bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microcomputers and Mathematics
Authors: Bruce James William , Giblin P. J. , Rippon P. J.
Published: June 2012

The interaction between computer and mathematics is becoming more and more important at all levels as computers become more sophisticated. This book shows how simple programs can be used to do significant mathematics. The purpose of this book is to give those with some mathematical background a wealth of material with which to appreciate both the power of the microcomputer and its relevance to the study of mathematics. The authors cover topics such as number theory, approximate solutions, differential equations and iterative processes, with each chapter self-contained. Many exercises and projects are included giving ready made material for demonstrating mathematical ideas. Only a fundamental knowledge of mathematics is assumed and programming is restricted to 'basic BASIC' which will be understood by any microcomputer. The book may be used as a textbook for algorithmic mathematics at several levels, with all the topics covered appearing in any undergraduate mathematics course.
The Ecology of Tropical Food Crops
Authors: Norman M. J. T. , Pearson C. J. , Searle P. G. E.
Published: June 2012

In tropical developing countries farmers tend to grow a wide range of crops in a small area for subsistence or sale. To make full use of often limited resources a good understanding of how environmental conditions affect the characteristics and performance of these crops is essential. This book considers the response of tropical food crops to environmental factors such as climate, soil and farming system. Three types of crop are considered; cereals, legumes and non-cereal energy crops, with individual chapters on the four most important crops in each group. This material is set in context by introductory chapters on tropical farming systems, tropical climates and tropical soils. This updated edition retains the successful formula of the first edition, and will serve the needs of advanced students of tropical agriculture, as well as professionals engaged in research and extension work in tropical crop production.
Probabilistic Modelling
Authors: Mitrani Isi
Published: June 2012

Probabilistic modelling is the most cost-effective means of performance and reliability evaluation of complex dynamic systems. This self-contained text will be welcomed by students and teachers for its no-nonsense treatment of the basic results and examples of their application. The only mathematical background that is assumed is basic calculus. The necessary fundamentals of probability theory are included, as well as an introduction to renewal, Poisson and Markov processes. Models arising in the fields of manufacturing, computing and communications, involving single or multiple service stations and one or more customer classes, are examined in some detail. Both exact and approximate solution methods are discussed, including recent techniques such as spectral expansion. Special attention is devoted to models of systems subject to breakdowns and repairs. Throughout the book, strong emphasis is placed on explaining the ideas behind the results and helping the reader to use them, making the book ideal for students in computer science, engineering or operations research taking courses in modern system design.
Kant on Freedom, Law, and Happiness
Authors: Guyer Paul
Published: June 2012

Kant is often portrayed as the author of a rigid system of ethics in which adherence to a formal and universal principle of morality - the famous categorical imperative - is an end itself, and any concern for human goals and happiness a strictly secondary and subordinate matter. Such a theory seems to suit perfectly rational beings but not human beings. The twelve essays in this collection by one of the world's preeminent Kant scholars argue for a radically different account of Kant's ethics. They explore an interpretation of the moral philosophy according to which freedom is the fundamental end of human action, but an end that can only be preserved and promoted by adherence to moral law. By radically revising the traditional interpretation of Kant's moral and political philosophy and by showing how Kant's coherent liberalism can guide us in current debates, Paul Guyer will find an audience across moral and political philosophy, intellectual history, and political science.
Kant and the Fate of Autonomy
Authors: Ameriks Karl
Published: June 2012

It has been argued that Kant's all-consuming efforts to place autonomy at the center of philosophy have had, in the long-run, the unintended effect of leading to the widespread discrediting of philosophy and of undermining the notion of autonomy itself. The result of this 'Copernican revolution' has seemed to many commentators the de-centring, if not the self-destruction, of the autonomous self. In this major reinterpretation of Kant and the post-Kantian response to his critical philosophy, Karl Ameriks argues that such a view of Kant rests on a series of misconceptions. By providing the first systematic study of the underlying structure of the reaction to Kant's critical philosophy in the writings of Reinhold, Fichte and Hegel, Karl Ameriks challenges the presumptions that dominate popular approaches to the concept of freedom, and to the interpretation of the relation between the Enlightenment, Kant and post-Kantian thought.
Using Spanish Vocabulary
Authors: Batchelor R. E. , San José Miguel Ángel
Published: June 2012

This book, first published in 2003, provides a comprehensive and structured vocabulary for all levels of undergraduate Spanish courses. It offers a broad coverage of the concrete and abstract vocabulary relating to the physical, cultural, social, commercial and political environment, as well as exposure to commonly encountered technical vocabulary. The accompanying exercises for private study and classroom use are designed to promote precision and awareness of nuance and register, develop good dictionary use, and encourage effective learning. The book includes both Iberian and Latin American vocabulary, and clearly identifies differences between the two varieties.
• Consists of twenty units each treating a different area of human experience
• Units are divided into three levels which allows core vocabulary in each area to be learned first, and more specialised or complex terms to be added at later stages
• Vocabulary is presented in alphabetical order for ease of location.
Germany in the Age of Absolutism
Authors: Vierhaus Rudolf
Published: June 2012

Rudolf Vierhaus's work is much more than a political history of Germany from the Thirty Years' War to the end of the Seven Years' War: His study reconstructs the historical structures that marked this age. He examines economic developments, the social system, and cultural life, even as he continues to pay close attention to Germany's political organization, its war, and political conflicts. German history is presented within both the diverse pattern of its regional life and the larger European context, in order to restore a full analytical complexity to the age of absolutism.
Cartesian Psychology and Physical Minds
Authors: Wilson Robert Andrew
Published: June 2012

This book offers a sustained critique of individualism in psychology, a view that has been the subject of debate between philosophers such as Jerry Fodor and Tyler Burge for many years. The author approaches individualism as an issue in the philosophy of science and by discussing issues such as computationalism and the mind's modularity he opens the subject up for non-philosophers in psychology and computer science. Professor Wilson carefully examines the most influential arguments for individualism and identifies the main metaphysical assumptions underlying them. Since the topic is so central to the philosophy of mind, a discipline generating enormous research and debate, the book has implications for a very broad range of philosophical issues including the naturalisation of intentionality, psychophysical supervenience, the nature of mental causation, and the viability of folk psychology.
Physics with Answers
Authors: King Andrew R. , Regev Oded
Published: June 2012

Physics with Answers contains 500 problems covering the full range of introductory physics and its applications to many other subjects, along with clear, step-by-step solutions to each problem. No calculus is required. By attempting these exercises and learning from the solutions, students will gain confidence in solving class problems and improve their grasp of physics. The book is split into two parts. The first contains the problems, together with useful summaries of the main results needed for solving them. The second part gives full solutions to each problem, often accompanied by thoughtful comments. Subjects covered include statics, Newton's Laws, circular motion, gravitation, electricity and magnetism, electric circuits, liquids and gases, heat and thermodynamics, light and waves, atomic physics, and relativity. The book will be invaluable to anyone taking an introductory course in physics, whether at college or pre-university level.
Introduction to Wave Propagation in Nonlinear Fluids and Solids
Authors: Drumheller Douglas S.
Published: June 2012

Waves occur widely in nature and have innumerable commercial uses. Pressure waves are responsible for the transmission of speech, bow waves created by meteors can virtually ignite the earth's atmosphere, ultrasonic waves are used for medical imaging, and shock waves are used for the synthesis of new materials. This book provides a thorough, modern introduction to the study of linear and nonlinear waves. Beginning with fundamental concepts of motion, the book goes on to discuss linear and nonlinear mechanical waves, thermodynamics, and constitutive models. It covers gases, liquids, and solids as integral parts of the subject. Among the important areas of research and application are impact analysis, shock wave research, explosive detonation, nonlinear acoustics, and hypersonic aerodynamics. Graduate students, as well as professional engineers and applied physicists, will value this clear, comprehensive introduction to the study of wave phenomena.
What Is Civil Engaged Argument and Why Does Aspiring to It Matter?
Authors: Jamieson Kathleen Hall , Hardy Bruce
Published: June 2012

To answer the question posed by the title of this article, we sketch what we mean by the concepts of civility and argument and engagement; note the ways in which the rise of partisan media menaces civil engaged argument; and close with analysis of an exchange between a prominent Democrat and Republican that illustrates the importance of common definitions and sources of trusted evidence.
The Rise and Fall of Nasty Politics in America
Authors: Shea Daniel M. , Sproveri Alex
Published: June 2012

It is fair to say that a great swath of forest was sacrificed for the study of negative campaigning. As we might hope and expect, a great deal has been learned since our initial assumptions that negative ads would be the downfall of our republic. (For an excellent review of this literature, see Geer 2006). This PS symposium and a spate of recent work (for example, see Herbst 2010; Shea and Fiorina 2012; Sobieraj and Berry 2011), suggest growing interest in a somewhat different form of negativity: the tone of political discourse, or what we might call levels of civility in politics. Much of this work has centered on the impact of nasty politics on individuals (Forgette and Morris 2006; Mutz 2007; Mutz and Reeves 2005; Fridkin and Kenney 2008). Might vitriol turn off citizens and lead to increased levels of distrust and cynicism?
Participation of armed groups in the development of the law applicable to armed conflicts
Authors: Rondeau Sophie
Published: June 2012

The topic of participation of armed groups in the development of legal instruments binding them is particularly important and needs to be addressed urgently. Many scholars and organizations have advocated recently for the participation of armed groups in the development of legal instruments binding them, with a view to ensuring their adhesion to the law. However, practical and legal considerations seem to make this participation extremely difficult in practice. Creative solutions have to be found. After reviewing five main reasons why armed groups should be involved in the advancement of the law governing armed conflicts, this article offers a brief overview of selected means by which armed groups should be engaged in the creation of future norms, as well as in the interpretation and contextualization of existing norms.
Cross‐talk between FGF and other cytokine signalling pathways during endochondral bone development
Authors: Jin Min , Du Xiaolan , Chen Lin
Published: June 2012

FGF (fibroblast growth factor)/FGFR (FGF receptor) signalling plays an essential role in both endochondral and intramembranous bone development. FGF signalling pathways are important for the earliest stages of limb development and throughout skeletal development. The activity and the outcome of this signalling pathway during bone development are also influenced by many other intracellular and extracellular signals. In this review, we focus on the interplay between FGF signalling and other pathways, which is tightly regulated both spatially and temporally during endochondral skeletal development.
Design of a surface acoustic wave mass sensor in the 100 GHz range
Authors: Nardi Damiano , Zagato Elisa , Ferrini Gabriele , Giannetti Claudio , Banfi Francesco
Published: June 2012

A design for photoacoustic mass sensors operating above 100 GHz is proposed. The design is based on impulsive optical excitation of a pseudosurface acoustic wave in a surface phononic crystal with nanometric periodic grating and on time-resolved extreme ultraviolet detection of the pseudosurface acoustic wave frequency shift upon mass loading the device. The present design opens the path to sensors operating in a frequency range currently unaccessible to electro-acoustical transducers, providing enhanced sensitivity, miniaturization, and incorporating time-resolving capability while forgoing the piezoelectric substrate requirement.
Potential barrier increase due to Gd doping of BiFeO3 layers in Nb:SrTiO3-BiFeO3-Pt structures displaying diode-like behavior
Authors: Khassaf H. , Ibanescu G. A. , Pintilie I. , Misirlioglu I. B. , Pintilie L.
Published: June 2012

The rectifying properties of Nb:SrTiO3-Bi1−xGdxFeO3-Pt structures (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1) displaying diode-like behavior were investigated via current-voltage characteristics at different temperatures. The potential barrier was estimated for negative polarity assuming a Schottky-like thermionic emission with injection controlled by the interface and the drift controlled by the bulk. The height of the potential barrier at the Nb:SrTiO3-Bi1−xGdxFeO3 interface increases with Gd doping. The results are explained by the partial compensation of the p-type conduction due to Bi vacancies with Gd doping in addition to the shift of the Fermi level towards the middle of the bandgap with increasing dopant concentration.
Size control of vapor bubbles on a silver film by a tuned CW laser
Authors: Zheng Y. J. , Wang Y. , Liu H. , Zhu C. , Wang S. M. , Cao J. X. , Zhu S. N.
Published: June 2012

A vapor bubble is created by a weakly focused continuous-wave (CW) laser beam on the surface of a silver film. The temporal dynamics of the bubble is experimentally investigated with a tuned incident laser. The expansion and contraction rates of the vapor bubble are determined by the laser power. The diameter of the vapor bubble can be well controlled through tuning the laser power. A theory model is given to explain the underlying physics in the process. The method reported will have some interesting applications in micro-fluidics and bio-techniques.
How to make a protostome
Authors: Nielsen Claus
Published: June 2012

The origin and radiation of the major metazoan groups can be elucidated by phylogenomic studies, but morphological evolution must be inferred from embryology and morphology of living organisms. According to the trochaea theory, protostomes are derived from a holoplanktonic gastraea with a circumblastoporal ring of downstream-collecting compound cilia (archaeotroch) and a nervous system comprising an apical ganglion and a circumblastoporal nerve ring. The pelago-benthic life cycle evolved through the addition of a benthic adult stage, with lateral blastopore closure creating a tube-shaped gut. The archaeotroch became differentiated as prototroch, metatroch and telotroch in the (trochophora) larva, but was lost in the adult. The apical ganglion was lost in the adult, as in all neuralians. Paired cerebral ganglia developed from the first micromere quartet. The circumblastoporal nerve became differentiated into a pair of ventral nerve cords with loops around mouth (the anterior part of the blastopore) and anus. Almost all new information about morphology and embryology fits the trochaea theory. The predicted presence of a perioral loop of the blastoporal nerve ring has now been demonstrated in two annelids. Alternative ‘intercalation theories’ propose that planktotrophic larvae evolved many times from direct-developing ancestors, but this finds no support from considerations of adaptation.
Systematic revision, phylogeny and host plant associations of the Australian endemic genus Mcateella Drake (Hemiptera:Heteroptera:Piesmatidae)
Authors: Elias Michael A. , Cassis Gerasimos
Published: June 2012

A systematic revision of Mcateella is given including the description of seven new species: M. austera, sp. nov., M. coolgardie, sp. nov., M. esperancensis, sp. nov., M. exocarposa, sp. nov., M. kwoki, sp. nov., M. reidi, sp. nov. and M. schuhi, sp. nov. The following species are redescribed: M. elongata Hacker M. gibber Drake, M. interioris Hacker and M. splendida Drake. Mcateella is defined as a monophyletic group on the basis of clavate guard setae and the stridulatory apparatus. Phylogenetic analysis of the Piesmatidae recognised Eopiesma as the sister-taxon relative to the remaining extant Piesmatidae. The ingroup relationships of Mcateella contained one polytomy. Miespa was found to be the sister taxon to Mcateella, positing a transantarctic relationship. Host plant analysis indicates that Mcateella are not all Acacia specialists as stated in the literature but feed on a wide range of angiosperms.
Robust! Handle with Care
Authors: Houkes Wybo , Vaesen Krist
Published: June 2012

Michael Weisberg has argued that robustness analysis is useful in evaluating both scientific models and their implications and that robustness analysis comes in three types that share their form and aim. We argue for three cautionary claims regarding Weisberg's reconstruction: (1) robustness analysis may be of limited or no value in evaluating models and their implications; (2) the unificatory reconstruction conceals that the three types of robustness differ in form and role; (3) there is no confluence of types of robustness. We illustrate our central first claim with a case study: the application of Lotka-Volterra models to technology diffusion.
BioContext: an integrated text mining system for large-scale extraction and contextualization of biomolecular events
Authors: Gerner Martin , Sarafraz Farzaneh , Bergman Casey M. , Nenadic Goran
Published: June 2012

Motivation: Although the amount of data in biology is rapidly increasing, critical information for understanding biological events like phosphorylation or gene expression remains locked in the biomedical literature. Most current text mining (TM) approaches to extract information about biological events are focused on either limited-scale studies and/or abstracts, with data extracted lacking context and rarely available to support further research.

Results: Here we present BioContext, an integrated TM system which extracts, extends and integrates results from a number of tools performing entity recognition, biomolecular event extraction and contextualization. Application of our system to 10.9 million MEDLINE abstracts and 234 000 open-access full-text articles from PubMed Central yielded over 36 million mentions representing 11.4 million distinct events. Event participants included over 290 000 distinct genes/proteins that are mentioned more than 80 million times and linked where possible to Entrez Gene identifiers. Over a third of events contain contextual information such as the anatomical location of the event occurrence or whether the event is reported as negated or speculative.

Availability: The BioContext pipeline is available for download (under the BSD license) at http://www.biocontext.org, along with the extracted data which is also available for online browsing.

Contact:  martin.gerner@gmail.com

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Maternal western diet causes inflammatory milk and TLR2/4-dependent neonatal toxicity
Authors: Du Yang , Yang Marie , Lee Syann , Behrendt Cassie L. , Hooper Lora V. , Saghatelian Alan , Wan Yihong
Published: June 2012

For all newborn mammals, mother's milk is the perfect nourishment, crucial for their postnatal development. Here we report that, unexpectedly, maternal western diet consumption in mice causes the production of toxic milk that contains excessive long chain and saturated fatty acids, which triggers ceramide accumulation and inflammation in the nursing neonates, manifested as alopecia. This neonatal toxicity requires Toll-like-receptors (TLR), but not gut microbiota, because TLR2/4 deletion or TLR4 inhibition confers resistance, whereas germ-free mice remain sensitive. These findings unravel maternal western diet-induced inflammatory milk secretion as a novel aspect of the metabolic syndrome at the maternal offspring interface.
Use of population pharmacokinetic modeling and Monte Carlo simulation to capture individual animal variability in the prediction of flunixin withdrawal times in cattle
Authors: WU H. , BAYNES R. E. , LEAVENS T. , TELL L. A. , RIVIERE J. E.
Published: June 2012

The objective of this study was to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PK) model and predict tissue residues and the withdrawal interval (WDI) of flunixin in cattle. Data were pooled from published PK studies in which flunixin was administered through various dosage regimens to diverse populations of cattle. A set of liver data used to establish the regulatory label withdrawal time (WDT) also were used in this study. Compartmental models with first‐order absorption and elimination were fitted to plasma and liver concentrations by a population PK modeling approach. Monte Carlo simulations were performed with the population mean and variabilities of PK parameters to predict liver concentrations of flunixin. The PK of flunixin was described best by a 3‐compartment model with an extra liver compartment. The WDI estimated in this study with liver data only was the same as the label WDT. However, a longer WDI was estimated when both plasma and liver data were included in the population PK model. This study questions the use of small groups of healthy animals to determine WDTs for drugs intended for administration to large diverse populations. This may warrant a reevaluation of the current procedure for establishing WDT to prevent violative residues of flunixin.
Will disruptive mood dysregulation disorder reduce false diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children?
Authors: Margulies David M , Weintraub Sheldon , Basile Joann , Grover Paul J , Carlson Gabrielle A
Published: June 2012

Margulies DM, Weintraub S, Basile J, Grover PJ, Carlson GA. Will disruptive mood dysregulation disorder reduce false diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children? Bipolar Disord 2012: 14: 488–496. © 2012 The Authors Journal compilation © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Objectives:  The frequency of diagnosis of bipolar disorder has risen dramatically in children and adolescents. The DSM‐V Work Group has suggested a new diagnosis termed disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) (formerly temper dysregulation disorder with dysphoria) to reduce the rate of false diagnosis of bipolar disorder in young people. We sought to determine if the application of the proposed diagnostic criteria for DMDD would reduce the rate of diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children.

Patients and methods:  Eighty‐two consecutively hospitalized children, ages 5 to 12 years, on a children’s inpatient unit were rigorously diagnosed using admission interviews of the parents and the child, rating scales, and observation over the course of hospitalization.

Results:  Overall, 30.5% of inpatient children met criteria for DMDD by parent report, and 15.9% by inpatient unit observation. Fifty‐six percent of inpatient children had parent‐reported manic symptoms. Of those, 45.7% met criteria for DMDD by parent‐report, though only 17.4% did when observed on the inpatient unit.

Conclusion:  Although DMDD does decrease the rate of diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children, how much depends on whether history or observation is used.
COMT polymorphisms as predictors of cognitive dysfunction during manic and mixed episodes in bipolar I disorder
Authors: Soeiro‐de‐Souza Márcio Gerhardt , Machado‐Vieira Rodrigo , Soares Bio Danielle , Do Prado Carolina Martins , Moreno Ricardo Alberto
Published: June 2012

Soeiro‐de‐Souza MG, Machado‐Vieira R, Soares Bio D, Do Prado CM, Moreno RA. COMT polymorphisms as predictors of cognitive dysfunction during manic and mixed episodes in bipolar I disorder. Bipolar Disord 2012: 14: 554–564. © 2012 The Authors.  Journal compilation © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Objective:  The dopaminergic system plays an important role in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and is believed to mediate cognitive dysfunction (CD) in bipolar disorder (BD). The enzyme catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT) is involved in the catabolism of dopamine in the PFC, and an association between COMT single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and BD has been reported. COMT SNPs have also been associated with executive and working memory performance in healthy subjects, patients with schizophrenia, and euthymic BD patients. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between COMT SNPs and acute CD during BD mood episodes.

Methods:  Seventy‐two symptomatic, medication‐free subjects with bipolar I disorder (BD‐I) and 76 healthy controls were evaluated using neuropsychological tests, and genotyped for COMT SNPs rs4680 and rs165599.

Results:  Patients undergoing mania and mixed episodes carrying the COMT allele G had better performance on executive function, memory, verbal fluency, and intelligence tests. Moreover, an interaction was detected between the COMT allele G and the Young Mania Rating Scale in BD CD.

Conclusions:  Allele G from COMT SNPs rs4680 and rs165599 may represent reliable state‐dependent predictors of global CD during manic and mixed episodes in BD. Further studies in larger samples are necessary to confirm these findings.
Latitude and Date of Sowing Influences Phenology of Photoperiod‐Sensitive Sorghums
Authors: Abdulai A. L. , Kouressy M. , Vaksmann M. , Asch F. , Giese M. , Holger B.
Published: June 2012

Matching phenology with prevalent abiotic and biotic conditions is a prerequisite for varietal adaptation to the environment. That is particularly important in the context of climate change because an increase in temperature is most likely to modify the precocity of the varieties. The forecast of flowering time in photoperiod‐sensitive sorghum is complex as flowering depends on temperature, day length and soil fertility. The objectives of this work were to quantify effects of latitude on the development of selected sorghum varieties and to verify the precision of our models to predict sorghum maturity. A field experiment at three locations along the latitudinal gradient in Mali with staggered sowing dates (SDs) was conducted. Seven sorghum cultivars covering a wide range of the diversity of cultivated sorghums in Mali were sown on the 10 of June, July and August in 2009 and 2010. Duration of the vegetative phase strongly decreased with latitude. Although the maximum day length difference between locations was < 8 min, for some varieties, we observed a reduction in crop duration of up to 3 weeks. Some varieties were photoperiod insensitive at one location but became photoperiod sensitive at another. The effect of latitude on the phenology is underestimated by the existing models. To determine the optimal areas for the varieties in West Africa and to forecast the effects of climate change, a correction of the simulation coefficients taking account of latitude is proposed. But, in the end, it will be necessary to develop a new model that will be able to predict the effects of both SD and latitude. More research is needed to understand physiological response mechanisms of the pronounced latitude effects on sorghum phenology.
Downregulation of TWIK‐related arachidonic acid‐activated K+ channel in the spinal cord of rats after complete bladder outlet obstruction
Authors: Wu Xilian , Liang Yueyou , Zhang Zhongyun , Cao Mingxin , Liang Weijie
Published: June 2012

Objectives:  To study the altered expression of TWIK‐related arachidonic acid‐activated K+ channel in the L6–S1 spinal cord of rats after complete bladder outlet obstruction, and to investigate the role of TWIK‐related arachidonic acid‐activated K+ channel in the neurogenic mechanism of bladder dysfunction.

Methods:  Female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into a complete bladder outlet obstruction group and a sham‐operated control group. Cystometry was carried out and tissues of L6–S1 spinal cord were obtained for detection of TWIK‐related arachidonic acid‐activated K+ channel mRNA and protein by real‐time polymerase chain reaction, western blot and immunohistochemistry.

Results:  The bladder outlet obstruction rat model was established. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction, western blot and immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of TWIK‐related arachidonic acid‐activated K+ channel was lower in the L6–S1 spinal cord of the bladder outlet obstruction rats, compared with the control rats.

Conclusions:  Downregulation of TWIK‐related arachidonic acid‐activated K+ channel might enhance the excitability of the neurons and increase the sensitivity of the bladder, probably providing a new study model of overactive bladder secondary to bladder outlet obstruction.
Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging reveals visual pathway damage that correlates with clinical severity in glaucoma
Authors: Chen Zhiqi , Lin Fuchun , Wang Junming , Li Zheng , Dai Hui , Mu Ketao , Ge Jian , Zhang Hong
Published: June 2012

Abstract

Background:  To investigate nerve fibre damage of the visual pathway in patients with primary open‐angle glaucoma using tract‐based spatial statistical analysis of diffusion tensor imaging and correlate these measures with the clinical severity of glaucoma.

Design:  Cross‐sectional study.

Participants:  Twenty‐five individuals with primary open‐angle glaucoma and 24 healthy controls were recruited.

Methods:  All subjects underwent detailed ophthalmological examinations, including the cup‐to‐disc ratio, retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and visual fields test. Diffusion tensor imaging of the visual pathway was performed using a 3.0‐T magnetic resonance scanner.

Main Outcome Measures:  Diffusivity changes of the nerve fibres in the visual pathway were calculated through tract‐based spatial statistical analysis. The mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy were assessed and compared with ophthalmological measurements.

Results:  Compared with controls, bilateral optic tracts and optic radiations in primary open‐angle glaucoma patients showed significantly decreased fractional anisotropy and increased mean diffusivity (P < 0.05). In the glaucoma group, the fractional anisotropy of the optic tracts and optic radiations varied consistently with the cup‐to‐disc ratio, retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and visual function analysis, respectively (P < 0.05). The mean diffusivity of the optic tracts correlated with these ophthalmological measurements (P < 0.05). However, no significant correlation was observed between the mean diffusivity of the optic radiations and the ophthalmological measurements (P > 0.05).

Conclusions:  The optic tracts and optic radiations of primary open‐angle glaucoma patients demonstrated radiological evidence of neurodegeneration. This varied with damage to the optic disc and with the loss of visual function. Tract‐based spatial statistical analysis of diffusion tensor imaging is an objective and effective tool for detecting the loss of cortical nerve fibres in primary open‐angle glaucoma.
Cortical interneurons, immune factors and oxidative stress as early targets for schizophrenia
Authors: O’Donnell Patricio
Published: June 2012

Schizophrenia is a common disorder in which strong genetic predisposition is combined with environmental factors. Despite the widely recognized developmental nature of the disease, symptoms do not emerge until late adolescence. Current therapeutic approaches are therefore employed too late, as brain alterations may have been present earlier than symptom onset. Here I review the developmental trajectory of the cortical circuits responsible for excitation–inhibition balance, which are at the center of current pathophysiological views, and propose that oxidative stress in cortical interneurons may be a final common pathway by which several different etiological factors can yield the cortical dysfunction characteristic of schizophrenia. If this scenario is correct, redox modulators may be beneficial for the disease. It is critical that the developmental trajectories of the factors yielding oxidative stress are taken into account for those approaches to succeed.
Mitochondrial sirtuins – a new therapeutic target for repair and protection in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Rice C. M. , Sun M. , Kemp K. , Gray E. , Wilkins A. , Scolding N. J.
Published: June 2012

Given the significant socioeconomic impact of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) and the paucity of treatment options, there is an urgent need to develop new and effective therapies for this disabling condition. The relatively recent appreciation that progressive disability is largely driven by neuronal loss has focused considerable research attention on neuroprotective strategies. This has coincided with the emergence of oxidative damage as a prominent effector mechanism of axonal damage in studies of MS pathogenesis, which has opened up a new range of putative targets for neuroprotective therapy in MS. Mitochondrial sirtuins are NAD+‐dependent protein deacetylases associated with the control of metabolism, aging, and stem cell proliferation and differentiation. Their role in inflammatory demyelinating disease has not been fully characterized, and is the subject of ongoing research. Here, we expound the rationale behind selecting mitochondrial sirtuins as a therapeutic target in demyelinating disease, and report preliminary data that warrant further investigation.
Different effects of spinalization and locomotor training of spinal animals on cholinergic innervation of the soleus and tibialis anterior motoneurons
Authors: Skup Malgorzata , Gajewska‐Wozniak Olga , Grygielewicz Paulina , Mankovskaya Tatsyana , Czarkowska‐Bauch Julita
Published: June 2012

Cholinergic input modulates excitability of motoneurons and plays an important role in the control of locomotion in both intact and spinalized animals. However, spinal cord transection in adult rats affects cholinergic innervation of only some hindlimb motoneurons, suggesting that specificity of this response is related to functional differences between motoneurons. Our aim was therefore to compare cholinergic input to motoneurons innervating the soleus (Sol) and tibialis anterior (TA) motoneurons following spinal cord transection at a low‐thoracic level. The second aim was to investigate whether deficits in cholinergic input to these motoneurons could be modified by locomotor training. The Sol and TA motoneurons were identified by retrograde labelling with fluorescent dyes injected intramuscularly. Cholinergic terminals were detected using anti‐vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) antibody. Overall innervation of motoneurons was evaluated with anti‐synaptophysin antibody. After spinalization we found a decrease in the number of VAChT‐positive boutons apposing perikarya of the Sol (to 49%) but not TA motoneurons. Locomotor training, resulting in moderate functional improvement, partly reduced the deficit in cholinergic innervation of Sol motoneurons by increasing the number of VAChT‐positive boutons. However, the optical density of VAChT‐positive boutons terminating on various motoneurons, which decreased after spinalization, continued to decrease despite the training, suggesting an impairment of acetylcholine availability in the terminals. Different effects of spinal cord transection on cholinergic innervation of motoneurons controlling the ankle extensor and flexor muscles point to different functional states of these muscles in paraplegia as a possible source of activity‐dependent signaling regulating cholinergic input to the motoneurons.
Exploration of data partitioning in an eight‐gene data set: phylogeny of metalmark moths (Lepidoptera, Choreutidae)
Authors: Rota Jadranka , Wahlberg Niklas
Published: June 2012

Rota, J. & Wahlberg, N. (2012). Exploration of data partitioning in an eight‐gene data set: phylogeny of metalmark moths (Lepidoptera, Choreutidae). —Zoologica Scripta, 41, 536–546.

Molecular data sets for phylogenetic inference continue to increase in size, especially with respect to the number of genes sampled. As more and more genes are included in analyses, the importance of partitioning the data to avoid problems that can arise from underparameterization becomes more apparent. With an eight‐gene data set from 38 metalmark moth species (12 genera represented) and three outgroups, we explored different data partitioning strategies and their influence on convergence and mixing of Markov Chains Monte Carlo in a Bayesian setting. We found that in larger data sets, with an increase in the number of partitions that are made a priori (e.g. by gene and codon position), convergence and mixing become poor. This problem can be overcome by using a recently published algorithm in which homologous sites are grouped into blocks with similar evolutionary rates that can then be modelled as separate data subsets. Using this novel approach to data partitioning, our analyses resolve with strong support relationships among the genera of metalmark moths. Support for the monophyly of the family, the two subfamilies and all genera except Hemerophila is strong. Hemerophila is broken into two separate clades, Hemerophila sensu stricto and another well‐supported clade. To render Hemerophila monophyletic, we describe a new genus, Ornarantia Rota, gen. nov., and transfer 18 species from Hemerophila to it. The type species of Ornarantia is Hemerophila laciniosella Busck, 1914.
Greening the Counterinsurgency: The Deceptive Effects of Guatemala's Rural Development Plan of 1970
Authors: Copeland Nicholas
Published: June 2012

This article examines the role of USAID's 1970 Rural Development Plan (RDP) for Guatemala in normalizing US military support for the Guatemalan government despite concerns about excessive state violence in the late 1960s. I argue that the RDP presented a depoliticized vision of Guatemala's agrarian problem and generated optimism that this problem could be resolved through market mechanisms and within the existing social order. Rather than promoting prosperity and stability, the RDP framed state terror as a temporary exception, and helped set the stage for genocide in the 1980s. This highlights complicities between discourses of development and political violence.
A critical review of functional assessment tools for upper limbs in Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: MAZZONE ELENA S , VASCO GESSICA , PALERMO CONCETTA , BIANCO FLAVIANA , GALLUCCIO CARMEN , RICOTTI VALERIA , CASTRONOVO ANTONELLA D , MAURO MARIA SOLE DI , PANE MARIKA , MAYHEW ANNA , MERCURI EUGENIO
Published: June 2012

The recent development of therapeutic approaches for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) has highlighted the need to identify clinical outcome measures for planned efficacy studies. Although several studies have reported the value of functional scales, timed tests, and measures of endurance aimed at ambulant individuals, less has been done to identify reliable measures of function in individuals who have lost ambulation. The aim of this paper is to provide a critical review of the existing literature on functional measures assessing upper extremity function in DMD. Four observer‐rated, performance‐based measures and four self‐reported scales have been previously used in DMD. Each scale provides useful information but none reflects all the different levels of functional ability in activities of daily living observed in individuals with DMD at different ages.
Five hundred million years of extinction and recovery: a phanerozoic survey of large‐scale diversity patterns in fishes
Authors: FRIEDMAN MATT , SALLAN LAUREN COLE
Published: June 2012

Abstract:  Fishes include more than half of all living animals with backbones, but large‐scale palaeobiological patterns in this assemblage have not received the same attention as those for terrestrial vertebrates. Previous surveys of the fish record have generally been anecdotal, or limited either in their stratigraphic or in their taxonomic scope. Here, we provide a broad overview of the Phanerozoic history of fish diversity, placing a special emphasis on intervals of turnover, evolutionary radiation, and extinction. In particular, we provide in‐depth reviews of changes during, and ecological and evolutionary recovery after, the end‐Devonian (Hangenberg) and Cretaceous–Palaeogene (K–Pg) extinctions.
Shorter migration distances associated with higher winter temperatures suggest a mechanism for advancing nesting phenology of American kestrels Falco sparverius
Authors: Heath Julie A. , Steenhof Karen , Foster Mark A.
Published: June 2012

Global climate change has affected avian migration patterns and nesting phenology. Changes in one phase of a bird's cycle will most likely affect other stages, but few studies focus simultaneously on multiple life‐history events. We used western North American ringing records and Christmas Bird Counts to examine whether changes in migration patterns were concordant with advancing American kestrel Falco sparverius nesting phenology. Consistent with previous findings, male kestrels migrated shorter distances than female kestrels, and kestrels nesting in southern latitudes migrated shorter distances than kestrels nesting in more northern areas. In addition, kestrel migration distance decreased significantly from 1960 to 2009 and was negatively associated with winter minimum temperatures. Christmas Birds Counts from the same time period showed increasing indices of overwintering kestrel abundance in northern states (Washington, Idaho, and Utah), where winter minimum temperatures have increased significantly, and concomitant decreases in southern states (California and Arizona). Finally, changes in nesting phenology of kestrels in southwestern Idaho were best explained by warmer winters, not springs. Warmer winters may decrease energetic demands on migrants by allowing for shorter migration distances, decreasing thermoregulatory costs, or both. Decreased energy demands during winter may allow birds to gain resources necessary for reproduction earlier in the nesting season. Higher winter temperatures that decrease (former) constraints on early nesting may be a particularly important mechanism leading to advancing nesting phenology for species with strong seasonal declines in fecundity or intense early season competition for high‐quality nesting areas.
Heightened attention to supplementation is needed to improve the vitamin D status of breastfeeding mothers and infants when sunshine exposure is restricted
Authors: Dawodu Adekunle , Zalla Lauren , Woo Jessica G. , Herbers Patricia M. , Davidson Barbara S. , Heubi James E. , Morrow Ardythe L.
Published: June 2012

Although exclusively breastfed infants are at increased risk of vitamin D (vit D) deficiency if vit D supplementation is lacking and sun exposure is limited, assessment of both risk factors in the first year of life is lacking. We evaluated the contribution of vit D intake and sunlight exposure to vit D status in 120 healthy, breastfeeding mother–infant dyads, who were followed up for 1 year. Vitamin D intake and skin sunlight exposure were evaluated using questionnaires. Serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and alkaline phosphatase levels were determined post‐natally in mothers at 4 weeks and in infants at 4, 26 and 52 weeks. Vitamin D supplementation was low (<20%) and sunlight exposure was common (93%) in study infants. At 4 weeks, 17% of mothers were vit D deficient (<50 nmol L−1) and 49% were insufficient (50–<75 nmol L−1), while 18% of infants were severely vit D deficient (<25 nmol L−1) and 77% were deficient (<50 nmol L−1). At 26 weeks, winter/spring birth season and shorter duration of months of exclusive breastfeeding were protective of vit D deficiency in infants. Vitamin D deficiency in infants decreased to 12% at 52 weeks with sunlight exposure. Serum PTH levels were significantly higher in severely vit D deficient than sufficient infants. Vitamin D deficiency was widespread in early post‐partum breastfeeding mothers and infants, and declined to one in eight infants at 52 weeks due mostly to sunshine exposure. When sunlight exposure is limited or restricted, intensified vit D supplementation of breastfeeding mothers and infants is needed to improve vit D status.
‘Lessons learned’: A comparative case study analysis of an emergency department response to two burns disasters
Authors: Little Mark , Cooper Jim , Gope Monica , Hahn Kelly A , Kibar Cem , McCoubrie David , Ng Conrad , Robinson Annie , Soderstrom Jessamine , Leclercq Muriel
Published: June 2012

Objective

The Royal Perth Hospital (RPH; Perth, Australia) has been the receiving facility for burns patients in two separate disasters. In 2002, RPH received 28 severely injured burns patients after the Bali bombing, and in 2009 RPH received 23 significantly burnt patients as a result of an explosion on board a foreign vessel in the remote Ashmore Reef Islands (840 km west of Darwin). The aim of this paper is to identify the interventions developed following the Bali bombing in 2002 and review their effectiveness of their implementation in the subsequent burns disaster.

Methods

A comparative case study analysis using a standardised approach was used to describe context with debrief reports and ED photographs from both disasters used for evaluation.

Results

The implementation of regular ED disaster response planning and training, early Code Brown notification of the entire hospital with regular updates, early clearing of inpatient beds, use of Short Message Service to communicate regularly with ED staff, control of the public and media access to the ED, visual identification of staff within the ED, early panendoscopy to ascertain intubation needs, and senior clinical decision makers in all areas of the ED were all acknowledged as effective based on the debrief reports. There was a reduction in ED length of stay (150 to 55 min) and no deaths occurred; however, quantitative analysis can only be suggestive rather than a direct measure of improvement given the likelihood of other system changes.

Conclusion

There were a number of lessons observed from the Bali experience in 2002 that have led to improvements in practice and lessons learned.