bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Power and Legitimizing Ideologies in Hierarchy‐Enhancing vs. Hierarchy‐Attenuating Environments
Authors: De Oliveira Pierre , Guimond Serge , Dambrun Michael
Published: August 2012

According to social dominance theory, intergroup dynamics are strongly influenced by the social positions which individuals hold in society. Several studies suggest that holding a position of power can, sometimes automatically, generate negative attitudes and hostile behaviors toward subordinate social groups. However, at present, the studies carried out on these effects of power have not taken into account the influence of the normative context. Based on the distinction made by Sidanius and Pratto between “hierarchy‐enhancing” (HE) vs. “hierarchy‐attenuating” (HA) environments, this study examines if the effects of power on legitimizing cognitions vary as a function of the normative environment. A laboratory study and a study conducted in a natural environment confirm our hypothesis that individuals holding a powerful or dominant social role in a HE setting differ significantly from individuals holding an equally powerful role in a HA setting. The effects of power observed in past research probably resulted from studying power in hierarchy‐enhancing environments, but not in hierarchy‐attenuating ones.
Nature and Nurture in School‐Based Second Language Achievement
Authors: Dale Philip S. , Harlaar Nicole , Plomin Robert
Published: August 2012

Variability in achievement across learners is a hallmark of second language (L2) learning, especially in academic‐based learning. The Twins Early Development Study (TEDS), based on a large, population‐representative sample in the United Kingdom, provides the first opportunity to examine individual differences in second language achievement in a longitudinal and genetically sensitive design, and to relate these differences to variability in first language achievement. Teacher National Curriculum ratings for Modern Foreign Language achievement at age 14 for 1632 twin pairs (611 monozygotic, 1021 dizygotic) constituted the core measure. Measures of socioeconomic status, early (ages 2–4) first language achievement (L1), and adolescent (age 12) L1 and reading significantly predicted L2 achievement. However, both individually and collectively they accounted for only a small proportion of the variance of L2 across the entire distribution. Twin analyses revealed that 42% of the variance of L2 was due to genetic variance, and about a third to shared environmental factors (shared within a family). Structural equation modeling confirmed that although there were genetic and environmental factors that influenced both L1 and L2 achievement (genetic correlations between L2 and other measures ranged from .33 to .51, and shared environment correlations ranged from .15 to 1.00), most of the genetic influence on L2 was independent of genetic influence on L1. Thus, the genetic factors that contribute to individual differences in L2 learning are largely distinct from those influencing L1. Additional analyses showed that the balance of genetic and environmental factors was very similar for the low achieving and high achieving students (lowest and highest 10%, respectively), and was similar to that for the full distribution. This pattern of results suggests that variability in L2 achievement is a continuous variable across the entire range, rather than reflecting qualitative or categorical differences at the extremes, and that it is largely the same genes which influence variability within the normal range and at the extremes.
Determinants of Success in Native and Non‐Native Listening Comprehension: An Individual Differences Approach
Authors: Andringa Sible , Olsthoorn Nomi , van Beuningen Catherine , Schoonen Rob , Hulstijn Jan
Published: August 2012

The goal of this study was to explain individual differences in both native and non‐native listening comprehension; 121 native and 113 non‐native speakers of Dutch were tested on various linguistic and nonlinguistic cognitive skills thought to underlie listening comprehension. Structural equation modeling was used to identify the predictors of individual differences in listening comprehension and to test for differences between the native and non‐native participants. Listening comprehension for native speakers was found to be a function of knowledge of the language and the efficiency with which one can process linguistic information, while listening comprehension for non‐native speakers was a function of knowledge and reasoning ability. Working Memory did not explain unique variance in listening comprehension in either group. Differences in experience with the Dutch language are likely to explain the observed pattern of results for both groups.
Individual Differences in the Acquisition of a Complex L2 Phonology: A Training Study
Authors: Hanulíková Adriana , Dediu Dan , Fang Zhou , Bašnaková Jana , Huettig Falk
Published: August 2012

Many learners of a foreign language (L2) struggle to correctly pronounce newly learned speech sounds, yet many others achieve this with apparent ease. Here we explored how a training study of learning complex consonant clusters at the very onset of L2 acquisition can inform us about L2 learning in general and individual differences in particular. To this end, adult Dutch native speakers were trained on Slovak words with complex consonant clusters (e.g., pstruh/pstrux/“trout”, štvrt'/ʃtvrc/“quarter”) using auditory and orthographic input. In the same session following training, participants were tested on a battery of L2 perception and production tasks. The battery of L2 tests was repeated twice more with 1 week between sessions. In the first session, an additional battery of control tests was used to test participants’ native language (L1) skills. Overall, in line with some previous research, participants showed only weak learning effects across the L2 perception tasks. However, there were considerable individual differences across all L2 tasks, which remained stable across sessions. Only two participants showed overall high L2 production performance that fell within 2 standard deviations of the mean ratings obtained for an L1 speaker. The mispronunciation detection task was the only perception task which significantly predicted production performance in the final session. We conclude by discussing several recommendations for future L2 learning studies.
The Structural Connectivity Underpinning Language Aptitude, Working Memory, and IQ in the Perisylvian Language Network
Authors: Xiang Huadong , Dediu Dan , Roberts Leah , Oort Erik van , Norris David G. , Hagoort Peter
Published: August 2012

In this article, we report the results of a study on the relationship between individual differences in language learning aptitude and the structural connectivity of language pathways in the adult brain, the first of its kind. We measured four components of language aptitude (vocabulary learning; sound recognition; sound‐symbol correspondence; and grammatical inferencing) using the LLAMA language aptitude test. Spatial working memory, verbal working memory and IQ were also measured as control factors. Diffusion Tensor Imaging was employed to investigate the structural connectivity of language pathways in the perisylvian language network. Regression analysis suggested significant correlations between most of these behavioural measures and the structural connectivity of certain language pathways, that is, grammatical inferencing and the BA45‐ and BA46‐Temporal pathway, sound‐symbol correspondence and the interhemispheric BA45 pathway, vocabulary learning and the BA47‐Parietal pathway, IQ and the BA44‐ and BA‐47Parietal pathways, the BA47‐Temporal pathway and interhemispheric BA45 pathway, spatial working memory and the interhemispheric BA6 pathway and the BA47‐Parietal pathway, and verbal working memory and the BA47‐Temporal pathway. These findings provide further insights into the neural underpinnings of the variation in language aptitude of human adults and are discussed in relation to relevant findings in the literature.
First and Second Language Speech Perception: Graded Learning
Authors: Sebastián‐Gallés Núria , Díaz Begoña
Published: August 2012

In the process of language learning, individuals must acquire different types of linguistic knowledge, such as the sounds of the language (phonemes), how these may be combined to form words (phonotactics), and morphological rules. Early and late bilinguals tend to perform like natives on second language phonological tasks that involve pre‐lexical processes (e.g., categorization or identification of isolate phonemes) but their performance decreases when the tasks tap into lexical processes (e.g., accessing to the lexicon storage and selecting the appropiate words). This graded performance across phonological processes is consistent with the processing hierarchy proposed by different models of (native) speech perception. The relation between the first and second languages is further evidenced by the correlation between native and non‐native phoneme discrimination of both early and late bilinguals. This correlation provides evidence that individual differences in the command of non‐native sounds are caused by a language‐specific capability. We propose that the study of second language processes combined with the assessment of individual differences is a relevant field for the understanding of the speech perception architecture.
Interactions Between Individual Differences, Treatments, and Structures in SLA
Authors: DeKeyser Robert
Published: August 2012

For decades educational psychologists have bemoaned the black box approach of much research on learning, that is, the focus on product rather than process, and the absence of fine‐grained analysis of the learning process in the individual. One way that progress has been made on this point in the last couple of decades is through cognitive neuroscience, but even there what is documented is mostly the product of learning, possibly at different stages, rather than the process. An alternative way of trying to understand processes that are hard or impossible to observe is to infer them from the way individual difference variables interact with linguistic and contextual variables. In this article I draw from a wide variety of studies to illustrate how the interactions between aptitudes and treatments, age and treatments, age and aptitudes, age and structures, and aptitudes and structures point to different learning processes. I stress how such interaction research is much more than the sum of its parts, making suggestions for a research agenda to sharpen the focus on the process in second language learning.
Learning Vowel Categories From Maternal Speech in Gurindji Kriol
Authors: Jones Caroline , Meakins Felicity , Muawiyath Shujau
Published: August 2012

Distributional learning is a proposal for how infants might learn early speech sound categories from acoustic input before they know many words. When categories in the input differ greatly in relative frequency and overlap in acoustic space, research in bilingual development suggests that this affects the course of development. In the present study we describe the nature and extent of vowel variation in nearly 900 vowel tokens in maternal speech in Gurindji Kriol, a mixed language of northern Australia, which, like bilingual input, has differences in the relative frequency of adjacent, overlapping vowel categories. In Analysis 1, we provide the first systematic account of vowel variation and phone frequency in maternal speech in Gurindji Kriol. In Analysis 2, cluster analysis was applied to the vowel formant and duration data, to see what categories might emerge from acoustic data alone. The results suggest that, were infants to base their initial vowel categories solely on the clusters emerging in acoustic space, they might likely set up relatively few vowel categories. We discuss implications for how infants may learn Gurindji Kriol and for distributional learning.
Links between DRD4, executive attention, and alphabetic skills in a nonclinical sample
Authors: Kegel Cornelia A. T. , Bus Adriana G.
Published: August 2012

Background:  The dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4) has been linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and reading disorders. In this study, we examined whether diminished anticipatory dopamine cell firing – typical of the long variant of the DRD4 allele – is related to emergent and advanced alphabetic skills, and whether executive attention is a mediator between this allele and alphabetic skills.

Method:  We tested alphabetic skills in a normative sample of 159 children in both kindergarten and Grade 1, and executive attention 1 year earlier. Cheek cells were collected and genomic DNA was isolated from the samples using the Chemagic buccal swab kit on a chemagen Module I workstation.

Results:  Thirty‐seven percent of the children were carriers of at least one DRD4 7‐repeat allele. Carriers of the long variant scored lower on alphabetic skills, and executive attention appeared to be a mediator of the relation between characteristics of DRD4 and alphabetic skills in kindergarten and first grade.

Conclusion:  This study shows how a genetic factor which has been shown to relate to variation in attention and regulatory behavior can explain delays in alphabetic skills. A practical implication is that in many cases early interventions should not only target reading skills, but also support children’s engagement in tasks.
The ubiquitin–proteasome system: central modifier of plant signalling
Authors: Sadanandom Ari , Bailey Mark , Ewan Richard , Lee Jack , Nelis Stuart
Published: August 2012

Ubiquitin is well established as a major modifier of signalling in eukaryotes. However, the extent to which plants rely on ubiquitin for regulating their lifecycle is only recently becoming apparent. This is underlined by the over‐representation of genes encoding ubiquitin‐metabolizing enzymes in Arabidopsis when compared with other model eukaryotes. The main characteristic of ubiquitination is the conjugation of ubiquitin onto lysine residues of acceptor proteins. In most cases the targeted protein is rapidly degraded by the 26S proteasome, the major proteolysis machinery in eukaryotic cells. The ubiquitin–proteasome system is responsible for removing most abnormal peptides and short‐lived cellular regulators, which, in turn, control many processes. This allows cells to respond rapidly to intracellular signals and changing environmental conditions. This review maps out the roles of the components of the ubiquitin–proteasome system with emphasis on areas where future research is urgently needed. We provide a flavour of the diverse aspects of plant lifecycle where the ubiquitin–proteasome system is implicated. We aim to highlight common themes using key examples that reiterate the importance of the ubiquitin–proteasome system to plants. The future challenge in plant biology is to define the targets for ubiquitination, their interactors and their molecular function within the regulatory context.

Contents

Summary
13

I.
Brief history
13

II.
Components of the ubiquitin–proteasome system
14

III.
Ubiquitin‐mediated degradation: a recurrent theme in the plant life cycle
18

IV.
Conclusion and future prospects
25

Acknowledgements
25

References
25
Heterozygosity‐Fitness Correlations and Inbreeding Depression in Two Critically Endangered Mammals
Authors: Ruiz‐López MarÍA JOSÉ , Gañan Natalia , Godoy José Antonio , Del Olmo Ana , Garde Julian , Espeso Gerardo , Vargas Astrid , Martinez Fernando , Roldán Eduardo R. S. , Gomendio Montserrat
Published: August 2012

The relation among inbreeding, heterozygosity, and fitness has been studied primarily among outbred populations, and little is known about these phenomena in endangered populations. Most researchers conclude that the relation between coefficient of inbreeding estimated from pedigrees and fitness traits (inbreeding‐fitness correlations) better reflects inbreeding depression than the relation between marker heterozygosity and fitness traits (heterozygosity‐fitness correlations). However, it has been suggested recently that heterozygosity‐fitness correlations should only be expected when inbreeding generates extensive identity disequilibrium (correlations in heterozygosity and homozygosity across loci throughout the genome). We tested this hypothesis in Mohor gazelle (Gazella dama mhorr) and Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus). For Mohor gazelle, we calculated the inbreeding coefficient and measured heterozygosity at 17 microsatellite loci. For Iberian lynx, we measured heterozygosity at 36 microsatellite loci. In both species we estimated semen quality, a phenotypic trait directly related to fitness that is controlled by many loci and is affected by inbreeding depression. Both species showed evidence of extensive identity disequilibrium, and in both species heterozygosity was associated with semen quality. In the Iberian lynx the low proportion of normal sperm associated with low levels of heterozygosity was so extreme that it is likely to limit the fertility of males. In Mohor gazelle, although heterozygosity was associated with semen quality, inbreeding coefficient was not. This result suggests that when coefficient of inbreeding is calculated on the basis of a genealogy that begins after a long history of inbreeding, the coefficient of inbreeding fails to capture previous demographic information because it is a poor estimator of accumulated individual inbreeding. We conclude that among highly endangered species with extensive identity disequilibrium, examination of heterozygosity‐fitness correlations may be an effective way to detect inbreeding depression, whereas inbreeding‐fitness correlations may be poor indicators of inbreeding depression if the pedigree does not accurately reflect the history of inbreeding.

Correlaciones Heterocigosidad‐ Adaptabilidad y Depresión Endogámica en Dos Especies de Mamíferos Críticamente en Peligro
CD34+ cell subclasses and lymphocyte subsets in blood grafts collected after various mobilization methods in myeloma patients
Authors: Varmavuo Ville , Mäntymaa Pentti , Silvennoinen Raija , Nousiainen Tapio , Kuittinen Taru , Jantunen Esa
Published: August 2012

BACKGROUND: Cyclophosphamide (CY) combined with granulocyte–colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF) is commonly used to mobilize stem cells in multiple myeloma (MM). Plerixafor may also be used with G‐CSF in patients who mobilize poorly or it may be added to chemomobilization to boost mobilization. Limited data are available on graft content collected after various mobilization methods.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Blood grafts collected from 21 MM patients were retrospectively analyzed. We analyzed CD34+ subclasses and lymphocyte subsets from cryopreserved grafts collected on the next morning after plerixafor injection in nine MM patients mobilized with G‐CSF with (n = 5) or without preceding CY (n = 4). As controls we had the first collections from 12 MM patients mobilized with low‐dose CY with G‐CSF.

RESULTS: The proportion of the most primitive stem cells (CD34+CD133+CD38–) from all CD34+ cells in the graft was higher in the plerixafor‐treated patients but there was no significant difference in the total number of these cells. The numbers of CD19+ B lymphocytes and natural killer cells were higher in patients collected after G‐CSF plus plerixafor when compared to the patients mobilized with CY plus G‐CSF. Early engraftment after high‐dose melphalan was comparable between the groups.

CONCLUSION: Plerixafor appears to have effects on blood stem cell graft composition in myeloma patients. A higher number of grafts should be evaluated in regard to cellular content and longer follow‐up of the patients is needed to evaluate the potential clinical impact of graft content.
Prevalence, management, and outcomes of patients with coagulopathy after acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the United Kingdom
Authors: Jairath Vipul , Kahan Brennan C. , Stanworth Simon J. , Logan Richard F.A. , Hearnshaw Sarah A. , Travis Simon P.L. , Palmer Kelvin R. , Murphy Michael F.
Published: August 2012

BACKGROUND: Coagulopathy after major hemorrhage has been found to be an independent risk factor for mortality after traumatic bleeding. It is unclear whether similar associations are present in other causes of major hemorrhage. We describe the prevalence, use of plasma, and outcomes of patients with coagulopathy after acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB).

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This study was a multicenter UK national audit. Data were collected prospectively on consecutive admissions with upper gastrointestinal bleeding over a 2‐month period to 212 UK hospitals. Coagulopathy was defined as an international normalized ratio (INR) of at least 1.5. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between coagulopathy and patient‐related outcome measures of mortality, rebleeding, and need for surgery and/or radiologic intervention.

RESULTS: A total of 4478 patients were included in the study. Coagulopathy was present in 16.4% (444/2709) of patients in whom an INR was recorded. Patients with coagulopathy were more likely to present with hemodynamic shock (45% vs. 36%), have a higher clinical Rockall score (4 vs. 2), receive red blood cell transfusion (79% vs. 48%) and have high‐risk stigmata of hemorrhage at endoscopy (34% vs. 25%). After adjustment for confounders the presence of a coagulopathy was associated with a fivefold increased in the odds of mortality (odds ratio, 5.63; 95% confidence interval, 3.09‐10.27; p < 0.001). Only 35% of patients with coagulopathy received fresh‐frozen plasma transfusion.

CONCLUSIONS: Coagulopathy was prevalent in 16% of patients after NVUGIB and independently associated with more than a fivefold increase in the odds of in‐hospital mortality. Wide variation in plasma use exists indicates clinical uncertainty regarding optimal practice.
Alloimmune platelet transfusion refractoriness circumvented by allogeneic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Bonstein Lilach , Stemer Galia , Dann Eldad J. , Zuckerman Tsila , Fineman Riva , Haddad Nuhad
Published: August 2012

BACKGROUND: Administration of intensive chemotherapy used in the management of malignancies is accompanied with marrow suppression. Patients undergoing such treatments and especially those with acute leukemia need prolonged blood component support and are at risk for platelet (PLT) refractoriness. Irradiated and filtered blood, although effective, does not eliminate the risk for refractoriness and consequent fatal hemorrhage.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The current report presents a case of an acute myeloid leukemia patient who became alloimmunized to multiple HLA antigens after complicated autologous stem cell transplantation and to whom granulocytes were transfused as part of treatment for overwhelming sepsis. Poor engraftment necessitated prolonged transfusion dependency with rare HLA‐compatible donors detected according to the indirect PLT immunofluorescence test. During the proceeding weeks the patient suffered from recurrent severe attacks of gastrointestinal bleeding. When several conservative treatments failed, a fully HLA‐matched, bidirectionally ABO‐incompatible allogeneic transplantation from a sibling donor was performed.

RESULTS: Allogeneic transplantation was uneventful, with stable full donor‐derived lymphohematopoietic engraftment.

CONCLUSION: Immune PLT refractoriness can appear at later stages of treatment even in severely immunocompromised patients. Granulocyte transfusions could lead to alloimmunization and should therefore be cautiously considered in this patient population.
Impact of the Preprocedural Frequency of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation on the Clinical Outcome after Catheter Ablation
Authors: MIYAZAKI SHINSUKE , KUWAHARA TAISHI , TAKAHASHI ATSUSHI
Published: August 2012

Background:
 Pulmonary vein antral isolation (PVAI) is a recommended treatment for symptomatic drug‐refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). PAF naturally progresses toward persistent AF with an increase in the frequency and duration of AF. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the preprocedural AF frequency had an impact on the AF recurrence after PVAI in patients with symptomatic PAF.

Methods and Results:
 A total of 362 consecutive patients (61.0 ± 9.8 years; 274 males) with drug‐refractory PAF who underwent PVAI were included. The preprocedural frequency of PAF was daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly in 145 (40.1%), 112 (30.9%), 90 (24.9%), and 15 (4.1%) patients, respectively. There were no significant differences in any of the preprocedural variables between the four groups, except for the number of ineffective antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs). PVAI was successfully performed in all patients. At 12 months after the initial procedure, 63.5% of the entire group of patients were free of AF recurrences without any AADs, respectively. A Cox regression multivariate analysis of the variables including the AF frequency, age, gender, duration of AF, presence of hypertension or structural heart disease, left atrial size, left ventricular ejection fraction, and body mass index demonstrated that the AF frequency was not an independent predictor of AF recurrence after a single ablation procedure (P = 0.194).

Conclusions:
 This study demonstrated that the preprocedural AF frequency did not predict AF recurrence after PVAI in patients with PAF. From the clinical point of view, an additional AF classification based on the preprocedural AF frequency might not be valuable in patients undergoing PVAI. (PACE 2012; 35:1236–1241)
Microvolt T‐Wave Alternans in Short QT Syndrome
Authors: MAURY PHILIPPE , EXTRAMIANA FABRICE , GIUSTETTO CARLA , CARDIN CRISTELLE , ROLLIN ANNE , DUPARC ALEXANDRE , MONDOLY PIERRE , DENJOY ISABELLE , DELAY MARC , MESSALI ANNE , LEENHARDT ANTOINE , MARANGONI DANIELE
Published: August 2012

Background:

T‐wave alternans (TWA) is an accepted marker of risk for malignant ventricular arrhythmias, for which prognosis value has been established in different populations. Short QT syndrome (SQTS) is a very rare primary electrical disease carrying the risk of ventricular fibrillation. TWA in SQTS has not been evaluated yet.

Methods:

Thirteen patients with SQTS (QT = 308 ± 16 ms, QTc = 329 ± 10 ms, heart rate = 69 ± 8 beats/min) underwent microvolt TWA measurement using spectral analysis. TWA testing was performed using Heartwave II (Cambridge Heart™, Inc., Bedford, MA, USA) during bicycle exercice and classified as negative, positive, or indeterminate according to the published standards for clinical interpretation.

Results:

Twelve patients were male (mean age 23 ± 5 years). Five were asymptomatic, three presented with aborted sudden cardiac death, and five with unexplained syncope. Six patients belonged to two unrelated families, while familial cases of SQTS were present for two other patients. A familial history of sudden death (SD) was present for seven patients. Ventricular fibrillation was inducible in three patients. Four patients were implanted with an implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator and one presented with polymorphic ventricular tachycardia during follow‐up. TWA was negative in each but one patient (indeterminate). Maximal negative heart rate was 118 ± 12 beats/min. Patients with previous SD displayed significant shorter QT and higher resting heart rate compared to the remaining cases.

Conclusions:

TWA testing is negative in 12 of 13 SQTS patients, even in the symptomatic or inducible ones. Measurement of TWA using conventional protocol and criteria for risk stratification in SQTS seems therefore useless. (PACE 2012;35:1413–1419)
Importance of Tachycardia Cycle Length for Differentiating Typical Atrial Flutter from Scar‐Related in Adult Congenital Heart Disease
Authors: UHM JAE‐SUN , MUN HEE‐SUN , WI JIN , SHIM JAEMIN , HWANG HYE JIN , SUNG JUNG‐HOON , KIM JONG‐YOUN , PAK HUI‐NAM , LEE MOON‐HYOUNG , JOUNG BOYOUNG
Published: August 2012

Background:
 Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for intraatrial reentrant tachycardia (IART) in congenital heart disease (CHD) remains difficult.

Methods:
 Thirty‐four consecutive adult patients (age, 37.6 ± 12.8 years; male, 21) with previously repaired CHD and IART underwent an electrophysiological study and RFCA. CHD included atrial septal defect (ASD, n = 14), tetralogy of Fallot (n = 11), ventricular septal defect (n = 4), pulmonary atresia (n = 2), atrioventricular septal defect (n = 1), transposition of the great arteries (n = 1), and double‐outlet right ventricle (n = 1).

Results:
 Duration of CHD repair to IART onset was 19.1 ± 8.5 years. Thirty and four patients had single‐ and double‐loop reentrant tachycardia, respectively. Among the total of 38 IARTs, which were mapped, 22 (57.9%) and 13 (34.2%) IARTs were cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI)‐dependent atrial flutter (AFL) and scar‐related AFL, respectively. Typical AFL electrocardiography findings including definite sawtooth appearance in inferior leads and positive F wave in lead V1 were observed in only 12 of 21 patients (57.1%) with CTI‐dependent AFL. CTI‐dependent AFL had a significantly longer tachycardia cycle length (TCL) than scar‐related AFL (267.6 ± 34.4 ms and 235.9 ± 37.0 ms, respectively; P = 0.031). TCL > 250 ms had 79% sensitivity as the cutoff value for differentiating CTI‐dependent from scar‐related AFL. The acute success rates of RFCA in CTI‐dependent and scar‐related AFLs were 85.7% and 90.0%, respectively. The recurrence rates in CTI‐dependent and scar‐related AFLs were 11.1% and 11.1%, respectively, during a follow‐up of 21.2 ± 28.3 months.

Conclusions:
 CTI‐dependent AFL was the most common IART in adult patients with repaired CHD and was easily manageable by RFCA. TCL might help to differentiate CTI‐dependent AFL from other IARTs. (PACE 2012;35:1338–1347)
Unipolar and Bipolar Electrogram Characteristics Predict Exit Block during Pulmonary Vein Antral Isolation
Authors: MICHOWITZ YOAV , BUCH ERIC , BOURKE TARA , TUNG RODERICK , BRADFIELD JASON , MATHURIA NILESH , BOYLE NOEL G. , SHIVKUMAR KALYANAM
Published: August 2012

Introduction:
 The usefulness of unipolar electrograms (EGMs) has been reported in assessing lesion transmurality and conduction block along ablation lines. It is unknown whether unipolar and bipolar EGM characteristics predict exit block during pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) procedures.

Methods and Results:
 Twenty patients (63 ± 7 years; 14 males [70%]) undergoing PVI with a circular mapping catheter (CMC) placed outside each PV ostium were retrospectively studied. After entrance block was achieved, pacing at each bipole around the CMC was performed to assess for absence of atrial capture (exit block). Bipolar EGMs recorded before pacing were examined for voltage, duration, fractionation, and monophasic morphology. Unipolar EGMs were examined for positive and negative amplitude, PQ segment elevation, fractionation, and monophasic morphology. The association of these parameters with atrial capture (absence of exit block) at each site was analyzed.

After achievement of entrance block, only 23 of 64 PV antra (36%) exhibited exit block. Unipolar EGMs at sites with persistent capture were more likely to be fractionated and had larger negative deflections. Bipolar EGMs at sites with persistent capture showed higher amplitude, longer duration, were more likely to be fractionated, and were less likely to be monophasic. In a multivariate logistic regression model, bipolar and unipolar fractionation, bipolar duration, and lack of bipolar monophasic morphology were independently associated with persistent atrial capture.

Conclusion:
 Specific unipolar and bipolar EGM characteristics are associated with left atrium capture after PV antral isolation. These parameters might be useful in predicting the need for further ablation to achieve exit block. (PACE 2012; 35:1294–1301)
Spatial and temporal variation in vulnerability of crop production to drought in southern Alberta
Authors: Xu Wei , Ren Xiaomeng , Johnston Tom , Yin Yongyuan , Klein Kurt , Smith Anne
Published: August 2012

Growing evidence of global climate change has led to global concerns over the vulnerability of agriculture to drought. Located in a semiarid environment, southern Alberta has suffered significant losses of agricultural productivity due to drought hazards in recent decades. Understanding the relationship between crop production and drought conditions is essential for coping with increasingly uncertain climate conditions. This study attempts to quantify the magnitude of crop production vulnerability to drought in southern Alberta. The standard precipitation index is used to measure drought stress in the region. The empirical results provide a detailed picture of the spatial variation in crop production vulnerability to varying drought conditions. Vulnerability maps from this study reveal that pockets in the study area may experience significant productivity loss given the existing level of adaptive capacity. While the irrigation districts have been associated with a lower level of vulnerability than dryland outside the irrigated region, uncertain water supply under varying climatic conditions coupled with increasing water allocation for non‐agricultural uses may increase the vulnerability in these districts.
Hydrothermal Syntheses and Structural Phase Transitions of AgNbO3
Authors: Chang Haibo , Shang Mingyu , Zhang Chenyang , Yuan Hongming , Feng Shouhua
Published: August 2012

The phase‐pure AgNbO3 has been prepared through the hydrothermal reactions of NH4HF2, Ag2O, and Nb2O5. The room‐temperature powder X‐ray diffraction analysis reveals that it crystallizes in orthorhombic perovskite lattice with a space group of Pmc21 and cell parameters a = 15.6999(9), b = 5.5521(1), and c = 5.5830(1) Å. The temperatures, pH values, and times play crucial roles in obtaining phase‐pure silver niobate. The structural phase transitions were observed at 813 K from cubic to tetrahedral phase and to final orthorhombic phase at 718 K, confirmed by TGA‐DTA.
Intrapartum monitoring of high‐risk deliveries with ST analysis of the fetal electrocardiogram: an observational study of 6010 deliveries
Authors: KESSLER JÖRG , MOSTER DAG , ALBRECHTSEN SUSANNE
Published: August 2012

Objective

To evaluate the clinical use of ST analysis (STAN) for intrapartum monitoring of high‐risk pregnancies.

Design

Prospective observational study.

Setting

University hospital, Norway, 2004–2008.

Population

Singleton pregnancies with a gestational age above 35+6 weeks.

Methods

Analysis of maternal and neonatal outcomes for all deliveries according to the method of intrapartum monitoring.

Main outcome measures

Prevalence of cord metabolic acidosis (pH < 7.05, extracellular fluid base deficit (extracellular fluid) >12 mmol/L).

Results

Of 23 203 deliveries, 6010 (25.9%) were monitored with STAN. Fetal blood sampling was performed in 146 (2.4%) of the 6010 cases. During the study period, the prevalence of cord metabolic acidosis and moderate cord acidosis (pH < 7.15) decreased in STAN‐monitored deliveries from 1.4 to 0.3% (p = 0.01) and from 16.4 to 11.7% (p = 0.001), respectively. The prevalence of moderate and severe neonatal encephalopathy was 0.38%. In the birth population, the proportion of cesarean deliveries decreased from 10.1 to 8.8%. The risk of emergency cesarean section after STAN monitoring compared with those monitored with auscultation/cardiotocography was high (odds ratio 5.4, 95% confidence interval = 4.9–6.1) but remained stable during the study period.

Conclusions

ST analysis is a useful tool for identification of fetuses at risk of intrapartum hypoxia. Despite the restricted use of fetal blood sampling, we found a low proportion of cord metabolic acidosis and newborn morbidity.
Changing trends of cesarean section births by the Robson Ten Group Classification in a tertiary teaching hospital
Authors: CHONG CHERYL , SU LIN LIN , BISWAS ARIJIT
Published: August 2012

Objective. To analyse changing trends of cesarean section (CS) birth rates over an 11 year period (2000–2010) using the Robson Ten Group Classification System (RTGCS) to identify the main contributors to the rising CS birth rates at a tertiary teaching hospital in Singapore. Design. Retrospective study. Setting. National University Hospital, Singapore. Population. All women who delivered between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2010 (hospital maternity database). Methods. The RTGCS was used to classify these women according to parity, past obstetric history, singleton or multiple pregnancy, fetal presentation, gestational age and mode of onset of labor/delivery. Main outcome measures. The RTGCS results. Results. From 2000 to 2010 the CS rate increased from 19.9 to 29.6 per 100 births. Multiparous women with a previous cesarean birth (Group 5) were the greatest contributor to the CS rate, followed by nulliparous women with singleton cephalic full‐term pregnancy in spontaneous labor (Group 1). These two groups contributed to 75% of the rise in the CS rate from 2000 to 2010. Conclusions. The increase in CS rate is attributed largely to the rising CS rate in Group 5, followed by Group 1. We propose that future efforts to reduce overall CS rate should be focused on increasing vaginal birth after cesarean and reduce CS rates in nulliparous women with singleton cephalic full‐term pregnancy (Groups 1 and 2), which in turn will reduce the number of pregnant women with a previous CS.
Effectiveness of pre‐surgical infant orthopedic treatment for cleft lip and palate patients: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Papadopoulos M. A. , Koumpridou E. N. , Vakalis M. L. , Papageorgiou S. N.
Published: August 2012

Papadopoulos M. A., Koumpridou E. N., Vakalis M. L., Papageorgiou S. N.  Effectiveness of pre‐surgical infant orthopedic treatment for cleft lip and palate patients: a systematic review and meta‐analysis  Orthod Craniofac Res 2012;15:207–236. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S

The objective of the study was to systematically summarize current evidence on the effectiveness of pre‐surgical infant orthopedics (PSIO) in cleft lip and palate (CLP) patients. Electronic and manual searches were conducted, and using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, data extraction and analysis was performed by two independent investigators. When possible, overall pooled estimates with 95% confidence intervals were obtained using the random‐effects model. Twenty‐four of 885 original studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis, whereas 10 of them were included in the quantitative synthesis (meta‐analysis). Except for the variable M‐T‐C(5) assessing maxillary arch form, which presented an increase at 48 months of follow‐up, all other variables concerning craniofacial and dentoalveolar changes demonstrated no significant differences, indicating that PSIO treatment has no effect on CLP patients. The limited evidence derived from this study does not seem to support the short‐ or long‐term effectiveness of PSIO in CLP patients.
Management of anticoagulation during dermatosurgical procedures in Germany – results from a cross‐sectional study
Authors: Nast Alexander , Ernst Henriette , Rosumeck Stefanie , Erdmann Ricardo , Sporbeck Birte , Fluhr Joachim W.
Published: August 2012

Background: Treatment with antiplatelet drugs (APD) and vitamin K antagonists (VKA) can be a challenge during the management of dermatosurgical interventions.

Methods: We performed a cross‐sectional study on the perioperative management of APD and VKA in dermatological private practices and clinics in Germany, using anonymized, standardized questionnaires.

Results: 233 responses were evaluated (response rate 37 %). Skin biopsies are performed in 82.7 % of offices and in 90.8 % of clinics despite treatment with VKA. Small excisions are done in 62.5 % of offices and 76.9 % of clinics during treatment with VKA, for large excision this applies to 11.9 % of offices and 33.8 % of clinics. Low‐dose treatment with APD (#100 mg) does not hinder 80.4 % of private practices and 89.2 % of clinics to perform small excisions as well as 36.3 % and 53.8 %, respectively, to perform large excisions. Of private practitioners 67.3 % and 83.1 % of clinic‐based dermato‐surgeons do not consider high‐dose APD a contraindication for small excisions, and 25.0 % and 41.5 %, respectively, for large excisions. Most frequently switching to heparin is performed 6–8 days prior to surgery and switching back 0–2 days after surgery.

Conclusions: Large differences in the perioperative management of anticoagulant therapy during dermatosurgical procedures have been identified. Further studies and guidelines should be developed.
Disentangling the effects of water and nutrients for studying the outcome of plant interactions in sand dune ecosystems
Authors: Le Bagousse‐Pinguet Yoann , Forey Estelle , Touzard Blaise , Michalet Richard
Published: August 2012

Questions

What is the relative role of water vs nutrients in driving changes in plant interactions in a dry and nutrient‐poor dune system, where facilitation has been shown to highly contribute to the diversity and composition of plant communities?

Location

Atlantic coastal sand dune system, Aquitaine region, France.

Methods

We manipulated water (water addition) and nutrient (fertilizer addition) availabilities in a full‐factorial experiment that lasted from September 2005 to September 2006. The responses of plants to neighbours were assessed through transplanting six target species within each experimental plot in the presence or absence (removal procedure) of the dominant shrub Helichrysum stoechas. We also measured changes in H. stoechas biomass among treatments.

Results

Watering mainly affected survival of the target species without neighbours and the direction of their responses to the shrub, whereas fertilization strongly increased the biomass of the shrub and intensity of the responses of the targets to the effects of the shrub. We did not observe any occurrence of biotic interactions (either positive or negative) for most of the target species in the unfertilized plots. In contrast, three of the six species exhibited significant facilitation in fertilized and un‐watered plots, and significant competition in fertilized and watered plots.

Conclusions

Our results highlight the co‐limitation of water and nutrients in coastal sand dunes. Nutrient availability mainly drove the neighbour effect of the shrub, whereas water availability affected the responses of the target species. Although further measurements of resource modifications by the shrub are needed to firmly conclude neighbour effects, our results provide new insights to the contrasting results in the literature on plant–plant interactions in unproductive communities. We propose that, depending on the system, changes in a given direct stress factor may either induce a collapse of interactions by decreasing neighbour performances and their effects, or a shift in the direction of interactions by affecting target species responses.
The (Partisan) Role of the Press in Direct Democratic Campaigns: Evidence from a Swiss Vote on European Integration
Authors: TRESCH ANKE
Published: August 2012

Abstract:  This article analyzes the role of the press in direct democratic campaigns. The paper argues the press has a dual role: On news pages, newspapers ought to inform citizens about the issue positions and frames of the pro and con camps in a balanced way. In editorials, newspapers act as political advocates that promote their own issue frames and try to shape public opinion through voting recommendations. Comparing the issue positions and frames in editorials and news reports in the run‐up to the vote on the popular initiative “Yes to Europe” in Switzerland, this article shows that newspapers give similar visibility to the pro and con camps regardless of the papers’ own editorial position. However, some newspapers favor issue frames that are in line with their editorial perspectives. In conclusion, newspapers are more similar in news report content than in editorial views.
Maximising Direct Democracy – by Popular Assemblies or by Ballot Votes?
Authors: SCHAUB HANS‐PETER
Published: August 2012

Abstract:  According to a widespread but empirically hitherto untested perception, assembly democracy is the ideal‐typical form for direct democracy. This paper examines whether this perception coincides with empirical evidence by systematically comparing the actual extent of citizens’ direct‐democratic involvement in assembly democracies and in ballot‐box democracies. A longitudinal and cross‐sectional analysis of new data on the Swiss cantons reveals strikingly clear patterns: cantons with popular assemblies provide citizens with more and more easily accessible direct‐democratic rights, and they hold popular votes more frequently. On the other hand, cantons with ballot‐box voting are more successful in involving the citizens in direct‐democratic decision‐making with respect to turnout rates.
Knockdown of lactate dehydrogenase A suppresses tumor growth and metastasis of human hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Sheng Shi L. , Liu Jian J. , Dai Yun H. , Sun Xiao G. , Xiong Xiao P. , Huang Gang
Published: August 2012

In previous studies, lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) was identified as one of the leading genes that promote the proliferative and tumorigenic potential of malignancies. However, less definitive evidence was reported in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Furthermore, the role of LDHA in promoting metastasis of HCC, and its possible mechanism, is not clear. In this study, RNA interference (RNAi) mediated by lentiviral vectors (which induce strong down‐regulation of gene expression) was used to analyze the role of LDHA in tumor growth and metastasis in HCC. We performed transient and stable RNAi knockdowns of LDHA in HCCLM3 cells, a line that over‐expresses LDHA and has a high metastatic potential. Our studies reveal that previously unidentified effects of LHDA may mediate tumor growth and metastasic effects in HCC. First, HCC cell lines over‐express LDHA. Second, LDHA inhibition results in increased apoptosis via production of reactive oxygen species in HCCLM3 cells. Thus, LDHA knockdown resulted in significant reduction in metastatic potential in a xenograft mouse model. Furthermore, we found that FAK, MMP–2, VEGF and E–cadherin proteins contribute to inhibitory effects on metastasis in HCC cells. These studies have important implications for understanding the mechanisms by which LDHA promotes tumor growth and metastasis.
Four Closely‐related RING‐type E3 Ligases, APD1–4, are Involved in Pollen Mitosis II Regulation in Arabidopsis
Authors: Luo Guo , Gu Hongya , Liu Jingjing , Qu Li‐Jia
Published: August 2012

Ubiquitination of proteins is one of the critical regulatory mechanisms in eukaryotes. In higher plants, protein ubiquitination plays an essential role in many biological processes, including hormone signaling, photomorphogenesis, and pathogen defense. However, the roles of protein ubiquitination in the reproductive process are not clear. In this study, we identified four plant‐specific RING‐finger genes designated Aberrant Pollen Development 1 (APD1) to APD4, as regulators of pollen mitosis II (PMII) in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.). The apd1 apd2 double mutant showed a significantly increased percentage of bicellular‐like pollen at the mature pollen stage. Further downregulation of the APD3 and APD4 transcripts in apd1 apd2 by RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in more severe abnormal bicellular‐like pollen phenotypes than in apd1 apd2, suggesting that cell division was defective in male gametogenesis. All of the four genes were expressed in multiple stages at different levels during male gametophyte development. Confocal analysis using green florescence fusion proteins (GFP) GFP‐APD1 and GFP‐APD2 showed that APDs are associated with intracellular membranes. Furthermore, APD2 had E2‐dependent E3 ligase activity in vitro, and five APD2‐interacting proteins were identified. Our results suggest that these four genes may be involved, redundantly, in regulating the PMII process during male gametogenesis.