bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ACTIVE CONTOUR BASED ON 3D STRUCTURE TENSOR APPLIED IN MEDICAL IMAGE SEGMENTATION
Authors: ZHANG PING , CUI ZHAOHUA , XUE HALE , ZOU DEXUAN , GUO LI
Published: May 2013

The paper presents an improved tensor-based active contour model in a variational level set formulation for medical image segmentation. In it, a new energy function is defined with a local intensity fitting term in intensity inhomogeneity of the image, and with a global intensity fitting term in intensity homogeneity domain. Weighting factor is chosen to balance these two intensity fitting terms, which can be calculated automatically by local entropy. The level set regularization term is to replace contour curve to find the minimum of the energy function. Particularly, structure tensor is applied to describe the image, which overcomes the disadvantage of image feature without structure information. The experimental results show that our proposed method can segment image efficiently whether it presents intensity inhomogeneity or not and wherever the initial contour is. Moreover, compared with the Chan–Vese model and local binary fitting model, our proposed model not only handles better intensity inhomogeneity, but also is less sensitive to the location of initial contour.
Basin fragmentation controlled by tectonic inversion and basement uplift in Sierras Pampeanas and Santa Bárbara System, northwest Argentina
Authors: Iaffa Diego Nicolas , Sàbat F. , Muñoz J. A. , Carrera N.
Published: May 2013

The study area is located within the Central Andes, a complex region composed of different structural styles. The region is characterized by highly elevated basement cored ranges, which abruptly break the foreland plain. These ranges were uplifted mainly by deep detached high-angle faults or by the inversion of former extensional faults of the Cretaceous rift. Palaeozoic orogenies generated crustal scale discontinuities in the basement, some of them reactivated during the Andean orogeny. Sedimentary sequences and layers architecture in the basins bordering ranges recorded the tectonic evolution of the region. Basement, syn–rift, post-rift and three foreland stages were interpreted in the seismic sections according to the arrangement of the horizons and the main outcropping geological units in bordering ranges. Based on seismic data sets and field data, here we document a particular style of activation of basement faults. Thick-skinned structures that are not always related to the tectonic inversion but to the reactivation of older basement anisotropies represent a paradox since they were not active during the rifting stage. A flat slab subduction and a subsequent angle recovery conditioned the structural evolution of the area.
Reconstruction of the early Mesozoic plate margin of Gondwana by U–Pb ages of detrital zircons from northern Victoria Land, Antarctica
Authors: Elsner Martin , Schöner Robert , Gerdes Axel , Gaupp Reinhard
Published: May 2013

Detrital zircons of eight sandstone samples from the Triassic–Early Jurassic Section Peak Formation (Victoria Group, Beacon Supergroup) in northern Victoria Land, Antarctica, were investigated by U–Pb LA–ICPMS dating. The basin was flanked by the East Antarctic craton, and by a magmatic arc at the palaeo-Pacific margin of Gondwana. It accommodated sandstones ranging from quartzo-feldspathic to volcaniclastic in composition. The detrital zircon age spectra yield pronounced concentrations at
c.
190–250 Ma, 500–700 Ma and 800–1200 Ma. The proportion of Triassic–Early Jurassic zircons increases from base to top of the formation, and correlates positively with the abundance of detrital volcanic rock fragments. The youngest zircon ages are close to the stratigraphic age of each sample, indicating contemporaneous magmatic activity along the active margin of Gondwana. Igneous rocks that formed during the Ross Orogeny (
c.
470–545 Ma) were a minor source only, suggesting that the Ross Orogen became progressively covered by sediments as the basin expanded. Pan-African (
c.
500–700 Ma) and Grenville (
c.
800–1200 Ma) age zircons may have been derived from crustal sources currently covered beneath the polar ice sheet, although recycling from Cambro-Ordovician units provides an alternative explanation.

Supplementary material:

The exact results of the age analyses of all samples are presented in Tables A1 to A8 at
www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18624
Trust and Growth
Authors: Algan Yann , Cahuc Pierre
Published: May 2013

This article surveys recent research on the relationship between trust and growth. It documents the strong international and interregional heterogeneity of trust. The theoretical mechanisms that explain the influence of trust on economic performance and the empirical methods used to identify the causal impact of trust on economic performance are reviewed.
Water Conservation: Theory and Evidence in Urban Areas of the Developed World
Authors: Saurí David
Published: May 2013

Water conservation is gaining ascendancy around the world as the most important strategy for water planning and management for the future decades. In the urban areas of the developed world, water conservation has to a certain extent achieved the objective of curbing consumption, especially in the more compact European cities. Urban water conservation depends on changing behaviors by water users, which may be influenced by personal factors (related to variables such as age, income, education, etc.) or may follow stimuli coming from the economic (i.e., pricing), technological, or public awareness spheres. The relative merit of each of these factors, as presented in this review, remains inconclusive, and conservation behaviors may vary in degree. However, conservation is also influenced by nonpurposeful factors, such as urban design, population, economic profile, and productive base. This article also discusses the governance context in which urban conservation practices take place. It is argued that conservation may influence governance (for instance, in the emergence of new, decentralized decision making networks) and also that governance, and especially the consolidation of certain nonpublic actors with specific agendas, may drive conservation practices.
From Atomic Structures to Neuronal Functions of G Protein–Coupled Receptors
Authors: Palczewski Krzysztof , Orban Tivadar
Published: May 2013

G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) are essential mediators of signal transduction, neurotransmission, ion channel regulation, and other cellular events. GPCRs are activated by diverse stimuli, including light, enzymatic processing of their N-termini, and binding of proteins, peptides, or small molecules such as neurotransmitters. GPCR dysfunction caused by receptor mutations and environmental challenges contributes to many neurological diseases. Moreover, modern genetic technology has helped identify a rich array of mono- and multigenic defects in humans and animal models that connect such receptor dysfunction with disease affecting neuronal function. The visual system is especially suited to investigate GPCR structure and function because advanced imaging techniques permit structural studies of photoreceptor neurons at both macro and molecular levels that, together with biochemical and physiological assessment in animal models, provide a more complete understanding of GPCR signaling.
Antimicrobial Defenses and Resistance in Forest Trees: Challenges and Perspectives in a Genomic Era
Authors: Kovalchuk Andriy , Keriö Susanna , Oghenekaro Abbot O. , Jaber Emad , Raffaello Tommaso , Asiegbu Fred O.
Published: May 2013

Molecular pathology of forest trees for a long time lagged behind parallel studies on agricultural crop pathology. Recent technological advances have significantly contributed to the observed progress in this field. The first powerful impulse was provided by the completion of the black cottonwood genome sequence in 2006. Genomes of several other important tree species will be completed within a short time. Simultaneously, application of transcriptomics and next-generation sequencing (NGS) has resulted in the rapid accumulation of a vast amount of data on molecular interactions between trees and their microbial parasites. This review provides an overview of our current knowledge about these responses of forest trees to their pathogens, highlighting the achievements of the past decade, discussing the current state of the field, and emphasizing the prospects and challenges for the near future.
Paradigms: Examples from the BacteriumXylella fastidiosa
Authors: Purcell Alexander
Published: May 2013

The history of advances in research on Xylella fastidiosa provides excellent examples of how paradigms both advance and limit our scientific understanding of plant pathogens and the plant diseases they cause. I describe this from a personal perspective, having been directly involved with many persons who made paradigm-changing discoveries, beginning with the discovery that a bacterium, not a virus, causes Pierce's disease of grape and other plant diseases in numerous plant species, including important crop and forest species.
Induction of COX-2 expression by Helicobacter pylori is mediated by activation of epidermal growth factor receptor in gastric epithelial cells
Authors: Sierra Johanna C. , Hobbs Stuart , Chaturvedi Rupesh , Yan Fang , Wilson Keith T. , Peek Richard M. , Brent Polk D.
Published: May 2013

Chronic infection of the gastric mucosa by Helicobacter pylori is associated with an increased risk of developing gastric cancer; however, the vast majority of infected individuals never develop this disease. One H. pylori virulence factor that increases gastric cancer risk is the cag pathogenicity island, which encodes a bacterial type IV secretion system. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression is induced by proinflammatory stimuli, leading to increased prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) secretion by gastric epithelial cells. COX-2 expression is increased in gastric tissue from H. pylori -infected persons. H. pylori also activates the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in gastric epithelial cells. We now demonstrate that H. pylori -induced activation of COX-2 in gastric cells is dependent upon EGFR activation, and that a functional cag type IV secretion system and direct bacterial contact are necessary for full induction of COX-2 by gastric epithelial cells. PGE2 secretion is increased in cells infected with H. pylori , and this induction is dependent on a functional EGFR. Increased apoptosis in response to H. pylori occurs in cells treated with a COX-2 inhibitor, as well as COX-2−/− cells, indicating that COX-2 expression promotes cell survival. In vivo, COX-2 induction by H. pylori is significantly reduced in mice deficient for EGFR activation compared with wild-type mice with a fully functional receptor. Collectively, these findings indicate that aberrant activation of the EGFR-COX-2 axis may lower the threshold for carcinogenesis associated with chronic H. pylori infection.
Exercise-inducible factors to activate lipolysis in adipocytes
Authors: Hashimoto Takeshi , Sato Koji , Iemitsu Motoyuki
Published: May 2013

We examined the effects of exercise training on the levels of lipid droplet (LD)-associated and mitochondria-related proteins in diet-induced obese (DIO) rats. Furthermore, we assessed putative factors induced by exercise to activate lipolysis in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. DIO Wistar male rats (age 20 wk) were divided into sedentary control (SED, n = 7) and exercise training (EX, n = 7) groups. EX animals were subjected to treadmill running (25 m/min, 1 h/day, 5 days/wk) for 6 wk. Epididymal fat was dissected and used for protein analyses. 3T3-L1 adipocytes were incubated with media containing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), sodium-lactate, caffeine, AICAR, or SNAP (NO donor) for 6 h, or 1 mM H2O2for 15 min, followed by incubation with normal media for up to 24 h total. Protein expression levels and lipolytic activities were biochemically assayed. Epididymal fat significantly decreased in EX animals compared with SED animals. Levels of cytochrome c oxidase (COx), perilipin, hormone sensitive lipase (HSL), and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) proteins in epididymal fat pads of EX animals were significantly increased compared with those in SED animals. In 3T3-L1 cells, glycerol or fatty acid release was significantly increased by all treatments. Lactate or SNAP significantly increased PGC-1α expression, and H2O2significantly increased COx protein levels compared with controls. Expression of perilipin, HSL, ATGL, or comparative gene identification (CGI)-58 was significantly increased by all treatments. By increasing lipolytic activity in adipocytes, the exercise-inducible factors are attractive therapeutic effectors against LD-associated metabolic diseases.
Rb1 Haploinsufficiency Promotes Telomere Attrition and Radiation-Induced Genomic Instability
Authors: Gonzalez-Vasconcellos Iria , Anastasov Natasa , Sanli-Bonazzi Bahar , Klymenko Olena , Atkinson Michael J. , Rosemann Michael
Published: May 2013

Germline mutations of the retinoblastoma gene (RB1) predispose to both sporadic and radiation-induced osteosarcoma, tumors characterized by high levels of genomic instability, and activation of alternative lengthening of telomeres. Mice with haploinsufficiency of the Rb1 gene in the osteoblastic lineage reiterate the radiation susceptibility to osteosarcoma seen in patients with germline RB1 mutations. We show that the susceptibility is accompanied by an increase in genomic instability, resulting from Rb1-dependent telomere erosion. Radiation exposure did not accelerate the rate of telomere loss but amplified the genomic instability resulting from the dysfunctional telomeres. These findings suggest that telomere maintenance is a noncanonical caretaker function of the retinoblastoma protein, such that its deficiency in cancer may potentiate DNA damage-induced carcinogenesis by promoting formation of chromosomal aberrations, rather than simply by affecting cell-cycle control. Cancer Res; 73(14); 4247–55. ©2013 AACR.
How Long Will It Take to Reduce Gastric Cancer Incidence by Eradicating Helicobacter Pylori Infection?
Authors: Osborn John F. , Cattaruzza Maria S. , Ferri Anna M. , De Angelis Flora , Renzi Davide , Marani Alessandra , Vaira Dino
Published: May 2013

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the most important risk factor for the development of gastric cancer. The objective of this article is to estimate how the number of clinically diagnosed cases caused by H. pylori would reduce in the years after the eradication of the infection from a population. It is assumed that the eradication of H. pylori will prevent the start of some new gastric tumors, but those that have passed the “point of no return” will continue to develop until diagnosed clinically. The observed reduction in the number of clinically diagnosed cases of gastric cancer will depend on the form and parameters of the distribution of the time t taken for tumor to develop into a clinical case after passing the “point of no return.” This analysis assumes that the time t follows normal and log-normal distributions with means 5, 10, and 15 years. If the mean value of time t were 5 years, H. pylori caused cases should be almost eliminated after 10 years, whereas if the mean were 10 years, the number of cases should be halved. If the mean were 15 years, the reduction would only be about 15% after 10 years. The eradication of H. pylori from a population will reduce the incidence of gastric cancer, but the follow-up time needed to show and evaluate the reduction may be longer than that that has been used in studies published so far. Cancer Prev Res; 6(7); 695–700. ©2013 AACR.
Progesterone Enhances Calcitriol Antitumor Activity by Upregulating Vitamin D Receptor Expression and Promoting Apoptosis in Endometrial Cancer Cells
Authors: Lee Laura R. , Teng Pang-Ning , Nguyen Huyen , Hood Brian L. , Kavandi Leyla , Wang Guisong , Turbov Jane M. , Thaete Larry G. , Hamilton Chad A. , Maxwell George L. , Rodriguez Gustavo C. , Conrads Thomas P. , Syed Viqar
Published: May 2013

Human studies suggest that progesterone and calcitriol may prove beneficial in preventing or inhibiting oncogenesis, but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. The current study investigates the effects of progesterone, calcitriol, and their combination on immortalized human endometrial epithelial cells and endometrial cancer cells and identifies their targets of action. Combination treatment with both agents enhanced vitamin D receptor expression and inhibited cell proliferation through caspase-3 activation and induction of G0–G1 cell-cycle arrest with associated downregulation of cyclins D1 and D3 and p27 induction. We used mass spectrometry–based proteomics to measure protein abundance differences between calcitriol-, progesterone-, or combination-exposed endometrial cells. A total of 117 proteins showed differential expression among these three treatments. Four proteins were then selected for validation studies: histone H1.4 (HIST1H1E), histidine triad nucleotide-binding protein 2 (HINT2), IFN-induced, double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (EIF2AK2), and Bcl-2–associated X protein (BAX). Abundance levels of selected candidates were low in endometrial cancer cell lines versus the immortalized endometrial epithelial cell line. All four proteins displayed elevated expression in cancer cells upon exposure to calcitriol, progesterone, or the combination. Further BAX analysis through gain- or loss-of-function experiments revealed that upregulation of BAX decreased cell proliferation by changing the BAX:BCL-2 ratio. Knockdown of BAX attenuated progesterone- and calcitriol-induced cell growth inhibition. Our results showed that progesterone and calcitriol upregulate the expression of BAX along with other apoptosis-related proteins, which induce inhibition of endometrial cancer cell growth by apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest. Cancer Prev Res; 6(7); 731–43. ©2013 AACR.
Practical Approach to Self-Administration of Intravenous C1-INH Concentrate: A Nursing Perspective
Authors: Symons C. , Rossi O. , Magerl M. , Andritschke K.
Published: May 2013

At an international hereditary angioedema (HAE) expert meeting, results from a survey were used to guide discussion on how best to advise patients on self-administering intravenous C1 esterase inhibitor therapy. Treatment differences across Europe were highlighted, together with the practicalities of self-administration and useful resources for patients in the future. The international HAE experts noted an increase in the uptake of self-administration, with patients being trained by nursing staff. All patients who are willing and able to self-administer should be offered this treatment option and patients should be encouraged to treat attacks early. Several initiatives were suggested regarding support for patients who self-administer therapy, including a 24-hour helpline and home care agencies.
Challenges of C1-Inhibitor Concentrate Self-Administration
Authors: Boysen H.B. , Bouillet L. , Aygören-Pürsün E.
Published: May 2013

Self-administration of therapy can help hereditary angioedema (HAE) patients regain control of their disease or reduce its impact and improve the quality of their lives. However, data from a self-administration survey, and subsequent discussion at an international HAE expert meeting, identified several barriers to self-administration therapy. These barriers include difficulty in administration technique, availability of nursing resources and the mental capacity of the patient. Encouragingly, international HAE experts identified that once a patient has acquired self-administration skills, they generally retain them in the long-term. As patient uptake increases, it was recommended that follow-up management plans should be established to address any issues from the patient's perspective.
Mechanisms of Coronary Thrombosis in Cigarette Smoke Exposure
Authors: Barua Rajat S. , Ambrose John A.
Published: May 2013

Acute rupture or erosion of a coronary atheromatous plaque and subsequent coronary artery thrombosis cause the majority of sudden cardiac deaths and myocardial infarctions. Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for acute coronary thrombosis. Indeed, a majority of sudden cardiac deaths attributable to acute thrombosis are in cigarette smokers. Both active and passive cigarette smoke exposure seem to increase the risk of coronary thrombosis and myocardial infarctions. Cigarette smoke exposure seems to alter the hemostatic process via multiple mechanisms, which include alteration of the function of endothelial cells, platelets, fibrinogen, and coagulation factors. This creates an imbalance of antithrombotic/prothrombotic factors and profibrinolytic/antifibrinolytic factors that support the initiation and propagation of thrombosis.
Understanding the Effects of Tobacco Smoke on the Pathogenesis of Aortic Aneurysm
Authors: Norman Paul E. , Curci John A.
Published: May 2013

Aneurysmal arterial disease is a vascular degenerative condition that is distinct from atherosclerotic and other occlusive arterial diseases. There is regionalization of the predisposition to aneurysm formation within the vascular tree, and the pathological process varies with location. Infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is the most common manifestation of aneurysmal disease, and smoking is the dominant risk factor. Smoking is a much greater risk factor for AAA than for atherosclerosis. In addition to playing a role in the pathogenesis of AAA, smoking also increases the rate of expansion and risk of rupture of established AAA. The mechanistic relationship between AAA and smoking is being established by the use of enhanced animal models that are dependent on smoke or smoke components. The mechanisms seem to involve durable alterations in vascular smooth muscle cell and inflammatory cell function. This review examines the clinical, epidemiological, and mechanistic evidence implicating smoking as a cause of aneurysms, focusing on AAA.
Hepatic Steatosis Is Associated With Aortic Valve Sclerosis in the General Population
Authors: Markus Marcello Ricardo Paulista , Baumeister Sebastian Edgar , Stritzke Jan , Dörr Marcus , Wallaschofski Henri , Völzke Henry , Lieb Wolfgang
Published: May 2013

Objective

We aimed to analyze the association between hepatic steatosis and aortic valve sclerosis in the general population.

Approach and Results

Cross-sectional data of 2212 men and women, aged 45 to 81 years, from the baseline examination of the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-0) were analyzed. Hepatic steatosis was primarily defined as the presence of a hyperechogenic ultrasound pattern of the liver. Aortic valve sclerosis was determined by echocardiography. In our sample, hepatic steatosis was present in 877 (39.7%) individuals. Among participants with hepatic steatosis, aortic valve sclerosis was more common (n=323; 36.8%) compared with participants without hepatic steatosis (n=379; 28.4%;
P
<0.001). After adjustment for potential confounders, individuals with hepatic steatosis had 33% higher odds of aortic valve sclerosis compared with those without hepatic steatosis (95% confidence interval, 6%–66%;
P
=0.014). Additional adjustment for high-sensitive C-reactive protein, serum ferritin levels, and white blood cells slightly reduced the association to 32% (95% confidence interval, 4%–66%;
P
=0.021).

Conclusions

Our findings add evidence that hepatic steatosis and aortic valve sclerosis are interrelated after adjustment for major confounders. The release of proatherogenic substances by the steatotic liver or its contribution to insulin resistance and dyslipidemia may contribute to the development of calcification and sclerosis of the aortic valve.
Dkk1 and Msx2–Wnt7b Signaling Reciprocally Regulate the Endothelial–Mesenchymal Transition in Aortic Endothelial Cells
Authors: Cheng Su-Li , Shao Jian-Su , Behrmann Abraham , Krchma Karen , Towler Dwight A.
Published: May 2013

Objective—

Endothelial cells (ECs) can undergo an endothelial–mesenchymal transition with tissue fibrosis. Wnt- and Msx2-regulated signals participate in arteriosclerotic fibrosis and calcification. We studied the impact of Wnt7, Msx2, and Dkk1, a Wnt7 antagonist, on endothelial–mesenchymal transition in primary aortic ECs.

Approach and Results—

Transduction of aortic ECs with vectors expressing Dkk1 suppressed EC differentiation and induced a mineralizing myofibroblast phenotype. Dkk1 suppressed
claudin 5, PECAM
,
cadherin 5
(
Cdh5
),
Tie1
, and
Tie2
. Dkk1 converted the cuboidal cell monolayer into a spindle-shaped multilayer and inhibited EC cord formation. Myofibroblast and osteogenic markers,
SM22, type I collagen
,
Osx
,
Runx2
, and
alkaline phosphatase
, were upregulated by Dkk1 via activin-like kinase/Smad pathways. Dkk1 increased fibrotic mineralization of aortic ECs cultured under osteogenic conditions—the opposite of mesenchymal cell responses. Msx2 and Wnt7b maintained morphology and upregulated markers of differentiated ECs. Deleting EC
Wnt7b
with the
Cdh5-Cre
transgene in
Wnt7b(fl/fl);LDLR
−/−
mice upregulated aortic osteogenic genes (
Osx
,
Sox9
,
Runx2
, and
Msx2
) and nuclear phospho-Smad1/5, and increased collagen and calcium accumulation.

Conclusions—

Dkk1 enhances endothelial–mesenchymal transition in aortic ECs, whereas Wnt7b and Msx2 signals preserve EC phenotype. EC responses to Dkk1, Wnt7b, and Msx2 are the opposite of mesenchymal responses, coupling EC phenotypic stability with osteofibrogenic predilection during arteriosclerosis.
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Outcomes in Older Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Qian Feng , Fonarow Gregg C. , Smith Eric E. , Xian Ying , Pan Wenqin , Hannan Edward L. , Shaw Benjamin A. , Glance Laurent G. , Peterson Eric D. , Eapen Zubin J. , Hernandez Adrian F. , Schwamm Lee H. , Bhatt Deepak L.
Published: May 2013

Background—

Little is known as to whether long-term outcomes of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) vary by race/ethnicity. Using the American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines–Stroke registry linked with Medicare claims data set, we examined whether 30-day and 1-year outcomes differed by race/ethnicity among older patients with AIS.

Methods and Results—

We analyzed 200 900 patients with AIS >65 years of age (170 694 non-Hispanic whites, 85.0%; 20 514 non-Hispanic blacks, 10.2%; 6632 Hispanics, 3.3%; 3060 non-Hispanic Asian Americans, 1.5%) from 926 US centers participating in the Get With The Guidelines–Stroke program from April 2003 through December 2008. Compared with whites, other racial and ethnic groups were on average younger and had a higher median score on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale. Whites had higher 30-day unadjusted mortality than other groups (white versus black versus Hispanic versus Asian=15.0% versus 9.9% versus 11.9% versus 11.1%, respectively). Whites also had higher 1-year unadjusted mortality (31.7% versus 28.6% versus 28.1% versus 23.9%, respectively) but lower 1-year unadjusted all-cause rehospitalization (54.7% versus 62.5% versus 60.0% versus 48.6%, respectively). After risk adjustment, Asian American patients with AIS had lower 30-day and 1-year mortality than white, black, and Hispanic patients. Relative to whites, black and Hispanic patients had higher adjusted 1-year all-cause rehospitalization (black: adjusted odds ratio, 1.28 [95% confidence interval, 1.21–1.37]; Hispanic: adjusted odds ratio, 1.22 [95% confidence interval, 1.11–1.35]), whereas Asian patients had lower odds (adjusted odds ratio, 0.83 [95% confidence interval, 0.74–0.94]).

Conclusions—

Among older Medicare beneficiaries with AIS, there were significant differences in long-term outcomes by race/ethnicity, even after adjustment for stroke severity, other prognostic variables, and hospital characteristics.
Poststroke Outcomes Vary by Pathogenic Stroke Subtype in The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study
Authors: Jones Sara B. , Sen Souvik , Lakshminarayan Kamakshi , Rosamond Wayne D.
Published: May 2013

Background and Purpose—

Early risk of recurrence and mortality after stroke differs by subtype, but less is known about long-term recurrence and hospital readmissions. These differences have economic implications and will affect long-term disability and stroke survivor quality of life. We examined recurrent stroke, all-cause hospital readmission, and mortality by index pathogenic subtype.

Methods—

We identified 987 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study cohort participants with first-ever stroke and followed them for a median 5.3 years after first stroke. Outcomes were compared across index subtypes (infarction: thrombotic, cardioembolic, and lacunar; hemorrhagic: subarachnoid and intracerebral) using Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusting for age, sex, and race.

Results—

There were 183 recurrent strokes among 147 participants, 3234 hospitalizations among 746 participants, and 529 deaths; only 14% of participants were event-free over follow-up. The majority of recurrent events were of the same subtype, except for lacunar infarcts, which were followed ≈3 quarters of the time by nonlacunar events. Adjusted mortality was higher for intracerebral hemorrhage (hazard ratio, 2.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.7–3.0) compared with thrombotic stroke and lower for lacunar infarcts. Lacunar infarcts had somewhat higher recurrence compared with thrombotic infarcts (hazard ratio, 1.3; 95% confidence interval, 0.9–1.9), but lower all-cause readmission (hazard ratio, 0.8; 95% confidence interval, 0.7–1.0). Readmission was 40% higher for cardioembolic stroke relative to thrombotic stroke (hazard ratio, 1.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.1–1.7).

Conclusions—

Although the highest mortality was observed for intracerebral hemorrhage, there was significant burden of recurrent stroke and hospital readmissions for lacunar and cardioembolic strokes, respectively. There may be opportunities to reduce the relatively high rate of poststroke readmissions.
Depression and Risk of Stroke in Midaged Women
Authors: Jackson Caroline A. , Mishra Gita D.
Published: May 2013

Background and Purpose—

Depression is known to increase stroke risk. Although limited, there is some evidence for age differences, with a suggestion for a stronger association in younger groups. We investigated the effect of depression on stroke incidence in a large cohort of midaged women.

Methods—

We included 10 547 women without a history of stroke aged 47 to 52 years from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, surveyed every 3 years from 1998 to 2010. Depression was defined at each survey using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (shortened version) and antidepressant use in the past month. Stroke was ascertained through self-report and mortality data. We determined the association between depression and stroke at the subsequent survey, using generalized estimating equation analysis, adjusting for time-varying covariates.

Results—

At each survey, ≈24% were defined as having depression. During follow-up, 177 strokes occurred. Depression was associated with a >2-fold increased odds of stroke (odds ratio, 2.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.78–3.27), which attenuated after adjusting for age, socioeconomic status, lifestyle, and physiological factors (odds ratio, 1.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.37–2.74). Findings were robust to sensitivity analyses addressing methodological issues, including definition of depression, antidepressant use, and missing covariate data.

Conclusions—

Depression is a strong risk factor for stroke in midaged women, with the association partially explained by lifestyle and physiological factors. Further studies of midaged and older women from the same population are needed to confirm whether depression is particularly important in younger women and to inform targeted intervention approaches.
Accumulation of the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on the regressing tail of midwife toads Alytes obstetricans undergoing metamorphosis
Authors: Geiger Corina C. , Geiger Corina C. , Schmidt Benedikt R. , Geiger Corina C. , Schmidt Benedikt R. , Origgi Francesco C.
Published: May 2013

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a fungus infecting the skin of amphibians. On metamorphosing animals the infection is difficult to detect because of the limited information concerning the location of Bd on the animals during this stage. Histological investigation revealed that Bd accumulated on the reabsorbing tail of metamorphosing animals. This observation may facilitate the detection of Bd in metamorphosing amphibians.
Understanding Religious Disaffiliation: Parental Values and Religious Transmission over Two Generations of Dutch Parents
Authors: Groen Sanne , Vermeer Paul
Published: May 2013

Abstract

Religious disaffiliation, a major phenomenon in the Netherlands, is predominantly a generational matter. Each successive birth cohort is less involved in institutional religion than the previous one. Parents do not seem to pass on a lasting religious commitment to their offspring, which might indicate an overall shift in parental values from conformity to autonomy. In this article we use panel data to test the assumption and to compare parenting goals and their effects on the offspring’s church attendance over two generations of parents. Our research question is: To what extent is the intergenerational transmission of religious commitment affected by a change in parental values from an emphasis on conformity to an emphasis on autonomy? Results show that while there is indeed a shift in parental values from conformity to autonomy, this barely affects the offspring’s church attendance — which is determined, rather, by the parents’ church attendance, irrespective of the goals they pursue.
Domestic Missionaries, Slaveholders, and Confronting the Morality of Slavery: Missouri v. James Burr, George Thompson, and Alanson Work, September, 1841
Authors: Prinsloo Oleta
Published: May 2013

This article revisits the 1841 arrest, trial, and conviction of three U.S. abolitionist missionaries, James Burr, George Thompson, and Alanson Work, who were accused in Marion County, Missouri of attempting to “steal slaves.” All three were linked to the evangelical Quincy Institute across the Mississippi River in Illinois and were in Marion County to preach to enslaved persons and assist those who wished to run away to freedom. The article makes several linked arguments. First, local slave owners, who loaded the jury to assure a guilty verdict, spread the false story, which has previously been taken at face value, that the slaves themselves had voluntarily betrayed the abolitionists. Second, this story drew on a pro-slavery master narrative that depicted slavery as a benevolent, paternalistic institution and the enslaved as carefree children who loved their masters and spurned freedom. Further, the story enabled slaveholders to sidestep the moral condemnation of slavery on slave soil posed by the trial, national press coverage, abolitionist denunciations, and the Underground Railroad.
Right-dislocation in Catalan: Tails, Polarity and Activation
Authors: Villalba Xavier , Mayol Laia
Published: May 2013

While our understanding has grown of the discourse role of right-dislocation (RD), there exists a class of RD (continuing RD) that have proven impervious to any principled analysis, for the role of the dislocate is (apparently) null, given that its referent appears immediately before the RD and, thus, simple pronominalisation should suffice to retrieve it. This paper aims to account for the pragmatic felicity conditions of continuing RD by looking at the role of polarity, an overlooked factor in previous work. Particularly, we will show that a significant amount of continuing RD involve the contradiction of part of the interlocutor’s common knowledge. Moreover, we will argue that RD does not have a single discourse function, but several: it can work as a “tail” or as an activation mechanism.
Review Article: Herder and Pragmatics: Review of Michael N. Forster’s After Herder: Philosophy of Language in the German Tradition
Authors: Stainton Robert J.
Published: May 2013

This article reviews, very positively, Michael Forster’s (2010) After Herder: Philosophy of Language in the German Tradition. The review canvasses Herder’s views on philosophy of language, as explained by Forster, with special emphasis on what Herder can teach contemporary pragmaticians. These key lessons are: i) that meaning is intimately related to sensation; ii) that thought is intimately related to language; iii) that meaning is intimately related to use. It ends with some reflections on empirical obstacles that Herder’s views seem to face.
Research Survey Article: Micro- and Macro-Pragmatics: Remapping Their Terrains
Authors: Huang Yan
Published: May 2013

The publication of Levinson’s celebrated Pragmatics in 1983 systematized the field of pragmatics and marked the coming of age of pragmatics as a linguistic discipline in its own right. Today pragmatics is one of the most vibrant and rapidly growing fields in linguistics and the philosophy of language. It is also a particularly complex subject with all kinds of disciplinary influence, and few, if any, clear boundaries. The aim of this article is to survey the representative research areas in contemporary pragmatics and present an authoritative and up-to-date description of the contemporary landscape of pragmatics, in the hope that it will help shape the development of the discipline in the next decade or so.
A Case of the Chinese (Dis)order? The Haoqiu zhuan and Competing Forms of Knowledge in European and Japanese Readings
Authors: Lam Ling Hon
Published: May 2013

Abstract

For mid-eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century European readers, the Haoqiu zhuan epitomized China’s “whole system of manners,” showing at one and the same time the orderly civility and the disorderly excess of the Chinese. These notions of wholeness and reversibility of order constitute the “anthropological” turn of Western knowledge, which was predicated on the finitude and perversion of humanity. Against the grain of such order-disorder totality, I read along with late Edo writers, whose rewriting of the Haoqiu zhuan focused on ninkyō/renxia (knight-errantry), a course of action presenting itself as an extreme case in which the norm is overextended to the point that it is no longer recognizable. The two competitive forms of knowledge—anthropology and case thinking—articulate the two sides of theatricality across the globe under the sway of commerce and print.
Orthographic Learning and the Role of Text-to-Speech Software in Dutch Disabled Readers
Authors: Staels Eva , Van den Broeck Wim
Published: May 2013

In this study, we examined whether orthographic learning can be demonstrated in disabled readers learning to read in a transparent orthography (Dutch). In addition, we tested the effect of the use of text-to-speech software, a new form of direct instruction, on orthographic learning. Both research goals were investigated by replicating Share’s self-teaching paradigm. A total of 65 disabled Dutch readers were asked to read eight stories containing embedded homophonic pseudoword targets (e.g., Blot/Blod), with or without the support of text-to-speech software. The amount of orthographic learning was assessed 3 or 7 days later by three measures of orthographic learning. First, the results supported the presence of orthographic learning during independent silent reading by demonstrating that target spellings were correctly identified more often, named more quickly, and spelled more accurately than their homophone foils. Our results support the hypothesis that all readers, even poor readers of transparent orthographies, are capable of developing word-specific knowledge. Second, a negative effect of text-to-speech software on orthographic learning was demonstrated in this study. This negative effect was interpreted as the consequence of passively listening to the auditory presentation of the text. We clarify how these results can be interpreted within current theoretical accounts of orthographic learning and briefly discuss implications for remedial interventions.
What Drives the Spatial Development of Urban Villages in China?
Authors: Hao Pu , Hooimeijer Pieter , Sliuzas Richard , Geertman Stan
Published: May 2013

China’s dramatic urban expansion has encompassed many peri-urban villages and turned them into so-called urban villages that provide a niche housing market for rural migrants for whom the formal housing market is unaffordable. Yet urban villages are very distinct from informal settlements elsewhere, because they are being developed by the original village community on collectively owned land. As these communities cannot sell their land and only build housing units for low-paid workers, the only way to make a higher return from their land is to increase its built intensity. This paper tests the hypothesis that the driving factors of this built intensity are analogous to factors that drive land prices in the formal city. Results of multivariate regression models of the built intensity of urban villages across the city of Shenzhen show a remarkable resemblance to hedonic models of land prices elsewhere. Location matters and access to employment, along with development constraints, are the most important determinants for the development of Shenzhen’s urban villages.
Equity in the City: On Measuring Urban (Ine)quality of Life
Authors: Brambilla Marco , Michelangeli Alessandra , Peluso Eugenio
Published: May 2013

In economic literature, the quality of life (QoL) in a city is usually assessed through the standard revealed-preference approach, which defines a QoL index as the monetary value of urban amenities. This paper proposes an innovative methodology to measure urban QoL when equity concerns arise. The standard approach is extended by introducing preferences for even accessibility to amenities throughout the city into the QoL assessment. The QoL index is then reformulated to account for the unequal availability of amenities across neighbourhoods. The more unbalanced the distribution of amenities across neighbourhoods, the lower the assessment based on the new index. This methodology is applied to derive a QoL index for the city of Milan. The results show that the unequal distribution of amenities across neighbourhoods significantly affects the assessment of QoL for that city.
Parent–child book reading across early childhood and child vocabulary in the early school years: Findings from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children
Authors: Farrant Brad M. , Zubrick Stephen R.
Published: May 2013

Vocabulary knowledge is a critical component of school readiness. The current study investigated the extent to which low levels of joint attention in infancy and parent–child book reading across early childhood increase the risk of children having poor vocabulary around the time of school entry. Relevant data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children were available for 2369 children (1211 boys) who had a median age of 9 months ( M = 9.3 months, SD = 2.1 months) at wave 1 and a median age of 58 months ( M = 58.0 months, SD = 2.5 months) at wave 3. As hypothesised, children who had low levels of joint attention at wave 1 were significantly more likely to have poor receptive vocabulary at wave 3. Furthermore, children who had low levels of parent–child book reading across early childhood were two and a half times more likely to have poor vocabulary at wave 3. These results converge with the findings of training studies and underline the importance of educating current and future parents about the pivotal roles of joint attention and parent–child book reading for children’s language development and hence their readiness for school.
How Are We Doing After 30 Years? A Meta-Analytic Review of the Antecedents and Outcomes of Feedback-Seeking Behavior
Authors: Anseel Frederik , Beatty Adam S. , Shen Winny , Lievens Filip , Sackett Paul R.
Published: May 2013

This study provides meta-analytic estimates of the antecedents and consequences of feedback-seeking behavior (FSB). Clear support was found for the guiding cost/benefit framework in the feedback-seeking domain. Organizational tenure, job tenure, and age were negatively related to FSB. Learning and performance goal orientation, external feedback propensity, frequent positive feedback, high self-esteem, a transformational leadership style, and a high-quality relationship were positively associated with FSB. Challenging some of the dominant views in the feedback-seeking domain, the relationship between uncertainty and FSB was negative and the relationship between FSB and performance was small. Finally, inquiry and monitoring are not interchangeable feedback-seeking tactics. So FSB is best represented as an aggregate model instead of a latent model. In the discussion, gaps in the current FSB knowledge are identified and a research agenda for the future is put forward. Future research may benefit from (a) a systematic and integrative effort examining antecedents of both feedback-seeking strategies on the basis of a self-motives framework, (b) adopting a process perspective of feedback-seeking interactions, and (c) taking the iterative nature of feedback into account.
Averting Another Lost Decade
Authors: López Omar S.
Published: May 2013

This study endorses an urgent call-to-action for researchers to move Hispanic families from outlier to mainstream family research. The top-15 ranked U.S. journals in the field of family studies published more than 8,000 articles in the prior decade—the same time period when Hispanics were also the largest, most rapidly growing ethnic group in the United States. This study contributes to the field of family studies by using quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze these articles per journal for empirical evidence that indicates the importance of Hispanic families within this literature. Further empirical evidence comes from extending the analysis to 2011. The evidence presented suggests insufficiency of Hispanic family research with regard to quantity, quality, relevance, and recognized contributions to the field of family studies. The discourse includes examples and recommendations for averting another lost decade of opportunities for research relevant to the health and welfare of a growing U.S. Hispanic population.
Temporal logic robot control based on automata learning of environmental dynamics
Authors: Chen Yushan , Tůmová Jana , Ulusoy Alphan , Belta Calin
Published: May 2013

We develop a technique to automatically generate a control policy for a robot moving in an environment that includes elements with unknown, randomly changing behavior. The robot is required to achieve a surveillance mission, in which a certain request needs to be serviced repeatedly, while the expected time inbetween consecutive services is minimized and additional temporal logic constraints are satisfied. We define a fragment of linear temporal logic to describe such a mission and formulate the problem as a temporal logic game. Our approach is based on two main ideas. First, we extend results in automata learning to detect patterns of the unknown behavior of the elements in the environment. Second, we employ an automata–theoretic method to generate the control policy. We show that the obtained control policy converges to an optimal one when the partially unknown behavior patterns are fully learned. In addition, we illustrate the method in an experimental setup, in which an unmanned ground vehicle, with the help of a cooperating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), satisfies a temporal logic requirement in a partitioned environment whose regions are controlled by barriers with unknown behavior.