bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RAD‐Seq derived markers flank the shell colour and banding loci of the Cepaea nemoralis supergene
Authors: Richards Paul M. , Liu M. Maureen , Lowe Natalie , Davey John W. , Blaxter Mark L. , Davison Angus
Published: March 2013

Studies on the classic shell colour and banding polymorphism of the land snail Cepaea played a crucial role in establishing the importance of natural selection in maintaining morphological variation. Cepaea is also a pre‐eminent model for ecological genetics because the outward colour and banding phenotype is entirely genetically determined, primarily by a ‘supergene’ of at least five loci. Unfortunately, progress in understanding the evolution and maintenance of the Cepaea polymorphism stalled, partly because of a lack of genetic markers. With a view to re‐establish Cepaea as a prominent model of molecular ecology, we made six laboratory crosses of Cepaea nemoralis, five of which segregated for shell ground colour (C) and the presence or absence of bands (B). First, scoring of colour and banding in 323 individuals found no recombination between the C and B loci of the supergene. Second, using restriction site–associated DNA sequencing (RAD‐Seq) of two parents and 22 offspring, we identified 44 anonymous markers putatively linked to the colour (C) and banding (B) loci. The genotype of eleven of the most promising RAD‐Seq markers was independently validated in the same 22 offspring, then up to a further 146 offspring were genotyped. The closest RAD‐Seq markers scored are within ~0.6 centimorgan (cM) of the C‐B supergene linkage group, with the combined loci together forming a 35.8 cM linkage map of markers that flank both sides of the Cepaea C‐B supergene.
Summarizing Social Disparities in Health
Authors: ASADA YUKIKO , YOSHIDA YOKO , WHIPP ALYCE M.
Published: March 2013

Context

Reporting on health disparities is fundamental for meeting the goal of reducing health disparities. One often overlooked challenge is determining the best way to report those disparities associated with multiple attributes such as income, education, sex, and race/ethnicity. This article proposes an analytical approach to summarizing social disparities in health, and we demonstrate its empirical application by comparing the degrees and patterns of health disparities in all fifty states and the District of Columbia (DC).

Methods

We used the 2009 American Community Survey, and our measure of health was functional limitation. For each state and DC, we calculated the overall disparity and attribute‐specific disparities for income, education, sex, and race/ethnicity in functional limitation. Along with the state rankings of these health disparities, we developed health disparity profiles according to the attribute making the largest contribution to overall disparity in each state.

Findings

Our results show a general lack of consistency in the rankings of overall and attribute‐specific disparities in functional limitation across the states. Wyoming has the smallest overall disparity and West Virginia the largest. In each of the four attribute‐specific health disparity rankings, however, most of the best‐ and worst‐performing states in regard to overall health disparity are not consistently good or bad. Our analysis suggests the following three disparity profiles across states: (1) the largest contribution from race/ethnicity (thirty‐four states), (2) roughly equal contributions of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic factor(s) (ten states), and (3) the largest contribution from socioeconomic factor(s) (seven states).

Conclusions

Our proposed approach offers policy‐relevant health disparity information in a comparable and interpretable manner, and currently publicly available data support its application. We hope this approach will spark discussion regarding how best to systematically track health disparities across communities or within a community over time in relation to the health disparity goal ofHealthy People 2020.
Making Sense of “Consumer Engagement” Initiatives to Improve Health and Health Care: A Conceptual Framework to Guide Policy and Practice
Authors: MITTLER JESSICA N. , MARTSOLF GRANT R. , TELENKO SHANNON J. , SCANLON DENNIS P.
Published: March 2013

Context

Policymakers and practitioners continue to pursue initiatives designed to engage individuals in their health and health care despite discordant views and mixed evidence regarding the ability to cultivate greater individual engagement that improves Americans’ health and well‐being and helps manage health care costs. There is limited and mixed evidence regarding the value of different interventions.

Methods

Based on our involvement in evaluating various community‐based consumer engagement initiatives and a targeted literature review of models of behavior change, we identified the need for a framework to classify the universe of consumer engagement initiatives toward advancing policymakers' and practitioners' knowledge of their value and fit in various contexts. We developed a framework that expanded our conceptualization of consumer engagement, building on elements of two common models, the individually focused transtheoretical model of behavior and the broader, multilevel social ecological model. Finally, we applied this framework to one community's existing consumer engagement program.

Findings

Consumer engagement in health and health care refers to the performance of specific behaviors (“engaged behaviors”) and/or an individual's capacity and motivation to perform these behaviors (“activation”). These two dimensions are related but distinct and thus should be differentiated. The framework creates four classification schemas, by (1) targeted behavior types (self‐management, health care encounter, shopping, and health behaviors) and by (2) individual, (3) group, and (4) community dimensions. Our example illustrates that the framework can systematically classify a variety of consumer engagement programs, and that this exercise and resulting characterization can provide a structured way to consider the program and how its components fit program goals both individually and collectively.

Conclusions

Applying the framework could help advance the field by making policymakers and practitioners aware of the wide range of approaches, providing a structured way to organize and characterize interventions retrospectively, and helping them consider how they can meet the program's goals both individually and collectively.
Health Systems’ “Surge Capacity”: State of the Art and Priorities for Future Research
Authors: WATSON SAMANTHA K. , RUDGE JAMES W. , COKER RICHARD
Published: March 2013

Context

Over the past decade, a number of high‐impact natural hazard events, together with the increased recognition of pandemic risks, have intensified interest in health systems’ ability to prepare for, and cope with, “surges” (sudden large‐scale escalations) in treatment needs. In this article, we identify key concepts and components associated with this emerging research theme. We consider the requirements for a standardized conceptual framework for future research capable of informing policy to reduce the morbidity and mortality impacts of such incidents. Here our objective is to appraise the consistency and utility of existing conceptualizations of health systems’ surge capacity and their components, with a view to standardizing concepts and measurements to enable future research to generate a cumulative knowledge base for policy and practice.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature on concepts of health systems’ surge capacity, with a narrative summary of key concepts relevant to public health.

Findings

The academic literature on surge capacity demonstrates considerable variation in its conceptualization, terms, definitions, and applications. This, together with an absence of detailed and comparable data, has hampered efforts to develop standardized conceptual models, measurements, and metrics. Some degree of consensus is evident for the components of surge capacity, but more work is needed to integrate them. The overwhelming concentration in the United States complicates the generalizability of existing approaches and findings.

Conclusions

The concept of surge capacity is a useful addition to the study of health systems’ disaster and/or pandemic planning, mitigation, and response, and it has far‐reaching policy implications. Even though research in this area has grown quickly, it has yet to fulfill its potential to generate knowledge to inform policy. Work is needed to generate robust conceptual and analytical frameworks, along with innovations in data collection and methodological approaches that enhance health systems’ readiness for, and response to, unpredictable high‐consequence surges in demand.
Federalizing Medical Campaigns against Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
Authors: METLAY GRISCHA
Published: March 2013

Context

The formation of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention (SAODAP) in the early 1970s dramatically expanded scientific and medical efforts to control alcoholism and drug abuse in the United States.

Methods

Drawing on a variety of primary, secondary, and archival sources, this article describes the creation and early years of these agencies.

Findings

I show that while the agencies appeared at roughly the same time, their creation involved separate sets of issues and actors. In addition, I show that SAODAP received more money and resources, even though advocates for alcoholics mobilized a stronger lobbying campaign.

Conclusions

Two factors explain this discrepancy in money and resources: (1) alcoholism was framed as a public health problem, whereas drug abuse was drawn into broader debates about crime and social decline; and (2) alcohol programs relied on congressional support, whereas drug programs found champions at high levels of the Nixon administration. These political and cultural factors help explain why current programs for illegal drugs receive more federal support, despite alcohol's greater public health burden.
In vivo phosphorylation dynamics of the Bordetella pertussis virulence‐controlling response regulator BvgA
Authors: Boulanger Alice , Chen Qing , Hinton Deborah M. , Stibitz Scott
Published: March 2013

We have used protein electrophoresis through polyacrylamide gels derivatized with the proprietary ligand Phos‐tag™ to separate the response regulator BvgA from its phosphorylated counterpart BvgA∼P. This approach has allowed us to readily ascertain the degree of phosphorylation of BvgA in in vitro reactions, or in crude lysates of Bordetella pertussis grown under varying laboratory conditions. We have used this technique to examine the kinetics of BvgA phosphorylation after shift of B. pertussis cultures from non‐permissive to permissive conditions, or of its dephosphorylation following a shift from permissive to non‐permissive conditions. Our results provide the first direct evidence that levels of BvgA∼P in vivo correspond temporally to the expression of early and late BvgA‐regulated virulence genes. We have also examined a number of other aspects of BvgA function predicted from previous studies and by analogy with other two‐component response regulators. These include the site of BvgA phosphorylation, the exclusive role of the cognate BvgS sensor kinase in its phosphorylation in Bordetella pertussis, and the effect of the T194M mutation on phosphorylation. We also detected the phosphorylation of a small but consistent fraction of BvgA purified after expression in Escherichia coli.
Enterococcus faecalis utilizes maltose by connecting two incompatible metabolic routes via a novel maltose 6′‐phosphate phosphatase (MapP)
Authors: Mokhtari Abdelhamid , Blancato Víctor S. , Repizo Guillermo D. , Henry Céline , Pikis Andreas , Bourand Alexa , de Fátima Álvarez María , Immel Stefan , Mechakra‐Maza Aicha , Hartke Axel , Thompson John , Magni Christian , Deutscher Josef
Published: March 2013

Similar to Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis transports and phosphorylates maltose via a phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP):maltose phosphotransferase system (PTS). The maltose‐specific PTS permease is encoded by the malT gene. However, E. faecalis lacks a malA gene encoding a 6‐phospho‐α‐glucosidase, which in B. subtilis hydrolyses maltose 6′‐P into glucose and glucose 6‐P. Instead, an operon encoding a maltose phosphorylase (MalP), a phosphoglucomutase and a mutarotase starts upstream from malT. MalP was suggested to split maltose 6‐P into glucose 1‐P and glucose 6‐P. However, purified MalP phosphorolyses maltose but not maltose 6′‐P. We discovered that the gene downstream from malT encodes a novel enzyme (MapP) that dephosphorylates maltose 6′‐P formed by the PTS. The resulting intracellular maltose is cleaved by MalP into glucose and glucose 1‐P. Slow uptake of maltose probably via a maltodextrin ABC transporter allows poor growth for the mapP but not the malP mutant. Synthesis of MapP in a B. subtilis mutant accumulating maltose 6′‐P restored growth on maltose. MapP catalyses the dephosphorylation of intracellular maltose 6′‐P, and the resulting maltose is converted by the B. subtilis maltose phosphorylase into glucose and glucose 1‐P. MapP therefore connects PTS‐mediated maltose uptake to maltose phosphorylase‐catalysed metabolism. Dephosphorylation assays with a wide variety of phospho‐substrates revealed that MapP preferably dephosphorylates disaccharides containing an O‐α‐glycosyl linkage.
Molecular cloning and characterization of six novel HMW‐GS genes from Aegilops speltoides and Aegilops kotschyi
Authors: Ma Chaoying , Yang Yang , Li Xiaohui , Ge Pei , Guo Guangfang , Subburaj Saminathan , Zeller Friedrich J. , Hsam Sai L. K. , Yan Yueming
Published: March 2013

Six novel high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GS) from Aegilops speltoides (SS, 2n = 2x = 14) and Aegilops kotschyi (UUSS, 2n = 4x = 28) were identified by SDS‐PAGE and designated as ASy15*, AKx1*, AKx3*, AKx2.3, AKy20* and AKy8*, respectively. Their complete open reading frames (ORFs) were cloned and sequenced by allele‐specific PCR (AS‐PCR). Sequence comparison demonstrated that these novel genes displayed high single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and InDel variations. In particular, AKy8* had an extra cysteine residue at position 140 in the central repetitive domain, while AKx2.3 had an unusually long repetitive domain (816 aa), which might have positive effects on gluten quality. Phylogenetic analysis showed that AKx1* and AKx3* belonged to the 1S genome, AKx2.3 to the 1U genome, and AKy20* and AKy8* most likely to the 1S genome. The divergence between the 6 HMW‐GS genes from the two Aegilops species and those from Triticum species occurred 4.77–23.54 MYA. The authenticity of these isolated endogenous HMW‐GS genes was confirmed through heterologous expression in Escherichia coli and Western blotting.
Liver transplantation in cystic fibrosis: A report from Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Children's Hospital
Authors: Harring Theresa R. , Nguyen N. Thao T. , Liu Hao , Karpen Saul J. , Goss John A. , O'Mahony Christine A.
Published: March 2013

CF affects one of 2000 Caucasians, and approximately 25% are found to have CFLD for which OLT may be indicated. Timing of transplantation, contraindications, and survival are still widely debated. We report the outcomes of OLT for pediatric patients with CFLD from the largest children's hospital in the United States. Our records since September 1998 were analyzed for all patients undergoing OLT for CFLD. Nine patients were then compared to similar patients in the UNOS/OPTN database (n = 155). Survivals were calculated with the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log‐rank test. All statistics were performed in SPSS 15.0. We performed OLT on nine pediatric patients with CFLD, with age ranging from nine to 17 yr at the time of transplant. Mean survival was 69.2 months; patient and allograft survivals at one and five yr were 88.9%, with one death at day 21 due to Aspergillus fumigatus sepsis. Two patients underwent concurrent multi‐organ transplantation. One patient required double lung transplantation four yr after isolated OLT. Comparison to the UNOS/OPTN database revealed a trend toward improved survival. Patients with CF can achieve favorable outcomes after OLT, as we report excellent survivals for pediatric patients with CFLD.
Distribution of glomerular density in different cortical zones of the human kidney
Authors: Kanzaki Go , Tsuboi Nobuo , Utsunomiya Yasunori , Ikegami Masahiro , Shimizu Akira , Hosoya Tatsuo
Published: March 2013

Our studies have demonstrated that a low glomerular density in renal biopsies is a plausible predictor of a worse renal outcome in patients with primary glomerular diseases. However, there remains a concern regarding the diversity that may exist in the distribution of glomerular density within the same kidney. This study therefore aimed to determine the differences in the glomerular density between anatomically different cortical zones of the human kidney. A total of 89 autopsy kidneys were analyzed to accurately measure the glomerular density in different parts of the renal cortex. As a whole, compared to the glomerular density in the superficial cortex (3.0 ± 0.7/mm2), the average glomerular density in the juxtamedullary cortex (2.2 ± 0.6/mm2) was approximately two‐thirds. The glomerular density showed maximal 3.5‐fold variations between individuals and was inversely correlated with the mean glomerular volume in both cortical areas. A low glomerular density of the superficial cortex was predominantly associated with the increase of global glomerulosclerosis. On the other hand, a low glomerular density of the juxtamedullary cortex was predominantly associated with an increase in the kidney weight. Thus, there are significant zonal differences in the distribution of the glomerular density in human kidneys independent of the potential variations observed between individuals.
Correlation between hormonal homeostasis and morphogenic responses in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings growing in a Cd/Cu/Zn multi‐pollution context
Authors: Sofo Adriano , Vitti Antonella , Nuzzaci Maria , Tataranni Giuseppe , Scopa Antonio , Vangronsveld Jaco , Remans Tony , Falasca Giuseppina , Altamura Maria M. , Degola Francesca , Sanità di Toppi Luigi
Published: March 2013

To date, almost no information is available in roots and shoots of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana about the hierarchic relationship between metal accumulation, phytohormone levels, and glutathione/phytochelatin content, and how this relation affects root development. For this purpose, specific concentrations of cadmium, copper and zinc, alone or in triple combination, were supplied for 12 days to in vitro growing seedlings. The accumulation of these metals was measured in roots and shoots, and a significant competition in metal uptake was observed. Microscopic analyses revealed that root morphology was affected by metal exposure, and that the levels of trans‐zeatin riboside, dihydrozeatin riboside, indole‐3‐acetic acid and the auxin/cytokinin ratio varied accordingly. By contrast, under metal treatments, minor modifications in gibberellic acid and abscisic acid levels occurred. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction analysis of some genes involved in auxin and cytokinin synthesis (e.g. AtNIT in roots and AtIPT in shoots) showed on average a metal up‐regulated transcription. The production of thiol‐peptides was induced by all the metals, alone or in combination, and the expression of the genes involved in thiol‐peptide synthesis (AtGSH1, AtGSH2, AtPCS1 and AtPCS2) was not stimulated by the metals, suggesting a full post‐transcriptional control. Results show that the Cd/Cu/Zn‐induced changes in root morphology are caused by a hormonal unbalance, mainly governed by the auxin/cytokinin ratio.
Multivariate Analyses for Determining the Association of Field Porcine Fertility With Sperm Motion Traits Analysed by Computer‐Assisted Semen Analysis and With Sperm Morphology
Authors: Kummer ABHP , Gaggini TS , Bernardi ML , McManus C , Gonçales EM , Wentz I , Bortolozzo FP
Published: March 2013

Contents

This study investigates the association of semen traits with boar fertility. The fertility outcome (farrowing rate – FR and total piglets born – TB) of 14 boars was obtained from a field trial conducted during 10 week of breeding period on a commercial farm using multiparous sows (n = 948) through single‐sire mating with 2 × 109 motile sperm cells per artificial insemination (AI) dose. Sperm motion parameters, evaluated with computer‐assisted semen analysis system in raw and stored semen at 17°C for 240 h, in addition to morphological sperm defects, measured on the collection day, were included in the analysis to determine which semen traits were important to discriminate the fertility potential of ejaculates from these boars. The data underwent multivariate cluster, canonical and discriminant analyses. Four clusters of boars were formed based on fertility outcome. One boar, with the lowest FR and TB values (89.7% and 11.98), and two boars, with the highest FR and TB values (97.8% and 14.16), were placed in different clusters. The other boars were separated in two distinct clusters (four and seven boars), including boars with intermediate TB (12.64 and 13.22) but divergent values for FR (95.9% vs 91.8%). Semen traits with higher discriminatory power included total motility, progressive motility, amplitude of lateral head displacement and cytoplasmatic droplets. Through multivariate discriminant analysis, more than 80% of the 140 ejaculates were correctly classified into their own group, showing that this analysis may be an efficient statistical tool to improve the discrimination of potential fertility of boars. Nevertheless, the validation of the relationship between fertility and semen traits using this statistical approach needs to be performed on a larger number of farms and with a greater number of boars.
Expression Pattern of CD34 at the Maternal–Foetal Interface During Pregnancy in Pigs
Authors: Hong L , Hou C , Li X , Li C , Yu M
Published: March 2013

Contents

The pig exhibits a non‐invasive, epitheliochorial placentation. Adhesion molecules are indispensable for successful implantation and establishment of placentation. CD34 is an adhesion molecule belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF). To take the first step to investigate the role of CD34 in placentation, we examined the expression pattern of CD34 at the maternal–foetal interface in Yorkshire gilts on days 15, 26, 50 or 95 and in Meishan gilts on days 26, 50 or 95 of pregnancy (n = 3 gilts/breed/day of pregnancy) by immunohistochemical technique. The CD34‐positive signals were detected in uterine luminal epithelium and trophectoderm in Yorkshire pigs; the staining for CD34 was located in trophectoderm but barely detectable at the uterine luminal epithelium on day 15 of pregnancy. Then, the expression of CD34 increased dramatically in both the uterine luminal epithelium and trophectoderm by day 26, and weak staining intensity was observed at the maternal–foetal interface on days 50 and 95 of pregnancy. The expression pattern of CD34 in Meishan pigs is similar to that in Yorkshire pigs except that only a few positive signals were observed at the luminal epithelium on day 26 of pregnancy. These results suggest that CD34 may be involved in mediating the cell‐to‐cell adhesion between trophectoderm and the luminal epithelial cells during early pregnancy in pigs.
FDG‐PET SUV‐max values do not correlate with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation status in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Putora Paul M. , Früh Martin , Müller Joachim
Published: March 2013

Previous reports suggest a correlation between positron emission tomography with fluorodeoxyglucose maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status in lung cancer. We analysed positron emission tomography with fluorodeoxyglucose SUVmax in 14 patients with EGFR mutations, and a control group of 14 subjects with wild‐type EGFR adenocarcinomas. The mean SUV value was 10.7 for EGFR‐mutated adenocarcinomas and 9.9 for wild‐type tumours. There was no correlation between SUV values and EGFR mutation status. Omitting EGFR testing in lung cancers with low SUVmax is not appropriate.
The Concepts of Gender, Citizenship, and Empire and Their Reflection in Post‐Soviet Culture
Authors: MARSH ROSALIND
Published: March 2013

Although much has been written about the loss and rediscovery of various notions of Russian national identity since the collapse of communism, no scholarly works have hitherto attempted explicitly to link the three concepts of gender, citizenship, and empire in post‐Soviet Russia. The aim of this article is therefore to attempt an initial approach to a new subject in relation to post‐Soviet Russian culture. The first part will define my use of the terms “gender,”“citizenship,” and “empire,” in order to explain my underlying assumptions. It will then discuss some of the theoretical and methodological problems they engender in relation to contemporary Russian society and culture. The second part will present a brief analysis of how these issues have been treated in post‐Soviet literature by both men and women, particularly in writings of the twenty‐first century. The main focus will be on prose fiction and publitsistika (social and political journalism) by Russian writers, but reference will also be made to particularly important films, television series, and discussions in the media where they are relevant to the argument. The article will attempt to demonstrate that whereas the dominant discourses in contemporary Russian culture and the media are patriarchal and nationalistic, a few women writers in post‐Soviet Russia have had some success in challenging the traditional “symbolic order” in their culture in relation to women, gender and nation.
The Valaam Myth and the Fate of Leningrad's Disabled Veterans
Authors: DALE ROBERT
Published: March 2013

This article explores an enduring Soviet myth, the myth of Valaam. According to this widely believed story in 1946 or 1947 vagrant disabled veterans were forcibly cleared from the streets of Soviet cities and deported to Valaam, an isolated archipelago of fifty islands, approximately 250 kilometres north of Leningrad. These myths continue to be repeated by both historians and the general public, but little evidence has been provided to support them. This article provides original archival evidence about the myth's two main components: the clearance of disabled veterans from the streets and their subsequent exile to Valaam. For the first time it demonstrates the existence of an invalid's home on Valaam, but which challenges the “facts” of the myth. Attempts were made to clear the disabled vagrants from Leningrad's streets, but these did not occur in 1946 or 1947, and were neither successful nor systematic. Although a residential institution for the elderly and disabled was established on Valaam, which had its own unedifying history, it was not a dumping ground for thousands of disabled veterans cleared from urban areas. The Valaam myth is a classic example of a “false myth”; a story with only a flimsy basis in reality, but which reveals wider truths about the circumstances in which the myth was generated, and the mentalities of the individuals and society which accepted it. Having established the reality behind the myth, this article uses the Valaam myth as a lens for examining the plight of Leningrad's war disabled and the mentalities of those who believed and transmitted the myth. The article argues that these stories thrived because they were plausible, and it offers a number of explanations why Soviet citizens, and Leningraders in particular, believed this myth. Imperial and Soviet Russia had a long history of forced clearance of “socially marginal elements” and precedents of exiling them to isolated islands. Most importantly, Leningraders believed in the existence of a mythical dumping ground for disabled veterans because it accorded with their knowledge of the state's coercive practices and their experiences of the treatment of disabled veterans.
The Squid and the Whale à la russe: Navigating the “Uncanny” in Dmitry Bykov's ZhD
Authors: MINKOVA YULIYA
Published: March 2013

In ZhD, Bykov tests what happens when a nation defines itself in terms of the ethnic community. In doing so he borrows from the demographic theories of Lev Gumilev, Alexandr Solzhenitsyn, and Nicolas Marr, which pose modern Russians as a relatively recent and, therefore, non‐native population while placing them in a long historical battle for primacy with the Jews. If Western literature of colonialism, such as Coetzee's Waiting for the Barbarians, often conceives of the native populations as symbolically necessary to the ruling minority's self‐image, Bykov creates a silent majority whose deliberate disengagement from politics is the lynchpin of their survival. This attitude mocks contemporary Russians' aversion to self‐governance. The novel also parodies the “Nordic” spirit of the Russian army, whose main goal is to destroy itself (a dead soldier is a perfect soldier), and the Khazars (Jews) who deal in moral usury by making everyone feel indebted to them. The natives' values, in the typical fashion of the “noble savage,” consist in cyclical time, shamanism, transparent language, personification of the land, and animal‐like closeness to nature. What does this collection of clichés strive to accomplish? Perhaps to demonstrate that the “founding lies” of our “imagined communities” are so interwoven that any attempt at reification leads to absurdity. This article will examine the ways in which Bykov negotiates the different cultural narratives that comprise Russian identity by following Slavoj Zizek's advice that the best way to subvert the racist attitude is by means of overidentification.
Radiation Dose Associated with Dialysis Vascular Access Interventional Procedures in the Interventional Nephrology Facility
Authors: Beathard Gerald A. , Urbanes Aris , Litchfield Terry
Published: March 2013

The number of dialysis access procedures performed by interventional nephrologists using a mobile C‐arm fluoroscopy machine in freestanding centers continues to rise. With this activity comes the risk of radiation exposure to patients being treated and staff. This study was conducted to assess the levels of radiation dosage involved with these procedures. Dosimetry information including kerma area product (KAP), reference point air kerma (RPAK) and fluoroscopy time (FT) was collected prospectively. Radiation dosage data were collected from 24 centers in various parts of the United States and reflected cases managed by 69 different interventional nephrologists. The data were tabulated separately for eight procedures – fistula angioplasty and thrombectomy, graft angioplasty and thrombectomy, tunneled catheter placement and exchange, vein mapping and cases in which only angiographic evaluation was performed.

The range for all of the measured parameters was large. Additionally there was considerable inter‐operator variability. The dosage levels noted in this series were well below the threshold for deterministic effects. FT for AVF procedures was higher than for other types of access. The highest values were observed for thrombectomies. The highest KAP values were recorded for venous mapping. Thrombectomy procedures were associated with the highest RPAK levels. All dosage metrics were considerably lower than those previously reported.
Having Your Cake and Eating It, Too: Can Regulatory Agencies Be Both Independent and Accountable?
Authors: Maggetti Martino , Ingold Karin , Varone Frédéric
Published: March 2013

Independent regulatory agencies (IRAs) were created in various sectors and on different governmental levels to implement liberalization policies. This paper investigates the link between IRAs' independence, which is said to promote regulatory credibility and the use of technical expertise, and their accountability, which is related to the need for controlling and legitimizing independent regulators. The literature on the regulatory state anticipates a positive relation between the independence and accountability of IRAs, but systematic empirical evidence is still lacking. To tackle this question, this paper measures and compares the independence and the accountability of IRAs in three differentially liberalized sectors in Switzerland (telecommunications, electricity and railways). With the application of Social Network Analysis, this piece of research shows that IRAs can be de facto independent and accountable at the same time, but the two features do not necessarily co‐evolve in the same direction.
Paths towards Consensus: Explaining Decision Making within the Swiss Global Justice Movement
Authors: Giugni Marco , Nai Alessandro
Published: March 2013

We examine the conditions leading social movement organizations to adopt consensus in their internal decision making. To do so, we look at organizations of the Swiss global justice movement, which puts the search for consensus at center stage. Our findings show that the ways in which social movement organizations take decisions and their vision of democracy more generally are not simply a matter of free choice by their leaders and members, but depend on certain organizational characteristics. The most important one is a small organizational size, which is a crucial condition for the adoption of consensus in internal decision making. This condition combines with another one pertaining to the cultural tradition of contention represented by the social movement family to explain consensus. In addition, our findings show that small, transnational organizations following inclusive participatory practices are also more likely to adopt consensus when they make decisions.
Strength through Weakness: State Executive Power and Federal Reform in Austria
Authors: Karlhofer Ferdinand , Pallaver Günther
Published: March 2013

Due to the absence of a strong constitutional veto player, comparative research uses to classify Austria as country with weak federal structures, occasionally even as a “federation without federalism”. From an institutional perspective, the assessment is definitely correct, in particular with regard to the nearly insignificant status of the second chamber Bundesrat. Apart from constitutional provisions, however, there are informal forces at work in decision‐making processes. Our thesis is that any approach ignoring the fact that the nominal constitution is paralleled by a real one falls short. Instead, we focus on the Conference of State Governors which, though not established by law, is a strong player in Austria's multi‐layered system qualifying the picture of “weak” federalism. The paper gives on overview of origin and function of the conference and its ambivalent role in making up for the shortcomings of the federal structures. Taking recent attempts of reorganizing fiscal equalization between states and federation as an example, the need of reforming the allocation of rights and duties between the different levels and, at the same time, the obstacles blocking the reform is outlined and analyzed.
Does Participation in Policymaking Enhance Satisfaction with the Policy Outcome? Evidence from Switzerland
Authors: Traber Denise
Published: March 2013

This article investigates the benefit of participation in policymaking. Based on data from interviews with various interest groups, private organisations, and representatives of regions that had been involved in recent policymaking processes in Switzerland, this study analyses the relationship between participation and satisfaction with the policy outcome. The study looks at two different aspects of outcome satisfaction: perceived consensus of a decision and preference attainment. The results show that the level of participation is related to both aspects of outcome satisfaction but that the strength of association is dependent on the type of interest group and the level of conflict among the groups participating in the decision‐making process.
Identification of a new HLA‐DRB1*11 variant, HLA‐DRB1*11:130, by sequence‐based typing in a Brazilian individual
Authors: Wowk P. F. , Mattar S. B. , Bicalho M. G.
Published: March 2013

HLA‐DRB1*11:130, detected in a Euro‐Brazilian female, presents a point mutation at codon 59.3 (GAG→GAC).
A single nucleotide insertion in exon 2 produces a novel HLA‐B*13 null allele, HLA‐B*13:63N
Authors: Yang K. L. , Lee S. K. , Lin P. Y.
Published: March 2013

A single nucleotide insertion in codon 171 of the human leukocyte antigen HLA‐B*13:01:01 results in a novel null allele, HLA‐B*13:63N.
Serum CCL11 (eotaxin‐1) and CCL17 (TARC) are serological indicators of multiple helminth infections and are driven by Schistosoma mansoni infection in humans
Authors: Geiger Stefan M. , Jardim‐Botelho Anne , Williams Weston , Alexander Neal , Diemert David J. , Bethony Jeffrey M.
Published: March 2013

Objectives

To evaluate systemic serum cytokine and chemokine markers for inflammation and Th1/Th2 responses in relation to multiple helminth infections, parasite burden and/or nutritional status of individuals.

Methods

In a longitudinal study, stool samples from 210 individuals from an area highly endemic for Ascaris lumbricoides, Necator americanus and Schistosoma mansoni were examined before and 12 months after clearance of parasites by chemotherapy. On both occasions, the presence of mono‐ or multiple infections and intensities of infection were compared with nutritional parameters and with serum cytokines or chemokines as markers for inflammatory, regulatory or Th1‐ or Th2‐type immune responses.

Results

Before treatment, we were not able to associate any altered nutritional parameters with increased inflammatory responses, and highest intensities of infection were found in eutrophic participants with multiple infections. In contrast, major changes in serum Th2‐type chemokine levels were measured in individuals infected with intestinal helminths and/or S. mansoni, and resulted in significantly higher CCL11 and CCL17 concentrations, both before treatment and after reinfection.

Conclusions

The driving force for these elevated type 2 serum chemokine concentrations was an S. mansoni infection and faecal egg counts significantly correlated with serum IL‐10 concentrations.
Singing Numbers… in Cognitive Space — A Dual‐Task Study of the Link Between Pitch, Space, and Numbers
Authors: Fischer Martin H. , Riello Marianna , Giordano Bruno L. , Rusconi Elena
Published: March 2013

We assessed the automaticity of spatial‐numerical and spatial‐musical associations by testing their intentionality and load sensitivity in a dual‐task paradigm. In separate sessions, 16 healthy adults performed magnitude and pitch comparisons on sung numbers with variable pitch. Stimuli and response alternatives were identical, but the relevant stimulus attribute (pitch or number) differed between tasks. Concomitant tasks required retention of either color or location information. Results show that spatial associations of both magnitude and pitch are load sensitive and that the spatial association for pitch is more powerful than that for magnitude. These findings argue against the automaticity of spatial mappings in either stimulus dimension.
COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC ARTHROGRAPHY OF THE INTERCARPAL LIGAMENTS OF THE EQUINE CARPUS
Authors: Gray Sarah N. , Puchalski Sarah M. , Galuppo Larry D.
Published: March 2013

Injuries of the intercarpal ligaments are an important cause of lameness in performance horses. The purpose of this prospective cadaver study was to determine whether computed tomography (CT) arthrography would be a feasible method for visualizing and characterizing intercarpal ligaments in the horse. One cadaver limb from each of eight nonlame horses was collected immediately after euthanasia. For each limb, overlapping 2.0 mm CT images were acquired before and after injection of iodinated contrast medium into the antebrachiocarpal joint, middle carpal joint, and carpal sheath. Spin echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences were acquired in three planes using a 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner in three limbs. Following MRI, colored resin was injected into the synovial structures of these three limbs, limbs were frozen, and anatomic sections were obtained in three planes. Findings from CT arthrograms were compared to findings from precontrast CT, MRI, anatomic slices, and arthroscopy. Medial and lateral palmar intercarpal ligaments, radiocarpal and transverse intercarpal ligaments, and palmar carpal ligament were visible in CT arthrograms of all limbs. The proximal and distal entheses of all ligaments were readily identifiable. Findings indicated that CT arthrography is feasible for visualizing intercarpal ligaments and may be a useful adjunct imaging technique for diagnosing lameness due to suspected carpal ligament injury in horses.
Evaluating ecological‐niche factor analysis as a modelling tool for environmental weed management in island systems
Authors: Costa H , Medeiros V , Azevedo E B , Silva L
Published: March 2013

Management actions are essential for mitigating the potentially harmful changes in biodiversity, ecosystem function and crop/forest productivity caused by invasive species. Species distribution models, if reliable, could be used to design effective management strategies. Although several modelling methods well suited for studying invasive species have been developed for presence‐only data, often the size of available data sets for modelling is small and results are not validated with test samples. Moreover, the impact of such methods in practical applications has been overlooked. Here, we evaluated the reliability of the modelling approach based on ecological‐niche factor analysis (ENFA) implemented in Biomapper software when applied to environmental weed data in the Azores. Presence‐only data sets of two top invasive woody species (Pittosporum undulatum and Acacia melanoxylon) were used. The continuous Boyce curve was used for validation, calculated either in Biomapper (cross‐validation) or based on test samples. The species' most habitable areas that should be regarded as management targets were thus estimated from modelling and validation. By imposing size restrictions on the presence‐only data sets used in modelling and validation, other habitable areas were defined and compared. The ENFA proved to be a suitable method for modelling environmental weed distributions, regardless of the presence‐only dataset size. Moreover, the cross‐validation of Biomapper was reliable, although its results should be interpreted with caution as they could potentially lead to statistically different management target areas.
Detection of Carbon Monoxide and Water Absorption Lines in an Exoplanet Atmosphere
Authors: Konopacky Quinn M. , Barman Travis S. , Macintosh Bruce A. , Marois Christian
Published: March 2013

High-Resolution Spectrum of an Exoplanet

Unlike most of the extrasolar planets we know about, the four planets around the star HR 8799 were detected directly.

Konopacky
et al.

(p.
1398
, published online 14 March; see the Perspective by

Marley

) obtained a high-resolution spectrum of one of the planets that reveals both water and carbon monoxide but not methane in the planet's atmosphere. The atmospheric carbon-to-oxygen ratio, which traces the process of planet formation, is greater than that of the host star, providing clues to how the planets formed.
Draft Genome Sequence of Streptomyces bottropensis ATCC 25435, a Bottromycin-Producing Actinomycete
Authors: Zhang Hongyu , Zhou Wei , Zhuang Yibin , Liang Xiaomei , Liu Tao
Published: March 2013

A series of bottromycin antibiotics have been isolated and identified from
Streptomyces bottropensis
strain ATCC 25435. Here, a draft genome sequence of
S. bottropensis
ATCC 25435 is presented. The genome carries an intact biosynthetic gene cluster for bottromycin antibiotics, which provides insight into the combinatorial biosynthesis of bottromycin antibiotics.
Whole-Genome Sequence of the Fish Virulent Strain Streptococcus iniae IUSA-1, Isolated from Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata) and Red Porgy (
Pagrus pagrus
)
Authors: El Aamri Fatima , Acosta Félix , Real Fernando , Padilla Daniel
Published: March 2013

Streptococcus iniae
is a major fish pathogen that produces invasive infections that result in economic losses in aquaculture. In this study, the draft genome sequence of
Streptococcus iniae
strain IUSA-1, isolated from a natural outbreak affecting gilthead sea bream (
Sparus aurata
) and red porgy (
Pagrus pagrus
), is presented.
Complete Genome of the Solvent-Tolerant Staphylococcus warneri Strain SG1
Authors: Cheng Victor W. T. , Zhang Guijin , Oyedotun Kayode S. , Ridgway Doug , Ellison Michael J. , Weiner Joel H.
Published: March 2013

Staphylococcus warneri
is a Gram-positive bacterium commonly found in human skin flora. The genome of a laboratory
S. warneri
isolate, strain SG1, was sequenced to explore its mechanism of solvent tolerance and its potential as a chassis for biofuel production.
Genome Sequence of the Group III Clostridium botulinum Strain Eklund-C
Authors: Hassan Karl A. , Tetu Sasha G. , Elbourne Liam D. H. , Johnson Eric A. , Paulsen Ian T.
Published: March 2013

The neurotoxins produced by
Clostridium botulinum
strains are among the world's most potent toxins and are the causative agents of paralytic botulism. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of the group III
C. botulinum
strain Eklund-C, including a pseudolysogen-like bacteriophage that harbors the type C neurotoxin operon.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Hemagglutination-Negative Avian Paramyxovirus Type 4 Isolated from China
Authors: Wang Kai-Cheng , Chen Gui-Qian , Jiang Wen-Ming , Liu Shuo , Hou Guang-Yu , Yu Jian-Min , Li Jin-Ping , Zhuang Qing-Ye , Chen Ji-Ming
Published: March 2013

We report here the complete genome sequence of a nonpathogenic and hemagglutination-negative avian paramyxovirus type 4 isolated from a duck in southern China. Phylogenetic analysis of the genome sequence indicated that the waterfowl virus possibly has evolved into the Eastern and Western Hemisphere lineages.
Acheta domesticus
Volvovirus, a Novel Single-Stranded Circular DNA Virus of the House Cricket
Authors: Pham Hanh T. , Bergoin Max , Tijssen Peter
Published: March 2013

The genome of a novel virus of the house cricket consists of a 2,517-nucleotide (nt) circular single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) molecule with 4 open reading frames (ORFs). One ORF had a low identity to circovirus nucleotide sequences (NS). The unique properties of this volvovirus suggested that it belongs to a new virus family or genus.
Complete Genome Sequence of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp.
kurstaki
Strain HD73
Authors: Liu Guiming , Song Lai , Shu Changlong , Wang Pinshu , Deng Chao , Peng Qi , Lereclus Didier , Wang Xumin , Huang Dafang , Zhang Jie , Song Fuping
Published: March 2013

Bacillus thuringiensis
is a Gram-positive bacterium that produces intracellular protein crystals toxic to a wide variety of insect larvae. We report the complete genome sequence of
Bacillus thuringiensis
subsp.
kurstaki
strain HD73 from the Centre OILB (Institut Pasteur, France), which belongs to serotype 3ab and is toxic to lepidopteran larvae.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Frankia
sp. Strain CN3, an Atypical, Noninfective (Nod
–
) Ineffective (Fix
–
) Isolate from
Coriaria nepalensis
Authors: Ghodhbane-Gtari Faten , Beauchemin Nicholas , Bruce David , Chain Patrick , Chen Amy , Walston Davenport Karen , Deshpande Shweta , Detter Chris , Furnholm Teal , Goodwin Lynne , Gtari Maher , Han Cliff , Han James , Huntemann Marcel , Ivanova Natalia , Kyrpides Nikos , Land Miriam L. , Markowitz Victor , Mavrommatis Kostas , Nolan Matt , Nouioui Imen , Pagani Ioanna , Pati Amrita , Pitluck Sam , Santos Catarina L. , Sen Arnab , Sur Saubashya , Szeto Ernest , Tavares Fernando , Teshima Hazuki , Thakur Subarna , Wall Luis , Woyke Tanja , Tisa Louis S.
Published: March 2013

We report here the genome sequence of
Frankia
sp. strain CN3, which was isolated from
Coriaria nepalensis
. This genome sequence is the first from the fourth lineage of
Frankia
, strains of which are unable to reinfect actinorhizal plants. At 10 Mb, it represents the largest
Frankia
genome sequenced to date.