chongqing and Guizhou provinces, China. Morphological and molecular analysis of LSU and combined ITS, ACT, TEF-1, and GPDH gene sequences, identified these strains as P. capitalensis (3 strains), P. musarum (1 strain) and two isolates were distinct from known Phyllosticta species. The latter is herein introduced as Phyllosticta musaechinensis sp. nov. A description and illustrations are provided, and the new species is compared with other species from Musa in this paper.
Two new species of Anthurium (Araceae) endemic to Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil
Authors: Temponi Livia Godinho , Coelho Marcus A. Nadruz
Published: December 2014

Two new species of Anthurium endemic to Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil, are described. Anthurium cronembergerae and A. sakuraguianum occur in humid areas in the Atlantic Forest. Descriptions and illustrations are provided, together with commentary on geographic distribution, ecology, flowering and fruiting phenology and conservation status. Comparisons are made with other similar Brazilian species of Anthurium section Urospadix, to which the two new species are assigned.
The rediscovery, after one century, of Vriesea maculosa (Bromeliaceae, Tillandsioideae) with an amendment to its description
Authors: Versieux Leonardo De Melo , Nogueira Matheus , Conceição Abel Augusto
Published: December 2014

Vriesea maculosa Mez is a poorly known species with no further recordings since the type collection 101 years ago. As a result of our research about Vriesea as part of the study of the Flora of Bahia, Brazil, new specimens and data are now available for this species justifying an amendment to its description. We provide a complete taxonomical description, including floral details analyzed in freshly collected material. We propose to treat V. fabioi as a new synonym of V. maculosa, and expand on the distribution and phenotypic variation found between populations. The species is illustrated in detail, using line drawings as well as photographs of different populations in the field.
New names in Heteropolygonatum (Asparagaceae)
Authors: Floden Aaron Jennings
Published: December 2014

Heteropolygonatum has been considered endemic to China, but molecular analyses and morphological observation of type and living collections necessitate the transfer of several Polygonatum to the former: Heteropolygonatum alternicirrhosum, H. anomalum, H. marmoratum, and H. parcefolium, which expands the range of the genus to neighboring Vietnam where H. marmoratum has been collected. Discussion of their morphology, perigone images, distribution, and full synonymy are given for the species transferred herein. Discussion of the distinctive generic morphology and karyotypes are provided in relation to their generic placement. Furthermore, the expansions of the provincial distributions of H. ginfushanicum and H. roseolum are given based on examination of herbarium material. A synoptic key to the genus is provided.
Rotala dhaneshiana, a new species of Lythraceae from India
Authors: K Ratheesh Narayanan M , N Sunil C , T Shaju , K Nandakumar M , M Sivadasan , Alfarhan Ahmed H
Published: December 2014

Rotala dhaneshiana, a new species of Lythraceae collected from a semi-marshy area of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, India is described and illustrated. It is closely allied to R. malampuzhensis usually in having trimerous flowers, but differs in having 4-angled, narrowly winged stems, long epicalyx lobes alternating with sepals, obovate-apiculate petals, and absence of nectar scales. It resembles R. juniperina, an African species in having trimerous flowers but differs in having sessile, decurrent-based leaves and sessile pistil.
Aechmea nigribracteata (Bromeliaceae), a new species from southern Bahia, Brazil
Authors: Maciel Jefferson Rodrigues , Louzada Rafael , Alves Marccus
Published: December 2014

Herein is described and illustrated a new Aechmea species. Aechmea nigribracteata grows in southern Bahia (Brazil), a region recognised as highly diverse in bromeliads. Aechmea nigribracteata belongs to Aechmea subg. Chevaliera and has completely dentate, blackish floral bracts and petals with two crenate-laciniate ligules.
Lectotypification of Carex buekii (Cyperaceae)
Authors: Jimenez-Mejias Pedro , Martinetto Edoardo , Esser Hans-Joachim , Soldano Adriano
Published: December 2014

Carex buekii Wimmer (1852: 83) is the name currently applied to a species belonging to Carex sect. Phacocystis Dumortier (1827:146) (Cyperaceae) that occurs throughout Central-Eastern Europe to SW Asia (Chater 1980, Egorova 1999, Jiménez-Mejías & Luceño 2011a, 2011b, Koopman 2011).
Electribius relictus, a new extant species of Artematopodidae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) from Veracruz, Mexico
Authors: ARRIAGA-VARELA EMMANUEL , ESCOBAR FEDERICO
Published: December 2014

Electribius relictus sp. nov. (Artematopodidae) is described from a cloud forest fragment in central Veracruz, Mexico. This species is distinguished from the other extant species known, E. crowsoni Lawrence (Mexico) and E. similis Lawrence (El Salvador), by the pronotum and elytra completely black, pronotum with margins crenulate at base, fifth abdominal ventrite with distinct median ridge, and the shape of aedeagus. The new species is illustrated and a key for the identification of extant species of the genus and ecological data for the collecting site are provided.
Post larval stages of Tanytydeus beyzavii sp. nov. (Acari: Paratydeidae) from Iran
Authors: KHANJANI MOHAMMAD , NADRI ALI REZA , KHANJANI MASOUMEH , SEEMAN OWEN D.
Published: December 2014

A new species Tanytydeus beyzavii sp. nov. (Acari: Paratydeidae) is described and illustrated from soil under plants in Iran. Leg setation is presented for the genus, as is a key to species. The genus Hexatydeus syn. nov. is synonymised with Tanytydeus because the former represent nymphal stages of Tanytydeus.
A comparative morphological analyses of four species of Camptocercus Baird,1843 (Cladocera: Anomopoda: Chydoridae)
Authors: SINEV ARTEM Y.
Published: December 2014

Study of four poorly known cladocera species of the genus Camptocercus Baird,1843 (Anomopoda: Chydoridae): North American C. oklahomensis Mackin, 1930, and three Palearctic species, C. uncinatus Smirnov, 1971, C. fennicus Stenroos, 1898, and C. lilljeborgi Schoedler, 1862, revealed strong differences between them in both outer morphology and morphology of appendages. C. oklahomensis lacks a head keel, typical for the most species of the genus, and has numerous characters confirming its basal position within the genus, namely less elongated postabdomen with groups of elementary marginal denticles and less specialized morphology of the thoracic limbs. C. uncinatus and C. fennicus have similar limb morphology, these species form a monophyletic clade with South-East Asian species C. vietnamensis Thanh, 1980. C. lilljeborgi have a straight ventral margin of valves with specially dense setation, similar to the species of the genus Graptoleberis Sars, 1862. C. lilljeborgi also has most derived appendages, i.e. exopodites of limbs III–V have seta 4 reduced to a state of a small stub, and seta 3 with extremely wide basal portion. The level of differences in thoracic limb morphology in Camptocercus is unusual for the subfamily Aloninae, where in most genera limb morphology is relatively uniform. Morphology and phylogenetic relationships of the studied species are discussed.
A new species of Sinacroneuria (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from China with a provisional key to species
Authors: Li Weihai , MURÁNYI DÁVID , WANG RONGFENG
Published: December 2014

Sinacroneuria dabieshana sp. nov. is proposed from Henan and Hubei provinces, China and the new species is compared with related congeners. The discovery of this species represents the northernmost distribution of the genus in China. A provisional key to the males of known species of Sinacroneuria is also presented.
A new species of Meharia Chrétien, 1915 (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) from the United Arab Emirates, with a world catalogue of the genus
Authors: YAKOVLEV ROMAN V.
Published: December 2014

Meharia breithaupti sp. nov. is described from the United Arab Emirates.
Two new species of Acroceratitis Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae) and an updated key for the species from India
Authors: DAVID K. J. , HANCOCK D. L. , RAMANI S.
Published: December 2014

Two new species of genus Acroceratitis Hendel, namely A. parastriata David & Hancock , sp. nov. and A. breviscapa David, Ramani & Hancock, sp. nov., are described from India. A. histrionica (de Meijere) is recorded for the first time from India. An updated key to Indian species of Acroceratitis is also provided.
Partial revision of Japanese Pectinariidae (Annelida: Polychaeta), including redescriptions of poorly known species
Authors: NISHI EIJIROH , MATSUO KANAKO , KAZAMA-WAKABAYASHI MAKI , MORI ATSUSHI , TOMIOKA SHINRI , KAJIHARA HIROSHI , HAMAGUCHI MASAMI , KAJIHARA NAOTO , HUTCHINGS PAT
Published: December 2014

Eight species of Pectinariidae de Quatrefages, 1866 were recorded from Japan and adjacent waters. We studied four species of the family and redescribe the poorly known species from the Seto Inland Sea and Ariake Sound, Kyushu based on recently collected material. The species covered in this study are Amphictene japonica (Nilsson, 1928), Lagis bocki (Hessle, 1917), Pectinaria okudai (Imajima & Hartman, 1964) and Pectinaria hiuchiensis Kitamori, 1965.
Emancipatory catastrophism from an East Asian perspective: Feedback from the dialogue organizer
Authors: Han Sang-Jin
Published: December 2014

This article explores the broad contexts and meanings of Ulrich Beck’s new concepts of emancipatory catastrophism and metamorphosis ( Verwandlung) from an East Asian perspective. At the same time, it responds to the dialogue papers solicited from the participants of The Seoul Conference on 2014 - Climate Change and Risk Society: New Trends of Megacity Transformation. It serves as an introduction to a cosmopolitan dialogue with Beck in the age of global risk society, as well as an invitation to further forward-looking exploration and critical testing of these imaginative concepts.
A South American approach to metamorphosis as a horizon of equality: Focusing on controversies over lithium
Authors: Vara Ana María
Published: December 2014

The fact that a large portion of the lithium needed for the batteries of electric or hybrid cars required for the technological change lies in a triangle between Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, has put these countries under the spotlight. Historically, exploitation of natural resources in Latin America has been conducted under colonial and neocolonial conditions, a kind of enforced inclusion that is based on domination and implies inequality between and within countries. This article discusses Ulrich Beck’s 2014 Seoul lecture on ‘Emancipatory catastrophism: What does it mean to climate change and risk society?’ to analyze if and how the ‘hidden emancipatory side effects of global risk’ he diagnoses, which imply a ‘metamorphosis of the world,’ can be seen in the case of lithium mining and processing in South America. The case, which focuses mostly on the equality–inequality dimension, may represent an empirical contribution to the discussion of the novelty of Beck’s proposal, and the accuracy of its implied prognosis.
Presentation of a benign fibroepithelial polyp with frank haematuria: an unusual diagnosis
Authors: Dolan R , Morton S , Granitsiotis P
Published: December 2014

Introduction

Fibroepithelial polyps are rare benign lesions which can mimic malignant disease symptomatically and radiologically. They should form part of the differential diagnosis in patients presenting with frank haematuria but they can present a diagnostic dilemma for clinicians.

Case presentation

This is a case of a 30-year-old female who initially presented with a small palpable urethral lump, thought to be a urethral caruncle by her general practitioner, obstructive voiding and intermittent frank painless haematuria. A rigid cystoscopy identified a polypoid lesion protruding out of the left ureteric orifice. This was resected and pathology showed it to be a fibroepithelial polyp. A post-operative computerized tomography scan showed no hydronephrosis on either side and no lymphadenopathy was identified but the distal left ureter could not be visualised. Further resection with a flexible ureteroscopy confirmed the presence of a benign fibroepithelial polyp and the stalk remnant was ablated with a laser.

Conclusion

Fibroepithelial polyps mimic malignant disease symptomatically and radiologically and need to be considered in the differential diagnosis of frank haematuria.
Socioeconomic influence on orofacial cleft patient care
Authors: Smillie I , Yong K , Harris K , Wynne DM , Russell CJH
Published: December 2014

Background

Cleft lip and palate is the most common craniofacial birth defect in the UK. Orofacial clefts have functional and aesthetic implications requiring intensive multi-disciplinary follow-up to optimise development. Failure to attend follow-up is likely to have a negative impact on patient outcomes. The aim of this retrospective audit is to establish if socioeconomic status influences attendance, DNA and cancellation rates in cleft patients.

Methods and results

A retrospective audit of 74 orofacial cleft patients born and operated on at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children Glasgow between 2006 and 2007. There was higher rate of DNA in more deprived social groups−21% (SIMD 1) against 10% (SIMD 5). A higher rate of DNA in cleft lip and palate patients was noted. This group of patients showed a marked difference in attendance between SIMD 1 (38%) and SIMD 5 (78%).

Conclusion

More deprived areas have a higher outpatient DNA rate for cleft patients resulting in suboptimal follow-up. Ultimately, causation of poorer outcomes in this group is likely to be multi-factorial but the financial implication of travelling to multiple clinics should be considered and it may be that resource reallocation is the answer to address the current inequality of health care provision.
Third wave mission: Cultural, missiological, and theological dimensions
Authors: Schreiter Robert J.
Published: December 2014

Short-term mission, parish “twinning” (parish-to-parish relationships), and similar new forms of mission have come to be known as “third wave mission” in Roman Catholic circles. Third wave refers here to the mission that has been made possible by the third wave of globalization since the 15th century. This article explores the cultural contexts that shape this kind of mission, the impact this has on a more general understanding of mission, and what biblical and theological foundations might be sought to support it.
Evangelization is inculturation: A case study
Authors: Elizondo Virgilio
Published: December 2014

The evangelization of Mexico is a good case study in inculturation. This article presents the challenges, obstacles, and unexpected events that led to the birth of the new church in Mexico. It traces the principal elements of the native religious culture, presents the efforts to proclaim the gospel through their symbolic world, and Our Lady of Guadalupe as the unexpected event that led to the implantation of the gospel in Mexican soil.
Further Validation of the Learning Alliance Inventory
Authors: Rogers Daniel T.
Published: December 2014

This study further examined the reliability and validity of the Learning Alliance Inventory (LAI), a self-report measure designed to assess the working alliance between a student and a teacher. The LAI was found to have good internal consistency and test–retest reliability, and it demonstrated the predicted convergence with measures of immediacy and rapport. The LAI enhanced the prediction of student learning beyond that which was possible only using measures of immediacy and rapport. Path analysis provided support for immediacy and rapport indirectly impacting student learning via their effects on the working alliance. Potential uses of the LAI in both research and applied contexts are discussed.
The Effect of Immersion Scheduling on Academic Performance and Students’ Ratings of Instructors
Authors: Richmond Aaron S. , Murphy Bridget C. , Curl Layton S. , Broussard Kristin A.
Published: December 2014

During the past decades, little research has investigated the effects of immersion scheduling on the psychology classroom. Therefore, we sought to compare academic performance of students in 2-week immersion psychology courses to that of students in traditional 16-week courses. In Study 1, students who received instruction in a 2-week immersion course significantly outperformed their cohorts in a traditional 16-week course. In order to address potential limitations in the first study, in Study 2, we controlled for individual differences variables (e.g., cumulative grade point average), and results indicated significantly higher academic performance for students in the 2-week immersion course. In both studies, students in the immersion courses consistently evaluated the courses and their instructors significantly higher than those students in the 16-week courses. In light of our results and in contrast to critics, immersion courses may be useful and effective when teaching psychology.
Writing Cover Letters That Address Instructor Feedback Improves Final Papers in a Research Methods Course
Authors: Daniel Frances , Gaze Catherine M. , Braasch Jason L. G.
Published: December 2014

We examined how writing cover letters to the instructor influenced final papers in research methods courses. After receiving instructor feedback on drafts of each section of an American Psychological Association style research paper throughout the semester, students in two classes wrote cover letters to the instructor explaining how the instructor feedback was incorporated into their final paper. Students in the two control classes received the same type of feedback throughout the semester but were not required to write cover letters. Students enrolled in the cover letter classes showed more improvement in the quality of their papers than the students in the control classes. Using cover letters to articulate how feedback is being incorporated may help students more efficiently organize and respond to instructor feedback. Future researchers might investigate whether students’ reflective ability is a significant moderator in effective feedback utilization.
Topical Versus Chronological Organization of Lifespan Development
Authors: Spangler Brooke R. , Kiel Elizabeth J.
Published: December 2014

This study aimed to determine whether taking a chronological approach (CA) or topical approach (TA) to teaching developmental psychology resulted in different learning outcomes. Across two semesters, in four classes, 354 students participated ( Mage = 19.76, SDage = 2.93 years), 66% identifying as female. One instructor taught one course type across the two semesters. Identical information about Piaget’s theory was presented in each condition. Around 5 weeks after instruction, concept checks were administered to measure understanding. Exam performance was also compared across courses, as were instructor evaluations. The data suggest that CA-instructed students may be better able to comprehend more difficult concepts. This is informative for instructors with the option of presenting information in contrasting ways and may inform textbook choices.
Congenital cystoid adenomatoid malformation: Surgery in a young child
Authors: Hasnain Fatimi Saulat , Asif Ali Taimur , Majid Zain , Deedar Ali Ranish
Published: December 2014

We present the case of a 3.5-year-old child who presented with recurrent chest infections and fever since birth. Antenatal ultrasonography had shown that she had a congenital cystic malformation of the left lower lobe of her lung. She was initially managed conservatively, and after a couple of years, underwent an uneventful left lower lobectomy via a posterolateral thoracotomy. She did very well after the procedure and her symptoms resolved significantly.
Religious diversity in the neoliberal welfare state: Secularity and the ethos of egalitarianism in Sweden
Authors: Schenk Susanne , Burchardt Marian , Wohlrab-Sahr Monika
Published: December 2014

Sociologists interested in religious change and state–church relations have, by and large, ignored how regimes of religious diversity and secularism interact with factors that are seemingly external to religious dynamics such as cultural notions of the welfare state and its neoliberal restructuring. This article fills this lacuna by exploring the social dynamics around secularity and religious diversity as they emerge in contestations around educational reforms in Sweden. The authors show that the language of ‘consumer choice’ that pervades discourses around public service provision in many late capitalist societies coalesces with human rights driven legal demands for greater religious freedom in justifying religious pluralism in education. These arguments, though, run up against Swedish understandings of egalitarianism as chiefly implemented through unified schools that are widely, but especially in governmental bureaucracies, viewed as a Swedish ‘tradition’. Theoretically, the article develops and builds the concept of ‘Multiple Secularities’.
Anchor organisations in Auckland: Rolling constructively with neoliberalism?
Authors: Lewis Nicolas , Murphy Laurence
Published: December 2014

The city of Auckland has recently been reconstituted through the amalgamation of eight territorial authorities and their constituencies. The new city was designed to provide coordinated economic, infrastructural and resource management for a territorial social economy given form and meaning by economic and infrastructural connections and daily movements of people and things. In this paper, we examine how this rationale has been translated into a vision for making and performing Auckland as a unitary space and ask whether the initial excitement over the new city has been captured as potential for delivering a more progressive city. We explore the shift from sustainability to liveability as a guiding imaginary for a new Auckland and the formation of the Auckland Anchors network as a group that might play a leadership role in shaping it. We conclude that whilst the process of amalgamation undermined much of its potential to achieve a more coordinated metropolitan governance, it has revealed possibilities for the practice of a new constructive urban politics.
Regional development in an age of accelerating complexity and uncertainty: Towards survival strategies for a sparsely settled continent
Authors: Sorensen Tony
Published: December 2014

Australia’s rural and remote regions operate in a complex and uncertain environment. Global economies and markets are rapidly shifting; the arrival of the Second Machine Age is continually stretching the frontier of innovation and will destroy or modify many jobs over the next two decades or so; the tyranny of distance is contracting; natural resources appear to be more threatened and/or finite; while social structures become increasingly mobile, older and affluent. This combination of complexity and uncertainty bodes ill for sparsely settled rural regions, already constrained by narrow economic bases, the oscillations of seasonal conditions and unstable commodity prices and exchange rates. Their already fragile economies and societies, using Taleb’s terminology, are likely to become more so. Worse still, complexity and uncertainty, married with the enormous spatial heterogeneity and the fragmentation of government, militate against top-down public strategies designed to promote regional development. So is there any place for regional policy in the emerging world order? Taleb’s recent work on antifragility suggests ways forward, especially in the realm of regional self-help guided by a raft of community and business leaders focusing on creating innovative, creative, scientifically literate, highly networked, investment ready and risk accepting cultures. These, in return, require an effective flow of venture capital and mutual support systems. This article suggests the pathways to these outcomes and, in the process, flags research agendas designed to focus and accelerate the processes involved.
Biomimetic niche for neural stem cell differentiation using poly-L-lysine/hyaluronic acid multilayer films
Authors: Lee I-Chi , Wu Yu-Chieh , Cheng En-Ming , Yang Wen-Ting
Published: December 2014

Polyelectrolyte multilayer films have been suggested as tunable substrates with flexible surface properties that can modulate cell behavior. However, these films’ biological effects on neural stem/progenitor cells have rarely been studied. Herein, biomimetic multilayer films composed of hyaluronic acid and poly-L-lysine were chosen to mimic the native extracellular matrix niche of brain tissue and were evaluated for their inductive effects, without the addition of chemical factors. Because neural stem/progenitor cells are sensitive to substrate properties, it is important that this system provides control over the surface charge, and slight stiffness variations are also possible. Both of these factors affect neural stem/progenitor cell differentiation. The results showed that neural stem/progenitor cells were induced to differentiate on the poly-L-lysine/hyaluronic acid multilayer films with 0.5–4 alternating layers. In addition, the neurite outgrowth length was regulated by the surface charge of the terminal layer but did not increase with the layer number. In contrast, the quantity of differentiated neurons was enhanced slightly as the number of layers increased but was not affected by the surface charge of the terminal layer. In sum, material pairs in the form of native poly-L-lysine/hyaluronic acid films achieved important targets for neural regenerative medicine, including enhancement of the neurite outgrowth length, regulation of neuron differentiation, and the formation of a network. These extracellular matrix–mimetic poly-L-lysine/hyaluronic acid multilayer films may provide a versatile platform that could be useful for surface modification for applications in neural engineering.
Desire to father a child and condom use: a study of young black men at risk of sexually transmitted infections
Authors: Crosby Richard A , Graham Cynthia A , Milhausen Robin R , Sanders Stephanie A , Yarber William L , Salazar Laura F , Terrell Ivy , Pasternak Ryan
Published: December 2014

To determine whether men’s reported desire to father a child or their perception that someone wanted to have their child was associated with elevated rates of unprotected vaginal sex, we studied a sample of young Black men at high risk of sexually transmitted infection acquisition. Data were collected in clinics treating sexually transmitted infections in three southern U.S. cities. Men 15–23 years of age who identified as Black/African American and reported recent (past two months) penile–vaginal sex were eligible (N = 578). Logistic regression was used to examine whether desire to conceive a child (self and perception of partners’ desire) predicted condom use, adjusting for age and whether they had previously impregnated someone. Their own level of desire to conceive a child was not significantly associated with unprotected vaginal sex or the proportion of times a condom was used. However, those who perceived higher level of someone wanting to conceive their child were 1.73 times more likely to report unprotected vaginal sex ( P = .006) and 1.62 times more likely to report a lower proportion of times condoms were used ( P = .019). Young Black men attending sexually transmitted infection clinics in the USA may forego condom use based on a perceived desire of their partners to become pregnant, putting themselves at risk for sexually transmitted infection acquisition and unplanned pregnancy. Findings provide initial support for the relevance of the idea that perceptions of women partners’ desire to conceive may be a critical determinant of condomless sex.
Cervical screening in HIV-positive women in the East of England: recent CD4 as the predictive risk factor
Authors: Davies Olubanke , Rajamanoharan Sasikala , Balachandran Thambiah
Published: December 2014

This study examines the relationship between CD4 count and cervical cytological abnormality in HIV-positive women attending two district general hospital genitourinary medicine clinics in the East of England. It aims to determine whether the rate of cervical cytological abnormalities differs in HIV-positive women with CD4 count >350 cells/µl and those with CD4 count ≤350 cells/µl; and to compare the rates of abnormalities with that of the general population. We retrospectively reviewed data from a cross-sectional audit undertaken between December 2010 and December 2011 and analysed them using multivariable statistics. There was a significant association between recent CD4 count ≤350 cells/µl and cervical cytological abnormality (p < 0.001). A total of 6.3% of women with recent CD4 counts >350 cells/µl had abnormal cervical smear results, compared with 6.6% of the general population in the screening period 2010–11 and 7.2% of the general population in the screening period 2009–10. In our study population of women with recent CD4 counts >350 cells/µl, the proportions of mild, moderate and severe dysplasia were also similar to national figures. This raises important questions about the cost effectiveness of blanket annual screening for HIV-positive women.
Correlates of prevalent HIV infection among adults and adolescents in the Kisumu incidence cohort study, Kisumu, Kenya
Authors: Gumbe Anne , McLellan-Lemal Eleanor , Gust Deborah A , Pals Sherri L , Gray Kristen Mahle , Ndivo Richard , Chen Robert T , Mills Lisa A , Thomas Timothy K ,   for the KICoS Study Team
Published: December 2014

We estimated HIV prevalence and identified correlates of HIV infection among 1106 men and women aged 16–34 years residing in Kisumu, Kenya. Demographic, sexual, and other behavioural data were collected using audio computer-assisted self-interview in conjunction with a medical examination, real-time parallel rapid HIV testing, and laboratory testing for pregnancy, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, and herpes simplex virus type 2. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with prevalent HIV infection by gender. Overall HIV prevalence was 12.1%. HIV prevalence among women (17.1%) was approximately two-and-one-half times the prevalence among men (6.6%). Odds of HIV infection in men increased with age (aOR associated with one-year increase in age = 1.21, CI = 1.07–1.35) and were greater among those who were uncircumcised (aOR = 4.42, CI = 1.41–13.89) and those who had an herpes simplex virus type 2-positive (aOR = 3.13, CI = 1.12–8.73) test result. Odds of prevalent HIV infection among women also increased with age (aOR associated with one-year increase in age = 1.16, CI = 1.04–1.29). Women who tested herpes simplex virus type 2 positive had more than three times the odds (aOR = 3.85, CI = 1.38–10.46) of prevalent HIV infection compared with those who tested herpes simplex virus type 2 negative. Tailored sexual health interventions and programs may help mitigate HIV age and gender disparities.
Human papillomavirus knowledge, vaccine acceptance, and vaccine series completion among female entertainment and sex workers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia: the Young Women’s Health Study
Authors: Wadhera Priya , Evans Jennifer L , Stein Ellen , Gandhi Monica , Couture Marie-Claude , Sansothy Neth , Sichan Keo , Maher Lisa , Kaldor John , Page Kimberly ,   on behalf of the YWHS Collaborative, Kaldor John , Kien Serey Phal , Page Kimberly , Palefsky Joel M , Saphonn Vonthanak , Vun Mean Chhi
Published: December 2014

Summary

Human papillomavirus is a common sexually transmitted infection and the causative agent for cervical cancer, a frequently occurring malignant disease among women in developing countries. We assessed human papillomavirus awareness prior to the delivery of a brief information and education intervention, and human papillomavirus vaccine provision to female entertainment and sex workers (N = 220). At baseline, only 23.6% of women had heard of human papillomavirus. Following the educational intervention, 90% answered all the human papillomavirus knowledge questions correctly. Of 192 participants attending the first quarterly cohort visit where vaccine was offered, 149 (78%) were eligible for vaccination; HIV-positive (n = 32) and pregnant (n = 11) women were excluded. Acceptance of vaccine among eligible women was universal, and 79.2% completed the three-dose vaccination series. Women who reported use of amphetamine-type stimulants had significantly and independently lower odds of vaccine completion (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.24; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.08, 0.69). New pregnancies also had an impact on vaccine completion: 5.4% (8/149 5.4%) who started the series had to stop due to new pregnancy. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of a simple education intervention designed to increase human papillomavirus knowledge and the feasibility of successful human papillomavirus vaccine in a population that is often difficult to engage in preventive health care.
Interferon-gamma gene polymorphism influences the frequency of a Chlamydia trachomatis cervical infection in young women
Authors: Eleutério José , Teles Rosiane A , Linhares Iara M , Normand Neil , Witkin Steven S
Published: December 2014

Summary

Cervicitis associated with Chlamydia trachomatis is frequent worldwide, but the factors determining susceptibility to infection remain incompletely determined. We evaluated whether a functional single nucleotide polymorphism at position +874 in the gene coding for interferon gamma (rs2430561) influenced the likelihood of having a cervical C. trachomatis infection. This was a cross-sectional study of 142 sexually-active women attending a general gynaecology service on the outskirts of the city of Fortaleza in northeastern Brazil between August 2011 and August 2012. Endocervical swabs were evaluated for C. trachomatis DNA using hybrid capture. DNA from buccal swabs was utilised for detection of the interferon gamma 874 T/A single nucleotide polymorphism by gene amplification, endonuclease digestion and gel electrophoresis. Nineteen women (13.4%) were positive for C. trachomatis in their cervix. Positivity was 21.7% in women with the A,A genotype versus 7.0% in women with one or two T alleles (p = 0.0227). The variant T allele frequency, associated with elevated interferon gamma production, was 36.2% in women who were negative for C. trachomatis as opposed to 18.4% in women who were positive for a cervical infection with this organism (p = 0.0415). Possession of the T allele at position +874 in the gene coding for interferon gamma is associated with a reduced likelihood of a C. trachomatis cervical infection.
Valaciclovir versus aciclovir for the treatment of primary genital herpes simplex: a cost analysis
Authors: Pinder Melissa , Wright Alison
Published: December 2014

The current guidelines for the treatment of primary herpes simplex in the Genito-urinary department in Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, recommend valaciclovir as a first-line medication. This is a prodrug of aciclovir, which has been used for many years as a treatment for primary herpes simplex virus. The basis of the recommendation largely relates to valaciclovir being more bioavailable than aciclovir. However, there is no evidence to suggest this has an effect on overall outcome with regard to symptom control and viral shedding. The purpose of the service evaluation was to discover if significant cost savings could be made by changing the prescribing policy to make aciclovir the drug of choice for primary herpes simplex virus. Based on 160 patients receiving valaciclovir (500 mg BD) during April 2013 and March 2014, if they had been treated with aciclovir (400 mg TDS) instead, a saving of £828.80 (66% reduction) could have been made.
Race/ethnicity, sexual partnerships with men involved with drugs, and sexually transmitted infections among a sample of urban young adult women
Authors: Campbell Leah F , Brown Qiana , Cavanaugh Courtenay , Lawson April
Published: December 2014

In many urban neighbourhoods in the United States, drug markets borne from disadvantage have produced risk for sexually transmitted infections through altered sexual norms and partnerships. Presently, we examined the association of race, sexual partnerships with men involved with drugs, and self-reported sexually transmitted infections among 240 African American and white women aged 18–30 years. Thirty seven per cent reported ever having a sexually transmitted infection. Almost 30% of Whites reported sex with a drug user, compared to 5% of African Americans. Fifty eight per cent of African Americans compared to 31% of Whites reported sex with a drug dealer. On Step 1 of a sequential logistic regression model, race was associated with lifetime sexually transmitted infections (OR = 4.7, 95% CI = 2.61–8.34). Results from the full sequential logistic regression model indicated a significant, but smaller association of race and lifetime sexually transmitted infections (Adjusted OR = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.78–7.02) and an association of sex with a drug dealer and lifetime sexually transmitted infections (Adjusted OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.55–5.20). Forming sexual partnerships with drug dealers may place women at increased risk for sexually transmitted infections and explain racial disparities. More research focused on drug dealers as core transmitters is needed.
Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis relapse after an eight-year delay: an interplay of infection and immune reconstitution
Authors: Katchanov Juri , Blechschmidt Cristiane , Nielsen Kirsten , Branding Gordian , Arastéh Keikawus , Tintelnot Kathrin , Meintjes Graeme , Boulware David R , Stocker Hartmut
Published: December 2014

We report a case of a symptomatic relapse of HIV-related cryptococcal meningoencephalitis eight years after the first diagnosis on the background of immune reconstitution. The findings as well as the clinical course suggests a combination of smouldering localised infection and enhanced inflammatory reaction related to immune restoration due to antiretroviral therapy. A combination of antifungal and anti-inflammatory therapy resulted in clinical and radiological improvement. Our case challenges the concept that immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome and microbiological relapse are dichotomous entities.
Virologic suppression among HIV-infected US Air Force members in a highly-structured programme with free access to care
Authors: Matthews PE , Le T , Delmar J , Okulicz JF
Published: December 2014

Summary

The United States Air Force HIV programme has several features that may enhance antiretroviral therapy outcomes, including free access to healthcare and mandatory clinical visits every six months at a single centre. We evaluated viral load suppression (<50 copies/ml) after 12 months of initial antiretroviral therapy, with extension to 18 and 24 months. Active duty Air Force members were categorised by year of antiretroviral therapy initiation: 2000–2005 (n = 95, 36.1%) and 2006–2011 (n = 168, 63.9%). The median months from HIV diagnosis to initial antiretroviral therapy were shorter in the 2000–2005 group (2.4, IQR 1.2–5.9) compared with the 2006–2011 group (12.6, IQR 2.6–29.0; p < 0.001). Viral load suppression was greater in the 2006–2011 group compared with the 2000–2005 group at 12 months (93.2% versus 78.6%, p = 0.002) and 18 months (91.8% versus 80.3%, p = 0.03), and trended higher at 24 months (90.8% versus 82.5%; p = 0.15). Factors associated with viral load suppression at 12 months in multivariate models included antiretroviral therapy initiation during 2006–2011 (OR 5.22, 95% CI 1.50–18.18) and CD4 count at antiretroviral therapy initiation (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.19–14.43 per 100 cells/µl increase). Structured programmes that minimise traditional barriers to care combined with the use of contemporary antiretroviral therapy regimens can achieve clinic-wide viral load suppression in >90% of patients.
Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and its correlation with CD4 count in newly-diagnosed HIV-positive adults – a cross-sectional study
Authors: Dev Nishanth , Sahoo Ratnakar , Kulshreshtha Bindu , Gadpayle A K , Sharma S C
Published: December 2014

Prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in HIV-positive patients is reported to be high in those with severe immune deficiency. However, there is paucity of literature in newly-diagnosed HIV-positive population. Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and study its correlation with CD4 count in this population. In this cross-sectional study, patients presenting to the antiretroviral therapy clinic were screened with thyroid function tests, including thyroid stimulating hormone, free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody levels at the time of diagnosis. Two hundred and twenty-five HIV-positive and an equal number of healthy volunteers were enrolled. The mean (SD) CD4 count in the study group was 147.1 (84) and 70.7% had advanced immune deficiency with CD4 count <200 cells/µL. The overall prevalence of thyroid dysfunction was 75.5% in the study group and 16% in the control group. Subclinical hypothyroidism was the commonest abnormality noted in almost 53%. Significant correlation was observed between CD4 count and thyroid stimulating hormone, free triiodothyronine, and free thyroxine levels ( r = −0.86, r = 0.77, and r = 0.84, respectively, p < 0.0001 for all). The present study demonstrated high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in HIV-positive patients. The dysfunction is subclinical in most cases and correlates well with declining CD4 counts.