bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
El Convenio y la Recomendación de la OIT sobre las trabajadoras y los trabajadores domésticos. Una oportunidad para la justicia social
Authors: OELZ Martin
Published: April 2014

El Convenio núm. 189 y la Recomendación núm. 201 de la OIT, adoptados en 2011, establecen normas laborales mínimas de aplicación universal sobre trabajo doméstico, un sector en pleno crecimiento, con un gran déficit de derechos hasta la fecha y en el que trabajan principalmente mujeres. El autor describe las normas internacionales al respecto, de derechos humanos y del trabajo, anteriores a 2011, y después analiza las disposiciones de los nuevos instrumentos (definiciones, salarios, horarios, condiciones de vida y de trabajo y seguridad social, entre otros), así como su alcance y lo que representan para mejorar la situación de estos trabajadores.
Identifying the characteristics of nurse opinion leaders to aid the integration of genetics in nursing practice
Authors: Andrews Verity , Tonkin Emma , Lancastle Deborah , Kirk Maggie
Published: April 2014

Aim

To identify the characteristics of nurses opinion leaders in the context of genetics in health care and consider the findings for the integration of genetics in nursing practice.

Background

Nurses need a basic understanding of the role genetics plays in their practice and about how best to support patients using genetic knowledge. Opinion leaders have been used previously to incorporate change initiatives and increase educational application. Identifying the characteristics of nurse opinion leaders may aid the engagement and continued integration of genetics into nursing practice.

Design

A primarily quantitative approach over two phases, using online surveys conducted during 2011.

Method

This article focuses on Phase 2 of a wider study. Oncology and primary care nurses were surveyed to identify the characteristics and demographic indicators of nurse opinion leaders. Tests for data normality followed by the suitable test for group comparison was applied with significance level set at <0·05.

Results

Nineteen respondents (n = 19/88; 21·6%) were categorized as opinion leaders and two subgroups were identified: Genetic Opinion Leaders and Opinion Leaders with an Interest in Genetics. Seven characteristics were deemed statistically significant (Mann–Whitney, Chi‐Square, t‐test) in identifying nurse opinion leaders, including being open to experience and having a perceived level of influence over others.

Conclusion

The identified characteristics could be used to enhance the integration of genetics into nursing practice through the use of opinion leaders. Further thought needs to be given to the refinement of the identified characteristics and to the use of such a unique group of nurses.
Costs of rearing and sex‐ratio variation in southern grey shrike Lanius meridionalis broods
Authors: Moreno‐Rueda Gregorio , Campos Francisco , Gutiérrez‐Corchero Francisco , Hernández M.‐Ángeles
Published: April 2014

Several non‐mutually exclusive hypotheses predict adaptive variation in the offspring sex ratio. When conditions for breeding are adverse, parents are predicted to produce more offspring of the less costly sex to rear (‘the cost‐of‐reproduction hypothesis’). Moreover, they also should produce the more dispersing sex in order to diminish future competition (‘the local‐resource‐competition hypothesis’). Here, we analyse brood sex ratio according to rearing conditions in the southern shrike Lanius meridionalis, a species with moderately reversed sexual dimorphism. Our results suggest that females are more costly to rear than males in this species. Adult females proved heavier than males, and female nestling tended to be heavier than male nestlings. Moreover, the greater brood reduction, the more male‐biased was the brood, suggesting that brood reduction implied higher mortality in female nestlings. Consistent with these findings, the brood sex ratio was biased to the less costly sex (males) when breeding conditions were adverse (bad years or low‐quality male parents), supporting the cost‐of‐reproduction hypothesis. By contrast, these findings did not support the local‐resource‐competition hypothesis, which predicted female‐biased brood sex ratio under adverse conditions. As a whole, our results support the idea that birds adaptively modulate sex ratio in order to minimize reproduction costs.
Instream Restoration to Improve the Ecohydrologic Function of a Subalpine Meadow: Pre‐implementation Modeling with HEC‐RAS
Authors: Moore Courtney E. , Loheide Steven P. , Lowry Christopher S. , Lundquist Jessica D.
Published: April 2014

Vegetation in subalpine meadows in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is particularly vulnerable to lowering of groundwater levels because wet meadow vegetation is reliant upon shallow groundwater during the dry summer growing season. These ecosystems are especially vulnerable to channel incision as meadow aquifers are hydrologically connected to tributaries, and many have not yet recovered from previous anthropogenic influences. While instream restoration projects have become a common approach, lack of postrestoration monitoring and communication often result in a trial‐and‐error approach. In this study we demonstrate that preimplementation modeling of possible instream restoration solutions, chosen to raise stream stage and subsequently groundwater levels, is a useful tool for evaluating and comparing potential channel modifications. Modeling allows us to identify strategic locations and specific methods. Results show additional sediment depth and roughness on tributaries along with introduced woody debris (simulated by high roughness) on the Tuolumne River are the most effective means of raising stream stage. Results demonstrate that restoration efforts are most efficient in tributary streams. Managers and planners can more efficiently direct resources while minimizing the potential for negative impacts or failed restoration projects by modeling the possible effects of multiple restoration scenarios before implementation.
Water Appropriation Systems for Adapting to Water Shortages in Iraq
Authors: Salman Dina A. , Amer Saud A. , Ward Frank A.
Published: April 2014

Climate variability and population growth have intensified the search internationally for measures to adapt to fluctuations in water supplies. An example can be found in the lower part of the transboundary Tigris‐Euphrates Basin where water shortages in 2008‐2009 resulted in high economic costs to irrigation farmers. Losses to irrigators in the lower basin have made a compelling case to identify flexible methods to adapt to water shortage. Few published studies have systematically examined ways to enhance the flexibility of water appropriation systems to adapt to water shortage. This article addresses an ongoing challenge in water governance by examining how profitability at both the farm and basin levels is affected by various water appropriation systems. Four water appropriation systems are compared for impacts on farm income under each of three water supply scenarios. Results show that a (1) proportional sharing of water shortages among provinces and (2) unrestricted water trading rank as the top two appropriation systems. The shadow price of water for irrigation rises from zero at a full water supply level to US$93/1,000 m3 when supply falls to 20% of full levels. Similar methods could be used to analyze challenges facing the design or implementation of water appropriation systems in the world's irrigated regions.
Hydrologic Impact Assessment of Land Cover Change and Stormwater Management Using the Hydrologic Footprint Residence
Authors: Giacomoni M.H. , Gomez R. , Berglund E.Z.
Published: April 2014

Urbanization impacts the stormwater regime through increased runoff volumes and velocities. Detention ponds and low impact development (LID) strategies may be implemented to control stormwater runoff. Typically, mitigation strategies are designed to maintain postdevelopment peak flows at predevelopment levels for a set of design storms. Peak flow does not capture the extent of changes to the hydrologic flow regime, and the hydrologic footprint residence (HFR) was developed to calculate the area and duration of inundated land during a storm. This study couples a cellular automata land cover change model with a hydrologic and hydraulic framework to generate spatial projections of future development on the fringe of a rapidly urbanizing metropolitan area. The hydrologic flow regime is characterized for existing and projected land cover patterns under detention pond and LID‐based control, using the HFR and peak flow values. Results demonstrate that for less intense and frequent rainfall events, LID solutions are better with respect to HFR; for larger storms, detention pond strategies perform better with respect to HFR and peak flow.
Quantifying the Impact of Renewable Energy Futures on Cooling Water Use
Authors: Baker Jonathan , Strzepek Kenneth , Farmer William , Schlosser C. Adam
Published: April 2014

This article presents an empirically based model, WiCTS (Withdrawal and Consumption for Thermoelectric Systems), to estimate regional water withdrawals and consumption implied by any electricity generation portfolio. WiTCS uses water use rates, developed at the substate level, to predict water use by scaling the rates with predicted energy generation. The capability of WiCTS is demonstrated by assessing the impact of renewable electricity generation scenarios on water use in the United States (U.S.) through 2050. The energy generation scenarios are taken from the Renewable Energy Futures Study performed by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy. Results indicate reductions in water use are achieved under these renewable energy scenarios. The analysis further explores the impact of two modifications to the modeling framework. The first modification presumes geothermal and concentrated solar power generation technologies employ water‐intensive cooling systems vs. cooling technology that requires no water. The second modification presumes all water‐intensive cooling technologies use closed cycle cooling (as opposed to once‐through cooling) technologies by 2050. Results based on one of the renewable generation scenarios indicate water use increases by over 20% under the first modification, and water consumption increases by approximately 40% while water withdrawals decrease by over 85% under the second modification.
Linking Landscape Characteristics and High Stream Nitrogen in the Oregon Coast Range: Red Alder Complicates Use of Nutrient Criteria
Authors: Greathouse Effie A. , Compton Jana E. , Van Sickle John
Published: April 2014

Red alder (Alnus rubra), a nitrogen(N)‐fixing deciduous broadleaf tree, can strongly influence N concentrations in westernOregon andWashington. We compiled a database of stream N andGIS‐derived landscape characteristics in order to examine geographic variation in N across the Oregon Coast Range. Basal area of alder, expressed as a percent of watershed area, accounted for 37% and 38% of the variation in summer nitrate and total N (TN) concentrations, respectively. Relationships between alder and nitrate were strongest in winter when streamflow and landscape connections are highest. Distance to the coast and latitude, potential surrogates for sea salt inputs, and watershed area were also related to nitrate concentrations in an all‐subsets regression analysis, which accounted for 46% of the variation in summer nitrate concentrations. The model with the lowest Akaike's Information Criterion did not include developed or agricultural land cover, probably because few watersheds in our database had substantial levels of these land cover classes. Our results provide evidence, at a regional scale, that background sources and processes cause many Coast Range streams to exceed proposed nutrient criteria, and that the prevalence of a single tree species (N‐fixing red alder) exerts a dominant control over stream N concentrations across this region.
Evolution of paternal care in diploid and haplodiploid populations
Authors: Davies N. G. , Gardner A.
Published: April 2014

W. D. Hamilton famously suggested that the inflated relatedness of full sisters under haplodiploidy explains why all workers in the social hymenoptera are female. This suggestion has not stood up to further theoretical scrutiny and is not empirically supported. Rather, it appears that altruistic sib‐rearing in the social hymenoptera is performed exclusively by females because this behaviour has its origins in parental care, which was performed exclusively by females in the ancestors of this insect group. However, haplodiploidy might still explain the sex of workers if this mode of inheritance has itself been responsible for the rarity of paternal care in this group. Here, we perform a theoretical kin selection analysis to investigate the evolution of paternal care in diploid and haplodiploid populations. We find that haplodiploidy may either inhibit or promote paternal care depending on model assumptions, but that under the most plausible scenarios it promotes – rather than inhibits – paternal care. Our analysis casts further doubt upon there being a causal link between haplodiploidy and eusociality.
The effects of flow on schooling Devario aequipinnatus: school structure, startle response and information transmission
Authors: Chicoli A. , Butail S. , Lun Y. , Bak‐Coleman J. , Coombs S. , Paley D. A.
Published: April 2014

To assess how flow affects school structure and threat detection, startle response rates of solitary and small groups of giant danio Devario aequipinnatus to visual looming stimuli were compared in flow and no‐flow conditions. The instantaneous position and heading of each D. aequipinnatus was extracted from high‐speed videos. Behavioural results indicate that (1) school structure is altered in flow such that D. aequipinnatus orient upstream while spanning out in a crosswise direction, (2) the probability of at least one D. aequipinnatus detecting the visual looming stimulus is higher in flow than no flow for both solitary D. aequipinnatus and groups of eight D. aequipinnatus; however, (3) the probability of three or more individuals responding is higher in no flow than in flow. These results indicate a higher probability of stimulus detection in flow but a higher probability of internal transmission of information in no flow. Finally, results were well predicted by a computational model of collective fright response that included the probability of direct detection (based on signal detection theory) and indirect detection (i.e. via interactions between group members) of threatening stimuli. This model provides a new theoretical framework for analysing the collective transfer of information among groups of fishes and other organisms.
Morphological abnormalities in a population of Lampetra planeri, with a short review of petromyzontid teratologies
Authors: Hume J. B. , Bean C. W. , Adams C. E.
Published: April 2014

Reported here are several deviations (n = 15; 1·96%) from typical morphology in a large sample (n = 767) of European brook lamprey Lampetra planeri from a single population in the Loch Lomond catchment; this includes one specimen bearing a true anal fin. A brief review of petromyzontid teratology is provided.
Mangrove loss leads to fish hyperutilization of seagrass beds in a UNESCO biosphere reserve
Authors: Bologna P. A. X.
Published: April 2014

Hurricanes severely damaged a mangrove forest in a UNESCO biosphere reserve in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The system has yet to recover and when alternative habitats have been destroyed, it is shown that juvenile fishes will hyperutilize seagrass beds at densities significantly greater than in areas that maintain functioning mangroves. Despite over a decade of recovery time, the affected mangrove system remains inhospitable to juvenile fishes.
Early growth and development of reciprocal hybrids of the starry flounder Platichthys stellatus and stone flounder Kareius bicoloratus
Authors: Yamashita Y. T. , Aritaki M. , Kurita Y. , Tanaka M.
Published: April 2014

Larval growth and development of hybrid flounder were observed and compared with those of their parent species. The reciprocal hybrids of female starry flounder Platichthys stellatus and male stone flounder Kareius bicoloratus (hybrid Sb) and of female K. bicoloratus and male P. stellatus (hybrid Bs) both survived and grew to juveniles. Development was divided into nine stages (A–I). Many of the hybrids' traits were identical and intermediate to those of their parents. The position of the eye, however, was primarily sinistral in both hybrids (80% in Sb and 76% in Bs), a trait possessed by P. stellatus (80%) in the western Pacific Ocean. The daily growth rates of the larvae were similar. In the parent species, development was more rapid in P. stellatus than in K. bicoloratus whereas rate of development was intermediate in both Sb and Bs hybrids. The size at settlement [standard length (LS) at stage H (mean ± s.d.)] was 9·82 ± 1·47 mm for the hybrid Sb and 9·99 ± 0·90 mm for the hybrid Bs, while the minimum age at metamorphosis (initial age at stage H) was 29 days after hatching (DAH) in both hybrids. In comparison, LS at settlement in parent species was 6·43 ± 0·25 mm for P. stellatus and 12·87 ± 1·29 mm for K. bicoloratus. Minimum age at metamorphosis for the parents was 23 DAH at stage G in P. stellatus and 34 DAH at stage H in K. bicoloratus. Thus, the timing of settlement of hybrids was different from that of their parent species. These traits may occur with high frequency in a natural habitat.
S100β as an early biomarker of excitotoxic damage in spinal cord organotypic cultures
Authors: Mazzone Graciela L. , Nistri Andrea
Published: April 2014

S100β is a cytoplasmic calcium‐binding protein mainly expressed by glia and considered to be a useful biomarker for brain or spinal cord injury. Indeed, clinical studies suggest that the S100β concentration in serum or cerebrospinal fluid may predict lesion outcome and prognosis. The relation of S100β levels to damage severity and its timecourse remains, however, unclear. This study used a validated in vitro model of spinal cord injury induced by kainate‐mediated excitotoxicity to investigate these issues. After 22 days in vitro, rat organotypic spinal cord slices were subjected to one transient application (1 h) of 1 or 100 μM kainate followed by washout. While the lower kainate concentration did not evoke neuronal loss or S100β increase, the larger concentration elicited 40% neuronal death, no change in glial number and a delayed, significant rise in extracellular S100β that peaked at 24 h. This increase was associated with a stronger expression of the S100β protein as indicated by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Application of the microtubule disrupting agent colchicine did not change the rise in S100β induced by kainate, an effect blocked by the glutamate receptor antagonists CNQX and APV. Our data suggest that excitotoxicity was followed by release of S100β perhaps from a readily releasable pool through a mechanism independent of microtubule assembly. The raised extracellular level of S100β appeared to reflect glial reactivity to the kainate‐evoked lesion in accordance with the view that this protein may be involved in tissue protection and repair after acute injury.

image

Excitotoxicity is a major mechanism responsible for neuronal death following acute spinal cord injury. The calcium‐binding protein S100β is released by astrocytes into the extracellular compartment during the first 24 h after the initial insult and represents a useful biomarker of lesion progression as its level is related to the occurrence and severity of neuronal loss.
Theory of mind and its relationship with executive functions and emotion recognition in borderline personality disorder
Authors: Baez Sandra , Marengo Juan , Perez Ana , Huepe David , Font Fernanda Giralt , Rial Veronica , Gonzalez‐Gadea María Luz , Manes Facundo , Ibanez Agustin
Published: April 2014

Impaired social cognition has been claimed to be a mechanism underlying the development and maintenance of borderline personality disorder (BPD). One important aspect of social cognition is the theory of mind (ToM), a complex skill that seems to be influenced by more basic processes, such as executive functions (EF) and emotion recognition. Previous ToM studies in BPD have yielded inconsistent results. This study assessed the performance of BPD adults on ToM, emotion recognition, and EF tasks. We also examined whether EF and emotion recognition could predict the performance on ToM tasks. We evaluated 15 adults with BPD and 15 matched healthy controls using different tasks of EF, emotion recognition, and ToM. The results showed that BPD adults exhibited deficits in the three domains, which seem to be task‐dependent. Furthermore, we found that EF and emotion recognition predicted the performance on ToM. Our results suggest that tasks that involve real‐life social scenarios and contextual cues are more sensitive to detect ToM and emotion recognition deficits in BPD individuals. Our findings also indicate that (a) ToM variability in BPD is partially explained by individual differences on EF and emotion recognition; and (b) ToM deficits of BPD patients are partially explained by the capacity to integrate cues from face, prosody, gesture, and social context to identify the emotions and others' beliefs.
Pharmacological postconditioning of the rabbit heart with non-selective, A1, A2A and A3 adenosine receptor agonists
Authors: Bibli Sophia-Iris , Iliodromitis Efstathios K , Lambertucci Catia , Zoga Anastasia , Lougiakis Nikolaos , Dagres Nikolaos , Volpini Rosaria , Dal Ben Diego , Kremastinos Dimitrios Th , Tsantili Kakoulidou Anna , Cristalli Gloria , Andreadou Ioanna
Published: April 2014

Objectives

We investigated the effects of novel selective and non-selective adenosine receptor agonists (ARs) on cardioprotection.

Methods

Male rabbits divided into six groups were subjected to 30-min heart ischaemia and 3-h reperfusion: (1) control group, (2) postconditioning (PostC) group, (3) group A: treated with the non-selective agonist (S)-PHPNECA, (4) group B: treated with the A1 agonist CCPA, (5) group C: treated with the A2A agonist VT 7 and (6) group D: treated with the A3 agonist AR 170. The infarcted (I) and the areas at risk (R) were estimated as %I/R. In additional rabbits of all groups, heart samples were taken for determination of Akt, eNOS and STAT 3 at the 10th reperfusion minute.

Key findings

(S)-PHPNECA and CCPA reduced the infarct size (17.2 ± 2.9% and 17.9 ± 2.0% vs 46.8 ± 1.9% in control, P < 0.05), conferring a benefit similar to PostC (26.4 ± 0.3%). Selective A2A and A3 receptor agonists did not reduce the infarct size (39.5 ± 0.8% and 38.7 ± 3.5%, P = NS vs control). Akt, eNOS and STAT 3 were significantly activated after non-selective A1 ARs and PostC.

Conclusions

Non-selective and A1 but not A2A and A3 ARs agonists are essential for triggering cardioprotection. The molecular mechanism involves both RISK and the JAK/STAT pathways.
Dietary L‐arginine supplement alleviates hepatic heat stress and improves feed conversion ratio of Pekin ducks exposed to high environmental temperature
Authors: Zhu W. , Jiang W. , Wu L. Y.
Published: April 2014

The current intensive indoor production system of commercial Pekin ducks never allows adequate water for swimming or wetting. Therefore, heat stress is a key factor affecting health and growth of ducks in the hot regions and season. Experiment 1 was conducted to study whether heat stress was deleterious to certain organs of ducks. Forty‐one‐day‐old mixed‐sex Pekin ducks were randomly allocated to four electrically heated battery brooders comprised of 10 ducks each. Ducks were suddenly exposed to 37 °C ambient temperature for 3 h and then slaughtered, in one brooder at 21 days and in another brooder at 49 days of age. The results showed that body weight and weight of immune organs, particularly liver markedly decreased in acute heat stress ducks compared with the control. Experiment 2 was carried out to investigate the influences of dietary L‐arginine (Arg) supplement on weight and compositions of certain lymphoid organs, and growth performance in Pekin ducks, under daily cyclic hot temperature environment. A total of 151‐day‐old mixed‐sex Pekin ducks were randomly divided into one negative control and two treatment groups, fed experimental diets supplemented with 0, 5, and 10 g L‐Arginine (L‐Arg)/kg to the basal diet respectively. Ducks were exposed to cyclic high temperature simulating natural summer season. The results showed that the addition of L‐Arg improves feed conversion ratio (FCR) during a period of 7‐week trial, as well as increases hepatic weight relative to body weight at 21 days, while decreases the hepatic water content at 49 days of age. This study indicated that the liver was more sensitive to acute heat stress, and the hepatic relative weight and chemical composition could be regulated by dietary L‐Arg supplementation in Pekin ducks being reared at high ambient temperature. These beneficial effects of Arg on liver might be a cause of improved FCR.
AGE-Breaker ALT-711 Plus Insulin Could Restore Erectile Function in Streptozocin-Induced Type 1 Diabetic Rats
Authors: Wang Lin , Tian Wenjie , Uwais Zaid , Li Guangyong , Li Huixi , Guan Ruili , Gao Zhezhu , Xin Zhongcheng
Published: April 2014

Introduction

The interaction between advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and its receptors for AGEs (RAGEs) elicits oxidative stress and mediates the development of erectile dysfunction (ED). ALT-711, an AGE cross-link breaker, has the therapeutic potential for ED but has been less intensively investigated.

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an AGEs breaker 3-phenacyl-4,5-dimethylthiazolium chloride (ALT-711) plus insulin on erectile function in streptozocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic rats.

Methods

Fifty 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly distributed into five groups: normal control (C), diabetic (D), insulin-treated diabetic (D + I), ALT-711-treated diabetic (D + ALT-711) and insulin plus ALT-711-treated diabetic (D + I + ALT-711) rats. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ. Eight weeks after induction of diabetes, ALT-711 was administered by intraperitoneal injection. Two to six units of intermediate-acting insulin were utilized to achieve normal levels of glycemic control. After treatment for 6 weeks, erectile function was determined via measurement of intracavernous pressures (ICPs) following electrostimulation of the cavernous nerve. The deposition of AGEs, expression of RAGEs, superoxide dismutase activity, and lipid peroxidation were measured. We also evaluated penile histological changes such as smooth muscle contents, endothelial cells contents, and apoptotic activity.

Main Outcome Measures

The main outcome measures were the ratio of ICP/mean arterial pressure (MAP), penile endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, neuronal nitric oxide synthase, AGE and RAGE expression, malondialdehyde concentration, SOD activity, and apoptosis index.

Results

Diabetic rats demonstrated significantly reduced ICP/MAP ratio, penile endothelial cells, smooth muscles cells, increased AGEs and RAGE expression, and increased apoptosis. Insulin and ALT-711 monotherapy partially restored erectile function and histological changes. However, the combination therapy group showed erectile parameters and components similar to those in C. ALT-711-treated group demonstrated less deposition of AGEs and lower expression of RAGE than those in insulin-treated group.

Conclusion

These results suggest that although insulin can effectively control glycemic levels, it does not completely alter the pathological changes in erectile tissues. Better efficacy could be expected with tight glycemic control plus ALT-711, an AGEs cross-link breaker. The combination therapy might have the potential to eliminate metabolic memory by down-regulating the AGEs–RAGE oxidative stress axis.
Effect on Renal Function of Restoration of Euthyroidism in Hyperthyroid Cats with Iatrogenic Hypothyroidism
Authors: Williams T.L. , Elliott J. , Syme H.M.
Published: April 2014

Background

Iatrogenic hypothyroidism is associated with an increased incidence of azotemia after treatment of hyperthyroidism, and decreased survival time in azotemic hyperthyroid cats.

Hypothesis

Restoration of euthyroidism will decrease plasma creatinine concentrations.

Animals

Nineteen client‐owned, methimazole‐ or carbimazole‐treated, hyperthyroid cats with documented iatrogenic hypothyroidism (based on subnormal plasma total thyroxine concentrations [TT4] and increased plasma thyroid‐stimulating hormone concentrations).

Methods

Prospective interventional study. Doses of antithyroid medication were reduced until euthyroidism was restored (TT4 10–40 nmol/L). Plasma creatinine concentration and selected other clinicopathologic variables were evaluated before and after restoration of euthyroidism and compared by nonparametric statistics. Data are presented as median [25th, 75th percentile].

Results

Restoration of euthyroidism was associated with a significant decrease in plasma creatinine concentrations (2.61 [1.90, 3.26] mg/dL versus 2.07 [1.42, 2.82] mg/dL; P < .001) and body weight (4.03 [3.59, 4.53] kg versus 3.89 [3.34, 4.18] kg; P = .019), and a significant increase in packed cell volume (30 [28, 39]% versus 34 [29, 39]%; P = .038), heart rate (174 [163, 201] bpm versus 190 [164, 202] bpm; P = .009), and plasma alkaline phosphatase activity (26.6 [17.0, 33.0] IU/L versus 38.0 [23.5, 46.5] IU/L; P < .001).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Restoration of euthyroidism in medically treated hyperthyroid cats with iatrogenic hypothyroidism causes a reduction in plasma creatinine concentrations, and thus might improve renal function; however, this could be influenced by concurrent changes in body weight.
The Impact of Demographic, Social, and Environmental Factors on the Development of Steroid‐Responsive Meningitis‐Arteritis (SRMA) in the United Kingdom
Authors: Rose J.H. , Kwiatkowska M. , Henderson E.R. , Granger N. , Murray J.K. , Harcourt‐Brown T.R.
Published: April 2014

Background

Steroid‐responsive meningitis‐arteritis (SRMA) is an inflammatory disease of dogs that is suspected to be immune‐mediated. The development of other immune‐mediated diseases has been linked to vaccinations, time of the year, geographic location, sex, neuter status, and breed.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To identify if the development of SRMA is associated with time of year, vaccination, geographic location, sex, neuter status, and breed.

Animals

Sixty SRMA cases and 180 controls, all ≤24 months of age and matched for year of presentation, from a referral hospital population in the United Kingdom.

Methods

Retrospective case‐control study with unconditional logistic regression analysis.

Results

Beagles (P = .001), Border Collies (P = .001), Boxers (P = .032), Jack Russell Terriers (P = .001), Weimaraners (P = .048), and Whippets (P < .001) had significantly greater odds of developing SRMA in this population of dogs. Vaccination, time of year, geographic category, sex, and neuter status did not increase the odds of developing SRMA.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Only breed increased the odds of developing SRMA. It would be prudent to investigate the genetics of the identified breeds to help elucidate the etiopathogenesis of SRMA.
L2 Vocabulary Learning From Reading: Explicit and Tacit Lexical Knowledge and the Role of Learner and Item Variables
Authors: Elgort Irina , Warren Paul
Published: April 2014

This study investigates acquisition of second language (L2) vocabulary from reading a connected authentic text. Advanced and upper‐intermediate L2 (English) participants read a long expository text for general understanding, with embedded critical vocabulary items (pseudowords). Explicit knowledge of the critical items was examined using a meaning generation task, while their tacit knowledge was probed using form and semantic priming in lexical decision tasks. Results revealed a complex landscape of contextual L2 word learning in which individual differences (age, L2 lexical proficiency, first language, gender, learning strategies, levels of enjoyment) and lexical and text characteristics (concreteness, frequency, distribution, and saliency of use) individually and together affect L2 lexical development from reading. Implications of these results for contextual L2 word learning are discussed.
‘Telling tales’: exploring narratives of life and law within the (mock) jury room
Authors: Ellison Louise , Munro Vanessa E
Published: April 2014

Based on a findings of a simulation study in which 160 members of the public observed a mini rape trial re-enactment and were then asked to deliberate in jury groups towards a unanimous verdict, this paper explores the extent to which participants were able, and willing, to understand and apply judicial directions, and the legal tests or criteria contained therein. More specifically, it reflects on whether the additional provision of written directions in the jury room influenced the tone or direction of jurors' discussions, and illustrates the limited recourse made by participants to their contents, as well as their tendency to misinterpret or misapply them when they were relied upon. Having done so, this paper moves on to explore the reasons behind this limited impact, suggesting that fundamental tensions may exist between legal and lay imaginaries, such that jurors are reluctant to jettison their more natural inclinations to reach individual and collective verdicts on the basis of narrative constructions grounded in ‘common sense’ and ‘personal experience’.
Climate‐driven range shifts explain the distribution of extant gene pools and predict future loss of unique lineages in a marine brown alga
Authors: Assis J. , Serrão E. A. , Claro B. , Perrin C. , Pearson G. A.
Published: April 2014

The climate‐driven dynamics of species ranges is a critical research question in evolutionary ecology. We ask whether present intraspecific diversity is determined by the imprint of past climate. This is an ongoing debate requiring interdisciplinary examination of population genetic pools and persistence patterns across global ranges. Previously, contrasting inferences and predictions have resulted from distinct genomic coverage and/or geographical information. We aim to describe and explain the causes of geographical contrasts in genetic diversity and their consequences for the future baseline of the global genetic pool, by comparing present geographical distribution of genetic diversity and differentiation with predictive species distribution modelling (SDM) during past extremes, present time and future climate scenarios for a brown alga, Fucus vesiculosus. SDM showed that both atmospheric and oceanic variables shape the global distribution of intertidal species, revealing regions of persistence, extinction and expansion during glacial and postglacial periods. These explained the distribution and structure of present genetic diversity, consisting of differentiated genetic pools with maximal diversity in areas of long‐term persistence. Most of the present species range comprises postglacial expansion zones and, in contrast to highly dispersive marine organisms, expansions involved only local fronts, leaving distinct genetic pools at rear edges. Besides unravelling a complex phylogeographical history and showing congruence between genetic diversity and persistent distribution zones, supporting the hypothesis of niche conservatism, range shifts and loss of unique genetic diversity at the rear edge were predicted for future climate scenarios, impoverishing the global gene pool.
Assessment of Urban Ecosystem Resilience through Hybrid Social–Physical Complex Networks
Authors: Cavallaro M. , Asprone D. , Latora V. , Manfredi G. , Nicosia V.
Published: April 2014

One of the most important tasks of urban and hazard planning is to mitigate the damages and minimize the costs of the recovery process after catastrophic events. In this context, the capability of urban systems and communities to recover from disasters is referred to as resilience. Despite the problem of resilience quantification having received a lot of attention, a mathematical definition of the resilience of an urban community, which takes into account the social aspects of an urban environment, has not yet been identified. In this article, we provide and test a methodology for the assessment of urban resilience to catastrophic events which aims at bridging the gap between the engineering and the ecosystem approaches to resilience. We propose to model an urban system by means of different hybrid social–physical complex networks, obtained by enriching the urban street network with additional information about the social and physical constituents of a city, namely citizens, residential buildings, and services. Then, we introduce a class of efficiency measures on these hybrid networks, inspired by the definition of global efficiency given in complex network theory, and we show that these measures can be effectively used to quantify the resilience of an urban system, by comparing their respective values before and after a catastrophic event and during the reconstruction process. As a case study, we consider simulated earthquakes in the city of Acerra, Italy, and we use these efficiency measures to compare the ability of different reconstruction strategies in restoring the original performance of the urban system.
Diet composition and seasonal feeding patterns of a freshwater ringed seal (Pusa hispida saimensis)
Authors: Auttila Miina , Sinisalo Tuula , Valtonen Mia , Niemi Marja , Viljanen Markku , Kurkilahti Mika , Kunnasranta Mervi
Published: April 2014

The Saimaa ringed seal (Pusa hispida saimensis) is one of the few freshwater seal populations worldwide. The major conservation issue of this critically endangered population is bycatch mortality. We used digestive tract content and stable isotopes (δ13C andδ15N) to estimate the diet and seasonal feeding patterns for gaining better understanding of the seals feeding habits and potential conservation implications. The diet was similar across age groups. Altogether 15 fish species were identified and the most important were smelt (Osmerus eperlanus), ruff (Gymnocephalus cernuus), perch (Perca fluviatilis), vendace (Coregonus albula) and cyprinids. The highδ15N values suggested that the seals lose weight during winter and spring. Additionally the drop inδ15N values indicated that pups start to recover from postweaning stress and gain weight around the age of 6 mo. The isotope values differed regionally, which emphasizes that samples from consumers and prey should be collected from the same regions to improve interpretation of the stable isotopic results. Overall, diet composition suggests minimal to nonexistent competition with commercial or recreational fishing. However, observed weight loss of pups during summer may be related to higher risk of bycatch and this should be taken into account when planning temporal fishing closures.
What does Variation in Survey Design Reveal about the Nature of Measurement Errors in Household Consumption?
Authors: Gibson John , Beegle Kathleen , De Weerdt Joachim , Friedman Jed
Published: April 2014

We randomly assigned eight different consumption surveys to obtain evidence on the nature of measurement errors in estimates of household consumption. Regressions using data from more error‐prone designs are compared with results from a ‘gold standard’ survey. Measurement errors appear to have a mean‐reverting negative correlation with true consumption, especially for food and especially for rural households.
Does the Golem Feel Pain? Moral Instincts and Ethical Dilemmas Concerning Suffering and the Brain
Authors: Devor Marshall , Rappaport Isabelle , Rappaport Z. Harry
Published: April 2014

Pain has variously been used as a means of punishment, extracting information, or testing commitment, as a tool for education and social control, as a commodity for sacrifice, and as a draw for sport and entertainment. Attitudes concerning these uses have undergone major changes in the modern era. Normative convictions on what is right and wrong are generally attributed to religious tradition or to secular‐humanist reasoning. Here, we elaborate the perspective that ethical choices concerning pain have much earlier roots that are based on instincts and brain‐seated empathetic responses. They are fundamentally a function of brain circuitry shaped by processes of Darwinian evolution. Social convention and other environmental influences, with their idiosyncrasies, are a more recent, ever‐changing overlay. We close with an example in which details on the neurobiology of pain processing, specifically the question of where in the brain the experience of pain is generated, affect decision making in end‐of‐life situations. By separating innate biological substrates from culturally imposed attitudes (memes), we may arrive at a more reasoned approach to a morality of pain prevention.
Exploring the Relationship of Three Medical Entitlement Beliefs and Psychiatric/Psychological Variables for Acute and Chronic Pain Patients
Authors: Fishbain David A. , Bruns Daniel , Meyer Laura J. , Lewis John E. , Gao Jinrun , Disorbio John Mark
Published: April 2014

Objectives

The belief in medical care entitlement has recently resulted in major changes in the medical system in the United States. The objectives of this study were the following: to compare endorsement of three medical entitlement beliefs (I deserve the best medical care no matter what the cost [BMC], I am entitled to all of the medical care I want at no charge [NC], I shouldn't have to wait to see my doctors [W]) in community nonpatients without pain (CNPWP), acute pain patients (APPs), and chronic pain patients (CPPs) and to develop predictor models for these beliefs in APPs and CPPs.

Design

CNPWP, APPs, and CPPs were compared statistically for frequency of endorsement of each belief. All available variables were utilized in logistic regression models to predict each belief in APPs and CPPs. Those affirming/nonaffirming each belief were compared by t‐test for affirmation of narcissism, dependency, and antisocial practices on three scales from established inventories.

Results

CPPs were significantly more likely than APPs to endorse BMC. No other comparisons were significant. The logistic regression models identified variables that related to narcissism, anger, doctor dissatisfaction, depression, and anxiety, which entered the models for both APPs and CPPs for some beliefs. Those APPs and CPPs who affirmed the beliefs of NC and W were more likely than their counterparts to affirm antisocial practices, but not narcissism or dependency.

Conclusions

Patient medical entitlement beliefs may be related to some psychiatric/psychological issues.
Validation of the Short Form of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI‐SF) in Spanish Patients with Non‐Cancer‐Related Pain
Authors: de Andrés Ares Javier , Cruces Prado Luis Miguel , Canos Verdecho María Angeles , Penide Villanueva Lucía , del Valle Hoyos Marta , Herdman Michael , Traseira Lugilde Susana , Velázquez Rivera Ignacio
Published: April 2014

The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) is a widely used pain measurement tool. There are 2 versions, the BPI Long Form (BPI‐LF) and Short Form (BPI‐SF), which share 2 core scales measuring pain severity and pain interference but which use different recall periods (24 hours vs. 1 week). To date, the BPI‐SF has not been validated for use in Spain. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the BPI‐SF Spanish version and compared results on the core scales between BPI‐LF and BPI‐SF. The data came from a 3‐month observational study of 3,029 nononcologic patients managed in Spanish pain units. The BPI‐SF's reliability, validity, and responsiveness were assessed. The effect of different recall periods was investigated by using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) to determine the strength of correlation between BPI‐LF and BPI‐SF. The BPI‐SF showed good reliability, with Cronbach's alphas of 0.931 for the severity and interference scales, which also discriminated well between patients reporting different levels of quality of life on EuroQol‐5D dimensions (between group effect sizes [ESs] over 0.8). Substantial improvements were seen on both subscales after 3 months of treatment (ES of 1.76 for pain severity and 1.51 for pain interference). Recall period did not noticeably affect scores; ICCs (95% CI) between the long and short versions were 0.946 (0.938 to 0.954) and 0.929 (0.919 to 0.939) for the severity and interference subscales, respectively. The Spanish version of the BPI‐SF is a valid and reliable instrument to measure pain severity and interference.
Duration between onset and diagnosis in central nervous system tumors: Impact on prognosis and functional outcome
Authors: Fukuoka Kohei , Yanagisawa Takaaki , Suzuki Tomonari , Shirahata Mitsuaki , Adachi Jun‐ichi , Mishima Kazuhiko , Fujimaki Takamitsu , Matsutani Masao , Nishikawa Ryo
Published: April 2014

Background

The initial presentation of central nervous system (CNS) tumors in children frequently mimics other more common and less serious conditions, resulting in diagnostic difficulty and a prolonged time to diagnosis. Yet whether early diagnosis contributes to better life prognosis and functional outcome has not been elucidated. Only a few such reports have originated from Japan, where neuroimaging techniques are the best in the world. We examined the time to diagnosis, the so‐called prediagnostic symptomatic interval (PSI), and its impact on prognosis and functional outcome in children with CNS tumors.

Methods

We reviewed the records of 127 patients aged <15 years with CNS tumors, who were treated at our two institutions between November 1993 and October 2011.

Results

The median age at diagnosis was 7.2 years (range, 3 weeks–14.9 years). The male‐to‐female ratio was 63:64. Median PSI was 1.5 months (0–36 months). Overall survival and progression‐free survival did not differ significantly between the groups, regardless of whether the PSI was longer than the median PSI. The PSI was significantly longer in patients with long‐lasting clinical signs after the initial treatment than in patients with temporary symptoms only at onset. Both univariate and multivariate analysis showed that high histological grading was statistically correlated with short PSI.

Conclusions

A short PSI was significantly associated with high‐grade tumors. Earlier diagnosis did not lead to better life prognosis, but possibly to better functional outcome in children with CNS tumors.
Therapeutic Effects of Full Spectrum Light on the Development of Atopic Dermatitis‐like Lesions in NC/Nga Mice
Authors: Kwon Tae‐Rin , Mun Seog Kyun , Oh Chang Taek , Hong Hyuckki , Choi Yeon Shik , Kim Bong‐Jun , Kim Beom Joon
Published: April 2014

Full spectrum light (FSL) includes UVA, visible light and infrared light. Many studies have investigated the application of FSL in severe cases of atopic dermatitis (AD) in humans; however, FSL has not yet been studied in an animal model. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of FSL on AD‐like skin lesions using NC/Nga mice, with the aim of mitigating itching and attenuating the expression of adhesion molecules. We examined the effects of FSL on mite allergen‐treated NC/Nga mice by assessing skin symptom severity, ear thickness, serum IgE levels, and the cytokine expression. We examined the histology of lesions using hematoxylin–eosin, toluidine blue and immunohistochemical staining. Our findings suggest that FSL phototherapy exerts positive therapeutic effects on Dermatophagoides farinae (Df)‐induced AD‐like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice by reducing IgE levels, thus promoting recovery of the skin barrier. The mechanisms by which FSL phototherapy exerts its effects may also involve the inhibition of scratching behavior, reduction of IL‐6 levels and reductions in adhesion molecule expression. The present study indicates that FSL phototherapy inhibits the development of AD in NC/Nga mice by suppressing cytokine, chemokine and adhesion molecule expression, and thus, could potentially be useful in treating AD.