bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Annual Research Review: Improved nutrition – a pathway to resilience
Authors: Yousafzai Aisha K. , Rasheed Muneera A. , Bhutta Zulfiqar A.
Published: December 2012

Background:  Early child nutritional deficiencies are prevalent in low‐ and middle‐countries with consequences linked not only to poor survival and growth, but also to poor development outcomes. Children in disadvantaged communities face multiple risks for nutritional deficiencies, yet some children may be less susceptible or may recover more quickly from malnutrition. A greater understanding is needed about factors which moderate the effects of nutrition‐related risks and foster resilience to protect against or ameliorate poor development outcomes.

Methods:  A literature review was undertaken from August to December 2011 and updated in August 2012. Key word searches using terms Nutrition, Malnutrition, Child Development, Responsive Care, Stimulation, Low and Middle Income Countries and Resilience were undertaken using PubMed and Psychinfo.

Results:  Dietary adequacy is critical for growth and development, but current evidence indicates that nutrition supplementation alone is insufficient to foster resilience to protect against, mitigate, and recover from nutritional threats and to promote healthy development. The combination of nutrition interventions with stimulation and responsive care is necessary. Combined nutrition and psychosocial stimulation approaches can potentially work effectively together to promote protective factors and mitigate risks for poor cognitive, motor, social, and affective functioning helping children to adapt in times of adversity. However, there are gaps in our existing knowledge to combine nutrition and psychosocial stimulation interventions effectively and promote these interventions at scale.

Conclusions:  Research needs to address barriers at the level of family, community, programme, and policy which have prevented thus far the uptake of combined nutrition and psychosocial intervention strategies. Further investigations are needed on how to provide support to caregivers, enabling them to implement appropriate care for feeding and stimulation. Finally, the effect of combined interventions on pathways of care and protective mediators that foster resilience need to be better understood to determine focus areas for content of combined intervention curricula which help families in high‐risk settings.
Bivalirudin versus Unfractionated Heparin during Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Non‐ST‐Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome Initially Treated with Fondaparinux: Results from an International, Multicenter, Randomized Pilot Study (SWITCH III)
Authors: WAKSMAN RON , BERTRAND OLIVIER , DRIESMAN MITCHELL , GRUBERG LUIS , ROSSI JOSEPH , MEHTA SHAMIR , SWYMELAR STACY , DVIR DANNY , XUE ZHENYI , TORGUSON REBECCA
Published: December 2012

We aimed to determine the optimal adjunctive anticoagulation regimen for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) initially treated with fondaparinux. The optimal adjunctive anticoagulation regimen for PCI in these patients is unclear. In this open‐label, prospective, randomized, multicenter pilot study, we compared treatment with unfractionated heparin (UFH) versus bivalirudin in patients with non‐ST‐segment elevation ACS initially treated with fondaparinux and undergoing early invasive strategy. The randomized population consisted of 100 patients (62.7 ± 12.7 years, 68% men), all of whom were on clopidogrel. During the angioplasty, patients were randomized to either bivalirudin or UFH therapy in a 1:1 fashion. Baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics were similar except for a higher body mass index in the UFH group (29.4 ± 4.7 vs. 27.3 ± 4.2, P = 0.02). Major bleeding was the primary outcome; a major bleeding event was documented in only 1 patient from the bivalirudin group (2%) and in none from the UFH group (P = 0.49). There was no death, Q‐wave MI, or acute revascularization in either group. There was no documentation of stent thrombosis, reinfarction, and catheter thrombus. Data from this prospective, multicenter pilot study suggest that bivalirudin, compared to standard‐dose UFH, has a similar safety profile in terms of peri‐PCI bleeding and thrombotic events and can be used safely in ACS patients initially treated with upstream fondaparinux who undergo PCI. (J Interven Cardiol 2013;26:107–113)
Plant competition and facilitation after extreme drought episodes in Mediterranean shrubland: does damage to vegetation cover trigger replacement by juniper woodland?
Authors: Lloret Francisco , Granzow‐de la Cerda Iñigo
Published: December 2012

Question

We analyse the contribution of plant–plant interactions, particularly the outcome of plant competition and plant facilitation, on vegetation dynamics as a result of extreme drought episodes. These events will likely become more frequent under climate change, can induce vegetation die‐off and alter community dynamics. We study succession in a shrubland that tends to be replaced by juniper (Juniperus phoenicea) woodland. Due to drought, shrubland die‐off may result in competition release favouring J. phoenicea juveniles, and accelerating shrubland replacement. Alternatively, deleterious abiotic stress may increase after loss of vegetation cover protection.

Location

Mediterranean coastal shrublands, South Spain (Doñana National Park).

Methods

Field estimates of plant growth, production of needle‐like leaves, water‐use efficiency (WUE; leaf δ13C) and N leaf content of J. phoenicea juveniles in relation to plant size, drought‐induced damage, cover and habit characteristics of surrounding vegetation, and drought‐induced defoliation of the surrounding vegetation.

Results

Juniperus phoenicea juveniles growing beneath a dense vegetation canopy, particularly trees and large shrubs, were less damaged during the extreme drought episode. Plant size correlated negatively with damage. Post‐drought growth was higher in juveniles partially released from the vegetation canopy, supporting the existence of a balance between competition and facilitation. Cover of pines, large shrubs and spiny shrubs favoured growth of juveniles. Needle‐like juvenile leaves were more abundant in plants covered by the surrounding vegetation or in moderately damaged plants, but less abundant in plants without damage. Higher leaf δ13C values – indicating water stress – were measured in plants more damaged by drought and in those without canopy protection, or under vegetation strongly affected by drought. Leaf N content was lower in undamaged plants and individuals covered by surrounding vegetation.

Conclusion

We did not find evidence that gaps opened by drought promoted growth of the potential replacing J. phoenicea. Thus, drought‐induced enhancement of successional replacement of shrublands with woodlands was not supported; instead, our findings foresee shrubland prevalence under future climate change conditions. Plant facilitation will play a relevant role in this process. Thus, we herein extend the relevance of plant–plant interactions to extreme drought episodes related to climate change, highlighting their role as drivers of community dynamics.
Compound ultrarefractory CAI‐bearing inclusions from CV3 carbonaceous chondrites
Authors: IVANOVA Marina A. , KROT Alexander N. , NAGASHIMA Kazuhide , MacPHERSON Glenn J.
Published: December 2012

Abstract–

Two compound calcium‐aluminum‐rich inclusions (CAIs), 3N from the oxidized CV chondrite Northwest Africa (NWA) 3118 and 33E from the reduced CV chondrite Efremovka, contain ultrarefractory (UR) inclusions. 3N is a forsterite‐bearing type B (FoB) CAI that encloses UR inclusion 3N‐24 composed of Zr,Sc,Y‐rich oxides, Y‐rich perovskite, and Zr,Sc‐rich Al,Ti‐diopside. 33E contains a fluffy type A (FTA) CAI and UR CAI 33E‐1, surrounded by Wark‐Lovering rim layers of spinel, Al‐diopside, and forsterite, and a common forsterite‐rich accretionary rim. 33E‐1 is composed of Zr,Sc,Y‐rich oxides, Y‐rich perovskite, Zr,Sc,Y‐rich pyroxenes (Al,Ti‐diopside, Sc‐rich pyroxene), and gehlenite. 3N‐24’s UR oxides and Zr,Sc‐rich Al,Ti‐diopsides are 16O‐poor (Δ17O approximately −2‰ to −5‰). Spinel in 3N‐24 and spinel and Al‐diopside in the FoB CAI are 16O‐rich (Δ17O approximately −23 ± 2‰). 33E‐1’s UR oxides and Zr,Sc‐rich Al,Ti‐diopsides are 16O‐depleted (Δ17O approximately −2‰ to −5‰) vs. Al,Ti‐diopside of the FTA CAI and spinel (Δ17O approximately −23 ± 2‰), and Wark‐Lovering rim Al,Ti‐diopside (Δ17O approximately −7‰ to −19‰). We infer that the inclusions experienced multistage formation in nebular regions with different oxygen‐isotope compositions. 3N‐24 and 33E‐1’s precursors formed by evaporation/condensation above 1600 °C. 3N and 33E’s precursors formed by condensation and melting (3N only) at significantly lower temperatures. 3N‐24 and 3N’s precursors aggregated into a compound object and experienced partial melting and thermal annealing. 33E‐1 and 33E avoided melting prior to and after aggregation. They acquired Wark‐Lovering and common forsterite‐rich accretionary rims, probably by condensation, followed by thermal annealing. We suggest 3N‐24 and 33E‐1 originated in a 16O‐rich gaseous reservoir and subsequently experienced isotope exchange in a 16O‐poor gaseous reservoir. Mechanism and timing of oxygen‐isotope exchange remain unclear.
Fetal growth and birth size is associated with maternal anthropometry and body composition
Authors: Thame Minerva , Osmond Clive , Trotman Helen
Published: December 2012

The objective was to investigate the association of maternal weight, height and body composition with fetal growth. We recruited 425 women at the University Hospital of the West Indies, Jamaica, who had singleton pregnancies, were less than 15 weeks gestation and had no systemic illness. Maternal weight, height and skinfold thicknesses were measured at the first antenatal visit and lean mass was calculated. Sonographic measurements of the fetus were made at 15, 25 and 35 weeks gestation. Weight, crown‐heel length and head circumference were measured at birth. Analyses were confined to 360 (85%) women; 65 women did not complete the study. Maternal height was positively associated with femoral length at 25 and 35 weeks gestation and with head circumference at 35 weeks (all P < 0.02). Maternal weight was positively associated with abdominal circumference and femoral length at 25 weeks, and with larger head and abdominal circumference and longer femur at 35 weeks (all P < 0.02). Maternal lean mass had similar associations to maternal weight and they were both positively associated with estimated fetal weight (all P < 0.02). All three maternal measurements were positively associated with birthweight, length and head circumference. Maternal size was associated with fetal size as early as 25 weeks gestation, with height strongly associated with femoral length, and with weight and lean mass strongly associated with abdominal circumference.
Factors impacting membership and non‐membership in nursing associations: A qualitative study
Authors: Esmaeili Maryam , Dehghan‐Nayeri Nahid , Negarandeh Reza
Published: December 2012

In this study, the factors impacting membership and non‐membership of nurses in nursing associations were identified and described. Participation in semistructured interviews was undertaken by 14 nurses working in a teaching hospital in an urban area of Iran. A qualitative design using a content analysis approach was used to analyze the data, from which three categories emerged: organizations' support of nurses' rights, professional obligations, and organizational power. Each of these categories contained several subcategories. Nurses' expectations of professional organizations might be one of the factors impacting associations being able to increase their membership, while retaining their existing members. Supporting nurses, tackling their professional problems, attempting to increase the power of legislative authorities, and clear explanations of their objectives are among the measures adopted by organizations in aiming to increase membership numbers and enhance organizational power.
Assessment of rectal afferent neuronal function and brain activity in patients with constipation and rectal hyposensitivity
Authors: Burgell R. E. , Lelic D. , Carrington E. V. , Lunniss P. J. , Olesen S. S. , Surguy S. , Drewes A. M. , Scott S. M.
Published: December 2012

Background  Blunted rectal sensation (rectal hyposensitivity: RH) is present in almost one‐quarter of patients with chronic constipation. The mechanisms of its development are not fully understood, but in a proportion, afferent dysfunction is likely. To determine if, in patients with RH, alteration of rectal sensory pathways exists, rectal evoked potentials (EPs) and inverse modeling of cortical dipoles were examined.

Methods  Rectal EPs (64 channels) were recorded in 13 patients with constipation and RH (elevated thresholds to balloon distension) and 11 healthy controls, in response to electrical stimulation of the rectum at 10 cm from the anal verge using a bipolar stimulating electrode. Stimuli were delivered at pain threshold. Evoked potential peak latencies and amplitudes were analyzed, and inverse modeling was performed on traces obtained to determine the location of cortical generators.

Key Results  Pain threshold was higher in patients than controls [median 59 (range 23–80) mA vs 24 (10–55) mA; P = 0.007]. Median latency to the first negative peak was 142 (±24) ms in subjects compared with 116 (±15) ms in controls (P = 0.004). There was no difference in topographic analysis of EPs or location of cortical activity demonstrated by inverse modeling between groups.

Conclusions & Inferences  This study is the first showing objective evidence of alteration in the rectal afferent pathway of individuals with RH and constipation. Prolonged latencies suggest a primary defect in sensory neuronal function, while cerebral processing of visceral sensory information appears normal.
Quantification of microfibril angle in secondary cell walls at subcellular resolution by means of polarized light microscopy
Authors: Abraham Yael , Elbaum Rivka
Published: December 2012

The cell walls constitute the mechanical support of plants. Crystalline cellulose building the walls forms rigid microfibrils that set the stiffness of the cell and the direction in which it expands during growth. Therefore, the determination of the directions of the microfibrils is important in both mechanical and developmental assays.

We adapted polarized light microscopy to estimate the cellulose microfibril orientations at subcellular resolution. The optical information supplements X‐ray scattering data, Raman microspectroscopy, and electron microscopy.

We analyzed samples from three plant tissues: cells from an Araucaria excels branch, in which we revealed lower cellulose density in regions where the cell wall curvature becomes bigger, namely, the cell wall corners; a wheat (Triticum turgidum) awn's hygroscopically active region, which revealed a gradient in the cellulose microfibril angles that spans across four cell rows; and a stork's bill's (Erodium gruinum) coiling awn, which revealed that the cellulose in the cell wall is organized in two orientations seamed together, rather than in a continuous helix.

The unique spatial information is easily obtained from microscopic specimens and further illuminates new aspects in the mechanical tissues.
Ultrasound‐Guided Continuous Superficial Peroneal Nerve Block below the Knee for the Treatment of Nerve Injury
Authors: Jaffe J. Douglas , Henshaw Daryl S. , Nagle Pamela C.
Published: December 2012

(CRPS) describes a constellation of symptoms including pain, trophic changes, hyperesthesia, allodynia, and dysregulation of local blood flow often following trauma. It is often confined to the extremities. Treatment of this disorder consists of a variety of modalities including systemic pharmacotherapy, local anesthetic injections or infusions, psychological nonpharmacotherapy, physical rehabilitation, and surgical intervention. Chronic pain not related to CRPS can also be treated with similar interventions. Despite the array of available therapies, it can still be difficult to manage. We report a case of a 19‐year‐old patient diagnosed by her surgeon as having CRPS Type II, secondary to foot trauma, which was treated with a continuous infusion of local anesthetic at the superficial peroneal nerve (SPN). While placement of peripheral nerve block catheters to augment chronic pain therapy is not novel, the application of a perineural catheter at the SPN has not been previously described.
Palliative Medicine Update: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Authors: Vissers Kris C. P. , van den Brand Maria W. M. , Jacobs Jose , Groot Marieke , Veldhoven Carel , Verhagen Constans , Hasselaar Jeroen , Engels Yvonne
Published: December 2012

Palliative medicine is a young specialty that is officially recognized in relatively few countries. The World Health Organization published an adapted definition in 2002, describing palliative care as an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life‐threatening illness. When the accent is shifting from curative to palliative, the goal of management is the maintenance or improvement of the patient's quality of life. The different dimensions of palliative care and the multitude of types of care to be provided require a multidisciplinary, well‐functioning team, effective communication and a clear task division between primary and hospital care.

Considering the complexity of care for incurable patients, a multidisciplinary approach is a prerequisite to balance curative and palliative intervention options. Optimal functioning of a team requires excellent training, communication and a description of the tasks and responsibilities of each team member. More and more advanced care planning is introduced in palliative care, focusing on an early identification of patients in a palliative trajectory and on the prevention of annoying symptoms, hoping that this approach results in an improved quality of life for the individual patient, less useless technical investigations and a better end‐of‐life care on the place the patient and his family desires.
The wheat stem rust pathogen in the central region of the Russian Federation
Authors: Skolotneva E. S. , Lekomtseva S. N. , Kosman E.
Published: December 2012

A total of 387 isolates of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt) collected in the central region of the Russian Federation from 2000 to 2009 was analysed with North American differential sets comprising 16 genotypes for samples of 2000–2006 and 20 genotypes for samples from 2007–2009. Forty‐five races were identified. The race composition of the local population underwent changes during this period. Race MKBT was the predominant race in the earlier years, but TKNT and TKNTF were in the majority later. During 2000–2009 there were no stem rust epidemics in the region. It was assumed that the local pathogen population cycled on wild grasses (including Elytrigia, Agropyron, Festuca, Dactylis, Phleum and Lolium spp.) and not only on wheat. The existence of host communities of wheat stem rust was supported by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers produced with high‐GC primers. The local population of Pgt was considered to be sexual based on the relatively high diversity of races isolated from various hosts and the absence of correlation between virulence attributes and molecular markers.
Investigation of rice blast development in susceptible and resistant rice cultivars using a gfp‐expressing Magnaporthe oryzae isolate
Authors: Campos‐Soriano L. , Valè G. , Lupotto E. , San Segundo B.
Published: December 2012

In this study, an isolate of Magnaporthe oryzae expressing the green fluorescent protein gene (gfp) was used to monitor early events in the interaction of M. oryzae with resistant rice cultivars harbouring a blast resistance (R) gene. In the resistant cultivars Saber and TeQing (Pib gene), M. oryzae spores germinated normally on the leaf surface but produced morphologically abnormal germ tubes. Germling growth and development were markedly and adversely affected in leaves of these resistant cultivars. Penetration of host cells was never seen, supporting the idea that disruption of germling development on the leaf surface might be one of the resistance mechanisms associated with Pib function. Thus, this particular R gene appeared to function in the absence of host penetration by the fungal pathogen. Confocal laser scanning microscopy of M. oryzae‐infected susceptible rice cultivars showed the dimorphic growth pattern that is typically observed during the biotrophic and necrotrophic stages of leaf colonization in susceptible cultivars. The suitability of the gfp‐expressing M. oryzae isolate for further research on R‐gene function and identification of resistant genotypes in rice germplasm collections is discussed.
Spatial and temporal dynamics of Meloidogyne minor on creeping bentgrass in golf greens
Authors: Morris K. , Horgan F. G. , Griffin C. T.
Published: December 2012

Meloidogyne minor, first reported on potatoes in the Netherlands in 2004, is an emerging nematode pest in Europe. It damages turfgrass, particularly creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) grown on sandy soils such as those of golf greens. However, little is known of the nematode's life history and pathology. In this study, the spatial and temporal distribution of M. minor on a creeping bentgrass green in Ireland was determined over a 15 month period. Cores were taken on transects across yellowing patches of grass caused by nematode damage. Second‐stage juveniles (J2) were absent from the soil from November to February, when soil temperatures were below 10°C. Both galls and egg masses were present throughout the year but were more abundant in late summer and early autumn. More J2, galls and egg masses were present in the top 10 cm of soil than at a depth of 11–20 cm. The nematode population tended to decrease as distance from the centre of the yellow patches increased. The diameter of visual symptoms (yellow patches) was also recorded over the 15 months. The mean diameter of five sampled patches increased from 23·7 cm in June 2003 to 45·2 cm in August 2004. There were 158–193 galls per 100 cm3 soil at the margin of the visible infested area, indicating that this could be the threshold level for visible symptoms.
Types of knowledge utilization of regulatory impact assessments: Evidence from Swiss policymaking
Authors: Rissi Christof , Sager Fritz
Published: December 2012

Ex ante policy appraisals, such as Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs), are promoted because they are expected to inform decisionmakers and, thus, to lead to better quality regulation. Such instrumental use is not the only possible use of RIAs. Ex ante policy appraisal can affect the policy process in various ways. However, a consolidated theory on the conditions for utilization of RIAs in the policy process has yet to be developed. In order to explore these conditions, we analyze three case studies of Swiss decisionmaking processes and apply concepts from knowledge utilization literature. In conclusion, we find that policy arenas matter more than the institutional context and design of RIA procedures. In line with previous literature, political use seems to be a prevalent type of utilization. Yet we find that, under specific conditions, RIAs also provide a basis for the optimization of policy designs (instrumental use), help improve interagency relations (policy‐process use), and may change how a policy issue is understood (conceptual use).
Physiotherapy for cystic fibrosis in Australia: Knowledge and acceptance of the Consensus Statement recommendations
Authors: Holland Anne E. , Button Brenda M. ,   International Physiotherapy Group for Cystic Fibrosis, Australian Chapter
Published: December 2012

Background and objective

In 2008, a Consensus Statement was published with the aim of optimizing physiotherapy management for people with cystic fibrosis (CF) in Australia. The aim of this study was to measure knowledge and acceptance of the Consensus Statement recommendations.

Methods

All physiotherapists providing treatment to people with CF in Australia were invited to complete a purpose‐designed online survey to assess knowledge and uptake of key treatment recommendations.

Results

Sixty‐eight physiotherapists took part (response rate 49%). Knowledge of treatment recommendations was high for airway clearance (94%) and exercise assessment (76%). Most respondents agreed with these recommendations (airway clearance 97% agreement, exercise 68% agreement). A small number of respondents (18%) correctly identified the current recommendation to segregate patients with different organisms during airway clearance, with most respondents (73%) implementing stricter infection control policies. Low levels of knowledge and agreement were evident for recommendations regarding measurement of blood sugar levels during exercise (36% knowledge and 28% agreement) and delivery of dornase alfa (53% and 65%). Physiotherapists from specialist CF centres were more likely to know the recommendations for blood sugar level measurement during exercise (P = 0.014), dornase alfa (P = 0.001) and non‐invasive ventilation (P = 0.07) compared with physiotherapists in other settings.

Conclusions

Physiotherapists are aware of treatment recommendations for CF in common areas of practice such as airway clearance and exercise. However, knowledge of recommendations is lower for specialized areas of practice and outside of CF centres. Strategies to improve awareness and uptake of the Consensus Statement among physiotherapists outside of CF centres are required.
A Myth to Kill a Myth? OnMcDowell's Interpretation of Sellars'Empiricism and thePhilosophy ofMind
Authors: Tripodi Paolo
Published: December 2012

According toMcDowell, inEmpiricism and thePhilosophy ofMindthe myth ofJones has the purpose of completing the account of experience that Sellars needs to argue against traditional empiricism. In particular, onMcDowell's view the myth of Jones should explain how to conceive of non‐inferentially knowable experiences as containing propositional claims. This article argues that the myth ofJones does not succeed in providing such an account, especially onMcDowell's own terms: assumingMcDowell's epistemological distinction between inferential and non‐inferential knowledge, it turns out that in Sellars' thought experiment perceptual experiences can contain propositional claims only at the price of being known inferentially rather than non‐inferentially. ThereforeMcDowell'sSellars' attack fails against traditional empiricism.
ASVCPreference interval guidelines: determination of de novo reference intervals in veterinary species and other related topics
Authors: Friedrichs Kristen R. , Harr Kendal E. , Freeman Kathy P. , Szladovits Balazs , Walton Raquel M. , Barnhart Kirstin F. , Blanco‐Chavez Julia
Published: December 2012

Reference intervals (RI) are an integral component of laboratory diagnostic testing and clinical decision‐making and represent estimated distributions of reference values (RV) from healthy populations of comparable individuals. Because decisions to pursue diagnoses or initiate treatment are often based on values falling outsideRI, the collection and analysis ofRVshould be approached with diligence. This report is a condensation of theASVCP2011 consensus guidelines for determination of de novoRIin veterinary species, which mirror the 2008 Clinical Laboratory and Standards Institute (CLSI) recommendations, but with language and examples specific to veterinary species. Newer topics include robust methods for calculatingRIfrom small sample sizes and procedures for outlier detection adapted to data quality. Because collecting sufficient reference samples is challenging, this document also provides recommendations for determining multicenterRIand for transference and validation ofRIfrom other sources (eg, manufacturers). Advice for use and interpretation of subject‐basedRIis included, as these RI are an alternative to population‐basedRIwhen sample size or inter‐individual variation is high. Finally, generation of decision limits, which distinguish between populations according to a predefined query (eg, diseased or non‐diseased), is described. Adoption of these guidelines by the entire veterinary community will improve communication and dissemination of expected clinical laboratory values in a variety of animal species and will provide a template for publications onRI. This and other reports from the Quality Assurance and Laboratory Standards (QALS) committee are intended to promote quality laboratory practices in laboratories serving both clinical and research veterinarians.
Funduscopic abnormalities and electroretinography in cases of retinopathy in German Shepherd dogs
Authors: Balicki Ireneusz , Nestorowicz Natalia , Ofri Ron
Published: December 2012

Objective

To perform a clinical, ophthalmological, and electroretinographic assessment of retinopathic lesions in German Shepherd dogs.

Animals

The study was conducted on 14 German Shepherds diagnosed with retinopathy during the course of an ophthalmological checkup. The animals were systemically healthy police dogs used for patrolling and tracking duties and which were, at times, exposed to considerable physical strain and stress.

Procedure

Periodic ophthalmological examinations using slit‐lamp biomicroscopy, direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy, and photography, as well as maze testing, were performed on all dogs. Electroretinography (ERG) was performed on 10 affected German Shepherds and eight control dogs.

Results

Ophthalmological examination revealed areas of tapetal hyper‐reflectivity with pigmented centers, which were characteristic of inactive chorioretinitis. Most of the lesions were in proximity to blood vessels, and in a number of eyes, progression was observed during repeated examinations. Transition from active to inactive lesions, as well as onset in previously unaffected eyes, was also recorded. The ERG recordings showed impaired cone function, with significantly lower b‐wave amplitudes and prolonged implicit times, in the mixed rod–cone, photopic, and flicker tests of affected dogs (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Retinopathy observed in German Shepherd dogs is characterized by areas of tapetal hyper‐reflectivity with pigmented centers. The underlying causes of retinopathy in German Shepherd dogs remain unknown, although husbandry conditions and proximity of the lesions to blood vessels may suggest an association with physical exertion or circulatory disorders, respectively.
Quiting India: the Anglo-Indian Culture of Migration
Authors: Andrews Robyn
Published: December 2012

In my work with the Anglo-Indians in Calcutta I was reminded of Caplan's (1995) comment that Anglo-Indians had a 'culture of emigration', as I observed a steady stream of Anglo-Indians leaving India. Even though destination opportunities are being eroded, the Anglo-Indians I spoke with regularly referred to relatives living abroad, and in the main wanted to emulate this pattern of migration.
In this paper I draw particularly on case study material collected in India and Australia over the past five years. I explore the nexus between Anglo-Indian identity, which they often regarded as more Western than Indian, and their migration patterns. Concentrating on their reasons for leaving, I contribute to the 'culture of migration' literature through this analysis of the migration culture of an ethnic group which exhibits variations on the set of reasonably distinct characteristics associated with groups having a 'culture of migration'.
Waitangi Day: An Annual Enactment of the Treaty?
Authors: McAllister Patrick
Published: December 2012

New Zealand's national day, Waitangi Day, is a commemoration of the Treaty of Waitangi between Britain and Maori chiefs signed in 1840. The Day has long been marked by controversy and conflict between Maori and Pakeha citizens of the country. In this paper Waitangi Day is viewed as a 'cultural performance' and an analytical framework drawn from the anthropology of performance is applied. This allows for an exploration of the ways in which the events of the Day are intimately connected to the history of the Treaty, as well as to the ongoing flow of social and political life in New Zealand. Particularly relevant here are the contrasting views on the nature of the Treaty and the extent to which it has been honoured or not. The analytical lens of the anthropology of performance, when applied to empirical data on how the Treaty is commemorated annually at Waitangi, enables one to conclude that Waitangi Day should be viewed as an annual enactment of the Treaty rather than its commemoration.
Postcolonial Literary Criticism and Global Warming
Authors: Maxwell Elizabeth Anne
Published: December 2012

Postcolonial criticism generally has not had a strong history of engaging with environmental or ecological discourses but the prospect of global warming is likely to change this. It is likely to be particularly significant for postcolonial literary criticism, a discipline that in recent years has struggled to make itself relevant to the task of opposing globalisation. Some postcolonial literary critics have already begun using the arguments and concepts drawn from environmental discourses and eco criticism, and in doing so they have contributed powerfully to the postcolonial critique of globalisation; however, to date few postcolonial critics have thought to use these same arguments and concepts to analyse fictions that speculate on the social effects of global warming. Taking a short story by a leading Australian author that is set in the year 2035, the last half of the article sets out to demonstrate the political potential of such a critical approach and the value of reading apocalyptic speculative fictions in particular.
The Lapita motif that got away
Authors: Cowling Wendy Elizabeth
Published: December 2012

A particular decorative motif of some antiquity is still used by Fijian, Samoan and Tongan women when dyeing and painting bark cloth. This motif (See Figure 1) has been taken into the public domain in New Zealand by individuals and groups as a representation of Pacific/New Zealand identity. The motif is popularly (but erroneously) believed to represent a Frangipani flower, a conflation of Oceanic peoples’ love of perfumed flowers and leaves, and the constant use of photographs of the flower in tourist brochures and advertisements as an identifier of Pacific island-ness.
Mana Taonga and the micro world of intricate research and findings around taonga Māori at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Authors: Smith Huhana Margaret , Smith Huhana Margaret
Published: December 2012

At the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa) an important principle known as Mana Taonga guides the practice of all staff and their work with collections of art, cultural, natural and historic material, including taonga Māori. The principle is an encompassing concept premised on values and modes of understanding that are intrinsically Māori, but observed for all the collections housed and cared for within Te Papa. Within the context of Aotearoa museum studies, this paper examines how this principle is pertinent for Māori curators who are involved in intricate and intimate research around Māori communal treasures.
Writing with photographs: spoken or implied words turned into photo-text in the spirit of phenomenology
Authors: Richardson Kate , MacLeod Rod
Published: December 2012

This essay contests that photography is a companionable genre alongside narrative text when phenomenology is the research method. The hypothesis of this paper is that there is a viable link between phenomenological data analysis, and receiving and interpreting information from a digital image. It is believed that photographs produced as symbolic gestures and iconography together with narrative themes can communicate the lived experience by bringing an artistic dimension to the spirit and philosophy of phenomenology
Searching for meaningful aftermaths: donor family experiences and expressions in New York and Denmark
Authors: Jensen Anja Marie Bornø
Published: December 2012

Experiencing the process of consenting to organ donation can be traumatic and devastating to organ donor families. By empirically focusing on Danish and North American donor families, this article argues that donor families are searching for a meaningful aftermath by trying to interpret their experiences in various ways. The discussion of the complexity of how the donor family experiences are perceived and articulated is unfolded by focusing on the attempts to reinterpret brain death, the idea of organ donors "living on", and the perception of the organ donor as a hero or a good citizen. The study shows that the donor family experiences and recollections are deeply affected by the organisational context for families, the social interaction with staffs, and by the values and ideologies connected to organ donation in the specific cultural and national context.
Moorings and Movements: The Paradox of Sporting Mobilities
Authors: Newman Josh , Falcous Mark
Published: December 2012

This paper advocates for sport to be a feature of mobilities research. Although hitherto ignored by proponents of the ‘new mobilities paradigm’ (Sheller & Urry, 2006), we contend the sporting realm is a rich site of analysis into the rapidly shifting conditions of movement, communication, identification and governance. Following Clifford (1997), we suggest that scholars consider how sporting movements are differentially constrained, and how those on the move can be variously positioned by, and indeed have the potential to [re-]position, political, economic and cultural formations. Along these lines, we argue that in the context of neoliberal globalisation, the sporting body offers an important paradox of mobility: whereby freedom of movement for moving/sporting bodies across global culture- and capital-scapes (as migrant athlete labourers, as tourists, as global celebrities or sporting brands) simultaneously produces immobility, as individuals are increasingly constrained by the logics of the market (as hyper-regimented athletes, as sweatshop labourers in Nike factories, etc.). In so doing, we point to various research themes that that can both inform contemporary understandings of sport, but also enrich broader mobilities scholarship.
’New Zealand is no more’: Botany and mobility in the career of Leonard Cockayne
Authors: Henry Matthew
Published: December 2012

An emerging ‘new mobilities paradigm’ in the social sciences has begun to focus critical attention on the meaningfulness of mobility rather than the geometries of movement (Cresswell, 2006). Work framed by this emerging concern has been diverse in its interest in the various means and spaces of mobility. However, as Creswell (2010) has recently argued such work has tended to render mobility as a singular thing rather than an activity constituted through a multiplicity of facets. This paper draws on Creswell’s notion of multiplicity to explore the entangled mobilities of botanical practice in early twentieth century New Zealand as seen through the career of Leonard Cockayne. In doing this the paper argues that recognising the multiple dimensions of mobility in Cockayne’s botanical work offers a ways of helping develop our understanding of the ‘lives told’ of early twentieth scientific practice, and of placing one of those lives within its broader and historical contexts. A process, described by Shapin (2010) as part of the ongoing and necessary effort to understand science as a situated, embodied and very human set of practices.
Detection of a New Community Genotype Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clone That Is Unrelated to the USA300 Clone and That Causes Pediatric Infections in Colombia
Authors: Escobar Javier Antonio , Marquez-Ortiz Ricaurte Alejandro , Alvarez-Olmos Martha I. , Leal Aura Lucia , Castro Betsy Esperanza , Vanegas Natasha ,   The Research Group of Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Published: December 2012

The dissemination of a clone of community genotype methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(CG-MRSA) that is related to USA300 has been reported in Latin America. We recently detected isolates of a new clone of CG-MRSA (
spa
type t1635 and ACME-negative) that was genetically unrelated to the USA300 clone and that causes infections in children in Colombia. This finding indicates the appearance of a new clone of CG-MRSA in our region.
Clonal Dissemination of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates Producing Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase SHV-2a
Authors: Jeannot Katy , Fournier Damien , Müller Emeline , Cholley Pascal , Plésiat Patrick
Published: December 2012

From January to December 2011, 24
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
strains producing the extended-spectrum β-lactamase SHV-2a were identified in 13 hospitals in France. With one exception, all the strains belonged to the same clone. Double-disk synergy tests with cefepime and clavulanate were able to detect all the SHV-2a-positive isolates.
Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi Variants in Long-Term Carriers
Authors: Chiou Chien-Shun , Wei Hsiao-Lun , Mu Jung-Jung , Liao Ying-Shu , Liang Shiu-Yun , Liao Chun-Hsing , Tsao Chi-Sen , Wang Shu-Chuan
Published: December 2012

Long-term typhoid carriers can simultaneously excrete
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhi variants with considerable genetic differences, a situation that complicates the interpretation of the subtyping data used in outbreak investigations and disease surveillance.
Two Cases of Sepsis-Like Illness in Infants Caused by Human Parechovirus Traced Back to Elder Siblings with Mild Gastroenteritis and Respiratory Symptoms
Authors: Eis-Hübinger Anna M. , Eckerle Isabella , Helmer Angelika , Reber Ulrike , Dresbach Till , Buderus Stephan , Drosten Christian , Müller Andreas
Published: December 2012

Sepsis and sepsis-like illness in neonates and infants are serious emergencies. Recently, human parechovirus type 3 (HPeV-3) has been identified as a further etiologic agent of these conditions. We report two unlinked cases of infant HPeV-3 sepsis-like illness whose sources could be traced back to elder siblings with mild gastroenteritis and respiratory symptoms.
Clinical Significance of Filamentous Basidiomycetes Illustrated by Isolates of the Novel Opportunist Ceriporia lacerata from the Human Respiratory Tract
Authors: Chowdhary Anuradha , Agarwal Kshitij , Kathuria Shallu , Singh Pradeep Kumar , Roy P. , Gaur S. N. , de Hoog G. S. , Meis Jacques F.
Published: December 2012

The filamentous basidiomycete
Ceriporia lacerata
, an agent of white rot on wood, has never been reported in human disease and its clinical significance is not yet known. We describe 4 patients with respiratory diseases where
C. lacerata
was implicated in a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from saprobic colonization to fungal pneumonia. The isolates did not show the morphological characteristics that facilitate recognition of filamentous basidiomycetes, such as the presence of clamp connections, spicules along hyphae, or fruiting bodies. The identity of the mold was confirmed by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer 1 and 4 (ITS-1 and ITS-4) and D1/D2 regions of the rRNA gene. All of the isolates exhibited the lowest MICs of posaconazole and isavuconazole (MIC range, 0.06 to 0.125 μg/ml), followed by itraconazole (MIC range, 0.06 to 0.5 μg/ml), voriconazole (MIC range, 0.125 to 0.5 μg/ml), and amphotericin B (MIC range, 0.25 to 1 μg/ml). The infections reported here occurred in patients with preexisting lung damage induced by tuberculosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Chronic, sometimes fatal infections by the ascomycete
Aspergillus fumigatus
and the basidiomycete S
chizophyllum commune
are well established in the presence of an anatomical pulmonary defect or in the background of immunodeficiency. It is postulated that
C. lacerata
, a novel opportunist basidiomycete, may be involved in similar pathological processes.
Hookah's new popularity among US college students: a pilot study of the characteristics of hookah smokers and their Facebook displays
Authors: Brockman Libby N , Pumper Megan A , Christakis Dimitri A , Moreno Megan A
Published: December 2012

Objectives

(1) To confirm the prevalence of hookah use among US college students. (2) To identify substances commonly smoked in hookahs and other substance use characteristics of hookah smokers. (3) Given the powerful influence of Facebook and its potential role in promoting behaviours, to assess the prevalence of hookah references on Facebook profiles.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Two large US universities; www.Facebook.com.

Participants

307 Facebook profiles were coded and 216 of these profile owners completed an online survey. On average, participants were 18.8 years old (SD=0.7), women (54%), Caucasian (70.4%) and approximately half were from each university.

Outcome measures

Lifetime and frequency of hookah use, substance smoked in hookah, cigarette and marijuana use, hookah references displayed on Facebook.

Results

27.8% of participants endorsed hookah use; there were no significant differences between age, gender, race or university for hookah use. Hookah users reported smoking tobacco (78%), hash (12%) and both tobacco and marijuana/hash (10%) in their hookah. Compared with non-hookah smokers, hookah smokers were more likely to report using cigarettes (OR=3.41, 95%CI=1.2 to 9.64) and marijuana (OR=15.01, 95%CI=6.5 to 34.65). Hookah references were present on 5% of Facebook profiles.

Conclusions

More than one quarter of college students smoke hookah. Most smoke tobacco in their hookah, and hookah smoking is associated with polysubstance use. Hookah may present new risks for nicotine addiction in this population.
Environmental flows and recruitment of walleye (Sander vitreus) in the Peace–Athabasca Delta
Authors: Paul Andrew J.
Published: December 2012

Age composition data from a commercial walleye (Sander vitreus) fishery in the Peace–Athabasca Delta were used to test the hypotheses that recruitment varied interannually and that recruitment was related to local hydrological conditions. Variable interannual recruitment was strongly supported over a null model of constant annual recruitment. Assuming recruitment strength was established in a walleye's first year of life, several a priori hypotheses relating recruitment to river discharge or lake levels were tested using an information–theoretic approach. The data best supported the hypothesis of a positive relationship between walleye recruitment and mean discharge in the Athabasca River during the fry rearing period (weeks 18–43). Approximately 25% of observed variability in annual recruitment could be explained by mean discharge during the fry period. However, the data could not fully rule out the alternate hypotheses that recruitment was related to mean discharge in the Athabasca River over the entire year or during winter. Several mechanisms are hypothesized to explain the positive relationship, including increased space in preferred open-water habitat or greater food production from nutrient inputs or wetted area. The observed correlation between river discharge and walleye recruitment can be used to help us understand water management planning on the Athabasca River.